FISH

I have a TON to post from this past weekend; however, I haven't downloaded the pictures yet.  I will hopefully have that done tomorrow.  What I do have is a drawing by Makenzie Laurie (Mimi) had given me on Easter.  It is a drawing of a fish that Makenzie drew while she was with Laurie.  Laurie told Makenzie how to spell fish... "F", "I", "S", "H" and on the top right of the scanned drawing below is what Makenzie came up with all by herself, with no help.  Other than the S, it is pretty clear.  We think she did a pretty good job at drawing and spelling.  Kenz has been working writing her letters and numbers.

I think she did pretty well.

B.F.F's

Kenzie and Gracie

Kenzie went to play with her BFF yesterday.  Gracie!!  The second Generation of best friends.  : ) Mandy and I have been friends since Pre-school and she is still my very best friend today.  PS... Kenz is an entire year younger, almost exactly to the day, than Gracie.  Kenzie is fast growing, just like her Momma was.  : ) 

Monday...

Yesterday, Makenzie had her first soccer meeting.  It was very exciting.  We went over all rules, where and what day practice would be held, team uniforms, introductions and more.  Chris Dudley and Jared are the coaches.  Mandy is the team Mom and some how, some way (MANDY) I was named assistant team Mom. LOL.  Its fine, I am excited.  Kenzie will practice on Friday's at 6 o'clock.  There are 17 kids on the team.  SHEW!  Jared and Chris have their work cut out for them.  I have a feeling there will be some picking daisy's and butterfly catching. ha ha  Mandy and I are in charge of getting the snacks for after every practice.  The kids get to go to a DC United game at the end of the season also.  I think that is cool and look forward to that.  I am also very excited Gracie and Kenzie get to be on the same team.  They were instant friends since Kenzie has been able to play.  Kenzie always asks about Gracie and they get a long SO well. 

Last night when we got home, Kenzie got ANOTHER Easter present from Oma.  She got a memory game called "Tea Party, Smarty".  Uncle Steven, Oma, Kenzie and I sat down to play.  I am NOT lying when I say, Makenzie won BOTH times we played.  We didn't help or let her win either. There were 25 pair/matches and she did so well memorizing where those matches were.  She was also so polite and would clap and cheer for us when we got a match.  If we couldn't remember where the other one was, she would remind us.  I had to remind her a time or two that helping us doesn't benefit her. ha ha  She was so sweet to try to help though.  I think she is ready for first grade.  : ) lol

On another note, Dad and Grandpa have been working so hard on my house.  Yesterday, they put my front door in.  Here are a few pictures of them in action.

Grandpa hard a work, in the unfinished addition

Dad working on the front door

Easter Weekend 2010...

Hope everyone had a Happy Easter!!! We sure did!  Kenzie got a lot of nice stuff.  The Easter Bunny was very good to her as well as our family.  She always gets so much!  Jared came to Church with us and we were glad to have him there.  Then Kenz and I headed back to Mom's to have Easter lunch.  We played outside until Jared came to take her to Easter dinner. 

Here are pictures of our weekend:

Saturday, Chris, Kenny and Joey put down the kitchen floor.  Joey worked on the heating and air.  I painted the bathroom.  Dad worked on the trim of my new front door.  Kenny also measured the yard for my new fence that we will put up.
Picture of the kitchen floor in progress...

Sunday Morning, Kenzie checking out her Easter Basket

Kenzie with Mommy and Daddy (she wasn't very happy at the moment)

Easter Hair

Easter Shoes

And the Easter Dress...

In Church

Holding Daddy's Hand (isn't that so cute?)

Mommy and Kenz

Then we headed home for dinner.

Kenzie and Josh

Dad (Papa) and I (Kenzie Cam, she takes great shots)

Out of the Easter dress going outside to play

Went for a bike ride, but this bike was too small

This bike was much better

Then we went for a walk

Then a little hopscotch

Then an egg hunt

*Before the egg hunt, Oma had come outside. Makenzie said to Oma "Oma, go get my Easter Eggs so we can have an egg hunt."  Oma said "Well, what's the Magic word?"  Makenzie said "Ummmmmm, Abwah- Cadab-wah?"  (Well.... that IS a magic word! LOL)

She is so silly

But SO precious

So, that was our week.  It goes by so fast.  She stayed the night with Daddy last night b/c he is off.  Jared wanted to take advantage of his day off and spend it with Kenzie.

(Please scroll down to the "Update Post" if you would like to see pictures of baby Ethan Murphy)

Update on Baby Ethan....

9:30 am:  Cindy, Shawn's Mom (Kelly's Mother in Law), just called me from the hospital.  She said Kelly is already at 8 centimeters and NO EPIDURAL!!!  She is hanging on strong and the Doctors say she mine as well keep going since she has been through the worst.  It sounds like Ethan might be here before lunch????

11:00 am:  Cindy just text and said Kelly is almost to 10 centimeters.  He will probably be here by 12 pm.

1:27 pm:  Last update before I head to Calvert Memorial... I just spoke with Becky (Kelly's sister). She said Kelly got to 9 centimeters and stopped.  The Doctors thought the baby may be to big to fit down the canal.  They ended up having to give her a c-section.  That is where Kelly is now.  Becky said they were waiting for Shawn to come out with Ethan.  Please continue to pray for their new family. Especially Kelly as she heals. 

Welcome Baby Ethan!  I got to the hospital around 2:45 and Kelly was in the recovery room feeding Ethan.  He is so precious and Ethan and Kelly are doing well.  Both Shawn and Kelly are complete naturals at being parents.  It is so cute to watch the both of them work together to meet Ethan's needs.

Here are a few pictures that I got with my phone camera:
Ethan Tyler Murphy
8 lbs 1oz, 19 1/2 inches long

I think he looks so much like Shawn.  I am so happy for Kelly and Shawn and cannot wait to watch Ethan grow up.

Baby Ethan Murphy...

I received a message from Kelly this morning that she was headed to the hospital. SHE'S IN LABOR!!! Yesterday she had a Doctors appointment and he told her she was 1 1/2 centimeters dilated and 80% effaced. The doctor stretched her to 3 centimeters and put a jelly in to keep her cervixs moving on up to 10 centimeters.  Well, that seemed to work b/c she is in the hospital now in lots of pain (all of us Mom's know that feeling). 

As of 6:10 am Kelly is still 3 centimeters dilated but %100 effaced.  * For anyone reading this that has no clue what dilated or effaced means:  Dilation is measured in centimeters, from 0-10.  Once your cervix is fully dilated to 10 centimeters, you are ready to start pushing.  Effacement is measured in percent.  When your cervix is normal, it is considered to be 0% effaced.  When you're at 50% effaced, your cervix is half its original thickness.  When your cervix is 100% effaced it is completely thinned out and you are ready for delivery.  So, baby Ethan will be here soon. 

I plan to drive up after work if she is in a position for visitors.  If not, I'll go tomorrow.  I am so excited for my very best friend and her husband Shawn as they welcome their first child into this world.  Hang in their Kell, all that pain will seem like a distant memory soon.  It is well worth it!! Can't wait to meet you Ethan!!!!

Here is Kelly at 38 weeks (in case you don't follow her blog).  As you can see, she was ready to go.  She is a super cute though! Don't you agree? : )

Hopefully things will move along quickly for Kelly and she will have Ethan today.  Please keep Kelly and Ethan in your prayers today for a safe delivery and a very healthy baby boy. 

Love you Kell!!!

It's Official... I'm a Soccer Mom

Yes, with happiness (and a little sadness) I would like to announce, Kenzie is ready for soccer!! Last Saturday, Mandy Dudley mentioned to me that Gracie was on a 3 & 4 year old soccer team.  She said Chris was coaching and they needed more players.  This team is only to teach the children fundamentals. They won't play actual games, only scrimmage.  I called Jared immediately to discuss.  He was just as excited as I was to get her on this team.  Tuesday, on the way home from work, I called Jared and asked him if he would be interested in coaching Kenzie's team (to help Chris with 15 kids).  I knew Kenz would love it if he was by her side coaching.  Also, he would get to be the coach of Makenzie's very first sport ever.  He, of course, agreed.  I called the president of the league and that was it, he is Assistant Coach.  So, I am thrilled that Jared will get to be her coach.  Makenzie is too.  I picked her up from school and told her she would be on Gracie's soccer team and even better... Daddy was going to be her coach.  She screamed "YAY!" and asked if she could call him.  LOL

Yesterday Jared took her to get her cleats, shin guards, sox's, AND... a soccer ball.  Unfortunately, they got home and the shin guards were too small for our, fast growing, little girl. So they will go get a new pair and I plan on getting her Umbro shorts to match her Umbro (pink and black) cleats and shin guards this weekend.

Here is a picture of Makenzie in her cleats with her soccer ball.

(Picture by Mimi... thanks again!)