She's Growing

If only she slept like this at night

I love her little yawns

You can see her little chicken legs in this pic

We haven't had another doctors appointment yet but Kabree is finally filling out. Yes we are still wearing newborn clothes and she is 6 weeks but the newborn clothes are getting snugger! So hopefully she will start fitting into her 0-3 month clothes before to long. Well, I spoke way to soon on the sleeping situation and for the last three nights she hasn't hardly slept at all. I feel like a walking zombie and it's a good thing I have an awesome family and great friends to vent to. We have attempted twice to take her for a walk in the stroller and lets just say I'm sure my friend Rachel is about ready to stop asking me to go. Kabree does good for the first little bit but then she starts screaming and is unconsolable. We have to turn around and go home, it takes a bit to calm her down even after we are home. I think she likes being outside and looking around but hates the heat and the sun in her eyes, which don't worry I do shield her from it. So if anyone has tips on getting your baby to sleep at night or how to get your baby to like the stroller, let me know, I'm desperate. I'm even thinking about breaking down and doing what I swore I'd never do and buy the Baby Wise book.

Our Little Kabs

She loves to strech her whole body out like this

Hanna has been such a great cousin to Kabree

I have not been posting much lately because my computer will only let me upload pics when it feels like it. Anyways, it has been a very crazy couple of weeks. I'm back to watching kids, which I've missed them but it keeps me busy. Kabree is growing like a weed she is up to 7lbs 12oz and 20 1/4 inches long. She is awake more and more every day. She has started smiling and trying to talk, which I love. It's so cute watching her try so hard and have only the smallest sound come out. She is sleeping better, so I'm a little less crazy. We had a BBQ with some friends on Monday so we had Kabree outside from 5-9 at night and she slept from 10-6! I was so happy, I didn't sleep because I kept thinking something was wrong because she hadn't woke up but still it's hopefully the start of a wonderful thing : )! She hasn't done it again but she has been sleeping from 10:30 to about 3, so still better then before so I cannot complain. I can't believe how much she has already changed and how much we love her.

A Little Adoption Update
We have been getting a lot of questions about adoption and our story inpiticular. I will eventually post the whole story but it's a really long story so I just don't know if people will want to read that long of a post. But as far as questions, we never mind people asking them. To answer a few, yes we do have a very open adoption. We take a letter and pictures of Kabree about once a week into family services to give to our birth parents. We text our birthmom just about everyday, just to see how each other is doing, talk about what's been going on, things like that. We have also had our birthmom come to our home twice now. We do have contact with both birthparents, they are just dealing with the healing process differently and for our birthdad texting and face to face visits are too hard, he does read the letters and see the pictures though. Our birthparents do live in the same town which we are all four okay with, we do know each others last names and obviously where each other lives. Our birhparents are both very unselfish people who respect Zach and I very much, they always refer to us as Kabree's Dad and Mom (some birthparents still call themselves the parents not the adoptive couple), and they always ask if things are ok for them to do i.e. come to our house, or to give Kabree something. I was always nervous about how it would be but honestly the birthparents and us feel like it was all meant to be, we all get along so well and have so many similarities that it just makes the whole thing easy and uncomplicated. Adoption is a very emotional process and can be very hard on your marriage, your self esteem and self worth but if you can make it through the entire process it is the most amazing, rewarding thing that has ever happened to me. It has given me the greatest gift I could ever ask for, our little girl!

Branding

Dad with Katie and her friend

Makenna hanging out with the dogs

Heather getting Ebony a drink
(Ebony seriously can drink out of the bottle, it's crazy)

Zach roping for the first time

Hanna and Mattie hanging out

The girls

Grandpa Elmer

My family branded their cows last weekend. Zach enjoys going out and helping out with the cows, Heather, my aunt Laurie and I got all of the food ready for when they came back to the house. It went really fast this year, they were done by noon and I think everyone had a good time. Zach tried roping for the first time this year, and of coarse he was a natural. Most things come easy to Zach so it was no surprise to me that he did great. I'm discovering that my life of going all the time is sadly in the past. Not that I would trade anything but man, it is a lot of work taking a baby. It sounds crazy but I miss my 8 a.m. grocery shopping and my spur of the moment runs to Arbon. However, she is so worth it.

Kooper getting ran over by the wagon

Morgan riding his scooter

So after the branding we hung out at my parents for a while and as always my nieces and nephews kept me entertained. Kooper decided to tie a jump rope around his waist and then tie the other end to the red wagon, which Morgan was riding in. Kooper then decided that he would run down the hill of my parents back lawn on his hands and knees. Well by the time Kooper got to the bottom of the hill the wagon with Morgan in it was going faster then he was and needless to say Kooper got ran over, while Morgan laughed his little heart out. Then later that night Morgan was playing with Ethans toy cars and he was trying to put something on his foot. Well he was trying to ride the toy scooter. It was so cute!

Hanna vs The Car Seat

Today was my first day to watch Hanna since we brought Kabree home. I have missed her so much I was excited to have her come. I was a little surprised when Heather came to pick her up and Hanna went down by the door, then she kept saying "Mom, come here, mom come here" I was shocked she wanted to go home so bad but when I went to the stairs to ask her why she wanted to go home I realized she had buckled herself into the car seat I had setting by the door and she couldn't get out. I felt bad but started laughing and told Zach to get the camera and poor Hanna was not happy with us, she glared and said don't take the picture. I think she was emberressed that she couldn't get out.

Kabree's First Photo Shoot

My friend Ad took Kabree's pictures for me last week. She took tons of photos and I love them all but I decided I better only post a few. The problem with loving all of them is now how do I choose which one for the birth announcement and which ones to blow up for our wall!

Family Baby Shower

Heather and Wendy threw me a family baby shower this weekend. It was a lot of fun seeing family and all of our family friends. Jane made the cutest little cake and it was so yummy to eat. There was a great turn out and I got lots of cute stuff that I can't wait to use. I am so lucky to have such great friends and family that have been such a great support and have helped us so much with Kabree. So thank you Heather and Wendy for the great shower.

Great Grandpa Elmer & Kabree

Before I went to the shower I ran over to my Grandpa Elmer's to show him Kabree. My Grandpa loves babies and it was cute to watch him with her.

Updates

Since we didn't have long to prepare for our little Kabree we have had to put her stuff together the last couple days. Her uncle Caleb put her swing together while he was here and she loves it, she just looks around when we put her in it. Zach got her curtains up yesterday and they are super cute. The one picture is Kabree with her bunny on the blanket I made her. We gave our birthparents a bunny and blanket just like it so they can see how much she grows each week. Our birthparents went to court today and officially terminated their rights. Which is great for us but really hard on them. We did talk to the birthmom and she seems to be doing pretty good considering. She is still sore from the c-section but for the most part doing good. We just love our little girl so much and have our birthparents to thank for her.