theKelleyFam

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October Bailout?

October 7th, 2008 by Jeff
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Ok, so… since Manny went to the Dodgers who are now in the NLCS, who came from the Red Sox, who won with Jason Bay sliding into home in the 9th to send them to the ALCS, who came from the Pirates who got jacked. I think this entitles the Pirates (67-95, only 30.5 games out of first!) to a bailout.  

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37-38 months-Sienna

October 3rd, 2008 by Lara
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Dear Sienna, 


Ok, so I did it again. I combined months. More therapy bills are coming because of it I’m sure. Just see how well you can type while holding a sleeping baby in one arm, it’s not too fun I assure you. But, more than anything, it just got away from me last month, I had it on my to do list for weeks and then it got too late and I figured I might as well just combine. So here you go, two months for the price of one, it’s a bargain really.


For your birthday you received some My Little Pony’s and lately it’s your obsession. Honestly (and I’m not exaggerating here) I play ponies with you for almost two hours EVERY day. Right now you are in your room happily playing because today Aunt Janice surprised you with ANOTHER pony when we went to visit her at the store. I’ve showed you ponies online you have a whole list of which ones you want. And yes, I do know all their names. The plot lines for playing ponies include: Pinkie Pie’s birthday, a reenactment of Cinderella, ponies visiting each other at their houses, dressing up for a dance show and going to school. I like to think this encourages your sense of story (ask anyone that went to Regent (Da’s school) if you’re not sure what I’m talking about here).

 For Labor Day weekend we went to the Camping house and there were various family members there. One thing that makes me happy is that you have so much family around to dote on you. Seriously, people are CRAZY about you kid, and I don’t blame them. Aunt Janice and Julia were taking you on a walk and I warned them that they may have to carry you. Janice encouraged you to walk much of the way by telling you that princesses need strong legs so they can dance. However, on the way back to the Camping House that didn’t work so well when you said, “I’m not a princess, I’m just Sienna.” For weeks leading up to our weekend at the Camping house we talked about camping and sleeping outside. You were pretty stoked because (as per your Maisy book) camping involves marshmallows and sleeping in a tent. Your dad even set up a tent in the back yard thinking you might “practice” but you had a melt down that night so we never got around to it. Anyway, I think you lasted about an hour before your dad brought you inside and put you in the bed in my room saying you weren’t interested in sleeping and he wasn’t going to share a tent with a wiggle worm. But, I must say, you did look pretty darn cute in that tent.You are really into Fancy Nancy books (they’re so cute, I hope you remember them). The other morning you said to me “This is my room before I made it fancy.” And proceeded to ask were the fancy things were that we could put in your room. I got out a canopy that Grandmama had gotten you should we need it to bribe you into your big girl bed and you were thrilled. You’re at this stage where you are like a sponge, we’ve really got to watch out what we say because you are ALWAYS listening. Out of the blue you’ll talk about Jesus being in your heart or tell me about some recipe with flour and yogurt (Martha Stewart watch out!). Now are you chatting with your dad while he is painting and this is our pace, a mile a minute. I wouldn’t ask you to slow down for the world because Sienna, it really is a wild ride!

Ps ask your dad what a floppy bobby is.

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trading views

September 19th, 2008 by Jeff
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enclosures.jpgWell, I did it. I finally quit my job as a carpenter. The travel alone was reason enough to get out. The work was great, houses beautiful, and the crappers drafty.   I started part time at church. Doing… admin and other stuff for education and youth. It has been weird going from working outside all day, on your feet for 8-10 hours, to sitting on my duff wringing my brain for every ounce that it’s worth. It’s ironic how the views and work are so different from each other; working to build  $1 mil + homes with guys who aren’t all that cuddly to sitting in a cinderblock cube (unpadded I might add) looking at more cinderblock outside laboring in things that will never have a dollar amount or a shrine to show off to your friends. whew, the tension between the two is almost palatable! and it tastes like chicken.img_1650.JPG

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2 months: Evelyn

August 28th, 2008 by Lara
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Dear Sweet Evelyn,

 

That’s what I have come to call you, sweet Evelyn. And I wonder if it’s some instinct that I have or your coming personality because Sienna was “Little Miss” and she is certainly that. You are sitting in the bouncy chair beside me making all kinds of noises, very sweet little sounds, and just now you were smiling to me as I echoed them back to you. It’s an amazing thing, the smile of a baby. It can make you forget hours of screaming the night before or the shirt you just had to change because it was covered in puke. That was your first smirk, you had covered me in spit-up (and yourself too) and I had you on the changing table and I said, “Evelyn! You just puked all over me!” and you smirked. I sense that some day, I’ll have to watch out because you and your sister are a bit impish sometimes. Your first wide open mouth baby smile was when your dad came home from work and he peeked over my shoulder while you were (again!) on the changing table.

 

We had a rough go of it for a little while, but I feel like we may be coming out of the woods (although I really love the woods so I don’t know if that’s the greatest analogy). As I hope you will learn someday through the amazing joy of having your own children, the second one is hard. It’s not hard in that my life already revolved around other people (Sienna and your dad mostly) and I spend the majority of my time taking care of others. I’m used to that now. But it is hard in that I never have enough time for either of you. You are always being put in contraptions so I can make dinner or do something frivolous like go to the bathroom and Sienna is always being put off because I’m doing one of those things or taking care of you. I say, “Just a minute,” SO many times EVERY day. Sometimes I panic and the downward spiral starts: I’m not stimulating her enough therefore she won’t develop correctly and she’ll be really far behind and never learn to lift her head and it will be all my fault! I blame it on hormones, though those have mostly evened out by now.

 

And also for a while (at least a month, I swear) you’ve been freaking out from about 7:30-9:30 every night. The definition of freaking out is: screaming and/or crying unless we can cajole you into sleep, said sleep is usually very light and prone to being disturbed. The past few nights have been better hence the “out of the woods” comment above. Another reason for that comment? You’re starting to interact with us more which makes everything loads more fun.

 

I guess aside from the freaking out, wanting to be held most of the time, and sleeping with us thing you’re a pretty easy going baby. You certainly put up with a lot more than Sienna ever had to (get used to being compared to Sienna because she’s my frame of reference for raising kids, it just comes with the territory of being the second child). You lift your head up pretty well and only wake up once a night (last night you slept for six hours!). You love to snuggle and seem to enjoy being around people, though you like me best (and sometimes I can’t wait till you’re a Daddy’s girl, but I’ll try and remember I only get these wonderful snuggles for so long). I smell your head about a million times a day (nothing beats the smell and softness of baby hair/head) and overall, I think we’re getting along well Sweet Evelyn, just don’t dwell on the fact that we forgot the camera on the way to the hospital (which is SO second child) and we’ll keep snuggling the day away.

 

love,

mama

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