Private!

So I am going to make this little blog private. I have been wanting to for a while now, but because I seldom update (sorry!) I have been putting it off. So, if you would like to read along just let me know and send me your email. Love ya!

Little Lamb

Kieren was a little lamb, little lamb, little lamb. Kieren was a little lamb whose fleece was white as snow. Kieren's first Halloween has come and gone! She was so dang cute too. It was also a first for Nick and me with our first Trunk or Treat. We got there about an hour late but that's OK when your trick or treater isn't really going to trick or treat. So many cute and creative costumes at this thing. I'm not sure if I am sold on the whole Trunk or Treat idea yet, but maybe in the years to come. Here's some pictures of my little lamb!

Hot! Hot! Hot!

 So, I don't know what is up with the layout of my blog but it is messssed up! Sorry. It's annoying.

Last Saturday I dragged my husband, baby girl, and Nick's parents to a pumpkin patch at Underwood Family Farm because I am intent on creating traditions and memories for my little family even if Kieren is too little to remember or enjoy them.

I wish I would have planned for the weather.

It's just not any fun picking out pumpkins when it is 95 degrees out.

Of course, I over dressed. I dressed for how I wished it was outside, not for what it really was outside. And I forgot a hat and sunscreen for my little baby. But I did remember a sippy cup of water for her and some snacks which is what I usually forget. Did I mention that I am a space cadet?


My group pretended to be having fun which was all I could really ask of them. This event wasn't for them, it was for the children. The children, people. And pictures.


We melted as we walked on squishy straw and moved from one vendor stand to the next pretending to be interested in what they were selling. But then we found the animals. Kieren is always trying to pet Jack and grab his long hair so we immediately headed over the petting zoo. Maybe these animals wouldn't run away squealing from Kieren as she grabs chunks of their hair in her little pudgy hand.


All in all we had fun. We quickly picked out pumpkins at the end and raced to get into the air conditioned car. Here are some lovely pics of our trip:

Kiri's Mimi and Papi. Such good sports.

She couldn't take her eyes off of the kids in front of us.

Look at those red cheekies!

Oh yes, she rode a pony! This guy holding her was so nice and she was so interested in him.

Going round and round. Still looking at him.

Does she look bored? I knew she would like horses like her mom.

Petting the sheep. A little put out that they had short hair. Nothing for her to grab onto!

She loves these animals.

And the goat. He was a little peeved that he was getting all this attention.

Our new family picture.

Ashley's Baby Shower

Last Saturday I helped host a baby shower for my sister-in-law Ashley who is due to have a baby boy November 24th. She had such a great turnout with long time friends from school and church and boy did she get some loot! I mean seriously. Even though I didn't know anybody besides family and a few people I had met through them, I was happy to be a part of it and talk with all the ladies. Kieren came because she is a baby and it was a baby shower after all. She did great except for the end when she got so tired she couldn't control herself. It was nice to have Ashley and Tyler in town and get together as a family. I can't wait until they have this little boy and Kieren has a cousin her age to play with!

The pregnant lady and me.

The girls.

This post has no reason, just an excuse to post some pictures that we took this weekend. Kiri was in a mood, let me tell you! She is starting to definitely develop her personality and it is leaning a little towards Mommy's traits, and I don't know if that's a good thing!

Oh yeah, she is cutting her first tooth! Pictures when that little sucker shows itself.

Just some randoms with Dad. I don't know what he is doing with his hand here.

Hanging out with Mimi. She was such a pill this day.

At Jacob's 4th birthday party. This boy is always ready to take such cute pictures.

Yay! I got a charger for my camera finally! My other two are packed away nicely in Independence, MO. Love it. Anyway, I didn't hesitate to take some pics of Kieren since I haven't for over a month. I know that doesn't sound like that long, but babies grow so fast and she will be one before I know it!
She is almost 8 months old and is learning so much.

• She has re-learned how to roll from her stomach to her back. I say re-learn because she starting doing this when she was 3 months old and never did it again. So, when she would roll from her back to her stomach, she would get stuck and cry for us to save her. Now she rolls all over the place, only one side though. I watched her roll from one side of the bed to the next in 5 seconds flat!
• She has learned that the best toys are in fact not toys at all! Mommy's keys, spatulas, sunglasses, etc. I might not buy her another toy ever again. OK, that's not true.
• She is so vocal now. Talks and sings all day long. Maybe it's because I sing to her all day long. Most of the songs are not kiddie, but old 80's rock band songs! Journey, Kansas, Boston, Foreigner; you get the picture. She loves it all! That's my girl. She has a couple more lessons in the School of Rock. Next two lessons: AC/DC 101, and Disco.
• She is definitely learning how to throw a temper tantrum. She grunts and spits when she's mad. So cute. My mom told me all about my horrendous tantrums I used to pull, so I am prepared for the worst when she gets older.
• She is still wearing some 3 month and 3-6 month clothes which is fine by me. Her feet finally fit into some 0-3 month shoes I bought for her eons ago.
• She is incredibly ticklish on her back. She will laugh till she cries if you touch it.

We love our little girl to pieces!

Neighbor problems

Sorry no pictures. Not until I get a camera charger and I just ordered one on ebay. Nope, still don't have our things, but maybe next week.
So, it's been pretty hot here in Westlake the last month or so. In the 100's even. I think that calls for your air conditioner to be on pretty much all day right? Well, a month ago, our landlord Juan Carlos let us know that an AC repair man was coming to check out our unit because he has been receiving complaints from our neighbors to our right that it was loud. We hadn't noticed. Everything seemed to be working fine to us. Well, the AC guy thought so too because it turned out there wasn't anything wrong with it.
A month later (today) we get a note in our mail slot addressed to "Neighbors". This is what it said:

Hi Neighbors,
We have a big favor to ask you guys. Could you please give us a break from having to listen to your air conditioner all the time. We have stopped sitting outside in our garden for the most part, stopped having friends over to sit outside for dinner, but the worst is when we go to bed at night we can't even have the window open unless we wear ear plugs plus we can here it though our back bedroom wall vibrating.
We realize you can't help the air conditioner being right next to our place but in the 15 years we have lived here we haven't had to put up with such constant noise as there is just no getting away from it.
Hopefully you can understand and give us some relief especially at night.

Sincerely,
your old, overly sensitive, cranky neighbors who don't even know your names

OK I put that last part in there! But really? They make it seem like our air conditioner is ruining their lives. How do I handle this? Obviously I overreact in situations and get offended when I know I shouldn't. When I read this, I was very confused. Confused that they were writing us to complain about our AC when there are soooo many other things about us that they should be complaining about instead. Like, how we have a 7 month old baby who occasionally screams bloody murder at 3:00 AM, or how we have a spoiled little pomeranian doggy who barks this high pitched, want to kill yourself, kind of bark ALL DAY LONG. I have been waiting for someone to complain about Jack, but nothing.
What this letter says to me is, "Can you guys please turn off your AC and sweat it out in this 100 degree weather and sacrifice your comfort so that we can sleep with our windows open and eat bon bons out on our patio in complete silence like monks?" I realize that they are older and old people like things how they like it. I've seen it first hand at the supermercado. But come on. I also know that seniors like their homes to be saunas. My grandpas place was always so hot and yet he still complained how cold it was. But we are young! I run around all day long cleaning and playing with Kieren; I need my AC!
Don't get me wrong, I am not unwilling to compromise. I am willing to turn up the temperature to a comfortable 74-75 degrees during the day, and a nice 73 degrees at night. But I will not turn it off completely! I have a baby whose comfort is my first priority.
So, if any of you have an advice on how to handle this, I am all ears.