Christmas Card Perfect

(Soundtrack: "Mele Kalikimaka" - Bing Crosby)

Receiving Christmas cards each year from friends and family is one of my favorite things about the Christmas season. I never sent a single Christmas card out until I met Christian, and I realize now what I was missing those years that I didn't. It's a great way to make sure that we get a family picture at least once a year, and I absolutely love and adore seeing the pictures of friends and family that we receive. In fact, we have a Christmas card box that we pull out every year that contains all of the past years' Christmas cards from friends and families, and we add to it each year. We like to compare year to year and see how everyone has grown and changed.

If you haven't received a Christmas card from us yet, please don't panic. We just got around to taking our family picture a couple of nights ago (thank you, Jason, for agreeing to be our photographer on such short notice - you did a FANTASTIC job!). Somehow, this year, the picture thing became much harder to get done than I thought it would, and I turned around and there we were - 1 week from Christmas, with no card in sight.

Let me take a second to make a quick sidenote reference here: People - really - let's be honest with each other for just a bit. Regardless of what we say outside of the confines of our homes, we all know, deep down, that The Goal of the Christmas card is, really, to present your family in all its "glory" - looking happy, content, well rested and (as Mary Poppins would say) Practically Perfect in Every Way. But, let's be realistic for a moment, shall we, and consider the "reality" of trying to capture that one glorious, moment in time which accurately reflects the beauty and contentment of our family?

(Please pardon me for a second while I step away to...BAHAHHAHAHHAHAAAAAAAAAAA!!!! Sorry, back to the picture-taking story...)

OK, so I was filling you in on our last-minute attempt to capture that oh-so-accurate reflection of our family's beauty and contentment (note sarcasm here). Yeah. Let's take one jet-lagged, over-traveled, over-worked father, add one 4 1/2 month pregant working mom at year-end (why oh why are all contracts set up to expire on 12/31??), plus one 18 month old who is cutting 2 molars and hasn't slept well in 2 weeks, aaannndddd...just for good measure, let's throw in one dog who has just come in from the rain and been subjected to a small person chasing after his tail for 10 solid minutes.

SMILE!!!!

How in the world we ever got one good picture is beyond me. As I recall, the 5 minutes that we spent went something like this:

Grab the dog. Sit, Bear, Sit! Click. Brennan, where's Elmo? Smile for Elmo! Click.

Brennan, baby, it's OK - just sit still for one second for Daddy. Click. Bear, come here, buddy. It's OK, Baby Sister is just upset. You're OK. Sit down, buddy. Click.

Brennan, please don't pull Mommy's hair. Look at Jason. Brennan, where's Elmo?? Click.

In the end, we just had to laugh at it all. Really. And viewing the pictures really put it all into perspective for me. It truly did. And I realized that as much as we see everyone's perfect family pictures, and we strive to present our own perfect family picture for everyone else to see, in the end, our family nowhere near being perfect. Most days, we're frazzled and running around. Christian and I are passing each other like 2 ships in the night, doing dishes, laundry, feeding everyone, giving baths, reading stories and putting to bed. The calm in our Christmas card is nothing like our reality.

And, you know what? I'm totally OK with that. I love our imperfections and this crazy, whirlwind life we have. I wouldn't trade it for the world. In fact, my new family motto is "We put the fun in dysfunctional." As long as we're laughing at it all, life is good.

Merry Christmas to all of you - and to all of the imperfections that make our families so perfect.

Lots of love~

Kristen

Running and running...

(Soundtrack: "Silent Night" - Taylor Swift)
I continue to struggle this Christmas season. So much seems in turmoil lately: the political scandals, bail-outs, missing children, economic trials, soldiers away from their families... It's gotten to the point that I don't turn on the news anymore because I just feel so far away from God when I hear all of the bad things going on. So, I try to stay away from negative things going on outside of my little world.

But then there's the personal struggles - and those are more present, more demanding, and I can't just turn them off:

• The conflict I feel on a daily basis because when Monkey moves, I smile and feel such joy; yet, I am instantly reminded of my 2 angel nieces/nephews and how unfair it is that the joy that I was sharing being pregnant at the same time with my sister is no longer there. And my heart aches for the babies that I won't get to dote over as Aunt Kiki, and it breaks in half for my sister and brother because I know the confusion and hurt that they are experiencing - which can be especially difficult during the Christmas season.


• The conflict I am feeling as a parent of a toddler who is testing limits, but who, in 4 short months will no longer have our constant and undivided attention. How do I set those limits to make sure that we are raising a responsible, loving, well-adjusted child when all I want to do is smother her and spoil her to make sure that she knows how much she is totally loved in preparation for a new life with her brother/sister?


• The conflict I feel as a wife, who selfishly misses her husband in the 'early-just-the-two-of-us' ways of dinners out without sippy cups and crayons, lazy Sunday afternoons watching football, drinking beer and eating wings, after work recaps of the day and laundry-always-done-and-folded-before-you-ask-here-is-your-morning-cup-of-coffee-baby-have-a-good-day ways. Where now our exchanges frequently sound like Did-you-get-diapers-have-you-seen-her-paci-she-had-a-meltdown-at-school-do-you-want-McDonalds-or-ChicFilA-for-dinner-where-is-her-Elmo Sings-DVD?

And yet through all of this, I keep hearing it in my head:

"Slow down..." Oh, but there is too much to do!

"Slow down." I have to make sure everything is ordered, wrapped, prepped, kissed, fed, clothed...

"Slow down. Listen."

I hear you, God. I do. Thank you.

Love,

Kristen

Advent

(Soundtrack: "All My Praise" - Selah)
When I was little, my favorite part of the holidays at our church was the Advent wreath lighting. I really didn't understand the whole significance of it, I just remember that every year they would ask the children to read a passage each week as part of the weekly candle lighting. I participated 2 years, and I remember practicing on our family advent wreath at home before the Sundays I was to read.

Since I've been married, Christian and I have been on the 'hunt' for an Advent wreath for our family table. We've had a difficult time finding one, but especially since we're still looking for our permanent church home and I'm really missing that part of the Christmas tradition, I'm renewing my hunt this weekend. I think it's really important for Brenn to grow up with the Christian traditions of Christmas along with all of the 'commercial' and family-type traditions that we currently have.

But, please don't let me make you think that I now have an in-depth understanding of the Advent season, the symbolism of each of the Chrismons and colors of the candles. I really don't remember. So, I was reading up the other day about the Advent season (thanks for the nudge, dear Amber!) and I read about how Advent really was a season of excited anticipation, patient waiting and hope for a renewed spirit and life - all in preparation for Christ's arrival. That really struck me, especially because, truthfully, until about 4 1/2 years ago, I had lived most of my life in excited anticipation, patient waiting and with a sense of hope (in the midst of turmoil) for the promise of better things to come.

I was introduced to my favorite bible verse in high school - Jeremiah 29:11(NIV) - "'For I know the plans I have for you', declares the Lord. 'Plans to prosper and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.'" This verse has been close to my heart ever since then. It is my greatest comfort and reminds me that through it all, God doesn't make mistakes. And now that I dive more into Advent, it now seems to come together - why I've always felt especially close to God during Advent, and why this verse has stayed with me for so long. I believe and hold onto the promise of God's love for me, in the midst of anything.

I have someone who is very dear to me who is having surgery today - a surgery that I have had myself. My heart breaks for her and her husband because of everything that they are going through today. While the physical aspect of it is relatively simplistic today, it is the emotional aspect that is the most difficult. But my heart breaks even more because I know that today is really the easiest part of the emotional rollercoaster that they are getting ready to face in the days and weeks ahead.

Truthfully, I myself am trying to wrap my head around why they are having to go through this, and why God would have them endure this - why two wonderful, loving people would have such difficulties. Quite frankly, in my chats (ok, I admit, and rants) with God in the past few days since I found out about the surgery, I haven't been very nice in arguments to Him about why He should have chosen someone else to carry that burden. And, oh my...each time, He has gently led me back (like I do with my 18 mo. old after a tantrum) to the Advent wreath and to Jeremiah.

Hope...plans...patient and joyful anticipation of a beautiful future in the midst of darkness. We hold onto those things - and mainly we hold onto Hope - in the midst of it all, believing that in the end, God truly does have a plan for us: a plan for a life that is beautiful and full of love and hope and A Future. I believe that, and I hold onto that. I really do.

Lots of love,
Kristen

Happy Birthday, Baby!

(Soundtrack: "Everyday" - Dave Matthews Band)
There isn't really a day that goes by that I don't realize how lucky I am to have my husband in my life. (Well, OK, don't call me out yet - I concede that, as with all marriages, some days that thought stays around a little longer than others! ;) But, I digress...)

But what does lucky really feel like for me? What does it mean in my life, in relation to Christian?

Lucky is having someone to come home who makes me feel as though he is the safest shelter possible from the storm of the outside world.

Lucky is having someone who makes me giggle like my daughter, laugh like a fool, and just plain giddy when he squeezes me tight.

Lucky is having someone who takes my hand across the console in the car for no reason other than to let me know he's there.

Lucky is having someone who tickles his daughter daily, calls her Pumpkin, reads stories with character voices, plays the guitar to her on the 9th of every month to wish her a 'happy birthday', and can't stand for her to call out "Dada!" more than twice over the monitor before he's up in her room to comfort her.

Lucky is knowing that every morning, I am going to hear a dreadfully off-key, off-lyric interpretation of a song from the 80s that I haven't heard in years coming from the shower, and it making me smile like a silly schoolgirl.

Lucky is having someone who loves the dog more than you do, gives waaaay more treats a day than is necessary, and regularly lies down on the floor beside him just to pet him for awhile.

Lucky is having someone who, every day, makes you feel loved and appreciated, even when you feel like you are doing the WORST job possible in every single aspect of your life.

Yes, I am a very, very lucky woman. In fact, I am the luckiest.

Happy birthday, baby - I love you!
Kristen

It's what you make of it...

Well, it's the truth for pretty much anything, right?

Experience is.....what you make of it.

Life is....what you make of it.

Relationships are...what you make of it.

Parenting is...what you make of it.

Ice cream is...oops! Sorry, I digress - the pregnancy thing kind of took over for a second. ;)

A very good friend told me, in response to my last post, and my stance that I was deactivating my Facebook account because of my desire to ensure that the past stayed in the past, that "It is what you make of it" (meaning Facebook). And I was left to ponder. Is it really? Is anything ever really "what you make of it"?

Here's what I figured out - yes and no. My experiences, my life, my relationships, etc. - YES - they are what I make of them. How I interpret them, how I respond to situations, how I process them emotionally, to a certain degree, determines how it will all be remembered. So, in that regard, I suppose that statement is true.

But here's where I have to say NO - they are not just "what I make of" them. Sometimes, external factors come into play that make it impossible for you to process something as it is in reality. Sometimes, you are thrown into a situation where all control and all choice is taken away.
So what has that got to do with Facebook and my account? Well, here's what I have decided: I am going to keep my account active, because in the past couple of days, I have reconnected with some people that were really, truly dear to me, and who were with me during some pretty turbulent times, or were friends who have made such an impact on my life that I understand and acknowledge that, I am who I am today because of some of those experiences shared with these dear souls. But, I would be foolish to think that everyone that I 'find' or that 'comes out of the facebook woodwork' is going to garner this warm reaction. So, I am hopeful that I will be able to stay in my little Facebook bubble for a little while longer. And, if my account is suddenly deactivated, you'll understand why it was done without notice or prior "Wall" notification.

Love,
Kristen

Feng Shui & Facebook

I've been reading a great book that I found tucked away on a bookshelf a couple of days ago: Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui. Now, I admit, I've never necessarily bought into the whole feng shui thing, but it was the 'clear your clutter' part that originally made my mom buy the book. I picked it up at her house a couple of years ago, carted it back with me to NC and it's been sitting on a shelf, well, ::ahem:: cluttering things up, until Saturday, when I picked it up and started reading it again.

The tenants that the author sets out are quite telling. In fact, I'll save you the trouble of buying the book if you want: essentially, you hinder moving forward with things in your life, you prevent other experiences and people from coming in to your life, and you carry more baggage than necessary (physically & emotionally) when you keep clutter around. Clutter is defined as anything you don't use on a regular basis (minus Christmas decorations, I suppose, but even those should be 'purged' every once and awhile).

So, I started looking around at our house, and looking at some of the 'things' that I've kept around. For those who know me, they know that clutter was not something that I had to even remotely worry about 4 1/2 years ago. (Ha!) But, it's amazing how in those short 4 1/2 years how I have let things accumulate and have not purged the way I should have. Perhaps that, along with the crazy, vivid, pregnancy-hormone-induced dreams, which has led to this whole need to figure out what I am keeping around that could potentially be holding me back and bogging me down with 'baggage'.

Which brings me to Facebook. OK, so I like to think of myself as a pretty internet-savvy kind of gal. I Google. I blog. I do most of my Christmas shopping online. But, I am vividly aware that, as the mother of children that will grow up in a technology-driven world, it is CRITICAL for me to know what ROTFLMAO & CUL8R means, how to send a text message within a 2 minute time limit, regularly review "what Perez sayz", and all that other good stuff to ensure that my child does not end up as bait for "Dateline: Online Predators". So when a friend of mine, back in September, mentioned she had looked for me on Facebook, and that I really needed to be on it, how much fun it was, etc. I figured it was all for the good of the future safety of our children, so I created a profile. I kept it inactive until Kelly started telling me how much fun she was having connecting with old friends, Lucy pleaded for me to get on so we could keep in touch better, and Janis basically hinted that I wasn't as sassy as I thought I was by not keeping it updated on a regular basis.

I went back on. And immediately started looking up people. People that I had tried to find for years immediately jumped up on the Search Return screen and I was amazed at how I was whisked back into time - high school and college. The girlfriend who taught me how to twirl, and changed my high school years. First person on the Results list. Married. 2 kids. The first boy I ever kissed. Found him! (NO, I didn't send him a 'friend' request). Old, OLD friends from way-back. I felt like I had jumped in a time machine, and was amazed at the raw emotions that I felt just looking at these pictures of people from my past - the joy, the sorrow, the insecurities, the sweet innocence of those years - all of those feelings from 'youth' that slammed into me and were real, and so close.

The good news? Everyone I looked up is well and has beautiful lives and families (at least on screen - ha!) The better news? That "One-Sweet-Whirled-Back-Into-the-Old(er)-Me" and all the emotion that bubbled up so quickly to the surface just reinforced my need to let go of the clutter. You see, I am not one of those people who can arbitrarily look at pictures or hold an object with just memories. I look at pictures and I can feel the emotion I felt when it was taken (that's why I keep so many sweet wedding pictures around me) - I can hold the stuffed dog that Christian bought at the hospital when I was in labor with Brennan, and I can smell the room, feel the pressure in my belly and I tear up feeling the anticipation of her birth. Yah. No lie. That's just how I am. Christian can vouch for me. ; )

So, (aside from the online article I read last month that Facebook has caused a small jump in the amount of people who cheat from 'rekindled' romances, and I am a firm believer in being careful of the 'doors you leave open' in your life - sorry, I digress...), I've looked at how I really, really want to just focus on our future ahead, and I've decided to deactivate my Facebook account. It's going inactive on Friday. I'm sorry for all of those friends that I added to my home page, and I certainly hope this omission from my internet world won't scar my children by my omission years down the road. And, I am by NO MEANS begrudging anyone who has a Facebook profile and enjoys it - it's great for some! But, what I've figured out about me is that the people that I hold dear, the ones that - past and present - are in my life now, are going to remain in my life regardless of whether or not I update my profile on an internet screen. And, sometimes, I've finally learned, that is truly is best just to leave the past in the past, and leave the future wide open for possibility.

Now, back to my cleaning out....

Lots of love,
Kristen

Busy Busy Busy

So again, I find myself here apologizing for not updating more often. I must admit, keeping the blog going is a little more difficult that I had imagined. Although, I suppose it's a lot like working out - once I start it and get into a rhythm with it, I really enjoy it.

Halloween was a great deal of fun, and we had a wonderful time with Sassy and Rocco while they were here. The munchkin went to one house, where she proceeded to 'taste test' a couple of pieces of wrapped candy and then wanted to give them back! I suppose this is just the first of many too cute, yet utterly embarassing moments to come! I'll be posting pictures soon - promise!

Work has been hectic for both Christian and I lately, which has made it increasingly difficult for us to keep our eyes open past 8:30 at night. So, if you've called either of us, or the house, trying to chat after that, please don't take it personally that we're caccooned in bed! All of our energy is spent (while away from our baby girl during the day) working and taking care of our respective customer set, and then in the evening, chasing after our rambunctious 17 month old, who now has decided that 2:30AM is a FANTASTIC time to play. Thankfully, she calls out for her "DaDA!" who obliges her with a trip down to our bed within minutes of his beckoning.

Hopefully, the teething/sleeping/tantrum thing will pass soon, and we'll be back on schedule. We have but 5 short months to prepare ALL of us for the newest addition to the Perry clan. Or, maybe, we should just give the prospect of any kind of schedule up for the next year or so, and just roll with it.

Ahhhh...in the end, life is good!

Lots of love,
Kristen

Blog List & Renewed Faith

Some of you may be wondering about the Blog Watch list, and how and why I have these blogs listed.

Well, K&Company is an easy one - it's my best friend's blog about her family life. Despite the fact that we work down the hall from one another, phone each other almost daily on the way to work (even though we'll see each other in the next 10 mins), and usually lunch together almost every day, I like to keep in touch with what's going on with her and her family. ; )

The other two may seem a little more complicated. So let me start from the beginning.

When I miscarried in April, I was truly unprepared for the level of devastation it brought, and my inability to quickly move past what had happened. It's a crazy little thing about that little second blue line and biology. The moment that second line appeared on that test, I was carrying a baby - our second child - regardless of what google told me about it being just a lump of rapidly dividing cells. Anyway, I digress.

I went into myself with grief and confusion. Poor Christian, my family and friends. They didn't know quite what to make of me. Truth is, I didn't know what to make of me, myself. I couldn't understand why it was so difficult - I mean, 1 in 4 women who become pregnant will miscarry. Some studies even cite that the liklihood of miscarriage in the first 8 weeks is actually upwards of 50%. Why couldn't I deal?? So, I went back to the online board that I had frequented when I was pregnant with Brennan, and found a forum for Pregnancy Loss, and then Trying to Conceive After a Loss.

Maybe it's the anonymity that fosters such candor, brutal honesty and raw emotion. Regardless of what it was, that board became an outlet for me to vent all of my frustration, anger, confusion and hurt at everything that was going on - all while staying safely anonymous. We were sisters of sorts - a part of a very painful, no-one-should-ever-have-to-be-a-member-of club, and we were free to express ourselves the way many of us felt that we couldn't IRL ("in real life", as we referred to it). It was there on that board that I "met" Stacy: a miscarriage survivor, too, pregnant again with a baby boy, and writer of "He Will Carry Me." I will tell you that her faith in God awed me, as I walked with her via the blog through her pregnancy with Issac. I think it's important to say that if you choose to read her blog, please be prepared. It is beautiful, candid, but heart-wrenching - but in its truest form, it is a true testament to God's love and grace, and one woman's unwavering faith.

Stacy's blog led me to Angie's blog - "Bring the Rain". Angie is the wife of Todd Smith of Selah fame (Christian band). Angie has such a gift for making you laugh in the midst of what are powerful lessons in God's love. Her honesty about her own daily struggles with her faith, anxieties and motherhood is refreshing on those days when you feel like you don't quite have it all together, either. She is really one of those that you wish she lived just down the road, so you could meet her and just hang out with a glass of wine.

Both blogs have similar stories, but again, are truly awesome and inspiring. I have been inspired by both women, and their faith. Their blogs are, to me, a daily reminder of my faith, and God's love for me, in spite of it all. If you choose to go over to either (or both) to read, I hope that they resonate and bless you as much as they have blessed me.

So, that's the story of the blog list origin.

Love,

Kristen

Seasons

Fall is a great time of year - it's my favorite season, actually. Something about the air and the leaves changing always makes me happy. Maybe it's the colors that appear - when the sun shines, the sky seems bluer and the clouds whiter...the orange and yellows and browns on the trees make me remember that there truly is a season for everything. Perhaps because of the things I've experienced in my life (starting in high school with the death of my 4 best friends in a car accident), I've always taken great comfort in Ecclesiastes 3: 1. It reminds me that everything is seasonal in life, and essentially, what goes around comes around goes around again.

Perhaps that's why I get particularly nostalgic around the fall season, as well. I always seem to 'look back' more during this time. It's amazing how much our lives have changed in the short time that Christian and I have known one another. In reality, some days it seems as though I've loved only him my entire life, because I've never known a man as wonderful, kind and loving as him. And yet, other days, the reality of our 4 1/2 short years together reminds me that we have loved and experienced a lot together in the truly limited time we've known each other, and I am humbled by the things that I have yet to experience with him by my side.

Yesterday was the start of the 2nd trimester for me. It's such a significant milestone for us, given our history, and my high-risk pregnancy diagnosis (which, honestly, I'm not so convinced I'm all that 'high-risk' but...). So, now, although we are still anxious about the weeks ahead (and probably will be until we hold the newest healty Perry safely in arms), we are cautiously looking forward at what our family has now become, and where it arose from. Truth is, like I said in my post below, life has a way of getting away from you if you let it.

I think the cruel joke of the early years of parenting is that you are going from hour to hour and then day to day, just adjusting and trying to, really, just survive and figure out your new reality with this new addition, and your new reality as a couple. And, when you are just going along 'doing the best you can', these are those exact and fleeting moments where your child actually wants to constantly be around you, looks up to you, and willingly makes you the center of their universe. It's hard sometimes to remember that in the daily routine of meals, work, daycare, laundry, etc. etc. So you try to juggle and balance, and sometimes you don't do as good of a job as you think you're doing. Things start to slip a little bit, and before you know it, you're in a new reality.

I guess I'm starting to realize that it's so important to balance the new life with the old. Meaning, getting back to where things started. I think everyone goes through this type of revelation this early on, but I think it's what you do with the revelation that's important, right? So, here's where we started. March 15, 2004. A little over 2,000 days ago. Funny how time flies, but yet it doesn't.

So, I guess I'll go back to my fall foilage watching. And know that everything comes around and goes back around and comes around again.

Ecclesiastes 3: 1
To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to reap that which is planted.
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to to mourn, and a time to dance.
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing.
A time to get and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

Going Retro

Today, I tapped into my inner teenager, put aside my pride, and got braces. Yes, you heard me right. BRACES.

Before you fall off of your chair laughing, allow me to explain. Yes, I had braces when I was 15. And actually, for the time, they were considered 'mini-braces' and very non-descript. HA! Maybe my mom can manage to find one picture that survived of me in those 'mini', promised 'hardly-noticable' braces. Mini? Uh. yeah. RIGHT. Anyway, when those braces were removed (after a year of pain and torture - well, that's how I remember it, anyway), I swore I'd had perfect teeth for the rest of my life. Well. You know how this story ends. Promises, promises!

So let's fast forward from 1989 (choke!!) to 2 weeks ago at my regular dental checkup. Dentist: Your bottom teeth are continuing to shift and crowd. This could cause problems later on. You know I can throw on a permanent spring loaded retainer on the back of your teeth and take care of this in 6 months. Or, we can put on clear braces and clear it up in 2.

2? 2 months??? Really?? Me: Let me think on it. And then I proceed to dash off to the front desk to check my insurance coverage and find out my ortho is covered at 100% for what I need done. I immediately talk it over with hubby, who promises not to laugh too hard or call me names that will regress me back to my freshman year of high school, and make the appointment. Total time elapsed: 15 minutes. (I'm introspective like that.)

So here I sit, with the wax box in my pocket (yes, they still have that - you would think they would have progressed a little bit on the wax thing over time) and a Tylenol on my desk, just waiting for the numbness to wear off and the pain to set in. I have braces. I am playing a little Bon Jovi, some C&C Music Factory and yes, even some Richard Marx to complete my transformation back to 1989. Hmmm...this isn't so bad.

Talk to me in 2 months. ; )

Love,

Kristen

Daddy's Girl

This weekend was pretty uneventful. We tried to lay low as much as possible, because we were afraid that the munchkin had an ear infection caused by her teething. (No worries - the doctor gave us the 'all clear' after an emergency visit Saturday morning! We found out her 'wobblyness' and fussy, no-sleep, clingy thing is attributable to her cutting 4 molars right now. Needless to say, her mood is a little, well...let's just say transient, to try and keep it as positive as possible! But, I digress...)

So, the pumpkin patch and picnic at the farm was bagged, unfortunately. It was just too cold, so we stayed in, did a little housework, did a little sleeping, a little playing...well, you get the picture. Until about 4:30, when our daughter went a little stir-crazy. So, we all packed into our neighbor's Odyssey, and headed off for dinner at The Mellow Mushroom. This picture was taken as we headed inside for dinner. Thankfully, Heather had her camera to capture the two daddies with their girls.

My heart melts...Yeah, I think I'll keep him... ; )

Back from a blogging hiatus

So I have been remiss in updating everyone via the blog, and I'm very sorry for not being more diligent about it. Life has such a way of getting away from you when you aren't looking, doesn't it? So much has happened in our lives since our last post that I won't bore you with most of the mundane. But we have had some pretty major events occur in the past few months, so I will update you on those, and promise (I hope!) to keep the blog regularly updated now.

In February, Christian and I headed off to St. Maarten for a few days for his President's Club trip. It was a fantastic time, and we had an incredible time just relaxing and spending some quality time together. Our favorite experience was racing on one of the original America's Cup "Stars and Stripes" - (see if you can pick us out in the picture - hint: my hair is NOT really this orange in real life!) And, if you ever get a chance to go to St. Maarten, make sure you do this, even if you aren't a sailor! It was tons of fun!

I'm sure most of you know already that at the beginning of April, Christian and I were thrilled to find out we were expecting again. From the start, though, I just felt as though something was 'off', and unfortunately, at 7weeks, we found out that my intuition was right - I had had a missed miscarriage: the baby stopped developing at 5w3d, but my body hadn't quite figured it out yet. Christian was wonderful and was there to support me through the D&C, and all of the horrific emotional ups and downs that come along with a miscarriage. (Thank you, baby!) He didn't even flinch, just went to Lowe's and picked up the paint for me when I decided the day after the D&C that the most therapuetic thing for me to do would be to design and paint Brennan's playroom. So, (poor thing!) he got kicked out of what was his office, moved it all downstairs, and let me lock myself in a room to cry and paint (which is the best way I cope with things). Despite the origin, we love the results, and we think Brennan likes them, too.

June arrived, along with our baby's first birthday! It's so hard to believe that she is already a year old! The munchkin continues to grow like a weed! We celebrated her first birthday in a grand birthday party fashion with lots of friends and family - it was a wonderful time! The grandparents traveled in from near and far, and UBA & Goose came too, to help celebrate. Christian put in new trees, stained the deck and built the munchkin a brand new elliptical shaped sandbox in preparation for the party (nothing but the best for his girl, LOL! ; )) I braved my new Kitchenaid mixer (my Mother's Day present), and even made her birthday cakes (after quite a few 'test runs', though...).

We spent some time during the summer hanging out at Prestonwood, which we joined this year (thank you, SAS!) so that the munchkin

would be able to go to a pool, and in later years, so she can join the swim team (like her mommy so many years ago). She loves the water, and just hanging out with her daddy (of course - she is a total Daddy's girl!!)

AND, also in June, my husband made one of dreams come true...FINALLY, after 20 years...I SAW DURAN DURAN IN CONCERT! It was as awesome as I had always dreamed it would be - the boys were fantastic, and my wonderful husband coughed up $50 (gasp! choke!) for a concert T-shirt for me, too. I am a lucky, lucky woman!

In July (July 4th weekend, in fact), Brennan took her first steps and well...just took off! We've been chasing after her since. In August, Christian and I went on our (belated) honeymoon, and drove down to FL to leave Brennan with Sassy & Rocco and we left on a 7 day carribean cruise. It was absolute heaven, and we had a great time just relaxing and spending time together. Unfortunately, our internal clocks never allowed us the luxury of sleeping in too late, but it we did a lot of napping, drinking and (of course - it was a cruise!) eating.

In September, Christian and I took off for FL on a flying trip for the weekend to complete what we had been planning since February with Casey and Lucy (my brother and sister in law): a surprise 40th Anniversary party for my parents. It was wonderful, and they were totally surprised and shocked, and it was so much fun! Thank you to all the family and friends that traveled so far to be there for it - I will post pictures as soon as I have some!

Which brings us to our latest news in the month of October. ::drumroll, please..::

Christian, Brennan and I are thrilled to introduce the newest addition to the Perry clan: Baby Perry 2 AKA "Monkey". The baby is due on April 26th - (right in the middle of Christian's next President's Club trip to Puerto Rico - BOO! :( ) But, we are thrilled to be expecting again! I'm now almost 13 weeks, and we apologize for keeping this a secret for so long, but...well, I'm sure you understand, given our history.

And, since I've included a picture of our newest addition, I can't leave you without a recent picture of our baby girl - these are the proofs from her latest school pictures. We can't believe how big she's gotten, and how she now has such a little personality! She loves Elmo, Baby Einstein (don't worry - she's only allowed a 1/2 hour a day!), playing outside, and her "B!" (Bear). She already has quite the vocabulary, too - flower, food, treat, monkey, lion (well, actually, she calls it a ROAR ROAR), fish...and there are so many new words that she learns everyday. We're really excited for her first 'official' Halloween coming up, and we have plans to hit the pumpkin patch this weekend to pick out her first jack-o-lantern. Again, it's just crazy how time flies...

We hope everyone is doing well, and please drop us a line and let us know how it's going! We'd love to hear from you - or see you, too!

Until next time...

Much love,

Kristen

Tall Tale

We knew that Brennan was starting to try to pull up on her play table at school, and our legs, and just about anything else that she thought might be stable enough to support her. But, she hadn't been successful at pulling herself completely up ~ until tonight!

Hmmmm...we just lowered her crib last week - maybe we're going to have to lower it even more! I swear, our child is absolutely fearless! (Siiiighhh...she is growing too fast!) : )

Happy Birthday, Rocco!

It was my dad's birthday last week, and my mom and sister-in-law had the MLK Holiday off from school, so they all piled into the Suburban and made the 10 hour trek up to NC to celebrate with us! We celebrated Rocco's birthday by baking a cake and putting a candle for each year on it (don't worry, Dad ~ I won't share the number! ; )). We visited the great-grandmas, UBA, Rocco & Christian finished the home theater, and Sassy and Goose made sure that Brennan's feet didn't touch the ground all weekend! Also, they were here for Brennan's first snow!

It was great fun, and we sure do miss having Sassy, Rocco, UBA & Goose close by. But Rocco got the best birthday present by far - he got to share with us as we all watched Brennan crawl for the first time!

Out with the old...

So, I found out a couple of weeks ago that Brenn was dangerously above the height limit for her infant carseat. Thankfully, we had been researching the 'next step up' in carseats for awhile, so we were ready to pull the trigger. (I still can't believe that she is over 28 inches long! Anyway, I digress....)

We placed the order the next day, and here she is in her new 'big girl' carseat! The seat looks so big, doesn't it??

She was more excited about it than we were! LOL! The convenience of the Snugride with the snap-in-snap-out base (great for switching between our two cars and we could 'tote' her anywhere without taking her out of her seat) was something that we weren't looking forward to letting go of. But, we got a shopping cart cover to protect her from the germs, and we decided that she really was getting too heavy to lug around in the seat.

And, let's be honest about it. It really wasn't the convenience that we were sad about losing. So, at the end of the day, we decided to embrace the first of what we know will be many more milestones to come that remind us daily of how quickly our baby is growing...