Breathtakingly Blessed

Cuddles

2011-12-17T12:32:00.001-06:00

A few weeks ago, my loves weren't feeling well. I did what any good mother does and took advantage of their stillness by capturing some photos. They are so amazing beautiful. :)

My little loves

2011-11-15T11:08:00.001-06:00

an evening at the farm

2011-10-21T01:18:00.001-05:00

This afternoon Chris wanted to take a drive to the farm (his grandparents have some land about 30 minutes from us). It's refreshing to get out in the country and kick around the dirt. Of course, I saw this as a perfect opportunity to get some new photos of the babies. Always practicing...it makes perfect. ;) Hope you enjoy my country bumpkins.

Love

2011-10-14T21:38:00.005-05:00

Our sweet "Cydney baby" as her brother calls her. Our beautiful beautiful baby. Love. So thankful.

Park fun!

2011-10-03T22:44:00.000-05:00

Today we headed to the park for some fun. The weather has been beyond gorgeous and we lived it up today. This is the first time I'm using this 'storyboard' thing. Not so sure I'm liking it just yet. :)

Easy Canvas Prints

2011-09-21T17:00:00.004-05:00

Y'all know how excited I am when I take great photos of my kiddos. Well, I am thrilled that I just received one of those great pics on canvas from Easy Canvas Prints.

I was contacted by this great company to print one of my photos on canvas in exchange for a product review.

I was so excited because not only do I love canvases, I found a new company to use that was fast at printing & delivering, has an easy to use website, and amazing quality!

Pictures on canvas look amazing and am so happy with this one.

Now, please excuse my house.

I am in the middle of redecorating/painting/and everything in between.

I have placed it in several locations, just testing out different nooks and rooms in the house.

Decorating is not my forte, although I do love to move things around quite a bit. Anyone wanna come help me? :)

As soon as I get all my walls completed, I know I will find the perfect spot to hang this canvas of my beautiful baby girl.

(This is in front of my dining room window...not gonna leave it there, but loved how angelic it looked.)

So, if you're looking for a fast, affordable, and simple way to have a beautiful canvas(es) made of your favorite prints, I'd highly suggest Easy Canvas Prints. I will definitely be using them again in the very

near future! :)

(Click Easy Canvas Prints on my sidebar and it will take you directly to their page to get started).

Soccer!

2011-09-18T23:36:00.001-05:00

On Saturday, we began a new journey of this thing called parenthood. We are now officially 'soccer parents'. And love it. It was such a blast to watch Coy & friends/cousins play their first ever game. Of course it's through the YMCA and just for fun. He did great and had an amazing time doing it Here are a few pics of the first big game. I guess we can officially kiss our weekends goodbye. He he, just kidding. I guess not just yet...:)

Cydney was so proud of big brother...

T, Coy, Ryder, and Chase

He thought being goalie was "time out". :)

End of Summer

2011-09-08T22:49:00.002-05:00

So I know I was going to update more over the past few months. And it didn't happen. Oh well. I'm back, again.

We had a fantastic summer and survived the scorching heat here in Texas. It was beyond H-O-T. I think we set a record for hottest few months ever. Any who, we had fun while doing that. We swam a bunch, shopped some, played most, and napped quite a bit.

In July, Cydney turned TWO and me, THIRTY! We had a backyard family barbecue and had a great time. Chris and I flew the Las Vegas for a quick getaway the next day. It was amazingly relaxing.

Coy had a minor surgery done mid August and he recovered fantastically. His speech is improving daily. The Lord is so good. My boy is so handsome.

We decided back in July to take our house off the market. I was praying for direction and overwhelmed with all the decisions. The Lord placed it on our hearts that we were to stay put. I think I secretly wanted that, but was trying to be obedient. But then realized it wasn't suppose to happen. Make sense? Okay good. :) We are so happy we stayed. I am so thankful for His direction during that stressful time.

Both kiddos started MDO last week. They both LOVE it beyond words. I had such mixed emotions on the first couple days, but I have to admit the time to myself is nice. Okay, it is REALLY nice. Nothing better than babies loving their time at school and momma getting all my errands run kid free. The consumers at H-E-B and Target can all thank me later. :)

Here are some pics from the past few months. I haven't picked the camera up much this summer nor have I edited those that I did take. My computer got low on disc space and I just let it sit for awhile. But I'm excited to get back to snapping. :) Hope it was a blessed summer for all! Happy Fall & Football!

Yes, he has on a pink life jacket. It was one of two we had. Cousin Colby got the blue one. :)
First fish at Nana & Papa's beach house!

These aren't good photos of the first day of school...ugh. But whatever, you get the picture. :)

Me being silly. I've always wanted to do that.

March for Babies 2011

2011-06-27T21:04:00.000-05:00

This is being written and posted almost two months late, but I wanted to share about our successful March for Babies 2011. For the 3rd year in a row, we were one of the top Houston Family teams! We raised over $15,000...simply amazing. We are ever so grateful and humbled by this.

Coy with one of his favorite (okay, our favorite) NICU Primary nurses, Mariama. We love her!

Coy with Kyle, another amazing micropreemie 23 week survivor!

Thanks to the hard work of my in-laws, they hosted a very successful BBQ chicken fundraiser. I don't have pictures of this day since I forgot my camera, but it was lots of fun. We are so appreciative of all their hard work and dedication to this special cause. We hope that one day every baby is born healthy! :)

Hello again!

2011-06-06T17:06:00.000-05:00

Sorry to keep y'all waiting (if anyone still checks this)! I did not intend to take such a long break from blogging. It just sort of happened with all the commotion and stuff that goes along with a 2 and 3 year old. :)

We are doing very well. School is out for summer and it is quite nice. Coy LOVED his
MDO (Mothers Day Out) program this past year. His speech has improved and his vocabulary has grown by leaps and bounds. We are so very thankful for his ongoing progression and development. We are always reminded what an absolute miracle we have walking among us.

Cydney has transitioned from my sweet little baby girl to a crazy (but still sweet), very energetic almost two year old. She is always on the go and very talkative. It's amazing to us how quickly her speech has developed. She is still my cuddle bug and we laugh so much together.

Chris and I are doing great and enjoying our babies so much. Don't get me wrong, they are exhausting and we do have our moments, but overall, we are doing amazing. We have our house on the market and have decided to downsize. It's only been a year since we moved into our beautiful home, but we have decided after many talks and prayers, that a smaller house would be best for our family at this time. We are excited and praying that God's will be done with this transition.

Here are some favorite photos over the past few months. Enjoy! Hope to be back more often than not!

Coy with MDO teachers

Just another day at the beach...in January.

2011-02-01T22:37:00.000-06:00

Jenny & Eli

Miss Cydney Marie

Big boy Coy

Eli loves to smile!

ahem..

Cousin Ryder

Colby's 2nd Birthday!

2011-01-18T15:50:00.000-06:00

I'm a few weeks behind blogging this, but we headed to the Aquarium for Colby's 2nd birthday!

Macey girl was excited!

Look at those curls...;)

Supermodel face.

The birthday boy!

Birthday boy with mommy

That's all for now...hope all is well!

the rest of December...

2010-12-27T19:17:00.000-06:00

I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas. We sure had a lot going on and lots of fun...until the kids both got sick Christmas Eve night. Poor babies have been fighting a respiratory bug, but I guess that comes with the season. Unfortunately, I don't have any fun, present opening smiles to show off, but I'd thought I'd share some other pictures. ;)

My honey...;)

Coy's Preschool Christmas party...

Right before they started feeling yucky...

Took a short wagon ride yesterday to get out of the house...

Merry Christmas and love to all!

3rd Birthday Fun!

2010-12-13T21:46:00.000-06:00

It was Nana's birthday the day before...

And cousins Luke & Austin as well...

The birthday boy was so happy!

At the zoo!

Cydney loves her doughnut holes...

Checking out the Lions with Grandma...

Ryder, aka Woody

Cousin Colby loves his doughnut holes too...;)

Glass was clean...not. ;)

We had a great time at the zoo celebrating Coy's 3rd birthday. He is such a big boy now...it just amazes me. Thanks for all the birthday wishes...it means so much to us! ;)

Happy (Golden) Birthday, Coy!

2010-12-03T00:00:00.006-06:00

It hardly seems possible that our baby-turned-big-boy is celebrating 3 years of life today. The days, weeks, and months of the past three years have flown by. From the moment of Coy's birth, we were bombarded with all that could go wrong with him, with all that would be wrong with him. Today he is healed...perfect in each and every way. Through all the blur and commotion, the fear and anxiety, we were held by God, our families, and friends. They continue to bless us with their support, love, and prayer.

Coy,
You have grown up so much over the past year, months, and weeks. You are beyond what we could have ever of dreamed our son would be. Each milestone you have met, each challenge you have overcome. You are earned your 'Gritbaby' title, as daddy likes to call you. Through it all, you are gifted with the sweetest heart, brightest eyes, and a glowing grin.

Your sister is your everything and you are her's. You look out for her, play with her, hug and kiss her; you are an amazing big brother. You love your cousins and would play with them everyday if you could. You have always adored your Grandmas, but you are really idolizing your Papas now too.

You continue to bless us, amaze us, and bring us to our knees in gratitude. Each and everyday is a gift. You are a gift. We are so proud, so thankful. We love you forever and ever.

Daddy, Mommy, and Tissy.

your new 'smile'.

best friends

love.

family photos

2010-11-09T22:17:00.000-06:00

My S-I-L asked me to take some pics of her family to replace some other ones that were taken by an actual professional long before baby Eli was born. I said I'd gladly do it because a)I love them and b) I love to take pictures. So, I ventured out and I think I was in a bit over my head. Kudos to the professionals that capture ALL the family members looking in the split second that it happens. I mean, geez, that was tough. I definitely needed a 'baby look at me person' standing behind me. Next time, next time. I got some great photos, however, either a) someone was looking off or b) my focus was off because my f/stop was too low or my focal point thing was acting up. On my wish list for Christmas is a new camera, but I will most likely be using the one I have for awhile longer. No big deal, it still works. ;) So, these are a few that I got...not great photography, but cute people. Enjoy! :)

Recent Adventures...

2010-11-05T21:19:00.001-05:00

If you haven't noticed by now, I am a very very inconsistent and random blogger. One minute I have the time and feel like doing it and something to say, the next, I don't. I do want to remember all of our sweet adventures and things so I thought I'd upload some photos and jot a few thoughts down.

Cydney is now 15 months. Her personality is that of a 'bull in a china cabinet'. She is full-on, non-stop and doesn't take 'no' for an answer. I would say she has her father's personality. She loves to climb everything in sight and has given me a few heart attacks in the past week alone. We recently put in her a gymnastics class (the same time Coy goes) and she has a blast. She is a great sleeper, eater, and everything in between. The difference in having a (almost) full termer compared to a micro preemie is tremendous. I'm sure it's part of the 'second child' mentality too, but everything is just easier with her. We don't worry if she doesn't eat one night or is a few weeks later at developing something. If she gets sick, (which is not very often) I'm not worried if her O2 sat is low or if she's gonna get pneumonia a few days later. She ADORES her big brother and wants to do everything he does. She is now obsessed with 'choo-choos' because Coy is too. People always crack up at her in public because she is so 'friendly' saying "hi!" or "bye-bye!" to everyone that goes by. I can't get enough of her and love her to pieces. I can't wait to see how she continues to develop and grow. We are so blessed by our 'Sissy'.

Coy will be turning 3 years old in a few weeks...I can't believe it. The past year has flown by. I remember his 2nd birthday like it was yesterday. To say that he's grown up recently would be an understatement. He's the sweetest kid and has the biggest heart. He loves his cousins, sister, friends, going to school, MOPS, playing outside, reading books, and gymnastics. Poor thing is a skinny little guy. He does eat well, but gets easily distracted at times. His speech has really grown over the past few months and I think a big part of that is the peer influence at school. He is still in therapy 3 times weekly for PT, Speech, and OT. He enjoys it and his therapists are all awesome people. We still look at him in amazement, he is such a special guy. I can't wait for Christmas this year and watch him enjoy all the special things we will do. I don't know who will be more excited...him or I.

Last weekend we had some at the pumpkin patch, carved our pumpkin, and had some fun trick or treating! At the pumpkin patch, Coy loved riding on the hayride and feeding the goats. Cydney loved to run around...everything is new to her this year since she was just 3 months old last year. She has such a sense of exploration and everything makes her curious. They had a blast trick-or-treating and tried to eat all their candy. I'm thinking they both may have a sweet tooth like their mama...

Lightning McQueen!

Tinkerbell

Cousins!

Tinkerbell and Lightning McQueen going to their first house...

She got a sword!

Before going trick or treating...

With Grandma & Grandpa...

Carving the pumpkin with Daddy...

At the Pumpkin Patch!

Corn maze!

Feeding the goats...

Snow cones are so good!

Sunflowers!

Hope that catches you up on us recently! Have a great weekend! :)

Bath time love.

2010-10-26T21:03:00.000-05:00

Is there anything sweeter than laughing babies? I think not. :)

I love that these two have been playing together. Although they do fight over toys already, my heart warms so much when I hear them giggling with each other. It really is the sweetest thing ever.

language explosion.

2010-10-09T21:01:00.000-05:00

I can't believe this guy is growing up so fast. I adore this face.

Over the past few weeks, he's hit a language explosion. Something we've been praying and hoping for the past year. He is repeating us and attempting (I say 'attempting' because it's not always clear what he's saying) so many words that he never would try before. It's amazing for us to hear and we are so excited and thankful.

Off to put the little dude to bed or I'd write more...maybe another day! :)

love this baby.

2010-09-20T20:29:00.000-05:00

I took these of my nephew this weekend...isn't he precious?? He is so photogenic!

just a few photos...

2010-09-09T21:20:00.000-05:00

I took these last weekend and decided to edit/play around with them tonight. I feel like I'm finally feeling more comfortable in Photoshop (although I say that knowing that I really have so much more to learn) and decided to add some texture to my photos. Don't look too closely...;)

Both making a run for it...

Still no smile...

my pretty but very moody girl...;)

he looked friendly...

daddy and his babies...

First day of (pre)school

2010-08-31T20:42:00.000-05:00

Coy had his first day of preschool last week...

it was hard to let him go, but I knew he'd have a blast. He's been twice and (so far) he is really enjoying it! Doesn't he look so grown up? I can't believe that's my baby...

a long week.

2010-08-20T23:30:00.001-05:00

We've had quite the week. On Sunday night Coy started coughing. He kept coughing and coughing and coughing. Nothing was making it stop. I desperately wanted to wait until his Pediatrician opened because I HATE taking him to doctors that don't know him. But, it was to a point that I didn't think we could wait another couple hours. SO off to the ER we went. Long story short, he was diagnosed with possible pneumonia/bronchiolitis and we stayed overnight in the hospital.

In the meantime, Cydney started running fever late Sunday and was seen by the Pediatrician on Monday. She was diagnosed with flu and strep (which Coy tested negative for). I couldn't believe it! I felt terrible that I couldn't be in two places at once. It is terrible when both babies get sick at the same time.

Thank God ( we have been secluded for the rest of the week except for the Starbucks drive thru) both babies are feeling much better. I hope we can stay as healthy as possible...having sick babies is not fun!

We were playing in the house yesterday and I thought I'd practice a bit with the camera. I told Cydney to smile and she put her hand to her ear and said "Hi". She loves to pretend she's on the phone. Everytime I'm on the phone with her close by she says "bye bye" before I can even hang up. She also says baby, bubba, ball, book, night night, more, momma, dadda, and no-no. It's so bizarre for us to hear all this after having Coy who we have to pry words out of. Isn't she adorable?

Coy's speech has really developed and he is putting more and more together. He loves to say "Hi Nana, Hi Papa." Precious. I just can't get over how amazing he is. I mean he melts my heart just looking at him. Being in the hospital with him again was really tough on Chris & I; mentally, physically, emotionally. All those helpless feelings of his NICU days are still so raw. Coy missed Cydney so much during those 24 hours. He kept asking for her...talk about heartbreaking! He really loves her so much and it was tough having them apart. I was so HAPPY to get out of there early the next day.

Anway--I told him to give me his best smile in the picture below...and that's what I got. I am obviously ruining my chances of getting any good photos of him when he gets older. And he smiles and laughs all day long. I think he's tired of being mommy's practice subject. Ha!

life is a beach.

2010-08-15T19:42:00.001-05:00

We headed out to the beach again last week The kids loved the sand and had the best time. Can't ya tell?

Cousin Ryder

Cydney wasn't so sure about the water though...

Okay, I had to get in on one picture...

I LOVE this picture of Eli...isn't he handsome?

happiness.

2010-08-08T21:41:00.000-05:00

Doesn't this smile warm your heart? He's so precious.

For the love of jeans

2010-08-07T16:28:00.000-05:00

Anyone who knows me well, knows that I'm a sucker for a good pair of jeans. Even when I was young, all I'd ever want to buy were jeans. Weird, I know. So we went school clothes shopping this week, and somehow we came home with 6 (yes, S-I-X) pairs of jeans (4 for Coy and 2 for Cydney). Let me explain before you think I've absolutely lost my mind. Baby Gap was having a sale "Buy one pair, Get one for $10" and also "Buy 4 pairs, Get the 5th pair FREE". There happened to be a pair on the clearance rack for $5.67 that I couldn't leave behind. And, suddenly, we were coming home with 6 pairs of jeans.

She loves to stand up, but not walking yet!

She took two steps hanging on to her brother...

These two love to pull out this drawer (hello, cabinet locks!)...

He looked so cute in his new jeans, belt, and shirt...but I couldn't get him to smile at me for anything...

summer days...

2010-08-04T22:14:00.000-05:00

This boy LOVES to be outside. He would sleep outside if I let him. He's all boy, and just like his daddy. We played outside today before our naps and he gave me the sweetest look. Isn't he gorgeous?

sent from heaven

2010-08-04T15:00:00.000-05:00

Since our baby girl turned 1 year old a few weeks ago, I have been wanting to capture the perfect picture of her. I see her as an angel with the most delicate beauty. We were all sick last week (YUCK!) with Strep...they kind that makes you throw up. It. was. not. fun. Over the weekend, we all felt so much better and I grabbed the boys (Chris & Coy) and had them help me get the sweetest picture of Cydney. It only took a few minutes, but somehow the boys would have rather been fishing or exploring the woods behind our house. I don't know..whatever boys like to do. :) So without further ado, here is our angel, sent straight from heaven above...I absolutely love it.

Does it get any sweeter?

newborn photos

2010-07-28T20:42:00.001-05:00

My sister decided to save some money and allow me to take 'newborn' photos of her new baby boy, Grey. Trust me when I say I am no where close to being a professional photographer, but I do enjoy it and practice when I can. And for her, the price was right...free! Ha! Here are the few that we got...enjoy! :)

a random thursday

2010-07-22T22:03:00.001-05:00

We went to the grocery store. Took naps. Baked cookies. Cleaned and cooked. Watered the plants. And did some dancing. That about sums up our random Thursday. Here are a few pictures.

Birthday princess!

2010-07-20T21:27:00.000-05:00

Her birthday outfit...

so happy it was her birthday!

Look who decided to stand up...!

such a big girl!

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!

2010-07-16T23:15:00.001-05:00

Our Sweet Cydney,

We can't believe an entire year has passed since momma and you stayed what seemed like an eternity in the hospital. It's an understatement to say we'd do it all over again knowing that we'd have you forever. You are perfect, beautiful, loving, and sassy all in the same.

Your big brother loves you to the moon and back and tells you "Night, night Tissy" at nap and bedtime. He is so protective of you and tells you, "No, no Tissy" if you try to climb the stairs or do something that you shouldn't be. He loves to get you up from naps and hold you. He is so sweet to you and it melts our hearts.

You are a dream come true. Words cannot describe the amount we love you. You are the most adorable, precious thing to wear pink that we've ever seen. We can't wait to watch you grow, yet want you to stay little forever. Regardless, you'll always be our baby girl. Happy Birthday, Nugget. We love you so much.

Love,
Daddy, Mommy, and Brother

blessed

2010-07-15T21:59:00.000-05:00

We welcomed this miracle to the family today...

another beautiful nephew that we get to spoil!

Holding him for the first time...

The beautiful family with their new baby boy

We are so, so blessed.

long time, no post

2010-07-13T22:57:00.000-05:00

I know it's been forever (like 2 months actually) since I posted last on here. We've been enjoying summer and it feels like we are always on the go. There it is, that is my excuse! :)

It seems like both kids have grown up so much over the fast few months. It makes me happy, but yet so sad at the same time. They are my babies and I want to soak up every minute of it.

Here are some pictures of our recent mini vacay to San Antonio this past weekend. So much fun!

a day at the beach.

2010-05-11T20:53:00.008-05:00

I've been dying to go to the beach recently. I was craving the sun, sand, and just a good time with the kids. I thought Mother's Day weekend would be perfect to get my husband to come along and it'd be a good family outing. My sister and her family decided to come as well. The boys love playing together and Cydney tries to get her two cents in too.

The weather, however, did not want to cooperate. It was very windy, cooler than usual, and the sun was no where in sight. It was quite clear to me that this was not the beach trip I had envisioned. But, it was still a good time, and the kids had a blast.

In no particular order, here are the picture to prove it. ;)

Of course the beach is nothing to look at. Brown sand and water isn't that awesome. But it's close by and works for me. Hopefully we'll be back and the sun will come with us!

love in the sun

2010-05-05T21:54:00.003-05:00

the last few weeks

2010-05-02T22:19:00.006-05:00

First, we moved!
Next, we went to March for Babies 2010!

We were interviewed by the national March of Dimes videographer (btw, this was way out of my comfort zone).
Our beautiful big boy enjoying a view from the top.

Crossing the finish line..

And finally, we've been settling in at home and getting everything unpacked and in it's place. Which includes digging into our sandbox...

...and digging out our fishing polls.

And a BIG THANK YOU to all you came and walked with us at March for Babies (I don't have a group shot on my camera, although we did take one) and donated to Team Coy! We raised an amazing $12,000 and we are so grateful to all your love and support! Go Team Coy!

9 months

2010-04-17T23:10:00.003-05:00

Another month has whizzed by and our princess is now 9 months old. She is crawling everywhere and pulling up too. She is a busy little lady and is already so active. She adores her brother (when he's not trying to ride her like a horse, that is) and laughs at him all the time. She loves her mommy (okay, I'm a bit biased) and loves for mommy to carry her around all day long. She is filling out size 12 month clothes and looks adorable in all her outfits. She is babbling and saying 'bababa' and 'dadadada'. She thinks keys are the perfect teether although mommy begs to differ.

We still can't believe she's ours. Our hearts are overjoyed.
Happy 9 months, baby girl. We love you.

a perfect day for a picnic.

2010-04-13T23:21:00.004-05:00

The weather has been so beautiful lately. I love that it's sunny and warm, but not too hot yet. We joined Aunt Steph and Cousin Colby for a picnic lunch. The boys ran all over the place and we took turns chasing after them. Coy loves to play golf and must bring his golf club and ball everywhere we go. Cyd loved sunbathing and tried to eat a few leaves while she was at it. They both came home and took a long afternoon nap. ;)

Colby and Cydney are only 6 months apart

my girl and i.

2010-04-12T23:42:00.002-05:00

ahhh, true love.

random

2010-04-08T23:10:00.006-05:00

Guess who decided they were big enough to do this?

Yep, yep...this crazy girl. After I caught her like this, we lowered her mattress. She now thinks her crib is a play pen. She has the best time talking to her sleep sheep and just giggles and laughs. I don't remember giving her permission to grow up?

She's my doll. At the grocery store today, a woman came up to me and said, "oh she's cute....(pause)...they're always cute when they're fat." I just smiled and replied, "yep, they sure are." I know what she meant and wasn't offended by any means. I thought it was pretty funny, actually. I usually get that she's "plump" "round" or "healthy". She's absolutely perfect.

Easter was great for us. We are really blessed to have both sides of our immediate family within 10 minutes of each other. We spent the morning with the Kolkhorst side, then finished up at my parents. We did Easter egg hunts on both sides...Coy wasn't quite feeling it this year. He was more interested in throwing balls and eggs filled with candy into his Grandparents's pools.

He was feeling a bit under the weather that day {he had horrible allergies that were causing him to wheeze badly} and it always makes me worry. Monday we headed to the pediatrician and he was started on a inhaler and steroid. He's doing much better, thank goodness.

In my opinion, these pictures aren't good, but the kids looked adorable in their Easter clothes so I'll post them. ;)

Does it get any cuter? Coy and Ryder with Grandma K.... With Ryder and Eli... I loved, loved her in this dress. Although, I do not have one good picture of her in it. The kiddos with my mom, Grandma C. This was right before we went home and to bed. Can't you tell??

And, we did not even attempt a group cousin shot on my side...there are 7 (Coy is the oldest, believe it or not) soon to be 8. That will be mission impossible for a good 10 years. ;)

My computer has been throwing a tantrum lately. I literally couldn't get it to turn on for 4 days. And, if I move it one centimeter, it turns off again. I have no idea what's wrong. I'm ready for a new one.

I know, this was a bunch of random, useless info. I'm tired. Good night!

happy girl.

2010-04-03T00:17:00.002-05:00

i just love those rolls.
and that giggle.

such a happy girl.

okay, I lied.

2010-03-30T23:30:00.005-05:00

I took these today and wanted to share. We played outside most of the day because it was beautiful. Coy pushed his sister on the 'motorcycle'. And took his cousin Colby on a ride through the backyard. So much fun.

suddenly so grown up...
look at those legs...;)

this is all i got.

2010-03-29T21:43:00.004-05:00

I now have two kids on the move. Cydney is crawling (kinda like an inch worm) and Coy runs all over the place. That means they're going in opposite directions most of the time and I am too. Whew, I'm tired.

Until next time...;)

springtime

2010-03-22T22:21:00.007-05:00

I love Springtime. It's so refreshing to watch the grass turn green and the flowers bloom. Coy loves to play outside and I love it too. When it's cold or rainy out, it's so hard for a two year old to contain their energy inside all day. So, thank God for the sunshine!

After surviving a weekend of yucky weather and a few days of strep throat, we went out to the park and played with cousin Colby, Aunt Steph, and Grandma C today. Coy loves Colby and they are two of a kind. They follow each other around and have so much fun. The park is great for Coy and his physical therapy...all the climbing and different levels and the steps. So, it's a win win for me. Coy plays and has fun and dispenses all his energy to get ready for his afternoon nap and momma gets some Vitamin D.

My sister Stephanie is currently 23 weeks pregnant...with another BOY! That makes 6 boys and 2 girls on my side of the family...and 3 boys and 1 girl on Chris's side. Poor Cydney will never have a boyfriend with all those boys around her. ;)

this is a motorized motorcycle...he rides it all over the yard...all over. He's crazy. ;)
this was last week...he was picking grass and putting on his cyd's head...brothers, i tell ya.

I'm really excited about the March for Babies walk next month. We'll be designing our "TEAM COY" t-shirt soon. Let me know (nursekolkhorst@yahoo.com) if you are interested in purchasing one. Thanks to everyone who have donated to March of Dimes in Coy's name! We've raised over $700 so far (although it doesn't show on my bar for some reason)...we are so appreciative of the love & support!

the months and the march

2010-03-17T15:12:00.006-05:00

I swear I just posted how my baby girl was 7 months old. I can't believe that she's already 8 months old. I think I blinked and a whole month passed by. Chris said yesterday, "wow, in just 4 months Cydney will be 1 and you'll be 29." I think my heart sank a bit. My baby girl is almost 1 and I'm almost 30 (I'm one year away, so that counts as 'almost'). Wow, I can't take it.

Can you already see the attitude I have coming my way from this girl? Prissy, pouty, sweet, and happy. All at the same time.

In a change of subject...
March for Babies 2010 is right around the corner (again)! Now this year I am pumped to be able to participate and walk those 5 miles. Last year, I was on the DL due to the fact that I was laying in a hospital bed trying to stay pregnant as long as possible. Obviously, you all know the story so I'm not going to get into why we are passionate about supporting this wonderful organization. The facts are simple...we want to stop prematurity from happening to others. We want all babies born healthy and full term, God willing. March of Dimes is dedicated to this.

So, we ask very kindly, that if you can donate to TEAM COY and help support an organization that has helped us get through some of the toughest days of our lives, please do so. You can click on my fundraiser bar to the right of the page if you'd like to help.

We'd love to see y'all at the walk too. It's April 25th at the University of Houston campus. Sign up at www.marchforbabies.org/team/coy. Coy and Cydney will both be there...(illness free, we hope)! Come join us!!

beautiful

2010-03-11T22:12:00.012-06:00

I can't get enough of this little beauty.
Oh, how I can't wait for all the mother-daughter-girlie times ahead.
She's more perfect than I could have ever imagined or dreamed. Thank you Jesus, for this beautiful angel! I just can't get enough!

rodeo round-up

2010-03-08T15:44:00.009-06:00

Last Thursday, we ventured out to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. It was a beautiful day and Chris was able to come with us for the afternoon. There is nothing like seeing huge cows, bulls, and all kinds of animals up close and personal. Well, not too close, of course. But you know what I mean.

I've gone to the rodeo every year since before I can remember. It's kindof a tradition here in Texas, if you didn't know. ;) And, don't get me wrong...I'm far from a country girl. I've never been on a horse in my life. Born and raised in the city (well, suburbs), but somehow the rodeo brings out the country girl in all.

Coy was scared of the animals at first (duh, thank goodness he didn't think he could pet a bull or giant turkey!). But then he thought it was fun to watch the chickens and goats. Cyd laughed and slept and ate. She herself was an attraction of cuteness for many strangers. I had about 5 people tell me how adorable she was (I know, they probably say that to every mother..). ;)

We had a wonderful time and I was so happy that we went. Last year at this time, I was just about to go on bed rest. It was a rough couple months that have scared me worse than I initially thought. I am so happy to have that behind us and look forward to all that I get to do with my family. I look at Coy and Cydney and am in disbelief of how blessed we are. They are the most precious gifts in the entire world and I don't feel worthy.

Thanks again for all your love and support through the 'thick and thin'. We love you!

new arrivals

2010-03-02T21:38:00.010-06:00

Today while on our weekly Target run, I found the most adorable swimming suit for Cyd. I've been very good at putting things back on the rack after saying, "This is adorable," over and over....but I had to get this.

Can't you see why? It's a size 12 months...and she's only 7.5 months old. I think we'll need another one come summer time! ;)

In other news, Coy threw the first 'embarrassing' fit while in public today. We were at therapy and he absolutely did not want to share a toy car with another little guy (who he knows and has played with before). He lost it when I said he needed to share and take turns. Oh. My. Word. I quickly snatched him up and took him outside to let him calm down. I'm gonna go ahead and say....Terrible Two's have officially arrived!

Speaking of arrived...our new nephew, Eli, was born this Sunday. He's a doll. We didn't know if he was a 'he' or 'she' until he was born...and that about killed me. So glad HE's finally here and healthy!
And speaking of Eli, I never did announce the arrival of Luke and Austin back in December. They arrived at 33 weeks and spent 1o days in the NICU. They are the second set of twins for my brother and his wife. Needless to say, they're busy people.

That's all for now, folks! ;)

sleep, starbucks, and skinny jeans

2010-02-22T22:09:00.012-06:00

I have been so tired this week. Chris was out of town most of last week and when he got back on Friday, we all came down with a stomach bug. Yucky. Not how we wanted to spend the weekend.

Last Thursday was preschool registration and Coy got a spot! Registration began at 9am, and I got there about 10 minutes after 8. I was #11. I'm excited and relieved that he's enrolled in preschool for next year, but I know I'll be a wreck the first few days we drop him off.

On a different note, our princess has gone from a great napper/ sleeper...to a very bad one. I have no idea what has changed. My guess would be the teething thing, but I have no idea. I really feel that I'll never sleep a good solid 10 hours (yes, I need 10 hours) ever, ever again. Obviously, I wouldn't trade it for the world, but geez, I'm tired.

And to make it worse...I gave up my precious Starbucks for Lent. Maybe that's why I've been so tired this week ;). Chris calls it "Fivebucks" and gets on me because I drink it too much. I knew that during Lent I had to quit it. And isn't it sad that I've had serious doubts that I could go without coffee for 6 weeks? Don't answer that; I already know the answer.

Finally, I can't get enough of Cydney in this outfit...her first (and probably only) pair of hot pink skinny jeans.

with Aunt Sara...taken with my phone...
her eyes look green here...i have no idea why...

Does it get any cuter than that?

Hello, hello...

2010-02-21T21:35:00.002-06:00

...did someone call Cydney?

...obviously, Coy thinks so!

seven months

2010-02-20T22:28:00.007-06:00

Februray 17th marked 7 months since birth for Miss Cydney Marie. I can't believe it. She was just born yesterday. I literally want to freeze time some days. She can't get too big too fast...it'll crush me. She's my little baby doll and I want to keep her that way.

Baby girl,

We love you so. You are the completion to our family and a dream come true. You bring delight to our hearts and brighten our days. You were hoped and prayed for by so many. We are so blessed to have you.

At 7 months, you weigh 17lbs6oz and are growing everyday. You LOVE to eat your veggies, fruits, and cereal. You think your brother is hilarious and giggle so loud at him. You are sitting up and you still love to jump and rock. When on your belly, you can pivot in different directions and turn yourself around. You have two teeth and put absolutely everything in your mouth. You always fall asleep in the car, but you don't like going into your car seat. You love to be held by your daddy. You love to talk to him. You also have an attachment to your momma. If mommy leaves your point of view, big tears start rolling down those cheeks quickly. You sleep in your own bed and have been for awhile.

We love you more than words can say. You are our baby sister, our baby doll, baby girl, chicken nugget, and little diva.

We're forever yours,

Daddy, Mommy, and Brother

randomness

2010-02-15T07:05:00.007-06:00

I actually went to sleep prior to midnight last night, and oddly enough woke up at 6am today. I know in a few hours I'm going to be kicking myself for not going back to sleep, but I kinda like this quiet time in the morning before both kiddos make me their short-order chef among other things. ;)

(Yes, Coy likes the smaller seat...go figure.)

I am so ready for the springtime to come. The weather is driving me crazy. Cold, rainy, yuck. I was just hoping for a tiny bit of snow if it was going to be so cold. Trust me, I wasn't asking for a blizzard...just a little bit of white stuff. Coy was wheezing pretty bad last Thursday night (worse than I've ever heard) which scared me. I brought him in Friday to the Pedi and she said it was 'weather related'. After a few nebulizer treatments, he's doing better. If only we could skip to mid-May...

Yesterday (Sunday) we finally had a beautiful day. We once again ventured out into the 'country'. Or otherwise known as the nature-trail that is in our (soon-to-be) neighborhood.

Chris loves the outdoors, he's a total wilderness man. I have a feeling that Coy is going to take after his daddy.

Preschool registration is this Thursday. I am feeling good about the school we've chosen. Will y'all pray that Coy gets a spot in the class? We are the last group to register since we are not members of this church nor was he in the program last year. If he doesn't get into the class at registration, then he will be put on a waiting list.

I told you this was random....kids are both doing their pre-wake up stirring so I better hit publish post. Hope you have a wonderful day!

hello, beautiful blue eyes

2010-02-09T22:18:00.005-06:00

a big thank you...

2010-02-08T22:40:00.004-06:00

...to all of you that have continued to follow our story and offered your love, encouragement, and advice. I deeply, sincerely appreciate every last word you write.

I haven't quite figured out how to answer questions left in the comments section. I feel so rude that it takes me days to reply, and at times, I completely whiff-out and forget altogether. So please excuse my tardiness if you've asked me a question or wanted more specific information and it seems as though I've disappeared. I haven't and I've been thinking about you. ;)

Coy has been MUCH better with the car seat the past couple days. If my memory serves me correctly, there was only one wrestling match between the two of us. And, sure enough, it was Friday morning...the morning that we were rushing out the door and his sensory brush was made up into the bed somewhere. A bed that I was unwilling to unmake.

Honestly though, I haven't been brushing him prior to getting into the car. I've found that he really responds to joint compressions (like almost immediately) and it's been a life-saver.

Also, per our OT, I've been verbalizing to him our schedule of events--and I break it down into smaller increments rather than the entire day. For example, "Coy, mommy is going to take off your pajamas, change your diaper, then put on your pants and a shirt." And, that can even be overwhelming for him. But it has helped a TON for him to know what is about to happen. I have found that when he is having an off moment, it decreases his resistance to the task and he actually wants to help.

I ordered a few items (a weighted vest and blanket) that I'm hoping will help with some of his sensory needs. I was talking to his ST today and we were discussing just how FAR Coy has come from a year ago when it seemed his SID was rearing it's ugly head. He has actually become much more calm and organized.

Where we're still needing more intervention and the level of concern is higher, is in a large group of people or in an environment where he is easily overstimulated (duh!). Chris and I have noticed for a while that 'our' Coy at home is a different Coy in a crowded or busy environment. At home, he is happy, giggling, laughing, playing independently, lovable kid (majority of the time, anyway). However, in a place where he is having trouble focusing, he avoids eye contact, is constantly whining or fussy, seeking comfort and wanting to be held (usually from his Grandparents if they are there), and is very fidgety. It was very frustrating to me because I could not figure out why this was happening...and it seems like a light turned on recently and it all is making sense now.

My hope is that a weighted vest will aid in organizing himself so that we don't see such a contrast in the two environments. Even if the vest adds a little help to him, it'll be worth it. And, obviously, I know that having SID, it will be a struggle for him for awhile. I don't think a weighted vest will be a cure-all by any means. It'll take therapy, hard work, and God's will for him to improve those neurosensory connections that cause him to seem 'out-of-it' in a busy place.

Good news today was that his recent (and only) EEG came back normal. I was very nervous when the Neurologist's office called. Praise God!

And, finally, here are more nature walk pics. Enjoy!

a busy weekend

2010-02-05T21:25:00.009-06:00

For his Christmas present, Aunt Mandy (Chris's sister) gave Coy (and his cousin Ryder) a ticket to see Elmo Live! Ryder was really excited beforehand, but I don't think Coy really knew what he was going to see. Coy does like his Elmo doll, but doesn't watch Sesame Street much.

The show was Friday morning and it was great. Coy was fully engaged in the dancing, lighting, and music. I was nervous that he was going to be frightened of the 8 foot Big Bird, but he didn't mind it at all. He danced and clapped and covered his eyes when Elmo said to (I was really happy to see him do that).

Saturday was Chris's Rice Baseball Alumni game. He was pumped to take Coy on the field and let him run around. Again, momma was nervous that he'd get hit with a bat or ball, but all was well. Coy had a blast and ran around like crazy. He was picking up balls and bats and going every which way. The weather was gorgeous and it felt great to see some sunshine finally. Rice University is located directly across the street from the hospital that Coy was born in, spent 14 weeks in the NICU, and where I spent 14 weeks on bedrest. It was hard for me to think that just 2 short years ago, Coy was still in the NICU on a ventilator. It is just amazing to see how far he's come. I'm so proud of my little dude.

Today (Sunday) we took a stroll through a nature trail in our soon to be neighborhood. It was beautiful and so peaceful. Now that I've discovered it, I'm sure I'll be back more often to practice photography. It was so relaxing that Coy and Cydney both fell asleep in the stroller and slept the entire walk.

Whew, now off to sleep to rest up for a busy week!

average wednesday

2010-02-03T21:31:00.000-06:00

Coy had gymnastics again tonight. He really enjoys it and does so well (most of the time). He's been really scared of the trampoline, but he actually liked it today. I was really proud to see him stand and attempt to jump rather than drop to his knees and try to get off of it. He's making progress and that's awesome. He's the only boy in a class of 12...and he's already kissed 2 of the girls. A few times. Our son is definitely an affectionate kid.

Terrible twos seems to be in full effect in our house. He has been in (what we call) 'destroyer' mode. He can make the house seem as though a tornado has struck in about 5 minutes. I love his curiosity and exploration and I don't want to kill his will for it, but I also don't want to repack my cabinets, closets, and drawers every few hours. We're still working on the discipline thing...it has been a trying experience for us. Time out was effective at one point, but now it seems as though he just thinks it's funny. Oh, the joys of parenthood. ;)

Tried to get some natural light photos of this doll today... I missed on one with the bad shadows and funky limb chomp. Still struggling with b/w conversions as well. Well, actually, I'm struggling with lots in photography, but I guess that's why I'm just an amateur trying to teach myself! That's what practice is for, I suppose.

Off to brush my little dude with his sensory brush. He loves it and it calms him down. Thank goodness for that.

fresh start

2010-02-02T23:03:00.000-06:00

I am needing a fresh blog start...so I decided that I would start anew. I love prayforcoy and it's not going anywhere, but I think it was holding me back a bit. I feel it's purpose now is to give encouragement and hope to those who are facing the impossible. I love how many emails and comments we get about how it's inspiring to others with preemies. It's humbling and I am so thankful that we could/can provide that. But, I want to blog more from our 'family' aspect and a new blog sounded like the solution for me. So...from here on I think I'll document our life on this blog and leave prayforcoy as is. sound good? Don't hate me.

I also want to be more open and spontaneous with blogging. I am actually a very reserved/quiet person so the fact that people were reading my thoughts kinda made me self conscious about it. Now, I'm just wanting to document our lives and invite you to read if you so desire. I mean, we're boring people, but I know that everyone wants to keep up with the kiddos and I understand that.

Today we toured our 2ND preschool...and I didn't like it. It seemed cluttered and disorganized and chaotic. Not an environment I want to send my easily overstimulated sensory issued kid into. So, the search continues on. Still praying about it.

Coy had OT today and did great. I expressed all our concerns to our OT and she agreed with things that I've seen. His transitioning has been just awful...I mean terribly awful. Getting into a car seat looks like a wrestling match between him and I. Let's just say it's not pretty. I literally have to hold him down with one hand and somehow get the strap hooked and then do the other side. It seems that Chris allowed Coy to sit on his lap the other day (while the car was off, duh!) and play with the steering wheel. So, now, every time we get into the car, that's what he wants to do. Yes, almost every time. It makes going places the past few days absolutely no fun. I looked at Chris the other night as Coy was jumping on our bed at 1030 and said, "this has to get better right?" Don't answer that.

Cydney is the most precious beautiful angel I've ever seen. She is so chubby and round (16.5 lbs at 6 months). She is so happy and so dramatic at the same time. She can go from this...

to this...
....in a matter of a few nanoseconds. All woman, I tell ya.

She loves to be talked to. She loves to be held. She loves to bounce and jump. I still look at her and am amazed that she's mine. All mine. Well, Chris's too. But you know what I mean. I could just kiss and cuddle with her all day. I want to freeze time. They grow too darn fast.

Don't you just want to squeeze her?
And, BTW, it's literally impossible for me to get a good picture of Coy these days, hence lack of good pictures of him lately. Not because I favor Cydney, but the girl has no choice but to sit and pose for me. For now, at least.