Easter

We had a great time celebrating Easter with my family in Louisiana this year. It's my favorite time of the year and the front porch in Moncla is my favorite place to be in the spring.

Kaitlyn was a bit fussy on the ride down (only for about 10 minutes of a 7 hour trip), but who's to blame her- she is just getting over strep throat. On the ride back, we learned our lesson and traded off sitting in the back with her when she wasn't napping and she did great!

Kaitlyn got to see cats and cows for the first time. She heard her first rooster crow. She got to spend time with Mamaw, Granddad, Momo and Papa. "Aunt" Barb seems to be her favorite family member on this visit. She did enjoy going to moo at the cows with Granddad, which made me relieved because she wanted nothing to do with him when my parents were here several weeks ago.

Easter egg hunt in the front yard. Kaitlyn picked up the egg, but didn't get the concept of putting it into the basket. Then she picked up a rock and wanted to play with it.

Kaitlyn's easter bunny and basket. The chocolate candy is for mommy and daddy this year.
Picking out stickers with dad.

Momo bought K a swing for the swing set that's just her size. She loved it! Don't tell her, but we're getting her a swing set for her birthday this year.

Dying easter eggs.

It's hard to bring a 10-month old to a church service, especially at a church that I'm not familiar with the nursery, but I do feel as though we missed something by not attending an Easter service this year. The resurrection of Jesus is the whole point of the Easter holiday after all.

Thank you, Jesus, for the sacrifice you made that all who choose to believe in you may have abundant life!

Home Alone/ Vacation

So I've found that I'm not a huge fan of being home alone. While it does have its perks (i.e. control over the remote), most of the time, I just miss my hubby! He's away on his second business trip in the past month. This is very unusual for us, because in our 7 years of marriage, there have been very few nights we've been apart, and those were because I went to a conference. How the tables have turned!

It makes me realize that I'm a grown woman and I need to get over not wanting to be alone.

It makes me appreciate what single moms have to do.

When he's gone to Vegas, it also makes me realize how ready I am to take a trip somewhere. I don't think Vegas is ideal for a 9-month old, but surely there is a good, family-friendly place to go that is reasonably priced and within driving distance. I'm trying to plan a May trip and it has been a bit frustrating. My parents offered a week of their time share, so that almost makes endless options of places to go, but very few places that are available for the week I'm wanting to go in May (and it seems the options get less as the date approaches.) I think the fall-back plan is to use my parents' mountain home- which is lovely- and then just do a weekend trip somewhere close by to see something different. That's one of my things with vacation- some people like to re-visit the same place every year for the rest of their lives. Not me. I like to see different things. I'd like to travel to all 50 states and all of the European countries one day.

If we want to use the RCI timeshare week somewhere cool, we need to plan WAY in advance next time. So, instead of planning my May trip, I'm now having to focus on where I really want to go in the summer of 2012. Meanwhile, it's almost April. Maybe we'll get a good last-minute deal?!

OCD

So, I'm not sure of the exact definition of obsessive compulsive disorder. I have talked about it with my friends in counseling/ psychology and I think it does involve a behavior or thought that inhibits you from just living life because you focus so much on this one thing.

I obsess about these things:

1. wanting my house to appear clean to others (ha ha- notice I didn't say wanting it to be actually clean, although I do get that way when I'm alone in the house.)

2. about my weight. It's always on the forefront of my mind. How to lose weight. That I need to lose weight. The fact that I don't like the way I look post-pregnant (not that it was any better before, so I can't blame Kaitlyn on this one). The fear that this will always be a struggle.

3. Ok this is so silly and Micah has told me 100 times not to worry about this. But I worry that I somehow made Kaitlyn's head crooked. She tended to lay more on the left side of her head initially and now, I feel like her ears aren't even and it's my fault! She's awesome and perfect just the way she is - so this one, I definitely need to let go.

4. Money. Ugh. Constantly thinking about it. Sometimes worrying about it. Always planning with it. God has certainly brought me to a place of faith and trust in Him with my ability to quit my job (and yes, we have plenty to pay our bills and have some extra, so it really doesn't require faith for most people, but it does for me who is used to a large surplus).

Most people pay off their credit card bill monthly (or at least make the minimum payment.) Well, doing it once a month isn't good enough for me. So instead, I pay it off multiple times each month- whatever the balance is- online. So I may make 4 or 5 credit card payments a month because I just can't stand to have a balance on it. I pay bills as soon as they come in the mail instead of waiting until they are due. That has to be OCD right?? Angela, Kathryn...help me out here. Do I need some counseling?!

Words

When Kaitlyn saw the nurse practitioner last week, I mentioned that I was an SLP. She said another speech-pathologist mom she had kept a huge calendar and wrote down the exact day her child said a word. Well, I'm not that organized about it, but I did decide to make a list of the words she is saying, mainly for my knowledge when I go back and read my blog. I'm not trying to compare her to any other child or brag or anything, but, being an SLP, her ability to speak and communicate is very important to me and a primary area of focus. I'm sure physical therapist moms work on their kids sitting and walking and artsy moms teach their kids art.

I added a word to the list when Kaitlyn used it appropriately in context at least twice. By no means does she usually verbalize or always say the words in repetition after me. But she has said the following words:

up, down, mo/more, mama, dada, cup, ball, dog, hi, bye, book, go, wawa/water, no.

My only concern for poor Kaitlyn when I quit work is all of my speech therapy efforts (that are now spent on about 10 clients) will be focused on her. Poor thing- one day she will clearly say, "Mom, stop with the speech therapy please." I hope she doesn't rebel like I did. My mother would always encourage reading so much that I went the opposite direction and either read what I shouldn't (Babysitter's Club!) or chose not to read at all. I realize that was a mistake on my part looking back, but hindsight is 20-20. I need to start praying against that rebellious spirit in my daughter!

Allergies :(

We went for Kaitlyn's 9 month check-up yesterday. Her stats are:

Height 28 inches (75th percentile)

Weight 21.4 lbs (85th percentile)

Head 44 1/2 cm (50th percentile)

Since she has had a runny nose for two weeks with no fever, and has some dry skin the doctor feels that she has allergies. This comes as no surprise, but is unfortunate. At this point, we can choose to start her on either Benadryl or Zyrtec. I'm not sure whether to start medication or not.

Here we are at Dr. Nesmith's office.

Kaitlyn and Sophie playing.

This is her current favorite toy. It plays some annoying songs.

Clothes

So I finally went shopping today for the first time in probably two years. My mom and grandmother have bought me some clothes. I bought a few maternity outfits with gift cards, but this is the first time I went in search for normal clothes for myself. Kaitlyn tagged along and was rather good considering how bored she must have been.

I didn't even know how to navigate Dillard's and which section to look in. I had a $50 Dillard's gift card that did not get spent because I was so frustrated with their selection. They don't seem to have a good variety for people around age 30. They have the teen section and a bunch of old lady stuff. Some of their "designer" stuff is way too expensive for this girl. So needless to say, I had no luck in Dillard's. Maybe I'll go back and buy some shoes there.

Then I went to Express and found several shirts I liked- 2 casual and 2 I could wear to work. They were a bit pricey, but were buy one, get one 1/2 off. I guess I shouldn't worry about cost too much since I shop so rarely and we just got a nice tax return.

I ended up in Penney's. (I know mom- I always said I wouldn't shop there when I grew up!) I'm not even sure if Capri's are still in style since I don't know much about style, but I did get a few pair and another top. I had a $25 gift card to spend there.

I think I'm set for awhile. Mom said we may go shopping when she is here next week, so perhaps I'll find a few more summery clothes and not feel so frumpy.

When I got home, I was in one of my "cleaning moods," which don't come all that often lately, so I must take advantage of it! I took all the maternity stuff out of the closet and put it in the guest room, got rid of about 25 items, and threw a few things away that nobody should be wearing. Maybe I'll get in a spring cleaning mood and get rid of a lot more stuff we don't use or need. Some of the outfits I finally parted with, I realized I had not worn in 6+ years. My friend Lisa would say shame on me for keeping them so long!

9 Months Already?!

Last night, I calculated that in exactly 1 week, Kaitlyn will be outside my stomach just as long as she was inside. Crazy how much faster the time flies when babies are outside the womb.

Katie Sue was 9 months old yesterday. We don't go to the doctor until next week, so I don't know her stats, other than she's heavy and growing (mostly taller)!

-She wears some 9 month clothes and now is primarily in 12-month clothes.

- She walks well when holding your fingers and is able to walk while pushing her lion and baby stroller around. She is pulling up on everything, and cruising around furniture.

- Kaitlyn is starting to exert that little will of hers. She will occasionally respond to "no," and is starting to understand that when I say "no" she shouldn't smile in return. We are even having to discipline her a little bit (light thump on the hand) to help her know that she is not supposed to eat rocks that are in our ficus tree or Sophie's dog food.

- She is getting better at letting her needs be known through signing and talking. She consistently says "dada, mama, ma (more), ba (ball)" at the appropriate times. She will occasionally say "bye-bye", wa (water), uh (up), boo (book), and hi.

- When she is ready to nurse, she will sign "More" or "milk" and expect a quick response from me. I was asked the other day if she is trying to wean herself, and the answer is no- in fact, just the opposite. She loves her milk and I will probably have some difficulty weaning her in 3 months.

- She is down to 2 naps per day at about 9-10:30 and 1-2:30.

- Kaitlyn is a quick learner and enjoys playing. Her new favorite game is to chase the red ball around the room. Great exercise for my chunky monkey! She's at a fun age, apart from the discipline (which I realize will be ongoing for the rest of her childhood!!)

We babysat Cousins Hunter and Caleb last Saturday so Josh and Melissa could go on a date. We are excited to be keeping Hunter for 2 weeks this summer while they go on a mission trip. He and Kaitlyn are almost exactly 9 months apart.

Look at those luscious lips! Don't think she'll need collagen injections.
Playing with friend, Mariah.
Let me in to get Sophie's food!!!

Big red ball (well worth the $2.50 at Wal-Mart)

4 Weeks Notice

Last Wednesday, I gave my notice at work to change my status from part-time to PRN, effective 3/30. My boss and supervisor were very supportive and understanding of my decision. While I love my patients, my priorities have just changed in the past 9 months. I never pictured myself as a stay-at-home mom; I always thought I would work full-time. My mother did it and I turned out okay! But as we got pregnant and throughout the pregnancy, we felt more peaceful about me staying on part-time than full-time, although we took a large pay-cut. I think it was a good decision because it helped me to cut down my work caseload significantly, spend plenty of time with Kaitlyn, yet still keep up my professional skills.

I've been back part-time for 6 months now, with my good friend being Kaitlyn's primary caregiver on Mondays and Wednesdays, and my mother-in-law being my back-up when Kaitlyn was sick. I always thought it would get easier dropping her off and going to work. It never did. Now, once I was at work and got focused on the daily tasks, I was fine. I thought it would be the perfect balance of work and staying home- but in a way, I felt like I never could give myself fully to either one. I would feel guilty if I wasn't with Kaitlyn when she was sick. I would feel guilty if I couldn't stay late at work to wrap things up. It was a difficult balance that I'm sure many working mothers deal with all the time.

After giving my notice this past week, I felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders. I knew we had made the right decision for our family. Now the plan is for me to be like a substitute therapist- I will not be on a regular schedule (except thru April until they find a replacement and covering 1 weekend a month), and will rather fill in to cover full-time employee's vacations. This will keep my skills up and give me the fulfillment of working, yet only occasionally.

Let me be quick to say that I know not every woman has the option to stay home and many, if given the option would choose not to stay home. We all must do what we feel like is best for our families and for us personally! I am thankful that it is an option for us (although our lifestyles will have to change a bit!) I'm grateful for a supportive husband who is hard-working.

So what now? I get the summer off again (and this time don't have a newborn!) I'm really looking forward to more extended trips to Louisiana to visit my parents and grandparents. I'm also looking forward to having all the holidays off! Yea! I'm trying to think of creative, budget-minded traveling ideas with the family. I like having my priorities in order, and know that when the time comes again (perhaps when Kaitlyn or our youngest is school-age), I can easily find a job in my field. The good thing about a speech pathology degree is that I can use it all the time with my own child!

Favorite Psalm

Tonight, as I sit her awake after a difficult day, I find comfort in my favorite Psalm (139).  I read it again today, like I was reading it for the first time.  A few things stood out to me this evening:
1.  Before a word is on my tongue the Lord knows it completely (v. 4).  He knows everything I have ever said or will ever say.  And He still loves me!
2.  God is always with me through the presence of the holy spirit.  v. 7 says, "Where can I go from your spirit and where can I flee from your presence?"  I can't.  Sometimes I want to run away and hide.  I cannot hide from God.  He loves me too much to let me hide.
3.  God has already written the book of my life before I was even born (v. 16).  God saw me in my mother's womb and knew the whole story of my life.  It is so nice to be that known by Him.   Who says we don't have a personal, loving creator, who is actively involved in our lives (provided we let Him be)?
4.  The Lord's thoughts are precious (one translation says "amazing") to me...What He thinks matters, and it should matter more than what anyone else thinks.  I want to be right with Him.
5.  I'm not so sure about v. 23 that asks God to "Test me and know my anxious thoughts"- but he already knows them.  I want to be tested by God and found approved.
6.  I trust that God will "lead me in the way everlasting."  He will lead me in the right direction as I seek Him.  He will be my guide.  I don't have to make every decision on my own, or between just me and Micah.  God will be our source and strength as we look to Him.  I am so thankful for a God who speaks to me, even when I sometimes have a hard time hearing His voice, He is faithful to get through to me somehow.

I love you, Lord.  And this Psalm is another proof that you love all of mankind.  You are truly amazing.

Signing and Speaking

    I'm loving the age Kaitlyn is right now.  From about 6 months on, it seems like she is learning something new almost weekly  I'm so proud of our little princess.  She is starting to communicate, and nothing makes her speech-pathologist mommy happier!
    So far, she can wave "hi", sign "more" (which is closer today than the jerky movement she was making when signing "more" over the past couple of weeks), and she seems to imitate "all done."
     Tonight, it was time for her to eat before bed.  She started to whine, and I said "do you want to eat?"  She signed "Eat" for the first time.  Then I used the sign for "milk" and she imitated it!  What a smart little cookie.    I will take communication any day over whining (which she does from time to time).
     She has been babbling "dada" for awhile.  Tonight, she repeated "mama" four times on command, and I even got it on video.  It's like music to your ears to hear your child say "Mama."  I remember crying several times with my Autistic speech patients who were very delayed in speaking when they finally said "mama" for the first time.

Other updates on Kaitlyn:
Pulling up/ standing:  This morning she woke me up at 6:15 and when I looked at the video monitor she was standing up in her bed for the first time.  Micah lowered the crib all the way to the bottom before bed tonight.  She is also starting to pull up on the coffee table.

Crawling:  Katie is finally crawling on all fours rather than just army crawling.  It's still kind of awkward and she gets around faster with the army crawl (and can still hold her remotes and purple bottle), so she often still chooses that method.

Toys:  As mentioned above, her favorite toys are two remotes that we no longer use and a soft purple toy bottle that comes in a picnic set her Momo gave her.  If we let her, she will carry these with her all of her waking hours.  Once, I tried to let her sleep with purple bottle, but that was a mistake- instead she rolled around her crib playing with it for an hour.
- We have learning time daily (when I'm home with her) at her high chair after her morning meal.  I teach her about 4-5 different toys, use signs to describe them, play tea party, and have her try to differentiate between them.  Mainly just playing and building vocabulary at this point.

Sleeping:  it seems that it is time to cut a nap.  Kaitlyn is still taking 3 naps, which range from 30 mins to 2 hours each, usually averaging about 45 mins to an hour.  Hopefully if we cut her down to two naps, they will be a bit longer.  She still sleeps at night from 7 PM til about 6 AM.

Teeth:  She has her two bottom teeth in (as of about 2 weeks ago.)  Kaitlyn seems to be teething again with lots of drooling and a runny nose, but no fussiness this time, so maybe it's just allergies.  I hope the poor thing didn't inherit my allergies.

Social:  Kaitlyn loves all of her friends!   She enjoys interacting with other kids and had the best time meeting a new friend (1-year old) at a baby shower we went to today.  Thank you, Lord, for a social kid after working with so many autistic ones.

Kaitlyn continues to be a very good baby.  The word the Lord gave to Joyce for her is that she would have a "gentle and forbearing spirit."  She does seem very gentle and tender-hearted.  I wouldn't trade her for the world!

Here are some recent pictures of Katie Sue.

I love my purple bottle!

Happy Valentine's Day

Oh Baylor!

Oh Baylor!
These were the words little Aniyah Sealey said on the way home from the game.
To have a good, winning season and end it like that was a bit depressing, but hey, at least we made it to a bowl game.  Next year, maybe we can set the goal to actually play in and perhaps even win the bowl game.  Thank goodness the game was in Reliant Stadium with a closed roof, or we would have been miserable.  The trek into the stadium was already quite wet and miserable.

 And yes, this is my Baylor Line jersey from 1999!  Never thought I would wear it again.  Not sure why I had them put "Queeny" on the back of it instead of my last name.  Nobody in college called me that and only two of my high school friends knew me by that name.

 Ben and Kathy, my closest friend from High School, decided to join us.  Ben wanted to wear blue to root for Illinois, but we wouldn't let him.  Here he is pouting!

 Our good college friends, Angie and Ryan.  Ryan got in trouble because he was an umbrella-hog on the way into the game and poor Angie got drenched.

 Our good friends (and former housemates), the Sealey's.  Aniyah did great at the game!

Mom and Dad drove from Louisiana to Pearland to watch the girls for us (Kaitlyn and Aubree), so that we could enjoy the game without having to deal with fussy little ones.  We were grateful!  Here they are looking at fish at the hotel.

6 month check-up

Kaitlyn is 6 months old (well, she was on the 14th).  We had her check-up today.
She is 26 3/4 inches long.
She weighs 19.6 lbs (I could have sworn it was over 20 lbs!)
Her head is 43 cm.

She is just getting over Viral Croup, which started on our trip last weekend in Louisiana with a fever (102.3) and a barking cough.  I woke up in the middle of the night and thought it was my parents' old dog barking instead of my little girl.  It nearly scared us to death!

After a trip to the doctor on Monday, she has been on steroids for inflammation and a cough syrup.  We have had a few rough nights, but she is doing better.  Thanks to Grammy for putting off her Christmas shopping to watch her for us!  Now she just has a congested cough, so the doc gave me a pediatric expectorant.  Fun!

The doctor was so impressed with her good, calm nature.  He already projects that she will be a good student and an obedient, rule-following child.  We'll take it!  He attributes it to the calm nature of her parents (ha!).  We are thankful all the same, for our sweet little girl and hoping that our next child is not a terror!

In the last month, she has rolled all around the house, become a tummy sleeper, and started eating solid foods.  She now has eaten rice cereal, oatmeal, sweet potatoes, prunes, bananas.  We are taking things slowly and trying not to introduce too many foods at a time.  The doctor said that she is cleared to drink water, but so far, she doesn't seem to enjoy it by itself.  Mixed with breastmilk, she's fine with it.

She is vocalizing more, but doesn't seem to be a big talker.  She has said "mama" and "dada" and "baba."  One day, three times when she saw Micah, she coincidentally said "dada."  He claims it to be her first word!

Kaitlyn continues to be a good traveler.  She prefers a 6 hour drive to the 7-hour Louisiana drive, but if you get in the back seat with her and entertain her, she will make it the final hour.

Kaitlyn is now breastfeeding 3x/ day and eating twice per day.  She sleeps from 7 pm til between 6-7 AM.  We still have trouble with her taking consistently longer naps. She tends to wake at the 45-minute mark.  The doctor recommended having her try to take a longer second nap by allowing her to cry a bit to see if she will put herself back to sleep.  I'll try that when she is feeling better.  Making her room darker has seemed to help some.  Once her second nap is consistently longer, then we will likely drop the late afternoon nap.

She enjoys books.  We read her storybook Bible every morning and multiple other books throughout the day.  This week, we have been reading the Night Before Christmas book she got from Mamaw.

Here she is at the doctor's office today.

Church Pics

I was hoping these would come in by Christmas and they did!  Too bad they didn't get here at this time last week, so we could have brought them to Louisiana.

I think Kaitlyn is much more photogenic than her mother!

Thankful

A couple of weeks ago, our pastor challenged us to set our phones/ watches for every hour, and to take a minute to ATL- Acknowledge God's presence, be Thankful, and Listen to His voice.  So from 6 AM until 10 PM, our phones go off on the hour to remind us to do so.  It has been a challenge, but it has helped me to focus on the Lord more throughout the day.  So often, I spend time with Him in the morning through prayer and Bible study, and then as the day goes on, drift further and further away from the sound of His voice.
Usually, at Thanksgiving I spend at least an hour journaling about all of the things that I am thankful for.  I will give you the 3 minute version:
 I am thankful that I am a child of God- that He loves me, cares deeply for me, and wants to be actively involved in my life.  I can't imagine what my life would be like if I were not a Christian.
 I am thankful to be a wife of an awesome husband- who provides for us, who is encouraging, and who I love deeply.  I am thankful that he is also my best friend.
I am so grateful to be a mommy.  Kaitlyn is such a joy and has been long anticipated.  She is a miracle!
I am thankful for our extended family- parents, siblings, grandparents, cousins etc.  We are loved.  We have been provided for.
I am thankful for the friendships God has blessed me with- from my best friend of 22 years, to some of my closest friends in our church group now.  Being an only child, friendships have been really important to me throughout my life.
I am thankful for God's provision through our jobs.  That we both enjoy what we do and that we both like to help people.  We have never been without food, shelter, vehicles etc.  We are blessed.

Just because Thanksgiving is over, doesn't mean we should ever stop being thankful, on a daily basis (if not an hourly basis) for all that God has done for us.  Lord, help me to be "overflowing with thankfulness" (Colossians 2:7).

5 Months!

Time really does fly with an infant.  It didn't seem to go nearly as fast when I was pregnant.  

Kaitlyn turned 5 months on Sunday.  There is no 5-month check-up, but she is still a big girl.  She is wearing some 6 month clothes, and some 6-9 month clothes.  My guess is that she weighs about 19 lbs now.

Her new trick is to crawl on her back to get around the room.  She also does this in her crib and ends up in one of the corners, unable to move any further.  Her bedtime is 7 PM and she usually sleeps til 6 or 6:30 AM.

She is consistently rolling from stomach to back, and very close to rolling from her back to her stomach.  She sits with just a little support and is able to sit in a high chair and the grocery shopping cart.

We will probably start rice cereal soon with her mainly to work on feeding skills to prepare her to start eating at 6 months.  I made my first batch of pureed sweet potatoes the other day for her.

Kaitlyn remains a very calm and sweet baby.  Absolutely no complaints out of this mama, other than the fact that she took about a week to adjust to the time change and was waking me up at 4 and 5 AM!

Kaitlyn now loves bottles, helps hold them, and grabs for them.  I have been away from her for at least a few hours the past 4 weekends, and she has done great with daddy.  He gets her again this Saturday for my first out-of-town adventure without her.

The Bumbo is getting a little tight for her juicy thighs, but her new favorite thing is the standing jumper.  Even when she isn't in it, she likes to pretend she is jumping!  I'm hoping this helps some with the thigh issue mentioned above! :)

Kaitlyn enjoys looking at books, listening to mom sing, drooling, chewing on toys, vocalizing (especially when in the car), watching people, and smiling.  She continues to be a joy and reminds me daily of the goodness of God.  I am so thankful!

 Her favorite jumpy thing!

 She has almost outgrown the swing.  I moved it from the living room into her room today.

 Playing dress up!

 Check out my thighs!

 Doing the crab crawl

On the go!

Baby D

Kaitlyn was dedicated to the Lord last Sunday at Antioch's "Baby D" celebration.  It was a nice service, and all of Micah's family was able to attend (even his sister and her boyfriend from Austin.)  We also had good friends from Lifegroup come to see both Kaitlyn and Aubree dedicated.  They had a brunch following the ceremony.  Kaitlyn was actually still able to wear the size Newborn dress Momo gave her.  It fit a little differently than it did when she was in the hospital.

 Kaitlyn and cousin, Hunter.  They are 9 months apart.

Kaitlyn made it from 6 AM til 11:15 without a nap.  She was exhausted!

Visiting Relatives

On Friday, 11/5, Aunt Crystal came into town unexpectedly and hung out with baby K and me.  She had lunch and dinner with us before going to the Robinson High football game.

Then on Saturday, after the Antioch Women's Conference, my parents came into town briefly to see their grandbaby, on their way to Houston for my dad's eye appointment.

 And yes, Kaitlyn is now gladly taking bottles! :)

Here, she is grabbing Granddad's lip.

Fall Festival

On Saturday night, we went with some friends to the Fall Festival at the First Baptist Church in Robinson.  We were actually impressed with all the work they put into it!  It was a Noah's Ark theme, where the children were asked to dress up in non-scary or animal costumes.  Since Kaitlyn is only 4 months old, we were not going to take her trick-or-treating, so this was a good, safe alternative and an opportunity for her to wear the cute lamb outfit her Momo bought her.

 She got to help feed the baby goats!

Kaitlyn also got to ride her first pony.

She was talking to the photographer.

The evening ended on a high note, with an amazing win by Baylor over UT.  So exciting to finally have a winning season and know that we will be going to a bowl game.