Happy 4th Birthday Katelyn!

Today is the day, Katelyn is celebrating her 4th birthday!  She doesn't know it yet, but we are heading to Kansas City for a little shopping, some game time at Chuck E. Cheese, and then out to dinner at the place of her choosing.  We have had a great morning so far.  I made cinnamon rolls for breakfast, put candles in them, and sang happy birthday to her. 

It is hard to believe that it was 4 years ago today that Katelyn made her swift entrance into this world.  Brian and I headed down to Kansas City around 6 in the morning and I was induced by 8:30am and had her about 4 hours later!  She was born at 12:28 p.m., weighing 8 pounds and was 20 inches long.  Today she is around 35 pounds and 40 inches.  She is a blessing in our life and can't wait to see what the next year brings!

 Welcoming Katelyn!

 Katelyn's 1st Birthday

 Katelyn's 2nd Birthday

 Katelyn's 3rd Birthday

 Happy 4th Birthday Katelyn!

Here is a little something I wrote for Katelyn's teacher for preschool, I think it describes her perfectly!

Katelyn is a spunky little girl who is easy-going and loves to giggle.  She is very out-going, but can be very bashful.  She loves to talk and be the center-of-attention.  She has an older sister, Julianne and a younger brother, William.  Katelyn is constantly asking questions and exploring in a quest to learn everything her sister knows and more.

Katelyn gigles quite often, causing the rest of the family to giggle and laugh.  When she is not giggling she is smiling.  Katelyn loves to tell jokes, tickle and be tickled, and just be plain silly.

Katelyn enjoys being with others.  She loves to play games with family, friends, and especially her sister. Some of her favorite games are UNO, Clue Jr., and Littlest Pet Shop.  Katelyn also enjoys using her imagination playing with play-dough, building with legos, and playing dress-up. On nice days you may find Katelyn outside swinging, chalking, or riding her trike..  She loves to play outside most days and enjoys the warmth of the sun.

Throughout the day Katelyn enjoys time to herself.  During this time we often find her "reading" books, coloring, or playing her leapster.  Other times she likes to cuddle and watch tv.  Her favorite shows include Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Wipeout, and Tom & Jerry. 

Finally, Katelyn is involved with dance and gymnastics.  She attends class for both, but is found practicing at home quite often. 

Katelyn is excited to be turning 4 and looking forward to lots of fun times during the year at home and at preschool!

HAPPY 4TH BIRTHDAY KATELYN!  We love you!

Mommy, Daddy, Julianne, and William

Control

So those of you who know me well, and even some who do not know me so well, know I am a control freak.  I like to be in charge, know what is going on, and be in on making the decisions.  This can be challenging at times, especially with 3 little ones, a husband living 6 hours away, and single parenting during the week.  I feel like I am managing it all very well during the week, but it can be very challenging.  Some days are more stressful than others, though I am pretty sure I bring that upon myself alot of times. 

For those of you not following what I am saying here it is, "My name is Becca Johnston and I am a control freak."  For as long as I can remember I have loved to be in control.  I want things to be perfect.  Why let others do it if you are just going to have to re-do it so it is "perfect"?  I have taken many personality tests only to find out what I know, I am an extrovert who is a Type A personality.  I want to be in control! I need to be in control!

When I was in elementary school (before we typed papers - gasp) we would "long-hand" assignments.  My assignments needed to be perfect.  I would usually use pencil on a "rough draft", though I never handed in the rough draft, and then re-write it in pen so it was perfect.  I would even start over on the rough draft if there was an error and I couldn't erase it to my liking!  Yes, I was that anal.  Sometimes I wish I still was like that with certain things.  Though, it is probably a good thing I am not! 

As I got older, I liked to be the planner.  I planned birthday parties for my friends....once we did a video scavenger hunt.  I had to be meticulous in my planning, down to the minute of where we were going to be  because other friends were dropping off the clues ahead of us and other friends were meeting up with us (pre everyone having cell phones).  I loved it...I loved being in control.

Even with my kids births I had some control.  I knew what day they were going to be born on.  I was careful in picking the day, I wanted things to be perfect for my new little one coming into this world.  I know, that no matter what else happened on that day, I always welcomed my perfect little baby!

I still love to plan and I carry my planner with me everywhere.  I have my days and weeks planned out ahead of time, sometimes 3-4 months out, at least.  When one summer vacation is over, I like to start planning the next one.  I don't want to miss out on something fun and exciting!

Being a control freak or Type A personality definitely is challenging.  I don't want to change it for the world, because it is who I am.  So, instead of changing me I just make adjustments and move forward.  I bury myself in other things to keep my mind off that which I cannot control. 

But I will always remember, "My name is Becca Johnston and I am a control freak!"

It's Just One of Those Days...

It's just one of those days to put on a big smile and take a step forward.

It's just one of those days to cry a little and then wipe the tears away.

It's just one of those days I am thankful to be enduring it, for I love every moment - easy or hard, good or bad, happy or sad.

It's just one of those days to ask for forgiveness and to be forgiven.

It's just one of those days to forgive.

It's just one of those days to lift my worries to God and say a prayer of thanks for His unconditional love!

William's One Year Check-up

Yesterday William, Katelyn and myself headed to Kansas City for William's check-up and a little shopping.  Here are William's new stats:

Weight: 23 pounds 6 ounces
Height: 29 3/4 inches

When I did he birthday blog I took a guess at his weight and height.  I guessed he weighed about 24 pounds and was between 30 and 32 inches tall.  I wasn't too far off on either.  The other big news from his check-up, the doctor gave me the okay to put him forward facing.  I wasn't planning on doing this until at least January, but he constantly fights getting in his carseat and screams when he is in in.  During the hour and a half drive to KC yesterday he screamed for about an hour of it.  After a good conversation with the pediatrician, I put William's carseat forward facing and he loves it!  He loved to just look at the window and point at things.  The drive back to Chillicothe was much more peaceful!

Becca

The leaves are falling...

We have two huge, old trees in our front yard that provide wonderful shade during the hot summer months and lots of leaves in the fall.  The girls love to play in leaves and got to last week (luckily, because the lawn man came to mow and clean up the leaves the next day).  I got some great pictures of the girls and the neighbor boy, Connor.  Connor and the girls play together almost everyday, going back and forth from our house to his.  It is great to have friends so close for the girls, especially one close to Katelyn in age.  Enjoy the pictures!

Julianne wanted to be buried in the leaves, so Katelyn and Connor obliged.

Connor wanted to be buried, but didn't want his face covered, can't say I blame him.

Katelyn would sit in the leaves, that is it!

Action shots! 

Julianne and Connor went to climb the tree, so Katelyn was having fun by herself raking the leaves and then tossing them in the air!

Julianne and Connor

And, while all the leaves were gone at the end of last week they are just as many on the ground again!  The kids can't wait to play in them some more.

Julianne and the missing tooth!

It all started a few months ago when Julianne told us a tooth was wiggling.  We wiggled it a little bit and so did many more.  She was so excited that she had a loose tooth!  She wiggled it over and over, and we wiggled it to.  It was getting a little looser each day, but it was still hanging in there.  The stubborn little tooth did not want to come out.  The tooth started to tip forward and got a little looser, but it just wanted to hang out in her mouth.  Last week Julianne asked for me to take a look at it and she even let me try to pull it, but that stubborn little tooth would not come out!!

Then Saturday night, my mom commented on how loose Julianne's tooth was.  I told her we tried to pull it but it just wouldn't come out.  Then I looked at Julianne smiling at me with the tooth completely tipped forward!  Oh, I was quite excited, so I asked Julianne to go and get a kleenex so I could try and pull it out.  After I tried pulling it earlier in the week, I told her we she let Brian or Grammy do it, but she refused and said I was the only one who could.  I was flattered and frustrated at the same time.  Anyways, she got the kleenex and I pulled, but that stubborn tooth would just not come out!  I looked in her mouth and could see the adult tooth.  I wiggled, pulled, wiggled a little more, and pulled again.  After a little screaming and a few wimpers that stubborn tooth came out!!

So, I dug out her tooth fairy pillow, she put it under her pillow and the tooth fairy brought her $5!  She was super excited.  Oh and Grammy gave her another $5 for it!

Here are a few pictures of Julianne and the missing tooth...

Birthday Fun!

What a weekend it has been.  On Friday, William turned ONE!  It is still hard to believe that we brought William home from the hospital a year ago today.

On Friday night we enjoyed a family dinner at our favorite Chillicothe restaurant, El Nopal.  William got a little bite of ice cream, which he didn't like, and they sang happy birthday to him.

 William excited to celebrate the big ONE!

He is taking more and more steps!

 Dinner celebration....thinking about what he should have.

He enjoyed some beans and fruit.

The celebration hat!

William trying to get the ice cream.

Sibling love!

Enjoying another bath!

On Saturday we prepared for his birthday party.  We had friends and family over for dinner, cupcakes and ice cream, and celebrated William.

 Waiting for another birthday dinner and the CAKE!

The birthday boy with his Mommy.

He was ready to open his present.  He pushed it around the dining room and kitchen, but never opened it!

Playing outside and doing a little walking with Grammy.

Climbing up the slide instead of sliding down.

His own cake and the cupcake cake that everyone else ate.

 Digging into his cake.

(Katelyn and Julianne helped a little too.)

In the end, he destroyed the cake!!

He loved the bath after the cake.

Practing his walking.

That was our weekend celebrating William.  I still can't believe he is already one, but I am loving every minute of my adventure with him.  I can't wait to see the little boy he is becoming and the young man he will be someday. 

HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY WILLIAM!  We are blessed to have you in our lives!

Love,
Mommy, Daddy, Julianne & Katelyn

William is the big ONE!

It is hard to believe that a year ago today we welcomed William Joseph into the world.  Here is a little information about William then and now.

Born: October 15, 2009 at 2:38pm
Weight: 7 lbs 15 oz.
Length: 19.5 inches

My glowing baby...his bilirubin was high and it took about 2 weeks to finally get it under control.

 JCPenny Picture - November

 Baby Jesus at Church (December)

His Baptism (January)

JCPenny pictures (February)

March

William's first Easter (April)

May

Loving baths (June)

William's first 4th of July

Sleeping in his swing (August)

Crazy hair (August)

One of his favorite activities (September)

Today he weights well over 20 pounds (my guess is closer to 24 pounds) and is getting quite tall (probably around 30-32 inches).  He goes for his one year check-up on Monday, so I will be sure to post his new stats.

William is a mover.  He LOVES to crawl!  He can walk and has taken quite a few steps (including 12 in a row last night), but he gets to his "destination" much faster crawling.  He can keep up with his sisters when he is crawling and they are running away from him. 

William also loves to "bite".  This is not fun for any of us.  He acts like he is going to give someone a raspberry and then he chomps down.  His teeth, the 4 he has, are sharp.  The 4 teeth he has are the bottom middle two and the two on the upper on either side of what would be the middle two.  He is working on four more...we can see them trying to poke thru.  They are the middle two on the top and two on the bottom on either side of the middle ones.

William loves to eat!  His favorite foods are: cheese, mandarine oranges, blue berries, bananas, green beans, and graham crackers (especially homemade ones).  He loves the sippy cup, but is still partial to nursing.  He is a good sleeper, sleeping about 11.5 hours a night and taking two naps a day for a total of 3-4 hours!  He likes playing with his sisters and a few friends, but he loves time to play by himself.  He is content to play by himself for 30 minutes if he crawls into a room on his own and mommy doesn't go check on him and get spotted.  His favorite toy right now is his animal puzzle that makes noises.  Other favorites include straws, his sister's princess water bottle, and a caffeine free diet pepsi bottle. 

William is very vocal!  He cries when he is not happy, squeals when he is excited, and uses quite a few words.  We are also working with him on some sign language.  He can sign more and all done, I am teaching him thank you and milk.  Words he can say include, mama, dada, up, ball, bat, papa (though he won't say it for him), and I am sure there are a few others I am blanking on right now.  He loves to wave goodbye, blow kisses, and just started giving high-fives - which he will do until you put your hand down.

William is defintely all boy.  We say he is going to be our linebacker - he loves to tackle anyone close by and crawl on them.  He can throw a ball and loves to do it.  He empties out my cabinets when I am not watching and is constantly climbing.  His favorite place to climb right now is on our fireplace ledge.  Once on it he crawls across it.  He also loves to crawl on the blue dog.  He uses this as a step stool.  Yep, he is definitely boy.  He will go anywhere and get into everything!

We have enjoyed this last year and the joy William Joseph has brought to our lives.  We look forward to next year and all that is to come. 

Happy 1st Birthday William!

Love,
Mommy, Daddy, Julianne, and Katelyn