Baby Race - take 2

Today was a big day! It started off with Jackson's fifth birthday party. It was at a trampoline park, Kennedy's second time at one. This time she was a little bigger (the first being last July at Dean's party), so actually had a little fun going around and watching all the big kids jump. I jumped a little with her and she thought it was the best :)

Unfortunately I didn't get any other pictures than that because we were first-time parents worried as her eye was starting to gunk. My sister's friend Cheryl is a nurse, so we asked her about it. She had us wipe the eye and then see what it looked like 15 minutes later. Sure enough, gunk again, so she suggested calling her pedi because it looked like conjunctivitis (no clue where she got it). By this time, the pedi didn't have anymore appointments since they closed at noon, so suggested we either take her to an urgent care that weekend or come in first thing Monday morning.

After the birthday party, we had big plans to race at the Texas Men's Basketball game. Her eye didn't seem to be bothering her, so we decided we'd see how she was doing afterwards and make the call then. She didn't get much of a nap as she barely slept on the way to the game, so we were just crossing our fingers that she even moved.

Almost to half-time, we headed down to the locker room to wait. There were more babies in this race, six total, so it was a lot of parents in the locker room. Kennedy wasn't her normal self, kinda fussy, but I attributed it to her not getting a good nap or her eye starting to bother her, but looking back I think she was hungry. I feel terrible and wish I could go back and feed her! Poor baby....

But the time came to head out onto the floor and Kennedy grasped her little remote control toy tightly.

They had cute little intros for all the babies, playing a different song for each and showed a picture Nelson had submitted when applying to participate.

Then came the time for me to take the toy to the finish line... and she was NOT happy about that. You could hear the crowd go, "Awwww" and the big screen showed her in tears.

Competitive me knew she could still do it. When the race started and none of the babies moved, I strategically crawled up the lane and waved the remote right in front of her. The other parents soon followed, and the race was on! I didn't notice another baby in lane 1 was just barely ahead of us, but when I did, it made me nervous. (This is terrible, I can't believe I'm admitted how into it I was.)

Kennedy would crawl a bit, and then sit and cry, then crawl some more, then cry. It was really so sad thinking and looking back on it now, but I was just really in the moment. I need a new hobby.

But she pulled through and made it across the finish line! We won! Even though, as you'll see in the video below, the finish line was pulled back further for the other baby, she still wouldn't have crossed it regardless.

You can watch the whole video here. We had a lot of friends texting us because they were either at the game or knew someone who knew us that was at the game.

And then we had a lot of people message us because it was on TV! I had a friend video it for me.

After the race, we had a little fun in the stands with my family who came to watch before heading out early to take Kennedy to get some antibiotics. So.... you think this is a preview into our / her future? Ha!

Kennedy Anne {11 Months}

Dearest Kennedy,

You are eleven months old today - 11! It's hard to believe I'm already starting to plan your first birthday party (which is going to be awesome). I feel like your dad and I just found out we were pregnant with you, or I can still feel you swimming in my tummy, or we just brought you home from the hospital. These eleven months have gone quickly, but have definitely been the best.

We celebrated your first Christmas and it was truly special. We didn't do a whole lot, kept it pretty low key and simple, which was nice. I wanted to make sure we enjoyed each other and kept that as the focus. You got some great toys from family: your own remote, some baby dolls, a wagon, books, a princess carriage, and a ball pit. We took you to see Santa a couple weeks before Christmas, and you were not a fan. No surprise there as you've recently gotten stranger danger feelings :)

Eating is still one of your favorite things. Your favorites are still eggs and avocado, but you've also eaten a lot of noodles lately (you are your mother's daughter). I don't think there's anything you don't like, because even if you don't eat it one day, you'll eat it another. You're eating so much, in fact, that you've started to wean yourself. I didn't realize as I hadn't worked in a while, and when I went to pump your middle of the day feed, it was barely 6oz. It makes me sad to think this special time between us is coming to an end.

I'd say you're still a pretty good sleeper. I've made a conscious effort to no longer nurse you before naps, and you lay down easily so long as you're tired. I turn on your sound machine, hand you your pink blankey, and you automatically stick your left thumb in your mouth and rest your head on my shoulder. I'll hum a couple songs and then lay you down. I'd say 90% of the time you don't cry. If you do, it lasts less than three minutes. You don't require us to keep you on a strict schedule, but we usually follow this flow: 7:00 or 7:30am wake, 10:30am nap (until around 11:30am), 3:30pm nap (until around 4:30pm), and 7:00 or 7:30pm bedtime.

The only big thing from this past month is you were sick for the first time ever. You had a flu shot, but the strain this year is different, so it's actually pretty bad this year. Mimi called me on a Tuesday night to say she didn't feel well, so wasn't sure she'd be able to watch you. She called a few hours later to say she had a 102 fever and thought it was the flu. I stayed home the next day, Wednesday, and had to wake you up at 8:40am (I wanted to try to keep you on normal nap schedule because I had meetings). But you still went down for morning nap at 10:00am, and then fell asleep, again, around 12:30pm in the stroller. I could tell something was up because you just sat in my lap that afternoon while watching Sesame Street. I took your temperature and it was about 100. By this point, it was too late for a doctor's appointment, so we went the following morning, Thursday. You still had a slight fever, but it was never above 101. Sure enough, you tested positive for flu type A :( But your fever was already gone and it never came back. You were prescribed Tamiflu and I nursed you as much as I could. By Friday, you were pretty much back to normal! I think the flu shot helped with severity and length because it sure didn't last long. You were very irritable Friday night, waking up around 10:00pm and not falling back asleep until 3:00am. You didn't want to be touched, but when I put you down, you just wanted to be held. I knew this wasn't the flu, it was different, so I assumed it was the side effect people talking about for Tamiflu. They say it can make you nauseous, so we stopped taking it. And you went right back to normal! It was so sad seeing you not feel well, but dad and I both enjoyed the snuggles you gave.

I'm hoping someone comes out with a time machine really soon so that we can at least slow time down. You're growing so quickly, but the most adorable and fun little personality is coming with it. So at least we have that :)

xoxo,
Your Mom

{11 Month Stats}

• Weight: 20lb 12oz (according to the pediatrician's office last week)
• Height: 30ish in (estimate)
• Head: n/a
• Clothes: 12 months (only a few 9 month clothes still fit)
• Diapers: size 4
• Shoes: your 4.5" shoes still fit!
• Likes: brushing your (two) teeth - you get so excited when I pull out your toothbrush; standing at your activity mat; and climbing the stairs (we're getting a baby gate tomorrow)
• Dislikes: having your diaper changed - you get soooooo mad!

*You cooperated so well, again! I thought you being mobile would make it harder, but you just lay there and smile at me :)

New Year, New Tricks

We didn't do anything for New Year's. Shocking, I know ;) But it's 2018 and Kennedy already has a couple new tricks up her sleeves:

She started walking behind her activity-walker-thingy today! We have to slightly pull it forward because she hasn't gotten the push down yet, but I'm sure she'll figure that out in no time.

She's also pulling herself back up. She practices this on her activity cube, but the activity-walker-thingy is more of a challenge.

And she's attempting to crawl on all fours! The tile floor makes it a little slippery, but she's figured out the motion and is really on the move now!

2017 brought so many exciting things for us, the biggest obviously being Kennedy. I can't wait to see what 2018 has in store for us! Happy New Year!