A Day in the Life of Katy Jo

Today my little baby is four months old. Wow. I really don't want her to get any older. This seems perfect. Twelve hour nights and two long naps during the day. I can put her in various baby seats throughout the house and she simple enjoys watching me do chores or she entertains herself with toys. She laughs at us and is generally a really happy baby. We love her so much!

In the mornings, she relaxes on our bed while she watches us get ready for the day...



We are now enjoying lots of smiles from Katy Jo...



Recently she wakes up from nap times on her tummy with rosy cheeks...



One of her favorite toys is her giraffe...



She has begun sitting in her Bumbo chair (huge life-saver)...



She has learned how to truly relax and get most comfortable during bath time...



And the most exciting new development around here...
Katy Jo has learned to 'self-sooth' herself to sleep at night!!!

Saturday's Picture

For all the women who have to put up with stares while wearing "hooter hiders" and breastfeeding in public this picture is for us! Why? Because it looks like Bo is breastfeeding. I love it!

Neighbors in Switzerland!

Ok so I've missed a few days worth of uploading pictures on here. But, for good reason...
we were in Bern Switzerland!
For over a year now, through all our fundraising ups and downs (and not knowing if we could return to Germany), we have held onto the dream that Kristen & Seth would move to neighboring Switzerland... and they have. This past weekend was at first surreal. The drive was so gorgeous you can't complain that its an hour and a half away. We saw beautiful mountains, cows with big bells around the necks, and a hot air balloon taking off right in front of us. It was amazing! When we pulled into their driveway it felt strange, as we had scouted the place out for them back in May when my belly was about to pop. But this time they were living in the huge three story house!
Kristen has done a super job of getting all their stuff organized as well as decorating almost every room in the house (I guess you can't really do too much to a bomb shelter room). So very good to see these guys in their new home! We know they will soon be meeting tons of interesting people and making friends for life there. We are so happy to have them close by and are anxiously awaiting for them to come check out Kandern.

The littles on our way out to see the farmer's market.






















Jackson loved helping out with Katy Jo.


Here is the one picture of Owen and Katy Jo when Owen isn't trying to devour her ( I think its love at first sight )


Plus.. we got all our loot. Thank you Stephanie! And thank you Kristen for hosting the mail-in-shower and a big thank you to all of you who sent Katy Jo a gift! We are so thankful and have everything we need for her. Love you all!

Picture of the Day

Today I conquered the German dryer! I was determined to learn how our washer dryer combo worked after two weeks of hanging wet clothes on drying racks out on our balcony and hoping for sunny weather. Today I will have warm, snug-fitting jeans straight from the dryer! Can't wait!

She Did It

Way too early this morning, around 6:30ish, Bo brought Katy Jo to my side of the bed to feed and asked, "did you put Katy Jo to bed on her tummy last night?" After I responded, "no" Bo informed me that she must have rolled over. It was quite a surprise that she chose to perform this new talent all alone. I had really wanted to see it in action. But of course we were happy none-the-less. The cool thing was that later in the morning I left her for one second to grab something and when I returned this is what I found. (please disregard the mess- a two year old was over last night)


So today was the last day that I will be leaving her unattended- so you don't have to worry.

Katy Jo is no longer a tiny immoble infant. At three and a half months, she is quite the squirmy monkey.

Today's Picture of the Day

Today we went to a small festival in town here called Budenfest. Katy Jo got tons of attention from lots of local Germans who thought her sunglasses were hysterical. :)

Yesterday's Picture

It is our weekend to help out at the dorm while the dorm parents are off. So... this is Katy Jo (on the couch to the right) hanging out with some of the girls- all of which are new to BFA this year.

Picture of the Day

Katy Jo chill'n in the Nurses' Office today with our new head nurse- Sharon.

The "fabler" room

Little Katy Jo's nursery has come a long way. From first being a school aged boy's room and having to totally move stuff around- we demolished one piece of furniture (permission was given from the family who is renting us the apartment for the year) and having to find new homes in other parts of the apartment for other various pieces. The room is now really starting to look cute. It is still a work in progress and is difficult to get much done when a three month old constantly wants to nap in it. But, here is what we have so far...

this is KJ so enjoying her new mobile- thanks to Bonnie for making it awesome!


the view out the window above the crib


trying to make the walls colorful since we didn't end up painting. the cute clothes line with pics is from my dear friend Heidi.


close up


the rocking chair I'm borrowing from Jan (plus the pillow I made- see the Strawberry?) and soon I hope this corner displays the cute canopy that Kristen is bringing!


here you can see how the curtain over the shelves turned out (on the right)


just for fun


one more smile

More to come soon- once I hang my "project pictures!"

Today's Picture

Here is Katy Jo in our new apartment in Kandern. We love it!

(This is for you Kristen House. Oh and by the way, I'm drinking a banana milkshake. Love you.)

Katy Jo Strawberry

Well this is actually a post that should have been done months ago, but I'm just now getting the video loaded. Back when we were visiting both Bonnie and Steph in Virginia, Katy Jo was given the most fabulous strawberry party ever in honor of the name Lizzy had wanted to give her- Strawberry. I guess because this was her chosen name, for awhile Lizzy and Ruthie were calling her Katy Jo Strawberry. Which sounds so cute coming from a little two year old. Hoping to have a video of Ruthie saying it soon. Anyways, Steph and Bonnie threw this fun party the first night we arrived. We ate Steph's very own home-made vanilla strawberry cake with chocolate ice cream. There were pink balloons including a large strawberry balloon. And I even had gifts to open, most of which went perfectly with the strawberry theme. So cute and too fun! Of course Katy Jo Strawberry slept through the entire thing, snug in her sling with Aunt Bonnie.

Roll Over, Roll Over

Since arriving back in Germany, today is the first day Katy Jo and I woke up to no Gigi. It is a sad day. This morning real early Nancy left for her return flight out of Zurich back to Austin. She came specifically to help me fly with the baby, which I might add would have been not only impossible but reason for insanity by myself. Thank you Nancy for subjecting yourself to changing time zones twice in a matter of four days. We love you.

While Gigi was here we were anxiously awaiting Katy Jo to perform her next big milestone. I'm told this is the exciting... roll over! She came so close, really she did. She would turn and lay on her side and we would wait for it and then she would somehow always end up rolling back the wrong way. I think her little arm gets in they way. All this to say, Gigi had a cute little song she would sing and basically these last few jet lagged days it got stuck in my head. The only part I even know is - roll over, roll over. I would be in my room getting dressed or eating breakfast and I would listen as Gigi sang this song encouragingly to Katy Jo as if prompting her to reach this next milestone.

Unfortunately she never did, not while Gigi was here. But I guarantee when she does I will have my video camera in hand and will be singing the only lines of Gigi's song I can remember. Roll over, roll over.