Post-Christmas

Daddy playing princess castle with his girl.

Levi wrote a note to Khaki after she left (thanks SO much for staying for a few days to help us adjust!!!).  I won't get this word for word, but he said that the note said something like: "I love you, Khaki.  Love, Levi"

Roo's Name

As I've said on the blog before, Levi had decided that baby girl's name was going to be "Roo Sunshine".  We've been calling her "Roo" or "Baby Roo" ever since.  So, Kevin and I had a very difficult time coming up with her "real" name.  After much debate - and maybe even a few tears on my part (thank you post-partum emotional roller coaster), we have finally chosen a name...

Liza Evelyn

Liza means "God's oath".  It is also the name of my great-great-grandmother.  She raised eight boys and is remembered as being soft-spoken.  Even her daughters-in-law spoke kindly of her and were glad to have her visit, according to an email my mom received that talked about her.

Evelyn is Kevin's mom's given name and the name of Kevin's grandmother.  Grandmother Evelyn planted a seed within Kevin for his love of history.  That seed has grown into a tree that will not cease to grow as he pursues his doctorate.

Even with this name - and with my lack of love for nicknames - she is still called "Roo".  It really does fit her...

Christmas with the Hughes

We celebrated Christmas with the Hughes on the 26th.  Levi and Kara Jane seemed to enjoy playing with the gifts - Kara Jane with Levi's singing Bucky and Levi with Kara Jane's princess castle.

 

Pigtails

Kara Jane's first pigtails.

Christmas 2012

Despite Roo's early arrival, the pediatrician was kind enough to let us go home on Christmas Eve, about twelve hours before our "48 hour" stay.  We were so thankful!

Christmas morning...

Merry Christmas from our family of five.

A picture of our wonderful Christmas gift.

Roo is here!

"Roo Sunshine" Hughes arrived at 2:05 am.  She weighed 6 pounds, 3 ounces - just like Kara Jane.  She was 19 inches long.

Levi and Kara Jane came to meet her.  Levi was very sweet.  Kara Jane wasn't too sure what to think.

Wrestling

Kara Jane has seen her big brother and daddy wrestle countless times.  The past week or so, she has decided that any time she sees Levi on the floor, it is her opportunity to pin him.

The Pantry

Kara Jane loves the pantry.  If we leave it open, even cracked, she will open it and begin to unload it.

She will then choose a location to move her "goods".

Then, she will often decide she wants to move the items to a new location.

Once in her new location, she will then choose to either "help" by putting the items back into the pantry, or decide that she needs another "new" location.

Firewoman

Kara Jane decided she liked to wear Levi's fireman hat.  She wore it while she played before school.

The Wii

Levi loves to play Mario Kart.  Actually, Levi loves just about all things Wii.  Tonight, even Kara Jane thought it would be fun to watch.

Christmas at Khaki and Q's

This year was supposed to be Christmas Day at Khaki and Q's house.  However, with Roo's pending arrival, we didn't want to travel near the Christmas holidays.  This weekend was the best weekend for us to celebrate the holiday there.

Levi got some wonderful presents of course.  Here he's holding a Dictionary that was mine, which I'd given to my cousin, Collier.  My aunt found it and gave it to Levi.  

Levi made a few gift requests from the Target toy catalog this year.  The Brave game for his Leapster Explorer was the first item off his "list".  He was very excited.  And I love this picture, because you can see Mama Rains watching him with a big smile on her face.  The game was from her.  :-)

 Kara Jane got a Madame Alexander doll from my aunt Kathy and uncle Wayne.  She loved it.

After present opening, I found Kara Jane "chasing" her big brother and oldest cousin.  Isn't it so sweet to have those boys playing with her?

New Sweaters

My supervisor at work made this cardigan sweater for Kara Jane.  Do you think she likes it??

She made a matching one for Baby Roo.  Can't wait to have both girls in them!! 

Happy Thanksgiving

Kevin's parents and aunt visited for Thanksgiving.  We also invited a couple from our small group at church (and their two girls) and our across the back alley neighbors (and their two boys).

We had a really nice time.  Our small group friends brought their bouncy house for the kids after we ate.  They had such a fun time.

Levi helped me yesterday with the decorating cupcakes.  We used chocolate icing, candy corn, and mini-vanilla wafers to make them look like turkeys!  Kara Jane had a one and really loved it.  This girl has a sweet tooth! 

 My men and my little girl!  Melt my heart!

Birthday Party for GF

 Our across the back alley neighbors have two little boys.  One is about one week older than Levi.  Their second is about seven months older than Kara Jane - and invited us to his second birthday party at Wee Flip.  We had never been before, but both kids had a blast.

Levi found the trampoline.

Kara Jane found the swing.  Have I told you how much this little girl loves to swing??  She also found a pretty big slide that she loved.  I was too busy trying to keep her from hitting her head or hurting herself to get a picture, but she really had a GREAT time.

 Then Kara Jane decided she needed to dance.

 They both loved to ball pit.

 Our neighbors think of every detail for their children's parties.  This one was dinosaur themed - and each kid got to take home a dinosaur tail.

 Before we left, Kara Jane got pushed on a little train by the big brother of the party boy.

A few interesting things / updates on Kara Jane.  She cut eight teeth in the matter of about two weeks, for a total of twelve teeth.  She also weighs as much and looks a little taller than today's birthday boy (age 2).  She has become quite independent as well, wanting to walk by herself to her class in the mornings when Kevin takes the kids to school.  She likes to walk herself out of her class in the afternoons, too.  I think she's really hoping that if she walks, she'll get to go to the playground for some extra time on the swing and a few slides down the slide.

Things pregnancy wise are going okay.  Hard to believe, but today is 31 weeks.  Levi has also decided that Roo's middle name is Sunshine.  At the Big Brother class he attended with Kevin, he told the class that he was having a little sister whose name was Roo Sunshine.  I'm afraid of how disappointed he will be when we finally do choose a name that is not Roo Sunshine - even though I know I know what her nickname around our house will be.  Levi has also been very sweet in the mornings if he sees me before I go to work - gives me a "big hug" and has to give Roo a "little something" -- a kiss on my belly.

Cinderella Birthday Party

A family in our small group has a little girl who was kind enough to include us in the fun of her Cinderella birthday party.  The girls and boys were supposed to dress up like princesses and princes.  We didn't have a princess costume for Kara Jane, but we had a Cinderella castle dress that she was happy to wear.

Levi was very quick to tell me that he would not be a prince.  He wanted to be a knight.  Thankfully, Jamie's son had an "Armor of God" set that he was willing to share with us.  Thanks E!!

Levi wasn't too sure about Cinderella when she first got there.  Well, really, I think it was that he wasn't too sure about being the only boy between the ages of 6 months and probably 30 years of age.  He eventually decided he would join the girls in Cinderella's circle.

Kara Jane never ventured that close to the circle.

They both acquiesced to pictures at the end with Cinderella.  You'll have to check out Kevin's Facebook page for those.

Thanksgiving Lunch

 Levi's Thanksgiving feast was at school today.  He was very excited that I got to take a little time to visit with him.  He loved his chicken nuggets, of course.

 

His teacher gave him the Indian name, "Bright Star".  Isn't that a great name? 

Doctor's Visit

Today I took the day off, because the kids didn't have school for Veteran's Day.  I had also made a doctor's appointment, so I packed up the kids to take them with me.  I had hopes that the appointment wouldn't last too long.  No such luck.  We were there for a little more than two hours, but I don't know that I have ever been so impressed with both of my kids.  They were absolute gems!

Kara Jane got a Baby Einstein collection of toys last year from someone in Kevin's family.  She has latched onto one of the items in particular that is like an MP3 player.  She loves to listen to it in the car, and we laugh because she listens like it's an '80s boom box!

End of Soccer 2012

Today was Levi's last soccer game of Sunday soccer.  Kara Jane and I haven't made it to as many games as I would have liked, but between illnesses, "too cold' weather, and pregnancy, it just didn't happen.  

After today's game, Kara Jane thought Levi needed some water.

 Then she decided sitting with Daddy would be okay during the last team meeting.

 Since it was the last game, all of the kids on the team got a trophy.  Levi was pretty proud of it.

Happy Halloween 2012

I got a couple of pictures of Kara Jane's Halloween outfit that Khaki found for her last year.  She got bunches of compliments on it.

In the picture below, Kara Jane is holding her favorite book as of now, Mad Maddie Maxwell.  I read it at least three times and she's "asking" for it to be read to her again!

 Kara Jane found Levi's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle "mask" while dinner was cooking.

 And then she wanted to wear his turtle shell.  Luckily, Levi was distracted with the Wii...

Then it was time to change into the Halloween costumes.  A cute picture from behind (Khaki's favorite type of pictures).

We continued the annual tradition of trick-or-treating with the Happy Harpers.  All the kids actually cooperated for the pictures.

My two cuties.

Kevin said that after about three houses, Kara Jane started pushing away from his holding and wanted to walk to the door herself like the big kids.  She would hold out her bag and then would say, "Bye-bye" as she waved good-bye.

When she got home, it was like deja-vu to Levi's first Halloween where he understood what was going on.  She pulled out the candy from one bag, would inspect it, and then either put it back into the bag or find another bag to store it.

 She had her first 3 Musketeers bar - and loved it, of course!