Proof of Kate rolling over!

Here's a video from Aunt Jamie showing Kate rolling over!  I promise she sounds much more upset then she actually was- but I do think she learned to roll over because she hates being on her tummy.

So proud of our little girl!

Summer in the Poulsen House

This week has been the first where I really feel like it's summer break, and not just me on maternity leave!  We are so glad to have Jamie, Jake's twin sister, staying with us for the week.  It's been so fun introducing her to Kate, and I love having someone to talk to during the day!  I mean, Kate's great...but not much of a conversationalist.  We are working on it.

This week also brought a special date- Jake and I's second anniversary!  I can't believe how fast the time has flown by.  Jake has always told me that the most memorable best man 's speech he ever heard was the advice of the best man to the couple that this day (their wedding day) shoudl be the day that they love each other the least- that their love should grow everyday.  While 2 years ago I didn't think I could love Jake more because of how enamored I was, now, I realize how small that love was compared to what I feel now.  Because of God's love, we have been able to love as he does- a love that grows and never stops.  So, watching Jake be an amazing husband, and now, an incredible father, my love for him overshadows mightily what I felt on June 13, 2009!! 

Enough of the mushy stuff.  Here is a trip down memory lane.  First, a picture from our very first date.  Well, maybe our second date.  It's up for debate whether our first date was at midnight yell, or the Hall (a dance hall in College Station).  Either way, this is from the hall.



In college, we spend alot of time supporting each other at our various events: for Jake, it was Corp events- mainly marching in the band.  For me, Jake would come to as many lacrosse games as he could. 

And, in honor of our anniversary, a few favorite wedding pictures!

Kate's a month old!

Kate-  This month was the most amazing month of Mommy and Daddy's life!  You have grown up more then I ever thought a baby could in 4 weeks.  You have made some amazing accomplishments and we can't wait to watch you grow even more in month 2.  First of all, you are an amazing eater.  You were up more then a pound from you birth weight by your second week!  You make feeding very easy, and Mommy very much enjoys our time together.  You also sleep better then I thought a newborn could!  At night, you sleep at least 3 hour chunks, but usually its 4-5 hours.  You have even slept up to 6 hours at once a few times.  Kate, you are a very vocal girl!  From occasional screams out of nowhere, to the latest- grunts all the time- you want to be heard!  I have a feeling you will be very outgoing like both your parents.  You love bath time, but only if we work very hard to keep you warm!  Either Mommy or Daddy has to keep dumping water on you while the other one scrubs!  Lastly, and I just couldn't believe this-  you rolled over at the end of your first month!  The Mercers, and Aunt Cassie were there to see it, and I think we all thought it was a fluke!  But when I called in Gigi and Peepaw to see if you could do it again- you did!!!  And, you fit in a third roll by the time you went to bed that night.  Daddy is still waiting to see it, and you are trying very hard to show him your new trick. 

We love you so much Kate, and everyday we thank God for our beautiful little girl. 

Your one month picture in an outfit Gigi made you!!

We've almost made it a month!

These past few weeks have flown by, just like the first two of Kate's life.  Kate experienced a few firsts since I last wrote: 

She took her first road trip!  Along with Cassie, Chris, and Abby, we drove out to Big Sandy to meet the newly ordained Fr. Hank Lanik!  We were blessed to get to join him in celebrating his very first mass as a priest.  Hank was the camp director at The Pines for many years, and had a huge impact on all of the Mechler's lives....and I will venture to add our husbands in that group as well.  Cass and I were talking after the mass and we were discussing how the weirdest part of seeing Hank as a priest was that it really wasn't weird at all.  He's played the role of a spiritual father for so many years, that him as a priest just makes sense!

My view from the backseat of our road trip!

She smiled for the first time (we think)!  She was sitting with Uncle Chris and gave him 2! big smiles.  Mommy and Daddy are still waiting for the second smile directed towards us :)!

After her first smile!

She slept for 6 straight hours!  Jake and I were hanging out with friends from camp playing Settlers, so we didn't get to experience the greatness of 6 uninterrupted hours of sleep, but it was pretty neat knowing she is growing up.  Before we know it, she will be sleeping through the night.

I have been reading Baby Wise to get some ideas of how to establish in Kate good sleeping patterns from the very beginning.  Since she is still so little, right now we are working on good patterns:  starting with a full feeding, then awake time, and ending with a nap.  I can already see a difference when I make a conscious effort to follow this pattern:  she sleeps better at night and seems to be less fussy during the day.  We are now learning what kind of toys she likes too to keep her entertained during her awake time.  It started with a frog bouncer seat when she was born, but Kate knows the trick now- that we are trying to get some work done when we put her in it....so the frog is no longer working.  I just figured out that she likes the fisher price aquarium that is on her crib...so I put that near a receiving blanket and let her watch to her hearts content.  Yes, that's what she is doing right now as I write this :).  Kate also loves bath time.  As long as Mommy and Daddy keep her warm, she is a happy camper.

After bath time!

Loving her aquarium!

All in all, the first month of Kate's life has been amazing.  We have been blessed with such a sweet, loving, and mainly content daughter.  Who could ask for anything more?

Kate= 2 weeks old!

Now I understand what my parents always said about time just flying by when you have a child.  I feel like we were just blessed with our little Kate!  I guess in the grand scheme of things, 2 weeks is pretty young :), but what's next??  1 month, 1 year, 10 years, then college and marriage!  I'm getting ahead of myself...

Kate is just doing great.  She really is a great baby.  She is still eating very very well.  In fact, she is up to 8 pounds, from her her birth weight of 6 15.  She sleeps great, too.  During the night and morning feedings, she has a hard time going back to sleep...but she doesn't fuss- just has very wide eyes trying to experience the world!  We are working on getting back to sleep quicker...more for my sake then hers :).

I never realized how much I would love her little movements.  Some of my favorite things that she does is her stretch face.  She throws her arms back above her head, and lifts her head up with her lips clamped together.  Its very cute.  I love the ways she sneezes, too.  She usually gets one good sneeze in, then yells as she tries another one.  When I try to give her a binkie, she literally attacks it.  It cracks me up every time. 

I can't write a blog entry about Kate's 2 weeks of life without mentioning her amazing Daddy.  I was a little nervous about this week since it would be our first week alone as a family.  My mom was so sweet and helpful and spend Kate's first week and a few days helping us getting adjusted.   Adjusted included putting Kate back to sleep after all the night feedings, cooking dinners, and cleaning the house more then it ever has been :).  But, I worried for no reason.  Jake has been just wonderful.  He lights up when he gets home from work and we are waiting at the garage door for him.  He has taken to getting to work an hour early so he can leave at 5.  Both Kate and Mommy love it :).  With him waking up early, he as graciously volunteered to put Kate back to sleep after her early morning feeding so I can get a little more sleep.   He's just great.

Kate has really enjoyed meeting all of her new friends.  Yesterday, Aunt Cass-Cass watched her while I went to a baby shower at work.  It was hard to leave her for the first time, but it was so nice knowing I got to leave her with my sister.  When I got back, we decided to have a quick photoshoot with the two cousins.  No joke, right before we took the picture, Abby *on her own* grabbed Kate's hand.  Cass and I about melted.  I can't wait to watch those two grow up together!

Life is abundant in the Poulsen house. 

Jake and his girl after a late feeding

Abby and Kate- the cutest cousins ever!

After a binkie attack.

Welcome Kathryn Kay!

On May 5, Jake and I were blessed beyond our imagination with our amazing daughter, Kathryn Kay Poulsen.  This last week and half with her has been the best, albeit busiest, of our lives.  She took awhile to get here, but once she did, our lives were changed for the better!

I started having contractions on Monday morning, May 2, which happened to be my first day off of work.  Jake and I were naive, looking back, and thought we would have our little one by that night!  After a day of waiting, we realized it might be a little longer, and thought she would for sure show up on her (or his at that point) due date, which was Tuesday, May 3.  Well, May 4 rolled around, and after a trip to the hospital where I was sent home, we were starting to get a little antsy!  Wednesday night my contractions continued and were getting more and more intense, and closer together.  Finally, at about 3 am, we headed to the hospital, and were admitted!  It hit then that by that evening, we would be holding Baby Poulsen and know finally if he was a he, or a she.

After laboring for so long, I was pretty exhausted and opted to get an epidural so I could rest before the delivery part of labor and delivery.  It was a great decision for Jake and I, and we were able to rest for the first time in a few days.  By the time 6:30 pm rolled around, Kate was ready to arrive, and I started pushing.  At 8:51, she made her appearance.  Apparently, right at that time in the waiting room, my mom turned to my dad and said "something has happened...the baby is here!"  I will never forget Jake telling me that she was a girl!  Our doctor told us after seeing her head that he thought she was a boy.  When she came out completely and he realized he was wrong, he said "just ignore I said that!"  We all had a good laugh at that.  After an hour of "skin to skin" contact and a quick first feeding, Kate was ready to meet her admirers.  Jake and I were so blessed to have so many people supporting us throughout the whole labor.  Some were able to be there to meet Kate, and sadly, some couldn't.  My parents, Cassie and Chris, and Erin were there to meet Kate when she was ready for visitors.  Jake's family was there in spirit, and we got to skype with them later that night so they could officially meet Ms. Kate. 

We spend Friday and Saturday in the hospital, and were blessed with the best nurses and staff!  We were discharged on Saturday, and came home to a huge stork in the yard, and an immaculate house, thanks to "Peepaw and Gigi."

Kate has just been a joy since moment one.  She is very alert, sleeps great, eats even better, and cries very little.  In fact, we all laughed because she doesn't cry really at all...just screams for a few seconds, and then calms down.  We call it her "0 to 60" reaction. 

Our blessings abound!

New to the blogging world!

I feel like having a baby is a rite of passage into the not only motherhood, but also the world of blogging!  Jake and I wanted to be able to share stories of our life together with beautiful little Kate, along with pictures, so thus, the blog was born.

Not only did we have a hard time picking out a name for our beautiful little girl, the same was true when trying to name the blog...although I admit, it's much less important!  I kept coming back to my favorite Bible verse, John 10:10, when Christ is described as the good shepherd who knows his sheep by name.  At the end of the passage, John describes how Christ came to earth that we, his people, might not only have life, but have life to the fullest.   Guess what the Gospel reading was on Sunday??  Thus, the blog name was born.  I was thinking about how this verse has been my favorite since high school, and how abundantly God has blessed me throughout my entire life.  In fact, when I thought life couldn't get any better, I met an amazing man in 2005 who would become my husband!  Then, after Jake and I got married on June 13, 2009, I felt more blessed then ever.  That changed in September, when we found out we were expecting a little one (insert name: Baby Poulsen, Elvis, Nugget, Peanut, etc).  Then, on May 5, 2011, our cup overflowed, when we were blessed with little Kathryn Kay.  More on that to come. 

To close, I thought I would share some of our failed blog names:
Jake's choice:  "Stuff my wife says"
"Put down the beer and hold your baby"
"Changed for Gooder"