Port Aransas Vacation

Earlier in the summer we decided to take a family vacation to the beach! We went to Port Aransas last year and really enjoyed it so we decided to go back. We invited Annie and Joy to come because we thought it would be fun, but also for help with the girls :)

We left early Thursday morning for Port Aransas, stopped in San Antonio for lunch and got to Port Aransas about 3pm, we tried to check into our room but it wasn't ready yet. So we went to a couple beach shops and bought our beach pass then headed back to check into our room. Once we got to our room we unloaded real quick, changed, and headed to the beach! We set up our tent and chairs and hung out for a few hours, we all switched out being in the water and staying with the girls. Kaylin LOVED the sand toys! She played and played and played! We headed back to our room around 7, cooked supper, ate and all went to bed fairly early. We were all tired from driving and being in the ocean!

Friday we rented a dune buggy and then spent all morning at the beach, then came back to the house for lunch and to let Kaylin nap. After Kaylin woke up we headed back to the beach for a few hours. Annie headed back to the house and grabbed our picnic supper, we ate and hung out a bit longer then headed back to the house to put the girls to bed. Then swam in the pool before heading to bed.

Saturday we got up and headed to the beach again with our picnic lunch. We hung out, ate lunch and packed up our tent and chairs and headed back to the house to put Kaylin down for a nap. Then justin and annie returned the buggy. After Kaylin woke up from her nap we headed to Fin's Restaurant for supper. After supper we still had some time before our boat tour so we went to a couple surf shops, stopped and got coffee, then headed to our boat tour! The boat tour is alot of fun, we get to see: Dolphins, an old lighthouse, and then they drug a shrimp net and put everything in a tank for us to see and touch. We did the tour last year and loved it so much we wanted to do it again this year! The guide is also really funny! We then headed back to the house and packed up a little before going to bed!

Sunday morning we packed up, went to the beach to feed the seagulls(which Kaylin hated! Lol) returned our house keys and headed home! We stopped in San Antonio for lunch, I searched for restaurants in San Antonio that Guy Fieri that been to on Diners Drive In and Dives. We decided on Taco Taco Cafe. We were not very impressed! Maybe we just went on a bad day.

All in all it was an awesome vacation! We had alot of fun with Annie, Joy and our little family! Can't wait until next year!

Kennedy 2 Month

Weight 10.5

Diet: Nurses every 1.5-2.5 hours during the day.

Sleep: Sleeps really well at night, anywhere between 6-9 hours before waking up to eat! Usually goes to bed right after big sister, around 8:30 or 9. I swaddle her, feed her and put her to bed in the bassinet part of the pack n play in our room. Still trying to get on a nap schedule. Right now she takes about 3 1hr naps every day.

Mood: She's a pretty happy baby when fed and not tired. She does like to be held often!

Activities: Still dislikes tummy time. She is getting better especially if I lay on the floor next to her and talk to her or play with her. Loves to lay on her back on her play mat and watch the toys. Usually likes her swing as well!

Clothes: Wearing all 3 month clothes and is finally big enough to wear cloth diapers! Still wearing size one diapers at night or when we leave the house.

Kennedy 1 Month

Weight 9.2 lbs 

Length 22 in

Diet: Nurses every 1.5-2.5 hours during the day. Sometimes 3 if she takes a long nap. And night she goes 3.5-4.5 which is nice for mom!

She was just a few days old here and already sucking on the same two fingers Kaylin sucks on. We'll see if that continues!

Sleep: Not really on a schedule yet.  She takes naps off and on all day. Usually has 2-3 times a day that she is awake between feedings but the rest of the time she naps between feedings. At night I put her to bed between 9-11 just whenever she gets hungry in that range I put her in pajamas, swaddle her, feed her and put her to sleep in the rock n play beside our bed. She sleeps for 3.5-4.5  hours then wakes up to eat.

Mood: She's a pretty easy baby so far. She's usually pretty content unless she's hungry. Every once in awhile she just wants to be held or needs to burp.

First Bath

Activities: She's ok with tummy time for a few minutes but too long and she's not impressed. She likes laying on her back under her playmat and looking at her toys. She also likes her swing and of course being held.

Clothes: Still wearing newborn clothes but they are pretty snug. I put her in a 3 month outfit a few days ago and it was a little big but not bad! We've switched to size 1 diapers. I am excited to start using her new cloth diapers but it will probably be another month or so before she is big enough for them.

Kennedy's Birth Story

On Saturday June 4th, around 6pm Justin, Kaylin and I left the house to run some errands. We went to Petco, then to Target, I had been having Braxton hicks contractions for several weeks so I wasn't surprised when I had a couple while walking around Petco and Target. We ended up not leaving Target  until about 7:30pm and since Kaylin usually goes to bed around 8 we decided to get supper from Whataburger on our way home since it would take awhile for me to cook supper. While in the Whataburger drive through I had 3-4 contractions. I remember thinking they were pretty intense and often for Braxton hicks, but still assumed it was from all the walking at Target and Petco. 

We got home, ate dinner, put Kaylin to bed and then Justin wanted to do some cleaning. He vacuumed the living room while I swept and mopped the kitchen. I continued having contractions, I was beginning to think they were the real deal. After doing a bit of cleaning we sat down to watch a movie. I was half expecting my contractions to go away or at least slow down since I was now relaxing on the couch, but they did not. About 30 minutes into the movie I told Justin I thought I was in labor. Contractions were about 5 - 7 minutes apart at this point. Finally about 10:30 I decided to call the midwife and my mom and Annie. I told them all not to come yet but to be ready. Kelly(our midwife) told me to have Justin go ahead and set up the birth pool he just didn't need to fill it yet. So he started setting up the birth pool, I helped here and there when he needed an extra set of hands. We then went and made the bed with a waterproof liner and second set of sheets. Got a few other little things ready here and there.

Around 11:30 I called Kelly,  my mom and Annie and told them to go ahead and come. I remember telling Justin that more than likely Kennedy was going to be born on June 5th, exactly 18months after Kaylin!(Kaylin was born 12/5/14) Justin started filling the birth pool with water and I sat on the birth ball, my contractions were right at 5 minutes apart and getting stronger all the time. Annie got there first, around midnight and Kelly and my mom came shortly after. Kelly and her team started getting all their stuff set up, I remember Kelly saying "I don't need to check you, it's pretty obvious you're in labor!" around 12:45 Kelly suggested I get in the pool so I did, another 20-30 minutes of contractions and I felt like I needed to push. I think I pushed for about  20 minutes and sweet Miss Kennedy was born at 1:44am. A whopping 3 hours after calling everyone that I was in labor!

I stayed in the pool for a few minutes just holding her, after birthing the placenta I got out of the pool and they helped me to my bed. I was able to nurse Kennedy just about 30-45 minutes after she was born! She nursed for 30 minutes or so, then Kelly suggested I get up and go to the bathroom, then we could take an herbal bath. They helped me up and to the bathroom but on the way back I started feeling light headed and ended up passing out. My labor was so fast I didn't eat anything or drink enough during labor, after I woke up they had me drink lots of water, some chlorophyll, and eat an apple and some scrambled eggs. While I recuperated, they went ahead and did the newborn exam on Kennedy. It was so interesting so see all the things they checked! She was perfect(of course!). 

After the finished up we went and got in the herbal bath together. When she was born, Kennedy was covered in a thick layer of vernix(white buttery substance all babies have in utero to protect their skin, Kennedy just had lots more than normal) so we were able to clean her up a bit while in the bath.

 After the bath, I needed a few stitches, so Kelly stitched me up. Then they checked both our vitals, and started packing up. I think the birth team left around 7am. Kaylin woke up about that time and got to meet Kennedy. Then Annie took Kaylin to church with her and Justin, Kennedy and I took a nap. It was so nice to be in our own house, in our own bed, within hours of giving birth!

Kennedy Renee McClure

Born 6/5/16

1:44am

8lb 8oz

20.5in long

Kaylin 18 Months

Weight 26.2 lb

Height 32in

Thought I'd write up what Kaylin is up to these days since I haven't written an update since 11 Months! Bad mommy :)

Diet: Anything and everything! Literally, she eats so much food it's crazy. The only thing we have found she consistently doesn't like is mustard. There is some fruits and veggies that she won't eat one day but will eat the next.

Sleep: Goes to bed around 8pm most night and wakes up between 7:30-8:30. Her wake up time really depends on what we're doing. Generally she gets up when we get up and start moving around so she's up a little earlier during the week and a little later on the weekends. She is usually down to one nap about 2 hours long after lunch. Every once in awhile she will still take a morning and afternoon nap if we think she needs it.

Mood: Very happy most of the time. Very sassy, very independent! If she is hungry or tired she can get pretty cranky.

Activities: Her favorite things to do right now are playing with her stacking cups and reading books! She also loves to just run around and be silly! We are starting to do more "big girl"  activities with her, she and daddy played with stickers a few days ago and she loved it! We also got her a baby pool for summer. She's not too sure about it yet but I think she will start liking it more as she gets used to it.

Things I want to remember: 

Her stacking cups/everything obsession 

The way she says Water Bottle 

Her cute little "Bless You" anytime someone sneezes,  coughs, or makes any other noise with their mouth. 

Saying "Bless You" instead of "Love You" 

The way she pats Kennedy 

Clothes: She is still wearing some 18 month but has had to move up to 2T clothes in some clothes. Wearing size 4 disposable diapers and her bum genius diapers are on the largest setting! Size 5 shoes.

It's Been Awhile!

Wow! It's been awhile since I last blogged! I never even blogged Kaylins 1 year update or birthday party. Now that little Miss Kennedy is here I want to get back on the blogging train and blog her updates so I will remember everything.

Kaylins First Birthday Party

I can't believe I never blogged Kaylins First Birthday Party! It was tons of fun, we had lots of family and a few friends over for the afternoon, cupcakes, snacks and presents!

Opening Presents, she really liked the box :) 

Playing with her piano from Grandpa Jamie

 Eating her Birthday Cupcake! I wish I had taken pictures of the food, Joy helped me make everything and it was so cute!

 That sure was yummy mom!

We took some one year pictures with our favorite photographer. They turned out so so good!

We found out a few weeks before taking pictures that I was pregnant! So we took the opportunity to take a few pregnancy announcement pictures as well.

Happy Happy Birthday Kaylin! We love you so much!