Kenley On A Roll

Kenley is 7 months old now and has not rolled over...ever...even once...doesn't even try. She just lays there and cries. Ashlyn rolled over from tummy to back the day she turned 3 months old and from back to tummy the very next day. I know that all kids are different, but I can't help but be a little worried that Kenley was behind.
Yesterday I was over at Shelly's house having a playdate with her and our old roommate Christina and her little boy Cason. Christina is a physical therapist so I thought I would bring up Kenley's rolling over issue to her. She showed me how to do some exercises with Kenley to teach her how to roll over by herself. We worked with her for awhile yesterday and I came home with some new exercises and new hope that Kenley might roll over before her 16th birthday.
After breakfast this morning I put her on her mat and started working with her doing the exercises that Christina showed me. I practiced with Kenley for about 30 minutes before taking a little break. After taking a shower, I came back and worked with her for another 15 minutes or so before her morning nap. Shelly came over for lunch today and I told her that I think if I keep practicing with Kenley that she could be rolling over in the next couple of days. I worked with her for about 5 minutes after lunch moving her legs for her showing her that she could do it and then.......




SHE DID IT!!!!! She finally rolled over by herself. I was so excited. It absolutely made my day to see my little Kenley rolling over like a big girl. It was very encouraging to me to see her master this feat. I will blog more next week about why I am so encouraged about this...so stay tuned. Anyway, I put her on her tummy several more times and she rolls over every time now. She probably rolled over 7 or 8 times. I am so proud of her. Go Kenley!

PS. Thank you Christina for all of your help yesterday. This wouldn't have happened without you showing me how to help her.

Ear Confections

There has been a cold going around here for several weeks. Avery got it first, then Kenley, then Shelly, and finally Ashlyn. Somehow I escaped it so far. I had Kenley at the doctor last week with her first ear infection. We got her started on antibiotics and she is doing much better. Ashlyn was getting over the cold when she started telling me that her ear hurt. So...back to the doctor we went. Sure enough, she has an ear infection too. You would never be able to tell that she is sick. The guy at the pharmacy was watching her act like she always does, bouncing off the walls and said, "Well, at least we know this medicine isn't for you!". I informed him that he was mistaken. "She has a terrible ear infection, " I told him. "She is just the happiest kid on the planet." He said, "Wow, I wonder what she is like when she is well!" That is our Ashlyn...always happy. She is so in love with life. I hope she never loses that. She has gotten in the habit of making up excuses for why we should say her bedtime prayers instead of her. Last night she let us know that she couldn't say her prayers because she has an ear confection. Trying not to crack up laughing we told her that she still needed to say her prayers and ask God to make her ear confection to get better. She keeps us laughing all the time. What a blessing.

Summertime Fun

Summer is here. Ken has been traveling and working quite a bit so it has been me and the girls just having fun. Ashlyn is a princess (just ask her, she will tell you) and Kenley is growing by leaps and bounds. Kenley had her 6 month check up last week. She weighs in at 18 lbs 5 oz and is 27 inches long. She falls in the 50% for length and the 70% for weight, so that is why she appears so "soft". She still hasn't rolled over yet. It is almost funny to me now. She sits up completely unsupported and has been for several weeks now. But she can't muster up the will to roll over. One of her latest things she does to entertain herself is stick her tongue out to feel her two new teeth. She thinks it's fun. She is so cute looking around with her tongue sticking out.


We have been hanging out with Shelly and Avery a lot lately. Kenley and Avery have actually started to interact. They pretty much just smile at each other, but they seem to enjoy watching each other. They were having a big time playing with magazines the other day. It is funny to see how different their personalities are: Avery is calm and content to read whatever magazine she is given. Kenley is a typical little sister, "I want it now and you better give it to me. Oh, and if you have something first, I will want that too. And you better give it to me or I will make you pay!" It will be interesting to watch them grow up together.


Kenley has been eating solids for awhile and we have learned that she loves the little rice puffs when she is getting fussy. It's actually us that love the rice puffs when she gets fussy. Rice puffs are a wonderful thing. Rice puffs can buy 5-10 minutes of time that I can use to finish my meal, clean the kitchen or any other tasks going on. We LOVE rice puffs...so much so that we have created a song about them (big surprise, huh Mom)


An Apple A Day (Sort Of)....Ashlyn wanted an apple with her dinner last night. Well, let me back up a little...I started cutting the crust off of her sandwiches a long time ago when her little mouth was so small. She would eat a sandwich and all she could get was crust before she was full. That is my disclaimer for why I started the whole crust-cutting-off routine that I said I would never do. Anyway, I think she has decided that the crust or skin on anything is yucky. She told us last night when eating the apple, "Baby, that's bad," while pointing to the peel of the apple. The following is one of those memories of my child's youth that I think are so cute.


So that has been our last few weeks. Just hanging out, having fun and enjoying these two beautiful girls that God has given to us. You may wonder why I don't have very many pictures of Ashlyn in this post. That's because we can barely get a picture of her anymore. She has lost the concept of remaining still while you take a picture. She is a mess. She is always moving and always talking. Sometimes it makes me bonkers. Thank you Shelly for keeping me sane this week on just one of those days. You are a great friend. I was able to get a picture of Ashlyn with Kenley in the yard. We are so blessed.

Portraits

It was portrait time for both girls yesterday. Ashlyn had her 3 year pictures taken and Kenley had her 6 month pictures. Time goes by so fast. I can't believe my little Ashlyn is three years old now and the time with Kenley is going even faster. Here are their portraits.