Trip to the zoo, visit from cousins, and more

Fun in Waco!

The Zoo

On June 8th, my brother and I took our kids to the Cameron Park Zoo in Waco. While this wasn't technically Maci's first visit to the zoo, it was her first visit awake. Her favorite animal was probably the fish. She was very alert and payed close attention to them. Camden also had a great time! His favorite part was probably swinging on the ropes at the Orangutan exhibit.

                                                  Camden being silly at the fish exhibit

                                                 Camden, Maci, and cousin Oliver

                                                                   Strolling around!

                                          This picture of the alligators is creepy to me!

Visit from Cousin Emily and Andy

My cousin Emily and her husband came to visit on their cross country move from Virginia to Arizona. Camden absolutely loved playing with their absolutely adorable cockapoo, Jasper.

                         This is a terrible picture of me, but a great picture of Emily and Maci!

Emily, Andy, Maci

                                                        Camden with his new friend Jasper

Maci's first swim

I took Maci to the pool for the first time this past Saturday, June 16th. We went to the Baylor pool at the Student Life Center. This is an indoor pool so I didn't have to worry about sunscreen or her getting sunburned. She seemed to really enjoy the water. She only cried once when her brother splashed water in her face.

June 2, 2012

This week I went back to work. Maci did a great job staying with Craig on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday and my mom on Friday. I missed her so so much. The first day was pretty difficult but it was easier on Thursday and Friday. Now I am done working for the summer so I get another 2 and a half months at home with her. I am dreading August however because it is looking like that's going to mean daycare time. I would do anything to keep her out of daycare. Camden got sick so frequently as an infant in daycare it was a nightmare. I am still hoping that I will magically find someone to keep her that I can pay so she isn't exposed to all the germs. I know kids will eventually get sick when they start school but I would rather her be a little older before it happens.

This weekend the kids and I went to stay at my Moms in Waco. Craig had to work so we decided to go away for a little visit. We had cake and ice cream for my sister in law Alexis' 30th birthday! I got to see my sweet nephew Oliver crawl all over the place!

This afternoon Camden played his last coach pitch baseball game of the season. He hit the ball all three times!!!

Maci finally rolled over again for the first time in almost 6 weeks! Of course she did it for Craig when I was at work....but he did get it on video :). I weighed on the scale this morning and it looks like she weighs about 13 pounds! She is such a sweet baby and is smiling all the time now. She even laughed out loud once last weekend for Craig and twice yesterday for my mom! I guess I'm not that funny to her :).

Some pictures from Portrait Innovations (Maci 3 month pictures and Camden 6 years)

Camden's Kindergarten Graduation

My little boy has graduated!
On Wednesday May 30, 2012 at Bellaire Elementary in Killeen, TX my sweet little boy graduated from Kindergarten! It seems like yesterday I held him for the first time in the hospital. It's hard to believe just how fast the time flies. I was happy that myself, Craig, Maci, Grandy, and Gasah were able to come. The theme of the graduation was Oh the Places You'll go by Dr. Seuss. The class made a video about what they wanted to be when they grew up. Camden chose a policeman just like his dad :). He has learned so much this year and I am excited to see what he will learn in first grade!

3 months already!!

It's hard to believe Maci will be 3 months old tomorrow! She has gained about 5 pounds since birth-most recently weighing in at 12 pounds 1 ounce. She still hasn't rolled over since 8 weeks old. This week especially she has started finally smiling more and more and making this sort of giggle excited noise.

Next week I go back to work to finish out the school year. Maci will be staying with her Daddy and Grandy/Gasah. I am going to miss her but excited about them having that special bonding time alone.

Maci has started to wear some 3-6 month clothes but she can still also fit in the 0-3. I love dressing her up in all her cute outfits...its so much fun! I feel so blessed to be a mom to this amazing precious baby girl!!
                                                     Look how much I've changed!!!!

                                                                        3 months

                                                                          1 week

Maci: 12 weeks and Camden update

                                       Maci- 12 weeks!

Tomorrow Maci will be 12 weeks old! This week she has been babbling more, smiling, grabbing at things, and having better head control.  She had to go to the doctor this week due to choking spells in the middle of the night. I believe she was choking on her spit up due to acid reflux. The doctor prescribed Zantac and we are hoping that will help. We had a very event filled week visiting with several friends- Danielle, Chelsy, and Tara. I have a little over a week left at home before I have to go back to work...but only for four days! Then it's summer break! That's one great perk about being a teacher :). I am still sort of dreading going back because I have only left her a couple times for two hours at the most. I know it's going to be hard but I am excited about seeing my students and friends at work!

                                                       

                                         Update on Camden

Camden is getting ready to graduate Kindergarten in a couple of weeks! He is also finishing up his season playing coach pitch baseball for Killeen Parks and Recreation. He loves being a big brother and is so great with Maci!

                                                         Camden at his baseball game.

                                                                        Field Day.

                                                                     More Field Day!

Camden and Maci- I can't figure out how to turn this photo around!

Maci: Week 1 to Week 11

1 week old

This week we were adjusting to life at home with you! Mostly I was sleep deprived and exhausted because you did not like to sleep except on my chest! You also made sounds sort of like a purring cat at night which made it hard to rest!


2 weeks old
This week you did lots of fun things like go to brothers baseball practice and to your first restaurant- Buffalo Wild Wings!

                                                                            3 weeks
This week your grandma from Strawn came to visit and you celebrated St. Patrick's Day with your new dress. This is also the week your newborn clothes started to get too tight and you began to wear your 0-3 month clothes.

                                                                            4 weeks
This is the week I think your look started to "change". You became much more alert and enjoyed looking around. You moved from newborn diapers to size one.

                                                                            5 weeks
This is the week your Daddy finally had to go back to work. We had to learn to do things all by ourselves!

                                                                             6 weeks
This week you celebrated Easter. We had a fun morning with Daddy eating lunch at McAlister's. We didn't get to go to church because your brother was having asthma trouble. We spent the afternoon at Grandy and Gasah's in Waco.

                                                                          7 weeks
This week you had fun watching your brother play at his baseball game! Grandy and Gasah came to visit and you had a fun day with them as well.

                                                                           8 weeks
This is the week you rolled over. You did it two days in a row, and now you haven't done it since in three weeks! This was also the week that Grandy had his birthday and we went to eat at Texas Land and Cattle. Next year you will get to enjoy the cake at his party  :)

                                                                       9 weeks
This week you had your two month checkup and your first round of vaccines. They made you pretty fussy for the day. It made you sleep a lot! This was also the week you finally slept through the night.

                                                                      10 weeks
This week you had family pictures made in Waco at Cameron Park. We spent the day at Grandy and Gasah's. I took you and brother to church all by myself! You sat through the whole service and didn't even cry!However, you did loudly gulp your bottle down even during the prayer :)

 

                                                                11 weeks
So far this week you have started to coo and babble a lot more! You have also started to "mouth" things like blankets, your clothes, or anything else you can get your hands on! I am so excited to see what the future weeks will bring!

My first post

Well this is my first attempt at a blog post. I am very new to this. I just really wanted to try it because I thought it would be a cool way to document all of the memories from Maci and Camden's childhood. I want to backtrack a little to the day Maci was born and then go from there.

The evening of Thursday February 23rd Craig and I packed our bags and made the hour drive from Killeen to Waco. We decided to use the same OB/GYN that I used with Camden- which meant hour drives to every appointment. I was going to be induced in the morning at Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center in Waco. I had been having contractions for the last three weeks straight but making little progress- so I was ready for this day to come!

The morning of February 24th we had to be at the hospital at 6:00 AM. They started pitocin and broke my water. Things were still going pretty slow and at 11:00 AM I was only 4 cm dilated. Craig even thought about going to Taco Casa to get food because we thought we had plenty of time....but we were sure wrong! About 11:30 they checked me and I was already dilated to a 9. Within minutes a 10. It was time to push. That only lasted about 2 or 3 minutes and then Maci was here! It was such an awesome feeling hearing those first cries. The doctor handed Craig the scissors to cut the cord- which took Craig by surprise. He had originally said he didn't want to do it- but with the scissors in his hand he had no choice!

                                                  Maci Brooke Caudle shortly after birth
                                                         weight: 7 lbs. 2 oz. 19 3/4 in.

                                                      More Pictures from her birthday

                                                               Our beautiful family!

                                                                    After her first bath!