Halloween 2011

     I have to admit....having a little one definitely makes me love every holiday a little more.  In the past I haven't had much of an attachment to Halloween.  It was never something we got overly excited for when I lived at home so I guess I just never really got into it much.  Last year, when Cammie-bear was a teeny-tiny baby I LOVED all of the pumpkin, monster and Halloween clothing and accessory garb I could get her into.  This year I still wasn't overly excited for the holiday, but watching Cammie complete her first round of trick-or-treating definitely made for some great memory making. :)  Cammie did not have an afternoon nap this particular day (always some kind of disclaimer with her :), so falling asleep on the way home from the Y was probably not the best way to begin our trick-or-treating adventure.  I let her sleep until the last possible minute (which ended up being like a 30-40 minute nap), got her up, dressed and Nana met her at the garage door with some chicken nuggets from Chick-Fil-A (her favorite :).  Right as she began to eat, Karter and Lakyn emerged from their house ready to go and there was no holding this little girl back...she wanted to go visit with her friends. :)  We had an opportunity to steal a few, quick pictures with them and then began our adventure.  We visited our neighbors first, Patrick and Amanda (who are always SO wonderful with C) and then headed out to the rest of the neighborhood.  We didn't make it too far (halfway down the street or so) as Cammie clearly did not understand what this trick-or-treat business was all about.  She wanted to go into people's houses to visit (not just receive candy at the door) and pet every single dog along the way.  Our neighborhood has TONS of dogs and Cammie LOVES dogs...she just didn't understand why she couldn't plop herself down and stay to play and pet any of the neighbor's dogs she encountered.  After apologizing what seemed like one too many times for walking away with an upset toddler we decided to head home.  She actually showed the most excitement on our journey home- pushing her car, running from dad and making a few last stops for candy along the way. 

Ready for candy! :)

Camryn and Karter..he refers to her as "his best girl"....SO thankful for wonderful neighbors!

Best of friends...Cammie, Karter and Lakyn..LOVED their coordinating firefighter and fire dog costumes :)

Trick or Treat Patrick and Amanda :)

Ready to roll!

Headed up the driveway to get some good stuff :)

or a puppy....way better than candy for Camryn! :)

Halloween 2011...thanks for the picture Amanda! :)



Flashback

Hard to believe the difference a year makes....



Huber's October 2010

Huber's October 2011




      Although we are LOVING this toddler stage that Camryn is in now...I do miss my little, bitty girl. :(  I don't know if it is the idea of Chrissie having a baby (because we are so close and I know she will have her little bitty baby so soon) or just being a very emotional, sometimes guilty for working full-time mommy...I get so worked up looking at her this time last year, because time has gone by SO very fast!   I feel like I miss so much with her throughout the week. :( Definitely trying to stay home more and treasure the time we do have together before I have blog flashback posts of October 2010 and October 2025 when she will be a teenager!

Trick or Treating Round 1

     Friday night we joined some friends and went trick-or-treating at Silver Creek High School.  Despite the crowd (it was CrAzY) it was a great "first try" and Camryn LOVED it!  Local businesses and sponsers set up tables and booths and handed out candy as the line of kids walked by.  Camryn was in awe and couldn't get enough!  I was a little worried at how she would do, especially because I was by myself (Chris had to chaperone a middle school dance...yuck! :) and Little Miss is definitely not a fan of riding in the stroller when she knows she can get down and MOVE!  Thankfully, some of the other girls' husbands were there to help this mom out as we had to truck the stroller up and down steps (I owe a big thank you to Bill, Carl and Dave! :)  We ended the night back at Meghan's house, eating cupcakes and s'mores and letting all the kiddos play.   Cammie began fighting sleep about 9:30 so we headed home not long after that.  She didn't even make it home (which is now only like 5 minutes away :) ...I looked back and saw her knocked out.  Definitely loving these exciting times with my girl! 

Waiting in line to get in (thank goodness for Goldfish...don't know what we would do without them :)

"Whatcha doing with that thing Cooper?" :)

Loving the freedom! :)

Best Buddies :)

Helping....

     Yesterday we spent a fabulous day at home, just Chris, Camryn and I.  It was very much needed after the crazy week we had and the upcoming week that is promising to be even crazier (Halloween, parent-teacher conferences (who in the world scheduled those back-to-back nights btw???) and IUS school for mom on Thursday).  We picked up around the house, took a short run, enjoyed an afternoon nap...not really much of anything (and it was FABULOUS!).  Since we were forced to turn the heat on a few weeks ago, Chris and I noticed a strange sound coming from the attic...Chris decided to move some things around in the attic and bring some of the Christmas storage containers down to see if that would help make the noise stop...(fabulous news for me because now I will be able to decorate for Christmas a tiny bit early :).  Camryn of course thought she should help...we caught her climbing on the ladder twice (actually on the first step and moving towards the second...she is fearless I tell ya!) so Chris decided to show her the attic and let her "help."

Up in the attic checking it out :)

Crying because she wants to climb up and down the ladder...not be passed from daddy to mommy

She is such a mess....I know we are really going to be in for it when the independent stage begins for her!

Yuckies

     This week was a rough week in the Kane household :(  Camryn started Sunday with what I thought was a bug, but really still am not even sure what was going on.  For 4 1/2 days straight Camryn battled diarrhea.  It wasn't constant, but every time she pooped we had to mess with it. Because of the diarrhea her bottom got so red we were not able to use wipes either...so without including any more graphic details it was a crazy, yucky week around here.  Everytime we would think she was getting better it would surface again.  We kept her as close to the BRAT diet as she would allow and tried to limit her milk as much as possible.  Although she wasn't too happy about that, it seemed to work and we were definitely in the clear by Friday.  I never thought I would be so interested or concerned with poop....definitely glad that week is over!

*Sidenote....Since Camryn's molars have started coming in (about 3 weeks or a month ago) she has stopped sleeping in her bed (again) through the night.  She goes to sleep just fine, transitions perfectly into her bed, but will wake up screaming anywhere between 1:00 and 3:00 in the morning.  If you try to give her Nuxy (her pacifier) or her blanket she gets even more upset and cries harder.  She is a fighter and very stubborn...she cries far longer than I am able to take it, especially at that hour.  I am really struggling with getting her to sleep in her bed all night and getting sleep myself.  Last night (since it was the weekend) I even rocked her back to sleep once (hysterical at 1:30 when I put her back in her bed ) and patted her to sleep in bed with me (again as soon as I tried putting her in her crib she went crazy).  At 2:15 I just couldn't do it anymore and put her in bed with us.  Anybody have any suggestions or ideas?  I desperately want her to sleep and us too! :)

14 months and GrOwInG!

Aunt Bug is always able to capture Camryn at her best :)  Here she is the day before her 14 month birthday

     Although I hadn't planned to do a stat update about Camryn until she was 15 months, I was afraid I would forget ALL the things she has learned since her first birthday.  This age is so miraculous!  She learns something new every day!  I love the inquisitiveness, independence and happiness she expresses each day.  I love watching her curious little mind "work." In two short months Camryn has learned how to:

• walk backwards
• spin in circles (and fall down afterwards :)
• say ball, cookie, up, bad, bye-bye, uh-oh (she is imitating so many new sounds...can't wait until those turn into words too)
• open all of the doors in our house
• somewhat maneuver objects she pushes (understands you sometimes have to move them in a different direction or turn things left or right)
• give hugs, kisses and the start of blowing someone a kiss
• show you no....she shakes her head and entire body when you say no to her...so hard not to laugh!
• be a picky eater (we know we now have a toddler on our hands)...will often refuse to eat something at one time of the day, but loves it during a different time
• "get" someone (this is her version of tickling/grabbing them)
• tear paper
• pick up her toys and return them to the container they came in
• bite food into smaller pieces (seems like a weird thing to write about, but she has just shoveled food in her mouth, regardless of it's size in the past)
• use steps, objects or her leg to climb up onto things
• to climb up on the couch
• complete certain procedures or routines...with a little help :) (feed the dogs, warm her milk, put the dog in the crate)
• follow more directions (like go get your toothbrush, get your shoe, get your cup, etc.)
• show frustration...aka throw a fit when something doesn't go her way 

At 14 months Camryn loves:

• milk...this girly goes through 3-3 1/2 cartons of soy milk per week
• grapes, hot dogs, chicken nuggets, bananas, watermelon, cantaloupe, marshmallows, and french fries, goldfish and cookies...those are pretty much the only foods right now you can guarantee she will eat at any time
• reading her I Love Puppies and any other touch and feel book...we read it at least 5 times per day
• playing with the dogs...we LOVE watching her chase after Brohdi throughout the house
• to push objects...we are definitely in a phase of pushing the cart at the grocery store, her tricycle up and down the driveway, etc.
• to brush her teeth...she is obsessed with it
• other kids, especially bigger kids (It makes me a little sad how big she wants to be, but love the way it motivates her to do new things :)

End of Football on Friday Nights :(

  In the last two weeks we have celebrated the end of Nick's senior year for football.  Last week Clarksville hosted Providence for the city championship and also recognized their senior athletes on senior night.  I can't believe my "baby" brother will graduate this spring!  He looks so big in these pictures...definitely not a kid anymore. :)



Our Senior! :)

The Senior Boys :)

     Friday night we bundled up and headed up to Paoli to watch Clarksville play the first round of their sectional.  Unfortunately the lost 41-14 (it was ugly :(...), but Nick finally had a touchdown pass thrown his way...he waited all year for it!  We wre so happy he was able to end his last game on such a great note, personally.  We are so proud of him...check it out!  (A big thank you to the Grady family for always filming the games and putting this little video together for Nick to have! :)

     Although the season is over, we LOVED watching Nick play these past four years.  He has put everything he has into football and will have some great memories to look back on!

Camryn's retired shirt....(since I never got a good picture of her in it :)

Playin' at the Park

     I wanted to take Camryn to the zoo so bad over fall break, but just couldn't seem to make it for a variety of reasons (weather, other planned activities and their famous Halloween party kept us from getting there to enjoy the animals).  Since the weather was absolutely beautiful Sunday we decided to take her to the park to play instead.  It's amazing the difference 6 months or so can make!  Camryn LOVED everything about the playground: the slides, steps, tunnels, other kids, you name it!  I remember taking her to the park in late April or early May and not being able to do anything with her other than swing.  This time she independently climbed from the bottom step to the top tier of the play equipment, back to the middle and then slid down the slide.  She laughed, smiled and truly enjoyed every single second!  These are the moments that I enjoy this age so much!  

Hi guys!...LoVe this picture :)

Up she goes!

Ready to slide down!

1,2,3...Go!





All by herself!

Movin' through the tunnels

Loving every second!

Teeth Troubles

     Camryn and Chris visited Dr. Pringle today for what I felt positive was another ear infection....runny nose, very congested, partial loss of appetite, yucky diapers....everything that usually equals an infection for our girl.  Last night we were up most of the night with a very unhappy little girl. :(  She would just scream out in pain, cry so loud and so hard she would gag and almost make herself sick.  It pretty much broke my heart and needless to say rocking for a half an hour at 1:00 in the morning was not my first choice of things to do, but was okay with it once I discovered it was the only thing that seemed to soothe her.  When I received a text from Chris that said it was just her teeth I was shocked!  Dr. Pringle showed Chris her gums in the back and he confirmed they were super swollen.  Her molars are coming in sporadically, rather than right in a row, which may also be contributing to her pain.  Dr. Pringle said there was a chance she may have something viral, but her pain was caused by those silly teeth trying to pop through.   Although I was relieved she wasn't sick, I still hate to see her in so much pain.  :(  Definitely ready for these teeth to be in and have our happy little girl back!

It's Fall!

     Fall has arrived and we celebrated the gorgeous day by heading up to Huber's to pick the perfect pumpkin with Cammie.  I was so excited to take her to Huber's and snap some pictures of her running through the pumpkin patch.  She loves to be outside and I just knew she would love everything Huber's has to offer...at least I thought I knew.  Cammie was pretty quiet on the ride over to the patch and once we arrived she was not a happy camper. :(  If you put her down she just cried and cried.  Definitely not her usual self.  I finally was able to find a pumpkin she could sit on, which entertained her for a few minutes while I took her picture.  Although it definitely wasn't the reaction I had hoped for, we made the best of it and had a pretty good time.  I know my baby is truly hurting when she doesn't enjoy an outside activity.  I guess we'll try again next year!

Here are a few pictures of our adventure yesterday:

Not really into it... (It looks like she is saying, "whatever dad, just don't make me touch it" :)



Better now that she is being held...

That's kinda funny :)

She likes sittin' on this pumpkin

Making beats on the pumpkin (as Uncle N would say :)

Maybe it's not so bad

Playing in the patch

I found one dad!

Examining Camryn's find...Chris was VERY particular about the pumpkin we chose

Can't believe she is so big...she loves the truck o' pumpkins...she sat in it forever!

Exciting News!

     A few weeks ago Camryn received a very important card in the mail....a thank you card from Aunt Chrissie!  It definitely wasn't your everyday thank you card....it was a thank you card with some BiG news!  It was a thank you card from Baby Lawrence! :)  That's right....Aunt Chrissie and Uncle Nick are going to have a baby!  We are so very excited for them! Aunt Chrissie is SO wonderful to Cammie-bear and will be such an amazing mom!  She has wanted this for such a long time, we are just beyond excited that things happened so quickly for her and Nick!  Congratulations Aunt C and Uncle N...we can't wait to learn more about and meet Baby L.!