Kate is 11 Months!

This adorable little girl is  11 months now!  As you can see from the pic, we have had an exciting development since our 10 months post -- teeth!  We had all four (2 top, 2 bottom) come in very quickly and thankfully without much drama.  Little "Baby Kate" has also mastered crawling -- no more army crawl -- and has discovered the stairs!  She's still deliciously petite, and we can hardly believe her first birthday is just around the corner....although party crafting and planning is well underway! Now, if she would just sleep all night..... 

Kate Is 10 Months Old!

This darling girl just gets cuter and cuter as the months fly by.  In lieu of a monthly sticker pic (pretend she's wearing a onesie that says "10 Months"), here's a pic of her doing her new favorite thing -- eating solids!  We are already moving out of purees, and I recently realized that soon we'll be done with formula, too. (Whew, that's $100 per month we can put toward her college education, maybe...)  

Kate's crawling has really ramped up and she can seriously make tracks around the house now. She still hasn't gotten up on her knees to crawl on all fours, but the "army crawl" gets her where she wants to go -- quickly!  We are still waiting on teeth...and pulling up/cruising...meanwhile, we are enjoying the last few months of her infancy.  We've lowered the crib in anticipation of the action to come, and we're gearing up to install baby gates at the top and bottom of the stairs.  

We think she has figured out how to say "Dada," instead of just making the "Dada" sound.  Her most favorite sound to make, though, is "Buh" for "Burnie."  She constantly asks where Burnie is or says "Buh! Buh!" when the kitty is in sight.  It's very cute!  

We love you, sweet Kate!  Stop growing!  But please...please...start sleeping through the night!

Adorable Kate Videos

Here are some ADORABLE Kate videos taken in January.  Enjoy!

Kate Is 9 Months Old!

This little beauty is 9 months old! And FINALLY starting to crawl...but still no teeth!  She had a great Christmas and thoroughly enjoyed batting at the tree ornaments, rolling around in front of the tree while staring at the sparkly lights, and playing like crazy with any tissue paper she could find. The gifts...not so exciting. (We know that will change next year!)  

At her 9-month appointment she weighed just over 16lbs.  She is in the 10th percentile for both weight and height (our petite cherie) but has the typical Unruh head, measuring in the 75th percentile.

Time is flying by, and Mommy perpetually forgets the monthly pictures with the number stickers.  Now the excuse will be that we are too busy chasing after her!  Kate continues to be the most darling baby we could imagine, full of smiles and giggles.  We love her bright blue eyes and her sweet, joyful spirit.  

If only she would sleep through the night...she still wakes up for one bottle, but the cuddles make up for it.

We love you, Kate Anna!

Merry Christmas From Kate!

Kate Is 8 Months Old!

Kate Anna Hayden

Happy 8 Months to this adorable babe!  Once again, Mommy forgot the onesie sticker...but to be fair, we are out of town for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Much like when we fell in love with Tess, Chad and I are constantly pinching ourselves that this little beauty is ours to keep, and is so much more than we could have special-ordered.  God REALLY knows what he is doing when he matches babies to parents, it seems!  The love in our hearts continues to multiply as Kate grows and as we watch our two girls together.

Having Tess technically made us a family, but this little love makes us feel complete.  She is such a sweet soul, full of smiles, a go-with-the-flow happy baby who adores her big sister and the cat, but is also content to play quietly on the floor with whatever catches her fancy.  We thought Tess was an easy baby, so we expected #2 to be a challenge -- but she is pure delight.

Like many parents feel, we have hit the baby jackpot -- twice!  We are abundantly blessed.

Kate's Milestones - Not Always Documented, Woops!

This BEAUTIFUL babe truly has me captivated. (Okay, her big sister does, too!)  Oh how my mother's heart wants to savor every single moment with her -- she is growing so fast! -- and document ever single milestone for her baby book and for my memory which will ultimately fail me.

But life is SO full and I don't know where the days go. Having two little ones feels like such a whirlwind/marathon. So our little Kate lives the less-documented and less-photographed life of second children everywhere!  The monthly onesie stickers sit unused in the caddy next to her changing table. The fancy Canon camera stays snug in its camera bag in the closet, while the handy iPhone does all the work of capturing her life in pictures.  I did manage to snap this pic in honor of her 6-month birthday, September 27, 2014 though.  What a happy and sweet baby she is!  Tess was a good baby, we thought, so we expected to have to "pay our dues" this time around.  But we have truly hit the baby jackpot.  The only challenges, if you could even call them that, are lack of a regular nap schedule and still waking up suuuuper early in the mornings (like, 5am or sooner) for a bottle.

I remember the first time she rolled over.  I was on the phone with a friend and squealed with delight, then paused the convo to snap a picture of her.  I knew the photo would be time-and-date stamped so that I could preserve the moment for posterity.  Except now I can't find the photo anywhere, and it was most likely accidentally deleted with the hundreds of other photos I choose not to keep so that there is plenty of room on my phone to take more.  Then I thought, "I MUST have posted a status on Facebook to share it with the world!"  Nope, nothing there either.  Woops.  I am so sorry, Kate!  But I know it was early-to-mid August of 2014 and you were laying on the floor in our living room! 

We started solid foods around 6 months and initially she didn't seem to take to it.  Then our trip to Disneyland created a natural hiatus until we were ready to try again, around 7 months or so.  Before we knew it, we were doing solids for 3 meals a day and the Baby Beaba (baby food maker) was out of the cupboard and steaming up the kitchen!  

By 6 months, Tess had cut her first tooth.  And although we have had plenty of teething woes (despite the semi-pricey and super-trendy amber teething necklace), there is still no sign or feel of teeth poking through those gums! 

Baby girl just started sitting up unassisted a few weeks ago (November 15th, to be exact), which felt later than with Tess, but then again we are so often preoccupied that we were not actively working with her on it!  Parent fail?  Nah...I am choosing to call it "relaxed parenting." 

No crawling yet, at 8 months (tomorrow), but lots and lots of rolling around.  She is getting close, I can tell, and this time I am not rushing it.  In fact, I am not rushing anything anymore.  Life and the universe wants to rush me through everything and so I am consciously digging my feet and heart in and trying hard to be in the moment.  Even if the moment feels like I am running on empty and ready to run screaming from the house -- ha!  Just being real, friends.

On an adorable note, someone has been conscientious enough to work with Kate on waving and clapping -- suddenly, she is doing both, and it's like I've never had a baby do anything cute before. What a fun surprise for this possibly-too-relaxed (?) parent!  Other tidbits....she responds to both Kate and "Sprout" (her nickname), she loves to shriek, she loves loves loves laughing at the cat and her big sister, she loves baths, and she loves to swing.  Oh, and she loves her Mommy and Daddy, and sometimes screams when we are not in sight!  (Separation anxiety is just another milestone, right?)

And last, but certainly not least, we have had to retire the #katescrazyhair hashtag in favor of the "Sprout Pony" you see pictured above.  The hair lays flat now, except for a cute little pomp in the back, but it hangs in her eyes and gets in her food.  The hair had a great run, but the beautiful blue eyes and gorgeous smile have taken over as her most prominent features.  

Tomorrow, Thanksgiving Day, she will be 8 months old.  This often-frazzled mom left the onesie sticker at home (we are out of town), but pictures are on the agenda!  And we are full to overflowing with gratitude for our healthy, sweet, and beautiful "Baby Kate."

Sister Love

It started a couple of months ago, when Kate became old enough to start interacting with the people around her and discovered (drum roll please...) her BIG SISTER.  As much as Kate loves Mommy and Daddy (the ones who feed her and change her), it seems like nothing gets her quite as excited as the cat or Tess.  Since the cat usually doesn't stick around to play, Tess gets left with all the opportunity to entertain Kate, and Kate is an eager audience of one.  Kate clearly ADORES Tess and thinks she is the funniest thing ever (on two legs).  Tess adores being adored, and when she is not paranoid that Kate is trying to take or break her toys, she loves to put on a show for baby sis.  

People had warned me about the flooding of the heart that would occur when I saw my two babies playing together.  They weren't making it up.  These pictures don't really do it justice, but I also know this is just the beginning.  Mommy has a new radar: sister love photo opps!  As I watch them together, in the quiet and secret corners of my heart I am praying that they become best friends and treasure each other, and don't kill each other in the process. 

Park Play & Growing Up

We headed over to the "swing park" on Saturday for some outdoor time with the girls.  Tess LOVES the big-girl swings at this particular park, which are basically like chairs that hang from a chain.  Baby Kate took her first spin on the baby swing, and she absolutely LOVED it!  Tess was so happy to see Kate enjoying it, she wanted to help push baby sister.  It's so much FUN seeing the girls interact.  Kate just adores Tess, and Tess just loves being adored. (We will see how this dynamic plays out and changes in the coming years!)

Our little Tess just isn't so little any more.  I don't know at what age she stops being a "toddler," but she acts (and sometimes looks) so much older than 3.  I'm hanging on to Kate's baby-ness and Tess's little girl-ness for dear life!

Kate's Second Month

It's hard to believe little Miss Kate is two months old already...if life felt like it was passing us by before, it's at warp speed now! 

 

How we were blessed with two good babies is beyond me.  This one is such a doll, just like our Tess was!  Although she isn't sleeping through the night, she's super close.  She's darling, easygoing, and already loves to smile and coo.  And this 2-month picture is deceptive -- baby girl is famous for her wild and crazy hair!  (Thank you, great grandma Cathy Dryden!)  She loves bath time and getting cuddles from the Grandmas.  She has moved up from Mommy & Daddy's bed to her bassinet (in our room) and is now sleeping in her bedroom at night.  Naptimes still seem to happen in the swing, and we need to work on a more formal schedule.  But this little one really seems to roll with the punches of a busy life and busy big sister!

 

So far our biggest challenge has been the logistics of coordinating baby feedings and naptimes around getting ready and going places with two little ones.  This coming weekend we are headed out of town for our first family trip, so we'll see what adventure that brings us (hopefully none!). 

 

Having two kids is finally starting to feel more normal, although we are far from having it mastered.  As Kate becomes more interactive, we fall more in love with her big blue eyes, her crazy hair, her soft, fair skin, and her sweet disposition.  And we realize she was the missing piece that completes our family.


STATS:
5/28/14 -- 10lb/9oz, 21.75"

Kate's Birth Announcement

Kate's First Month

We made it through the first month!

Wow, having baby #2 is a completely different experience in so many ways. 

It's absolutely true that your heart expands to lengths you hadn't imagined possible, and then fills to overflowing with complete love for each child, individually. Then there is a whole other category of love for the children together, as siblings -- watching them interact and knowing we have a lifetime of family memories to make. 

I don't remember feeling SO exhausted when Tess was a newborn -- probably because I got to nap when she napped.  Now, all my free attention (while Kate is sleeping or with Daddy) is spent keeping track of Tess.  We have a new normal that needs finding, and SOON.  Right now life feels full of love and adventure and yet SO unfamiliar.  The logistics of having two kids -- one a very busy toddler, and the other a very needy newborn -- are still a mystery to me!  So far, it takes us 2 hours to get everyone ready to go somewhere.

Month one was full of so many groggy-eyed firsts.... meeting family and friends, the first bath, taking portraits as a family of four, the first holiday and family gathering (Easter), first Mother's Day (as a mother of two), and more.  Although I was a few days late, I did manage to get some pics of Kate in her 1-month onesie sticker, propped up in her crib.  It was much less formal than Tess's newborn days, but I was proud that I made it happen.

Here's to more adventures in month two!


STATS:
4/4/14 -- 6lbs/11oz
4/11/14 -- 7lbs/6oz

Kate's First Photo Shoot!

Kate Anna Hayden

We are so grateful to Kimi Wilson of Kimi-G Photography for the many times she has thoughtfully captured family memories for us, beginning with my maternity photos when we were expecting Tess.  Thankfully she was available shortly after Kate's arrival for a newborn/family photo shoot!  We couldn't be more thrilled with the gorgeous shots of Kate, taken informally in our bedroom. 

 

And...we are so excited to hear that Kimi and her husband are expecting a little one of their own, which is an amazing testimony of God's faithfulness and perfect timing.  She shares the touching story on her blog!

Introducing Kate Anna Hayden



She's finally here! Introducing Kate Anna Hayden, born Thursday, May 27, 2014 at 2:39am.  She weighed 7lbs, 1oz and measured 19 inches long.  Mommy, Daddy, and big sister Tess are all thrilled and full of love for such a beautiful and precious gift!

 

On Wednesday the 26th I was scheduled for my 39-week checkup with my OBGYN, but was struggling with what I thought was either mild food poisoning or the flu! I called the doctor's office to ask if I should bother coming in, since I was so sick (I didn't want to infect everyone), and they told me to get myself to the hospital ASAP for a baby check.  I quickly packed a bag and hit the road with my mom, Meg, who was thankfully still in town after coming up to help with baby preparations.  Chad was still at school!  After a few hours in triage the determination was made that I was, in fact, having a baby.  I was quickly admitted and Chad wrapped up his workday to come to the hospital and be with me.  By 5:00pm or so, we were settled into our delivery room with an epidural on the way...and Chad was having his own food poisoning/flu experience!  To make what could be a very long story short, I was so relieved that, unlike the ordeal of delivering Tess, this time was ultimately very quick and relatively painless!  I had the most wonderful nurse, too.  Baby Kate arrived at around 2:40am after just 2 big pushes.  My very first words -- upon seeing the nurse hold her up -- were, "Oh! She's SO beautiful!"  That's been the general consensus from everyone who's met her: she's just a gorgeous baby.  Most importantly, she is healthy!  Chad went home to rest and recover (he was randomly vomiting all night long), so again Meg came to the rescue and stayed with Kate and I at the hospital. 

 

We had many visitors come to meet the new baby, but the most special one was BIG SISTER Tess.  I have never seen Tess so happy in her entire little life -- it's a moment I will never forget.  We are so grateful to Chad's parents Barbara and Paul for taking care of our #1 girl while we welcomed our #2. 

 

Now the journey REALLY begins...we get to figure out how to be parents of two wonderful girls!

 

 

Big House Projects

We've got LOTS to do to get ready for baby #2!  Tess is moving next door into a new "big girl room" so that we can keep her room as a nursery for the little one.  This means moving our hundreds of books out of the guest room closet and into....where?  We had intended to make a built-in bookshelf and office center in our loft area, and since our garage is short on extra storage space, we decided to take the plunge.  We were able to make it happen because we have a GREAT cabinetry guy who charges very reasonable prices!  Below are pics of the bookshelves in progress, as well as the transformation of the guest room into Tess's big girl room, and the return of Tess's room to an official baby nursery. 

We owe HUGE thank yous to our dear friends Troy and Carrie for motivating us to do the painting ourselves by making it a fun get-together, and to my mom (Meg) for coming up to help us get both girls' rooms situated (there was TONS of baby stuff to unpack and put away!).  We're almost there!

Merry Christmas From The Haydens!

Boy Or Girl? Find Out Here!

Last weekend I flew to Phoenix for a quick overnight trip to see my best friend from college, Stacy (and her husband and kiddos).  We had the opportunity to make another wonderful memory together, as the purpose of the trip was to have her do my second trimester ultrasound and tell us whether baby is a boy or a girl.  I got to do this with Tess, and it was such a fun experience -- to have your best friend share that kind of special news with you, and give you a detailed tour of the baby growing inside you, is the ultimate of fun and memorable.  Stace took more than 100 pictures of our little bundle and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing and learning about all the different developing systems: heart, brain, kidneys, etc. and tiny but perfect hands and feet.

 

The BEST news of all, like the first time, is that baby is perfectly healthy.  This is a huge weight lifted off my shoulders, as I am sure any mom can relate to.  People were asking me if I wanted a boy or a girl, but in my heart I just wanted to know that we had a healthy baby on the way.  Even though I was somewhat intimidated by the thought of a boy....completely new territory, and LOTS of new (blue) stuff to be purchased.....I figured it ultimately would not matter to me!  But practical me was just itching to use all the pink baby stuff I've got stored away in the garage, and the bins and bins of adorable girl clothes.

 

So, practical me was thrilled to learn we are having another girl!  Chad was right -- he said he definitely felt like baby was a girl, and he has always pictured us with two girls.  It kinda makes sense, too, because his twin brother also has two girls. We quickly and joyfully settled into this news, as it helps give the little one a bit more identity than anonymity, and we have a clearer picture of what's ahead of us.  Now we are working on what we should name her, and hoping for divine inspiration like last time! 

Baby #2 - It's Happening!

8 weeks - a little bean! Well, even
tinier than that...the measurement
was about 2 centimeters.

We are blessed and happy to share that Hayden baby #2 is on its way to us! Our due date is April 2, 2014.  We received the good news in July and got our first glimpse of him or her in late August at the 8-week appointment.  Then, unexpectedly, we got another view of baby at my regular checkup right around 13 weeks.  "It" looks much more like a baby lately (pic below)!  As I write this post, I am just about 16 weeks pregnant, starting to feel some flutters in my belly, and awaiting the date for our "gender reveal" ultrasound.

I am feeling much better the last 2-3 weeks. My energy is back and all of the first trimester unpleasantness (nausea, headaches, exhaustion) is gone. We had a much more eventful early pregnancy this time, which included a Saturday stay in the Emergency Room (including a CAT scan) due to a pregnancy-induced migraine.  WOW.  I have massive respect for anyone who regularly suffers from migraines -- that was possibly the most unpleasant experience of my life. Who knows if a rough first trimester (as opposed to smooth sailing with Tess, the entire pregnancy) means we are having a boy, or a temperamental/fussy baby, or what exactly we are in for!

Do we want a boy, or a girl?  Well, Chad feels pretty confident we are having another girl.  That's what our family has always looked like in his mind, and his twin brother has two girls.  As for me, I am all about efficiency and would just love to put that garage full of baby girl stuff to good use. And a girl would certainly be familiar.  So, girl is the "vote" in this house but we will take whatever is brewing in there.  My good friend who does ultrasound assures me that this is "the year for boys" and that we have lots of blue on our horizon.  HEALTHY is our only criteria -- anything beyond that is icing on the babycake!

 

Oh, and Tess is already informed that she is soon to be a big sister, and working through the confusion that she cannot SEE the baby when she looks at Mommy's tummy.  We hear daily announcements from her, stating, "I have baby sister.  Mommy having baby soon."  Looks like she is thinking pink, too... 

Baby at 13 weeks -- about 3 inches long.  A cutie pie already!

Pregnancy Photo Book ~ Shutterfly

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Shutterfly photo books offer a variety of layouts and cover options to choose from.

Welcome, Baby Tess!

At 5:50pm on Saturday, August 20th we welcomed our baby girl, Tess Ashley Hayden! She weighed 7lbs and measured 19 inches long.  We are thrilled and are head over heels in love with her already.  She is perfectly healthy and Mom is recovering quickly.  We are so grateful for the outpouring of love and blessing in our lives all week as we adjust to parenthood.  Our hearts are overflowing!

Here are some of the pics taken this week (8/20-8/26) with my iPhone; "real" pics coming soon.