Another 1 Year Anniversary!

Today is the 1 year anniversary of the day we were FINALLY able to bring our Katie home! Although Sept. 11, 2006 was the most wonderful day...because that is the day Katie entered our world, it was also one of the scariest days of our lives. They took her away for a "4 hour observation" and she never came back. The next 16 days seemed like an eternity as we waited and prayed. So, September 27 is the best day of them all...we were finally able to take our car seat into the NICU and bring it home with a warm little body barely filling the seat. Our wonderful adventure began with these amazing memories. So, I thought I would share the pics of our baby coming home...again...1 year later!



(Yep, that is me in the backseat...I swore that I would never be the "ride in the backseat with the baby" mom...but I used the heart monitor as an excuse! I couldn't take my hands off of her! And, it hasn't happened again...I hate the back seat!!!)


One of my co-workers asked me today how many more "anniversaries" we are planning on celebrating. (She likes to ask the tough questions.) My answer is that I will celebrate every day that I have with Katie...and especially the days that change my life. Maybe I won't blog a 1 year anniversary post every time this happens...but our family celebrates Kaitlyn Faith each and every day. Especially the day our dream of bringing our special little child home to the room that had been waiting to hear the sound of a baby's cry for close to 2 years. So, here's to our Katie and her 1st year at our home...which is finally complete with her presence.

We're On a Roll!!!

JMS is winning! Our 8th grade boys beat Revere 25-18...and it was a fight! Those Revere boys can throw like crazy (and they catch it too, which is unusual for middle school!) But, we were able to stay focused and play our game. Plus, we have a kicker who can make it through the uprights...not very many middle schools have that either!


Unfortunately our cheerleaders were not able to make it to this game...blame their sponsor for that snafu! So, these little sisters got creative, made a sign, and cheered their brothers to victory!

Here's a great action photo! Scott is so into the game that you will often see him running down the side lines with his guys...here he is checking out his boys.

Blurry post win pic...sorry!

Here are Daddy and his little cheerleader after the game. She is a great cheerleader and claps her hands the entire game! Mommy would have taken pics...but she was quite busy keeping up with a 1 year old in the stands at Butler Stadium...not an easy task. Our principal was helpful...but Katie just used him for his popcorn (the safe part, of course!) Maybe next time we will get some Cheerleader Katie action pics!

Johnston 28, Burbank 6!

That's right...Daddy's 7th grade football team is now 2-0!!!! And, we won this one fair and square. (Our first win was due to Jane Long's forfeit.) We put the hammer on Burbank! And, if the boys weren't so excited and so "hold" happy...the score would have been 80 to 6! Darn penalties!

I got to wear my cheerleader skirt...but the top is saved for Wednesday's 8th grade game...


Getting ready for the kick off! Burbank scored right off...with a squirly little play. And then...we ran back the kick off and never looked back!

Go boys!!!

Good game...here they are right after the win! What a great group of kids!!!

Late Addition!

I know this is a late addition...but Mimi just emailed this pic to Mommy. And, since Mommy's camera died just before cake time...we had to add this in. I really loved this cake!!!

1st Year Check-Up!

Mommy took me for my 1st year check up yesterday...yuck! It was great timing because I started coughing and weasing the day or so before and it was not getting better. So, I weigh in at 20.4 pounds and 29 inches long. Which makes me long and lean!!! Mommy is so happy to hear that!!! She always wanted to be taller. Dr. Rowland estimates that I might be about 5'5", which is basically "towering" over my Mommy. Woohoo! Anyway, I am right on with 1 year old babies and am no longer considered "preemie". The cough and breathing issues turned out to be a virus paired with strider (I had this when I was in NICU too) and croop. So fun! So, I am now on a steroid medication and hope to be better soon. Mommy says that I sound a little like Darth Vador when I breath...so not funny! Other than that, so far so good. I was not able to get my vaccinations because of the virus...but they did prick my finger and my blood work came back clear. No vitamins for me! I hated the finger prick and the band-aid...so Mommy and I looked like we had been through a knife fight! I will go back for my shots next week and will be well on my way! Check back...I am so close to walking!!!!

Cake Time!

This is my ladybug birthday cake...it was so yummy!!!



What a family pic. We are all decked out in our Texas Tech gear...ready to watch the good guys whip up on Rice...which they did!!!! Go Tech!

Yummy icing...it even matches my Tech gear. Way to think Diva!!!

This cake was so good that I even tried to hide it in my shirt!

This ice cream cone was good too! I finished all of the ice cream and even ate half of the cone! Mommy was quite surprised...but it is my birthday!

Me Gusto Presents!!

I love getting presents! This is the car that Diva and Gringo got for me to keep at the beach. We can cruise around and visit and then we can take out the floor board and I can do my own cruising!


Yep, Mommy, I see the present...but this card is AWESOME!

I know, I know...but I am taking this card upstairs and I will check out the presents later...

Pool Party!

Because Diva and Gringo could not be at my first birthday party...they had a pool party at their house to celebrate my birthday...which was fine with me!

Here I am floatin' in my pink elephant float!



Here's some of the party...it sure was fun!

This is my new friend, McKenzie. We had fun swimming together!

This is my other new friend, Kendall. She loved to play in my new car!

Yes, I am the Queen...you must serve me fruit in the pool!

Go Grayhounds!

My Daddy is a football coach at Johnston M.S., so Mommy and I get to do all of the fun football family stuff. Here I am posing in my new cheerleader gear! (Thanks Ms. Pat!) I get to wear this to the first real game!



Here's Daddy coaching the 7th grade boys during a scrimage against Pershing M.S. (the middle school that Mommy went to!) Although no score was taken...everyone was sure that JMS looked darn good! (Daddy is in the blue shorts.)

I just chilled on the sidelines and enjoyed the fun. I really love to watch the boys play!

One, Uno, Whatever...It's My Birthday!

Yep, I am one year old today. My Mommy and Daddy woke me up singing and, once I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, I realized that today was a little different than others. First, no more formula with breakfast...only milk. I really liked that! Then, I got to have a party at school...I liked that too! And, all of my bottles have disappeared...another thing that I kind of like. Mommy and Daddy seemed kind of sappy and extra excited that it was my birthday...but that is ok with me.

Can you believe our little Kaitlyn is a year old!?! It has been such an amazing year for our family. Katie has not made it the easiest year (16 days in NICU, heart monitor for 6 months, ear tube surgery, and the every day fun of having a baby), but we would not trade it for ANYTHING! I put this next picture on the blog because it is so hard for me to remember this little baby. Her first 5 days of life were spent just like this. She sure has overcome all of the hurdles that have come before her...and I could not be more proud of my little girl. After this pic came jaundice lamps, swallow tests and yucky feeding tubes. What a champ she was through it all! Thank you all for keeping up with our Katie and watching her become the sweet little girl that she has become. Of course I will continue to blog all of her fun adventures...but this first year sure has been fun to relive each time I open this blog! We go to the doctor next week, so I will post her update at that time.

Here is Katie having her first CUP of milk before dinner. No more bottle, no more formula! What a big girl!

The Day After!

Here is the aftermath of my fishy cake! I did great if I might say so myself.



Nana and Aunt Misty and my cousins, Ally and Haley, came in from Kerrville/Fredericksburg to celebrate my birthday. They came over (with Aunt Nikki) on Sunday for dinner and more presents.

My first Cabbage Patch Kid!

Yep, I am going to get up on this chair! You just watch!

I did it! Watch out Berit!

Party Time!!

I had my 1st Birthday party on Saturday and it was so fun! Check out the pics below to see the fun! Mommy would have loved to get more pictures...but she was battling infections in both eyes and dead batteries in the camera! Not a great day for her...but I had the best time ever! I went to sleep before 8 and then woke up after 8 on Sunday. Then I napped and napped on Sunday! Thanks for all who came to celebrate!

Presents, presents, presents...I got the hang of it pretty quick.



No, the present didn't upset me...it was the raging crowd helping me to open the gifts!

Check out this hat!

Mommy helped me with the opening...she loves gifts too!

Everyone sang "Happy Birthday" to me and I was a little unsure about their pitch...but I still ate the cake!



Here are some of the crazy kiddos at the party!

The pinata was fun! Poor Nemo!

Mommy and Daddy gave me my first wheels before the party so we would have some bigger kid toys for everyone to play with. I LOVE IT!!!


I like to sit in the car...but I really love to push the car from behind like it is out of gas! Mommy just hasn't gotten any pics of that yet.

This is the cake that Mommy made just for me. I got to eat it all by myself!

This is the cake that everyone else got to eat. Not as cute...but definitely yummy!