Kinley is 18 months!

Miss Kinley is now 18 months old! Time has sure flown! She is getting bigger and her personality is shining more and more each day. Since the last update she:

-Started walking at 15 1/2 months
                     (Mommy and Daddy were beyond ready when she finally started walking, but also a little grateful for the extra time that she got to be "our baby".)

-Uses forks and spoons pretty well, but still needs help every now and then

-Loves broccoli, sweet potatoes and corn which = one happy mamma

-Is  a pro at bath time. She both LOVES being in the bath, but is also does not like to soak too long

- Still sleeps through the night as always and is still on two naps a day

-Loves running outside and she has become quite the geologist! She loves rocks!

-Had her first trick-or-treating experience this year
                      (she was a little taken a back with all the costumes, but she warmed up eventually)

-Had her first beach experience  2 weeks ago with Mimi and Grandpa Nunes and was in heaven 
                        (she is her mother's daughter, for sure)

-Loves swings and slides

-Still babbling. No real words yet besides mamma and dada every now and then
                        (although I'm pretty sure she said "baby" the other day)

-Has been on a total of 5 trips via airplane this year, with one more to go!
              (She is honestly really good considering the lack of space she has and the extra mobility she has gained, but each trip is getting a little harder than the last.)

-Saw our nations capital in September

-Loves brushing her teeth and is getting better about "clean up"

We sure love our sweet girl! Nothing has brought Matt and I more joy than raising our amazing daughter! There really is nothing better!

Recap of Summer

I have been so bad about keeping up! I had a post all ready to go about all the things we did in July, and then I got side tracked with Kinley and promised myself I would go back to it. Well now it is September and I'm just now getting back to it... Oh well,


Instead of breaking down every month in a separate post (because I only have so much time before Kinley wakes up from her nap) I want to give a quick recap of our summer.

~JULY~

First thing we did in July was make a trip down to see Andrew for the 4th. He was in San Antonio for some military training, so we thought a road trip was in order. It was a MUCH longer road trip than expected because of all the road construction, but eventually we made it and had such a great time walking the River Walk and getting a feel of what living on a military base was like. Although we didn't get to see any fireworks, it was a great way to spend the 4th! So glad for our spontaneous trips!

July's theme turned out to be weddings. Kinley and I made a trip back to Utah to see one of my closest friends get married. It was the first time I was able to attend a wedding in an LDS Temple that wasn't my own. It was such a sweet feeling and I am so grateful that I was able to be there for Ashlee's special day. My heart was so full that day. Not only was I able to see Ashlee get married, but I had the greatest time catching up with old friends and family. My heart was full the entire trip. It was hands down, the best trip of the year, if not one of the best trips of my lifetime. I wish I could have stayed longer and seen more friends and family. It made me even more homesick for Utah (which is a statement that 3 years ago, I NEVER thought I would say)

I also got to attend an old co-worker's wedding at the end of July as well. It was so great catching up with old friends and really, my first friends here in Texas. If it weren't for that job and those awesome people I got to work with, I think I would have curled up in a hole and wished all of my Texas days away. We laughed and danced the night away! I needed a good dance party, I think. Thanks again to Lindsey for letting me "crash her wedding" ;-)

At the same time, Matt took Kinley with him back to Utah to see his cousin get married. I'm so glad Matt got to take Kinley so I could have a little break from motherhood and that he was able to spend some special time with her. I wish I could have been there to see Matt's cousin and his adorable wife get married, but I'm glad Matt and Kins were able to go and represent this Glenn clan. Though the break was nice and much needed, I couldn't wait for the two of them to get back!

(Unfortunately I don't have any pictures to share here, because I lost them all when I had to replace my phone.. =( I didn't realize that until I was trying to find all my photo's from July... )

this is the only photo I have from our trip to Utah..

~August~
Because July was so travel filled we took a bit of a break and stuck around here for awhile. Nothing too crazy happened in August. Lots of walks and pool time with Kinley and of course weekends spend with Matt running errands and catching up on life. I was able to get a job with a local rec center as a sub for Aqua classes. While I'm not fully on their books, I feel like this is a great way to "get my feet wet" (get it?!). I am hoping to start taking another class regularly so I can certify in that and hopefully get more sub jobs coming my way, or better yet, a permanent job with them. Our big highlight of August was... KINLEY STARTED WALKING!! At 15 1/2 months old she took her first steps! Instead of being sad at this big milestone and another testament that my baby is growing up, I  celebrated and for her and for me. I was ready to have her start walking at this point. and it has been so much fun and opened up more doors for us to play! I'm so happy and proud of my big girl!!

 

~September~
I know September isn't over yet, but we just got back from our very first family vacation to Washington D.C.. We spent 4 days there and it was a blast! We did LOTS of walking and subway riding. Kinley did great for all of it. This was my 2nd time seeing our nation's capital and Matt's first. It was fun showing him different things that my tour did way back in middle school and also seeing a couple new things. Our days included: visiting and touring the Capital Building, walking to the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial, the Holocaust Museum, the Aerospace, Natural History and one of the Art Gallery Smithsonian's, and taking a cruise to Mt. Vernon and touring George Washington's house and grounds. It was a great trip and the perfect amount of time when having a little one with you! The weather was beautiful, and while we were planning on seeing some fall colors, D.C.'s landscape wasn't quite there yet, but we didn't mind too much.

outside the capital

cool fountain

at the Washington Monument

taking a break and playing on  the grass

on our way to the Lincoln Memorial

Lincoln Memorial

Smithsonian Castle

This bush with it's random white leaves

Fountain outside Smithsonian

Family Selfiie

Outside Natrual History Smithsonian

Mt. Vernon... getting some updates

view of Potomac from Mt. Vernon back porch

Back side of Mt. Vernon



Trail leading down to the wharf

That's it for now. Currently I am looking forward to some cooler fall weather. My boots and sweaters are calling my name, but I can't quite get them out yet with 90+ forecasts this week... my wish will continue, I guess.

Gettin Back in the Groove

So, if many of you haven't noticed, most of the blog last year was dedicated to my sweet baby girl! As much as I loved tracking all of her fun little mile stones month by month, I'm ready to get back to other things. I'll still update everybody on Miss K, I don't ever go very long in a conversation anymore without mentioning her, so no need to worry about that. I'm not sure what I'll write about now. Our adventures in Texas still and probably some random thoughts here and there. For now I'll give a quick recap as of what has been happening lately.

We had a trip to Utah to visit Matt's family! Even though the weather wasn't ideal, we had a great time! We visited with lots of relatives, went zip lining, rode the Heber Creeper, had a girls day with Matt's mom and my sister-in-law, saw the Payson Temple open house, and Matt and I spent our anniversary there as well! It was a fantastic trip! We can't wait to go back this summer!

What's going on with Jamie:
For those of you who don't know or haven't heard yet, in April I passed my test to become a Group Fitness Instructor. I had been studying since the end of December and, while I feel like I told many of you, there were also a lot of my friends and family that I kept in the dark. Mostly because I was so nervous about doing this. I had been talking about it and planning it for so long in my brain and once I started actually pursuing it I didn't want to blow it. I also didn't want EVERYONE to know that I had blown it. I figured, If I passed I would celebrate loudly and let everyone know, and if I didn't it would go quietly unnoticed and I would feel down for a bit and then move on. It was the first big academic thing I had done since I graduated college! I had to recommit to studying and have a schedule and be organized all on top of being a full time mom to my favorite little girl. It was tough and most days I struggled to stick with my schedule, but I made it through and I passed! Now, I am looking for a job with a gym. I took a few classes and have a pretty good idea of what I'd like to teach, now it is up to someone to "take a chance on me" (Abba anyone?) to give me some experience and get me moving down my new career path!

What's going on with Matt:
Matt is so awesome! He is an amazing husband, fantastic father and such a hard worker! Right now he puts in a full days work, comes home eats dinner and spends a few minutes with Kinley and I (literally a few minutes) and then he is off to the library to study until it closes every night! He is a dedicated man, I tell ya! What is it that he is studying for? Well, most of our friends and family know, but he is studying to take the GMAT for... GRAD SCHOOL! He came to me with this plan a little over a year ago. He told me one of this goals has always been to go back to school to get his MBA. Of course, I support this decision whole heartedly and so now here we are. He looked into a lot of schools! Some here in Texas, and some in other states, but one school always stuck out to us in our minds. Right now, our plan is to try and get into BYU in Provo, Utah. I have gotten so many questions from friends and family about this decision, and all I can say in response is, we have looked at all the options. This is the best option for us and our family.

What's going on with Kinley:
Kinley is doing absolutely great! Well, at the moment not so great. She has been under the weather recently and now she is teething. Up until now she has never even winced with any of her previous teeth. But whatever is trying to make it's way through is giving her a tough time! I hope she'll start to feel better soon. I miss my happy-go-lucky baby! Other than that she is growing and babbling and starting to stand! Her hair is turning blond. Matt doesn't like to admit it, and I am loving the change. She tans so easily too so she is looking like a little beach babe! I love this little baby of mine!

What's coming up for the Glenn Family:
-Matt's test
-Two trips to Utah this summer
-Our first family vacation to Washington DC
-Making lots more memories with our friends in Texas!

The Big 1

Dear Kinley,

First of all, happy birthday my sweet baby girl! I have been saying this a lot lately, and I know it sounds completely cliché, but I really can't believe it has already been one year since you came into our lives! It seems like not that long ago I was snapping pictures of you in my big belly and being so anxious and nervous for your arrival. I remember thinking the day that I went into the hospital that I was finally going to get to meet you. I wasn't apprehensive or scared about the inevitable painful process of your birth, I just couldn't wait to finally meet you, to hold you in my arms and kiss you and to tell you that you were mine. Seeing your face for the very first time is something I will never forget. You looked nothing like I imagined. You looked more beautiful than anything I could have imagined. Both Dad and I kept saying, "she is too beautiful to be ours."

Let's get down to business  before this mushy letter continues. You now weigh 16 lbs. I have no idea how tall you are yet, but we will find out soon at your one year check up. Your eyes are still blue and your hair is still brown and continuing to grow. Not long enough to put in a ponytail or anything, but it's still growing. You crawl around and get into everything. You love to touch everything. Your favorite things to grab are anything electronic. Remotes, cell phones, computers, etc. You enjoy walks and being outside. You are a major flirt, already, always flirting with boys, big or small it doesn't matter. They acknowledge you and you immediately put on the charm. I pity the boys who will fawn over you in later years. You are chatty as ever. You are learning to say "yes" at the moment and you are wiggly as ever! You are still a pretty good eater, but you haven't been a fan of your formula these days. I am hoping you will have a different attitude towards cows milk, or you might just end up like your mommy not really caring for the stuff.

This past month as your birthday has been approaching I have been able to reflect on this past year with you in our lives. To say that you turned out world upside down seems like an understatement. I never knew the capacity of my love towards another until I met you. This past year has been one of the best and hardest years of my life. There were so many times where I laughed and cried and screamed out of joy and anger all in one day. My patience has definitely been put to the test. Some moments my patience succeeded and other moments it didn't. A lot of days felt like I had lost all my sanity completely. And then there were days or moments when I would just sit back and think, "How did I get so lucky? How lucky am I to have this precious little girl in my arms and to be her mom?"
I feel so blessed to have a little girl who is as snuggly and affectionate as you. I think I needed that and you delivered, perfectly.

I'm sure I could go on and say a million other things about you. But Kinley, what I want you to know most is that you are truly one of the greatest blessings I have ever received in my life. I still have mornings where I wake up and am in disbelief that I am actually a mom. It's been a dream of mine to be a mom for so long, and now that it's here it doesn't seem real. I hope you know that I am always trying my best. Some days I feel like I don't have a handle on motherhood at all, but you know? That means I get to fly by the seat of my pants, and I love that.

 I love you more than you will ever know, sweet girl. I have loved this year with you and I can't wait for the many more years ahead that I have with you. Both Dad and I tell each other every day how lucky we are to have you in our lives. Happy FIRST birthday, Kinley Rae!!! Here's to many more!

Love, Mom







Birthday day!

Hey all,

I thought I would give a recap to all the birthday festivities that went on yesterday. I always meant to post about Matt's birthday as well, but I kept putting it off and now it seems a little too late. Next year I'll be better though.

I woke up yesterday morning, as I always do now; to the sweet sounds of Kinley babbling in her crib. I do love that she is so happy in the morning, really that she is happy all the day long. Matt took care of the diaper changing, brought her into me for some snuggles and got right into the kitchen to make me breakfast. By then, I knew it was going to be a good day. He made me my current breakfast favorite which is waffles. During breakfast I told him that I was thinking of starting the fitness challenge I agreed to, since I was feeling a lot better.
              *side note 1: A woman from my church wrote a post on Facebook about wanting to do a squat and   plank challenge and asked if anyone would like to join in. Of course, I said yes!
               **side note 2: I have been fighting a sinus infection for the last week, worst one I've had in a long time!
(okay, now we are all caught up)

Matt then kept asking me when I wanted to open my birthday present, to which I kept replying, "oh, we could do it later this evening, or right before we have cake or something." But that didn't seem to be good enough. He was so antsy to give me my present and kept saying, "Don't you want to open it now? Don't you want your present now? I really think you want your present now..." So I gave in and I made my way to the couch and he told me to close my eyes. I opened my eyes to find a big gray Nike bag...

Now I'll be honest, my first reaction was, "you got me a Nike bag?! Why?" But he seemed too giddy about just a bag, I knew there  had to be more... I opened the bag to find my awesome pink training shoes! I have wanted a new pair for a long time, and I've been swooning over all the bright crazy colors Nike was coming out with. I couldn't believe that he picked out these shoes all by himself! I was quite impressed and so anxious to try them on. I put the bag down and was about to give him a big smooch for my awesome gift when he said, "There is more." I thought, there is more? What? He told me to open the bag one more time, and I pull out a pair of hot pink yoga pants. At this point I am over the moon! He put a lot of thought into this gift and I love it! I love my shoes and my pants so much! I put everything on and got right into my workout. I truly believe a cute pair of shoes and some hot yoga pants can totally motivate someone to get their sweat on!

After my workout and a shower we headed to the movies to catch a matinee of Cinderella. We figured it would be the best time to go with little Kinley since it was a Monday in the middle of the afternoon. And we were right! The only other people in the theater was another mom and her little girl. The movie was fantastic! Kinley was a little squirmy though out the whole thing and she didn't like the fact that the volume of the movie was louder than her, no matter to her though, she just talked louder. Haha, that baby is going to be one chatty girl! Oh! The other great part about the movie was that Matt let me sneak in lunch for us! I have a little confession... I love sneaking food into movie theaters! It's a big guilty pleasure of mine. I feel so mischievous, without doing anything seriously wrong. It must have come from my mom sneaking in candies and popcorn for us when we all went to the movies when we were younger. So I got to watch my movie while eating tacos, which were much more fairly priced then a bag of movie popcorn.
** I tried to get a picture of the 3 of us at the movies, but the lights dimmed too quickly and I forgot to get one afterwards.

After the movie we walked around the little outdoor mall where the theater is located. I needed to get a little something for me to wear for our family pictures coming up, which I cannot wait for! We then, picked up my cake and headed home for a much needed nap for Kinley.

Matt and I were still full from our tacos so dinner was a little later. Since Kinley and I were both under the weather last week and still not at quite 100% we decided to order in some pizza. That pizza hit the spot! Since dinner was a little later, as soon as we got done, it was Kinley's bedtime, so we put her to bed and Matt and I hung out for a bit. Since we were still full from the pizza, we didn't take out the cake until we were about to go to bed! Matt lit the candles and sang the obligatory birthday song. There was no need for me to make a wish, my day could not have been any better, so I blew out my candles and had the littlest sliver of my delicious Nothing Bundt Cake. (I've never had these cakes until we moved to Texas, but I am so in love! Matt got me a White Chocolate Raspberry flavored cake, per my request) It was heavenly!

My birthday was amazing, I got so many phone calls and texts and messages on social media, I never felt so loved! I wish more of our family could have been here to celebrate, but we made do, and it was still fantastic! Thank you to everyone for all the birthday wishes. I am truly blessed to be surrounded by so many wonderful people! And a special thank you to my husband (who probably won't even realized I posted this.) He made sure I felt special all the day long and I truly did. I love him dearly and I can't thank him enough for all that he does for me! So, here is to the big 2. 8. We have some crazy plans for this year! I can't wait to see how it all works out!

This was our cake before the cockroach ruined it.. =(