2 years old

Mackenzie is TWO! Wow! Here are some random notes so we can remember everything about her years from now :)
She slept in pajamas no zippy 4/18!  (Will we remember years form now what a Zippy was?! After 2 years of wearing one I hope so!)

Sleep this month was 7-6:30 but seems to be 7-7 again! Naps 1-2:15 or on good days 1-3!
Your Nighttime Routine is: Head up around 6:40, brush teeth, change diaper & put on pajamas, read 1-4 books (depends on the day!) and then pray and sing Jesus loves me 2x.  You then lay in your crib and we put your blue blanket over you and turn on your mobile (yes you insist it stays and is ON when we leave).  You like to have your fan on too!

Eats blueberries now and pizza..

Likes to ask for snacks - asks for raisins in trail mix and "blue ones" (m&m's).

Is putting together 5-6 words 

Example: Park swing slide flowers yucky bugs :)  Oh no knees hurt kiss it

Sings songs to herself: wheels on the bus, Jesus loves me, gymbo song :) 

Likes to hold Abby more now and will ask, doesn't like when Abby cries she'll say "Abby stop please" :) at least she's polite! Abby thinks its pretty funny when you talk to her or are silly right in front of her.

Lately Mackenzie has been repeating bump head, knees hurt, or boo boo kiss it!  She seems really aware when something is "off" and these memories of getting hurt stick in her mind - ban bans are bandaids.  She is very caring and will gives lots of kisses to anything "hurting".

From here on out we wanted to do a questionnaire every year to remember the small details that 10-15 years from now will be hard to do!

Nicknames: Kenzie, silly bug

Weight: 28 pounds 

Height: 35inches 
Favorite color: Talks and points out pink the most
Favorite animal: Birds - loves watching them fly!
Book: Right now at bedtime we are reading Curious George and the Dump Truck & Chicka Chicka Boom Boom has lasted on and off longer than others!  Snow White is popular and so are a few Elephant books
TV show: Daniel Tiger, Lion Guard, Curious George (or whatever is on at the time).  For special times she asks for Veggie Tales (more lately - its specifically Jonah!).
Movie: Toy Story 2 or Frozen
Song:Wheels on the Bus.  She asks for the song Deeper by Meredith Andrews
Food: Fruit - apples, blueberries
Drink: Milk and water
Breakfast food: Pancakes for sure! Which only happen when Daddy is home on weekends :)
Snack: She likes to ask for special treats after nap (chocolate lol) but day to day its raisons/bunnies
Outfit: long sleeve shirts and pants, she will now say "cute" when putting on a shirt she likes! She sometimes asks for pretties in her hair (bows)
Game: "Chase You" which means we run around the house and chase her.. and also get very tired!
Toy: Her "people" which include toy story guys or play doe
Best Friend: Daddy & Mommy & Abby and now Baby Nate :) Sooooo cute!
Thing to do: Parks, Chalk, gathering rocks, play with food, run around and dance to music, clean (likes to sweep)
Your "skills":  You can count from 1-10 pretty well and consistently correct these days, you know all your letters and numbers by sight.  You can sing a few songs.  You know all major and even some random body parts (neck, eye brows...).
Favorite things to do outside: Parks, picking dandelions lately, walk on the edge of the playground like the balance beam!
Favorite holiday: doesn't really know yet ;)
What does she take to bed with her at night?: She has about 6 stuffed animals in her bed - pink teddy, snowman, elephant, zebra, bear, valentines dog (puppy), blue blanky and a small pillow! Oh my gosh!
Where is your favorite place to go?: Gymboree, Parks, Library (recently just got the concept of checking out books)!
Favorite Restaurant: Doesn't really have one... the place she has been the most is probably breakfast at Walker brothers or Egg Harbor

What do you want to be when you grow up? : Well you do not know - but I think you'll be someone who can talk to lots of people and bring people together for a good reason!  Maybe a inspirational speaker or in ministry of some sort.
What did you do on your birthday?:  Today you woke up at 7am (a little before yelling mom and then meeeee ma).  When you woke up we sang you Happy Birthday and Abby joined in.  You saw your new kitchen in the loft so you wanted to play with that.  While you played Dad started breakfast.  We all ate chocolate chip pancakes and bacon (these past 3 months you have learned to like bacon).  Then we headed off to church.  Unfortunately someone bit your hand -more on this some other time?!- After church you and Dad went to play at the park in our neighborhood.  You played with a girl from our new neighborhood.  Then the four of us went to Mariano's across the street to pick up lunch.  We got some fruit, mac and cheese and chicken for you.  You also got to pick out a cup cake.  They had a sesame street one there and we let you get that.  Then we ate lunch and you took a nap from 1:15-3.  After nap we let you have some of your cup cake which was very blue and very messy :)  We then went to citizens park where you did not want to go on a stroller ride with your sister so you walked around the played on the "balance beams" with Dad.  Then Dad wore abby in the wrap (first time ever!) and mom and you got to play!!! We did slides and I watched you go everywhere all over the play ground.  There were so many kids there.  At one point in time a little girl grabbed your hand and was taking you around form place to place :) You definitely did not want to leave so we for sure bribed you with more cup cake hahahah only because it was your birthday! So we came home, ate dinner and you requested to watch Jonah (Veggie Tales).
I had the privilege of putting you to sleep for the night and of course cried once again.  Last year on your birthday and this year when putting you to sleep for the night I thought of the night you were born.  So small, sweet, little, swaddled up on my chest or in the bassinet... seeing you for the first time, holding you so tiny on my chest.. so many memories.

You have grown up SO SO much this past year and I can only image in how much more my heart will grow to love you.  You are caring, joyful, talkative, gentile (and feisty), so smart and so much more.  You go through the day with all you have - you play to your hearts content and LOVE attention.  You have been more affectionate lately with kisses and holding our hands when we walk from place to place.  Whenever Abby wakes up from nap I always ask if you want to keep playing or come along upstairs to get her and you ALWYAS come.  You take my hand and let me walk you up the stairs.  You sing Abby songs when she is crying and give kisses when things hurt.  You make silly faces and definitely know when to push our buttons :)

Some pictures form your day --

Waking up and singing 

When you saw your kitchen - you said "wow"!

eating the cookie first of course

so much blue

Abby wen to bed a little bit early so we had a few minutes together before bed :) 

Abigail 4 months :)

4 months - February 29 - March 29 

Its been a busy last couple of weeks so I am just now getting to your 4 month post Abby!  Of course many things have changed since you are now 4 months + a few weeks!  Here are some pictures of your month ~4~

 BUnny Brunch at Ivanhoe!  You were unfazed by so much going on around us!

You get a bath every night!  This is something wayyyy different than mackenzie (only like 1-2 per week when she was young!)

I still cuddle with you for nap sometimes - which is someday going to end so I am trying to enjoy it!

 We went to the Dr. three times this month for your skin and we have a pediatric dermatologist appointment sometime in May.  You have proven to be a bit of a challenge when it comes to sensitive skin.  You most likely have a milk protein allergy and this explains the rash, spitting up and overall gassy ness ;) Your rash was really bad... so we have you on a hypoallergenic formula and about three prescriptions and acid reflux meds! Ah!  Its like a book to explain to someone when they are going to watch you.

Your First Easter!! 

Lots of Naps late in the month with Mommy!  Early in the month you were putting yourself to sleep!! It was so nice :) Now, I think you went through a little sleep regression so I am hoping to put you down and have you go to sleep on your own again sometime soon!

4 month old Abby 3-29-16

During this month you were waking up anywhere between 3-5am!  Then eating every 3 hours from there on out - 5oz of formula.  You are still taking 4 naps a day with one long one because I was sleeping with you :) At your doctors appointment she said you may not extend your naps until 6 months since you are 98% for height (26.5 inches) and 50-75% for weight (14 pounds 6oz).  So far you are both longer and weigh more than your sister!  You are playing with toys and eating your hands or anything that touches your mouth!!! We love you very much!

23 months!

Mackenzie is almost 2! So this will be my last monthly post on her :) I decided from now on I will do about every 3 months since not as much will change! So when she's 2, theb sometime in July, then at 2 and a half in October. We will go from there, see how it works :)

You kissing your sister!  Sometimes you are very loving and want to be right on top of her!

3/4 When you had another cold... this time was a BAD cough!

Playing at the park 3/8 when it was nice multiple days!!

This month we started play doh!  You really like it.  Its been about 3 weeks and the colors have officially all blended but you really do not care :) 

We had a bunny brunch at Ivanhoe!  It was so fun to dress you and your sister up!

You liked the ballons as we entered

Sitting with your dress all UP on the chair haha

You were so excited to be eating lots of treats and chocolate pancakes!

Watching the dancing while daddy tries to get you to smile.

They had live butterflies!! You LOVED it and still talk about it weeks later - If I mention the Easter Bunny you will say "butterfly!!! FLY!" 

You liked holding the stick until a butterfly came but were fairly brave.

Just eating some blackberries at the grocery store - this month you really like them and raspberries again!

3/17 St. Patricks Day at Gymboree!

I did your hair in pony tails

3/27 Easter Sunday!

Clearly you like to wear your Zippy after you wake up.. it was getting so dirty we made a new rule to only wear it when we sleep!

This month you slept 7-7 again thankfully sleeping in past 7 most days.  Your nap was always around 1-3 and you did not put up a fight!  Hooray!  You are wearing 3t clothing and still in diapers (we picked a weekend to potty train in July unless you seem VERY ready sooner).

You now say 3 words together well and can hold a good conversation!  You have a lot of imaginary play and LOVE to play with others- you are a very social person!

We LOVE you and can't wait to celebrate you being TWO!!!!

<3

A year of life! Abby's Birth Story

Abigail Hope Lankford

Abigail has had a year of life!

Mike and I firmly believe that life starts at conception. We believe every life has a purpose from the Lord. 

It was this time last year unbeknownst to us that Abigail's life came to be! How precious are the Lords plans. 

{This post will have words like period, cycle, blood, ovulate.. you get the point - after all its a birth story!}

Let's back track a little bit. Mike and I had decided at the end of January that we wanted to start trying again. Since we had to try a bit longer with Mackenzie we didn't know how long it would take. I have PCOS so we were very unsure if I was going to ovulate naturally and have the chance to get pregnant! Since it was the first month off birth control we proactively were trying to NOT get pregnant (I have a bit of anxiety regarding this since our miscarriage happened in that first cycle off the pill). 

After about a month passed we figured we would just let it happened however God planned and it would work out. I had no clue if I was ovulating or even going to have a "cycle". I had to overcome that fear of planning it all out and just give it over the God. 

Well, we ended up getting pregnant about 6 weeks off the pill! I had ovulated randomly at 6 weeks -- how crazy!!! Of course I would ovulate weeks late, of course that's right when we were starting to just try! So weeks later when I started to feel nauseous I began to question... Was my period ever coming? Could I be pregnant? Why am I so tired?!

I took a pregnancy test the day after Easter - April 6! It was positive. I had kinda known in the back of my mind since I was exhausted, my boobs hurt and all the rest that comes with being pregnant. I was already 7 weeks pregnant. I had just no clue since I never got my period I thought I couldn't have been! My body didn't ovulate naturally before so why would it now?! Well it did! 

We went to dinner that night at wildfire. I didn't want to bust out the test in the restaurant so I told Mike in the car right before we went in. We both were extremely happy and just could not believe how God planned it all. I went in for blood work and an ultrasound weeks later. The confirmed the pregnancy and gave us our due date of November 26, 2015-- thanksgiving!

Here are some photos the pregnancy journey with Abby!

When I told Mike 4.6.15

My Birthday 4.11.15

12 weeks and our announcement! ;)

16 weeks in Cabo, Mexico

20-ish weeks at Alex's Lemonade Stand event in Chicago

Summertime bump!

Our Family & goodbye first home photos from the Krauskas!

Babymooning in Boston - 28 weeks :) 

30 weeks and I thought I was so big.. 

39 weeks!!! Common baby!

The night before my due date!! 

Past due.... 

So on the night of the 28th Mike and I were watching a hallmark christmas movie ;) All of a sudden I felt something... and knew labor was about to start!  This happened at about 9pm and we began to finish packing.  I brought the monitor to my mom so she could watch Mackenzie.  We got the hospital at about 11.  They checked and I was dilated enough to stay with consistent contractions.  From about 11-3 I had contractions every 3-4 minutes.  At that point I was fairly tired and the pain was starting to be a bit much!  So I decided to get the epidural - Mike left the room (after sleeping through all the contractions ha).  Once I had the epidural I was able to sleep as well! I slept on and off.  The nurse came in and checked and I had dilated to a 9 so I knew it would be any time now!  

Mike started to feel sick from being up all night & not eating so the nurses got to tend to him as well with some juice and crackers ;) At some point they told me that Abby was looking to the side instead of down but that she would most likely correct herself as I pushed.  However, when it was time to start pushing I could tell something was 'off'.  

At about 8am I started to push with the nurse.  I was with her for the first 12-20 minutes until Dr. Holden came.  She was actually who delivered Mackenzie too!  She told me that the baby was sunny side up or posterior.  They informed me that she would need to be taken right away as well since my amniotic fluid was discolored - Abby had Meconium Aspiration.  Basically, during labor she had passed meconium stool into the amniotic fluid and when she was born they would need to suction to get any amniotic fluid that was swallowed into her away gone.

So, being told all of that it was a fairly stressful birth.  I had pushed for about 30 minutes and it was definitely a lot harder than mackenzie.  I could tell when I was having contractions so I was pushing when I felt it.  On the last push Abby literally flew out - ha it was actually fairly graphic and the doctor has to CATCH HER. Like, movie style birth. It was very messy and all I remember was thinking catch her and ah (as blood, water, fluid) squirted up onto my arm.. yes my arm.  They and to take Abby right away to clear her breathing.  She wasn't breathing on her own when she came out... so there was no crying.  I remember telling Mike to go take pictures of her as the nurses suctioned, rubbed and tried to get her to breath.  As sad as it was, I remember telling Mike to take pictures - just in case - I just did not know what was happening and not being able to hear her breathe / cry was hard.

As they were working on her, Dr. Holden was talking to me trying to distract me -- 

Thankfully, after what seemed like forever - but was just a minute or two Abby was breathing and they cleared her lungs!  What a beautiful sound to hear.. at this point was when I could finally relax.

Abigail Hope Lankford - born 11/29/15 at 8:59am, 7 pounds 9oz (same as her sister) and 21 inches long!!

After they worked on her and did all of her vitals I was finally able to hold her :) I remember she started to nurse almost instantly - Mike and I were just amazed once again at the goodness of God, at his power and his blessing to us!

Abby's lungs were clear as well so that was a huge blessing!!! It all must have happened right before she was born so she did not swallow too much / aspirate it into her lungs.  

All I can say is WOW!  Abby's birth was so much more eventful than Mackenzie's.  Everyone always says it will be faster & easier and this was just totally the opposite.  I love birth stories and who every one can be so different.  I will always remember the day sweet little Abby came into the world, what it felt like to hold her in my arms for the first time and what those first days were like together.

Love you Abby!  We have loved you since day 1 of finding out we were pregnant!

We cannot wait to see the little lady you become.

<3 Mom and Dad

Medical Definition of Meconium Aspiration -- Before or during labor, the fetus sometimes passes the meconium stool into the amniotic fluid. It is not clearly understood why this happens. It may be a natural event, but it is also thought to be related to fetal distress in some babies. When the thick meconium mixes into the amniotic fluid, it is swallowed and breathed into the airway of the fetus. As the baby takes the first breaths at delivery, meconium particles enter the airway and can be aspirated (inhaled) deep into the lungs.