Happy birthday Kaelyn!

Four years ago today after I was induced the night before and in labor all night, Kaelyn Marie arrived around 5 something in the morning. She was a whopping 4 pounds and 11 ounces. She was just so unbelievably tiny that I think both Kevin and I felt a little lost as to what to do with her. :) Looking back at pictures of her not only as a newborn but as a baby, it's hard to imagine it's even the same person. We had no idea back then what her personality would be like and some of the struggles she would have. We loved her so much then but had no idea how much our love would grow as she got older. Today, given the choice, I wouldn't change a thing about her and I hope she always knows how much we love her and are proud of her. Happy birthday Kay-Kay!
I was going to post a few newborn pictures and annual b.day pictures but as I was looking through old pictures, it was just so much fun seeing them that I decided to post a bunch - and I DO mean a bunch. I imagine most of you (except grandparents, etc.) will get bored with it a third of the way down but that's okay - I enjoyed myself! :)

I just love the size perspective of these 2 (the one

above and below). She doesn't even look real in my

lap and you can see in the lower one that she wasn't

even as big as our placemats on the table!

A couple months old

Even a lot of preemie clothes were too big. We went

to Build a Bear when my family was here and bought

several items for her. My mom sewed the tail holes

up (since they were for stuffed animals) and they fit

her just perfectly. The visor and skirt here were both

from there.

This one cracks me up. Notice what her onsie from

Rach says - then look at her face!

Can you tell which one is real and which one is the

baby doll? (And look at who else has grown up a lot!)

Her first Halloween costume - she will

be absolutely mortifed one day I think!

I of course, think it's adorable.

Our first Christmas picture as a family - I wish

she would cooperate that well for pictures now!

This has always been a favorite of mine!

First birthday - I don't think she was really

that impressed by all the hoopla! :)

Partied out!

Kaelyn's second Christmas (2006)

Once again - one day she will be mortified - but

in all fairness, it was her doing to be going

around with the rag on her head. She went

through a phase of doing that and we never

figured out why. She would get a clean

(thankfully) rag out of the cupboard and put

it on her head while she played or watched a

movie

She was fast asleep on her changing table here.

Christmas of 2007 - it doesn't seem like

it's been a year and a half already since

we took this picture!

Third birthday party - also seems like it just

happened.

LOVE these hat pictures from last fall!

You can see that they have both done

a lot of growing and getting cuter in the

last four years!

Vacation last week

...And hopefully, some fourth birthday

pictures to come soon.