Betzen's Sunshine

McKenna - 7 Months

2012-01-12T14:41:00.004-06:00

Every month with McKenna is so much fun!

She loved bathtime!
Chatterbox!!!
Wears a size 2 diaper and 3-6 month clothing.
Addison and McKenna are really starting to interact and play together.
Went to the Beach.
Started holding the bottle on her own, but still prefers for me to hold it.
EXCELLENT EATER!!!
Sleeps through the night, 12+ hours. Takes two naps.
She is such a happy, loving baby.
Can stand up holding on to the coffee table for a few minutes (not pulling up).
No separation anxiety.
Loves to look out when being held.
She loves her big sister!!!

Computer Virus

2012-01-10T08:51:00.002-06:00

Ha, I sort of am laughing at my last post saying I was going to blog more this year and then have not posted anything since. I actually have a good excuse! I have had 3 nasty computer viruses in the past 3 weeks. These were the first viruses I have ever had! I have heard about the horror computer viruses can cause, and I can agree after experiencing it first hand. Turns out my anti-virus was turned off, not sure how I did that since I did not even know I had anti-virus software, ha. Thankfully my husband owns a computer company (www.austinareacomputers.com) and was able to fix all the damage (even though he was not pleased having to spend hours on my computer when he got home from work). If you are struck down with a computer virus, please call Austin Area Computers at 524-9089 or e-mail info@austinareacomputers.com. Now... back to blogging!!!

Guess what one of my 2012 goals is????

2012-01-01T09:02:00.003-06:00

TO START BLOGGING AGAIN!!! 2011 was an AWFUL year of blogging, McKenna is now 12 months and my last blog post was when she was 6 months. I think I was already behind when I did that post, ha. I am committing January to backwards blogging to catch everything up and will hopefully keep up with everything throughout the year. I have not done the girls baby books, so the blog is the only way to look back at everything. Thankfully I write everything down! Sometimes I struggle with the blog because it is all about our family and our girls. One of my goals to include is more blogs about my faith, fun things to do and recipes. Happy 2012!!!

2011-07-28T08:24:00.000-05:00

We started cereal, she loves it! We also have given her sweet potato, apple sauce, mashed banana and butternut squash. She is a champion eater!
Takes 5, 4-5 Ounce bottles a day.
Sits without support.
Passes toys from hand to hand.
Can successfully put her pacifier in her mouth.
Jabbers and does lots of happy screams!
Wears size 2 diaper, 3-6 month clothing Hair finally fell and looks more normal.
I still cannot believe how much hair she has, we can do things to her hair that we could not do with Addison until she was well over a year.
Still no teeth and no sign of them coming soon.
She loves to chew, but what baby doesn't at this age.
Loves bath time! She kicks, splashes and squeals!
Loves her exersaucer, jumparoo and play mat.
No sleep issues!

I took McKenna for her 6 month well check, everything went well. They only thing I need to work with her more is rolling back to tummy. She had no issues with her shots, such a big girl! Here are her stats: Weight: 15 pounds, 2 ounces (30th percentile) Height: 25.5 inches (60th percentile) Head Circumference: 43cm (75th percentile) Her weight dropped off a little bit, but Dr. Sperling was not too worried. She has a big head, you only really notice it when you try and put a hat on her head. I think it is funny that her head is only 4cm smaller than Addison's and they are 17 months apart. Now that McKenna is older and is doing more than eating and sleeping, I have to be careful not to compare her milestones with Addison. There are some that Addison was doing that McKenna is not, which bothers me, but I am trying to remember that all children develop at a different pace. McKenna is not "behind" in anything.

Wordless Wednesday - She is a hot mess!

2011-07-27T09:52:00.001-05:00

Comforting and Not So Comforting

2011-07-26T06:43:00.000-05:00

I have to say that Addison is such a sweet big sister. I have had very little issues with jealousy, fighting, etc. Recently I have noticed that Addison comforts McKenna one of two ways when she is fussing. She either tries to calm her by patting her back, rubbing her head, giving her a hug or kiss and getting a pacifier. OR she screams "STOP MCKENNA", ha. Here is a video displaying both! (After watching the video I realized that she hit McKenna a little hard, we will be focusing on gentle touch now as well)

Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace ; and the God of love and peace will be with you." 2 Corinthians 13:11

McKenna - 5 Months

2011-07-25T03:46:00.000-05:00

FUN FACTS FROM THE MONTH:

Loves playing with her hands and feet
Rolls over stomach to back
Turns toward sounds and when we call her name
Loves playing in the exersaucer, jumparoo and playmat
Started scooting
Can sit 1-3 minutes
Sleeps through the night
Takes two naps a day and sometimes a cat nap mid-morning
Take 5 4-5 ounce bottles
Starting to put everything in her mouth
Lots of vowel sounding baby babble
Wears a size 1-2 diaper and 3-6 month clothing (some 0-3 month still fits though)

Mckenna is such a happy, easy baby! Love her crazy hair!

Addison 2 Year Well Check

2011-07-24T09:24:00.001-05:00

We have entered an interesting phase where every time Addison sees a camera she says "No smile" and tries to run away. Hopefully this phase will soon pass! At least McKenna is not mobile, so I can get a good shot of one of my girls. The "action" shots are still cute though :) Anyways, on to the appointment. Brian took Addison by himself to see Dr. Sperling for her 2 year well check. Brian said that they appointment went well and we have a healthy baby, I mean, toddler girl! The only thing we need to work on is getting her to pronounce her words more clearly. Apparently a stranger should be able to understand 50% of what she is saying. We also found out she has an ear infection, so she started antibiotics yesterday. Poor thing, who knows how long she has had it. Brian said it was pretty bad :( Here are her stats: Weight: 25 pounds 6 ounces (40th percentile) Height: 34.5 inches (75the percentile) Head Circumference: 47cm (40th percentile) BMI: 15th percentile "But thanks be to God, who give us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" 1 Corinthians 15:57

Tickle Tickle

2011-07-23T08:40:00.002-05:00

Sweet sounds from such a happy girl... I love her smile and I love her laugh! "Then our mouth was filled with laughter And our tongue with joyful shouting" Psalm 126:2a

Hokey Pokey Time

2011-07-22T08:00:00.003-05:00

You put your left foot in, you put your left foot out, you put your left foot in and you shake it all about..

You do the Hokey Pokey and you turn your self around. That's what it's all about!Fun family times at our house!

Mum Mum

2011-07-21T08:53:00.003-05:00

In order to teach McKenna to feed herself, I started giving her Mum Mum's... she loves them! Even though they are "empty calories", I think it will help develop a skill needed later on. We started them early with Addison and she did great feeding herself later on.

The bad thing about mum mum's is they are a sticky mess when they get wet... if you don't clean it immediately it becomes hard and is difficult to clean.

My girl is growing up!

Addison's first Mum Mum post is here... http://thebetzens.blogspot.com/2010/02/mum-mums-are-yum-yum.html

Addison's Birthday

2011-07-20T08:16:00.007-05:00

We had so much fun on Addison's birthday! When she woke up, we sang Happy Birthday and she had pancakes for breakfast. I made her a special pancake shaped as the number 2 (it took 3 tries).

Then we met Amanda and Judah for lunch at McDonalds. The kids played on the playground for a few minutes and then we went to JW Tumbles for some real fun. Addison and Judah has fun running around, climbing, playing with bubbles, toys, etc. Here is a picture of Addison going down the big kid slide... it was really FAST!

After that we came home and took naps. Brian and Addison were supposed to go to swim lessons that evening, but he got delayed at work. GG and Papa came over to have cake and open presents. They made Addison an Elmo cake, it was awesome.

Addison was a little hesitant the eat Elmo, but she warmed up to the idea after awhile. I did not realize it would be so confusing for her!

Addison got all sorts of wonderful gifts from GG & Papa... an Elmo doll that sings the ABC's, a book, puzzle and clothing. Addison is super excited to be 2! I still can't believe I have a 2 year old. She totally amazes me and is such a little person. I can still see the baby in her when she sleeps. We love her so, so much.

2 Years Ago

2011-07-18T19:35:00.001-05:00

2 years ago today, sweet Addison Rose was born...

One year ago... Today... I cannot believe my "baby" is two years old. There is so much to say about Addison at this age.

She is sleeping in her big girl bed (a double bed). The transition was difficult, but I will save the story for a different blog post.
Sits in a booster seat.
LOVES her little sister Monkeyna (that is what is sounds like when she says her name, so cute)
She can talk in sentences, some words are clearer than others.
Knows all her colors, can count to 10 and can sing her ABC's.
She wears a size 3 diaper and 18-2T clothes
She loves shoes and "pretties" aka bracelets, rings & necklaces.
Starting to be very opinionated on the clothing she wears. If she does not like what I put on her, she will take it off and throw it in the trash can, ha.
Loves to sing, dance (she does a great booty, booty dance), do puzzles and color.
She is very helpful in cleaning up messes... she throws away her trash, will go get a rag to wipe up spills and will vacuum the floor!
She is a picky and unpredictable eater. The only veggies she gets are in the V8 juice she drinks in the mornings. I am sure this topic will come up at her well check on Friday.
She is a social butterfly and plays very well with others.
She loves Elmo and Barney.
She is technology driven. She can work the iPad, my iphone, Brian's android phone like a pro! One of her birthday gifts was a computer (doesn't every 2 year old need her own computer?). We got her a small table at Ikea and set everything up in Brian's office.
She is happy 95% of the time and can throw a good tantrum if needed, ha.
She goes to school twice a week and loves it!
We are carrying her less and less. This has been one of the more difficult things to tackle having two kids under 2.

I am sure I can go on and on... To sum it up, Addison is a sweet little girl and is so much fun! Happy Birthday baby girl!

Ummm... Yeah....

2011-07-17T10:10:00.000-05:00

Wow, I am so embarrassed that I have not blogged in forever! I think the same thing happened last summer. I have been encouraged by multiple people to start blogging again, so I am going to give it a try... again... The past few months have been a lot of fun. McKenna is 6 months, healthy and as cute as can be! Addison turned 2 yesterday, I am amazed at how much she has grown up. So today I will begin my journey blogging again... I just need to figure out where to start!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-25T05:45:00.000-05:00

Easter 2011

2011-05-23T08:01:00.000-05:00

This Easter was so much fun with our little family. We did our normal Sunday morning church routine, got the girls dressed in their new Easter outfits given to them by their Great Granmommy and went to church to celebrate our Risen King!

Here is a picture of both of them together... seriously getting a picture of my two cuties looking in the same direction and making a decent face is nearly impossible.

Sweet Addison looks so grown up here...

Happy girl playing with her new slinky bracelets from her Easter bucket...

Mommy and McKenna... love her!

Mommy and her girls.... so blessed...

McKenna in her dress... I love that it is blue and white with a dash of pink.

Later that evening Staci and some of our friends came over to hang out. We had so much fun!

McKenna - 4 Months

2011-05-21T22:00:00.002-05:00

4 months... seriously? Time is going by way too fast. McKenna is so much fun and is such a happy baby! Fun Facts:

Sleeping through the night - 7:00pm to 7:00am. She sometimes thinks 6am is a good wake up time, but will go back down with a pacifier plug.
Grabbing and playing with toys.
Loves the exersaucer and play mat.
Loves to stand up and face out.
Laughs and smiles all the time... all you have to do is look at her, ha. She is such a happy baby
Still only rolls from tummy to back. (her body goes wherever her big head goes, ha)
LOVES her big sister!
Wears size 1 diaper, 0-3 month clothing
Does great at the gym and church nursery.
Knows our face.
Responds to sound.
Loves playing with her hands and feet.
Naps 3 times a day.
Has 5-4-5oz bottles a day.

I took McKenna for her 4 month well check, she had fun playing with the paper on the exam table.

Here are her stats: Weight: 13 pounds, 11.5 ounces (50th percentile) Height: 24 inches (30th percentile) Head Circumference: 41.25cm (75th percentile)

She got two shots and an oral vaccine, she took them like a champ. Dr. Sperling confirmed that she is a healthy baby girl!

Easter Egg Hunt

2011-05-20T22:13:00.007-05:00

Last Easter Addison was crawling... at her first Easter egg hunt she found one egg and was very content. This year was a different story! Brian and I took Addison and McKenna to the preschool / MOPS Easter egg hunt at our church. Here is Brian coaching Addison on egg hunting techniques.She caught on very quickly...

Check out all those eggs! Funny story... Addison would open the egg to see if she liked what was in it before putting it in her bucket. Sometimes she would put the treat in the bucket and throw the empty egg on the ground, silly girl. Her favorite item was the candy "pretty" aka bracelet.

Picture with the "Easter Bunny", McKenna was not thrilled, Addison wanted to read the book...

It was a fun family time for us and I cannot wait for next year when both the kids will be running around collecting eggs.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-11T15:32:00.003-05:00

McKenna Saw a Ghost

2011-05-10T08:58:00.002-05:00

Ketchup Counts Right????

2011-05-10T08:19:00.003-05:00

Addison LOVES ketchup! When it is offered to her as a dip with hot dogs, chicken nuggets, sweet potato fries, french fries, etc. she often dips the food and licks the ketchup off and repeats. Eventually she does eat the main course, but it is after a lot of dips and licks, ha. She even licks the plate to ensure no ketchup goes wasted (she learned this from her father). Luckily I buy the ketchup that is either natural or organic, so it does not have a lot of the unhealthy high fructose corn syrup, etc. I know it is still not the healthiest option, but it still counts for something right?

Neenee the Lovey

2011-05-10T05:35:00.006-05:00

At one of Addison's baby showers, I was given a sweet lamb that plays "Jesus Loves Me". It stayed in her crib most of her baby days. Over the past year Addison has become very attached to the lamb and calls it "Neenee". We have a lamb for the house and one at school. I went and bought two more at the Family Christian Bookstore, but somehow Addison knows they are not her Neenee's and has rejected them. Her love for Neenee is so sweet, I often hear her through the baby monitor winding the lamb so it will play "Jesus Loves Me". I also have sung that song to her before bed almost every night since she was born. She often asks for Neenee when she is in need of comfort and won't sleep without it. I am glad she found a lovey that gives her comfort and security.

DeDaddy & Ducks

2011-05-10T04:59:00.000-05:00

Recently we took McKenna and Addison to see my Grandfather, it was good seeing him. After our visit we went to Johnny Finn's for lunch and so Addison could feed the ducks. It was so much fun! Thank you GG & Papa for such a wonderful day!

GG & Papa with the girls.

She loved the ducks and could have fed them for hours. It was so cute watching her.

Notice the sign...

She loves lemons, just like her Mama!

Mother's Day 2011

2011-05-09T08:42:00.005-05:00

Mother's Day at the Betzen house was very laid back and relaxing. Saturday we had a booth at the CedarFest expo, so yesterday I decided I wanted to relax. We skipped church, Brian made me breakfast, went to Costco, got caught up on some shows and took a nap. It was a good day! Next weekend Brian is taking me out on a date, woohoo.

Mother's day is a day that brings so many mixed emotions for those who have lost their mothers, lost a child or have fertility issues. Yesterday morning I prayed for those who may be hurting. Having two healthy girls of my own are a blessing that I do not take for granted (even though they make me crazy some days, ha).

The picture above was taken on Easter, I love my girls and I am so proud to be their Mommy!

McKenna - 3 Months

2011-05-09T07:35:00.005-05:00

Yes, I realize McKenna is almost 5 months, so I thought I better catch up on her monthly blog posts before I forget everything, ha.

McKenna is such an easy baby and brings us pure joy. We call her our "chill baby" because pretty much she just chills out all day.

Fun Facts of the Month:

No longer nursing, we give her 3 breast milk bottles and 2 formula bottles a day. Pumping is a huge pain, but I plan to continue as long as I can.
Rolls over from tummy to back.
Bats at toys on her playmat
Very strong neck
Makes cute baby sounds: laughing, squealing, screaming, cooing, etc.
Blows spit bubbles
Easily tracks objects
Recognizes our face and voices
Loves her big sister!
Still has crazy hair, but it is starting to lay down to one side. The back still sticks straight up.
Wears 0-3 month clothing, size 1 diaper.
Sleeps through the nights 7:30-6:30 (we do not feed her until 7-7:30 though)
Takes 3 naps a day
Does well in the nursery at church, MOPS and the gym
Loves looking around and being outdoors
She is a major chatterbox.
She does not watch tv :)

I am super bummed that I did not take an official 3 month photo with her duck, oh well. I have one for the 4th month.

A Different Look

2011-03-31T04:59:00.000-05:00

Here is McKenna with her hair combed down after her bath. She looks like a different baby!

There, that's more like it!

I love her crazy hair!

graffiti

2011-03-30T16:15:00.009-05:00

This is a sweet face of a sweet "artistic" girl who drew on EVERYTHING (including herself) in our backyard with chalk. It was so much fun watching her walk all over the yard adding her special touch.

We officially have the best looking smoker in town...

Her Kangaroo climber is where most of the drawing occured, too bad the rain washed it away. She chalked up the house, brick, doors, wooden frames, posts, fence, etc. Even the water faucet got some chalk love... Love her!

Sunday Lunch

2011-03-19T08:43:00.000-05:00

Our first lunch where we were all sitting at the table as as family. So sweet! Thank you timer on my camera for capturing this moment.

Bye Bye Sprinter... Hello Nitro 1 & 2

2011-03-18T08:05:00.004-05:00

We have been super busy at the Betzen casa... hence my lack of blogging. For me, working 20-30 hours a week on top of being a mom, wife, housekeeper and cook keeps me super busy. For Brian, our business is growing strong and we are in the process of hiring a new onsite technician to join our team. Right now we have two full time employees, one works at the office and the other does onsites. The sprinter aka. mobile repair center has been the primary vehicle for onsite appointments. Since we are hiring another technician, we decided to trade in the sprinter and purchased two Dodge Nitro SUV's... they are called Nitro 1 and Nitro 2.

We were sad to see the sprinter go ... Brian put a ton of man hours building the inside for all the computer repair needs. The Nitro is a very nice vehicle and will do well for what we need. Brian has been driving it since we have not hired anyone and loves it (he has been driving his mustang), so we may end up adding Nitro 3 to the fleet.

We feel so blessed to have a growing company that supports our family and provides jobs. The plan is to take Brian out of the field and do more business development. Having your own business is hard work! He works from 4am to 7pm almost every day!

Such a great big sister...

2011-03-11T06:10:00.004-06:00

Can you guess what Addison is doing in the picture???? She is teaching McKenna the hand moves to Itsy Bitsy Spider. It was so sweet listening to her sing the song and do the moves. She was very gentle with McKenna as well. Addison is so sweet and loving to her little sister, I can tell she is ready for McKenna to grow up and play!

Some other fun big sister moments....

When McKenna is is on her play mat, Addison gets on the mat and plays with her. This usually includes making silly faces in the mirror or taking the toys off the mat.

I put McKenna down for a nap in the bouncer. I ran upstairs to grab something and she started crying. By the time I got down to her, Addison was bouncing her gently in the bouncer and tried putting the pacifier in her mouth.

Addison loves to feed McKenna a bottle. In fact, she is skillful enough that she can drink from her sippy cup and hold the bottle for McKenna at the same time. I tried to get a picture of this yesterday, but failed.

Addison loves to lay a blanket on the floor for McKenna and swaddle her. She is getting much better at not putting the blanket on her face, but she does try to pull the blanket from under her.

Addison loves to rub McKenna's hair.

I love my girls and love watching them play together! It will only get better and more fun!

McKenna - 2 Months

2011-03-09T05:53:00.006-06:00

Fun facts for the month:

She has crazy hair... everyone comments on it and wants to touch it. So far I have not noticed any hair loss.
Smiling! Love it!
Starting to laugh... it sounds more like a chuckle
Wearing size 1 diaper, 0-3 month clothing
Likes her pacifier
Sleeps 8-9 hours at night. If she wakes up early then we can get her back to sleep easily with a pacifier.
Grabbing toys on her play mat, hair
Can hold a rattle for a minute
We do baby aerobics several times a day which includes tummy time, sit ups and squats
Loves to talk and loves it when you talk back
Takes a bottle, sometimes prefers it over nursing
Loves her play mat
Only cries when she is hungry or tired

We took her for her 2 month well check yesterday. I am so thankful to say we have a healthy baby girl!

Weight: 11 pounds 3 ounces (50th percentile) Height: 22.5 inches (45th percentile) Head Circumference: 39.75cm (90th percentile) (and no it is not because of all that hair)

Other facts from the visit:

Dr. Sperling said her neck was as strong as a 4 month old
Her head is nice and round
Got her shots and took them like a champ
No more intervention to make her "poop", if she goes longer than 14 days then we should call the doctor. (I know it sounds bizarre, but I have to trust what she says!)
I love love love our pediatrician! When she saw us she said she has been praying for McKenna's digestive issues! How awesome is that!

McKenna is such an easy going sweet baby. Her smile is so sweet and she brings pure joy to our family. Addison simply adores her little sister as well!

Scared of Da Bull

2011-02-17T10:09:00.006-06:00

A few weekends ago we went to a Austin Toro's basketball game. Our realtor sponsored an event in the box seat area and had several vendors there as well. I was talking to a vendor when all of a sudden I heard Addison start screaming. I thought she lost me, so I called for her. She saw me, was pale as a ghost, would not stop screaming and would not move. I looked over and saw Da Bull, which is the Austin Toros mascot. I went and got her to try and calm her down, but she was completely terrified.

Brian and McKenna came over to see what was going on and that is when we got this lovely family picture. Yes, Brian and I are laughing... do not judge us, it was pretty funny.

Some of the favorite pictures I see at Christmas time are the ones with the kids screaming in Santa's lap. Addison was not phased by Santa, but she sure did not like Da Bull.

Donuts with Dad

2011-02-16T05:00:00.000-06:00

Since before kids were even on our radar, Brian has been looking forward to going to Donuts with Dad at our church. On Saturday, his wish came true! Addison really enjoyed having donuts and juice with her Daddy. They made me a Valentine's card and played on the playground. I could tell Addison really enjoyed the one on one time with Brian, she was beaming when they got home!

Kisses for Daddy!

Kisses for Addison!

We said we would never do it...

2011-02-15T05:30:00.000-06:00

One thing Brian and I said we would never use is the Baby Bjorn. They are very practical, but we never had the need with one kid. It is a different story now that we have two kids!

So far the Bjorn comes in handy when...

~McKenna wants to be held and Addison wants to play.

~Allows me to run around with Addison at Gymnastics without having to pause every few minutes to check on McKenna in the stroller on the other side of the room.

~Going to the grocery story. Addison goes in the cart, McKenna goes in the Bjorn. We have yet to do this, but this is really the only practical way until McKenna can sit up on her own.

Here is Brian modeling the Bjorn...

Addison wanted a ride too (she is within the weight limit)...

Thank you Amanda for letting us borrow the Bjorn! It will definitely come in handy during the times where I need two hands!

Happy Valentines Day!

2011-02-14T16:53:00.002-06:00

Love,

Brian, Carrie, Addison & McKenna

And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 1 John 4:16

Capital Gymnastics

2011-02-11T03:42:00.001-06:00

One of my friends told me that a local gymnastics place has a toddler time twice a week and I knew we had to give it a try! Precious Addison is one of those girls who will trip over nothing, so I was excited to work on her coordination and balancing skills.

Here she is running down the trampoline...

Climbing up the wall...

She made it to the top all by herself!

Practicing balancing...

Swinging on the bars...

I think this will be a fun time for Addison and a good chance for me to meet other Mom's in the area!

7th Anniversary

2011-02-10T03:14:00.001-06:00

On January 24th Brian and I celebrated 7 years of marriage. The past year was pretty amazing with the birth of our second daughter, building a new home, cherishing out time with sweet Addison, building our business and much much more!

Every year our marriage gets stronger and it is because we strive to have God in the center. We are blessed with supportive family and friends who help make it possible as well.

For our anniversary we went on two dates. On the first date we got pedicures and went to lunch at Macaroni Grill. It has been years since we have eaten there and it tasted so good. Below is a picture of us writing our names upside down like the waiter does when he greets you at the table. Brian added the heart... so sweet!

Our second date we splurged and went to see The Green Hornet in 3D at Gold Class Cinemas. It was amazing and I recommend it! To me, the pricing is the same as going to a dinner and movie. We don't drink, so maybe that is where the cost savings is. The food was good as well! We shared the nachos and slider trio.

Having kids it is really easy to focus on your children and not your marriage. While we don't go out as often as we would like, Brian and I are both committed to keeping our marriage strong by having "us" time every once in awhile.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-02-09T05:12:00.000-06:00

The New Normal

2011-02-08T05:30:00.000-06:00

The past 6 weeks have been a little crazy adjusting to our new "normal". I pretty much feel like everyday I am running the marathon of life juggling between being a mommy of two kids in very different stages, a wife, a house keeper and a cook (thankfully we had meals made for us by our family, friends and church). I am still doing some contract work for Micross and marketing work for Brian. Needless to say my cup runneth over, haha. Someone in my MOPS group commented how I always have it together, I laughed and said that I cry in the privacy of my house. The good thing is that I am doing some things for myself as well, like going to MOPS, girls night and bible study every Wednesday.

I get a lot of help with the kids from my parents and Staci (SIL). Brian's parents came for 5 days and were a tremendous help as well. I don't know what I would do without everyone! We are so blessed to have such loving, wonderful families that want to invest time with our children.

I work hard every day to try and meet the needs of my girls and my husband. I am stretched pretty thin, but am starting to adjust. Prayer is always welcome and much appreciated!

Baby Toys Are FUN... Still

2011-02-05T14:33:00.007-06:00

With a baby comes a lot of big bulky swings, bouncers, play mats, etc. These items along with all Addison's toys have taken over my house. Addison has a gazillion toys to choose from, but lately she has regressed to playing with the swing, bouncer and playmat. Such a silly little girl! Luckily McKenna has no issues sharing with her big sister (yet).

Snow 2011

2011-02-04T10:16:00.015-06:00

This morning we woke up to an inch of snow... I was so excited to get Addison and go play in the snow, unfortunately Addison is a fair weather kind of girl and only lasted a few minutes."What on earth is this cold white stuff and why am I freezing"McKenna "chillin" in the snow...

Mommy and her snow toddler... Daddy and Addison Ready to go inside

Addison 16-18 Months

2011-02-04T07:31:00.001-06:00

It is so hard to believe that my "baby" is a year and a half old. It just keeps getting more and more fun! Here is Addison at 6 months... she has changed so much and now looks like a little girl!

Here is a brief overview of the last three months...

Addison is a super fun, spunky toddler with a ton of personality! Addison wears 12-18 month clothing, size 4 shoe (almost ready for a size 5) and a size 3 diaper. She can walk, run, skip, spin, dance, kick, throw and jump (rarely leaves the ground). She knows too many words to list, her colors, animals, body parts, animal sounds, some shapes and songs. Her favorite songs to sing are Itsy Bitsy Spider, Wheels on the Bus and Old McDonald... it is really cute. We moved Addison to one nap at 17.5 months, it was a blessing that she kept two naps for so long. She still sleeps 12 hours at night. We are so thankful for our good sleeper! Addison knows when she goes pee pee and poo poo and went pee pee on the potty for the first time. She is always happy to announce she went poo poo and starts pulling on her diaper. Not sure when we will actually try potty training, probably closer to two years. The biggest thing that happened was Addison becoming a big sister at 17 months! Overall, I feel she has adjusted as well as can be expected. She loves her "baby doll" and tries to help me do the simple tasks like getting a blanket, putting the pacifier in her mouth, burping, bouncing and swinging. I let her hold McKenna and she thinks it is the coolest thing ever. She loves to give her "sista" kisses as well. My prayer for Addison is that she will feel loved and secure in our family. I am trying my hardest to meet the physical and emotional needs of both my kids and it is challenging at times. Favorite Things To Do:

Read

Puzzles

Stacking Blocks

Dancing

Singing

Play "Ring around the rosie"

Eating... I swear she eats all day long Not Interested In:

Brushing her teeth (could use some advice here)

Watching TV

Vegetables I took Addison in for her 18 month well check and we are so thankful that Addison is a healthy, happy (most of the time) toddler who is right on track developmentally! Weight: 22.5 Pounds 25th Percentile

Height: 32 Inches - 75th Percentile

Head Circumference: 45th Percentile We discussed potty training, tantrums, discipline, teeth brushing, etc. I know I have said this before but I adore my pediatrician. She always takes the time to answer all my questions and never rushes though things.

McKenna - 1 Month

2011-02-03T05:01:00.006-06:00

Before I had McKenna, I told myself I was going to savor every moment because it goes by so fast. So here we are, McKenna is already a month old, I have slowed down a bit, but not enough! McKenna is a sweet baby and is so cute. Her obvious distinct feature is her crazy brown hair. I try to comb it to the side so I can put a little bow in it, but it goes right back to sticking straight up! Needless to say, with the receding hairline and spiky hair, she has to wear a lot a pink.

McKenna is pretty boring compared to her 18 month old sister!

She can lift her head, look around, etc.
We are doing a lot of tummy time & squats to build her muscles.
Responds to sounds
Loves to stare at lights, windows, ceiling fans and faces
Grunts and squeaks a lot
Started doing a little baby talk, which is super cute
Loves to play on the play mat... kicking and swinging her arms. She will occasionally grab a toy on the mat.
Sleeps swaddled in the pack-in-play outside our room.
Excellent sleeper - she will go 6-7 hours at night, which is delightful!
Loves her swing and bouncer.
I am breastfeeding, but she will take a bottle of formula
Loves her pacifier
Wears newborn sized clothing, newborn diaper
Weighs 9 pounds, 2 ounces

Our biggest problem with McKenna has been her digestive issues. Please pray that she will become more "regular". We had scans done on her belly, so there is no blockage or obstruction. I have eliminated diary from my diet completely :( and am keeping a food journal. It makes me sad that something I am eating is causing her some much discomfort, so hopefully we will figure out what it is soon. I want to nurse her a long as possible, but will obviously stop if we cannot figure out what the food sensitivity issue is.

Wordless Wednesday

2011-02-02T04:53:00.003-06:00

McKenna's First Bath

2011-01-20T08:01:00.001-06:00

We gave McKenna her first sponge bath a few days after we got home. Brian took care of washing the body, I took care of the hair.

She was not a happy camper, I think she got cold even with it being 78 degrees in the bathroom.

Much better...

Christmas Traditions

2011-01-14T17:20:00.014-06:00

Over the past few months Brian and I have been discussing what traditions we want to start as a family. The most important goal being keeping Christ in CHRISTMAS because He after all is the reason for the season. We decided that Christmas Eve would be the day we celebrate Jesus' birthday. Some of the traditions are baking a Happy Birthday Jesus cake and have the kids decorate it, going to Church as a family, eating Chicken a la King and reading the true Christmas story before bed. So this year we did just that! Scroll down to the bottom for a cute video.

We used simple icing and sprinkles for the cake this year...

Brian did most of the icing... Addison watched intensely and stuck her finger in the cake when she could...

mmmm licking the spatula...

Daddy putting the sprinkles on the cake... Addison eating the ones that fell on the table...

Finished product with Addison reaching for the cake... see a common theme here? Needless to say Addison had a huge sugar rush after the cake was complete!

Family picture before going to Church and the last picture of me pregnant :)...

Brian reading Addison the Christmas Story...

Addison reading Brian the Christmas Story...

Video of Addison reading to Brian...

Next Christmas will be extra busy and fun celebrating our Christmas traditions as a family of 4, spending time with our families and celebrating McKenna's birthday.

2 Week Well Check

2011-01-11T16:48:00.005-06:00

This morning I took McKenna to her two week well check and I am happy to say she is thriving and doing great! Here are her stats:

Weight: 8lbs, 2.1 Ounces (50th Percentile) Height: 20 Inches (50th Percentile) Head: 36.75cm (80th Percentile) I am glad her body is catching up with her big head, haha. Her head looks normal until you try to put a hat on it. I am in love with her full head of brown hair, I am pretty sad it most likely fall out. You can see the blonde, which is what I think her hair color will be if you look closely. So, how are we doing??? Here is a quick update on our precious family of 4. McKenna is a good baby. I have her feeding every three hours during the day and do not wake her at night to eat. I also give her a formula bottle ever day or so. She sleeps in a pack-n-play outside our room and seems to be content. Eat, sleep, poop is her motto right now. I have been doing tummy time with her since we brought her home from the hospital and her neck is getting very strong. She sleeps swaddled, but enjoys time on the play mat to swing her arms and kick her legs. She grabbed her first toy on the play mat today! The newborn stage, while quite boring at times, it very delightful! It is so nice having one kid who stays were you put them! Addison LOVES her "Baby Doll", she has been so helpful in getting me blankets, bouncing Mckenna in her bouncer and loving on her. She also give McKenna a ton of kisses everyday! Addison gets a little impatient during the last few minutes of the feedings, I try to keep her entertained as much as possible during these down times. Addison is such a good big sister and it is sweet to watch them together. I will give more of an Addison update on her upcoming 15-18 month post. Brian has been a ton of help with both of the girls! It was such a blessing having him home the week after McKenna was born. I know the girls enjoyed extra time with their Daddy as well. Brian's business is doing great, defiantly keeping him busy, which is good! Brian is an amazing father and is such a blessing to all of his girls. I am doing good as well. My recovery has been easy and I am just enjoying adjusting to my new role as mother of two! I also am LOVING not being pregnant! That was the third best Christmas gift after Jesus and McKenna, haha. I have some weight to lose, but I think it will be easy chasing after a toddler and taking care of my baby. I am still doing contract work for Micross and help Brian with AAC, it is nice to do something different even if it is just a few hours a week. So far it is going good (when everyone is acting right)... much better than I thought. I know there will be high times and low times to come, I am just going to enjoy every minute because it goes by so fast.

Animal Sounds

2011-01-07T11:03:00.002-06:00

Finally got a good video of Addison making her animal sounds. We missed the elephant and monkey (her two cutest ones). We were sitting on the couch one night and started naming animals and she would make the appropriate sound. Brian said he did not know she knew all those sounds and I said either did I! This is a good example of how much Addison has learned in school. We have only taught her monkey and tiger, GG taught her the elephant.

My Brother's Wedding

2011-01-06T05:38:00.010-06:00

One of the most difficult facts about McKenna's due date was that she would be making her appearance around my brother's wedding on December 31st. I was supposed to be a bridesmaid, but had to make the heartbreaking decision to withdraw because of all the uncertainties regarding when McKenna would arrive. For some reason I thought that I would deliver her early because God knew the desires of my heart and He knew I wanted to be at my brothers wedding. But when the due date came, without any indication of labor I was discouraged and came up with a plan B for Addison's care since it would surely overlap with John's wedding. As it turned out my water broke the night of my due date, had an easy delivery, got released from the hospital early, have been blessed with an easy baby who likes to sleep and my recovery was going well, so we decided to go to the rehearsal dinner and wedding!

Mr. & Mrs. John Beeson...

Picture of the ceremony... It was very cold but I can understand why they wanted it outdoors because the venue was beautiful!

The reception was amazing as well! I love the smores station outside, a perfect fit for a winter wedding!

McKenna and Addison had matching outfits...

Addison loved playing and dancing with the camera... I had to apologize to the Bride's parents for all the random pictures my daughter took with several cameras that were on each table at the reception.

Addison had a blast at the wedding! She enjoyed showing off her dance moves (she had the dance floor to herself) and chasing the lights on the ground.

This is one of my favorite facial expressions...She also had a lot of sugar!

The most difficult part of the trip was our hotel stay in Salado. It was difficult getting Addison to sleep because she has never slept in the same room as us. Addison is a restless sleeper and McKenna squeaks and grunts... combine the two and it meant no one slept very well. Addison also woke up when I had to feed McKenna. Needless to say I will do some research the next time we stay at a hotel, maybe a suite will be easier.

We had a great time at the wedding, it is so sweet to see my bother and his wife so happy. It was also great getting to spend time with my family.

Newborn Well Check

2011-01-03T09:50:00.001-06:00

One of the conditions of us getting released from the hospital was that we would go see our pediatrician first thing Monday morning. We were happy to oblige!

Here are her stats, she was 2 days old at this visit:

Weight: 6 pounds, 13.8 ounces (45% percentile)

Height: 19 1/4 inches (45% percentile)

Head: 35 1/4 inches (90th percentile)

We think they may have measured her wrong at birth because there is no way she grew a half an inch in 2 days. Dr. Sperling was concerned that she was jaundice. We knew it was a possibility from the blood work done at the hospital. They did more blood work at the office and called later that evening saying she was fine! The other concern here was her weight because she lost more than 5% since birth. We scheduled an appointment on Wednesday for a weight check. At the follow-up appointment she was 7 pounds 3 ounces, so there were no more worries regarding her weight. It looks like we have been blessed with another healthy baby girl! Our next appointment is for her 2 week well check. Below are some pics from the visit.

Getting her head measured...

Measuring her length... Weight check... she was cold... Getting checked out by Dr. Sperling...

I love our pediatrician's office, the staff is so friendly and they really take their time examining your child and answering any questions you may have.

Going to the doctor is exhausting...

Big Sister Gift

2011-01-02T09:31:00.004-06:00

One of the suggestions I got regarding introducing the girls was to get Addison a big sister gift from McKenna. While Addison is a bit young to understand the purpose of the gift, I went ahead and did it anyways.

Addison loves her baby doll and loves to push things around, so I thought the perfect gift would be a stroller. She has had fun pushing the stroller around the house. Plus it is something new and it entertains her during McKenna's feedings. GG & Papa got her a baby care set for Christmas that has a pack-n-play, carrier, changing table, bouncer, etc. which makes playing with her dolls even more fun!

Coming Home & Meeting Big Sister

2010-12-31T11:28:00.001-06:00

We were released from the hospital around 6:00 on Sunday. My parents met us at the house with "Big Sister" Addison. Addison was real cute and kept pointing at McKenna saying "Baby". She also loved poking and patting on her little sister aka live baby doll.

I don't feel she really understands what is going on...yet. Right now Addison is receiving the same amount of attention she always has, just some of the roles have changed. Brian has stayed home with me all week long and has been super helpful in getting Addison ready for school, playing, feeding, etc. The real test will come when Brian goes back to work. My parents and Staci have also been a huge help.

I know it will be a love / hate relationship for awhile between Addison and McKenna. I also know that it will be hard at time to balance the two girls since they are in such different stages of life. My top goal is to make sure both girls are equally loved by Brian and I and I know we will make it happen.

McKenna Noelle Betzen - The Birth Story

2010-12-30T11:01:00.006-06:00

McKenna Noelle Betzen

Born Saturday, December 25, 2010 at 8:57 am

7 Pounds, 4 Ounces

18.75 inches long

After the Christmas Eve service we came home and ate Chicken a la King, Happy Birthday Jesus cake and read the Christmas story. After we put Addison down, we started getting ready for bed. I have been sleeping in the upstairs guest bedroom every couple of nights so Brian and I can get decent rest (rolling over with my belly is quite the task). When I got in bed I heard Addison start crying, so I got up to go see what was going on and my water broke. I yelled downstairs to Brian that my water broke and he asked me if I was sure I did not just pee myself (love my husband). I told him I was sure, so he came up and helped me to the bathroom and got a panicked Addison from her crib. We called my parents to come get Addison, finished packing for the hospital and we were on our way to bring our precious daughter into this world.

I got checked into the hospital and around midnight my doctor came into talk to me about my options since I was not in active labor. We decided to hold off on the pitocin so I could get some rest, so I took two Ambien. They pretty much knocked me out until 5:00 when I started hurting. I got a shot of pain medicine. At 6:00 we decided to go ahead and start the epidural and pitocin. Everything was administered by 6:30 and I went back to sleep. Around 8:15am the nurse came in because McKenna's heart rate fell off the monitor, she had a hard time finding it and when she would it would fall off again. The head nurse came in and said they needed to internally check for her heart rate. When she checked me she said that I was ready to push! I had felt a little pressure, but being only 2 hours since the pitocin started I just thought I had a weaker epidural. The called the doctor in and two and a half pushes later McKenna Noelle entered into this world.

This labor and delivery was easier that Addison and I did not think that was possible! I am also so thankful that my doctor got to deliver McKenna.

Our hospital stay was short and sweet, we actually got released a day early. It was so nice being in the comfort of our own home.

My Ding Dang 40 Week Appointment

2010-12-22T14:18:00.004-06:00

Let me start of by saying I am very thankful and feel blessed to have carried precious McKenna to her due date. I guess my frustration comes from the vast majority of my friends who delivered baby #2 1-3 weeks early, so I just had it in my mind I would already be holding my baby by now! This is just a perfect example of God being in control, not me. What I am most bummed about is the longer this baby is in my belly, the less likely it will be that I attend my brothers wedding.

My doctors appointment went great, McKenna's heart rate was 137 and I measured at 39cm. My blood pressure was 90/50 and progressed a little bit more. Physically I feel I can carry this baby for a few more weeks, it is all the other stuff that makes me want to have her NOW!

My next appointment is on Monday at 2:00, they will do a stress test on the baby and will discuss our options. I hoping I will not have to go to this appointment.

FYI-At Addison's 40 week appointment, I had a scheduled induction / c-section because I was not progressing at all (zero was my lucky number). I had Addison two days later. I know God has the perfect day set for McKenna's birth, I am just praying for patience and acceptance for whatever that date is.

My New Cleaning Lady

2010-12-22T10:03:00.001-06:00

Having a toddler who is throwing food off the table when she is "all done" means a lot of sweeping and mopping for mommy. Addison is also in this cute mocking stage and wants to do everything that I do. Combine the two and you get a child who wants to help clean.

We had Christmas with the Kuhn's a few nights ago, and when Tania asked what she could get Addison I told her a mop and broom. Addison loves to sweep and mop, but the adult sized tools are a bit much for her to handle (they are only 3 times her size).

The Kuhn's got her this super fun cleaning cart complete with a mop, broom, vacuum (that works), dust pan, detergent and a spray bottle. She loves it! Please know that I am not breaking any child labor laws... turns out it is just a fun to sweep something into the dust pan as it is to take the dust pan and wave it around to put everything back on the floor.

Here's to creating some good cleaning habits!

Christmas with Family

2010-12-20T08:25:00.001-06:00

With McKenna being due on Christmas Eve and all the busyness associated with that, our goal this Christmas season was to celebrate Christmas "early" with each of our families. We celebrated with Brian's family over the Thanksgiving and on Thursday night we celebrated with my family.. my dad, Vicki, Rachel, Shane, Ashton & Alex. Unfortunately John & Stephanie we not able to attend, they are busy in Waco finishing up the semester and getting ready for their wedding on December 31st. We initially had the dinner scheduled for December 11th, but we were all struck with the stomach plaque that week and had to postpone.

GG & Grandpa put up a fun, child friendly tree with shatterproof ornaments. Addison was in awe of the tree and kept gently touching the ornaments and said "pretty". Kind of makes me wish I put up a tree this year because she is a lot better with it than I thought she would be. Oh dwell, I will take advantage of the 50% off after Christmas sale and stock up on shatterproof ornaments for next year. The twins... Alex & Ashton or is it Ashton & Alex... I can never tell them apart unless I physically see them in person. I love their hats and outfits! Addison had fun opening gifts, she was blessed with a Violet doll (Brian loved it because it came with a USB cable and you can program it), a dancing & singing frog, doll, doll gear and much much more. GG gave the girls a voice recorded "The Very First Christmas" book, it is something the girls will treasure for years to come. GG personalized the book and Addison lights up every time the book says her name.

Here is Addison shaking with the frog...

Addison was also very interesting in the gifts Ashton & Alex got...

The fun really started when it came time to eat. Of course, the kids got to eat first. Here is everyone in the line-up getting their tummies full. It was great listening to all the different sound effects made to get the kids to open their mouth for food.

After the kids ate, then the adults sat down for a delicious meal of smoked ham, veggies, salad and potatoes. Dessert was yummy as well with apple pie and cup cakes. It was pure joy getting together with my family, next Christmas will be even more fun with all 4 Grandchildren, 12 months and up... they will be all over the place!

There once was a girl...

2010-12-19T05:20:00.001-06:00

Addison's Grandmommy gave her a cd of about 50 nursery rhymes... there is one that describes our daughter perfectly...

There once was a girl who had a little curl right in the middle of her forehead.

When she was good, she was really really good.

But when she was bad she was horrid.

I love Addison with all my heart. We are blessed to have a sweet, loving daughter 95% of the time. I will say the remaining 5% can take a toll on everyone's sanity. Granted the "horrid" behavior is usually justified by teething, being tired, hungry or unable to communicate, but it is a very, very difficult thing. It also does not help that she is LOUD (wonder where she gets that) and that we have hard wood and tile flooring that helps spread the sound throughout the house.

Photos With Santa

2010-12-16T13:57:00.010-06:00

On Wednesday we went to the "Holiday Party" at Addison's school. We had fun hanging out with other parents and looking at all the artwork Addison completed over the last month. Santa was there, so we decided to take this opportunity to have the annual Santa photo. Since we did not get a good shot, I will give you the timeline of the 30 seconds she sat in his lap.

Checking Santa out... not too sure about him...

"Please hurry and take the picture and no I will not smile"

Getting distressed...Enough is ENOUGH!

Here is a picture of Addison with Santa from last year in Salado. I love the old fashioned look, too bad he was not in Salado this year. I am also amazed at how much Addison's hair has grown over the year.

39 Weeks....

2010-12-16T10:24:00.004-06:00

Had my 39 week appointment today. The good news is that McKenna is doing great and my body is handling the final days of pregnancy very well. My blood pressure was 100/60, McKenna's heartbeat was strong at 136 and I measured 38cm. My body is progressing naturally, which also makes me happy. It still looks like we are going to have a Christmas baby, I know I could have her anytime but sometime next week is the most likely scenario. I really wanted to have her this week for personal reasons only. Physically this pregnancy has been a breeze and I could carry her for a few more weeks if necessary. Next week is Christmas and I really want to be home with Addison on Christmas day (still might be, but who knows) and the week after is my brother's wedding. Today I thought we can celebrate Jesus' birthday any day, she will not know the difference. The only big bummer is not being able to be at my brother's wedding. Not saying it wont happen, but the longer McKenna is in my belly the less likely it will be, especially with the wedding being in Salado. God is in control and has the perfect date set for McKenna's birth. I just have to be patient and not try to take things in my own control and sent an induction date, haha. I am starting to like the idea of McKenna being born the same day as our Savior! So stay tuned... my 40 week appointment is set for the 23rd.

Toddler Full Body Kickball

2010-12-14T11:14:00.001-06:00

Addison loves playing outside, one of her favorite games is kickball... She is fully capable of kicking the ball herself, but what is even more fun is full body kickball!

Here she is going in for the kick...

and the BAMMM... she kicks the ball to Mommy. She laughs the entire time! Just another fun day at the Betzen house!

And in case you were wondering... Balls are not easy to climb on...

And they do not make good chairs...

Addison is ready!

2010-12-13T19:49:00.001-06:00

Well, to push her little sister around in a stroller that is.... Addison loves pushing things lately. McKenna's big sister gift to Addison is a toy stroller she can push her babies and stuffed animals in. Addison has been so obsessed with babies as well. I think the teachers at her school, Sunday school class, MOPS group, friends, family and of course Brian and I are working on teaching her "gentle touch" and "love the baby". It is really cute and she is really a lot more gentle. The true test will come in a few weeks with little sister arrives! I think Addison is going to be a sweet Big Sister!

Deep Conversations & Sock Wars

2010-12-12T07:05:00.001-06:00

Can someone please translate what she is trying to say? We have the same conversation many times a day, sometimes she even points the finger at us!

FYI... Brian is the one throwing socks at her, another bad habit we will have to break at a later date.

3rd Annual Salado Stroll

2010-12-11T10:50:00.001-06:00

On Saturday, we went with Tania, Kimball and Barbi to the Salado Stroll. This is the third year we have all gone and it is a fun tradition.

First stop is eating at the Stagecoach Inn. If you have never been, I highly recommend it. The food is great and the waitresses are unique. They recite the menu by memory and only say it once. It is a good thing the menu never changes and since we have done this for several years, we already know what we are going to eat. I will say this year we had the nicest waitress to date.

Here are Tania and Addison inside the restaurant, please note the delightful wall paper and matching curtains...

After we eat, we go strolling down main street, visiting all the shops. I love all the lights and decorations...

They have a lot of street food vendors and musicians...

Addison tried to get a random street musician to read her some books...

We took our first horse drawn carriage down main street. Brian was very concerned about smelling horse butt, so we sat in the back. Turns out the carriage is powered by a generator, and the fumes from that overpowered the horse smell, haha. The carriage ride was a lot of fun. Tania, Kimball, Maya and Barbi on the carriage ride...

Addison was exhausted but had so much fun! We look forward to next year when McKenna can join us!

Domain Christmas Tree Lighting

2010-12-10T19:32:00.001-06:00

The Domain is one of my favorite places to be... I love the food, atmosphere, shops (even though it feels like forever since I have worn normal sized clothes) and Staci (my SIL) lives there. This year we decided to attend the annual Christmas tree lighting. Brian, Addison and I got there early so we could get a good parking spot. We hung out with Staci and walked around. Addison had a lot of fun riding on Brian's shoulders, she had the best view! When the time was near, we got a close spot near the tree and stayed there for over an hour waiting! The place was PACKED! They had a fun concert before the tree lighting and fireworks afterwards. Overall it was a good show. Addison enjoyed the fireworks as well.

I am really glad we went! Next year we plan on watching the fireworks from Staci's apartment.

38 Week Doctors Appointment

2010-12-09T17:34:00.001-06:00

Today was my 38 week doctors appointment, it was a little bit different than normal but I will get into later. McKenna is doing great, her heart rate was 137 and my belly measured right at 37cm. I showed a little more progress, but nothing too exciting. Maybe we will have a baby next week, but who knows. Addison had a stomach virus on Monday and I got it last night. I will spare the details but will say it was the sickest I have ever felt. I was really worried about McKenna because movements were down (she is awake more during the day). So today at my appointment I told Dr. Solomon everything that had been going on. He decided to give me two liters of fluids and anti-nausea medication via an iv. I am starting to feel better, but now Brian is feeling sick. My parents are watching Addison tonight so we can rest. The good news is that McKenna is ok, everything else in manageable. Turns out the body is pretty amazing and will make sure the baby has everything she needs and I get the left overs, haha.

Pops Doing Addison's Hair

2010-12-09T16:42:00.001-06:00

Pretty cute... It was really sweet when I walked out of my room and saw Pops doing her hair. Out of respect I will not mention how long the pig tails lasted, haha.

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-12-08T15:38:00.001-06:00

Thanksgiving this year was divided into two days. On Thanksgiving Day, we went over to my parents house for some family food, fun and fellowship. It was great having the entire family together! The traditional Thanksgiving meal was served and it was super yummy! We also celebrated my parents 10th wedding anniversary! Her is a picture of the proud grandparents with all their grandchildren! Brian's parents drove in from Hereford on Thursday, so Friday we had our family Thanksgiving meal. The most exiting thing about the meal was Brian smoked his first turkey and it tasted great! Here is Brian "preparing" the turkey... The finished product... During the rest of visit with Pops & Grandmommy, we celebrated Christmas, went to Inner Space Caverns and went to dinner at Pappadeaux with my parents. It was a wonderful Thanksgiving and I know Addison had a lot of fun spending time with both sides of our families. We cherish everytime we can all get together.

Christmas Decorations

2010-12-07T15:29:00.001-06:00

One of my favorite things about our new house is the mantel! I think I am more of a simple person when it comes to decorating and although I love "things" I don't have much displayed around the house. I knew the mantel would be a fun way to display my style! Tania, my best friend / decorator for fun decorated the mantel for my birthday. I love what she did. I don't really have a decorating bone in my body, so when it came time to decorate for Christmas, I went to Tania for some guidelines. She said do blue, green, gold and silver theme. So over Thanksgiving Staci and I went to Hobby Lobby and Target and I think we did a really good job! I will say I was a bit overwhelmed at Hobby Lobby until we figured out the direction we wanted to go. It was nice taking advantage of their 40% off sale! We also made the wreath! All the wreaths we found were too traditional, so we bought a "undressed" wreath and decorated it with green, silver, blue and gold glitter ornaments and lights! It was fun doing this project with Staci. McKenna's stocking came in as well, which made the mantel complete! We wrapped the staircase in garland and put gold and silver accents throughout. It looks so wonderful!

We decided not to put up Christmas tree this year because all of our ornaments are sentimental. I could do a tree with the shatterproof ornaments, but we decided not to mess with it. We do have a small 12" tree in our kitchen that will just have to do. We did put a few festive items in the game room and did a centerpiece in the dining room as well.

That makes our decorations complete! Simple, but festive!

Giddy Up... Giddy Up... Lets GO!

2010-12-06T20:36:00.001-06:00

About 32 years ago my Grandmother (Memother) gave me a rocking horse and was passed down to my brother & cousins... below is a picture of me riding on it.

My Aunt brought the rocking horse on Thanksgiving and Addison loved it! So much fun! Then Cousin Alex wanted to join in on the fun... I love Addison's "Excuse Me, Back up off my horse" face... yes, we are working on sharing. The rocking horse is currently undergoing minor repairs and will be delivered to our game room soon. I love the fact that the twins, McKenna and John's future kids will all get to play on a toy my family all enjoyed many, many years ago.

Peek A Boo

2010-12-05T20:14:00.001-06:00

PEEK...

A BOO...

Uggies

2010-12-04T18:43:00.001-06:00

One good thing about the colder weather is that Addison can wear her pink Ugg boots! The boots were given to her last year from her cousin that lives in Australia. Did you know that the Ugg boots that we get in the US are made in China? The ones from Australia are made in Australia, but Uggs are more of a style name and different companies make them. Very strange and somewhat confusing! We found all this out when Staci was visiting her cousin Katie in Australia over the summer.

Addison- 16 Months (32 photos), by Carrie Betzen

2010-12-03T21:01:00.002-06:00

I'd like to share my Snapfish photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share. Click here to view photos

Full term baby in my belly...

2010-12-03T18:14:00.001-06:00

It is hard to believe that there is a full term baby in my belly! After spending way too much time on the Internet reading people birth stories, complications, etc., I know what a blessing and honor it is. I went to the doctor today for my 37 week appointment. My blood pressure was 100/60, measured right at 37 weeks and... are you ready for this... I am dilated 1 cm and effaced 40%. Now, I know that does not mean I am having a baby tomorrow, but what it does mean is PROGRESS! With Addison, I was 0cm dilated and 0% effaced up until the day I checked into the hospital, I had to have high doses of pitocin to get my body to do what it needed to do. Hopefully this means my body can progress through labor on my own without the need for any extra drugs, well other than the epidural of course. Doc things we will still have a baby around Christmas, so stay tuned!

Dream Nursery & Addison's Big Girl Room

2010-11-27T06:25:00.001-06:00

When we found out we were having another baby girl, we were super excited! Addison's nursery was pink and brown and I knew I wanted to do something different for McKenna's. Yellow is my favorite color and I did some research online and at etsy.com and found my idea room. I was talking to my friend who loves interior decorating about my idea and she said her mom could make all the bedding, curtains, etc. One Sunday afternoon we took a trip to the fabric store to pick out everything. All I pretty much did was push the cart, I have no clue what fabrics go together. Tania managed the entire project and the nursery was unveiled to me at McKenna's celebration.

So here is, the "You Are My Sunshine" themed nursery... I LOVE IT!!! I am also so excited for McKenna to have such a special nursery designed by people who are so important to our family. Usually people go all out for the first child, I feel like McKenna got the better deal nursery wise.

Here is the design team...

Tania was the project coordinator and the "designer", Barbi sewed EVERYTHING and made the Dream Nursery possible & Vicki did the amazing artwork! I am so blessed to have such creative people in my life... did I mention that I truly ADORE every one of them!

Now onto Addison's room...

For Addison's "Big Girl" room, I wanted to do something that would allow us to use all the pink and brown stuff we already have and reflect on her spunky personality. I found this bedding set at jcpenney.com and thought it was perfect! We bought the furniture at Rooms to Go and like it because it is something she can use until she goes off to college. You can tell I did the "designing" because the room is empty, haha. I am going to see if my wonderful "design team" can help me out.

Now here is the confusing part... Addison is going to be sleeping in McKenna's nursery for a few months. Even though Addison is an incredible sleeper (12+ hours uninterrupted), she loves her crib and I don't want to take it from her until she feels settled after McKenna's birth. We will probably try moving her into her "big girl" room when she is about 21-24 months. McKenna will be sleeping in a pack n' play in Addison's room until we do the big move.

36 Weeks!!!

2010-11-24T15:22:00.002-06:00

I had my 36 week doctors appointment today and everything is still looking good! I had a little scare last week with contractions (everything turned out fine, I was just over doing it and not resting & hydrating enough), so I was happy to hear everything is going well. I would love for Mckenna to come early, but 35/36 weeks is still a bit early.

My blood pressure is 110/70, Mckenna's heart rate was 147 and I measured right at 36 weeks. I probably won't get checked for dilation or effacement until 38 weeks. I got checked last week and there was no progress (shocker... look back at my June / July 2009 archives for all my depressed lack of progress posts, haha). The thing is that I know when my body is ready, it is ready, so those numbers mean nothing to me!

I made my last 3 doctor's appointments, which is CRAZY!

All is well in the baby world! We are looking forward to celebrating Thanksgiving with our families this weekend.

Pregnancy Quiz: Take 2

2010-11-02T06:00:00.001-05:00

I was reading posts (from not that long ago) when I was 32 weeks pregnant with Addison. I thought it would be fun to post the quiz again with my pregnancy with McKenna. Name: Carrie Age: 32 Birthday: Sept. 1 Birth Place: Austin, TX Height: 5'9 Pre-weight: Still not Telling Father's Name: Brian Age: 32, but almost 33 Birthday: Nov. 8 Birth Place: Hereford, TX Height: 5'11" Are you still together? Always and Forever How did you find out you were preggo? I was feeling like I was pregnant (but not thinking I really was), so I took a pregancy test just to make sure. I was very shocked when it came back positive. What kind of Pregnancy test did you take? I can't remember the brand but it was digital HEB brand. I remember asking the nurse if I should get a name brand test to make sure I was really preggo How many? 2 What were your 1st symptoms? Exhaustion, Nausea Who did you tell first? Leanne (I was freaking out). I went to the Carter's store to get Addison a "Big Sister" t-shirt, size 2 was the smallest size they had (makes sense). I put it on Addison for when Brian got home from work, he freaked out when he saw it but was very excited. Who was with you when you found out? Addison was down for her afternoon nap Was your baby planned? We planned on having another baby, this little blessing surprised us though! How far were you when you found out? 6 weeks per the baby size at our sonogram How did your parents react? Both sides were very surprised, Addison was only 9 months when we announced the pregnancy. We announced the pregnancy at Addison's Baby Dedication lunch with all our family and close friend. My baby Due Date: December 24th Do you know the sex? Yes If so, boy or girl? Girl Any names? McKenna Noelle Any Ultrasounds? Yes, 6 weeks (to confirm pregnancy, we had no idea how far along I was), 8 weeks to compare size and 20 weeks for organ check Have you heard the heart beat? Yes! Who do you think it will look like? I think she will look more like me since Addison looked so much like Brian at birth Will the baby have siblings? Yes, older sister 17 months apart Have you felt the baby move? Yes, she is a lot more calm than Addison, but I love feeling her move inside me. Miscellaneous Did you have morning sickness? A little, but nothing too major Did you have any cravings? Jalapeno chips, pepperocini's Did you have any mood swings? Not really...I can justify every emotion I have experienced during this pregnancy :) Brian would probably answer this question differently Formula or Breastfeeding? Breastfeeding - Goal 9 months Have you bought anything for the baby yet? NO! There is not a lot to buy since we are having another girl but there are several things I will get before her arrival. When did you start to show? 18 Weeks How long could you wear your regular clothes? 20 Weeks Will you keep the babies clothes? Some of them Home or Hospital? Hospital. Natural or Medicated birth? Medicated Who will be in the delivery room with you? Me, Brian Do you think you will need a C-section? I hope not Will you cry when you hold the baby for the 1st time? Yes What the 1st thing you might say to the baby? Hey sweetheart Will you let anyone video tape the birth? Heck no Are you excited? YES!!! I cannot wait to hold a sweet baby in my arms again! Addison's baby stage went way too fast! The thought of having a newborn and a 17 month old can be overwhelming at times though. Who will help you with the baby after the birth? Our families and close friends What is your favorite thing about being pregnant? Blessing from God and something I do not take for granted What is the worst thing about being pregnant? Heart burn, physical limitations in playing with Addison and giving her what she needs (carrying her when she needs comfort for long periods of time is the hardest). What's one thing do you miss doing since being pregnant? breathing normal after doing simple tasks (walking up stairs, getting off the couch). Any days you wish you were not pregnant? Yes, when I cannot fulfill Addison's needs or when I have to go up and down the stairs a million times in one day Are you ready for a baby? Yes, ready for a baby, but still some prep work to do before she arrives Do you have insurance? Yes How many kids do you want? 2, maybe 3 Do you talk to the baby? Sometimes Do you still feel attractive? Yes and No, I am gaining a lot less weight during this pregnancy thanks to the Addison aerobics, but I still have a lot of unattractive moments. Do you like kids? Love them, but older toddlers / kids I dont have experience with freak me out because I have not experienced that "stage" yet. How far along are you now? 33 Weeks

Addison's New School

2010-10-31T21:29:00.001-05:00

Addison has been in in-home care since she was 5 months old. Shirley took excellent care of her and honestly loved her like she was her own. When Addison was about to turn 15 months I started looking for a school to enroll Addison. I felt like she was ready for more kid interaction and a more structured play time. Plus, with McKenna's arrival just around the corner, I wanted to get her adjusted to her new environment before I rock her world with a new baby in the house. Most of the preschools do not take 15 month olds and the ones that do were full with a waiting list. Bright Star Academy just opened 5 minutes from our house and they have a part time program. I went in to tour the school and it was perfect! One of the great debates when looking for a preschool is a play school vs. a educational school. I think Bright Star has a curriculum with a good balance of both. Addison has been going to school for 2 weeks, the first day was pretty horrible because it was the first time since she was 8 weeks that I have left her with "strangers". They were very attentive to her needs and said it was normal behavior. Now she cries for a few minutes when I leave, but her days are getting better. They even got her to take a nap on a cot, which totally amazed me! If you are looking for a daycare or preschool in the Cedar Park / Leander area, I would recommend Bright Star Academy, you can visit their website here.

Sweet Berry Farms

2010-10-30T21:24:00.001-05:00

On Friday after Addison's school party, Staci, Addison and I ventured out to Marble Falls to visit Sweet Berry Farms. A lot of families go there every year to take pumpkin pictures and partake in the fun outdoor activities. Before heading out to the farm, we at lunch at the Bluebonnet Cafe, it was yummy southern cooking. We did not get pie (which is what they are famous for), can you believe it!

The weather at the farm was warm and beautiful! The potential to get great pictures was there, the biggest issue was that Addison pulled out her side pony tail, so hair was in her face. Addison had fun playing on the pink tractor... The assortment of pumpkins were too distracting... we could not get her to look at the camera... This pumpkin was really heavy...

The official "Pumpkin Picture"...

Addison thought the goats were "pretty" (her new favorite word)...

Chasing your shadow is fun too...

We enjoyed our time with Staci! Staci starts her new job on Monday, so we will miss hanging out with her during the weekdays. The past 4 months have been so much fun having her around.

We look forward to visiting Sweet Berry Farms next year with both kids...

Preschool Halloween Party

2010-10-30T21:00:00.001-05:00

On Friday morning I took Addison to the Halloween Party at her school, she had a lot of fun off and on (she is teething 4 molars right now, so her mood changes quick!). We started off by going trick or treating to the different rooms, I think all the kids were a little young for this activity because it turned out to be all 3 teachers scrambling to keep 8 12-24 month olds together. I was the only parent there at the time and I was exhausted trying to keep up with my own kid! God bless those workers...

After the trick or treating attempt (we ended it early), we went outside to collect a pumpkin with candy corns in it. Addison immediately took all the candy out of her pumpkin and started eating the sugary delight.

Our sweet little cheerleader could have really used some cheer when they decided to take a class picture...

They we all went inside and played together, it was fun watching Addison play with her new friends.

Overall I think she had a good time, she was a little clingy during the party, but I think that had to do more with teething pain than anything else. I do have a new found respect for the preschool workers, I was totally exhausted after 1.5 hours in her class and I only managed one child! I can only imagine what they feel like at the end of the day.

15 Month Well Check

2010-10-21T09:56:00.001-05:00

I took Addison to her 15 month well check this morning and we are so happy to say she is doing great! We feel so blessed to have such a healthy, happy girl who is right on track developmentally. As always she put on a great show for the nurse and Dr. Sperling.

Here are her stats:

Weight: 21 Pounds, 2 Ounces (25th percentile)

Height: 31 Inches (75th percentile)

Head Circumference: 45.25 cm (45th percentile)

Her growth is charting perfectly. Both of her ears checked out fine as well, which is good because we are flying to visit Brian's family tomorrow!

She got 3 shots and they pricked her foot to test for anemia... she is such a big girl and only cried a little bit.

The next appointment will be her 18 month in January...

BB2 Has A Name!!!

2010-10-20T03:42:00.001-05:00

After much discussion we have finally decided on a name for our little Christmas blessing. Her name will be McKenna Noelle Betzen.

For some reason we could never settle on a name. Before we got pregnant we liked Sophia and Lily for a girls name, but then when we found out we were having a girl those names did not feel right. Our top two names during this pregnancy have been Hailey and McKenna. We have always liked McKenna. For awhile her name was McKenna Grace, but we were never settled on the middle name. I was at Target a few weeks ago and the lady at the register asked me when I was due, I told her December 24th and she got excited and said she wanted a Christmas baby so her daughters middle name would be Noel. Bingo... that was it! I texted it to Brian and we knew that was our daughters name.

Her name means "Daughter of a handsome man born around Christmas Time". No wonder Brian loved the name McKenna, haha. We chose the spelling of Noelle because it just looked pretty.

We are almost 31 weeks pregnant and everything is going great. We are still on track for her December 24th due date but I am hoping to deliver her a week early because my brother's wedding is on December 31th. God knows this and I am trusting in his plan! I would be devastated to not be there, but there are enough techies in our family who can wire a few cameras so I can at least watch the ceremony. The more important thing is for McKenna to cook as long as needed and for me to have a medicated natural delivery. A c-section would be very hard since I will have a 17 month old to take care of.

Addison 12-15 Months

2010-10-19T05:26:00.001-05:00

I cannot believe our little angel is already 15 months! These past few months have been so much fun, so lets see.... what have we been up too...

Fun & Developmental Stuff:

Addison loves being outdoors, we go for small walks, go to the park, anything outdoors and she is happy!
She is a good eater on days she feels like eating. She loves spicy foods like jalapeno chips, green chili enchiladas, etc. Veggies continue to be an issue.
She is quite the talker and learns more words every day.
Got her first blackberry at 15 months... it is not activated but she can dial (and talk to Verizon).
Can still wear some of her 12 month clothing, but we have moved to 18 months because she is very LONG and her 12 month pants started looking like capri's. I wish they had long length options for toddlers because her waist is so skinny. She wears a size 3 diaper and size 4 shoes.
Attended VBS and had so much fun! A petting zoo visted one day and she almost killed a baby rabbit by picking it up by it's neck. I am not an animal rights activist, but what those poor animals go through is pretty sad.
Had her official "1st Birthday Party" at our new house... it was so much fun having all our friends over to celebrate!
Brian and I went on vacation to Puerto Aventuras for 8 days. Addison stayed with Granmommy & Staci for the first half and GG & Grandpa for the second. She had so much fun and I did great being away (only called twice, thank you very much).
Addison had her first temperature and ear infection. Unfortunately she started getting sick the week we were on vacation. We came home to a snot nosed fussy monster. It was a bit rough because this was the first time she has been sick with anything but a cold, but we got through it!
Addison loves sitting on a couch or chair to read her books. We hardly watch any tv, she really enjoys reading the most.
Moved her from her high chair to booster seat. She seems to like being at our table so much better. An added bonus is that the booster chair is so much easier to clean!
Addison's hair is getting so long and it is constantly in her face. She will pull out any bow or clip I put on her head within minutes and she tugs at her little pony tail. I do not want to cut her hair, EVER, but bangs may be in our future.
We stopped swim lessons for the time being until BB2 arrives and we come up with a new schedule.
She is FINALLY A SNUGGLER! She will hug & kiss and is a total sweetheart! I have waited for this moment for so long. She will run to you and give you the biggest hug... it is sweet and can brighten any day.
Her laugh is contagious and I love it! She has several different laughs that are hilarious.
We are working on shapes, colors & words... she is so smart!

The Not-So-Fun-But-Knew-They-Were-Coming Accomplishments:

Climbing on the fireplace
Opening doors
Climbing stairs (which is not an issue), thinking she can climb down the stairs is the issue.
Open top drawers and reaches in to grab anything she can find. She is a tall girl!
Temper Tantrums - we are reading a lot of books and taking classes to learn how to deal with this and PREVENT them in an effective matter. Whew... is all I can say about that! Trying to read a toddler's mind is not an easy task!
Saying no, no no and no no no no no no

Pretty much we are starting on round 2 of baby proofing which will be door handles, baby gate on bottom of stairs, drawer stoppers, refridgerator and freezer lock.

The big news is that Addison starts Preschool today! She will be going Tuesday & Thursday from 8:30-2:30. I am sad that she is ready for "little people" school, but I know she will have so much fun. I will post more about this later.

Baby Betzen #2

2010-09-07T09:59:00.001-05:00

I think my last post regarding the baby was announcing we were pregnant! I am now 24 weeks and we are having a baby GIRL! The name is still being decided, but right now her name is McKenna... her other names have been Sophia and Hailey. What amazes me is the similarity between BB2 & Addison's 20 week sonogram, they look so much alike but I know in real life they are going to look so different! http://thebetzens.blogspot.com/2009/02/its-girl.html

The pregnancy is going well, I am sporting a cute little bump. BB2 is pretty active and LOVES kicking my bladder. I still do not think she is as active as Addison was, but I may not notice her movements as much since I am chasing a 13 month old around.

We are so very thankful for our healthy baby girl and are getting so excited to meet her! We are going with a "You are my sunshine" themed nursery. It will be yellow, black, gray and creme. Our "inspiration" nursery is here http://www2.jcpenney.com/jcp/X6E.aspx?GrpTyp=ENS&ItemID=17fe04d&DeptID=70676&CatID=71676&SO=0&SelDim=4294957900%7e&CatSel=4294950472%7cgirls%27+crib+bedding&Ne=4294957900+5+18+8+904+949+833&pagesize=1&x5view=1&shopperType=G&N=4294950472&Nao=0&PSO=0&CmCatId=7067671676

Tania's mom is going to be making all the crib bedding, yesterday we went to the fabric store and picked out all the patterns. It is going to look AMAZING when it is all done and the bedding will be extra special since someone dear to us is making it!

Addison's First 1st Birthday Party

2010-09-05T07:22:00.001-05:00

Addison actually had 2 birthday parties. The first one occured on her actual birthday. Since we were right in the middle of selling our house, buying a new house, getting ready to move, etc. we decided to do have a small celebration on her actually birthday with family and close friends. Food wise we served fajitas and had cake for dessert. I thought Addison would dig right into the cake, but she was actually very graceful. After cake, Addison opened gifts and played. It was a fun, low-key afternoon celebrating our precious girl's first year of life with the people who helped us make it successful.

12 Month Well Check

2010-09-05T07:14:00.002-05:00

I am slowly catching up on blogging... maybe I will be caught up by the time Addison turns 2. Addison's well check went awesome, she is a healthy happy baby and definitely put on a good show for Dr. Sperling! Here are her stats: Weight: 19 pounds, 11 ounces (27th percentile) Height: 30 inches (75th percentile) Head: 44.75 cm. (49th percentile) Other 1 year news is that Addison is totally weaned from the bottle, uses a straw cup for her water and we installed her new forward facing car seat. Having her face forward makes car rides so much more pleasant. The only downfall is that she does not fall asleep as easily as she did in the infant carrier.

Addison - 12 Months!

2010-09-03T05:14:00.002-05:00

It is hard to imagine that our precious little girl is already a year old! She is talking, walking and having so much fun exploring new things! We simply adore her!

We started her on whole milk, and like everything else "new" she resisted it at first, but finally gave in and decided to drink it. It is so nice not having to buy formula!

She is still an excellent sleeper and eater. They only issue we have is getting enough vegetables in that precious belly of hers.

She is super healthy! It is hard to believe that in the past 12 months she has never had a fever over 99 and only had 4 colds.

We traveled to Hereford to visit Brian's parents and grandparents. Addison had so much fun playing on the farm!

We still attend swim lessons every Thursday morning. It has been such a fun mommy and baby activity and Addison has learned so much!

We are really starting to work on sign language, it is evident that the lack of being able to communicate is going to be an issue.

Addison has 6 teeth.

She has a very strong, spunky personality!

It is amazing what we have accomplished together as a family over the past year. We could not have done it without the support of our family and friends. We feel so blessed to have such a healthy, beautiful child.

The past two months...

2010-08-09T11:08:00.001-05:00

The past two months have been totally crazy! I know I have dropped out of the blogging world, but plan on getting back into it real soon. To catch you up (and I know I am forgetting things), here is a brief summary of the past two months:

Sold our home
Bought a new home
Moved and got settled into our new home
Addison turned 1 (thank you Jesus for our precious, precious sweet girl who brings pure joy to our lives)
Chasing a 1 year old who has mastered walking, unscrewing bottles and lids, climbing stairs and pretty much just keeping me on my toes. I now see why people don't gain as much weight during the second pregnancy!
Rodnee, our furbaby miniature dachshund got paralyzed due to a back injury and we had to put him to sleep. This was totally devastating to our family.
Found out we are having another baby girl!
Planning Addison's 1st birthday party, which will be this Sunday (a month late but she will never know)
I am working 20-25 hours a week for my contract employer
Brian's business is doing great!
Volunteered at VBS the entire week after moving into our home.

Lots of stuff going on, but that is our life and I would not trade it for the world! I will elaborate on everything in the next few weeks, just wanted to say hi!

My Sweet Little 11 Month Old

2010-06-18T10:24:00.001-05:00

Every month I am amazed that yet another month has gone by so fast. This month Addison really started "aging". I am happy to say she is walking, but sad because it makes her look so grown up. She definitely loves this new avenue of getting around, the bear crawl occurs less and less every day. Addison is very independent, she feeds herself finger foods and her bottle. I can remember the time not too long ago where she was completely dependent on me for her food, now she is only dependent on me to prepare her food which really is a role anyone could fill. She loves fruit over veggies, but I have learned if I put dressing (italian or ranch) over her veggies she will eat them. She could eat her weight in mandarin oranges and loves rotissere chicken as her favorite meat. She love her "mama" for times of comforting & eating... she loves her "dada" for time of play. Her favorite toy right now is the Roomba vacuum, I swear it is the best baby entertainer ever... she chases it around the house until the battery dies. My floor is cleaned and the baby is entertained, cannot beat that combo! Addison loves the pool! We took her to Milburn Pool in our neighborhood which has a fun kids area she can play in. We also took her to Staci's apartment pool where they have a 6" section she can crawl and walk around. The mosquitoes are awful right now and they eat baby girl up. I found some natural insect repellent that we are going to try. Being outdoors is her favorite thing, so I am determined to figure out a way for her to have fun and not get eaten alive. Her favorite words right now are Hi, All Done and Woah... pretty darn cute! She is so goofy and playful. Addison is the sweetest, happiest baby in the world. We just love her so much and every month gets more and more fun! I cannot believe that she will be a one year old in just a month! Her party is going to be delayed a couple of weeks until all the house stuff is figured out.

Addison - 11 Months (37 photos), by Carrie Betzen

2010-06-18T06:25:00.002-05:00

I'd like to share my Snapfish photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share. Click here to view photos

My First Real Mother's Day

2010-06-15T04:46:00.000-05:00

Over the years I have been a "mother" to cats, dogs and fish... we have always celebrated Mother's Day in some shape or form even though I was not a mother to a precious child. Last Mother's Day was different because not only was I a mother to Rodnee my furbaby, I was 7 months pregnant with our first child. Celebrating my first Mother's Day was amazing because we have been blessed to have the most precious daughter in the world. Before I became a mother, I thought I had a pretty good idea of what it would be like... I was very very wrong. There have been very tough trying times, but mostly there have been times of pure joy. I am totally blow away by what an immense blessing it is to be a mother. Never in my wildest dream did I think I would love sweet Addison as much as I do. Being a mother is the best job in the world and I thank God everyday for the opportunity.

This Mother's Day was even extra special because we dedicated Addison at church and we were planning on announcing our pregnancy at her dedication lunch.

The dedication service is not a baptism (that comes when she is older and can make her decision to make Christ the leader of her life), it is a vow to raise our child in such a way that leads her to make that decision. Addison was the oldest baby on stage, I was a bit nervous she would let out a loud babble or growl, but she did so good!

After church we got home and took some family pictures outside.

Then Brian took Addison upstairs to change her into her "Big Sister" outfit so we could announce our pregnancy to our family and friends. Brian and I were so nervous!

My dad was the first to see!

Picture with GG and Grandpa...

Brian's grandparents... LOVE THEM!

Exciting News!!!!

2010-06-09T12:14:00.000-05:00

We are very excited, humbled and blessed to announce that Addison is going to be a BIG SISTER! It is so hard to imagine because she is so little! The babies will be 17th months apart. BB2 (Baby Betzen 2) is due December 24th.

We were 6 weeks when we found out we were pregnant and now we are 12 weeks. This first trimester has FLOWN by because we have been so busy with Addison, selling our house, work, etc. We saw the doctor today and everything is looking good! Hearing the heartbeat beat so strong (158) was awesome. What is interesting is that was the same heart beat as Addison at 12 weeks. We will find out the sex of the baby at our 20 week appointment in August.

Please join us in praying for a healthy pregnancy and baby! We feel so blessed to have BB2 on the way. It is going to be a little crazy in the beginning having the babies so close together, but I know it will be wonderful!

Here is the story on finding out and spreading the news...

For about a month I had been nauseous and tired... I finally took a pregnancy test and it was positive. The only issue was that I had no idea how far along I was. I came up with the idea to buy Addison a Big Sister onesie to announce the news to Brian. I called Carters and they said they do not have Big Sister onesies, only a t-shirt (size 2T to be exact). I guess that made sense. I put it on Addison for the big reveal when Brian got home. He was excited, shocked but excited (my same reaction).

After getting the positive pregnancy test we went to the doctor the next day to find out how far along I was, turned out I was 6 weeks. The baby was a little tiny bean with a heartbeat of only 100 (perfect for that age). We went back to the doctor for the standard 8 week appointment and everything looked good, heartbeat was 158.

We decided to tell our family and close friends on Mother's Day because we were having a luncheon after Addison's dedication. Everyone was very excited!

10 Months (26 photos), by Carrie Betzen

2010-06-04T10:02:00.001-05:00

I'd like to share my Snapfish photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.
Click here to view photos

10 Months = Little Miss Mischief

2010-06-04T09:33:00.000-05:00

Oh my heavens I am so far behind in blogging. Life has been a little crazy lately... details on that coming soon.

Addison is 10 months and gets more and more fun every day. While editing her 10 month photos a common theme would be "Little Miss Mischief". She is literally getting into everything...thank goodness for tot locks! While cleanup can be a pain, it is fun watching her discover new things. She also makes the funniest face because she knows she is doing something wrong, but is loving every second.

Fun Facts:

Loves the tv remote, cordless phone (has even made some random phone calls) and my cell phone
Has so much fun at swimming lessons
Talks CONSTANTLY!!! (I wonder who she gets that from)
Quit breastfeeding and of course the only formula she will take is the super expensive already mixed Simulac
Still takes 2 naps a day and sleeps 11-12 hours a night
Is a super happy baby
Loves playtime with Daddy, especially when he flips her around in the air
Her laugh is contagious... she finds herself to be quite hilarious and will just start laughing randomly

Addison brings pure joy to our life and we love her so much!

Kissing Concrete

2010-05-01T18:25:00.000-05:00

This is a pretty cute video of Addison doing all her new things... kissing, bear crawling, waving (still needs improvement) and clapping. We are not sure why she decided to kiss the concrete, I just feel blessed to have had my video camera close to capture the funny moment.

Walking with the Walker

2010-04-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

Addison is still far away from walking, but she did learn to walk using a walker GG bought for her. She crawls to the toy, stands up and starts walking. She goes until she runs into furniture or a wall... super cute!

9 Month Well Check

2010-04-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

We took Little A to visit Dr. Sperling for her 9 month well check. She had fun playing in the waiting room.

She loves playing with the roll of paper on the exam table.

Here are her stats:

Weight: 17 Pounds 7.8 Ounces - 30th Percentile

Length: 28.5 Inches - 75th Percentile

Head Circumference 44cm - 50th Percentile

Did a simple blood test to check her iron levels and it came back great. Over all the visit went great, Addison is very healthy and developing at a normal rate. The only bad news is that Addison is not drinking enough milk during the day, so we are going to back off the sippy cup and replace with formula. Hopefully this will help, if not I still feel she is ok even if she is getting 4-6 ounces less than she should be.

Addison growled at Dr. Sperling, it was pretty hilarious. Dr. said she has not see that very much, haha.

Addison's First Painting

2010-04-26T17:17:00.000-05:00

We celebrated GG's 60th birthday on the 24th and I thought the perfect gift that Addison could give her would be a painting. For those who do not know GG is an incredible artist and can paint just about anything.

I had this vision in my head how it would go and while the painting turned out great, it was a lot messier and went quicker than I imagined. This was a five minute project and we painted two paintings. Addison had a blast smearing the paint all over the paper, garage and herself. Luckily the paint washed off without issue. Addison had a so much fun and I see us painting a lot more pictures in the future.

I only got one picture of the first painting since I wanted to supervise Addison to see what she would do. Most of the pictures are from the second painting that we will be displaying in our house. Just starting out... so innocent...

3 minutes later... started the second painting...

This is her "determined to make a royal mess" face...

Making sure she did not miss a spot...

Now onto painting the garage floor with hand and footprints...

9 Months -

2010-04-23T05:42:00.000-05:00

Sweet baby Addison is now 9 months, I cannot believe how fast this time with her has gone by. We love her so much and thank God for our healthy, happy baby girl. This month we have seen Addison mature in a lot of things she was already doing like standing up, talking, crawling, etc. Her personality has also really developed.

Fun Facts:

Easily pulls up using anything she can get her hands on (including my hair, ouch).
Favorite new foods are yogurt and cheese.
Pooped in the bathtub for the first time, luckily Brian was home to help. (yes I know, TMI but I had to share the good, bad and DISGUSTING, plus this blog is for me to look back on and remember the more memorable times).
Still an EXCELLENT sleeper - She takes two naps a day lasting 1-3 hours and sleeps 11-12 hours at night.
Still have only two teeth, but the top ones should appear any day.
Learning to kiss - it is mouth open, but really cute
Loves to read
Loves to eat!
She makes the funniest growling sound that is hilarious.
Learned to walk around tables and the couch while holding on.
Balancing is getting better. I am hoping she will hold off on walking for at least another month (or two).
Ate dirt for the first time.
New words are bubble, yeah, hey.

Addison is so much fun and is pure joy to be around. We are so thankful for our super happy healthy baby girl!

Black Beans are YUMMO and FUN!

2010-04-13T09:04:00.000-05:00

Addison is so good at feeding herself, she is also good at getting food all over herself. We save the messy fingerfoods like black beans and avocado for her supper so we can put her in the bath immediately afterwards.

DeDaddy's 90th Birthday

2010-04-13T08:38:00.000-05:00

Easter Sunday was my DeDaddy's 90th birthday. After eating a yummy meal with my family, we went to his skilled nursing facility in Lakeway to visit him and give him some banana pudding that my Aunt made. It was a great visit! Dedaddy was in good spirits and enjoyed reading all of his cards. Having the family there to celebrate his milestone birthday was special as well. Happy Birthday DeDaddy!