1 month old!

Kathryn is 1 month old today! She had her one-month doctor visit, and the doctor was pleased with how well she's doing. She weighs 9lbs 10oz (75th percentile!) and is 20.75 inches long (50th percentile). She cried for maybe 30 seconds when sheh got her shot, and then was as good as can be again. Praise God for a healthy little girl! Hopefully we can write another post soon and praise God for how well she's sleeping at night (we're still working on that one...!).

Smiles and sneezes

Play Time!

Kathryn has recently started enjoying more interaction time, including playing with toys. So the other day I got out her Happy Hippo Gym (thanks Naomi!) to see how she'd like it. As you can see, she had a great time with it! I was even able to get a smile on camera in the second picture!

First tub bath

Here are pictures from Kathryn's first big-girl tub bath! Notice the rolls on her arms and double chin! She went back and forth between crying and seeming to enjoy it. Here is one of those crying times.
And here is one of those enjoying it times. She especially liked it when we let the warm water pour over her tummy and head.

New Years

So we're a little late in posting this, but I thought for a change of pace we'd blog about something different. For New Years, a bunch of friends from college always get together. This year we all gathered at our house (so that we wouldn't be far from our doctor, just in case the baby came!). We had a dozen people with us for the weekend, and we had a blast! It's such a blessing to have such wonderful friends and fellowship. The only bad part about the weekend was the fact that everyone had to leave (oh yeah, and the stupid rash that started!). I haven't posted this until now because Kathryn was born just 3 days after everyone left, so we just haven't had time!

Every year we have a white elephant gift exchange. It's always a fun time of randomness and craziness, and this year was no different. Before doing the actual exchange, we watched the Office episode where they have their gift exchange. Here's some of us in our basement watching the Office and waiting.
Some of the best gifts in the exchange were Chris France's stuff, including his IPOD, his IMAC, his 20 Questions game, and his underwear (shown below). Some of the guys had gone around when he wasn't looking and snatched everything up, then wrapped it up and added it to the pile of gifts. He didn't think it was quite as funny!
However, I think the prize for best gift ever goes to Josh and Tabitha, who regifted this real, taxidermied dog. Take special note of the mouth...whoever stuffed this pooch deserves two thumbs up!
Other fun activities of the weekend included some much-needed hang out time, many games of Settlers of Catan (that the boys played), a trip to the pet store and Target, playing with baby Noa, and sharing meals together. Thanks everyone for such a wonderful New Years! We miss you all already!

To the Grandmas

This post is dedicated to the Grandmothers. Thanks to Grandma Crabtree for the outfit, which was a hand-me-down from Aunt Ali and Uncle Nick when they were babies. Thanks to Grandma Sink for the Boppy (the thing she's propped up on).

This is a face we commonly see from her. She likes to purse her lips into a small oval while we laugh at her funny face!


We don't know what face she is making here. She may have been half-way smiling, or just passing gas! Either way, it's another funny face.

Oh, we must have worn her out with all those pictures! Time for bed!

Uncle David's Visit

Uncle David came to visit last weekend, so of course we needed to put pictures of his visit up. David, I just had to put both pics... so cute! :)

Family Visit

Last weekend my parents came down for a visit and brought Aunt Ali and Uncle Nick to meet their niece for the first time. Here are a few pics from that:

First Walk and Diana's Visit

Last Sunday, with the weather in the 60s, I decided it was a good time for Kathryn's first walk. Johnny got the stroller out and set it up, and we were on our way. My cousin Diana had come down on Saturday night and stayed with us, so she went along too. While on our walk, we ran into two ladies who wanted to come see the baby. We chatted for a few minutes, then as they were getting ready to go, one of the women looked at Kathryn and said, "Welcome to the world. It's a horrible place." And with that they left. Although there is some truth to what she said, it made me kind of sad and mad at the same time. I found myself wishing I could have covered Kathryn's ears so she didn't hear such negativity. She was only 9 days old, and it made me sad that already she was being somewhat polluted by, well, sin. I wanted to protect her from that, and it upset me that I couldn't. I suppose it was one of the first of many lessons like that. I had to realize that it's not possible, even at such a young age, to protect her from the fallenness of the world. It's a step in releasing her to God, even now, realizing that He is the one that has her in His hands. I have to trust Him with her; I can't keep her from hurt, from pain, from harm, from sin. Lord, help us as parents to continually give our daughter into your Hands, trusting You with her every day.

Here are some pics from our walk and Diana's visit.


Thanks, Diana, for spending the night and taking a shift of rocking Kathryn during the night! It was a blessing to get a couple of hours of uninterrupted sleep!

Isn't she cute?

Our first family picture...it's not that good, but it's our first, so had to post it.

Kathryn's first bath.

Kathryn's Birth Story

I know all we've managed to post so far is a few pictures, so I figured I'd write a little about her birth story. I know the timing of it all may be a shock to some/most... She did come 2 weeks early. We had a doctor's appointment on Thursday, and as some of you may know, I have been suffering with a bad rash all over my body since last week. It's a random thing that happens in about 1% of first-time pregnancies, and I happened to be one of the few lucky ones to get it. It doesn't affect the baby at all, but makes mommy miserable. The only way to get rid of it is to deliver the baby, and then wait for it to clear up (usually within a couple of weeks after delivery). So while at the doctors, I asked if there was any way I could get induced earlier than the 11th, which was our scheduled date. I've been miserable with it, and couldn't imagine dealing with it for another week plus the time after delivery, including the sleepless nights because it keeps me up. So, after a few minutes, she called us into her office, and said that they'd walk us over to the hospital. Whoa, talk about a shock! It was quite overwhelming, and I for one was trying my hardest to hold back the tears as we were walking to the hospital, so I didn't look silly going in there crying!

An hour later, I was hooked up to pitocin and the labor was starting. I had to send Johnny home to get our stuff, because our bags weren't even packed! In the meantime, lots of calls were made, and we began the waiting and laboring. Finally, at about midnight, it was time to push. After about an hour of pushing, Kathryn Elizabeth was born at 1:12 a.m. on Friday, January 5th. She missed her grandma's birthday (Johnny's mom) by an hour and 12 minutes (Sandra's birthday is the 4th!). We think she just wanted her own day! She weighed in at 7lbs 4.25 oz, and was 19.75 inches long.

We are so thankful for our little girl. We think she is absolutely beautiful and amazing. I am amazed at God's creation of life and birth. One thing that keeps hitting me as I think back about the whole labor and delivery experience is focus. I am so thankful for Johnny...I couldn't have done it without him. He was so good to be there during it all, and be involved. When the labor got really hard, he was right there with me, holding my hand and talking me through it. He really experienced it all with me. And when it felt like I wasn't sure I could make it, he would get my eyes on his, and just hold the gaze. When I looked away, I had a hard time, but as soon as I would focus on him and listen to him, he would get me through. It makes me think of the Lord...when we take our eyes off Him, we start to lose it. In keeping our eyes on Him, we keep the right perspective, and He goes through whatever we are going through right with us. He leads us through every part, just like Johnny did for me. It still hurts and is hard, but just keeping that focus makes all the difference in the world. Thanks, Johnny, for being such an amazing husband, support, and now daddy. And thanks God, for being who You are. I encourage each of you to do what it takes to keep your eyes on Him, whether it's something you have done before, or something you do for the first time.

And because I know what you really want to see is pictures, I'll work on getting a few more on in the next couple of days. Thanks for your continued prayers for us!

More pics!!

Kathryn Elizabeth

Before the pushing...


Getting ready for her to come...


Just a few minutes old...


Johnny's favorite picture so far...it looks like she's winking!

Christmas pics

Nick and Ali

me and Lindsay, my sister-in-law

Johnny's mom and dad

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NICK!

Today is my brother, Nick's, 5th birthday. Happy Birthday to the cutest 5-year-old there is! We love you!

A Christmas Tradition

Every year growing up, my (Cristen's) family would have a special night to decorate our Christmas tree. We would carefully hang each of our ornaments, reminiscing about their origins and the meaning behind each one. After the tree was decorated perfectly, we'd turn out all the lights in the house, dish out ice cream for everyone, and sit beneath the decorated, lit-up tree. With Christmas music playing in the background, we'd enjoy family time together, sometimes chatting about random things, sometimes just sitting quietly looking at the tree. It was always a special memory. So, for the past two years of our marriage, we have continued that tradition in our house. I took this picture of Johnny this year as we settled in with our ice cream beneath our beautiful tree. I really do think it's the most beautiful Christmas tree I've ever seen!

Crazy Pregnancy Emotions

Johnny and I were relaxing and watching X-Men 3 the other night, and for some reason, our little daughter decided it was gymnastics class or something. I don't know if I was really getting into the movie and my adrenaline was pumping and that got her going, or if she was just hyper following dinner or the bowl of ice cream I had, but she was going crazy! About half-way through the movie, throughout which she was rolling, kicking, bumping, and everything else, Johnny had to take a potty break. He paused the movie and headed upstairs. In the meantime, I watched my belly to see its changing shape as she continued her intra-uterine feats. And then the crazy pregnancy hormones took over. All of a sudden, she moved in a certain way that just hit me: there's a real baby inside of me! The next thing I knew, I'm sitting there just crying as I marveled at God's amazing creation of the little person inside of me. As I heard Johnny start back down the stairs, I tried to quickly wipe away my tears, for fear of alarming him as he left a perfectly contented wife to come back to a blubbering mess of a woman. But, I was too late, and it was obvious as he looked at me that I had been crying just 4 seconds earlier. So of course I started crying again, and laughing at the same time as I told him why. "It's a baby!" is about all I could say, laughing through my tears. It's the strangest thing to feel like you have little to no control over when or why you cry, but the moment was worth it!

A Shower of Blessing!

I was so blessed this past Saturday with our first baby shower! I have to admit it was a little hard for me (I am not good with being the "center" of any event), but it truly was a blessing to have so many people we love all together. I am overwhelmed by the generosity and love that was shown, and am reminded of God's grace that He lavishes on us, even when we don't deserve it (because we never deserve it!). Thanks to everyone who came (and we missed those of you who were unable to come). A special thanks to my mom, Meneika, Becky, Brooke, Barb, and everyone who helped to make this such a special day! We are truly thankful for each of you and are blessed by your love!

Am I Biased??

So, here are the latest ultrasound pictures of our sweet little baby (at 29 weeks). I don't know if I might be a little biased, but I think she looks awfully cute already!

A Beautiful Fall

After talking to my dear friend Krisha several weeks ago and hearing her musing over missing the fall season down in Orlando, I made it my mission to savor every moment of fall that I could. I also made it a point to try to capture as much of the season as possible in still images to be sent to her, so she could still experience, although second-hand, another gorgeous Virginia fall. Therefore, over the past several weeks, I have been more keenly aware than ever of the beautiful world around me, taking in all the changing colors, scenes of autumn, displays of mums and pumkins, and piles of leaves. It's amazing how much you notice when you stop to take the time and have it on your mind. I am thankful for my heightened senses this year during this season, and hope that I can continue to be more appreciative of all around me, as I stop to take the time to be thankful for what I have, realizing that not everybody gets to enjoy the things in life that we all do. Thanks, God, for your amazing creativity, beauty, and love.

An unexpected treat

This past Friday, I had an appointment to get my hair cut. The cool thing about our hair dresser is this. She has been friends of Johnny's family for many years, and has cut his family's hair since he was about 10 years old. When we moved back here to Roanoke and joined staff with Acts 2, she approached us about support. Even though she was not able to support us financially, she said that God has given her a gift in the ability to cut hair, and she would like to use that gift to bless us with free hair cuts. How amazing is that, that God would provide in such a unique way?!? She has even spent an hour highlighting my hair last spring, all for free, counting it a joy to pamper me and encouraging me in my walk and in the ministry.

So, as I was getting ready to leave the shop last Friday, she was talking with another employee there, a masseuse who is a month away from graduating from masseuse school (is that what you call it?). She was talking with the other hair dressers there, trying to schedule times for them to get a massage. I think she has to complete so many hours of practice before graduation. So, our hair dresser, Sherry, started asking me what I was going to do after I left her. I told her about a few errands I had to do, and when she asked me about my time constraints, told her I wasn't really on a schedule (for once in my life!). Well, the next thing I know, I am getting a free 3o minute massage! It was just really neat how God provided in an unexpected way, in something I didn't even ask for or think about. It's random, I know, but I wanted to share with you about how God blesses us sometimes, even when we're not expecting it. He knew I needed special attention that day, and I am thankful for His lovingcare for His children.