Three months old today!

Keegan Michael, you are THREE MONTHS OLD Today!!!

Time goes by faster and faster every day. I feel like I just did your two month post... but you know they say time flies when you're having fun... and we have been having fun!!!!

You're still wearing size one diapers, and I think you'll be in those for at least another month. You don't go to the doctor until four months, so I'm not sure how much you weigh, but if I had to guess I'd put you at about twelve pounds. I know my arms are starting to get sore when I carry you around for a while!

You're starting to outgrow your three month clothes and are starting to wear some six month clothes. You're still super skinny- so in shorts you actually still wear a couple of newborn pairs! But you seem to be growing inches every day. Whenever people see you they say you look much bigger... but I still think you're small for your age. You're growing proportionately so I think you're still in the 20-30 percentile.

You go through phases where you ONLY want Mom, or you ONLY want Dad. You are a joy to have around, except for when you only want the other parent... :)

We gave you baby food for the first time yesterday... Your first meal: Green Beans and Sweet Potatoes! Just a little of each, but you loved it, and seemed to react well to it. We won't be switching you to that exclusively, but maybe once every couple days or so just so you can start getting used to it!

You're also starting to grab for things... Better start picking up a little better than I do, or else I have a feeling that pretty soon you'll be getting into things a lot more!

You and I are no longer breast feeding. You weened yourself after getting used to having thickener in your bottle! I tried to for a while, but you would cry and cry. You're just a big kid!

You've gone to daycare a couple days a week for the past couple of weeks so you can adjust and so Mommy can study. You've been a HIT and such a good boy when you're there. You finish every bottle when you're there... Funny, you putz around a lot more when you're at home with mom!

You smile ALL the time. You're a very happy boy, and you have a dimple on your right cheek, just like Mom! You've also started belly laughing this month! So far Mom's the only one to really be able to get you to deep down belly laugh... Don't worry, Daddy. I'm sure SOMEDAY he'll be saying "Good one, Dad!"

You've been consistently sleeping anywhere from 6-8 hours straight a night... Granted, there's always an exception, but you do great!

Things you LOVE: whistling, Baby in the Mirror, walks in your jogging stroller, singing with Mom, "baby weights" with Dad, baths and swimming, bedtime stories (Goodnight Little Pookie, If I Could Keep You Little and Childrens Bible Stories are our routine!)

Life is better and better every day that passes with you. I love learning your likes and dislikes, and getting to see your personality continue to develop!

Thank you for being such a joy, my lovey bug!

First Round Family Photos!

Last Monday we had our first professional family photos taken. {jenn anibal}and I have known each other since kindergarten, and it's so fun to now have her as our family photographer! Jenn took Kris and my engagement pictures and was also the incredible photographer at our wedding. Praise the Lord we had someone with such an artistic eye since it down-poured during our outdoor ceremony! But it made for the most incredible wedding pictures, and the sweetest memories. I think it really IS good luck if it rains on your wedding day :)

If you need a photographer, please don't hesitate to use Jenn. She's incredible and works out of both Grand Rapids and Detroit- and almost everywhere in between!

Here's a couple of our favorites from her blog today:

Isn't she fabulous?! I just love them and can't wait to get the disc so I can print some up and hang them up on our walls/shelves. They'll be just darling in Keegan's nursery.

I will say, I picked up Keegan from day care today while one of the women in the infant room was showing him off to the women in the toddler room. I walked in just while she said, "Isn't he the smilest little baby you've ever seen?" That was one of my proudest moments of my life so far... It's funny how I used to find pride in having a good month at work. Now I couldn't be happier to hear that my baby smiles for other people, A LOT. Good boy, Keegan Michael. Good boy. :)

Wonderful Weekend, Diet Declaration!

I think this will go down as one of the best weekends of Summer 2011. We've been very busy, and nothing inparticular stands out as a highlight... but it was just a perfect summer weekend. Yesterday we took off early and spent the day in Grand Haven, Michigan on the lake shore. My husband spent so much of his time as a little boy during his summers up there- so it's nice to see him enjoying it so much.

We already had plans to go out there on Saturday, and when my sister-in-law, Tracey, heard we'd be out there, she decided that she and her family would meet us out there. It was great to have their company! Grand Haven tends to be very busy on Saturdays during the summers, but we were lucky enough to still get a parking spot in one of the prime lots right on the beach.

My little stud-muffin was a little champ:

We had a beach umbrella and brought our stroller onto the beach so he was able to rest in there in the shade as well. He had all the teenage girls at the beach fawning over him... HA! (I'm not going to lie, I didn't really like that because I instantaneously thought about how I will have to lock him up when he's older...)

We had ice cream and also had my favorite: Pronto Pup! They have the most delicious little corn dogs. Mmmm!

Today my Uncle Dan had his retirement party after (I believe) 30 years of service as a Fire Fighter. It was a beautiful party and it was so fantastic to spend that time with family and family friends that I hadn't seen in years. Keegan (of course) swam in my Aunt and Uncle's pool for over an hour and is exhausted. All this excitement this weekend has helped Keegan sleep for over eight hours straight the past two nights. It's fantastic!

Needless to say, after this weekend I am on a diet. I think that if I don't lose this baby weight before it gets cold out, it's never coming off. Just sayin'. So, I'm publicly announcing that I am officially dieting starting tomorrow! Hopefully that will give me some sort of accountability that if I break this diet, everyone will know :) HA.

So hold this girl accountable, PLEASE! Just about 10 lbs left to go, but those are THE HARDEST to lose!

I hope everyone had as fantastic of a weekend as we did over here.

I also hope that I lose some of this weight soon because I'm no good on a diet.

And, I hope that you'll pray for me as I prepare for my Property and Casualty/ Life and Health Insurance licensing tests... :)

New job, new look, big day!

Well I posted on Facebook earlier today that I will no longer be working at Chase as of today. THAT is the big secret way that God has been working in Kris and my lives, and I'm so glad to be able to finally share it. I will be working at a local insurance agency part time, as opposed to full time at the bank. The thing about Chase, too, is that they don't have normal "bankers hours." Most days when I worked I didn't get home until 7:00 or so, and had to work about every other Saturday when I wouldn't get home until 3:00.

They were great to me, however, I would have the worst possible time being away from Keegan all that time. What's even more awesome is that the man I am working for is an incredible Christian man, who runs his business accordingly. He even told me when I interviewed that he was looking for someone with a servant's heart, and that HIS job is to be a servant to his employees! WOW! I had been praying that God would open a door for me to spend more time with Keegan, and when I got the phone call from this agency, and then when I sat in his office interviewing and he said that, I KNEW it was an absolute answer to prayer.

Don't get me wrong- going from full time to part time will definitely put a strain on us financially. But I'm confident that God is good and He will continue to provide for us. HE placed this opportunity with an amazingly understanding and family focused company in my life, so I know He will continue to watch over us and provide on a daily basis. I will now be home FOUR FULL DAYS A WEEK! Yay!

Any of my coupon clippin' friends out there: I will be needing lessons! I want to be a super couponer now! Ha! More like I NEED to be a super couponer now!

OH, and Hey! Anyone notice the new look to my blog?! Look at me become a little techier! I will try to mix up the page design every season, just for a little change! :) If I still have this summery looking design come the end of September, someone please remind me... I'm trying to be a hip blogger and from what I see, it's "hip" to change your design... HA! Sometimes I love saying things that make me seem so old!

Anyway, the baby fell asleep early tonight, so I will enjoy Dateline before bed... Oh how my Friday's have changed... very much for the better! :)

Enjoy your Saturday, all!

Busy Day and Newbies for the Karolkiewiczes

Today has already been super productive. I love that feeling! Keegan woke up on the wrong side of the bed, so this morning I wasn't sure how today would go. Luckily he fell back asleep then woke up on the right side of the bed :)

Keegan and I went for a four and a half mile walk, finished the laundy and did the dishes all before 11:30 this morning! Then after lunch we headed to the post office and to Marshalls. I wanted to make sure to pick up a couple of outfits for Keegan in size 3-6 months, because I feel like he's growing like a weed and will be out of his 0-3 month clothes soon, and I dont want to be stuck without an clothes that fit him! Pretty soon he'll look like a little sausage trying to fit into these clothes :) Ha!

While we were there we picked up a couple books... For Keegan we got,

I got myself a little something that I can't wait to read... Maybe naptime tomorrow I'll start it!

I loved the book "90 Minutes In Heaven," so I'm sure I will love this as well!

I've been a little spoiled the past week. There have been a couple new things that we got that I just HAD to share. I'm pretty pumped.

First of all, does anyone else watch the Today show? Anyone else a big fan of Jill's Steals and Deals?! I had never seen that segment until I was on maternity leave, and I adore it! Every week she works with different companies and designers to bring huge discount deals to viewers. The third week or so of maternity leave I ordered a watch from Ruby Kats who was featured on the show. The discount saved me about $130.00 or so... How could I resist?! This beauty finally came in the mail this week:

It's a little "gaudier" then I would normally wear... but I love it! I feel so chic with it on! :) It's super high quality, and geeze louise, for the discount on it, I couldn't NOT get it!

I am writing this and realizing how lame I am. The next thing I wanted to show off was because of something I saw on TV, too (Hey, I'm home a lot more now, and it's on in the background a lot while I clean and such). Anyway, last week I was watching the Nate Beurkus show, and Barbara (from The Shark Tank!) was on and stated that when you're selling a house, your bedding should be pretty simple- probably just a solid color- but to look chic. A large pattern could intimidate buyers without them even realizing it.

Good tip, huh?! Well MY bedding was big black and white damask. Super cute. But super loud.

I found this fantastic duvet on smartbargains.com, and I absolutely LOVE it! I feel like I have a whole new bedroom!

Sorry the picture's a little blurry. It was on my phone and I couldn't tell if it was blurry or not until I just uploaded it. Please disregard the messes on our night stands and the co-sleeper next to our bed! But so cute, huh?! I think it looks like a hotel!

We might be having a showing this weekend, so I want it to be as great as possible so as not to intimidate any buyers! HA! Please be saying a prayer. Our realtor had emailed us about someone who might be interested in buying a couple weeks ago, and we had kind of lost hope on that since we hadn't heard anything. Well, that person is SUPPOSED to come into town to see our house this weekend. So, Prayer #1: That the buyer comes into town this weekend as planned. Prayer #2: That she LOVES our house as much as we loved it when we walked through! Prayer #3: That she'll put an offer in! :) Ha, it's not too much to ask, right?!

Tomorrow my Etsy store is going to be featured on the Fabulous Friday Freebies Blog. We will be giving away the Nursery Letters that I make and to anyone that doesn't win, you can at least get a coupon code for 10% off all orders! Make sure to visit tomorrow! :)

Enjoy this beautiful summer day, everyone!

Hi, I'm Mandy, and I've been such a slacker Blogger lately!

I have been such a slacker. Yes, we've been busy, but I realized today how quickly time goes by, and how I will miss these days. I should be recording more of our day to day so I can look back on it as time goes on!

Keegan and I just got back from Sparrow Hospital where we were visiting our friends Sean and Mikenna, who just had their DARLING baby boy, Roan. It's crazy how tiny he seemed. Even though he's TWO POUNDS heavier than Keegan was when he was born- I already forgot how tiny he really was back on April 25. I love him more and more every day, but today really put it into perspective how QUICKLY time flies, and how quickly my baby is ALREADY growing up!

I want to treasure every minute I have with him.

Now, to update:

Last Thursday we went to the hospital for Keegan's swallow study. I was please to hear that he DOES have a swallowing dysfunction (I know, weird that I'm pleased, but I'm just glad to finally have an answer to what's making him uncomfortable). Essentially his epiglottis doesn't have time to close fully, so he ends up choking quite frequently. The treatment:

We have to add this to his bottles.

Unfortunately this treatment means we will be cutting back on the breast feeding. It's sad because it feels like he's really growing up. But, breast milk is not thick enough for him, and he tends to choke on that too, so I want him safe and healthy, so we do what we can. I will still nurse him a couple times a day- mostly because I'm not ready to give it up totally, but hopefully he'll continue to get some relief. It seems to be helping so far!

This Sunday we took Keegan to the church nursery for the first time... Now that his feet are big enough for newborn shoes (Ha, he is so tiny still), we dressed him up for his first time at big kid church. New shoes and all.

Of course, just like they've said at day-care, Keegan did great. He's an easy baby, and a good boy. He's been having half-time day care three days a week for the past week. He's doing great, and I'm easing into taking him to day care a little more.

There's so much at work in Kris and my life right now- it's incredible to see God's provision. I can't go into details just yet, but I just have to give glory where glory is due, and let everyone know how much God is working in our lives right now. It's awesome. Isn't it incredible how we try to control our lives, and try so hard to get OUR way, but when God takes control it always works out? Not necessarily how WE would do it, but it always works out so that we can look back and say, "Wow, that was SO God."

On that note, please continue to pray that God will bring a buyer to our house. Whenever we do get our house sold, I think we've finally decided that we will get into something temporary, like a rental or lease, until we feel like God's directed us wherever it is that He wants us to be.

Enjoy your day, everyone! :)

Our FIRST FOURTH of July Weekend as a Family!

This was a phenomenal weekend. Definitely worth documenting.

On Saturday we headed up to my parent's property on Stoney Lake up in New Era. It's a couple hours away, and just around the corner from Silver Lake (if you're familiar with West Michigan at all I'm sure you've heard of Silver Lake!). There is a Country Dairy up there, and they were having an Ice Cream Social with FREE ICE CREAM the whole day, and they have fresh burgers and everything like that. They had a cow nursery with baby cows being born (I know, sick, right?!) and a little store.

It. Was. Packed.

My mom said it's gotten busier and busier every year. That was our first time. Needless to say, it was a good time, but I think next year I'm willing to pay for my scoop of ice cream to go on another day when it isn't so busy :) Ha. I don't know how I ever lived anywhere with traffic-I hate waiting.

Keegan and his Pappy seeing the cows (He wasn't really feeling them too much :)

Keegan and Grammy standing in line for Ice Cream. He was SO good this whole time!

After that we headed over to the petting zoo and Farm Market. It was a hot day. I have to say, he wasn't really loving that either. He was steamy and just wanted to hang out in the cold car. But it was fun for us grown ups! Kris is kind of an animal fanatic, so he loved it the most probably :) Ha.

Here's our new yearly family picture so we can see how we grow...

Hopefully Kris and I won't grow too much, and just our family size and our kids. Can I get an amen?! Actually, hopefully this mommy doesn't just stay the same, hopefully this mommy shrinks a little bit in next year's picture!!!

Then we lounged around, just our family, on Sunday. We finally went to church for the first time in 2 weeks. It's crazy how you can so easily skip out on something so incredible and important. We've never NOT gotten something wonderful when we go to Riverview. We WILL try to go more consistently... EVEN DURING THE SUMMER (holding myself accountable by posting it on the internet!).

We've been going on lots of walks, and feel like Keegan is finally big enough to sit in the jogging stroller... and he ADORES it! We have the City Mini Single Stroller, and I just ADORE it, too. I want to start setting a dollar or two aside every week so that by the time we have another baby I can afford to get the double stroller! It's the best stroller EVER. EVER... Just ask Keegan:

Yesterday on the Forth we went to my Dad's cottage in Brooklyn (yup, by the Speedway) on Lake Columbia. It was a great time with all SORTS of family (all but my cousin, Kevin!). My wonderful cousin Melissa came home from France two days before, so it was SO great to catch up after not seeing her since CHRISTMAS! What?! We had great food, and great company.

Plus, Keegan went swimming for the first time! I don't know why I was shocked that he loved it so much, since bath time is his favorite. But here are some pictures... The next Michael Phelps! HA!

Having SUCH a good time with his Auntie M!  

Love this family of mine so much. Many more fantastic holiday's to come!

Well, that was our weekend, and I hope that everyone else had fantastic weekend's as well. Please pray for us! Tomorrow we're doing our first day care trial run. Not going to lie... I may have already cried twice today. Once when we dropped off his registration papers and then tonight just before blogging. He's only going for a half day, but that's the longest I've ever been away from Keegan! My little best friend!

I will update soon about how my son is now an avid (ha) swimmer after his time at the lake. We may or may not have gone out and bought a kiddie pool but because the hose water didn't warm up enough went "swimming" together in the big bathtub this afternoon... See, I TOLD you we're best friends. :)