2 Months

Two months already!?! Mark and I have enjoyed watching Kenley sprout over the past couple of months. She got off to a slow start in the weight-gain department. She's still a little tyke, but she's starting to pack on the pounds and has grown out of a lot of her newborn clothes.

At her two-month Well Baby appointment, she weighed in at 9 lbs. 15 oz. (30th percentile), she's 23.25" tall (85th percentile) and her head circumference is 37.5" (25th percentile). So basically, she's a long and lean machine! She got poked with her first round of vaccinations, which was not very pleasant, but we all survived. She was fussy and had a small fever for about a day, but it's worth it to have a healthy baby.

Kenley is starting to become more interactive. When her Daddy comes home from work in the evening, she tells him all about her day. She loves her jungle-themed bouncer seat and has started to "talk" to her jungle friends. She smiles in response to our smiles and conversations, and can hold her head up on her own, although she does kind of resemble a bobblehead. Pretty soon her head will be strong enough that we'll be able to put her in her Jumperoo and Bumbo seat.

It seems like all I've been talking about lately is Kenley, Kenley, Kenley, but she really is my life now. I'll try not to be that super obnoxious mother, though! Mark and I are so excited to watch Kenley grow, and we look forward to what's to come.

Hamlin's 2010 Christmas Photos, Take 3

The three of us gathered around our Christmas tree last night for our 2010 Christmas photo. Little did we know that it would take us three-and-a-half hours and about 200 shots to get a decent, card-worthy one. Kenley was in a very sour mood, but we finally captured "the one" after three takes and a short break to fill up her tank. Here are a few of the "bloopers" from last night's photo shoot. Happy holidays!

This is probably my favorite of the bunch. In fact, I was tempted to use it on our Christmas cards... ;)

Trying to calm her down for longer than five seconds so we could get a nice shot.

The shushing isn't working...

She really doesn't like cooperating with the camera.

Finally, quiet... But as you can see, she looks a bit comatose. 

Rage.

And at last, one that will work...

1 Month

Our little Kenley is already five weeks old! We decided that we're going to take monthly photos of her to watch her grow. Each month will feature a different background fabric straight from my mom's (http://www.nancydobson.blogspot.com/) extensive collection. :)

We got the idea from a blog we follow called Young House Love (http://www.younghouselove.com/2010/08/where-do-baby-photos-come-from/). They take weekly photos of their baby, Clara Kenley (yes, her middle name is Kenley!), but we opted to take monthly photos instead. Theirs are a bit fancier because they use Photoshop, but we're just not that tech savvy!

We hope you'll enjoy watching her grow as much as we do!

Happy Halloween!

Kenley's first Halloween was a big hit! Last Friday, our friend Stephanie Walker invited us and my parents to her house for pumpkin carving and beef stew. It was a good time! For Halloween, we went to my parents' place for a yummy rib dinner. Kenley wore her "costume": an outfit that said, "Daddy's under my spell." Happy Halloween, everyone! 

Our pumpkins: Mark, Kenley, Dad, Stephanie, Jess

Kenley's first pumpkin (carved by Nannie)

Mom and Stephanie sifting out pumpkin seeds for roasting.

Papa Dobson and Kenley

Mark and his little bear. Her shirt says, "Daddy's under my spell." Ain't that the truth!

Our new addition: Kenley Ella

On Oct. 10, 2010, Mark and I welcomed our daughter Kenley Ella Hamlin into the world. She was born at 5:09 a.m. and weighed in at 8 lbs., 1 oz. and measured 21" long. Her original due date was Oct. 14, but we're very happy she decided to make her debut on 10-10-10!

The Hamlin Family

We were at the Walker's house (our good friends) when my water broke. A couple hours later, we were checked into the hospital. I was three centimeters dilated by the time we arrived, and I quickly progressed from there. Our labor adventure started in the triage unit, where I was hooked up to monitors to check vitals and track my contractions. Soon after, we were transfered from triage to labor and delivery. At five cemtimeters, and after some very intense contractions, it was time for an epidural. Before the epidural was in and doing its magic, I had already dilated to eight centimeters! The anesthesiologist didn't think he was going to be able to catch up with me. The epidural slowed the labor slightly, and I didn't start pushing until about 3:30 a.m. Overall, the labor and delivery went very well.

8 lbs. 1 oz., 21"

First bath

Kenley Ella Hamlin

10 fingers and 10 toes, born on 10-10-10!

My parents, Nancy and Warren Dobson, and our friends Steve and Stephanie Walker, came to the hospital at about midnight to be with us during the labor. Kenley made them wait five whole hours before she decided it was time to come out of her mommy's belly!

Proud Poppa Dobson

Nannie and Kenley

Later on her birthday, Kenley got to meet her Grandma and Grandpa Hamlin and Great-Grandma Hamlin. As soon as they got news that we were in labor, they snagged some airline tickets from Washington to Alaska to meet the newest addition to the Hamlin family. Kenley is a very lucky lady to have such amazing grandparents!

Great-Grandma Hamlin

Grandma and Grandpa Hamlin

After getting cleared by my obstetrician and Kenley's pediatrician, we packed our bags and came home on Tuesday, Oct. 12 in the afternoon. Our parenting adventure has begun!

Getting ready to leave the hospital

Kenley all bundled up, ready to go home (Stephanie Walker made this adorable hat)

Meeting our little girl was an unforgettable moment that words can't describe. Mark and I are so excited and proud to be her parents. We're enjoying getting to know Kenley more and more each day, and are very much looking forward to making many happy memories together!

Powerline Pass, Aug. 7, 2010

Despite the crummy weather, Mark and I were able to get out and stroll Powerline Pass last Saturday. It's a nice trail in the Chugach Mountains about 15 minutes from our house. We did get rained on, but it was still nice to get out and get some fresh air. We've had so much rain this summer that I've felt like I've had "cabin fever," which is going to make for a very long, dark winter. Though having a brand new little one around will help the time pass, I'm sure!

Powerline Pass starts at the trailhead of the popular "Flat Top" hiking trail, but veers off to the left and ambles along the bottom of the mountain valley. We didn't hike the whole thing, but probably made it about halfway before the rain started and we decided to turn around. We packed a little picnic and enjoyed watching the fog roll into the valley as we snacked. It was a great hike to do at 30 weeks pregnant -- not very wicked at all. It would make for a great bike ride because it's fairly flat and the trail is wide. Maybe next summer...

Big News

Mark and I got some big news in early February! The pregnancy test came back positive and we're expecting our first baby on Oct. 16, 2010, or thereabouts. We had our first sonogram at 12 weeks, 5 days. Besides the occasional queasiness, it was validation that a little life was really growing inside of me. We heard the heartbeat the day before at our monthly doctor's appointment, but to see baby moving around on the big screen was quite the eye-opener.

Here's a picture of a little leg that I'm sure will be kicking me quite a bit pretty soon... I read that I'll be able to start feeling the baby move around in the next few weeks.

Here I am at 14 weeks. My belly is starting to pooch a little now.

I know we've been REALLY bad about updating our blog (umm, hello, our last post was over a year ago!), but we'll try to be better about it now that we have some exciting news to share with everyone.