She's a handful!

We went to Sams the other day and had several things stacked up and I just happened to notice someone climbing up the packages... Luckily Brandon was right there, but we let her keep going since he was "spotting" her.

Almost there! She loves climbing and she will find a way even when the box/step is tiny!

She made it! Normally, we would not be thrilled about her standing on a table, but we were laughing so hard at her determination, so we let her enjoy her view from the top. We have to be careful now not to stack anything by the couch or the bed. She finds a way to get into things! She really is a busy-body, always moving, crawling, rocking, dancing, etc. This is why we are exhausted at the end of the day!
My sister and I are headed to the beach with Kate tomorrow, so we are excited about the break. I hope Kelly is up for the adventure- a beach trip is quite different when it revolves around feedings and naptimes!

More facts...

Laura Beth tagged me again for another fact list, so here goes...

10 years ago, I was 15!!! I was a sophomore in high school and probably being mean like most 15 year old girls. I wasn't thinking anything about the future, husband, kids, etc. So- I was way away from where I am now!

5 things on my to-do list:
1)Pack for the beach
2)Clean my house
3)Go buy some sunscreen
4)Make a dessert to take to my friend's house tonight
5)Laundry!!!

5 favorite snacks:
1)Ice cream (I know it is a dessert, but it is sometimes snack in the afternoon)
2)Mexican dip
3)Cheez-its
4)Fruit (especially strawberries and oranges)
5)Chocolate covered raisins

5 things I would do if I had a billion dollars:
1)Buy a much bigger house with a big kitchen and yard
2)Pay off all of Brandon's student loans
3)Get a large beach house that I would let all of my friends and family use in Watercolor Beach
4)Buy Brandon some hunting land
5)Get a new big SUV (Tahoe, etc.)

5 bad habits:
1)Biting my nails
2)Staring at people/people watching
3)Procrastinating housework
4)Frustration with Kate when she is whiny
5)Reality TV

5 places I have lived:
1)Birmingham
2)Auburn
3)Tuscaloosa
That is all!

5 jobs I have had:
1)babysitter
2)Roly Poly sandwiches, sandwich maker extraordiare
3)Eastern Urology Associates, office assistant
4)Brookwood Hospital, RN in NICU
5)Brookwood Neonatology Associates, clinician, assistant to physicians and practicioners

I don't think I am going to tag anyone this time around... more later!

Talented?

We went to Greenville this past weekend to visit Brandon's family, and Kate found a new toy... a very big toy! She started banging on the keys and when she realized just how noisy she could be, she loved it! She went up and down the keys, and she kept trying to stand up to play them. We got to see all of Brandon's grandparents, his parents, and 2 of his 3 brothers. They don't get to see Kate too often, so they enjoyed seeing her and watching her explore her toys and try to walk.

We got to brag on her new found sleeping habits. She has been doing great (knock on wood) with crying herself to sleep. She doesn't even cry anymore, she just whines every once in a while. I haven't had to wear my earplugs in a week or so, she doesn't wake up much at night, and if she does it isn't for long. I will have to tell Dr. Peters that she was right... but I did not think she would be! It is amazing how much better I feel when she sleeps well, I feel like a new person!

This week is "Scholars Week" for Brandon, so he only has to go in to UAB from 10 to 12 everyday. Kate and I are driving him each morning so he doesn't have to worry about a parking pass and fighting traffic- it was fun to drop him off this morning! I have already made him promise me at least one lunch date! Kate and I are leaving him Friday to go to the beach, so we will enjoy him being here this week. We are going to re-plant some tomatoes and peppers that seemed to dwindle after cold/hot/cold/hot weather this afternoon and enjoy this beautiful weather now! Hopefully the weather will stay nice so these will survive.

Silly Girl

I was doing dishes the other day and when I was finishing putting dishes in cabinets, this is what I found! She had climbed up onto the door and took a seat playing with dishes. I have learned that I have to put up silverware first- her hands are everywhere! She can climb stairs now too- she stayed at my parents' house this past weekend and they climbed tons of stairs. She is climbing and trying so hard to walk, but she can crawl so fast that she gives up on the walking after a while.

Kate was playing in her toy box and she got really quiet, so I think she either is chewing on something she is not supposed to be chewing on, or she is pooping... but she was just deep in thought over her reflection. I guess she thought she needed to get closer and closer just to see if it was really her! This is the toy that we think taught her to growl... it says "Orange Lion, Roar!" Then, she starts growling at you and she thinks she is funny.
We went to the doctor earlier today and her ear infection is GONE! But- she has developed some bad habits at night of waking up and crying so I will come into her room. Dr. Peters told me to put her in bed, put in some earplugs, and don't go in again until the next morning. Yikes! We will see how that goes!

My 100...

Laura Beth "tagged" me to write a list of 100 things about myself, so here goes...

1. I was born on July 11, 1982 as Lindsey Renee Starr
2. I have a sister, Kelly, that is 14 months older than me.
3. I have a brother, Derek, that is 18 months younger than me.
4. I grew up in Birmingham, Alabama and I get sad when people say they don't like Birmingham.
5. I hate video games. Kelly and Derek used to play them so much that I grew to hate them quickly.
6. I only like a few card games- but it depends on who I am playing with. I can't play with any of my family because they are annoying when they "talk smack."
7. I am very close to my grandparents, Nanny and Dink, they are like second parents to me!
8. I went to Brookwood Forest Elementary, then Mountain Brook Junior High for 7th grade, but I left after that year.
9. I went to Briarwood Christian School from 8th grade through graduation and I loved it.
10. I went to Auburn University in 2000- and I could not have loved it more.
11. I joined Alpha Delta Pi sorority even though I didn't want to be in the same one as Kelly. I just had to figure out for myself that they wouldn't just like me because I was her sister.
12. I pretty much lost interest in everything I had in common with most of my high school friends, which was the best thing to ever happen to me, and I made all new friends!
13. I noticed a guy staring at me across the lecture hall in Microbiology class, and he is now my husband.
14. I only went to class one or two of the three days that class was offered, and now I know that he used to wait for me to walk in- he recognized me by my sorority t-shirts. :)
15. He told my friend Elizabeth about the girl in his class and she asked if I wanted to go out with him, and I said "No, is he a stalker?"
16. Once I went out with Brandon, we were pretty much inseperable.
17. I laugh at the fact that I can remember hearing Enrique Iglesias, "You can't escape my love" playing in Brandon's Yukon. :)
18. I had several friends tell me not to go out with Brandon because he was a player- thank God I didn't care what they said! And thank God he changed his ways!
19. We broke up for a few days Senior year because Brandon was taking the MCAT and applying to med schools and he always gets stressed when he has too much pressure on him, and I was the easiest string to cut... (I am really just teasing him here, but he did break up with me because of stress)
20. We lived in the ghetto in Tuscaloosa when we first got married, and I wouldn't leave the apartment unless I HAD to!
21. We had a precious baby girl last May, Kathryn Phyllis Slagley (Kate), and we love her more than we ever thought we could!
22. I am a nurse, but I can really only handle working with babies and children. I don't know why, but my compassion doubles/triples when it comes to kids who can't do anything for themselves.
23. When I had Kate, I went from full-time to flexi which is just a day every now and then.
24. I never knew I would love being home with a child, but I guess when you love the child, you love the job!
25. I still have to pray daily that God will show me purpose in our everyday activities such as diapering, reading silly books about sheep going out to eat, and trying to clean my house.
26. I love to be in bed- I don't have to be sleeping, I just like being under the warm covers.
27. I used to need noise to go to sleep until I got married to a man that needs silence to sleep.
28. I can watch just about any movie, even if it is not very good, it will still entertain me.
29. I love the beach! I can be doing chores there and even taking care of Kate inside, but it is still wonderful just to be at the beach.
30. I used to wear SPF 0 tanning oil before I met Brandon, and he makes me wear at least SPF 10 now.
31. I could live off of fresh fruit- especially strawberries.
32. I will probably never get used to Brandon being on call, I don't like being alone at night.
33. I still tear up every now and then when Kate smiles or giggles- I just can't believe that she is mine and that she loves me so much!
34. I love strawberry limeade from Sonic.
35. I love McDonalds french fries.
36. I love Julia Roberts and Kate Hudson movies.
37. I hate the Lord of the Rings series.
38. I hate Star Wars too.
39. I like to read Karen Kingsbury books, when I have time.
40. I love to stalk blogs and see what everyone else is doing. Not in a creepy way, but it makes me feel like I am talking to them.
41. When I was pregnant with Kate, I might have eaten Macaroni and Cheese every day.
42. I sometimes laugh when people get hurt. I am not sure why, but it makes me chuckle- mean, I know.
43. I became a Christian when I was a child, but it became a personal relationship with Jesus Christ when I was a teenager.
44. I cannot imagine where I would be in my life if I had not become a Christian and if I had not been around so many people that have influenced me in that way.
45. I love the Bible studies we do through CMMA (Christian Medical Ministry of Alabama).
46. Sometimes I look at my life and I cannot believe that it is mine. For some reason, I did not imagine that I would be a stay at home mom at this age, or that I would enjoy it.
47. I cannot understand how kids can fight sleep, when sleep is all I want at bedtime!
48. I LOVE Mexican restaurant cheese dip!
49. My engagement ring is the ring that Brandon's mother had. (She passed away before I met him.)
50. I love the mother-in-law that I have more than anything, but I still cry at the thought that I never got a chance to meet the one person that I have always wanted to meet.
51. My birthday is July 11, and so was Brandon's mom's birthday.
52. We named Kate after Brandon's grandmother, Kathryn, and his mother, Phyllis.
53. I hate to iron... so I don't.
54. I love food the first time around, but the only reason I get leftovers is because I know Brandon will eat them.
55. I like to eat burned cheese toast.
56. Brandon got our dog, Bailey, right after we started dating. She is still around, just with slightly less attention than before.
57. I don't like when people are fake, I would rather tell you the truth and you not like me than you liking me because I can put on a show.
58. I like it when people can own up to their mistakes, and actually apologize.
59. I sometimes put a wall up when I am mad at Brandon, which drives him insane.
60. I get my feelings hurt easier then people realize.
61. I drank Gatorade like it was going out of style when I was pregnant with Kate.
62. Weird... I craved cold beer the whole time I was pregnant with Kate.
63. I am very glad I don't have to dress up for work every day in a suit and heels.
64. I love the TV show, The Office- it makes me laugh so hard.
65. I like to compare people I know to that show. For example, "She is acting so Dwight-like."
66. I don't like to drink water.
67. I like to go to Auburn games, but I really don't pay attention to the game. I just like tailgating and seeing everybody.
68. I am not able to mask my emotions very well. My facial expressions show everything.
69. I would rather ignore/not speak to someone than speak to them and be fake.
70. I love grocery shopping, I could spend hours just walking around.
71. I have to have a grocery budget or I would come home with all kinds of "surprises"
72. I am really sad that it costs so much to eat healthy food, I love fruits and vegetables.
73. I do not have to have meat at meals, I could do all veggies all the time if Brandon wouldn't mind.
74. I can eat a tomato like an apple.
75. I think that if Brandon ever did anything that hurt me, his family would probably stand behind me- I love them!
76. Brandon's parents raised him so well that I don't think he would ever do anything to hurt me, so I don't think I have to worry about that.
77. I am really anal-retentive about noise once Kate is asleep. There is no reason to wake her up if you don't have to.
78. I think high school relationships (for the most part) are a waste of time and emotions! You do learn a lot, but it is too much drama!
79. I have never smoked a cigarette, and I do not plan to.
80. I don't really understand why someone would want to smoke if you know the damage it will likely cause.
81. I don't like to take medicine unless it is a last resort.
82. Sometimes I am just quiet because I don't have much to say, not because I am uncomfortable.
83. I think I am pretty easy to live with. I have had one bad living situation, but I can honestly say that I don't think that was because of my habits.
84. I know that certain things I do get on Brandon's nerves, but luckily he loves me enough to get over them.
85. I think I am lucky because I do not dislike any of Brandon's family (unusual for an in-law situation).
86. I love Bruster's ice cream- especially S'Mores flavor in a waffle bowl.
87. When I got blood drawn the other day, I actually cried because it hurt so bad.
88. I still think I deserve a surprise when I handle that well. :)
89. The day I gave birth to Kate was one of the best days of my life, and I had a blast (yes, even the labor). I only waited 2-3 hours before getting my epidural and only pushed 30 minutes, so it was fun!
90. I had WAY WORSE days of pregnancy than the actual delivery. Who knew I would want to do it again so soon?!
91. Kate turned blue in the hospital and I had a minor breakdown when they told me they were going to take her away from me and possibly admit her to the NICU.
92. I love the fact that Brandon loves his little girl more than he ever thought he would. I think every guy wants a little boy, but he would love more girls too!
93. Brandon is really good at housework, and he doesn't mind doing it. This weekend, he did 6-8 loads of laundry because I wasn't feeling well.
94. I love candles! I love Votivo Red Currant candles, but they are ridiculously expensive and our last one burst into many pieces and leaked hot wax all over the place.
95. Most of the time, I don't even get coffee when I go to Starbucks.
96. After my senior year of high school, my friend ran over my foot sideways with his truck, and I broke my ankle. (It was really fun going through rush and starting freshman year at Auburn with a cast and crutches.)
97. I ran cross country and track in junior high school and high school.
98. I have a hole in my heart, called Atrial Septal Defect, but it rarely causes problems.
99. I like cheesy entertainment shows and magazines about celebrities, and Brandon HATES that!
100. I like to receive daisies or tulips instead of roses.


That is harder than I thought! Now, I tag Katie Finley, Katie Compton, and Robin Peterson to list their 100... I know you are busy too, but it is fun!

Not An April Fools...

SURPRISE!!!

We are going to have another baby! We are expecting baby #2 on November 7th! We are very excited and we are thrilled to be sharing the news now. We have told a few people here and there, but I figured this was the best way to broadcast the news- it is hard to call and tell everyone without someone finding out before others and hurting feelings, etc.,etc.. So- no hard feelings if there was no phone call, this was the easiest way to tell!
I am almost 9 weeks and I feel OK... not great. So far it has at least been easier to not let it consume me because I am so busy with Kate. By the way, they will be 17 months apart! (And I think I am busy now...) I am also thankful that Kate is still little enough that when I am getting sick, I can toss her into her highchair or crib and I know she is not getting into anything she shouldn't be! We went for an ultrasound 2 weeks ago, but things looked a little small, so we waited and got another ultrasound today and everything is going great. We decided to go ahead and tell now instead of waiting because we can't keep a secret very long, and I probably already am showing (my stomach wasn't even flat from Kate yet) and people just think I am packing on the pounds! I know many people are thinking we are crazy, but we can't wait for the fun we are going to have. Kate has been such a joy and a blessing, we know that the Lord has provided and will provide for our family at every step in the road! Please keep us in your prayers for a healthy pregnancy and another healthy, beautiful baby!

If You Can't Go To The Beach...

Yes, I am sleepy!


Kate got some fun beach toys for Easter, but this morning she wanted to play with them right here at home! We didn't get to go to the beach last week and we were sad, but I have to say I think I might like these toys better at home because they are not covered in sand! She doesn't care what they are anyway, she just likes to bang the pieces together and chew on the shovel.
Kate has an ear infection that just won't go away- she had her first one on New Year's Day, and it did not go away with one dose of antibiotics, so we treated it again with some stronger antibiotics, and we thought it went away... but it did not! She has not been sleeping well at night, and she has been pulling and "digging" at her ears so I took her to the after hours clinic this weekend and it is still there. So we are trying a little stronger dose of antibiotics and I have to take her back next week to check and make sure it is GONE! She slept all night Saturday night, but she wanted to wake up at 4:00 Monday morning and Brandon just got up and got ready to go to work early because there was no sense in sitting around listening to her cry. I felt bad, but I have to give her some time to cry it out or she will just expect to be rocked to sleep every time she makes a peep! Last night, she slept all night except for one little lost pacifier incident that only took a second to pop it back in. It is amazing to see the difference in my mood and energy level with a full night of sleep. I think I am a lot easier to be around (just ask Brandon), but I am also more gracious to Kate when she does fuss instead of just getting frustrated.
Hopefully we can make a trip to the beach soon and put those toys to use! I am tired of the weather going hot-cold-hot-cold! It needs to just stay warm and I can finally swap out the wardrobes from winter to summer! I love flip-flops and I am ready to wear them all the time!