Do you have a name for the nugget yet???

All Chris and I are ever asked is if we have picked a name for nugget #2 yet. This task was daunting, we felt we had decided on THE perfect name when we picked Kinsler Ryan. We kept asking ourselves if it was possible to "top" it (Kinsler), is it appropriate to think of a name in that way? Do we keep with the Rangers theme? I really wanted to keep the same initials for all our kids (KRC), will it be possible to find a Ranger player we like that will fit the criteria? Do we abandon the idea of Rangers theme and go more baseball generic or abandon all together? I really wanted to incorporate "Ky" in some way which severely limited our choices especially to keep the Rangers theme. Then, when we finally narrowed the choices down to 3 names and then to 2 (for just the first name mind you) we were deadlocked. So, the next question was "Is 4 names too many?" (2 firsts, middle, last), should we hyphenate? How does one appropriately hyphenate 2 first names? And of course at some point you ask "Are we over thinking this?". Maybe, but names are important (we feel).

Needless to say this is why it took us awhile to decide on a name for little man.


Alas, we did decide:

We decided on a first name that followed the Rangers theme and a middle name that just happened to be a family name on Chris's side and kept the initials the same as Kinsler's. Success.

 Kolby Reece Collins

Kolby - Colby Lewis a Rangers pitcher. Reece became a fast favorite for a middle name and then we found out it is Chris's grandmother's maiden name (although spelled differently than what we decided on). I'm also not convinced that I won't be calling him "Ky" at some point as a nickname, derived from the first and last letters of his first name, I'm seriously in love with that name. (See the indecisive problem we ran into? Kolby-Ky Reece Collins, who doesn't love that??? If you don't opinions to yourself please.) 

So, it's been a few months... (again)

I am struggling to keep up with my blog! Every time I think about updating I can't seem to think of anything to write about but now that I think about it we've actually done quite a bit this summer. I am going to update about the pregnancy, Kinsler, and what we've been up to. Hang with me because it may be a long post. :)

Pregnancy
-29 1/2 weeks today
-Due date is now Sept. 27
-At last ultrasound, Nugget #2 weighed 3lbs and measured 2 weeks earlier than due date
-I am measuring on track, so we may be in for a BIG baby. :) That's okay we like 'em chunky.
- I have been in the hospital 3 times. 2 times for kidney stones, finally ended up passing 10 pieces before I quit straining. The 3rd time I was hospitalized for 4 days for a severe kidney infection. HORRIBLE-enough said.
-I am currently on a prescription and will be for the remainder of the pregnancy to help prevent any future kidney/UTI infections.
-I still have a few random nauseous moments but I have not taken any medicine (zofran or phenergan) since last hospital stay (June 8-11). Praise the Lord!
-The boy's nursery is almost finished, it is painted and the furniture is there but no bedding, curtains, or twin bed for Kins. We have a painting and 2 name pieces being done for the room but we haven't picked them up yet. Nugget's name piece will be done in the same manner as Kinsler's.

Clearly it looks very unfinished but this is just to show the color. 

Above 3: Kinsler's name piece, 3D, Razorback Baseball painting (theme for their room)

Kinsler
- 2 years 5 months old
- Learning to count, knows a few letters (e and r), can recognize some colors (blue, green, yellow, red, orange)
-Loves anything active, amazing hand/eye coordination, VERY active
-Loves going to "class" at church to see his friends. (his words) He says they are his favorite friends. :) I will take this time to interject that we have been SO VERY blessed with a wonderful church home/family, small group, and families who are raising their children to follow Christ so that Kinsler is immersed in Christ's love wherever we go and whoever we are with.
-Favorite phrases: "Hey guys ...." used mostly when Chris and I are in a different part of the house and he's trying to get our attention. "My favorite puppy/momma/daddy/_____" I love listening to the things that he says are his favorite these are 3 that are used often. :) "It's fun" He likes to use this to persuade us to do something example: "I go to the zoo and see elephants, giraffes, and fish. It's fun!!" with his hands pumping in the air when he says it's fun. This cracks me up the most!
-He loved his first trip to the zoo in Tulsa (those pics are on a different computer so I will have to add them later) and now asks to go ALL the time. He will name different animals each time he asks to go that he says he wants to see.
-He also asks to go back to the beach on an almost daily basis. He loved playing in the sand and the ocean. He reminds us of it everyday. haha

-Kinsler got a big deal haircut right before our beach vacation. I am missing his long locks something awful!!

Top: Pre-haircut long luscious curly locks

Bottom: Post-haircut still curly/wavy just short

Summer Fun

-Our first summer fun trip was to the Tulsa Zoo. We spent ALL day walking around and looking at every animal in every exhibit! Kinsler loved it and begs to go back. We are hoping to take him back in a few weeks.

-As mentioned above, we took a beach vacation with my parents and siblings. We all had a blast and soaked up a lot of sun. I got out of the hospital on Monday and we left for my parents on Thursday and the beach on Saturday. We were supposed to stay until the next Saturday, a full week, but Chris and I were exhausted by Thursday night and decided to head home on Friday afternoon a little early. The above picture with Kinsler's post haircut is the only family picture we managed! 

-Sometime this summer Kinsler will spend a few days with Chris's parents for another grandparent get-away. 

 -We have been painting, swimming, and enjoying our summer.

-We have yet to decide on a name for the Nugget but I think we are close!

Thanks for reading to the end! :)

Nugget #2 is on the way!!

So, it has been a few months since I last posted and if you haven't heard already we are pregnant with baby #2. I have been meaning to get on here and write about this pregnancy because as of right now I don't have a baby book for this one and this pregnancy has been so different that I want to remember what it was like.

-I am 17 weeks along.
-My due date is Sept. 29 as of now. I am desperately hoping for an October baby because most of our family has September birthdays and I don't want the baby to share with anyone. (Selfish I know.)
-I had a great 1st trimester
-So far the 2nd trimester has been filled with "morning sickness". I use quotes because it definitely doesn't happen just in the morning and since I think morning sickness is typically associated with the first trimester I'm using the term loosely. However, you get the gist, I've been sick...a lot. I got my first prescription of Zofran filled only 2-3 weeks ago and I have one pill left. Most of the time I have no warning and am unable to take a pill quick enough.
-Kinsler has an okay understanding of baby right now. He knows that when we ask where the baby is he points to my belly. But when we ask if he wants to be a brother he might say yes or he might say no. Just depends on his mood. :) Too bad for him he doesn't get a choice. :)

Chris and I are super excited about this new little addition. It is crazy how fast it's already gone by. I'm almost to the half way point.

Kinsler is talking up a storm! He is pretty much able to say anything we ask him to and understands quite a bit especially if we ask him to do something or go put something away. His latest word is Caterpillar as in the tractor and airplane. I'm glad he's finally calling them airplanes instead of tractors.
We visited Emma in Shawnee last weekend with my mom and she suggested we go to the store to get him a toy in order to keep him occupied and entice him to behave. When he picked out the tractor I asked if that was the one he wanted and he replied "I want one more." so of course Nana agreed. All I could do was laugh.

In a nut shell that is our latest news and family update!

Kinsler is 2!!

My little baby is not such a baby anymore! He loves doing things on his own and bossing me around! I haven't done such a great job of keeping up with milestones, phrases, and other things as of late so I'm going to attempt to think of things of the top of my head and put them in this post.

Phrases/words: doctor, "watch this momma/daddy", "go!", "What's this?", "why?", "I don't know", "my, momma/daddy"-which is thank you, please, love you-which is another phrase that doesn't sound anything like love you

Activities: coloring is new hobby, playing with Thomas the train set, playing baseball or playing with any sports equipment, football, basketball (bassakaball)

Motor development: He drinks out of a cup without a lid and prefers that to sippys but of course if we're out and about he uses a sippy, loves to jump, hit off a tee

Other: He isn't very interested in numbers or letters, he loves to eat snacks (nacks). Kinsler is also obsessed with any kind of sporting event. Chris has been keeping the books at the basketball games so about 2-3 times a week we go up to the gym and watch, when we pass the football field he begs to watch football. His favorite all time thing to do as of late is go to the softball field while the girls are practicing and hit off the tee or run the bases. When we pass the field on our way home from school he begs/cries/pleads to stop. I love that he is into sports but I haven never seen a kid his age be so interested in them. Except for a few minutes he watches the entire basketball or football game. I'm excited for softball to start so he can watch the girls play, of course it may be difficult for me to keep him off the field.

This past weekend we went to Helena to my cousin's wedding afterwards we drove back to Jonesboro and had cake with my family to celebrate his birthday. He loved his Cars cake!! He especially loved the McQueen (mean) and Mater cars on top. Unfortunately he ended up with a fever and ear infection and Emma and I got the stomach bug. We were a pretty sad sight. But we are better now. Thank goodness!

We love you Kinsler Ryan! Happy 2nd birthday!!!

January again...Another year behind us

So it's practically been forever since I last posted. The only thing I keep thinking I want to post about is that fact Kinsler will turn 2 in a few weeks! It kind of has me freaking out! Turning 1 wasn't the big of a deal to me because even though he was walking he was still very dependent on me and had lots of babyish qualities still. Now that is not so true. He pretty much only needs me to wipe his booty and fix his food. Even then he tells me when he needs to potty (for the most part) and tells me when and what he wants to eat!
We also don't really get to do much of a party this year because my cousin and his finance are getting married on his birthday in Helena so we will be down/over there for his birthday weekend. However my mom ordered him a cake and I bet you can't guess the theme of his cake!!?? Any guessers?? ;) So we will get to celebrate with family after the wedding, K just won't have any little friends over. I'm sure he'll be terribly upset. Ha!

Hope everyone is enjoying the start to a new year! We sure are!

Christmas is in the air

Last Friday night, Chris, Kinsler, and I went on a family date! We went down to the square and ate at Damgoode Pies (basically the only pizza place I like), as usual it was delicious. If you haven't been there you should definitely check it out! Before we ate we took Kins to walk around the square. The first thing he did was climb up by the waterfall pond and razorback and sit. I think if we would have let him he'd have sat there all night! 

He just climbed right up and took a seat.

Here are both my boys. They make my heart smile.

Right after we took this he spotted the "zebras" aka the camels. He was fascinated by them! When Kinsler was finally willing to leave the zebras we went to dinner. He ate probably 3 pieces of pizza. I am ever amazed by his growing appetite! When we left the restaurant he asked to see the zebras again, of course, we obliged and walked him back to the square. When we went back to the square we saw a couple of Chris's students playing music and we stopped to listen. If you know Kinsler at all you know he LOVES music. He was fascinated with their little band.

We ended up scrapping our original idea of Bliss cupcakes for dessert because we were craving ice cream. So we went to Chick-fil-a and got 2 cookies and cream milkshakes. Chris and I split one while Kins took the second for himself! We had such a wonderful night together! I can't wait to do it again!