Where did her name come from?

Well, as you all know... we kept her name a secret until her birth. This was primarily my husband's decision as he felt with Daniel that we didn't know his gender so that was THE BIG SURPRISE for everyone so he wanted at least one surprise with Baby #2 and he decided that was going to be her name! It was SO HARD for me to keep it a secret... so, I cheated a little bit and told people totally unrelated to us like the Starbucks' Batista's, the Cold Stone Creamery people, etc!

Brendon and I have a REALLY hard time coming up with names... primarily because the names he likes, I don't really like and vice versa. So, as soon as we found out we were having a girl, I pulled out the Baby Name Books and literally read them from A - Z! It is pretty much like reading a dictionary! So, I would write down the names I liked then I would run them by Brendon and he would say Yes or No... I got to Katelyn and for some reason, it just stood out to me.... like I couldn't get it out of my head, it just felt right! The miracle was that Brendon liked it too!

There were a couple of other confirmations... like at Christmas time, my sister asked us what we were going to name her and we had NO IDEA then! So she said that she liked the name "Kate" and I just thought it was cute and simple but it reminded me too much of "John and Kate plus 8" who were in the news BIG time then so I was like... "yeah, I don't think so!" Then, Daniel was in a music class and and the music teacher asked me what I was going to name her so I told her (one of those unrelated people!) and she said, "Oh! My daughter's name is Katelyn!" Then she asked me if I knew what it meant and I said, "Yes, that is another reason we like the name... Kate is a derivative of Katherine which means 'Pure, Innocent One' and in the world we are living in now, this is our desire for our daughter." She began to tell me that it gets better... her name was Lyn and that Lyn means "Refreshing or Refreshment" and so when you put Kate and Lyn together, it actually means "PURE REFRESHMENT" and at that very moment I FELL IN LOVE with the name and knew that is what we were going to name her for sure!

The amazing thing is that is exactly what Katelyn has been in our live... PURE REFRESHMENT! My prayer for our daughter is that every person she comes into contact with during her life here on this earth, that she will bring them "PURE REFRESHMENT!"

Katelyn's Dedication & More

Sunday was Katelyn's Dedication... this was her beautiful dress and bonnet! My mom bought this in Nashville before she even knew that I was having a girl because she thought it was just so sweet!

My Dad and Katelyn in the Green Room before Service... this is another dress that I love! My friend Sara gave this to her... since she spits up so much, I didn't want her to ruin her dedication gown so this was her pre-dedication outfit=)

My mom, my dad and Katelyn... My friend Janelle makes the most beautiful headbands!

Daddy and Katelyn!

The Triplets! Everyone says that I look like my mom and everyone says my kids look like me or my mom!

Katelyn's Dedication!

Poppy praying over Katelyn... we thank God he gave us this perfect gift and we dedicated her back to Him!

I had so many friends that came to support us for this very special service and it meant so much to me! Thank you so much! After the service, we had my parents, Aunt Leigh Anne & Uncle Aaron, and Kyle & Jenni over to our house for a light celebration lunch.

Monday... Daniel asked me if could finger paint, so... here he is!

Monday night, I went to Kristy's house for our 1st pre-school co-op meeting! My friend asked me to be a part of this pre-school co-op that she is putting together of 6 ladies... basically, we are purchasing a curriculum that is designed for home-based pre-school. We will all take turns hosting and teaching the pre-school at our house for one week which will be 2 days/ week for 3 hours/ day! I am very excited about our endeavor!

Every Tuesday night, we host a high school group at our house.... this is a time for them to come over and talk about real life issues. Brendon and I love these kids... so, does Daniel!!! Look at how he makes himself comfortable in the middle of these teens!

Summer is Starting!!!

The weather has been soooo amazing here... the nights are just perfect summer nights that make you want to stay outside all night! Last Sunday night, we spent time with friends at Power Ranch Park for Zander's 3rd b-day!

Monday, I took the kids to a splash pad with our church playgroup and Sara had a great idea for me to try on Daniel that her friend Jacklyn uses... fill up your water table, give your toddler some soap in a squirt bottle, their own sponge and play dishes and let them wash dishes while you are washing dishes! Daniel LOVES this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now... why do I not find my dishes as much fun as Daniel enjoys doing his dishes!!!

Tuesday night... my friends took me and Kristy out for our birthdays to D'Vine... the perfect girls night out!

Wednesday night, I met a friend at Toy Town so we could do some party planning. Toy Town is the perfect place to have a "Mommy Meeting" as your kids are completely safe, having fun and they have tables and chairs for mommies to chat=) Then I headed to my 6 week postpartum check up and everything looks great... it was so weird heading back to by OB's office with my baby in my arms this time... THANK GOD! My last couple of appointments were not my favorite as I wanted her out! I looked at the other preggers in the office... and thought to myself... THANK GOD that part is over!!! =)

Katelyn is working hard on getting her squishy, scrumptious fat rolls!

Thursday morning was a lazy morning at home with friends over!

Saturday morning was a delish breakfast at The Good Egg with an out of town friend! Daniel ordered the Mickey Mouse pancakes!!!

Twins!

So, when I gave to birth to Katelyn... if you read my birth story then you know that I actually caught her and pulled her to my chest! It will go down as one of my favorite life moments! The first thing I said when I saw her little face was, "Oh my goodness! This is Daniel's twin 2 years and 8 months later!" See for yourself! Everyone says that my kids look just like my mom which is even more weird! A lot of people are saying that they look like me (which I look like my mom!)... so, poor Brendon!

Below is obviously Katelyn since she is decked out in pink! Notice the sleeping position! This is how they also sleep in my womb!

Below is Daniel... sleeping the same way!



Below is Daniel!

Below is Katelyn!

Below is Daniel!

Below is Katelyn!

Katelyn's Room

Well, I have been wanting to put these pictures up for a while now but there are always a couple of more things left to do but if I don't do it now, then it could be who knows when?

Below is my favorite spot... my reading/ nursing/ relaxing spot! This lamp was one of the first things I saw and wanted for the nursery after I found out I was having a girl... it had my colors (light pink and green) and it had roses! It was a wonderful shower gift!

I made the shadow boxes that are hanging on the wall... I just need to put some photos in them=)

My grandma got me the sleeping angel picture... I love it!

I think the first thing I ever got for the room was this super cool organic canvas toy bag from my sister... when she and Christopher were here over Christmas, they found this at a swanky baby boutique in Scottsdale and it holds Katelyn over abundance of rattles and baby toys!

Leigh Anne gave the letters to me for her room... of course, she painted them and they are so cute!

I love this rocking chair.... above this, I have some cute wall art waiting to be hung so we took this pic from the bottom half angle=)

See the blank wall... now you know where the wall art is going=)

So, the green was from Daniel's nursery... we just painted the top half pink with glazed stripes which don't show up in the pics and the green curtains and part of the bedding was his as well.

Another project is what we are doing above her crib... it is going to be netting that will make it look like a princess crib=)

Again, the mobile was something that I saw that I had to have and it was a wonderful shower gift and the crib blanket was a handmade shower gift.

The diaper stacker was a handmade shower gift as well.

Thanks to friends... this is her 0-3 month wardrobe... just outfits! Onesies, sleepers, gowns, etc are in drawers! However, she has gone through clothes like crazy because she spits up a lot so we go through the outfits and if I didn't have this many clothes, then I would have to do laundry multiple times a day! LOL!

I LOVE her walk in closet... there are hooks on one side for her hats, tutus, bags, calendar, etc!

Her ultrasound pics, growth chart and bows hanging on one of the walls in her closet!