Tenley Update

Many people have been requesting more pics of Tenley so here you go.  She is three and a half months and very happy.   She smiles all the time, is very content, sleeps wonderfully, LOVES her jumperoo and standing up.   She also loves being outside, looking at trees, and watching Duke play catch.  She has been to MSU tailgating and is going again tomorrow.  She watched the Drumline with her Dad and loved it.  She continues to be a "happy spitter" we always carry at LEAST one extras set of clothes with us for her, and I usually have an extra shirt for myself as well.  So things are great here!  She is growing up...obviously way too fast.  ENJOY.

Labor Day Weekend

We had a great and busy weekend for this long Labor Day Weekend.   Last week Jared was in Amana Iowa for work, which left me home working and taking care of Tenley by myself.  Whenever Jared leaves the week always seems like I am going to be so bored and have nothing to do but then inevitably it turns into the busiest week ever...last week was no exception.  One day Tenley spent about 6 hours in the car with me working, and she did awesome - luckily she is like the best baby!
Thursday night Jared got home and my cousin and her hubby were in town from Colorado so they came over and our two girls went for "Dog Rides" on their dog Ollie.   Tenley was unsure about this, but I think she enjoyed it.  It was great to see them, I wish that we could hang out all the time!
Friday we got up and did a few things around the house and then headed to East Lansing!  We met up with our good friends Margo & Corey and their two kids and headed to MSU.  This was Tenley's first time at MSU and she was very excited about it.  We went tailgating with friends from college, watched the drumline, the march to the stadium, and of course got a picture with Sparty!   The picture took dedication - Jared was ready with the camera and I was standing ready to jump in, I could tell he was about to leave, but at the last second I jumped by him and yelled "Sparty!" while holding up Tenley (who can refuse her) he quickly posed and then was whisked away in a golf cart! WHEW!  We then loaded all three kids in Margo's car - BLESS HER! - and she went home with kids and Jared, Corey, and I went to the game.  It was fabulous!  That night we slept at Margo & Corey's house and got up the next morning and took a trip to Biggby Coffee, which Margo and Corey own.  Margo was working and the rest of up came trucking in.  It was my version of opening day...it was the first day of the CARMEL APPLE CIDER drink that I LOVE!!!!  SO I got a big one, we sat and chatted for a while then took off back to GR.  Once we got home, we unpacked and re-packed and headed up to Traverse City to stay with my Sister and her family, becasue Jared had a Triathlon up there on Sunday - my Mom and Herm came too.
Sunday we got all three kids ready and went to watch Jared's Tri, then went back to my sister's house and took naps and went swimming.  Finally Sunday afternoon we headed home and walked in to a DISASTER of a house.  We decided we didn't care and rented a movie and went to bed.
Monday we took Tenley and Duke to the park where Duke decided to pounce into REALLY thick mud that turned him from White to Black, and Tenely went on her first slide with her dad.  To cap off Labor Day Weekend we had our good friends Sarah & Scott over to grill out and play some cards.  It was a great, but very busy weekend.  I am sooo longing for a weekend where we are just at home and can relax and hang out...Maybe even be bored for a minute or two - that would be fantastic.
Here are some pictures of our weekend:

Ready for the water

Hanging in TC with dad

Getting pumped for her first trip to MSU

Dog Riding

Ready for the game

Enjoy The Moment

You know all the people that say "Enjoy this time it won't last long"...I agree, but I have found that I have no problem remembering this with Tenley.  I get a little sad every night thinking that another day with Tenley is over and it's time I will never get back with her.  Every time I snuggle her, I soak it up, cherishing it because I know that soon enough she will be big and not able to snuggle so tightly, nor will she want to.  I love that I have to carry her from place to place, that I know how to help her when she is crying, that she LOVES to talk to me and look at me, and that I can make her smile all the time.  She's not running to her friends to tell them stories, she is telling me.  She doesn't have a boyfriend that she wants to do things with, she doesn't have a car to drive away in.  She is totally dependent on me and I love it.  She looks to me to tell her she is doing a great job from across the room when she is in her Jumperoo and I love when she sees her dad and gives off the biggest smile.  I don't like her even moving up to the next clothes size, it just makes me think of all the moments we have already had that I will never get back.
Everyday just seems so important, I don't want to miss anything and I want to cuddle her and kiss her all day.  I love every little noise she makes and try to burn it into my memory.  I am taking movies and pictures but I just know it will never be the same.
So I AM enjoying every moment, even in the moments where Tenley is crying and crying there is nothing I would rather be then Tenley's mom at that moment - cause it won't last for long and I want to be there for her as much as I can.  I am looking forward to when she can walk, talk, do things with me, go on trips and enjoy it, but there is time for all that...right now I am just happy for every moment and every snuggle I get and I never want it to end.   Oh and I now hate all the country songs that talk about this sort of thing..they make me sad.

Love my little girl!