Monday, December 24, 2012

Merry Christmas!

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE BIEHLERS!
"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" Isaiah 9:6

Look at this precious smile! 
 
 I love this picture of us!
Santa came!
 First glimpse of Santa's treasures!
 I think he likes it:)
 My babies
Silly Kylie and Katie Bug
 

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Trick-or-Treat!

It was another fun Halloween in the Biehler household. Jackson was definitely more into it this year than last year which made it even more fun. He was really excited about being a policeman and getting to carry his gun in his holster. Carter was pretty chill and enjoyed watching all the strange kids in funny costumes walk by! I can tell it's lost a little of its charm for Kylie, but we might need to have some more kids her age walk with us next year to spice it up a bit!

Pretty Greek Goddess
Handsome Police Officer
Cute Jailbird
On a candy mission!


Wednesday, October 31, 2012

See you at the Rainbow Bridge...

It is always hard to say goodbye to our beloved animal friends...
We recently put my 14 year old dog Toby to rest.  He is my dog, but really he became my mom's dog.  I had always wanted a little Yorkshire Terrier.  They are the cutest little dogs.  So, the summer between my Junior and Senior year at Baylor when I was living alone, she brought the most precious puppy to Waco to live with me.  I'll never forget how tiny and cute he was.  He would sleep on my pillow at night right by my head.  He didn't like to be left alone.  It made him feel insecure.  We would go on walks together and play with his toys and I would find his little baby teeth every now and then when it was time for his big teeth to come in.

When it was time for school to start again, he went back to Austin to live with my mom. Even though he lived with her, every time he saw me he knew I was his mama.  I feel like even until the end, he knew I was his mama. 

My mom had grown so close to sweet Toby.  They had a special bond.  A few weeks ago he started to limp and wouldn't go up the stairs.  My mom took him in and they suspected either a back injury or possibly a stroke.  They gave him a steroid shot which made him feel like a puppy again, but only lasted for a short while.  Then, he got worse... he was delirious, couldn't use his back right leg and quit eating.  It was definitely more than a back injury.  The vet confirmed it was probably a stroke and he wasn't going to get better.  At that point, we had to make the tough decision as to whether it was time to say goodbye and let him go with dignity or try to keep him a bit longer.

The vet was so sweet and helpful and on Monday, October 22nd we let our little guy go.  I am so thankful he no longer suffers.  He had a good life and we will miss him.

See you at the Rainbow Bridge sweet boy...

The Story of Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals that had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

-- Author Unknown
 

Friday, October 26, 2012

Tippy Toes

Any of you that know us well know Kylie has walked on her tiptoes since just about forever.  I don't recall at what point she stopped walking flat foot, but I would say by the time she was two years old, she was walking on her toes.  People used to always say how cute it was and "is she in ballet" all the time, but I never paid much attention.  It was just a part of my Kylie.  I didn't think a thing of it until she was in her 3 year old preschool class and her teacher mentioned it to me out of concern.  I was a little taken back thinking, well who cares if she walks on her toes?  So, I didn't really pay attention.  Then, when she was in her Pre-K class, her teacher said the same thing (out of concern).  This time I started to wonder if maybe there was something I was missing.  Is this really an issue?  Why do people feel the need to mention it?  I decided to take her to an orthopedic just to make sure I knew there was nothing to worry about.  Sure enough, the doctor said no worries, she'll grow out of it as she gets bigger... come see me again in a year if she's not walking on her heels yet. 

Well, a year later we were back in his office.  Same thing - no worries... she'll come down off her toes as she grows.  She's still really young.  Okay doctor, we'll see you next year if nothing changes.  Well, you get the point.

Not to today and four doctor's visits later... she's still up on her toes just as much as she was when she was two.  Much bigger now, but not standing any shorter:)  It's actually quite amazing to watch.  If you ever try to stand on your toes for any good length of time you'll see just how difficult it is.

This is the hard part for me as a mom.  My little tip-toe walker is my baby girl.  She's always walked that way and it's who she is.  I love that about her.  It makes her unique and it represents her sweet, carefree personality.  She just flutters about!

We've decided to take her to the Scottish Rite hospital in Dallas.  We'll see the doctor on Monday to have her evaluated for heel chord lengthening in December. We've been told she'll be down for about 7-10 days and then be in walking casts for around 6 weeks.  I'm anxious to learn more on Monday when we visit Dr. Socato.  He is supposed to be an amazing surgeon.

For now, I'll enjoy my little tip-toer for a little longer:)  I know she'll be the same sweet girl, but this mama's heart will miss her floating about!

Friday, October 5, 2012

Get your walking shoes on!

It's a great month for Carter James!  He's finally decided to really give the whole walking thing a go! He started really trying to walk earlier this week and in just a few days, he is really cruising.  He's up to almost 10 steps now.  He is so proud of himself too.  When Jackson and Kylie watch him they clap and cheer for him too which makes him really smile.  It is so special having the older siblings to encourage him:)  I'm going to try and get some good video of him to post because I am so proud of my baby boy!

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Our First Slumber Party!

I survived Kylie's first slumber party!
This summer I started cooking up an idea to have a back-to-school slumber party for a few of Kylie's friends at our house.  I let Adam know ahead of time that he and the boys would be asked to spend the night elsewhere since there were no boys allowed:)
So, last night we held our first Back To School Bonanza!
I picked Kylie and four of her friends at Regents after school and took them to Wazoo's for some inflatable bouncing and jumping.  They were so excited when I got to the school, I knew it was going to be a wild and crazy time!  I let them bounce for a little while and then we headed back to our house to get ready for a fancy dinner.  Kylie loves to get dressed up, so we decided to create a fancy dinner at our house.  All the girls got dressed up in their fancy dresses, brushed their hair, and some even put on a little makeup! They loved getting dressed up!  They were pretending like they were celebrities and I was the paparazzi! Ha!
 Chez Marie is oh so fancy!
The girls wanted lots of candles!
Next, we decided to do spa time and dance party!  We turned out the lights and got out the glow sticks and disco ball and the party was on. Katy Perry decided to join us for the evening and the girls loved dancing to her.  They were really cute dancing and singing on the mircrophone.
Getting a nail treatment!
 

 
Then it was time to start getting ready for bed.  They fell asleep at about 11:30 or so.  I did have to go mean mommy on them and tell them they were going to be split uf if they didn't stop chatting and being silly. I was ready to go to sleep!
 
Night Night...
 
The girls were up at about 6:45 and said they were starving.  I heated up a french toast dish I made, and voila, breakfast is served.
 
Next event - paint t-shirts! This was my favorite part:)
 
 
 
After the girls painted shirts, they played until the moms got there to pick them up.
I asked Kylie if her party was a success and she said YES! So, I guess we did a good job then:) Now, let's all take a nap!


TWINKIES

I asked Jackson if he'd like to wear the same shirt as Carter the other day and he was really excited about it, so of course I had to take pictures!


Back to School

It's back to school for us now and everyone is going to school this year!
Kylie is in 2nd grade at Regents and she is in Mrs. Crowell's class again...huge smiley face here.  Kylie had Mrs. Crowell for Kindergarten and then she move up to 2nd grade so we prayed she would get her again and she did!  We are so blessed to have her not once, but twice!
Jackson is going to Bannockburn Monday and Wednesday and then Westlake Presbyterian Tuesday and Thursday.  I think he really likes going to two schools.  Two different classrooms with different toys, two groups of friends, and two different playgrounds! It all works out nicely.  Now that he's three, they are putting a bit more curriculum into his teaching, so I am happy to see he'll be working on letters and numbers, and much more!
Carter James is going to Bannockburn Monday and Wednesday too! I was somewhat hesitant to put him in school so early, but it was either start him at one year old, or wait until he was two years old. So, we're giving it a shot! So far his teachers say he's so much fun to have, he never cries, and they want him to come everyday. Yay big boy Carter! He is such a fun guy to have around. He's so jolly and playful. What a cutie pie.

 PEACE, LOVE, 2ND GRADE!
 BIG BOY 3 YEAR OLD:)
 MY TWO HANDSOME BOYS
 WATCH OUT LADIES...
 A CONSTRUCTION SITE - PERFECT!
HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Time to Catch Up!!! Carter is One:)

I have been so bad about writing on my blog.  I realize I have about a million things going on at one time, but it is really important to me to write down all of the wonderful memories our family is making!  So, slowly but surely I will get all caught up!

The most important thing on my list to write about now is that my sweet, baby boy Carter James is one year old!  People use the term "time flies" so often that it doesn't hold much meaning anymore, but I can honestly say that this year flew by like a blink of an eye.  It seems as though once I found out I was pregnant with Carter the world started spinning a little faster and it sure hasn't stopped!

Carter James, where do I begin when I talk about this journey with you over the past year.  First of all, finding out I was going to have you was truly the biggest surprise of my life!  Not in a bad way at all, just in a "Wow... we're having another baby.  Surely wasn't expecting that, but thank you Jesus for your blessing!"

The pregnancy went pretty well.  Probably the hardest pregnancy of all three simply because I was 7 years older than my first pregnancy and had to keep up with two other very active children and work full-time.  And, we decided to remodel the house to make room for one more person living there! Yikes!

Carter, you came into this world screaming at the top of your lungs and that should have been a hint as to how the first months with you were going to go.  From the day you were born, you wanted to be held all the time, mostly by me.  You ate about every 2 hours and the rest of the time just wanted a warm body to snuggle with.  You had a cry that was probably the loudest newborn cry I have ever heard!

For the first six months, you were a very challenging baby.  You rarely ever kept your feeding down and you only liked to be held a certain way.  You screamed in the car, no matter how far the distance.  If it was for a 20 minute drive, you screamed the whole 20 minutes. We took you to doctors to make sure you were okay and they ran tons of tests only to say it was probably just something you would have to grow out of.  But, we put you on the expensive medicine and formula anyways, just out of desperation for you to feel better!  You slept in my arms every night for the first 6 months until you were finally able to sleep in your own crib (thank the Lord).  I really wasn't bothered by snuggling at night.  I actually enjoyed it most of the time!

Once you hit 6 months old, your real personality really started to come out!  Your smile got brighter and brighter and your giggles increased exponentially!  Your big, brown eyes seemed to shine more and more every day. 

Where you are today... you LOVE being around other kiddos and your brother and sister give you the best belly laughs.  You still love to be held quite a bit and refuse to walk on your own even though we know you really can!  You love mommy the best (hee hee), but you also love spending time with your grandma Mary who is with you all day, every day.  She knows everything there is to know about taking care of you, so you feel safe and happy when she is there.   You love your daddy, but sometimes your not too sure if you're okay being with him when mom is around.  You love to play with your toys and seem to be super smart.  You figure things out after being shown only one or two times!  You're already a climber and scare us all the time now.  It's really funny when you climb on a stool and get stuck because you're scared to come down by yourself so you stand there and whimper until someone comes to rescue you!

Everyone loves you Carter James.  At church and school you are so happy and a joy to be around.  You just started school and you are so busy you don't even sleep the whole 4 hours you are there!  Your teacher told me on Monday she wants you to be there everyday because you are so joyful:)

I just knew you were going to be something special the way you came into this world.  You were God's gift to me.  God's greatest blessings are usually the ones we don't even expect and you are a testimony to that sweet boy.  I couldn't love you any more.  My world is so much better with you in it.  You make me want to be the best mommy because that is what you deserve!  I love you so much!

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

My Handsome Young Man

 His face is so soft and sweet:)
Now a little personality comes out!
Our favorite photographer is trying out some new process and was looking for people to sit for her for a free session.  I have been thinking about possibly getting Jackson in some type of modeling gig and I thought this would give me an idea of how he would do.  He was awesome! He sat there really quietly and did just about everything they asked.  He got a little silly toward the end, but I think that made even better pictures.  He's just so precious - he reminds of a little doll.  I know I'm biased, but looking at him is a constant reminder to me of God's beautiful work.  I can say that about all my babies because I'm their mommy.  He has such expressive eyes and the most kissable lips! I just love, love, love them! I'm so proud to be his mama:)

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Play it Out! at TBarM

 Excited about her bunk bed!
 Muleshoe was her cabin name
Kylie had a blast at TBarM. It's a Christian Sports Camp located in New Braunfels, TX. She did her specialty in Gymnastics/Cheer/Dance (or GCD as she calls it).  She already told me she's ready to go back! I was really never worried about her not having a fantastic time.  In fact, the only thing I was worried about was she was going to get so tired that it would be hard for her to keep up with all the fun.  Silly mommy.  Really what happens is these kids run on pure adrenaline for a week and then they come home and crash.  For the first two days she was home she actually napped!  She hasn't done that since she was three years old! We had a really fun time dropping her off and getting to go back and pick her up.  Her counselors were adorable and really loved on their kiddos. Kylie's buddy was Callie and she was really sweet.  I have no idea how those counselors have the energy to do that all summer with only a 24 hour break once a week.  I can't imagine! I doubt they get great sleep in bunk beds with 15 little girls in the cabin with them, then they are going non-stop doing activities and games. I am blown away by all the fun things they come up with for these kids.  They had theme night every night, so Monday night was  Pool Party, Tuesday was Olympics or patriotic, Wednesday was Superhero, Thursday was Mission Impossible or camo, and Friday was Homecoming.  We had so much fun packing Kylie's trunk and getting her stuff all ready to go.  They suggested putting each day's clothes in a ziploc bag so she could grab it and put it on easily each morning.  Me being the uber-organization freak, I love that idea!!!  We got her some cute seahorse sheets and a super-soft minky blanket for her bed.
They uploaded pictures for the parents to see from each day, so I would stay up late every night waiting to see them so I might get a glimpse of my pretty girl. It made my heart so happy to see her sweet smile. We couldn't talk to her while she was there, but I sent little care packages for her to open every day and she mailed us a letter! She said most days during her break time she would fall asleep.  Every day they were studying God's word and learning how to incorporate God's word into their everyday lives. I am so thankful Kylie got to spend a fun week with fun, Christian role models, new friends and so many great activities! Thanks TBarM!

 They were hiding from all the parents when we got there!
We caught her peeking!
 Jackson was so happy to see Kylie!
Kylie and her sweet counselor Callie!

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

School's Out For Summer!




Mrs. Arabie and Kylie

Well, first of all... where did the year go? It is seriously like I blinked and it was over. The end of the year was so busy with Field Trips and Parties. It was crazy! I am so proud of Kylie for an amazing first grade year with Mrs. Arabie. She excelled in every subject and is a great friend to all of her classmates. Her rock for the year was "friendliness" which I thought was very fitting for her!Jackson finished a big year too! This was his first year to go four days a week to preschool, going two days at Bannockburn and two days at WHPP.  I think he really enjoyed having to different schools to go to.  It keeps things interesting! He made lots of new friends! So proud of my kiddos!

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Happy 3rd Birthday Jackson!

Happy Birthday Dear Jackson!

Me likes cupcakes!

Oh, sweet boy, where do I even begin? We were so ready for you to arrive 3 years ago.  It seems like yesterday, but yet it seems like forever at the same time! You were the easiest newborn of all three.  You pretty much slept when expected, cried only when you needed something, and really didn't give us too much trouble (you saved that for later:).  I could even put you down in your bassinet awake and you would put yourself to sleep! We knew you were going to be smart early on by the way your curiously looked at all things around you as if you were trying to figure out just how this world works. When you started walking, man it was on! You got into everything! We had to child-proof the entire house.  You loved to turn over the dog bowls, climb on every piece of furniture in the house, play with anything you weren't supposed to play with, and all the things boys do.  You didn't talk as early as Kylie so I was a little worried, but you sure caught up! Now, you are very articulate and can clearly carry on a conversation.  You really listen and like to repeat back things you hear.  It's usually pretty funny for the grown-ups. You love to stay clean, so you get upset when your hands are dirty or your food makes a mess (maybe a little bit of Mommy in you eh?) In fact, you just got your own mop and broom for your birthday and you are so excited about them! Ha! We can already tell you're going to be great at sports.  You are strong and you can throw a ball not only far, but with great accuracy. Daddy likes that! And, just the other day we took your life vest off in the pool and you started swimming! We couldn't believe it! We have no idea you could swim on your own. It was amazing! You are very good at art and pay attention to detail and are good at staying in the lines.  You love to play like you're a worker man and fix things with your tools (must be the Papa Ralph in you). You don't like being naked at all and want clothes on all the time - the opposite of how big sister Kylie was who still walks around the house in her birthday suit. You still aren't using the potty like a big boy yet.  Not sure when it's going to happen, but here's hoping we start next school year with big boy underpants on! You are pretty stubborn, so we know it's only going to happen when you're ready for it. You have so much expression in your face, and you make us laugh all the time with your silly looks.  Your kisses are the sweetest kisses in the world and you love to cuddle after your nap.  You wake up really early and typically want to eat breakfast right away - ugh. No fun for Mom and Dad. You love eating pancakes, eggs, mini muffins, oatmeal, fruit, applesauce, and anything sweet! There are so many great things about you that it would take a long list to name them all.  We love you and you make us laugh every, single day. We can't wait to watch you grow and learn even more. Happy Birthday Jackson Ralph! 

Monday, April 30, 2012

He's on the move!

 Dumped out Mommy's Trash Can:(
 Love at First Sight
 Big Boy Bath Tub!!!
Mohawk by Kylie
Oh, Carter, I just love you so much buddy!
Big boy Carter is now 8 months old, weighing in at 22 lbs. and he's on the move! He's not really crawling yet, he basically pulls himself around by one arm and lets his feet drag behind.  It's hilarious.  But, he gets where he needs to go and he gets there fast!  Visions of Jackson dumping out the dog bowls have now resurfaced. Ugh. The house is pretty much kid-proofed, but ther are always things that have to be done with a curious crawler.  He finally has a tooth coming in too!  It's a big month folks!  He isn't eating any puffs or crackers yet, but once those teeth come in, he'll be ready to go. He's even started babbling "dadadadadadada" and I can tell he's so proud of himself. I was rocking him last night and he had his eyes closed on my shoulder saying "dadadadadadadada" and it was just too cute.  He's sleeping well these days, going to bed around 8:00 and sleeping until maybe 7:00.  Sometimes we'll get a 5:30 wake-up call, but after a bottle he's back asleep.
I am looking forward to all the fun milestones ahead and feel so blessed to have another baby to go through it with!


Happy Easter!

My Precious Gifts
Kylie and Katie-Bug
Playing before the Egg Hunt. Sweet face.
Carter was very proud for getting cousin Katie's phone:)
 
Another fun holiday to remember. With each kiddo just comes more fun on the holidays.  Jackson certainly got the whole egg hunting more this year, so that was fun! Our neighborhood egg hunt was pretty great.  They had it organized and broken down by age, so that was really nice for them to split up the big kids and little kids.  Jackson was in the 0-2 group so we was the big man on campus! After it was all said and done I think we did about 5 egg hunts this year not counting school ones. So fun!!! The Easter Bunny brought them some fun goodies in their baskets and hid eggs to find around the house.  I cherish each holiday I get to spend with my family.  There is nowhere I would rather be!