Gracie age 2

Gracie's most recent stage is trying on different outfits. Like today. She started in pjs, went to jeans and a shirt, changed to a dress, back to pjs, and then to regular clothes again. I am starting to get exhausted with this habit because I have to dress her and put all of the clothes away! Part of the fun for her is picking the outfit out. For a while she would put her swimming suit on at some point during the day. Next it was dresses, and now she wants to put her pjs on in the middle of the day. In this picture she picked out her swim suit (which is now hidden away) her hat, colts jacket, and Sunday shoes.

What's in a name?

Where did we get Kemp's name? Well, Bryan is actually Sean's first name-and his dad's and his grandfather's. So Kemp is the fourth generation Bryan. For a middle name we wanted a family name or a name with some significance. We considered using last names from our family trees but that meant using names like Vorwaller, Bedenbaugh, or Karges-all very german. Then we remembered Kemp, Sean's great-grandmothers last name. We liked it and the great thing about it is that we can call him by it and it works great. Just like Sean goes by his middle name.

Christmas Day

We had a very merry Christmas this year. Our best gift was of course Kemp. He is growing so fast! He turned two weeks old on Christmas day, and has already gained a whole pound! Gracie wasn't really sure what Christmas was leading up to it. We talked a lot about Mary and Baby Jesus. On Christmas morning she walked out of her room and was shocked to see a tricycle waiting just for her. She stopped in her trackes and her mouth literally dropped open. She loves having us push her around outside. It was great just taking the day slow and enjoying our gifts and family time together.

Kemp's Birth Story

Kemp came into the world a little differently than I had planned but I guess he knew what he was doing. I started having contractions around four in the morning. We delayed going into the hospital because with Gracie we went in a little early and they made us wait to be admitted. I didnt want to spend hours walking the halls again, so I tried to pass as much of the labor as I could at home. Finally we were convinced that we should head to the hospital so there would be enough time to get an epideral. When I arrived, I was still only at a 4 or 5 so the nurses took their time admitting me, getting an I.V. and other details. What we did not expect was that with in an hour I was fully dialated. They placed the needle for the epidural, but before they could put in the medicine, Kemp decided it was time. Lucky for me delivery was quick. So quick that there were no doctors, only nurses, and a few other preperations had to be skipped. So Kemp came into the world the "natural" way which was definitely not my plan. Most of the work was in the last 20 minutes so I survived, although when I think back on it, sometimes I wonder if I would have any more kids if I knew I could not have pain meds. I guess I could do it if they were all fast like Kemp. In the end it was very dramatic and traumatic, but me and Kemp are no worse for the wear so its all okay.

The Newest Smithson-Baby Kemp

Bryan Kemp Smithson
Born Dec 11 2008
7lbs 12oz, 19.5 inches
Perfect in every way!!

Our Stay in Idaho

While Sean was doing a rotation at the hospital in Pocatello for four weeks, on weekends we tried to take small adventures and explore the area. One day was spent in Idaho Falls visiting the temple and visitors center. Gracie gets excited when she sees "tempews" which is really cute. That same day we also went to the museum where there was a special exibit on Egypt from the Boston Museum. Another Saturday we went up to Yellowstone. It was there that we saw the only snow during our whole trip. Gracie had seen snow once before but this was the first time she appreciated. Unfortunately the park was closed, but just getting up there was fun. Being away from home was hard, but looking back it was a good experience. Especially as we decide where we would most like to go for residency.

Cutest Witch Ever

Happy Birthday

Gracie turned two last week and had a great birthday. We celebrated on two different days and by the time all of her presents had trickled in from family, she thought every day was her birthday. She got a big grin on her face every time someone sang the Happy Birthday Song, and for four days afterward when she would wake up in the morning she would ask "Habby Birdee?" (Happy Birthday?). She is a big fan of presents but suprisingly not too interested in cake. One of her favorite things about the event was blowing out the candles which she did about nine times.

Vacation!!

We took a trip to San Diego this week. Gracie did an awesome job at travelling in the car and content the whole way. We had a lot of fun playing at the beach and Sean had a great time boogie boarding. We also went to an aquarium and ate at some yummy restaurants. Another highlight was a street fair where Gracie had a pony ride that she thought was really neat. Overall it was a really successful trip.

A New Dress

One of our favorite things is to buy new dresses for Gracie. Sean especially likes to pick them out. I noticed that everything she had was getting small, so we bought this outfit from Target, complete with shoes and all. She calls the stockings her "socks" and really likes to wear them. Unfortunately, she still isnt very good at wearing shoes so they last about five minutes before she takes them off. In these pictures she is "weepdee" (sweeping) the porch. We do this every few days or so, and now she wont let me touch the broom because it is her job.

Sylin'

Gracie loves to look good. Grandma Williamson bought her some sun glasses and Gracie plays with them everyday. Its amazing they have lasted this long without breaking. She puts them on and off Sean and I or wears them around the house. She also has her ski cap that we bought in the winter that she likes to put on. More than once we have taken her in public with her hat becasue wants to wear it so badly. In the picture with the hat you might be able to see the hives on her legs. She had an episode where she got pretty severe hives all over her body. It lasted for about a week. We never could diagnose the cause.

President Bush

On friday night we were driving through town and Swan (the main road adjacent to our neighborhood) was completely covered with police. All of the side streets intersecting Swan were blocked with police cars for more than five miles. We asked an officer and found out that President Bush was visiting Tucson for a fundraiser. They didnt know the exact time he would come, but we decided to wait around and watch for the motorcade with many of the other neighbors. When the president arrived, all of the through traffic was entirely stopped and the police immediately cleared everyone from the street. It was strange having such a large road completely quiet. I felt like we were on a movie set, not in the real world. We only saw the motorcade for a few seconds as it zoomed by, but it was still a fun experience.

Bubbles

Gracie loves bubbles. One of her favorite past times is blowing bubbles outside. To keep Mom and Dad from hyperventilating, we bought a small bubble blower for three dollars. She also loves bubbles in her bath or cups. Most recently she discovered bubble gum. She noticed Sean blowing bubbles and was enthralled. And, we were able to catch it on film.

Stuffed Full: Cook-Blog-Share Final Week

This is the last week of my recipe sharing project, and it turned out so great! I got a bunch of new food ideas and it was fun to collaborate with fellow blogging friends. During this four week project thirty-two recipes were shared. My goal is to try every one of them. So far I have tested out fourteen and there has not been a bad one yet. Thank you, thank you, thank you, everyone who participated and shared recipes!

My final recipe is a stir fry that is pretty easy to make, and all the ingredients are things that I always have in my cupboards. Sorry, no pictures this week. Without further ado...

Honey-Glazed Chicken Stir-Fry

12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken
1 package frozen stir-fry veggies, defrosted

Glaze:
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons orange juice
4 teaspoons soy sauce
1.5 teaspoons corn starch

Cut chicken into bite-size pieces, set aside. Mix glaze, set aside. Pour oil into a pan. Cook veggies on medium high until warmed through. Remove veggies and add chicken. Cook 3-4 minutes until chicken is no longer pink. Add glaze mixture. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly. Return cooked veggies and cook 2-3 minutes. Serve over rice.

*I like to at least double the glaze recipe because I like my stir-fry extra saucy. You can also use fresh veggies, of course, and just cook them longer at the beginning until they are tender but crisp. You can also use lemon juice instead of orange juice if you want a little different flavor