Pool Time

Karis playing in the pool at Grandma and Grandpa's house at the end of May during that first heat wave of the year. Now she thinks that we are going to G'ma and G'pa's house every time the word 'pool' is mentioned.

Oops, this next picture is AFTER dinner, AFTER we put her clothes back on. I guess she wasn't finished playing in the pool. Good thing I had PJ's for her to change into before we went home.

Karis and Kellen...together...finally!!!

Karis frequently asks if she can hold Kellen. She is pretty good with him, until she wants to hold on tight and not let go. I think he was getting a little annoyed with her, but they are so cute together. She calls him "Kellen buddy".

Funny Faces by Kellen

One Month Old

Sleeping Soundly -- 6 days old

Kellen's first bath at home -- 5 days old

Welcome Kellen Graden Bowman!!!

Kellen Graden Bowman entered the world on May 14th at 12:12pm. He weighed in at 7 lbs 13 oz and was 20 1/2 inches long. He was exactly one pound heavier than Karis and one inch longer than Karis. I'm wondering if that accounts for the extra 10 lbs I gained with him? Hmmm, maybe not. Anyway, the story is pretty short. My water broke at about 7:35ish that morning and he pushed his way out...yes, HE pushed his way out, I did no pushing what-so-ever, at 12:12pm.

I must say that God really knows how to plan things just right. I had worried how my preparations of what to do with Karis once I went into labor. A different sinerio for different days of the week and hours of the day of which this blessed event would occur. Fortunately, the most perfect sinerio played out on the morning of Kellen's arrival.

Vance had just left for work and I was about ready to put Karis in the car, take her to daycare, and head to work myself. Well, Kellen had a different plan for the day. So, I called Vance to tell him to come back home (thank goodness for cell phones). We scooped up Karis, her overnight bag, my overnight bag for the hospital, dropped her off at daycare and went to the birthing center.

I checked in and contractions were starting to come, but pretty mild, then, what seemed like all of a sudden, they on very strong. We called in the nurse and all of a sudden, like 5 or 6 different nurses and a doctor came rushing in, getting me to reposition myself so the baby's heart rate would normalize. Then I remember telling them I needed to push, but OF COURSE, they told me not to. Then I hear Vance say "we have a head" and out his body came. I'm not joking, this kid pushed his way out. This kid wanted out, even though I was only dilated to 7 or 8 right before he made his way out. Talk about crazy fast. The labor and delivery nurse said the labor was 31 minutes long -- according to the tracing of contractions. 31 minutes and no pushing would just about make every other mom who went through 24 hours of labor just to come out with a C-section (sorry Betsy) pretty ticked off at me right now. I truely believe its in the genes and I am very thankful for that.

Living up to the stereotype that subsequent children get the raw end of the deal, I have failed to take nearly enough pictures with Kellen. I think I took multiple pictures daily with Karis, not so much with Kellen. Here are a few to enjoy though.

Sneak Peak by Kara Hicks Photography

Here are a few pictures from Karis' 2 year photo shoot and the maternity shoot my sister did for us when they came down last weekend. Thanks Kara!!! You are the best!! She works out of the Seattle area if anyone is interested in a photographer. Visit The Hicks Headlines to see her work.

30 weeks

25 1/2 weeks

At this rate, I'm afraid this is going to be a big baby!!! I'm pretty sure I wasn't much bigger than this when I was 8 mo pregnant with Karis. Here I am at 25 1/2 weeks (almost 6 mo). I was really bad about taking pictures with my first pregnancy, and haven't been much better with this one. I hope to get at least one per month from here on out. At least I will have 3 or 4 more before this one is born. Thank you Kara for motivating me to get a picture taken. Why is it so hard to get a few shots done once a month. Apparently I'm busy or something.