Just keep swimming

Thanks so much to our sponsors for this year. Dan and Tonya at Eagle One Logisitcs!! They helped make us look so sharp on and off the field.You two are great. Glad we got to know you.

This is the cool slide every kid there went down at least a hundred times. Okay maybe a little exaggeration but those kids loved it! Who wouldn't?
here are two of the three girls on our team, Kennedy and LeahDunking each other is so fun, why? All in good fun I suppose.

Our tball party was last night and we had such a great time. Thanks to the Young Family for hosting such a good party. The kids had fun but it was a very enjoyable evening for the adults too.



Our team came in first place in the younger 5 and 6 year old league. Great way to finish the season, even though we didn't get to make up our two rainouts. I wish we played a little longer into the summer. It is so fun to be at the ballpark. Most of my summer memories begin and end with either watching or playing. I want my kids to experience that too. sorry, spiderwebbing.

Back to the party, it got stared off on the right foot. I had to go back to pick up something I forgot so the guys were in charge. Maybe not such a good choice around water. Example:bree's party from last year when Scott fell/jumped? in. Soo, when I arrive back at the party I am told that both of my children have been down the slide without floaties. That's okay because they are both excellent swimmers. Three years of lessons, they ought to be Olympians by now according to dad. The scary part is when my husband informs me that they were debating about who was going in after our children because Scott somehow ended up swimming over his sister in the water. Chris apparently didn't wait for the discussion, he went in fully clothed. Thanks Chris!!
The kids had a ball and got their trophies. After realizing they placed first the excitement was mounting. then more swimming. Hamburgers and hot dogs cooked by the grill master, aka Sean Holland, was the menu of choice. eating, swimming and ending the season on a good note was
awesome.

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday cha cha cha... Kennedy turned six today. I was at St. Edwards on June 24 at midnight to get things rollin'. I took everything but the kitchen sink, had been packed for three weeks and was anxious for this to happen. With her being my first, I was apprehensive to say the least. I stayed the night (didn't sleep b/c of vitals check.) and then at 8:00 am Melissa Rainwater came in and started my petocin (sp?) and broke my water about an hour later. I wasn't in labor long but it was hard. I decided I wanted to "try" tohave the baby without epidural. I might change my mind later I thought. But I did want a little IV drugs to knock the edge off. I was in and out during contractions. Soo, sean would watch the monitor and when the contractions would start he would squeeze a spot on the side of my ankle and the contractions didn't seem as bad. This spot was suggested by a reflexologist so I think it worked physically but I know it worked mentally (3 times). The nurses let me "practice" push when I finally dialated to an 8. My nurse Hope told Sean that he might get to help deliver the baby. She kept telling me not to push but I couldn't help it. I didn't have that epidural so I could feel each time my body wanted to push. I tried not to. At this point, I had not seen the doctor very much. She rushes in and floats the baby because th cord is around her neck. All of this I find out later. She delivered the beautiful baby girl, sewed me up and said Congratulations, that will be $X. Thanks. See you later. I didn't see her again until next mornning. She did ask the baby's name and Sean looked at me and said "after that, you can name her anything you want." She became Kennedy Danette Holland at that moment. I am so thankful for my little girl.
She teaches me so much. I want to remember everything about her.

Random thoughts;
You slept on my chest for the first six weeks of your life.

You nursed for 14 months.

We read LOTS of books.

You LOVED baby einstein.

You nursed many times a day.

You learned and used sign language.

Fave words: please, thank you, eat, more, dad, mom

You talked early and in sentences.

You were so good, went anywhere without fussing.

you played with horses from the time you could hold anything.

Didn't like baby dolls, barbies, just horses.

All of that to say, tonight we took Kennedy out to dinner by herself for her birthday. We wanted it to be special for her. She chose to eat at Logan's. She loves their rolls. She ate steak tips and macaroni. I loved being there with her because it was like how it will be when she is a teenager. I saw glimpese of her personality that I can't wait to see blossom. We gave her a Nintendo DS. We had talked about gettting her one and were debating. At the Spring Fling at Westwood, I won the raffle for a DS and a Phineas and Ferb game. She loves that show. Only becasue she gets the humor that is intended for adults watching the show with their kids. She loved it. It made me kind of sad becasue she didn't get a "toy" or stuffed horse but she wasn't interesed in them. I am loving who she is becoming but am kind of sad to see her grow up.

Thank you Jesus, for a beautiful young lady I pray will follow you and be a special child of God.

Klaire Bear

Klaire Bear! This is what she was called the first few minutes after she came. Our nurse used that name and we LOVED it so we have made it stick. Sean calls her Dobber as in Klaire Dobson Holland, after a family that is close to my family grwoing up. She is growing up so fast. She started walking about a month ago. Klaire is aso feeding herself when I let her. I don't like a mess so I feed them as long as possible. She does pretty well probably because she doesn't want to waste any of it. Ha WOW! She is almost running. Trying to keep up with H1 and H2 as we refer to them. H3 is smiling and beginning to talk. She is putting her sign language to good use. She uses more for pretty much everything, usually asking for more to eat.

Today she looked at our friend Sharon and said "share share" This started with my other friend Mischelle's daughter calling Sharon that name. One day last week she said "gansy" (gransy) I am almsot positive. Hearing Klaire use words and walk makes me realize how grown up she is getting.

It is bittersweet to think she might be the last Hollands

kid on this branch of the tree. You win, Tara.

Things that make me sad she is the caboose:

baby smell (the good ones)

the cute fabric carol hartsell is getting in

scott won't have a brother

cuddling on the couch with no talking

baby sign language

each milestone she passes will be the last

Things that make me happy she is the caboose:

baby smells(the bad ones)

NO MORE diapers!! eventurally

she has a sister

scott won't have a brother

trips to school programs, tball, or any other event without an infant

maybe she will LOVE dance, gymnastics, and paegants and HATE dirt and horses

the fact that I have a "baby girl"

No more weddings to pay ofr

And so it ends...

Here is Leah, Kennedy and Hallie. The three amigos in Ms. Anderson's Class. They have been such good friends this year. From learning to read to fighting off bullies these three have been through it all. This is the last day of kindergarten and it is bittersweet for a mommy. We have had the best year with Stefanie and have learned so much. She has taught Kennedy how to read, pick out words in text, and how to do a venn diagram. I pray everyday that we get so blessed next year in first grade. Leah played tball with us this year and Hallie we have played against. We sure miss these girls. This was fun day where all the kids played outside on bounce arounds and got sprayed with the water hose. Popsiclses and water finished out the day.
A year ago, I had no idea how different my baby would be at the end of this year. WOW! How she has grown up.
Things I want to remember:
how grown up she is now
she is reading on a 2nd to 3rd grade level
the friendships she has developed
how much she loves her brother
her not being my baby anymore

Promises, Promises

This is the title of Kennedy's favorite song at children's choir. I am so proud of her for going to choir and singing so good. Her teacher was Ms. Billie Lensing or Lauren McNutt. Choir is one of Kennedy's favorite activies. She sang "God is a Strong Tower, Promises which is a great praise song for kids because it is repetitive. At the end of the year program in May, there were only five kids there to perform but the program is bigger than that. THis is the first year that the church has had preschool and children's choir and it will only get better. It brought back so many memories of children's choir to me. I loved to sing at church when i was Kennedy's age. She is such a great singer and listener. I can't wait to see and hear her grow and change with age. SO proud of my little singer.