The Chaos Continues....

So after another 2 weeks, we had our lives very unexpectedly turned upside down. Madison was laid-off from his company. The company had been doing lay-offs for a few months, but after 7 years of loyal service, we naively considered ourselves safe!! ha,ha. September 11 Madison and I were carpooling becuase his truck was in the shop. I then dropped Kegan off at daycare so I could go to my OB appointment, Madison went to work, just like any other day. About 11 I got a text saying that the VP who was in charge of the Friday lay-off ritual was there.....I suddenly got a sinking feeling. I didn't hear anything else about it until 12:30 when Madison came through the door to tell me the bad news. His manager drove him home since he didn't have his truck and he didn't want me driving to Dallas worrying. It was awful. His company had never planned for a major lay-off and are handling lay-offs more like firings. There is no severence, no job search assistance, no warning, just get to keep your PTO, turn in your phone, we are shutting your computer off in 30min, heres a box, take your time, but hurry and get out. Sort of left us numb feeling like we had done something wrong, but we were assured we hadn't.

On the bright side, friends, co-workers, and family all rushed to our aide. Madison got phone call after phone call with job leads, encouragement, and prayers. It was amazing! Thanks to everyone who came through for us. The saddest part was pulling Kegan out of daycare. She loves it there. We have been sending her back about once a week when Madison goes on interviews and she has lots of fun.

Madison and Kegan have been enjoying lots of quality time at home and are getting a lot of projects completed between playing and job searching. I get daily video or picture updates of what they are up to. I've been trying to work extra some to help out with finances, but at this point in my pregnancy that hasn't been easy. I do good to just get my 40 hours in each week. Madison has been staying positive and is really working hard at finding another job soon. We are muddling through the land of COBRA and insurance mess trying to figure out the best way to go with a baby on the way in less than 2 months. It is an emotional rollercoaster, but with God, family, and friends, we are making it through just fine with our chins up. I am blessed to be married to such a wonderful man who sacrifices so much for our family.

Here are some pictures and videos of the fun they have without me.

Fun with Daddy in the park after a long run! It was in the low 60's and this is what daddy thought Kegan should wear. She was freezing, but having a blast still. She insisted that she get out of the babyjogger and run. She ran about 1/4 mile with her Daddy in Crocs, so we have since purchased some appropriate running shoes for her which she loves.

Kegan practicing her big sister kisses on Laura Beth

On their first day at home this was my morning greeting from Kegan at Daddy Daycare. Daddy made muffins....yummy!

splashing is so much fun

monkey gets a bath in the kitty box lid.....hey whatever works!

Kegan insisting on holding Laura Beth who is almost as big as her. She is super sweet....the both of them.

Trip to Grand Isle

So to finish up our every other weekend trips, we went to Grand Isle to visit my family. Water-loving Kegan had a blast. She could have stayed at the beach all day if we let her. She is not intimidated by the water by the least....sort of scary for us, but definitely not for her. It was her first experience with floaties and she even didn't mind going past where her feet could touch and floating along in the waves.

Daddy walking Kegan out into the water. How sweet is this!

Kegan had a blast having the waves break at her feet.

Here comes another wave!!! Whoo-hoo!

Nanny Jennifer had 2 sets of floaties, but each set had a lame side, so each girl had a partially deflated floatie. Still worked. All was good.

Ava with her hair blowing in the breeze as she collects hermit crabs

Hey Kiki, check these out! Kegan called them bugs.

Look Kiki, you throw them back in the water like this

But Ava, this method works much better! Dump!

Ring-around-the-rosey!

Kegan helping Nanny Jen keep an eye on those crazy boys

Boogie-boardin' Evan!

Boogie-boardin' Boogie!

Daddy giving instruction to our little surfer girl

Mommy packing her beachball under her shirt!

Who needs Sea World! A porpoise decided to come and play with us for a very up-close and personal view of it. I don't know who hung on to Madison tighter, Evan or Kegan

Random Kegan catch up

Pawpaw's hat!

This was a really cute day. Kegan found a camouflage hat in her Daddy's stuff and brought it to me saying Pawpaw. So funny that when he visited a few weeks back, he was wearing a camouflage hat and she remembered. She picks up on so much!

Kegan sending me sweetness while I am at work and missing her. She accidentally hits her knee at the end of the video and says she has a bobo.

Apparently Mom's gardening gloves make cool racing gloves. Helps you to ride really fast!

Watch out Sterling. I'll run you over. She is starting to ask for help a lot too. Sort of sounds more like "hop".

This is hilarious. A few weeks ago, Kegan discovered that she can fake sleep. She started off faking sleep at the dinner table while out with Paran, Daddy, and Mommy. She then proceeded to try to keep the game up, but decided she was hungry too, so started eating and drinking with her eyes closed. She even had the waiters cracking up at this. She is so funny.

Kegan's Ear Tubes Take Two

Way back on August 17th, Kegan got her second set of ear tubes. Her first set lasted almost a year before one fell out and the other clogged. She immediately had 2 ear infections, so she was on the schedule for another set. She was such a great patient. They took her in for her surgery at 7:15 and we were home by 8. The hardest part was her asking for cereal all morning while she pointed to her diaper bag. A reluctant Kegan trying to decide why all the other kids are dressed just like her

Finally breaking loose and starting to explore

What is this thing?

The coolest thing was a bubble blowing Stitch. It quickly ran out of bubbles. You can hear her say that the bubbles are wet when one busts on her head.

Wow? these look so much cooler while you are drunk from anesthesia.

A little more awake and popsicle number 3.

kegan had a record 3 popsicles at the hospital. It was the only thing that kept her from crying while she was all confused coming out of the anesthesia. Once we were home, she begged for her milk and ate 2 eggs over easy....it was supposed to be me and her Daddy's breakfast. I worried abou her eating solids so soon, but figured if she hadn't puked the 3 popsicles up yet, she was good....and she was. Aunt Sherry came by later to watch her while Mommy and Daddy went back to work and she was like nothing ever happened. Thanks Aunt Sherry for staying with me.

Just Some Random Phone Quality Video and Pictures

So here are a few random pictures and videos taken over the last couple of weeks with my phone, so the quality isn't the best and I apologize that the videos are very short. I have to keep them extremely short so I can text them to Madison. It is how we keep from missing too much of Kegan when the other one can't be there.

This is just Kegan being Kegan. A whole lot of silly.

This is Kegan sporting her cute pig-tails and dress from Nana Autin. Notice she is eating the wonderful ice-pop her mom makes for her. Hey, she doesn't complain and there is not mess to clean. Doesn't get better than that right....well she doesn't know that yet. Don't tell her either. I have a good thing going!

Ummmm, I detect a hint of strawberry, no, nevermind. That's just some jelly left on my finger from lunch.

Notice Sterling trying to sneak a lick.

Is this cute or what?

As you can see, we spend a lot of time playing on the porch. It is the best feature of our house. It stays relatively cool and allows some good shaded play space.

This is Kegan entertaining herself before dinner is served by eating grated parmesean cheese with a fork. Her Daddy taught her to lick the fork and get the cheese to stick to it. Kinda gross, but it works to tame the beast before the meal arrives.

This past weekend we traveled to San Angelo for a race. This is Kegan passing out in the car waiting on her Dad to collect his award so we can head back home. She is always so exhausted after his races. She has the best time watching all the athletes swim, bike, and run. It is so much fun to watch how excited she gets. She is sure to be an athlete like her Daddy. She even gets excited to watch biking and other random sports on TV.

These are just some short videos I sent to her Dad on a rainy day to show him how much fun she was having splashing in the puddles on our front walk.

This video is cute, if you turn up the volume, you can hear her singing as she walks. She is quite the singer. Don't understand most of her songs yet, but she is getting better all the time.

Kegan has worked really hard at getting Cisco to like her and he will actually let her pet him now. This is how that slick thing has tamed the beast. Bribery with food. She has learned quickly.

Kegan loved running back and forth on the porch. She will run all the way across the front and then stop and ask if she can do it again. She is so funny. She did get a little distracted at the end of this run by a puddle on the porch. Her Daddy will have to work with her on her focus during training.

The Rest of the Picutres from Arkansas

Boy, I sure did think I took more pictures than this....I'm really slacking. Our little newbie will be lucky to get any pictures at all at the rate I am going. On brighter news, Madison has finally won the battle and we are now proud owners of a new ping pong table thanks to Aaron....thanks bro! My guest bedroom looks great with the new addition. Madison has somewhat redeemed himself by buying some very nifty accessories for himself and Kegan. I'll have to definitely get some pictures of that for the blog. Kegan is in training to be a professional ball catcher. We are trying to teach her to stay crouched and run really fast like they do in tennis. She doesn't quite get it yet. Tonight she showed up for her job in her shoes and socks.....ONLY! and I can't post naked pictures on the blog, but her Daddy can let her run around naked all he wants.....it just isn't fair. We all love to watch that naked booty run around. It is cute! Paran did refuse to give her a goodnight kiss though with her nakedness and all. I think all this Michael Jackson publicity lately is making him feel akward around naked children......oops!

What in the world is that on your head Daddy!?

I'm trying to smile Mom, but I'm still a little spooked by the green thing eating Daddy's head

Brian and Christine ready to race and cheer....respectively!

Where did Daddy go? I just saw him come out of the lake.

And I didn't even get a kiss

He had better act right on his next transition and give me a kiss!

Maybe Mr. Brian will give me a kiss? Mommy says not to bother him because he is trying not to die...his words I believe!

Brian finishing strong after a long and hot run!

Come on Dad, can you buckle a little faster!!

Now that's what I'm talkin about!

This video is at McDonalds somewhere on our ride home. Kegan is showing of her new game she discovered a few weeks ago. She loves to get dizzy. At least everything here is padded. The stuff in her room isn't as forgiving when she runs into them at home. For viewer protection we ended the video before she crash landed into the slide. She is tough. No tears, just giggles!

Road Trip to Arkansas and other miscellaneous stuff

A few weeks ago we made a roadtrip to Bentonville, Arkansas for a triathlon race. Madison went there with the goal of qualifying for age group nationals, and he did....yeah! Here are the first few pictures from it....they are all from my phone. I am still looking for my camera USB cable to download the ones from my camera. There are also a few other random pictures between now and then.
the start of the trip was a little rough, Kegan couldn't get comfortable and almost went completely without a nap. Here is a picture of her finally conking out! We did make an emergency stop at a Bestbuy for a portable DVD player to help keep our sanity. Wow, what a difference that made.


Madison says I need to stop putting naked baby picture on the internet...I'll get in trouble, but I can't help it. I just love my little naked baby. She is so sweet. Here she is taking her bath at the hotel. Bubbles make everything better.

Passing out after a long-hot race. Proof that my little girl is a big girl. The half eaten apple, she ate all by herself...peelings and all. She refused any help and carried it around for 30minutes or so working on it.

Sorry about the blurr, but this is Kegan running aroudn Boston's during our very late lunch. No nap makes for a crazy baby! The box on her head was totally her idea.

This is a picture of a cute desk I found for Kegan. It has two sides that lift up. It will be great for her and her new sibling to play and draw on. Kegan is already thoroughly enjoying it.

This is just a sweet picture I snapped this morning while we were hanging out coloring. She is so sweet!