Category Archives: milestones

Sibling Snapshot

October 17, 2016

These kids are growing up so much!! And so fast! I really can’t believe Ivy is THREE and Leo is now 16 months! They’ve changed so much the past couple months, there’s some things I want to remember from this age and I’m a total stat person, so I love to know their height/weight percentages. Ivy’s grown up from her terrible twos and Leo’s learning a new word each week it seems like! So much fun at these young ages.

Emily Mitton Photography

My shirt // my pants // Ivy’s dress // Leo’s shirt // Leo’s jeans

Photos by Emily Mitton Photography

Ivy || 3 years

Whew, the week Ivy turned three she was a FULL ON THREENAGER. I was like WHAT HAPPENED. After a few days of seriously pulling my hair out and wanting my two year old back, she’s now developed into her sweet spunky self again. What I love most about Ivy, is how she really tries to understand and learn. She talks and talks and talks. She’s not one to throw tantrums too often, but if she does, all we have to do is explain to her why she doesn’t get that, or what is happening. She’s so good at understanding and communicating. So thankfully, we haven’t had too many meltdowns… yet.

ivy

Ivy started preschool this year and she is LOVING it. Every day she comes home singing a new riddle or song. I love that she is interacting with other kids and adults, learning responsibility and independence, and learning how to behave in different settings. I’m a total school nerd (ex teacher here), so I love that she is involved in education at a young age. She’s also in gymnastics and is suuuuuper flexible and LOVES to bound all over the place! She is quite coordinated, yay!

leotard

This girl has SO MUCH ENERGY. She could do 10 million different things in a day and still be all over the place. Although, she does love to relax and watch a show, that doesn’t last long then she’s on to the next thing! She’s so spunky and hilarious and totally psycho sometimes! Haha :) She is still into anything Frozen, she wants to be Anna and Elsa for Halloween and requested Leo be Olaf, so that’s cute :) She’s totally girl still and always wanting to wear a dress!

Ivy is getting to be much more independent, which is sooo nice, and she absolutely LOVES Leo. Always looking after him and helping him. She’s his voice and it’s super cute.

doctor doctor

With Doctor Shannon Ashbaugh! Ivy loves to play Doctor, minus the real shots! ;)

Stats

height | 3ft 2 in (38 inches) – 80 %

weight | 31 lb 11.2 oz – 61%

Leo || 16 months

My sweet Leeeeeeeoooo. Love this boy so much. He’s so sensitive and sweet and cuddly, but can also be outright feisty at times. He literally throws himself on the ground and puts his head on his hands if he’s upset with something. It’s so cute and funny at the same time! Although he’s trying to send a message/throwing a tantrum, I can’t help but pick him up and squeeze him when he does it. It’s too adorable! Leo is still sucking his two fingers, like, pretty sure that’s never going to stop. Teeth are moving and all that, so that’s awesome. I’ll stop that habit someday, but he’s just a sweet little baaaaaby still so you go ahead and use that as comfort Leo!

leo

He is really trying to be a big kid! He wants to be doing whatever Ivy is doing and is so good at playing independently. He can just play and play by himself, so nice. Leo is in to anything that makes noise and moves. He especially loves when airplanes fly overhead when we’re outside, he always points up to the sky. Loves his cars and things that go!

car Leo is such an easy going kid. He just lays down on your shoulder, cuddles, never obnoxious or naughty. Just a plain ole good sweet kid. He’s learning quickly lately, has a new word almost every week – mama, dada, dog, nigh nigh, baby, mooo, are some of his favorites. Love this kid. He’s really too good to be true.

leo

Poor lil guy here. He had his well check but also wasn’t feeling good. So sad for this lil fella! Oh and he not only LOVES his two fingers, but he’s got this new thing going on where he puts his hands down his pants! Sometimes pulls his diaper down so far to reach his you know what that then he pees outside of his diaper! UGH! Oh and he also loves putting his hand down shirts to reach nipples, and I mean anyones. Mine, John’s, anybody who is holding him. Super weird and uncomfortable! Such a guy!!!! :) Haha

Stats

height | 2ft 8 in (32 inches) – 81 %

weight | 24 lb 0.1 oz – 63 %

head| 78%
He used to be 98%! So he’s finally growing into his head. Yay!

1 Reply

First Day of Preschool!

September 6, 2016

Ivy had her first day of preschool today! It was so exciting for her!! I was a teacher for eight years before staying-at-home with the kids, so I’ve really been talking up school, and learning, and the teachers! I think mostly she was excited “to play!!!” but, I am most excited for her for learn new things and interact with other children.

We walked in today and she marched STRAIGHT into the classroom! I didn’t even have a second to give her a hug goodbye! But that probably made it an easier transition on us both :) No tears from either of us! Total proud Mommy seeing her strut her stuff into the room without turning back. Such a confident little girl!

So proud of you Ivy! And I can’t believe how grown up you’re getting already! We love you so much baby girl!! Muah! XOXO

first day of preschool

And last night, I had to do a questionnaire with her to see what she had to say at this age, and the answers were so hilariously cute!!

Here’s the video! LOL!

Ivy
What’s your name: I-VY
How old are you: Two and a half!
What’s your favorite food: Chicken strips
What’s your favorite toy: My lamby (Her little lamb she got for Easter that she is all of a sudden obsessed with)
What do you like to do for fun: Play with Shannon!
What’s your favorite color: Pink and purple!
What do you love the most?: Mama! And I love Leo too (I DIED. SO SWEET!!! Sorry Daddy, hehe)
Who’s your teacher? Miss Sonya!

first day of preschool

Dress // shoes // backpack // bow

Love you Ivy! Can’t wait to see all the great things you’re going to do!

4 Replies

Back to School

August 25, 2016

Ivy starts preschool this fall! I’ve been SO LUCKY to get to spend this last year with her staying home, but I am excited to get her into something instead of relying on play dates all the time to keep us both entertained ;) She starts September 6th and she is so excited! We’ve been talking about school and behavior, because, well, my previous job was a teacher for eight years, so I’ve been telling her about teachers, and school, and all that fun stuff! She is pretty anxious!

I have already been seeing tons of pictures online about the kids’ “first day of school,” and I have to start thinking of ideas and what she is going to wear and the picture we are going to take! I remember this being SUCH a big deal as a kid and teenager, back-to-school shopping, filling my binder with organized mechanical pencils and gel pens and pretty folders, and looking all cute for the boys at my first day back, haha! Remember those days?! Kinda miss that! Well not looking good for the boys, but all the fun new school supplies! I was obsessed! A great pen still gets me :) Anyways! Ivy doesn’t need to look cute for dem boys yet, but we can start out with clothes and a backpack first! And OMG, the backpacks out there, GAH!!! 💔

Here’s some back to school inspiration, holding back the tears! ;)

Back to shool

Outfit Left: Dress // bow // backpack // shoes

Outfit Right: Dress // bow // backpack // shoes

And now what to do for “THE PICTURE.” I’ve been seeing tons of chalkboard ideas out there and those are soo cute! This one is cute, has a ton of info. Or this one is more simple, kinda like that. Or, if you have great handwriting, go for it and do the writing yourself! I just took a handwriting class and I might actually do this, if I get brave! Might copy these printables. Love this handwriting!

But I think I’m loving most, are letter boards! Look at this picture from @letterfolkco – LOVING THIS! Plus you can use the board afterwards for funny or uplifting sayings. Their insta feed is so funky!

Letterfolk Back to School Photos

So many fun choices!! Either way, it’ll be very proud MOMent for me and Daddy! Our little girl is growing up. Smarter and smarter (and sassier!) each day! :) We love you IVY!

Stay tuned for pictures!

Leo // 5 Months

November 9, 2015

Leo is 5 months old! He is SO smiley! And if you follow along with me on Instagram (@kayleemaykoch), you’d see a lot of pictures of his chubby cheeks getting exercised! He’s so kissable with those adorable cheeks I really can’t handle myself. And he is a total finger sucker! It’s always two fingers, whichever make it in his mouth first. I’m all about the self-soothing and the finger sucking is pretty cute! He even sometimes sucks his thumb, which is like, total swoon, I don’t know why that’s so cute! A total baby thing I guess, adorable. Hopefully it doesn’t last forever though ;)

This month Leo has conquered some new exercises. He has rolled over from tummy to back by basically just rolling his head a bit back, it’s so darn big and heavy that the rest of his body just follows! :) He is so so so close to going from back to tummy, he just can’t quite get that head over! Haha! Any day now, and then the scares of him rolling over in the middle of the night ensue! I remember being so paranoid at night with Ivy! I would check the monitor a million times to make sure she isn’t suffocating. Here comes even less sleep pretty soon!

Speaking of sleep, he’s down to just getting up one time a night. He goes to sleep at around 7-730pm, wakes up around 2-3am (or 4 like last night! EEE!), then up again at about 730am. So he’s doing pretty good. I can handle the one time a night thing. At least he just nurses quick and goes right back asleep. But I sure miss a whole night’s sleep : / Ivy was always so good, 12 hrs straight right at 3 months. Miss that!

Leo is getting to be quite the talker! He coos and gives his high-pitched squeals often, which are adorable. And when he starts to laugh he always gets the hiccups! Like he hasn’t quite figured out how to take in that air while he’s laughing yet :) Haha. He’s also really ticklish and LOVES his jumper. He gets some serious air in that thing!

Monthly stickers //Crib Sheet fabric then custom made by Iviebaby // Camera onesie (sold out, similar here) // Sweatpants // Jellycat Bashful Calf

And lastly, he LOVES his sister Ivy! He is constantly watching her and loves when she sits or lays next to him. He’s even patient with her when she hogpiles him and when she’s helping me change his diaper. He just loves to listen to her and watch her every move. She’s a crazy one, lots of action, and Leo loves it!

Here are some favorites from the month

These two, haha

Leo in Months – 1 month // 2 months // 3 months // 4 months //

UP

November 4, 2015

Yesterday was one of those days that it all comes back at you with a heavy force and you are sort of whiplashed into oblivion.

Setting the scene: I was standing there, right behind our daughter Ivy, holding onto Leo, and witnessing our two year old prance up the stairs with no hands… and I lost it. Now, I chuckle, rereading that sentence, but it was her first time doing this, being a big girl, NO HANDS MAMA, NO HANDS! YIPPEE!!!! Still, not a big deal. But sometimes, things just come at ya and remind you of something sensitive, and that’s why I lost it.

While celebrating and screaming and cheering that she did it (HOORAY!!!), I was almost too quickly saddened and jolted backwards. This scene reminded me of our first few days with Leo and transitioning him into our home. I used to sometimes carry Ivy up and down the stairs, I don’t know why, because she was good at stairs, but it was just faster, I guess, and a chance to carry her a little bit and give her a smooch or two. However, when Leo came into our home, that was one of the things that I struggled with letting go of and making her do it on her own. I remember the first time walking down the stairs with Leo in my hands, and Ivy standing at the top of the stairs desperately looking at me, like, “Mama??” And I couldn’t, I didn’t have another hand, and I just cried and said, “Ivy you can do it, you walk down the stairs.” And she cried a little bit too, but she did it, and she did it every time after that. But it really got me upset the first few times. Holding on to a new baby, trying to figure it all out, while still fitting Ivy in to all the right spots. It was a real struggle. And Ivy struggled too. She was figuring it out with me, figuring out the things she had to do on her own now, learning independence and patience. It was hard to swallow for both of us.

That’s part of having a second child. I had to let go of some of the things I did for Ivy. Thinking back to that moment yesterday had me all up in a hussy. Realizing how my baby Leo is hardly a little baby anymore (hello 19 pounder and almost 5 months!!) and how Miss Ivy has grown up so much into her own little spunky self. Time just kind of SMACKS you right in the face once in awhile. Well, time, YOU SUCK. I just wanted to be stuck in that moment for one minute and remember how things were just four quick months ago. How I treated Ivy like my little baby still and how all of a sudden I actually HAD a little baby who needed my help and hands. And really, Ivy didn’t need my help, she could probably do all of those things by herself all along. I was maybe a bit of a helicopter mom (shriek), too scared she would get hurt, or maybe too much in a hurry to actually get her to do it herself. Now here’s our girl, walking up the stairs with no hands, putting on her own shoes, brushing her own teeth… all these dumb little things that I did for her because I could do them better, or faster, and now she’s mastered them herself.

It has me questioning myself, why did I ever stand in her way in the first place?

I guess that’s the lesson in all of this. Slow down Kaylee… slow down. Take that extra minute to allow them to struggle, allow them to figure it out on their own, allow them to do it on their own. I see my husband doing this much more than I do, and it’s a good lesson each time I see him being patient and letting her do it herself even if it is something too hard or too dangerous and I know she needs help. But she always does it, she figures it out, and then I’m stuck there, like well shit. I would have helped her, and here she just did it herself… tough to stomach that.

And here Ivy is, teaching ME the lesson on life. Damn girl. You’re a good one…