A request from the other me...

What else can I add to a topic seemingly experienced by a wide world? Nothing. There is nothing I can say that has not already been said. There is certainly nothing I can do to make that hurt less, no suggestion I can venture that is new. But, perhaps the one thing I can do is share with you all in order to spread the ultimate message. So, here goes... Last Monday, a former student at West passed away. There is a lot you can learn about the situation from his mother's blog at mamapundit.com. This morning as I got up and checked in with her, I wasn't sure what to expect. They laid her oldest son to rest yesterday; they gave up a part of who they are. While I understand parts of that, it would be crass to suggest that our situations are even remotely the same. So, when I checked in, I had no idea what to expect. Here is what I found: a beautiful video documenting who Henry really was-not the person that drugs sometimes made him, but the son they truly lost, a family who has come together for each other despite the past, a mother who has no idea where to go from here with a life that is coming soon that will be totally dependent on her. My heart is breaking for this family. There is so much they have to process and so much they have to walk through that it is hard to even know where to start. The lesson I took away this morning is this: Henry, with all of his recent troubles, was more than someone addicted to drugs. He was a beautiful young man with so much potential. He was a funny, handsome, family oriented boy who had a problem that most of us never experience in any way. It is so easy to read a news story and form opinions about who someone truly is. In other cases, I have been guilty of it myself. However, who Henry was is so much more than what we read, and THAT is what his family lost. They lost their comedian, they lost their brother, they lost their friend. They lost the chance for things to change. In its place, they received an outpouring of support and some judgment. They received constant speculation. They received hurt and confusion and guilt and debilitating grief. It is not a fair trade. Not at all. They are left with the question of where to go from here. For us, this is my suggestion. Please read his mother's blog. Please tell your children. Besides the fact that it makes the lesson very real, it is also the only part of him that his mother has left, and we owe her that.

Who I am today...

Kai has done A LOT of changing over the last three months. He can now sit up, crawl, and babble with the best of them. He is generally very happy, but he really shuts down when he is tired. He loves sweet potatoes, and he will try almost anything once. He may make a fuss about it, but he's got a good spirit. His dad can really make him laugh; he loves to play rough. The higher you toss him, the happier he is. He is incredibly ticklish on his tummy, and his smile can stop my heart. Here is a bit of what we have been up to lately...

This was his first time in his baby pool. He freaked out at first, but then he got acclimated-right before he scaled the pool walls to get to the deck...

Kai and Daddy during a rare down day...

He wasn't sure what to think about this, but curiosity got the best of him...

A reader he will be...

Just like his Dad, he's got a temper...hahaha...

Kai's first Easter. We lost my grandfather the week before Easter, so it was bittersweet this year...

Mastering the art of eating out...

Exhausted after a long day of funeral planning...

A month of firsts...

This month was Kai's first bite of food...

Not sure if you can gather this from his expression, but...

he hated it. What kid hates rice cereal?

It was also his first Super Bowl. Given that he doesn't seem to intend to eat real food, this was the logical second choice for the high chair-Super Bowl recliner.

Christmas and Travels

Christmas held a lot of family time and a trip to Tallahassee to hang out with Brent and Laura and the boys. There aren't too many pictures of Christmas because I forgot the camera, but here are the ones we managed to get before I FAILED...haha...

What's the saying? Before you judge someone, walk a mile in his shoes. Then, you will be a mile away, and you will have his shoes...

I have to say, with a smile like this, I am of the opinion that he won't be single for long...

Nana and Poppy and Kai at Christmas...

Kai is a HUGE fan of Dilyn. Dilyn does great with him. Except, of course, when he left him three aisles over at Walmart by himself. That was a bit of a set back...haha...

The customary first Christmas outfit...

He was so into Christmas he couldn't stand it.

Thanksgiving

We spent Thanksgiving at Clint's Mom's this year. Brent and Laura came up from Florida with the boys to meet Kai for the first time. Kai was awake a lot of the day, and we had one of the best Thanksgivings we've ever had.

Clint and Brent are huge FSU fans. Brent and Laura gave Kai some fabulous Nike onesies and a mock beanie. Laura said that the true beanies wouldn't have fit him until he was four. Kai loved Brent.

Mom and Dad came too.

The first picture of Dilyn, Tyler, and Kai... Tyler told Laura on the way here that he wished is name was Kyler...haha.

Kai modeling his Thanksgiving outfit that we've had stashed for months...

Kai is here!

On the morning of the 21st, Clint and I had to be at the hospital at 6 am. We took one last shot of the three of us like this before we headed out the door.

At 8:40 am, he arrived, and boy, was he screaming...haha. His mouth looked big to us, and it sure sounded like it too...

We got to our room in the middle of the morning, and Kai got to come with us. That was such a relief, and so much different from last time.

This was his first time in the car seat. He fit pretty well, and as soon as we put him in, he stretched out like he had been waiting for that his whole life.

We made our first trip to the pediatrician on Monday the 26th. It was hard to believe that he was already five days old. After this picture, Clint turned around to go inside and he knocked Kai's car seat against the railing so hard...haha... It freaked him out a little.

He doesn't suck his thumb yet, but this sure came close.

He was very suspicious of the pediatrician.

The last five days have been some of the most amazing of our lives. Already we aren't sure who we were before he came. We feel like two of the luckiest people in the world.

I think it's been a long, long time...

The last two months have held many exciting things.  We've moved twice, and we are getting closer to Kai every day.  Things are hectic, but we are finally getting settled.  Here's to fall...!

Amanda and Joseph threw us a baby shower where we got lots of great things that we needed.  We also got to play games, which Clint was THRILLED about...haha.  Chastin won, but he cheated.  Integrity isn't a big deal, I guess... :).

The shower was luau themed, which works great for Kai's name because its origin is Hawaiian.  Amanda totally planned that...haha...

All the girls...

Notice Clint's coconut bra.  I'm about 33 weeks along here.

This is a onesie I had made for Kai.  I got it at Spoiled Rotten on Oak Ridge Highway.

These are some shots from Kai's room.  It is totally different from Cade's room, and this one feels like such a big boy theme already.  That's been a bit of a struggle for me...haha...

We are three weeks away from the biggest change of our lives.  We can't wait to meet him, but it's a scary time too.  Losing Cade the way we did, there is no time that we feel totally secure that Kai is coming home.  But, we take it day by day, and we make it.  We found a great photographer to take Kai's newborn pictures who has walked just where we have, and I consider that such a blessing.  Hopefully soon, this blog will contain pictures of a brand new baby boy...  :)