March Madness

Since marrying Boomer, there is one thing that I have learned: the official holiday in March is the NCAA basketball tournament! Aside from perhaps Thanksgiving, his favorite time of the year is March Madness. He loves watching the selection show, listening to all the commentary, filling out his bracket[s], following along with each round, and talking trash to anyone who will listen. The tv in the Kennedy household stays on any channel broadcasting basketball, as he flips back and forth to watch as many of the games as possible. iPad, laptop, phone -- he has numerous ways to watch the games simultaneously. Between work and evening events, he probably doesn't get to watch as much as he would like, but he still manages to keep up with his brackets in various different pools (none that require any money, thank goodness!) In honor of March Madness, Grammy dressed Em in her college gear so she was ready to watch the games with her Daddy. Take a look at the newest member of Gator Nation! Em is also a big Wake Forest fan. Unfortunately, Wake lost in the opening round games, so we'll be cheering for Florida in the rest of the tournament. Go Gators!

Photo courtesy of: Daddy (when Mommy was out of town!)

While I wouldn't call it 'madness', March has brought with it a fair share of general busyness. Spring sports are underway at Boomer's school, and at my work, we are gearing up for our open house programs, which take place on two separate Saturdays in the next three weeks. Throw in a Bachelorette Weekend, a 8-5 job, a few high school evening programs, a doctor's appointment, and training for a half-marathon, the days are flying by. I am so thankful for the opportunities we have had to see family. My dad's cousin, Karen, stopped through Kernersville earlier this month, and then she and her daughter Kayce came back again to see my grandparents. Em was all smiles throughout our lunch. You can see how happy she is in these pictures with Great Gma Nancy. Then, while I was away in Boone for the Bachelorette Weekend, Boomer took Em to Star to spend some time with Granny and PawPaw. It was a win-win, because Em got some cuddles from her grandparents, while Boomer had extra help for the day! I had a lot of fun with my girlfriends celebrating Emily and Daniel's upcoming wedding. Of course I missed Em, but I think the first night away was a success. It certainly eased my mind knowing she was in such great hands with Boomer; he did an excellent job flying solo for the weekend. While I was away, he sent me a lot of pictures (like the one pictured above), and I loved seeing what they were up to during their daddy-daughter time. I got a laugh out of the many outfit changes she had throughout the weekend! It seemed she was wearing something different in every picture -- apparently there were several blowouts! It didn't keep her from smiling though, and she is such a ham for the camera. 

This past week has been very special as Em had the opportunity to meet her great-grandparents, my mom's parents Great Gma Harriet and Great Gpa Bill. They made the trip up from Florida and spent a few days at my parent's house. We had dinner together several nights, and it was so special to have four generations together. Em loved pulling on Great Gpa Bill's beard, and she loved being fed and falling asleep with Great Gma Harriet. Since I was at work during the day, Em got to spend more time with them than I did....but let's be honest, she was the real reason for their trip :)  

Em had her 4-month appointment this past Monday. Going into each appointment, I have been nervous to see the number on the scale. Since Em's 2-week appointment when her weight was down, I just haven't gotten over worrying about her weight. In the last few weeks, she has felt heavier and she is certainly growing out of her clothes, but I wanted the scale to confirm that. After Monday's appointment, I am happy to report that our girl is growing right on schedule! She is on a healthy growth curve, weighing in at 13 lbs 2.5 oz (21st percentile) and measuring 26 inches in length (94th percentile). The doctor was very pleased with her development. He commented on her alertness and on her hip movement, as she tried to roll over several times while being examined. She had to have a few vaccinations, so that part was no fun for Mommy or for baby, but we got through it. Our next appointment will be at six months, assuming we don't have to go in before that. We have been lucky to skate through the winter months with only one minor cold; I pray that sickness continues to stay away as we move into spring!

Here are a few other pictures from early March: Daddy playing ninja during bathtime, Em getting oh-so-close to rolling over, Em being held by her cousin Zander, and a photo of Em and her friend, Laurel, dressed alike at church. (Thank you, Katie, for the adorable monogrammed dresses!) Both girls are growing so much.

Oh, and one more big thing, Em laughed for the first time! A real, throw-the-head-back, fullblown giggle fit! We have been trying to coax a laugh out of her for quite some time, and perhaps I should say, specifically BOOMER has been trying. He has tried all means of tickling, singing, and dancing, but it wasn't until Wednesday night that she finally did. And it was MOMMY who got her to do it! I made this ridiculous sound, saying "hey, hey" like a seal, and she just threw her head back and laughed. Luckily we captured it on video. It was the best sound :)

While March has been busy, 'busy' just means 'making memories'!