10 Reasons I love Steve

My husband is great...There is no doubt about that.

1. He loves the Lord and models what it looks like without "talking" about it.
2. He wakes up with Abby, changes her diaper, and brings her to me when I am super tired in the morning.
3. He works so hard at school and has picked an amazing career that takes care of our family.
4. He is selfless, would do anything to help someone if they asked.
5. He is super generous.  When talking through Christmas presents his response is, "Well if it is something we know they would love, and we want to get it, let's get it."
6.  He drops everything and comes to help me when I really need him.
7. He pushes me to do things that I don't always want to do, but know I should (like working out, reading the Bible, etc.)  He is so sweet about it too...No pressure, but he knows I want to/need to do those things and always makes time for me to be able to go do them.
8. He watches cheesy shows with me...Even when he has too much to do.
9. He loves a clean house, just like me.
10. He appreciates and notices all the little things (like when I clean the floor, dust the table, do a small decorating project around the house, add a new spice to food).  I love it that he  notices the little things and always comments.  He pays attention and I appreciate that!

Well, that was pretty easy to write, 10 reasons why my husband is wonderful.....

What's her name you say?

It's Katherine Elizabeth!  

Yup, that is my new niece, can't wait to meet her! April seems like so far away!

Merry Christmas!

We are busy here at the Klenke household!

• Steve is finishing up his first semester. One exam down, two to go!  He likes school, is learning a lot, and making good friends.  His day looks like this: cuddle time with Abby in the morning, breakfast, then downstairs to study, break for lunch, go to class, come home, go to study, then bed.  LOTS of studying going on in the Klenke household!
• Carey is staying home with Abby and LOVES it.  She has enjoyed taking care of the house, getting ready for Christmas and crafting.  Lots of new crafts being worked on here.  They can't be posted yet, because many of them are Christmas presents!
• Abby is growing like a weed.  She is crawling, pulling up on furniture, and has just started to furniture walk.  She LOVES to eat.  She has (just this week) started to eat finger foods.  The rest of her food is what we have for dinner, just ground up like a meatloaf milkshake!  (that sounds so disgusting).  We are still monitoring her (neurology appointments, physical therapy, and a rehabilitation appointments) and praying that God completely heals her brain.  We would love your continued prayers for the scarring on her brain to be minimal and for wisdom as to what doctor's we need to seek out to ensure that she gets the best care possible.  We want to take advantage of this "smart town!"  

Beautiful

For those of you who have google latitude...Often Steve and I are IN Duck Lake....This is the view off our deck.  Beautiful, isn't it?

My Melissa

My Melissa

Yup, that is what I call her.

I have claimed her (some people say she is “Ben’s” but that is just her husband...)

She is incredible.

A lifelong friend.

A guest blogger.

An incredible mama.

Pretty much a sister.

Thoughtful.

Loving.

Crafty.

She pays attention to details.

She goes out of her way to make you happy.

Staying at her house is like staying in a fancy resort (she puts a water jug in your room…).

I love her.  And I am pretty sure she loves me too…She saw me at one of my worst moments…In labor, walking the stairs, pushing a baby out….She has seen me cry because my husband was deployed, she was there when I came home after the dog died, she has laughed so hard with me that we had tears in our eyes, she is the one that I know I could knock on her door any day and I would immediately be welcomed in regardless of what her day was like or what she was in the middle of.  She is one of the first people I think of when I am scared or have great news to share.  She is my friend, and I love her.

She made my day the other day…A small box was on the doorstep; full of little items with Melissa written all over them!  Little notes on each item letting me know she is thinking about me….It’s our sister box.  I can’t wait to send it back!

 (yes, the chocolate is already opened...)

(bracelet is from Melissa...The ring is from Steve...Just to clarify for those of you who may not know)

All I have to say now is... JANUARY!!!

10 months already!

Oh sweet Abby, I can't believe you are already 10 months old!  You are doing so many fun things and you bring so much joy to our lives!

You are crawling everywhere, just yesterday you crawled ON TOP of the couch cushion that was on the floor.  You even climbed up one of the steps at Auntie Jen's house.

 You trying to get down, we have to work on the going backward thing....

 You have the chubbiest cheeks!  Sam once asked, "Cookie, does Abby have food in her cheeks?" (This is hilarious because Elli, always stores food in her cheeks like a chipmunk...Sam thought Abby had food in there because they were so chubby)

 You are a crawling champ.  Going all over the house.  My favorite time is when I get on the floor with you and crawl and you look at me, smile, start laughing and come crawling to me as fast as you can!

 This is how you show us love.  We have slobbery faces afterwards, but it is totally worth it!

 When you get really excited you get on all fours, and then straighten and bend your legs.  It is so cute!  You do this when we come in to get you in the morning and from naps.  

 Yes, you have conquered one step...Now onto these!

 Melts me....

 You love your toy basket.  When we bring you downstairs in the morning you always crawl right to your basket and pull all the toys out on the floor.  Some of your favorite toys are the small stuffed animals, the giraffe with rings, and your wooden hammer set.

 It's Christmas time!  You love looking at all the lights on the tree.

Other things:

• You love to be held... Sometimes you don't want to get in your crib (like last night) and were perfectly content with daddy holding you.  Unfortunately, we can't do that all night long, so he put you in your crib and you cried...For a long time.  But, then fell asleep....
• Most of the time sleep is going well.  You sleep all night long!  (You have a cold now, we had a few rough nights (and by rough I mean waking up once or twice) but last night you slept like a champ, not waking up till 7:45!  A great way to spend the morning of your 10 month birthday!
• Pacifiers are only for bed time...(we bring them to church in case you are loud and have a spare in the car in case you loose it)
• You love to jump in the jump up!  
• You are an eating machine!  Last night you had cauliflower, beef stew, yogurt, and apples.  You eat almost anything I blend up for you.  Feeding you is so much easier because I now just blend up whatever we are eating!
• 22 lbs...Wowzers!  We get comments on how chubby you are sometimes.  Like the little Asian lady who walked past us yesterday and started smiling then said, in broken English, "healthy!!!" pointing at Abby.  Our PT also said she could have some difficulty with standing because her legs are so chubby....
• PT is going well.  You are going to a specialist to look at your hips.  We had a hip x-ray and everything looks fine, but you are still pretty tight.  We want to make sure nothing is wrong and that this isn't connected in anyway to what happened at birth.  We are working on stretching everyday.  It's funny, you are tight in the exact same places I am tight...Maybe it is hereditary!
• 6 teeth, they are all through.  Waiting for the next set of teeth.
• Right now you are watching Baby Einstein and LOVING it!  This is the first time I have put it in for you since we have have lived in MI...and you are actually watching it!  I need to get on my grocery list ASAP....(That is originally why I put it on, but now I am blogging...Oh, priorities.....)
• Your favorite thing to do in the kitchen is pulling the towel off the handle on the oven.
• You eat EVERYTHING on the floor.  I can't keep it clean enough in here, you find all the crumbs, fuzz, hair, leaves, anything that is small, you find.  We take our shoes off and I vacuum all the time, but I can't seem to keep it clean enough!
• Your favorite thing to say is "da-da"
  

Sweet Abby, you fill our hearts with so much joy.  We love being home with you and watching you grow. Every month you do new things and we love you more than you will ever know!  

Yeah! Part of Andy and Brittany's Day!

We had a sweet surprise yesterday....A present from Aunt Brittany.  She made the cutest box and asked Abby and I to be a part of her big day!

 Abby likes her box!

 We are trying to teach her to not eat flowers...Hopefully we can teach her that before July!

The sweetest present ever!  I can't wait till July!