New Pictures

It's been awhile since an update, but we've been busy preparing for the holidays and such. So here are a few pictures to enjoy. Cassidy in her first pair of jeans, from this past weekend.

Cassidy is definitely one of the favorites, if not the favorite, at day care. Her day care lady, Keisha, bought her some adorable clothes, and this is one of the outfits. Actually her husband picked this one out and loved it because of the panda in the pocket, too cute!

My how much bigger she looks in the carseat now. All ready to go to day care and happy in the morning. She's getting much better at smiling for the camera now.

Great Aunt Patti is trying to tell Cassidy the ways of the world, this was right after she tried to convince her to show off her cool new trick, rolling over.

A new favorite picture of mine, maybe next time we take it Cassidy will smile.

Showing Cassidy all the ornaments as we decorate the tree. She loves the Christmas tree and enjoys when we turn it on after work, especially because all the Star Wars ornaments make noise when you first turn it on.

Trying to suck her thumb and smile in the jumperoo.

Kim is holding Cassidy while my mom is holding Emily (they are only 3 months apart in age)

The Kitson cousins, Isaac, Cassidy, Carly, Ellie, and Emily (it was quite a job to get this picture...always at least one kid doesn't want to cooperate)

Cassidy's first Christmas at the farm, sleeping in the wagon.

After a trip in the car we uncovered Cassidy's carseat cover to see her sleeping with Mickey's nose in her mouth like a pacifier...too cute!

Cassidy's first Thanksgiving!

See many of you soon!

Gerken's Give Thanks

In honor of Thanksgiving we would like to share what we are thankful for! We have so much to be thankful for this year.

• A beautiful, healthy, vibrant little girl who has come into our lives and forever changed them (God knew what he was doing when he sent her to us!)
• Our health and the health of our friends and family
• Great families
• Great friends
• Good jobs and the ability to pay our bills
• A new wonderful house

There is so much more, but that is just a few things we are so thankful for this year and we hope that you and your family will have a wonderful and relaxing Thanksgiving!

Cassidy was 4 months old yesterday and here she is with her Bakka Bear, amazing how she is now bigger than her bear and she's 2x the size of her Gretchen now.

Cassidy at 4 months a snapshot:

• Talks a lot (hmm wonder where she got this)
• Loves her jumperoo
• Looks like her daddy, but has the personality of her mommy
• Is fiercely independent
• Gets frustrated easily when her toys won't cooperate
• Looks skeptically at almost everything and everyone
• Is mesmerized by the tv
• Loves to look at herself in a mirror
  

Cassidy and I had a great visitor this past weekend, my friend Sara who was meeting Cassidy for the first time. Sara spent the day with us and Little Miss Cassidy wanted Sara to see her entire wardrobe so we had 3 outfit changes thanks to spitting up on us and a blowout. Really we could have just shown her the closet, but that's not what Cassidy had in mind.

Just a cute picture that Sara took of us.

Long and Lean

Just a quick update from Cassidy's 4 month check-up which was yesterday. Let me start by saying those darn percentile charts are confusing and I gave misinformation to everyone yesterday who I spoke to about her appt. Apparently her weight was only in the 5th percentile based on babies her length. Here are the real facts.

One week shy of her 4th month her stats are

Weight: 12 pounds 15 ounces (she is in the 50th percentile for weight)
Length: 25.5 inches long (she is in the 95th percentile for length) (up from 75th percentile last appt.)

So far it looks like she's taking after her daddy, which is fine with us. The doctor thought she was perfect and in fact commented on how perfect her head was on several occasions. She was amazed at how round it was and she thought we were rotating how she sleeps. Nope, she does that all on her own. The doctor said to just keep doing what we're doing because she looks great and she said cereal is fine so we'll continue with cereal (next week upping it to twice a day). Next month she wants us to introduce yellow vegetables as well.

Cassidy was her usual self at the appointment (very serious). The doctor kept trying to get her to smile and finally told her she'd need to lighten up and that her face would wrinkle like that if she kept furrowing her brow. (hmm I've heard that line before about myself). She's very serious and even keel.

Next week we'll update with her 4 month picture!

Any gypsies out there?

Big things happening around the Gerken household these days. Sorry we haven't updated in awhile we've been busy with work, finding time to enjoy our little one and finding time to sleep. Sadly our sleep has actually gotten worse (we didn't think it could). Little Miss Cassidy has decided that reverting back to the sleep patterns of when she was just a newborn is a good idea. We're still hopeful that someday before she turns one we'll get to sleep through the night, at least she's cute and has that going for her. As Brian and I like to say she's being sold to the gypsies as soon as they come by our house! And now onto the pictures and big developments.We had an absolutely beautiful weather day last Saturday (60 degrees and sunny)so Brian went on a run and Cassidy and I went on a nice long walk. She was awake, but relaxed the entire walk, then 2 blocks from home she fell asleep. so she took a nap in her stroller while Gretchen and I played ball in the front yard. Everyone enjoyed the sunshine!

On Sunday night we were just relaxing in the living room and I decided to get down on the floor to get a cute picture of tummy time. Immediately after I put down the camera Cassidy rolled onto her back, scaring herself. We cheered and she cried wonderig how in the world she got there. This was her first experience with rolling over...we're sure more is to come soon.

Sunday night also brought the first experience with rice cereal. It went as well as could be expected. Most ended up on her chin or bib, but she did open her mouth for more a couple of times. We'll continue practicing and hopefully soon she'll get the hang of it.

Finally, after weeks of trying to capture in on camera I was to get a smile. I worked very hard to get her to smile for the camera and it finally worked. What a cutie she is!This is after she was done eating last night, most on her chin and big again, but we had fun.

Brian was playing with Cassidy in her room and called me in to see. She is very strong and likes to stand supported. He decided to have her stand next to the toybox and she was able to stand alone for a few seconds.

She started to get fussy last night and I grabbed this Tigger who when you press him down he bounces and sings. Once I pressed him down, she immediately stopped fussing and couldnt' take her eyes off of him. Hmmmm, I hope this trick continues to work.

Eventually she was brave and just knocked Tigger over, it was cute. We'll have to get video of her and Tigger together.

Well that's it for now. Thursday we go for her fourth month check-up so we'll have updates on how big she is getting. I'm very interested to get the updated stats because from lugging her and carseat around I'm thinking she gained a few pounds.

Editors note: We will not actually sell her to gypsies, but anyone who wants to come over and stay the night we'll gladly let you have night duties while we go upstairs and get a good night's sleep.

Pumpkin Fest 10K and meeting Emily

On Sunday, October 25 Brian ran in the Sycamore Pumpkin Fest 10K. The weather was perfect and around 1200 runners came out for the event, some even dressed in costume. Brian and Cassidy before the race. Cassidy slept from the time we arrive in the morning at 8:30 until just before Brian finished the race. Of course she decided she was very hungry about 5 minutes before I knew Brian would be coming across the finish line. Luckily we had a bottle and Brian's mom gave her about an ounce (which held her over until he finished the race and we got pictures)

This is at the beginning of the race as the racers were starting to spread out. Brian is in the bottom left of this picture.

Brian just moments before crossing the finish line. He completed the 10K in 53:03. He's definitely got the running bug and wants to someday complete a half marathon, but he said he's not doing it until he can do the one in Disney World.

Grandma and Grandpa Gerken came up for the day to see Brian race, do brunch afterwards and then catcht he pumpkin fest parade. Cassidy finally woke up in time for daddy to finish the race.

After the race was done.

And the prize for completing the Pumpkin Fest race is your very own pumpkin!

Cassidy's 3 month picture! She looks so big next to the teddy bear now. She is definitely growing (check out those cute chubby thighs!)

Last night we headed to Dixon to meet Cassidy's newest cousin, Emily. In this picture we have Ellie (12), Cassidy (3 months) and Emliy (1 week). We'll be sure to get an updated cousin picture at Thanksgiving when they are all together.

Cassidy and Emily. Cassidy saying, "I'm so big" and smiling for the camera, while Emily just snuggles up for a good nap with her new best friend. It is absolutely amazing to me how much children change in the first year of life. Only 3 months separate these two and they are so vastly different in appearance and what they are doing.

Emily is so done with this photo shoot, and Cassidy is not sure what to do about the crying baby next to her.

During my lunch time runs lately I've been pondering how much life has changed in 3 months, all the things we've learned and the joys in our life from having Cassidy in our life. Here are some thoughts from those runs.

***I live for weekends now, but for entirely different reasons than I used to.....sleep!

***I do thing newborns are cute, but they are sooo much more fun when they can smile, giggle, grab at toys, etc.

***I never knew that I could function on so little sleep or that I would consider it a "good" night if we only got up once or twice. (I really thought that by 12 weeks our child would sleep through the night)

***Nothing in the world compares to the huge toothless grin your baby gives you or the giggle they make when they find something funny

***No matter how many milestones Cassidy reaches ahead of the average baby, I will dwell only on the ones she's not reaching figuring we're doing something wrong (for instance she must not be rolling over because we don't give her enough tummy time...yes we know we're crazy and she's fine)

***Priorities really do change when a baby comes home and I don't care how clean my house is or what is for dinner, because after work I really just want to play with her.

***Catholic guilt has nothing on a mother's guilt....you feel guilty for needing a break, for taking them to day care, for letting them cry, for just about everything and I hear it just gets worse.

There is so much more we've learned, but that's a snapshot. Even as I type this I just keep imagining her huge grin and giggle, it is my very favorite thing and luckily she is starting to do it more! (now if I could just get a good picture of that huge grin, nothing compares)

sleeplessness

We'll update new pictures this weekend, in the meantime I want to share a prayer a friend sent me on facebook, which I think all new parents can appreciate!

God
Bless all young mothers at end of day,
kneeling wearily with each small one to hear them pray
Too tired to rise when done... and yet they do,
Longing just to sleep
One whole night through

Too tired to sleep
Too tired to pray
God bless all young mothers at close of day

by-Ruth Bell Graham

Oh how we long for a night of sleep, but alas our little Cassidy has other plans! We're back to getting up multiple times a night, and not always to eat. At a loss for why, we're starting to think she's working on teeth since she wakes up super duper crabby, she's drooling a ton, biting her hands and her source of food (not a good idea). Someday we'll sleep again, but until then Brian and I will survive on autopilot.

Andrew and Wendy's Wedding

As promised once Cassidy let us sleep more we'd update with pictures. I'm happy to report she is getting back on a schedule and seems much happier and more rested now. We're still getting up 2 times a night, but at least she goes right back to sleep and last night the second wake-up was at 5:15 so Brian was able to play with her until 5:45 when I woke up to feed her. Yeah for progress and a happy baby! Here are some pictures from Andrew and Wendy's wedding this past weekend. Isaac loves his little cousins and before the wedding he and Cassidy played on the floor with her favorite toy, Mickey Mouse.
More playing (oops Isaac crushed his corsage during playtime)
For some reason over the wedding weekend, Brian became Carly (our niece's) favorite person. She would reach out to have him pick her up, which she doesn't do with anyone but her parents. They danced together and hung out, it was adorable. Someone asked her to give Brian a kiss and she did right on the nose and I had the camera ready for the perfect picture.
A family picture at the reception. We all wore different shades of green, definitely not planned.
Cassidy has taken to joining us at the dinner table when we eat dinner. She's not quite ready to eat her dinner at the table, but she enjoys joining us, taking part in the conversation and playing with her Mickey Mouse.
Cassidy in a cute Mickey fleece outfit that Gram got her at a garage sale.
Brian and Cassidy relaxing in the hotel on Saturday before the wedding. This was after a long and not restful night. They are enjoying a soccer game, which is their favorite thing to do on Saturday mornings. No cartoons for these two, they'd rather have soccer anyday. Oh yep and there's Mickey again!

We'll update again once Cassidy gets to meet her new cousin, Emily, next weekend. Another girl and only 3 months apart they will surely have some fun times growing up together!

Why God made babies cute!

As many know Cassidy has decided to regress in her sleeping patterns for the past week. We started getting up two times a night instead of one beginning early last week. We assumed it was a growth spurt, but are no longer convinced. She had a very bad weekend for sleep this past weekend. We may attribute some to staying in a hotel for Andrew's wedding, but now we're home and it's not improving.

Last night on our 3rd night in a row of very little sleep (seeing almost every single hour on the clock between 10pm-6am is not something we like) we decided this is why God made babies cute. In the wee hours of last night Brian says to me as we're in Cassidy's room rocking her, "so this must be why God made babies cute so we'll still like them when they keep us up all night." We then quickly decided that perhaps it wouldn't be so bad if our next child was ugly if it meant they sleep all night :)

In the wee hours when Cassidy wakes us up screaming, but not hungry (Brian thinks it's because she just missese us) we go in and there is our super smiley baby working so hard to make her sleep deprived, frustrated parents smile back at her.

We promise we'll update pictures this week from the wedding, just as soon as we get a little sleep!

Dad's Race

Here is Cassidy at two months! She had a doctor's appointment on her two month birthday...ugh shots! She did very well with shots, just a little screaming and out of it that day, but tylenol helped. We are happy to report that she gained another pound and a half and grew 2 and 1/4 inches. Which puts her at 10 pounds 8 ounces and 22 3/4 inches long. She remains in the 50th percentile for weight but went up to the 75th percentile for height (looks like she might be taking after daddy in that department).
Brian has been enjoying running and this last weekend completed his first race a 5K to support St. Anne's School. He's now preparing for his first 10K at the end of October. Here is pre-race with a sleepy Cassidy (her shirt says Daddy's Team).
Being the scrapbooking wife I am I got some pictures at the starting line, then found a spot along the route to get some more pics and finally made it to the finish line to capture those moments too. Cassidy slept while I took pictures, it was just too much for her.
Finishing the race strong. It was a yucky, drizzly day, but Brian assured me that was good running weather. Brian ran it in 24 minutes and 15 seconds. Not bad for his first race.
Cassidy was able to see her cousins over the weekend as well since we had a baby shower for my sister-in-law Chris who is expecting the end of October. We'll have to take another picture once the new baby comes. Ellie (age 12) is holding Cassidy. Isaac (4) is sitting in the middle and Carly (16 months) is on the right. It was difficult to get the middle two to cooperate, as Ellie and Cassidy sat nicely we snapped as many pictures as we could to get a good one of the other two mover and shakers.
Today, Cassidy and I went to visit our day care lady, Ms. Keisha. They had not yet met, so we figured with only a week and half before my return to work full-time we better go visit. We got to meet the other kids too. Cassidy is going to be one of only 2 girls in the entire day care, with many little boys around a year older....oh no here come the boyfriends! We're excited for Cassidy to be going there and we'll be stopping by again next week to take her supplies over there before the big first day! I was glad she was happy and gave Ms. Keisha lots of smiles and enjoyed checking out the other little kids, who of course all loved her, especially the only other girl, Emily a 5 year old. She thought Cassidy was very cool.
Well that's it for now!

Cassidy's Baptism

We are happy to report we successfully made it through Baptism. There was a bit of confusion at the beginning. They only had down that three were being baptized and of course Cassidy was the one left out. It all worked out and in the end she got baptized, we just need to get her certificate later, not a big deal at all. So yesterday Cassidy along with three other little girls got baptized.
We are thankful so many friends and family could make it to the day especially since everyone had to drive to DeKalb. Cassidy was baptized at our church, Christ the Teacher Parish (it's the church on the university campus)

The family after Cassidy's Baptism (she wore the same gown I wore that has been in the family for generations)
Grandma and Granpa Gerken with a not so happy Cassidy (she was great throughout mass, then Baptism was another story, she was a little hungry and a lot tired-not a good combination)
Gram and Baka Kitson
The Godparents-Brett (Brian's brother) and Jenni (my sister)
Fr. Godwin wasd the priest, he's one of our favorites. Moments before this picture she was sleeping so I said as I handed her to him that I hoped she wouldn't cry since she cried through most of the Baptism. He said well if she does I'll just pour some more water on her head. He's such a funny guy.
This was her look most of Baptism-both parents trying to calm her. The pacifier did help some.


After the Baptism we headed back to our house for some lunch, fun and the Bears game. Cassidy did not have a good nap all day, but Ellie and Allison definitely tried. They read her several books in her room. I see a definite possibility of babysitters in these two. She was so tired after her big day that she went to bed at 7:00 p.m. and with only one middle of the night wake-up at 12:45 for food we feel blessed.

This week we have the dreaded 2 month appointment and shots, then we're headed to Dixon for the weekend.