Ohhhh October.

Major things have been going on over at the Kraus House.  Our little man has been GROWING BIG TIME!!!!

October 9th... Kingston turned 4 months old.  Seriously, where did the time go?  Here were his "stats:"

Weight: 16lbs. 14 oz. (87%)

Height: 28 inches (100%)

Head circumference: 17 inches (76%)

Dr. Hudson gave us the "GO" to start giving Kingston baby food!  Whoo-hoo!  So far we have tackled cereal, applesauce, squash, and green beans.  YUMMY!  Next up, here comes CARROTS!  Jealous?

Kingston has just recently started to realize that Bailey too, occupies our home.  He watches her roam and run all over the house.  He gets so excited when she is around... I wish I could say the feeling was mutual.  Poor Bailey Boo... she is just not real interested! She'll come around once KHK can play "retrieve" with her...

  

Beeper and I were asked to go to Gold Rush last weekend with the Mahone's!  Anytime I can spend time with "My Michelle"  I'm in... on top of that dressing up, good food, drinks, and DANCING!  SHOOOOOOOT.... LOOK OUT!  Oh to dress up... right up my alley... 

We all couldn't have been MORE DIFFERENT!  

I was a hippie and Michelle was a pirate.  Arrgh!

Here we have... Rocky and Payne Stewart.  

Like I said "VERY DIFFERENT!"

As for this picture... well this just shows that we had a GREAT TIME!

(Is there anything better than "back seat pictures" after a party?  

You know you've all taken them... Ahhhhh... good times... good times!)  

I also need to give a shout out to our babysitter that night.  Thanks Paige and Greg for watching our little munchkin.  We really do appreciate it! :)

Rewind...

No lie... I'm just flat embarrassed about how long it's been since I blogged last... geeezzz its literally been 2 months! Really it isn't like there hasn't been anything going on, I MEAN HELLO YOU KNOW ME... there is ALWAYS something going on! :)

Let's dive in... we've got some catching up to do! 

Here are some pics of a random Cox Get Together... I love that we just get together for no reason, but just to visit!  Oh, who am I kidding and to EAT good food of course! :) The baby with Kingston is my precious little cousin Brooks that I am sure you have all heard me dote over time and time again!  I love seeing those two little guys together! (Check out my other little cousins and their AMAZING POSES!) 

As most of you know, this September was a MILESTONE month for my parents... they both turned 50!  Holy Moly Right? (lol)  I don't know how it happened, but I actually managed to throw them both a surprise birthday party!  I still can't believe that I pulled it off, getting them both there and keeping it a secret!  Thanks for everyone that came to help celebrate!  A Big thanks to my cousin Angela for helping me get my "ELDERS" there! :)  I must say that my Mama and Daddy make 50 look DAMN GOOD! (Let's hope that those genes got passed on!)

I always get excited with "My Michelle" comes in to town.  Now, more than ever because we have two little guys that we love to watch play together.  So last week she came in and you know what we just had to do?  Well a MINI-PHOTO-SHOOT of course!  A very short, short, short photo shoot!  These boys are really going to have to get used to this...  

Hands are Yummy!

I'm back... Man talk about taking a break!  Like always let me catch ya up to date...

So Mr. Kingston is now 2 1/2 months old! :) Seriously can you believe it?  Time has flown by... as summers usually do!  At KHK's 2 month dr. apt. he weighed  14lbs. and was 25 1/2 inches long.  

We just recently went through ANOTHER growth spurt and had to DASH off to Tyler for some "6 month clothing shopping!"  FUN-FUN!  I mean seriously the child was looking like I couldn't handle him growing up, so I was determine to make 3 month outfits still look cute!  I swear it happened over night!  Anywho... Tyler got the job done!  He no longer looks like a orphan child... bless his heart!

Mr. Kingston is cooing up a storm... I think that this is due to him spending so much time with his YAYA! He definitely will not struggle with a language barrier that is FO-SHO.  I can't wait when he can start telling me what all they talk about ALL day!  He comes home flat worn out... :)  I LOVE IT!  It's great!  

He is smiling all the time... and it isn't GAS!   He thinks I AM FUNNY!  It is great to have someone in my house who FINALLY laughs at my jokes, even if he is a "wee little one!"

SLOBBER... OHHHHH DO WE EVER SLOBBER!  I swear he slobbers worse than any bulldog I have ever seen.  This could quite possibly be due to the fact that our mouth is ALWAYS open, because we are trying to attack our "new friend,"  OUR HAND!  Oh, Kingston loves Mr. Hand!  He tries to stick the WHOLE thing inside his mouth... it is fascinating to watch and then scary, because what am I going to do if this actually happens?  (Come on people you know what I am going to do... GRAB MY CAMERA!)

Anywho... here is a short video of Mr. Kingston being his CUTE SELF... and Mr. Hand!

One month... REALLY?

I am sitting in my bed.... looking over at my precious baby boy, Mr. Kingston as he peacefully sleeps.  He doesn't even know that exactly one month ago he BUSTED out of his Mama's belly! :)  Literally!  No really he did... I was busting at the seams! 

I cannot believe that he has been here for 4 weeks.  What did we used to do without this lil guy! (I am going to be real honest here... because most of you LIE!)  :)  I know exactly what Beep & I used to do... we stayed up late, went out, drank fun drinks, partied with friends... AND SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT! Yeah... it was the good life, SO WE THOUGHT!  Having children is the best thing in the entire world!  There is nothing like it...  THIS, my friends is the GOOD LIFE!

So, let's get back to my little heart-throb, Kingston Hunter!

  It is crazy how much of his personality is already shining through... he is here to teach US! We have been taking notes, and here are some things that you NEED to know about lil Kingston:

*He drinks 6 ounces

*He weighs over 10 lbs. and measuring over 22 inches long.

*He is tracking objects and learning to reach out and grab at them (for instance my glasses, flowers on the door etc.)

*Recognizing voices - especially Mama & Daddy's

*Grunts while creating a "dirty surprise" in his diaper for Mama (cracks me up, no lie)!

*LOVE... LOVE... LOVES... Bath time!

*Sleeps with arms UP, as if riding a roller coaster.

*LOVES to look at the "Pretty Baby" while getting his diaper changed (what a DIVA!)

*Favorite time to be awake is 11:00-1:00 a.m. and 4:30-6:30 a.m.  :)  Feel free to come and visit during these times.

*Could lay on his  "Magic Pad" for hours - this is where "ALL THE MAGIC HAPPENS!"  You know where he gets his grunt on! What a DIRTY-BOY!

*Prefers to be moving, dancing, or swinging...  ALL THE TIME!  (My kind of man!)

He teaches us some-thing new everyday! Just when we think we are starting to get the hang of "Life with Kingston," he changes it up for us once again!

Well, we did it... we have made it for a whole month!  No need for applause...  :)

Beep & I are having the time of our lives! "Parenthood" is such a gift...  what a blessing our little Kingston is!

Happy Father's Day!

I am warning you now... it's about to get MUSHY up in here!  If you can handle it... READ ON!

I cannot hold it in any longer... I want to shout it from the rooftop... Beeper Kraus, is not only an amazing husband, but also the best Daddy in the world! (Is this a real shock to anyone... I mean seriously?)

I married the man of my dreams and I loved him with all of my heart... then we had a child together! Everything changed... my heart grew and I now see my husband in a whole NEW light!  I feel as though my heart could explode, because my LOVE for Beeper has surpassed something that I could have never imagined!

I sit here now... glancing over to see him sleeping peacefully with our little blessing!  I reflect back 13 days ago, when Kingston was born and it brings tears to my eyes to remember what all Beep did for the both of us.  From the get go, Beeper was always concerned with how I was doing, feeling, and wanted to know if there was anything that he could do to help me.  He had to help me walk, get in and out of bed, potty, shower... you name it, he had to help me do it.  On top of that "Super Man" was taking care of our newborn baby at the same time.  We kept Kingston in our room the entire time that we were at the hospital.  He would stay day/night taking care of Kingston: changing diapers, feeding, holding, and just loving the little man.  Never complaining, always saying that he wouldn't have it any other way.

I have told him that I really think he missed his calling... he could have been making the BIG BUCKS, because he was supposed to be a "Celebrity Manny!" Maybe next lifetime.  Until then, he is ours...

Beeper is our rock and he definitely puts his family first.  He needs to help other men out and teach them how to be the "COMBO MAN,"  a great husband and Daddy. Kingston and I are so incredibly lucky to have such a caring and loving MAN in our lives. 

So raise your glasses and toast with me.

Here's to Beeper... may you have the best 1st Father's Day ever, 

because you deserve nothing, but the BEST!

Love, 

Kingston & his Mama    

Kingston Hunter Kraus

To all our LOYAL readers... I apologize for just now updating!  It's been 10 days to long... I promise that it WILL get better!  To tell you the truth and I am really not trying to make excuses... I have just been busy this week!  I mean you know having a baby and all! :)

Now that I have your attention let's back it up...

June 6th

Beep and I arrive at the hospital at 9:30.  I was having some MAJOR anxiety... NO LIE!  I prayed up until we walked through the ER doors, asking God to please send me a sign letting me know that everything would be just fine.  :)  As we were waiting on the elevator, I turned around and out of a room behind us came two men, dressed in black dress suits, and they were rolling out someone all ZIPPED up in a BODY BAG! OMG!!! Really?!?  Not, really the sign that I was looking for...

Super, we have been at the hospital less than 10 minutes and the tears are already building up in my BIG green eyes!  Beep was thinking... "Oh lordy, this could be a LONG day!"

Out the elevator and we are off to Labor and Delivery.  Round the corner and there is Joey, Nicole, and Flipper!  To sweet... after some high-fives we were off to check-in.

I was not heading back for surgery until 12:00, so we had two hours to chill-out, take pictures, and attempt to take-in what was actually about to happen.  Those two hours flew by and before I knew it was SHOW TIME... 

I enter the all white, super cold room (which felt wonderful) and I was thinking, "Is it to late to back out?"  They asked if some Kilgore College interns could watch... I told them that they could, but if I catch any of them posting it on you tube I would hunt them down. :)  I am still on the look out!

Shake.. Poke... Shake... Poke... Shake... Stab... Went my back!  Spinal Block, FINALLY in... Legs go numb... and I am still in SHAKE CITY.  I literally thought that I was going to shake off the table.  They straped down my arms and put up the sheet!  I was ready to see Beep and my Mama walk through the doors!  

The doors open and here came my "SMURFS," Beep and my Mama!  Beep sat right by me and my Mama had a side shot and watched everything that was going on. (No lie she could have delivered her grandson, with no problem!) :)  I kept asking Beep, "are you okay?"  I didn't need him hitting the floor! (No worries, he was a champ!) Also, Thanks Mom for being one "tuff cookie" and taking pictures, while your daughter was being "sliced & diced!  The pictures you took were priceless!!!

"Your going to feel some pressure," says Dr. Hutchison.  PRESSURE?!  It felt as though they had lifted my legs up in the air over my head.  I felt all the blood rush to my head and then, at 12:28, my ears heard the most precious sound... our little baby boy! My eyes were immediately filled with tears of HAPPINESS. I couldn't believe that he was finally here!  They whisked him away and I watched from the side as Kingston's proud Daddy cut the cord.

Beeper walked over and kneeled down beside me... and then he kindly introduced me to our son!  The proudest moment in my life was right then, this was the son that we had been praying for!  He was perfect... and he was ours!  

Kingston Hunter Kraus was born at 12:28 p.m.  He weighed in at 9lbs. 6.7oz. and was 20 1/2 inches long.  (He be BIG BOY... BIG BOY long time!)

I am so glad that he is finally here, healthy and ready to enjoy life with his Mama, Daddy, and Bailey Boo!

So here are some long overdue pictures of my precious baby boy and all his family and friends that helped welcome him into the world! :)

A big thanks to the best sister-in-laws in the world!  You two helped capture everything on camera and video and I can't thank you enough!  Thanks for being there!!!  :)  Love ya'll!

Also, to Kingston's TALENTED Big Daddy...  the 7ft. stork was AWESOME!  What a way to come home and let everyone know about our "special delivery!"  You are truly the most talented and creative person that I know. Thanks again for making everything so special and personalized Dad!  Love you so much!

  

Doooo-Do! Dooooo-Do! (Jaws Theme People)

I am sitting at my kitchen table, looking out at the pond, the 3 neighborhood ducks, people leaving for work, others taking there morning stroll.  This is just another day for them... I want to run outside and scream "DO YOU KNOW WHAT TODAY IS?" But I guess it is too early for all that...   :)  or should I?  

I stayed up last night, with a thousand thoughts running through my head... "Love on Bailey, did you do this, oh don't forget that, Love on Bailey, make a note so you don't forget, wash this, Love on Bailey some more..."  Then I think that my brain had enough and CRASHED!

Is it still totally weird that I cannot wrap my brain around what is actually happening today?  I mean, I have had 39 weeks to prepare my brain for this new little resident that will be living with us and still... I don't believe it!  I set up a nursery fit for a little "King!"  Yet, STILL I DO NOT believe it!  We keep talking about this baby... I feel him daily... I'm talking ALL DAY AND NIGHT... and still I feel like we are talking about someone else!

I was awakened by "boo-coo-tools" of text from family and friends expressing their happiness, prayers, and excitement!  Thank you all for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers... we are so lucky to be surrounded by such caring people! 

I am beyond the point of excitement... I am so ready for the reality of it all to begin and to see what God has created for us to share with the world! 

On that note... I better go get ready!  This is something that I actually should be ON TIME for, don't you think?  (Otherwise I will never hear the end of it from my Mother, but Mama Shirley you understand don't-cha?)  :)

Let the countdown begin... 

We'zzzzz Gonna BE PARENTS YA'LLLLLLL!

Holla Back! :)