Catch-up

After an exhilirating and exhausting vacation in Utah, we are finally home. We enjoyed all the time that we spent with family and friends. The two pictures in this post are just random pics that we put on for today's blog. The first one was taken this afternoon just before both kids had meltdowns followed by naps (like clockwork). The second picture is one from a birthday party two weeks ago. Kinsley is having fun with her pal, Zachary at the park.

Happy 4th of July!

It's the Sunday before the fourth of July and my cheezy self decided it was time for the family to be festive. Okay, I skipped out on the festivities--I had nothing to wear (typical excuse I know). The kids looked so cute I just had to have pictures. I tried taking the pictures just before church but Kinsley was so thrilled to be close to her brother that she refused to look at the camera. We decided to give it another shot after church but our attempts were obviously in vane. Grant wouldn't stop crying and Kinsley just kept pouting. Oh well regardless of their facial expressions they still look so darn cute!

We're now preparing for our visit to Utah and can't wait to finally see our family and friends. I told Kinsley a few weeks back that we'd be heading out to the "Beehive State" in July and she's been talking about it ever since. At least once a day she say's "we're going to see them in July." Needless to say we're all super excited. As usual things are busy at the Sorensen home. Shawn is working hard in school, as he attends straight through the summer. Kinsley, Grant and I are still adjusting to our new schedule -- managing life with two kids. Just when I think I'm getting the hang of it one of the two throws in a curve ball and the routine is all off. Oh well, what can you do? Seriously I'm enjoying every minute of it (okay maybe not the poopy minutes)! Kinsley is at such a fun age right now and is always saying silly things. For example while Marie (Grandma Sorensen) was visiting after Grant's birth she taught Kinsley a song about a little old man who saves a rabbit from becoming a hunters prize. Kinsley's favorite part goes as follows (the rabbit is speaking): "help me, help me, help me he said or the hunter will shoot me dead." As I was getting ready (which yes, somehow I manage to fit in a little hair and make-up on occasion) Kinsley was going through my drawers and pulling out anything she could get her hands on. She started singing Grandma Sorensens song and I chimed in with my own version like "clean up all of the clothes on the floor" to which she replied "or the mommy will shoot me dead!" My first thought was yikes, followed by bouts of hysterical laughter. Ahh...... I love being a mom!

Happy Father's Day

With Kinsley's arrival in 2005 I joined the ranks of those who had the title of Father. This picture, taken shortly after her birth captures the happiness of my newfound title. There is a difference between those who 'get' the title and those who 'earn' the title. I hope that I can 'earn' that title, but I won't know if I have until my kids start having kids- that's when you can start to tell if you earned the title of father -- or so it seems. These pictures highlight my favorite times as a father... They are simple moments that have fostered not so simple meanings.

Grant in a Photo Booth (actually a swing)

We could not let these pictures just stay in the online archive, hoping that someone might look through all of the folders to see if we have added anything new. These pictures just scream: "Look at me I am a cute kid!"
Grant is developing quite the personality (and appetite). He really is becoming more aware of the world and people around him. He is also making more baby sounds and as these pictures show...he is learning to smile and interact.

Smile!

The first thing Grant will have to learn as the newest member of the Sorensen family is when a camera is out, you need to paint a ridiculously large smile on your face in the event that someone takes a picture. He's young, he will learn, especially if his big sister, Kinsley has anything to say about it.
This week has been a busy one for the us in Washington. We have been looking at houses in the area. You would think with a three bedroom condo it would be easy to fit 4 people, 2 oversized couches, a piano the size of Texas and a lot of kids toys. We will see if it is possible.
Here is a picture of Kinsley when she is really, really, really upset. It is written all over her face. You need to be wary when you see her looking like this, she could strike at any moment, when you least expect.... (attacked by Kinsley and killed by tickles). In all fairness, Kinsley is such a happy girl and we are so blessed to have her in our family. She brightens everyone's life that she comes into contact with. She says 'hi' to everyone in the street, grocery store, chuch, bank, etc.
Kinsley enjoyed our trip to the Edmonds Beach a week or two ago. She loved playing in the sand, walking in the water, seeing two giant starfish and being with her family. We loved getting out (away from homework, housework and work in general) for a few hours of wonderful sunshine and relaxation.

2007 Sock Olympics

Welcome to all those folks around the globe tuning in to see the results of this year's 2007 Sock Olympics. I want to draw your attention to the favorite for this year's competition, Kinsley Kristine Sorensen, weighing in at 27.325lb and at a towering height of 33.5 inches. Kinsley has proved herself a formidable competitor. In an exhibition match last month in grease (scheduled in Greece, but because of passport limitations, she only traveled as far as the kitchen), she really got her hands dirty and showed what she was capable of. Check out her profile below:
Kinsley's warm up routine this year has brought her considerable strength. Last year at this same time she wouldn't have been able to do this, but you can tell her practice has paid off.
Kinsley is known for her fierce competitiveness. Note the opponent that she has subdued (he is underneath her foot). Poor Mr. Potato Head never had a chance. He didn't see it coming (he didn't have eyes in at the time).







When it comes to putting on an intimidating game face, Kinsley has perfected this strategy. One look at her snarling glare makes teddy bears, dolls and ducks in the park tremble (all ferocious competitors).








The best part of Kinsley's performance is her form. Look at how simple she makes throwing socks look. Such grace, such fluidity, such....I think we need to change her diaper.

Fun at the beach

Today it reached 79 degrees and oh was it glorious! Not only did we have the opportunity to soak in some much needed rays, but we got to have Shawn there with us. Once I got done with my dentist apt. (the one downer for the day) we packed the kids up and headed off to Picnic Point, one of our favorite beach spots here. Picnic Point is only 6-7 minutes from our condo and is such a beautiful place. Kinsley was so excited that I finally let her wear the cute Dora the Explorer water shoes I bought a few months back, but elated when she found out why I put them on her. Kinsley was timid at first about wading in the water. But once she got her feet wet, we had to hold onto her hand to make sure she didn't keep on walking. The water here is cold...enough to make your feet numb if you stay in too long. Kinsley could not get enough of the water, beach, rocks and anything else she found. She found a white rock and part of a sea shell that she would not let out of her hands. Kinsley was able to correctly identify a crab, but she kept saying that a piece of drift wood was a hippopotamus.
Grant just chilled (slept mostly) in his car seat with a blanket giving him shade. We enjoyed ourselves and we were pleased with our dosage of vitamin K (comes from sunlight).

The Many Faces of Grant

At 3 weeks old Grant already has a huge personality! He's just too cute and we're loving every minute of it. Typical to the first month of life he spends most of his time sleeping, which we're also enjoying as we try to figure out how to juggle life's demands, and two children. Grant arrived just as Shawn was finishing up his classes and preparing for his finals, and oh boy was it crazy! I'm amazed at all the responsibilities Shawn was able to handle. Just a day before his first final, Shawn developed two bulging zits that looked more like goose eggs on his forehead. I've never seen anything like it, I suppose that's what the stress of a full-time job, law school, a bubbly two year old, hormonal wife, and new baby will do to you. Aside from all that he fared pretty well :) Shawn finished his last final on Thursday evening and has the next two weeks off before he begins his summer semester. I’m thrilled to have him home, even if it is only for two weeks!

Today we're just enjoying a relaxing Sunday, which also happens to be mothers day. I must say I feel truly privileged to be a mother. Having a family is the greatest joy in my life. Shawn gave a great talk in church today about honoring motherhood and it totally made me cry. I shouldn't be too embarrassed however, as Shawn cried far more than I did. When his emotions caught the best of him, he jokingly told the congregation that he was grateful for the things his mother had taught him, even how to cry.

Anyway we're surviving and enjoying (except at 3:00am) this exciting time in our lives.

Happy Birthday Kinsley!

Kinsley Kristine turned 2 on May 10th. We celebrated her birthday late on Friday May 11th. We had a simple party, as we didn't want too many people in the house while Grant is still so little. We enjoyed cake and ice cream and opened a few presents. Her favorite gift was her Mr. Potato head. She's been playing with it ever since. Kinsley had a great time and gloried in all the attention she was getting. Kinsley loves the spotlight and after she finished opening her presents she began performing for all her party guests. Fortunately we were able to catch it all on video. In the past whenever Kinsley decided to bust out in the song the second we would bring out the camera she'd stop. Anyway it was fun to be able to capture the moment. Kinsley has a way of keeping us on our toes and I have a feeling she'll be doing things that way for a really long time!

Happy Birthday Kinsley!

To see more pictures of her party visit our web album http://picasaweb.google.com/thesorensenfam/KinsleyS2ndBirthday

Grant's Birth

Its 2:00am when Shawn is startled by a mysterious noise. Cautiously, he cracks one eyelid open in the direction of the sound, and groggily listens for any additional clue as to what woke him up.
“For the thousandth time, get up Shawn, I’m in labor,” Andrea pleads.
Adrenaline kicks in and the heaviness of sleep disappears as Shawn leaps from bed and dresses in mid-air. As his feet touch the ground the multi-tasking is already well under way. Calls are placed to the hospital and to a Relief Society President (who will watch Kinsley), the garbage is taken out, the house is cleaned, and the bags are packed all while trying to time how long between contractions and how long the contractions are.
And this is exactly how it happened…unless you ask Andrea.
[Andrea speaking] Let me just set a few things straight. First of all, I did a lot of preparation before hand, so that when the time came we did not have to run around crazy-like. I also prepared the house well in advance, Shawn said I was OCD (Obsessive/Compulsive Disorder) about keeping the house clean, but I just wanted to come home and have things in order. Lastly, Shawn sleeps so deeply that it is a miracle that I actually got him up. Anyway we arrived at the hospital shortly after 3:30am. I was in a lot of pain while on the drive there and shared with Shawn my fear that I might not be able to go “natural.” However, when the doctor checked me, I was dilated to an 8 [At this point an epidural would take effect after our baby’s birth]. Good thing I had a natural birth already in mind, because it was going to happen that way whether I liked it or not. My labor was only 3 1/2 hours from start to finish (a serious blessing!). The doctor was amazing and Shawn a fabulous couch, he cried a lot less this time around and was able to help me keep my focus (I'm sure he appreciated me sharing that with all of you!)Grant Stephen Sorensen was born April 20, 2007 at 5:22am. His birth weight was 8 lb. 2 oz. and he was 20.5 inches long. In the end we were blessed with a handsome baby boy and a really beautiful experience.

To view more photos of Grant Stephen visit our web album at http://picasaweb.google.com/thesorensenfam

DUE DATE...

What a beautiful day it is in Washington. The sun is out, the birds are out, the flowers are out, almost everything is out…except our little boy. He is definitely in.
This week we have gone on many walks at the mall, around the neighborhood, and up and down our stairs. We have even fed Andrea spicy food (the midwife suggested Thai food, but we opted for Mexican). Andrea did have 4 hours of contractions (as close as 5 minutes apart) on Saturday morning, but when she woke Shawn up at 4:30am, the contractions
subsided and as we have already let you know, no baby...yet.
The first picture was taken on Wednesday while we went on walk #47 for the week. We chose the scenic St. Andrew's Drive because Kinsley always requests to "see ocean water."
The second picture was taken yesterday. Enough said. We love you all and hope that you enjoy our postings....Love, Shawn, Andrea, Kinsley and the little boy as soon as he comes out.

Happy Easter (a week late)

We hope that you checked our blog last week and were completely let down that there wasn't a new posting. We had all the right intentions, and even started writing the post, but computer problems caused us to lose what we had worked so hard on to publish. After that, one thing led to another, and here we are a week after Easter, finally posting what should have been done last Sunday.
The weather on Easter started out beautifully, despite the predictions of wind and rain from our local weather man. The sunshine was brillant and the temperature warm, so we decided to walk to church. Three hours later when we embarked on our walk home, the clouds were a little gray but not to concerning. Within five minutes of being outside the wind began to howl and the "rains came tumbling down" (a line from one of Kinsley's favorite songs). It was a very soggy trip indeed! We had every intention of taking a cute family picture in our Easter best, but we thought we'd spare you the wet dog look we were graced with after battling the storm. So instead of a proper family portrait we have this little character shot of Kinsley from right before we left. She recently discovered her ability to make faces and has made it a favorite past-time.
We heard that a few of you (Shawns family) have been video conferencing. This something that we are very interested in and Shawn is currently looking for the camera cords to see if he can hook up the video camera to the computer so we can participate. And I am sure that y'all will be wanting to see our new baby boy when he shows up (which we hope is sooner than later). We promise out next posting will be all about our little Mr. Sorensen. Until then......