IT'S A ......

according to the woman doing the sonogram, Mackenzie was right all along, she is having a baby sister!


My due date is still March 28th, I'm hoping for an early birthday present :) We don't have a name picked yet but we are very excited to be having another baby girl!




Here's the first video/pictures of our newest princess....

Side Profile Picture...

Exercising....

Trick or Treat!

Well, we finally got a chance to trick or treat. I tried with Kenzie 3 times to go out and get some candy but Tuesday and Wednesday it was "I no like Halloweens". I don't know what the charm was the thrid time around but right after her flu shot she was all about trick or treat. We met up with some friends who also have small kids and she had a GREAT time! She ended up with a big bowl of candy! Here's some pix from the end of the night.....

And So it Goes...

I fell down the stairs. Just two, concrete stairs at work, with only a student around to laugh at me – which he did not do, he was very nice. I’m ok, well mostly. I have a torn ligament in my right foot and a big ‘ol bruise on my left foot, as far as we know because I didn’t have x-rays (for baby). Baby is fine, and other than being incredibly annoyed I am ok, just hobbling around from place to place. Aside from little spill down the stairs I’m feeling much better than the last time I blogged. My morning sickness has seemed to subside – for the most part anyway, and I have a bit more energy than before. We should know what sex baby is Nov 24th - Happy Thanksgiving!

Exciting house news: we got our hardwood floors laid, they look so nice. Kevin and Chris (Kaitlyn’s Boyfriend) worked really hard and managed to do our main living space and a set of 12 stairs in 2 weekends. I’m very impressed with their handiwork. In addition to new flooring we gained a bedroom, kinda….Krystal and Aj found a house to rent about two weeks ago. It’s a nice place in an odd location but I think they’ll be happy there. I’m so excited for them and for us. It was nice to have them with us but they needed to be a family and so did we. We’ll be working on fixing up the room for Kenzie to move into even though she has been insisting that it’s “baby brother’s room”.

Kevin’s job is going really well. Except for a slightly expensive run in with a deer on his way home from work one night. I’m waiting to interview; we anticipate that by Thanksgiving I should know for sure about my position. Luckily the office has slowed down a bit and I can relax and get stuff done at my desk instead of running around from class to class. Mackenzie is doing great! For Halloween she plans to be Minnie Mouse, and this weekend I’m hoping to get some pumpkins (that got delayed since I couldn’t do anything this weekend) to carve. Last year she hated the goo inside the pumpkin so we’ll see if that has changed at all. Kevin and I got to go away two weekends ago for a wedding/sleepover – just us! That hasn’t happened in FOREVER and although I missed Kenzie like crazy, and the hotel beds were NOT what I’m used to, it was nice to be away from the chaos that is our lives.

Here are some pictures I’ve recently taken and wanted to share:

Kenzie and the flashlight
So a few weeks back when the hurricane managed to hit our area hard we lost power but only for the night, we were incredibly lucky, aside from the mess in our yard there was not too much damage to our stuff. Most people in the area were without power for 2-7 days and trees, houses, cars were destroyed. Kenzie insisted on sleeping with this flashlight because she was “scared” . She looked like such a beautiful angel I couldn’t resist taking a picture.

Kenzie and baby Paige
Mackenzie’s newest buddy is Paige Brinn (Gretchen & Eric’s daughter) or “baby Paige” this is Paige in real life but Kenzie has a great imagination and often pretends Paige is one of her dolls, she pushes her in the stroller, reads to her, gets her lunch. It’s so fun to watch her play. Although she has some trouble with boundaries (she always wants to be in Paige’s face), she’s very patient and helpful when we get to spend time with the Brinn’s, it’s exciting to get a glimpse of what a good big sister she’ll be….at least until she realizes baby Fonner LIVES with us.

Kenzie twirling saber
One of Mackenzie’s most loved and looked up to people in the world is her Aunt Kate (aunt tate). Kate has been in color guard all of her high school career and is very good at what she does. She helps other students practice, often at our house after or while she is babysitting. This is Mackenzie “practicing”. Notice the tongue sticking out while she concentrates – she may look like me but she gets that from her dada.
Kenzie fashion school
So my little diva got her Steelers garb on this Sunday, as she does most Sunday’s, excited about her visit with Paige and not the actual game. She wanted her hair up, which never happens so I was super excited and she wanted to wear her belt (imagine her saying it with a thick Southern Georgia accent, who knows where she picked that up) her pink pony belt that pap pap Bud got her. All she’s missing is a hat and some boots!

Excitement and Madness

Time for an update!! I am not keeping up as well as I had planned but I'm going to blame it on the pregnancy. There are no pictures with this update (read pregnancy section to understand), but there is news about what is going on in our little house on Blackhawk Rd.

JOBS!
Kevin got a job!!!!! I am so proud of him. After working a few weeks with a temp agency he went to the Convention Center in Pittsburgh to interview for an Operations Mgr Position. This Tuesday he was offed the job and he started yesterday. He doesn't actually work for the Convention Center, he works for SMG. The way I understand it SMG is a corporation that employs workers in several facilities internationally including the few we love here in Pittsburgh: the Convention Center, Mellon Arena, Heinz Field, and PNC Park. There are lots of opportunities for growth in the company and movement to other facilities. Kevin will be responsible for receiving the information about particular conference needs and putting the proper labor crews in action to get the job done. It's good news for us!

Of course with good news comes not so good news. Our Grant was not refunded by the Department of Justice - BOO.........but...........SRU will be keeping my position - YAY................but.........I have to apply for it and interview successfully - GRRRRR. At first, as with most work related snafus I encounter I was pretty peeved and felt personally attacked. I've been doing such a great job right??? But now that the idea has settled with me I understand that there are some things that just have to be done the way they are because those are the rules. I'm still not thrilled about what I feel is a waste of time and resources but I will go along and I'm confident that I have a good shot at keeping my job. Roller coasters!

MACKENZIE!
the development of children continues to amaze and astound me. I can remember how little and tiny and helpless she was just a few short years ago. Now she's strong willed, independent, and full of personality. The other day she was sucking on an ice cube and we were trying to get her to play blocks with AJ, she kept telling us "I busy right now!" It was so funny! Yesterday morning we had our first real episode of "I want what I want and you can't change my mind" I wanted her to put on jean shorts for day care with a purple Minnie Mouse t-shirt. She refused in the way toddlers do - with a big ol 6:30 AM temper tantrum "NO PANTS!!!!". Finally, I decide I will let her pick her own pants or a dress. She picks neon, bright neon green crop pants and insists on keeping her purple t-shirt. I have no idea where she gets this hard headedness :) At first I was all you look dumb and people are going to think I'm a drunk. But chose not to share that with her and instead decided she's clean, she's healthy and she dressed her self. Why take away her creativity... right? So to daycare they went complete with pink jacket and Dora shoes. Last night we where having family time in our room. In the evenings because I've been so tired, Kevin, Kenzie and I retire to my bedroom and read, watch a movie, or just play. Last night we were having a game of hide and seek under the covers on the bed when WHAM - CRUNCH! Kenzie thrusts her head backwards right into Kevin's previously broken nose. She was fine, he was not. Turns out after we cleaned him up and got some ice the nose is probably not broken but it sure scared the daylights out of Kenzie. She was so sad she hurt daddy and was scared to go near him. Finally she helped me "take care of him" and we were able to settle in for the night but what a sweet, sympathetic girl we have. She was so cute and helpful. Nothing like the pants morning we started off with.

PREGNANCY!
you know those women who LOVE being pregnant? Those gals who would have many many babies because it's such a beautiful experience? Well, I'm NOT one of those gals and I'm beginning to think they are nuts! My first pregnancy was pretty typical although I was dramatic about the morning sickness I was able to make it through the day seemingly unharmed. This time......this time I feel like I have been hit by a Semi...a fast, large, Semi, hauling something very very heavy. I have EVERY possible symptom, including crazy mood swings and all day sickness not to mention I'm exhausted. I just keeping thinking, when I hold this baby in my arms it will be so worth it but that's quickly followed by "mommy coughing (as Kenzie calls it)" and the thought that although I love my children, I am all done with having babies after this little darling is born. This is why the blog posts are few, and there are no pictures, and I am bad at returning emails or phone calls. This is why if you come to visit, even though Kevin is working his tail off our house looks like someone turned it over, shook it and put it back down, and this is why spend my weekends and evenings laying around like a lazy blob. But the way I see it, I'm doing the most important job ever, I'm making a human being and for that I deserve to slack off a little.

hugs and kisses to you all,
Karla

Mothers are Special People

I'm convinced that if you go to Rogers, OH and attend the gigantic flea market in one of the booths there is a lame bumper sticker that says "Mothers are Special People".

You know as well as I do that I think mom's are amazing, talented, inspirational individuals not only because they are mothers but because they are Women. I'm about to go off on a political rant, (dare I say the dreaded F word....) a FEMINIST rant but before I do I want to make it perfectly clear that I love and admire the men in my life and the men who proudly serve and help to move our country forward. However, as a woman, and as a mom I'm pissed about the news coverage on Sarah Palin.

This is not about Sarah's political views or whether or not I agree with them. This is about the ridiculous smear campaign the media has created in the week since John McCain announced his running mate. If I have to hear one more time about whether or not a mom should take on such a cumbersome job I'm going to lose my mind. Seriously. If anyone can multi-task, resolve conflicts, be diplomatic, be understanding, make decisions for the good of other people it's a mom. I'm not about to go burn my bra in protest but I think it's a HUGE slap in the face to hard working women who have helped to move this country forward to assume that she is not capable of being an executive and a mom.

I know many amazing women who work, take classes, volunteer, are active in their church and who have children. Women are doing this every single day. As a working mom I will be the first to say that it isn't easy, in fact some days are madness. We have check lists, and calendars, and email alerts and cell phone alarms to keep us on task. And there are days when things have to be set aside for other tasks that come up seemingly out of the blue. But amazingly in the last two years, even though my house is not spotless, I've managed to begin to raise a loving child with a beautiful soul, she's clean, she's fed, she's well cared for, she's happy. I have a marriage that is stronger now then it's ever been, a full-time job creating a program from nothing that has become quite successful on a college campus. I volunteer, this year I will serve as a mentor, and last year I won a Woman of Distinction Award. Oh and I'm a daughter, sister and friend who is pregnant with her second baby. I don't ask for praise for these tasks, it's what I do, what I have to do to make the life I want. I don't do it alone, I have a wonderful support system and my guess is so does Sarah Palin.

The other thing that peeves me off about the media and Sarah Palin is the notion that her daughter is the only teenager to ever become pregnant in America and that somehow this is a reflection of her in ability to be a good mother and makes her incapable of being our next VP. In case you haven't kept up 1/3 of teenage girls in America get pregnant each year. This is not the end of the universe. In many cases, yes it's sad. Yes, it's hard. Yes, it's a life changing event but it's not the end all and be all. Babies are a blessing. "Sarah Palin's Daughter" whose name is Bristol by the way (nobody ever calls her by name - another annoyance to me)is about to have a baby. She's not the 1st 17 year old to encounter pregnancy and she won't be the fall of our Nation.

There are many women in our world who have done amazing things. I'm proud to be a woman who is able to benefit from their sacrifices and accomplishments. I've not "properly vetted" Sarah Palin but you can bet that I am intrigued by her and I'm excited that this year, 88 years after women got the right to vote, there was a woman running for president and now there is a woman on the Republican ticket who can be our next VP.

I wonder if Obama can be a dad and the President?????? Actually, I wonder why no one ever asks that about men....................

~Karla

thank you for bearing with me in this post. I do not intend to make our family blog a place for political rants or my personal agenda but I had to vent. Interestingly enough my family, well Kevin (I'm sure one day Kenzie and baby) tend to agree with my rants :)

our weekend

We had a busy weekend but that's what makes it fun! On Saturday we went to a picnic at "Nana & Pap Paps house" (Kevin's parents). Kenzie had a great time swimming in the pool, blowing bubbles and playing with her cousins Serena and Elana.

Blowing bubbles is one of Mackenzie's favorite things to do.

Mackenzie and cousin Elana (Kevin's brother's daughter) Pool buddies. Kenzie had ear tubes put in last January and isn't typically a fan of putting earplugs in but she was a real trooper this time. Now if only we could get her to wear water wings and/or an inner tube and float around on her own :) It's amazing how many humming birds mom and dad fonner have at their house. This picture only caputures 3 of the 10 or 12 that frequent the feeders.

After a fun night at Kevin's parents we got up bright and early the next day to travel to Fallingwater with Krystal and AJ (Karla's sister and brother-in-law). The drive was not as long as I had imagined in my head and what an amazing place this is. The house is unbelieveable but the real beauty is the setting.

the house at Fallingwater, built by Frank Loydd Wright for the Kaufmann family.

Me and Krys waiting for the tour to start.

Bear Run Creek, the house is just above this

Us NOT entering the water :)

This sign cracked us up! Apparently Fayette Co. has trouble with dirty water .

Hope your weekend went well!

Mackenzie's Earthquake Story

So when it comes time to wake up from a LONG nap or time to go to daycare in the morning Miss Mackenzie is difficult to get up. We try to make it as much fun as possible because otherwise she wakes up all grouchy and it's a rough hour or so before she's feeling friendly. Kevin puts one arm on either side of her and shakes the bed like an earthquake and says "EEEAAARRRRTTTHHH QQQUUUUAAAKKKKEEE" . Mackenzie thinks this is the best game ever so she laughs and shouts "more, more". Well just the other day little missy decides she is going to make her own Earthquake. She has us lay down on the bed and she starts pushing on the bed and in this little squeaky girl trying to be grumbly voice she says "EEEAAARRRTTTHHQUAKE" and she's shaking with all her might thinking she is hysterical and the bed is going no where. It was priceless.

Hi Everyone!

So I've vowed to keep you all updated on our lives through a blog that you can access (or not) whenever it's easiest for you. I've been getting some slack for not sending enough pictures of Mackenzie out so those will be here as well.

In the meantime here are some updates...

Mackenzie is almost two and a half years old. We can hardly believe it. She truely is just like a little person now. Two is definately a trying age but so much fun! She is NOT a water loving creature so swimming this summer has been at a bear minimum she did manage to get into my aunts pool once two weeks ago. Needless to say it was a VERY big deal. She can say her ABC's and sing twinkle twinkle, itsy bitsy, wheels on the bus and patty cake. As much as we said we wouldn't be TV parents she is addicted to the Disney Channel. Usually on a hot summer day she is pushing to go out side, so yesterday we were out there for about an hour and she says "mama, I go inside and watch zack and cody". The Suite life TV show on Disney! So I managed to keep her out for a little bit longer, but it was hot so we took a break and went inside and I let her watch a little TV. She's still going to daycare at least once a week and my sister Kate watches her the rest of the time.

Kevin is all done with his Masters program. He now has an MS in Sport Management from SRU - YAY! For now he's job hunting, working part-time at the SportsPlex/for the Riverhounds and he will be working for Balboa as a full-time temp in outbound calls. I'm not clear on what that is, I'll have to get more details and edit this post :)

I'm good. Still at SRU and from what I gather my position is pretty secure here regardless of grant funding and my union has settled it's contract so things are good. We took down our swimming pool a few weeks ago so now we have a HUGE backyard. It looks a little bare but the possibilities are endless. We are talking about putting new flooring in the main part of the house. We had old crappy carpet when we moved in and now it's just YUCK. So we are recruiting friends to help. Keep your fingers crossed for us.

I will post more soon! Hope you are well.