No training wheels!

It only took about 15 minutes of coaching and encouragement, then about an hour of practice on his own. Now Silas is racing around the back yard on his 2-wheeler with NO TRAINING WHEELS! He's growing up so fast!

I LOVE my kids!

Here's Keilah in her Sunday dress, isn't she pretty?

This is a picture Ashleigh took when she came to help. I thought it was a great picture!

Kailua Town

Our house is on the vertical street that you can see in the bottom left corner.

Pretty in Pink

I never thought I'd have so much pink in my house!

Kailua House

In case you were wondering what our new place looks like...
The front looks pretty boring... white vinyl siding and a carport.
The back yard is pretty nice with plenty of grassy space for play AND paved space for riding bikes and stuff.
The living room is nice and spacious with vaulted ceilings. In fact all of the rooms except for the master bedroom have vaulted ceilings. It's a very roomy house and the neighbors are all very nice too. I think we'll be here for a while!

Birth Story

Welcome Keilah Anne Rauch! Born Tuesday, 30 December 2008 at 1:16 am. Weighing 7 lbs 1 oz and measuring 21 inches long.

The contractions started Sunday, late morning. They were spaced far apart, but their strength led me to know she'd be coming any day now. We weren't expecting her for at least 3 weeks, so I needed to get the hospital bag together & make her crib. Monday was more of the same so I did laundry and stripped/washed the car seats for the swap out. Then about 11:30 pm the contractions were intense at 8 minutes apart. I lay in bed for an hour willing them to go away so I could get some sleep, but it wasn't My will that mattered. At 12:30 I gave in and called the Speeds. Our good friend John rushed over in record time to stay with the boys while Chris & I headed to the hospital only 5 minutes away.

We arrived at the hospital a litte before 1 am and my water broke just outside the birth center doors. Once inside it obviously didn't take long to realize the baby was coming and everybody scrambled. We were in the doors less than and hour and I had a baby girl in my arms. Thank goodness the hospital was only 5 mintues away!!!!