2 New Joys

So, this past week we have discovered two new things about Kaelyn. First, she loves swimming. Second, she has the cutest giggles in the whole wide world. We were up in Midway for a work retreat at the beginning of the week and took Kaelyn swimming for her first time. She has always enjoyed bath time so we figured she would like swimming as well. No doubt about it, she had tons of fun, as you can see in the video below.

(The scream at the end is her happy scream. You'll see another one in the next video)

Second, I was just playing around with her the past couple of days. We have a new trick where she actually gets excited for me to start kissing her cheeks. It's been a lot of fun and then today she did this. We almost died because of how cute it was.

(the very best giggle is at 1:00)

Kaelyn has an announcement...

NO MORE OXYGEN!

She's been off the stuff for FIVE days now, and couldn't be happier. Her mom and dad better start lifting weights now that they don't have to lug the tank everywhere they go.

Become as a little child

Kaelyn posing for her first "Glamour Shot"

(taken by Max's mom Kristin)

Last Sunday we took Kaelyn with us to Stake Conference. Now that its warming up and most of the bugs are passed, we feel like she can come with us to church now. I've been waiting along time for these days. (When I was a kid and would lay my head on my mom's lap during church, I would dream of the days I had a little one and could bring a blankly and treats to church) A couple rows in front of us I noticed a cute little girl, around five years old was watching Kaelyn for most of the 2 hour meeting. As the meeting was coming close to ending I noticed she was telling her mom about Kaelyn and her mom took a quick peek and smiled. Next the little girl was asking her mom about the stickers and oxygen tubes on Kaelyn's face.

When I saw her doing that my heart sunk a little. The thought came to me. "that must be why she was staring at Kaelyn so much." I was a little let down, but moved on quickly and kind of forgot about it. Of course this little girl proved me wrong. Right after the meeting she came back to me and said, "You're little baby is so pretty", then she shyly went back to her mom after I said thank you. I was awestruck, I can't tell you how good that made me feel. It proved to me that we do need to be more like little children. Yes, they are going to have questions about Kaelyn, and that is okay, they aren't trying to be mean or point out what's different about her. Most the time they genuinely want to learn, and what a great opportunity to teach them. But just like the little girl on Sunday, they will end up teaching us.

I just love this picture of her, check out the new hairstyle she has been sporting this week ;)

(Picture also taken by Max's mom - @ our fun play date)

Kaelyn's first ride on the Carousal at the zoo.

My Little Friend Maker

A few weeks ago Kaelyn and I spent the day watching some of the girls I coach in high school play in a club volleyball tournament. Kaelyn was such a good sport, she was totally content hanging out in the gym all day, which is good because that is about all we know how to do in our family. We had such a good time watching the volleyball, but also making new friends.

I decided that one of Kaelyn's talents is making new friends. We made a couple of new friends with some of the other mom's there watching their daughters. One offered her extra chair to us and kept checking on us to see if we needed anything. Others made sure none of the stray balls hit us while the teams warmed up. We carried on some great conversations about volleyball, Kaelyn, their daughters and just anything else that came up. This little girl is helping her shy momma come out of her shell and enrich her life by meeting new people. If it was just me sitting there, I wouldn't have talked to anyone except the girls I knew. Thanks Kaelyn, you're helping me become the person I want to be, one day at a time :)

First Golfing Trip - She loved cruising in the cart

"Ah mom, what was that? You're suppose to hit the ball!"

Yay for Summer Clothes!

Happy Easter

We hope everyone is having a wonderful Easter holiday. We are so grateful for this holiday and especially for our Savior who suffered, died and was resurrected so that we can have eternal life. It is because of Him that we can be together as a forever family. This knowledge brought us so much peace and comfort one year ago, when we weren't sure what the fate of the little girl growing inside of me would be. We are so grateful for every second we have with Kaelyn. She has brought so much happiness and love into our lives. We are grateful for all of the wonderful parents and children we have met since her birth, that have shown us the way. Thank you for helping us through those tough days and for rejoicing with us through the wonderful days. One thing we've learned in the past year is that there are amazing people out there, willing to share their love with complete strangers. "To mourn with those that mourn and comfort those who stand in need of comfort".

Good Night

Blog Awards

Okay so in the past few months we've been given a couple of blog awards and I am finally getting around to posting about them. Thanks to those who gave them to us, that is really nice of you all.

Way back in January Kristin over at http://twodogsandafish.blogspot.com gave us the Happy 101 blog award and then last week Tracie at http://thevelander4.blogspot.com gave us the same award and wrote some really nice things about us. Thanks so much ladies, it definitely makes us feel good that you think our blog is spreading happiness. That is definitely what we want this to do. Kaelyn makes us so happy and we want to share that with the world.

Here are the rules for the award:
1. Copy and paste the award on your blog.
2. Name the person who gave the award to you and link to their blog (or hyperlink).
3. List 10 things that make you happy.
4. Pass the award on to other bloggers and visit their blogs to let them know.

10 things that make Kaelyn happy

10. Lots of kisses on her little chubby cheeks. That is one of the only ways we can get her to giggle.

9. Her bottle. She is such a better eater since her heart surgery. Everyone said she would be but we didn't want to get our hopes up, but its true. She drinks her food about 5 times faster than she did before.

8. Her bath time! She LOVES her tubby tub tub. She likes to splash and get mamma all wet, especially on the days that she is actually dressed and not just in her jammies.

7. Her Glo Wormy doll that cousin Nick gave her. It is definitely her favorite toy. If she is crying she will stop immediately if we squeeze his tummy and his face lights up and plays music. She even gives him kisses.

6. Balancing on daddy's hand.

5. Cuddling with Daddy and Mom. She is an expert cuddaler.

4. Volleyball/Basketball games. She loves to look up at the big lights on the ceiling and smile. Her favorite is the Huntsman Center's crazy ceiling.

3. Making funny faces, i.e. Elvis lip, fish lips, and grandma denture face to name a few.

2. Swinging while mom runs on the treadmill.

1. Making everyone that she meets smile. She loves to show off her tricks when we take her out. Making fun faces and sounds and whatever else she can think of.

We would like to give this award to...

Erin, Matt and Ellie at http://thematterinlife.blogspot.com/

Vandi at http://vdubsblog.blogspot.com

The other award we got was the Beautiful Blogger award from Alaina, Beau's Mom at http://alainakylestevenson.blogspot.com. Beau was born a few weeks before Kaelyn and was in the NICU while Kaelyn was. He is such a cutie and Kaelyn totally has a crush on him. Thanks so much for the award!

The Rules:
1. Thank the person who nominated me for this award.
2. Copy the award & place it on my blog.
3. Link to the person who nominated me for this award.
4. Share 7 interesting things about myself.

5. Nominate other blogs.

Seven Interesting things about the Bonner Family

1. We love to play sports, that is how Wayne and I spend most of our free time and Kaelyn will be right there with us. Some of the things we do together are volleyball, tennis, snowboarding, wake boarding, golfing, ping pong, basketball, softball, pool, bowling...okay I think you get the drift.

2. Wayne plays the guitar and Jeana plays the piano.

3. We like to watch Lost, The Office, Psych, American Idol, the Cosby Show.

4. We have been married for 4 years, 9 months and 5 days.

5. We work for the same Non-profit company. (Yes we get paid)

6. We don't have Cable television for the first time in our marriage...because we didn't have to pay for it before :)

7. We love being parents so MUCH! Kaelyn is the best!

Yikes that was hard, and sadly some of those aren't too interesting, but its the best we could think of :)

We would like to pass this award onto;

Sunny at http://downtolife.blogspot.com

Rebecca at http://astirringlife.blogspot.com

Polly and Kristen at http://sheisourangel.blogspot.com

9 months

I can't believe this little girl has been around for 9th months! I guess its true what they say, "Time flies when you're having fun". Kaelyn just gets cuter and cuter every day. I can't look at her and not smile, its just impossible. She is doing so good. We have taken out her feeding tube, turned down her oxygen, moved her into her own room and gone for our first two hour walk in the sunshine. Life is bliss here at the Bonner house! Now for the pics.

"Hi everybody!"

She has the tastiest fingers in the town.

Sporting her St. Patricks day outfit.

She sure loves her bath time.

Enjoying a Sunday nap with dad.

Enjoying a Sunday nap by herself.

First night sleeping in her own bed.

Check out that curl on top her her head.