Photos from 2010

Here are some pictures that go with the latest update:

Our first Easter with a family of 4!!

April 2010
Papa reading to Daisy on their way to see the twins
April 2010
Daddy and Madison getting reaquainted after his first tour since her birth.
Madison (3.5 months old)
March 2010


Grammi and Madison - visiting GA while Daddy's deployed
(2 months old)
February 2010


Daisy playing in the sand at Lulu's in Gulf Shores

February 2010

Update of the Fam

So, I know it's been almost a year since I've written on our blog. We've had a quite a busy year! Since I graduated from college, while Matt was deployed this year we made many visits to see family on both sides. Matt deployed from January to March. While he was gone the girls and I went and stayed with Mama and Daddy in GA for the month of February. We had a nice visit! My sister, Allison, had her twins in March! Twin baby girls, Adelyn Rose and Ella Claire! They are little miracle babies! Adelyn was in and out of surgery in Atlanta, so I was able to go down one weekend to see her and Allison. (They are both now doing great and growing...though still tiny.)
Matt came home for a few months and then was headed back out in June. While he was home we made a trip to Maine to see his family. It was Madison's first trip to Maine and both girls were great travelers in the car. Everybody got to meet Madison for the first time! She made quite an impression :) When Matt left, we went with Mama and Daddy in June to Michigan for a week. It was great to see the Michigan clan, since we hadn't been up since Christmas 2008. I got to take the girls up to the family farm where I remember going every time we visited! We took the girls to the park, the library, down to the river, and enjoyed the great weather! On our way back from MI we stopped in TN for a few days for Madison's doctor's appointment, then proceeded to GA with Mama for a couple of weeks. Poor Madison had ear infections on and off the whole summer, so we spent many a days at the doctor.
After spending time in GA, we spent a few days in TN before making another trip to Maine in July for Matt's uncle's wedding. The girls and I flew to Maine this time. Not my choice...not a big fan of flying! We went up for a couple of weeks. The first time we've made the trip without Matt! We really missed him on the trip. We had a great time seeing friends and family though. We even ventured out to Augusta by ourselves one day!! The wedding was beautiful! During the reception Matt called from overseas to tell his uncle congrats (a surprise for everyone!). He also had the DJ play our song, "Bless the Broken Road" by Rascal Flatts. Well, you could've guessed that I was balling like a baby during the song. What an amazing husband I have!! After our trip to Maine, we stayed home until Matt got home. He returned in Aug. We celebrated Daisy's 3rd birthday with some friends! I cannot believe that she is 3! What a blessing she has been to our lives! We gave her a dollhouse for her birthday and she loves it.
Matt had to leave again in September for a 20 day trip. When he got home we were able to see some friends that came to town, the Klawinski's. In October, we went to a local farm. Daisy went in the big tube slide, the corn maze and picked out a couple of pumpkins. She also learned how to milk a cow!! Lots of fun! We also went to the Battalion Fall Fest and the church's Fall Festival. Daisy dressed up as a fairy and a cupcake. Madison dressed up as a flower. I think next year I will let her pick out her costume!
Now November has brought a couple of trips to GA. The girls and I went down for a few days at the beginning of November to see our neighbors from TN that moved. Their daughter and Daisy were great friends. We've had quite a few friends to move out of TN this year and two of Daisy's great friends. They had a great little play date. The weekend before Thanksgiving, Matt and I took Daisy to see the Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular in Nashville. What an experience! I had never seen the Rockettes before and they are amazing! Daisy's favorite part was the Nutcracker scene with the little girl and dancing ballerina bears. After the show she would say, "I want to be a 'halloweena'!" I think she called it that because one of her Halloween costumes looks like a ballerina.
Then for Thanksgiving we went to GA. We headed for GA on Wednesday night. Arrived around 11:00pm. Daisy got sick with a stomach virus about an hour later and proceeded to be sick throughout the night. The next morning, Thanksgiving, Matt, Daddy, Trent (brother-in-law), and Pat (my cousin) went hunting. Matt came home with a deer!! Way to bring home the bacon! BUT later that day he became sick as well. :( We were having Thanksgiving dinner at my aunt's house, so we left Daisy and Matt at my parents. Didn't want to get anyone else sick. We had a great time eating dinner and playing with the kids outside. I had to head back to my parents early to take care of the sicky's, the rest of the clan went for a hayride around town. Friday and Saturday we had our family Christmas, one of Madison's three birthday parties and family pictures. A very busy weekend, but completely worth every moment!! On our way home Sunday, I became sick. Makes for a very long trip. Thanks to a great husband who drove the whole way so I could nap.
Now that y'all are up to date here are a few random things that happened this year:
1. Madison started walking in October at 10.5 months! She is now all over the place and chasing Daisy everywhere.
2. Daisy is now in panties all day and most of the time has a dry pull-up in the morning!
3. I will be heading back to school in the spring to do my student teaching.
4. Matt will be home until the summer!! That's longer than he's been home in a while! We look forward to making many memories!

Well that's it for now!

Matt's Deployed

Well, we are now in Wrens! Matt has been gone for 2 weeks now and it's definitely been a learning experience with having two girls now. Madison is 7 weeks old and growing so fast. She is now smiling and starting to make baby noises.

NOTE: Today, Nov. 29, 2010, I just found that I had started to write this post and forgot about it until now. Thought I would post it anyways.

Welcome Madison JoAnn!!

Madison JoAnn Kent came into the world on December 8, 2009 at 5:06pm. She was 6lbs 7oz and 20 in long. Madison has a set of lungs that we've heard from the time she was born. She is a wonderful baby though. Daisy has been very accepting and caring of her. She loves holding Madison and taking pictures with her.

We went into the hospital on the morning of December 8 at 5:30am. My doctor had scheduled to induce me. My dad came up the night before so he could stay with Daisy at home and Matt could be at the hospital with me. The labor and delivery went well and Madison came about 10 hours after being induced. We moved to a recovery room a couple hours afterwards and then Matt went home for the night since he was going to work the next day. Madison shares a birthday with her cousin, Mary Kate Godowns.

We have had family come and go since Madison's birth. My parents, sisters, grandparents, nieces, and brother-in-law came about a week afterwards. They came to see Madison and for my graduation from Austin Peay State University. It was a wonderful long weekend with family!! We then were able to celebrate the birth of our Savior as a new family of four. It was lots of fun watching Daisy open presents this year and helping to pass them out. For Christmas dinner we joined family friends, the Klawinski's, and other friends to celebrate the season. For the holidays this year we chose to stay in Clarksville with the birth of Madison being so close. On Christmas night Matt's parents arrived. We had a wonderful few days with them before Matt's brother and sister-in-law flew in. Daisy and Madison took quickly to everyone. Most of the time we spent at home teaming up to play the Wii or cards (Spades or 63). Good times!!

Now it's almost been 5 weeks since Madison joined our family! And we are preparing for Matt's departure on yet another deployment. Soon Daisy, Madison, and I will be heading to Georgia to visit with family while Matt's away. Along with the happy times are sad times. We will miss Matt a lot, but will be looking forward to his return!!

Family Update

It's been a while since I've written and uploaded any pictures. I've been pretty busy with school work, Daisy, preparing for Madison's arrival and Matt coming home from deployment. I can't believe it's December already! Where has the year gone? We do have a very busy month ahead of us. I am being induced on Tuesday, December 8 with Madison JoAnn...which just happens to be my niece Mary Kate's birthday as well! We are so super excited that it's time for her to join our family. I can't wait to see who she looks like! My dad is coming up during that time to keep Daisy busy and then I will be graduating from Austin Peay State University on the 18th. The rest of my family and Nana and Papa are coming up then to help us celebrate and to meet baby Madison. It will be a wonderful weekend! After that my in-laws are coming to visit for a couple of weeks right after Christmas through the New Year and Matt's brother and sister-in-law are coming as well. It will be nice to be around family for the holidays since we won't be doing any travelling. I will try and be better about updating, especially with the new baby coming. More to come after her arrival next week!!

School Days

So I now have almost 2 weeks of school under my belt. Only 13 more to go...wow, that seems like so far away. It is going well just a little overwhelming with all that has to be done this semester. Between field experience for class, graduating, Matt being gone, and Madison arriving in December I sometimes feel like I put too much on my plate all at once. OK, so enough complaining...things could be worse. Daisy is doing well with being back in child care. This week has gone a little better with her potty training at school, though I am now sending her in pull-ups just in case she has an accident. I really wanted to avoid having her in pull-ups all day since she had accomplished so much here at home, but with the circumstances she is doing well. We have heard from Matt quite a bit since he's been gone. It is great to hear his voice when he calls. He seems to be pretty busy most of the time and other times he is either working out or hanging out in his room.
Yesterday Daisy and I planted a pot of mums in the front yard where one had been previously, but decided not to regrow this year. I also pruned the other two mums. Then I started watering those plants and others in the yard and of course Daisy decided to make a sprinkler out of the water hose. She loves just running through the water.
I guess I should get to bed. And I need to do some studying...I have my last 2 Praxis II tests on Saturday. Good night!!!

Daisy's 2ND Birthday Party!!!

Daisy with Grammi and Granddaddy (in her Loblolly Lane dress)

Jenny, Daisy, Papa and Nana

Daisy eating ice cream with her friends: Joe, Ava, Garrett H., Garrett, and Savannah

Daisy opening presents

This is how she stood while everyone sang Happy Birthday
(in her outfit that Mama made)

Daisy's birthday cake

So we had Daisy's birthday party last weekend. My parents came up to help with the party and Saturday morning Nana and Papa showed up at our front door. Daddy was the only one who knew they were coming!! :) All of Saturday morning was spent getting ready for the party from decorating the cupcakes to buying food to putting up decorations. Papa and Daddy watched Daisy while the girls went to the store. We had a nice turn out for her party...Joe, Garrett and Katie Harrison, Ava Klawinski, Savannah and Garrett Dunn, and Juna Dowdell. They all had a ball playing inside with toys then going outside and running around in the yard, playing in the little pool and on the swing set. Then we had hot dogs, chips, fruit, deviled eggs and cupcakes. It was a great time with friends and family, although we did miss Matt and the rest of our families. Daisy got many great gifts and we are very grateful for such great friends. The outfit she wore Mama made and the pin she had that said "Happy Birthday" was made by Betsy Milburn. She looked so cute!

On Sunday, we all went to church and then ate lunch together at Golden Corral. We said good-bye to Nana and Papa who headed back to Michigan and then went home. Daddy did some work around the house while Mama and I let Daisy play outside. Then Mama and Daddy had to get on the road. Daisy and I took nice afternoon naps that were well-needed. Thank you everyone for your help. It will be a birthday to remember!!