Silver Dollar City

This year we all got Silver Dollar City Season Passes thanks to Arlaine's generous Christmas gift. We've had a blast using them, but I've missed out on some of the rides being pregnant with Cora. Well, now she's here and I've been able to go and ride the rides!! I was way excited, but VERY nervous. Anytime I ride rides I always think I'm going to be in that one seat that malfunctions...so I make sure that Arlaine or whoever is watching our kids knows who gets the kids when something happens to us...crazy I know!! You'd think if I was that worried I'd make sure that Nick and I rode at separate times, but I'm also too chicken to ride them without Nick. Oh well! So, we had lots of fun and Ashlyn and Kayley had fun riding the kiddie rides. We also got to go look at Gma and Gpa Bell's land that has been recently sold. This was the new sign put at the entrance to their house.

Kayley's 2nd Birthday

Here is our big two year old!! She had her very own birthday cake and was very good at blowing out her candles. She didn't get as messy as she did for her first birthday. Now she likes to be a bit cleaner when she eats. In fact, she normally asks for a napkin now during dinner. Some of her favorite toys were her new bike and her Elmo Doctor kit. We had fun with the Walkers for her birthday. It was nice having a small celebration especially with just having Cora.

Portraits

Here are the girls portraits. Kayley's 3 year portrait and Cora at 2 weeks. I wanted to get a professional picture of Cora before she got too big. Kayley loved taking a picture with her. They both did great for all the pictures!!

More Pictures of Cora

Here are some other pictures of Cora at the hospital and on her way home. She got lots of cuddle time with Daddy at the hospital and cuddle time with Mommy at home. Grandma was really excited to see her newest grandbaby!

Here's a picture of her getting her first bath at home (top left). Pictures of her at home with her big sister Kayley holding her. Kayley also was loving enough to share her baby with Cora...one of Kayley's most prized possessions!!

Buddies: Kayley & Ashlyn

Kayley and her cousin Ashlyn are definitely buddies! One of Kayley's favorite things to do is to call Ashlyn on the phone, both for pretend and for real. Here are a bunch of pictures of them together. The bottom two were when Kayley got to stay at Michelle's house while we had Cora at the hospital. Michelle was so sweet to watch her for those two days so we could enjoy that time together welcoming Cora into the world. But, Kayley and Ashlyn do really get along well and love to play with one another. Kayley will be really glad when Cora is old enough for her to play with Kayley.

Sweet Baby Kathryn McKay Sanders

The day after Cora was born, we sadly received the news that our niece Kathryn had passed away. On the 1st of August Jan had taken her to the hospital as she felt she was dehydrated. She had been sick along with the rest of the family. She ended up having a urinary tract infection and did have dehydration. I don't know all the details, but she ended up being life-flighted to a bigger hospital in Pensacola and after many efforts she ended up passing. After her death they found out that she had actually had Cardio Myopathy, something that no one was aware of nor is there any history in our family nor in the Sanders' family. It was very unexpected especially as she was only 5 1/2 months old. She will be greatly missed, but thanks to the knowledge of eternal families and John and Jan's desire to be with her again and their family's righteousness, they will be able to be with one another again someday. Until then, I'm sure Dad is having a hayday being able to be with her and is loving every minute of it as he did not get to live long while he was a Grandpa here on Earth before he passed. Here are some pictures of her during her life.

The Bell Family

This is our family. Nick and I have been married for 4 years now and have two beautiful girls. Kayley is 2 and Cora who was just born. Time sure does fly. It seems like yesterday we were celebrating Kayley's birth. Now she is two and growing like a weed. Nick is outnumbered in our family with three girls around him, but I don't think he'd have it any other way.

Here is a picture of us the day Cora was born. What an exciting event for our family!

Cora Anne Bell

Well, Cora has officially joined our family! We were induced by my own choosing. She was due July 31st and my appointment was on that day and the doctor asked if I wanted to be induced. Well, having had Kayley 4 weeks early, I was pretty emotional and ready to have Cora after 36 weeks...so I of course said YES, Induce me!! :) So we went in at 6:30 am and the doctor came and broke my water to get contractions started. By 11, they hadn't progressed as they should so they started my epidural as well as some pytocin. After about 3 hours I felt a huge pressure down low and the nurse came in for her regular check to see how dilated I was and she was like, "Don't move, I've got to get the doctor!" Apparently that pressure was Cora showing herself and telling us it's ready to push! So after the doctor got there it was about 4 pushes and she was out! She weighed in at 6 lbs 10 oz. and 19 in long. She was a crier to begin with but quickly calmed down after I held her. Everything else was pretty laid back and easy going with her!

Here are some pictures of when she was first born...
Here's when Kayley came to meet her. Michelle was nice enough to keep Kayley while we were at the hospital, so she brought Kayley and Ashlyn to come meet Cora. Kayley immediately loved Cora and wanted to hold and kiss her often!

Here's our first family picture after Cora was born. Pretty good looking family!!

Here's my favorite picture of Cora the day she was born. She just looks so peaceful and so perfect!