Saturday, September 26, 2015

Arwyn Week 8: Baby Houdini - 8/13/2015

At 8 weeks old, Arwyn has officially rejected the swaddle for sleeping.  Our little Houdini gets her arms out pretty much instantly, so she's graduated to the sleep sac.  It's funny because so many of my friends asked me when I "moved" Leia out of a swaddle, but it was exactly the same for both girls...they just started escaping all the time around 8 weeks and told me that they were done.  Arwyn is not sleeping too well during the daytime these days; she needs to have human snuggles or the swing to go longer than 20 minutes.  And while that was slightly frustrating, it was ok since it was balanced by good sleeping at night (at least one 5 hour stretch!).  But then we had a little burp when she was only going 2.5 hours at a time all night, but luckily that went back up to the 5 hour time zone again once we got on the same page with good naps.  It sure is an exhausting time commitment to get her down for so many naps during the day when they only last for 20 minutes!!  Also, her eyes have gotten better because she starting to do the trademark Stevie Wonder move to see what's going on around her all the time...so cute!

Arwyn had her first bottle this week.  Based on our difficult experience with introducing it to Leia, we decided to start early enough to have plenty of experience with it before I went back to work, but Arwyn was like, "ok, whatever, this works too" and took the bottle the very first time with no fuss.  Absolutely amazing!  Needless to say, she continues to be a very easy and chill little girl!

Leia's new phrase is "actually"...."Actually, I have to go get baby some milk..." or whatever it is that she actually has to do besides what I might be telling her.  It's actually quite hilarious.  I love how advanced her vocabulary is all the time.  She's also started a gymnastics class at school (aka, "mastics"), which she loves.  It's about the only motivation trick we can use to get her to school on time these days!  And one day we met a bunch of friends up at the Village for a beer fest, and Leia ran into her best friend from school, McKinsey.  Watching how excited she was to finally have a friend to play with made us feel so bad for not organizing more play dates with kids/friends her age...the two of them were having a blast!

Leia got asked out on her first date this week, and by an older man, no less!  Josh was completely freaked out, it was hilarious!  Our new neighbors have a 5 year old son named Rye, and one day he just knocked on our door out of the blue and invited Leia over for a movie.  Unfortunately she was at school at the time, and they watch movies after her bedtime, but we promised a raincheck.

The big excitement of the week was watching the tractor knock the house down on our street.  It used to belong to my Aunt Lucy and Uncle Bob, but our other friends bought it a few years ago, and had an unfortunate issue with a frozen pipe, mold, and a cleaning job gone bad.  So sad to see such a great house get completely demolished, but it sure was fun for Leia.  She couldn't stop talking about "why they knock the house down??"

It was also a big week for out of town visitors.  We were graced by the company of Ben Kraines and wife Sara, Jon Coe and family, as Zeena and her whole extended family.  So many parties!  Leia woke up one morning after a fun party asking where her Jesse was, and was disappointed to learn that "my party's over."  We also had a fun day playing in the pools at the Resort at Squaw Creek...Leia had her first trip down a water slide!


Post bath with a wet head is about the only time our little chia pet's hair isn't going out in all directions!

Somebody help me, this bear hug is a little too intense don't you think?!

Two peas in a pod.

Fun night with Ben Kraines and Sara Friedman.  And just about celebrating 1 year together!

Hey Mom, I'm just chilling!

First bottle, no problemo!


As long as she's napping in this awesome swing, she's happy as a clam!

Daddy has the best relaxing cradle arm.

Hey there bug eyes!

Somebody help me!  She's kidnapped me and is holding me hostage in this crazy fort!


Bath time!


Just relaxing on her chariot ride around the neighborhood!


Just loving those smiles!

Happy babies are the best!

Happy toddlers are the best too...good thing Poppy was around to bring us the needed banana!

Pool day with the Coes.

Sand box, kiddie pool, and a water slide...this place pretty much rocks!

She was pretty excited to hoard all the pool toys.

Mini big truck babe.

Arwyn's first concert...slept through the whole thing!

We had a fun crew of adults and kids alike.

McKinsey and Leia, fast friends causing a raucous!

Hey Little Sister!

She outfits this one chooses to wear are just incredible.

Graduating to the sleep sac (she was actually sleeping, not screaming)!

Bedtime snuggles.

Arwyn and friends.


Our little ET hiding with the animals.  Totally camouflaged right?

Echo and Leia hijacking the big kids raft at the pond.

Someone will have to teach her that bright shirts and camo pants are counterproductive!

Friday, September 25, 2015

KatharineLange.com 2008 Throwback Post #2 (OH and Rygg Wedding)

Here is my second of two throwback posts from my soon to be discontinued KatharineLange.com website.  These were my first blogs before I started using the blogger website.  Here are pics from my visit to see my niece and nephew in OH and the epic Rygg/Cooper Wedding  in PA where my beloved husband first re-entered my life!


Eric "Bygg" Rygg and Brittany Cooper's Wedding Extravaganza in Philadelphia, PA 10/16/08-10/19/08

Katharine and the Groomsmen: John, Ryan, Eric (the groom), Nick, Nick, & Ryan. 

Jonathan, Bygg Rygg, and Katharine at the Rehearsal Dinner.

Rygg, Kat, and Nick, shutting down the bar at the Rehearsal Dinner Post Party #1 (Sorry, no pictures from Post Party #2, didn't quite make it that far.)

The Wedding Gang makes a trip to Jim's Cheesesteaks for a little hangover cure.

And then on to the Liberty Bell and other classic Philly tourist attractions.

The Crocketts and Matthews waiting for the Big Event to take place at the Church.

Kat celebrates with the happy couple, Eric and Brittany Rygg!

JJ, Nick, Kat, and Ryan at the Reception.

John Lange looking hot in his tuxedo and with his girls, Katharine and Stacia.

Guess what I got hit in the side of the head with?!

aking the rounds with my new good luck charm!

Josh Transue makes a guest appearance as a wedding singer with the band.  Who knew that guy could sing so well?

Wedding Reception's over, but the party has only just begun.  Lets follow these guys...

Post Party #1 at the Sofitel Bar...Katharine and Josh.

Skipper and Molly...I swear, she was really a guest, not a stripper!

Katharine and Molly with the proud parents, Nancy and George Rygg

We shut down the Sofitel and headed to the Pulse Nightclub for Post Party #2.  Can you tell Ryan, Eric, and Sean are having more and more fun as the night progresses?

And back to the hotel rooms for Post Party #3.  Ryan and Molly gettin' their groove on.

No one can accuse this Bride and Groom of sneaking away early...they stuck it out to the bitter end.


Kat takes the helm of the Moshulu Ship where we enjoyed a fantastic "morning after" brunch.

Molly, Nick, Kat, Josh, and Jonathan...recovering nicely with our Mimosa drips.

Ryan cracked us up in his Prep School get-up.

The King of Horseradish shows off his new mustard van.

The Wedding Gang is all smiles after a great brunch.

Who knew that you could fit 10 people in the back of a mustard van?!

The Brew Crew Posse poses for a final picture before heading out to shut down more bars and pull an all-nighter.


Trip to Cincinnati, OH to Visit My Sister, Brother-In-Law, Nephew, and Niece 10/10/08-10/16/08 


Maria, Jordan, Carter, and Larry on the ski boat at Lake Norris, TN for a weekend on the house boat. 

Katharine, aka "Aunt Kat," ripping some waterski turns behind the Martinique.

My nephew Carter ripping it up on the knee board.

Carter and Aunt Kat enjoying the warm weather and fall colors.

Relaxing lunch back at the houseboat with Maria and Larry.

Jordan and Aunt Kat posing in front of the "Big Mac Bridge" in Cincinnati.

Looks like this little girl knows how to get what she wants and avoid what she doesn't!

Katharine and Maria hit the links at Beckitt Ridge Country Club.

Katharine and Maria out for a night of martinis with the local "Desparate Housewives" (I swear, I think I was really on the set of that show!)