MIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My sweet, sweet angel baby before getting photos with SANTA! (3 months now!)

sleeping baby with Santa at the ELKS in Noblesville.

Me with my love :) at the ELKS with Santa

Getting so big! Helping his daddy work. He LOVES sitting at the table with us at dinner, he gets mad if we don't let him!

My cutie pie at the McDonough family photo shoot during Thanksgiving break!

GG with her two newest great-grandchildren on Thanksgiving

Connor and Owen's first Thanksgiving, and they got to spend it together! :)

Four generations of MCKEE men :) on Thanksgiving

McDonough family photo shoot with my BFF Lydia

Cousins together! so cute!

My favorite picture by far that Lydia took! My two "sons" together! classic, and love it.

Ryan and I got to go to the COLTS game back in November, 3rd row seats, amazing!

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So sorry I have been MIA for quite some time, on my blog and in life in general, but life has been BEYOND crazy. I got the flu this week (fun stuff) so I actually have time to blog now since I still feel kinda weak, and decided not to do anything today :) We have kinda settled down in a routine, something Ryan and I desperately needed. When we first moved back home, we were taking turns going from my parents' house to Ryan's parents' house, and sometimes even my sister's house....and it was getting tough and just exhausted moving things back and forth (especially with a baby and anxious dog!). So we decided to just stay put at one location, and just visit the others from time to time. Ryan's parents have so graciously allowed us to set up house in their home, and we are very grateful especially for Ryan setting up his very much needed "home office" in their basement...something that was very stressful for him to not have. So now that we have settled down in one location, things have calmed down a bit.

Ryan's job is going well. He is working super hard, and LONG hours, most of the time not coming to bed until midnight, then getting up at 5 a.m. to start all over again. I on the other hand, go to bed when Owen goes to bed, which is around 9pm, and get up with him at 5a.m...on a good night...the past few nights he has reverted back to crying and hungry at like 2 or 3 am (really fun when you are sick)...then he smiles or laughs, and all that frustration melts away :) but I am still tired :) haha.

I have started working MWF at a nursing home in Greenwood, so I am commuting about a hour (45 minutes on a good day)...but that is where we want to buy once we sell our house, so it should work out in the long run. My sister-in-law, Sarah, is watching Owen on those days, and doing such a great job. His face just lights up when she walks in the room, and she does a really good job with him. Beginning in mid-Jan, Owen will begin at my friend Amanda's playschool, and his teacher will be another friend of mine, Kate...so I am relieved he will be in such good hands.

My brother and sister-in-law came to visit over Thanksgiving from NYC, and we finally got to meet CONNOR, my new nephew. He is such a cutie pie. It was fun to have our whole family together, and for Connor and Owen to meet. My friend Lydia took pictures of my whole family, and they turned out really well. Hopefully you all got your Christmas cards from us! :)

Owen is absolutely amazing. I am in love. I struggle at work, because some days I have to work late, and it kills me because I just want to get home to him!!!! He is developing such a fun, sweet little personality. He loves to sit at the table with us for dinner each night, and he is laughing and giggling, and babbling away all the time. He loves to go look at the Christmas Tree, and he is grabbing at things and holding his head up really well. He is just so much fun, and just makes us all so happy :)

Not much news on our house. We had a few showings this past couple weeks, but with the holidays, it hasn't been too busy. We will most likely be considering lowering the price to get some more action...this is the biggest stressor in our lives right now. I just want the DARN thing to sell so we can start our new life here in Indy but I don't want to get screwed over either. I feel like Ryan and I are in total survival mode, just trying to get through each day until our new life can begin. But I feel very grateful for all the help we are getting, I KNOW this whole situation could be ten times worse, so forgive me for my complaining...I keep telling myself we will look back on this time in our lives and LAUGH, and appreciate all the time we are getting with our families, and the fact that our families are getting to see Owen at this wonderful age, and see him change and grow :) :)

I remember PRAYING every night in our Rogers Park apartment in Chicago that we would make it back home to Indiana to be close to family and to raise our family here...so my prayers were answered, we just got a few rough patches to get through :) Happy Holidays to you all, and I hope to see you all soon!!!!!!!! with love, Kaitlin

One more week of maternity leave :(

Hello all! I never thought I would be so lazy with my bloggin', I guess that is what motherhood does to you!! :) And I don't have any new pictures of Owen, can you believe it!!! I need to be better with that, never thought I would say that either! He is getting so BIG! His little face is filling out and he is getting chunks on him :) :) and of course, getting taller! My favorite thing is he SMILES all the time, talks & giggles, and looks at me right in the eye when he does it; it just melts my heart every time! The past three nights, Owen has given his mommy the best gift of all...7-8 hours of SLEEP!!!!! He has been sleeping from about 9 p.m. to 4-5 a.m. without getting up or needing to feed...I know I might have just jinx it by telling you all, but oh well! It is especially nice because I have been super sick the past three days...it started out as just a cold, but I know it is a sinus infection now...I went today and got a Neti Pot, something Dr. Oz :) said could be used to clear up the sinuses...I am trying to avoid antibotics because I am breastfeeding and don't want to give that to Owen. I tried the Neti Pot this morning with help from my mom, and it really felt good, and flushed out all that gross stuff from my nose. I am just going to try and take it easy today and see if it helps...if not, off to the Dr. I will go. The worst part of being sick is I can't kiss and cuddle on Owen as much as I want, especially being my last week of maternity leave :( :( But luckily he has his daddy, aunts, and grandparents that have been doing a lot of that for me :)

Even not feeling well, I have been trying to go to my Stroller Fit class at least twice a week, it is nice b/c my sister, Erin, and I get to spend that time together and then usually go eat or run errands together after class, so I have been spending more time with Macy and Cole as well :) something I am grateful about, even with our crazy life now, at least I am getting to spend more time with family and friends.

My other "son", Guinness, had a rough week last week...I noticed he was chewing on himself, and he chewed a patch of hair off his backside, and it got infected! :( SO off to the vet we went, and the vet said that it most likely started from the dry grass here in IN, but our current stressful situation is also taking a toll on him, so the vet said he probably kept chewing b/c he is anxious. So he is on some medication that seems to be working...poor guy!

Nothing really new on the house except we had more showings...but no offers yet :( we lowered the price slightly, so we are hoping that brings in more buyers....but who knows! We went up there this past weekend, always nice to be home. Our house has been on the market now for 7 weeks...but it feels like forever.

Ryan's job is going well, he has been traveling and having overnight stays A LOT, but it is b/c he is still getting use to the new position and trying to meet and greet all his new clients, so hopefully it will calm down a little soon. I start my new job next Wednesday, and will be working MWF, I am anxious about getting back into work, my brain literally feels like mush, but hopefully I will get into a new routine quickly and everything will come back to me! Well, that is basically what has been going on, kinda therapeutic typing it out...Hope everything is going well with you all, and I am excited for the holidays to see everyone again, and the best part, FINALLY meet my nephew, Connor :) :)

Happy Halloween!!!!!!!

Lydia caught Owen smiling in his lobster costume!

Owen in a pot :)

best costume of the night...my friend Josh dressed up as my good friend LEIGH MARCUM, hahaha, classic!

Ryan and I as CHEFS with our little Lobster

Pumpkin Pie with a side of OWEN :) :) at Amanda's Halloween Party

Some of the moms at the party with thier babies!

Owen with his cousins Cole and Macy on Halloween...now all we need is Connor, and it would be complete!!! :)

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This past weekend was super busy for our family. Ry's parents watch Owen for us so we were able to go out to eat with some friends on Friday, then back to thier house to play some games. I definitely had trouble with the game, it involved a lot of thinking, and my poor mommy brain would not process very well, so I basically sucked at it, but it was still fun! Saturday my friend Amanda put on an amazing Halloween party that was kid-friendly and so much fun! She did such a great job with it, and it was nice to hang out with my friends and the babies! Owen did so that past Thursday and Friday night, he slept from like 11 to 5 without waking up...so I thought I would be in the clear Saturday night to have a few drinks...OF COURSE, he decides to get up at 2 a.m., then was super fussy the rest of the night, so I definitely learned my lesson and I am going to hold off on drinking for a while, it was a ROUGH night!!!!!!!!!!! (luckily, he is gotten back into a better routine now.) On Sunday, we dressed up again and went door to door trick or treating with Erin, Doug, Cole, and Macy. I joined StrollerFit, a fitness group where they incorporate your stroller and baby into the workout, Erin has been a member since Cole was a baby...I am excited to get back into shape, and hope to run the mini marathon in May and then the Chicago Marathon next October...big goals...:)

Anyways, It was a fun, but tiring weekend...looking forward to getting back into a little routine this week, and hopefully for Owen sleeping through the night more consistently!!!

New Job for me!

Well, I had a few interviews last week, and I accepted a part-time OT position in Greenwood at a long-term care facility. I cleaned out my desk this past Monday at my old job, and said my good-byes...I definitely started crying, I am really going to miss working there. But this new job seems to have really great people as well, and the supervisor was really laidback, so I have a feeling it is going to be just as fun. Ryan and I plan on moving to Greenwood once our house sells, but for now, I will be making the hour commute three times a week...but once we are moved in, I will only have a short commute, so it is worth it long-term. Luckily, Sarah, my sister-in-law, will be taking care of Owen until we can find some daycare and get use to the new schedule. It makes me feel better to be leaving him with family initially. I start November 17th...so three more weeks with my little man :) :) He is getting so big, I look at his newborn pictures and he looks so different already!

I buried the St. Joseph statue this past Saturday in our front yard right by the "for sale" sign, and we had three showings this week, more than we had the past month!!!!...so we will see...We just got to keep praying that the house sells fast and we can start to get settled in IN. :) :)

My BFFs photography BLOG!!!

As most of you know, my best friend, Lydia, has started her own photography business. Below is her new blog with all the pricing and updates on her work. She is pretty amazing, so I just wanted to share it in case you all are in need of a great photographer or know of someone in need, especially with the holidays coming up and families coming into town! She is shooting my whole family around this Thanksgiving when my brother, sister-in-law, and new nephew CONNOR :) come into town...super excited for that! check it out!!!!

http://www.lydialeephotography.com/

birth announcement in Noblesville Daily Times

Owen's birth announcement in Noblesville Daily Times...click link below!

http://www.ndt24-7.com/main.asp?SectionID=9&SubSectionID=27&ArticleID=13437

We got a LOT going on!

Hello all! We have been super busy lately so my constant blogging has gone to the back burner! :) Ryan's new position in his company is going well, but he has been traveling more because he is trying to establish all his new relationships and business contacts. We have decided that Owen and I are going to stay down here in Indiana with Ryan for the next few months instead of being up in Chi without Ryan during the week. So, that means I had to tell my boss that I would not be coming back to work, and that was really hard for me. I really love my job up there, and my boss, Tresa, is not only my boss, but she is one of my closest friends up there! So I was really sad making that decision, but we do not want Ryan missing out on Owen growing up, and I want to see my husband as much as I can:) so it was the best decision for us during this CRAZY time in our life. I have gone on a couple interviews down here for part-time work, I am only going to go back 3 times a week. My sister-in-law, Sarah, is going to watch Owen for now during that time, so it makes me feel better leaving him with a family member. It has been really nice because our families have really been helping us out, especially the past couple days while I have been going on interviews. Thanks everyone! :)

Owen has been doing well, we have established a pretty good routine even with going back and forth from my family to Ryan's family. I am glad he doesn't really mind his car seat :) Guinness, on the other hand, is struggling more and more getting in and out of our SUV...poor guy! Owen has been going through a growth spurt the past couple days, wanting to eat every three hours, even throughout the night! He was doing really well at night, only waking up once a night, sleeping for 4-5 hour stretches...so I guess I can't complain really, but I am hoping he goes back to that soon!!! But he does pretty well at night, he eats, then goes right back to sleep. thank goodness, so I am only up for about a half hour, then I go right back to sleep too. I just miss those NON-interrupted long sessions of sleep, but I guess I won't be having those for a very LONG time! :) Ryan and I went on our first date since the baby last weekend, Ry's family watched Owen...it was nice to go out with each other, but definitely wierd not having Owen :) with us.

So update on the house, well, we had a couple more showings, but no offers, it has been on the market now for a month. Our realtor still wants us to lower the price, basically to get some more online traffic in a different price range...but we want to wait it out a little longer...This is the biggest stressor in our lives right now. I just want the thing to sell, but I don't want us to get screwed too much either! Ryan and I went to Greenwood this past weekend and looked at houses around there...it is so crazy how BIG these houses are for the price, we are so use to the Chicago real estate market. We looked at a couple houses that were just down the street from my aunts that live up in that area, so that will be fun if we end up moving there, we will be super close to family!

So that is basically it for now, I am enjoying my last couple of weeks with Owen on my maternity leave, I plan on trying to start part-time work the week of November 15th...makes me sad, but I am also ready to start using my brain again :)

Owen is ONE month!

Happy One Month! YOu ARE getting so BIG!

Owen and Guinness are fast asleep and glad to be HOME in our house for the weekend!

Our poor, neglected Guinness...he is smiling in his sleep b/c he is so happy to be at home in our bed...His once spoiled existance has been uprooted, and now he is lucky to get a pet or belly rub every once in a while...
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Owen had his one month check up today on his One month birthday :) :) Our little guy is now 22.5 inches long, and 8 lbs. exactly! So he is a growing boy! Ryan and I went back to our house this past weekend with Owen and Guinness. It was so nice to be back in our own place. We really do love that house...but it appears nobody else really does right now! :( We have only had two showings in the 3 weeks it has been on the market, and our realtor is already asking us to lower the price :*(...I am enlisting the help from St. Joesph...I ordered a St. Joesph "burial kit" and the next time we are up there, I am going to bury the statue in our yard, and say the prayer in hopes of a quick sale...:) Some of my family/friends SWEAR by it, and I have also heard many stories of it NOT working, soooo here's hoping...it is worth a try!!! :) :)

Owen or Ryan?

Ryan and his grandpa Chuck, we put Owen in the SAME outfit the other night and took pictures of him with papa Steve :) will post those as soon as I can upload them!

Owen or Ryan?

Owen makes this EXACT expression with the cross-eyes and everything!! hahaha!

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Lu got out Ryan's baby pictures the other night, and it is almost SCARY how much Ryan and Owen look alike as babies!!!!!!!! I scanned in a few of them to share with you all, it is so crazy!! Ryan and Owen were both 7 lbs. 2 oz at birth, and as the pictures showed in the album, as Ryan grew, he got chunkier, so I am excited for Owen to get some fat on him :) :)

back home in Indiana...

Car ride with Owen and his cousins to the mall

Cole, Owen, and I trying on Halloween hats

Owen's first shopping trip; all bundled up with his momma :)

Macy is definitely a McDonough with that crazy hair :) She just woke up from a nap!

Owen cuddling with his Aunt Erin

Ryan started his new position in Indiana this past week, so Owen, Guinness, and I packed up and came back to Indiana too. We are taking turns staying with my parents and Ryan's parents. It is definitely wierd being back in Indiana for a long stretch of time, and not being in our own house...but it is nice that our families get to spend time with Owen during this "newborn" time. I am feeling better, still a little sore, but definitely healing. We are just taking this all day by day...keep us in your prayers that our house sells quickly and we can start getting our crazy life back together! But we do really appreciate having our families help us out like this, we are very lucky!

Lydia Lee Photography Photo Shoot

Ryan gave me this necklace (that I basically wear every day still) 10 years ago...now Owen likes to put his little finger through the heart when I hold him...so special to me!

my best friend, Lydia, took Owen's newborn pictures last Friday for us, and they turned out AMAZING!! Above are my favorite shots, but I really do just love all of the photos. Thank you Lydia for doing such an awesome job!

Quick update on Owen: we went to the pediatrician today, and Owen weighs 7 lbs, 4.5 oz. so he is above his birth weight now at 2 weeks, 2 days! That made me feel better because everyone keeps telling me how skinny he is, but he is definitely eating well and gaining weight!!!