Happy 2010!!!

Happy New Year!... Well, sort of! We have spent much of the New Year sick! I ended up with H1N1 back December, Kathryn has a double ear infection, Joel and I both have a sinus infection, and our little family has been fighting to get well!!!

January has not been all bad.....We were able to take some much needed time off, and we went to Mexico Beach!

My parents were gracious enough to let us spend a week down there.

Uncle Loren took time off his busy job to come and join us at the beach! He doesn't get to come to the beach very often, so this was a special treat!

The weather was a bit cool (but still MUCH warmer than it was in Atlanta!)!

We took Kathryn to the beach, and set up a little tent for her to nap/play in. The ocean is like magic for Kathryn.... she was asleep within minutes of hitting the sand! It was WONDERFUL!



Ringing in the New Year is VERY different now that we have Kathryn!! We spent the evening at the beach house, and tried to stay awake to watch the ball drop! Much different from years past.... but we wouldn't trade it!

We had a cold snap in early January... and actually had snow! We had about 1/2 an inch- and everything in Atlanta shut down!

Everything closed: schools, churches, and even some businesses! After spending 7 years in Kentucky (and riding my bike to clinicals in 2 inches of snow).... I have to laugh! I can't complain though, Joel was off school, and we got to spend the day at home relaxing with hot chocolate!

My 2010 New Years resolution: To slow down and don't take anything for granted! I have watched time fly by and our little girl is already 6 months old. It seems like yesterday we met her for the first time. The old saying is true "Don't blink: you just might miss your babies grow".

Here is to a Happy and Healthy 2010!

Christmas time 2009!

"Caroline 3 years, William 1 year, Kathryn 5 months"

It has been a while since my last post! As usual, we have stayed busy in the Tarpley house! For those of you who missed our Chritmas card this year, I want to post our annual Christmas letter! Enjoy!

Merry Christmas from the Tarpley’s 2009
Volume V
Dear Friends,

We hope this letter finds you and your family well! The year of 2009 has been one of excitement and adventures (to say the least)!! As you can tell by our picture, we have introduced a little one into our lives! Kathryn Alice Tarpley was born June 26th, 2009. She weighed only 5lbs. 14.5oz, and was 19 inches long! She was born happy and healthy, and named after each of our Grandmothers (Catherine Pawley was Joel’s Grandmother and Mildred Alice Hankla was my Grandmother). We feel like a part of each of them lives on through her. She has her daddy’s grin, my father’s eyes, and my fireball personality!


"Kathryn like to taste EVERYTHING!"

She is our little bundle of joy, and she has truly rocked our world!! Kathryn has tested us both in every possible way! We have been blessed with colic (hence my sarcasm), we never get as much sleep as we want or need, and some days we struggle just to make it to the shower….. But in the same ways that she has tested us, she has taught us so much. She has shown us the true meaning of unconditional love and the importance of slowing down and enjoying the moment. She has made our love stronger, our home happier, and the future brighter. She has taught us how quickly the time goes by, and to cherish all of our moments with her (even the terrible, horrible, no good very bad days!)!

In addition to being a new daddy, Joel is in his 5th year at Camp Creek Elementary School as a P.E. teacher. He continues to love his job, and the kiddos adore him! Joel officially wrapped up his career as a graduate student at UGA (4 years and 2 degrees later)! He graduated a few weeks after Kathryn was born! He finished with a Masters AND a Specialist in Educational Administration & Policy. We are so proud of him! Baby Kathryn LOVES her Daddy (almost as much as her Daddy loves her). It is true; she is going to be a Daddy’s girl!

As for me, I have learned to slow down for the first time in my life. I am working PRN a few days a month as a nurse at Emory, and I continue to work as a coach at Dynamo Swim Club in the evenings (this is my real passion). I have been so blessed to be able to have the kind of job that will allow me to stay home and raise our baby girl. I continue to coach in the summer at Leslie Beach Club. This summer was a rough one (when I was 8 ½ months pregnant on the pool deck)! I could not have made it through without the love and support of my penguins (you know who you are…. Thank you!).

Our four-legged children Maddie and Dooley have adjusted well to baby Kathryn joining our lives. When she first came home from the hospital, I think they were both waiting for her to return from wherever she came from! Maddie is getting older in her age (she will be 10 in January!), and will let Kathryn play on her for a little while. Dooley is Kathryn’s favorite play buddy because she always up for any excitement and has a very fascinating tail!


"Kathryn with her sisters Maddie (9 years) & Dooley (5 years)"

As Joel and I wait in anticipation for the Joy of Christmas to arrive, we realize that we are blessed beyond measure. God has given us such an awesome gift! He challenges us every day to trust Him, show kindness, and give love. As we all rush through this busy season, slow down and remember the reason we celebrate:

Once in royal David's city stood a lowly cattle shed,
Where a mother laid her baby in a manger for His bed:
Mary was that mother mild, Jesus Christ her little child.
He came down to earth from heaven, Who is God and Lord of all,
And His shelter was a stable, And His cradle was a stall;
With the poor, and mean, and lowly, Lived on earth our Saviour Holy.

Thank you for being a part of our lives! We hope to see all of you soon!
With Love,

Joel, Amanda, Kathryn, Maddie, & Dooley


"This picture says it all...... Merry Christmas"

December 2009

Ahh! Christmas is in the air! From the Christmas music on the radio to the brightly colored lights...... it is the most wonderful time of the year! This Christmas season has been especially exciting! On December 5th Kathryn, Joel, and I traveled to Kentucky (in record time), to be with Elizabeth during the birth of baby Elaine! It was a WONDERFUL weekend! We made it just in time (with about an hour to spare)! Joel and Kathryn headed on to Danville, while I helped Elizabeth and Todd deliver their baby girl! There really is nothing like seeing a baby brought into this world! It is a total testiment that God lives... and He is amazing!



Miss Elaine was born happy and healthy, and both mom and dad are doing well! Kathryn was able to meet her new "cousin" (I have named myself as Elaine's surrogate aunt)!


And the weekend didn't stop there..... On Saturday we woke up to snow! Kathryn was able to see her first snow fall!

And to make it ever better: Joel and I went to the UK vs. UNC basketball game at Rupp (Thanks to Uncle Jack)! It was amazing! Aunt Donna kept Kathryn (THANK YOU!), while we had an afternoon out on the town! We almost didn't know what to do without our 3rd wheel! We went to Penn Station and drove around campus. It is always bitter sweet when we go back.... so many good memories there!!!




It was a wonderful weekend, and a great way to kick off the Christmas season!

Growing Up~ 4 months!

Our little girl is gowing up so very fast! She is already 4 months old! I feel like we waited a lifetime to meet her... and now the time is flying by! We recently went for our 4 month check up. We had to get 4 shots :(. But daddy took off work to come and lend a helping hand. Kathryn is now in the 71% for height (she started in the 10%), 45% in weight (she started in the 5%), and 52% for head circumference (she started in the 4%)! She is going to be a string bean like her daddy!! The peditrician said we could start solids... so last week she had rice for the first time. She was not too sure what to do with the spoon- and most of it came back out... but she seemed to like it! We finally put together her highchair (thank you Ronnie :), and have started giving her a little bit when we eat dinner. I think she still prefers her milk.... but I think the new food will grow on her!

It seems like Kathryn is changing everyday! In the last 3 weeks, she has started laughing and is really starting to show her personality! The first time we heard her laugh was when she was watching Maddie and Dooley! Her favorite time of day is in the morning when she wakes up (she is like her daddy!). She has started to "talk and giggle" to herself in the morning while she waits for us to come and get her (this is a welcome changed from the screaming we used to hear in the morning).

The days of the non-stop high pitched screaming and fussing are finally behind us (for the most part)! Praise God!!!!

She is begining to explore everything with her mouth! In the last 2 weeks she has started to grab and hold onto things. She now takes all of her toys straight to her mouth! It really is too cute! She is really starting to recognize people as well. She smiles and giggles when mama bear, papa bear, pops, and grandma walk in! She is one spoiled and loved little grandbaby! She gets lots of hugs and kisses!

Big news: Joel and I (and the rest of the Tarpley fmaily)- went to the Virgin Islands for vacation (and a wedding)! Ms. KAthryn stayed here at home with mama bear! We were very sad and nervous to leave her.... but everything went very well! Joel and I got some much needed time together and R&R, and Kathryn actually learned to go to bed earlier while we were gone! We called home several times a day at first... and then we adjusted and enjoyed the beach! We went on a sail boat for the first time, and I swam in 20+ feet deep water!

We saw sea turtles and sting rays! The water was the most beautiful that I have ever seen! It was like we were swimming in a gigantic pool!! It was a wonderful getaway!

Halloween has come and gone! Kathryn was a little pumpkin AND a horse (for aunt Donna)! We went to our church fall festivle- she wore her horse outfit and was a hit!

Fall is in the air, and the Holidays are right around the corner! We are exctied that Uncle Loren will be coming home for Thanksgiving! Hopefully I will find the time to make another post before then!

Until next time.....

Love,
Amanda, Joel, & Kathryn
(Oh, and we can't forget Maddie and Dooley)!

Happy 3rd Month!

Kathryn is 3 months old today! I can't believe how fast the time has passed! The best news it that the colic is finally gone.... and we survived!!! The pediatrician kept telling us that she would get better at 12 weeks. When she was 12 weeks 3 days- she woke up a different baby!! It really was just like that.... she changed overnight! Her high pitched shrills have been replaced with smiles and cooing! What a relief! I feel like we can handle ANYTHING she throws at us now!

The weather is finally starting to cool off, and fall is in the air!! Now that her colic is gone, she enjoys the walks in her new jogger stroller. One of her favorite things (other than bath time) is watching football with Daddy. Joel loves spending Saturdays on the couch with his little girl! We also had her 3 month photos done this past weekend... and she only melted once!! I will post her pictures soon!

On a side note...We had major flooding in Atlanta this past week. We are very lucky that we just ended up with a VERY messy pool! The mud has clogged our pump- so we are going to have to have someone out to flush our lines....but mny people have had MAJOR damage to their homes. They are saying that this is the biggest flood in over 150 years, and declared Gwinnett County a disaster area! Joel was off school this past Monday & Tuesday... it was nice to have a family day in the middle of the week!

Kathryn really has grown SO much in her 3 months with us!! She has finally outgrown the last of her newborn clothes- and I have packed them all up. We now have drawers full of 3 month clothes! Our little girl that started in the 5th percentile in weight and 9th in height is now in the 47th percentile in both! She is now eating 5oz seven times a day.... for a total of about 700 calories per day! She is sleeping well through the night. Typically, she finally goes to sleep somewhere around 11pm and sleeps until about 6:30. We are trying to break her of her late nights.... but it seems she takes after her mommy! We are so thankful she is happy and healthy!

Until next time...

Welcome to Our Blog!

Baby Kathryn 1 week old
I decided to create a blog to record all of the memories we have had (and will have) with our growing family! I have already forgotten so many things about my pregnancy and our first years of marriage- so hopefully this blog will capture our lives as we grow and change!



Joel and I were married July 30th, 2005- and have been married for 4 years. We recently welcomed our first child into the world! Kathryn Alice Tarpley was born June 26th at 9:03pm.

Welcome to the World: Kathryn Alice Tarpley
She was 2 weeks early (I had preeclampsia and hypertension)- and she was itty bitty! She weighed 5lbs 14.5oz and was 19 inches long. We named her after both of our grandmothers. Joel's grandmother (on the Pawley side) was named Catherine, and my grandmother was Mildred (my middle name!) Alice. We like to think that part of each of them lives on through her.




Kathryn is now 12 weeks and 4 days old. She looks so much like her daddy! She has a tiny bit of brown hair and big blue eyes..... Her eyes came from Papa Bear (mine are green and Joel's are brown)!

Proud Daddy! Kat has him wrapped around her finger!

She has suffered from colic for the first 12 weeks and has cried non-stop. It is slowly starting to get better (THANK GOD), but we are not out of the woods yet!! She is really starting to show her personality! She is now smiling, starting to mimic our noises, and she LOVES the water! She is happiest in the tub (we have spent A LOT of time there lately)! Her least favorite time of the day is bedtime. We usually start bathtime around 8:30- then she gets her last meal before bed- however, she usually doesn't fall asleep before 12:00am. Although she does not go to sleep easily- she has been sleeping through the night like a champ (about 7-8 hours). She starting sleeping through the night at about 8 weeks- it is getting there that is still our biggest challenge.

The first 3 weeks of her life, she slept in the bed with Joel and I in her "snuggle nest". She has had reflux, and I didn't want her to be too far away at night! After 3 weeks, she graduated to her bassinet (which was next to our bed). It was a step towards her nursery! When she was 6 weeks old- Joel and I made the decision that it was time for her to enjoy her own room! I didn't sleep a wink that first night she stayed in her nursery.... but now, I don't miss a wink!

The most recent change is that she is cutting 2 teeth! She has 2 little bubbles0 and even uncle Jack confirmed that those toofies are comming in! At 12 weeks old.....We can hardly believe it!!! She has been drooling a ton and can't keep her fingers out of her mouth! She is cutting her lateral incisors- which is even more rare!




Before I finish this first post, I cannot forget to mention our four-legged children! Maddie and Dooley are slowly adjusting to Kathryn. They both greeted us at the door when Kathryn came home for the first time. There was a little pouting (mostly on Maddie's part) the first few days she was home. Now, Maddie gets up every time she cries at night, and escorts me into the nursery to check on her. I think she is going to be Kathryn's protecter... but why would I expect anything less? She has been mine for 9 years! Dooley is a little oblivous to our new family member (suprise, suprise)! As long as she has a bone to chew on... life it good!


Our lives have been turned upside down since baby Kathryn arrived. We sleep A LOT less, go out less, and often feel at our whits end.... but we truely can't imagine our life without her. I hope you enjoy watching our family grow through our blog!



Amanda