Andrej, Jessica, Kaiya and Tobi

In honor of Kaiya turning eleven months, I decided to finally finish and add her name story to our website. You'll find it by clicking here or clicking on the link named, Naming Kaiya, on the side bar under About Us. Andrej wanted to add this new section to the side bar for "special" posts like this one. Kaiya's birth story will hopefully make its way there soon.

I cannot believe my baby is about to celebrate her first birthday! Where has this first year gone? Kaiya is looking and acting more and more each day like a toddler and less and less like a baby. I feel sad that my baby is growing up, but at the same time excited for all the new things she is learning and experiencing.

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*Warning: This post contains snotty material. Read at your own risk.*

The Ciho clan is officially down for the count. All three of us have passed around a nasty cold that just won't go away. It started last Wednesday morning when Kaiya woke up with a snotty nose that is still running full force a week later. Before becoming a parent I would find myself disgusted by a baby or a small child with a crusty nose or worse a sticky one that forms bubbles when they breathe. I just couldn't understand why their parents wouldn't just wipe it or blow it or do whatever they needed to do to clean up their child. Now, I understand. It's impossible because it never ends!

Last Wednesday, when the madness began I had it under control. Kaiya would fuss a little, but we would both come out clean. By day two, the snot clearly had the upper hand. Every time I would come after Kaiya with a tissue she would crawl away as fast as she could. Once I caught her the battle was on. Her hands would flail around violently as she whipped her head back and forth screaming and crying. Usually, by the time I stepped back to survey the damage and give her a moment to catch her breath she looked a lot worse than when we began. The snot was no longer confined to the nose area, but spread all over her cheek and into her hair. Fun times!

Since then we've learned that two parents are better than one when snot is concerned, but when only one is present then one must use the changing table and all limbs available to hold baby in the perfect nose cleaning position. When is it that kids learn how to blow their own noses anyway?

I say all of that to say this cold is still kicking and hit me this past weekend, finally taking Andrej down on Tuesday. Today, I'm feeling much better, but A is still suffering and Kaiya, well…could someone please turn that faucet off!

In case you were wondering about my green card (Jessica mentioned it in a her Easter post), it came in the mail a couple of days ago. And it is valid until 2016!

Last Sunday, we got to meet Baby Bryan, the newest addition to our house church. He was born on May 20, while we were still on vacation. Kaiya gladly handed over her reigning title as "Baby" Kaiya and became just Kaiya. I was shocked when I held Bryan for the first time. He is so small, even though he was born a healthy 7 lbs and 15 oz. I honestly could not remember Kaiya ever being that small. How can it be that ten short months have passed and I cannot remember ever holding such a tiny little thing? She seemed gargantuan as she crawled over to me and pulled up on my legs trying to get a peek as I was holding Baby Bryan. The advice is so true to really savor and enjoy time spent with your newborn because it is fleeting. Ten-and-a-half months later, I struggle to even remember her at that age.

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We kicked off our two-week vacation by picking up my parents and sister at the Chicago O'Hare airport on Friday May 5th and my graduation the next day. On Sunday, they got to meet our house church and some very close friends at a cook-out. Simply said, our Slovak family and our Grand Rapids family finally met. Kaiya took to my parents in no time – the first morning they were playing with her and feeding her peaches and cereal. They also brought us gifts from my grandparents, uncle and aunt. A particular gift that Kaiya loved (see picture) was a bear almost as big as Kaiya.

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