Maxwell is 5!

Saturday, Nov 23rd, 2013

We started the day as the birthday boy wanted, with donuts from our favorite corner store! Then we cleaned for the big 'old skool' Super Mario Party! For the first time Max got to pick two friends to invite and he named the neighbors, which immediately put him over budget since 'the neighbors' is 3 boys! And then his buddy from his school Sammy. We also had all sides of our immediate families so 8 kids total! It was a whirl wind! 

Robb made a super Mario shooting gallery for the kids to knock down with a beef gun, and stacking the boxes. We had a super Mario cake pan we had found at a nisswa flee market years ago! 

The party was great, he got so many presents ( lots of Legos and some $$) and then we were able to work out an impromptu sleepover with cousins Adam and Ryan! We were very jazzed as it was the first cousin sleepover! Can't think if a better gift for Max! ( I remember over a year ago we were driving home from a play time with our friends the Westies and Max said  "mom I want to sleep at their house"-- I was like oh my goodness my little boy is getting so big ! He wants to have sleepovers)

We got papa Murphy mini murph's pizza for dinner and played a video game then tried to wrangle 5 kids to sleep! It was a great day! 

The next date we had a quick family picture session, and I mean quick! 15 minutes outside in the freezing cold! 5 year and Christmas pics !

Then we took the kids to their first gopher vs UMD bulldog hockey game! Our friends Autumn and Jason who I had gopher season tickets with in college have them again and we were able to get them for this weekend!

Happy birthday buddy! We had such a fun weekend!

All about the 5's!

Its November 22! That makes our baby girl 5 months old! ( it's also the day I went into labor with Max!) 

What a great age 5 months is!! Gia has really grown this month! She is a tiny people! Let's see what has happened in her life this past month...: she found her toes, she went on her first plane ride, she  started grabbing at things especially food and drinks! Ms Gia started some veggies in the past two or so week, too! She loves them! She digs the puffs and yogurt melts, too! Gia has started to sit up really well! If she gets unstable she turns in Ito a roll! She loves having her gums rubbed but no teeth imminent! And just this week she has been getting up on all fours and rocking then sliding herself backwards!! Ahhhh! I think I might not feed her and hold her for awhile, until she gets these ridiculous notions out if her head!!

The car seat is getting easier and we are down to maybe only 1/2 the time crying. She loves Max because he's pretty funny but has a love/gate with Gracie. I'm suspects that won't change for awhile! I think Grace just is in her face too much! But in graces defense, she just lives this baby so much!! I keep thinking these two girls are pretty different! I think Gia will be more petite and darker hair and eyes. It is so fun to see how these kids are all different !

Please stay tuned! I'm sure there is more to come!!

4 months and life

October 22nd Ms Gia was 4 months old!   I have been lucky enough to get her into the doctor right on the 22nd both appts! She weighed in at 15 lbs 3ounces and a wet diaper so I call her about 15 lbs!! Again her bro and sis were about two pounds and a pound bigger respectively! However, she was 26" and they were longer ! She is gaining on them though! I am realizing she has my legs! Short and stubby but they get you where you need to go! Gia continues to be the best baby! She is a good sleeper, taking after her mommy! :-) and has s-l-o-w- l- y has started taking the bottle better! Robb and Sharon our baby sitter have noticed the warmer the milk the better she takes it! Robb swears by finding a WW2 movie on bps to have her watch! She's a history buff already! Still not a big fan if her car seat but in her defense she usually would rather be asleep then running her brother to and from preschool and other errands. She is mastering the rolling. She started a little after 3 months but has really gotten pretty good and holding her head up high when she's on her tummy!

Gia has taken to choping on her fingers and is becoming quite drool soaked! She has the sweetest smile and just adores when her brother and sister play with her!  Dr McCarthy said if she tells us she wants to eat we can start down that road too! I think we may be close!

This month has been a little nuts ! Last month we had tried our house on the market thus we had done lots of cleaning, staging and home/yard projects! Then we went on our wonderful trip up to Duluth and Grand Rapids and while away watched a lot of DIY channel and talked ourselves back into our house! With our yard having the fence, play ground and play house and the easy access to elm creek and trails we decided we are just properly set up for having small kids and dogs! Maybe in 5 years or so we will be ready! 

Then I returned to work, which had been both wonderful and challenging at the same time! I l love my job so much! The people I work with amaze me everyday and the families are great! Not to mention I get my baby fix ! As if I don't get that at home! Although, just when I thought we had a good thing going at home we change it up! This has been the hardest on Gracie. She has started not wanting to go to Sharon's. Not because she doesn't like it there but because she wants to be home with me! It's heart wrenching for both her and me! She won't separate at ECFE either but I am working on that and today wasn't too bad but I did stay out of the "mom room" the whole time! I figure at least with ECFE I have the choice to be with her and I try to sit off to the side and have her play and I tell her I'll watch. Where I have to work so we don't have the choice to stay. Poor kiddo! 

Max is doing well! He is loving extended day preschool and eating lunch there! I need to be more creative with his lunches and a PB and J sandwich is my main stay. He is incredible sweet and very perceptive. He asks the most thoughtful questions, we need to start googling or phoning a friend for answers! Can't believe in one month he will be 5! He is learning sign language and Spanish at preschool this year! 

Gracie is close to being potty trained. She can go both # 1and 2 but isn't consistent with telling me and I can't remember to get her on the potty every hour. Besides I remember with Max when he had his mind ready it only took a few days so I won't push it yet. She is so sweet with her baby sister but I think she is copying her sister by having her gingers in her mouth again. She is growing like a weed and her hair is, too! I have been noticing Gracie singing little songs lately. Including the alphabet which she doesn't know all of but getting closer ! More than I thought she knew! And she can count to 10! 

My favorite quotes of the last few weeks have been:

GCA: calling the dogs " North Dakota and north da Libby!"  ( we have been singing the states song a lot lately!) ( the big kids have also taken to calling the dogs da-Libby and da-kota)

MBA: "when are we gonna get to Disney Hockey?" ( when we were on our way to what we thought was Disney on Ice but was actually Disney Live!)

A little change!

I have contemplated for a long time, like 15 years long, since high school about what I would look like brunette! Basically since people asked if I dyed my hair blonde because you eye brows were so dark! For those wondering , I've never lightened it! I've done one small round if highlights and a strawberry blonde ( little change) box temporary do but no real commitment! 

So I thought it was finally time to try it! 

Pre change! Sorry about the crazy photo!

And after!

Pretty sure I love it and am now wondering why I haven't played with this sooner! Actually I know why! Because I didn't want to have to redo this every so often! And spend all that money! Lucky for me my sister is in the business! 

This made me wonder what else I need to be brave about...

Thanks for checking in! Adios from the newly brunette!

Adieu maternity leave ...

One week ago, Sept 30th, I went back to work! It was a great 14weeks! So grateful to have had it! We were very busy. I lived every minute if it and that surprised me because I was so ready to go back last time! Of course, I am happy to be back to work! FSH is such a great place filled with amazing nurses who have become my friends! 

So as much as I can not believe that time has past, my last summer vacation over, I am happy to head back to work and get back in the groove! 

Cabin trip 2013

IWe just got home from 8 nights away! We went to Duluth with my mom and Craig, Lisa, Brandon and Jason! We had a great time! Friday we swam t the watermark then had a pizza party in Moms room complete with Pizza Luce! Saturday we were up early and went to bay front park down by the water. There was supposed to be a hot air ballon festival there... And there was a festival but not hot air balloons! Too windy!! There was free kites from Kiwanis club and a craft brewery tour! We flew kites, walked around then walked to canal park. We ate lunch and looked around over there ( it never gets old!) then headed back to partake in the craft brews! That was yummy! Miss Gia slept that whole time! Then we went up the hill to Spirit Mountains timber twister coaster ride! That was a blast! Beautiful views!! Then back for more swimming and some Blackwoods take out! Some of us spent some quality time in the arcade, too! Won some sweet stuff! 

Sunday 

Funnies

One of my favorite things Grace has been saying when Max is arguing with her.. " I'm a big sister"... That is her go to saying to defend her honor and prove her worth! It's so cute! 

We have our hand full with Grace! She is very full of life. She started her "school" on sept 19th! She keeps up with her brother pretty well. 

Max started pre k 4-5's on sept 12th! He loves it and we have decided to have him in extended days where he gets to stay until 1pm instead of 11:30 am. They switch teacher since there is only 8 kids on Tuesdays and Thursdays that do extended day. The teacher is one of his teachers from last year, Mrs Kyle, so it's a friendly, familiar face! He gets to eat lunch and play outside! He likes it so far! Can't believe is will be 5 in less than 2 months! He's so big! Such a great brother! He is known for cheering for Grace when she goes potty on the toilet, giving her  high fives and saying such nice things to her. They play pretty well together! He is great at making Gia smile and watching her for a minute while I get the Laundry or some other small household errand! 

Georgia is 3 months!

So in a hotel room in Duluth, my baby turned 3 months! Since I have not yet won the lottery I return to work in one week! (Sooner, since my post is belated!)  

A bit about Ms Gia at 3 months...

She is a happy baby! I think she looks a lot like me as a baby! I just hope she doesn't get my little Book legs! She has really good head control and likes to be up and looking around! She is very easy going unless 1. She has a dirty diaper, 2. She is hungry ( and is getting ignored) or 3. She is in need of a nap. Gia is very close to rolling over... She can get her head to do a 180 but can't get her body to follow through. She has mastered grabbing my hair! As if my hair went falling out fast enough anyway! Darn pregnancy hormones! :-) She is wearing mostly 3 month clothes still but maxing out some of the sleepers! 

She averages about 8 hours a night..some a little longer some shorter. She takes many naps and if I can keep her awake long enough I can get a 3-4 hour nap and get some time with the big kids and maybe something else done, too! 

Her hair is starting to come in a bit more and it's staying light brown! I love it!! We have recently a started putting her in her high chair for meals and she loves sitting and making eye contact with everyone! We are on vacation so I don't have an approximate weight or length but she is a healthy girl!

She loves her daddy and brother and sister, mommy, too! 

She coos a bunch and its so cute! Her car seat in the car is still not her favorite spot! 

And she's awake so this post should come to an end!

G-baby is 2 Months!

How fast time does fly! Two months down for my little G already! 

At 2 months: she is smiling, cooing, straightening those legs and trying to stand! She loves looking around her room at all the colors. 

We had the day to ourselves. We went down to Abbott Northwestern to meet and greet my step mom Julie's kidney donor from February! It was very touching and so awesome to hear her story of donating! She didn't even have a loved one to donate in honor of, it was just out of the goodness in her heart and inspiration from a client of hers, she's a life coach, that was trying to lose weigh so they could donate!

Then we headed downtown to eat lunch with daddy and walk the Thursday farmers market on Nicollet mall! We grabbed some pizza and salad them a yummy treat from yogurt lab!

Then we came home. I worked on updating here baby book and finding more gear for our garage sale next week! Them it was time to go to our Peds for the big two month check up!  Drum toll please! Gia weighed in at 11lbs 13 oz and 23 inches!! Yay baby!! While that might seem like a lot. 4lbs in the last two months, she is my smallest at this point! Gracie was  a little over 13 lbs and max was over 14lbs but he was 2.5 months! My little peanut!!! Her head was 15" only the 33%. But she still has a bit of overlapping sutures!

Darn it if those 2 month shots don't hurt! She's so tough! I loved having this day with my baby! There were lots of snuggles, too! Thanks for checking in!!

Max's sweet bike skills

Tonight we took a family bike ride. We did the north loop of elm creek. 11.5 miles! All of us! Max on the eve of his first week of learning to ride a bike did an 11.5 mile loop! My victory, I pulled the buggy! We came home and had coconut Popsicles! It was a good day!

And they're off!!

One thing on our summer bucket list was to take off Max's training wheels. He gets around quite well with those trainers even doing 11 miles once this past spring! We knew he was ready! It was just a matter of taking them off. 

Tuesday was the day. We were waiting for nana to visit us like she usually does every Tuesday. To help  pass the time Robb took them off. Then we spent the better past of an hour with Max. Getting started was tricky, trying to figure out balance and the footwork. We would set a pine one out a slab or two as the goal to reach before he crashed. He did well that first day. He was pretty jazzed about it and didn't want to come in the house for bed. By the end of the night he could almost do the whole block of sidewalk in front of our house. 

Wednesday he was raring to go!  He practiced and practiced. He mastered getting started. He could finish the sidewalk, turn around in the road and come back. That night we had him try to ride our "dog loop" walk with Libby and Dakota. He didn't make it very far and was getting defeated. Just gave up. Got really grumpy. I knew it had a lot to do with his previous night of sleep. He seemed most upset that he would have to start over learning how to ride his bike. That some how he lost all ability and would need to start from scratch! No reassurance helped. 

Thursday he hesitated to get on the bike. Once he came around, it was flying! With the getting started mastered I had him turn at the end of the block into the cul-de-sac and do the loop before coming back to our driveway. A few runs of that and it's in his blood! I took a video and sent it to Robb, my mom and sister Lisa. When Robb got home he wanted to show him so the boys geared up and went around the block. Then max wanted to do an Elm Creek loop. That's 11 miles. We opted for an abbreviated 5 mile course and set out as a family with the girls in the buggy. We stopped at our local ice cream shoppe in celebration. Max did awesome all 5 miles! So proud of our little dude! 4.5 years old and the training wheels are off! So excited for our adventures to come!!

All smiles

Miss Gia was 6 weeks old on Saturday. She has really started to smile on purpose much more! She is also finding her voice, still not as loud as my Gracie-bear though. 

Munchy cheeks!

We have in our family why my son Max coined as munchy cheeks. Nice plush soft kissable cheeks. He coined them in reference to Gracie's sweet cheeks. Hers are especially munchy. It's funny that he came up with something so funny to call his sisters cheek and that it has stuck. Yesterday while moving out furniture to the basement for new carpeting (yay!) something fell on Grace and scratched her cheek. She started crying and we went running to her asking what happened, " that fell and hurt my munchy cheek" was her explanation! I love our crazy little family, funny made up words and all!

Gia is one month old!

July 22nd, 2013

Today my baby, our baby, is a whole month old! My last baby...I was hoping for 'time' to take its time and let her grow leisurely. We are not due back at the pediatrician a for a month so my measure,nets will have to suffice. I clocked her at 22.5 inches, she has grown a whole inch and a half! As for weigh, on our not so reliable scale, got her roughly at 9.4 lbs! So she's gained a pound and a half! Yay peanut! 

She is a belly sleeper. Just try to lay her on her back. If you want her to cry that's the sure fire way! The positive of the belly sleeping is her neck and back are already fairly strong. She holds that little noggin up really well. 

She is a trooper! She's been up north to Breezy Point, to 3 soccer games and a soccer practice in the extreme humidity. She's even been to "watch" her siblings swimming lessons! She rolls with us really well! 

Her dark hair is sticking around, too! I think she has lost the jaundice coloring and in the last week even her poo has changed to a more greenish brown color! I put that last bit in there just for a reminder. 

Her bro and sis love her up! Grace is very sweet and can not resist a smooch when she walks by her. They also play pretty well together and have been taking advantage of the gorgeous summer we have been having. They have put in long hours out in the sandbox play area and playhouse! 

Our summer is loosening up with swimming lessons wrapping up last week. We are now down to Max's soccer games on Mondays and Wednesdays this week and next week! Each game he plays he gets how to play a little more! last week wednesday he had two shots on goal and a bunch of touches of the ball! much better than his first game where he stood in his assigned position and watched everybody else run around! i find myself getting choked up watching him which i blame on the hormones, but I know it's just me being a proud momma. I love watching my kids grown up and finally participate in these events. i think having some activity every night has been nice to get me out of the house but it has been a little much for Robb, whose been back to work plus all the evening shenanigans! 

4 weeks old and daddy's 36th birthday.

It was so nice to have time this morning to wake up and feed the baby in bed next to Robb. Granted he had been up for an hour and a half. Had his run complete ( a little 2.5 miler through elm creek to the GLP) and coffee in hand. Regardless, it was a quiet 7:45 start for us. We had company the night before that drained them of all energy and they literally fell into bed already asleep. Thanks, Westies! 

So Gia and I had quiet time with dad! Got to be the first to wish him a happy birthday! His birthday presents were given earlier in the week. We have no time to waste on secrets ALL week. Best to get the secrets over with as fast as possible. I think that hour of peace was our treat. Gia got her snuggles and even put on her ' I love my daddy' shirt. 

Gracie woke up about 8:45 and came in for snuggles. Her new routine is to walk in our room still rubbing the sleep from her eyes, then she looks for Gia and climbs up near her. Then she plants a smooch on her forehead and gets a cuddle in. She s such a sweet girl! I remaindered her it was daddy's birthday so she crawled to daddy for a big bear hug and cuddle with dad. She whispered (rare for her), "happy Bert-day, daee" it made me tear up. This is what I hoped for. All I could ask for really. 

and

June 22nd, 2013

A day we will not soon forget...

Our last saturday as a four pack.  

I had big plans for beautifying before "the big day". Robb took the kids to McDonald's for some pancakes and then to target for some snacks for the day, this allowed me to sleep in and have some quiet time before my appt. I woke up and perused Facebook. Even did a little status update about having "six short sweet days" before being a mom of 3! Then I got up out of bed and my water broke. Yep, not 6 days, not even 6 hours. I ran to the bathroom, grabbing my phone as I went by. Thinking--oh my goodness did that really just happen?! I called Robb twice but his phone was on silence from his work week so I sent a text message ( something like ..I need you home now, my water broke!!), then called my work to tell them my water broke and I was on my way in and texted my doctor. The obvious next move was to get into the shower, you know, since there was a change of my big plans. Robb got home and thought I was crazy to be in the shower. He started running around gathering our hospital bag, the kids bags, calling his sister to see if she could take the kids for the day, sweating like nobody's business. I wavered between crying and trying to keep my cool. Crying for so SO many reasons. That I did something wrong to cause my water to brake. Because I was about to meet my baby girl. Because I was still supposed to have 6 days to prepare our house, our kids, our lives and most importantly my mind about adding a sweet baby to our mix. And crying because it was all happening so fast! 

While in the shower, my doctor called and said he would meet me at the hospital and help us have a baby. I told him something like " take your time, my water broke but I'm not contracting..." Famous last  words. Wouldn't you know it, I started contracting every 3 minutes from that point until I laid down after getting my spinal and could no long feel them! 

Robb was able to corral me into the car and we talked through what would do with the kids, the dogs, and his work. It was exciting. We met his sister Lisa in the hospital parking lot and passed off Max and Grace. Then we (i) waddled my way into the hospital. We rode the elevator up since I was a patient and not going to work. We got into triage and I was doubled teamed ( i mean this in the very best way) by Jen and Jodi both I had as a labor nurse with  Max and Gracie. Then it really went fast. One would be asking questions the other putting in my IV. Soon I was ushered into the OR and about to meet our baby! I remember it all being so surreal. My mind could not wrap around it. ( I'm not sure it has yet!)

I noticed new things laying there in OR. A place I've been seems like hundreds of times. The shadows that dance on the ceiling. Trying to imagine what might be happening on the other side of that blue drape. I could hear mumbling on the other side but couldn't make anything out. Soon there was a call to get cameras ready and then a little cry. Such a sweet cry. I love her cry. Not all cries are cute. Hers is. She was pretty calm in there but I appreciated the few bellows she let out just to tell me she was indeed here and ok! Then she was weighed. 7lbs 14 oz. my smallest baby! Not by much. Grace was 7lbs 15 oz, otherwise same dimensions.. 21inches long, 14 inch head. I couldn't wait to see her and hold her. Once she was all swaddled up Robb brought her over for me to see. She has my eyes, the same as Max, and Gracie's nose, little lips, and soft sweet cheeks that are irresistible to smooch. The rest of the time was a blur. Especially a few weeks out. I remember chatting a lot with Erin Angelats about having 3 kids. Then getting to hold and really check her over. Seeing who it was wiggling around in there. She nursed very well, something like 20 minutes each side. We had a few fun visits from my coworker friends. We made phone calls and Jen gave her a bath. Then we headed up to 4th floor. We had a few hours of quiet before Robb's parent came and Lisa came back with the kids. Jerry brought balloons and a  Birthday cake for Gia. It was fun to have the kids meet their new little sister. Max wasn't too interested but there was cake and his cousins came, too. Grace took a minute to put it all together that this was indeed our baby. It wasn't  just a tall tale that Gia would come out of my belly! Once she absorbed it she wanted to hug her, hold her, and give her kisses. It was so sweet, not to mention nerve wracking.  Lois and Jerry agreed to take the kids back to their house until we left the hospital. they also  stopped on their way down and picked up the dogs to bring them to the pet hotel. Thank you so much! you were life savers!

I think my dad and Julie came by after dads work at Costco. Since it had thunder stormed he night before many people's power had gone out along with Costcos. So I remember dad saying that he spent his day ridding the place of all the spoiled food and trying to get it ready for shoppers. I wonder if it was all the "weather" that got me into labor. I've always wondered about that phenomenon of barometric pressure changing and inducing labor. That's all I can remember from that day. That and we were so glad miss Gia picked her birthday and that she was here safe and sound.

And that we had cable to watch. 

The day before...

I have noticeably taken a L O N G hiatus from the blogosphere but 9 months later I return with one more babe in tow. That's right, since the last time I posted so much has grown in our world, even a new life.  

My first day off for my maternity leave We had big plans and high hopes of doing fun things with our "big kids". With a dismal night of sleep the night before I hand second thoughts about taking the kids to a movie, but Robb got from work Friday and had his heart set on it. So we took the kids up to the Champlin theater and saw Monsters University on opening day! Then we went to Broadway Pizza for some dinner. As we ate a big thunderstorm rolled in. The lights flickered a few times and we thought we should head out. We got the kids to sleep and watched Silver linings play book. Then headed to bed. I had big plans for the next day... A pedicure and a waxing appt. 

 ( the weekend before June 15th we took the North Star light rail train from Anoka to Mpls to take in a Twins game with the kids. We made it through the entire game! Not with out walking around the stadium for a few innings while the hot MN sun set.  Yet we made it through 8.5 innings and got a Twins win complete with fireworks!)