9 months

      

This little lady is 9 months! Wow! It's been a whole month since Disney mania!

Georgia is a speedy crawling, Houdini in the high chair, gummy girl! She had her first ear infection this past month. Poor girl. 

Her dare devil level is very high. She navigates the stairs pretty well, still reinforcing going feet first on her belly down them! 

There is pretty much nothing she can't do! I love her spunky hair, with a touch of red (dare I say it!) to it! 

We love this sweet girl so much! so thankful for her daddy, awesome big brother, loving big sister and nana for keeping an eye on her when I can't! It takes a village! 

Hans bakery

Best thing to do on a rainy Thursday before heading to my work marathon? If you answered take a little trip down memory lane, you are correct! Nestled in downtown Anoka is Hans Bakery. It's a staple, a landmark. I can't recall ever actually going in but I can count how many times I've drives past it. 

I'll get on with it. They closed their doors about 3 years ago and then reopened under new management about a month ago! They happen to be around the corner from Maxs preschool! So, what better time than the present for treating my kiddos and mom to a donut! Tuesday we drove by after we picked Max up. 1pm and the parking lot was FULL! 

Of course we were not up est enough to eat breakfast there Thursday so an after school treat it was! 

No fewer than 15 people in line the whole time we were there. 

I'd say we all left satisfied customers! Next time we are trying the beehive. I guess it's a German tradition that Hans made. A treat layered with pastry and custard?! I love that the new owners are trying to stay true to the original recipes! 

My mom

My mom is one if the biggest gifts I've ever been given. I need to take a few minutes out of my day to try to express what a treasure she is. This past week she came to my rescue. Pretty sure multiple times. Monday, Gracie was not getting better from her Upper respiratory infection and had a very sleepless night so my mom having just gotten back into town came over to see the kids! I was able to leave Max and Gia home with her and take Grace to urgent care. It was so nice to not lug all 3 to sit in the germy urgent care and have that time with my sick baby. We walked away with special time, antibiotics, and a diagnosis of ear infection and walking pneumonia. She even had to get an xray, cutest thing I've seen in a long time! I'm probably the only mom to ever say that. 

I digress, this really is about my mom. We got home to my house clean. Dishes done, laundry going. Gia had a nap! Then she stayed with the kids so no one had to go to daycare and I could go to work. All I can think is to thank this woman repeatedly and hope to pay it forward! And do what I can to help her! 

She is so awesome! So giving and caring. Totally knows what I need and does it! I am so blessed! She and Dad were great helps with the kids in Florida, too! 

Not sure how many date nights Robb and I have been on thanks to her. It's been so good for us. Not to mention how much the kids adore her. I can't mention she is coming or they are glued to our front window watching for her. 

So much more I could say. I will try to add my admiration as I think of it. 

Pregnancy thoughts, more correctly random thoughts

Pregnancy is a special time. Sacred, really. Not everyday. But overall, it's is. It's inspiring thinking about the future. Bringing new life into the world. To love and adore. People pay attention to you. It's flattering, really. They want to know the gender, names, what babys room will be like. There are showers. You visit your doctor more than you see your best friends! Then you have the baby and everyone loves to come see and snuggle the newest creature. Now, no one wants to see us! We are a 3 ring circus! Well, that's what it feels like anyway. 

I see pregnant bellies now and I get a little jealous. Envious because that part of our life is over.  But I am undoubtably happy for that pregnany belly because I know the joy they are about to experience. Trust me, I'm excited for the next step. So excited to rid my house of baby accoutrements and get into big kids stuff. It's bittersweet this lapse of time. They are only little for such a short time. I was realizing that as I watching the news story about moms with paper calendars lining up all the kids camps, sports, VBS and weekends away. I can relate! I'm getting heaps of YMCA camp brochures, VBS is announcing dates, sports are having sign ups now. It's a barrage of information to process. 

I got overwhelm there for a minute with all those things to coordinate. It hit me this is our last summer before school. Max starts all day every day school THIS fall. All the sudden I want everyday this summer free to do fun things with all 3 of my kids! Taking a deep breath. In and out! Okay, this will be fun! We will do fun special things this summer. 

I am trying to live each day. To be present in the moments and hope I am teaching and doing things so that my kids learn, thrive and grow knowing how much we wanted them and care for them. 

Can't believe 6 years ago I was just finding out I was pregnant for the 4th time. This time it was for keeps. Now, I'm filling up our summer calendar. Time flies. Enjoy the present. Whether it's the pregnant belly or the full calendar. I'm trying to remember that.

Max the helper

I'm sure I don't say it enough but I love my son. He is such a great big brother and son. He helps both of his sister out all the time.  Monday I was exhausted from working the weekend and dozed on the floor in our living room. I opened my eyes to see Gia's you strewn about the living room to keep her occupied so I could rest! He helps buckle Grace into her car seat and with anything she needs really. That is if she will let him. 

And today, I was in the middle of the 3 batch of laundry. I had piles going for each member of our household on one of our couches. While I was in the kitchen finishing up dishes he took it upon himself to not only deliver each pile to the persons room he categorized the pile and put it all away, except for Gia's pile because she was napping and he didn't want to wake her!!!! Seriously, what did we do right to get this amazing boy??? Now there might have been ulterior motives, I'm unsure. I sure appreciated the action!!

Kindergarten

Our little man is getting ready for kindergarten! Yikes! He's ready. I like his fall birthday. I liked the extra time I got with him. Things will be so different this coming fall. Our boy at all day school, our middle in Prek Tuesdays and Thursdays like Max is currently. That leaves just my little Gia bug home with me!

Want to know something funny?! He will go to my elementary school! I'm excited to go there and see it as an adult! I'm sure lots have changed in 30 years! 

Our last day!!

Robb totally  dialed in at Disney!

Friday, feb 28- our last full day!

We decided to take on Disney one more day! Initially when Robb and I talked about going we said a 4 day pass would be plenty! And costly enough! When we went to buy passes they had a deal:  buy a 4 day hopper pass get the 5th day free. We let it be optional! Let's be real, who in our family us passing up a free day at Disney?

Since our Hollywood studios experience was rainy and it's probably Robb favorite park we decided to oh back! Leave no stone unturned! We hit all the attractions minus Robb getting to ride the roller coaster. On Wednesday Robb, Max and I   were going to go and Max was just a hair shy of getting on so Robb let me go because he rode last time we went to Disney when I was pregnant with Grace! 

It was a fun day. Just our little family. We saw the stunt show, we went to the disney junior show, rode the great movie ride, walked through Walt Disneys One Mans Dream.  Even stood in the line for the Toy Story Mania! And ate at the pizza planet! 

We spent the whole day trying to get everything! We finished the day by catching the fantasmic fireworks! Not just the preview but the whole show! It was a bit scary as it plays on Fantasia the Disney movie- which is about Mickeys  dreams and has a dark side when the villains try to make the dreams nightmares!  We headed home after that. The final note was as robb folded up our stroller the art book he had specially purchased must have fallen out. We hit back to the car off the team and it was gone! I couldn't leave like that so the big kids  and I went to see if we could find it or if some kind soul turned it in... No luck. We check with each team and back at the loading station. We came back sad. I guess if that was our only downer all day it was a pretty great day! Just sad way to end the day and trip! Especially because you cannot find that online to buy. 

Darn! 

Hollywood studios and some rest!

Wednesday, February 25th.

Nana again had reservations for us at Hollywood studios! This time the meal was a buffet AND we got special seating at the fantasmic fireworks! We woke up still not feeling100% but didn't want to back out on reservations. So, we got a later start to our day! Gracie dressed in her princess Sofia dress again so that we could meet her! It wasn't a particularly busy day at the park so that was nice, overcast but nice. We had some fun pictures as we walked in with the professional photographers. Mom had bought the pass where you can have your pictures taken throughout all the parks and after they shoot the pictures they scan your pass and you get all the shots with out needing to whip out your camera, too! Then we heading into the park. First stop in the animation area where characters are! 

Princess Sofia was worth the 30 minute wait! And Grace was very patient! Sofia helped her take if her sun bonnet, fluffed her hair, posed for pictures and showed Grace her castle! Very cute!

Next we had a fast pass to ride so we headed to the ride and needed to stop at the bathroom. Gracie had a meltdown that had me in tears. I think we just had been pushing it so hard trying to "get our $$ worth" that our days were long and busy. Not much downtime. It was especially hard for a 2 year old to convey! Sometimes, I forget she's 2 really. She's so grown up. She is So tall and keeps up with Max so well! That magic age of 2&3 can be quite challenging as they try to gain independence and test boundaries.

 I digress, we regrouped and carried on! Max, grandpa and daddy rode the Star Wars ride and then we found more characters! We played for a short while on the Honey I shrunk the kids set and then needed to eat! Our reservation had arrived with the rain! Perfect timings! We had some overcast days but this was the first rainy daytime! The rain was almost refreshing and didn't hold us back! We found some bubble guns!

 Robb, Max and Grace rode tower of terror! 

Yes! Even my Gracie rode! She was tall enough and had been turned down for a couple other rides and slides this past week so she was brave and took advantage of the ones she could go on! So brave! When they came out she said " My said get me off this ride!" Ske kept repeating her story over again! So funny! Then we kept asking who wants to go on tower if terror again? " not me, My said get me off this ride!" 

We roughed out the persistent drizzle until the end of the day to see fantasmic! However due to the inclement weather the only showed a preview! Nuts! Then we left in the rain! Fun but exhausting day!

Thursday feb 26th 

Was a day off! Yeah, God! We needed it! We hung out at the time share! Robb went out with Gracie to downtown disney. Since Robb had not been there yet! We really hadn't done much but the parks! We will need to remember that for next time! More playtime is a must! 

Robb and Grace made a frozen shirt at a cool place in downtown Disney! Awesome because if how much my girl loves her frozen princesses/songs/movie! ( thank God for YouTube!) nana and grandpa went to St. Augustine for the day and had a terrific time! One more day before we head home!!

Breakfast at the castle!

Tuesday February 25th

Months ago, nana made reservations for a certain princess to eat breakfast at Cinderellas castle and rub elbows with other princesses! How lucky are we! I vaguely remember a character experience like this and hope Gracie remembers it at least a little! 

Our waiter was rude but the princesses left Gracie speechless! Very fun! I think this was a highlight for our little lady, while Max loved all the rides he could get on! He was brave ( and tall enough!) to ride space mountain!! How are our kids getting so big?!

Since it was our second day at Magic kingdom we basically just did breakfast and a few key things we had set out to do then headed back early afternoon! Besides we were breaking down the gates this morning! And we weren't feeling too well! A little GI bug took our whole party down! 

I think it was with much grace Robb left the park! I felt bad wanting to leave but we had been pushing quite hard and hadn't even swam in the pool at the "new hotel" yet! 

So after a nap for everyone and maybe some cartoons for the kids we made dinner and found the pool! Being at a time share with a kitchenette was so nice! As much as I like someone cooking and cleaning for me I dislike eating out with kids! Especially in restaurants that are crowded like they are in Disney!

We finished the day poolside watching Turbo! 

Lego land on a Monday!

Monday feb. 24th

Once we heard this was an option ( it's new and they are closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays) we knew we needed to see this! 

Max, ok and Robb, were pretty stoked! We packed a lunch and ventured 45 minutes with nana in tow! It's a cute place. I guess it's the old cypress gardens. There is still a small portion with the flora but the ladies in the big hoop skirts are built of Legos now! There are many neat features like the carosel and horse ride have lego horses! Thought that was pretty creative!

You first walk into a bunch of little stores, each with themed Legos inside. Then the carosel. It's secluded so you don't see the whole park! At first I was thinking, " this is it?!" But the farther we ventured out the more I like it! There is a whole mini land with a Vegas strip done in Legos, the Bay Area, NYC etc! Pretty cool! A whole section of Star Wars, too! 

There are a few small roller coasters, other rides and play areas! Of course there were numerous statues made of Legos! They even had lego people to get pictures taken with! It was a little pricey however it's geared for our kids now and we might not be back, over all I'm glad we went! 

 I really wish one if us would have brought a pedometer on this trip! We went like gang busters this whole trip! 

We got home about 5 pm. From moms FB posts she found out she had a friend also in Orlando so she wanted to meet up with her! I got to go out with them to red lobster and shopping at downtown disney while robb stayed back with the kids! Thanks, honey! It was nice! Wish it was the two of us, but I appreciated the time out! 

1/2 marathon day!

Sunday, February 23rd

Robb and I had a super early start! Our race was supposed to start at 5:30 (4:30 our time) so we were up at 4 to be out the door by 4:30. Good thing being in the last corral ( P) we didn't start until roughly 6:30! Then we picked off people like crazy! Next time we might need to submit a time. It was the best run we have done together! Robb started using a heart monitor a few years ago on the elliptical I had and it's really helped his training! So he runs more even now! We had a lot of fun and it almost seemed easier than wrangling 3 kids! We did a lot of running around people. Must have been tons of runners! Robb signed up originally and I signed up for the 5k but I got jealous and didn't think I had enough time to train. Especially with it being winter. To tell the truth, we didn't train all that much. Some yes, not a ton. So glad we did it!

After the race we found our cheerleaders

Then we took advantage of the free parking and went into Epcot! We ate lunch at Italy again! And I think the walking around helped keep the legs from stiffening up too much! We had a pretty full day taking in Epcot! And finally turned back at about 6pm! Looonngggg day!