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!