A creature was stirring, and it was a mouse

We decided to enjoy a lunch out after going to Toy R Us at Chili's. We had an unused gift card so the lunch would have been free. I had a bad feeling about the place from the get-go. The sign was janky with lights not working. The floor in the entrance was sticky and smelly. They were using paper napkins bought from a local grocery store. That only signified the chaos and disorganization of the restaurant. We sat down to eat sanitizing our hands and table as we do at every restaurant (especially during flu season) and proceeded to order. It took a while for the food to get to us. About half way through the meal, a meal that did not taste good, I looked over my left shoulder and saw a mouse scurrying past us as if someone had just shewed it away and it was trying escape the ridicule that was just hurled at him. Believe it or not, I calmly say to my husband "I just saw a mouse!" Meanwhile my heart rate is 100 and my legs are up on the seat and I wanted to scream which is the appropriate response to seeing a mouse in the dining area. I tell the waitress, who has a very subdued response saying "oh, I will let the manager know". The manager strolls over and hands me a form. I proceed to tell him what I saw and where it came from. His response was "oh, it must have come from the kitchen". "Do you have a lot of mice" I say. He smirks. I reply with "that must mean yes". "Well, we have been competing with the restaurant behind us. As soon as we get rid of them, they get 'em. Then they get rid of 'em and we get 'em. Here is a form that we have people fill out" he says. "For rodent control services" I say. "Well, sort of, they will send you a gift card, and I will buy your meal today!" he concludes.  We will never go to that restaurant again or the neighboring "mouse-sharing" one either.

From the Gardens to a Blizzard

We went to the Botanical Gardens. They were lovely. It was like visiting a spa!! Relaxing music, mist, greenery!! The girls had a great time and really enjoyed the Christmas train display. My oldest kept saying "Choo, Choo!!!" We enjoyed lunch afterward with our friends and their little girl. We were planing on visiting the Christmas Bell show on the following Sunday with the same family but instead watched the snow pile up outside our windows. We kept busy with decorating the house with Christmas cheer and playing outside in the blizzard. Apparently it was the worst snow in decades! The last time it was even close to this amount was in '97.Our new city has been good . We are finally feeling more settled. We look fwd to what the New Years brings!! Merry Christmas :)

Half Way Point

We made it to our half way point tonight. The dog was all over the car which was annoying, but the cage did not fit so she roamed. The baby had a diaper blowout.  We did laundry at the hotel while my oldest played on the king size bed.  We found out that our townhome has HWF. Which won't allow us to move in until Monday. The floors had to be refinished. We are looking fwd to HWF though. Very exciting!

Ready, Set, Go!

We went to our friends 1 year birthday party with a tailgate theme. We dressed up as Green Bay Packer fans. Since I could not find any GB gear where we lived, I had to decorate the shirts at home with print outs. We were the only GB fans at the party. We are heading out to the farm the day after Thanksgiving to see my husband's family.  We hope to be protected from all illness this next month coming up. Baby girl #2 wants to crawl and my oldest loves exploring and running. They are so wonderful and so is that man of mine. We look forward to what this upcoming journey will bring!

A Few Weeks Until We Move

Just a few weeks until we move. The girls are very excited :) Foxy is a little nervous about leaving the land here and trading it for city life. But we think she'll fit right in with the city dogs and fellow dog parks. She doesn't know what she's missing!

A Cold Halloween, Again!

The girls and I started the day with their Festive outfits. Daddy woke up and carved a pumpkin with my one year old and she colored her Trick-or-Treat bag with orange and black "cocors" (crayons). We worked tirelessly to remove he seeds from a large pumpkin and two small baking pumpkins. Before Daddy went to work we got the girls dressed in their costumes, a "Sweet Pea" and a Lion, for him to see and then we made our way to Auntie A's for pictures after he left for work. We then went to our old neighborhood and Trick-or-Treated with our dear neighbors. My husband joined us in uniform for a couple of streets. He definitely had the best costume! Very authentic! With each step the air became chillier. We cut the night short due to the weather. We enjoyed homemade pumpkin pie today! This is also why we love Fall :)

alkflsajdfksa aks kasdh khwe sdhfskjj ks apple

Things have been busy here, but are going well. My girls are growing so much. My one year old can nearly hold a 3 minute conversation, at least she thinks she can. She will rattle off a few indecipherable paragraphs and end it with an enunciated word like "sheifonsv niusfon iueh inan iuaj niunweiuf jnsuin iuheiunv jauih ia apple" or "kjadf ipauwhfjnhgiuhw iuah unuhvn auih wui uipfghu hwefi ubiaudhfvjnsdkjcasipurh djiojdj no way" We enjoy it thoroughly. We nod "yes" and "really". She loves to kiss her baby sister and is able now to say "seester" and "baby gurl". My baby girl also loves talking-not even three months old yet.  Their smiles truly make us happy. Watching your children grow is simultaneously tiring and amazing. We are grateful for this time in our life.

Apples to Pumpkins

So we went to a great apple/pumpkin orchard.  We  traveled up north this past Sunday. Although rain was in the forecast, we were determined to make it there and back dry. We were rained on briefly at one of the apple stops on our tractor/trailer ride. All and all it was fun. My little girl loved all of the people there and the goats. We tried to have a pumpkin painted on her cheek but the paint just kept smearing. We ended up wiping it off before it dried.  We look forward to decorating our pumpkins and making yummy fall desserts with the apples we picked. My one year old can say apple and she says pumpkin like this, "Poqua".

Seven and a half weeks: baby girl #2

Growing and Growing

We have made it through many weeks of travel. My little girls have grown so much over the past few weeks. My baby has sadly outgrown her Newborn clothes and has gained rolls on all limbs. My firstborn has become tall and more toddler-like. Her vocabulary is growing more and more each day along with other vocal expressions. My husband is continuing to police the neighborhood on night shift and a few more weeks of maternity leave before I head back to the Lab. We are looking forward to apple picking and pumpkin searching over the next month as well as celebrating my birthday and Halloween. This is a busy, but great time. We love our little ones and are grateful for the blessing that they each are to us.

The big city and back with a 3 week old and 17 month old

So we went to the city for my BIL's bachelor party. My husband went out with the guys and the girls and I stayed back at the hotel with his parents.  Let's just say the first night was long. We discovered how to manage two little ones in one hotel room. Not much sleep was had by any the entire first day (including naps). The following days went better and after all just being in a hotel in the city makes us smile. The honking, the sirens, the food, the taxi's, the sidewalks, the sky, the buildings...all better in the city. We took my firstborn to get her first American Girl doll. She enjoyed eating the hair of her pricey doll on the car ride home after she kissed her cheek and poked her eyes out. She is obsessed with any kind of string or cord...the doll's hair fit the profile. The car rides both ways miraculously went well.  Either way it was worth it to see family and our favorite city. A final get-a-way before the chaos of moving at home began.

Gathering produce from the garden

I love Wheat Thins!

So we went to the cottage this weekend. It was fun but definitely a lot of work. My little girl decided that she does not sleep in the car anymore, which always adds a twist to the planning. She has now incorporated screaming into her daily dialogue. She screamed on the way there instead of sleeping.  She loved the water and the "sandbar".  My second baby girl stayed awake the entire Saturday we were there due to all of the unfamiliar noises.  On the one hour trip home we stopped twice to feed baby girl and play outside with my oldest girl. My oldest was so committed to staying awake that she fell asleep mid bite into her Wheat Thins. We made it home safely. The laundry is running and the kids are sleeping. Daddy's off to work his first week back since #2's birth. We miss him already :( I guess we did learn on this trip that my oldest loves Wheat Thins! (check out the photo, wheat thin and all)

Born in 16 minutes

Our Baby Girl arrived July 31. I labored at home for a few hours while my husband kept checking in during his night shift.  Just 16 minutes after we entered through the ER doors I delivered her.  The doctor arrived 20 minutes after she was born and said "wow, I had know idea that you were that far along". Their records show she was 3 days early acknowledging the second due date given according to ultrasound (although I had her as 1 week late acknowledging the first due date).

OK, ready!

We pretty much have everything completed for the birth of this next child. Our little girl has even began minor tantrums! She is walking which was a necessary prerequisite before the birth of our second child. The car is packed, the dog had her teeth cleaned and vaccinations up to date-no fleas, no ticks, no heart worm.  My husband took belly pictures in our backyard at 39 weeks, 2 days. OK, ready!

A Fourth to Remember

We had a bizarre holiday weekend.  It was a great time with family...action packed.  Amongst the entire family the events included: two ER visits, fever and an allergic reaction, vomiting, falling on the deck, the 4 pound Chihuahua being "run over" by a car, a festival that never was, 7 children under the age of 7, 3 of which are under 2, cloudy afternoons, a car that needed a jump start and great food!  We were anticipating me going into labor since it was the "freaky" weekend.  Ultimately everyone is doing well and it was fun.  Definitely a Fourth to Remember!

Taking steps

Our little girl now has four teeth and is taking steps!

Dancing before walking

Tuesday the 23rd of June was a big day in our house.  Our little girl stood on her own.  She was so persistent that her head was sweating by the time her activity was completed.  She is only moments away from walking.  She has not been too interested in walking up until now.  She is our little detail oriented, gentle, patient, and puzzle solving little girl.  Large muscle activities such as climbing and walking have just entered into her radar.  When she first stood she cheered for herself knowing that she had accomplished something new!  She is amazing and it is wonderful to watch her progress.  Although she has not taken a step yet, she has danced!  Now, that's amazing and something that makes mama and papa proud.  She played her caterpillar song, stood, and then danced.  Remember this is only her second day standing and she already feels a need to dance even though she can barely stay upright!

First Comes Love

The month of June is very dear to us.  It was June 21 when we were married.  The first day of summer and the day with the most sunlight of the year.  We are committed to our vows and especially focus on them the month of June.  Our tradition is to go on a "get-away" each year.  So far we have been to a quaint hotel on the Potomac, a romantic bed and breakfast in the hills, the ever so urban NYC, camping in my hometown, visiting one of our favorite big cities (with 3 month old baby in tow), and most recently a bed and breakfast on the shore (with only 6 weeks to go for baby #2).  I love my Nathan.  What a magnificent man I have been blessed with.  Nathan and Natalie sittin' in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g! First comes love then comes marriage, then comes baby in a baby carriage!

Tulips in May

We went on a trip to view the tulips yesterday.  It was lovely.  The weather was perfect, the babes awesome, and the doggy well behaved.  We had a magnificent outdoor patio lunch with a great summer feel.  We saw a one man band on the sidewalk and stood in awe of how good he was.  All at once he would sing, play the harmonica, banjo, drums and symbols.  Our little one was amazed!  We also saw some live traditional dance and costume fashion show.  It was a peaceful day enjoyed by all!  Oh, and by the way...we found the cutest baby store ever and it was even fair priced...it completed our day.

Easter Beauty

Easter was beautiful this year.  No rain, and all sunshine.  We actually got to where sleeveless dresses and open toed shoes without turning blue, although the  car heat was blasted in between destinations.  We went to a great reminiscent church service as a family of 3 and "a bun" (the baby in the belly).  We ate at a magnificent all you can eat buffet, which should be illegal.  I mean so many choices that one can only get a little bit of each, especially if they are pregnant.  Our little one enjoyed the family and fun and took the world's greatest afternoon nap allowing all of us to lounge around on couches for the afternoon as our disgustingly full bellies attempted to digest the smorgasbord it was fed.

Our Active Little one

Our little one with her homemade "baby legs".  She is becoming more and more active and we're lovin it!  She started swim classes three weeks ago and is one of the happiest kids in there.  She is learning how to kick her legs and reach out for the toys amongst other activities as well.  Each week she becomes more and more understanding of how much fun water is and has transferred this excitement over into bath time.  She was kicking her legs in the tub the other day as if to float like she does with daddy in the big pool.  Now, she just needs to be potty trained by July and life will be good!  

Chunky Monkey's for my little girl

We have been using Bum Genius 3.0 One Size pocket cloth diapers and love them.  With the next little one coming we wanted to invest in just a few more.  I decided to go custom for MAB this time. Although, these are one size diapers they will last the rest  of diaper life for MAB.  I will order some custom for the next little one too once the baby arrives!   They are adorable and we wanted to share them with you!  The creator is "Chunky Monkey".

Eating at Grandma's

Smorgasbord of finger foods for our little one at Grandma's house.  She loves the variety of color and shapes and sizes.  

Sleep is Underrated

Boy, isn't sleep great!  We had a full nights sleep last night.  Our little one slept well which means hopefully the "teething" is done temporarily :)

Teeth are overrated

Our little one is still sick.  After her "1st Birthday Week Celebration" and all of the guests had left she came down with something.  It has left her with a fever, runny nose, cough and awful middle of the night screaming sessions lasting anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours.  The fever is slowly leaving but the night screams have slowly increased.  Luckily, we have both been off these past couple of days since we are not getting much sleep at night.  Throughout all of this, we had her one year appointment and this did not seem to phase the MD.  We explained how she had been sick for nearly 3 weeks with a 6 day lull in the middle and he said, "Sounds like you are moving into the time of her life when she will be getting a cold per month...that usually lasts until they are 2 or so".  We found this to be relieving, not the part about her being sick forever but that she was not critically ill and this all seemed typical to him.  Well, through research this am at about 145, we have concluded that her middle of the night inconsolable screams are from teething.  She is one and still getting her first two teeth.  We knew that she was in pain because the screaming is awfully reminiscent of the first 3.5 months of her life during GERD, colic, and gas when all she did was scream.  We just couldn't believe that it was from her teeth.  Well, it is.  Boy, teeth are overrated and Tylenol is underrated!

No thanks on the Birthday Cake

We celebrated our baby girl's "First Birthday" this past week.  We went to our favorite city on her birthday and traveled back home for the celebration with family and friends.  The house was full although her belly wasn't.  She was not thrilled with the whole tradition of singing and then cheering.  She broke down in tears before the cupcake was even touched.  Needless to say she had no birthday (cup)cake in her belly.

Such a Joy!

Our little one has now begun to crawl-her version-very fast throughout the house.  When I put her on the stairs she giggles because of how fun they are to look at.  She is more of a detailed child and is less interested in getting in on the action but more interested in how the environment is around the action.  I have been giving her "music lessons" in our front room.  She is intrigued with the guitar and sings along with me.  She is so cute when she sings.  She usually carries one or two notes with her mouth opened for about 3 seconds at a time.   She has two teeth about to come in on the bottom-her first and is trying to walk with her push toy.  We love watching her progress and grow...such a joy and miracle she is!

Baby Dedication

Our Baby Girl was dedicated yesterday.  We had a lot of family and friends at the service and then most of them joined us after for refreshments at our place.  It was wonderful!  She listened intently as her Mama and Papa read to her "A Family Covenant Through a Letter" that we organized for her.

Baby #2 is so cute!

Today was our first MD appointment.  It went very well!  The baby's heart rate is about 160 bpm, you know what that means!

Baby Dedication Preparation

This week we are getting ready for our little one's Baby Dedication.  We have a lot of family coming.  It will be a great time to spend with both families and friends.  We hope for lovely weather for all those that are traveling to see our little girl.

Guatemalan Dresses

My parents just got back from a mission trip to Guatemala with their church.   They brought back summer dresses for the girl grandchildren.  Our little one does not know what to think yet of her dress.  I think she likes it.  She smiled really big when she first got it, although the smile disappeared when the camera came out.

Bunny Love Cereal

Our little one started on Bunny Love cereal yesterday.  It is a lot of fun seeing her pick up the pieces from her highchair table.  She grimaced so big after she first put the cereal in her mouth.  I don't think she liked the texture.  She enjoyed them more today after understanding that they tasted so good!

Pine Needles on the Floor

So the Holidays are over and we are left with pieces of pine needles all over the house.  No worries, our little one is great at finding them with her wonderful pincer grasp.  She is such a joy. She truly makes us smile and laugh and she can not even talk yet.  Oh, the things that will soon be coming out of her mouth!  We look forward to the next 6 months in preparation for our next little one as well as celebrating our babies church dedication and first birthday.  We had a great time with the family over the holidays.  Happy New Year!  What a great year 2009 will be!