NYE Day

It's New Years Eve ... And Ryan has been wearing his party hat since 9am. He's got big expectations ... Ones they are pretty hard to meet :(

And Then There Were Three

After over a week of tummy problems, two weeks of screaming at night, and lots of biting and chewing ... Luke finally sprouted his third tooth yesterday.

The tummy problem magically disappeared. However, the night tantrums and gnawing continue ;)

Santa's Cookies

We made cookies for Santa. Now the kids think we are all ready for come. However, nobody has wrapped a single present yet. It's gonna be a long night ;)

Sunday She Said / He Said

Brooke: I know why Ryan eats so fast. He doesn't chew.

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After seeing Santa train ...
Ryan: I can't believe Santa is real ... And he lives in Chicago!

Gingerbread House

Why are these things always so much harder than they should be? We've got frosting all over the counter, candy all over the floor, and a gingerbread house that's pretty tough on the eyes.

The kids really love doing them though ... But I think their true joy lies in sampling the candy and frosting vs the design and decoration of the house ;)

Soccer

Signed the kids up for soccer and screwed up - did it at the wrong location. They let the kids try out classes and agreed we would figure out the sign up debacle later.

I had Ryan level-up, since the requirement was only to have had taken the precious class ... Which he had. However, the kids ran circles around him. The skill difference was too much.

I had Brooke level up too, to a new class tenure calling "skills institute". It's for kids who are intermediate level, which I'm not sure she's at. But it focuses on teaching real skill vs just playing games. It sounded interesting, but like something she'd do later. She tried it, and the class was 6 boys and her. They were fast & they were aggressive. She loved it. Total shocker.

So we are here today for our new class. She's leveling up, Ryan went back down. The next 50 minutes should be interesting!

Sunday He Said / She Said

Ryan: Dad, can I have some of that bread cream?
(Butter)

Guess Who Is Coming Tonight!

The Tooth Fairy!

Her second tooth was a fighter. It's been loose at least a month, painful for at least a week, and hanging by a thread for the past few days. I picked her up from school, she twisted it out, and pulled it out. Done!

Santa Can Come Now

Luke's stocking arrived today. We are ready for Santa!

Sunday She Said / He Said

Brooke:  "I think Dunkin Donuts is the best place ever"

Silence = Good Kids

Woke up this morning to a quiet house. Luke was actually still asleep ... And in his own crib! I assumed the other two were sleeping in. Decide to head downstairs to get breakfast going and heard the TV on.

Came down to find both kids up & cuddled under a blanket. Brooke was watching tv and Ryan was playing iPad.

Moments like this are so great. Not only do I get to wake to a calm, happy house ... But I get to see this special bond between siblings. They're getting to the stage where they fight more often then not, but these moments remind me (and I think them too) that they're best buddies no matter what ;)

7 Months Old!

Time is really flying fast with this little guy. He's moving all over, and really wants to crawl. Right now it's a lot of scooting and rolling, but I bet he'll be walking next. He's blowing "kisses" and sure seems to be trying to talk. Just amazing how fast the time goes.

And now we have 2!

Not long after the first, the littlest man sprouted his second tooth.  He's well aware of his new chompers and has taken to biting ... Hard.

Little Picasso

Artist: Brooke
Title: "Happy Howlen!"
Date: 10/31/14

Sunday He Said / She Said

Ryan: Can we go to the coffee shop and get a stone? (He meant scone)

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Entering Starbucks...
Ryan (chanting): Stone! Stone! Stone! Stone!

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Mom: Ryan, when you are running, you need to look ahead of you!
Ryan: It's ok! I have eyes in back of me.

Sunday She Said / He Said

Dad: Do you guys know what season it is?
Brooke: chupacabra?

Luke 6 Mo Checkup

Height:    29"         (99.71%)
Weight:   20lb 5oz (90.92%)
Head:      44cm      (68.96%)

Decoy Baby

I wouldn't give them mine, so they got their own.

This is actually a doll we've had since Brooke was little. Ryan has been carrying this doll around all the time and I finally put in some batteries. Now the kids have been busy taking care of the baby.

Notice how gently Ryan holds the baby by the neck as he feeds her ;)

Sunday She Said / He Said

Brooke: How do you play horseshoes?
Mom: Do you know what a horseshoe is? It's like a u shape?
Brooke: Yup
Mom: You throw a metal horseshoe at a metal pole and try to hook it around
Brooke: That's called a ringer!

Sunday She Said / He Said

Mom: You just have to be patient.
Ryan:Patient is so long!

5 Months Old

Luke is now 5 months old. Don't know how long he is, because measuring the length of a squirmy baby is totally impossible. I do know he's 19lbs :)

He's growing fast and already seems like so much less of a baby. He laughs and yells, rolls and kicks, and spends most of his day smiling. His big sister definitely gets most of the laughs and squeals, but Daddy's up on the top of the list too!

Another (Unexpected) Tooth Fairy Visit

The other day Ryan randomly mentioned he had a loose tooth. Considering the Brooke just lost one, we figured he was just copying. But, insisted it was loose ... and sure enough, it was. Thing is, 3 year old kids very rarely lose a tooth. Thus, it was pretty obvious something happened to knock it loose.

I brought him into the dentist and they informed me it was definitely a trauma. He fell out of his bed, HARD, last night. I asked if that did it and she seemed to think that was unlikely. So, Ryan mysteriously got his tooth knocked out. The dentist suggested we pull it to avoid any complications from him losing it and breathing it in or swallowing it. We put him on the gas and it was out in less than a minute :) Now we have to wait TWO YEARS for something to come in to fill the gap. That's a lot of goofy pictures.

Here is, right after the dentist. He's quite proud he lost his first tooth.

At night the Tooth Fairy had to scramble. She wasn't anticipating another lost tooth in our house so soon. Brooke also was not anticipating another lost tooth. She was very upset that her brother lost one, especially so soon after her highly anticipated and celebrated first tooth. "Real" or not, we celebrated it just the same. Ryan put his tooth on the nightstand next for the Fairy to come and add to her collection!

Ryan's First Day of School

Today Ryan started pre-k at Audubon! He's already a pro when it comes to school, and his days at Chalk Preschool were actually longer ... so we arent too worried about his transition. He is really psyched to finally be going to the same school as his sister :)

*Note: His first day and this class pic were in one classroom, but another slot opened for a better time. He actually was in this class for the first week of school only and then transferred to the class he would be in for the rest of the year.

From Jean

I

I didnt originally post this card, but am backdating it to add it. Some memories become too precious to not store and honor. The postcard is not dated or time stamped, but Jean was in Copehhagen around Labor Day of 2014. This would be pretty close to whatever date she wrote and posted it.

4.5 Months: Tummy Sleeping & Growing Like A Weed

Luke didn't get to wear his 0-3 month clothes very long. But I dont think very many babies do ... mine sure don't :) I pulled out the 3-6 month clothes and he wore maybe one or two outfits until I noticed they werent fitting right either. So, I went back into the closet and pulled out a tub of 6-9 month clothes. He's 18 weeks, or 4.5 months old, and he jumped right into 9 month baby clothes. Not only that, but he doesnt have a lot of wiggle room in them either!

A few weeks ago he rolled from his tummy to his back a few times. He seems to have given that up. Now he just rolls from his back to his tummy all day. He has also decided he wants to be a tummy sleeper. This is fine and dandy, except he seems to be confused as to how to get back onto his back. Thus, occasionally we have a very upset baby who seems to be stuck on his belly in the middle of the night.

Overall he's growing like a weed. He cant stop smiling, and his smiles are totally contagious. He's made everyone in the house a little happier. For that, the middle-of-the-night-stuck-on-his-tummy-wake-up-call is well worth it :)

Sunday She Said / He Said

Ryan: How much is a minute?
Mom: 60 seconds
Ryan: (sighs) 60 seconds is so long!

Before n After

Brooke has been asking for two years to cut her hair short. The fact she is only (almost) 6, added to the fact that she couldn't talk for the first two years ... Means this is a pretty major part of her life.  I promised her last year we would do it before kindergarten ... And so here we are.

When she finally was given the go-ahead she tried to backtrack and "just get a trim".  I told her she could do anything she wanted with her hair.  She asked to color it orange.

I suggested we start with a cut and talk color in about 10 years.  She sat doenrje to look at a book of cuts and finally settled on one.  She's ready for kindergarten now ;)

She Said / He Said

Ryan: I miss old mcdonalds

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Brooke: I'm not cold at all. I feel as warm as a pancake.

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Brooke: Ry can you wink?
Ry: oink oink
Brooke: Not oink! Wink!
Ry: oink oink!

Big Changes!

What a day! Today, our "little (18.6 lb) guy" turned 4 months old!

 

We decided to celebrate the big occasion with the kids first mini-golf outing!

First we had to start with some lessons.

 

Not surprisingly, handing Ryan a golf club brought out his inner ninja.

The kids actually did great. They were both excited and yet patient. 

We finished all the holes without any tantrums ... or cheating!

Then, to finish our exciting day ...

Tonight, after weeks of being patient, Brooke finally lost her first tooth!

Ryan was very excited for his sister.  

So excited, in fact, I caught him trying to pull out one of his own teeth while we were reading books.

 

  

Brooke wrote the Tooth Fairy a note.  It reads: "Dear Tooth Fairy Please give me a great surprise"

Go Cubs Go!

We started our journey with an exiting bus ride.  It was Luke's first time on a city bus ... And he slept through it.  We made it about a block before the kids started asking "are we there yet?"

Got to the stadium and entered.  Kids seems pretty exited with the crowd and the music.  Luke was still asleep.  We were in the park for 5 minutes before Brooke announced she had to use the restroom. As we head up the ramps to our nosebleed seats, we made it about 10 steps until Ryan told me he was "loosing all his energy".  Luckily he had a surge of energy as the music picked up and he danced his way up the rest of the ramps.

Got to our seats and sat down.  The big kids started demanding snacks.  Luke woke up, and clearly was concerned with  with his surroundings.

Dad went to go snacks and the kids made it about an inning until, at the bottom of the second Ryan asked for my cell phone (to play games).  Brooke apparently asked Dad about the same time.

Luke had a bottle and took a nice nap.

Dad went to get more snacks.  It was the 3rd inning.  While he was gone Brooke was asking me how to get to the bus.

Dad came back with snacks and the kids inhaled them.  They then wanted to go home.  It was the bottom of the 4th.

Ryan started wiggling and dancing.  There was no music.  We made a mad dash for the restroom where he proceeded to jump and wiggle and whine with 10 people in front of us.  We made it just in time, got back to our seats and packed up to go.  We made it to the bottom of the 5th inning.

On the was home Luke was awake for the bus, so he had his first alert bus experience.  Dad asked Ryan if he had fun, he said "yes".  Dad asked Ryan if he'd like to go again sometime ... He said "no".

It wasn't the Cubs experience we are used to, but as a first outing with the kids  it went pretty well. And by "pretty well" I mean nobody cried or had a melt down. 

Our expectations are pretty low :)

She Said / He Said

While driving I hit breaks, I hear Brooke in the back say" Thank you seat belt"

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After completing her rendition of Let it Go,
Brooke: "Did I sound just like Elsa?"

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Ryan (holding stuffed puppy): "Can I tell you why i call him Screamy Scream?"
Mom: "Why?"
Ryan "Because he likes to jump a lot"

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Ryan puts down water bottle and says:
"My lip was caught in a water jam"

Guess Who Rolled Over Today?

This guy :)

Reading

So far, Luke is our book lover.  Ryan and Brooke <u>love</u> books.  But Luke will sit on my lap and listen to book after book without even a peep. He loves every page.  He reaches out and touches the images. He's just fascinated.  And when his big sister reads to him ... It's even better.  She can keep him interested in books all day.  He loves the books PLUS the sound of her voice.

It's usually hard to keep a 3 month old baby entertained, but with this little guy it's easy ;)

Sunday She Said / He Said

Ryan: "Hey Mom, my face is bored"

Beach Time

We decided to head down to the beach later in the afternoon.  Although the day was busy with blueberry picking, the weather was so perfect we just couldn't pass up the opportunity for some time by the lake.  We figured we'd be down there for an hour or so ... but the outing turned into several (fun) hours instead.

Luke and Mom sat under the sun shade and people watched.

Ryan was his usual self, diving in the water, rolling in the sand, and having the time of his life.

Aunt Karen was down there too, and she managed to wrangle an tube from a family nearby.  The kids had a blast playing with it.  We couldnt get them out of the water!

Luke took a moment out of the sun shade to pose with his sister and the Sand Monster.

 

When we got back up from the beach, Ryan required TWO showers just to get "most" of the sand off.