Weekend Wrap-Up

Hey there!

Our weekend was good.  We didn't have too much planned but we kept busy anyway...

Saturday

We had a lazy morning at home until we went to visit Great-Grandma Gi-Gi with Auntie Yoda, Craig and Auntie Mari.

Kona watching the neighborhood

Big sister tickles

Look at that belly!  CHUNKY MONKEY!

Tummy time!

Watching tennis

Watching a crazy preschooler

Watching tennis AND holding a baby...a pretty good deal!

G-ma and G-pa came over on Saturday night and babysat so Chris and I could go out to dinner!  (To Olive Garden! And dinner included a margarita!) And go to Menards!  And get ice cream! 

So. Refreshing.

The girls did great- Maya especially loved staring at our oven lights and hanging out with G-ma outside.

So thanks Gus and Karen for the Olive Garden gift card, and thanks to G-ma and G-pa for taking the girls.  It was great to get out just the two of us and not worry about little people.  Ironically, there were other little people there in our section totally losing it.  So while we couldn't escape screaming, we at least didn't have to be the ones to deal with it.  :)

Sunday

Callie (and Chris) had the first day of Sunday School in the new 3-year-old classroom.  Chris is teaching again, but I'm not since I wasn't sure how the year would go with Maya. 

She would not look at me for a picture, so this is as good as it gets.

Hanging with her sister before Sunday school started

Following Sunday school was the Vikings game during which our preschooler had a major meltdown.  My guess it is from the hours of sleep she has missed this week with not napping.  But after her meltdown Chris got her to sleep, so that was a victory today.

Because of the nap we were just home this afternoon, so of course I took some Maya pictures while her older sister was sleeping.

Tonight I went out to eat with friends (I got out TWO nights in a row!) while Dave, Cherilyn and their girls came over to hang out with Chris and our girls.

It was great to get out for a girls night, but I was happy to get back home and cuddle my baby.

Tomorrow is the first day of preschool!  I'm both nervous and excited for her...it will be good to get the first day out of the way.  We have been talking about what to expect, but you never know what will happen!  I'll keep you posted.  And Boom and Bops come home from South Korea tomorrow.  Yippee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Favorite-Things-Phone-Dump Friday

It is the weekend! 

Here is what I learned this week:

1) We'd prefer that both sets of grandparents not be on vacation at the same time. Haha! This week was a good reminder of how totally spoiled we are to have them all in town and always willing to help us out.  Needless to say, we're thankful G-ma and G-pa are back, and look forward to Boom and Bops' return on Monday. :)

2) Babies scream.  Our baby screams...a lot.  But after doing some research, I found out it isn't all that uncommon for babies her age.  It is called the PURPLE crying period.  There is even a website dedicated to it: purplecrying.info.  I don't know how legit it is, but their acronym pretty much nails it (the graphic below is from the website, not me).

So it seems that we're muddling through the peak right now and hopefully the end is coming soon.  Ironic that purple is my favorite color, because THIS kind of purple is not that fun.

3) Callie's love for her little sister has still not wavered.  I thought the novelty might wear off by now(especially with all the screaming), but she is legitimately EXCITED every time Maya is awake and alert.  No one gets her to smile more than her big sister. 

4) I can survive without toddler nap time (though I'm secretly hoping that the onset of preschool next week brings back the naps...at least 2 days a week).  We have started "quiet time" in the afternoons and it has been moderately successful...minus the few days that she decided to poop on the potty 6 times in a row and I kept having to trek upstairs to wipe her.  I guess I deserve it after I complained so much about her not going potty on her own.

Anyway...on to the phone dump.

Favorite Thing #1: The girls I get to spend my days with
(Check out the bottom right picture...major spit up smile)

Favorite Thing #2: Hanging out around the house

Favorite Thing #3: Our independent girl
We had a preschool conference to meet her teacher this week, she has rocked the
potty situation, and even took a shower (mostly) by herself this morning!
She can also proudly tell you the definition of "independent."

Favorite Thing #4: Getting together with high school friends.
We saw Emily and Vera and Casey, Ciri and Gianni this week.

Favorite Thing #5: Going for a run
I went for my first solo run (2 miles...2 slow miles), and then went out again
for a quick jog with my little running buddies.  Cal chose her own running outfit. 
Obviously.

Favorite Thing #6: A trip to the Children's Museum

Favorite Thing #7: Friday night dinner with G-ma, G-pa (yay they are home!) and Auntie Cat

Have a fantastic weekend!

Throwback Thursday

The first one is from the babies' first professional photo shoot- Callie's at 4 months and Maya's at 5 months.  Unfortunately we did Callie's at Target, and didn't get full size resolution pictures, so hers is a little fuzzy...but you get the idea.  I didn't even realize that we had gotten such similar posed pictures until I went back and looked at Callie's.  Gotta love sleeping babies!

The next one is of cute awake babies wearing heart outfits.  What do you think...do they look alike?  I think they have similar noses and mouths...but you can definitely tell Callie has a bigger head.  And lighter hair and eyes.  Maya's hair and eyes are staying darker...I'm curious to see if they will lighten up at all.

Seriously, this is fun.

The Second Child

So I looked back at the blog when Callie was Maya's age, and I had posted a bunch of videos by this time of Callie's life (though I had major video issues back then, so none of the videos actually work, which is a TOTAL bummer).

Anyway.  Ooops. 

Sorry 2nd child.  In my defense, Little Squish, you have either been sleepy or screamy a lot of the time.  And a sleepy baby, while adorable, isn't really video-worthy...and no one wants to watch a screamy baby.  For reals...it is not too fun.

In an attempt to try and catch up, I took a video yesterday.  It is pretty cute (though I'm slightly biased).  Alas, 2nd child, the big sister shows up in the video too, so it isn't totally your own.


IMG 5944 from Baby Goose on Vimeo.

But I was thinking that it can't be all bad to be a 2nd child.  At one point this morning, there were three of us staring adoringly down at this sweet face.

So you have a whole extra person to love you and take care of you.  Pretty cool.

I suppose that may only be the case until you get old enough to tick off the extra loving person and then all bets will be off.

But know that when you were an itty bitty baby, your big sister loved to cuddle you and was an excellent passy-putter-inner.

We all love you like crazy, 2nd child.

6 Weeks Old/Family Pictures

This little Squish is 6 weeks old today.

 

I just can't handle the cuteness.  I mean, look at those sweet cheeks.

 

And those beautiful eyes.

 





 

And those tiny feet. 

 

 

And then there is her 3-year-old sister and her big personality.

 

And her strength and beauty.

 

And then there is the two of them together.  My heart.

 

I'm in love with the little family we have created.

Thanks to Nik for capturing our little girls so perfectly.

Weekend Wrap-Up: The Labor Day Edition!

I didn't really realize that yesterday was Sunday until about 2am this morning when I realized I didn't post!  Luckily, I have the excuse that since it is Labor Day weekend, the weekend doesn't technically end until today. :)

We didn't have many big plans this weekend, but it was nice to have Chris home for 3 days and have a lot of family time.

Saturday
*Hanging out at home with Auntie Cat

Notice the preschooler...she is becoming increasingly non-compliant for pictures

Squishy Squish Squish

Can't get enough of those eyes

*Having our old Munster neighbors over: Mike, Trang, Wes, and Lewis.  Mike and Trang got married about the same time we did, and they had Wes a month or two after Callie was born.  Lewis just turned one.  We haven't seen them since before Lewis was born, so it was fun to reconnect and watch the kids play.  I didn't get that great of a picture, but that is to be expected with four kids under four.

Wes, Maya, Lewis, Callie

Sunday

*Meeting Nik at Centennial Lakes for a family picture photo session

The pictures turned out great- I'll post them tomorrow.

*Playing Ping-Pong and hanging outside

Just hanging out with the recycling bin

Still trying to figure out how to bike

*Hanging out at home some more...after dinner out with the Held family (no pictures...darn)

Play time!

Monday

*Trying out a new dog park...wearing a doggie shirt!

*Playing outside making a nest for ping pong balls chicken eggs

LONG LEGS!!

*Walking around Centennial Lakes with Auntie Yoda...which included a massive preschooler meltdown (no nap today!) because she purposefully threw a flower she had picked into the water and promptly started screaming because she wanted the flower back.

Mid meltdown

That's about it.  We're anticipating some baby screaming and preschooler tantrums later this evening.  As much as it was great to have so much time together this weekend, we will welcome kid bed time when it comes. :)