Go with the Flo-dens

Calling all couponers

2010-03-18T20:56:00.003-05:00

If you love coupons and deals as much as me, than you must check out this awesome website. Hop on over to Pocket your dollars and give it a try. You'll be amazed at what you'll learn and you'll save money too...what are you waiting for?! get off this blog and go.

Here we go again

2010-03-17T21:29:00.001-05:00

And now back to your regulary scheduled blog posts. I can attempt to keep it up. I try, I really do.

Max

2009-11-12T21:57:00.001-06:00

Isaac

2009-11-12T21:43:00.001-06:00

August!?!?!?!?

2009-08-01T10:00:00.000-05:00

Where did July go? Right before my eyes, August is here. It hardly seems like we've had summer this year.

It's been cool (im not complaining)
We've gone on no vacations (which we never do)
We've only filled the pool twice
We've cooked far to many meals inside and not enough on the grill
AND
we've only turned the air conditioning on about 6 times so far this year

Again, im not complaining, except for the vaction part, but where would go anyway to get warmer weather? Im sure all the other 49 states are experiencing some odd summer weather too.

Maybe the latter half of summer will bring us warmer weather and more days to swim instead of jeans and t-shirts, trips to the mall (because of rain) and thoughts of turning on the heat.

Hidden treasures

2009-07-31T07:00:00.000-05:00

He was so proud of himself for getting the toy from under the couch...that he forgot he isn't supposed to put his arm there.

Max has been told not to put his arm under the couch (because it gets stuck...and that hurts)

Boys and their trucks

2009-07-30T23:37:00.004-05:00

I love this! Max and Isaac playing together with their trucks and hot wheels.

This doesn't always happen though. Sometimes Max just wants to play by himself and he gets upset that Isaac always wants to play along.

Whatever Max has, Isaac wants, whatever Isaac has, Max wants. You can't win!

Coming out of their shell

2009-07-28T20:51:00.003-05:00

The MN Zoo offers a new play area called Woodland Adventures. We visited it the first day it opened, Max, enjoyed running around trying out the slide, running across the bridge, and climbing. Earlier this year we purchased a year Zoo pass, it was totally worth every penny and we've already gotten good use of it.

Just had to share

2009-07-04T07:29:00.000-05:00

The cuteness of Isaac. Enjoy!

Pool day 2

2009-07-03T07:22:00.000-05:00

And here they are again in the pool. This time dad decided he just couldn't let the kids have all the fun. Two weeks ago it was scorching hot outside, this week, it's been cold. I don't get the weather. I hope we get some warmer weather again soon.

Summer fun!

2009-07-02T07:13:00.000-05:00

Can you even call this a swimming pool? It is for us and the boys love it. Daryl blew this up on one of the few scorching hot days we've had. It did just what it was supposed to...cool them off.

When you live in a townhouse and rules that state you can't leave anything out in the yard, your deck is the next best place for all the kids stuff. Thank god its big enough for all the clutter we've got out there.

Worlds Greatest dad...

2009-07-01T15:05:00.003-05:00

Never mind that this is late, at least im blogging about it.

For Father's Day this year, Max and I made Daryl a card in the shape of a tie. And for his gift, we picked up a hat and t-shirt that stated "Worlds Greatest Dad". It's true. Daryl is a great dad, he's fully aware of everyones needs and takes care of them. Every once in a while he needs a little nudge, but over all he's great and we LOVE him.

Here he is sporting his new t-shirt and hat.

Visiting the grandparents

2009-06-28T07:54:00.000-05:00

We must be the luckiest parents in the world. Why? you ask, because my dad and step-mom will take Max for a day, a long weekend or a week at a time in a heartbeat. Max has already been up to visit grams and gramps at the Lake twice this summer without us. Now, he's up visiting again for a whole week. His cousin Trevor who is 6 will also be visiting. The two of them will be swinging, swimming, animal hunting at the zoo, eating fruit until it grows inside them, playing outside and sleeping by 6pm every night. Oh to be a kid again!

Here's what I'll be up to all week while he's gone
Babysitting to 6 year olds
Cleaning and organizing the house (again!)
Clothes shopping, I need some new attire for my new job
And celebrating 4th of July alone, sounds sad doesnt it. Daryl and Isaac will be heading up North to my dads for the 4th. I have to work at the Mall, so I'll miss out, but im kind of looking forward to a weekend alone...just wish it didnt happen over a holiday.

Growing like a weed!

2009-06-27T08:45:00.000-05:00

Isaac had his 9 month check up this week. While he still is not crawling (but VERY close) (or feeding himself), he's doing great. He weighed 19.14 lbs and is 29 inches tall. That puts him in the 50th percentile for weight and the 75th percentile for height. I thought Max was going to be tall, but I think this kid will surpass his big brother.

The facts about Isaac
He has four teeth
The kid can chug a 6 ounce bottle in less than 2 minutes (I know what your're thinking...and it involves college parties and beer)
loves to play patty cake (he sort of claps along on his own)
He loves nap time (who would have ever thunk it)
He is a thumb sucker and is attached to his hand-made blanket
He loves vegetables and eats only one fruit, avacado

The big news!

2009-06-26T10:29:00.004-05:00

The time has come, mommy is going back to work full time. She spent a lot of time job hunting, with little success, until last week. She had a bunch of interviews. While she was interviewing for the jobs, we spent time with Grammy Jan and played with our friends, Audra, JJ and Marcie.

From what I understand (cut me some slack, im only 9 months), mommy will be spending her days in an office helping people with their medical needs. Im happy for mommy, but I will miss her cuddles before nap time.

No need to worry about Max and I, we'll be going to daycare where there are lots of kids and plenty of toys and fun things for us to do. We'll miss mommy, but she assures me that this will be good for all of us.

Congrtulations on the new job mom.

Attachments

2009-06-18T10:16:00.003-05:00

When Max was a baby, he got a stuffed animal from a family friend. It's blue and is often mistaken for a rabbit, but I believe its actually a dog. He has grown to love "Patch" and carries him around the house, he even rides in the car (but never goes in the store). Max and Patch play toys and Patch becomes his baby and he gets buckled into the bosster seat, bouncy chair and car seat. Max carries him by the ears, h'es had countless 'baths' and has had stitches quite a few times in his short 3.5 years.

When Isaac was born, Grandma Noreen made Isaac a blanket. From the beginning I always put that blanket in bed with Isaac. Well, he is officially attached, he puts his fingers thru the holes, curls up with it, rests his head on it, chews on it, etc. He loves his blanket and can't sleep without it. Heck, he even rides better in the car with it. He totally reminds me of Linus from Snoopy. So far, the blanket has pretty much remained in the crib, we only have one so we can't lose it. I asked Noreen to make him two smaller blankets that would become take along blankets for in the car (just in case one got lost, we'd at least have a back-up).

Oh, and he sucks his left thumb OR his right pointer finger.

Funny things~!

2009-06-06T10:37:00.002-05:00

Last week I took the boys to my office where I work part time. I was on the phone and Max wondered over to the other desk. I could hear the clicking of the keyboard, so I finished up my call and went over to him.
Me: What are you doing?
Max: Im checking my email.
Me: Anything good?
Max: no response, just looked at me and smiled
I laughed and thought to myself, he's learning this from me. I may spend to much time on the computer.

Just a few days ago Max was playing with his rescue helicopter. He was rescuing me and asked me what I had hurt.
Me: I broke my leg.
Max: Ok, let me fix it.
Me: How will you fix it?
Max: I'll hammer it back together.
Me: (laughing) Hammer it back together?
Max went on to playing his rescue gig and later, I over heard him say that my toe was broke and he'd hammer that back together too. I hope he doesn't become a Dr. in real life.

Look at me ma!

2009-05-23T20:53:00.004-05:00

He doesn't crawl yet, but the other day Isaac showed me that he can pull himself up on furniture. I placed him in his crib while I changed the sheets and looked over only to see that he had pulled himself up to standing. He had no idea what to do next, so he let go and flopped right over. I wanted to get a picture, but of course he wouldn't do it again. But the look on his face says it all.

Adult supervision required

2009-05-07T08:09:00.000-05:00

Only under the eagle eye of an adult can Isaac have this toy. He reallly enjoys playing with it. His favorite thing to do is chew on it of course....see for yourself.

You'd think he ate a lemon. But actually it tickles. He'll shove this thing right up in his face and shiver. There's has to be at least a hundred little rubbery hairs on this thing, and im afraid he'll chew them off and choke. Not the best toy choice for a 7 month old. Thats why an adult must supervise the entire time.

Lets play at the park

2009-05-06T08:00:00.000-05:00

Both of my boys love the park. Who wouldn't, you can be as loud as you want, run around and blow off energy and swing for hours (or for as long as mom/dad will push).

On this day, we were supposed to go Treasure Island Park in St. Paul. Well, I followed the directions on Mapquest and never made it there. There was no park where the directions said it would be. So, we went over to Mattocks park (just blocks away) instead. (And yes, I did drive around the supposed neighborhood and never found the park). This park is a lot of un and there are always kids to play with. Max and this little girl played together the entire time. They would yell to each other 'come over here', or 'let's go down this slide'. It was really cute. To bad we don't live in the area, these two would make great friends.

Not quite big enough to go by himself.

Hi mom!

Max is really close to being to big for these swings, actually he is to big, but we managed to stuff him in.

Enjoying the cool breeze and views.

Here's looking at you!

2009-05-05T08:40:00.003-05:00

So much to talk about...

2009-04-30T10:17:00.002-05:00

so little time.

I am happy to report that we are all alive and well. We have so much going on this month. Im trying to rid some of the baby/kid stuff and consigning the items in a community sale. We have our nieces baptism over Mothers Day weekend in IL, the following weekend Isaac will be baptised. We have one weekend off and than we travel to IL again for Daryls friends wedding. These are just the major events for the month. Oh, and Max is visiting Grandma and Grandpa for the weekend, starting tomorrow. So, you want to know what I'll be doing? Cleaning! Boring, I know, but the house is a disaster and is screaming for a good spring cleaning. I have a list of things to do, but the fact that I will still have Isaac to tend to may shorten my list just a tad. I should do something fun or better yet, something for myself. I do have a few gift cards for Target, so maybe I'll sneak in a shopping trip and buy myself something.

One of the major reasons I haven't blogged is the fact that I lost interest. I should keep up with it, for the kids sake ya know! Its like working out, you get all excited about it and than a week or two into it, other things come up and exercising or blogging in this matter, get pushed to the side. I don't know about you, but this sort of thing happens to me all the time.

We also lost a good chunck of photos when our computer decided to crap out on us, so we haven't had any photos to share. Im still really sad about this, but we made up for it with the 400 + photos that was stored on the camera. Don't worry, I'll get some photos up soon, ecause the boys are growing, especially Isaac. He has teeth, and eats his share of solid food now. Good times!

New blogs and photos to come shortly, the resale is this weekend so after that I'll have a few free moments to update.

Mr. Green!

2009-04-08T10:23:00.001-05:00

Wondering what Isaac's favorite food is? Avacado. Finally! Someone else in the house that will eat this wonderful green vegetable...or is it a fruit? Well, whatever it is, we LOVE it.

The babysitter!

2009-04-03T07:13:00.000-05:00

This is what I get for asking Max to entertain Isaac for a few minutes.

The other day we wer trying to leave the house and it was taking longer than I had expected and Isaac was getting a little impatient. I politely asked Max, "would you play with Isaac while I finish getting ready so we can leave?" "Sure mom." I came out to see this, Isaacs floor gym on the carseat. Smart thinking Max.

So glad I don't have to pay him for his efforts.

Super dad!

2009-04-02T21:21:00.000-05:00

First foods?

2009-03-24T20:45:00.003-05:00

Stop

Teasing

me!

He didn't really eat it, had I let him, he would have gone for it.

Family Portrait

2009-03-15T08:00:00.001-05:00

This is as good as it gets in our family! At least for now. We are working on getting some professional photos done, but for now, this will have to do.

Snow day

2009-03-14T08:00:00.001-05:00

The last big snow storm brought enough snow to build a fort. Daryl and Max dug this one together. Poor kid hardly got outside this year, but it was nearly impossible for me to take him outside with a baby that can't/shouldn't be outside in arctic weather.

We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Spring so Isaac can get outside too. I'll be digging dirt and rocks out of his mouth, but it'll be fun.

Keeping warm

2009-03-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

Grandma Noreen (Daryl's mom) makes blankets (I don't know if its knitting or crocheting, im pretty clueless in this department). Each of the kids has a blanket for their own use and a blanket for their Baptism. She also made one for the family and for Max's third birthday he got a big one for his soon to be twin bed.

MN winter's can get pretty blustery, but we're staying warm with our blankets while you guys are staying warm in the 80 degree FL sun.

Thanks Grandam Noreen!

Priceless

2009-03-12T10:07:00.002-05:00

Crib, mattress and bedding: Initial investment $200
2 room darkening shades: $60
Sleeping* baby: Priceless

I think I've finally figured things out with Isaac. The room must be dark for naps. So, we went out and bought two room darkening shades and its doing the trick. Now, if he would just sleep longer than three hour stretches **, I'd be happy as a clam.

*I'd take a picture, but you know the rule; never, ever, ever wake a sleeping baby.
**This is a major improvement from him waking up every 1.5 hours in the night.

Spring Training

2009-02-25T21:00:00.006-06:00

It has been brought to my attention that Spring Training for the Chicago Cubs has officially begun. Daryl is a die hard Cubs fan and everyone knows it. He's so proud of the Cubs. I, on the other hand don't really follow sports but support his love for the team.

When Max was a baby, he received a Cubs outfit from Aunt Kelly and Uncle Eric. He wore it proudly for as long as he could. I have to admit its pretty darn cute and even cuter when you put it on the kids.

Max at four months.

Isaac at almost 5 months.

GO CUBS!

Baby proofing

2009-02-18T08:00:00.000-06:00

Better get my butt in gear, see that little black arrow? Its pointing to an electrical outlet and Isaac will eventually try to stick anything in it.**

Makes me think about all the baby proofing I need to do again. You see, we got lucky with Max. He didnt put anything in his mouth except his pacifier, nor did I have to worry about knick knacks, lamp cords, or cords in general, and cupboard doors. Isaac, on the other hand loves to put everything in his mouth and will be the one to stick things in the toilet, eat off the floor and play with cords or other dangerous items. First job on my list is baby proofing.

**No, he didn't actually stick his finger in it, his hair is always crazy, just thought the picture was appropriate for the subject.

Winter boredom busters

2009-02-17T10:12:00.002-06:00

Build a fort

And invite your friends over.

Make lots of projects. You can never make to much art.

He was supposed to be finger painting, but I guess he got the urge to do some body painting.**

**I was sitting right at the table next to him when he did this. Guess I got kind of caught up in my magazine.

Bye bye diapers

2009-02-11T20:49:00.002-06:00

For Max that is. He's potty training and its going very well. He gets a special outing/treat for every ten stickers he gets. Tonight we took him to McDonald's Playland because he got his first 10 stickers. Not only did he actually climb in the tube slides, he even peed on the big public toilet. Yippee!

When he sits down to go, he say's "mom, im going". He's so proud of himself. He's growing up so fast. He dresses himself, zips his own coat, puts on his shoes (he tries, but this one still needs some work), and now he goes on the potty.

Chit chat

2009-02-10T08:00:00.000-06:00

Not only do I have feet, I've got a voice.
*scroll down just a bit on the right and stop the music to hear my voice.

Who needs toys

2009-02-09T09:17:00.000-06:00

When I've got feet!

Ah, yes! I've found my feet and let me tell you, I enjoy playing with them. They make me laugh. I have not had the wonderful opportunity of a taste test, but don't you worry that day will come.

Occupations

2009-02-07T20:48:00.002-06:00

Today a news anchor

Tomorrow a lead drummer

Rock on!

Random acts of funny!

2009-01-29T10:02:00.006-06:00

OK, I'll admit it, I haven't been in the blogging mood these days. With a baby that doesn't sleep and a busy three year old, I find myself keeping busy with other stuff. When I finally sit down to do computer stuff, I wizz right by the blog and say, "maybe tomorrow". So, here's some pics of the kids and what we've been up to these days.

The fleece pants I made. I should really make another pair because these are to small with cloth diapers. I should have figured in the big cloth rumpus when I made them.

Max teaching Isaac how to read. We went through a phase where Max would have nothing to do with Isaac. Now, he wants to hold him, teach him and play with him.

Notice the red eyes? Thats what they call sleep deprived.

Mom calls this baby wearing. I kind of like it!

Pretty soon, I'll be able to suck on my toes when im in here, I know you're all looking forward to that. Rest assured mom will post a pic of it.

Not another birthday party!

Max and daddy being silly!

What do you get when you put a bunch of items in water? A bucket O' fun.

We were teaching Max which items sink or float. He loved the water more than anything, but he did get the concept.

I really hope to blog more frequently, I like journaling about the kids, but it just takes time and patience. These days I have neither. This post only took me 40 minutes...quite possibly the world record for the longest time to make a post.

Raising a Drummer

2009-01-27T06:14:00.009-06:00

Hi - It's Max and Isaacs Dad here. The other night I was trying to keep Isaac happy and I tried teaching him how to "air drum". I know a 4 month old will never be able to learn, but it was fun anyway. Watch the video and have a god laugh!

What's up?!

2009-01-11T21:05:00.002-06:00

I've been keeping mom busy these days, stay tuned for more updates...soon!

Recent conversation...

2009-01-08T08:45:00.003-06:00

with a three year old.

While playing with play food
Max: Mommy, what is this? (imagine the wrinkled nose and furrowed brow here)
Me: It's a chicken leg
Max: Well, can it walk?
Me: (Laughing) If you want it to!
Max: Ok!
And off him and the chicken leg go.

Max is very observant, notices and hears everything. We have to be very careful around him.

Here are just a few of his favorite lines these days

Who was that mom?
What is that?
I smell something!
OK?!

Three years ago today!

2008-12-22T08:00:00.002-06:00

You were born. I remember the day so perfectly...but, I won't go into details (that'll be our story). I can't believe how the time flies. It seems like yesterday that we brought you home from the hospital and we waited for your cues to tell us what we should do next.

You have brought so much joy into our lives since the day you were born. We've taught you how to walk and talk, and to be polite and make friends, yet, you've taught us how to love another being, you've taught us patience (although you test it) and compassion, and you've also taught us how to be big kids. The world is a big and scary place, take our hands and let us help you learn, appreciate and discover what is yet to come.

We love you Max with all our hearts! We want you to remember that forever. All the things yet to come, the experiences and choices you make, no matter what you do, We will always love you.

Happy Birthday Master Max!!!

Love Mom & Dad.

Life savers!

2008-12-18T14:18:00.002-06:00

Last night we had Max's third birthday party (details in a later post). As the families were leaving the party, Tami came back in and said "it smells very strongly of natural gas out here". All I could think was, "this has happened before". Daryl said he would call the gas company and have them come out and take a look. When he made the call, the guy suggested we evaculate safely. We stayed inside where it was safe and warm.

This has happened before!

Two years ago we had a similar situation of smelling natural gas. We called the gas company, they came out, stuck the tester in the air and said there was no problem. Well, last night proved a different story. There is a leak, a very small leak on a fitting that needs to be replaced. So, the gas company comes out this afternoon to remedy the problem. Thank god for good friends and pointing out the obnoxious odor. We wouldn't have noticed the odor since we hardly use the front door, we always come in from the garage.

To cute for words

2008-12-11T20:24:00.008-06:00

We've been busy little bees these days. One of my new years resolutions is to blog more. I usually don't follow through with many, but this one should be easy.

keep your promises

2008-12-11T13:35:00.004-06:00

I promised you an update about the kids. Here it is:
They are sick, growing like weeds and cute as buttons.

Ok, just kidding.

Isaac
**From all the Doctors office visits and Hospital stay, he's roughly 11.12 pounds (it's different everytime)
**He's 23" long
**He is smiling like nothing else and beginning to coo at us.
**He sleeps no more than 4 hours at a stretch through the night, but will easily sleep 3-4 hours during the day in his swing or car seat...go figure! He makes me smile even when he's fighting sleep or crying for whatever reason.
**Unlike Max, he drools and loves to suck on his hands. He'll be the one we have to constantly watch, because he'll be the rock and dirt taste tester.
**Going to sleep is a fight, but he loves to have his butt patted and shushed, all while trying to hold the pacifier in his mouth...which he spits out within minutes. I don't think we'll have any pacifier battles with this one.
He's cute as a button and has the big blue eyes just like Max.

Max
**Is almost three (only 11 more days until his birthday)
**He was weighed at the Dr.'s office and wasn't quite 30 lbs yet. All I know about his height right now is that he's over 36".
**He is diving into big boy toys: hot wheels and legos. He got some great hot wheels toys for his birthday from Auntie Kelly, which he absolutely loves.
**He loves trains, books, coloring and singing. He also loves making crafts; glue is his latest fascination.
**what else can I say, he's a typical three year old; bossy and loveable all at the same time.

I promise the next post will be pictures. Can't put those on while at work.

Admitted

2008-12-06T11:11:00.003-06:00

Well, Isaac tested positive for RSV. The Dr. was shocked he was positive because his lungs were clear and no fever. Friday afternoon he was admitted to Fairview Ridges for observation. It's now Saturday morning, 11am and we are HOME! He's doing very well, just a very raspy cough and stuffy nose. Seeing your children sick is by far the hardest part about being a parent, there just isnt anything you can do but hold them and tell them that you love them.

The best part about our visit is that the Dr. that checked on Isaac this morning was great and I decided she will be our new Pediatrician....YIPPEE!!! I've been searching for someone who will take the time to listen to our concerns and not rush us out the door and she fits the bill. I may have to make appointments far in advance to make sure we can get in, but it'll be worth it.

Tis the Season

2008-12-05T08:38:00.003-06:00

for runny noses, fevers and coughing. Max has had all of the above in the last few days. He has a squeaky voice and and ear infection.

Isaac is coughing as well so he'll be checked out later today. It's not severe yet, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. We don't need RSV to take over his little body.

Thankfully, both Daryl and I haven't gotten this round yet.

Tis the season for decorating and singing Christmas carols. We finally started decorating last night. We decided to hold off on putting up the tree until after Max's Birthday, so it at least looks like a birthday and not Christmas.

Upcoming blog: Pictures and updates of the kids. I've sort of neglected this area.

Thanksgiving

2008-11-21T10:59:00.006-06:00

Mmmm! The turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, cranberries, green bean casserole and most importantly the stuffing. I can't wait! It's only days away until we stuff our faces with food and go into coma's for the afternoon because we ate way to much.

We'll be celebrating Thanksgiving this year with Daryl's family in IL this year. D's brother had their third baby, a girl, just 8 days before Isaac was born, so we'll get to meet her, and Daryl's parents are flying in from FL to celebrate with us. Grandma Noreen will be in baby heavan, two new babies to love.

What are you thankful for this year?

I'm thankful for:
My family and friends
My home
My job
I'm also thankful for low gas prices as we're driving the 6 hours to IL. Wish us luck!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Go to sleep...part 2

2008-11-21T10:39:00.004-06:00

Are there any baby sleep whisperers in the crowd? If so, please contact me...I REALLY need your help.

Isaac is fighting sleep, for what reason I don't know. It's the evenings that are horrible, all he does is cry. The last two nights, he hasn't gone to sleep until midnight and than he's up every 2.5 hours...grr! Daryl and I think he misses Max after he goes to bed. Is that possible? I find it quite tranquil when Max goes to bed. The constant chit chat from a three year old all day long, drives this mama a little nutty by the days end. I love you Max!

I don't know what to do for Isaac. We rock him, walk around the house and he swings, which is clearly the only thing that settles him down. We better break the habit soon, otherwise he'll be off to college with it. I can see it now, I'm waving him off to college and the last thing I see is the adult sized battery operated swing strapped down to the back of his pick up truck. LOL!

This no sleep thing is NOT OK with me, nor with Daryl for that matter. Not only am I working during the day part time, but I am also working part time nights and weekends for the season. the combination of working and no sleep equals one tired and crabby mama!

I know, I know...this to shall pass!

Going green...

2008-11-14T08:30:00.000-06:00

and cutting costs. The economy isn't getting any better so in an effort to save money in our household, i've decided I will try my hand at making a few Christmas gifts. Im starting this year by making kid friendly stuff (because they can't and won't criticize my work). We are celebrating a small Christmas with Daryl's family in IL over Thanksgiving weekend, so I need to have a few of these gifts ready by than. I just hope I can get them done in time. wondering what they are? Well, you'll just have to wait! It wouldn't be much of a surprise for the families receiving these gifts since they read the blog.

Amongst other ways of saving money, here's the short list.

Cloth diapering: I work Wed-Fri so i'm only doing it part time, and only on Isaac. The sitter will use disposables unless I convince her otherwise. It's going well and I can see the benefits and my babies bum looks pretty darn cute.

Breastfeeding/pumping

Plastic on the leaky windows (which really shouldn't be leaking, but we opted for the cheaper windows). And turning down the thermostat.

Setting a very small monthly budget for groceries and sticking to it. I better go tally up my receipts, it's not looking good this month. You should know that I love clipping coupons, sales and making my dollar stretch as far as it'll go.
Menu planning: Which I need to start up again

Haircuts at home for Max. The first one went OK (hopefully, he'll let me do it again, I did accidentally clip his ear...oops!)

Re-using anything and everything possible. Check out http://www.realsimple.com/ to learn creative ways to reuse everyday household items.
Washing the laundry in cold water and setting the load size correclty. Do me a favor, next time you wash a load of laundry, do as you would, let the washer fill up with water, than look and see how much water you actually need....you'd be amazed at how much water those suckers use and what is actually needed for a load. Turning the load size down just a bit saves a ton of water. My dial goes from small, medium and super...what happen to large?

Im sure there's more, but I thought i'd share just a few.

What's that I hear?!

2008-11-13T08:47:00.000-06:00

Adults talking and phones ringing. I must be at work! That's right, yesterday was my first day back and I am happy to report that we all survived. The morning went as smoothly as it could, the boys got to the sitters, I to work (and on time) and I even remembered my lunch. Couldn't get any better.

Halloween!

2008-11-06T09:53:00.003-06:00

I should have posted this already, but I don't get much time to blog right now. I think I'll start devoting the time when Sir Isaac is bright eyed and bushy tailed at 11pm.

Halloween proved to be fun this year. Max was so excited for it. We started the week out by going to the local community center where they held a Halloween Hodgepodge for the kids. They had games, trick or treating, coloring and a haunted house. I slipped Max in his costume (he couldn't contain his excitement) and we buzzed over for a bit. It was just the two of us, I think Max really liked the one on one attention.

On Wednesday we attended a Halloween playdate. Max had fun with the pumpkin bowling and playing outside with the boys. On Friday we attended another Halloween playdate with the moms group and again, Max enjoyed playing with all the toys and playing outside. The weather was beautiful all week so we enjoyed every minute of it.

Halloween night we trick or treat in our neighborhood for about an hour and than we head over to my moms Salon in Mendota Heights where they have a mall trick or treat, wagon rides with horses and the BIGGEST bon fire you ever saw. This has been our tradition and as long as the mall is still standing and my moms salon doesn't move, we'll continue it. It's not an extravagant Halloween by any means, but it's the memories we are making for the kids.

Did I forget to mention that Max dressed up as Spiderman. He had the biggest muscles of them all. Isaac wore a little halloween themed sleeper that my mom picked up for him.

Go to sleep!

2008-11-05T22:17:00.003-06:00

I'll be the first to admit (with my husband right behind me) that Isaac is not a good sleeper yet. Max was a dream, of course we had our moments, but even to this day, he likes to sleep and does it very well, never argues with us and he stays put in his bed until we go in and get him (an hour can go by before we get him and he's still laying in bed, talking or singing). Isaac does pretty well during the day, but when night time rolls around, thats when all hell breaks loose. All he wants to do is eat and is often heard crying. We rock him, offer him a pacifier, bathe him, sing to him, walk around the house, shed a teer or two ourselves and feed him. Sometimes all our efforts just don't work and he cries, falls asleep and wakes up crying again.

Thank goodness for my moms group...I borrowed a swing from one of the fellow moms and it's been our saving grace. We put him in the swing and voila! he's happy and content (ok, not all the time). I feel bad always putting him in the swing, but how do you get anything done or spend time with the other loved ones in your family when you've got an infant that won't stop crying.

All I can say is that it's 10:23pm, Isaac is swinging peacefully (and wide awake) and I can barely keep my eyes open.

Who wouldn't love this, it's got music, lights, motion and fishy friends that spin around.

Brotherly Love!

2008-10-24T13:13:00.003-05:00

Max is so in love with Isaac and its cute! I feel like I talk about it a lot, but I truly am amazed at how well he's taking to Isaac. He isn't jealous of him, instead he wants to know when he'll be bigger so he can play. Im sure when Isaac starts becoming mobile is when the trouble will start, you know the toy snactching or , "mom, Isaac took my toy" or mom, Isaac won't leave me alone", and so on.

For now, I'll just enjoy these moments.

Can you feel the love?

October!

2008-10-23T07:02:00.014-05:00

Let me tell you how much I love October:

I love the changing leaves and colors, the cool weather, the smells of fall, the crunchy leaves, apple and pumpkin picking, wearing sweaters but no jacket, playing in the leaves, Halloween. Oh yeah, and my birthday is the 14th, and Daryl's is the 22nd.

There, now you know that FALL is my favorite time of the year. I wish it could be fall all year long. I don't love that winter comes next but I have no control over that unless I learn to migrate like the birds.

Now, to my blog about our wonderful weekend at my dads.

For the last few years, my family has had an October fest of birthdays (there's at least four) and celebrating fall. We go up to my dads, have yummy food, hang out with family and play in the leaves. Max just loves going up there and doesnt want to leave. I don't blame him, the air up at the Lake is different, sometimes the rules are thrown out the window and he gets extra attention from all his uncles and of course from grandma and grandpa.

This year, Isaac got a taste of it...he pretty much slept the entire time, but he got to meet his uncles and aunt, and Great Grandma.

Here's the highlights of our weekend. CAUTION: Picture obese!

Uncle Chaz and Isaac

Great Grandma Gen

Aunt Michelle & Uncle Jeremy

Uncle Jake

My dad and step mom have adopted a new son...Scott, he's great and Max can't get enough of him. He talks about him all the time. Scott plays with Max, makes him laugh, and most of all pushes him in the swing for hours. That's Scott pushing Max in the swing (dad and Scott hung the swing from the garage...what a great idea!)

I couldn't think of a better way to spend a brisk fall day. My grandma and I sat out on the deck for almost two hours. We gabbed and slept and soaked up the warm sun. Just what a new mom needed.

Max having a ball in the leaves and playing outside with Cocoa.

To top off the weekend we stopped by my brothers new house! They live about 20 minutes from Dads. They have over 3 acres of lush green grass and plenty of trees that shed millions of leaves everywhere. They have a really cool weeping Birch tree that I would have loved to lay down and take a nap under. My nephew Taylor was rolling down the hill and sure enough Max gave it a try. He didn't make it far though because he wouldn't relax his body.

Happy Fall Y'all!

There's a first time for everything!

2008-10-13T13:43:00.004-05:00

Im pretty sure that Max is going through a growth spurt right now. He's been eating really well lately and trying new foods or asking for things he wouldn't normally eat. On Saturday I was eating a fruit bar and he wanted one. I hesitated of course because I thought he'd just look at it and not even try it. To my surprise he did try it, liked it and kept on eating. Now, he's asking for more popsicle. Little does he know that these are not the typical sugar loaded popsicles, but real fruit. It'll be my little secret.

Mom, I really do like it!

P.S., I am quite certain this was his first popsicle....

unless of course a grandparent slipped him one.

A special visit!

2008-10-12T20:38:00.007-05:00

Last Sunday (I know it's, a week a later), my dad and Step-mom came down for a visit. They'd been meaning to come the week before but my dad wasn't feeling well. Of course they came bearing gifts for both boys. Max got a Hot Wheels fire station with some new cars and Isaac got some really cute clothes. We ate lunch and hung out for the afternoon. I was sad they had to leave. Grandpa's are so cuddly!

Grandpa wants a Boppy Pillow for Christmas

One more week, and we'll be going up to visit them. Can't wait!

Slacker mom

2008-10-08T20:38:00.003-05:00

I know i've been slacking on the blogs lately. Please forgive me! A short and sweet update. Sleepless in Eagan needs to get to bed.

Isaac is doing well, he's breastfeeding very well, but spits up a lot. We have our 2 week check up on Friday so we'll be discussing the issue to find out what we can do to relieve the problem. He's gaining weight and is awake for longer periods of time. Can't wait until he starts smiling at us (he has the cutest sleep smiles).

Max is doing well too. He has his moments, but is doing very well with Isaac. He loves him and is very helpful, he even helps wipe his little butt.

Daryl went back to work on Tuesday, Max really misses him. While D was home for the last two weeks, Daryl and Max spent a lot of time together, doing little projects around the house, running errands. They even made a train table for the basement. It's quite impressive (pics to come). Daryl was even brave enough to let Max help pain the table. They painted the entire table white, while Max was sleeping Daryl put the finishing touches to it and painted the top green. Max saw the table the next day and said "mom, the table turned green." So cute!

I'm off to bed...until next time!

My view from the floor!

2008-10-02T14:47:00.004-05:00

It's been a long time since I actually laid down on the floor. I sit on the floor with Max while playing trains and trucks, but today, was tummy time with Isaac...here's a glimpse of what I saw.

Gross! Dust bunnies, hair, maybe a few crumbs...Lord only knows what else. Guess I better get out the broom and dust pan.

Tummy time!

Little giant!

2008-09-27T07:58:00.002-05:00

Since Isaac has been home, Max looks like a giant. Everything about him just looks bigger (of course im comparing him to a 7 pound baby), but when I change Max or hold him he seems like an 8 year old.

The little giant is doing really well with "baby brother". He doesnt call him by his name yet, but thats ok. Max and Grammy Jan picked out a stuffed cow for Isaac after he was born and Max insists that the cow is always near baby brother. It's really cute. Max also likes to hold Isaac and is always asking where he is if he isnt in the room.

Daryl is home all next week, so the weeks after when it's just the boys and me will be interesting. I don't want to jinx myself, but I think that is when the jealousy will come out...when im taking care of Isaac and Max wants or needs me.

My moms group does a "question of the week". One week the question was, "would you rather have one leg or three arms"? I'll take that third arm now...please!

Welcome to the world!

2008-09-25T14:54:00.015-05:00

ISAAC RAYMOND S. FLODEN

Date of birth: 9-23-08
Time: 11:15 am
7lbs 15 oz, 21" long

For now (because my mind is in a fog and Max will be getting up from his nap), you get the basics and a few photos. I'll tell you this, what they say about acid reflux/heartburn and babies having a lot of hair proved true for me. Isaac has a full head of long blonde hair!

OMG! I really did get big toward the end. Beautiful hospital gown and all.

My baby brother!

A little Floden number game:

Daryl was born on 10/22

Max was born on 12/22

If you add up all the numbers (9/23/08) it equals 22!!! Daryl really wanted the baby to be born on 9/22, but I say, "you can't get much closer."

What a day!

2008-09-22T21:35:00.004-05:00

Today 9-22-08

It began just like any other day. I stopped for gas and headed off to work. I don't get very far when my check engine light comes on and the car begins to shake vigerously.

I take a detour right to the dealer to see how much more money I will need to sink into this 10 year old car with over 110,000 miles.

They said they would call me with what they find out and kindly drive me home. About an hour later they called with the bad news. It was the starter coil and they recommeneded the fule filter to be replaced as well. OK I say, and I ask for them to change the oil while they are at it because I'm over do anyway.

I get off the phone and Jeanna reminds me that I should have the brakes checked. So I call the guy back and ask for them to check the breaks. He calls back indicating the front rotors are warped and the break pads need replacing. Also the rear breaks need adjusting. I should have known since I've been experienceing some jeryness while braking.

Luckily Jeanna knew we had a coupon for the dealer for 20% off up to $100 maximum benefit. We put the coupon to good use.

Then we had to go to the Baby Dr. after picking up the car. She's at 39 weeks and ready to be done. I give her a lot of credit for all she has to go through just to bring a new life into the world. This pregnancy was much tougher than the last.

At the Baby Dr. they say we can try to schedule an induction...and we do! I hope we don't get bumped. We are going to try for Tuesday the 23rd. We'll keep you posted with updates as things change.

Max and Baby ???'s Dad

Raspberry picking

2008-09-21T20:28:00.007-05:00

What a perfect day for raspberry picking with the family. And that's just what we did. On our way to the orchard in Hastings, we saw motorcyles, and lots of them. They were headed to Prescott, WI not far from our destination.

This orchard is quite a bit smaller than we are used to, but it packs in a lot of fun for the kids; chickens, rabbits, goats, a baby calf, hay stacks, pumpkins, apples, and of course raspberries.

Max loved picking the raspberries, he didn't need much coaching, just a few reminders to keep his voice down and "only pick the dark red ones". He ate way more raspberries than he picked but isn't that all part of the experience? (thank goodness they don't charge you for all the berries you eat). Before the camera died on us we managed to get a few photos of our fun family day.

This train is super cool and provides great photo opportunities.

Cheese!

On top of the hay stack.

Im 3' tall!

Raspberries all around. Even golden raspberries, which are my personal favorite.

We met up with two other families and wrapped up our afternoon with a picnic lunch with our friends (and a few univited guests; bees and flies) and headed for home. What a perfect way to end another beautiful day in MN.

Updates, get your updates

2008-09-17T08:52:00.004-05:00

What's new you ask?

Friends of ours had a baby girl on 9/10/08

We have a new niece born on 9/15/08

Our 5th year Anniversary is 9/27/08

Due date is 9/30/08

With a few other family brithday's and anniversaries scattered in between, September sure is a busy month.

This weekend (if im still feeling up to it) we're going raspberry and apple picking at a little orchard in Hastings. I love fall and I don't want to miss a single second of it, and hopefully all the extra walking will help labor progress.

Who knew sewing could actually be fun

2008-09-09T13:37:00.003-05:00

I made these little pants for the baby and I actually had fun doing it (ok, the elastic was a bit tricky, but I did it!!!).

These were by far much easier than the diapers I attempted to make. I think i'll stick to pants and pillow cases for now.

The count down begins

2008-09-06T15:09:00.002-05:00

24 days to due date!!!

Daryl might tell you i've been nesting, and it's true. Washing/prepping diapers, clothes and car seats, moving furniture, cleaning closets, and purging.

Now all we need is a baby!

Trying out for American Idol!

2008-09-06T15:02:00.003-05:00

Operation potty

2008-09-01T13:15:00.002-05:00

Day two: Again, no pee in the toilet. We decided to buy a package of pull ups and go that route for a few days until Max understands the feeling of going to the bathroom and becoming aware of it. It is working, however, he still wets in the pull up, he does however tell us that he went potty, and wants to rush to the bathroom. Im not sure its progress, but I also don't want to push the idea of it either if he truly isn't ready.

Operation Potty

2008-08-31T06:49:00.002-05:00

Day one: No pee actually made it into the potty. Lots of dirty clothes and puddles were cleaned up. As far as actually sitting down on the potty, Max did great, he would tell us "I have to go potty" and sit there, but nothing! Than a few minutes later, "mommy, I went potty" (in his pants). We tell him he has to put his peepee in the potty and not his pants, its the actual peeing in the toilet we need to work on.

Time for round two....I think!

A potty party!

2008-08-30T07:59:00.002-05:00

With the long weekend ahead of us, we thought we'd give potty training a try. Daryl will be around to help clean up any messes we may have and offer his support and encouragment. Max is officially wearing big boy underwear and we threw away the diapers (except the night time ones, until he can wake up to go on his own). It'll be a day of "do you have to go potty", chearing and lots of rewards/treats, but im ok with that.

Wish us luck! Will report back on how it's going.

Isn't MN beautiful?!

2008-08-26T14:04:00.006-05:00

We don't have to drive far to see these spectacular views. Minneahaha Park is less than 6 miles from our house, so on Sunday we packed a picnic lunch and headed over. There's lots of walking paths, bike rentals, picnic areas and so much more. I think one of Max's favorite things was picking up acorns.

It must be Monday!

2008-08-25T14:12:00.004-05:00

This is our routine every Monday around 6:30 am...when the Garbage man picks up the garbage.

He's back!

2008-08-24T14:22:00.002-05:00

Yes, it's true, our little Max is back from Grandma and Grandpas house. Its a great feeling to see your child for the first time after a few days away (ok, it was a week), he looked so happy and refreshed. He loves going up to the Lake, he gets spoiled with fruit (of all things--but certainly ok with me), lots of swing time and plenty of love and attention (whatever else happens at Grandma's, stays at Grandma's).
My dad and stepmom live about 2 hours from us, so we dont' see them as often as we would like to, so for Max to visit on his own, its a treat that both he and my parent's really love. I also hope it's something we can continue to do with the kids and something they'll always remember.

Thank you grandma and grandpa for having Max for the week.

Knock Knock. Anyone Home?

2008-08-19T23:03:00.003-05:00

The house has been so quiet this week. Max has been visiting his Papa and Grandma in Osakis this week. We thought we would be able to rest while he was away.. how untrue that is. Jeanna and I have actually been very busy working on projects that we are not able to do as easily if we are watching Max. I've completed multiple small projects around the house. Jeanna has been cleaning, doing laundry and preparing for the next child. She's also learning how to use her sewing machine and making diaper covers. I know it's not an easy thing to learn to do but I appreciate her desire to try new things outside of her comfort zone.

We called Max the other night and he told us he was feeding the deer. We found that Papa brought him to a deer farm and he was able to feed the deer. Papa also said that Max loves chocolate Chip ice cream. He's being spoiled...but this is good sometimes.

I'm also getting excited about the new baby that is on the way. I can't believe that it's only 6 weeks away. I know are lives will turn upside down again and get a little more hectic, but what is life if it's not hectic.

Before I go, I ask you pray for those in Florida affected by the recent tropical storm. My parents were lucky not to have been affected by the storm but they told me about a town that had 15 homes destroyed by a tornado that accompanied the storm.

Until next time...

Max's Dad

On the road to recovery!

2008-08-13T09:06:00.004-05:00

Ok, I know im a little behind these days, but hey, im a working mom and we've been busy.

As you may recall, Max was sick everyday last week. He was getting better by Wednesday but kept spiking a temp, so I stayed home with him on Wednesday, Daryl stayed home Thursday, by Friday morning we thought we were in the clear...NOT! Max woke up Fri morning and said his leg hurt. He wouldn't get up to walk on it, so Daryl carried him to the living room. So, we said, well, someone has to stay home. Daryl stayed home again with Max and took him to urgent care. He had a viral infection with a strange bumpy rash and a leg that couldn't be walked on.

By Friday afternoon, he wouldn't walk on either leg. As parents, you wonder what is going on, it was quite scary for D and I, we couldn't understand why he wouldn't or couldn't walk, we let him hang out on the couch all afternoon while we waited for his regular Dr. to get back to us. He assured us that this was related to the viral infection and that it would clear itself up within a day or two (still not very reassuring, but we waited it out--all the while, debating if we should take him to Fairview Children's Hospital). Saturday morning he woke up, still sore, and no walking, but within an hour or two, he was perky, running around the house and happy as could be.

WHEW! All Daryl and I could do was smile and thank god, that he was ok. So, as planned the week before, we headed up to Grandma and Grandpa's at the lake. We celebrated my dads birthday with lots of yummy food, good company and of course birthday cake and strawberry cheesecake (my dads favorite).
I'd post pictures but we forgot the camera, maybe Grandma can send us the ones I did snap from her camera.

Weekend water fun

2008-08-06T12:28:00.008-05:00

Last weekend we took Max to Nicollet Commons; a fairly new water park that the city of Burnsville built. It's all natural with ponds, and a few fountains. The best part about it is that it's FREE, and Max likes going because he's not intimidated by the depth of the water (ankle-to knee deep).

There really is a baby in that belly!

A splashing good time!

C-U-next time!

104'!!!

2008-08-05T11:37:00.002-05:00

Max's temperature that is. Yesterday he woke up from his nap and he was burning up, I took his temp all three ways I knew (ear, rectal and under the arm), all three came out completely different. Rectal temp was 104', subtract a degree (which I never knew) and it's been a consistant 103'. So, we took Max to Urgent Care last night and discovered he had a mild ear infection. We buzzed over to Walmart to fill the prescription, walked around the store and had Max throwing up all over. Thankfully it was isolated and he only threw up in one aisle. It was a lot and I felt awful leaving the mess there but we rushed out the store, brought him, bathed and put him bed.

This morning he seemed like himself, still a little warm. I ran to Cub for a few groceries and I thought he'd pass out in the car (from being tired and warn out). He's resting now, for how long I don't know.
Sick kids is absolutely no fun, you feel helpless and wonder how you can help them and make them feel better. He's only 2.5, so he can't exactly tell me something is wrong, but when he tells me he wants to go to bed, I know there's something wrong. Hopefully, by tomorrow he'll be back on his feet feeling better.

What a week!

2008-07-31T21:02:00.003-05:00

This is daddy's first blog attempt, please bear with me:

Jeanna, Max and I had lots of fun visitng my brother this past weekend. Max played with his cousins Brady and Cooper. They splashed in the pool and learned how to use the slip-n-slide. The adults had some quiet time to take a nap and to catch up on what's been going on. Our lives have been so busy with work and family that there has been little time for rest. This was a much needed break. I found it hard getting back into the swing of things at work this week. I'm glad tomorrow is Friday!

Max and are also keeping close tabs on the Chicago Cubs. We left Milwaukee on Monday as the Cubs were coming to town. I think that is why our bus was late picking us up. There were so many Cub fans on the road the bus could hardly move. I guess the hour wait wasn't so bad as long as the Cubs won the game. They did better than win against the Brew crew, they swept the final game of the series today and increased their lead in the NL Central to 5 games over the Brewers and 4.5 games over the Cardinals going into tonights games. Max and I couldn't be happier. This year they will win the World Series!

As you may already know our family is preparing for the arrival of a baby brother for Max. It's hard to believe that Jeanna is already 31 weeks pregnant. That gives us 5-9 weeks before we could possibly have another child here. The anticipation is mounting. Max still doesn't seem to understand there is a baby on the way. We tell him there is a baby in mommy's tummy but then he points to his own belly and says "baby in the belly." He'll learn quick when the new one arrives.

Whew! I got through my first blog attempt. So how do you end a blog entry anyway???

Home sweet home!

2008-07-29T13:42:00.003-05:00

While we always enjoy our trips away, it's always nice to be back home too. We had a great time socializing with family, Max enjoyed playing with his cousins, Daryl and his brother got to hang out a bit and my SIL and I had plenty to talk about too.

Our bus trip:
The way down to IL went well. I didnt know what to expect, but when there was a seat toward the front of the bus with a small table and three seats left, we jumped at the opportunity. It worked well, because Max could color, eat, play cars, etc. He was to short to look out the window, but we did let him stand up once in a while to look out the window to look ofr cows.

Our trip back didn't start out so well. We arrived at the drop off location about an hour earlier than suggested (which worked out well, Max got to see some trains and run off some energy). We walked over to our drop off point around 4:30 and waited, and waited and waited (in the heat, no place to sit down, in 80+ degree scorching sun). The bus was supposed to arrive at :455, at 5:20, Daryl called the Customer Service number and they told us the bus was late, and would be arriving around 5:30. 5:30, came and went, another person waiting with us, called and they said, the bus was 6 minutes away. We all know how long 6 minutes can be in traffic, but surprisingly, the bus did arrive within a short amount of time. We boarded the bus, me frantically searching for at least two seats together so one of us could sit with Max. No such luck, in my frantic state I yelled to Daryl and said, "there aren't two seats together" (there was no way, Max was sitting on a lap for 6 hours...and I did buy him a seat). Thankfully, a very nice gentleman said he would move so we could have the two seats together....THANK YOU!
After getting situated, the trip went smoothly, Max cooperated, we kept him busy with stickers, food, coloring, and looking out the window (we sat on the upper level of the double decker bus on the way back). Thankfully, Daryl got Max to fall asleep for about two hours on the way back, it was dark and late and we both knew he was exhausted...much needed rest, for all of us.

Here are our tips for riding the megabus
***Book your trip as far in advance as possible, the earlier out, the cheaper the tickets will be....some people did actually get a ticket for $1.50 one way (LUCKY THEM)!!!
***Don't take the late afternoon bus. If you can, stay the extra night and leave in the morning departure. Don't want you waiting around like we did.

Are you wondering if I will ride the bus again?! Maybe! if it were just Daryl and I, absolutely! If my kids were older, say 5 or older, than I might, but I can't imagine taking a newborn because you can't bring the car seat on the bus. All in all, Daryl and I are proud of Max for being well behaved and he did really well. 5.5 hours on a bus (or any vehicle) is a long trip.

PICS TO COME

Kick me baby, one more time!

2008-07-24T15:21:00.003-05:00

Tired, achy, sleepless? Yes, yes and YES! I can hardly bend over, can't see my toes, have acid indigestion, and of course eating a lot. Glorious pregnancy! For the most part I do enjoy being pregnant, it's just hard to except how big im getting.

I read up on how baby is developing and how big he is getting so here it is (taken directly from http://www.babyzone.com/pregnancy/trimesters/week/article/30th-week-pregnancy

All About Baby
Your baby's face looks much like it will when he's born. He still needs to fill out more to get the characteristic chubby infant cheeks, but he's on his way. He can move his head, open his eyes, and make breathing movements through his open nostrils (although no air comes in).
How Big Is Baby?
If your little one were born today, he'd have a good chance for survival at about three pounds and nearly 11 inches long (crown to rump). Don't you dare think about coming out yet, we haven't even begun to prepare for your big debut.

Baby boy is always on the move and of course he's extremely active when im laying in bed, trying to sleep. I hope thats not an indication of his regular sleep schedule. It'll be up to Daryl and I to dictate his little sleep schedules and if all goes well, he'll be a great sleeper like Max.

Baby names?! None! We are still trying to agree on one (I think, we've narrowed it down to three at least). And, we aren't sharing until he's born anyway.

We're going on a trip!

2008-07-22T14:18:00.002-05:00

We're going to IL (leaving Fri and coming back Mon) for a long weekend to celebrate our nephews third birthday. We aren't driving ourselves this time, instead, we'll be riding a bus (http://www.megabus.com/). Sounds crazy and I wonder how Max will do, but the price couldn't be beat...it's actually cheaper round trip on the bus than paying for gas and wear and tear on the car.

I've been telling Max that we are going to see his aunt and unlce and cousins and we'll be singing Happy Birthday, and of course that we are riding a bus. He thinks it's a school bus and I'll let him think that.

Im so excited we are going, my sister n law is expecting another baby within days of us (lucky lady will get induced early though), it'll be neat to compare bellies and share stories. We don't get down there very often anymore since having kids, but each and every time we do go, it's so much fun.

I'll let you know how the trip went when we get back.

What have I learned?

2008-07-22T14:07:00.002-05:00

As I dig deeper and deeper into the Spirited child book, I've learned a lot. Even Daryl says he's seen some improvement from Max and myself (well, some days that is).

So, what exactly have I learned?

Say YES more often and NO a lot less
Use the words that he is actually feeling; anxious, overwhelmed, angry, sad, etc. Max is only 2.5 so we've got some work to do on this one..once he realizes how he's feeling, he'll be able to pull himself out of a stressful moment.
Limit TV time. Really, they say the child actually becomes a character in the program and has a hard time pulling themselves out.
Take breaks, for BOTH Max and I.
Watch for cues that your child is about to lose his top
Keep stimulation and stressful situations to a minimum.
Know when to pull your child out of a situation that makes him act out.
Don't blame yourself
Remind yourself that your child is NOT acting out on purpose.

While i've learned a lot, there's still so much more. I must figure out how to make our days more fun and positive rather than yelling and arguing about wearing our pj's all day.

More words from Max

2008-07-22T13:41:00.001-05:00

My peepee is...
falling off
blowing away (I admit it that I do change his diaper quite often in the back of the car)

The trees are dancing.

He works hard for the money!

2008-07-19T15:01:00.003-05:00

Literally! Aside from his regular 40 hour a week job, Daryl also has a part time weekend job working at the Hospital, doing various jobs. Today, marked the 13th day in a row he has worked. He called me during lunch today to tell me that he was having a horrible day! Poor guy, he did a quick training for this two day shift and he's frustrated, overwhelmed and tired. I'd like to surprise him by telling him to set up a golf outing, but it wouldn't be a surprise because he does read the blog.

So, hubby, here's to you! Plan a golf outing with your buddies and enjoy! You deserve it!

Reading materials

2008-07-17T08:29:00.002-05:00

I've taken to reading. I figured I do have a little extra time in my days/evenings so im reading some new books. All of them related to parenting and family.

My current read is "Raising your spirited child" 2006 edition. Yes, that's correct, "Spirited". After reading the first 60 pages of this book, I discovered that Max is an introverted spirited child. His behavior/reactions at playgroups or out in public made me wonder what I was doing wrong in teaching and parenting him. Now, I totally understand. So, im learning how to get inside his head and help him understand his feelings, needs and urges. It's a learning curve, but im confident that I can get a handle on it now, so that he'll be able to understand when he needs a mini break.

Who is the spirited child?
The word that distinguishes spirited children from other children is more. They are normal children who are more intense, persistent, sensitive, perceptive and uncomfortable with change than other children.

Updates to follow, but for now, i've got a little more reading to do.

Super Duper Farmer's Market!

2008-07-13T11:26:00.004-05:00

One of my favorite things about summer is the Farmers Market. Fresh fruit, veggies and flowers right at your fingertips. Saturday morning I ran over to one to pick up a few ingredients for dinner this week. I love supporting the local farmers, and not giving ALL my money to the grocery stores.

This weeks dinner menu

Monday: Ravioli with a fresh creamy spinach sauce

Tuesday: BLT's (with the local grown tomoatoes)

Wednesday: Chicken, cheese and squash bake

The rest of the week will be brats, pizza and hamburgers (obviously not from the Farmers Market)

Max and I dove right into the strawberries and ate about half the container. By Sunday morning they were all gone, we used the last half on our waffles.

The progression...I think i've had one too many strawberries.

What's next?

2008-07-13T11:23:00.004-05:00

Max is really into puzzles right now. We've slowly been buying them, mostly the wooden chunky puzzles that didnt mimic the actual puzzle piece shape. On Friday night Daryl picked up a real puzzle at Target for $1 (24 pieces) and he's already got it mastered. He'll do it three times in a row. He loves these things! What's next for a 2.5 year old? I guess we'll have to move up to a 50 piece puzzle.
The barn puzzle was first, a good challenge, but he figured it out quickly. The auto puzzle is acutal puzzle piece shapes, again, a good challenge, but he's bored with it. The U.S. puzzle is the one Daryl bought, he's mastered it already.

Meal time bites

2008-07-12T13:56:00.002-05:00

No, I really mean that. It bites!
Max has become very picky, or unwilling to eat. He seems interested and than we sit down at the table and he wants nothing to do with eating. Sometimes he'll eat a PB&J sandwich, sometimes cottage cheese. Other times he'll eat just fruit. I make meals that I know Daryl and I will make and offer it to Max, but he never eats it. He used to eat veggies and fruit and lots of other foods. I don't know if his appetite has diminished because its summer and its hot out, but man, I get exhausted thinking about the wars that meal time will bring.

Throw a plate full of chicken fingers and french fries in front of him and it's devoured, even if he wasn't hungry, it'd be gone! McDonald's, and other fast food restaurants, I want to (no, I NEED too) know what you put in your food. Kids just love this food, what is it? For me its not that it necessarily tastes good, it's just down right convenient. Running late, or too lazy to cook, no problem, i'll just run through the fast food lane.

Happy eating!

Words from Max

2008-07-11T09:50:00.005-05:00

I thought it'd be fun to share some of the wise things Max has to say.

"I just burped...in my butt!"
"I have caca in my butt!
"I just dry" (as his diaper is hanging off his butt, soaked to the bone)

will add more as they come to me.

Pregnancy ups and downs

2008-07-10T08:24:00.003-05:00

Ok, it's only 8:24 am and i'm already bored at work, so I'll spend the day filling up the blog.

I realized that I haven't shared much about the pregnancy so here it goes: Im 28 weaks, exhausted, feeling like a balloon and I just want a good nights sleep. Aside from being tired all the time, I feel good, I've only gained 9 pounds. Im sure it'll catch up to me any day though. While Max doesn't really understan that there will be a new baby soon, he does touch my belly when Daryl or I make mention about it.

I've decided to take on the task of cloth diapering...hopefully! It's a big commitment with a lot of extra laundry, but it's cheaper and greener and well, we're on a tight budget. Wish me luck, i've been learning and reading up on it and it's quite overwhelming to say the least, there are 100's of choices for cloth diapers and the more you dig, the more you find out. I should just stop while im ahead.

Random thoughts

2008-07-10T08:20:00.003-05:00

Toddler tantrums: Who's teaching who. The toddler usually wins because the parent can't take it anymore.

Repetition: Im going to count how many times Max repeats himself in a day (the same sentenance or question that is). Results later.

Potty training: If I waited until he was 4, would that be too late.

Toddler questions

2008-07-10T08:13:00.004-05:00

When do kids start asking questions that are actually meaningful? Like last night, when Max wanted ice cream.

The conversation went something like this:

M: Daddy, I want some ice cream (politely, soft voice)
D: In a few minutes Max
M: I want ice cream (whimpery and disappointed)
D: In a few minutes
M: Daddy, I want some ice cream now! (Loud and angry)

It finally ended wtih me telling Max that daddy was asking you nicely to wait a few minutes. (Forget teaching toddlers about time, patience and waiting). Max than proceeded to say, "I need to get my jammies on", I said, "ok, great!" I changed his him into jammies and he got his ice cream.
Max will ask all the questions in the world like, "can I mommy" with no real importance. It might be because he wants to throw the ball, or put a toy back in the bin. But, when we wants something he demands it. So much for being polite!

My favorite question and one I can't resist laughing to (and quite honestly, I don't know how to answer it).
Max: "Can I play with my peepee, can I mommy?"

Happy 4th of July!

2008-07-05T14:59:00.013-05:00

Daryl and I took Max to the Eagan parade for the 4th. It's really nice and convenient, we don't have to drive just load up the wagon and walk one block to the main road where the parade runs. We had some friends join us this year, the kids had a lot of fun. Max enjoyed the parade, but was a little scared by all the horns and sirens and didnt want to get his own candy, so I willingly helped. The rest of our day consisted of lunch, a very quick trip to the Fun Fest, which Max didnt' care for, a nap (for all three of us), and playing at the park. We decided we stick it out for the evening and headed out for some ice cream and than sat and watched the fireworks. Max really enjoyed the fireworks, being his first time I was a little skeptical, but he was a trooper and loved every minute of it. I have to add that from where we were sitting, I counted at least 6 other fireworks displays going on at the same time, not as viewable as the ones we were watching, but pretty neat to see the entire sky lit up with fireworks.

Happy Independence Day!

If we had loaded the wagon with anymore stuff there wouldn't have been room for Max. 3 water bottles, a blanket, sunscreen, towel and snacks...did we forget anything.

We saw firetrucks, clowns, marching bands and even old men riding on little tiny cars.

For months, Max has been trying to figure out how to climb up this little tunnel that leads to the bigger part of the playground. I've risked ripping my arm off (by sticking them in the holes) many times to help him get up the darn thing. He decided to take his shoes off and what do you know, he made it up all by himself.
Come on over sometime and we'll take to the newest ice cream shop near our house. Ring Mountain, they've got homemade ice cream and even gelato...YUM-O! Max chose blue ice cream that tasted like frosting.

A new beginning

2008-06-27T10:58:00.002-05:00

Daryl and I had to make some tough decisions about Max's daycare situation. We had him attending a really great home daycare that ran just like a pre-school. He learned so much there (counting, colors, shapes, numbers, animals...need I say more) and met some wonderful little girls (Max was the only boy). His teachers are sisters and treated every child like they were their own kids.

With our tight financials the way they are, we decided to pull him out of his daycare and I asked a friend (and co-worker), who has twin boys that are 5, if she would like to watch Max for us. She happily agreed. Her boys did too, they were so excited to hear that Max would be spending some summer fun with them. Max will get to go to the zoo, the park, the swimming pool, go on walks and maybe Mer, will even find some time to swing by the grocery store once in a while. Whew, I feel tired just talking about it all. Today (June 27th) was Max's first official day with the (I'll call them the V family). I was afraid he'd cry when I left him, but to my surprise he didnt. I hope he's enjoying his day, I sure have been thinking about him all day.

Home For Sale!

2008-06-20T20:54:00.002-05:00

Our house has been on the market now for 39 days and we've had zero, count them, zero showings. I wasn't expecting much but, doesn't the saying go "Third times the charm"? Did we bury the St. Joseph statue right side up instead of upside down?

If you know someone who's looking for a nice townhouse, let me know. It's really not a bad place, but with a toddler and a baby on the way, we need more space.

You might be a redneck if...

2008-06-20T20:47:00.003-05:00

You let your kids use a winter sled for a sandbox and wading pool.
Or in our case, if you live in a townhouse and have to make due with the lack of outdoor space. Max thought it was pretty cool that he had a sandbox.
And it's perfectly convenient to pull the sled right into the garage when were done playing.

A clean home is a happy home

2008-06-16T08:29:00.004-05:00

Max loves to clean, often times I pick him up from daycare and he's sweeping away, or his teachers tell me about how he got a sticker for helping wipe down the tables after lunch.

At home, he has a broom and mop that is just his size. He helps me sweep the floor or dust, he even likes to help me put the laundry in the dryer.

He's a natural...what can I say!

My hobby? I think not!

2008-06-16T08:09:00.006-05:00

A few Christmas's ago, I got a really great sewing machine from my mom. I thought, this is great, I can make all kinds of things. Since I got the machine (more than 2 years ago), i've made an apron, and my latest project (on Father's Day 2008), a pillow case for Max. I was excited to get started. I cut the fabric, pinned the hems, set up the machine and away I go....NOT! Of course I know nothing about my great sewing machine, I have to read the instructions every time I use it. Im on a hand's learner, not a manual reader. Either way, I did manage to get the open edge of the pillowcase done and than the thread got all snagged (I got frustrated...big surprise) and I had to have Daryl come down and help me. Hew saw that I wasn't going to sew the rest of it inside, and he informed me that if I do it inside out, the seams wouldn't show (DUH!). REMINDER: I can sew a button a shirt, and maybe a small tear in a shirt, but that's it. Anyway, we got the machine all set up again and I re-alligned my fabric so it would be inside out and I finished the pillowcase...it only took me 2.5 hours. So, Max, I hope you like your pillowcase and you are surprised. The real surprise is that I am not good at sewing and I need a LOT more practice.

I wonder if If can bring my machine to JoAnne Fabric for a tutorial on sewing machines.

Here's the result

Surprised? Im not showing the flaws! But at least it fits the pillow.

A trip to the MN Zoo!

2008-06-07T13:55:00.011-05:00

We took Max to the MN Zoo after church a few weeks ago. Summer proved it was here and boy, was it HOT! Our first stop was to see the Dolphin show. Max made sure to let everyone around him know how much fun he was having. He really did enjoy the dolphins and that's all he could talk about.

There's the goofy glasses again!

The goats...the very hungry goats!

Rabbits!

Even without a nap, Max still had plenty of smiles.

Misc. pics at the lake

2008-06-07T13:35:00.009-05:00

Daddy & me

Mommy, put down the camera and check out the view!

Zoro, the dog, Max and Uncle Jeremy

Like my shades? Good, you'll be seeing them quite often.

What do you get when a 2 1/2 year old tries green olives?

The sour face!

P.S. I don't like green olives!