Bradley Family

Lets Go Fly a Kite

2008-10-09T22:17:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago Adelyn saw a neighbor flying a kite and thought it was pretty cool. That reminded me she got a kite from Auntie Stacy and Uncle Nick for her b-day (in June!) so I told her when Dad got home we would try to fly the kite. Her response was, of course, 'lets do it right now'. I explained that I wasn't sure I knew how to fly a kite and we should have dad help us, to which she replied "I'll show you how to do it!" (we waited for dad!)

She loved running back and forth through the yards and at first was mad once they got it all the way up in the air, but then she thought it was pretty neat. Although since then she hasn't wanted it to go 'way up high in the sky', just back and forth.

Typical Adelyn fashion ~ "I'll do it by myself"

Typical Alyse, enjoying the action

Close up of her enjoyment

Sweet success!

Go Wild!

2008-10-01T10:30:00.003-05:00

We got to take the girls to their 1st Wild game of the hockey season last night (Alyse's 1st game ever). We went in to it with low expectations of what their attention span would be so were very pleasantly surprised to still be there for the Wild victory in overtime--whohoo! Adelyn did a great job of sitting and watching, with the aide of a little popcorn and Alyse seemed to enjoy the action too. She did fall asleep in the 3rd period though and slept through the final goal...which I don't know how! It was a blast having the 4 of us there together. Thanks for getting the tickets honey!

6 Month Check Up

2008-09-11T07:59:00.003-05:00

Clearly I don't need to explain that you are a smiley, sweet natured girl! You keep us entertained that's for sure...and you are becoming quite social. You have found your voice and are not afraid to give a scream if no one is paying attention to you. You love to solicit smiles from others by giving your cute little grin. I took you to a meeting at church last night and despite that you had just gotten 4 shots earlier in the day, you were standing on my lap, looking over my shoulder and smiling at several of the ladies behind us. Of course they couldn't take their eyes off you and you loved every second! The doctor even commented on what a social butterfly you are. You had a lot of stories to tell her at the check up.

And you have been eating food like a pro! Your 1st food was bananas, which you eagerly gobbled up. We have added avocado and sweet potato to the mix as well. When the bowl is gone you keep mmmming for more. It is very cute!

You are close to sitting up. Its not a problem if you've got some pillows around you but otherwise you topple forward after a few seconds. You have been rolling from your back to your stomach for over a month now and can even push yourself backwards, but no forward crawling yet. You love playing with your big sister and save your best smiles for her! You even play Barbies already with us. You hold one and eat her face/hair, your sister takes all their clothes off, and I have fun putting new outfits on them. I know we will all have so much fun together as you continue to grow! We love you!

Stats:
Weight 16 lbs 3 ozs ~ 67th percentile
Height 28 inches ~ 99th percentile
Head 17.5 inches ~ 95th percentile

Time Flies and so do the Girls

2008-09-05T00:52:00.003-05:00

photo courtesy of Stacy who tag-team watched the girls while Jon and I vacationed for our 5 yr anniversary

Because I'm sure you are sick of looking at the same photos, here's a new one. Thank you to Grandma, Nana, Stacy, Nick, and Sis for watching the girls while Jon and I had 5 peaceful days of doing whatever we wanted! Its amazing how much you can accomplish with just 2 adults. We loved the Carolinas and hope to go back soon...

"This" is where its at

2008-08-01T15:33:00.005-05:00

Adelyn getting Alyse to laugh out loud for the 1st time

Bethel friends came over for a BBQ--the group has really grown!

What a little cutie...already playing with big sis

Lots of days spent at the zoo with friends and splashing in the water

Alyse before we turned on the air...can you see her frizz?

We are still alive...the computer has been down for a while now but it looks like my awesome husband has gotten us back on the world wide web again...Thank you honey!!! I know it goes without saying but summer is just so wonderful. These past few weeks I can't stop gazing at my girls and feeling like "yeah, this is definitely where its at." They bring us such joy. I love watching them interact and it doesn't get much better than the sweet hugs and smiles from them. What a blessing kids are (I wasn't saying such sweet things at nap time yesterday but we'll forget those few hours...)

We have been having a ton of fun this summer. Lots of swimming, trips to the zoo, parks, time with friends. Please let it never end! Off to the church carnival tonight. I just found out Adelyn can participate (thought it was 5 and up). She is going to be so excited to do the moon bouncer and other games. Can't wait! I hope the sunshine has been good to you as well!

4 Month Check Up

2008-07-14T14:36:00.000-05:00

Hard to believe but we just took Alyse in for her 4 month check up. She was a little show off...trying to talk and stand up and she didn't even cry for her shots (just kidding of course). We were just in last week for a little pink eye (of course it had to be the week before the appt.) but all looks good now. Her weight has dropped percentiles while her height continues to climb. The doc said she is not worried about her weight at all because it is common to shift around in the first 6 months as the body gets to where it should be and 68th percentile is still a pretty good sized baby...above average :) We sure love this little girl! Here are her stats:

Weight ~ 13 lbs 11 ozs = 68th percentile
Height ~ 26 inches = 98th percentile
Head ~ 16 inches = 55th percentile

Sweat Pea

2008-06-25T10:19:00.000-05:00

"Daddy's Little Sweat Pea"

How can a newborn do that? What? She's almost 4 months old?!

So my little girl is growing up so quickly! I love the big smiles, coos, and strength she is developing. She regularly surprises me with how strong she is...first holding her head so well, then standing on my lap (with assistance of course), and now trying to rollover. She can really move around in her crib and get her head facing the opposite way of how I laid her down. I find myself often thinking "How are you doing that?" But then need to remind myself that the days are flying by. I look forward to the days when the girls can really play together but already feel sad that my newborn is growing up! Alyse you are very sweet (except in the car). You bring us such great joy! We love watching you grow!

Alaska

2008-06-21T11:03:00.000-05:00

A bit delayed but here are a few photos from our week in AK over Memorial Day. We had such a great time being together and visiting friends. It was a refreshing get away. Our days were spent at the park, zoo, 'hiking,' Jitters, BBQs and more. Adelyn was in heaven having playmates around all of the time. She loved all of the kids but had a special place in her heart for Carter. She followed him everywhere! It was pretty cute. Alyse was sweet and just went with the flow.

enjoying our morning coffee--they even make a kids size!

a stop for ice cream on the way to the park

Adelyn's bud Carter...had to ride next to each other of course

Seward, AK love the mountains!

One for Team Mom

2008-06-18T10:06:00.002-05:00

What has happened to my avocado loving baby? In her early eating days she would consume more healthy foods then I have in my life. Adelyn, now 2 would be perfectly happy eating junk all day with a little fruit and dairy on the side. (Unfortunately this is probably a trait she gets from me...Stacy can attest to my poor snacking choices growing up). Somewhere around 18 months she started becoming obsessed with 'candy'. I have been trying to find some alternatives and yesterday hit a gold mine.

We had some individually wrapped prunes ('dried plums' sounds so much nicer) that she came across while raiding the pantry. Yes, she pulls a chair over to the pantry and digs around. I had tried once with Adelyn a few months ago, being that they were a favorite of hers at one time I thought she might like them. Not then but once it was her idea it was all good. I'm assuming she thought they were a fruit snack type of candy given the packaging. I reluctantly agreed to her having one (mind games of course). She gobbled it up and kept asking for more. Yes! A healthy snack added to the mix. She does tend to favor fruit so if anyone has good veggie or other snack tricks I'd love to try them!

Father's Day

2008-06-17T08:00:00.002-05:00

Enjoying an afternoon at Canturbury Park

Happy "Father's Day" cake

Adelyn insisted that we put candles in Jon's angel food cake (before the whip and strawberries) and sing "Happy Father's Day" to the tune of Happy Birthday. Since her birthday she has often been found singing Happy Birthday to someone. It was funny to see her turn it in to a Father's Day rendition. Of course Dad had to blow out candles too (2X) with the help of his lovely daughters. Cracks me up!

Wild Friday Night

2008-06-14T08:38:00.003-05:00

Last night we took the girls to get their photos taken. We needed a 2 year shot of Adelyn, some 3 month of Alyse and a few of both girls together. Our former cheese ball Adelyn was now shy and tentative. The photographer managed to get 2 photos of her (while she was sitting on my legs) and 2 shots of the 2 of them together before she was pushing Alyse off her lap. Then Adelyn took off with Grandma while Alyse got her time to shine. She did a great job although we had to work a little harder to get the big smiles from her. She was a good sport none the less.

15 minutes later is when the real fun began--picking all the photos we wanted to order. Jon and I usually end up glaring at each other by the end of this process :) He wants to keep it simple, I can't pass up ordering that cute shot of my precious daughter...you get the picture! I figured our experience combined with the fact that we got several less shots to choose from (Adelyn used to take 30 good pictures to narrow down vs the 2 this time) we could get out of there fairly quickly. 2 hours later the fun was complete. We saw plenty of people come and go. Not sure what it is about us but quick isn't usually in the equation. Maybe some day...when we are ordering school photos or something!

Needless to say it was a fun Friday night for me as I could look at those little cuties all day, but I'm not sure it is Jon's idea of a good time. Ok, I am sure its NOT his idea of a good time but he was kind enough to be a good sport about it and let me get lots of photos to add to the shrine :)

Cribs are Overrated

2008-06-11T09:30:00.000-05:00

Who needs a crib when mom and dad's bed is just right?

Don't worry. This was a supervised co-nap. I was able to sit in the room and work on putting photos in albums (that I printed 3 months ago!) while these cuties snuggled. Naptime has proven to be the most challenging adjustment for me with the 2 girls. As of last week I decided to throw out my expectations that both girls will nap in their resepective beds each day in a 'text book' fashion. The drill was I get Alyse to sleep, 'quick' try and read to Adelyn and rock her to sleep (nothing quick about this), ohh, Alyse is crying already, run to help her, back to Adelyn etc. Forget it! Since that decision my stress levels have gone down and wouldn't you know it they are still getting their beauty rest. Methods have been a little more creative...some work some don't but hey you live and learn! It was so sweet watching them twitch and bump each other off and on during the nap. Both prefer to sleep next to a warm body--might as well be each others! Then maybe I can get a few of my little projects done every now and then. (don't write me about the dangers of co-sleeping as I will keep a close eye on my darlings)

Happy 2nd Birthday Adelyn!

2008-06-04T10:19:00.003-05:00

"Freezer Blueberries" ...a daily request, never mind there are fresh ones in the fridge now--certainly not messy enough

How is my sweet baby 2??? Turning one felt like a normal and even fun milestone but turning 2 just seems weird. It has been an amazing year of changes for you Adelyn. You are constantly adding to your verbal vocabulary and cracking me up daily with the things you say. Yesterday you shut the car door and said "that was a heavy one." Today you said from the back seat "Go Mommy" when the stop light turned green. (I don't know how you figure these things out!) The tone you use, the sound effects, everything about the way you communicate is so cute. If you want something from me you tend to tip your head to the side, look at me and say in a high pitched voice "candy?" "sure." as though to answer your own questions. You reach for my morning coffee cup and say "tiny sip?" "OK." "warm"(while nodding your head to assure me its not hot and is OK for you to drink). You have a ton of personality. You love playing with other kids and are generally very sweet and kind to them. I could spend all day watching you and smiling. You make me so proud! It is amazing to me how much I love you! I hope you grow up confident in that love. Everyday I thank God for you. Your dad and I are so blessed.
Happy Birthday love bug!

2 Month and 2 Year Checks

2008-05-21T16:37:00.004-05:00

Alyse has started to smile--what a great milestone!

1st corn on the cob--definitely a hit

The serious, observant side of Alyse

A close up of that beautiful smile

The idea was to play with the cups in the water but I guess since its is technically a tub she though it was best to take a bath

Adelyn loves her little sister...we often hear "I wanna hold her"

I must confess that I am on the verge of quitting the blogging business. Days pass that I do not sit down at the computer so obviously I am finding it hard to keep up with the blog. Don't feel too bad for me though because most of the time we are too busy outside to sit in near the computer :) Here is a recap of what I've missed.

I love the sunshine and the new adventures is allows us to tackle. We have been exploring the local parks pretty regularly. Adelyn is brave and does not mind, or rather prefers, to go down the big slides alone. I helped her out one time and the next time, after following her up the stairs she turned around and said to me "Watch, I do it." Well, OK. So Alyse hangs out in the sling, her favorite place and we follow Adelyn around as she explores. She has become incredible verbal. She often surprises me with what she has to say and what she can remember. The bedtime routine has increased to almost an hour because that's how long it takes for her brain to download. It is pretty amusing to hear the things she is processing before drifting off to sleep. She is all over the board in what she wants to talk about and she often speaks in her high pitched, excited tone. Last night it was recapping the afternoon we spent playing at the neighbors...scooter, chalk, Kylee, share. Then on to Chloe and the time she napped in Adelyn's crib. Then about Murphy and how we saw a school bus letting kids off when we took him on a walk. She is just too much fun to listen to! She definitely keeps the days interesting.

Alyse is a sweet as ever. She has the biggest grin that she shows off pretty regularly now. Coos and chatting are a part of her skills now and we love carrying on a conversation with her. Adelyn has even been known to pull out Alyse's pacifier and say 'talk to me'. Hmmm, wonder where she's heard that before? Trying to explain how Alyse is still young enough to use her pacifier at more then bedtime has proven to be tricky. Alyse still has a strong preference for the sling, much to my back's dismay. I tried to get her in the bjorn again but she cried the entire time. The second I switched to the sling she was asleep. I guess she knows what she likes! Like a champ she moved to her crib in her own room about a week ago at just over 2 months old. Jon and I were nervous about it but for no good reason. As we were swaddling her in the crib for the 1st time and explaining to her how she was going to try something new she drifted off to sleep. Jon and I were quite puzzled and weren't sure what to do next...do we turn the light off? Suddenly we are whispering and tiptoeing around the room. Sure enough she slept just fine and doesn't mind a bit being in her crib. Two thumbs up to that! Alyse has been a good sport and seems to enjoy her silly sister. We love this little girl so much!

Both girls had their check ups within the past couple weeks. I am still slightly disturbed by Adelyn's check up but of course Alyse's was just fine. I used to always look forward to the check ups...get the measurements, find out they are growing etc. Well now that Adelyn is 2 she decided a check up at the doctor was not a place to be enjoyed. She didn't want to stand on the scale, said "I want to go out" while pointing at the door the entire time I talked to the doc and darn near pulled the shot out of her arm. Good thing she only needed one and even better that she doesn't go back for a YEAR. Whew. At least we still have several to look forward to with Alyse before she figures out its not as much fun as we think.
Almost forgot the stats...very proportionate...big girls :)
2 Month for Alyse
weight 11.5 lbs = 85 percentile
height 23 inches = 89 percentile

2 Year for Adelyn
weight 30.5 lbs = 91st percentile
height 35.5 inches = 91st percentile

Quick Update

2008-05-02T16:46:00.003-05:00

I am supposed to be 'spring cleaning' so I'll make this short but wanted to get some new photos up. A few weekends ago Stacy persuaded us into making a trip up to Hibbing to show off Alyse and meet the girls' new cousin Damian. This past Monday-Wednesday my mom and I took Alyse and Adelyn to visit Stacy and Nick in Sioux Falls while Jon enjoyed some peaceful evenings and got caught up at work. We went to the Butterfly House where a butterfly sat on Alyse's head for a photo. We had a blast visiting them!

Making sure Alyse doesn't fall off the bed in Hibtown
(by putting her in a head lock)

The closest we can get to have the girls play together, which Adelyn is very anxious for

Off to find something to get in to...probably candy

Kissed by a butterfly (look on her head)

Different yet similar

2008-04-17T21:00:00.006-05:00

Happy 6 week birthday beautiful Alyse!

I have had a lot of fun over the past weeks thinking about what similarities and differences our girls have expressed already. The most obvious differences were their hair color and birth weight: 6lb 14oz vs 9lbs 1oz. I learned today Alyse just may favor the sling where as Adelyn loved the Bjorn. I only used it once with Adelyn because she enjoyed the bjorn so much and I liked how it was so secure to me. Alyse hasn't shown the bjorn as much favor so I broke out the sling today and sure enough she settled right down and went off to dream land. Funny side note on that...I had Alyse in the swing in the kitchen while I was getting the sling figured out and Adelyn was upstairs playing. A few minutes after I had Alyse secured Adelyn looked over the railing and asked "where did Sister go?" It amazes me how observant she is. Of course she thought it was pretty funny I had her sister in the sling on me and she had to 'look at her' about 10 times.

Now that the initial 'shock' of entering the world has worn off Alyse has shown many similarities to her big sis in her need and love for being held. I might go so far as to say she may be even more demanding then Adelyn was. If you don't have her just the way she wants to be held she will let you know loud and clear! So far some favorites of hers include kicking on the changing table, being held so she can see over your shoulder, and having her soft blanket rubbed on her cheek and head. If those don't work you can bet she gets passed back to mom pretty quickly :)

Some times I look at Alyse and I see so much of Adelyn. She makes a lot of the same facial expressions. Yet at the same time I can look at her and think she looks totally different. It is a mystery how that can be possible. I am looking forward to watching them grow and seeing how much the do end up being similar.

Adelyn is the 1st photos and Alyse is 2nd

I was surprised at how much Adelyn actually looks like Alyse in this photo.

Both girls at about 2 weeks old

Fun in the Sun/Snow

2008-04-12T09:41:00.001-05:00

Hooray for the weekend! Its fun to have Jon home all day (he and Adelyn are still snuggled in bed) and nothing on our calendar. We had a fun Friday night--some shopping at Macy's and then watched the Wild game. Do we know how to compromise or what--haha!

Thursday was definitely my hardest day as a mother of 2 and the hardest day I can remember for quite some time. We were all battling some type of flu bug. I was exhausted and the girls just wanted to be snuggled--usually a great thing but neither really wanted to be snuggled together. So I would try and rock Alyse to sleep, put her in the swing and then take my turn rocking Adelyn with hopes she would fall asleep before Alyse would wake up. But of course Alyse would wake up before Adelyn would fall asleep which would result in both girls crying--on and on for hours all the while my stomach was cramping and my body weary. Obviously sick days have yet to be invented for Moms as I quickly learned. We made it through though. Jon kindly came home right after 5. Adelyn was asleep by 7:30 and we were in bed by 9!

Friday all was well with the world again and it may have been the smoothest day that I've ever had with the girls--ironic huh! I think we were all back to normal again as far as the flu bug goes. We were showered, dressed, fed and casually out the door by 9 am (this never happens without at least my stress level rising considerably) and off to visit Kim. She used to watch Adelyn on Tuesdays when I worked and was anxious to see her and meet Alyse. We had a blast with her. Back at home Alyse fell stayed asleep in her swing (after her lunch) allowing me to feed Adelyn and put her down for a nap. Adelyn actually fell asleep while I was reading to her. Nothing like this has ever happened to me with her. Jon says it has a few times with him but I could hardly imagine it. Both girls happily asleep I was actually able to put some dishes away etc. It was amazing :) I'm going to hope for more of those days!

Happy weekend! Here are some pictures from last weekend when we thought we were playing in the last of the snow.

What is it about snow that makes you want to eat it?

Her boots turned into high heals with the slush she collected

Whee! Fun with Aunt Monica

Thank you!

2008-04-07T21:15:00.003-05:00

We have had awesome visitors the past few weekends. (Blame them for my slow posting) I want to THANK YOU for coming to visit us. We love your company and help. The girls love playing with you of course!

Aunt Stacy and Sis are so fun!

Uncle Nick giving attention to little Murph

Uncle Nick and Aunt Rebecca came last weekend

Aunt Monica just left--sniff sniff

Grandpa Randy came Saturday with a new car

Aunt Jenna came along with him

Friends

2008-04-02T08:22:00.003-05:00

Stacy B is holing Alyse and Stacy is holding her daughter

That's my princess in the brown sweater...wow.
Only a 2 month spread between these 3 girls.

Easter weekend Kara, my best friend growing up, was in town and we were able to meet up for the afternoon. We met at the Eden Prairie Center so all of the kids could run around and play together and we could catch up between chasing them around (thanks Jon and JR for doing most of the dirty work!!!)

My family was in town which worked especially well because Stacy B, my sister's BFF growing up, happens to be Kara's cousin. So our families have spent a lot of time together. Stacy B has one daughter, Brielle, and Kara has Kyle (4 yrs old--not pictured as he was having too much fun) and Aubrey. It was awesome to see the kids playing together. I so wish we could all live close and this would not have to be an occasional meeting. There are not enough people in the world like Kara--she is an awesome friend and I miss her very much. Jon, maybe we should move back to Hibtown...

Snuggle Time

2008-03-22T11:04:00.002-05:00

I don't know who's luckier, Jon or these girls who have such an awesome dad...

Happy Easter weekend! Stacy, Nick, and Sis are in town so we are keeping entertained. We are going to attempt an Easter egg hunt (inside) for Adelyn tomorrow which will be fun. Off to the mall!

2 Week Check Up

2008-03-20T10:25:00.000-05:00

All went well for Alyse's check up. She was back above her birth weight (despite the major diaper blow out in the waiting room) so we don't have to bring her in again until 2 months. The doctor said she is perfect! We asked that they re-measure her height since we didn't think the hospital did a very accurate job and were curious to see if she was really only 21 inches. Apparently they don't normally check height again at the 2 wk appt since babies don't grow much in height that quickly. She measured at 22 1/4 inches today so chances are good that's closer to what she was when born.

Today's stats:
Weight 9 lbs 2 oz = 95th percentile
Head circumfrence 14 inches = 69th percentile

My Lucky Charms

2008-03-19T10:00:00.003-05:00

Big Sis can't wait for Alyse to be old enough to push around in the basket

Happy St Patty's Day (a few days ago of course)

Yesterday was my 1st day alone w/ both girls and I'm here today to say we survived! Thank the good Lord for an incredible amount of patience He gave me yesterday as Adelyn was coming off a weekend of less then ideal sleep, which added to her lovely 'terrible two' moments. Aside from a disastrous nap time it was a great day. I even got some awesome snuggle time with both of my girls as we watched Curious George together. I truly feel blessed. Now lets just hope my almost 2 year old can start sleeping as well as her newborn sister.
PS...if Alyse hadn't passed her hearing screening I would seriously consider the possibility that she is deaf...sleeping through a crying sister and barking dog. I don't know how she does it!

Go Gophers!

2008-03-16T15:01:00.003-05:00

We brought the girls to their 1st Women's Gopher hockey game last night. It seemed to be an appropriate introduction to the sport for Alyse. She snoozed thru the whole game while Adelyn cheered wildly. (I'm not kidding--she really was a great cheerleader!) It was a very fun outing.

At young 10 days old Alyse continues to be sweet while her big sister has been very loving. We tried to get the girls to pose with the Easter Bunny but only Alyse was a willing participant. Adelyn wanted nothing to do with him. It is still a very cute photo! With Jon having the past few days off from work we have been able to break out the double stroller and hit up a few favorite spots. Keeping with tradition Alyse's 1st trip was to Costco :)

More Photos of the Girls

2008-03-12T10:40:00.005-05:00

Not a lot of time to write but here are some more photos. We are doing great and spending our days staring at Alyse in awe. Thanks to eveyone who has been helping us out and keeping us company!

This is how Alyse spends most of her time

Sisters! Adelyn's wish came true.

Of course the big sister must learn to drive

Party!

Alyse Abigail

2008-03-09T12:08:00.003-05:00

Meet our new baby girl! She was born Thursday, March 6th at 1:39pm. She was 9lb 1oz and 21 inches long. We are happy to be home and settling into a new routine. Alyse just gets cuter and sweeter each day and Adelyn has been an awesome big sister!

Anticipating New Baby

2008-03-05T19:08:00.002-06:00

As the due date rapidly approaches we are consumed with prepping and thinking about the arrival of our new baby! The official due date is the 16th but the baby has been showing strong signs that they would like to make their grand appearance within the next few days. Of course since we are mentally prepared for it, it will be another week or two :) Either way we will be sure to keep you posted with the good news.

I finally got my 'nesting' energy and got the house whipped into shape today. (I took a personal day today.) All the while I was cleaning I knew something was up given the fact I had been staring at these projects from the couch for weeks wishing I had the energy to get them done. Suddenly I was wiping out the fridge, scrubbing the tub, etc. All of my errands got ran and I'm off to pack my bag. Man I am nervous but very excited as well! Stay tuned.

"More Hockey"

2008-02-24T20:34:00.004-06:00

What could be better then watching a hockey game with Dad?

How about enjoying it with a cheeseburger and fries?

It has been a full week of hockey for Adelyn and all she can ask for is 'more'. As we left this morning we asked Adelyn if she knew where we were going, thinking she would say church, but instead said 'hockey?' Jon has kept her busy watching games and she loves it! Last Sunday they scouted a peewee game in Hastings (while my mom and I were at the Wild game that Jon got us tickets for...what a guy!) Tuesday night we took her to watch Jon's mens league game, which was extra fun because the Balvins were there and she loves playing with their kids. Thursday she and Jon went to another game together while I stayed home to clean a little. From what I hear Jon got a preview of life to come in the next 18 plus years as the kids he coaches swooned over her. Of course she loved all of the attention.

Friday and Saturday were spent back in Hastings watching Jon's peewee team in their district tournament. She is so funny when watching the games because she shouts out at the players, sometimes things I can understand and sometimes not. I hear a lot of 'shoot it' and 'skate'...something I'm sure she has overheard her dad say. Every period break she asks for 'more hockey' with hopes the game is not quite over yet. Last night was especially fun because after the peewee game the 3 of us went to a local restaurant and enjoyed cheeseburgers and fries during the girls state hockey game. Adelyn and Jon were glued to the TV and had a blast watching and eating together. Seeing them have such a good time together was fun for me to watch! Jon promises there is a lot more high school and college hockey to see this week...Adelyn will be so happy!

Cold Weather Fun

2008-02-21T09:15:00.002-06:00

What better way to pass some time inside during the subzero temps then to make some tasty dessert? As you can see, Adelyn is a great helper. We had a lot of fun. She is in love with 'washing up' any dishes that may or may not be dirty. At least once a day she spends some time at the sink giving the dishes a good pre-rinse, which can be messy but a good way to pass the time.

Banana bars...mmm! Do they make mini aprons?

There's that beautiful smile

"Lick it" is what she told me the appropriate next step is,
to which I of course agree

Don't let Grandma Bonnie see this--raw eggs and all

"Wash Up"

"Church"

2008-02-18T08:55:00.002-06:00

Adelyn is at an age where she loves going to church to play with the kids. She squeals when we turn into the parking lot, clapping, kicking her feet and chanting 'church' & 'kids'. Kim said last Tuesday when she was watching her they were going to run some errands. Kim told her where she needed to stop and asked Adelyn if she wanted to go anywhere, to which she answered "church." That just cracks me up. Of course we are very happy she enjoys it so much and hope the phase never passes. The past few weeks we have put her in the 1-2 yr old nursery room, which has the big play house, while we are at Sunday School and then she moves up to the 2-3 yr old room for the 2nd hour. Her good friends Jack and Livy are in that room so she looks forward to playing with them. I like that she gets to go to 2 different rooms so its not too long of a morning.

Other weekend updates...no more crib escapes which we are thankful for! We've got the room darker now so I think that's helping her sleep. Saturday after swimming lessons we met Grandma and Chloe at the zoo for a Tropical Party. They had a sandbox set up and fun music. Then we walked the tropics trail and talked about how we wish we really were on vacation. Ohh to be out of the freezing cold for a few days! Bummer that I can't fly anymore or I would be seriously looking at the Expedia last minute vacation packages.

Tropical Party at the zoo Saturday

why didn't we take one more warm vacation this winter...?

New Room = New Challenges

2008-02-14T16:06:00.003-06:00

Adelyn's Valentine gift to us was figuring out how to escape from her crib. I put her down for a nap this afternoon and thought she was being unusually quiet for not quite being asleep yet. But I thought to myself 'Wow, maybe she is getting older and really getting the hang of this nap thing'. Yeah right! A few minutes later I hear her knocking at her bedroom door saying "Mommy! Out!" I never heard a thump so she must have dangled herself out pretty well. I tried again and less then a minute after I had shut her door she was knocking on it again. I asked her if she would show me how she gets out to which she replied "Sure." Sure enough she just throws one leg over and slowly dangles down. Great.

Showing off her Vday cookie from friend Olivia

Happy Valentines Day!

Success!

2008-02-10T21:04:00.000-06:00

Rocking chair borrowed from the nursery...TBD on if we need 2

Plan is to paint the bookshelf - as you can see wall decor is not on wall

So much extra space we might as well put the new baby in here too :)

Aside from getting the wall decor hung up we got all of our projects done for today so I am very happy! I knew it was crazy talk to think we could get that hung up in such a short period of time--we really stink at deciding where to hang things. My mom helped Jon carry in the new baby furniture so as not to send me in to labor a month early. Thanks for lending us your muscles Mom! We even had time to buy the double stroller I have had my eye on.

Adelyn didn't seem to mind her new room last night at all. It was a pretty typical night. The bedtime routine took a little longer then preferred but nothing crazy. We had the monitor on since we aren't sure if we can hear her downstairs yet so that was different. I woke up a bunch of times to her talking in her sleep. She had a good time playing in there again today so hopefully all will be fine. It is weird going downstairs to change her diaper and find her clothes now though. That will take a while to get used to.

Moving Day

2008-02-09T22:13:00.000-06:00

Jon is rocking Adelyn to sleep in her new room as we 'speak'. We spent the week playing in the room after Jon and I cleared out all of the other furinture and painted last weekend. (Side note...we have officially painted all of the rooms in our house now so Jon can make a sigh of relief and take a few years off from the paint brush.) This afternoon we moved all of her bedroom furniture, washed up the new pink sheets, and got most of it set up. I'll try and get some photos tomorrow. Of course the wall decor is not up as we stink at that--so painful to put holes in the walls. Maybe tomorrow will be an exception and we'll actually get it all done. I wouldn't mind getting the nursery furniture set up tomorrow too but won't hold my breath on that. In case you are wondering, the new paint colors are pink and green. I love how it turned out. The room is much larger then the nursery so it feels pretty spacious right now. I'm sure it won't take long for toys to take over and that feeling to pass.

Overall it was a really nice Saturday. Jon, Adelyn and Murph slept in until 9 so I had some time to drink coffee and read the new Karen Kingsbury book that just came out (so far so good by the way!) Adelyn and I headed off to swimming about the same time Jon hit the road for a hockey game in Hudson. We went straight from swimming to the zoo for a neighbor's 4th b-day party and met Jon back home around 3, at which time Adelyn napped for a few hours and Jon and I got to relax before the big furniture move. The birthday party was a blast. Adelyn loves watching the older girls and they don't seem to mind that she wants them to always hold her hand and take her along where ever they go. I loved watching her smile at them in adoration and giggle all day. Tomorrow promises to be another cold day so aside from church and hopefully a quick stop to look at a double stroller I'm assuming we will spend most of the day at home (working on projects of course). Try to keep warm--we are in the homestretch of winter, I hope.

Happy Golden Birthday!

2008-01-30T14:14:00.000-06:00

Come close, I have a secret...

Can you believe my dad turned 30?!

Happy 30th birthday Jon! We had a blast celebrating with you this weekend at Buck Hill and the Wild game was a perfect way to spend your birthday evening. Adelyn and I hope you know how special you are to us and how much we appreciate you. We hope you felt spoiled on your birthday because you deserve it!

First Snowman - Ever

2008-01-08T21:30:00.000-06:00

Adelyn made her first snowman at Grandma's this weekend. It fell down on Sunday with the warm temps but we repaired it last night. Don't worry, she was wearing appropriate winter clothes when she built it. We didn't have the camera with so we had to do a photo shoot later of her grand creation. He's not as grumpy of a snowman as his celery mouth makes him seem. We struggled to find the right props. Later in the evening we asked her what we used for her snowman's nose she answered 'carrot' even though it had been a few hours since she had built it. What a little smarty :)

A Sister...

2008-01-06T14:39:00.000-06:00

Reading about kitties with Chloe

This couch is so much more fun with a friend!

19 months old and proud of it

A few weeks ago Adelyn finally answered us when we asked if she wanted a brother or sister. Each time we asked she answered 'Sister.' Does she have any idea what we are talking about? Who knows...but it is still fun to have her answer. If she really does want a sister maybe its due to the fun she has with her good friend Chloe :)

Christmas Morning

2007-12-27T22:50:00.000-06:00

Can't open presents before the first cup of milk (aka coffee for my parents!)

Is this what these are for?

Hey, does this new vest match my socks?

Santa was too kind--time to enjoy my new gifts!

Christmas was a lot of fun! After church on Christmas Eve we came home and made a bunch of tasty appetizers (for the 4 of us - my mom was here too). Adelyn was the last to wake up on Christmas morning...how many years until she is dragging us out of bed? She seemed to really like all of her presents. She would get distracted and play with each new toy for a while before opening the next one, but that gave us some time to open our gifts. Mom and I made cookies while Jon and Adelyn napped and then it was time for the big meal...yum! It was a really nice time. Adelyn's new favorite word is 'cookie.' We hear it several times a day followed by about 5 pleases. She really likes the almond bark w/ candy cane cookies you made Auntie Stacy--good work!

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-25T20:35:00.000-06:00

We hope you are having a great Christmas! This was supposed to be our Christmas card photo but the website we ordered them through didn't like the resolution. I had to at least put it on the blog after we froze outside for the photo shoot (many thanks to our photographer Sis who also endured the cold!) Have a great night--the New Year is right around the corner...

Holidazzle Parade

2007-12-22T20:33:00.000-06:00

The view is best in Dad's arms

Adelyn's combo smile/growl--popular for the camera these days

We took Adelyn downtown to see the Holidazzle parade last night. Considering it was still 37 degrees on the way there it seemed to be the best night to stand around outside. We bundled up and got our warm beverages as though it were below zero and joined the crowds. It was a great time! Adelyn ohhed and ahhed at the lights and enjoyed the business of all the people.

We stayed downtown for dinner and a little shopping after. Dinner itself ended up being disappointing--poor service and only OK food but it was redeemed by the fact we saw Marion Gaborik saunter by as we were finishing up our meal in Block E (the day after he set a new Wild record by scoring 5 goals in one game mind you!). Jon, in his excitement to let us know, managed to knock his water glass into his lap before hopping up, grabbing Adelyn (who already had the camera out taking pictures) and then taking off after Gaborik & girlfriend. Unfortunately, because of Jon's wet pants, they were too slow to find where they went, but our spirits were renewed none the less.

Adelyn taking Dad's picture with his help

Let me know your results...

2007-12-20T14:21:00.000-06:00

What The Holidays Mean to You

For you, the holidays are about celebration. You enjoy all the fun and fellowship that the holidays bring.

You celebrate the holidays in an over the top style. If something is cute, you'll buy it. People end up with a lot of gifts from you - and your house is like a holiday wonderland, full of decorations.

During the holidays, you like to feel cozy and comfortable. You're happy to stay inside with a roaring fire and a warm drink.

You think the holidays should be comforting and relaxing. You don't like the holiday rush... you just like the simple pleasure of the holidays.

Your best holiday memories are of childhood foods and traditions. You secretly still wish you believed in Santa Claus.

What Do the Holidays Mean to You?

I tried this one a few times because I had issues picking just one answer but both times it came back with the same response so whew. Give it a try and let me know what it says for you!

Early Christmas

2007-12-17T20:57:00.000-06:00

We celebrated Christmas early with Stacy, Nick, Sis and my mom this weekend. It was so fun to have everyone at our house. We did some shopping and lots of visiting Friday, opened presents, baked cookies, and went out to dinner Saturday (and shopping-but didn't close the mall down). Sunday it was off to church and then a little more shopping and cookie baking. A weekend filled with Christmas music, apple cider, and family--how awesome! Adelyn didn't really care about opening the presents but really liked once they were ready to play with! Stacy and I had a great time playing with her Barbies and new outfits...ahh the good old days.

Passing out presents to everyone, with some help reading the name tags

Excited about her new sweater rack Uncle Nick made for her new room

How many new gifts can we use at once-sit & spin, puppy purse, and mr potato head

Making cookies = making a mess = having a blast!

Cookies are fun to make but even better to EAT

2007-12-13T11:43:00.000-06:00

You Are Apple Pie

You're the perfect combo of comforting and traditional.
You prefer things the way you've always known them.
You'll admit that you're old fashioned, and you don't see anything wrong with that.
Your tastes and preferences are classic. And classic never goes out of style.

Those who like you crave security.
People can rely on you to be true to yourself - and true to them.
You're loyal, trustworthy, and comfortable in your own skin.
And because of these qualities, you've definitely earned a lot of respect.

What Kind of Pie Are You?

18 Month Check Up

2007-12-11T20:19:00.000-06:00

Sly hip check to the snowmen

Ready to go see Santa

Adelyn's 18 month check up went very well. She made a goofy growl/smile at the Dr. most of the time while she was talking to us. The Dr. was impressed with Adelyn's vocabulary and commented on her spunky personality. Adelyn can repeat pretty much anything we say now, which is fun. She amazes us with how many things she recognizes on her own. As we dropped Jon off at the hockey rink Sunday she called out 'hockey' from the backseat. This was only her 2nd time at the new Lakeville rink. Crazy how she recognizes it even from the car. Throughout the game she hollered "Goal" and "Go Cougars" (which sounds very cute) and clapped enthusiastically whenever the other fans were cheering. She is very proud of her dad's team!

Last weekend we made a trip to the Mall of America to do some Christmas shopping and attempt to get a photo with Santa. The first sightings of him at the local mall showed signs that it was not going to be easy to get her to sit with him (lots of 'noooos' from her as we passed by and asked her to wave at Santa). We prepped her for a few days, hanging up window stickers of Santa and such and thought we had made progress but when the time came there was zero chance she was going to sit on his lap alone. She was clung around Jon's neck pretty tightly. So, back up plan, we got a family photo with Santa. It turned out cute as you can see the new baby bump in the photo as well and Adelyn's not in tears. Makes for good memories too!

Here are her current stats:
Weight 26 1/2 lbs - 80th percentile
Height 34 1/2 inches - above 97th percentile
Head 47 1/2 - 80th percentile
As you can see, she is not lacking in growth! Keep up the good work Adelyn.

First Snow

2007-12-02T07:42:00.001-06:00

Walking just got a whole lot harder

Snowball fight--Grandma wins!

Dad's the coolest (no pun intended-burr!)

So far Adelyn gives the snowy weather two thumbs up. Grandma Bonnie watched her in the morning while Jon and I tackled some Christmas shopping. They spent the first hours of the snowstorm stomping around outside. Then when we got home she wanted even more. The poor girl can't even bend over to pick up a snowball without tipping over. It was pretty funny! The snowsuit must take some getting used to. Plus her cute boots that I got for $5 last spring are too small (dang it!) so I'm sure that doesn't help much. After church we hope to conquer the MOA for more shopping. Adelyn and Grandma are being drug along this time...off to find new boots. Hope you are enjoying the new snow! Its been a few years since I've had snow for my birthday, which was weird, so I think its great.

We got the Christmas tree decorated after the snowball fight and most of the decor out. There are still aspirations of getting some lights on the outside of the house but we'll see what happens there. When we were out playing in the snow I mentioned we need to go in and have hot cocoa (directed at the adults of course). Later that evening Adelyn came up to me and said 'hot chocolate'...not quite that clear but I knew what she was talking about. She's never even had it before but must have known somehow that its something good. She continues to surpise us with how much she picks up on. Unfortunately no hot cocoa for her last night.

Surprise B-day Date

2007-11-18T07:43:00.000-06:00

Jon did some sneaky planning in order to pull off a surprise early birthday present for me--dinner downtown and tickets to see the Lion King. I had made a simple request a LONG time ago that I would love to go to that show. He hadn't brought it up so I figured he had just forgotten. Boy was I wrong!

Little did I know he had already bought tickets and researched Mpls restaurants to perfect an evening out together. I was clueless when my friends cancelled a get together Saturday morning when Jon instead talked me into driving to Fairmont to meet my sister, Adelyn's babysitter for the night (yes, she went all the way to Sioux Falls yesterday and is still there!). I had earlier argued that Sunday was the better day to make the road trip there, where we would be picking up a new (used) furniture set. Jon had a hockey game Saturday evening, I had a playdate in the morning and I didn't want the trip to be rushed. He and Stacy tricked me into Saturday though once my day was now open (thanks to Jon cancelling the playdate) so off we went. Once there he finally revealed to me that he had snuck an overnight bag for Adelyn into the vehicle and she would be spending the evening with her Auntie Stacy and Uncle Nick. My mom is nannying for the weekend in Fairmont so Stacy will meet her there today and Adelyn will finish the ride home with her. I must say I was SHOCKED! I'll give partial credit to the pregnancy hormones for the happy tears that followed. It was such a fun surprise!

We had an awesome evening. Dinner at Solera was different then anything we have tried before and we felt very trendy and urban. The Lion King was SO neat. Neither of use knew what to expect, only that we had heard such good things. Not being very theater cultured we couldn't imagine quite what it would be like, but it was beautiful. The costumes stunning and the music amazing. New baby seemed to be dancing along to the fun tunes and enjoying the night as well.

Thanks honey for the wonderful surprise. Your efforts are Very much appreciated! And thanks Auntie Stacy for taking good care of our little sweetheart so we could relax and enjoy the evening out. I love you both!

Look closely and you can see the rapidly growing baby bump!

Cancun

2007-11-14T21:06:00.000-06:00

Adelyn liked playing 'chase me' with the waves

More Strawberry Daiquiri please!

No time to put on the swim suit-lets dig!

Her new camera pose accompanied by "cheese"

Ahh, this is the life...

Cancun was awesome! We had a blast watching Adelyn check out the ocean and squeal with delight when the waves chased her. We spent a lot of time in the water between the ocean and the pool. I had to wrestle her for the poolside smoothies we were 'sharing'. While there she started squatting down and saying "cheese" when she saw the camera so we have a lot of poses like that. The weather was sunny and warm, the days relaxing and so nice to spend time with Jon's family. The flights went very well too. It was such a fun week and of course hard to leave.

Off to Cancun!

2007-11-02T22:29:00.000-05:00

Our flight leaves Saturday at 6 am and by 9 we will be in Cancun! We are spending a week there with Jon's family. I can't wait to spend a whole week in the sun with everyone. We'll take lots of photos I'm sure.

Tuesday was the 20 week ultrasound. I had hopes of figuring out how to scan the ultrasound photo to post but that hasn't happened yet. The baby was waving and moving its hands around a lot which was cute. We decided to keep the gender a surprise and the ultrasound tech didn't give any hints. It was so neat to see our little baby moving around and now we have some cute photos to gaze at.

Have a good week. Hope it doesn't snow for you!

Happy Halloween!

2007-10-31T22:00:00.000-05:00

Our little 50's girl

Enjoying a pumpkin cookie

She wanted to use her fire truck as her trick or treat bag

Checking out the lockers - future school girl!

We took Adelyn to the MN zoo for Halloween last night. They had the indoor trails open with some trick or treat stands, a haunted house to walk thru (Adelyn was too scared to head in though) and a band so the kids could dance. We spent most of our time dancing and singing. She seemed to have a lot of fun!

Sunny Day

2007-10-26T19:34:00.000-05:00

Obviously the coolest girl at the park

Racing down the slide

How did she get so big...?

I wouldn't go so far as to say fall is my favorite season, but yesterday was such a perfect sunny day that I at least came closer to understanding how it is for many people. Adelyn can now recognize a park as we drive by and calls out 'park' from the back seat. She is pretty brave and loves exploring. She has a blast hanging out with Chloe. Part of me wishes this new baby could be a 1 yr old and ready to play with Adelyn. But of course the other part of me can't wait to snuggle a new little baby and enjoy the moments before they start squirming and running away. Happy Friday!

Fall Photo Update

2007-10-19T14:22:00.000-05:00

Since I am a few weeks behind on what we have been keeping busy with, I figured I'd get caught up with one big photo post before another weekend comes and I get even farther behind! (sorry, I had issues narrowing down what photos to post) We have been enjoying fall and watching Adelyn explore the new scenery. The new baby has been wiggling a lot which has been really fun for me. Only a little over a week until we get to have the 20 week ultrasound! As of today the gender will remain a surprise. I'll update you should that change...

Picking apples with Mom at the local apple orchard

More apple picking at a larger orchard when Auntie came to visit

Dad helps find the best apples

Dessert after a hard days work

Swimming with Dad at Saturday lessons

Riding Murphy during a hike at 9 Mile Creek

Taking a break before we make the hike back

I love to be outside!

Touring the children's museum last Sunday

Bus driver Adelyn!

Girls Day

2007-10-11T12:10:00.000-05:00

Olivia, Taylor, Chole + Adelyn = PARTY!

Adelyn thought making forts with a buddy was the coolest

These photos are from a few Fridays ago, hence the summer clothes vs 'fall attire' but the girls had so much fun together I had to still post them. Our good friend from Hibbing, Mary, brought two of her granddaughters over to play for a few hours while they were in town. Despite a few fights over the baby stroller they were able to move on and have a great time. All four girls are pretty capable of 'holding their own' if you will. Girls Rock!

Snack Attack

2007-09-30T19:40:00.000-05:00

Adelyn has discovered the wonderful world of Jello pudding snack packs. Much to her father's dismay she does not want help eating her dessert. It makes for messy clean up but great photos and one happy little girl. She also knows where the snack drawer is and often opens it up to pick out a treat. This weekend I found her wandering away with 3 granola bars. No, I didn't let her eat all 3. New word of the day - football. She kept saying "football, more" during the Vikings game. It was pretty dang cute.

Wild Night

2007-09-17T19:47:00.000-05:00

This past Thursday I started an evening water aerobics class. Therefore Jon was in charge of getting Adelyn all tucked in to bed. I don't know what they did but it must have been FUN! This is the cute little girl that greeted me Friday morning. Her hair has always been a little on the wild side but nothing like this! I swear I didn't pose it at all. I had my first pregnancy related leg cramp a few nights ago--ouch. I had forgotten all about getting them with Adelyn. Maybe the aerobics will help work the kinks out.

Back to 'School'

2007-09-15T08:34:00.000-05:00

Practicing her words before we head to school

This week Adelyn's ECFE class started back up again so I teased Jon she was back to school. Of course I had to take a few pictures before we left for the 1st day! This year she is in the Busy Bodies class, which ranges from 1-2 year olds. It was very different then the infants class she did last year. No more sitting around in a circle while the kids quietly played around us -- they don't call it Busy Bodies for no reason that's for sure! Its a 2 hour class so I wasn't sure if it would feel long by the time it was over but the teachers had a lot variety to keep the time moving. They had some play time in the gym, circle time of singing songs, snack time, and then some more play time. I was surprised that she was a little shy at first but it wasn't long before she was wandering around playing with new toys and kids. Her favorite was the baby that she carried around the entire time - even into the gym. There are 14 kids in the class so there's a lot going on, but I think we are both really going to enjoy it.

Special Announcement - New Baby!

2007-09-11T22:45:00.000-05:00

There's a good chance this isn't a surprise for many as we have been spreading the word but we are expecting our second baby around March 16th. I went in for the 12 week check up last week and all is looking good. The heart beat was strong at about 159 beats/min. The Dr. did an ultrasound at the first appointment to ensure there was only one baby, which there is! Jon was nervous for a minute but she put his mind to ease quickly. We are on the fence as to whether we will find out the gender or not so you will have to wait until Halloween time to find out what we decide (that will be the 20 week ultrasound).

We are very excited and feel blessed to have another baby. Adelyn will enjoy a sibling although I don't think she quite understands when we tell her yet. Poor Murphy will probably run away when he figures it out as he suffers enough abuse from Adelyn. Aside from wanting him to do everything she is doing, such as riding around the house in the laundry basket, she has now figured out how to ride him. Yup, she hops on and holds on tight around his body. He's been a good sport and even just sat there this evening as she backed up and sat on his head, on purpose. Sorry little Murph. He sleeps a lot more these days. She must tire him out the same way she does us. Back to the new baby though, we are EXCITED!

15 Month Check Up

2007-09-08T10:06:00.000-05:00

Adelyn went in for her check up yesterday, which is always a highlight for me. There is something about the Dr. confirming your child is growing that gives great reassurance. She was cautious around the dr. and asked her 'all done?' when she was listening to her heart. She wouldn't let the doc get a good peak at her upper teeth, but overall was a good sport. As of now Adelyn has 3 of the 4 top teeth so I wanted to ensure that's normal. From what the Dr could see there is a tooth in there waiting to break through--no need to call the dentist in yet. Other teeth as of now include the matching bottom 4 and 4 molars. Maybe the 4th top will be the next to join the pack. She got 2 shots and a voluntary finger poke (voluntary by me of course, not her) to check lead levels given the current toy recalls. We've been trying to keep up on the recalls and her 9 month lead levels were fine but why not be cautious right? She seems to be handling the shots fine. We left last night on a road trip to Sioux Falls to visit Stacy and Nick. Aside from being a little tired she has been her usual goofy self. Last night marked the first full week of no nursing, which has been strange for both of us I think. Jon has been handling bedtime and I have been defaulting to a car ride for nap times. She got a new sippy cup with a straw which has been a great distraction. Hard to believe our little girl is growing up!
The stats:
Height ~ 32.5 inches = 95th percentile (which explains why half of her shirts are belly shirts)
Weight ~ 24 lbs = 60h percentile
Head ~ 80th percentile
Also, a few words Jon reminded me I forgot Adelyn says: Elmo - used for both the character and lawnmower and fish.

Shopping with Dad

2007-09-04T20:54:00.000-05:00

Watch out shoppers - can't quite see over the cart

Pretty sure we get these Dad - my favorites

Holy smokes this store is big - such a soft floor to rest on

Jon and Adelyn took a trip to Costco a few weeks ago and it sounds like they had a blast together. Adelyn was picking out items that we really do buy for her so that is pretty cool. Its amazing how much she can understand already. At 15 months so far her vocabulary has grown to include: ball, bug, bird, more, up, mama, dada, Murphy, puppy, baby, bananas (often used for any fruit), Grandma, all done, all gone, hi, bye, uh oh, ouch and dad's favorite - puck. She is working on some big ones like watermelon and strawberry but if you didn't know what she was referencing it would most likely pass for standard babble. Its fun to have her talking!

National Night Out

2007-08-08T21:05:00.000-05:00

We had a fun time visiting outside with neighbors last night in celebration of National Night Out. This is the 3rd time we have organized it and this year was the best turn out. We were hoping some new families that have moved in this summer would stop over and most of them did. In total we counted 48 people that came--27 adults and 21 children. I didn't even realize there were that many kids on our block but it was fun to see Adelyn playing with them. She got a kick out of driving the fire truck--holding the wheel and dancing. We were all cracking up!

Adelyn's first time in the back of a police car

Groovin' while driving the fire truck

Lakeville's local fire fighters

Sunday Night Blues

2007-08-05T21:09:00.000-05:00

Is tomorrow really Monday...?

We are happy to have our little peanut back after the fun weekend adventures but not happy that it is the end of the weekend. Adelyn did have a blast in SD. She was able to spend hours yesterday at the zoo and this afternoon at ChuckECheese. Lucky girl! Jon and I went to the Borne Ultimatum yesterday--an action movie with Matt Damon. He's happy, I'm happy. Such a great compromise! We went out to dinner again last night and enjoyed an evening relaxing at home. It was a fun anniversary celebration weekend.

Missing 'Muscles'

2007-08-04T11:35:00.000-05:00

Adelyn headed off to Sioux Falls, SD yesterday with Grandma to spend the weekend at Auntie Stacy's. Jon and I are celebrating our anniversary--4 years on Aug 9th. Grandma has wanted to take her on a road trip there anyway so we figured we would just stay home and celebrate by doing whatever we wanted! We had a very nice dinner last night in Mpls and then walked around near the 35W bridge collapse. We couldn't see a whole lot being that it was dark, but we could see enough to know it was bad. 3 days later it is still hard to believe.

There's not enough time to fit in everything we would love to do in just a couple days but we have talked about a lot of options. Its almost noon and we are still in our pjs so the days off to a good start--haha. Adelyn is already on her way to the zoo and we are confident she will have a fun filled weekend. She will be very spoiled :) I do miss the little peanut! Here are some photos of our little goofball.

Look at her good form--knees bent, lift with the legs

We don't call her muscles for nothing

See you guys later

WOW! This is cool...

How do you get this thing out?

Camping Fun

2007-07-17T13:22:00.000-05:00

This past weekend we took Adelyn on her first camping trip. Stacy and Nick met us just outside Mankato at Minneopa State Park (my mom rode along with us). Adelyn loved playing in the dirt at our campsite, sometimes with the shovel and pail, sometimes not, and running around outside all day. She even brought her lawnmower - to keep the site groomed of course. Its a pretty area with a lot of walking trails that we took advantage of. On one of the hikes Adelyn passed out mid walk, while in her stroller, which is pretty abnormal for her. One minute she was waving and chatting, the next her head was bobbing over the side of the stroller. It definitly shocked us. She slept well at night thanks to all the activity during the day. The birds and sunrise woke us all up but we were able to go back to sleep for a few hours. The campfire chats were fun and the food tasty! It had been a while since we have taken a family camping trip. We had a blast and will have to do it more often!
I'll load the photos tonight...

Blueberry Heaven

2007-07-08T21:46:00.000-05:00

Hmmm, this is cool...

Look at how many I can sqeeze in my mouth!

Aren't I funny?

How great is summer and the fresh fruit that's available?! Adelyn gobbles up most fruit but especially favors blueberries. She was helping me wash up the fruit when we got home from Costco and helped herself to some while we worked. First she would politely take one blueberry at a time but it wasn't long before she was shoving handfuls into her mouth. She thought she was pretty funny while doing it too. She would pause and give us a sly little smile that said "I know I'm not supposed to be doing this but I will anyway :)" I guess gone are the days when I need to cut each and every blueberry in half. I don't plan on letting her eat 5 at a time regularly but it made for some good photos!

Independence Day

2007-07-04T23:11:00.000-05:00

"The secret of happiness is freedom. The secret of freedom is courage."
Thucydides

What a beautiful day to celebrate the history surrounding the 4th of July. We enjoyed the day off together and the gorgeous weather. Since Adelyn was still awake, we packed up the van at dusk to watch the Lakeville fireworks. Murphy even got to come along since we couldn't leave him at home considering his great fear of fireworks.

Its interesting to think about fireworks and how they symbolize scenery from a battle field. The flashes of light must have meant something so different to the soldiers fighting. It is fun to see family and friends gathered together, squeezed on a blanket, heads tipped back and enjoying the show. I am thankful for the MANY privileges we have in this country. And especially thankful for those who have been and continue to be willing to fight for our freedom.
Happy 4th of July!

Pomegranate Passion

2007-07-02T21:30:00.000-05:00

Gulp, gulp, gulp

Too good to leave any in the bottom

That was GREAT!

Adelyn drank from a straw for the first time this weekend! We spent Saturday walking around Centennial Lakes and enjoyed a Jamba Juice to cool off. We shared the new Pomegranate Passion, which is allegedly 100% fruit--quite tasty! It was just the motivation she needed to figure out how to suck on the straw. It was very cute watching how surprised she was to get some. Then she just kept on gulping--probably until the brain freeze set in. She looked at us funny but didn't pause long before going at it again. I had to pry it out of her hands for my turn. Fortunately there were some ducks swimming near by that we could distract her with long enough to get a drink. It was such a nice treat to have sunny warm weather all weekend. I'm already day dreaming of the upcomming weekend.

Trip to Michigan

2007-06-27T16:35:00.001-05:00

We had a nice weekend in MI. Sam and Katie's wedding is what brought us there but we were able to stay and spend time with Jon's mom's family as well. Adelyn has been fascinated by planes lately so it was fun to see her reaction to actually being on one. Its hard to say if she realized the planes in the sky were the same as what we were on, but she at least enjoyed watching them take off while we waited to board. She slept most of the time but managed to play a little 'beep, beep' (she was beeping my nose) that got her laughing pretty good. The wedding was gorgeous.

Adelyn stayed with Grandma during the ceremony and dinner, giving us time to chat with everyone and her quality time with g-ma. Adelyn arrived just in time to dance the night away, and she did! Her and her buddy Marna, 9 months old, have good rhythm I must say. They smiled in awe of the lights, music, and silly people jumping around. She partied until midnight, closing down the place, and then snoozed all the way back to where we were staying.

Sunday we got to spend at a boat harbor in Muskeegon where Jon's cousin has a sailboat they spend the summer on. Family met us there, splashed with Adelyn in the pool and enjoyed the warm sunshine. I'm glad we made the trip! It was fun visiting with friends at the wedding as well as Jon's family, both of whom we don't see often enough.

Having fun in the playroom at the airport Friday am

Luckiest passengers in the world to have this pilot combo

Jon and some of his college roomies

The lovely Bride and handsome Groom

Please don't make me leave the party!

Now this is vacation!

Stacy's Birthday!

2007-06-22T08:44:00.000-05:00

HAPPY 24th BIRTHDAY STACY!

Enjoying the great outdoors in Palm Springs

Have a great time camping in SD. Its not CA but a close second. I'm sure Nick can make a great fire for you to sit around and share scary stories all night. Wish we could be celebrating with you. Make sure you take advantage of only needing to use one box of candles on your cake this year. Next year we will have to splurge for 2 boxes. Have an awesome day! We love you!

1 Yr Check up

2007-06-19T20:00:00.000-05:00

Adelyn, you had a great check up. The Dr. was impressed that you were walking already and have a handful of words. You even appeased us and showed off your tricks for her. At one year, your vocabulary includes: mama, dada, up, uh oh, ouch, baby, bye bye (accompanied by a wave). Although not really vocab words, you also say nana, baba, papa, Ma for Murphy - you pat your leg when calling him, and mmmm, usually while pointing at something. You shake your head yes and no and wave us off when you don't want something. It is clear you understand what we are saying and try your best to communicate back.

We love the way you walk. Especially noticable when just in your diaper, you walk like a weight lifter. Your shoulders are back, belly out and waddle your way around. The bandaids on your arms after the 3 shots added humor to your strut, making you look like a little bully. You already love to talk on the phone and look like you know how to dial someone up. Actually, you did call your dad somehow one day. His phone started ringing and it was you on the other phone! Hopefully you can hold off a few more years before needed a phone of your own. We bought you your own Oral B toothbrush this weekend because you enjoy ours so much. You even like when its turned on. It is a great distraction when we need to dry you off after your bath and get you all lotioned up - things you are usually too busy to sit still for. You love to eat cheese and love to play outside.

Here are your stats from the check up. You are growing perfectly!
Height: 30" - 75th percentile
Weight: 21 lbs - 30th percentile

using your bandaid covered muscles to push your car

calling family to give the 1yr check up update

Dang you are cute!

To a Special Dad...

2007-06-17T15:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Father's Day!

To celebrate Father's Day Adelyn and I took Jon to the horse races at Cantabury Park. Unfortunately we didn't win big but had a great time. I blew our main chance at the jackpot by telling Jon not to waste the $$ boxing our bet (allowing the two horses to place in 1st and 2nd but not designating which would be which) since we were confident who would be 1 and 2. Of course they finished flipped of what we expected and cost us the big bucks. Sorry honey. You really should listen to me less. What am I saying? Nevermind!

There was a mom and baby horse that you could get up close and look at, which was entertaining to Adelyn. Apparently they were close relatives of Barbaro even--wow! She was a good sport, staying in her stroller most of the time as long as we had graham crackers and raisins on hand at all times. I think I heard her tell Jon she wants a pony of her own some day. Better hit that jackpot next time!

We hope you felt spoiled on your special day honey. You deserve it! Adelyn is VERY lucky to have such a wonderful dad. You play fun games (tackle!), give sweet kisses, and even have some special magic to lul her to sleep (no, I'm not talking about your hockey stats conversations either). Thank you for being so awesome.

Dad and Daughter strategizing

Mom, why did you say not to box them?

Watching the horses before each race

#1 Jockey

Zoo-rific

2007-06-13T20:00:00.000-05:00

I think he smells her Goldfish snacks

Not too long ago I thought the zoo was a boring place to spend an afternoon. Growing up, my mom loved to take Stacy and I to the zoo. Of course we thought it was a blast for a while but then we got to the point of being too cool for the zoo. Jon and I gave the zoo a chance a few summers ago, before Adelyn was born but left saying "well, that was OK." However, now that Adelyn is here its exciting all over again. We got a membership at the MN Zoo, since its so close to our house, making it the perfect place to spend a sunny afternoon outside walking. Its fun for Adelyn to see all of the other kids running around and of course the animals are cool too. I now find myself thinking, what would be a fun thing to do today...let's go to the zoo! We're going in 2 weeks with our playdate group so I'll try to get some good photos then.

I know I still owe you a good trip to the MN Zoo Stace, so stay tuned for that. Maybe next time you and Nick visit...

Happy Birthday!

2007-06-11T01:00:00.000-05:00

A Happy Birthday wish to Rebecca, my sister in law. The big 24 today! We hope you are enjoying your BBQ--sorry we can't be there to celebrate with you!

And another special b-day--little Murphy turned 3 today. And in response to my prior post he was an angel this weekend. I'm sure he was trying to make me feel guilty. I really do love the little dude.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Doggy Dilemma

2007-06-06T13:41:00.000-05:00

Adelyn and Murphy playing tug of war

Adelyn loves her puppy Murphy. She squeals with delight when she sees him and loves to play tug of war. Recently she has started throwing a ball for Murphy to chase after, granted she can't throw very far yet and I have to help her get the ball back from Murph. Either way, it is really fun to see how much she enjoys him. I really like Murphy too. The dilemma comes from the fact that his barking has been driving me crazy lately. He suffers from small dog syndrome and feels the need to let us know if there is a bird, person, plane etc within a mile of our house. We own a bark collar but I just can't bring myself to put it on him. He turns into a timid sad dog when its on, so I'm not happy then either. In my mind I argue, if the barking is frustrating me so much isn't it worth it to use the collar? If that's his main 'fault,' wouldn't it be worth fixing? But he's still not wearing that collar and still barking. I guess I'm a wimp. Dog Whisper, if you're reading this, can you please come to my house for a week and make my puppy perfect? I don't have what it takes but would love the end result!

Happy, Happy Birthday Baby!

2007-06-04T21:12:00.000-05:00

Happy 1st Birthday Adelyn! We had a fun time celebrating your b-day with family yesterday. You were your tyipcal show-off self. You didn't care for the cake like we thought you would until it was on mom's plate. Then it was the best :) Thanks for wiping your ice cream fingers on me. I wasn't expecting to be the one to have a wardrobe change, but I guess I should have know better! It was a great day--lots of good company, playing in the back yard, and we even got to use the new bean bag game Uncle Nick spent hours (i.e. days!) making. It has been a wonderful year. You are a true blessing.

Today we took you to the zoo, had lunch at Costco, and went on a walk. Grandma and Grandpa Bradley are still visiting and will be watching you tomorrow while we go to work.

I'm the Birthday Girl!

Playing with your new keyboard--good job sharing!

Showing Auntie Stacy how to have a good time

What's a party without a slide?

Walking to see the farm animals at the zoo-hurry up Mom!

Tribute to Grandpa Archie

2007-05-30T13:14:00.001-05:00

April 9, 1920 - May 26, 2007

Adelyn enjoying breakfast with her Great Grandpa

Grandpa was a very special and unique person. I have countless memories of visiting him in Henning, where he lived for several years. Special memories growing up include him taking us strawberry picking, going fishing and gopher trapping, planting flowers in the spring and riding around in his truck at dusk looking for deer (not to shoot--just to see how many we could find). You could count on the freezer being stocked with strawberry and maple nut ice cream. His other indulgences included Mt. Dew, chocolate stars, and cheese puffs. He would show us his old coin collection, giving Stacy and me each a 50 cent piece to take home each visit. He also loved to show us his old pocket watch and little blue radio--cranking up the volume as high as it would go. No matter how many times we'd seen them before, we loved to look again.

He came to live with us when I was in high school. I know his intention was to pay back my mom for being a naughty child growing up. He would purposefully do things to drive her crazy (not that he would admit it, but secretly Stacy and I knew it was pay back time!). He would chew tobacco on her new sofa, spray Preffered Stock on all of us and throughout the house (my mom is very sensitive to smelly stuff), require numerous trips to the gas station or grocery store (for the cheese puffs!). He proved that a father's concern does not end when your baby grows up. He continued to ask my mom when she would be home and remind her not to stay out too late. I must say it was entertaining to see them interact :) He loved to watch the Twins play baseball or listen to them on the radio. He enjoyed the old country western tv shows (sorry we made you turn the channel so many times to watch 90210 instead Grandpa! You were such a good sport, staying to watch it with us).

My grandma, Doris, passed away when I was only one, yet Grandpa still carried her picture in his wallet. He often would take it out to show us, mention how I looked like her, and talk about the good old days. It was clear he still loved her 25 years later. It is comforting to know they are together again in Heaven. Selfishly I am sad he is gone and will miss visiting with him, but I know he truely is in a better place. No more pain and the freedom to 'live' again. He had been sick for a while and was no longer able to get around well. Not the case anymore!

Grandpa, you are already missed. We love you very much. Thank you for always loving us. We look forward to seeing you again. Have fun until then!

Project Update

2007-05-29T12:28:00.001-05:00

Although I enjoy painting, I can't say the same for sealing a deck! We started that project Sunday and quickly realized it wasn't going to be 'fun' by any means. Holy smokes! Who knew how much work that would be? After 12 tedious hours on Sunday (truely finishing in the dark) and a few more on Monday it is DONE. It does look great but I'm not anxious to do that again. Jon and I are both stiff and sore. Thanks Sis for playing with Adelyn while we worked on Sunday!

We started all of these projects with hopes of getting them done for Adelyn's big 1 year bash on Sunday. It is going to be a few late nights cleaning up, but we can't wait to see everyone this weekend! Hopefully the weather will cooperate and we can get some good use of that freshly sealed deck.

Slept thru the Night

2007-05-27T08:09:00.000-05:00

Nope, I'm not talking about Adelyn, although she is getting better--knock on wood. My mom kindly watched Adelyn Friday night so Jon and I could tackle painting our basement family room. Sis is in town too so the three girls had a slumber party and we painted away. Painting is one project Jon and I do well together, not always the case since once of us is considerablly more detailed then the other (no, its not me!) Personally I find painting quite peaceful-music playing, good conversation, and a pretty room as a result. I don't think Jon finds it quite so serene but appeases me none the less. It was a success-the room is done!

We have been debating for months as to if we should invest in a new dining room table. We still have a hand me down used from college. Sure it works fine but once we started shopping for one it was hard to be in love with ours any longer. Yesterday we finally took the plunge and get to pick it up tomorrow. I can't wait! No photos of the basement yet but here is one of the new table (we didn't buy the hutch).

Bargain Jackpot

2007-05-19T20:00:00.000-05:00

Today was a good day! Jon and Adelyn kindly hit the road with me at 8 am to tackle the Lakeville garage sale day. We have gone the past few years but it wasn't until Adelyn came along that we really had an 'agenda' of what to find. I have been watching the store ads for many of the items we found but am much more pleased with the prices today (we estimate we saved 80% off regular prices-yahoo). Adelyn and I browsed a few sales Thurs and Friday and I had began to lose hope that the items I was searching for could be found. I guess Jon brought us good luck! Just when the van looked like it could hold no more, we spotted a perfect play kitchen and managed to sweeze that in too. I wish I had taken a picture of the bursting van :) I think I am just as excited to play with the toys as Adelyn. I had to post the photos for Granny, who sadly can't be here to relish in all the good bargains with me--thanks for teaching us how to spot a good deal!

I had really wanted to get Adelyn a kitchen for her 1st b-day!

The item on the right is a check out for playing grocery store--one of my personal favorites!

An arts and crafts table

My #1 quest for the weekend--mission accomplished!

And a photo of the happy shopper

Mmmm...

2007-04-30T13:44:00.000-05:00

Yes, that is a Starbucks cup-enjoyed on the way to Chicago

Jon's aunt and uncle got a new puppy while we were there!

So, when is an acceptable age to let your child drink coffee? We really aren't planning to give some to Adelyn anytime soon, but whenever she sees a coffee mug she points at it and say's 'mmm!' It is so funny. We let her pretend drink from our empty Caribou or Starbucks cups and she seems to think its great. She now has a mini travel mug that matches one of mine so we can each have our own--too cute :)

A few weekends ago we drove to the Chicago area to visit Jon's aunt and uncle and meet up with his brother Nick and wife Rebecca. The car ride went very well (Thank the Lord!). It is the farthest we have driven with Adelyn. While we were there we got to play with a new puppy as well as Nick and Rebecca's dog Snickers. Also, Jon's family babysat Adelyn Saturday night so the four of us could go out to dinner. It was a blast--great food and great company! We wish we could see them more regularly!

Enjoying a great meal at Thippi Thai

Walking

2007-04-26T16:39:00.000-05:00

Adelyn's newest trick is walking on her own. It all began Easter weekend--she would take about 5 steps walking back and forth between Jon and me. It took a lot of praise and encouragment to get her not to drop down and crawl. Last week however she gained the confidence to let go and wander off (about 10 1/2 months!). She looks very cute, often with her arms up and hips wiggling to keep her balance. Her curiosity has also increased and we now spend our time chasing her around the house. Of course we are proud of her new talent though!

Road trip to the Dells

2007-04-12T10:29:00.000-05:00

Giddy Up!

Some snuggle time in the pool

Riding the wild slides with Dad

The weekend before Easter we made a quick trip to the Dells. Adelyn was too cute in the pool to not post some photos. She seemed to really enjoy the water. When she was in her floaty she kicked her feet up and relaxed as if to say 'where's the sun'? And then when she was out just in one of our arms she was splashing and squealing. She cracked us up! Aside from the one pool evacuation due to a tornado in the area the trip was a blast!

Happy Easter!

2007-04-08T09:01:00.000-05:00

A quick apology for the slow posts. Life has been busy, but enough of the boring excuses. I have a ton to blog about so hopefully I will keep the new ones coming.

We had a fun Easter! Stacy, Nick, and Sis made the road trip to us for the weekend. Sis's brother, Brian and his two kids came over as well as my mom on Saturday for Easter dinner. We decided it would be easier to have the big meal Saturday and then eat a Sunday brunch after church so everyone wouldn't be too full and tired to drive home. As always we had a blast, but the days went by too quickly.

Of course Adelyn was spoiled once again. She got not one but two Easter baskets--one even personalized with her name. She got books, snacks, and a bee bop band set of musical instruments. She is lucky to have such an awesome family!

Carrying Auntie Stacy's purse after church--she was determined to drag it all the way to the car.

Beginning to find the goodies in her Easter baskets

Everyone got their pictures taken with the Easter Bunny

Passed out on Mom after a job well done

Welcome Baby Taelyn!

2007-03-28T20:24:00.000-05:00

Adelyn congratulating Brandi on a job well done

Congratulations to Brandi and Jeff on the birth of their daughter Taelyn! She was born last Monday, March 19, weight in at 7 lbs even and 20". She has a head full of thick dark hair, which Brandi had as well as a newborn. Brandi said the first week has gone by quickly and they are having a good time. What a CUTIE!

Bradley Grandparents Visit

2007-03-27T20:24:00.000-05:00

I guess my last post is quite outdated with pictures snow since it was 81 degrees out yesterday. Sorry for the delay in new posts. It has been a whirlwind type of week. Jon's parents were visiting last week. We had a blast with them, but the time seemed to go by too quickly. A lot was packed into the 3 days. We ate some tasty dinners out, visited Brandi, Jeff and baby Taelyn in the hospital (more to come on that!) and toured the flower show at the downtown Macys. Not enough time to post much tonight so stay tuned for updates!

First sword fight with Grandpa

Spring is one week away!

2007-03-14T23:52:00.000-05:00

I had to get some photos on here of all the snow we got the first weekend of March. The snow banks were taller then me. I love how beautiful it was outside the days it was snowing. But you would never believe this is how our yard looked until yesterday. Two short weeks after the big snow storm, we had a record setting warm day that topped out at 66 degrees. All the snow is melted!

With winter quickly coming to an end and spring on its way, that also means the end of the hockey season. Adelyn and I watched Jon play in his last mens league game of the year. I am proud to be married to the league's 4th year reigning Best Defenseman! Not that it was any surprise to me. I see all his savvy moves on the ice.

Jon's peewee team is having a great year! They made it to the state tournament. They beat out a lot of great teams and we are looking forward to seeing what they will do this weekend. What a great way to end your coaching career right Jon! (I have been teasing him about taking a break but he is too crucial to the peewee team. I even overheard the head coach saying it was so important to have him back next year they would even pay him...unfortunately he was kidding I think).

What Kind of Intelligence Do You Have?

2007-03-10T17:07:00.000-06:00

Your Dominant Intelligence is Interpersonal Intelligence

You shine in your ability to realate to and understand others.
Good at seeing others' points of view, you get how people think and feel.
You have an uncanny ability to sense true feelings, intentions, and motivations.
A natural born leader, you are great at teaching and mediating conflict.

You would make a good counselor, salesperson, politician, or business person.

What Kind of Intelligence Do You Have?

Here is a fun quiz I got from my friend Steph's blog. I don't know if I would consider myself a leader but the rest seems pretty true. Let me know what your results are!

The Many Faces of Adelyn

2007-03-08T11:15:00.000-06:00

Jon's mom was recently commenting on the many faces Adelyn makes. She cracks us up with the variety she has to express her thoughts. Here are a few captured at dinner. What a goof ball!

"Mmmm. Bring that food over here."

"I'm so funny I make myself laugh!"

"What do you mean we are out of food?"

A VERY BIG thank you to Jon for watching Adelyn today while Kara, my friend since the 4th grade, and I went Parade of Home-ing. Jon and JR, Kara's husband watched the three kids while we stolled casually through the homes, getting in and out of the car so easily with no children along. It was a wonderful treat and I am very thankful. Kara and I don't get to spend enough time together anymore (she lives in Hibbing) and so it was even that much better to just be able to chat for a few hours. No trips to the ER so the guys must have had a good time too!

Crawling!

2007-03-08T11:04:00.000-06:00

Although there was question if it would ever happen, because she prefers to hold you hands and walk, Adelyn has decided there is a need to crawl after all. She has been able to drag herself across the floor if she really needed something, but now she is voluntarily getting up on all fours and moving across the room. Her method is pretty cute. She does the traditional one foot, then the next, but then she tries to plant both feet and sticks her butt up in the air. Then back to the one foot, next foot. She is probably trying to stand up but hasn't mastered that yet (without the assistance of something to pull up on). I am thankful she waited so long to become mobile but now that she is, that is fun too! Time to put up the gait.

Mom's Night Out

2007-03-06T22:58:00.000-06:00

Last night our church had a 'Mom's Night Out'. I wasn't committed to going being that Mondays can often be long without anything extra going on. However, when the organizer called this weekend and said it was a spa theme complete with manicures, pedicures and a massage stations of course I signed up! I am so happy that I went, even though prior to getting there I wondered why I had made the commitment. (Jon and Adelyn had a nice night at home together partying as well.)

Our children's pastor shared some inspirational thoughts from her personal experience--raising 5 kids! while we snacked on some goodies. She emphasized the importance of taking care of yourself--mentally, physically and spiritually. Ignore yourself and you will burn out! We had time to move around to the different stations and visit with other moms. It was so nice just to be pampered and get to know others in the church better. I am thankful they took the time to organize this event as it is too easy to neglect papering yourself a little. On that note, everyone go take a candlelight bubble bath but don't fall asleep in the tub!

Celebrating after Bethel beat St Thomas on Sat. night--Adelyn and Andrew are 3 months apart

9 Months!

2007-03-04T22:33:00.000-06:00

Adelyn's new trick--walking with assistance!

Today Adelyn officially turned 9 months old. It seems crazy! We were sorting through her clothes, putting away those that no longer fit and washing up those that do. As the basket shows in the photo, there are several that she has outgrown (sniff, sniff!) It is hard to imagine she ever fit in them and even was too small for them at some point.

Her 9 month check up went great. Now her next one isn't until she turns ONE. I truely can not believe it. She continues to keep us entertained with all of her new tricks. The official stats are:
Weight~ 16lbs 7oz (10th percentile)
Height~ 27 inches (30th percentile)

Happy Monday, almost.

Aunt Jemima

2007-02-28T18:51:00.000-06:00

No, she is not the new face of a popular syrup. Although in my (humble) opinion they could boost sales with such a cute, happy model! Jon was being creative when taking off Adelyn's layers and she loved it. It has been a good week but I am very happy the work portion is over. Adelyn started at a new 'daycare' yesterday. The mom of one of the peewee players on Jon's team is watching her on Tuesdays now. It sounds like they had a great day. She has 3 older children who doted on her all afternoon once school was out. Of course Adelyn loves the attention and I am happy she is having a fun time.

I just pulled some muscle in my thigh flipping a light switch on with my foot. Adelyn is sleeping on the boppy, which reqires two hands to hold. Obviously I am in rough shape without my Tue. Stretch and Stroll class that I miss very much--sniff, sniff.

Sweet Ride

2007-02-26T22:08:00.000-06:00

2003 Dodge Grand Caravan Sport

Adelyn showing off her new love for sticking out her tongue.

Its true! We are the proud owners of a mini van. As of Friday it is officially ours. It was a company vehicle that Jon's boss sold to us for an offer we couldn't refuse. And I must say although it may not be 'cool' it is pretty sweet! We were able to fit everyone in one vehicle when my sister, Nick and Sis were visiting last weekend, which was awesome. The only sad news is now we will have to get rid of Jon's trusty Mazda--his baby for 10 years! (He is reminiscing right now of when he bought it Memorial Day weekend 1997) Fortunately it is staying in the family so he can visit whenever necessary. My aunt and uncle in Hibbing will be rolling in the Mazda before long! Lucky ducks.

What a Gem

2007-02-23T22:05:00.000-06:00

Adelyn telling stories from one of her new favorite spots...don't gasp in horror--there is an adult nearby not shown in the photo :)

Like her mother, she laughs at her own jokes!

Despite fighting off her first big sickness, Adelyn still took the time to keep us entertained this week. She had a bacterial infection with a fever so spent a lot of time snuggling with mom and dad. She is back to full strength and busier then ever. She seems to have grown up a lot over the past few weeks. Jon has taught her how to clap and wave, which are two of her most favorite things to do now. She is also not as content to sit an play with her toys as she would rather be holding your hands and walking around the house chasing Murphy (which he loves of course). She is also exploring sticking her tounge out at us in a very adorable way. Still no crawling even though she can get on to her hands and knees. If desperate she can pull herself on her tummy but would prefer someone grab her hands and help her up. Lets see, new foods have been yogurt, prunes, and broccoli; all of which have gotten a favorable response. Her 'turtle' smiles and contagious laughs have warmed our hearts all week!

Happy Heart Day!

2007-02-14T20:41:00.000-06:00

Adelyn modeling her new sweetheart shirt from dad

Who knew balloons are such fun entertainment?

We hope you are enjoying your day set aside to celebrate love :) Adelyn has kept us entertained all evening shaking and batting at her balloons. Jon taught her how to clap this weekend and she has been very proud of her new skill, showing it off often! Jon picked up a romantic dinner for us to enjoy (stuffed tenderloin and stuffed peppers--now we are stuffed, haha!) Time to tuck Miss Adelyn in to bed for the night (if only). Happy Valentines Day! We love you!

Date Night Returns

2007-02-09T13:01:00.000-06:00

Adelyn's 1st outing--1 wk old

In life B.A. (before Adelyn) it was common for Jon to pick me up from work and we would head to Costco. It was playfully named 'date night' by my co-workers. Well, this week, for the first time in 8 months, Jon & Adelyn picked me up and we went shopping (and enjoyed a slice of pizza and polish of course!) Adelyn looked so cute sitting in the front of such a huge cart. We took her on her very first outing to Costco when she was just one week old. Its crazy to look at how small she is in her car seat and how big her socks are! She is wearing a shirt for a dress because she was too tiny for the pants. They are all too small for her now.

She had some friends over from ECFE class this morning. She proudly showed off her new skill of being able to pull herself up to standing at her music table. She squealed a cry of both excitment and fear this first time she did it, earlier this week :) No crawling yet, Praise the Lord! Happy Friday!

Tofu gets two thumbs up

2007-02-05T21:43:00.000-06:00

We are still having fun testing new foods on Adelyn. It seems as though we will never get to all of the foods we want to try. We have been playing by the rules and waiting 3-4 days before introducing a new food (it allows you to easily see what is causing an allergic reaction should one occur). But our list just keeps GROWING! This weekend we tried tofu. And by we I mean Adelyn--haha! It will be a while before I am brave enough to test that one out. Either way, it was a hit. I would say her reaction was almost as strong as the avacado, which we still think of as her favorite. That makes me happy because once again it is very easy to prepare (no cooking neccesary!) and is high in protein. We haven't started any meats yet so it is good she is gobbling up the soybeans (what tofu actually is...).

Things on the upcoming intro list include but are not limited to: egg yolks (hard boiled), kiwi, plums, mangos, papaya, yogurt, and cheese. Fun times ahead that's for sure :)

If you're keeping track, things she has tried so far: avacado (obviously), sweet potato, carrots, green beans (only poor response so far), peas, butternut, spagetti, and buttercup squash, bananas, and fruit puffs (like cereal but dissolves quickly) to which I must add she is getting pretty good at feeding herself!

She loves dancing to the music her Glow Worm plays!

Happy Birthday Jon! (yesterday that is)

2007-01-31T20:37:00.000-06:00

Learning all about hockey from Dad at the Brainerd tournament

We were out too late partying for Jon's b-day so I didn't get a chance to post. But I wanted to be sure to wish a HAPPY 29th B-DAY to my super young husband! He had a men's league game last night in which he even scored a goal in honor of the big day. He and Adelyn picked me up after work and we were able to have a small dinner before the game. The day went by quickly but he said it was fun!

I completed the first week of work. It went suprisingly well. Adelyn seems to be doing really well with my mom and I feel like a few cobwebs have been dusted off in my brain. Hopefully each week continues to go well and even get better!

Happy 20th Birthday, Sis!

2007-01-28T23:16:00.000-06:00

She is so generous she even shares her Caribou--mmmmm!

My cousin Amber turns 20 today. Bye bye teenager, hello old lady--haha! Don't worry Sis, life just keeps getting better with age. We wish we could be sharing a Caribou with you today to celebrate your birthday but will settle for a date in February! You are a wonderful cousin with a big heart and sweet spirit. We love your company :)

Delayed update on the first day of work. Everything went as good as can be expected. Adelyn had a great time with Grandma and the day went by quickly. It will take a little while to get used to, but I'm sure everything will be fine. We have been praying about it and are thankful for the smooth transition so far. I will keep you updated as the week goes on.

We just got back from a weekend in Sioux Falls visiting Stacy and Nick. We had a blast as usual. We celebrated Jon and Nick's b-days, which are both this week and spent a good portion of time just relaxing together. It was a nice weekend and I'm sorry that it is over so quickly! Happy Monday (almost), boo hoo.

Back to Work (that pays $ anyway)

2007-01-23T13:01:00.000-06:00

Its official. Tomorrow I start back at Macy's. After this week I will be working Mon-Wed. Since having over 7 months off I feel a little rusty, but assume its like riding a bike :) I have mixed feelings about going back but am happy to be giving it a try. I still love my time with Adelyn but know she will benefit from some quality time with others. Grandma Bonnie will be watching her Mon & Wed along with Jack, who is 13 months. They play very well and Adelyn aspires to be like him--walking around and such. Tuesdays she will be with my friend Kate and her friend Natalie. They have been 'playing' together since they were about 5 weeks old so they have known eachother most of their little lives. I know she will have a blast but hope I am not too jealous to not be the one spending my days with her.

Adelyn is trying out the b-day gift she bought for her friend's party next weekend. She looks so darn cute in it that I am tempted to get her her own Dora lawn chair. It says ages 3-7 but still...

Fun in the Snow

2007-01-21T17:37:00.000-06:00

We took Adelyn out to play in the snow for her first time today. She was a good sport and really seemed to enjoy it! She spent most of her time watching Murphy run around the yard. She and Jon made a snow angel together. It was very cute! This picture is so dramatically different than her in the pool! She appears to be comfortable in both the snow suit and swim suit though :)

We Survived!

2007-01-15T14:37:00.000-06:00

5 Generational Photo--Adelyn's Great, Great Grandma's 90th b-day

This is the best bath tub ever!

Watching for fish to swim by...

The weekend has past and we are still alive. A little pooped out but alive no less. The Christmas party on Friday was fun and Adelyn's road trip was a success. She told us she had a blast hanging out in Hibbing! Cousin Amber spoiled her for sure.

The hockey tournament went well. Jon's team ended up getting 3rd place--not too bad! The hotel we stayed at was very cool. It was decorated with a northwoods theme and even had a water park. Jon and I had a great time swimming with Adelyn and enjoyed watching her splash around. She didn't even mind when some naughty boys blasted us with water guns from the fort behind where we were swimming.

It was nice to see family at my Great Grandma's 90th b-day party and get some good pictures of them with Adelyn. We feel lucky to be able to get 5 generations in one photo! We made it back home around 4 yesterday and both Jon and I crashed for about an hour and a half. Grandma Bonnie saved the day and played with Adelyn during our nap. We were exhausted and wouldn't have been much good to her. Thanks g-ma!

Packing

2007-01-12T14:05:00.000-06:00

I am supposed to be packing Adelyn & Murphy's things right now but can't resist the pull of the computer. Grandma Bonnie is taking both of them up to Hibbing with her this evening. Jon and I have his work Christmas party until late tonight and then we have to run to Brainerd in the morning for the Peewee hockey tourament (9 am game--yikes!).
It is my Great Grandma's 90th b-day party tomorrow in Nashwauk, so after the game we will be meeting my mom and Adelyn there to party away. We figured it would be easier on Adelyn to not be in the car all day tomorrow. She would prefer to play with cousin Amber and keep them up all night--yay for me! We will then steal her from Grandma Bonnie (which may be a challenge) and take her back to Brainerd with us to swim in the pool. Is your head spinning after all that because mine is?
I will try to get some good photos of her in her skimpy bikini that her father does not approve of. Of course we will wait until the CRAZY hockey players are done swimming as I don't dare go near the pool with hundreds of 11 year olds in it. Praise the Lord for curfews--hehe! Enjoy your weekend everyone!

Tagged

2007-01-10T12:42:00.000-06:00

A - Available or taken? Happily taken
B - Best friend? (s) Jon, Stacy, Mom, Sis, Kara
C- Cake or pie? Pie, especially blueberry or apple
D - Drink of choice? Coffee! even better if its a latte or carmel macciatto (sp?)
E - Essential item you use every day? Car
F - Favorite color? Maybe pink since Adelyn has been born
G - Gummy bears or worms? Worms, ever since I was a small gal-Stacy and Mom know the story
H - Hometown? Hibbing - home of the largest open pit mine, ohh yeah and Bob Dylan
I - Indulgence? Cold Stone ice cream - Coffee flavored in a waffle bowl
J - January or February? January - my hubby's b-day and favorite cousin Amber
K - Kids and names? Adelyn Rae - 7 months
L - Life is incomplete without? God & Family
M - Marriage date? August 9th, 2003
N - Number of siblings? 1 - Stacy Lynn
O - Oranges or apples? hmmm, I suppose apples although I would really rather a kiwi or banana
P - Phobias or fears? Sea weed - it is so sick when it touches your legs while swimming
Q - Favorite quote? "It infuriates me to be wrong when I know I'm right." -Moliere; I must say I'm a big fan of Caribou's motto "Life's short. Stay awake for it." as well.
R - Reason to smile? Adelyn probably makes me smile the most these days
S - Season? Summer - BBQs and fun in the sun
T - Tag three or four people. Stacy Greenwood, Amber Shain, Stacy Blight, Nick & Rebecca Bradley
U - Unknown fact about me? I won the McDonalds coloring contest when I was young and got to order whatever I wanted from the menu and eat with the Winter Frolic Queen of Hibbing
V - Vegetable you don't like? Brussel Sprouts - does anyone like them though?
W - Worst habit? Asking someone's opinion but really just wanting them to agree with me
X - X-rays? I imagine at some point in my life...
Y - Your favorite food? Pizza, Sesame Beef from PF Changs, Shrimp Scampi from OG
Z - Zodiac? Saggitarius