The Dollak Family

It's a BOY!

2012-01-26T07:07:00.000-05:00

A bit of a surprise to me - considering how sick I was the first trimester! We are excited for Landon to have a brother to play with and Kendall to have two brothers that will protect her.

Baby is healthy and measuring right on track for a due date of June 17, 2012. I'm hopeful this baby will come early like the other two so we can have a weekend or two between his birthday and Kendall's, which is June 21st.

I have a little pregnancy complication called placenta previa. Right now they are just monitoring it, but in 8 weeks we'll go back for another ultrasound to see if the placentra has stretched upward so it's no longer covering the cervix. If it hasn't moved, we may be in for a little more drama come the last trimester, but I'm remaining hopeful that we'll have good news.

Potty Trained!

2012-01-25T07:21:00.000-05:00

We thought this day would never come. Our little Kendall is pretty set in her ways and trying to even get her to sit on the potty proved challenging. We started about 2 weeks before Christmas. We switched to pull-ups and tried to get her to sit on the potty. She cried every time.

That went on for about 2 weeks. We were about to give up....a couple days after Christmas we went to the lunch and then the local barber to get Landon's hair cut. Kendall was a little antsy, so I walked with her around the corner to our downtown candy store. I let her pick out something for her and Landon and then got some sour cherry balls for Jason. I told her they were mommy and daddy's "special treats." She could have one when she went on the potty.

She must have motivated by the special treats, because she's gone on the potty everyday and we haven't looked back. We had to get bigger special treats for the number 2 deed, but it's worked so far. We've had a couple accidents, but nothing out of the ordinary.

Little Chefs

2012-01-25T07:10:00.000-05:00

Landon and Kendall love the kitchen! They play with the plastic one in the basement all the time and have really started to enjoy cooking/baking in the real kitchen.

Beaters are a huge hit - especially when they have frosting on them. I love having little helpers in the kitchen!

Newport Acquarium

2012-01-01T12:48:00.000-05:00

A little more exploring our new hometown this holiday season.....the Newport Aquarium. Lots of beautiful fish, sharks, turtles, snakes, frogs and penguins to see.

I will admit, I wish it took us a little longer than 1 1/2 to get through everything...but the burgers afterwards for lunch were amazing!

COSI (Columbus Science & Industry Museum)

2011-12-31T10:52:00.000-05:00

Another adventure on our Christmas break. We traveled 1 1/2 hours north to Columbus to visit the COSI museum. We got there around 10:30am and didn't leave until 3:30. The crazy part of the trip is we didn't even get to see everything...another visit will be on the agenda.

Christmas with Nanny - 2011

2011-12-21T07:05:00.000-05:00

We continued our annual tradition with Nanny and she flew into town the weekend before Christmas so we could celebrate with her.

We added an extra day this year onto the trip so we could enjoy her company and the kids would have a little more bonding time. It was so much fun to show her downtown loveland - our hometown. The downtown had a fabulous Christmas celebration. There were carolers, a manger with real animals, train rides, horse and buggy rides, cookies, hot chocolate, crafts, Santa and lots of Christmas lights. The weather was perfect and we spent a couple hours downtown enjoying our local scenery.

Presents were a big hit with both kids this year - Landon was so excited and Kendall so much more than last year. They each enjoyed their gifts from Nanny and spent time playing with their new toys while we prepared dinner.

It was a relaxing time with Nanny and we always enjoy her company. Landon did sneak into her bedroom each morning - one of his favorite things to do with the grandparents. I'm sure a little extra snuggle time didn't bother Nanny!

Big Brother, Big Sister ("in waiting")

2011-12-12T06:38:00.000-05:00

Kendall and Landon have some exciting news to share.....a baby sibling will be making an arrival this summer (June '12).

Having a third child was quite the discussion.....lots to think about, but ultimately we thought about how wonderful a little more crowded house would feel. We are so excited about this third baby and are praying for another uncomplicated pregnancy and healthy baby.

I will admit, this time around I've been much more tired and sick. Since I'm now at 13 weeks, the symptoms are starting to subside - but I'm so ready to feel "normal" again!

Trimming the Tree

2011-11-08T06:56:00.000-05:00

We LOVE Christmas! Everything about it is so wonderful! That is why I can't wait much past Halloween to get the tree up to start celebrating the season.

This year both kids were so excited to help. Landon helped me put up 90% of the decorations - although he did get a little distracted once he found a light with an electrical cord (how exciting!).

Our house smells wonderful! We've been baking Christmas cookies, watching Christmas movies and listing to lots of holiday music. The only sad thing is that we likely will not have a white Christmas as we had for so many years in Michigan and Wisconsin. The weather is cold, but no snow has fallen.

Halloween 2011

2011-11-01T06:35:00.000-04:00

Halloween was a blast this year. We started by carving pumpkins with Nana and Papa! Landon loved using the big drill to carve his pumpkin and Kendall was not so impressed with the "guts" of the pumpkin. I should have known she'd have an adversion after the hysterics with the seaweed in Desin this past summer.

Landon was a monster, and Kendall a cupcake. Fortunately the monster didn't try to eat the cupcake! After Trunk or Treat at Church, Halloween at my office and trotting around the neighborhood on Halloween, the kids have enough candy to last them until next year!

Pumpkin Farm

2011-10-18T06:48:00.000-04:00

On Saturday we ventured to the Pumpkin farm (along with about 300 others) - although a bit windy, the farm had everything the kids love - a tractor ride, pumpkins, popcorn, a band & lots of fun houses to climb on.

I think they enjoyed the life size maze at the end the most. We went though it 3 times!

Bath TIme

2011-10-04T06:53:00.000-04:00

The kids love to take a "big" bath. Most nights they will ask for this, at which my response is, not tonight. I let them do it a couple times a week - but it is a huge mess for me to clean up - so we try to reserve it to the weekends, or when we've had an early dinner.

The make me fill it up high enough to turn on the jets and then the bubbles go crazy. They absolutely LOVE it. It's really funny to watch them get bubbles all over their face and not even worry (thank goodness for tear free soap).

Duke Energy Museum

2011-10-04T06:51:00.000-04:00

Another new adventure - the Duke Energy Museum in downtown Cincinnati. It was my first, but the kid's third or fourth time going.....thanks to our Nanny. They gave us the grand tour. It's absolutely beautiful and was created in an old train station. There are for museums in one - we actually did venture out from the kids museum - but just to check out the giant sand box. We spent a couple hours there, but could have spent more.

Happy 4th Birthday Landon

2011-09-28T20:34:00.000-04:00

Today is your 4th birthday! Happy Birthday to our little Landon.

What an exciting day it was for Mommy and Daddy four years ago! You surprised us when you arrived 20 days before you're due date, but you came out fast and screaming. I would have to say you are still the feisty little guy that arrived on September 28, 2007.

You started your second year of pre-school this year and it is so much better than last year. You still give us grief in the morning (because you aren't a morning guy), but you come home with all sorts of stories and are finally talking about friends! It's so exciting to hear about your day and how proud of yourself you are. You are in a Montessori school and will be for the next 3 years.

You are all boy, but are always willing to play babies (especially when you get to be the baby) with Kendall. You love to "fix" and "build" things. You are SO creative during your quiet time and it just warms my heart to see that side of you. The other day I went to the basement to tell you quiet time was over and I found you cutting up paper plates because the floor in the dollhouse needed to be "replaced." You had strategically placed pieces of paper all over the floor - noting the new floors and asking me if I liked them.

Your absolute favorite gift this year was the leaf blower (a real one). You are so excited when you are outside and love to help daddy with yard work.

This year is going to be amazing - I'm so excited to see you continue to grow in maturity and knowledge.

Soccer

2011-09-20T21:48:00.000-04:00

Landon is loving soccer! It's just the basics, but will hopefully set him up for success when we get him on a team next summer.

Kendall wants to be just like Landon and do soccer too. It's all I could do last Saturday to keep her interested in "dance" when Landon was at soccer. Looks like we know what her next activity is.

First Baseball Game

2011-09-20T21:43:00.000-04:00

On Sunday we took the kids to their first baseball game. Another great part of living in a bigger city - Major League sports teams! The Reds were playing the Brewers and we had fantastic seats.

The kids were in their glory - yummy pretzels, popcorn & cotton candy, a great playset, and hanging out with Mommy and Daddy for the day.

We were happy the Brewers swept the series - as it made for a much more relaxing weekend.

A Style of Her Own

2011-09-10T18:33:00.001-04:00

Who says Band-Aids aren't a fashion statement? Don't tell that to Kendall because they have become her new love and obsession.

I figure why fight it - for $1.99 I can get 20 Band-Aids - which makes for a good couple weeks of fun!

Today we picked up Hello Kitty and Barbie for a change of pace - Dora was becoming so "yesterday."

My Diva....not even a couple months past 2 years old. What will the teenage years look like? I'd rather not re-live my "stylish" pictures through her - please.

Landon's First Day of School - 2011

2011-09-10T14:07:00.000-04:00

Wednesday was Landon's first official day of Preschool for the 2011 school year. This year Landon is in a completely different school. He will attend the Montessori Academy of Cincinnati for the next three years - and be with the same kids as well. Since Landon would be very "young" to enter Kindergarden next year, we thought this was a fantastic option. The kids in his class are 3's, 4's and 5's - meaning that there is a Kindergarden class mixed with the young and middle aged preschoolers. Landon will be exposed to all sorts of activities and they will be able to move him on to more academic activities if his maturity exhibits he is ready.

We didn't let a little rain stop us - thankfully we had the Green Umbrella to help get us there and home! It was a great day - no crying involved. What's so great about Landon's school is they have a two way mirror so the parents can watch their children whenever they want. I'll admit, I stayed for 30 minutes the first day to ensure he was okay. He didn't let me down - and he jumped right in!

When he got home and we talked later in the evening he expressed that school was "okay" to us. Interestingly enough, when Papa called later on to check on his first day, Landon expressed with excitement how much he "Loved" school! It was a little warmth to my heart. Funny how an (almost) 4 year old is already playing his parents. What does this school year have in store?

Baby Ballet

2011-09-03T13:52:00.000-04:00

I am so excited to write this post. Ever since the ultrasound tech told us we were having a girl, I've dreamed of this day. Kendall started ballet this week. I wasn't very coordinated as a young girl, so I'm hoping she has Daddy's skills and not mine.

Jamie, our nanny, will take her to class. It's a little bittersweet for me, but I know that my time will come. Jamie was gracious enough to take a ton of pictures for me and give me a 30 minute download when they got home.

Kendall and I have a class that starts today called "Mommy & Me," which is another dance class.

Big Girl Bed

2011-09-03T09:04:00.000-04:00

While Landon was away at Nana & Papa's house, we decided to see if Kendall was ready for her "Big Girl Bed."

Jason took the front of her Crib off and she was SO excited - as you can see by the look on her face. Sadly, I have no more need for a crib....my babies are growing up.

She did wonderful her first night. It probably helped that she didn't nap that day, but she slept sound - didn't wake up (or fall out) and when morning time came she called for mommy without ever leaving her bed.

Landon's 1st Trip to Nana & Papa's House

2011-09-03T07:34:00.000-04:00

Last weekend was Landon's first trip to Nana & Papas. I met my mom on Friday morning and handed over my lovely son for the weekend. They had a fun weekend planned for Landon, including a trip to the fair and lots of rides on the lawnmower.

After Church on Sunday, we headed down to Kentucky to have dinner with Nana & Papa and celebrate Nana's birthday. He had such a wonderful time. Jason and I were excited about the ability to drive down to Kentucky (1 hour 40 minute drive) and stay for dinner. Just a few months ago, that drive was impossible (6 hours) - we are so happy to have landed in Cincinnati!

Kings Island!!

2011-08-20T08:15:00.000-04:00

One of the benefits of living in a bigger city is the amusement options for the kiddos! Actually, to be completely honest, it's just as much fun for Mom and Dad. On Friday night we headed to Kings Island - an amusement park that is only 20 minutes down the road. They have a wonderful kids area called Planet Snoopy. Landon can ride all the rides, and Kendall most of them. She is about 1.5" off from riding them - so next summer she'll meet the requirements

What a great night to go. While it was warm, there was still a little breeze and we stayed cool at dinner under the big umbrellas. We hit up the helicopters, bumper cars, a few roller coasters, the beatles, antique cars and the scary snoopy ride. The crowds were minimal and the most we had to wait in line was 20 minutes!

Weekend with Nanny

2011-08-17T14:54:00.000-04:00

Nanny came down to stay with us last weekend and the kids had a blast!

We headed to dinner at our favorite pizza place, the Works on Friday night. It's an old machine shed with the coolest interior decor. They have amazing pizza! After the Works, we went to Jungle Jim's to putz around and pick up some dinner for Saturday night cookout. Jungle Jims is a store that is hard to describe. If I had to, I'd say it is a grocery store on steroids. They have everything and anything - including over 50' of just Hot Sauce. Jason got caught up in the wine and cigar section....he was like a kid in the candy store.

On Saturday we had an adventure at the zoo. It's called the Zoo and Botanical gardens- I wasn't quite sure what that meant, but once we started walking around it was beautiful. It felt like we were walking around gardens and then would run into an exihibit. We rode the tram and the train. fed the Llamas, sheep and goats. Had some lunch, played at the park and took in some more sights.

Finally, we ended with some birthday cake to celebrate Nanny's birthday. Landon sure had fun blowing out the candles - mommy tricked him this time and bought the trick ones - boy was that funny.

My New Bike

2011-08-04T07:32:00.000-04:00

Landon learned to ride his new bike that Santa brought him for Christmas! It's so exciting to watch him growing up and doing all the fun "kid" things we remember.

Riding the bike for him was like potty training. Once he decided he wanted to do it, he just did it - no teaching required. Landon has a strong will and a bit of stubbornness in him - but it's what makes him "him."

Destin Family Vacation - Summer 2011

2011-07-27T20:32:00.000-04:00

Another wonderful vacation in beautiful Florida. We had such a nice relaxing vacation - with four adults and two kids, we were able to really have a couple free hands.

We stayed at a new place this year - same neighborhood, just a different house. We loved it! The kids loved it! It had a really neat loft and porches on every floor off every bedroom. Landon sure did "explore" to the most.

We hit up the waterpark and the "Gulf World" marina along with lots of trips to the pool and beach. Landon was really into the sand and building castles and pools this year - which was really fun for us. There was a bit too much seaweed for Kendall - in fact she screamed bloody murder when it even got close to her.

We were glad to get home - but also had a great week away.

First Trip to the ER

2011-07-01T07:16:00.001-04:00

To be honest, I cannot believe it took us almost 4 years to make it our first trip to the ER. Landon has always been a bit clumsy. I am the mom yelling "don't run" when we are at the park because I fear he will trip on his feet and hit the ground hard!

Sunday was eventful. After trying out a new church and running some errands, we got home around 12:45 and starting fixing lunch. Landon was sitting on the barstool (counter height) and I had just put my plate on the table. He said he wanted to eat with me, so I moved his plate to the table and then told him to come over. He must have been sitting awkward, because before I knew it, I saw him hit his head smack on the back on our hardwood floors. Panic set in....he was screeeming and as soon as I sat down with him, I knew it wasn't good. The bump was instant and big.

I told Jason I think we needed to go to the hospital. I had just found a pediatrician, but had no idea where to go for the hosital. I know Cinci has a great Children's hospital, but that is all the way downtown, and I wasn't about to get in a car and drive 40 minutes with a head injury. Luckily, my boss answered her cell phone and told me of one just a couple exits down. The minute we got in the ER, they looked at me and when I said head injury, it took them all of 5 minutes to look at him.

The doctor came by, looked at his eyes, asked him a few questions and then said to bring us back to the rooms to "wait" about an hour and then he would do a full exam. He said he thought Landon would be okay.

After the initial "shock" and the calamity of the ER, Landon went back to his old craziness! We were there a total of 2 hours and got a clean bill of health.

No more barstools for either of the kids!

Happy 2nd Birthday Kendall

2011-06-21T20:44:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday to our precious daughter - whose personality is so much bigger than her age.

You are so full of sass and spunk and oh - so in the midst of your "terrible twos." You say so much now and are putting everything together. You understand and follow directions pretty well, but really have a mind of your own. You are not afraid to venture off on your own (unlike your big brother) and have no fear. I'm afraid we will probably be in the ER with you well before Landon.

We moved to Cincinnati only two weeks ago and you have already shown us how you have a great sense of direction. You already know where the park by our house is and just the other day you got so excited because we passed a Red Robin. You starting clapping and yelling "Yeah, balloon at Red Robin." The power of branding is so intense with kids.

You stand tall - at 34 3/4 inches - the same as you brother at 2 years. You are a small 24 pounds, but have started to eat so much better since you got your tubes about a month ago. You no longer sit in your booster seat at the table and just want to be a big girl. You are so interested in the potty and always sit on it, but we have yet to "make" any progress in it. We're thinking about a big girl bed in about 3 months, so hopefully by then we'll have started a good routine with the potty.

You LOVE fruit snacks and would eat them 4 times a day if I let you. You have started to try new foods, but a few staples around here are mac & cheese, grilled cheese, cheese sticks and dino bites. Girl, you love cheese too.

Happy 2nd Birthday to our beautiful princess.

Farewell Friday....

2011-06-03T06:37:00.000-04:00

Farewell to Michigan - what an awesome time we had living here.

Here are just a few of the memories we will always cherish:

* Our Family grew from 2 to 4 in a matter of a mere 21 months
* Landon started and finished his first year of pre-school
* We hired a Nanny to tend to our Children - best decision EVER!
* We enjoyed many Asiago Cookies & Harding's Donuts
* Joined a wonderful Church that restored our commitment and our relationship with Christ
* Had great times with our friends and watched their families grow as well
* Frequented the slide at Tot to Teen many many times
* The two "baby" swing park
* Ate at least 15-20lbs of LeDucs blueberries every summer
* Martini's pizza.......enough said!
* Many of runs/walks/bikes on the Portage Bi-Centennial Path

God knows what life holds for us in Ohio and what the future will bring. We know that His plans are perfect and we're ready for the new adventures.

Farewell Michigan!

Dressing Myself

2011-05-29T13:26:00.000-04:00

Kendall has been "aging up" for a while now. You hear her all the time ask for whatever Landon has. She wants to sit in Landon's chair, drink out of the same cup as Landon, eat what he is eating, wear underwear like him, etc, etc. In some ways this should make our life easier, but there are always challenges with wanting what Landon has. Landon does drink out of a glass cup (like Papa) and it's a little more risky when we let Kendall do it - especially when we catch her with Orange Juice in the family room with the GLASS CUP!

However, one good thing about her wanting to do what Landon does is she has started dressing herself (or at least attempting to). She has been taking her diaper off for months now, but it's nice to see she can finally get some pants on by herself.

Just the other day Jason told her to go in her bedroom and get dressed. To his surprise, he walked into THIS!!

Busy, Busy, Busy

2011-05-27T08:04:00.001-04:00

Since March, I have been going back and forth to Ohio for work. The weekends are VERY welcomed, as I miss my family so much during the week - this explains the lack of blogging.

However, next week is our last week in Michigan and I'm home to monitor the packing and loading. Then I'm taking one week off to get unpacked and settled into our new home.

The kids have been so good - but you can tell the anxiety is getting to Landon. I'm praying next week goes smoothly with all the boxes and workers at our home.

For the last month we've had tons of weekend fun.

- LOTS of playing outside
- Trips to the park
- Celebrating Papa's Birthday
- Water Hose & Vacuum Play
- Easter!

Shoes & Independence

2011-04-18T06:55:00.001-04:00

Kendall bear is (almost) 22 months and the independence has started. Most days Melissa lets her pick out her clothes (with options), her breakfast, lunch and snacks are all subject to her approval, and she has started to pull up her pants and tell us when she has pee-pee in her diaper. After the move in May, we'll start potty training her.

When we get home from an outing Kendall usually sits right down at the door, unzips her coat and takes her shoes off (if she hasn't already in the car). It's like she's growing up so quickly right in front of my eyes.

When we tell her we are going somewhere, she runs to the door and sits down to get her shoes on. Lately, however, she's been putting on whatever shoes she thinks are "cute" at the time. Yesterday, that happened to be Landon's shoes. While the smile is adorable, the shoes just don't fit the outfit.

It's not called "napping"

2011-04-18T06:45:00.000-04:00

Landon has been "nap-free" for a while - but still has at least an hour of "quiet" time during the afternoon. He has done extremely well with this and it's so refreshing to hear his imagination going wild in his bedroom for an hour. We always tell him if he wants to "nap," he is always allowed. He never wants to - not wanting to miss anything.

Lately, we've been busy - my parents were in town while Jason and I went looking for a house, nanny and new school for Landon, we've had numerous house showings, which require cleaning prior to leaving for an hour, and there has been lots of talk about summer and the water hose. Landon has tired himself out with all this activity....and his little body just needed to rest. While he won't admit it's "napping," we are happy he can stop long enough to give his body and mind a break.

Our New Home

2011-04-05T10:28:00.002-04:00

I went down to the Cincinnati suburbs last week to pre-screen some houses as well as start my transition into my new role with Kellogg's.

One whole day was spent going around to a couple burbs (Mason & Loveland) determining which houses to "keep" on the list to show Jason the following week. This will be our fourth home (fifth if you count our condo in Wisconsin) and we've always purchased new spec homes or built. It was quite challenging for me to get past the "new" expectations when looking at houses between 5-12 years old.

At the end of the day, I know that we are most comfortable and most excited about a new house. With the state of the economy, builders just aren't building specs like they used to, so there were only a few to choose from. I quickly landed on one that I really liked, and once we make some minor changes, it will feel like our own. So, with Jason's blessing, and a lot of picture texts going back and forth, we put an offer in on our new home in Loveland, Ohio. We received acceptance on our offer and are just so excited to get to work on all the additions (finished basement, new doors, bookshelves, wine cooler, exercise room, and the list goes on).

Below is a preview of our home (before our changes). Sorry for the long narration, I just did that for Jason to understand what he was seeing...it's pretty cheesy now that I listen back to it.

"I made my bed"

2011-03-30T06:59:00.000-04:00

The past week Landon has been waking up and making his bed prior to coming out for his wonderful morning greeting. Instead of simply stating good morning he has been coming out saying "I made my bed". We are so proud how our little guy is growing up. What caused him to start making the bed you may ask......Suzy telling him the boy in the book There Is An Alligator Under My Bed makes his bed. It doesn't take much to influence Landon.

Pretty Fingers & Toes

2011-03-24T20:20:00.000-04:00

God blessed me with a girly-girl - I know I've said that before, but He is so good to provide me with a mini-me.

The boys went and ran around on Saturday while the girls stayed home. We did fingernails, toenails and hair (maybe a little makeup too). Kendall loves everything girly and is going to just be so much fun when she gets a little older and I have a shopping buddy.

A New Chapter

2011-03-23T06:22:00.000-04:00

Well, the Dollak's are about to begin another new chapter of our lives with a MOVE down south. Okay, well, more south than Michigan - and a heck of a lot less snow. We are so excited to move to Cincinnati for my new role with Kellogg's. A nice added benefit is that we will now be LESS than 2 hours from my family. Ahhh.....much needed help has arrived - and Landon will be beside himself when he sees Papa all the time.

Albeit a stressful time, we are trying to take it day by day and not get too overwhelmed with our search for preschool, a new house and a new nanny for our family.

We told Landon about the move to Ohio and he seems so excited. He told me that we are going to build a big house with an upstairs (he has been watching them build one a couple houses down for months). When I asked him about he and Kendall's bedrooms, he told me that we only needed one bedroom and that Kendall was going to sleep with him in his room. So sweet!

Wild Weekend

2011-02-28T21:45:00.000-05:00

This weekend we headed North to Great Wolf Lodge in Traverse City, MI. The water park was amazing and surprisingly warm. Landon loves water so much and this trip will likely be talked about for a long time. He was so brave and rode almost all the slides - even the one that he had to go alone one.

While our "dinner routine" didn't change much - meaning that both kids aren't the most patient when waiting at a restaurant, we learned on day 2 and dad grabbed McDonald's for breakfast for a relaxed pace of eating in our room.

I will admit, the running up and down the halls by the older kids was a bit loud (until 10:30pm) - thankfully we brought our sound machine. Landon thought it was thunder and it took him a while to fall asleep.

We're looking forward to our trip to Destin this summer - both kids did really well in the water and I'm excited to see what all those swim lessons will deliver!

Small, but not Smaller

2011-02-13T19:09:00.000-05:00

Kendall had her 6 weeks post 18 month weight check appointment day. I was hoping that all the "tricks" we have tried had been working. However, it turns out that the scale didn't move, not even an ounce. She is holding firm at 22lbs 11oz. So she's a little small, but my the girl is tall at 34 inches. Her head stayed the same too, at 18 inches.

So, off to get blood work, per the doctor's orders. We're checking lots of function to make sure that everything is working as it should. The doctor seemed to feel that everything will check out, but we should just check to ensure that we don't miss anything. We should find out early next week....praying that she is just a picky eater.

And, as Jason points out, there's nothing wrong with a tall, slim girl.

Picky Eater

2011-02-07T21:11:00.000-05:00

Kendall makes mealtimes very challenging....she is an extremely picky eater. I feel like sometimes Mac & Cheese won't even cut it (although it usually does).

I've started trying a couple things that seem to be working and helping me to not be so paranoid. We have a weight check at the doctor next week to see if she is gaining. She was only 22lbs at her 18 month check up and dropped dramatically on the weight charts. I've been putting her on our scale and think we may have gained .5 lbs in 6 weeks.

First, I have started having her "help" with all meals. I bring the chair to the island and put out all the food I am going to prepare (and then some). She picks what she wants and starts eating. Most days this means she is full when we sit down at the table, but I am okay with that.

Next, I have switched her milk from whole to 2%. I noticed that she never really took to the milk great (unless in a bottle). She constantly would grab Landon's cup and drink it. Plus (unlike Landon), she asks for water and loves it. Since I have made the switch, she is going through 3-4 full cups of milk each day. It is very refreshing. And, we have been off the bottle for a couple weeks now.

Last, but not least, I have a little helper that Kendall will eat any bite from - her BIG BROTHER, Landon. Thanks buddy!

Prepping for Destin

2011-02-07T21:00:00.000-05:00

We've decided to take another trip to Destin with my parents this summer. Landon did so great last summer swimming with water wings and I thought after a couple more lessons he may be able to actually swim by himself for short lengths.

He just started the "no adult in water" class at the gym. There are four kids with one instructor. I have been so proud of him - while a little antsy between turns, he does great getting in the water and kicking away.

Kendall is a water baby. This is her second class and she is all smiles the whole time - it is an absolute joy to bring her to class.

Pigtails and Pink Shoes

2011-01-10T20:05:00.000-05:00

Nothing more precious right now that my sweet Kendall bear with pigtails and her cute pink dress up shoes. This girl just warms my heart with her feminine ways and I know we are going to have so much fun together shopping, cooking and having all sorts of girly talks. Thank you Jesus for this little munchkin - I know you had me in mind when you created her.

Our First Sledding Adventure

2011-01-09T16:38:00.000-05:00

Our first real official outing at the sledding hill happened this weekend. While the temperatures were bitterly cold, it was sunny and with the foot of snow we just received, a sled trip was in order.

Landon and Kendall both had a blast, and to be honest, Kendall has a bit more fun than Landon. She has been a daredevil since her very young moving days and she didn't surprise us at all that she loved the thrill of the steep hill. No trips by herself just yet (maybe next year), but lots of fun with Mommy and Daddy.

Entertaining Ourselves Over the Holiday

2011-01-03T17:08:00.003-05:00

With lots of time off before Christmas to New Years, we had to occupy ourselves inside somehow. The Art Easel Nana and Papa got the kiddos worked great - we have a little Picasso on our hands (Perhaps Kendall will get a turn when Landon goes back to school).

Additionally, after numerous trips to Jungle Joe's (Inflatable Bounce Land), we got asked by Landon to bring in our bounceroo. Thank goodness for Michigan basements and Ranch houses - we fortunately had more than enough room to let the kids go wild inside.

Christmas Cookies

2010-12-28T16:49:00.000-05:00

With almost two weeks off over the holiday - what better an activity than making Christmas cookies. I re-confirmed through making cookies that both my kids love frosting, licking beaters and eating raw cookie dough. Oh to be a kid again. Fortunately there was no sickness as a result of the latter.

Also - this was the first year I discovered "Royal Icing" for sugar cookies. It was absolute bliss! I will be making sugar cookies for every holiday - Valentine Hearts here I come!

Merry Christmas 2010

2010-12-26T16:40:00.000-05:00

What a wonderful Christmas we had with an 18 month old and 3 year old this year. Buddy the Elf (Elf on the Shelf) reported back to Santa that we had good boys and girls in our house this year that deserved some spoiling!

Christmas started with a visit from Nanny two weeks prior to Christmas, then presents from Aunts and Uncles on Christmas Eve and then Santa presents on Christmas morning. We are still going to be getting our Christmas gifts from Poppy - we're trying to see how long this Christmas can last.

Landon was rewarded with a Bike this year! We are so excited to see him ride it! He also received a host of "music" presents to compliment his love for music. He tells us that his favorite gift of all was his iPod (he didn't really get an iPod - but a kids radio that we download MP3s to). We are going to start Landon on piano lessons this summer because we believe his gift may be for music - he knows what he likes and seems to have an ear for great artists!

Kendall got some great babies and baby items - such as a crib and highchair. She has such a warm heart and has been showing her babies so much love!

Santa also surprised both the kids with an awesome Garage to store their cars in! They have really loved playing in there (especially Landon) and have put everything in there from the shop vac to the car wash bucket to the radio!

What a wonderful day we had celebrating Jesus' Birthday!

Christmas with Melissa

2010-12-24T16:56:00.000-05:00

Oh how we love our Nanny, Melissa. This was the second Christmas with her and we are so blessed to have her caring and loving on our children while we are off at work.

Landon was hard at work "helping" everyone open the presents!

Kendall Paige - 18 months

2010-12-23T20:13:00.000-05:00

Where did the time go from 12 to 18 months? So much has happened in your little life that I just had to get it down so we can laugh one day (or perhaps compare if you ever have another sibling).

Kendall Bear - Mommy was very worried about your talking up until now. At 15 months you were not saying one word consistently - not even Mom or Dad. We had an appointment with Early Intervention (EI) and they rated your comprehension at that of a 2 year old, but your speech at that of an 8-10 month old. They seemed very concerned that you were not saying Mom or Dad. Good news is that all the therapies they have given us to try have helped and you are a talking machine. You say so many words now, and Mommy, Daddy and Landon are all consistent. You ask for all of us every night and every day before nap. I love that I hear you asking for me! We start therapy in January with a EI specialist, but I'm hoping after three months they can re-evaluate you and you will be on track.

I cannot say enough about the love you have for your brother. You follow him around and look up to him so much. Yes - you both have your moments, but are quickly over them and then are best buds again. You play so nice together (as long as the vacuum isn't involved) and you are learning so much from him (good and bad). I treasure the times I see you hug and kiss him and hold his hand. I pray that the two of you will stay close forever and see the joy in having each other.

Babies! Make-Up! Purses! Three of the things you are really into right now. Babies are by far #1 and you hug them, feed them and put them to bed each night. I love how nurturing you are with them. I know you love real babies too; every time we are out and there is a baby you point and tell me there is a baby. You look with caution and always want to go closer. Fortunately, your friends Will and Ryan just had a baby sister, Olivia, who you will get to hang out with very soon!

Food is not one of my favorite topics. You are as picky as they come, often not even eating dinner because you don't like any of the 5 options I put in front of you. I have resorted back to giving you a bed time bottle with Whole milk when we have bad days just so you get some calories. You weigh 22lbs and are still in 12-18 month clothes. 18-24 month clothes are huge on you and we'll be lucky if you can pull them off this summer. I hope the doctor isn't going to scold my feeding skills - I'm getting worried about you a little bit when it comes to the food issues.

You almost have all your teeth! All four molars are in and we are just starting the teething phase with those dreaded eye teeth. You never have been a great sleeper - often waking up at night one time, but teething has made it worse. I know you don't deal with pain well - but mama needs some sleep, please?

Christmas with Nanny!

2010-12-19T07:18:00.001-05:00

Christmas started a little early this year in our household. To continue with our annual tradition, Nanny took the train in last weekend and we had a very nice Christmas together. We made some Christmas cookies, took Landon to get a haircut and to get his "pretzel" at the mall and had a couple nice meals.

On Saturday night we had our present exchange, and boy was Landon excited. Jason and I learned a few techniques for the 25th. This little boy has had Christmas on his mind for a long time and we think it may just be a bit overwhelming for a little 3 year old. He thoroughly enjoyed all the gift opening. Nanny got Landon a Leap Frog ABC computer so he can learn to write his letters and the sounds they make. It was the perfect gift because they are learning the ABCs at school and all the sounds and Landon is constantly asking "what letter does that start with" after he says a word. He's getting pretty good and I usually respond with the same question back. He gets it right about 70% of the time and then he usually tells me another word that starts with that letter.

Nanny bought Kendall a babydoll accessories set with a pack 'n play, stroller, bouncer seat and tummy time mat. After she opened that gift she was in heaven. I quickly set it up and it's been hours of fun for her. She puts her babies to bed, kisses them and then wakes them up with a bottle. So sweet.

Merry Christmas Nanny! We love you.

Landon's 1st Christmas Concert

2010-12-15T16:38:00.000-05:00

Dear Landon,

Today you had your first ever Christmas concert at Gagie where you go to Pre-School. For weeks you have been singing your songs to us and been talking to us about the big day. You were so jolly this morning when mommy and daddy took you to school and told you we'd be back to witness your big day.

You did such a wonderful job staying on stage and looking around. I think all the people may have put a little fear in you, because you didn't recite your songs quite as well as you did at home. You did, however, jump with glee during "Up on the Housetop."

Daddy and I sat there and laughed most of the time because you had your friend Ms. Varney sitting next to you the whole time. There were some funny outbursts and some 'class clown' like moves, but we could tell you had a blast.

After your special pizza lunch, you hung up your santa hat and took a nice long nap. Yeah- Christmas break is here for you!

Elf Yourself 2010

2010-12-02T14:26:00.000-05:00

I know Landon loved the first time we did the Elf Yourself video. We missed doing it in 2009, but it is back in 2010. This time our Kendall Bear gets to join in on the cast of elf's. Hope you kids enjoy.

Visit with the Cousins

2010-11-22T06:25:00.000-05:00

Landon woke up on Friday morning to a HUGE surprise - his cousins Ethan and Noah had arrived in Michigan. From the expression on Landon's face you would have thought Santa had just dropped off his bag of toys. It was delightful to feel the joy that eluded from our 3 year old.

The boys hit up a football game on Saturday, while the girls hit up a little shopping (and snoozing for K-Bear).

There was lots of wrestling, running and rough housing - as can be expected with boys. Even though Noah and Ethan lap Landon by many years, it was so great to see them all playing together.

November 14, 2010

2010-11-14T19:32:00.000-05:00

Today Kendall and Landon were Baptized. It was emotional and so gratifying for our children to have Him signal his commitment to their salvation through knowing what he did for our sins. We know this journey is just beginning for our two beautiful children and can't wait for them to get to know Christ on a more personal level.

Today Jason and I officially entered into membership at the Church we call "home" (Centerpoint Church) and a place we have worshiped at since we moved to Michigan 4 years ago. The past 4 years have been full of change and new life adventures, and we have, admittedly, not been as active in the church as we would have liked. This past summer we re-committed ourselves to attending regular worship and have started to re-ignite our personal relationship with Christ. It has been freeing and fills my heart with warmth. I love that we are a family getting to know Christ and praying together.

This is a day I never want to forget. Thank you Jesus for all you have done - you are our savior.

Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you. (Psalm 9:10)

Happy Halloween 2010!

2010-11-02T06:57:00.000-04:00

Our two little monkeys had a blast on Halloween this year. Not only was Landon making monkey noises to compliment his "Trick or Treat," but Kendall was gladly helping herself to the candy at our neighbhors' houses.

We ventured out around 5:30pm - just as dusk was falling here in Michigan. About 45 minutes to an hour later Kendall had her fun and was asking to be picked up between houses - I knew it was time to head home and hand out candy with her. Jason and Landon stayed out a little longer and hit some more houses. After the boys came home, we all handed out candy together. Our stash got a little low towards the end of the night and I told Landon, jokingly, that we may have to give out some of his candy if more kids came. Sarcasm sometimes doesn't work with a 3 year old, and before I knew it, he had the front door opened and was trying to turn off the pumpkin lights so that no one would come to our house for the rest of the night and take his candy.

Apparently Landon must have had tons of fun because he asked to go trick or treating on Monday night too!

Like Mother, like Daughter?

2010-10-31T20:51:00.000-04:00

My parents were in town this weekend and my Dad kept saying how much Kendall looked like me as a child......I like to think I've changed a lot and it's very hard for me (or Jason) to distinctively see either one of us in her (or Landon, for that matter). We like to think they are a good mix of both of us. I found some old pictures tonight and thought I would post one of Kendall and one of me around a similar age - both picking apples.

Halloween Parade @ Gagie

2010-10-31T20:43:00.000-04:00

On Friday, Landon had his Halloween parade at school. Parents (and grandparents) were allowed to come to watch the pre-schoolers parade around the school. Landon had an extra special treat when Nana and Papa showed up for the parade. He was grinning from ear to ear - it was quite contagious.

Family Photo Shoot

2010-10-24T21:33:00.000-04:00

Last weekend we ventured out for our annual christmas card picture. There is this red barn in some open land in our neighborhood and we thought that would be a good place to start.

I was armed with my M&Ms & Lucky Charm marshmallows for good boys and girls who produce beautiful smiles (or just look at the camera).

After a trip back home for Kendall's bow and jean jacket (yes! - I splurged on the most adorable jean jacket for my 16 month old) that I had forgotten in the midst of trying not to forget the treats, we were set up and ready to go.

We captured the "one" at the barn and thought we'd head to the park where there is a beautiful forrest with leaves everywhere. I've never admitted to be even close to a professional photographer, but I like to think I do okay (or my camera does okay?). I'm not complaining that the sun was out, but it produced some awful shadows that did not allow me to capture any cute family portraits. It did, however, catch me making silly faces at the camera after having to get up one too many times chasing after Landon and telling him to "sit back down nicely on the log and look at the camera."

Remote Control Car

2010-10-17T14:13:00.000-04:00

Landon has the mind is that of an engineer - always trying to figure everything out. We got him this remote control car for his birthday and it has been his favorite "toy." Figuring out the controls was a quick learn and enjoying all the cars tricks has been pure enjoyment.

Nana's Famous Pumpkin Bars

2010-10-17T14:07:00.000-04:00

I look forward to fall time every year for so many reasons - cool mornings, jeans and sweaters, beautiful colors, brisk smelling air, pumpkin spice coffee & creamer, Starbucks Pumpkin Spice lattes, cozy blankets on the couch at night. But, one of my favorite traditions is making my mom's famous pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting! This is a huge household hit and I can already tell they will be made plenty this fall.

As you all know, Landon is my helper - and licker. Even though I tell him not to lick the batter, no sooner do I turn around and it's in his mouth.

Pumpkins, Cider, Fresh Doughnuts.....and a Pony

2010-10-03T14:10:00.000-04:00

Today after Church we headed to Verhage Farm for some yummy doughnuts and to pick out our pumpkins. After doughnuts, we thought Landon would want to ride the train or hop on the hayride, but he did not (and told us so much, as you'd expect a 3 year old would.

At the bottom of the hill was a huge pumpkin bounceroo and pony rides. Landon surprised us when he wanted to ride the pony (clearly he didn't associate the pony with the Horsey that sometimes wakes him up at night).

We didn't end up with any pumpkins. so off to Gene Gene we go - but we did some cute pictures and a pony ride.

Happy 3rd Birthday Landon

2010-09-28T06:00:00.001-04:00

Landon Jason - you are three years old today! Happy Birthday to our little man who brings us many smiles and many challenges every day. We love you more than words can describe. In true birthday blog spirit, I have prepared a nice list for you to look back on to see what you were up to at 3 years old!

1. Smoothies & muffins are still my #1 snack. I would eat 2-3 smoothies a day if Mom and Dad would let me. I like to sip out of my twirly, bendy straw to feel like a big boy.
2. I have graduated from the baby swing at the park to the big swing. I will admit, though, I like the baby swing when I want to go high and get Daddy to give me underdogs.
3. When we go to the mall I ALWAYS ask for a pretzel and to ride a ride.
4. My favorite toy at home is, no doubt, Mommy and Daddy's vacuum. I never bore of it and for mom and dad it has become a nice babysitter.
5. I am fully potty trained and have not had an accident in months. In fact, I have woke up in the morning with a dry pull-up for the past two months.
6. I am still a picky eater - and would choose the vacuum over eating any day.
7. I can do somersaults all by myself now.
8. I have two alter-egos. I call myself "Mandy" when cleaning and "Kevin" when cutting the lawn.
9. My two favorite songs are: Friends & Soul Sister. Remarkably I pick out songs with a very similar tone and beat on the XM while in the car. When I hear a song come on, I ask Daddy to turn it up and then proceed to dance. And, by the way, I can only dance - not Mom or Dad.
10. I have really taken to nursery rhymes - a few of my favorites are: Jack & Jill, Humpty Dumpty & The Duke of York. I can even recite a couple back to you.
11. I still consider Cake one of the major food groups and would eat it everyday if I was allowed. As much as I love it, I'm not sure I'd pick it over the vacuum (see #6 above).
12. I love my sister and (most days) am really a big help. I love to hold her hand when we walk, talk to her in the back seat and ask about her when she is not around. I will admit, I'm not quite sure about sharing my vacuums yet, though. Even though she got a pink one for her birthday, I've claimed ownership.
13. My new favorite show is Curious George. I can sit through three 15 minute episodes sitting on the couch (with my hand in my mouth - one of my favorite concentration poses).
14. Just lately I've really started to "reason" with Mommy and Daddy. For example, the other day I asked to go to Chuck E Cheese. Mommy and Daddy said we had to eat dinner first, and since they don't like their food, they told me we can't eat there. I thought for a minute, then told them that we could. They have tables after all and we can bring our dinner there to eat. Yeah, we can just set it on the table.
15. My new favorite game to play is the "What's that" game. What's that noise, What's that smell, What's that thing.....

Landon at 2 years old

Landon at 3 years old

A day at the farm

2010-09-25T15:14:00.000-04:00

Today we headed to Gull Meadow Farms - a family favorite from last year. They have such a great set-up with a pumpkin patch, a hay ride, apple picking, a corn maze and a HUGE play area for the kids, complete with a huge bounce pad, a slide, tractor rides, water table and lots of fun hay to play on.

We had an absolute blast. I know it was a good day when I'm sitting here blogging and all the kids (including my husband) are napping. It's rare that I can get a blog post up within hours of returning home.

A New Baby in the House?

2010-09-25T15:00:00.000-04:00

Another crazy morning around here last week.....it went something like this....

Jason leaves to go get my car oil changed at 7:10am
Landon wakes up and has to pee
He accidently pees on his hand
Since we are in my bathroom, I turn on the tub so he can wash it and I can keep getting ready
Upon reaching over to turn the water off, I notice a new little baby has made a home in our bathtub

What am I going to do?
I grab a bucket from the garage and some cheese from the fridge
Hoping the mouse will go in the bucket, grab the cheese and I can put him back in our field
No luck
I had to scoop him up, put a pot lid over the bucket and then walk him out to the field

It was gross....and even looking at the picture I took still makes me squirm.

Where did he come from?
Jason thinks from the front door that was accidently left open for a couple hours the other day. We're praying.

The Park (with one baby swing)

2010-09-12T17:17:00.001-04:00

When Landon can call a park by the number of baby swings, it's a sure sign that we frequent the parks around town quite often. Today Landon wanted to go to the park with the one baby swing - but we had our own agenda and wanted to get home in time to watch the Green Bay Packers kick off. We pulled into the park (with two baby swings) and Landon was crying in frustrations while Kendall was squealing in delight. Landon ususally wins these battles (mostly because he gets louder until he gets his way). As we pulled away from one park on our way to another Landon's crying stopped and poor Kendall's started. She was so upset and couldn't understand why we couldn't stay. About 7 minutes later we popped into the right park and we had two happy campers.

Kids Gym - Together

2010-09-12T17:00:00.000-04:00

Landon and Kendall were able to do their first Kids Gym together starting this Saturday. The class is for 1s and 2s and since Landon doesn't turn 3 for another couple weeks, we just hit the cut-off. What fun it was to have them feed off each other.

We did this same class when Landon was 20 months old and he could never sit still for the intro song or the goodbye song. It was refreshing to watch him be interactive with Dad and follow the commands. (Secretly, what was even more enjoyable was watching another parent go though what we did the first time around).

First Day of Pre-School

2010-09-09T20:52:00.000-04:00

The long awaited day has arrived and the end of summer has been marked....Landon's first official day of pre-school. We have been building him with joy and excitement since our initial orientation in June. We've read books, talked a lot about it, read some more books and continued to build excitement for the hopes that pre-school would be a bigger success than daycare was.

This morning Landon woke up rather early (6:50am) and was a bit rambunctious. We think it was the nerves. As soon as we told him it was time to put his shoes on he immediately asked for his blankets and special animal. Landon has never been a huge 'security blanket' toddler, but today was clearly an exception. He held his valuables close to his chest on the ride to school (about 12 minutes from our house), but gladly set them aside when Ms. Laura came out to greet and take him into school. (The school recommends that parents drop off the kids and have the teachers remove them from the car to ease with separation anxiety). Landon surprised us both at how easy he transitioned to her arms. In fact, we saw one little boy in tears behind us and were expecting that to be our situation this morning.

We picked him up at 11:30 and headed to lunch. He told us that he had fun and sang songs and played with toys. One of his other teachers told us he had a rough time with the transitions, but once they got through that he did great. She told us at one point he went and grabbed his backpack and said "I'm done, and ready to go home."

I did receive a phone call this afternoon from the head teacher in concern for Landon. No one will ever tell you that Landon can't show emotion - and boy did he this morning in school. Once he figured out that we weren't coming back, he got his 'mad cry' on and Ms. Laura had to calm him down several times. It only took a couple times and by 10am (he starts at 9am) he was vacuuming the floors and filling up the shopping cart. Success! Tomorrow we are going to bring his blankets in his backpack to help with the transition. We're praying he doesn't relapse and think he is going to daycare. Our poor son did not do well there and we don't want him thinking this is a repeat.

Getting his backpack on

Smiling with his backpack

Wait....where is Landon going?

On the way to school

Ms. Laura coming to get Landon

Ms. Laura telling Landon about all the fun things

Leaving school...with a smile on his face

I Love Cool Fall Days & Smiling Babies

2010-09-06T16:42:00.000-04:00

Kendall Paige - 14 Months

2010-08-31T06:46:00.000-04:00

Kendall Paige - you are 14 months old. I can't believe how much has happened since your first birthday! Life with you is so fun (and so challenging at the same time) - but we love having our little girl.

You had your first haircut just to trim up the unruly back ends. We are still waiting for the front to fill in nicely and dad has told me no more haircuts - we need to let it grow. I can put cute little bows in your hair and they only fall out when you pull them out - and that is often.

You have started to say a few words and that is music to our ears - as you weren't saying anything at 1 year. You now have the following words in your vocabulary:
1. Ut- Oh
2. Daddy
3. Bath
4. Baba
5. Thank You

Even though you don't say a ton of words, you babble like there is no tomorrow. Landon was not like this, so it's very cute to see.

You have started playing with your babies a lot more in the past couple weeks. You feed them a bottle, push them around and hold them so lovingly. It is adorable to see you already having a nurturing personality. We can tell you are going to be so caring with others, as you hate to see your brother cry or in time out. You often burst out crying when he is as well. Funny thing is that I was the same way with my brother when we were little. My mom told me I used to ask her not to yell at David (my brother) and make him sad.

Nightime is MUCH better. I haven't given you a bottle in three days to put you down and you've slept until at least 5:15am - after going to bed at 7:30pm. We are trying to wean you off the bottle at night and we're staring to have success! When you wake up between 5-6am, I often give you a bottle with milk to get you back down. 90% of the time it is a success and you sleep for a couple more hours.

You are a daredevil and LOVE to climb (unlike Landon at your age). You are so smart and find something you can step on (like the Lego bin) and get right up on the couch, chair or table. You have had quite a few time outs because of this dangerous habit. It's not so great that Landon tries to teach you these things, but girl, you will have to start having a mind of your own soon - or pay the consequences.

You are signing several words: more, eat, milk, all done & please. It makes life a little easier that you can communicate. It's especially helpful at dinnertime. You used to just scream when you were done, now you just raise those cute little arms and shake them.

Last, but not least, you love to run around naked. This is much like your big brother when he was your age (and even sometimes now). After bath you find so much joy running around naked and having me chase you. Your little squeals of excitement are so darling!

The Gagie School

2010-08-24T21:05:00.001-04:00

On September 9th, Landon will start school. He will be 3 on the 28th of September, so he meets the cut-off to start pre-school. We thought long and hard about a program that would meet Landon's needs, and after an orientation at Gagie, we just knew he would get the attention he needs. I never thought private school would be our way, but there is something very special about this school and the teachers and I really think Landon will thrive. He will go 5 days per week from 9-11:30 and then come home, eat lunch, nap (hopefully), and then end the day with a little play. While I know he will be sad that summer is over, this change will be good for him and foster his social skills.

This school goes through 8th grade, but we're not sure how long we'll keep him there. While the school itself has great credentials, we are weighing all of our options post pre-school.

John Ball Zoo

2010-08-14T21:08:00.000-04:00

We bought an annual membership to the Grand Rapids museum (after our third time there, we figured it was worth the money - plus it's only 45 minutes away). During the month of August you can get into the John Ball zoo for FREE. We took the opportunity to have lunch at the park and then hit up the zoo with the kiddos. Another fun summer day.

Some cool water on a hot day...how refreshing

Bike Riding

2010-08-14T20:46:00.000-04:00

Our neighbor gifted us his old bike trailer, as his girls have outgrown the buggy. We've had a few rides now with the kids and it's so much fun. Not only do we get a little exercise, but they really enjoy each other's company. Landon can be heard talking to Kendall about what the day is going to hold....ice cream at Ritters or a trip to the Air Zoo - you choose.

Summer Vacation - Plus New Floors

2010-08-14T20:37:00.000-04:00

Due to a little Snafu with our cleaning people, we had to have all of our hardwoods ripped up and replaced. To our delight, we were able to get the beautiful hand scraped hardwoods we drooled over while in Arkansas. While the contractors were tearing up almost our main level our house was fairly unlivable, so we headed down south to visit Nana and Papa. The first day we stopped mid-way at the Indianapolis Children's Museum. Landon was able to enjoy this last year and Kendall only enjoyed the sounds and movements from being tucked in my tummy. This year they both had a blast - the water table, train station, dinosaur exhibit, Barbie floor and of course, the race car, were just a few of their favorites.

We arrived home on Thursday night late and were reminded for a long 6 hours car ride with a 1 year old why long road trips are seldom occasions. Our floors turned out beautiful and we have been enjoying them so much.

Backyard Photos

2010-08-01T13:43:00.000-04:00

Nana and Papa were in town this weekend and we tried really hard to get a few good pictures of the kids - together was a challenge, but separately I think we can manage with what we got. Finally - they can fill their frame we got them for Christmas.

Next week we are getting all of our hardwoods replaced - I can't wait. The hand scraped hardwoods I fell in love with while living in Arkansas are going to finally make an entrance up here in the north. While the circumstances of the replacement are frustrating, we're optimistic that a beautiful outcome is on the horizon.

In prep for our "new look," Papa and Jason sanded and stained our badly bruised kitchen table. We really love the table, but Landon has really done a number on it with the spoons and forks. The end result turned out beautiful - and saved us a ton by not having to buy a new table. Also, now that Jason knows how to refinish it when Kendall decides to follow brother's suit, we will know that there is a cost effective fix in place.

Happy (early) Birthday Nanny

2010-07-26T20:13:00.000-04:00

While Nanny was here for a visit last weekend we celebrated her birthday. It was a little early, but we figured we should seize the opportunity before it passed us by - PLUS we all love Cake, so what not a better reason to have some.

Kendall was hamming it up for the camera - she loves cake so much!

Visit with Nanny

2010-07-26T20:06:00.000-04:00

Landon and Kendall's Nanny came to visit us this weekend and arrived via train. Landon was so excited to pick her up at the train "spation" and was all he could talk about. Unfortunately we had to pay the doctor a visit on Friday just as Nanny's train was arriving. Landon has been fighting dry feet and big cuts all summer long. Little did we know it was actually eczema. We're hoping the steroid cream prescribed clears them up in a jiffy.

We had big plans to take Nanny to the "new" Museum, as Landon calls it, up in Grand Rapids. It was raining and storming, so it was a perfect day to stay indoors. Both the kids had a blast. Kendall is really starting to form a social personality and played very well with all the kids and toys. What a difference from Landon where we had to hover to make sure he didn't "practice" any of the actions he learned at daycare.

Kendall really loves balls! She would go though and pick up all the blue balls and put them in the slot to make a rainbow. We're not sure why she likes the color blue so much, but it is evident she knows the color coordination.

Eater

2010-07-15T20:59:00.000-04:00

Kendall loves to eat - while still a bit picky, she is no where near the pickiness of her brother. Because she loves to eat, snacks seem to be a constant in our house. A favorite is still the Gerber Puffs - for both kids actually.

Instead of putting the puffs in her snack trap, I just gave her the container. I turned my back and she had her hand stuffed in. Within minutes the puffs were gone! I could not believe how much food she could stuff in her mouth.

All Gone!

Splish Splash

2010-07-15T20:45:00.000-04:00

Landon knows he's not allowed to splash in the tub. But when Kendall starts, he thinks it's license to follow. Oh boy - what are we going to do with our two peas in a pod?

Really?

2010-07-05T15:13:00.000-04:00

If only Landon would pose and smile when I'm REALLY trying to take a picture - not just for the vacuum.

Shhh...Don't tell Landon

2010-07-05T15:11:00.000-04:00

Landon's Puddle Jumpers (as he calls them) are also sought after by little sis. She saw the lime green boots with the cute froggy eyes and was all over them.

Slip 'N Slide

2010-07-05T15:07:00.000-04:00

This morning we went downtown to have family pictures taken. For anyone that knows me, knows I am not above bribes. So, Jason and I brainstormed on the way downtown what we could tell Landon he could have IF he was good for the photographer and we got some good shots. The hose and vacuum are overused, so we opted for the Slip 'N Slide. Our neighbors have one and Landon has been talking a lot about it. SCORE - it was just what the little man needed in order to cooperate.

Right after the photo shoot Jason and Landon ran to Target to pick up a cool Buzz and Woody Slip 'N Slide. Just moments ago (after a much needed nap) Landon (and Daddy) enjoyed their very own water toy in the backyard.

Florida Vacation 2010

2010-06-21T20:33:00.000-04:00

Last week we went to Florida and rented a wonderful beach house in the little planned community of Seacrest/Rosemary Beach. Nana & Papa Lord and our wonderful nanny Melissa were with us for the week. We had such a wonderful time and it was wonderful to stay in a large 4 bedroom house with two little ones to chase after.

Everyday we hit up the wonderful pool. Landon did so wonderful with his water wings and Kendall enjoyed either sitting on the stairs splashing in the water or riding in her floaty around the pool. It was amazing to watch Landon swim around the pool with only the assistance of these $1.29 water wings. I am thankful that 5 sets of swim lessons paid off.

Jason and I were able to head out to dinner and shopping one night and we had a blast. Off Sak's Fifth Avenue had some really cute clothes and we were able to find the kids some really trendy stuff as well for a NICE price. We are all set for our family photo shoot in a few weeks. We had a nice steak dinner at Flanners that was delicious and peaceful.

We also hit up the Mexican restaurant in our village a few times for some great tacos and burritos - and the BEST chips and salsa.

Seacrest/Rosemary beach is so kid friendly and everyone was so wonderful. It was nice not to feel self conscious when you leave a restaurant with more food on the floor than in your baby's tummy.

Here are just a few pictures from our wonderful vacation....I plan on putting together a slideshow soon.

Happy 1st Birthday Kendall

2010-06-21T20:03:00.000-04:00

Kendall Bear - you are 1 years old today. When I think back 1 year and remember what a wonderful birth experience I had with you, I get tears in my eyes from the feelings of happiness to have you in our lives and for those memories you have created. We love you so much and continue to grow our hearts fonder everyday with your emerging personality.

What are you up to?

1. You are still wearing size 3 diapers.....but I have been able to put some 4s on you since Landon is no longer in need of them. They are a little big, but I'm sure within the next few months they'll fit like a glove.

2. You are eating lots of table food. A few of your favorites: Cottage cheese, cheese, bananas, mac & cheese, and peaches. You lick all your food before you try it - it's really funny to watch.

3. You go to bed around 7:30pm and get up around 5:45 for a bottle, then go back to sleep until 6:30-7:30am. I really would like to give that bottle up, but that extra hour of sleep is so nice.

4. You are still taking 2 naps every day. Although, if you sleep in until 8am, you will not go down for a morning nap. I'm okay with dropping that one in exchange for you getting up at 8am - I'll let you decide.

5. You love your bottles, and I'm not sure how I'm going to get you to give them up. You drink 3-4 a day with whole milk. The transition to whole milk was relatively easy, but you still insist I warm up your milk.

6. You are acquiring quite the personality. You snort when you get excited ( I think you get that from Nana Lord), you love giving hugs, you love being chased and you are starting to share your food.

7. You love to play in the kitchen, Jessie's water bowl and the Cozy Coupe - those are just a few of your favorites.

8. You've starting 'talking' on the phone. Video to follow shortly - but it is really cute and you try to make noises while you hold the phone up to your ear (or back of your head - it's pretty close).

9. You are such an easy girl to put to bed. A few books, a little milk and a blanket and you are asleep. I rarely have to go back in there to rub your back.

10. You still are very much loving your brother and watching everything he does. This birthday it was hard for us to buy you gifts because you already are "aging up." So, we bought you a pretty pink bubble lawnmower (age 2+), a Barbie VW Bug (age 18months+), and a little pink vacuum (age 3+). It's sad that you are growing up so quick, but amazing to watch how quick you are learning and following your brother.

11. Not a day goes by that I don't thank the Lord for giving me my little girl. You bring so much joy to our lives and have shown us how BIG our hearts really can be.

John Ball Zoo

2010-06-05T20:24:00.000-04:00

Today it was beautiful - 76 degrees, sunny (but with some clouds) and a nice breeze. We hit up the zoo about 45 minutes from us up in Grand Rapids. Landon was crazy (what's new?) and wanted to walk most of the time. He was interested in the animals at first, but once he caught sight of all the water hoses at the animals homes, he kept asking to play with those.

We had fun, but caused Kendall to miss her morning nap. They both fell fast asleep on the car ride home, but unfortunately awoke once the car slowed down - so needless to say both kids were a bit of a "challenge" tonight. Although Jason and I both hate it when the kids are misbehaving, it makes it all better when we hear them playing and getting along just a few moments later - Landon riding on the zebra with his sister was priceless and all the reason why I love being their mom!

Happy Anniversary - Eight Years

2010-06-01T20:36:00.001-04:00

Jason and I have been married for 8 years today (yeah - no seven year 'itch'). We are still very much in love and absolutely LOVE our life! Two beautiful kids have us praising God for this wonderful path He is leading us down.

So, for our 8 year anniversary, what did we do?

1. Went to work - it was hard to convince ourselves to take another day off after a three day weekend.

2. Came home to a wonderful meal of Sea Bass, fresh baked bread and vegetables (and 8 beautiful roses). Landon wasn't fond of the fishy smell. He kept saying "I smell Daddy." We finally told him it was fish and he had his hands over his nose the whole time. Funny thing is he used to eat fish sticks at daycare. We don't typically eat fish, but are trying something new, so the smell was very new to him.

3. Continued to act as a team as Jason cleaned up dinner and I bathed the kids (we tend to rotate on a nightly basis)

4. Ate Cake - I made a super awesome almond buttercream frosting and I made a white cake (from the box). I tried to make a homemade white cake yesterday, but wasn't happy with the results and I know you can never go wrong with white box mix cake.

5. Put Kendall to bed

6. Put Landon to bed

7. Blog...

8. ENJOY the rest of our evening....and watch the season opener of Wipeout (I love the BIG BOUNCY BALLS)!

2010 Seahorse Tri

2010-05-31T16:04:00.000-04:00

This Memorial Day weekend I was back at it again with the Seahorse sprint triathlon. Going into the weekend I was a bit more confident since this was my second tri, however maybe I was too confident going into the swim. Someone should have told me zig zagging through the swim course will cost you a ton of time. A good performance on the bike made up for the lack of swimming skills. Unfortunately, I may have pushed it too hard on the bike because the run was a bit more challenging than it should have been. However, on the last stretch on the run I was greeted by my biggest fans Suzy, Landon, and Kendall. They gave me some extra encouragement to give one last push to the finish line.

Overall, it was nice to get out and show my competitive spirit and race with my college friends Suzy and Ryan Black. Looking forward to my next tri coming up in the beginning of July.

Kendall Paige - 11 Months

2010-05-23T20:34:00.000-04:00

Kendall Paige (although more commonly called Kendall Bear) - you are already 11 months old. Wow, what a month this has been, you've have accomplished so much.

1. You are walking full time - no more crawling. You are so steady and I'm certain you will be running before the summer is over. You have not had any accidents and have minor bruising from all your activity.

2. You got your third tooth (top left) and it was a tough week. You started getting up at night again and you were pretty fussy during the day. A little motrin made you feel much better, but now we are struggling to get you back to sleeping through the night.

3. You are around 21lbs and I have moved you into your big girl car seat. You absolutely love it. I turn around in the car and you are just smiling. Landon loves it too because he gets to talk to you now (which he does often).

4. You still will not let me feed you, so I've had to be very creative with finding finger food that is still healthy and gets you what you need. It's been a challenge, but so far I think it's working.

5. You are a talker (a loud one, I might add). While you only say Mama at this point, you are always jibbering.

6. You have a temper and it's gotten worse. When you are done eating, you want down and will scream and whine until I clean you up. When you don't want to be held (which is often), you will squirm and fuss - and best of all, when your brother takes a toy from you it's all out screaming (and a few times I've seen you pat his back as if to ask for the toy back).

7. You are in 12 month clothes and size 3 diapers and seem to be growing right on track.

8. You love water like your brother. Since we've started bringing the water table out now that's it's nice - it serves for hours of entertainment. I love that you can play with a toy for a long time without getting bored.

9. You are watching and copying your brother on so many things. He loves to 'teach' you things that get you in trouble, like patting the blinds or pulling at the curtains. Within moments of you starting one of these new things, your brother is by our side tattling on you (with a grin). I think it's refreshing for you to see us to be scolding someone other than you.

10. Without a doubt you have and are going to continue to be one happy child. You wake up smiling and smile back at anyone that shoots you a happy look. It is just precious and we love that you can continuously make us happy.

11. Finally, you are a mama's girl (not that I am complaining). You run to me and grab my leg all the time and just love it when I hold you.

No More Diapers

2010-05-20T19:29:00.004-04:00

Landon is 'officially' potty trained! We are so excited and proud of him and have to keep pinching ourselves to believe it's real.

For a while now Landon has known when he went #1 or #2 in his diaper. Upon completion, he immediately told us. Asking him to sit on the potty was a chore and he just never could get excited about the many 'prizes' that were offered when he went on his potty.

Last weekend I just put him in underwear. He went pee-pee in it and then asked to be changed. I proceeded to put another pair on him. We kept asking him if he had to use the potty and he complied. After his bath he asked if he could wear big boy underwear and we knew we were making progress. The next day he wore underwear all day. He did have a few accidents, one of them being #2. Now this #2 was no small deed. In fact, I told Landon that Mommy needed to throw his Mater underwear away because I didn't think the poopy would come out. He was sad, but I told him we could buy more Cars underwear when he started using the potty everyday.

The rest is history. We threw his diapers away on Monday and he hasn't looked back. Today was his first day of no accidents and he has been using the potty all by himself and telling us when he has to go - no prompting.

Good Job Buddy! We are so excited that you are becoming such a big boy!

Hi Dad - Landon has a message for you

2010-05-11T19:20:00.002-04:00

I had to resist NOT taking a picture of the bath events tonight - so instead I had Landon document them on camera so daddy could know 'for sure' what happened - 2 year olds don't lie.

Kendall - Walking Everywhere

2010-05-11T06:47:00.002-04:00

How did we go from first steps to walking FULL time so quickly? This little girl is motivated!

Kendall - you are growing up so fast! Mommy cannot believe that you are turning into a toddler before my eyes. At least we still have the bottle - mom may have to hold onto that a bit longer that Landon.

Mother's Day 2010

2010-05-09T07:42:00.002-04:00

Continuing with tradition, the annual Mother's Day video was made for Suzy to celebrate the last 12 months of being a great mom. This year was extra special because Kendall was no longer along for the ride in moms belly, but is one of the added dynamics to our little family.

We hope you have a wonderful Mother's Day

Love, Landon & Kendall

Can you Imagine?

2010-05-06T08:46:00.001-04:00

Can you imagine your house burning down? Now, can you imagine it happening twice?

Last night around 8:30pm we got a call from Jason's sister, Dawn about the terrible events taking place at Jason's Dad's house in Wisconsin. A night that was supposed to be ending with a delicious steak dinner cooked on the grilled turned out to be devestating. Fortunately, no one was physically injured.

Please pray for Jason's dad, Joe, during this tough time. I cannot image the emotions he is going through as his house was destroyed for the second time. Please pray that God provides him strength and safety.

You can read the full story here.

Kendall 9 Month Pictures & Landon Too

2010-05-03T08:31:00.000-04:00

We had Kendall's 9 month pictures taken a bit ago and had Landon join the fun - really our intent was to get a great picture of the two of them together - unfortunately we'll have to try again at Kendall's 1 year shoot.

Here are a few of the proofs from the session.....I can't wait for her 1 year photos when we do a family shot downtown.

One Turning the Corner, the other hitting rocky roads

2010-05-01T07:57:00.000-04:00

Landon turned 2 1/2 at the end of March - 30 months. I once heard that any months that begin with 2 are considered the terrible twos, but once you move beyond the 2s and into the 3s, it's free sailing. I am starting to believe this, as Landon has started making a wonderful turn and surprising us with his maturity and love for his sister.

1. He now hugs sissy
2. Worries about her when she is crying
3. Tells us he is being "very quiet" because Kendall is sleeping
4. SHARES his water table AND kitchen with her (his two prized possessions)
5. Often wants to help feed Kendall a bottle or sippy cup
6. Pushes her closer to him at the table

Let's not be mistaken, Landon still has his moments when his two hand shove isn't so loving, or when he takes all his clothes off because he doesn't want to nap, but we are moving in the right direction and we are so proud of him.

Kendall, is hitting a bit of rocky roads. She is smart, there is no doubt about it - she knows where the things are that she wants and when she can't get them, it's OVER. Locked drawers, cabinets and toys up high make her scream and rant - something I'm worried about when she turns 2.

The other day she got her push toy stuck in a corner and then proceeded to throw herself on the floor, kick her arms and legs in some form of a tantrum (is this too early for a 10 month old)? Additionally, she is a climber - something Landon is NOT. My prediction is we are going to be in the ER for her before we even make it there for him. Mommy needs to keep a closer eye on Kendall so we can avoid that trip at all costs.

JT Tractor

2010-04-24T14:07:00.000-04:00

This little boy LOVES to be outside. He will find 'excuses' to be outside and never wants to come in. Last night he sat on the couch with Daddy and talked for a while about all the fun things he gets to do outside (all the while with a HUGE grin on his face).

I told Jason it would be a good idea to look for a job down South so we can enjoy more days outside. After this summer Landon is going to have a hard time adjusting to winter.

Just in case you were wondering...Landon picked out AND put on his own boots - hence the funny farmboy look.

Kendall's First Steps

2010-04-24T07:45:00.003-04:00

Kendall has been pulling up (with strength) for some time. We know she wants to walk, but coupled with a little fear and her great ability to crawl and get down from standing has caused her to continue to accelerate her crawling skills.

Just this past week Kendall has shown the desire to want to "walk" more. Jason and I will sit across from each other and hold out our hands. She manages about 3-5 steps and then crashes into us. This is exactly the same way Landon learned to walk.

Last night, however, Jason let her go to a toy and she took a few steps on her own without mommy on the other end. You go girl!

Sleep

2010-04-24T07:36:00.000-04:00

I didn't want to blog about this earlier in the week for fear that I would jinx myself. But, I (think) I can safely say that Kendall is now sleeping through the night. For Four nights in a row she has slept from 7:00 or 7:30pm until at least 5am. I am usually just about up for work at this time, so I really don't mind. Plus, she still goes back to sleep after a bottle at 5am until around 7:15-7:30am.

It only took 10 months, but it finally happened.

Happy 10 month birthday Kendall

2010-04-21T20:36:00.000-04:00

My beautiful baby girl, you are 10 months today.

What are you up to?

1. You are still wearing size 3 diapers and 6-12 month clothes. I tried a 12-18 month shirt on you the other day and you were swimming in it. Then Daddy reminded me that you are only 10 months.

2. You are crawling everyone, crusing between furniture and toys and wanting oh so bad to walk (or run). You are so good crawling and getting down that you will take a few steps and then puddle down. Today you took a few steps on the grass that Melissa saw. I know you can do it, but the question is when.

3. You are developing a personality....um, and I will add a slight temper. You don't like the locks on the cabinets and pull hard and then scream when they won't open. I can already image you being my sweet princess throwing herself down at the grocery store because of a tantrum. Can't wait.

4. You love water - just like your brother. The dog's water bowl, the water table and the bath are just a few of your favorites.

5. Unlike your brother, you have decided that you hate the vacuum. Okay, you can manage, but would rather mommy not vacuum.

6. You are still getting up at night. I have refused to feed you this week, but rather just rub your back. It seems to be working, so hopefully we'll figure this sleeping thing out soon. Let me add a bribe: If you want a little sister (or brother), you may want to figure it out soon while mommy and daddy are in the deciding stages.

7. You are DONE with baby food and are onto real food. You have loved almost everything I've given you thus far: mac & cheese, french fries, bananas cut up, pasta, peaches, pears, carrots, pancakes, cheese & lots of others. You just keep eating...

8. You have mastered the sippy cup. In fact, tonight at dinner you drank all of it and I had to fill it back up. I'm not going to give up the bottle just yet (just in case you are my last baby), but we'll probably start using the sippy more over the next month.

9. You are saying so many sounds, mama, dada, baba - but your favorite is just screaming, which Landon likes to repeat. For some reason the bath makes you scream and it is a loud time in the bath at night.

10. Finally, you are still my happy girl and will smile all the time - I just love it.

Unseasonably Warm

2010-04-20T06:32:00.000-04:00

The weather in Michigan has been absolutely wonderful. Often times there is still snow on the ground in April, so temperatures in the 70s and 80s is a blessing.

Landon has been asking about summer all winter long. He gets the concept that when it's summer he gets to....play with the hose, water table, wash the car, take nature walks and go swimming (just a few of his favorites). Although it's not summer yet, it sure has felt like it - I worry about what I am going to tell him if little white flakes fall from the sky yet this month....he will be devastated.

A new favorite to add to his "summertime" list will be eating on the deck. We did it once and now almost every time he asks if he can eat his lunch outside.

Progressing Nicely...

2010-04-19T20:39:00.000-04:00

I blogged about Landon getting his big boy bed a little over a week ago....his big boy bed was just his crib without the rails. He did so wonderful with step 1, that we decided last weekend to 'officially' move him into his BIG boy bed - no rails included.

Landon has come into our room only once and it was probably fair. For a 2 year old that cannot yet tell time, it's pretty light out at 5:30am. Sticking to our 'no kids in our bed' rules, I took him back to his bed and he was out until 8am. He usually stays in his bed when he wakes up in the morning, but occasionally he will head out to the kitchen and surprise us.

He has only tried to sneak out one time during nap time. Melissa tells us it was no less than four times, and after the fourth time she let him lay on the couch. He hasn't done that in about a week.

The look on his face is absolutely priceless. He loves his BIG boy bed and talks about it at night. Bedtime is no longer a long procrastination, but rather a joyful encounter.

Landon- Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you for being such a big boy.....now can we PLEASE work on potty training?

Bye Bye Baby Food...

2010-04-11T07:47:00.000-04:00

Landon was always a great eater...in fact, he would eat breakfast at home and then go to daycare and eat another breakfast there. He ate whatever was put in front of him and I never had to worry about him not getting enough.

Kendall, on the other hand in a challenge with eating. She has always been a snacker and never really been on much of a 'schedule' with eating. I am always brining bottles out with me when I run errands, even if she ate within the past hour. She must have milk to go down for a nap - which is a nasty habit I've given into and I know it will be hard to break.

So, at almost 10 months old, she has decided that she doesn't like baby food anymore AND, doesn't like mommy feeding her. This all just started about three days ago and I'm worried it's not a phase. I am going to have to get real creative, real soon if I want her to continue to thrive. Gerber Puffs and Pancakes aren't going to cut it for long....I think a cut up grilled cheese may be on the menu today. The funny thing about all of this is that she only has two bottom teeth.

Big Boy Bed

2010-04-08T19:35:00.000-04:00

We tried it again...a big boy bed for Landon. It really is amazing what three months can do in a little boy's life. The first time we took the front off his crib he didn't know what to do and we felt he just wasn't mature enough to handle it.

To be honest, he doesn't climb out of his crib and it's a nice place for us to know he's safe (especially during those 2 hour naps...or animal talk....). But, we are going to Destin and have rented a four bedroom house and he will be sleeping in a big boy bed there. We are leaving in June, and I wanted to allow some time to break him.

Well, to our surprise, he did AWESOME last night. We did our normal night rituals (bring our blankets and pillows to the couch, watch a little Dora, brush our teeth, "look" and read books, and then rocking (yes...we still are rocking). He went right to his new bed, talked for about 30 minutes to his animals about his day, and then fell asleep. He didn't get up last night and this morning when he woke up at 7:50, he called for us instead of just getting out.

We're hopeful that by moving him to a "big boy bed" he will feel a bit older and become a little more independent.

Happy Easter 2010!

2010-04-04T16:33:00.000-04:00