Monday, June 21, 2010
Sweet images
As I was drying my hair yesterday morning, this is the image I saw in the mirrow...my sweet girl crawled up next to her baby brother, making him laugh and smile! I will always cherish this picture because it represents so much. It represents the sweetness of our 2 children and the special bond that a brother and sister can have. I hope and pray that Kate and Jake are close and are able to always have each other for additional love and support. The image also represents what Ryan and I pictured when we decided to upgrade to a king size bed - all of us piled in an unmade bed on a lazy weekend morning. That is what family life really means. All of us together, with no worries in the world! So heck with a made bed or matching bedroom set...we have a bed that fits us all and is so comfortable that none of us ever want to get out! Aren't weekends great?
Visit with Nana and Michael
On Sunday, we ventured up to Loveland, OH to visit with Ryan's mom (Nana/Jo) and Michael. Jake and Kate were troopers for the trip (see Jake's pictures below). Kate enjoyed investigating their property and playing with sweet Ava!
Thank you Jo for helping make Ryan's father's day celebration so special!
Thank you Jo for helping make Ryan's father's day celebration so special!
Like Father Like Son
We get a kick out of how much Jake looks like Ryan. We also get a kick out of his hysterical facial expressions, including the look of surprise that is ALWAYS on his face.
Yes, they are two peas in a pod. I think the images below say enough.
Yes, they are two peas in a pod. I think the images below say enough.
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Happy Father's Day
Happy Father's Day to all the wonderful fathers I know, especially my dad, Ryan's dad and to the father of our children, Ryan. I have decided that Father's Day and Mother's Day are now 2 of my most favorite days of the year. There is something so special about being a parent that I can't even put it into words. Not only do I enjoy the celebration with our newly formed family but I also, now more than ever, am so thankful for all that our parents taught us. I inherited so many of my dad's traits and I am thankful for each one of them. They make me who I am!
Father's have such an influence on their childrens lives. I have the daily pleasure of watching Kate and Jake learn so much from their dad. As I was picking out cards for the kids to give Ryan, I started thinking about how blessed our kids are to have Ryan as their dad. One of the greatest compliments that you can give someone is that they are a great parent. And Ryan is more than just a great parent, he is an amazing parent. So simple yet so strong. His greatest strength is his ability to balance it all - love, patience, laughter, and discipline. He is the backbone of our family and I cherish every memory we have made together during this journey of parenthood.
Kate's teacher asked each child in the class what they like about their dad and she said, "he likes the flowers that I pick for him." I think that sums it up...he likes anything!
My first thought yesterday morning was the image of Ryan walking with Kate in the backyard of our 1st house, showing her the leaves on each of the trees. As soon as we walked in the door from the hospital on July 7th, 2006, Ryan immediately took her outside to show her the world. I remember being so overwhelmed with emotion as I watched them from the window. He has such a way with our 2 kids that I truly feel like the luckiest mom in the world.
So, I take today to say thank you to all the Dad's in my life, and especially to Ryan. We all love you!
The images below sum up why Ryan is our "#1 Dad":
- Our kids are pretty darn cute and according to Jake's teachers, funny kids too. Jake's teacher told us today that they think he will be the class clown...wonder where he gets that from??
- He will always appreciate things like onsies that say "I love my dad".
- He will always go out for ice cream sundaes
- He lets them play outside games indoors
Father's have such an influence on their childrens lives. I have the daily pleasure of watching Kate and Jake learn so much from their dad. As I was picking out cards for the kids to give Ryan, I started thinking about how blessed our kids are to have Ryan as their dad. One of the greatest compliments that you can give someone is that they are a great parent. And Ryan is more than just a great parent, he is an amazing parent. So simple yet so strong. His greatest strength is his ability to balance it all - love, patience, laughter, and discipline. He is the backbone of our family and I cherish every memory we have made together during this journey of parenthood.
Kate's teacher asked each child in the class what they like about their dad and she said, "he likes the flowers that I pick for him." I think that sums it up...he likes anything!
My first thought yesterday morning was the image of Ryan walking with Kate in the backyard of our 1st house, showing her the leaves on each of the trees. As soon as we walked in the door from the hospital on July 7th, 2006, Ryan immediately took her outside to show her the world. I remember being so overwhelmed with emotion as I watched them from the window. He has such a way with our 2 kids that I truly feel like the luckiest mom in the world.
So, I take today to say thank you to all the Dad's in my life, and especially to Ryan. We all love you!
The images below sum up why Ryan is our "#1 Dad":
- Our kids are pretty darn cute and according to Jake's teachers, funny kids too. Jake's teacher told us today that they think he will be the class clown...wonder where he gets that from??
- He will always appreciate things like onsies that say "I love my dad".
- He will always go out for ice cream sundaes
- He lets them play outside games indoors
Monday, June 14, 2010
Days like Sunday
It is days like Sunday that we feel so lucky to have a pool! With the temperature in the 90's, the humidity near 100% and nothing but sun, there is no place better to be than poolside. The Wiggins's brought over Luke and Maddox to enjoy the pool and the adults enjoyed a little swimming, a few beers, and yummy kabobs! What a way to wrap up the weekend!
Sawyer's dance recital and Judd's Birthday
This past weekend was another hectic but fun weekend! It is weekends/months like this that make time go by so fast!
We started the weekend off with a great meal at Josie's in Lexington, which is a delicious breakfast/lunch place in the heart of Chevy Chase. We were lucky enough to get my family together for a pre-recital/birthday celebration. It was fun to ring in my and Judd's birthday's together.
Sawyer looked precious with her hair curled and all her make up on in preparation for her Barbara Ann's School of Dance recital. Any excuse to get the girls together is a good one! I know I am biased but Sawyer was the best one on the stage on Saturday! There is nothing cuter than a bunch of 6 year olds dancing together, looking off to the right of the stage to see what is next! After the recital, we let the girls run around The Civic Center/Rupp Arena! All was well until Kate's meltdown at 5ish. One day the Mardis kids will be able to hang with the Ellis kids...just not yet!
We started the weekend off with a great meal at Josie's in Lexington, which is a delicious breakfast/lunch place in the heart of Chevy Chase. We were lucky enough to get my family together for a pre-recital/birthday celebration. It was fun to ring in my and Judd's birthday's together.
Sawyer looked precious with her hair curled and all her make up on in preparation for her Barbara Ann's School of Dance recital. Any excuse to get the girls together is a good one! I know I am biased but Sawyer was the best one on the stage on Saturday! There is nothing cuter than a bunch of 6 year olds dancing together, looking off to the right of the stage to see what is next! After the recital, we let the girls run around The Civic Center/Rupp Arena! All was well until Kate's meltdown at 5ish. One day the Mardis kids will be able to hang with the Ellis kids...just not yet!
Jake's milestones
A few new milestones for Jake...
1) Sleeping through the night - yahoo! From 7-10 weeks, Jake was consistently sleeping from 7:30/8 to 3:00 a.m. I reread "Baby Wise", which has been a lifesaver for both Kate and Jake. It states by the end of 10 weeks, babies should be sleeping 9-10 hours consecutively. At the same time we also realized that he was waking up at 3:00 a.m. no matter what time he went to bed. So, back came baby bootcamp. We let him cry it out when he woke up at 3 and in 2 nights, he was sleeping until at least 5:30. For the past 5 nights, he has slept from 7:30/8 til 630/7. Several mornings, I have even had to wake him up at 7 so I can feed him before work. Therefore, I declare it official...Jake is sleeping through the night! I know there will still be "bad" nights but I am confident we are over the hump of sleepless nights!
2) Holding his head up. He loves to be on his belly as you can tell in the pictures below. His teachers say he loves tummy time at school too. He is also spending about 5 minutes at a time in the exersaucer. The lighting in the pictures below isn't great but hopefully you can see how cute his little face is!
3) Tracking ceiling fans. I have never seen anything like it. As soon as you walk into a room with a fan, he throws his head back so he can see it!
1) Sleeping through the night - yahoo! From 7-10 weeks, Jake was consistently sleeping from 7:30/8 to 3:00 a.m. I reread "Baby Wise", which has been a lifesaver for both Kate and Jake. It states by the end of 10 weeks, babies should be sleeping 9-10 hours consecutively. At the same time we also realized that he was waking up at 3:00 a.m. no matter what time he went to bed. So, back came baby bootcamp. We let him cry it out when he woke up at 3 and in 2 nights, he was sleeping until at least 5:30. For the past 5 nights, he has slept from 7:30/8 til 630/7. Several mornings, I have even had to wake him up at 7 so I can feed him before work. Therefore, I declare it official...Jake is sleeping through the night! I know there will still be "bad" nights but I am confident we are over the hump of sleepless nights!
2) Holding his head up. He loves to be on his belly as you can tell in the pictures below. His teachers say he loves tummy time at school too. He is also spending about 5 minutes at a time in the exersaucer. The lighting in the pictures below isn't great but hopefully you can see how cute his little face is!
3) Tracking ceiling fans. I have never seen anything like it. As soon as you walk into a room with a fan, he throws his head back so he can see it!
Needless to say, things are good with Jake. Several of you have asked what Kate's weight was compared to Jake's. I looked in her baby book at she weighted 12 lbs 12 oz at 2 months and 14 lbs 4 oz at 4 months. Therefore, he is a good 2 1/2 - 3 lbs heavier than she was at this stage...and she was big for her age :)
Friday, June 11, 2010
My 34th birthday
On June 2nd, I woke up to these beautiful, hand picked flowers that came right from our yard. I love flowers of any kind. There is nothing that makes a home more of a home than beautiful flowers. And they are even more special when they are from your yard!
I also awoke to a new raft for the pool, which is exactly what I wanted! Despite having to work so much last week, I truly enjoyed my birthday and appreciate Ryan, Kate and Jake for being so understanding and spoiling me rotten on my big day! I had to work most of the night of my birthday because I had a huge presentation to several of my superiors on the morning of the 3rd. Luckily, it went great! With as much as the pharmaceutical industry is changing, it is ever so important to have the opportunity to show my bosses what I am capable of.
On Sunday, Kate made her 1st cake. This was a very big event in our house! I got to pick out the cake and she the icing and sprinkles. She iced and decorated the entire cake all by herself and boy was she proud! A HUGE thank you goes out to Ryan, Kate and Jake for spoiling me on my big day/week!
I also awoke to a new raft for the pool, which is exactly what I wanted! Despite having to work so much last week, I truly enjoyed my birthday and appreciate Ryan, Kate and Jake for being so understanding and spoiling me rotten on my big day! I had to work most of the night of my birthday because I had a huge presentation to several of my superiors on the morning of the 3rd. Luckily, it went great! With as much as the pharmaceutical industry is changing, it is ever so important to have the opportunity to show my bosses what I am capable of.
On Sunday, Kate made her 1st cake. This was a very big event in our house! I got to pick out the cake and she the icing and sprinkles. She iced and decorated the entire cake all by herself and boy was she proud! A HUGE thank you goes out to Ryan, Kate and Jake for spoiling me on my big day/week!
In the 2nd picture above, you can see Kate's newest booboo! The Shermans' and The Lapes' came over the swim on Sunday and Jack was kind enough to swing the kids in the swing. After Kate's turn, she headed back up the steps to the pool area and tripped on one of the steps. She landed on the edge of one the brick steps, which left a terrible mark right on her nose and under her right eye! It was a good one!
Our 2 snugglebugs!
Even though I was never that good at it, I use to think there was nothing better than sleeping in on the weekends. Now, there is nothing better than waking up early and snuggling on the couch with Kate and Jake!
Here are some random pictures from the past week. There is also a video of Jake smiling. When I picked him up from school this afternoon, he was just smiling away. His little personality is starting to shine through and his smile reminds me so much of Kate's at this age!
Here are some random pictures from the past week. There is also a video of Jake smiling. When I picked him up from school this afternoon, he was just smiling away. His little personality is starting to shine through and his smile reminds me so much of Kate's at this age!
Jake's 2 month appointment
Last week Jake has his 2 month appointment! Despite actually being 10 weeks, his pediatrician's response was classic. As she took a look at his chart and saw his weight, she stated, "Oh my goodness, that can't be right." My response back was, "we did it twice so I am pretty sure it is!"
Here are his stats:
Length: 24 1/2 inches
Weight: 15 lbs 4 oz
Both are > 90%ile! Thankfully I think there is nothing cuter than a fat baby! I spend most of my time kissing on his fat cheeks, legs and belly!
Here are his stats:
Length: 24 1/2 inches
Weight: 15 lbs 4 oz
Both are > 90%ile! Thankfully I think there is nothing cuter than a fat baby! I spend most of my time kissing on his fat cheeks, legs and belly!
As if the lake wasn't enough...
Within 15 minutes of arriving back at home after a long weekend at Lake Hamilton, Kate wanted to swim. Yes, I know she is spoiled! After a week of warm weather, the pool temperature is just about perfect! We have been in the water almost every day and enjoy the pool far more that we could have ever imagined before moving in.
Here are some pictures of Kate swimming! This week she started swimming without floaties or a life jacket. We are so thankful for all that she has learned at the YMCA! The weekly swim lessons are paying off as she has become quite the little swimmer! I will try and capture her swimming without the floaties this weekend.
Here are some pictures of Kate swimming! This week she started swimming without floaties or a life jacket. We are so thankful for all that she has learned at the YMCA! The weekly swim lessons are paying off as she has become quite the little swimmer! I will try and capture her swimming without the floaties this weekend.
Rest and relaxation
With all the swimming came a lot of relaxing as well! I was just looking back through the blog and came upon other pictures of Kate in the hammock in the Nodine's yard! Doesn't she look too cute?
While she enjoyed the hammock, the adults enjoyed the swing! No matter where you sit in their yard, the view is amazing, including the view of the sunset each night. Ahhh...
While she enjoyed the hammock, the adults enjoyed the swing! No matter where you sit in their yard, the view is amazing, including the view of the sunset each night. Ahhh...
Kate LOVES the water
Over the past year, Kate has become quite fond of the water! She spent >1o hours each day in the water...and loved every second of it! Whether it be on the wave runner, swimming in the shallow water, or sliding down the slide, she was as happy as I have ever seen her. Needless to say, with Jake being as content as ever and Kate as happy as ever, we were one set of happy parents!
The picture of Kate going down the slide says it all. If she went down once, she went down a thousand times, with a laughter of joy like I have never heard! We cannot say thank you enough to the Nodine's for their hospitality.
The picture of Kate going down the slide says it all. If she went down once, she went down a thousand times, with a laughter of joy like I have never heard! We cannot say thank you enough to the Nodine's for their hospitality.
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