Aunt Rosemary's visit

Jim's Aunt Rosemary visited us last weekend. We had a great time and the kids really bonded with her.

Laura's first real "nightgown". I don't think she has taken it off since Aunt Rosemary gave it to her. Happy girl! 

Lilac bush

I get so excited when my lilac bush blooms every year. We were worried it might not happen this year, because everyone else's bloomed first. I think this is a different variety. It smells so good and so strongly that I can smell it when I pull in the driveway 20 feet away. I am so grateful to the previous owners for planting it!

First Foods

Laura's first food, 6 months

Adam's first food, 6 months

Just when you thought you would fall apart

It always seems to happen that you are pushed and pushed as far as you can go and you think you can't make it one more night, and then things improve. Thank you for sleeping better last night, Adam, and for taking at 2 1/2 hour nap this morning.

The special tooth...finally

This tooth is a special tooth. This tooth was hard earned in blood, sweat, and tears (ok, maybe no blood). This was a tylenol-resistant, baby orajel-resistant, nursing-resistant, carrier-resistant tooth. It resulted in less than 3 hours of sleep in a row for days, maybe weeks. It caused uncomfortably soiled diapers 10-15 times a day for 3 weeks. Often, before the pants went back on, a little squirt more would fill the new diaper and, holy cow, it better be changed again NOW or you'll hear about it for hours. It interrupted feeding positions and caused biting in some uncomfortable places while nursing (ahem). Laura helped earn this tooth by being patient with me when I was impatient with her. Her stories, snacks, naps, games, and songs were cut short by the wailing of her little brother struggling to cut this tooth. This tooth caused buckets and buckets of drool to fall and had Adam chewing on his hands, my hands, blankets, pacifiers, toys, books, and anything within reach. We all earned this tooth. This tooth is a special tooth.

Here's to hoping that this is Adam's only special tooth.

OK, so I actually wrote that on March 31st. I thought I saw a tooth just under the surface and wrote that one evening when I had the time. Well, I was obviously wrong. That special tooth didn't show up until May 18th. His teething symptoms definitely took a break, but came back with a vengeance two weeks ago. So along comes this little tooth (on the bottom right) and I was thinking that we were in the clear for a little while. Well, he certainly set me straight. Since getting the tooth, he's had fevers, been fussy, clingy and hardly slept at all. I know that all kids go through this and we will certainly survive. Surviving Laura's infancy definitely gave me perspective, but I'm running out of perspective. I wonder if these fevers and sleep problems are the next teeth coming in, or the current one getting bigger. We may never know. 

Lately, I've only been coherent enough to post pictures here, so maybe someday I'll get back to writing more. I do like using this as a little journal to go back and remember. But for now, I am going to sleep when I can get it.

Holz Farm

There is an historic farm tucked away into a neighborhood here in our suburb. They have events a few times a year, community garden plots and beautiful grounds to have a picnic on anytime in the summer. Last weekend, we went to their spring festival. The weather couldn't have been better, attitudes we great and we all had a blast. 

making a rope

watching the 1950s era tractor plow a field for wheat (or alfalfa?)

hay ride

milking a "cow"

chicks and rabbits

pony rides!

Gramma Ann's visit

My mom visited last week. It was really great, as always. We played, talked, and laughed a bunch. 

Gramma Ann's hat

Laura loved having a playmate!

Adam is so mushy. He just melts into you.

hot hot hot

It was 98 here yesterday and today. in minnesota. in may. crazy stuff. We've fired up the grill and enjoyed the heat wave. tomorrow it is supposed to cool down to 70. 

we love daddy!

tooth

Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a tooth.

Rhubarb

Rhubarb, fresh from the garden...

Just swingin

Look closely

Look closely. Can you see it? Laura hid my Mother's Day gift in a pretty secretive place...

OK, here's a hint:
Can't tell you what they are yet, but I'm excited!

Adam scoots...backwards

bathtime

We woke up very early this morning and had an empty hour and half before Laura's 'school' started. What to do? Bath!

House Finch

I think you guys are right that they are house finches. Thanks for the info!

Adam

I was kind of worried last summer when I found out that we were having a boy. I didn't know anything about boys, could we bond, would it be as much fun as having a girl? Well, I shouldn't have worried. He has fit in just great and we're all glad he's here.

When

Bird Update

I was peeking at the two baby birds for the first time in a while. They were HUGE and barely fit in the nest together. I was perching (ha ha) on the rocking chair and they were peering back at me when they suddenly flew into my face and out from under the porch to a nearby tree. Surprised the heck out of me. I would have loved to have a picture of them cuddled in the nest, but they haven't come back yet. I was watching them in the tree across the street and heard the mom and dad in our tree yelling at me. Here's a picture of them. The dad has a red head with brown body and the mom is all brown. They are pretty small, but very noisy when they are protecting their babies. I think they are purple finches. Anyone know?

Forest

Here's Laura's forest that she drew upside down. There is a person, lots of trees, 2 ponds and a fish. Pretty cool!