The time has come...

I have finally joined Facebook. After years of people asking me to join I've decided it's time. Now I'm addicted. It is so fun to reconnect with people I haven't talked to since High School or College and see their pictures. I haven't totally figured out how everything works but hopefully Molly will come over and give me a tutorial!
If you are on FB "friend" me so we can connect!

Dreaming of Summer

We took our yearly trip to the boat show last night. We checked out pontoons, jet-skis, speed boats, and docks. We made two big purchases...life jackets for Leo! We couldn't decide what size to get so we got two and figured we will use them both at some point. We can't wait for summer!!!

Chit- Chat

The big news at our house these days is that Leo is sitting up! He can sit on his own until he gets tired and then he becomes a little tipsy. It is so fun to watch him sit and reach for his toys. He loves to play ball with Daddy and blow bubbles with Mommy.

Leo is starting to show his independence and is voicing his concern when he doesn't like something, like getting into his carseat. He never used to mind his carseat but now when I put him in he arches his back and screams. It's so fun.

He is becoming more and more animated and laughs all the time. The other day Kevin started to cough and Leo thougth it was the funniest thing. He laughed and laughed. Now whenever either of us cough he just erupts in laughter. I captured it on video on my phone and I will see if I can figure out how to post it...

Kevin and I went to the Brad Paisley concert on Saturday night. It was an awesome show! Miranda Lambert opened and then Brad played for 2 hours! He played all my favorites and it was so fun to do something different. We had a nice little date night :) We were out VERY late and didn't get home until 1 am. Leo was up before 6 the following morning so we were a little tired (ok, Kevin was a little tired because he got up with him and let me sleep in). We put Leo down before we left so he never even knew we were gone! My brother Michael kindly offered to babysit and hung out at our house until we got home.

We are on baby watch these days for my cousin Ashlee who is due any day!!! She has two little boys and is having a little girl. We are so excited for her!

I've been busy cleaning out our basement room and trying to organize all of the stuff that is in there. I found a small kitchen appliance that we bought at Marshall Fields many years ago never used. I still have the receipt and it hasn't been opened... DO you think I can return it to Macy's? I am the queen of returns but I don't know if they will accept a Marshall Fields receipt...I will keep you posted.

By the way, please ignore the Christmas jammies on Leo. I do realize that it is January but all of his other jammies were in the wash. I figured that he didn't know the difference! Also, the pictures of him in the ball pit were taken at school with his buddies. I am usually NOT a fan of ball pits because of the germs but at school they sanitize the ball pit on a daily basis.

It's a big day in Minnesota!

Babies Don't Keep...

I came across this poem today and it really spoke to me. There have been many times where I wish Leo would just fall asleep without my rocking or nap a little longer so I could finish the dishes/laundry/dinner. But then I think about the fact that he will only be a baby for such a short time and there will come a day that my arms will ache to hold him and rock him. In motherhood, the days are long but the years are short. My time with him is so precious.

Song for a Fifth Child

Mother, O Mother, come shake out your cloth,
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing, make up the bed,
Sew on a button and butter the bread.

Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I've grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue,
Lullabye, rockabye, lullabye loo.
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo

The shopping's not done and there's nothing for stew
And out in the yard there's a hullabaloo
But I'm playing Kanga and this is my Roo
Look! Aren't his eyes the most wonderful hue?
Lullabye, rockaby lullabye loo.

The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow
But children grow up as I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs; Dust go to sleep!
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.

-Ruth Hulburt Hamilton, Ladies Home Journal 1958

SWIMMING!!!

Kevin and I took Leo to the Chaska Community Center on Saturday to go swimming. It was quite a production!!! I took Leo into the locker room with me to get him changed into his swimsuit. It is freezing here so I had to peel off about 10 layers before I got to his diaper. The locker room has tiny little benches that were not big enough to lay Leo down so I had to hold him to change him. Well, he decided to poop, pee and spit up while I was holding him without a diaper on. I was soaked and he was a mess! Once we finally got out of the locker room, we met Kevin by the pool and he sat on the edge of the toddler area and dipped Leo's toes into the water. At first, Leo's bottom lip began to quiver and he had a very sad look but then he warmed up to the idea and enjoyed splashing around with Kevin. He was very interested in all of the noise and commotion going on around him. Horrified at the thought of putting on a swimsuit, I did not join the boys in the pool. Instead I hung out on the deck and took a lot of pictures. I definitely looked like a first time mom taking 5,000 pictures of my baby in the pool. After about 15 minutes, Leo was ready to go so we headed back to the locker room. I had to change him out of his suit, put a diaper on, get him dressed, put his coat, hat and mittens on and get him back into his carseat. Whew! I was exhausted to say the least! It was a 2 hour trip for 15 minutes of swimming!!! I hope it will get easier once we start swimming lessons in March...

My new favorite place...

I have found a new place to take Leo on these freezing cold winter days- The Chaska Community Center!!! My friend Alli told me that she took her two kids there to walk around the track and that it was free to use. I thought that sounded like a great idea so yesterday Alli and her two kids, Leo and I bundled up and headed down the road to the CCC. We spent 40 minutes pushing our strollers around the track chatting and enjoying being out of the house. It felt so good to get some exercise! I loved it so much I went back today. It was me, Leo and the retired folks walking around the track this morning. What fun! I think we are going to take Leo to Community Center pool tomorrow for his first swim. Sounds like we need a membership!

Leo had his 6 month doctors appointment today. Dr. Oster said that he looks healthy and happy! He is 18 pounds, 3 ounces and 27 inches long which puts him in the 50th-75th percentile. We got a lot of info about feeding him solids and sleeping schedules. It is always nice to have a good report.

The pictures I posted are from New Years Eve when our friends and neighbors Mark and Alli came over with their two kids, Bennett and Clare. We had a great time munching on food and having a few cocktails. They were here until 7:00pm and then headed home because all of the kids have a 7pm bedtime! It was the earliest New Years party I have ever had! We had a great time. It is so nice to have friends who have kids!

6 months ago...

6 months ago tonight Kevin and I were in Bloomington watching fireworks when I felt my first contraction. We raced home, walked around the block for a few hours and headed to the hospital. After a night of contractions and resting (after the epidural) Leo was born at 8:46 am on the 4th of July. I can't believe it has been 6 months. Where has the time gone? I have loved every second of motherhood. I just wish he would stop growing up so fast, I want him to stay a baby forever!!! I feel so blessed to have such a happy, healthy wonderful baby boy.