Cold...



"bare" tracks



I am sitting here listening to my baby boy as he struggles to go to sleep.  Bless Nolan's beautiful heart, but he cannot seem to go to sleep on his own lately.  He was such a rock star a few months ago; I thought he had mastered it and we were in like Flynn.  I was completely wrong...have we created a monster?  He craves our cuddles and mommy's milk at bedtime, and if he doesn't have his routine 100% in place, we hear about it in a big way!!  We know we will need to have the "great cry-out" soon, and we're gearing up to prepare.  As with all little kiddo crises, we know that this will too pass.

I call Nolan my baby, but he is nearly 8 months old!!  Where has the time gone?  I thought time moved so much more slowly when Grayson was a baby...I attribute the racing of the clock to many factors now, though, including work, Russ's heavy schedule, and Grayson, who is constantly in motion.  I wouldn't trade it for the world, though I do long for the day when I have my own identity again...it will happen some day!

We are still fighting with various germs in the house, as Grayson was marooned at home Mon and Tues with a cold and fever.  We took our turns as stay-at-home parents, and I really enjoyed my day with Grayson, as it was the first day we've had alone since Nolan's birth.  I can say with certainty that he enjoyed it as well!  We've also been busy with projects here and there, and even took time to have 3 sets of friends and their kids over.  Absolute chaos, but totally worth every minute!!  We've also been gearing up for Christmas and the time off from school and daycare.  We've even been in contact with Santa to let him know that we will be in Lake City on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning.  He reminded us to pack our stockings!!  Grayson is estatic!

Working on a shelving project with Daddy...

 Our biggest contention lately (or, should I say, mine) has been the snow and cold.  I have been a visitor to Mayo two times lately to be officially diagnosed with cold-induced urticaria, and along with my doctor have built an action plan.  Let's just say this good-old MN winter is NOT helping - I had the worst hive outbreak that came on very quickly Monday morning, even when I prepared hard for it - and it was extreme enough for Russ and I to contemplate the possibility of moving south in the not-so-distant future.  I should buy stock in wool, long underwear, and turtlenecks for now - Heaven only knows what the future holds!



Crawling practice...



Germs

It is 9:55 PM.  The kids are finally in bed, and Russ just walked through the door.  After nearly a month of fighting germs, I am hopeful that the tables are turning.  We have been through surgery, colds, sinus infections, ear infections, and strep throat - let's just say that we are happy we've been maxed out on copays for a long while.  We are on nearly a first-name basis with our pediatricians, and even Grayson is bemoaning going to the doctor at all.  I just had to share a Graysonism related to this idea...

The kiddo and I were tucked into his bed reading when this conversation occurred:
"Mommy, what is in your nose?"
"Snot."
"I know what's in your nose, Mommy.  Germs.  Germs are in your nose."
"Yes, your nose has Germs, honey."
"Do you know what germs are called in Spanish, Mommy?"
"No, what are they called?"
"They're CREATURES." 

He cracks me up!

Graysonisms...

In the car last week:
"Mommy, it is going to be Christmas soon!"
"I know, Honey. Christmas is when Santa comes, and it is also Jesus's birthday."
"Christmas is Jesus's birthday, Mommy?"
"Yes, Honey."  (a pause)
"Mommy, does Jesus like birthday cake?"
"Well, Honey, Jesus lives in Heaven now, but I'm sure he would like cake on his birthday.  Maybe we can have cake to celebrate for him."
"Yeah, Mommy.  Let's have cake."

Kids are the best...

November is Nuts...

The month of November has been an eventful one, but mostly in the doctor and illness world.  It began with Nolan's adhesion removal surgery at Amplatz Children's Hospital in Mpls - and wouldn't you know that Grayson decided to spike a fever of 103 the night before, requiring Russ to stay home with him while Nolan and I ventured off to the hospital.  Nolan had a great morning waiting for his procedure; he had an awesome nurse named Alex, and we met a great family from Plum City, WI that I spent some time with while our kids were under the knife.  Though Dr. Shukla was over an hour behind and Nolan was in a great deal of pain when he woke up (the only time I cried a bit the entire day), things went well overall.  I can say now that the repair on his boy parts is looking good, and I am hopeful that things continue to improve for him as time goes on. 
As the month continued, Grayson's fever left, but his infamous cough kicked in.  He played right through the hacking for two weeks while we contended with Nolan and a sudden burst of full-body hives!  They looked painful and horrific, and we were both worried about the hives being connected to my hive tendencies and family history.  After a string of days of little rest, many calls to the doctor, Benadryl, and playing keep-away from pressure and heat sources, they disappeared!!  We took a minute for a breath and realized that Grayson wasn't any better.  We went off to the doctor once again this week and found out he has a really nasty sinus infection!!  At least he has some help in getting better now - we look forward to something a little more stable soon. 
We are looking forward to a shortened week, and I am looking forward to a day on Wed. at the Mayo Clinic to see a specialist about my hives.  Is it sad that I am excited about going to the doctor because I will have some free-reading and alone time that day?  I'm hoping to gain some new insight on how to handle them soon, as going out to play in the snow has been rough in the hives department for me. 
This post was kind of a drag...it has been a great month in some ways with the kids saying and doing some great things, and Russ and I are as busy as ever at work.  Here's to some more fun in my posts soon!

Oops! Nolan Notes

I forgot my thoughts on the little kiddo - oops!! 

At six months, Nolan enjoys...

watching every move his brother makes...

laughing when Grayson does silly things...

playing with his hands and chewing on anything within reach...

anything with bananas inside...

listening to the sound of his voice when he yells...

watching our reactions when he fake-coughs...

playing with his feet and kicking his legs high in the air...

making all of us laugh with his infectious giggles. :)

Graysonisms and Nolan Notes

When I was tucking the big boy into bed the other night, we began talking about his Build-a-Bear he received when he was born.  This discussion stemmed from the dog Cousin Taylor made for Nolan.  Grayson brought the bear to his room and gave big hugs to him, telling me his name is "Teddy Soccer Bear" (if you haven't guessed, he is outfitted in soccer gear).  He then proceeded to tell me that Teddy would protect him if there was thunder, and that we needed to get him a bed.  We used a plastic bin as his bed, and found a blanket from Grayson's NICU time to cover him.  Once he was in bed, Grayson stopped in his tracks and said, "Wait Mommy.  Teddy needs a pillow for his head!"  We found the perfect pillow in his closet, cradled his head lovingly, and both Grayson and his stuffed friend tucked in for the night.  Where did this come from?  I'm guessing that Grayson is learning from us about taking care of children (i.e. Nolan and his daycare friends), and it is beginning to really show in his play.  So sweet!!
In addition, Grayson has really gotten into math activities and card games lately.  At work, I have to assess students often for their abilities in math and reading.  In doing these assessments, I often wonder about my kiddo at home, so I've used him as my guinea pig.  My studies have found that he can count to 50 (fab for his age) and that he knows each of his letter sounds through the letter "R" (also really great).  He also has good number sense in 0-10 and is good at identifying rhyming words (a kindergarten skill).  I have no plans to sign him up for enriched programs at any point, but I am happy with his progress as a student, and the activities we've been doing have been really fun!!

MEA Madness

Life continues to fly by, and Nolan reached a milestone last week - he is 6 months old!!  I cannot believe just how quickly the time has gone; I don't remember things moving so fast with Grayson.  We often wonder if the circumstances around Grayson's birth and his immediate early needs has something to do with it, or if parents just become so much busier with two. 
Last week was MEA, which means two days without kids - woo hoo!!  I had glamorous thoughts prior to the week, but the time filled up fast with simple life work and events.  Some of the "highlights":
Grayson and I ventured to the eye doctor for his yearly in-depth check of his eyes (a preemie thing).  He did a great job with getting his eyes dialated, though it took nearly two days for him to stop looking dazed and confused.  Much to our happiness, the only preemie thing they saw was "puffy optic nerves" - considered normal for some early kiddos - and he doesn't have to have another checkup for 3 years!  Yay!
I chopped a few inches off of my hair in hopes I can learn how to do my "new" hair.  Since Nolan's birth it has become much thinner and somewhat straighter, and I'm working hard to find new products and ways to work with it to make it look better.  I don't want to sound like it's a big deal, as there are so many other things to wrap my head around, but it is an interesting phenomenon for me. 
Russ and I also had the opportunity to wrap up the majority of a house project on Friday, and we had a lovely time wandering the aisles of Lowes (sad, isn't it?).  The laundry room is now birdhouse wallpaper-free and adorned with great oak shelving.  We just have a few finishing touches and it will be complete. 
To round out the weekend, we traveled to LC for Nolan and Dylan's baptism and lunch celebration.  I will post some pics soon, as well as my reflections on an amazing and touching event. 

October...

Whew...it is 10 PM on Mon.Oct 18th and I am FINALLY finished with late-night work at school for the immediate future.  I've had multiple Literacy and Math nights since September, parent nights, and conferences, and am ready for "normal" life!  Yay!!
School is great, and I am enjoying my job and my new responsiblities.  One thing outside my comfort zone - I am teaching math!!  I was never really a fan as a child, but it is so interesting to do, and I never realized just how much teaching reading occurs when teaching math.  Who would have thought that the word "digit" would bring such confusion and questioning to third graders???
Grayson and Nolan are fantastic - I have been learning many new games at school, as well as using new reading tools, and Grayson is a great guinea-pig.  It is exciting to watch him grow as a learner and to understand how he will continue to develop as he ages.  I also am enjoying the connection my boys already have!  They search each other out every day, and I love to see the smiles they bring to one another, especially as Nolan is becoming more and more interactive. 
Work for Russ continues to be quite busy; membership sales are growing as the weather gets colder, and the club always needs new upkeep.  At home, we have begun tearing the laundry room apart, with Russ building a bench and cubby system, and the stripping of some pretty gaudy birdhouse wallpaper (yay!).  It is a little more time-consuming with two kids, but we should be set up pretty soon. 
As a family, we've had some good fun this month.  We've had to avoid hive-inducing weather lately (more on that in the future), but with the nice weather we've gone out fishing in the boat as a family, visited an apple orchard and a pumpkin farm, carved and painted a pumpkin, and played in the leaves. We've also had some good visits with the Myers clan, had a special visit from Vega and her new family, and are preparing for Nolan and Dylan's dual baptism this Sunday.  Here are some pics from the latest events...

My Favorite Things...

I feel the need to pay homage to my many brushes with "The Sound of Music" - here are some of my favorite things right now...

-Telling Grayson about the many things he used to do as a baby that I now see Nolan doing...
-Turning on the fireplace on chilly mornings...
-Having grown-up conversations with Grayson about the sights and sounds of life...
-Snuggling with Nolan in the rocker during the wee hours of the morning...
-The sights of the crisp blues, greens, and fiery colors of fall...
-Cooking anything with apples...
-The brush of happiness I feel every day when Russ comes through the door...
-Listening to the laughs, coos, and bubbles that Nolan makes...
-Hot chocolate, tea, or a Diet Coke in the morning... :)

Luck...

Growing up, and even yet into adulthood, my sister has always been quite the lucky gal.  When we played bingo at the VFW with our mom and grandma as children, she often had the lucky cards or pull tabs (or should I say, Mom and Grandma always did?).  If she enters a contest or drawing, her name is often chosen, and she's even been a winner of a sizeable pot on a scratch-off. While she is a lucky woman in many ways, I feel pretty special myself.  I may not always own the winning number or ticket, but I know I am a really lucky person to be surrounded by the friends and family I have.  I am a part of an amazing, caring teaching team at work, and have a fantastic job where I make an impact on someone's life each day.  I live in a big, beautiful house, and have the most fabulous husband and kids I could ever wish for!  Wow, I am blessed!

Graysonisms...

I have so many things I could write down that have made Russ and I either collapse in laughter or gape in amazement as a result of our big guy Grayson.  Here are a few that I want to remember...

A few weeks back I bought Grayson some new underwear, and thought I'd buy some Star Wars pairs for fun.  I washed them and shared them with him one night after his bath.  He turned to me and said, "Mommy, I can't wear those yet.  I have to wait till I am four."  Hmm - four?  OK, I guess.  On the morning of his birthday, he woke up and said, "Mommy, I can wear my Star Wars undies now - I am 4!"

Grayson loves to spend time with Nolan being his entertainment and caretaker.  One afternoon when Nolan was a bit crabby Grayson went to him and said, "It's OK honey, Mommy is here.  It's alright sweetie."  Awww!!

Falling into a routine...

It's been a long while since my last post, and many things have happened since.  School is now in full swing, and with it a change in my family's daily routine.  The boys and I are adjusting to the new schedule that fills the day, and it has been a pretty smooth one.  It feels really good to me to be back at work; being gone for 4.5 months made me realize just how much I enjoy my job and my coworkers.  I also am feeling great in how the year has begun - my teaching team is intact, I know how Oneka works, and I am comfortable with the crazy schedule that being a specialist can bring.  I'm struggling a bit with keeping my morale up for pumping at work - I have some nice places to do so, but have cut down to just pumping at lunchtime because the days are so full.  I don't mind supplementing Nolan with formula, but I am not quite ready to give up just yet.  I'm trying to hold out till 6 months or till I can't stand my cold allergy any longer.

On the medical front, I am full strength once again, and all is repaired.  The surgery took care of most of my issues, and though I had to fight an infection, things are now straightened out.  I do have that "empty" feeling that I've heard some women describe at times, but I am not all that disappointed - I really had no choice in the matter in the end.  I am fortunate for all the support I've been given, but I just see it as another step in life that had to occur at some point or another.  Russ is slowly but surely healing - he's just trying to deal with muscle pain from compensating for his injury.  We will hopefully be all back in health by late October.

As far as the boys go, they continue to amaze us and make us laugh!  Grayson turned 4 last Tuesday, and was so very excited for his birthday!  We went out to dinner on the night of his actual birthday where he had a treat and a singing surprise from the waitstaff, and he had a party with family and some friends at Life Time on Saturday.  The days were very enjoyable, and Grayson loved it all!!  Nolan is an absolute honey - he is all smiles all of the time and is a very content kiddo in most circumstances.  He thinks that his big brother hangs the moon, and we can draw a good belly laugh out of him once in a while with tickles to his chin, sides, and legs or with silliness from Grayson.  We are a very lucky family!!

My cup overflows...

I posted on FB that "when it rains, it pours".  Vague, I know, but totally our lives right now.  It's not really surprise to anyone reading this, but I want to record my thoughts right now, as I don't know what turns life will take soon.  Hopefully they will be positive ones.
I am undergoing surgery this week to attempt to fix some issues that developed from my pregancies and my hemmorhage. I don't look forward to the attempt, or to the possibility of a hysterectomy, but I will be happy to feel better, lose my tenderness, and not wonder anymore.  I am so blessed that I was ready to be finished with children; now I have no choice!  I am not happy with the thought of having to probably end my breastfeeding with Nolan, but the freedom will be nice.  No more restricted diets!  Yay!!

Chica

I am heavy in mind with my mom right now.  The boys and I went to visit this weekend, and had a great time with Mom, Dad, Debbie, Jenny, and Dylan.  Mom has been in the hospital and at the clinic often these past few weeks as a result of a bad cold and dehydration, and is having extreme weight loss and some potassium problems, along with low blood pressure.  She as a CT scan today, and we are bracing ourselves.  We have been so blessed, but when I take a minute to let my guard down, I can't help but wonder how much she has to take in this life!  I love being with her, but we really have to watch things carefully and never let our guard down.  I would never take back the miracle of the last three years, but I do need to say out loud that I miss my mom!!!

Dylan and Nolan

Grandpa and Grayson playing with the Backhoe

I can't dwell on the negative, as I am really blessed.  Summer is winding down in my mind; the school dreams have begun!  I have to wait to see what happens with my body before I plan too much, but Nolan and Grayson are at daycare and I am alone - woo-hoo!!  Russ is doing well, and coping well with all the stress we've felt lately.  We have another senior pic shoot this week, and I look forward to it. 

Prizes, Parades and Pokey Kids

Last week, Russ was consumed by work.  It seemed that he could never get out on time no matter the plan or circumstance.  I was a bit frustrated, but by the end of the week, I got over it.  As a result of some excellent work selling club memberships, Russ earned a $300 Visa giftcard for being a top start seller for the month, and then on Friday he won a set of Twins tickets against the Sox for posting the most number of sales on Thursday.  Off our family went to our first game in Twins Stadium, and though it started out warm, we had a great time!

Later in the weekend, I wanted some plans, and called up Emily.  She invited us to be a part of the Hastings Rivertown Days parade as a part of the marching band, as Maddy was handing out candy.  Grayson was thrilled at the idea, and I thought it sounded like fun.  The boys and I headed out for the day, as Russ was working, and had a fun time in riding our first school bus together, being a part of the band warm-ups, and getting a good deal of exercise as we worked hard to carefully hand out candy and keep up with the band.  Toward the end, Grayson and Maddy's legs were pretty tired, so my workout intensified as I pushed three kids in my Sit and Stand uphill.  After the parade, Grayson and I met up with my sister and Dylan for a late lunch, and then we headed over to the Chandler house to play.  It was a tiring day, but an excellent one!

<>

Marking time with the band...

Along for the ride...

Our first picture together in years...

We made it to the end!!

Otherwise, summer is in full swing.  Nolan is a wonderful, talkative child who is so incredibly easy-going!!  He loves movement and being sung to.  Grayson is busy with Little School and water fun, and I am busy being a mom, but now able to go to the gym - yay!!!!  Russ is...working, but also on a great soccer team as well.  We are working on teaching Grayson about the need to be on time for events, as well as his temper (going on 4 is a challenge; my friends were soooo right!).  He is so curious about the world around him, and quick to smile, so I can't complain too much. 
The last thought I want to add...my mom.  She's had a rough go of things lately, having been hospitalized for a sickness and dehydration last week, and she's struggling to catch up completely.  I am worried, but I have to take a minute to say thank you to my mom, dad, and to the big man upstairs for the last three years; this week in 2007 we were planning a funeral and coping with a loss, and look how far we've come!!  I love you, Mom!

Graysonisms and things to remember...

It's been a very long while since I have posted a Graysonism, though we hear them pretty regularly now. This one, from the past week, still makes me grin...

The setting: Grayson, Nolan and I just finished a visit to the hernia doctor for Nolan. Grayson did a pretty nice job of being patient and careful during the visit, and was rewarded with an invite to the treat basket. He chose a sucker, and enjoyed it immensely. As we were leaving the parking ramp at Children's, sucker in hand, Grayson says to me, "Mommy, I'm very, VERY HAPPY at you right now." I had better be careful what I say, as little pitchers truly do have big ears. Even when I am ready to burst in frustration, I really love my little man...

Nolan, here are some things I want to remember forever...I can't believe you are already 12 weeks old!! It's amazing to look at the pictures from the first few days of your life, and to compare them to what you look like now! You are a fantastic eater, and a very happy baby. I love it when I get you out of bed for your first feeding each morning; you are all smiles for me!! You love the sound of your daddy's voice when he talks and plays with you, and are excited to see him each day. The things you love to watch are the ceiling fan, your safari animal mobile, and the musical star on your play mat. You often flash a beautiful grin at your big brother, which puts him over the moon with joy. You also take after your brother as a talker - you are beginning to tell us so many wonderful stories! I can always count on a smile and coo when I sing 1-5 to you, or really any song. You are also beginning to giggle a little, and I can't wait to see if you have the same contagious laugh of your brother...I love you, little boy!

Dancing fool

Hmmm...summer is in full-swing, and the boys and I are busy each day. It amazes me how difficult some days can be, as Grayson is a bit trying and bossy with me. However, I am seeing the true and absolute need for a schedule, no matter what kind of chaos life brings. When our schedule is on, I am smiling all day long.

Once Grayson was on the mend, we were able to get back to normal. On Friday, Russ and I stashed G at daycare and set out to work on the garage. It was a little tough to work together with Nolan around (the heat and humidity didn't help either), but Russ made the place look quite organized and put together with all the cabinetry and pegboard from Lifetime. On Saturday, we went to a cousin's wedding, where we spent time with the Schmidt and Richter clans, and chased Grayson all over while everyone oohed and ahhed over Nolan. It was a busy night, but fun. Grayson got to try his hand at the live band's drum set, which he adored, and he loved to run around with the other kids and our family to the music they played. Here are some pics from our evening...

Grayson tries his hand at photography...

The boys dancing up a storm.

G loves it when Mommy spins him.

Nolan is all smiles for Grandpa Bob.

Picture perfect, holiday horror...

I can't say the past weekend was one of my favorites, but what I can say is that it was quite eventful. We did start with a great Friday though, as Russ and I were given the opportunity to take some senior pictures for a friend of his mom's daughter. It was a wonderful time, and she was so much fun to work with! This is something Russ and I have always wanted to try, as I worked in a studio in high school, putting together senior pic portfolios and being an apprentice at weddings, and we both took classes on photography in college. Who knows if it will lead anywhere...regardless, it was a great time. I've included a few favorites at the end of the post, with her permission...
The rest of the weekend was kind of a bust...I discovered I'd lost my Blackberry somewhere between the car and the house, and have yet to find it, we found some pretty impressive water damage in the basement, where we found a leak earlier in the spring (we're now working with our realtor on the next steps, as this appears to be a problem prior to our moving in), and Grayson had his first brush with Strep Throat, which we are now watching Nolan closely for, though things are starting to look up this afternoon. We did try to have a few fun moments with some fireworks though, and Nolan is never short on smiles or coos lately...hopefully the rest of the week will be better. :)

Remember this...

Nolan, I wanted to take a minute and write about some things you are doing right now that put a smile on your parents' faces...


You love the sound of daddy's voice, and reward him with many smiles when you see him each morning and night. It warms his heart more than you will ever know...


You love your brother so much, and delight at his paying attention to you and giggling with you...


You are so in tune with your mommy's voice, and make her smile each day when you "talk" to her about your days. You often sound like you are saying "Hi" to us, and have also started to squeal with delight.


It is amazing to see you growing up so fast - already nearly 11 lbs. and you've grown 3 inches since birth- Wow! You are a very happy baby overall, as of late, and seem to be coming into your own. We found out at the doctor this week that your umbilical hernia will not heal on its own, so you will need surgery sometime in the near future (probably by the end of the year).


Taking after your brother again, it seems...:)

Summer fun

As I mentioned in an earlier blog, we are working hard to stay busy. I have learned just how amazing Grayson is to be around when he's kept involved and away from too much TV. I love nothing more than the quiet of the house as we build a project, work on some "school" stuff, or dance to our favorite tunes.

One of the special things we did this week was to visit Uncle Rob at a nearby construction site. Grayson is obsessed with construction equipment, and has been reading up on all the equipment names and their jobs. On this day, Grayson got to watch dumptrucks, an excavator, and a crane as it dumped wet concrete into a foundation for a foot bridge. Needless to say, he was in awe of the equipment and the jobs of the crew! Thanks, Uncle Rob!

Uncle Rob teaching Grayson about rebar and the project...

In awe of all the action!

Also, Blaine has a great number of activities available for kids, and Grayson is in two of them. On Mon and Wed in the morning, Grayson goes to "Little School" with Mrs. Larkin for 1 1/2 hours. It is held in an actual kindergarten classroom, and his group of fellow 3-year-olds sing songs, play instruments, read books, and do activities together. He loves this group so far, and I really enjoy learning about what he has done each day. I will try to post a pic of his room in the future. The other activity we put him in is gymnastics. We have a great gym very close to our house, and they were offering a great tumbling/gymnastics class on Wed nights. It is a great class! We are seeing many ways to teach kids how to properly stretch, and are amazed at how many instructions Grayson can take in at one time. They work on balance beams, rings, handstands, cartwheels, jumping platforms, trampolines, and many other items- fun!

Learning to balance and stop when jumping.

Getting a feel for handstands...

Really now???

The other day, the boys and I were in the car for a quick jaunt to the nearby library. We were stopped at a light, and as I glanced to my right, I saw two men in a big black truck with a construction company logo looking my way. I suddenly realized that I hadn't looked at myself in the mirror since my shower that morning (at least I can say I did that much), and I began to wonder what they said to eachother about me, if anything at all. Were they looking at a sporty maroon car with woman inside, and expecting an attractive, natural, carefree woman? Or did they instead glimpse the dual-outfitted carseats, a mussed ponytail, and the lack of makeup and cringe? Hmmm...maybe I need to work on myself a bit more than I am. :)

Summertime...

I cannot believe how fast time is flying by with two kids! Summer is in full swing, and I am easing into my new role as a full-time mommy. To be honest, I wasn't completely looking forward to my "new job" as I really enjoy working full-time and having the ability to separate myself from my family. What I realized as I waited for daycare to end (Grayson will be going one time per week to keep up his relationships with his friends) is that my teaching skills were the key to a happy summer. I spent much time researching all the things we could do together, and set up some activities and plans. Now we're into our second week together, and I am really enjoying my time with my kids! Grayson is a joy to be around (most of the time), and I am so thankful for the opportunity to spend so much time together, especially considering that I wasn't able to do much with him during my pregnancy. It's a bit of a challenge to take care of both Nolan and Grayson's needs at the same time, but it is working!

Long overdue update...

Once again, I find myself apologizing for not updating my blog. I'm not sure if my former "readers" look for me anymore, but I promised myself to use this tool as a way to capture some memories for the future. Life is drastically different since my last post, so I need to fill in the blanks for my memory.

My pregnancy was trucking along quite well, and my school was in the thick of the spring. I was happier each day that went by an no complications occurred, though I began to understand why some people complained in the last trimester. I really found myself hanging out with nothing to do around 4 AM each day - there are some odd movies on cable at this time, let me tell you! Now, I find myself thinking of these quiet times with great envy as I am really sleep-deprived! April came in with a bang - my sister decided to give us a scare and be forced to have her little boy induced into the world in Minneapolis on April 6th due to a Pre-eclampsia scare. Dylan Paul arrived at 1:07 PM, 5 lbs. 2 oz. and 19 inches long. I started feeling a little edgy that day, as my body decided to have some pretty impressive contractions. I wasn't quite ready to go, though, and my medical folks decided that I should cut back on my work as I saw fit. We were heading into MCA testing season, though, so it was a tough time for me to be gone all that much.

I made it though the Math week with a few breaks, and began to feel a little better with rest. I decided to pack the hospital bags and keep my toes polished and legs shaven as much as possible, as I was nearing term.

Tuesday, the 20th of April...

MCA Reading test day 1 - a big day in my world, and I woke up with the most outrageous heartburn and stomach pain ever!! I called the doctor as I was concerned, but I got a groggy man at the end of his call shift of 24 hours who said not to worry. I didn't have much of an appetite that day, and tried to keep as quiet as possible at work. That afternoon, around 2 PM, I felt a little suspicious. Contractions again?? My coworkers became my guardians, and the counting and marking of contractions on a Post-It note began. I was pretty sceptical about this being "the time" for the baby to come, but I put all the stops in place, except for the fact that our hospital bags were in our bedroom at home. We counted, called the doctor, and it was decided at 4 PM that I should make the trek down to United for monitoring. Russ and I took care of Grayson, and fought the traffic to the hospital - I even managed to drive myself from Hugo to Life Time to ensure us driving in only one car! My contractions were growing in intensity, and we were curious to know what was coming for us.

While in the hospital, we chilled out in our room and watched the news, Wheel of Fortune, and American Idol in peace while watching the contractions as they continued pretty regularly, wondering if we were going to have a baby that evening. We called most of the fam, but held off on calling Bob and Joyce as they were at their first Twins game at Target Field. The nurses gave me a lovely dose of my favorite drug, Terbutaline, to see if my contractions would stop, but finally, around 9 PM (just as the last pitch of the Twins game was being thrown), it was decided that we were going to become parents again! We called Bob and Joyce, settled things for Grayson, and prepared for our kiddo's arrival in a pretty relaxed fashion. The atmosphere was almost party-like as we met our C-Section team, and Russ and I were pretty relaxed overall.

I really wished he could have held off till I was 37 weeks, so that we wouldn't ever hear the word "preemie", but our child didn't really want to listen to his mommy, even this early in the game. Nolan Robert Schmidt arrived at 10:31 PM - 5 lbs. 4 oz, and 19 inches long. It was an interesting delivery for me, as the anesthesia leaked into my chest muscles a bit and made me feel a bit uncomfortable, but my surgery team made it better. I was overwhelmed with emotion when he arrived, and a little worried at how quiet he seemed to be in his first few minutes of life (Russ watched the team bag him and help him start breathing normally), but Nolan perked up just as he should right afterward. He was beautiful! I didn't get to see him for long, and ended up spending all too much time in recovery, with a pretty decent bout of hemmorhaging that required some loopy drugs and surgery in the middle of the night. Russ wore a path between the nursery and my various recovery rooms, keeping updated on both of our conditions. I had to lie still for 4 hours, and couldn't hold Nolan till 8 AM the next day, but it worked.

I struggled at times for the next few days in the hospital, worried about bleeding and feeling rough with anemia and my c-section issues, but Nolan was doing well, we were excited that he'd finally arrived, and we had a great number of visitors! Russ worked hard that week to be with Nolan and me, at work, and with Grayson in the evening - he was an absolute trooper! Grayson was apprehensive of all of my tubes and meds when he first visited, and it was hard to keep him contained while he was in my room, but he was excited to be a big brother!

More later...

Spring Break

What an amazing week for a break! I have kept quite busy, and we are all enjoying the great weather! I am doing some odds and ends in the house before Nolan arrives - I have enjoyed the fact that Grayson still can go to daycare as I see fit, and the time has been invaluable! I am doing some fun painting on the boys' walls with their names; it is a bit tedious, and with my extra girth a bit slower then I like, but fun! I'll post some pics when I am finished.

Grayson had an appt. at Children's on Tuesday, so we took the day to visit the MN Zoo. I am so proud that we both survived 3 hours of walking, and he loved so many of the animals! We especially enjoyed the prairie dogs as they stood and squeaked at us. Grayson enjoyed watching a really crabby, talkative goose as well. We were wiped out when we got home, but it was a great day. Grayson also had the chance to learn how to pound nails in boards with Daddy, and tried the palm sander for the first time, as Russ is working hard on some gorgeous toy boxes for the kids. He loves to work with his hands and build things, and we will do all we can to encourage this habit as time continues. If only he would go to bed better again...
I had a chance to look at some baby things to replace this week, and it was enjoyable for me, especially considering that I didn't get to register for baby things when Grayson came along. I also had a chance to hang out with my old roommate who is expecting her first baby in 3 weeks, along with her adorable dog and her husband. We enjoyed looking through all the girly things they own, eating Cup 'N Cone, and making a trip to Babies R Us. It just proves to me that good friends stand the test of time!
Tomorrow Russ, Grayson and I are headed to Mille Lacs to spend time with his parents, swim in the hotel, and possibly take in a movie. It is a cheap trip for us, and we are looking forward to leaving home for the night. Time is flying by, but it has been a great week!!

Things to Remember...

Grayson -
Today we took you to your first Wild game. You were so thrilled by the lights and sounds, and even though the game was disappointing, you now have hopes of becoming a hockey player and are begging to go see a game again soon. We were very lucky to share this game with Uncle Rob, Auntie Tami, and Taylor.
You are a very independent child as of late. You're not afraid to voice your opinions, no matter how frustrating to us, but even when I am frustrated, I see just how much you are growing both emotionally and physically as you challenge the world around you. I love to listen to your thoughts and ideas on the world around you, as well as your love for words (especially "kittywampus" right now).
Nolan -
This is the first time I've written to you as a person, and not just an update. You are such an active child, and I look forward to meeting you in the coming weeks. You love to stick your feet into my ribs, which is uncomfortable at times, but it helps me know you are there. I am so thrilled to have made it this far with you, and to see both you and I change every day. I love to sit quietly and watch you move my belly around as you move and groove inside.

Graysonism

On Friday morning, while on the way to work and daycare, Grayson asked me if the Easter Bunny was coming soon. We haven't discussed this topic this year, so I'm assuming this was a daycare conversation. We talked about it for a bit, and Grayson informed me that Easter was all about hunting for chocolate Easter eggs. I was feeling a bit bad about the real meaning of Easter, so I brought it up with him. I said that Easter was also about God and Jesus. His reply: "No, Easter is about the chocolate eggs, Mommy." Hmmm..another approach...I said, "Honey, God did wonderful things to make life better for us so we could go to Heaven some day." He replied, "Is it about His disciples, Mommy?" I sat there with my mouth open, smiled, and answered, "Yes." Wow - that's all I can say about how much kids pay attention to each day.

Whirlwind week

Sometimes I am amazed at how quickly time passes! This past week has been incredibly busy- I've been working late nights with family literacy night and conferences, worked hard on hosting my sister's baby shower, and Russ had lots of child duty, long work days, and the Life Time world record spinning class this weekend (he was even on TV for a brief moment today!). We are both pretty wiped out, and I feel like I need another weekend!
Though time has been busy, it's been fun! I had such an awesome time at my sister's shower, and hope I did her justice. It seemed like family and friends enjoyed it as well. As Russ was at the Target Center at 5 AM today, we had a chance to meet up with him in between his duties, and we took Grayson to the Children's Museum. We had a fantastic time, and he especially loved the water room. It was hard to peel him away from the exhibits, but a promise to come back helped a little.
Nolan is growing well, almost 30 weeks! I am amazed at how good I feel, outside of the achy back and stiff joints from sitting or standing too long. I feel humongous, but I am happily that way. It's hard to believe he could be here in 7 weeks! We have been chipping away at getting things ready; I hope I don't forget the basics! I am really excited for the coming weeks, especially with the promise of Spring in the air.

Candid Camera

Grayson has been a bit impish each morning lately as I drop him off at Angie's. He puts on quite the dramatic show of being sad just to see whether or not I will fall for it. Angie and I are a good team; she greets him and moves him upstairs to start the day and I just slip off without any fanfare. Today he was in quite fine form; later on in the morning, I checked my email and found this picture showing me just how upset he was minutes after I left. Needless to say, both Russ and I were grinning.
I cannot say how much I appreciate our child care and the concern, humor, and love Angie has for "Gray Gray". We are truly blessed!

Haircuts and Hissy-fits

Another weekend down - we were quite busy, actually. Taxes are complete for the year, I am busily prepping for my sister's baby shower in 2 weeks, and I had the chance last night to enjoy some scrapping time with Sara and Emily. I look forward to these nights every time they come, and I am sad when they're over. We had a great time catching up and attempting to get some "work" done on our pics as well.
Grayson continues to make us laugh and scream in frustration at the same time. He is such a funny child, and notices everything around him. He is very busy and active, but is starting to understand that I have a few limitations to what I can do because his baby brother is inside of me. Today, we somewhat successfully cut G's hair for the first time. I was a bit timid at first, but he cleaned up pretty well! We also took some time to enjoy the sunshine and make an attempt at playing in the crunchy snow of the neighboring park. We went for a walk along the perimeter of the park to the entrance of the woods, and Grayson was intent on finding the "wild animals" that he knows live in the bushes by the park. His imagination makes me smile! We also spent some time with Rob, Tami, and Taylor, and my exhaused child was quite the drama king at bedtime, but he went down pretty quickly. Monday, here we come!

A Weekend Graysonism, and fun with friends!!

This weekend, we had the chance to hang out with some friends and their kids. The Horwaths and Chandlers ventured up to Blaine to meet us, and we began our time together with bowling and food. The kids had a great time running around, shooting the ball down the lanes, and eating some snacks. From there, we bundled up and went sledding at a local hill. Though there were the few obligatory crashes, it was a beautiful, sunny time and we all really had fun! Our kiddo was a crabby mess when he got home, but it was well worth it.


That night, he spouted out another hilarious comment that I don't want to forget. Grayson was wanting another snack, and he doesn't always remember to use his manners when he wants something. After his demand, I told him I wasn't going to give him his food if I didn't hear the magic words. He came over to me, put his head on the chair's arm, and said, "Abracadabra!" Good effort, but not exactly what I was looking for, though it gave Russ and I something to laugh about for a while!

Graysonisms

Part of my starting this blog back up again is to have a record of the things our kiddos do. That way, we can tell them all about their antics as they grow. Our child cracks us up just about every day with the things he says, so I am making it my goal to record these things. Tonight, upon arriving home from a busy (but fun) day for all of us, Russ had Grayson in his arms and stumbled on the rug when trying to take off his shoes. Once they were steadied, Grayson said, "It's OK Russ, you just tripped." :)

Missing in action...

August 18 was my last posting...hmmm...a few things have happened in the last 6 months. First and foremost, as has been the trend for me, I have neglected blogging about life. I may not have many followers out there, but as a close friend of mine said, she uses her blog to record everyday life happenings and thoughts for her kids and the future. This has crossed my mind often as time has continued on, and I want and need to be back...so here I am!

I could write a novel right now about how much has happened. However, pictures say it best, so here it goes:

I began a new page in my career as a Reading Intervention Teacher at Oneka Elementary in Hugo. It's a challenging, fast-paced job, and I really am enjoying how much I am growing as a person and a teacher here.

Our family is growing! It was a rough fall for me as far as being sick goes, and I am overwhelmed with doctor visits at times, but we are 26 weeks and counting!!! Our new little boy, Nolan Robert, will hopefully hold off on his arrival till close to his due date May 20th. Grayson is so excited to be a big brother, and can't wait to teach him about life.

Grayson is becoming quite the daddy's boy. It's tough in a way to not have my little guy come to me for what he needs, but sometimes my heart overflows with love when I see just how much he cares about his daddy.

Our little boy is still quite the drummer...this was his Christmas gift from Santa, and he loooves it!

After much contemplation and careful thought, we became a pet-free family. This beautiful girl, along with little Jeepers boy, have now moved on with some incredible new families that are loving them to pieces. We miss a few things about their cute little selves, but are enjoying the freedom of this kind of life for now.

My mom and dad continue to amaze us every day. They are so very in love, and are doing incredibly well. We are blessed to have them together even after all the obstacles they have faced.

We are enjoying winter with some outdoor activities like sledding, skating, playing, and ice fishing. Grayson loves it all!!