OMAHA, ha, ha!

So we arrived Saturday in Omaha, barely, after 11 hours of traveling through the snow, wind and ice. We have been so busy but having a blast every day. We celebrated Liam's first birthday on Sunday with my family, took the boys and Daniel to the Children's Museum(both boys loved roaring at the larger than life dinosaurs-huge hit!) and then out for pizza on Liam's bday, cousin party, skating on the rink, haller party xmas eve, and then Santa and gifts this morning. I think both boys have been up well past 9, if not 10, every night but oh well, we are having a great time. We will exchange gifts with our family on Saturday night(delayed due to a hockey game for my dad tomorrow!!) after the big skating/hockey party tomorrow night here out back.

Christmas morning was certainly different this year from past as we both woke up early, waiting for the boys to wake up, to get them up stairs to see the presents. Liam got right into opening and playing, but most interested in Connor's doings. Connor saw his huge tractor and didn't open another present after that! He was so enthrawled with the eaten cookies, little snow footprints, filled stockings and letters Santa wrote to him and Liam that it made this Christmas one of the best ever!! Santa certainly was good to us this year.

Merry Christmas!!

Polar Express...or lack there of!

I'm the bad mom who for the SECOND year had her camera die the minute we got to the Polar Express last night. Therefore, check out my friends blogs who are"good moms" that graciously took pictures for us. We really enjoyed ourselves and were glad things went so smoothly. Connor enjoyed every aspect of the train ride, the book reading, Santa, and the cookies and cocoa. Santa was sat on by both boys as Connor quickly recites, "I want a tractor and Liam wants a dump truck!" Guess we've seen Santa a few too many times this year.
We also had Doyle Christmas this week and "cleaned up" in our eyes. The boys got so many great toys, books and puzzles that we can't believe we have another christmas and a birthday still to come. We have already gotten lots of use out of the dinosaur foor puzzle and tractor sticker book. What a blessing to have such giving and loving aunts, uncles and grandparents!
We are preparing for the big snow storm coming our way and slowly beginning to pac for our two weeks in Omaha. My dad is so excited we are coming and bringing some hockey love that he has been calling every day with a weather update("Michaela, its warm today but tomorrow should cool off, snow on monday and then tuesday and wednesday will be perfect conditions for the rink to freeze. We should be skating by the weekend!!") Every day!! The outside rink he makes in our backyard should get a lot of use during the two weeks we are there.
Happy Holidays!!

Just a few pictures from the past few weeks

1,2,3...Liam is now venturing up in the world!!

1. We cut down the perfect tree last weekend and spent the morning decorating it as a family.

2. Today Dan and Connor joined our neighbors Mike and Brady for some hockey on the pond down the road. We look forward to many games out there.

3. Connor found a little tree he wanted for his room and Uncle Kevin helped him cut it down with a real saw.

4. After surgery Connor was allowed endless popsicles to help heal his throat. Of course, Liam wants everything Connor has!

5. The only scrubs they had the day of the surgery were pink elephants and dinosaurs. All moning the nurses kept saying, " Oh, shes so cute!" Guess its time to cut the hair!!

6. Auntie Mary with the boys in the hot tub.

7. We cut an old box to make a robot for Connor.

8. Liam carries the Lincoln logs around in his mouth. Big stud!!

This weeks quote: We set out our nativity this weekend and since then Connor has been all over it asking questions about who is who, why they are there and he adores the little baby Jesus. Most days he pretends baby Jesus is his real baby. Tuesday he asks "Mommy, does baby Jesus have a wenie under that blanket(the cloth)?" Later he says, "My baby Jesus needs a bottle...he needs a diaper change...and some diaper cream on his butt butt..." He's a curious kid !!

Picture Gallery from November

Just a few random pictures from the past month. From top left:

The girls at Old Chicago for Mary's 25th Bday, Friday night at the Christmas of the North Parade, Connor and I reading a book at the Steven's Point Museum, this past weekend at the Gopher/Iowa game in our front row seats!!, Dan and Connor using the wheelbarrows to bring fire wood around back, Liam cheesin' it at the museum. The last two are awesome. Connor loves the UMD Bulldog and when we got there on Halloween he had the same costume on as Connor. He followed him around the whole game hugging him and holding his paw. The last one is Connor giving his Godmother Erin Millea Budde a kiss on her wedding day. So precious!!

Happy Holidays!!!

Quote of the week: Connor-"Mommy, is that a dead kitty cat under Liam's car in there?" Where did that come from???!!!!
After much questioning, there was NOT a cat under there. I am as confused as you are as to what he meant by this. HA!

We have had quite the two weeks! Dan was scheduled for 'feet' surgery on the 6th in Stevens Point, WI. His cousin was doing the surgery and we planned to stay with them for a few days while he recovered. The night we got there I got a non-violent case of the flu, which then Liam got and Connor too. Dan was laid up with boots on his feet, I wasn't feeling well, Liam had developed the worst diaper rash I had ever seen and Connor had a 103 temp and ear pains. What a fun bunch, eh? After three days of constant chaos in someone elses house with sick kids and an injured husband, I called it quits and we left early.
The night we got home Connor was up all night screaming in pain from his ear. Turns out his ear drum ruptured! We visited an ENT on Tuesday and Connor was scheduled for tubes on Thursday. Although we heard it goes quick, it seemed to take forever and nothing breaks your heart more than seeing your little one hooked up to IVs and in pain, too sick to eat or sit comfortably. He is doing great now with no pain and we are hopeful that this will eliminate his ear issues.
On a good note, Liam started walking this week as seen in the video below!! Its so fun watching him gain more confidence as he conquers more steps in a row. Connor gets so excited when he walks too.
I have decided to begin posting quotes of the week heard around our house.
This weeks quote: Connor(as he watches)-"Mom, Liam's eating trash!"

His boots are made for walking!!

Liam took his first steps this week and hasn't looked back since. He stumbles all over the house, chasing Connor and finding new things to explore. How fast they groww up!!

Duluth-o-Ween

Halloween was fabulous! Connor wore his bulldozer and Liam was a skeleton. Both boys enjoyed pushing the door bells and receiving treats for smiling at strangers. We went around our block before heading to west duluth to make the rounds with the Doyle's. It was nice to see all the cousins dressed up and sugared up! I just knew Connor would win the costume contest this year at the UMD volleyball game so I packed everyone up and we arrived just in time to find out they already had a winner(second year in a row that happened-that contest is rigged!!). All in all, the boys had too much candy and were up all night so we never "gained" that extra hour-bummer!

Other news...Liam is clapping-finally! He climbs steps, loves jumping in his crib and on Connor's bed and flips through books endlessly. Connor is more inquizative than we ever imagined a 2 year old to be. He remembers details, asks intellegent questions and can carry on a full conversation. He loves reading, helping Dan in the yard and playing outside. The boys are at such fun ages right now and we look forward to what the holiday season brings.

"Stay at Home Auntie Mary" is such a blessing to our family. She not only helps us out around the house and watches the boys occasionally but she is teaching them new tricks, fun sayings and giving them lots of love!! We value the time she is spending with us and will always cherish the memories we have created and will create!! Love you mussel...i mean Mur!!

WiFi

It's Sunday night and I'm sitting here on the toilet(not using it!)watching the boys play in the tub...oh, how I love my wireless internet! I have new milestones and memorable moments to report about the past week. Connor is still absolutly in love with tractors and his constant desire to see, touch and sound like them is cute but sometimes obnoxious. This past weekend we went to Boo at the Zoo with Jodi and Myla-Connor was a Bulldozer(imagine that)! He seems to enjoy ECFE and is always excited to go play at the Y Kid's Club. He is still kind and loving with Liam and is learning to include him in his play. Connor spent some special time with Dan Friday night at the Bulldog hockey game. He was in awe of the lights and horn when a goal was scored, got a puck from our friend Hoagie and now says, "ah, nice shot" bc he heard someone say that. Biggest news-using the potty chair atleast once a day. YA!

Thinking of Liam right now brings a smile to my face. He has become so happy and routine. He learned how to give kisses which are a big, wet, open mouth lunges at your face. He also took his first steps this weekend!! He has been "cruising" for a couple weeks now and finally ventured away from the safety of my hands for just a brief moment. Dan and I were both there-it was awesome! He loves looking at pictures, the book Brown Bear, Brown Bear and climbing up steps. He is also more comfortable with others, especially favorite auntie Mary, which is such a relief to me. We are giving him small servings of milk products each day with minimal reactions so we hope he is over the milk thing. He is just so happy and fun right now...I love this age!!

I had a great birthday with lots of wonderful gifts and best of all my parents were able to meet us in Albert Lea that weekend for a visit. We were there for an annual golf tournament with all of Dan's friends. So great to see them and have the boys share some special time with them. Mary is meeting a friend in Chicago this weekend and Dan leaves for a week in CA on Sunday. We're always on the move in this house! Peace

Family Pictures

This past weekend we set out to take the perfect "Family Christmas card" picture surrounded by the gorgeous fall leaves in Bagley Nature Park. Our dear friend Monica was our photographer and she did an amazing job(she's available for hire too!). All three boys were quite cooperative and the weather was perfect. Hope you like them.

Grandma and Papa Doyle took the boys for an overnight(Liam's first)Saturday night so we went out for supper and bowling. We appreciated the offer and really enjoyed our evening with each other and a few close friends.

We head to Albert Lea this weekend for the annual "Gunt Cup" golf tournament. About 20 of Dan's friends and their families get together for golf, supper and a weekend of catch up. My parents will be meeting us there(YA!!) and staying the weekend with us. We can't wait to see them.

Is it really FALL?

The leaves began to change this week into their beautiful red, orange and yellow hues and the temperature is dropping: fall is here! Fall is my most favorite time of the year. Sweatshirt and jeans weather, sitting around the fire with hot cocoa and football! I love it. I look forward to taking the boys hiking in Lester and Jay Cooke, watching high school football at PSS and jumping in leaves in the coming weeks. Everything is so crisp this time of year...I love it!!

What?

It seems like finding time to update this is difficult, but what have I been so busy with that I can't find twenty minutes to post on here? Oh, that's right...LIFE!!! I thought things would slow down around here with summer coming to an end but I stand corrected. Two weeks ago a left on a Friday for my first weekend away from my boys. Leah(bless her heart) offered to watch Liam Friday morning which she said went ok(if it didn't, thank you for lying) but other than that Dan was on his own. They stayed on schedule with meals and naps and managed to run errands, have friends for supper, attend a birthday party and take a walk. Dan loved having the boys all weekend and mentioned he can't wait to do it again(YES!). He also managed to teach Liam 4 tricks(Dan will shake his head or pat his hand on the table, make a squeek noise or wave and Liam will do it back to him)and Connor one song. I loved the time away to stay out late, sleep in and get some reading done.

I worked a few nights last week and was the guest at my good friend Jodi's Blessing way-a ceremony celebrating her and the babe and preparing her to welcome the babe into the world. It was the most unique, beautiful ceremony and I can't wait to meet her new little one. The rain put a damper on several outside plans this weekend but we got lots of cleaning and organizing done in the house while watching hours and hours of football!

We are planning a trip to Brainerd this week and maybe put up the fence this weekend.

Connor goes to daycare Tuesday and Tursday mornings and will be starting ECFE this Wednesday, which Liam gets to go to as well. The boys have swim class Tuesday nights and we still try to get together for playdate with our friends...whooooo! Wow, looks like this fall will be busy as well!

CJ and LD Update

CONNOR Where do I begin with this one....Connor is...well, 2!!! He has changed and learned so much over the past summer months. Maybe the biggest change is verbally. He is talking is sentences, reciting his alphaet and counting to 13 and using his manner(me-"time for a nap connor." CJ - "no thank you mommy"). He is obsessed with tractors, trucks, dump trucks and mufflers. We make the noises, play with them, read about them and occasionally watch them. Traveling through the construction ridden highways in Chicago this summer posed no stress in our van because we had constant entertainment for Connor. He still loves playing and laughing with Liam and never seems to be bothered by him. However, Connor is having trouble learning that because Liam bites on our arm or pulls our hair doesn't mean he can do the same. And man can he throw a mean tantrum...whoa! He had his first day of daycare yesterday with Lisa and did really well. We are so glad we decided to send him again this year. He still sleeps in his big boy bed, finally is eating chicken(in the nugget form) and loves, loves, loves having his auntie mary around!! Now if we can just get his waist a bit bigger...ha!



LIAM Oh, how much this boy has changed. It still suprises me when people say, "he is such a good baby," because for so long he was the crabby/fussy/screaming one. He is hap-hap-happy all day unless hungry, tired or I leave the room(we are working on that last one!). He takes 4-5 bottles a day and eats three solid meals(a fruit, veggie and carb/protein). He naps about an hour in the am, a 2 hour afternoon nap(connor naps at this time too-YES!) and then a short 30 min. nap in the late afternoon. He is sleeping much better at night(no more about that for fear of jinxing it) and sleeps in his crib in the boys room. He began scooting about 6 weeks ago and has now started pulling himself up on furniture-made his first pass yesterday from couch to coffee table. We were somewhat concerned that he wasn't crawling(my dad always said, "if the kid doesn't crawl he will be uncoordinated") and Liam's chiropractor mentioned something along those lines too. So we were given exercises and movements to encourage crawling but he still seemed to pull and slide along the hardwood floors. Sunday at the cabin we put him down in the grass and away he went, like he knew how to do it all along. So he crawls about 50/50 with the scoot. He has 6 teeth and a smile that melts my heart! He figured out how to get on Connor's bed(its a twin mattress on the floor) and loves rolling and flopping up there. Those two are going to be trouble someday soon I'm afraid. He is still quite attached to me and leaving him places is still a gamble so that is our next task with him.

Liam's new trick