Picture overload!!!

As promised ... here is the overload of pictures from this past weekend ....

Miss Paige ... dressed for the day. Isn't she just adorable? Said like a true mom, huh? Anyway, if you can't tell, her shirt says, "Bohemian Baby". How true.


















Nate and Ben taking a spin in their go-karts. Think we're a little dry down in SE MN?


















Riley and Uncle Jim on the 4-wheeler.









Uncle Ryan and Ben (with very fashionable hair after the wild ride on the 4-wheeler).

















Katelyn and Ben at the fort being silly.

















Jack and Stacy watching the boys race.











Miss Princess Paige being rocked by Grandma Betty and missing all the action of the day.

Warning ... this post is long. That's what happens when you don't post for over a week.

Hello all!

It's been way too long since I've updated ... but I've been having problems uploading pictures from my home computer and wanted to wait to post until I had pictures to share. :)

We've been BUSY!!! Riley and Paige didn't have daycare last Thursday, Friday or Monday so dad stayed home on Thursday and mom stayed home Friday and Monday. I really had a lot of fun with the kids. Riley was actually on his best behavior ... which always makes the day better.

Friday we worked on painting the side service door (a bright orange color that mom was NOT happy with so there is new paint waiting to be tried!), planted some flowers, played on the swing set, sang and danced and even had big hill grandma over for dinner. Riley convinced grandma to get up into the clubhouse part of his swingset and even had her going down the slide. Where is that camera when you need it. :) Daddy had school so Riley waited until he got home and then it was off to bed!

Saturday was a big day. Daddy had school again but met us out at Uncle Jim and Auntie Krys' house to celebrate cousin Ben's 8th birthday. Actually, Ben and Ryan share the same birthday. We had a blast out there. After eating a yummy lunch and opening presents, Uncle Jim took Jack and Riley out on the tractor. I have a TON more pictures of this but I'll spare you with only four. :) (Remember, you can click on the pictures to see them bigger.)
















Needless to say, I think the boys (and by "boys" I mean all THREE boys) had a blast.

The day also included jumping on the trampoline (mommy included), playing in the fort, riding on the 4-wheeler and watching Nate and Ben take their go-karts for a spin around the track. And while all this excitement was happening outside, little Miss Princess Paige was inside sleeping and being rocked by Grandma Betty. I have a ton more pictures from the day so I'll wait to say much more until I can figure out how to get them all uploaded.

Sunday was spent getting some new paint for the afore mentioned door and planting the garden. Funny story ... Riley, like all kids, LOVES candy. Well, last year we convinced him that the peas growing in the garden were actually candy. He ate them like crazy ... I don't think one pea ever made it into the house because he'd pull them off the vine outside and eat them right there. So this year, he asked if we were going to have "candy" again. :) Sure Riley, we'll have as much "candy" as you want.

Monday was just spent doing more of the same ... getting more tomato plants and planting them, planting the rest of my flowers, and pretty much just spending a lot of time outside. Miss Paige slept in until almost 9 that day and then took a 3 hour nap in the afternoon so mom got lots of Riley time.

Some quick Riley-isms to make you smile today ....

• We thought he had his colors down pat for a while. But now he's constantly calling colors the exact opposite of what they are on the color wheel. Red is always green, white is black, etc ... I'm not sure how color-blindness works but I swear that sometimes he really can't tell the difference between the two. ANYWAY, Monday we were eating lunch and I started quizing him on his colors ... what color was his plate? What color was his shirt? He was doing well and going along with the little game until I got to his cup. I asked him 4 or 5 times what the color of his cup was and he wouldn't answer me. I guess he'd finally had enough because finally his answer to me was, "Why don't you figure it out?" I had to put my sandwich in front of my mouth to keep from laughing ... he said it so matter of factly .... like I'd been bothering him for hours and couldn't be bothered with it anymore. When I finally regained my composure I informed him that if he didn't want to play the game anymore he should be more polite in telling me he was done. :)
• Somehow we got to talking about marriage the other night. I think Riley said he was going to have kids when he got older or something like that. We asked him if he thought he'd get married one day. After he said yes, I asked him if he knew anyone who he thought he might want to be married to. First it was daddy ... then it was mommy. After explaining to him that he couldn't marry his parents, sister, or cousins, I asked him if there was anyone from daycare who he might like to marry someday (there are some CUTE girls at daycare) but no ... there was no one there who he'd want to marry. Finally, he came up with his answer ... big hill grandma is who he wants to marry. Yes, he's going to ask big hill grandma to marry him (and he probably would have called her to ask her that too if we hadn't been eating dinner).
• And this last one isn't really a Riley-ism but it's something to put in writing for sure! Since Saturday night (or maybe Friday?), Riley has been sleeping at night in undies with no accidents!!! I'd be so happy if we only had to buy one size of diapers.

As for Miss Paige. Well, she's as giggly as ever. She loves her big brother and is content to sit and watch him run around like a mad man. She's big into blowing spit bubbles right now and is getting close to being able to sit up on her own for more than just a couple seconds.

Okay, I better post this because it's a novel as it is. Like I said, I have a ton more pictures to post but need to figure out what's wrong with my computer at home so I can upload them.

Remind me not to worry about Paige not eating ....

Despite the fact that Paige isn't eating nearly enough out of the bottle (according to what all the books say she should be eating), she's gaining weight! My chubby thighed little girl weighed in at 15 pounds and 24 inches yesterday. Some of you may be thinking, "She only weighs 15 pounds at 6 months?" ... but compared to Riley who was at 19 pounds at 1 year, this is a bit different for us. I think she comes in right around the 50 percentile ... so in other words ... she's perfect. :) But I already knew this.

Mother's Day was good. We woke up early and went out to breakfast with Big Hill Grandma (Grandma Karen) and Uncle Jim's family. I got two cards (one from Riley/Paige and one from Ryan), an adorable bucket of foam flowers that Shelley had Riley make at daycare and Ryan and the kids came along with me to pick out all my outside flowers for the year. It was a GREAT day spent with the family.

Nothing else is new. We've just been busy with outside projects. Ryan and I have been trying to add a bit of curb appeal to our house. We planted a tree for Paige this past weekend (we did the same for Riley when he was born) and have a few new bushes to plant. If anyone feels like painting trim, shutters or a couple doors, let me know. I'll be around on Friday to set you up with paint and a brush. :)

I haven't taken any pictures lately. We had a wedding this past weekend and I tried to take pictures there but was shot down by their photographer ... boo hoo. I'm sure I'll get some new pictures up soon though.

A non-kid post ...

This isn't related to my kids at all but it's a good reminder that spring has sprung!

About a month ago we noticed that a duck had taken residence in our courtyard at work. Within a day she built a nest and prepared to lay eggs. For three or four weeks we watched anxiously ... and finally, this last weekend we saw little heads poking out from under her. She had 11 babies. Monday morning they were walking around the courtyard and mama was looking for a way out. So the staff created a path for her though the building hallways and got them out to freedom. Later that day we went and checked on them down at the creek ... and mama and ducks where happily swimming where we'd put them in.

As Quiet as a Mouse ...

I'm here ... trying to get rid of the cobwebs that may have gathered on my page after a whole week without a typed word. *gasp*

We've been BUSY. Busy printing programs for a wedding this next weekend, busy with swim lessons, busy grocery shopping (it was payday ... whooo hoooo!) and most importantly ... busy playing!

Riley
Riley just completed his fourth week of "Water Readiness" through Rochester Community Ed. He goes once a week with dad and they play games in the water to try to get him more comfortable. I think it's working. He still didn't want dad to let go this past week when they were in the water with the life jackets but he's not holding on to dad for dear life anymore either. (Remember ... you can click on the pictures to see them bigger!!)

On a walk one night, Riley took a tumble off the edge of the path and scraped up his knee. We got home and cleaned it up ... all the while insisting that it have a band-aid on it. Well, below is what happens when daddy and Riley are the ones putting on the "band-aid" ... you end up with the whole knee covered with gauze. The next morning, we couldn't take it off ... and he went to daycare with that pant leg rolled up over his knee. That lasted the whole entire day at daycare and even through a visit to Grandma Karen's house. Needless to say, he gave everyone a huge sob story about how he was hurt ... and took any sympathy he could get.




















Just a random shot from last night ....

Miss Paige
One of Miss Paige's favorite things right now is swinging outside. She especially loves it when daddy pretends to be hit and hurt by her feet. (Auntie Cheryl ... if you're reading ... I think we have enough pictures of the kids enjoying the Rainbow that we could supply a whole advertising campaign. Ha ha)

She's a mover and a shaker ...

Paige is getting more and more mobile. This morning when I went in to get her up, her head was where her feet had been last night when I put her to bed ... and she was laying on her belly. I think she's also becoming attached to a blanket one of my co-workers made for her and a "lovie" bear that she got for Christmas. She grabs for both of them when we lay her down in her crib. When I checked on her last night before I went to bed she had the blanket up to her chin and the lovie over her eyes. All you could see of her were two little feet sticking out the end. It was pretty cute.

Some quick facts about Miss Paige ...

• Weight and height ... we'll find out in a week at her six month appointment. Yes, my baby will be six months just one week from today. :(
• Food ... She LOVES her solids and most days could care less about her bottle. She's eating bananas, sweet potatoes, pears, peaches and green beans (usually mixed in with cereal). She's also been eating the little puff cereal pieces that melt in her mouth. She does pretty well with them. She's not eating near enough from the bottle (compared to what the "experts" say she should be getting at least). I'd say she's getting about 20 ounces max (this is mostly for my own records).
• Favorites ... her favorites include "Rae" (a stuffed little bunny that she soaks the ears by sucking/chewing on), her brother, her jumperoo, and her blanket and lovie in her crib.
• Personality ... This girl is always happy. She's smiling when she wakes up and she's smiling as we lay her down for the night. THIS SAID, we've seen what could be the start of a Zahradnik influence on her temperment ... when she makes up her mind on something, she wants it NOW ... and if she doesn't get what she wants she sticks out the bottom lip and gives you a look that let's you know you better please her soon. And I thought this only ran though the Zahradnik boys. :)
• Tooth update ... Still only the bottom two!
• Movement ... She's rolling over all the time from her back to her belly and while she can roll the opposite, she doesn't very often. Instead she fusses until mom or dad come and roll her back over to her back. She is getting closer to sitting up. She's lost that reflex to push back and will sit up if you support her.

So there is the quick rundown on Miss Paige.

Happy (belated) May Day!

Yes, I know the calendar says May 2nd, but I'm still wishing you a Happy May Day!!

As we sat down for dinner yesterday our doorbell rang. While Ryan was walking to the door he saw a little head flash by the front window. Not remembering it was May Day, I went out the deck door ... ready to catch the little bugger who was playing ding dong ditch. I looked around the house and saw no one ... until the little neighbor boy comes out from under the deck ... looking like he wanted to just disappear. As he started back towards his house I asked, "So what ya doin?" His mother had been watching ... and suddenly came out saying, "No, no ... he left a May Day basket on your step." *laughs* She wanted to clear his name.

So yes, it was May Day. Why don't we all deliver May Day baskets anymore?

And as a side note, it was almost more fun to sit in the living room last night and watch as the same neighbor boy and his older brother delivered baskets to the house across from us. The drop, the run, the confusion and then the chase ... it made me want to be a kid again.