It's Miller Time!

She's Crawling!!

2012-01-31T01:23:00.002-05:00

2012-01-31T01:01:00.000-05:00

Brother and Sister having fun together. Hallelujah! I'm sure they will bicker and fight as they grow up; most siblings do. But I am grateful that good moments are in the mix as well. It's been a long time coming.

She is pulling up to a stand! (And yes, she is in need of another haircut, too!)

Makenna's favorite toys are Jacob's cars. It doesn't matter what other fun, fabulous, fantastic toys she has laying around, if Jake's cars are out of the toy chest, Makenna is all over them!

The Happy Plant

2012-01-31T00:46:00.000-05:00

Meet the Happy Plant. It's real name is Allamanda Cathartica, but I call it the Happy Plant because that's what it produces...bright, yellow, happy trumpet flowers. And it makes me feel happy to see it. I received one as a gift from my mother-in-law when Brian and I were first married, and though I cared for it during the summer, it was left outside over the winter. I quickly learned that tropical plants are not New York winter-hardy. Brian got me another one, which, sadly, I had to leave behind when we moved, entrusted to my dear neighbor who always had beautiful plants and flowers in and around her home.

For my birthday this year, I wanted another Happy Plant. Having been shipped from sunny Florida, my little plant wasn't too happy to arrive in Colorado's early winter climate. It was seriously stressed, and lost all of its leaves. Every last one. I had no idea if it was still alive, but I kept caring for it with the hope that it would show some sign of life. Little by little I saw the beginnings of new leaves. Little by little it has come back to life. And about two weeks ago, it produced its first happy little yellow trumpet flower. Yeah for the Happy Plant! :)

Just Because She's Cute

2012-01-31T00:21:00.000-05:00

Side note: Jacob fusses every time that Makenna wears this shirt...he thinks that because it has a Batman symbol on it, it must have been his...and he wants it back!

2012-01-19T00:25:00.000-05:00

Jake spelled his name, all by himself! What a smart kid!

Kid Speak

2012-01-15T18:47:00.001-05:00

We went to church this morning with some friends in the town north of here, joining them in the celebration of their newborn daughter as she was blessed. During the children's portion of church, Jacob sat with his little friend Brad (the new big brother). As is customary when a visitor is attending, the children sing a welcome song to their new little friend, usually as the newbie is standing at the front of the room.
Jake told us as we were driving home after the meeting that he didn't want to go up in front of the other kids; he only wanted to sit next to Brad.
Mom: That's okay, Jake. It's okay to feel shy. The other kids were just trying to be your friend.
Jake (very matter-of-factly): I know. But it didn't work. Cause I don't like them.

Visit with Great Papa

2012-01-01T23:52:00.000-05:00

Makenna and I made a quick trip to Baltimore right after Christmas to visit with family. Though we enjoyed seeing uncles, aunts, cousins, and grandparents, the only pictures that I have of the trip are of my baby and her great grandfather meeting for the first time. Precious memories. I am so glad that we went.

Christmas 2011 in Pictures

2011-12-25T01:02:00.000-05:00

Making cookies with Daddy

The bib says it all!

My two cute kids

Not the greatest picture, but it was the best one of the bunch! So much for self portraits! :)

Opening presents, post church, post nap.

A new scooter!

I love my little girl!!

At Bedtime Tonight

2011-12-21T21:54:00.000-05:00

Mommy: "I love you Jacob. Goodnight!"
Jacob: "I love you too Mommy!"
That's the first time I've heard my boy say those words of his own accord. Makes me smile. :)

Visit with Santa

2011-12-14T00:33:00.000-05:00

2011-12-12T00:19:00.002-05:00

Rolling! Rolling! Rolling!

2011-11-13T22:03:00.000-05:00

Makenna is rolling! Over and over and over! It's definitely time to rethink baby-proofing the house.

I found her like this the other night after placing her in the middle of the floor. After stepping away to help Jake with something, I came back to find Makenna had rolled to one side of the room and was caught on the leg of the couch. No complaints from her, just a "Hi Mom! Look what I did!"

2011-11-13T21:40:00.003-05:00

I think these two are going to be double trouble.

Halloween

2011-10-31T22:42:00.000-04:00

Great big globs of squishy, slimey, pumpkin guts!

Jake loved helping Daddy carve the pumpkin.

Our little Lady Bug showing off Mommy's pumpkin masterpiece! I opted for paint this year, a much cleaner alternative to pumpkin guts.

Spiderman, waiting to hit the streets for trick or treating. If only the sun would set!

I've learned that I have to set my camera to continuous shot and just hold down the shutter button to get a few good pictues (of the hundred that I take). I thought that it was amusing to see how quickly Makenna's facial expression changes as these shots were one after another. :) I never did get the two of them smiling at the camera simultaneously. Oh, well. There's always another time.

First Trip to the Dentist

2011-10-20T21:43:00.005-04:00

Jacob went to the dentist for the first time. A clean bill of dental health and no tears to boot! I think his favorite part of the experience was the stickers at the end.

Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-20T15:14:00.000-04:00

I love Autumn. The sun is still warm but there's a definite chill in the air. Nights are colder (time for more blankets!) There's warm soups stewing in the crockpot and pumpkin bread in the oven. Apples are ripe on the trees and fresh pressed apple cider tantalizes my tastebuds. And the trees! Oh the vivid red, yellow and orange leaves! (Though I don't have any current pictures, trust me when I say its beautiful.)

October also brings a joyous activity (if you're a kid) called a pumpkin patch. Sad to say that Colorado Springs doesn't have any of the "real" variety; that is, you don't find pumpkins attached to an actual vine because they don't grow them around here. But it is a fun fall themed carnival of sorts for the little ones. Last Friday Brian and I celebrated 5 years of marriage, and because of his crazy work schedule right now and having a nursing baby, an evening alone wasn't in the cards this year. But Brian was able to take the afternoon off and we took the kids to a local pumpkin patch. It was a beautiful afternoon that we all enjoyed outside.

Rubber Ducky Races

Barrel Train--Jake would pick the green one.

Feeding the animals

Miss Makenna hanging out in the stroller

On a hay ride

The actual picking of pumpkins

Playing King of the Mountain on the hay bales

Having a ball with Daddy in the corn

Jake on a pony ride

Breakfast

2011-10-14T23:28:00.000-04:00

Jake decided to pour himself a bowl of cereal this morning.

I'm still not sure where the bowl is.

Family Pics

2011-10-09T17:03:00.001-04:00

Snow Days

2011-10-08T18:36:00.019-04:00

The first snowfall of the season came in early October this year. Jake was in heaven! (The kid loves snow!) This was Makenna's first experience with the fluffy, cold, white stuff and she was a little unsure.

The finished snowman, sombrero and all! I think Jake was proud of their hard work.

Give Oh Give Away!

2011-10-07T12:03:00.001-04:00

I saw this on my friend's blog and thought it sounded like a fun idea. If you would like to play along, post a comment.

Rules-
1. I will make a little something for the first 3 people that comment on this post. It will be a surprise and will arrive before the end of the year. :)
2. To sign up on this post, you must play along too. Share the giving love on your blog by promising to send a handmade goodie to the first three people that comment on your blog post.
3.You must have a blog.
4. After commenting on my post, you have to post this (or similar) on your blog to spread the love.

FUN!

First Bites

2011-10-07T00:02:00.000-04:00

Rice cereal. Mmmm...I'm getting ready. Even have my own spoon to help!

On your mark, get set...

Did I say go? I meant no. No more. Come on, please??!!

Uhh, some help here? Somebody? Anybody?

(And for your viewing pleasure, here it is en vivo. Enjoy!)

First Day of Preschool!

2011-10-06T23:37:00.000-04:00

Jacob says, "Hooray for preschool two days a week! Hooray for having lots of fun learning new things! Hooray for playing with friends!" And his mom adds, "Hooray for an hour of time to myself!!"

We love it when Auntie Kristen comes to visit!!

2011-09-30T23:02:00.000-04:00

Thanks for coming to play. We love you lots!

Laughing

2011-09-22T18:20:00.000-04:00

Jacob has a new job title in our home...resident comedian. At least Makenna finds him hilarious! :)

I like to ride my bicycle!!

2011-09-22T17:22:00.000-04:00

First big hurdle: learning how to pedal the bicycle
Next step: Steering :)

2011-09-22T17:05:00.000-04:00

One good looking little man!

Gardening

2011-09-22T17:03:00.000-04:00

Mary, Mary, quite contrary

How does your garden grow?

With silver bells and cockle shells

and pretty maids all in a row.

Okay, so it's vegetable garden instead...with zucchini, corn, and tomatoes, and carrots all in a row! And a few other things that I don't have pictures of, like green peppers, a couple of cucumbers, a snap pea or two, and a pumpkin. Since we're now living at 7000 feet in elevation instead of at sea level, in a climate that is much drier than was Long Island, and with a growing season that is much shorter than we're used to, this year has been an experiment for sure with gardening.

Brian built two raised garden beds earlier this spring (thank you my dear!) and planted seeds/seedlings shortly after Makenna was born. Experiencing life-with-a-new-baby three years ago with Jacob prepared me for the fact that not much gets done, so I knew that this summer would probably be a bust as well, as far as yard work & gardening goes. But even with the neglect, we've had the opportunity to enjoy some home grown vegetables. And hopefully a little experience can go even further for next summer's garden!

Aloha from Kauai

2011-09-02T23:37:00.000-04:00

Whenever Brian and I talk about going on vacation, my first choice is Hawaii. We spent our honeymoon on the island of Maui and absolutely loved it! It was an incredible place to visit and I will always want to return. Funds for such a vacation, however, are not always available, and having small children can further complicates matters. Well, this summer marked 50 years of marriage for Brian's parents and they suggested a family celebration on the island of Kauai. How could we say no?

Though it was a very different experience from the first time we visited the Hawaiian Islands, we had a fabulous time. Kauai is called the Garden Isle and for good reason. I'm pretty sure that it rained at some point every day. Because of that, it was lush and green and absolutely beautiful.

And, thank goodness, Jacob and Makenna were great little travellers, even with the long flights and missed naps.

Jake loves the sandbox at home. What a treat to have a sandbox this big!!

We went to a luau dinner and show, complete with hula dancing and flame throwing. I thought it was excellent. Jacob sat on Daddy's lap through the entire show, his eyes glued to the stage and his hands clasped onto Daddy's shirt. I think he enjoyed it; it was just a little intense for a 3 year old boy.

Brian, Frank, Danny, and I hiked a few miles of the Napali Coastline. Beautiful scenery.

I love Hawaii. Beautiful flowers, plants, and trees. Fresh, sweet, vine-ripened tropical fruit (had one of the best mangoes that I've eaten in a loooooong time!). Pristine waters full of amazing tropical fish. And the views! Oh the views! I think one of my favorites was that of the ocean and the palm trees seen right off the lanai of our condo. I kept telling Brian that I wanted to take the view home with me.

For some reason, Kauai is run amok with feral chickens, roosters, hens, and chicks alike.

Jake thought it was so fun to chase them.

All in all, we had a wonderful time with family that we don't get to see on a regular basis anymore. Happy 50th Anniversary to Mom & Dad Miller and mahalo again for a wonderful vacation.

3 Months Old

2011-08-10T16:46:00.002-04:00

Trip to Utah & Makenna's Baby Blessing

2011-08-04T18:00:00.000-04:00

We went on a road trip to Utah at the beginning of July to spend time with family, celebrate 3 birthdays, be there for my niece Elli's baptism, and to have our sweet Makenna blessed at church surrounded by family and friends. Both the Miller and Robinson families flew in for the occasion and we felt blessed to share such a special day with them.

And what a treat it was to spend time with some dear friends from years gone by! Tami and Vanessa, two of my college roommates, and Leah, another friend from my working days in Ogden, came and spent the afternoon with us that Sunday. It had been too many years since we'd seen each other and it was a lot of fun to meet each others' husbands and children, and sit around and talk. Let's plan that reunion, girls!

**a huge thank you to my talented friend Vanessa for the beautiful pictures on Makenna's blessing day**

Chocolate chip muffins are fun to eat!

The Robinson family at Elli's baptism (we missed you K &T!)

The blessed sound of SILENCE!

Jake loves dinosaurs--a convenient stopping point on our way home (i.e. the baby needed to eat!)

2011-08-04T16:04:00.000-04:00

2011-08-02T15:55:00.000-04:00

We generally rush around our house on Sunday mornings, trying to get everybody dressed and ready for church and out the door on time. A couple of weeks ago I had finished dressing Makenna and put her in her crib where she could hang out for a bit while I moved onto the next needful thing. Jake likes to climb up on the side of her crib and "see the baby." As I'm walking out of her room, Jake peeked into the crib at his sister all dressed in flowery pink, and said in a pleasantly surprised voice, "Mom! The baby's pretty!" Too cute.

Birthday Fun

2011-07-11T17:07:00.003-04:00

Oh, the joy of a birthday! This must have been the magic year for my little man. He turned three years old and had three birthday parties! One in Utah with grandmas and grandpas, aunts and uncles and cousins, one at home with Mom and Dad, and his first party with friends. I know I say this all the time, but he is growing up right before my eyes and I can't believe my Jake is 3 years old already. He is such a sweet boy, helpful (when he wants to), inquisitive, and attentive to everything around him (unless PBS television is on--then I can't get him to acknowledge me at all!). He is learning and growing so fast, and amazes us every day with the words that he uses (in context, no less) and his ability to get just about anything he wants to. Though I've called him "monkey" since he was born, he certainly continues to live up to the nickname. :)

Happy Happy Birthday Jacob! We love you so much!

Happy Baby

2011-06-25T17:19:00.000-04:00

Seven weeks old already!! I love that she is starting to smile more and more. Such fun to see her little personality starting to emerge!!

2011-06-12T17:52:00.000-04:00

So...we were out running errands yesterday and, wonder of wonders, BOTH kids fell asleep in the car. It was a warm, sunny day, perfect for an ice cream cone (and no munchkin to share it with since Jake was passed out in the back seat!). We pulled into Culver's (great frozen custard) and wouldn't you know it, Jacob wakes up and says, "What's for dinner?" Sad that my soon-to-be three-year-old already recognizes a restaurant by nothing more than the outside of the building. We purchased a couple of sundaes and told him that we'd share them when we got home. I had to feed the baby as soon as we got in the house, so I stuck my ice cream in the freezer and Jacob and Brian sat down at the table to share the other one. Jake can keep up with the best of 'em when it comes to ice cream, and all too quickly the boys were scraping the bottom of the sundae cup. Jake's response to the ice cream predicament? "Where's Mommy's ice cream?" I'm still laughing. :)

One Month

2011-06-12T17:51:00.001-04:00

The final five weeks of my pregnancy lasted forever (and I say five weeks because Makenna decided to stay inside an extra week!). The last five weeks with baby have absolutely flown. It's hard to believe that my sweet Makenna has already been with us for five weeks. How much I remember of the last month or so is another story, however. I swear my brain is made of swiss cheese. Its amazing how a person can function with such broken sleep, night after night, at least as far as doing what is absolutely necessary. Feed, clothe, and diaper my children; that I can handle. It might be that Jake eats cereal for dinner and stays in his pajamas all day long (which he would prefer everyday if I let him!) but it gets the job done. My house is a disaster and my husband would surely prefer a savory chicken tikka masala to whatever I can find in the freezer that hasn't been around for a year, but again, hot dogs are better than cold cereal.
I surely look forward to longer stretches of sleep at night (she's doing better in that department), and having two children who are happy and content with their position as a beloved child in the Miller family (Jake's having a hard time right now). Its a matter of striving to find the definition of new normal in our home and daily routine (to which there is no routine right now) and taking it one day at a time.

**There are more pictures of the first week than the entire first month combined (thanks mostly to Nana's camera) but here are some of the lasts four.**

Sound asleep--so sweet!

Hold me too!

Tummy time--Jake likes it, Makenna does not.

The Week in Pictures

2011-05-17T00:00:00.000-04:00

Sweet Baby Girl

2011-05-11T23:49:00.000-04:00

Makenna Brooklyn Miller

May 6, 2011 7:43 am

8lbs 5 oz

2011-05-05T23:06:00.000-04:00

It was the middle of the summer in 2008, hot and humid, and I was overdue with my son Jacob. I was done being pregnant and rather than wait for my body to do its job on its own, we opted to induce labor. I went into the hospital on a Wednesday evening and anticipated having a baby sometime within the next 24 hours. Afterall, I knew of no one who experienced a problem with an induction; it was just supposed to speed up the process. Forty hours later, I had dilated to a two. Even worse, my baby was not reacting well to the pitocin and, ultimately, he was born via cesarean section that afternoon. It was Friday, July 11, 2008.
For me, recovering from surgery was a long and difficult process. I started out with many hours of painful labor and no sleep working against me; and I'm sure having a demanding, nursing newborn was a big factor, too. But it still took me a long time to feel like myself again. When we found out I was pregnant last summer, I made sure that my OB/GYN was onboard with the idea of a vbac (vaginal birth after cesarean). Not only did I not want to be cut open again, I really wanted the opportunity to experience the birthing process, pain and all.
Though I've definitely been more fatigued with this pregnancy (I'm sure Jake has a lot to do with that one), it's been relatively normal and uneventful. I have had no reason to believe that anything would prevent me from going into labor on my own. As my due date neared, my doctor began talking more and more about the statistics involved with a vbac, making sure that I understood that the longer labor progressed, the higher likelihood there would be for uterine rupture, and ultimately another c-section. And because the baby's environment begins to deteriorate the longer she's in there, he wouldn't let me go past 41 weeks. If I was at all dilated, he could induce me (strip membranes or break my water); if not, it would need to be a scheduled c-section.
Today is Thursday, May 5th. I am 40 weeks and 5 days. Five days overdue. Every Monday for the last month when I've gone in for my scheduled appointment, the response has been the same: no dilation, no effacement. Essentially, no progress. And since 41 weeks is this Saturday, I am scheduled to have another cesarean section tomorrow morning. On the one hand, I'm glad to know when the end date to this pregnancy is. I'll no longer have to wonder if today might be the day, if I'll have to call my neighbor in the middle of the night to come over and be with Jacob while we go to the hospital. My baby will be here tomorrow morning, and then life can move on. On the other hand, I have to recover from major surgery, all the while taking care of a newborn and an almost 3 year old (which is a daunting thought, no matter how she gets here!). And, again, I miss out on the experience of giving birth.
Am I disappointed? Yes A little saddened? That too. In the end, though, I know what is most important--that Makenna arrives safely, that she's healthy. Tomorrow morning I begin what may be another long road to recovery; but tomorrow morning I also meet my daughter. And for that I am very grateful.

Easter

2011-04-26T18:12:00.000-04:00

It didn't take Jacob very long to understand the concept of an Easter egg hunt (albeit indoors---it was snowing outside!)

Sleepy Little Angel

2011-04-26T17:52:00.000-04:00

The antics of a growing two year old can be difficult to deal with, especially for this Mama who's patience wears thin a little too easily these days. Jake can be such a little devil sometimes...and then I see him like this, so angelic. I guess there's a good reason why my mom always says to look in on him when he's asleep. I need the reminder of how sweet my little son really is.

Nursery and Baby Shower

2011-04-26T17:45:00.000-04:00

I have had so much fun getting the nursery ready for our little girl. It's soft and feminine with butterflies and flowers in lavender and a light brown. I saw the ceiling moulding in another home and loved the effect, so we recreated it in Makenna's room. It's been ready for a couple of weeks, the only thing lacking is the little girl who will reside here! (And there's NO progress on that one, though my due date is in 4 days! Any bets as to when she'll arrive??)

My sweet friends Janae, Pam, & Kristi threw me a baby shower a couple of weeks ago (and I hope I'm not leaving out anyone else!) Though it was a busy Saturday morning, so many people came to shower me with their love and support and I had a wonderful time!

Backyard Playset Project

2011-04-26T17:24:00.000-04:00

We bought a used playset for Jake earlier this winter (I love Craigslist!) that has been sitting on the sideyard until it was warm enough to put it in a more permanent place. Even though we've had plenty of snow and rain this last week, the sun has also shown its face over the last month and temps have been warm enough to work outside again. My hardworking husband dug out the sod and dirt from the back corner of our yard, leveled the ground, and built a box out of railroad ties to put the playset in. All the while, his little "helper" was a constant presence (and Jake's favorite way of helping right now is to either be right in front of where Brian is trying to work, or climbing on his back as he kneels in the dirt to work!)

And here is the finished project, wood chips, sandbox, and all! Thanks Daddy!

Build A Bear Birthday Party

2011-04-26T17:06:00.000-04:00

Jacob was invited to Build-a-Bear Workshop for his friends' Katie and Joshua's birthday party back in March. Of course he chose a green bear (thank goodness for St. Patty's Day special editions!). It's his favorite color, much to his Daddy's chagrin. His favorite part of the whole experience was "washing" the bear after it had been stuffed. I don't know how long he stood there, pushing the foot pedal that blew air onto the bear and fluffing him with a brush.

All the little munchkins with their newly adopted creations.

Birthday treats!

Does this child love treats! (and there were plenty of them, to be sure) And I think he loves the concept of Birthdays just as much. He hasn't stopped talking about when he's going to have his birthday for months. Too bad he has no concept of just how long it is until July!!

Bedtime Routine

2011-03-03T23:02:00.001-05:00

Each night at the end of our bedtime routine with Jake, he gets to decide how he wants to get into bed. This means that he can crawl on the floor and be a bear, or fly through the air like an airplane/helicopter, etc. Lately, the game of choice has been to ride on Daddy's back and be a cowboy. Daddy, of course, is the horsie. And for some reason, Mommy always gets designated as the cow; *sigh* a title quite fitting for someone who is 32 weeks pregnant.

February Happenings

2011-02-27T00:48:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe that the month of February will be done and gone in another few days. Though the days sometimes feel very long, the weeks surely fly by.

February always begins with Brian's birthday. He turned 46 this year, and since he requested an ice cream cake, I didn't dare put that many candles on it for fear it would become liquid. :) Jacob, of course, had to get in on all the birthday action, from "helping" Daddy open presents to blowing out the candles.

Jacob likes to draw on the whiteboard we have on the refrigerator. Sometimes the artwork is a joint effort, as with our family picture. He asked me to draw Daddy, then Mommy, and I added Jake and "baby sister" to complete the family. Obviously she's physically present in the picture (and I've lost all the baby weight), but hey, I can dream, right?

Since we spend just about every Saturday working on something in the house, we decided to take a break a couple of weekends ago and head to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Jake and I have been there a few times, but this was Brian's first trip. It was a beautifully sunny, albeit chilly, Saturday, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

Wouldn't it be fun to really be this close to the elephants?!

Brian feeding the giraffes--none of us have ever experienced feeding giraffes at any other zoo. Pretty cool. And here's a random tidbit of pregnancy information about giraffes (since I'm expecting and take note of such information)...Giraffes are pregnant for 14 months--poor mama!--and when baby is born he is 6 feet tall! I suppose it's all relative, since giraffes are extremely tall animals, but that's so big!

Mama tiger and her cute little cub :)

Jacob got to ride a horse all by himself and loved it! (It was really a pony, but Jake insists that it's a horsey. I guess if it looks like a horse and acts like a horse...)

Auntie Fra Fra came for a visit one afternoon, and the pair had a blast playing around in Jake's new bed. He still asks me when she's coming back to our house to play with him.

Another First for Jacob (and Mom & Dad)

2011-02-23T00:37:00.000-05:00

The crib has officially been removed from Jacob's room. It's "broken" right now in the baby's room, so no one can sleep in it. He's been sleeping well at night in his big boy bed for about three weeks, but would still choose to nap every day in the crib. The intent was to take the crib apart at the end of the month, and Jake would be done with it. Well, this last weekend he discovered that it was lots of fun to climb in and out of the crib. Not such a bad thing when you're just playing around, as the landing is soft. (The floors in our home are carpeted.) Last night we put him to bed, like normal, and went about our evening chores. All was quiet upstairs until about 9:30 when we heard Jacob cry out. Brian ran upstairs to check on him and quickly discovered that Jake's face was covered in blood. Somehow he had lacerated his eyelid (though we really didn't know the extent of the damage with his face bloodied the way it was.) Needless to say, we ended up going to the Emergency Room. He didn't end up needing stitches (thank goodness), rather the doctor used Steri Strips to tape the laceration closed. Jacob was a trooper through the whole ordeal, and was his normal, energetic monkey self for most of the day today. He'll have a nice shiner, and may have a slight scar, but he really was blessed to not have cut his eye (the picture doesn't really do it justice--it's a much cooler looking owie than the camara captured).

So how did it happen? It's still a mystery, as two year olds aren't the best at conveying important information. My best guess is that he woke up and decided he wanted to sleep in his crib instead of his bed. Tired and somewhat disoriented, he probably fumbled getting out of bed and ended up cutting his eye lid on the head board as he fell onto the floor. Of course, we'll never know for certain; but we made sure that he doesn't try and follow through with that grand idea again. And we hope that Jake's next trip to the ER doesn't happen any time soon.

Oh Mama!!

2011-02-14T15:30:00.000-05:00

You asked for it. So here I am, in all my 28 weeks of pregnant glory! May the next 84 days go by quickly. I'm ready for the end to be here already.

Just a few more pics

2011-01-09T00:42:00.000-05:00

Loving the opportunity to play in his very own "park" right in our own backyard!

Playdough and snacktime (like my creation?)

This was Jake's masterpiece (with some help from Mommy)---he calls it "Daddy"!

Aren't Big Boy Beds wonderful? At least they are to play on/read on/jump on...But sleeping in? Not a chance. Any helpful ideas on this one?

Silver Frost

2011-01-07T00:39:00.000-05:00

A few weeks back, it was incredibly cold here. Not so unusual for the winter in Colorado (I think...like I said, the weather here is wierd), but what I did find unique was how any moisture on the trees and plants froze solid. I think it's called a Silver Frost and it was gorgeous! Enjoy the pictures.

Christmas Activities 2010

2011-01-07T00:32:00.000-05:00

We decorated a gingerbread house this year. I'll admit that Costco was really the architect, but we did the exterior design. It ended up being full of fun color, and a tree, gingerbread man, & a snowman on the front porch completed our decorative little model home.

Oooh! The anticipation for sugar cookies to come out of the oven!

Some of our artistic creations :)

Suprises from Santa on Christmas morning!

The only picture I have of Jake wearing a helmet on his bicycle. I'm not sure why, but he won't hear of putting it on. I guess he'll have to wait to ride his bike...

I'm a Big Kid Now!!

2011-01-01T00:08:00.000-05:00

Jacob is officially sleeping in a big boy bed. The proof is in the picture. He only got out of bed once tonight (two minutes after we said the final goodnight, he walks out of his room and says to me, "What you doing?") Heaven help us, our little boy is growing up.

The Work Never Ends

2010-12-05T12:50:00.000-05:00

When Brian and I were house hunting earlier this year, we decided not to consider homes that needed a lot of work. With a 2 year old and another baby in the plans, there just wasn't the time or energy for that. The house we purchased is by no means a fix-er up-er, but since we moved in this June, we have been working on one project after another. While the weather was still warm, we put up a shed in the side yard, chopped down about a dozen trees, and constantly worked on the landscaping. With winter here (most days, anyway..the weather is strange...it'll be in the 20's for a few days and then jump up to the 50's. I never know what to expect!) Anyway, our energy has been focused inside the house the last couple of months and though it feels like nothing is ever done, we are making progress. My dad flew out here the end of October and worked for two weeks to partition off part of our basement to create a storage room, as well as hanging french doors on the office, and putting in an additional closet in the master suite (don't ask why we need one...very poor judgement on the part of the previous owners is all I'll say). Five days after my dad left, my sister Kristen flew out here for a short visit to help paint. She worked her tail off to finish the three upstairs bedrooms and the kitchen in about 2 1/2 days. I was very impressed! And I am so happy to report that the mauve paint that was throughout this ENTIRE house when we moved in is about 75% gone. Happy day! Thank you Dad and Kristen for all your hard work. We loved spending time with you!

Jacob was Papa's little helper, always wanting to be in the way

(er, I mean "help". Do you like how hard they're working?) And Jake's plastic tools were never good enough. He wanted the real thing...scary!

Kristen hard at work with the paintbrush. She painted her face just for the pictures. Jacob still talks about "Kristen messy. She paint her face."

Sugar & Spice or Puppy Dog Tails?

2010-12-01T19:56:00.000-05:00

We received a fun surprise this week. I went in for my regularly scheduled doctor's appointment on Monday, wanting to know when I could schedule our 20 week ultrasound appointment (I'm 18 weeks right now). The doctor matter-of-factly says to me, "Tomorrow, if you want to. Or next Tuesday. You're ready." (I guess the tech comes in on Tuesdays.) I was completely taken aback, as we didn't have the opportunity to see Jake on the big screen until 20 weeks.
So, after talking to Brian and making arrangements for a sitter for Jake, we scheduled the appointment for the next morning. What an agonizing 24 hours! I had baby on the brain. Would he/she have the right number of limbs? Would the heart look okay? Was it another boy? Would it be a girl? Would the baby cooperate and let us see?
After 45 minutes of watching our baby kick and turn and move around, we were finally able to see that SHE is a GIRL! Yeah! The knowledge is still sinking in: I have to remind myself I don't have to call her "the baby" anymore. And now I can dream and plan for this little girl to join our family come mid-Spring. (Oh, and the real reason for the ultrasound brought positive results too :) She appears to be healthy, growing normally with all her parts!)

Cousins!

2010-11-14T00:10:00.000-05:00

Back in the middle of September we took the opportunity to travel across the mountains to Utah to meet my older brother's bride-to-be and spend time with cousins new and old. It was a wonderfully sunny weekend and we enjoyed getting to know our sweet new family members. The kids had a great time playing together and we loved spending time with everyone. (I know these pictures are really late in posting, but I thought they were too cute not to share.)

Halloween

2010-11-08T23:36:00.000-05:00

Halloween was super fun this year. Jake understood the concept of trick or treating, and though most of the time he whispered the words, he liked getting a treat in his bucket each time. He wouldn't let Brian or I carry the bucket for him as it got heavier...he made us carry him and the bucket! My little boy in his Spiderman costume surely was adorable, and the neighbors echoed our thoughts with many comments. One lady said, "You're so cute, you can have all of my candy!" And as two teenage girls followed up behind us at the door, the same neighbor teasingly said to them, "You're not cute, but I guess I'll give you candy anyway."

Spiderman and his Daddy (though Jacob would tell you he was dressed as "Supe Man"!)

Carving Pumpkins

The little Monster hugging his monster pumpkin

2010-10-29T17:37:00.000-04:00

Jacob says, "I have a secret!"

Family Pictures

2010-09-23T18:07:00.000-04:00

Brian, Jacob, and I had our pictures taken at Garden of the Gods by the lovely Joyana of Treasured Photos a couple of weeks ago and love, love, LOVE how they turned out. Let me know what your favorites are (the jury is still out as to which picture will take up prime wall space). Enjoy! (Sorry about the duplicates at the bottom--blogger has a new system for putting up pictures and I'm still trying to figure it out.)

2010-09-06T19:50:00.005-04:00

Grandpa & Grandma and Uncle Gordon came from New York for a visit. They flew to Utah first and picked up Brian's 92 year old Grandma and then drove here to Colorado. Despite Brian's crazy work schedule that week, we had a great time. We went to Garden of the Gods (of course...that's our standard when people come to visit...probably because we haven't been to too many other places!), took in a Sky Sox game--AAA team here in the Springs--Jake thought it was a riot!, worked out in the yard moving rocks and trimming bushes, and filled our freezer with Grandma's special rolls (thank you again!). We can't wait to see you all again! Love you!

Gordon's expression is very fitting for the Garden of the Gods--majestic!

Quiet time with Grandpa

Little Monkey!

Making rolls with Grandma

Keep on Truckin'

2010-09-06T14:32:00.003-04:00

For one reason or another, we find ourselves renting trucks on a regular basis. When Jake woke up from his nap one afternoon a couple of weeks ago, he found this BIG treasure in our driveway, and loved every minute of driving it by himself! :)

Summer Vacation

2010-09-06T14:19:00.004-04:00

We had a great time in Virginia this summer! Lots of time in the pool, kayaking on the Creek (more like a lake, but that's what it's called), lazing in the hammock, eating crab, and playing with cousins in the Virginia heat. So good to spend time with family that we don't see often enough.

at the Fireman's carnival--Jake loved the fire engine ride

in the boat with Papa

I thought you had to be 16 to drive??

Jake and Papa asleep in the hammock

celebrating Jake's 2nd birthday, for the second time

Jake did so well in the kayak with his Daddy!

Great Papa, Jake, Nati, and Aunt Kate

Blowing bubbles with Papa

Three Weeks in our New Home...

2010-07-17T23:43:00.004-04:00

...and we've already had two visits from family, from opposite ends of the country. Aunt Ruth and Rachel drove a long way to spend a couple of days with us. Despite a quick bout of the stomach flu, we managed to have a good time. We went to the zoo, where we got to feed giraffes and I went with Ruth and Rachel to their first rodeo. Lots of fun! We can't wait to see you guys again.

Nana's Visit

2010-07-17T23:26:00.003-04:00

Nana surprised us with a visit shortly after we moved into our new home in Colorado. What a saving grace she was! I had moved many times, but never of this magnitude, and was feeling so overwhelmed with the process of unpacking and making our house into a home. We're still a long way from being unpacked, but at least there is some resemblance to a home. It was so nice to have my mom here to share the workload, and Jake and Nana had a fun time playing together.

Thank you so much for coming, Mom. We love you!!

Jake had more fun with an empty box out in the backyard!

At Garden of the Gods--beautiful!

I did it!

Oh, the things you find when unpacking :)

Playing with Nana

A slide!

*I know most of these pictures are of Jake, but we really loved having Nana here. Thanks again!

Happy Birthday "2" You!

2010-07-16T23:58:00.003-04:00

It's the birthday boy!! Jake is such a little boy (no more baby, that's for sure) and loved the excitement of his birthday. He wore birthday hats from last years party for days leading up to the big day and still gets the biggest grin when you sing "Happy Birthday."

The child is in love with Elmo, so that was the theme of our party this year.

Don't ask how much dye (not the cheap stuff) it took to make red, orange, and black frosting!

All the little boys wanted to help with the presents :)

Jake loves the Happy Birthday song

Blowing out the candles

Hooray for friends!

Hooray for family!

Hooray for cake and homemade ice cream!

We love you Jacob Cole! Happy Happy Birthday!

2010-06-15T18:21:00.002-04:00

Moving date: Thursday afternoon. Hip, hip, hooray.

Num, Num, Num

2010-06-13T21:26:00.003-04:00

Jake's take on eating a brownie. :)

The Waiting Game

2010-06-13T14:48:00.004-04:00

The last time I checked in I had nothing good to report. Not much has changed in the fact that we are still here and to this date do not have a closing date. Much has happened in the previous 14 days, but it still boils down to waiting for "any day."
Many a frustrated tear I have shed, but I am also trying to look at the positive. The situation is such that I have no control over anything to do with the sale of the home; the only thing I can do is try to focus on the good and wait it out. I am learning that you really don't need much to survive. Modern day conveniences are a wonderful thing, but they are that...convenient. I am thankful that the air mattress we've been sleeping on for three weeks is of wonderful quality...I haven't woken up on the floor in the middle of the night once! I am thankful for a kind neighbor who has lent me a pot and pan so that I can still cook dinner. The warm weather here has encouraged all the plants and flowers to bloom early, endowing us with not only eye candy but many a sweet juicy raspberry too (yummy!!!) And we've had extra time to spend with family and friends. I still want to get out of here as soon as possible and move on with our lives, but there is joy in the journey, even if I have to force myself to find it.

Enjoying the beach on a (non-crowded) Sunday afternoon

Rachel and Jake had a blast riding on the hand truck.

Asleep in the car...we had to use his ducky as a pillow to keep his little head from slumping over.

Brian in the moving truck...amazing how much stuff we actually have (even after de-junking!)

Jake likes to sit in the tires of the moving truck. I like the comparison of how big this monster truck really is!

At the water park with friends. He loves getting wet!

In the special rocking chair that Great Papa restored just for Jake.

Watching the sharks and turtles at the Aquarium.

Having fun with Uncle Gordon at the Aquarium.

2010-06-13T14:35:00.001-04:00

Hmm...I wonder what would happen if

2010-05-27T18:01:00.002-04:00

I wish that I had good news to report. I don't. I wish I could be doing a happy-happy-joy-joy dance. I'm not. What I am is frustrated. I should be grateful that, up until the last month, selling our home has been without many bumps. Too bad the last four weeks have totally made up for it. It's too intricate to explain all the details (nor do I understand everything), but suffice it to say that a certificate of occupancy was missing from the paperwork on our home (there never was one--it was said to have been grandfathered in because of its age), a now crucial document that the bank needed in order to grant the loan to our buyers. We rushed everything and everyone to work with us to get that piece of paper into our hot little hands, and now that we're ready, the bank decides that our buyers are going to have to reapply for their loan. Umm...hello? Not cool. Especially when the middle of last week we were told that we were going to close on the house this Monday. So, we had the trailer delivered, spent all day Saturday with our friends and family helping us load it, with the anticipation that we'd be gone by now. Not so. The trailer still sits in our driveway with 90% of our home loaded into it, and as of today we still don't have a closing date. Not even a good explanation of what is going on.
It's been very hard to try and be patient. I hate being left in the dark, without any control over what is happening. My mind races too far forward, spinning tales of what might happen...usually the worst-case-scenario. I know that in the end, when it finally does end, it won't matter. A year from now I won't feel any of the anxiety and frustration that I feel right now. But this is today, and that's whats on my mind. Thanks for listening. And any prayers you can send our way are always appreciated. I'm thinking we need all the help we can get at this point in time.

Bronx Zoo

2010-05-06T19:23:00.003-04:00

Jake and I were invited to hang out at the Bronx Zoo with our friends the Walsman's last week. It was a sunny Spring day and we had a grand time. I took Jake there a year ago, but this time it was more fun for me to see him recognize the animals and enjoy himself.

Posing on the Kimodo Dragon: Amelia, Jake, & Natalie

Playing on the biggest rock he'd ever seen. He was too busy climbing on it (and getting his first scraped knees!) for me to get a good shot. Oh well. :)

Natalie & Jake

Miss Natalie, posing for the camera.

5K Race

2010-05-06T19:17:00.003-04:00

I ran the Long Island Festival of Races 5K this last weekend with my friends Carol and Lindsey. It's the same one I did last year, but I improved on my time by about 3.5 minutes. It was a beautiful morning and a fun run (after the fact, of course).
(Sorry, the pictures are in reverse order)

Brian and Jake---our cheering squad

Carol, Lisa, & Lindsey--after it was over

Crossing the finish line

Showing off our muscles before the race began.

Wicked

2010-05-06T19:11:00.002-04:00

Brian and I saw "Wicked" last month, a belated Valentine's Day date. It's such a fabulous musical, so well done from the set to the costumes to the humor to the music. Though we'd seen it when we were dating, I'd venture to say it was just as impressive this time around.

What a wonderful afternoon together!

Jake's New Favorite Things

2010-05-06T19:02:00.002-04:00

Sleeping with Elmo and Moose--he won't go to bed without some sort of soft cuddly friend.

Feeding himself and not wearing a bib...I know, this picture doesn't depict either, but I thought it was funny. Daddy had to wear a bib to encourage Jake to do the same. Too bad it doesn't work for more than a couple of minutes. But he is getting really good at feeding himself with a "poon."

Driving the car. When we get home and I go around to unbuckle him, Jake gets this devilish grin on his face and dives into the front seat. My battery has only been dead the next morning on one occasion...I guess because I've gotten smarter.

Dogs (hence the movie "Lady and the Tramp") and being sans clothing

Having fun, whatever that may be. He's a happy kid, except, of course, when he's in time out!

Easter Egg Hunt

2010-04-03T15:22:00.003-04:00

We took Jake to his first Easter Egg hunt this morning. He got to decorate Easter eggs, participate in a spoon/egg race (good thing the eggs were boiled!), and pick up brightly colored plastic eggs filled with sweet treats. Jake calls them "num, num, num." (Don't ask me how he knows what candy is because I've tried to steer clear of giving him junk food...I have a hard enough time getting him to eat real food right now...but, nevertheless, he knows when something is good!) It was fun to watch his enthusiasm and enjoyment.

Coloring an egg before dipping it in the dye.

Since I'm usually the one taking the pictures, this was the only one of me. :)

What's inside these things?

Yeah for a fun Saturday morning activity on a beautiful Spring day!

How Big is Baby?

2010-03-29T21:44:00.003-04:00

THIS Big!!!

I don't think he fits anymore...do you?

We're Making Cupcakes!

2010-03-29T21:35:00.003-04:00

Today was a yucky, rainy day. That's hard on both a toddler and a mommy (what do you do with your kid all day when he just wants to play outside?), so we decided to make some pumpkin cupcakes. Jake loves to hop up on a chair and "see" anytime I'm doing something in the kitchen, so I decided to let him help me by dumping ingredients in the bowl. Well...most of them made it in the bowl. Let's just say I'm amazed at how big of a mess 3/4 of a teaspoon of baking powder can make.

Jake could not keep his fingers out of the batter.

Nor did those sticky fingers stay out of his mouth!

Click on this one for a close up of how dirty his little face was.

But he was a happy boy! It's funny how much he loved the batter, but would he eat one when the cupcakes came out of the oven? Not a chance. Silly kid. :)

Welcome Spring!!

2010-03-29T21:06:00.002-04:00

Spring weather has been pretty random here. March came with major rain storms (one that was almost classified as a hurricane...67 mph winds!!...talk about downed trees, flooding, and power outages) as well as 70 degrees and sunny. We've all been loving more time outside, trips to the park, and the lovely flowers that are popping up all over our yard. The trees are beginning to bud, and I can't wait for the lilac tree to bloom! (Guess I'll have to wait until May for that one.)
We are happy to report that our home is currently under contract and its looking more and more like a May departure. Now's the time to hurry up and cross all of the "want to do's" off our list before we leave, in addition to all the moving-related "have to do's." I've moved many times, but never on this scale.
I don't have many recent pictures (Jake's not good about letting me get many photographs of him, as he always wants to "see" the end result, or will stop what he's doing as soon as he realizes I'm trying to capture it on film) but here's what I do have.

His absolute favorite sleeping position...head in the corner against the bars with his little bum up in the air. Too funny. :)

We went to a flower show at a local nursery. Jake's looking at the fish in the pond...I don't know what he was saying, but thought the expression was cute.

2010-03-05T13:14:00.004-05:00

The weatherman says its a chilly 44 degrees outside. It was actually snowing earlier this morning. And I'm wearing capris (which I wore the summer before I got married, before Jake was even a twinkle in my eye) and flip flops. Wanna know why? Because they fit. Happy Day!!

The Big To-Do

2010-02-26T14:00:00.007-05:00

Blessed hour (sometimes two) when my boy is asleep. A shower, some lunch, maybe a "must- do" or two gets done. Today that task is bringing you up to date on the happenings in our little world. I told you we went to Colorado (and Washington) earlier this month. Visiting family while we were there was a wonderful added bonus, but the real reason we spent a week in CO was to check out the area and look at real estate. Yes, you read that correctly. We've been given an opportunity to transfer to Colorado Springs (same job, different location), and after some prayerful consideration have decided to make the move across the country. We don't have a specific timeline, as our house is currently on the market and that's a waiting game.

So...I guess the word is out.

We had a number of wildlife sightings...

some very much alive

others not so much :)

Brian enjoyed a surprise birthday cake (thank you Aunt Francie!)

Jacob found his true love. It was love at first sight for him, not so much for Bella. Her tolerance for Jake's amorous displays quickly turned to annoyance, subsequent hiding from him whenever he entered the room, and finally blatant "Go Away!" (in catspeak of course...translate hissing and swatting at him). Poor Jake. His first broken heart.

We visited Garden of the Gods, a beautiful National Natural Landmark of red rocks in the Pike's Peak region of Colorado. It really was spectacular, especially with the snowfall the day before.

While we focused on the layout and general condition of the homes we were looking at, Jake scoped out the toys available to play on. Some of his favorites are as follows.

toy car

rocking horse

and, of course, the big boy toy...a riding lawn mower!

While in Washington, I managed to get together for a few hours one afternoon with a dear friend of mine from my missionary days. Here's the best shot of our three boys, Bradley, Collin, and Jake. (At least two of the three are looking at the camera) :)

Lindsay and her boys

And though I managed to make it home without taking ANY pictures while at Nana & Papa's house, we did have a great time. It was wonderful to spend a week with my parents, my sister and brother-in-law (yeah for their fun new house!), and to celebrate my Grandma's 90th birthday. Thanks for a lovely week...we miss you lots!

Good old John Deere

2010-02-20T21:49:00.002-05:00

Just got back from a visit with family and friends in Colorado and Washington. We had a good time and I promise to post more pictures and more about the trips, but that will have to wait for another day. But I had to share this picture of Jake on the riding lawn mower. I think he would have taken it out for a spin had we given him enough time to figure out the mechanics of it. :)

Roommate Reunion

2010-01-24T19:12:00.003-05:00

I got to visit with one of my roommates from BYU last week. Stephanie and her cute family are on a working adventure and were in Connecticut for a few months. I saw on her blog that they had been in New York during the holidays, and was happy to know that they were still around and we could meet up (I usually find out friends have been in town after the fact!) It was fun to catch up, meet her kids, and play for a couple of hours.

Snowball Throwing Lessons

2010-01-24T18:38:00.001-05:00

My Boy loves to read!

2010-01-24T18:23:00.002-05:00

Snake Video

2010-01-24T18:09:00.002-05:00

Funny side note of Jake's first meeting with Ka (the snake). Jake has a habit right now of saying words twice...coatcoat, carcar, and now, kaka (get it?) LOL!

Slithery Snake

2010-01-24T18:00:00.004-05:00

Brian has an unusual pet, a four foot corn snake named Ka (think of the Jungle Book). I swore to him that when we had kids he'd have to get rid of it. Well, the snake is no more harmful than the spiders on the wall, and 18 months later, Ka isn't planning on moving to a new home anytime soon. In fact, Jake has taken quite the interest in him as of late. If Daddy would let him, he'd take him out of the cage everyday.

I swear, this child of mine is going to be one who comes home with frogs and snakes in his pocket (whether he'll find them here in our neighborhood of Long Island is another story).

Sunday Funnies

2010-01-24T17:56:00.002-05:00

Brian loves to do the Sudoku puzzle in the paper and can frequently be found with pen and paper in hand. It was funny to see Jake pick up a pen and draw on the funnies, just like his Daddy.

Jake all dressed up in his Sunday best...Thanks Grandma & Grandpa for the the new clothes!

Christmas 2009

2010-01-24T17:39:00.004-05:00

We had a nice, relatively quiet Christmas at home this year. It was the first Christmas that Jake got to experience the excitement of Christmas morning. He loved the toys that Santa left for him and I think opening the rest of the presents took a back seat to the initial presents. In fact, Brian and I ended up opening most of the presents because the boy was overwhelmed with too much stimulation.

The initial surprise from Santa Claus--a tool bench.

He loves his Elmo doll! The funny thing is, he calls is "dada." I've tried to get him to say Elmo and he just repeats what he wants to...Dada :)

Both of the Miller boys got tools for Christmas!

Jake out in the snow...we had a white Christas (though it was really just leftover from the weekend before).

The boys building a snowman and throwing snowballs.

Our family self portrait in front of the tree.

**Sorry these are so late in posting. Life hit full speed with the New Year and it's been crazy busy in our parts (lets just say that I fully realize the power that water has and some days I wish that I was still renting...at least then a landlord had to take care of the bill!)

A Little Drummer Boy, Snow Bunny, and Cookie Maker

2009-12-21T14:07:00.005-05:00

I can't believe that Christmas is in four days, and that the end of 2009 is right around the corner. Where did December go? Where did the year go? I have no answers, only pictures of the happenings of the last month. (More to come after the holiday this weekend.)

Jake's friend Natalie had a "Band" birthday party and here is our little drummer boy.

The first snowfall of the season was this last weekend, and it was a blizzard. We got over a foot of snow on the ground and the drifts were much higher. Jake saw snow last year, but being so little wouldn't remember it. He had fun outside, at least until he got too cold. :)

Helping Daddy shovel the sidewalk.

I made the wreath out of ornaments with a friend of mine. It wasn't hard and turned out well. If you want to know how to make one for yourself, go here.

Jake helped make Christmas cookies this year.

He decided to taste the flour (multiple times!)...I love that he is making so many facial expressions. It's a new thing and its funny at times to see his expressions in reaction to something.

Rolling out the dough with Daddy.

Are they done yet????

For the Love of Ranch Dressing

2009-12-04T21:09:00.002-05:00

This one's for you, Auntie Kristen!

Thanksgiving Turkey Trot

2009-11-28T14:51:00.002-05:00

Last year, we spent the holiday weekend in Virginia with my family. My uncle was running in the local 5K Turkey Trot early that Thanksgiving morning, and we walked down to cheer him and the other runners on. I had a new baby and was in no shape to even attempt such a feat. I remember feeling sad because, at one point in time in the not-too-distant past, 3.2 miles was a daily workout. My grandma sweetly put her arm around me and said, "Don't worry. You can do it next year."
Well, Thanksgiving morning 2009 came, and run a 5K race I did. I joined my friends Carol and Bruce, with about 500 other runners, at a beautiful state park on the North Shore for this year's Turkey Trot. The weather was great, energy levels were high, and I had a great time. I even beat my previous time, with this one being a much harder course. Maybe next year we'll make it a family affair.

Nap Time

2009-11-21T19:17:00.003-05:00

The Boy REFUSED to take any sort of nap today. He cried and cried and cried and would not sleep. (Sigh.) Later in the day we took a walk, played for a little bit in the park, and then came home. Wouldn't you know it, Jake fell asleep about two minutes before we got in the door. Too bad he looks so angelic when he's sleeping. Now I just pray that he goes to bed at a decent hour tonight.

Children's Museum

2009-11-20T18:11:00.003-05:00

The Long Island Children's Museum is a wonderful place, with lots of fun things for kids big and small. Among other things, kids can climb a huge treehouse maze, dig in the sand, make giant bubbles, build towers with wooden blocks, and even be a newscaster in their own television show! Jake and I had a fun morning there last week when we met up with our friends Cadance, Quentyn, and Mhasyn. Even though they're much older than Jake (10 and 4), both boys were so sweet and patient with him and his toddler interests. As you can see from the pictures, Jake had a great time.

On a side note, I never would have imagined when I moved out here three years ago that I'd be given the opportunity to reconnect with someone that I grew up with. It's been fun to get to know Cadance and her family, and I'm thankful to have found another friend. (And thanks, Cadance, for showing me how to make the collages online this afternoon. I love how it turned out!)

Eyes, Ears, Mouth, & Nose

2009-11-14T15:28:00.003-05:00

October Updates

2009-11-01T13:43:00.003-05:00

October was a busy month (when is life not busy, really?) filled with lots of fun activities. Brian and I celebrated our third wedding anniversary by going out without the boy (thank you to my mother-in-law for babysitting). I turned a whopping 33, and had a nice day at home with my boys. Brian got up with Jake that morning and let me sleep in...until 10am! On his birthday, Jake didn't understand tearing wrapping paper off of packages. He does now, that's for sure, and had fun "helping" Mommy open her presents.

We had a family outing to the Museum of Natural History (the location of the movie Night at the Museum). You could spend days there, it's so big, so we mostly looked at the animal exhibits. I think Jake liked the elephants and the fish the best (they actually have a life-size whale in the marine life exhibit).

Apples are in season here right now (which means cheap), so I've been busy making apple butter. I also had fun learning how to decorate Halloween cookies at a mini class with some friends. And, of course, we can't overlook Halloween. Though he wouldn't sit still and smile for the camera, Jake was adorable dressed as a monkey. What a fitting costume, as he is a monkey on a daily basis.

Monkey see, Monkey do...at the Museum of Natural History

Jake liked the Elephants the best

Sitting in an oyster shell...wouldn't you like to find the pearl that could have been inside that baby!

Learning to decorate Halloween sugar cookies

Helping Mommy open presents on her birthday

Making apple butter

We had fun carving a Jack-O-Lantern

Ready for trick or treating on Halloween

with some of the loot he got from the neighbors...actually, this is the best picture showing off his cute monkey costume.

We couldn't resist the costume when we saw it two months ago...he's such a monkey that it was the perfect fit. :)

Anyone for a Monster Mash?

2009-10-27T13:48:00.000-04:00

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Rub a Dub Dub

2009-10-17T22:29:00.002-04:00

I think the kid likes bathtime, just a little bit. (Yeah, it's a bit grainy this time. Sorry.)

The Latest at our House

2009-10-13T12:29:00.006-04:00

Mr. Cool Dude in his sunglasses

"Horsing" around with Mama

One of Jake's new favorite activities--knocking over block towers.

Yes! Victory!

Going down the giant slide with Daddy

On the carousel with Mommy

I know it's been a while. We manage to stay really busy and, yet, feel like not much has happened at the same time. The little Monkey had his 15 month check up today, and is doing great. Healthy and developmentally on target. He's still tall and thin but eats about the same menu that we do...including things like chicken tikka masala, hawaiian style pizza, spaghetti squash, cherry tomatoes from our garden, and grilled Alaskan halibut. Oh, and don't forget the M&M's. :) His vocabulary is growing every day, both verbal and signing, and it's fun to see him learn new words. I guess he does pay attention to what we're trying to teach him.

Jake's favorite things to do right now are walk around with the phone up to his ear, saying, "Oh" (his version of "Hello"), climb up on the piano bench and play songs for us, take off his socks and shoes, climb into and out of his stroller, and play "let's knock down the tower" with Daddy. (Thank you Cadance for the block set.) He has the hardest time waiting for much of a tower to be built before laughing with glee as he knocks it over. It's pretty funny.

We went to the annual carnival down the street (quite literally down the street) this last weekend with Jake. Last year he was mesmerized by the lights, and this year was big enough to go on some of the rides (with a parent by his side, of course). I took him on the carousel and he went with Brian down the giant slide. His expression was pretty serious/somber during the carousel ride, but I thought it a success because there weren't any freak-out tears either. I was too busy trying to get a picture of him and Brian on the slide to notice if he liked it or not. Life through the camera lens.

I think that's about it for now. At least all that I can remember. Hope all is well with you!

Welcome Addition

2009-10-13T11:58:00.005-04:00

Jake says:
I am so excited to tell you about my new cousin who was born last week. Her name is Natalie Kate Robinson. Mommy shows me her pictures on the computer and I like to point to her and say "bebe". Natalie is so cute and little right now, I'd love to give her hugs and kisses. I can't wait until I'm a little bit bigger and she is too so that we can play together. (I hope that I'll learn to share my toys better by then.) Mama and Dada and I all love Natalie very much!

Peek A Boo!

2009-09-17T21:27:00.001-04:00

Downtime in Pennsylvania

2009-09-17T11:46:00.009-04:00

Brian's parents own a small cabin in rural (read: very rural) Northern Pennsylvania. It's the countryside, complete with rolling hills, miles of corn and hay fields, and farm houses dotting the land. Growing up in the concrete jungle of Brooklyn, this was a place of respite, a haven for his family. Since we married nearly three years ago, Brian has been talking about making a trip out there, to share with me an important part of his childhood. For one reason or another, it hasn't worked out until now, so last weekend we packed up the car and headed West.
What a beautiful place (though it's so remote that I don't think I could ever find it on my own...unmarked dirt roads for the last five miles or so of the trip!) We had fun hiking around the property, Brian showing me what remains of what he loved about it as a kid (picture yourself with the imagination of an 8 year old boy out in the woods). The neighbors about a mile down the road are Amish, so I thought it was pretty cool to see them driving a horse and buggy (trying not to gawk and look like an idiot taking pictures--which I obviously did!)
We drove a couple hours further West one day and visited Pennsylvania's Grand Canyon...that's really what it's called. It's nothing compared to the one in Arizona, but it was a pretty, wooded canyon with a river flowing through it at the bottom. We hiked down to the bottom, with Jake in tow in the backpack, and then I donned the pack for the hike back up. I felt like I was backpacking on the Chilkoot Trail in Alaska again! Forty extra pounds going up a steep incline made for a great workout that day!
All in all, we enjoyed a much-needed getaway and would love to take advantage of going there again.