Snow Day

Everyday I think I can't love Miles anymore - but I do! Miles' school was closed on Monday due to another blizzard so we got to enjoy a snow day together! We took advantage of the time by trying 2 new activities. First, I made homemade playdough and Miles dug in making holes with his fingers and squishing the playdough animals that I made him.
Next, I set up a water station so that he could splash. After about 5 minutes all of the water had been dumped on the floor but I think he had fun.
Our little man is maturing everyday. He is very aware when he goes "poo-poo" in his pants and expresses a lot of interest in everything "potty." One night, after bath he wanted to sit on the potty and although nothing happened he was so proud of himself. We really aren't pushing potty training yet because he's still so young but we're taking his lead and if he's interested we're happy to be more then encouraging. We're looking at purchasing toilet inserts so that he can sit on the toilet by himself soon.
Part of our morning ritual during the week consists of Miles helping himself to a breakfast bar and having a pre-breakfast snack before going to school.
Lucky me - I was home with Miles twice this week! (Working only 3 days a week would be my ideal situation - sigh...) In the morning we went to ECFE. I LOVE watching how much the children have grown. These little people used to sit like little blobs on their mom's laps during circle time. Now they are all running to pick out blocks from the bucket for the "bang-bang" song and enthusiastically shaking the parachute to watch the balls jump and bounce. Miles is a great participant. Lately, I have to drag him out of class crying because he wants to stay and play. His language skills are sky rocketing lately too with more phrases added to his repertoire. He now says thank you (and uses it at the appropriate times), here you go, and I love you. Here Miles is flossing his teeth in the morning with me.
Friday afternoon we went to the Eden Prairie Community Center and romped around the toddler area.

Ahh, a little piece of spring during this cold winter. Mike brought home the most lovely tulips for me. Miles and I both were left saying "wow!"
Saturday morning we trekked to Once Upon A Child to buy Miles some 2T summer clothes to wear in Texas. One purchase was this monkey t-shirt which he insisted on wearing today. Very cute.
Weekends are for relaxing and we did a lot of that. We also celebrated Ruby's 7th birthday!
Operation prepare for baby has finally kicked into gear. Luckily, my 3-hour glucose test came back negative so with a renewed spirit we started cleaning out closets, sorting baby clothes, purchased newborn diapers and bought Miles bedding for his upcoming transition to a twin bed. I also got a prenatal massage. The baby to-do list is still long but we're making progress.

23 Hours of Fun

I heart you
The highlight of my Valentine's Day this year was giving Miles a little brown and white puppy he had previously played with at Barnes and Noble. He loves dogs and one day another child's little stuffed puppy accidentally was sent home from daycare in Miles' bag. Miles carried that puppy around all night. So when he opened a little stuffed puppy of his own Monday night he excitedly exclaimed "puppy, puppy, puppy" over and over again while hugging it. He's been toting it around ever since.

Baby girl news
Unbelievably I'm in my 3rd trimester now (28 weeks along). Where has the time gone and why haven't I started preparing? Baby girl is active and doing well. Unfortunately, I failed my glucose screening test so completed a 3-hour glucose tolerance test on Friday. I get the test results back tomorrow and hope that I don't have gestational diabetes. Nothing like a little added stress to the pressure I'm already feeling trying not be tired all the time and preparing for this little one. Despite mixed emotions I'm still excited to meet this little (dare I hope - dark haired) beauty.

Moorhead whirlwind
We make an annual trip to Moorhead to visit my brother, Matt, and sister-in-law, Janelle, every winter. We always have a great time in the great wide open to our north. This year was more baby-centric but no less wild. We were able to leave at 3:30 pm Friday with the car loaded to the gills with baby and dog gear. Miles was a trooper on the way. We took a break about halfway there for dinner at Dairy Queen and there was nothing fast about our stop at this fast food restaurant. Miles was the unofficial greeter saying "hello" to everyone that walked through the door and loved his burger and fries. We finally arrived about 8:00 pm Friday night. Saturday we played, played, played with the babies and did lots of chatting. Of course Uncle Matt and Aunt Janelle spoiled the babies with new Tonka trucks.

We had a lively lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings where Corey and Miles split a burger and fries.

Ketchup is always fun (and messy).

Miles loved eating out this weekend.

In several attempts to take a good group photo (this group won't look the same next year - 2 more babies will be added to the mix) this was one of the better ones.

With 3 dogs in the house most of our group pictures had a dog butt in them.

Here the little buddies are just hanging out in their chairs.

Miles loves his Auntie and Uncle and actually can now say "auntie" and "uncle!" Thanks for hosting us Matt and Janelle!

Rachel, Matt and families surprised me with a yummy ice cream cake.

Due to a pending blizzard we had to cut the fun short and head home early Saturday night. We arrived home by 10:00 pm only to be snowed in today.

Just what the doctor ordered...

I had a couple of people kindly tell me I may be suffering from seasonal affective disorder last week - i.e. Sarah, you're crabby! And I was! Every little thing was getting under my skin. After a long week of work and endless cold weather this weekend was just what the doctor ordered. My cure started Thursday night with a book club girls night out. "Me" time is so nice once in awhile! Friday morning Miles, Corey, Rachel and I road tripped to Mankato to visit the boys' honorary great auntie, Sharon. Corey and Miles were thrilled to be in the car together... The morning and early afternoon were spent at the River Hills Mall where we took advantage of every kid friendly activity. The day started out with romping around the play area. We then moved on to the Barnes and Noble kids section where Sharon read the babies Dr. Seuss and they played with the trains.

The outing ended with Miles' first fun lunch in a mall food court and then a ride on the carousel. As first time riders Miles and Corey loved it. They held on tight as we went round and round and Rachel and I joked that we didn't know if they were scared or enjoying themselves. However, the minute the ride stopped Corey and Miles almost simultaneously said "more." They loved it. One ride was enough for these mamas and we knew we would soon have very tired babies on our hands.

Guess who fell asleep as soon as our car hit the highway home...

Thank you Sharon for a great day! The boys were perfectly behaved one-year olds and we had a great time.

Mike headed to his home brew club Friday night and Miles and I spent some more quality time together. He loves imitating all of our bathroom routines. When we're getting ready for work in the morning he'll pretend to clean his ears, floss his teeth (with about 6 feet of dental floss) and put lotion and make-up on - just like mommy. Friday night he grabbed my headband and was so proud to be wearing it.

He even asked for me to take his picture as he posed, very seriously, in his nursery.

Saturday our family cleaned, did laundry and ran to Costco. As Miles gets older he has more and more moments where he can entertain himself. Saturday morning all he needed was his trusty bucket and a good book.

Saturday night Rachel was kind enough to babysit and Mike and I had date night! We went to dinner and ran errands. Thanks Rach! Sunday, with my mood much improved, I felt like cooking so I made my Valentine one of his favorite desserts, chocolate pecan pie, and homemade chicken noodle soup. With so much food we couldn't eat alone so Rach, Graham and Corey came over for dinner. The weather this weekend was so beautiful (only a true Minnesotan would call 30-40 degrees and sunny "beautiful") that both Saturday and Sunday we played outside twice each day and took walks. Fresh air made us all feel so good! It wouldn't be a winter with kids without building a snow cave. The dads got their shovels out and Miles and Corey snuggled in.

With such a wonderful family and friends, the most beautiful and special son and a sweet little baby on the way how could I stay grumpy? Here's to hoping my cure lasts all week long...

Everest?

Hugging the baby.

Making Valentine's.

"Sit on your bottom. Feet belong on the floor." We must have uttered these sentences 100 times today. An overturned bowl - Miles will step on it. The end table - Miles will climb it. Any item in our house that is taller than one inch Miles has scaled. Trying to clean the house and do laundry today my back would be turned for a second and he would have the laundry basket overturned and be standing on its' precarious side. When he knows I'm looking he'll smile extra big and as soon as I say "feet belong on the floor" he scrambles off only to get right back on top a minute later. As soon as we take the basket away frustrated Miles comes out - screams, cries and big crocodile tears. Setting boundaries is hard on all of us!

One of many moment when Miles spoke right to my heart today was when we were making valentine's for his class at school. Miles colored the paper and I cut out the hearts. I gave him a heart to play with and he immediately put it to his chest and said "boom-boom, boom-boom." He's so smart and sweet.