No injuries today...

When your baby turns 15 months the pediatricians warn you that safety should be a parents number one concern at this age.  15 month olds are very brave and adventurous.  Physically they can do a lot but often don't know their limits.  This very much describes our Rose (and often her older brother). 

Hadley officially transitioned to the Older Toddler Room at school.  She now goes for walks each day and is expected to interact much more with her friends in circle time.  This week was her first time on the school playground and she took a header right off of the slide and has the scabs on her face to prove it.  The very next morning, while both Mike and I were out of the room for a moment, Miles and Hadley were sitting on the couch together.  All of a sudden I heard screams and ran out to see what was going on.  Both kids were sitting in the same spots on the couch but Hadley was crying.  She quickly calmed once I comforted her and Miles confessed to "pulling her hand."  The typical morning chaos ensued and our lovely nanny, Darcy, took over as I went to work.  Shortly thereafter Darcy called me at work asking if something had happened to Hadley's arm.  She wasn't using her right arm at all - it was hanging limply at her side.  When Darcy tried to force her to use it she would cry out in pain and whimper.  Mike took her to the doctor and she was diagnosed with Nursemaid's Elbow.  Basically, her elbow was dislocated.  They popped it back in and she was instantly better.  The pediatrician commented that with her face and elbow "she looks like a typical 15-16 month old."

Hadley is a trooper through it all and luckily today - no injuries!  Mommy and daddy feel terrible that our baby keeps getting hurt!  Brother continues to exuberantly play with his little sis.

Jumping into the pool at swimming lessons

Enjoying the front float

"Monkey face" - practicing holding her breath

It's hard to capture pure joy on film - hence the blurry photos

Miles - I hope that someday you remember I was a fun mom

"Sweetie Rose" with her beat up face

Miles insisted Hadley sit on his lap for this picture

Apples

We had an apple-filled week.  We went and bought a huge bag of Sweet Tangos at the Apple House on Tuesday - the kids were eating apples before we even paid.  Then on Thursday Miles went with his preschool class to Minnetonka Orchards on a field trip and today we visited Deardorff Orchards where we picked and ate more apples - Honey Crisp and Haralson.  The kids are each averaging two apples a day.  Hadley will eat an apple down to nothing - core and all. 

Hadley is transitioning to the younger toddler room at school and is doing very well fitting in with the older kids.  Her lovely teacher, Ms. Josie, sent home the funniest notes about her week - all of which I saved to record here on the blog.  Unfortunately, they got thrown out.  The gist is that Hadley is a very sweet, cute and easy going girl who has issues with sitting and staying in her chair.  She prefers to stand in her chair or run free.  Another day her teacher reported that she was on a walk with the other children and lost a shoe.  The teachers looked everywhere for it to no avail.  Hadley was just marching along the sidewalk - one shoe on, one shoe off.  She now has two brand new pairs of shoes thanks to an emergency run to Von Maur. 

A little dirt...

A little dirt never hurt.  That was the theme for today as we worked long and hard in the yard.  We've done very little work in our yard besides the normal maintenance since we originally planted all of our landscaping in 2005.  We've taken on a big yard makeover this year which includes clearing trees, leveling and landscaping our backyard, and doing some updating to the front.  Today we hauled and spread 25 bags of topsoil in one corner that we're going to plant with shade shrubs and plants, split and replanted hydrangea (we're crossing our fingers they come back next spring), cut down buck thorn and cleared brush, dug out all of our day lilies and planted lots and lots of spring blooming bulbs. Miles was running around barefoot either waving a stick in the air or with a shovel in his hands wanting to help.  Hadley tried to eat the bulbs and topsoil and was literally covered from head to toe in dirt and boogers.  It was a gorgeous day but we're all a little tired tonight - and everyone is clean except mommy who still needs to jump in the shower. 

What seems like ages ago but was only last Monday Hadley wasn't feeling well and I just had a bad feeling that something was seriously wrong with her.  I took her into the doctor and she had a virus which caused her a sore throat, stomach and head aches.  Luckily it lasted only a couple of days and she's back to her normal, spunky self now. 

The kids had their first swimming lessons this week at the Chaska Community Center.  Hadley's class is first and it's with a parent for babies 6-24 months.  We splashed and sang songs, had our babies jump into the pool, and dunked their little heads in the water briefly.  Hadley didn't mind the lesson although she was scared of the teacher (a bearded man) and would cry when he came near her.  I think she'll have more fun this week now that she's feeling better.  I was worried about Miles because he's never been that much of a water kid and doesn't like to get splashed in the tub.  He totally surprised me and loved swimming lessons.  He literally smiled the whole time and was squealing loudly in delight for the first 10 minutes.  He's also in a class with me and other 2-4 year olds.  He practiced the back and front floats, kicking, blowing bubbles and jumping into the pool.  At the end he even went down the water slide twice by himself!  I'll post pictures of my little swimmers in the coming weeks.

Saturday morning we went with Matt, Janelle and Bradyn to Sever's Corn Maze.  The kids loved it - we jumped on a big bounce pillow, swam in a pool of corn (corn was everywhere !), rode a train, fed exotic animals like a giraffe, camel and goats, pet some parakeets, ran through hay bales and got lost amongst the corn stalks of the maze.  Following the theme for the week we all left with kernels in our clothes and dirt on our feet. 

That evening we had a special guest spend the night - Bradyn!  Mike and I got to experience briefly what having three kids would be like.  It was a little hectic but Bradyn just fell in line with everything Miles and Hadley did.  We made a cake and homemade pizza on the grill to celebrate and everyone enjoyed playing with our little guest. 

Hadley loves taking care of her babies.  She also calls pretty much everyone "baby."  Today she told grandma "bye baby!"

My little monkeys.

This week Hadley ate her first whole banana - peeling it like a big girl.  She also ate her first whole apple (almost down to the core!)

Miles was a great big brother and cousin to Hads and Bradyn.  He kept saying "I'll watch the babies!"

Hadley's shirt used to be white.  This was after the pre-wash but before the full tub bath after a very dirty day.

Joy is...

Joy is...

my two little ones riding side-by-side in the cozy coupe.

Miles calling me and Mike "you guys."

my baby nestled into the crook of my arm, her warm little body snuggled against me, for a nap.

kissing soft, perfectly smooth baby/preschooler cheeks.

resting my head on a soft, little baby head.

a preschooler who rationalizes and negotiates everything like a teenager.

my two little ones taking helping with yard projects very seriously. 

Hadley picking all of the green tomatoes, taking bites and them chucking them down into the window wells.

hearing Hadley say "mmmmm-mmmmm-mmmmm" when enthusiastically eating her dinner.

Miles eating his green beans.

sleeping until 7:30.

Miles jumping on the bed in the morning, smiling while staring at you inches from your face to wake you up.

So Big

Miles' class at preschool had an end of summer party in which parents were invited.  I'm so happy that I work close by and could attend in the middle of the day.  I felt so proud of my little son as I ate a healthy snack next to him at his table, met his friends, saw his artwork and played games.  He just beamed throughout the whole party and neither of us wanted me to leave!  He's becoming such a sweet, little man.

A few funny Miles tidbits from this week:

• He calls Hadley "Sweetie Rose"
• It's hard not to laugh sometimes about the the things that come out of his mouth.  This week at dinner this was the conversation between Miles and Mike:
• Mike:  Sit down and eat.
• Miles:  Ok!  (lots of dawdling occurring)
• Mike:  Sit down and eat now.
• Miles:  Ok!  Calm down!  (In a total teenager voice.)
• Miles got to help take care of the neighbor's dog, Sherlock, for one day while our neighbors were on vacation.  He loved the responsibility and playing with a little dog just his size.  He keeps asking to go back to take care of the dog and one evening when he saw our neighbors leave their driveway he yelled "K & L are going on vacation!  I need to take care of Sherlock!"
• He went to the dentist last week and got his first full cleaning and fluoride treatment and did really well.  He got an "A" on his teeth report card for excellent brushing!
• His vocabulary, imagination and story telling are just flourishing everyday.  Here's a story he told out of the blue the other night at dinner:  "I saw a bunny rabbit last night.  He was going down grandma and grandpa's driveway.  He was hungry so he looked for food." 

Hadley had her 15 month well-baby visit this week.  The morning of the appointment she woke up with what was clearly pink eye (perfect timing) and we had suspected that she might have an ear infection and had begun treating her right ear with drops the week prior.  At the appointment the doctor confirmed both the pink eye and ear infection and thought that she may also have a sinus infection.  She's now on an antibiotic that has cleared everything up and made her a very happy girl.  Otherwise, the appointment went well.  Hadley showed off her talking and walking skills, got 3 shots including her flu vaccine and handled everything very well.  Here are her stats:

• Height:  30 1/2 inches (50%)
• Weight:  23 lbs. 4 1/2 oz. (60%)
• Head:  18.2 inches (60%)

I'm going to have to record all of her new words this week - she's talking so much more and can pretty much say everything we ask her to.  She also has been particularly sweet, smiley and cuddly which I absolutely love and am taking advantage of every free moment.  She's really into saying "mommy" and "daddy" in an enthusiastic, questioning voice when she wants us to look at her (which is often). 

Miles in front of the art gallery in his preschool classroom

Doing an art project with mommy

Handsome boy after his haircut...  Hadley went too and got a sticker even though she's a long way off from a haircut.

Funny boy

Weekend at the cabin

Our pretty princess is addicted to her pacifier...

...and hats!  She also has started to say "cheese" and ham it up for the camera.

Fun with daddy - look how Hads has her arms around Miles.

With cousin Bradyn enjoying a pre-breakfast snack.

Cool girl.

Little Miss Personality

Miles loves going to church with Grandma and Grandpa...and gets a huge donut every time he goes with them!

"Wow, this donut is good"

Handy Grandpa salvaged and is rebuilding a dream playhouse at the cabin for the kids.

Miles helped with construction.

Taking advantage of my snoozing, cuddly baby.

A working man just like Grandpa.

Miles was the assistant carpenter and Bradyn was the assistant to the assistant.

The guys admiring their work-in-progress.

Dirty kids need to take sink baths at the cabin.

Brushing with Auntie

This picture sums up Miles' experience at the cabin - party!