2 Months Old

It is hard to believe, but Ethan is now 2 months old. I told my niece Kim the other day that I thought it went by fast with Kaylin, but Ethan's is going even faster. Sometimes I wish time would just slow down a little bit. Ethan is a pretty happy baby, he has his moments of course, but he is really starting to smile and coo. He loves to be held and talked to. Kaylin absolutely adores him, and is quite the big helper. Ethan had his 2 month check-up on Thursday and he weighs 12 lbs. 8 oz and is 23" long. He also had to get his shots, which was not fun. Kaylin was the nurse's helper and she held the band-aid for her. Little does Kaylin know she will be getting a shot at her 2 year check-up (the doctor HIGHLY recommended the flu shot for her). On a different note, Chad is doing well at Kreigers, he has already had a couple sales, and a couple more prospects for tomorrow, one being my high school spanish teacher. I also have a daycare kid coming back tomorrow. I had her for 1 year and then her mom got laid off. Her mom recently got a new job, so Lexi will be starting back tomorrow. Lexi is 5 months older than Kaylin, so it will be nice for Kaylin to have someone to play with. Other than that nothing new has really happened since my last post. We are just continuing our day to day lives, and I am absolutely loving being home with my kids everyday.



Tummy time with Ethan


My Happy Boy

His 2 month picture

Hanging out with dad

Big Girl!

Sunday night Kaylin got moved to a big girl bed. The transition went smoothly. So far the only problems we come across is at naptime, that's when she gets in and out of her bed, but at night she settles down and goes right to sleep.
Last night we went to Jenna's volleyball game against Durant. Jenna did pretty good. Kaylin sat really well except when Jenna was out on the court, Kaylin kept trying to get off my lap to go see her, she would whine "Nenna, Nenna". After the game, mom, dad, Julie, Craig, the kids and me went to Gramma's Kitchen in Walcott. Ethan was very fussy. Everyone was done eating before I even got started, and my dad finally took him. Ethan seems to really love my dad, he always settles down as soon as my dad takes him.

Chad started a new job at Kreigers in Dewitt on Monday. Brad Deery just wasn't the place for him I guess, and he seems to really like Kreigers so I hope he finds success there. As for me I'm trying to pick up some daycare kids again. I'm just looking for a couple, so if you hear of anyone that needs a sitter in Maquoketa, give them my name.



Kaylin's first night in her bed


Kaylin talking to Ethan



Jenna after her game with the kids

My dad and Ethan at Gramma's Kitchen

10 Year Class Reunion/ Labor Day Weekend

I had my 10 year class reunion this past weekend. It is so hard to believe that 10 years have passed. The reunion kicked off at the football game at Northeast on Friday night. It was were old classmates caught up and we met each other's kids and husbands. Chad was unable to attend the football game due to work. It was great to catch up with old classmates, and I even got to watch my nephew Justin play. He was the tallest one, made me feel even older that I was watching him play varsity football. Saturday night was the "adults only" night. It took place at Legends in Clinton. My mom and dad watched Kaylin and Ethan. It was nice to get out for an evening. Again I caught up with old classmates and old friends. It was a lot of fun reminiscing about high school and the stupid things we used to do. My stomach hurt from laughing so hard. After the reunion we went back to my parents' to spend the night. On Sunday, my cousins Kathleen and Bob came to visit, they live in Tennessee, and I LOVE when they come. Amy, Kim and I used to go stay at their house a week in the summer when we were little (they lived in Cedar Rapids at the time), so I am very close with them. Anyway, Julie, Craig and their family, Jeannine, Darin and their family, and Kim, Michael and Drew also came by to visit with them. It was great chatting with everyone. It was a great weekend for catching up. Monday Chad had to work until 5:00 so the kids and I hung around home until he got here and then we walked to Little Bear Park. Chad also got news that day that his brother Matt is getting married to his long time girlfriend Sarah. They are getting married in Mexico either the end of June or September. We are very excited for them, and of course I'm even more motivated to lose this baby weight!


Kaylin and Brittany



Deja Vu.... 10 years ago it used to be Brittany on
my lap at sporting events


Kaylin and Lauren (the daughter of one of my Best Friends from HS daughter)



Kaylin, Claire, and Lauren



Some of my BF from high school

My oldest friend Josh, have known him my whole life

Chad and Me

Ethan

Kaylin

Kaylin Dancing

Here is a video of Kaylin dancing to the band at Bennett Days

Our Week

Monday: We just hung around the house getting some cleaning and laundry done.
Tuesday: One of my best friends from high school, Jami came up to visit. We went to Happy Joes for lunch and then back to my house. We had a really nice visit and it was great to see her and catch up.
Wednesday: Katie, one of my friends from when I worked at Generac, came in the a.m. for some coffee and some catching up. She was really excited to see Ethan and of course she hadn't seen Kaylin in awhile. It was great catching up with her too.
Thursday: It was Chad's day off and my mom and dad came up. My dad and Chad put in a new toilet in our upstairs bathroom. My mom, dad and Chad all started taking the wallpaper off the bathroom and the hallway upstairs so we can paint while I organized Ethan's room and closet. We then had a nice supper.
Friday: My golden birthday. I can't believe I'm 28. My sister Jolene and nephew Curtis brought lunch up and then took Kaylin to Wal-Mart. Ethan was napping so it was a nice little break. After they got back from Wal-Mart, Kaylin and I also laid down for a little nap. When we got up we went to Kim and Michael's for pizza with them and Alishia and Jenna.
Saturday: Chad finally got a Saturday off. He will get one off every few months. Chad wanted to go do something and Bennett was celebrating their 125th birthday so we decided to go there and hang out with Julie and Craig, and Alishia and Jenna. It was a nice time. Kaylin had fun playing at the park, riding on the horse-drawn wagon, and dancing to the band. She also enjoyed some ice cream. It was an exhausting day for her and she was quite grumpy towards the end of the night. Ethan slept through most of it, he loves riding in the stroller.
Sunday: We had a lazy day. I did some cleaning and laundry, and we went to Wal-Mart in the afternoon to get some groceries and of course, diapers. But for the most part, it was a pretty relaxed day.


Jami with Kaylin and Ethan


My 2 favorite kids in the whole world



Ethan is not happy

Kaylin in Ethan's bouncer

Aunt JuJu and Kaylin at the park

Swinging

Kaylin laughing at Jenna pushing her

The horses

Aunt JuJu and Jenna took Kaylin on the horse-drawn wagon

What a Weekend....

Friday: Kaylin, Ethan and I met my mom in Dewitt and went shopping in Davenport. After shopping we went to Relay 4 Life in Camanche. We all watched proudly as my dad walked with all the survivors of cancer. After the survivor walk, my dad wasn't feeling well so he went home and the rest of us went to Village Inn to eat. Ethan was not a happy camper at Village Inn and screamed and cried the whole time. It was also extremely hot in there and my poor baby was dripping sweat. My sister Jolene ended up stripping him down to his diaper, but that didn't calm him much. Finally we got him calmed down and content, of course when it was time to leave.

Saturday: Ethan turned 1 month old; Wednesday he had had a doctor's appointment and is weighing in at 10lbs. The kids and I hung around home for the day. I picked up my house and Kaylin and I had a "dance party" which she thought was hilarious. When Chad got home from work, we headed to my parent's house to surprise my niece Alishia, who had been in Okinawa Japan for the summer. We got to my parent's and ate supper and patiently waited for her to get there. Finally she got there, we all said our hellos, gave our hugs and she FINALLY met Ethan for the first time. Alishia then got asked to be Ethan's Godmother and of course she was thrilled.

Sunday: We went to Julie and Craig's house to have a Welcome Home brunch with the family. We ended up not leaving their house until about 8:00. It is so good to have Alishia back home, 3 months was too long!


Kaylin waiting for Grandma to go shopping


Ethan's monthly picture

Alishia and Ethan

Me, Alishia and Lindsey (the Godmothers of Ethan)

Happy Birthday Brittany and Dawson!

Sunday we celebrated Brittany's 15th Birthday and Dawson's 9th Birthday at Jeannine and Darin's. Kaylin enjoyed playing outside, but was unsure of the trampoline. I took Drew back on the trampoline and he enjoyed bouncing on it as long as I held his hand. Ethan met some of the family that he hadn't met yet. After singing Happy Birthday the party cleared out, except for us because Ethan woke up and decided he was hungry, so we sat and visited with Jeannine, Darin and the kids while I fed Ethan. It was a nice party and was great to get out and be with the family!!!!


Ethan must have had his hands by his head alot when I was pregnant, this is how he always sleeps!


Happy Birthday Dawson!



Happy Birthday to Brittany

Drew playing with Aunt Jeannine and Uncle Darin's phone

Kim and Ethan (shocking I know)

Wide Awake!

Little Brandon and Me

This is what Ethan thought of meeting Justin