Wow - Times flies!

I can't believe that it has been two weeks since I posted last! It is amazing how fast time is flying by these days. I have been fully absorbed into the beauty of spring. Every free moment that we have had lately has been spent out and about enjoying the weather, as is the Minnesota way. You see, up here in the north, you can tell when the first real day of spring has come. This is the day that you see gads of people leaving their houses to take walks and jogs and trips to the park or just hang out in the driveway. It is an amazing sight to see the people that have been hibernating all winter (include my family!) find their way outside and into the sun. Neighbors get reacquainted after along winter's nap....

This spring has been all of that for us. We have already taken many trips to the park to "slide, mommy!!" and sat outside watching Madelyn ride her bike. We have even introduced Greyson to the backyard swing. It been wonderful to get outside and have a whole new world to explore with the kids. It has been fun to attempt to explain to Madelyn how God has created a world that "wakes up" in the spring. She started to ask (with no prompting) at the end of the winter, "where birds go?" So, to her surprise, a few weeks later the birds reappeared and now wake her up in the morning with their cheerful twittering. She has also started to notice the buds on the bushes and trees and ask me what they are. I try to explain that they are the new leaves and flowers that God has made for each tree and bush. I don't think she sees the connection yet, but she will. It has been cool to see her start to acknowledge God though. Since we usually pray before dinner as a family, Madelyn has been asking to pray too. She usually prays "Dear God, thank you for bike. Thank you for riding it. Amen" It is very sweet, and I can't help but giggle a little at what she is thankful for. She has prayed "thank you" for other things too, like "brother Greyson" and "the eats" but usually it is her bike.

Greyson is definitely growing! He is bigger and stronger and wiggle-ier. He is SUCH a wiggle-worm! He CANNOT stay still unless he is sleeping. We think that is why he was staying so thin and always so hungry before we started baby food. His intake just couldn't keep up with his rate of burning calories. Since we started baby food, he is plumping up and sleeping much better! He is almost always smiling and he has taken to yelling. I think he got that from Madelyn. She has always run up to him and yelled at him. I think it was to see his reaction at first but then he started laughing hysterically at him one day. Now it is a game that she plays with him. However, now I not only have a 2 year old that yells at the top of her lungs, I also have a 6 month old that does it too! Let's just say while I enjoy my kids having fun together, I also enjoy the quiet that comes after they go to bed.

I will have April pictures up on Webshots soon. For now, here is a short clip of Madelyn pushing Greyson in our backyard swing.

March 2007 Pictures

New pictures are available for your viewing pleasure - March 2007. No disclaimers that I can think of. Just cute pictures. Enjoy!

Greyson's first bites

Well, a little over a week ago, we introduced Greyson to rice cereal. It has helped a lot with with his sleeping. When he wakes up now, he isn't acting hungry, which is great!! Here are some pictures of the big event. He likes the cereal but doesn't gobble it down (like his big sister did!). He's gotten the hang of swallowing it and the initial digestive upset has past now. Looks like Greyson will be sitting at the dinner table with us from here on out!

Here is another picture I thought was cute. One of the first baths, of many, that these two have taken together.

Easter overload!

Well, we weren't planning on giving the kids a whole lot for Easter.... until the packages got here with Easter gifts. GaGa and Great-Granddad (Thurlkill) sent Easter presents so we put them out with ours. We got Madelyn a bike (paid for with GaGa's and Grandpa's Christmas money) and Greyson a couple of small toys. Then we were going to supplement that with a little candy and call it quits. Looks like we didn't need to put out anything! The relatives had us covered!

You'll probably notice the bike is a "boy's" bike. It is the one that Madelyn picked out though. She WAS NOT interested in the pink and purple one! She wanted the blue and green one. We figured that would okay. Greyson wouldn't have to ride the pink and purple one then.

One of the big hits of the presents were the bunny ears. Everyone got a chance to wear them, even Greyson. Isn't he cute in his outfit too?!?! (Thanks Aunt Christina!)

Madelyn is quite happy with her new bike! We have some video of her first real ride on it too. I will have to post that after we pull it off the camera.

One of things that I found out about yesterday that I think I'll start with Madelyn next year is "Resurrection Eggs". Pretty neat idea to get the kids focused on the right thing - Jesus.

My 31st Birthday

My birthday was three weeks ago, March 19th. I'm now 31. I don't feel 31 at all, maybe 25... no, more like 27. I would have let it pass without a post but it has been interesting that in the last three weeks I have gotten SO MANY comments about how young I look. Yesterday I got one that stood out in particular - "Look at you! After having two kids, you STILL look 15!" I didn't know how to take this one. I didn't know whether I should feel complimented or insulted.... I'm glad that I look young. It will come in handy when I'm 50 but ... I do not feel 15! My body, after two kids, doesn't feel 15 either.

I also thought I would tell you about the wonderful thing that my husband did for me. He sent me flowers at work! I was SO surprised! Flowers at work is not in Ben's forte, at least before three weeks ago. And I could tell when I picked them at the reception desk, that they weren't the normal arrangement. He went all out! The pictures I took don't do it justice (but here's one anyway). I called Ben right away to say that they were "beautiful!!" and he took the opportunity to say some really sweet things to me. He expressed how much he appreciates me. This touched me even more than the flowers. Man, it feels so good to be loved and appreciated by my husband! I love you, Ben!!

The joke is on me!

Madelyn and I had been talking about April Fools' Day for a week before it came. I did this purposely because I was planning a joke and I didn't want her to freak out about it. She almost always asks for chicken nuggets when we ask her what she wants for lunch or dinner. So I was prepared. I made her some April Fools' Day "chicken nuggets", banana slices covered in peanut butter and graham cracker crumbs. I put them down in front of her and she took a look at them and I thought for sure that she was going to refuse them on first sight. Then she touched them and saw that they didn't feel like chicken nuggets and got a strange look on her face. Finally she put one in her mouth and bit down into it. She got a HUGE smile on her face and proclaimed - CHICKEN NUGGETS! Of course, I replied, "Are you sure that you have chicken nuggets?" And she came back with, "Yup! Chicken nuggets!" Oh well, I guess the joke was on me! I didn't even bother saying "April Fools' Day"....