SPRING BREAK!!!!!!!!!

We made it!  March came in like a lion...hoping it goes out like a lamb:)  It has been a rough month in our neck of the woods.  Work has been long for both of us...Scott with numerous snow days (sounds rough...but the kids get rowdy and now knowing that the school year is longer...ugh!) and me with a lot of visits.  Noah has been going through some tough stages of learning how to listen, follow directions and be nice!  Some minutes he is fine...the next minute...not so much.  The weather is not helping at all in this area!  He needs to be outside and playing...so today was a great day outside with Papa.  Ryder has started to dominate the food area!  He has eaten regular carrots (cooked), bananas...even BROCCOLI!!!  My two big boys would barely swallow it...he couldn't stop eating it.  We did have a crazy pooping incident in the tub...luckily Ryder was still in the baby tub...but still super gross!!!!!!!  Noah was FREAKING out...amusing to me.

It has been a sad time in our house as well...we have lost three people in the last week to cancer.  Very rough for all of us to see friends and family friends go through these rough times.  And...a realization that a lot of these folks are near are parents age....scary.  So...be thinking of Scott and those who have been taken too soon.  We also had our sump pump crap out last weekend (on number 4 now...).  Lost our flip cam...thought we had no videos of Ryder...but luckily we had up through Christmas downloaded!  And...the gutter near Ryder's room fell off...so...rough in the household area as well.  Scott's big day is this coming week...pretty pumped for him to join the big kid club:)  They decorated his door at school and brought food today...I might have let them know about it...yeah!!!

Pictures next week!!!

March...what!?!?!

Well...the month flew by and ended!  My first huge visit day went well...and then the 2nd was cancelled because of the weather.  2 months of work...down the drain!!!!!!!!!!  Beyond frustrating and defeating:(  But...everyone is okay...so gotta roll with it.  Scott has had some crazy weeks because of the snow.  Noah has been IN LOVE with the amount of snow.  We had a large storm go through the state (which is why the 22nd was cancelled) but it didn't bring that much snow.  Last week on the 25th & 26th...it was supposed to be a trace...but it was like 12-14 inches!!  CRAZY!! 

Updates--Noah...working with the 1-2-3 magic book.  I am in a cooking club with some amazing mommy's...I learn A TON of things.  One of them is this book...we are having to get used to the repeating repeating repeating of things.  We are trying to also cut out TV at night.  Just at dinner prep and all of those transition times.  Also working on him getting to fall asleep in his own bed instead of Daddy laying down with him.  We did really well with letters for a few weeks...then fell apart.  So...after this week (includes conferences...) is over...more of a routine! 

Scott is ready for Spring Break...it will be a nice time for him to do a few things around the house...maybe I should mention that!  Applied to the grad program at Morningside...haven't heard back yet...but not worried.  Been busy at school...the kids need to be outside to wear themselves out...even junior high kids!  This is the big month for Scott to turn 30...should be fun!

Ryder...2 more teeth this morning (March 3rd!!!).  So...at 9 months...we have 4 teeth, crawling machine, pulls himself up to everything...very attached to mommy and daddy.  Had his 9 month appointment...50% for height, 40% for weight.  Baby food eating machine!  Starting to change his pattern a bit on nursing...not as much...which means I have dropped the morning pump after I feed him...one less step which saves a HUGE amount of time in the morning.  I can't believe he is 9 months!  We had his pictures done...such a big boy.  Makes me think about another one...but not quite yet.  We are starting him in the crib at night...our goal is to get him in his crib.  Our doctor said he is plenty old enough to get through the night and not eat.  This last week...he woke up screaming every morning at around 3am...it did not dawn on either of us that it could be teeth!  We are not pros at this teething thing at all! 

I went in to work on Saturday morning and got caught up on emails...not all caught up on everything I wanted to be...but at least one part of work is getting there.  I am getting PT for my headaches...had an MRI and it was clear (no brain cancer...my anxiety is a bit much right now!!).  I think I am going to sign up for the Sturgis Falls half marathon...I need something to be a goal to get me back running.  I gained weight after Noah after I quit pumping...I do not want that to happen again...and I just feel better when I am more in shape...so we will see! 

Some fun pics:

 Valentine's Day Photoshoot:)

 Trapped!!!!!!!!

 A new charm for my bracelet from Scott...he is always so thoughtful...lucky lady!!

 After the party at Sue's!!!

 gotta get the holiday bib in!

 very intent on figuring out the slinky...

 So big!!!!!!1

 Pretty big guy!!!

 A day after turning 9 months old!!!

 Eating an apple...so big!!!!

 Eating in the high chair!!!  Loves his puffs!!!!!!

 Great hand eye coordination!!

 Making banana chocolate chip muffins!!!

 Scooping them in all on his own!!

 Always wrestling!!!!

Playing machine!!!!!!!!

Catch up!

Busy...that is the theme in our house.  Scott has wrapped up refereeing...I am getting into my two largest visit days of the year (over 1,000 people for tomorrow!)...Noah wants to play all the time (super heroes, fixing, running, jumping off or on things...)...Ryder is pulling himself up and a crawling machine!  Valentine's Day is today and both boys (and mommy and daddy) are tuckered out!  Scott surprised me with another bead for my bracelet today...a total surprise!  I need to take a picture and post it.  Noah got lots and lots and lots of sugar today...so he is hyped up. 

Ryder crawls EVERYWHERE!  We put the baby gate up again to block the hallway...he gets to the kitchen the long way...which is okay since our kitchen usually needs picked up.  He started this week pulling himself up.  He crawls up things to stand up, but now will grab the couch and pull up until he is standing.  We had another ear infection (Ryder), the flu (all of us)...been rough!  Ryder is going through a rough stage...trying to figure out the night time nap...he is soooo tired but we can't let him sleep for too long otherwise he won't go back to sleep at night.  He now can eat an entire thing of baby food at once.  Likes just about everything except the green foods.  Still eats cereal in the morning and nursing.  I really really want to make it to a year...so getting there!  Lots stocked up...but I really enjoy nursing...so playing it by ear. 

We are working on learning letters with Noah.  Scott and I decided to get him into pre-school next year...I can't believe it!  I am reading the 1-2-3 Magic book (slowly...) and we are hoping to work on some of those suggestions.  We are working with Noah and following directions...sometimes it goes well...sometimes not so much.  Toddlerhood!

Trying to figure out swimming lessons and Spring break fun.  Mom note...stressed out and tired and anxious.  I have been getting daily headaches and went to the doctor.  I am having an MRI done tomorrow...and worry constantly (and look up brain tumors, etc.) about what they could find.  I REALLY REALLY hope it is tension headaches again...last time I had PT and it helped sooo much!  I think my anxiety has gotten a little out of hand again as well...so we will see what the next steps will be on that side of things.  Scott has found a grad program!!  WAHOOO!!!  So...classes will keep us busy as well as coaching:)  Here are a few pics:

Christmas!

 My first Christmas bib!  At my Aunt Debbie and Uncle Craig's house for the Conklin Christmas!

 We took a large family picture with fake mustaches!  My Uncle Craig thought (he is holding Ryder) it would be funny for Ryder...he did great!

 Quick picture with the great-grandkids and great-grandparents!

 Daycare party and Santa visited!!!  Great picture!

 Most of the kids from daycare party!!

 Christmas at my parents house!  Funny Noah face:)

 Wahoo for family pics!!

 Funny antlers!!

 The great-grandkids and great-grandparents!!!

 Unwrapping at the Scott's!!

 Unwrapping at Nana and Papa's Rokes!

 The boys and the babies!

 Christmas morning at our house!!

 UNI t-shirt every Christmas!

A chewable book!!

It was a whirlwind of a holiday time!  The weekend before Christmas was the daycare party, Christmas with my parents and brother and sister-in-law on Saturday morning, wedding in Des Moines Saturday night, Christmas with Scott's grandparents side on Sunday morning and Scott's family on Sunday night!  Whoa!  BUSY!  We stayed home on Christmas day which was fantastic and will always be our plan if we can help it!  Christmas with my grandparents side was the weekend after.  We had a GREAT break with the whole week mostly to ourselves:)  Loved it!  Enjoying an icy Sunday day!

Milestones!!!

Well...this month has flown..............!!!!!  I still need to post about Christmas...but before I do that...January had some major milestones for our kiddos!  We have been working on Noah sleeping in his own bed.  We have done well and then it fell apart...done well...and then he was back in our bed.  So...Daddy decided to take this on.  We have played, "love you to the moon and back" with Noah since he was a baby.  Daddy decided to do this with Noah as he put him to bed.  Daddy will put Noah to bed (we have also been trying to read at least 3 books a night together) and then will lay down on the floor and talk about how far Daddy loves Noah and how far Noah loves Daddy.  This goes on for about 5 minutes.  Then Daddy tells Noah that if you need me...just yell for me.  And...after three weeks...Noah is still in his bed!!!  HUGE feat for Noah and even more for Scott!  Ryder is still in our bed...but I have decided that until he is done nursing...I am okay with it:)  Then...Ryder got TWO teeth and started crawling!  His teeth have been bothering him for about 2 weeks and on Friday, January 11th...the first one on the bottom popped through!  Then...on Monday, January 14th...the second one on the bottom popped through.  WOW!!  It has been a VERY long week as the teeth were super painful for Mr. Ryder.  We have been using Tylenol and the teeth numbing stuff...and then my friend Kristin told us about the teething tablets.  I was nervous about how those worked...but they have been GREAT!  Then...yesterday...January 20th...Ryder CRAWLED!  He has been scooting everywhere and then crawled backwards...it was pretty funny to watch him...always seemed to get around.  Then with our new floor (another story...) he kind of scooted around with his arms forwards...and then BAM...it clicked!  He can crawl forward!  We have been keeping everything up and clean...but now it is the NUMBER 1 priority:)  Busy busy in our house!  2 pictures of the boys...more laters!

Pictures!

 Cardboard boxes and a creative Daddy=a Noah rocket!!!

 New camera...catches everything:)

Target gingerbread house!  It totally fell apart...but was fun and lots of pictures!

 Dipped Ritz...Noah is a champion decorator!

 Using the timer on our new camera!

 Church program day!

Noah as a lamb...not the happiest camper...

Pictures from our train ride, Christmas and family time to follow!

December...it's been rough...

Well..we started off the month with a bang!  Noah had tubes...for the third time.  Ryder had a temp of 101/102 and a run to Urgent Care.  Mommy had a kidney stone procedure (ESWL) and Daddy got a nasty sinus infection...oh...and then Ryder got his first ear infection (what a long night!!!!!!).  We are ready for break!  I will post pics later...we have had a lot of fun taking pictures:)  We got a new camera and are LOVING it!  Ryder is a rolling machine and loves to "stand" up!  Noah has discovered his love for Santa Claus!  On our ride to day care one day...we were singing Up On The House Top.  Noah, "Who is Saint Nick?"  Mom--"well...Saint Nick is another name for Santa Claus"  Noah--"Like Megan's Nick?"  My grad student is getting married this Saturday and his fiance Megan lived with us this fall...so...I can see where Noah was confused!  After Megan moved out...we decided to turn the room into a play room.  Not totally done...that will be the holiday break project...hoping to de-clutter the downstairs a bit.  Noah has been getting into the Elf on the Shelf as well...his name is Julio:)  We don't get super crazy like some folks or take cool pictures...but Noah seems to have fun!

I am still dealing with kidney stones...not sure what kind I have but the doctor was not concerned...I just have to drink 2.5 liters of fluid a day...which is a lot!  It wouldn't be all that big of a deal...but when I get working on something...I forget.  But no more...I DO NOT want to do this again:(  I had to pump and dump (sorry...too much info) for a week...and bottles are A LOT more work once you are used to nursing.  We have a huge stock pile so not a big deal (actually we are running out of SPACE!!), but I missed the one on one time with little Ryder-roo:)  It was the first time I was ever put under (the wisdom teeth was not heavy anesthetics).

Noah...hoping the ears continue to grow like he does and hopefully we can avoid future ear stuff...we are struggling right now with swimming lessons.  We want to do them...but the ear plugs are not a fun battle and there are two doctors in town who have different philosophies...we go to the one that says you have to use ear plugs.  Ugg...but forever thankful that this is all we deal with.

Ryder is almost 7 months old!!  He is an eating machine!  We have discovered baby oatmeal and sweet potatoes.  He loves to use his jumperoo and Noah can make him giggle like no one else!  We are waiting for Ryder to really start moving...he rocks back and forth when he is sitting (such a good sitter!!!)...and then he will lunge forward and onto his tummy.  He can scoot all around on his tummy (like a full 360).  And he babbles all of the time.  Scott of course thinks he says Daddy...but I think it is just babbling:)

Daddy is staying busy with refereeing and school...desperate need of a break for all teachers.  The shooting in Connecticut I think has forever changed how schools look at things.  I won't go into detail on my own thoughts or the incident itself.  But...having children and being married to a teacher who would go after the person...I had a total meltdown at work.  My anxiety has shot through the roof.  I pray out loud when I am by myself and just keep asking why and what do we do?  As a mother of boys...does this happen with all of the violent things out there for them to play with?  We have shut off the news...when Noah goes after the bad guys we talk about guns and hat that means.  I don't want to be wary of public places or young men who look "shady" but I can't help it.  I went to a training this fall that makes me feel a little better about what to do in a situation...but you never know.  So...for now...on our snow day...I am going to play with my kids.  Watch Sesame Street and make tents.  I want to snuggle every chance I get and let the dishes pile up.  

Happy holidays...snuggle whenever you can and pictures to get posted soon!