Ryder's 6 month appt and Noah...Santa

Ryder had his 6 month check today!  He is 17.4 lbs, 26.5 inches--50% for height and 40% for weight:)  He is on target for everything except for rolling over.  Our PA was not concerned...Ryder is strong enough to do it and is content with laying on his tummy...and therefore sees no need to roll over.  We will be working on this! 

Noah met Santa at Razzle Dazzle...his words, "he was a little Santa Claus...I like the giant Santa Claus better from church."  Ha!  They had a Santa Claus at the day care holiday party (which was at church...) and he as around 6 feet.  Pretty funny!

Noah's funny sayings...

So...today on our way home today, Noah and I were talking about Santa.  He said, "Mom, I have been making good choices...does that mean Santa will come?"  And I said..."as long as you keep making good choices...Santa will bring presents!"  Noah..."YEAH!!!!!!!!"  Love it:)  And our Elf on the shelf...Julio is helping as well!

A month...

Well...a month flew by...and I am not totally sure how!  October was incredibly busy with visit days, football, three year old tantrums and baby eating cereal:)  November moved into much of the same pattern!  Work for Scott kept him busy...junior high football ended with a win in Jesup and high school ended up into the semifinals...we lost to Regina.  School...students have been trying for Scott...he is the only male teacher who is there full-time, so he often gets the trouble makers.  We have now moved into basketball refereeing!  Scott is going to ref around 40 games!!!!!!!  He will be busy!  The nice part is that he is home pretty early...because junior high games start at 4pm.  I am so ready for next semester to start and hopefully to have UNI make the news for something good.  Work has been incredibly stressful and a very long fall between travel and visit days and group visits.  But...we survived!  I am lucky to work with some incredible co-workers and friends. 

Noah has been an adventure every day.  Turning 3 has been something Scott and I were not prepared for.  One minute...he is FANTASTIC and the next...throwing a HUGE tantrum.  Noah is VERY verbal and does not hesitate to talk back.  Time outs do not work well and we are not going to spank (judge us...we tried...he hits back...so it is teaching him nothing).  We have been taking away toys, treats, etc.  This seems to be working.  Every day is something new!  He loves to tell you...I love you.  And it is incredibly sweet.  This week he, we woke up to fog and on our way to day care he said, "Mom...why is it soggy out?"  Precious...love it.  He is absolutely incredible with Ryder...he loves to calm him down, snuggle, make him laugh!  It is hysterical watching Noah dance or jump around and Ryder just giggles and giggles.  Ryder...eating up cereal almost every night!  We had to go to urgent care with him...put him on some meds and it messed up his tummy.  We are now doing apple/prune juice every other night in a bottle...about 2 ounces a time.  He is still nursing pretty well...but if he is at all distracted...it turns into an adventure!  Still pumping every morning after I feed him and then twice at work.  Still able to keep up with Ryder...hoping this still works:)  We started carrots yesterday.  Doing much better with food.  I am thinking we will start cereal at day care in a week or so after we see how carrots are going.  Then...move on to food at day care!  He take about 3 naps (one in the morning, one in the afternoon and a night time nap).  Ryder loves sitting up and tummy time.  We are a bit concerned about him not really wanting to roll over.  Talked to our doctor and she said if he loves tummy time...he sees no need to roll over.  This is our mission to work on this!  Ryder loves to babble...and started last week shaking his head, as is saying, "no, no, no." 

Noah and I are on our way to do some time with the doctors in the next few weeks.  He will probably have to have tubes again...ugg...his right tube came out and both ears are full of fluid.  VERY frustrating to us because we don't know if he can always hear us and we don't want him to be in pain AND we don't want his speech to take a step back.  I....have kidney stones AGAIN!  Going to the urologist on Monday and hoping to do the "blasting" thing...we will see! 

I WILL UPDATE more often...new goal:)  Some fun pics:

 Yummy yummy cereal!

 Last kindergym!  We are hoping to do it next semester and swimming lessons!

 Our great friends, the Warren's!!

 The 4 Connolly cousins!  New baby Benson!

 Alain and Noah "reading"

 Ryder...so busy playing

 Spiderman

 Happy Halloween!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Go Panthers!!!!!!!!!

 President Allen, Pat and us!

 Happy Halloween!

 Noah's makeshift toy!!!!!

 SAA formal 2012!!  Date night:)

 Snuggling baby Ava

 Quite the trio!

Bit longer of an update!

We have made it another week!  Football is in postseason...I am in the routine of visit days...and the boys are troopers!  Noah is going through the ever changing stages of being a toddler.  Sometimes...I am amazed at how well-behaved he is.  He follows directions, asks to help (dishes...playing with Ryder...you name it) and other times...ugg.  I know my patience is running thin at times...I am tired (Ryder still eats through the night...) and stressed (life...work...you know)...but I have to get more!!!!  I am not normally grouchy...but I know I have been a bear this past week or so.  Scott is extremely patient...but I think this week was even a bit much!  I think I need to get a run or 2 in...I always feel better after I have had a run...so...that is on the list!!

Noah is OBSESSED with super heroes.  I really didn't want to give in to it for Halloween...even bought him a builder/construction man costume at a consignment shop...but...no go.  He will be Spiderman for Halloween.  And...this super cute pumpkin costume we have...Noah was too big for it three years ago and Ryder is WAY to big.  Luckily our day care (awesome!!!) had some extras...he will be a sweet pea:)  Pics to follow soon.  My parents grew pumpkins...so we have two larger ones we will decorate or carve...and lots of little ones!  I am hoping to finish the fall set up tomorrow...supposed to be nice this week!  Back to Noah...he jumps...climbs and hits everything (not people...phew!!) he can to pretend he is a super hero.  What is the line?  He is creative...and gets the bad guys...and I am sick of saying no...:)  So...I give in and let him until he gets a bit crazy or too close to breaking things!  He is constantly telling people about school (our day care is so amazing...structured a lot like school) and we are shocked by how much he understands things.  Like...why does the sun go away and the moon come out?  Daddy is great at explaining these things!  We did have our first body parts talk...and who should see our private parts and who shouldn't.  It was bound to happen...but we were still surprised when it did!  Noah is still amazing with his little brother...so lucky!

Ryder...what a great little man!  He is doing fun things with his lips...kind of smacking...kind of sucking on them...kind of puckering...it is hilarious!  He does roll over from front to back (I will have not seen this...) and gets really close from back to front.  He is a scooter...can't leave him alone on something he could call off of.  Great with tummy time still!  We have used the jumperoo with him (with a pillow) and he LOVES it.  Just like Noah!  We did try food...carrots and then peas.  Noah never liked cereal (I did buy some...) so I just mixed a little with carrots.  He did okay...but was super cranky.  We thought...it must be teeth.  So...we tried peas the next night...CRANKY!!!!!!!  He was up every hour to hour and a half (of course the night before one of my HUGE visit days...where I had to be at work early...).  Our day care also noticed and being as awesome as they are...suggested one food for a while...and then another later.  DUH...I can't believe I didn't remember this from Noah.  With Noah...I was OBSESSED with following all directions...I guess I need to read up again.  So...we laid off food for the week.  Just tried cereal and breast milk tonight...so far so good.  I am hoping it is okay!  We have a pretty good stock pile of breast milk...hoping to go for a year if possible this time.  Sometimes...I do want a break of feeding...but at the same time...that snuggle time with Ryder is the best. 

Scott survived junior high football...one the last game!!  Wahoo!  And...varsity just beat AP...a big rival to be district champs.  We will see how far we go.  DNH (where he teaches) has all three fall sports in post season play...which is awesome!  Thanksgiving break is something we are all looking forward to and have almost all of our Christmas shopping DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  We just took family pics with my parents and Jenna and Matthew...so I can't wait for those pics.  I am going to aim to have holiday cards out by the end of Thanksgiving:) 

Here are some fun pics of our Fall so far:

 5 months old!!!!  Slobbers:)

 who doesn't love glue and noodles...

 finger paint fun

 carrots before...

 during...

 after!

 jumperoo!!!!!!!

silly boys:)

Baptism...behind...

 Noah started crying when Brad walked around with Ryder...but did fine when Ryder had the water put on him...:)

 The family of 4!!!!!!

 The Connolly side!

 The Rokes side!

 The sponsors!  Noah has Uncle Matt, Uncle Jake, Brandon Fiagle and Adam Schwab.   Ryder has Aunt Megan, Aunt Jenna and TJ and Brittany Warren.

 Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Conklin snuggle time! 

We had a lunch upstairs in fellowship hall after the service.  It was great to have our family together!  Good yummy food and time with those we love:) 

Hope to update over the weekend with more pics!

The flu...

Well...2 more weeks have passed and the Connolly's were hit by the flu!  IT WAS AWFUL!  Noah started throwing up on a Thursday night...the entire day care got hit by Friday.  Mommy went to the UNI craft show on Saturday...by midnight...I had it.  We went to the hospital on Sunday morning for fluids.  By then...my mom had it...my in-laws came to help during the morning and Sunday night my dad helped.  My father-in-law had it Monday morning and Scott came home from school with it on Monday night.  This flu was the both ends kind...and exhausting.  We called to make sure I could still nurse Ryder and we could...but I was so dehydrated that he didn't get much.  I think we are getting back to the right levels...drinking LOTS of water...hoping my supply can keep up.  Otherwise...

Ryder had his 4 month check (a bit behind b/c of my delaying of his shots).  He weighed in at 15.4 pounds, 25.5 inches long!  Big baby!!!!!  He is doing every milestone like he is supposed to and has been cleared for good. I haven't decided if I am ready to start him yet.  This is going by so fast...and I also think until Scott is home...I am not ready to tackle the baby food and Noah eating by myself.

Noah...well...we are battling it out right now in the food area.  He is going through this phase where he doesn't want to eat certain things...and we are sitting at the table until he finishes.  Super fun...ugg.  But we are not giving in...he has been an okay eater and this is going to be a downward spiral if we give in.  And...as a toddler...our listening skills are not the best!  So...we will battle it out:)

Scott is hanging in there with school.  Not many men teachers in the junior high...so he is kind of lonely...and his 7th graders are struggling in football...but the high school is doing great!  So that helps! 

Jenny...is very overwhelmed...we are understaffed...I am traveling to 26 high schools this fall compared to my 12 from last year...so I am pooped.  I am at least a week behind in checking email.  Not going to complain...trying to have a better attitude...but I am pooped at the end of each day from feeling so behind.  At least everyone is feeling the same way:) 

We are still trying to menu plan...it was a bust this last week b/c of the flu...but it is helping.  Our house currently looks like a tornado went through it...but tomorrow morning is the cleaning day.  We are almost caught up with laundry (after having 4 FULL baskets sit in our upstairs all week...had to dig through it for clean clothes!!).  So...here we go again!

Here are some fun pics:

 exhausted...story of our lives:)

 precious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 "see me eating my sherbert mom?"

 big gripper!!!!

using the bouncy jumperoo!!!

So...school has started and life got crazy!!!

CRAZY!!!!!!  We now have a 16 week old...or 4 MONTHS!  Ryder-roo is a laughing, wiggling machine:)  Noah is a very loving and very protective big brother.  Backing up:

 Ran the dirty girl race in Welch, MN!  Megan Stull is my best friend from grad school and a breast cancer survivor.  My mom is a survivor as well...and I would do just about anything to defeat this!  And...about anything for Megan:)  It was a mud run similar to Scott's...extreme 5k...ya know:)

 4 mud pits...had to crawl through...it was at a ski resort...HUGE HILLS!!!!!!!!!!!

We hung out a hotel with my in-laws and brother-in-law and his family.  The kids (the other pics are super blurry...pool messes with the lens!?!?!?) well big kids...had a RIOT in the pool.  It was a lot of fun at the zoo as well...walked around the Como Park zoo...will be more fun to do in the morning when we are not so tired:)  It was a great little weekend with the in-laws!  This ended up being the weekend before I went back to work...so we were super overwhelmed when we got back getting ready!  Scott had 2 a day practices...we had August visit days at work...and my parents were gone at the beginning in North Carolina.  We survived!!  I chopped my hair at the end of the week and am donating it to Pantene Pro-V's version of Locks of Love (only need 8 inches).  Here are the pics...next time...even shorter:

I had a gift card to Jiva (a pricey place in town) so it was basically free!  I look pretty chubby...getting there with the baby weight.  I am about 5 pounds away...and just need to work out!  I am doing my mommy work out class at noon and when my travels are done (26 high schools this year...more on that later) I am working out/running during my noon hour 2-3 days a week.  It is my me time...as well as my get healthier time!  Adjusting to two and work has been okay.  I have to get up at 6am at the latest to make it all work and get out the door.  So...I feed Ryder and then pump...sometimes this is a great plan as long as he is in routine...but if not...we are all thrown off.  We have seen a lot of 4am!  Noah is a SUPER slow poke in the morning...so getting him to move is a task.  Off we go...it is like a mad dash:)  Ryder has been starting to hang out in the bumbo and still chills in the swing.  We will start baby food after his 4 month check...we are a bit off base since we spread out our shots.  I will do another post about baptism soon (it was super fun) and the baby shower my friend and I hosted:)  In the mean time...fun pics of the boys:

 1st dentist appt!!  He did great after getting used to the tools:)

 Happy bath time!

 sad face...

happy face!!!!!!!!!

 tummy time!!!!!!!!!!

 homemade super hero:)

 what a keeper of a hubby:)

 the best way to wake up and go to sleep:)