The Week With Grandma and Grandpa

Paul's parents were in town for a good little while.

We had a great time with them at Grant's Farm...

...and at a Cardinal's baseball game. This was Nora's first!

The boys really enjoyed playing with Grandpa before he headed back home.

Luckily, we had Grandma for a few more days.

We went to the zoo...

played ball...

...and had a little baby shower for Aunt Abby. Katie even got to come down for the weekend!

Nora enjoyed all the extra love...

..and so did the boys. This giant "I Spy" quilt was a handmade gift from Grandma, and was an instant hit! They play with it all the time.

Even Nora loves having tummy time on it.

Thanks for coming out, Grandma and Grandpa! We miss you already!

Lost and Found

Through no small miracle, Patrick (my brother-in-law) found my rings last night!!!! Obviously, I didn't inspect the tops of the tempera paint powder cans thoroughly enough. Hooray! Hallelujah! Woohoo!

Sick

It’s been a whole week since I lost my wedding rings, and I’m starting to lose hope that I’ll ever find them. Last Thursday, I took them off so that I could make two batches of pizza dough, one for our BBQ chicken pizza, and the other for doughnuts. It was sort of a whirlwind afternoon, juggling kids and keeping everyone happy while mixing and kneading. I placed the rings on the kitchen table, which was unusual for me to do. Normally, I hang them on the beak of this little ceramic bird on the window sill.

I didn’t realize they were missing until after the kids were in bed, and everything was cleared away. We’ve been praying ever since that we’ll find them somehow. Paul took apart the pipes, reached down the disposal, and took apart every tiny piece of garbage (I don’t think he’ll be wanting cantaloupe until at least next season!). And nothing. We sifted through all of the ingredients, moved furniture, looked inside vents, cleaned out closets, and still nothing. I even rented a metal detector yesterday to comb the grass outside (in the rain), and I still came up empty handed. And I’m really sick about it.

So my latest working theory is that Peter took it outside and left it in the grass somewhere. Then “Shifty,” the sketchy neighborhood raccoon probably snatched it up to add to his shiny stash. I’ve tried asking Peter if he knows where it is, but he usually just repeats the question back to me. Interrogating a 23-month-old is about as productive as catching and questioning a raccoon.

So now I’m wearing a cheap silver band that I wore when I first got engaged and was waiting for the real thing. I’m not all that attached to most material possessions, but my wedding rings hold a lot of sentimental value and meaning to me. I really miss them.

Nora's Big Day

Nora had her Baby Blessing this past Sunday. It was a wonderful day, and she looked beautiful!

We were lucky enough to have some family in town for the big day.

I'm told that Nora was wide awake and smiling during the entire blessing. Paul did a really nice job.

We invited some of our neighbors and some of Paul's coworkers to the blessing. We had them all over to our house for some refreshments afterwards.

I think Nora has a bright future ahead of her! We feel lucky to have her.

Girly Girl

I don't think I've ever been opposed to pink, but I'm definitely not what I consider to be a girly girl. I own very few pieces of jewelry or shoes, and I don't really get a thrill out of doing my makeup and hair. But it's been sort of an interesting shift now that I have my own little girl. Suddenly I find myself looking at jewelry and shoes and clothes more, and actually trying to figure out my style.

I've just started making little girly things for Nora. Today I made her a little bracelet and a few bows and headbands. I certainly don't think she needs any of it to look beautiful, but it's still fun to dress her up.

Two-month-old Nora is 11 pounds. She doesn't really care for pacifiers, but has found her hands to be pretty useful. She is getting to be less of a snuggler, and likes to be carried facing out. She holds herself up really well, and enjoys standing up on our laps and smiling at us. She doesn't like her bouncer as much as her swing, and car rides no longer lull her to sleep. And last Sunday morning we had our first "so this is what it's like to have three kids" moment, when it seemed like the whole world had collapsed to a chorus of three wailing children. There's no question that three is intense, but it truly is rewarding, full of precious smiles and delightful surprises (especially from Benjamin who is always trying to help out.)

The Toddler Bed Transition

Most kids by the time they're two or three learn how to climb out of their cribs, making the transition to a toddler bed necessary. My boys somehow never figured out that trick.

Benjamin was just ready to be a big boy from very early on, so he chose to make the switch...

...and Peter's decision was made for him when the crib broke, making it unusable. This crib was only three years old, and the kid who broke it was not even two years old. Yeah, the rail came off completely.

So now he's officially in his toddler bed. He's been great at staying in it and calling for me when he's done. We still have to work on getting the two boys to sleep in the same room; that's going to be a little trickier.
And after a little research, I found out this crib actually was recalled, so we'll get it replaced soon. I think I'll be looking for something a little sturdier this next time!

Labor Day Weekend

Have I mentioned lately how much I love having family nearby? It's awesome. Paul's sister Katie came down from Nauvoo for Labor Day Weekend, and we all had a blast together. We had Sunday dinner and played games after the kids were in bed.

We headed to the Zoo on Monday morning. It was perfect weather and we were early enough to avoid the crowds. Here's the girls.

And the guys.

The animals were great performers. We had rhinos charging and kissing, a dancing baby elephant, splashing hippos, penguins eating fish, and a shaggy bear that was running in circles.

Oh, and there was also a lion napping up in a tree. It got up for this picture.

The boys sure love their Aunt Katie!

And of course we ended the weekend with a Barbecue. It was a perfect weekend!

Eight Weeks

It's hard to believe that this girl looked like this only eight weeks ago, and this only four weeks ago. She changes every day!

We love our sweet little Nora!

Nora's Two-Month-Old stats: She weighs 11 lbs. 6 oz. (52%), and is 22 3/4" (52%) tall.

Since We've Been Home

We've been having a fun time since we got home, especially with Paul's sister Abby and her husband Patrick living so close now. We've had lots of dinners together and have already taken advantage of their willingness to babysit:). It's a great set up, as far as I'm concerned!

Abby has been busy painting this table a fun blue for their new place. I've been getting the bug to paint some of our furniture, but any way I look at it involves repainting and redecorating the entire house. Blah. Not going to happen, especially since this week we had some plumbing issues which involved cutting up drywall in Benjamin's bedroom. Every time we turned on the shower, a waterfall would find its' way down onto the washing machine in the basement. But it's fixed now, and my resolve to move to a newer house is as fixed as ever....

The weather since we've been home has been really pleasant. We've been able to get out a bunch during Benjamin's last bit of Summer break. He's really looking forward to preschool in a few days, but his little brother is sure going to miss him!