Grampasky's Birthday

Grandpa visited us late last week and went to the Butler vs. UWM basketball game. Even though Butler didn't win, we had fun celebrating Grandpa's birthday early with apple pie and gifts.

Cuddle

After cleaning up from lunch and a morning playing in the snow, I found Max and Violet snuggling together on the couch.

"If you think we're going upstairs for a nap, you're kidding yourself, Ma."

Our 2011 Top 10

I've been wanting to make this list for sometime now but with the constant invasion of illnesses in our house (we were hit with a stomach bug this past weekend), it's been a low priority. But, the kids are napping - well I think Max is - so I have a few minutes to make our top 10 moments from 2011.

10. Taking our first road trip as a family. It was a long car ride with two young kids, but worth the memories.  

9. Potty-training Max. It took several attempts and a lot of floor cleaning, but when he was ready, he was ready. 

8. Hosting my family for Easter. It may have been a little stressful at times, but I loved every moment of our first holiday together as a host.

7. Our first Christmas morning in our house.

6. Hiring our first non-related babysitter. It doesn't sound like a big moment, but leaving your babies with a total stranger has a lot of anxiety attached to it. Yet, coming home and finding the kids asleep safely in their beds and the babysitter reading a book versus drinking a beer (like some friends I know used to!) was comforting.  

5. Celebrating my (gasp) 30th birthday. A salon treatment during the day and wine tasting on a beautiful summer night with my husband was perfection. 

4. Violet's first birthday. Celebrating with our family and friends who all made a long trip was special for us.

3. Max attending preschool. A much more emotional moment for me than him.

2. Our move to Cedarburg. After many months of trying to sell our townhouse in Lombard and searching for a house in a town two hours away, we were thrilled to find a neighborhood and a home that was perfect. 

1.  Discovering we are expecting our third baby - a shock to our system, but a wonderful surprise to wait for this summer.

p.s. Max was not napping. A day and a half later, I finished my list.

Breaking the Fashion Rules

The rule, "less is more," does not apply to her. 

Perfectly Stated

Not sure if anyone (especially my mom friends who read this) have seen this post about how parents should Not Carpe Diem as most strangers tell you. It is both hilarious and totally accurate of most days around here. It's a little long, so when you have the time, I suggest clicking through to Momastery for the story. Happy reading!

Duck, Duck, Goose!

Snow Day

It took over an hour to get them dressed and ready for the cold snow. And we were outside for less than that. Totally worth it though to see them laugh out loud.

We went for a "ride" around the block. I was totally exhausted. They had a blast.

She didn't seem to mind the cold.

The Next Steve Jobs

He's mastered just about every game we have loaded on the iPad.

"Ma, you're interrupting me. I'm building code for a new app!" 

What We've Been Up to Lately

- Max has taken to our new iPad and can probably manage it better than me! He draws, paints, completes puzzles, solves memory games and even helped me out in a couple solitaire games!

- The new year also started a couple new classes for Max. He is in swimming at the YMCA and Sunday School at the Catholic church (which has fortunately given us a reason to attend as well).

- Violet will begin a weekly story time at our library while Max is in school. I figured a little one-on-one time would be good for us.

- Since the winter has been mild thus far, we've been venturing out of the house visiting new libraries, play houses and story times.

- Once the winter arrives (which I hear is tomorrow!) we won't be so adventurous outdoors. A basement/playroom organization and simplification is on our radar to make the long, cold months ahead NOT so long and cold!

Holidaze

If you couldn't tell from the lack of posts the past several weeks, I've been a little dazed. Christmas and New Years were quite literally a blur! It all started with Max's stomach flu/fever/sinus infection combo that lasted the week of Christmas. The poor kid could barely break a smile standing (or in his case laying) in front of a pile of presents. After a quick visit to his old doctor in Lombard and a day on antibiotics, he was back to normal. Yet under the circumstances, we cancelled the rest of our trip south and headed back north home. So then, we were waiting for the next victim. Violet and me came down almost simultaneously with a head cold. Luckily it stayed just that with her. Unluckily for me, it didn't. And being pregnant, there isn't much you can do OTC to treat congestion. I paid a visit to my doctor and was also diagnosed with a sinus infection. Several days - even though it feels like months - later we are all on the mend and getting back to normal. Through the holidaze, we did manage to have a little fun with family and exchanged some great Christmas gifts.

Christmas Eve

Spreading reindeer food (given by his teachers).

Our cookies and milk for Santa Claus. Max had a little taste first.

Saying goodbye to our Elf for the season.

Kids were asleep and the tree is stacked.

Christmas Morning

Poor kid could have cared less about Santa.

We forced some smiles out of him. 

Christmas Day at Nani and Grandpa's House  

Just one photo? OK, who's next?

Nope, that didn't work either.

Santa was not very popular with the kids this year.

Violet doing her gymnastics routine.

Violet's "Doc Brown" hairstyle at the end of the day.

Thank goodness that's a pencil and not a knife!

Long day for the kids.

Long day for everyone!

New Years Eve 

JJ Nichols and his parents came to visit us NYE for the night. We put the kids to bed at 9pm and tried our best to all stay up to midnight. We barely made it and hit the pillows shortly after.