Updates!

Well as you will see with the 3 posts below I have uploaded some recent pictures of the girls and some of what we have been up to. There are several things not captured on photo that we have been up to as well.

About 2 weeks ago I went back to work, but because of the wonderful economy we have right now I am only back to work 2 days a week. I think right now I have the best of both worlds and am enjoying being out of the house a few days a week but also liking being home with my girls more. Grace loves going to her new providers and in fact most days is asking me to go to work so she can go to Jenny's.

We have switched Norah to Soy Formula because we found out that she coulnd't digest the protein in milk. We have gained a whole new baby with this switch and it makes my days at home much more pleasant. I was for awhile thinking we had a colicky kid, but the formula change really helped with that. Now I also feel like she is thriving a lot more.

Norahs 2 month stats were:
Weight: 10lbs 1oz (25%)
Height: 22 inches (50%)
Head: 15 1/2 inches (75%)

I am excited to see what she is at 4 months as with the new formula I feel like she has put on more weight and is even getting those cute little baby rolls.

Grace is talking a mile a minute. On Maundy Thursday she was the only kid in the nursery and when Scott went to pick her up the lady in the nursery asked if Grace EVER stopped talking. He said no, she pretty much talks all the time. My mom says something about paybacks being hell! (I guess I was a talker) Sometimes I have to remind myself that I am talking to a toddler and not an adult with the things she says. We have hit that point in a toddlers life where they ahve a book memorized and at any point will start reciting it!

On other funny Grace story happened on Palm Sunday, she was allowed to carry a palm branch to the front of the church with the other kids and she loved it, until she had to leave the palm branch at the front of the church. That didn't go over well and I had to go and take a not so happy toddler out of the church. At least we gave everyone something to talk about!

Not much else going on, just living life and getting used to all the changes we have had. Looking forward to the nice weather arriving so we can spend more time outside!

Don't forget to look at the 3 posts below for pictures.

Picture Overload Part 3- HAPPY EASTER!

This is our Easter Duck! She decided that laying her eggs right by our front door was a great idea! I didn't agree, so we had Wildlife Management come and take her and the eggs away!

Don't worry we didn't color the duck eggs, these are chicken eggs that I bought at the store!

This is what Norah did while we were decorating eggs! She found her feet and couldn't figure out how to get them to her mouth.

Grace loved decorating eggs and did a really good job, she was pretty gentle with them we only had a few catastrophes.

Whats Easter without an egg hunt in your front yard?

" I gotta go find more eggs!"

"Look at all my goodies!"

"Hey what is this on me"

"Maybe if I smile mom will take me out of this thing!"

Picture Overload Part 2

Now she gets the exersaucer! When she was supposed to be in it she just sat there and stared at the toys!

She loved playing with the Hula Hoops at the MN Children's Museum

Look what Daddy can do with a washer box!

After a rough day of eating, sleeping and filling my diaper I just need to put my feet up!

"Where are the eggs?" We participated in an Easter Egg hunt at Festival Foods in Onalaska, WI.

This is Norah at 3 months! (can someone please tell me how to turn pictures?)

Picture Overload

Just wanted to show you the fun we've been having the last few months!

Look at me rock!
Oops! Must have rocked too hard!

Wish I had a video camera so I could have taped the serenade we were getting in the van while we were in AZ.

OOOH! If I press the button the frog squirts water!

Maybe I will be a musician!

We thought it was funny that Norah was just as big as the dolls were in the Dr. play area of the Tucson, Children's museum.

She fit perfectly in the suitcase. No worries we didn't bring her home this way!

Sledding with Grandma and Grandpa Vrieze is so fun!

Gotta love chair lifts!

What a Bunch of Sicko's!

So we spent 3 hours today at urgent care for my two little girls. For the past two weeks Norah has had a cough and its a pretty nasty cough. I brought her into the Dr. a week ago for it and they listened to her and did a chest X-Ray and all was clear so we were told it was just a cold. Well now this week the cough was still here and it was getting a little worse. Then Wednesday night Grace started coughing and her cough was quite barky and thick. This continued for a few days and then a fever started so we thought we should bring her in since she does have a history of pneumonia.

Well after 3 hours in the Urgent care we were sent home with both girls on nebulizer treatments and Grace also on a anti-biotic. They also did a nasal swab on Norah to check for RSV and that came back positive so we are just going to watch her. Grace has bronchitis and maybe pneumonia but the dr. wasn't going to put her through a chest x-ray since the treatment course would be the same anyways.

So my girls are sick and I think its going to be a long week. Hopefully the meds kick in quickly for Grace and she is back to her bubbly self soon.

Finally More Pictures are Downloaded

So we are now at week #5 of being the parents of 2 children. I would have to say that for the most part things are going really well. I am thankfully nearing the end of my 6 weeks of restrictions and will be happy to be able to resume all normal activities next week. I do have to say that I have already started cheating a little these past few days in lifting Grace but nothing major just little lifts here and there.




Norah is doing great. We finally got her on a formula that seems to really help with her gasiness and so she doesn't fuss as much as she used to. She does still have a little bit of a fussy time in the evenings but nothing that is too bad. She is a momma's girl though so I always feel bad when Scott has her and is trying to get her to calm down and she just won't and then she comes to me and within a few minutes i have her sleeping. I do gently remind him that it was the exact opposite with Grace, she was crabby for me but would just drift to sleep in Scott's arms. Norah has given me a few nights of 4+ hours of sleep at a time which have been wonderful. But normally we are up every 3-4 hours for a bottle. I look forward to the weekends when Scott gets up with her and I get 8+ hours of sleep.




We are getting ready for our trip to Arizona next week. I thought traveling with one child was hard but trying to pack for 2 and figure out the logistics of getting to the airport etc. has been tiring. It will all work out though and life will be good.




Nothing else new to report. Here are some new pictures of Norah and Grace!

Grace may be our budding plumber!

My Toddler Clogged the Toilet!

No she didn't throw a watch or a toy in the toilet and try to flush it down, she actually had a BM large enough to clog the toilet. Grace has always had issues with BM's, she is quite often constipated and has a rough time going. (it's never been a secret when she's going) Last night was another of those moments, we knew it was going to be a rough one as she was working quite hard at it. Scott finally convinced her to go and sit on her potty chair! Then about 2 minutes later a lot of hooting and hollering came from the bathroom! She had gone! But I must say that I am not sure how something that massive could have come out of my toddler! IT WAS HUGE! (You know if Grace ever reads this, she is going to hate me! But I guess thats what parents are for, right?)

So Scott finished cleaning up Grace and then dumped the potty chair into the big toilet and all of a sudden I hear him say something like " You have got to be kidding me!" and then he went to the garage and got the plunger. Yes, the BM that Grace had clogged the toilet and Scott had to use the plunger. Thats my girl and I am so proud of her.