Catching up...

I realized that I have several pictures I'd like to share about our latest summer adventures, so bear with me and check out the following few posts...

A couple of weeks ago, we drove down to the city to watch the Chicago Air and Water show...from the roof of Steve and Connie's (my mother and father in-law) building!!! What an exciting and perfect place to view the great show! 

Sam thoroughly enjoyed his first (of many) air show!

Check out that view!

Ellie, sitting safely on Grandma's lap, actually really enjoyed watching the planes. She was even more in to it than Hannah, who was more concerned about playing with Peter back in the condo!

Thank you to Jim for the amazing next two shots!

The famous Blue Angels closing out the show. 

 

Catching up Pt.2 - Cosley Zoo

The kids and I joined my great friend Mar and her little guy Jackson at the local Cosley Zoo (Wheaton). The "zoo" is home to several farm animals and is a really sweet place to bring little ones...especially because it's free! :O)

Hannah asked to use the camera to take a few pictures of the goat laying nearby...here is what she captured. I just had to add them all, b/c I thought it was hilarious that she took the same thing 4 times! (I guess she thought she was really getting a great shot!)

From the inside of the barn, another goat decided he/she would get up close and personal and poke his/her head out b/t the fence...Ellie didn't like it...

Hannah, on the other hand, would have crawled in with the animals if she could have!

The girls and the bunnies! (HUGE bunnies!)

The kiddos minus Sam...he was there, but enjoying the view from the stroller. 

Mar and the "big" kids. 

Mommy and girls...

Catching up Pt. 3 - Sam

Here are some recent, adorable shots of our growing, handsome boy!

Loving those fingers!

GO CUBS!!

Catching up Pt. 4 - Ellie's 1st, 2nd B-day Party

Yes, that's right...Ellie's had her 1st, 2nd b-day party this past weekend. That's because, she's a lucky girl and gets 2 2nd B-day parties...We celebrated this past Saturday with Brian's family and our dear friends Dan, Mar and their little guy Jackson. We were thankful that the rain held off, although the humidity didn't, and the kids could be free to get wet and sandy outside and have a super time doing it. (I'm getting a little tired after completing all of these posts in a row...can you tell?!) :O)

Our little Ellie girl turns 2 in 2 days (the 27th)...I just can't believe it! She's was a beauty when she was born (see this) and she's a beauty now. She cracks us up every day and we love her to pieces. Stay tuned for pics from her 2nd, 2nd B-day party after we return from MI next weekend. 

Thank you to my friend Lisa for letting us borrow this awesome water slide for the party! It was a huge hit, especially on such a hot, humid afternoon!

Of course, the little splash pad (usually for babies) was a hit with the kids of all ages too! :O)

Ellie and Jackson even braved the slide...and loved it! (with their Daddy's help of course!)

Little buddies...

My new favorite alternative to the birthday cake...cupcakes on a cute cupcake holder...with decorative toothpicks and papers too!

Ellie wasn't too sure what all the singing and candles were about...it looks like she's thinking, "Why is this for me?"

Make a wish!

Ahhh, now this is good stuff!

The other kids thought so too!

Hannah showing off the cute picks!

We love princess toys!! (poor Sammy better get used to it!)

Thank you family and friends for making Ellie's big day so special! She had a great time and loves you all!

Whew...I think I'm done for tonight! My fingers are sore!!! I'll try not to be such a slacker w/ my posts so I don't have to catch up all in one night again! 

Guess who's rolling over? UPDATED...8/25

SAM!!! 

He rolled over for the first time this morning! What a big boy! 

**ADDED Monday, Aug. 25**

Here's a video of our "big boy!" I'm still figuring out how to put video on here and have it look good....so sorry if it's a little fuzzy.

Oh my...

I had to write this down before I forgot it. (which happens quickly these days!)

I just overheard Hannah playing with her princess dolls say, "Oh my gosh." (I thought she said "Oh my God," which is a phrase our neighbor boys like to use and we DON'T!) 

Anyway, I asked, "Hannah, what did you just say?" 

She replied, "Oh my gosh."

I said, "Hannah, why don't you say 'Oh my goodness' instead?" (we've had this conversation many times, by the way...)

Before I could even blink an eye, she said, "Well, Ariel said it and she's 16 years old!" 

Yet another reason Disney movies are not all they're cracked up to be! Why do they have to insert sayings that adults usually use into kids' movies?! And, what does being 16 years old have to do with it?! 

Oh my word! :O)

Oh what to do...

Have I mentioned Ellie's new favorite game? Yeah, she likes to dig her hands into Gabby's food bowl and then bring handfuls of kibbles to where ever Gabby is in the house. And, of course, instead of laying them nicely on the floor in front of Gabby, she usually throws them at her and laughs with delight as Gabby scrambles to eat them up! What a character! It's become one of those mom things that I'm just not sure I want to fight. I couldn't even tell you how many times I've told Ellie not to touch Gabby's food, but then off she goes straight for the bowl. I have now come to my senses and put the bowl out of reach, but who wants a dirty dog food bowl on their counter or table? Yuck! 

I'm just hoping this is a phase that she'll get tired of soon. Then again, if the next phase she enters is clogging the toilet bowl with toilet paper, then maybe I'll take the dog food thing. Oh wait, she already did that too! Did I mention that she'll be 2 next week...now it all makes sense! 

Here you go Gabs!

I guess she does occasionally lay it down nicely for dear ol' Gabby!

The look of innocence...hee, hee, hee! 

3 Months

Happy 3 month birthday Sam! 

Fabulous fun with friends!

One of my closest friends and her family came from MI this past weekend to visit. With their almost 4 year old son and almost 3 year old twin boys in tow, they moved in for a few days! We had a great time exploring the Arboretum (and trying to keep track of 6 kids under 5! Sam was easy... :O), walking to our neighborhood park, swimming and playing, playing, playing some more! The kids did remarkable well for being very tired and in close quarters at times. We adults did very well too...actually sitting down for meaningful adult conversation after all was quiet at night..what a treat! 

Thanks again, Kevin and Lisa, for making the trip...we loved having you!

Goofing around with a swim diaper on her head...hmmm, how did that get there?!

She's growing up way TOO fast! 

I caught you looking Drew! :O)

Ethan

Derek
Bedtime...the twins slept in Sam's room on mattresses (Sam was in our room), so we all did story time and prayers together with them! 

At the Morton Arboretum

Despite his absence in most of the pictures, Sam was with us at all times and for the most part, enjoyed himself too! Here's a shot to prove it. :O)

Just had to add it...

I was looking back at pictures of Sam from a few days after he was born and I just can't believe how much he's grown already! 

We're not sure where it came from, but it appears that he's grown another chin! But, isn't it adorable?!

Yikes!

Wow! I just realized that it's been 2 weeks since my last post! Sorry about that...not that any of you really care. :O)

We spent all of last week in Michigan, soaking up the sun, getting sand stuck between our toes and relishing in Grandma and Papa's love and attention! Let me tell you...it was hard to come home! Brian was in Germany with his dad, sister and nephew, so we were able to get away and get some help. :O) 

Hannah and Ellie (when she wasn't napping) absolutely had the time of their lives on the beach! I think Hannah would live on the beach if she could. It is almost incomprehensible how much energy she exerted swimming and playing in the sand each day. By the end of the day, I was exhausted just looking at how tired she was! We were blessed with the company of dear friends and family almost every day. It was so great to see Jane and her family, Lisa and the boys and my cousin from Texas. And, as usual, we had a blast with Stacey and the kids. She was able to spend a couple of days out at the lake and the kids just couldn't get enough of each other! We were even able to spend one night at their house...what a sight seeing Luke, Taylor and Hannah side by side sleeping soundly in their sleeping bags! 

Now we're back at it here in IL. Sam continues to grow and explore the world a little more each day. He is now working on getting his hands in his mouth as much as possible. I don't know...I might have a thumb-sucker on my hands! He has also mastered batting at the toys hanging on his car seat. What a guy! ;O)

Mmmm, this fist looks SO good!

I think I'll eat it! 

Playing with these toys can be so tiring! 

Brian and I celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary this past Tuesday. Usually we spend a night away from the kids, going to a nice restaurant in the city...not so much this year, with a 12 week old baby needing "me" every 3 hours! So, instead, we put the girls to bed and I ran out to pick up dinner for us. (hey, no one should cook on their anniversary, right?!) On the way to the restaurant, I had to chuckle and literally said out loud, "You know you're a mom when..." Why, you ask, did I say this? Yeah, when I looked down at the shorts I had been wearing all day and saw the remnant of Sam's dirty diapers on them! Here I was on my anniversary, picking up dinner at restaurant where I would have to see other people (no drive thru at this place :O), with poop on my shorts!!! And you know what made me more of a "mom?" I didn't even care! ;O) We had a lovely dinner (with Sam on my lap, instead of sleeping like he should have been) and added another fun memory to our 8 + years together! 

Okay, I've been trying to finish this post for about 2 days now...I'm going to add a couple pictures here and then call it a night. I hope you are all enjoying your summer. Hug and kiss your loved ones 5 times today...just because...

Our bleached, tan little fish!

Brian took this w/ his phone...we just love E's expression...she really is a sweet little girl (most of the time!). And, she'll be 2 in a few weeks! WOW!

By the way, Brian had our camera with him in Germany, so I used my mom's in MI, but don't have the pictures on our computer...sorry, no beach pics!