A letter to my daughter on this historic night.

My sweet girl,

As I sit here tonight, watching Hilary Clinton accept the Democratic Party's nomination for President, I find myself thinking of you.

It's been a roller coaster night as I vacillate between the hope I feel when I listen to Hilary's words and how terrified I am of what your world will look like if we elect the other guy.  

I want you to know this.  You are amazing.  You are strong, and brave.  You are smart and considerate and eager to help.  You are observant and quietly intelligent. Be you, and you will find your way in this world. 

I will do my best to guide you, to be your role model.  I will do my best to provide opportunities that will be yours if you decide to work for them.  I am your mama, and I will do everything I can to make sure you inherit a better world. 

I love you.

Day trip to Duluth

 We took a quick trip to Duluth this past weekend and were joined by our neighbors and their kids.  

First, went on a train "adventure" called A Day Out Thomas.

Here is the one and only picture I got of Thomas.   We were running late so we didn't have a chance to take pictures before we boarded, then when we disembarked at the end of the ride we were shuttled straight into the railroad museum--so the kiddos didn't get to "meet" him.

 

I think Oliver and Henry thought it was pretty cool.  Henry even dressed up like a train conductor!

 

The girls were less impressed with the train and were just having fun together.

The $90(!) train ride also included admission to the train museum and various kiddo-oriented activities.  I love this picture of Oliver and Emelia--if only they were always this nice to each other!

 

Emelia really got into posing in front of the trains.  

Exhibit A: 

 

 Exhibit B:

 

Yep.  Definitely over the camera-shy phase.

After the train outing we went down to canal park for a picnic and let the kids run around for a while.  Then we walked down to the pebble beach and threw rocks in the "big lake."

Emelia thought that just standing next to the lake was dumb, she wanted to go *in* the lake.  I took this picture just before she ditched her dress so she could sit in the water.  I love her spunkiness.

 

A day at the lake

We spent the day visiting my cousin and her family who live on a lake in central MN.  The kids had a blast!

Emelia went for her first kayak ride with my cousin Jenny.  They went to look at the lily pads--I think she liked it.

 

 

Despite having a life jacket on, Oliver didn't quite get the concept of "floating"--he insisted on hanging on to anyone that was close.  It didn't take him long to decide that he'd had enough of the water and wanted to fish.

 

He caught lots of little sunnies!

 

 

Emelia, on the other hand, thought floating with a life jacket on was pretty awesome.  She even learned a modified doggie paddle by the end of the day.

 

Camera shy?

Thankfully, I think this girl has finally gotten over her aversion to cameras.  She used to yell "NO" and put her hand in front of her face when I pulled out the camera!  I got these cute shots the other night at Oliver's t-ball game.

 

 

T-baller!

I tagged along to t-ball this week and had so much fun watching Oliver.

Here is a play-by-play of the highlights.

FIELDING

Ready position.

First Baseman, just like his favorite, Joe Mauer.

Throwing the ball home.

Ollie's turn to bat.

I love the look of concentration on his face.

And his tongue sticking out. 

Good hit!

 

Rounding 2nd...

 

 Tagging 3rd...

Heading home...

I think the kid is having fun!

Nothing says summer...

...like running through the sprinkler in your underwear.

I just love watching these two play together.

I've been so sick with this pregnancy, that I'm trying to squeeze an entire summer's worth of fun into the next few weeks.

 

And then there were three!

Little ones, that is.  Number 3 is due in January!  Much like the first two this one had me flat on my back for 8-9 weeks.  Yuck!

Today's blog post will be a random assembly of stories about each of the kiddos.

Ten Things about Oliver...

1.  If you know Oliver, you know he may just be *the most curious* boy in the world.  If you don't believe me, just spend 10 minutes with him, and count the number of times he asks "why?"--I love this about him.

2.  Emelia has also reached the "why" phase and ironically, Oliver has zero patience for it, the other day in the car Emelia was asking Oliver "why?" and he yelled, "Papa!  Emelia is frustrating me!"  Andy's response?  "Payback."

3.  Oliver loves to "pretend" that he is a Papa and Emelia is the Mama

 and I'm the baby.  But, we are rarely people,

 polar bears and dragons are most common.

4.  Oliver brought home his first "report card" from his Saturday preschool teacher--it said that he "was eager to learn, always willing to help others and a pleasure to have in class."  I was so proud!

5.  Oliver *loves* to help garden.  He especially loves eating the peas, beans and tomatoes right out of the garden.  I've had to cut him off several times!

6.  Oliver calls "Play-doh"--"potato". It took me forever to figure out what he was talking about when he was asking to play with "potato".

7.  Oliver loves music--he always has really but his current favorites crack me up-- AC/DC especially "Shoot to Thrill" and "Back in Black" and the Pitch Perfect Soundtrack--especially "Please Don't Stop the Music"

Oliver will dance anywhere--

here he's bustin' a move at the MN Zoo

8.  Oliver played T-ball this summer and loved it.  I'm hoping to go next week and take some pictures--more to come.

 

Joe Mauer hit a home run!  It was really 

fun to watch games with Ollie this year. 

9.  Oliver has out-grown naps.  I don't know if this is really blog worthy, but it feels like a big milestone to me.  It's definitely changed our afternoon routine--sometimes he works out with Papa and then gets a Shakeology to get big muscles!

10.  He's learning to write.  He's pretty good at his letters and he'll copy out phrases that we write for him.  It's so fun to watch!

Ten Things About Emelia...

1.  Although she doesn't like to cuddle (never has really) she does give the best full-body hugs and big juicy kisses when she's feeling lovey.

"Uppie"

2.  If it is raining outside and Andy happens to be carrying her, she covers the bald spot on his head with her hand. :)

3.  Emelia still twirls her hair, especially when she is tired.  Sometimes, if she twirls it a lot she gets a funny alfalfa-style curl on the top of her head.

4.  Emelia acts out Anna & Elsa's movements when she watches Frozen, especially the parts where they are singing.  It is too cute!

5.  She is such a girly-girl.  I really don't know how it happened but she loves all things pink, purple, glittery or otherwise bedazzled and anything with a bow.

 Modeling one of her many dresses.

6.  Shoes.  Seriously this girl loves shoes and she has more than I do.

7.  At the age of 2 1/2 she finally has enough hair to wear pig-tails.

 Sort of.

8.  At some point, Andy or I started calling Emelia "peanut butter."  She would get the funniest look on her face and say "I not peanut butter. I'm Emelia."  It was so funny we started calling her peanut butter just to get the reaction.

9.  She turned the lullaby I sing her (Go to sleep, little girl) into "Go to sleep, little dragon" and sings it to me when I'm baby-dragon.

10.  She adores her big brother and happily plays along with all of his games.  She is going to love being a big sister.

Birthday Girl

This happy girl just turned two!

I think this is one of my favorite pictures of Emelia--

her smile is genuine and candid and her eyes sparkle.

We've been having fun together over the last month or so as she continues to grow.  She's growing into her body a bit--she's still very tall!

She is also talking, and singing, up a storm.  She has two voices--the tiny, sweet and gentle voice that makes me melt.

And the loud, screechy, intense one that makes me, well--crazy!

Yes, you.  You make me crazy! 

But mostly you bring joy to every day. 

For every screeching fit you throw I get two kisses, a big hug, spontaneous singing and dancing and an unprompted "thank you Mama"

 or "I love you, Mama."

With a brother like Oliver it is hard, sometimes, to be the center of attention.  Most the time I think that  is just fine with Emelia, but it was really fun to see her enjoying being the center of attention at her birthday party.

 This is such a funny age.  One moment she seems to be growing up so quickly, then I look at pictures like these and she still has those chubby-baby hands and remember that she is still (for now) my baby.

I'll end with your favorite song 

(for my adult readers out there, I'm sorry if you get an ear worm!). 

I love you

You love me

We're a happy family

with a great big hug

and a kiss from me to you

won't you say you love me too

Happy *belated* Birthday, Oliver!

Life got busy this fall, like it always does.

Andy goes back to school and coaching and the kids and I go from having a 100% time Papa to a "couple of hours a day" Papa.

This year, Oliver started Saturday preschool, which he loves.  If there is an opportunity to paint--he's all over it.  We've got more Oliver paintings than I know what to do with!  I'm going to have to start gallery.

We've enrolled Oliver in some activities to help him burn some of his *excess* energy.  We did Pee-Wee Tennis this summer, then Lil' Kickers Soccer this fall.  He is currently enrolled in acro-balance class and L.O.V.I.N.G. it.  
More about that in another post.

One other big thing happened this fall, Oliver turned 4!

I really don't know where the last four years have gone, but I can tell you this--they have been over-flowing with joy because of this little guy.

It's been amazing to watch him grow, and change, and grow some more.  In fact, he's grow 4 inches since July!  We started to buy him 4T clothes because the 3T were too tight around his little belly--but 4T was too long so we had to roll the cuffs.  Fast forward a few months, now he has shot up in height without gaining an ounce and we have to roll the waist so his pants don't fall down!

Oliver is smart, curious and laughs easily.

Oliver is loving, energetic and makes everything a contest.

Oliver is stubborn, sensitive and makes friends easily.

And I love being his Mama.

 

Happy Birthday, little dude.

I hope all your wishes come true.

 

 

Sunny Girl

I have never been one of those mothers who fusses constantly over her kids' appearances.  I bath them, I put clean clothes on them every day and I figure that is good enough.  I don't chase after them with tissue or wipes.

I let them be kids.  Dirt and grime included.

But a little dirt and grime doesn't dampen this girl's grin.

These pictures were taken back in May, before Susan and I left on our trip and before Andy and I started the kitchen re-model.  At this point in time, Emelia was really starting to assert some independence and grow into her toddler-hood.

 

I love this picture.  She is looking around the camera for me playing peek-a-boo.  It is still her favorite game.  She'll cover her head with a blanket and sit there until one of us says "Where's Emelia?" at which point she squeals with delight and takes the blanket off.  And then we do it again!  And again!

I caught some pictures of her looking at her shadow.  She was fascinated.

 

Look at her round cheeks and round belly!  I could just eat her up.

"Look what it does when I do this"

 "Where did it go?"

 

Found it!

 

Come on, friend, let's go play.