PERSPECTIVES

I'm definitely parenting differently this second time around. Some of my ways are intentional after learning what worked (and what didn't work) with JP ... but most of the differences are completely unintentional. I still think of AA as a tiny little baby ... but she's nearly nine months! When JP was this age, I thought he was so old! At this age, JP was read to each and every night; he was learning the foundations of sign language for the dinner table; JP was photographed daily and each and every detail of his small world was recorded. (And, when JP was this age ... I was pregnant again! YIKES!).

AA's personality is exploding more and more each day. She is destined to be a strong, determined, and dramatic toddler. I'm certain my perspective on JP being old and AA being young won't change over the years. Of course, I love them both equally!

BUSY WEEKEND

While the girls (well, adult girls) celebrated at bridal showers all weekend,
the guys stayed home to play with the kids ...

and my camera barely got used!

LITTLE SAYINGS

A and I really need to watch what we say these days. JP seems to pick up on everything. He obviously has no idea how to spell, but JP even seems to figure out the cadence of the S-N-A-C-K or C-O-O-K-I-E spelling. We'll need to come up with a code language soon. In the meantime, it's quite hilarious to hear what JP processes.

Last night after bath time, JP says: "Addie, cute butt!" Um, I wonder where that came from?

And the other day I told JP that I had to go to work. His response: "My go to work too."
"Oh, I didn't know you worked. What do you do at work?" I replied.
And he answered, "My fly big airplanes."
So I said, "And where are you flying today?"
JP answered, "Minne-sOOOta."

At breakfast today I heard a little toot from my sweet boy. I asked him what we say when that happens. And JP's response: "HONK, HONK." Okay, now where did that one come from???

EXHIBIT

AA had her first trip to the Minnesota Zoo this weekend.

JP immediately wanted to show her the monkeys.
Although AA could hear the monkeys, she had a tough time seeing them swing in the trees.

She really loved looking at all of the colorful fish.

And JP loved feeding the goats right out of his hand.

And we loved watching him.

Although the zoo was filled with many amazing animals, JP's favorite exhibit

was sitting on the big tractor with Uncle J and Aunt K!

FRIDAYS

I'm fortunate to have three day weekends every week! The workdays just fly by, and before I know it ... Friday is here! The kids and I spent a low key day at home ... stroller walk, bike ride, finger paints, grocery store, sandbox, hotwheels, books, blocks, puzzles ... and the backyard swimming pool! We're ready for the weekend!

MILESTONES

It was a big milestone week for AA ... not only did she sport her very first ponytail (thanks to Miss Emmy!), but this girl finally started babbling! For the last eight months, she's only vocalized the vowel sounds ... I was actually getting a bit worried since it was taking her forever to progress to consonants. When I picked her up from daycare on Monday it was like the vocab switch was turned on. My AA babbled "ahyayababagagalalamamadada" the whole way home. And she hasn't stopped! Her little voice is just so adorable!

LAKE

A few months ago our good friends, C and S, invited us up to their parents lake home on Leech Lake ... including our children. As our friends don't have kids (yet!), I immediately asked if they were serious about the invitation. They said yes. I asked again. And again. And again. I warned them over and over that our planned weekend getaway would be anything but quiet! We took them up on their generous offer ... and we just came back from an amazing weekend! The 5+ hour car ride was definitely outweighed by the breathtaking sights, sounds, and experiences of a weekend at the lake.

JP and AA were so excited to get out of the car and have a view of the lake.

Although it was past bedtime on Friday, C and S took JP for his first boat ride. He wore his pajamas under his life jacket with the assumption that he'd fall fast asleep ... WRONG! This kid wanted to drive faster and faster! They finally brought him back wide awake. Of course, JP couldn't wait for another ride on Saturday! The weather was just beautiful for boating fun.

"Daddy, buy big boat?"

While JP was having the time of his life, AA was quite happy too!

She loves playing in the grass.

And swimming in the lake ... and boating too!

In addition to swimming and boating, JP had a few 4 wheeler rides with the guys.

And there was fishing.

Within ten seconds, there was a tug on the line. Daddy pulled in JP's first fish ... but JP wasn't too excited! "Yucky fish" he whined as he held his arms back.

JP was definitely more excited about catch #2 and #3 and #4! Lucky boy!

Our weekend at the lake was actually quite relaxing for A and I ... we had great quality time as a family ... and we had wonderful friends to be with too! We were waited on hand and foot.

I'm certain that C and S were exhausted!

I just hope they didn't regret their invitation!

0,1,2,3

Oh, how times have changed!

Now when my dear friend L and I get together, we have four little munchkins to look after!

There's a zero year old, one year old, two year old and a three year old!

We shared our maternity clothes ... and they are sure worn out! I'm so blessed to have L in my life!

EIGHT MONTHS OLD

AA is 8 months old!
And trying to capture her monthly picture was next to impossible!

SPLISH SPLASH

FINALLY ...
perfect

summer

weather!

HAIR TRIM

JP had his first haircut at 4 months old. His second at 8 months. His third at 10 months ... and every 4-6 weeks since! He normally goes with A ... JP sits by himself and comes home with a sticky sucker. I've been contemplating for months now about when AA should have her first cut. It's a HUGE step for a mom to allow those cute wisps of baby hair to be chopped off ... but I remember how thick and even JP's hair grew in once he had his first cut. We decided to make the hair cut a family outing today. Once JP was finished, Miss Jane (the other woman in A's life as she's been cutting his hair for years ... and now she's on to JP!), wrapped a cape around AA and convinced me that it was time for the first "trim."

AA was given permission from her daddy, and away Miss Jane went!

Actually, she only cleaned up a few of the completely uneven ends ... the entire style only took five minutes (and most of that time was spent catching every piece of hair to save for the baby book!) and cost $5. And there we have it ... AA's first trim. I wonder when her first real haircut will be!

LIL' MOVER

Two weeks before AA was born my MD informed me that my babe was breech. She couldn't believe that this happened so late in my pregnancy as most babes turn head down and stay that way 1-2 months before showtime. My MD encouraged me to consider a "manual inversion" procedure in which big and strong medical professionals attempt to turn the baby upside down. I declined ... I was certain I could get my babe to flip on my own. My MD told me that the chances of this happening were extremely slim ... but she'd give me 7 days and if babe was still breech I'd have a c-section that day. I went home and frantically searched the Internet for tricks to make breech babies flip ... I tried everything! I spent those 7 days upside down, rubbing my middle toe, talking in a baby voice with an ice pack on top of my belly in hopes that AA would flip on her own.

And she did. (Although I ended up having a c-section anyway since the stubborn little babe became way overdue!) Truth be told, I knew her last minute flip had nothing to do with me; this was simply an indicator of what type of child I would bear. I just knew my daughter would be a strong willed lil' mover. She's been crawling proficiently for nearly a month. As soon as I set her on the ground she moves across the house at lightning speed to find anything she can pull herself up on. She's started to walk along furniture and she pushes toy bins and laundry baskets from one room to another. She squeals with delight the whole time ... as if she's surprised by her own actions.

Stay tuned world, the 2026 Olympics will be here soon!

THATSA MINE

My blonde haired, blue eyed babe has suddenly turned Italian.

Lately, in a complete Italian accent JP shouts "Thatsa mine" or "Thatsa Daddy's" or "Thatsa Mommy's" ... and his favorite kind of pizza is "pepper-OH-ni." Besides the pepperoni, he's turned vegetarian. He no longer demands the meatballs or cheesegurgers ... only pasta!

I just knew A shouldn't have watched all of those Sopranos reruns with JP when he was only a few weeks old!