Christmas 2009

What a wonderful Christmas we had this year. So different than last year. Last year we had one little guy and a little girl that was still in my belly. Grady did not totally understand what was going on. This year we have two little ones who are so active and busy! As much as Grady "got" the whole presents thing... so did Finley. She was more than happy to rip presents and grab at the toys.

Ya Ya had spent the night and Christmas Eve and was waiting with us to watch Grady come down the stairs and see all of the wonderful presents that Santa had brought the night before. When I was growing up my Grampa and Grama were always at my house when I woke up and I love having that memory. I'm so glad that Grady and Finley can have that with their YaYa.

The hit of Christmas for Grady was Elmo Encore Live. One of my favorite gifts that Finley got was the Madam Alexander Baby Huggums doll. It's just like the one I had while I was growing up. Good ole Ya Ya.

Thanksgiving

We were invited by the Pendells to Thanksgiving, as we were celebrating on Saturday. We had such a great time. Pat cooked the meal and it was so good! Grady just loves Kyle and he is so good with him!

Three Generations

Here is a picture of my mom, me and the kids on vacation. It's a great picture, but will be even better when I figure out how to Photoshop David's shorts out of the picture!

Welcome Home Uncle Bud!

August started out with a BANG with the arrival of Uncle Bud (Mathias) from Sweden. Oh how I have missed my brother! It always feel like he has never left and we can pick up right where we left off. I miss him when he is not here . My mom commented how we sound just like we did when we were in high school - bantering back and forth, joking around, just that brother-sister stuff that I only have when Bud is around.

Grady, Finley, Ya Ya and I went to the airport to pick Mathias. We had a sign, American Flags and Grady was wearing his Swedish Viking hat (a gift from the last visit). Fan fare that only a true American deserves! The only plans we had for the visit was Mathias' Class of 89 reunion and Thanksgiving Dinner.

We had such a great time. It went by too quickly. We did some shopping and just spent as much time as we could catching up. We are counting the days until he comes back!

Bubba the Viking Slayer!

The last night that Mathias was here, Ya Ya was busy wrapping gifts to send back to Sweden and someone gave Grady an empty wrapping paper tube.

What ensued was 15 minutes of shrills from Grady as the beat Uncle Bud with the tube. I laughed so hard that my cheeks hurt! It's amazing how much fun a little boy can have with a cardboard tube!

More from the Fourth

Here are a few more pictures from the parade on the fourth.

July 4th 2009

The fourth was extremely cold this year.  We had to scratch Finley and Grady's cute matching outfits for a hooded sweatshirt that was a little too small and Finley's Memorial Day outfit.  

We went to the parade not sure what to expect from either child.  Last year, Grady was extremely upset with the sirens.  So we were anticipating the worst, but were thrilled that he (like his Ya Ya) loves a parade.  

Grady loved the music, waved at everyone in the parade and pointed to all of the lights on the trucks.  Finley slept through the entire thing.  

Cozy Coupe!

When we showed up to Ya Ya's house yesterday she quickly went into the kitchen and rolled out a Cozy Coupe for Grady!  (I think I was more excited than Grady!)  I had been looking for one as I drove by any garage sale (on my way to or from somewhere-not really scouting them out) but Ya Ya beat me to it!

Grady was not too sure of the Cozy Coupe at first, but after a little while he was excited and playing with it!  I was able to snap these few shots. I must say that they are some of my favorites that I have taken of Grady in some time-as he is at a really difficult stage to photograph!

Ya Ya and her two favorites!

Ya Ya has been helping out for the past two weeks. She comes every morning and gets Grady up and takes care of him in the morning while Finely and I sleep!  She then heads to work by 12:30 and Grady, Finley and I are on our own for the day.  It has been so wonderful having her help during this transition.

I snapped this picture of Ya Ya and her two favorites this morning!  

Happy Birthday Ya Ya!

It was Ya Ya's birthday on Monday so we began celebrating over the weekend.  We had secretly invited her best buddy - Mrs. Howie and her husband Mr. Howie to join us for dinner at Outback.  Ya Ya was excited and it was a great evening.  We actually had the waiter snap a picture of all of us!  Notice the huge pregnant woman in front - when I say huge-I not kidding as I am already measuring 40 weeks!  YIKES!

Yesterday after my doctor's appointment, Grady and I spent a quiet day with Ya Ya followed up by dinner and presents.  Happy Birthday Ya!

Ya Ya we love you and are so thankful for everything you do for us!  You're the best! 

Ya Ya needs Stock in Carter's

After Joe's shower on Saturday, I think my mom began to realize that we were having a little girl and she was coming soon.  She had so much fun looking through all of  Lucy's clothes that it inspired her to shop.  

So, after the shower on Saturday, we bundled Grady up and headed off to Carter's.  They were having a HUGE sale, plus an additional 20% off of your purchase of $50 or more (like it was hard to get to $50!)!  According to our 3 foot receipt, Ya Ya saved over $67, which is amazing!

Thanks Ya Ya! You're the best!

Halloween Part Two

On Halloween I poured Grady into his Chicken costume one more time and we headed into the city to Highland Hospital to see Auntie Jo Jo.  She was the one who found and bought Grady's costume last year the day after Halloween.  Little did we know that he would come two weeks later - so Auntie Jo Jo had bought a 0-9 month costume and we actually ended up needing a 9-12 month costume, but we made it work.  Thankfully Grady will never remember how we had to POUR him into it!  

Needless to say, Auntie Jo Jo was very surprised.  We called from the lobby and I said... "there's a chicken in your lobby can you come and see it?"  What a fun surprise!  

After Highland we were off to Ya Ya's for the Halloween party that she was having with her work.  We were so excited to have been invited to it!  Grady made his rounds visiting all of his fans at Xerox.  Ya Ya got him some fun Leap Frog Maraca's for his Halloween gift and those kept him busy for some time.  

That evening we left David at home to hand out his full size candy bars (he started this tradition last year and the kids love it.  You can hear them say "dude, you're awesome" when they see their options.  Ya Ya and I went and visited the Jansen's and the Howies.  It was a lot of fun and Grady had a great time.  

Happy Fall

We had a wonderful day yesterday!  It started off meeting our friends the Pendell's for breakfast.  After that we were off to G and S Orchard out in Lincoln to pick pumpkins and apples.

What a great day we had!  The sun was shining and although it was brisk, it was a perfect fall day.

We came home with 70 some pounds of pumpkins and a bushel of apples.  We got Cortlands for me (they are crisp and tart-YUM) and Spy apples to make applesauce for us and Grady.  I don't think I have ever heard of Spy apples before, so it will be interesting to see how the applesauce turns out.  

After our adventure at the orchard, we went back to Ya Ya's house and enjoyed a lazy Sunday afternoon playing Halloween Yatzee and watching football.  We also call Mathias (Uncle Bud) in Sweden and caught up with him.  

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from yesterday.  I probably took 200 so I will post more throughout the week.  

Three Years

David and I celebrated our three year anniversary yesterday.  It's amazing to think of all that has happened in three short years!  I could not be happier with my life... my amazing husband, our miracle baby, being able to stay home with Grady, our wonderful house, great friends... I am so blessed.  

Ya Ya took us to dinner for our anniversary at Mario's.  It was wonderful!  So yummy.  Grady was so good.  He sat up in a high chair and ate pieces of bread until David suggested giving him half of a roll which he gnawed on for a half hour.  

Today we are just going to lay low.  I am still working on sorting all of Grady's baby clothes to put away.  That is my main goal of the day.  Happy Thursday!

Conversation with Ya Ya

Late yesterday afternoon, Grady was taking a nap and I heard the UPS truck on our street.  I did not think to much of it because I was not expecting any packages.  So, while Grady was still sleeping, I ran outside to get the mail and propped up against our front door was  a BIG (not to thick) box.  

I must admit, I get excited when I get a package that I am not expecting.  As I got closer to the package I could see what it was... a baby walker and it was addressed to Grady.  I brought the box into the house and picked up the phone and called Ya Ya.  This was our conversation...

Hello?  (Ya Ya)

Did you buy Grady a walker? (me)

I don't know what you are talking about. (Ya Ya)

You're crazy! (me)

Oh-can you not say that out loud?  (Ya Ya)

You really wanted him to have a walker, huh?  (me)

Grady told me that he felt trapped and that he could not go anywhere, so I told him not to worry that Ya Ya would fix that.  (Ya Ya)

Let's just say that I am in trouble.  Of course I am always thankful for how much my mom spoils Grady and how generous she is... but I can only imagine what it is going to be like when he starts to talk!  Some day I just know a pony is going to end up in our back yard!  

Happy Friday!

Happy Friday!  I am so happy to see Friday this week as it means that we are closer to David coming home!  While we have managed just fine without him, it's not the same!  

Today is Weight Watchers.  YaYa and I have been doing WW for a couple months now.  She has been a rock star, but the pounds are not melting as quickly for me (and I have been following the plan not cheating!).  This week I changed things up a bit and changed to CORE.  I have found that I am less hungry and feeling better... let's see if the scales say the same thing.

YaYa is coming this afternoon to watch Grady so that I can go to an appointment.  Then this evening, Grady and I are going to have dinner with Auntie JoJo and to do a little shopping!  

I have a ton of things on my list to do before David gets home--hopefully I can cross a bunch of them off today!  

This picture is for Mrs. Mahon (Joe/Auntie JoJo's Mom) who got Grady the outfit--it's a sweet Classic Pooh outfit-size 6 months.  She brought it to us in the hospital right after I had Grady and I remember thinking that we might loose him and he would never wear it... but here he is healthy and thriving and looking EVER so cute in it!  Thanks again Mrs. Mahon (and Mr. Mahon too!).