Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving here was fantastic! We had it at our house and I was so happy to see our basement get some use. We wanted a big house with gatherings like this in mind, where people have plenty of room and lots of things to do. The food was great, the company was wonderful, and I think everyone had a good time. Yeah!

Today we started putting up the Christmas decorations. It is fun trying to find out where everything will go. I think I have decided that we need more decorations. I don't think I have many decorations for the basement...unless I put a tree down there but I was planning on putting the cluster of 3 trees in the kitchen and the fancy tree in the nice living room. We'll see. We put up the big, fancy tree tonight except we didn't get any ornaments on. We were spending too much time trying to get James out from under the tree. He kept crawling under it! He is like a cat! Anyway, the outside lights are about 50% done too. I think we need to buy some more though.

Oh...James had his 18 month check-up this past week. He has reached or is past all developmental milestones. He is 26 pounds and 35 inches tall. He is definately built like Jim! James has been doing a really funny thing...he tells jokes. You can't understand what he is saying but he will tell the joke, wait a little bit, give the punch line and then bust out in a fake laugh that Jim taught the kids to do when someone tells a joke. It is so funny becuase you can tell that to him, he is really telling a good joke. Other things he is doing...he runs, climbs, tackles, throws, and does everything that is an active "boy". He has lately tried to go up the stairs while riding his Nemo car (a ride-on car). He lifts up the front while he is still on it tries to go up the stairs. He has a few times tried to ride the car down the stairs in the garage but thankfully hasn't been successful yet because I have caught him in time. (thank goodness for door alarms) He continues to drink about a 1/2 gallon of milk everyday and enjoys eating pancakes, cereal, green beans, and crackers with cheese or peanut butter or Nutella (but not all in the same meal).

Cute Conversation

On the way to Aunt Beck's tonight for pizza, Adam, Sophia, and I had a conversation. It went something like this.

"Why are all the cars on the road?" Asked Sophia.
"Because everyone is on their way home from work."
"From Daddy's work?"
"No. Everyone works someplace different. There are doctors, lawyers, accountants, bankers, teachers, bakers, pilots, construction workers, and lots of other jobs that people are on their way home from."
"What do you want to be when you grow up Sophia", I ask.
"Hmmm, I'm going to be a princess."
"Like a fairy princess?" asks Adam.
"Nope, just a princess with a tiara....a really big one. That's what I am going to be."

Ahh, I remember having that dream once too. Wait...I still have that dream :)

Baby Number 4

That's right...we are having another baby. I am still rather early along but I can't keep it to myself this time...I need the support...especially after Christian's death. I am not for sure of the due date yet...somewhere in the middle of June. I am about 7 1/2 to 8 weeks along. I am trying to stay calm, relaxed, and positive. I will admit though at my first ultrasound, I cried so hard I couldn't see the screen. Sarah was my ultrasound tech and I feel as though we have become somewhat friends so I felt really comfortable just letting my feelings go. My ultrasound was great...actually I think it was the best one out of all of our children. Heartbeat was 149 and you could see the spine forming. I have had labs drawn twice already, once at 4 weeks and another at 5 1/2. My labs are the best they have ever been and this is the first time I haven't been put on progesterone. All positive news. I am just going to continue to let God lead the way. Thank you God for another blessing.

Field Trip Week

This week was full of fun activities. Here is a recap:

Monday: Jim's Birthday - The kids were in school all morning so Jim and I ran errands and had a nice lunch at Kincaid's. We went out to eat that evening too at MCL and the kids ate Free - I love that part of it. We did something after that but I can't remember.

Tuesday: We went to Tuttle's Apple Orchard and it poured down rain the whole time we were there. We were all soaking wet and cold but we still spent almost 2 hours there and had a blast! Everyone picked out a pumpkin and lots of apples were purchased. Again - I will post pictures as soon as I take the time to download them.

Wednesday: We went to the Children's Museum. Jim and I became donor members which means we can take at least two extra guests with us to the museum for free. The kids LOVED the dinosaurs and the carousel.

Thursday: Jim worked and it rained again. The kids and I went to Gymboree and then took Jim lunch. Jim was on the Indianapolis news that night talking about H1N1. What a celebrity!!

Friday: Sophia had school and Jim's mom had a dentist appointment, which upset her a quite deal. James and I went out to lunch and shopped. I got my flu shot at Walgreen's because the hospital is all out (meaning Jim couldn't get me one) and while we were there a mother took her son into the store and he had just tested positive for H1N1 - leave him in the car or at home!!!!! I was furious and shocked at her ignorance!

Saturday: Back to the Children's Museum to see the King Tut exhibit. Very Cool!! Again we saw dinosaurs and road the carousal. Lunch was at Cracker Barrel - Yum! Then we went to the nursery and picked out more plants. They start landscaping on Tuesday. I need to remember to take before and after pictures.

Sunday: Finally a slower day. Church then donuts then bike rides then park. Home for lunch and then everyone napped. When we all woke up we got Halloween decorations out and playing with the kids. James pooped and peed on the potty again (again I haven't done a thing to train him except get some books and let him watch a video. He tells me when he wants to go - amazing). We ended the day with playing on the "mountain" and taking the trash out. Jim is watching the Colts game and I am going to look for Disney on Ice tickets for Sophia, Sarah, and Maggie. Tomorrow begins another week.

Quick Update

I don't have much time but I have realized it has been a while since I reported anything new so here are some quick updates:

1) James pooped on the potty for the first time two days ago and yesterday he peed on the potty for the first time. What makes this a big deal is that I haven't even started potty training yet. The only thing I have done is bring out the potty and showed him "Once upon a potty". He has come to get me when he needs on and - bam - poop and pee. I have learned that the pee guard is a necessity on the potty chair.

2) We became members of Conner Prairie and have had a great time there so far. We even went up in the hot air balloon. It was so much fun - just don't look down. James and Sophia loved being up there.

3) During the State Fair James and Sophia each rode a pony and still talk about it to this day.

4) Sophia is going to be Cinderella for Halloween and James is going to be a monkey. FYI - Tom Arma makes great Halloween costumes. Google him to see for yourself.

5) Jim and I have 2 adult only Halloween parties this year and are in need of good costume ideas. So far we have agreed upon a Spartan Warrior and Helen of Troy.

6) We love our new neighborhood. The cul-de-cac location is awesome. The women of the street get together once a month for "Book Club". I went last month (there wasn't a book, just everyone getting together) and met a lot of my new neighbors.

7) John - I have new Titlist golf balls for you.

8) I have been decorating the kids' playroom as well as the bathroom in the house (we have 5 full baths). Visit www.potterybarnkids.com to see our playroom - it is one of the ones shown - and my new favorite home decorating website is www.touchofclass.com

9) James is sharp as a tack but stubborn as a mule - does he get that from me or Jim?

10) Once a week we try to have field trip days. It has been fun. That is how we joined Conner Prairie. On the schedule for October is the Children's Museum to see King Tut, a pumpkin patch, the zoo, and Brown County.

11) Jim's 53rd Birthday is tomorrow. The kids got him a new tool box and I am getting him a new electric shaver. Isn't it funny how the gifts seem to get less exciting the longer you are married?

12) The landscaping project is starting in a week! Yeah!! I am getting lots of roses, hydrangeas, peonies, Rose of Sharons, Miss Kim Lilacs, and trees, trees, trees! There are many other things in the landscaping too but those are the ones I am most excited about.

13) The doors to the gym are FINALLY getting underway. The contractor is only two weeks behind and one day short of getting fired but I think we are starting to make improvements.

14) I went to a conference Friday on Apraxia and started to miss work a little bit. Then I got home and the kids were screaming and I started to miss work a whole lot more. Then they slept in until after 8 on Saturday and I totally forgot about missing work :)

I will start posting pictures again. I just need to take the time!

I Think Yep

Sophia's new thing this week was she started to say "I think..." When asking her for an opinion she was say, "I think yep", "I think not", or "I think yeah". It is very cute.

James the other day, via video monitor, called out "Dada and Mama" and then on a walk said, "I want down"- three word phrases from the little boy who lets Sophia do all the talking. Amazing little man.

Emergency? Call Mom

So last night, while all of us were snug and warm in our cozy beds sound asleep at 2:45 AM...our house alarm goes off. I yell,"Jim! Alarm!" as I am jumping out of bed and sprinting down the hallway to James and Sophia. Must save the kids!! The alarm woke James up so I snatch him up and run into Sophia's room. I wait just inside Sophia's door, waiting for Jim to follow closely behind when I realize...he is not coming. He is just getting out of bed! I hear him starting to move a little faster in the bedroom and then he starts running around (for what I am not sure of). Then the phone rings - it's our security company. Jim answers the phone and starts talking to them. They turn off the alarm and I hear Jim say, "Karen, Zone 9 is a bedroom downstairs...is that the basement?! Should I go down to check?" I am thinking to myself "Hello!!??? Get your a** over here and have them call the police! Oh, and by the way, bring my cell phone." After that, I decided to take over with the course of action. Apparently if it isn't medical, Jim has to think things over before he reacts...he did this type of thing when we had our house fire too. (Of course all of this took about 20-30 seconds from the time the alarm went off but it seemed longer than that at the time. I shouldn't be so hard on Jim. He's been working hard.) Anyway, to shorten the story, the police came over to check out the outside of the house. No forced entry anywhere. A very friendly policeman came in and looked things over again inside the house. (I am sure he had a giggle at Jim's underwear and my old nightgown from college. He laughed at James' hair.) It turns out it was nothing, maybe a book fell and made the sensor go off. We all settled down and went back to sleep at around 3:45.

4:30 - House alarm goes off again! I am up and down the hall again like a lightening bolt. No time to think...must save the kids. Same thing happens. This time Jim is a little more awake. However, when we found out it was Zone 9 again we kept the police away and went down to check it out ourselves with the security system on the phone. Apparently we have a faulty glass break sensor. They are coming to fix it soon. Everyone back to bed, go to sleep. I finally went to sleep at around 5:15. What a long night.

Jim, James, and I were all very tired today.

Sophia, on the other hand, had a peaceful nights sleep. She didn't wake up to either alarm nor did she wake up when we were all in her room talking to the dispatcher.

School and James' 15 Month Check-Up

It's been a while since I have blogged. We have been very busy with moving/unpacking/etc. I will have an update on the move another time. Today was have some exciting news...the kids went to school today!! It is a Mom's Day Out program since the kids are not old enough to start a preschool. Either way it is great. They didn't cry or make a fuss. We dropped them off and 4 hours later picked them up. I loved it. Hopefully Sophia and James can start making friends and we can have play dates. Fun! I took a picture of the first day and will post it once I have downloaded the pics. Sophia talked about school all evening. She said she couldn't remember any of her new friends names but that Mrs. Neitzal found the mouse in the house and that was funny. Everyone laughed. Ahhh, to be a child again.

Before school we went to James' 15 month appointment. Suz (Dr. Bielski) said that James is doing great and is right on target. All developmental milestones have been met, which we already knew but it is always reassuring to hear it from the pediatrician. James weighs 25 pounds 6 ounces (70%ile) is 34 inches long (100%ile) and has a head circumference of 19 inches (80%ile). A few vaccines and he was ready to go.

This evening I interviewed a new babysitter and we love her. I told Sophia that she went to the same school as Kara so Sophia was very excited to meet her. It turns out the new babysitter goes to Chatard (Kara went to Cathedral) but we won't tell Sophia. Her name is Ellen and I think she will be around for a while. Yeah! What a good day!

Flowergirl for Hire

Does anyone need a flowergirl? It turns out my little Sophia is quite the performer. After preparing her (with books, videos, and talks of Princesses) for the important job for her cousin Jessica's wedding, Sophia was ready. She wore a yellow and white gown from Vietnam (which is where Jess Beeson - now Tocco - lives) with a flower crown of white daisies. She walked down the aisle holding hands with Lige (the other flowergirl) and carefully dropping yellow and white rose petals down the aisle. Every once in a while she would stop dropping flowers to look up at her Mamma and yell "Hi Mamma" with a sweet wave. She won the crowd! If there wasn't a beautiful bride getting married, I think Sophia would have won the show ;). Sophia is now ready for any other wedding as a flowergirl...Lisa - are you ready?

Anyway, now that the wedding is over, next on the list is Dad's birthday party. Dad turns 60!! I can't believe it! We (Beck, John, Carol, and I) rented the whole bowling alley in Brazil for the occasion. So far we have 125 RSVP yes but who knows how many will show up. Hopefully it will be a lot of fun for Dad. I know Mom has been stressed out (or at least doing a good job of stressing everyone else out) for about 3 weeks. She keeps insisting we do not have enough food. Luckily for us we are having appetizers and cake which means we are not responsible for starving people not getting a meal that day. Ahh, I love appetizers.

Story Time

Here is the conversation I had with Sophia today:


- Hey Mom! Hey Mom! Hey Mom! I have something to tell you.

- Yes Sophia. What is it?

- One day there was a girl and she was riding her bicycle. And she rode around and around. And then the storm cloud came. And then the prince said, " let's dance." And they dance and dance and they live happily ever after. The End. It was Cinderella Mom. The girl was Cinderella!


Story telling just started this last week but I haven't been able to remember them by the time I had a chance to blog until tonight. She told me this story after supper so I was able to remember it better. I am very impressed that she can do this since she isn't even 2 1/2 yet. She also told me the other day that leaves were green because of chlorophyll.

A funny thing about James. He has been going up to the refrigerator and yelling "Ahhb". I had no idea what he meant until he went up to the van before we left on errands and yelled "Ahhb". He is saying 'abre' (open in Spanish). Sophia does this to her van door and then I push the key fob to make it open. She thinks that by saying "abre" her door automatically opens. Apparently now James thinks the same thing too.