Saying Goodbye :(

 I had to say goodbye to some good friends in September.  Chris and Leah moved to Minnesota and they will be missed.  Annie, me and another one of Leah's friends managed to throw together a quick going away party/baby shower.  It had a Bears and Vikings theme which was very appropriate for many reasons.  Of course the good guys won that weekend....Go Bears!  Come visit soon Chris and Leah!!!!

September Randoms

Renee is really enjoying her Bumbo seat more and more.

Now that she does not sleep in her bouncer anymore she is enjoying the toys that she can now grab.

Caroline holding Renee. 

Caroline - me - Addison
Snuggle time with Mommy!

They are pretty good at using the IPad for the programs they like.  It is nice and kind of scary how quickly they learn.  So far they don't realize that the IPad can be used for games.  I do have some educational apps on there that are kind of like games but they mainly watch Netflix.  That will change I am sure as they get older.

Addison - Caroline
Ready for the game!  DA BEARS!

So cute!

Our newest Bears fan!

Renee & Caroline....sisters hanging out in bouncers.

Sonja and Renee.  Renee tolerates being held by younger kids a lot better now that she can be held sitting up.

Addison and Sonja

Cousins!  Caroline was not happy about participating in this picture at all but the others were all happy too!

A leaf bug that we found.  I made a bug jar this summer and it has really been used.  It has housed a baby preying mantis and fruit flies for it to eat, a leaf bug, a grass hopper, a stink bug, cicadas, caterpillars and a few others that I can't think of.  Addison even brought the grasshopper and stink bug to preschool to show everyone.

Caroline - Addison
They got bike helmets and they really do love them especially Addison.  In fact, she loves just wearing it around the house or outside even when she is not riding her bike.  It is pretty cute.

My Blooming Butterflies

It has been such a joy to watch these two grow up in many ways.  I love watching their relationship form.  I love watching them gain more courage and confidence the older they get.  I love hearing them laugh and watch them have fun with each other.  I love seeing how much they love their baby sister.  I just love them and it is clear that they have a special bond and really love each other.

Dress-up time in multiple tutus and butterfly wings

Caroline - Addison

First day of their second year of preschool.  I love thinking about how much they have grown since their first day of their first year of preschool.  When I dropped them off last year on their first day they were a bit timid and unsure.  They cried when I left and continued to for a little bit.  By the middle of the year they were literally pushing me out the door and when the first day for this year rolled around they could. not. wait!  They were so excited and happy about starting school.  My heart is happy just thinking about how much growth has occurred over this past year.  I also love thinking about how I sat on these same steps taking a picture for my first day of preschool too :)

Caroline

Addison

Silly faces

Cute hair!  I am trilled that they have long enough hair to actually do something cute with :)

Renee, our 3-month-old!

Renee turned 3-months-old on September 3rd.  Here are some things she has been up to lately:

-She is getting more interested in toys and starting to grab at them.

-She enjoys sitting, especially in her bumbo chair.

-She sucks on her fingers (index, both index and middle or both middle and ring finger), fist or arm. She does not seem to be interested in her thumb though.

-She enjoys being held facing out so she can watch her surroundings.

-She sleeps in her crib in her own room!  She had been previously sleeping in her bouncer and the transition to her crib was easier than we expected.

-She loves her mobile in her crib.

-She sleeps 12 hours!!!!!  She started doing this the week before she turned 3 months.  Some nights she does not sleep 12 hours but for the most part she does now!  Woo hoo!

-She loves to smile, especially at Addison and Caroline

-At her 2 month appointment she was 11 pounds, 6 ounces which was in between the 25th and 50th percentile.  I imagine she is around 12 pounds now that she is 3 months old.

-She takes a bottle, though we had a little time period where she would refuse it.

-She does not really spit up which falls in line with my mom's theory about her having hiccups a lot before she was born.

-She does not enjoy baths.

-She does not enjoy tummy time.

-Overall, her personality is pretty laid back and go with the flow.  She also does a good job entertaining herself.

We are loving our sweet little lady and she has certainly helped make adding a baby to our family as smooth of a transition as we could have hoped for!



Labor Day

Every Labor Day it seems like my parents have some task for us to do.  Very fitting to put us to labor on Labor Day  Last year we helped paint the trim on their house and this year the task was to take down a dead tree.  This is not the first time we have taken down trees in their yard!.  What we did not know was how much fun we would have once the tree was down.

 

This is Bjorn.  He is my cross-eyed cat that I got when I lived in California who has been living with my parents ever since I moved back.

Elsa, Gwen and Sonja waiting for the tree to come down.

The dead tree

Waiting for the chainsaw to start working so Matt and Sonja took a little baseball break.

Spider and his web

Ok, chainsaw is working, let's do this!

"Timber!"

Cam climbing the stump

A log throwing contest started with the stump and using the down tree as the measurement of how far you could throw it.

Matt's up

Of course I had to try when I came outside and saw what they were doing.  That thing was heavy!  I am proud to say that I had the farthest distance for the ladies though Linnea was just behind me.

Cam's turn

Intense face!  The facial expressions from Cam and Matt were by far the best part.

Scott's turn

Scott put so much into it that he had to roll after he let got of the log

My dad trying a new way of throwing it

My mom's turn

Linnea's attempt.  Look at that form!

And....my mom again.

Eric's turn

Caroline in front and Addison in back
The kids liked using the tree as a balance beam

Elsa and Lucia

Elsa doing a cartwheel

We made S'mores after dinner.  Here is Scott and Caroline.

Lucia going "nigh night" on a bunny stuffed animal in the swing

Caroline eating her first S'more....she did not take any more bites which I was ok with since they can be so messy!  Don't worry though, she had plenty of plain marshmallows.

Me and Addison making her first S'more

Addison did not eat any more of it past this bite either.  Who are these girls!

We had leftover sparklers from our wedding that I kept forgetting to use which was almost 5 years ago!  Finally, I remembered to use them!  Here is Addison with her first sparkler.  She was a bit timid at first but enjoyed them!

I love Caroline's expression in the background.  Caroline liked the sparklers too!

All the kids liked them but some of the parents were getting nervous.

We closed the fun day sitting around the fire.  What a great day spent with those I love!  I am so grateful for my family and the time we spend together!