This and That!

Okay, so it has been awhile.....a long while since I posted last!  We've been busy and having a lot of fun, but I think I've realized my limits while being pregnant this time around.  Instead of spending time downloading photos and posting when Owen naps, now I rest too!

My pregnancy has been going well.  I'm not used to this third trimester stuff - it's all new to me!  The swollen ankles, the baby's head jamming into my diaphragm so I can't breathe, the leg cramps....so much fun!  But I am certainly not complaining.  The baby has already stayed in longer than Owen did, so we have passed that hurdle!  Our C-section is scheduled for September 9, so about 8 more weeks to go!

Here are a few photos I've taken over the last few months:

Seeing Shrek at the Children's Theater with his two best buddies, Sully and Liam

We broke in our fire pit by making s'mores.  Owen LOVED them!

 On Father's Day, we celebrated what an amazing Daddy Paul is!

 Liam and Owen having fun at the splash pad

The Summer Concert Series started at my work this week, so Paul and O came up to visit me.  Daddy treated Owen to some marshmallow ice cream.

 Then he got the "Flash" logo painted on his arm.

On the 4th of July, we went to a parade.  He had so much fun seeing the fire trucks and getting to pick up candy and freeze pops!

 Then we enjoyed dinner with our neighbors and went to Bielenberg for the fireworks.  He stayed awake the whole time and thought they were "SOOO COOL!"

 Anxiously awaiting the fireworks with his pal Leighton

This kid is obsessed with his truck from Auntie Dawn and Uncle Bob.  He puts on work gloves, a helmet, and ear protection and would ride it for hours if we'd let him!

 Today we spent some quality time with the Withers family at the MN Zoo.  We always have so much fun with them!

 Riding the wagon back from the Farm

 3 little cuties!

 Livia, Sophia and O

Next we headed off to celebrate our friends Piper and Lucy, who turned 3 with an amazing pony party! 

 

Owen feeding Cocoa a carrot before his ride

 Taking a ride on Simba

Practicing his lasso skills at the party

So as you can see, we've been keeping busy!  I'll try to be better about keeping up on my posts from now on!

2014 Walk for Babies

Each year since we've taken Owen home from Children's, we've done the March of Dimes Walk for Babies.  It's one small way that we can give back for all that March of Dimes did for our family.  It's also a way that we can support our friends, the Becker family.  Their baby girl, Lily, was born very early and after spending 3 weeks in the NICU, she passed away.  We joined their team a few years ago and are proud to walk and raise pledges for Team Go Lily.

The March of Dimes does a fantastic job with the event!  Between all of the games and costumed characters, the food, the music....it's a really fun, family-friendly event. 

Team Go Lily!

 Having fun in the jump tents

 Spidey!

 Goldy Gopher

 Even a train of clowns!

 It was a little chilly, but Owen stayed nice and warm

 Just a part of our team - Team Go Lily is the largest family team in the St. Paul walk

Team Go Lily made it onto the Channel 5 news the night of the walk!

Tractors and Diggers and Police Cars....Oh My!

The Woodbury Chamber of Commerce puts on the Woodbury Expo each year and they do a nice job of displaying all kinds of vehicles that little boys love to "drive."  I took Owen for a few hours and he was in heaven!

A Little of This, A Little of That

I've gotten into a bad habit of not carrying our camera around, thinking that I'll take pictures with my phone.  Unfortunately, I don't take as many and I never think to download them!  So, this post is a mish-mash of lots of different days and fun things we've been up to.

We started taking swimming lessons again and this time Owen was back with his buddies, Sully and Liam.  Here they are at just over a year old and at their first class.

Here they are at 4 years old

 Owen and our friend Nick looking handsome celebrating Nick's sister's 1st Communion

 Proud of his cake that we made for dinner at Nana and Papa's

 Meet Baby M!  We had our 20 week ultrasound this week and everything looked great.  The baby had its hands back behind its head, which is how both Paul and Owen sleep.  It was pretty cute!

 One night this week, Paul had to work late, so after dinner, Owen and I checked out a new playground.  It is right next to a fire station.  A few of the fire fighters pulled out a ladder truck and were doing some training exercises.  We spent a lot of time watching!  Owen was in heaven.

 

 From there, we stopped to get some ice cream.  MMMMM, Superman - his favorite flavor!

 Tonight we went to Chuck E. Cheese with my friend Lisa and her son, Nick.  The boys had a great time!

Sky Zone and an Egg Hunt

Last weekend, we didn't have any plans for Sunday, so we asked Owen what he wanted to do...go to the zoo, the park, etc.  He chose to go to Sky Zone to jump on the trampolines. 

We discovered an area where you can jump into a pit of foam blocks and O had a blast!

Last night we met up with our Friends the Lavines at a park to enjoy pizza and an Easter egg hunt.  We ran into Owen's buddy from daycare, Kaden.

Piper, Lucy and Owen ready to hunt for eggs

 Meeting the Easter Bunny

Playing at the playground while waiting for the hunt to begin

 Best buddies!

 Working as a team to find those eggs!

 Checking their loot

 Having fun on Kayden's 4-wheeler

Owen's 4 Year Well Child Check

Today was Owen's 4 year well child check up.  I was shocked how far out the appointments were when I called to make the appointment!  He is 42" tall (82nd percentile), 39 pounds (80th percentile) and has a BMI of 15.9. 

The doctor asked him about what kinds of foods he likes to eat and he responded with "broccoli."  She asked him to spell his name and count to 10, hop on one foot, walk on his tip toes and walk on his heels with his toes pointing up.  He did all of those things and said, "easy!" 

We talked a lot about his asthma plan and adjusted it down to just using his inhalers when needed instead of twice a day.  His pediatrician was very happy with how he had grown, how smart he is and just his overall personality.  He had to get one shot at the very end and he said, "Ouch!" but didn't shed a tear or make a fuss.  I was very proud of him for a great check up.

In our everyday lives, four has been tough so far.  O tests every limit, and we struggle most with him having responses to every consequence.  For example, if we tell him that how he is acting isn't okay and if he chooses to keep doing it, we'll take away XXX or we won't go to XXX.  He comes back with, "Well I will just go downstairs and get it" or "I'll just walk there by myself if you won't take me."  It's so hard to not get engaged in little arguments with him.  The other thing right now is not listening.  We have to tell him to do everything 12 times and then threaten to take away XXX or not go to XXXX.  It's exhausting some days.

We deal with this many times a day, but we do also have some really great moments too and he can be pretty funny at times.  The other day, he told me that if the baby is a girl, he thinks her name should be Sparkles.  But then he told me that if it is a girl, that we have to either throw her away of give her back to God because her bow tie (hair bow) will get wet in the tub.  Tonight I asked him to do something and he replied, "Easy peasy, lemon squeezy mom!"  I had to chuckle at that one!  Not sure where it came from, but it was cute. 

He is dead set on wearing only pants with pockets because then he is "like a police."  He has three shirts that have patches sewed on them and he insists on wearing a "badge" shirt every day for the same reason.  Every day he dresses up in a fireman costume and he chases Paul around the house because Paul is the robber and he is the police.

Love this little man, even on the days that he tried us the most. :)