The Little Man's A Similin

Cutest Leaf picture EVER

She loves to play BOO! I got video too.

Three Dog Day

It’s getting to be pretty chilly out there. We’ve had to bundle up, but it’s till fun. The weather hasn’t seemed to bother Odin any though.

Sophie Turns Three!

OMG, it’s been three years since Sophia was born. Doesn’t seem that long, except that she’s HUGE now. (It seems she got that way over night when we came home with Alex).

Anyway, we had cupcakes she decorated and a Cinderella theme (I've seen the movie too many times to mention). She's such a little princess right now - well, a princess who likes to wrestle with the big boys. :)

She had a great time, and so did we. Thanks everyone.

Playing Around

Joe’s taught Sophie a little about football so if you’re playing with her, prepare to hut - hut - HIKE!

Family Trip to the Poconos

For my father’s 60th birthday we wanted to do something really special so we took a family trip to the Pocono’s (this picturesque area of Pennsylvania near the Delaware Water Gap). It was beautiful with the leaves changing color and we got to spend a lot of quality time together (not including the 18 hour drive there and back). All those pictures are on face book at: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=40967&id=100000520587348&l=cde1d509a2
There are pictures from the water park at the Great Wolf Lodge (PA’s version). And lots of photos of us hiking the trails at Bushkill Falls. And for the finale we went to my father’s favorite restaurant, Mama’s Pizza, in New Jersey and met the Burger clan for some good east-coast style cheese pie. I haven’t seen many of the family in years, so it was great to catch up and celebrate together.

Hanging With The Big Sis

Sophie really has adjusted to having Alex well. She’ll come tell me when he’s crying and tells me he needs milk. “He’s Ungr-ee,“ she says. She also delights in putting his nuk in his mouth, even when he’s sleeping. She likes to hold him occasionally too.

Grandma’s Visit

Alexander

Going back in time….Meet Alexander. He was born seven pounds, seven ounces at 10:18 am on September 2.

Gulliver's Bed

This morning Joe went into Sophie's room to get her up, instead of me. She's been sleeping in a big girl bed (ever since the day Mom woke up to THUD - WHAAAAAA), but she waits until we come in (for now). I was working from home, but was confused when neither Sophie nor Joe came downstairs. I go up to see what's going on, and I see Sophie trying to put Joe to bed, on her old crib mattress (being used as padding in case she rolls off the bed). It was too funny. They played upstairs for two hours, Joe laying around letting Sophie put him to "night" over and over as well as making him pretend lunches of icees and chicken.

A Day At The Beach - In Your Backyard

It's been a steamy summer so one day, instead of piling into the hot car we set up a day at the beach at home. It worked very nicely, except when Odin decided to use the pool as a great big water dish. :)

Getting Ready For Baby Brother

Some of you have been asking me whether we've gotten things ready for the new arrival and slowly and surely we have. We've decided that for awhile, he'll sleep in the pack and play in our room, next to the bed, then in Sophia's room until we decide if we're having a third one (in which case, odd gender out gets their own room), or that having two in one room really does produce the horror stories some parents relay to us.

For now, we've carved out a corner of the girl's room for a little boy with green (to match) and some monkey's to make it his own. My parents bought the new crib (THANKS, Grandma and Grandpa) and it looks great with the green. There are some frog's hanging around the room and we bought a glider this time for rocking the little tyke to sleep. He's sort of got a lot of animals going on, more like a jungle theme - something special just for him. He's due around the very end of August, and we'll do our best to bring our family out to the various family reunions, football games and birthday's this fall. So see you soon!

Visit With Lilianna

Well, the Cramers came for a BBQ on Saturday and it was great. We got to talk, coo over Lilianna (which was a dream baby - so good) and watch Sophia be a little mom. She even gave Miss Lily a hug goodbye.

They're still up in Hartford/Slinger and say they are doing great. They've adjusted to life with a little one easily - Lilianna's 7 months now. She smiled A LOT, especially at the dog. No fear when her father was playing tug of war with the big, black hairy mongrel which most people say looks like a bear.

She got to try out Sophia's tree swing, and Sophia was a good little sharer (for a two year old anyway). Sophia especially liked when she got to bounce Lilianna in the bouncy seat - it's a good thing she's a tough little baby. She laughed as the seat went up and down rather faster than was necessary. It was pretty amusing. Sophia seemed taken with Lilianna, so we have hopes she will enjoy being a big sister more than she'll be jealous of having to share her parents.

Little Human Jumping

At some point, every kid discovers the joys of jumping on the bed. Especially, when their father fake wrestles with them while they're doing it. So besides the obvious hilarity, there's the fact that Sophie also says her name, which is a fairly new development. It sounds more like SHOW-FEE, but it is the cutest thing I've ever heard.

KISS!

Mom turned off the TV and told Sophia to find something else to do. Hmmm, not sure that's exactly what I meant. :) It was funny though.

And no, I don't really know why the magazine had lip stickers in it to begin with.

HAPPY FOURTH!

It was our first fourth of July in Waukesha, so we went to the Parade and even caught the fireworks that night. Sophia was okay with the parade, but not as fond of the fireworks. She ended up spending most of the time in the car with Grandma, but she didn't start screaming, just requesting strongly that we go that way (away from the booms).

Oh, and don't worry, Joe is tickling her...as usual. :)

Low Rider

Grandma and Grandpa Burger decided they couldn't wait until October to give Sophia her birthday present...so here she is with her brand new bicycle. I'm told this was the only one she deemed worthy and refused to try any others in the store. It's got a bell, and those little dangly things from the bars. And it's shiny. Sophia is still working on pedaling forward...backwards seems easier for whatever the reason. And pedaling while watching the road-well, sidewalk to steer away from the grass is taking a bit more concentration than Sophia has. She's sticking with it, however and I'm sure she'll be cruising with the wind in her hair soon.

Potty Time

For the first time, Sophia asked to "pee on the potty" and actually did! It's a nostalgic moment, okay. And it's a good thing I'm doing it now...Joe wanted to wait for number two.

The St. Germain Weekend

Our friends, the Gehrke's, invited us up to St. Germain again this year for a weekend of fun, food and .... kids...there were 5 of them, with two more on the way. While we had to dodge the rain drops, it was still a great time with trips down to the lake, to the local playground and eating alfresco on the deck overlooking the great north woods.

Dance Performance Interrupted

When we were up North, Sophia launched into a one-woman show on the deck, singing, twirling and making it all up as she went. I tried to get it on video, but there's just a snippet because someone else tried to take the stage. You'll see. I'm just sure she was thinking, "No one respects a true performer."

Atti-two And A Half

If this is the look we get at 2 1/2 heaven help us when she's 16. Of course, by then we probably won't be taking pictures of her in the bath. :)

Spaghetti Face

Well, the picture really says it all. What did my mother used to say, using utensils separates us from animals? Well, it certianly would keep our clothes neater. But it's too cute to be a crime.

The Games Kids Play

I was working from home today and Joe had Sophia outside with him while he mowed the lawn. They have this special game they play called “Ready, Go…” They stand together on the edge of the grass, and Sophia says “Ready, Go.” Then they both run along, Joe pushing the mower and Sophia pumping her arms for all she’s worth. It may sound mundane, but it is hilarious to watch. Anyway, I glance out the window expecting to see this farce of a race, but instead see Joe quietly mowing the grass himself. I open the window, listening, but I don’t hear her. As Joe rounds the corner, to far for me to ask where Sophie is, I start to get…well, a little nervous. A quiet toddler is never good. So I run…I mean, walk calmly downstairs to the large back windows to see the whole yard. There she is with Odin, sitting in the corner by the fence. What is she doing? Watch the video to find out, but just in case you can’t tell, Odin was covered with grass clippings.

A Raspberry For The Baby

Okay, so this picture might need some clarification. We’ve been trying to explain about a new baby brother for Sophie being in Mommy’s tummy. Yeah, she just thinks I have a “nummy ache” and rubs my belly. But today, as I’m laying on the floor, Joe starts talking to my stomach. After staring at him strangely for a while, Sophie starts imitating him and speaking to Mommy’s belly. Then Joe gives it a kiss. And Sophie gives it the wettest kiss ever. Okay, that’s when I started laughing…which just made Sophia do it more. The kisses morphed into raspberries and Sophia made the loudest, longest raspberry either Joe or I have ever heard. It sounded like a large man who ate a family sized can of beans. It was just too amazing. I was crying, Joe was crying and Sophie just kept running around trying to do it again and again to both our stomachs to get us to laugh some more.

WORLD CUP DAY!

While I had planned a fun day of baby shopping, Joe was planning his own day - of soccer watching. I have since learned that it’s world cup time and the USA was playing ENGLAND. Which, I was told, was very exciting. So we compromised, we went shopping in the morning and watched soccer in the afternoon. Thank you again Aunt Brenda for babysitting. In preparation for the long awaited match, however, Joe brought down the American flag and got Sophie to be a "Soccer Monster" (a name she got from an episode of the Backyardigans). I’m pretty sure the founding father’s wouldn’t approve, but the US did tie the game with ENGLAND, 1-1, so no red cards please.

Attack!

While laying on the floor, stretching out my cramped back muscles, Odin decided I was there to play with him. Sophie came to my defense. Ride him cowgirl!

Dressing As A Younger Woman

While I was digging through Sophie’s baby clothes (a very bittersweet moment) pulling out the gender neutral items, Sophia just HAD to force herself into this size 0-3 month onesie with the zebra on it. It was really funny, with the tails hanging down over her stomach. I’m surprised the arms didn’t cut off circulation in her biceps. Anyway, she wouldn’t stand up so you can get the full effect, but here she is hiding behind the light because she’s afraid I’ll make her take the ridiculous thing off. Like I would do that…

Kids and Dogs

Sophia and Odin are getting along much better now.

Memorial Day With the Fam

Memorial Day was full of water works with Grandpa showing Sophie how to use the hose (which she uses to drench the dog - much to her delight) and Grandma splashing with her in the kiddie pool for the dogs.


Yes, you read that right, the yellow kiddie pool is for the dogs. I know, I know, but they have long hair and stay outside much more than Sophie does. Right now, Sophie prefers lakes and oceans anyway. A kiddie pool is too much like a bathtub.

That’s Meredith taking a break from catch because she had to rest her arm for the Softball league she’s in tomorrow - what a faker. So the boys are stuck playing catch.

Our First BBQ In Waukesha

We invited the Gehrke’s and Reik’s over for a BBQ in June. Four kids and a baby make quite the ruckus, but it all just felt like home. You can see the kids were really having fun together.

Beach Baby

Okay, so I’ve redated many of these. What can I say, a lot has happened. At the end of April I was in Chicago for a week long business trip. It was grand, but I missed everyone terribly. Luckily, the week following, Joe, Sophia and I flew down to Florida to spend time with the Refermats. It was lovely. The hotel was right across the street from the beach and there was a 24 pharmacy/convenience store right on the first floor, plus lots of bars with live music. What else could you want.

Unfortunately, I only got a few pictures snapped off. Besides playing at the beach (which Sophia loved as long as someone held her out of the waves), Sophia got to experience the old adage, “What goes up, must come down.” That’s her on the sofa. She fell asleep while eating a banana.

Our favorite place for a night time drink became a bar called Lulu’s. So totally fun, and with the best NA Pina Colada’s anywhere in North America (so Joe says). It had live music almost every night. Sophia even started dancing to it, dazzling the people who were there to eat and listen. It was the cutest thing…but of course, I didn’t have my camera. When we came back to Wisconsin, reality was a tough transition. Luckily, we had friends and family to help get us through.