Max hearts New York

I get a weekly email on baby and toddler development, and today's included a blurb I enjoyed.

Which of the following is most critical to your baby's development?
a) Adequate breast milk or formula
b) A safe place to sleep
c) Love and affection from parents and caregivers
d) Regular pediatric care
e) None of the above

Did you say "None of the above"? Good for you! The correct answer is, of course, "Black-and-white toys with bull's-eye patterns on them."

So true for our youngest child. We have not one but two baby chairs for him (a papasan and a bouncer), an exersaucer, a hippopotamus playmat, a large bag of baby toys, a large bag of stuffed animals, etc. etc. etc. What is his favorite thing to do? Lie on his belly and stare at a miniature teddy bear (from Auntie Kimmy) with "I love New York" embroidered on its belly! He literally stayed on his belly conversing with the bear for 20 minutes last night. Cannot. Lose. Bear. Ever.

Liam-isms

Liam went on a Cabela's adventure with Uncle Copter and Daddy on Saturday! He has been there once before and kind of remembers that, but he was much more excited this time around! I asked him what he did at Cabela's (aka "the hunting store") and he said, "We went inside and saw all kinds of different animals!" He even had two postcards of the store with pictures of the animals that he carried around with him for the rest of the weekend! The highlight of the trip was their visit to the "gun library." Liam is very careful around guns and has been taught that they are not for kids. We do come from a family of hunters, though, so he has taken a keen interest in hunting as well. He walked through the gun library with uncle and daddy.

He saw a big rifle and said, "When I get bigger can I touch that?"

They assured him that he could.

"I will hold it and I will boom a buck!" he said.

I guess a Cabela's employee was right behind them and heard all about Liam's plan to "boom" the buck. He got a big kick out of it!

Both Liam and Max stayed at Ron and Meg's on Saturday so Aaron and I could go to dinner and have a night of peace (and sleep!) before school starts and things get crazier! One thing we were able to do while the boys were gone was switch rooms around (again!). Liam now has his own room with most of his toys, Max has his own room, and Aaron and I have the upstairs. It's kind of cozy up in the attic and we're hoping to keep it warm enough in the winter to prevent frostbite! It tends to get subzero up there!

Anyway, we told Liam about his new room when we picked him up on Sunday and he was super excited to see it. We got home and he ran into his room and said "Oh, THANK YOU, Mom!" He looked at all of his toys and said "Thanks for bringing my toys in here, Mom!" (He did thank Daddy, but I was the only one in the room at this point!). He kept going in and out of his room all night saying "Oh, THANK YOU!" each time. It was adorable. I love that kid.

Road to Nursing School...

I survived my first week of Anatomy & Physiology! I don't know that the same can be said of Aaron...he picked up the boys from daycare both Monday and Tuesday and had to deal with a screaming Max the entire time I was gone. I have to give him credit though because Max has been asleep when I arrived home both nights, and I've found Aaron in a relatively decent mood after all that screaming. I commented on his apparent calm and he said the he was trying really hard to be positive so I wouldn't feel discouraged! He's sweet like that. But really, I'm very impressed. He did say that he was thankful that I'm finished with classes for the week...

It's interesting going back to school at 26. NWTC has a lot of non-traditional students like me, but there are still quite a few students there right out of high school. My A&P class has quite a few young ladies still trying to attract a mate. Hence the fancy makeup, white linen pants and multiple accessories worn to lab. I like to smile to myself and then imagine someone's giant hoop earring falling into the cadaver tank...

Baptism 8.22.09

Liam being baptized.

Max being baptized. He didn't even cry!

Max gave Dcn. Pat a huge smile right before the annointing! So cute!

The godparents

Justin and John are Max's godparents.

Gerad and Sarah are Liam's godparents.

The boys and their Auntie Kimmy!

Meg made Liam's vest out of material from her wedding dress!

Liam asked specifically for a picture with Amanda! And he had to stand "on the star"!

Liam and Auntie Sarah at the party.

A day at the fair!

Liam loves animals, and I've been talking to him about going to the fair all summer. We had a busy weekend with the baptism (pictures coming soon!) and lots of visitors, but we were still able to take him to the Brown County Fair yesterday! Max stayed at Ron and Meg's while we roamed around the livestock barns and Liam road some kiddie rides! He also had his first official "fair food" - nachos. He loved looking at all the animals and wanted to pet each one.

We had been in and out of a few barns already, and had just stepped into a cow barn when Liam went walking fast ahead of me and said something.

"What, buddy?" I asked. He said it again, but I still didn't hear him. I bent down and asked him to say it in my ear.

"We have to get out of here," he said. "I smell something."

HAHAHAHAHA! We laughed for about 20 minutes after that!

Liam kept turning Aaron's head with his hands saying, "Look this way, Dad!"

Brothers!

Such photogenic children on their first day of daycare together...

or maybe not...!

So Much Joy!

My mom made up a little song that she sings to Liam whenever he spends the night with her. It's to the tune of "Jesus Loves the Little Children" and goes something like this:

Grandma loves her little Liam
Loves he little Liam boy
He is getting so big
And having so much fun
And he brings Grandma so much joy!

She actually forgot the words last time and he had to say, "NO Grandma, it goes like this!" and proceeded to sing the whole thing to her! He also performed the song for us on the deck at camp. We all laughed and clapped and then he said, "and Grandma brings me so much joy!" Sweet.

It looks like a fish!

Liam has been doing so well with his potty training! He wears big boy underwear to daycare now, and hardly ever has an accident...unless he has to poop. He hadn't quite gotten the hang of that, so last night we told him that if he learns to poop on the potty he can pick out a toy at the store. A little motivation never hurt anyone! I tried to pay close attention to him this morning so I could catch him and get him on the potty in time. He was hiding behind my chair playing with his tool bench when he got very quiet. I asked him if he was pooping and he said "YES!" and then agreed to go and try on the potty. So, we ran in and he sat there trying to figure out how this was supposed to work!

"Should I squeeze it out?" he asked. :)

He finished up, jumped off the potty and proudly exclaimed that it "looks like a fish in there!" Indeed.

We called Daddy to tell him the news and plan to stop and pick out a toy on our way home tonight. Such a big kid!

Finnish Fun With Grandpa!

Grandpa Richie and Grandma Karen both have Finnish ancestry, so the grandchildren have been given a great education in conversational Finnish since we were very young! Grandpa Richie has now begun Liam's education, and he's picking things up quite quickly!


He's learned the "Sauna Song":

Kuka sen saunan lammittaa?
Ja Grandpa sen loylyn heittaa!
Kuka sen saunan lammitta?
Ja Liam sen loylyn heittaa!

Who is going to light the sauna?
Grandpa will throw the steam!
Who is going to light the sauna?
Liam will throw the steam!





The story of Goldilocks and the Kolme Karhu:

Part I:

Part II:

And his favorite line from Goldilocks - "Who's been eating my puuro?!":

Dead River Basin, Marquette County, Michigan

Uncle Dave's Camp

My family spends a week way up north at Uncle Dave's camp every summer. I used to go up for the whole week, but haven't been able to make it for more than the weekend these past few years. Liam spent the entire week up there with my parents, Kimberly, and Grandma Karen and Grandpa Richie. Aaron and I went up there on Thursday night and Max stayed with Grandma Meg and Grandpa Ron. We had a great time! Can't wait 'til next year! Maybe we'll be able to swing a full week next time!