16 month well-child?

We had Korri’s 15 month well-child appt yesterday. She is actually 16 months old today, but if you remember, her scheduled 15 month well-child turned into a sick-child because of all of her skin problems and daycare-associated sicknesses. The appt went very well. Korri weighs 23 lbs. 5 oz (54%) and was 30.5” (46%) long! Holy growth spurt, Batman! Finn better watch out or Korri is going to be taller than he before we know it. She made a huge jump in her percentiles and by all calculations and measures…is a “normal” baby child. I still feel like she is shorter than other kids I see her age, but I guess not.

Dr. Mackey was very impressed with Korri’s communication ability and said she saw Korri doing things that 18 month old kids don’t even do! Poor, Korri. Even though she is a smart little girl, we barely notice because Finn set the bar so high. We talked about her left foot, but even in the last month, it has gotten noticeably better. Dr. Mackey was not concerned at this point, mainly because it appears to be straight when Korri is walking, which is what we want. Dr was a little concerned about Korri’s droopy right eye. Finn has the same thing (and DeAnn said Jim had it too) and while it isn’t reason for alarm, Dr said any time there is a question about eyes, she wants a pediatric ophthalmologist to see it (“luckily” Finn has one!). SO, today I made an appt for the middle of June.

The main topic of conversation, as it always is with poor Korri, is her skin. It just isn’t getting better and Dr. said that Korri is probably uncomfortable all the time. She decided to refer us to a pediatric dermatologist just to make sure we are doing everything we can for her. So, I made that appt today, as well and the first available appt was 7/3! Dr. Mackey did leave a message for their nurse to see if they could get her in sooner, but at this point, it is better than nothing.

Korri got two shots and was a brave girl. She tried not to, but when the second one went in, she cried. Then we picked her up and got her dressed and she was fine! Then we had to head down to the lab for a blood draw because Dr wanted to test her for shrimp and strawberry allergies. She said that even if the results come back that Korri isn’t “allergic,” to still be careful when giving them to her. I hope she isn’t allergic to either (well, actually…anything!). Dr. said that eczema, allergies and breathing problems usually go hand-in-hand…so on the bright side, Korri doesn’t seem to have any breathing issues ;)

As referenced earlier, I made one peds derm appt (K), one ENT follow up appt (F) and two peds eye appts (F & K) today! Sheesh. Now my fingers are crossed that Jim can work it into his schedule to take the kiddos to the appts (since I don’t have PTO). It is really hard for me not to go along, but I’ve been there for almost 100% of all appts up to this point and I know that Jim can handle it.

Almost five years later...

We finally have our wedding china out of the boxes it came in and out for display, and hopefully usage as well. More important than our china: our Galway Crystal! So pretty. It only took almost five years! Oops. We didn't have a place to put it until Jim's uncle gave us Jim's great grandma's china hutch, which fits perfectly in our dining room. Looks good, if I do say so myself!

Oh and the after math (which was quickly and easily cleaned up!):

Unchristian?

I consider myself to be a Christian and I also try to live a Christian life. What does that mean? I think it is different for everybody but for me, it is to be close to Jesus and act in a way that reflects that close relationship. I try (keyword TRY) not to judge, I try to treat others kindly and be charitable with my time, actions and money. While I do not think it is some requirement to be Christian or to go to heaven, it is very important to me to go to church and attend mass.

Anyway, I had the most unchristian experience today in what I think should be the least likely place...church! Like I mentioned, it is important to me to go to church. It is like a recharge or reset button for me, gets me back on the path I want to be on and gives me time to reflect on life and how I want to act and be. I do not like to take the kids by myself and so far, I think I've only had to once or twice because either Jim has gone or my mom has been here. But alas, my mom wasn't here today and Jim wasn't feeling well, so I gathered the kiddos (dressed them as pretty as could be, of course!) and off we went to church. We were a little later than I like to be, but we got there jsut before mass started, which means we weren't late but I couldn't find a quarantined area for us to sit. We sat in our normal area with nobody in the pew ahead of us (I try to do this whenever possible so the kids bother as few of people as possible). Anyway, I don't think Finn was feeling well and Korri was tired. Let the behavior start!

Well, there was a woman two pews in front of us who is often at the same service we are, but usually sits in the first pew (must have been taken today). She kept turning around and starting at me like I should do something with these unruly kids! Yes, my kids were louder than normal and yes, I was by myself, so keeping them under control was not excessively easy. But she was ridiculous. It got to the point, only minutes after mass started that I honestly wanted to pack up and leave as I was on the verge of crying. I prayed about it and the message I kept getting in my head was that God would rather me be there with loud kids than not be there at all. So, I gathered myself together and just did the best I could to keep the kids as quiet as possible.

I wish I were brave enough to have caught her gaze, put my hands up, shrugged my shoulders and mouthed "What?!?!". I mean, didn't she realize that she was at a Catholic mass where the number of children out number the grains of sand on a beach? Hello! We are CATHOLIC! I have a pretty low threshold for misbehavior at church anyway (thanks, mom and dad!) so it wasn't like either one was swinging from the rafters or screaming like a monkey! She was old and I'm guessing had children of her own at some point...but was it so long ago that her memory tells her that her children never spoke above a whisper and didn't move a muscle while in church? Not possible and not realistic. The bottom line is that it is really sad that a fellow "Christian" would make another churchgoer feel so ashamed that she would rather not go to church as all. I love Jesus and I honestly don't think he cares if my kids are loud in church. If I have the strength (God will need to provide it!), next week I am going to sit RIGHT behind her and let her turn around all she likes! At least my children and I have a relationship with Jesus and were in the place I feel we were supposed to be!

Young Toddler

Korri has transitioned into the Young Toddler room at daycare. As it seems most thing do with her, it kind of just happened. She started by going over there for an hour each day, then it seemed she was over there all day except nap time and then this week, she started taking naps over there, too. This is something I was worried about because they sleep on cots instead of cribs…but no worries. Her teacher did say she is always the first one up, though…my little non-napper! Now we drop her off and pick her up over there and next week, she will be officially a Young Toddler. My baby is growing up. And she LOVES this room. When I would drop her off in the Infant Room, she would always cry and a teacher would need to come and hold her so I could leave (I’m sure it lasted all of a minute once I left, but still!). Today when I dropped her off in the YT room, she was like, “Bye, bye, momma!” and with a wave, was off to find some toys (when I peeked in after I dropped Finn of, she was riding a rocking horse!). Jim said she gave a little wave on Monday when he dropped her off, too. It makes me feel so good and I really like the teacher in that room (although I really liked her main teacher in the Infant room, too). I just feel like she is getting more age appropriate stimulation and socialization than in the infant room. Now if we can just keep these kiddos healthy and get Finn to stop peeing on himself while there, I’ll be completely on board with this whole daycare thing.


Update on walking: Korri is doing great. She now wants to be put down on her feet instead of her butt if you were holding her. She does what we call “setting up” exercises where she stands, moves into a squat and back to standing. She does it over and over. She even does great walking on the uneven grass outside. I think she gets a little tired, though because we were walking to meet daddy and Finn one night and she walked about 1/3 of a block, and then stopped and absolutely wanted to be picked up. Her poor little legs aren’t used to all this work!

A bookin' birthday present

For those of you not on Facebook (yes, there are a few of you!), Korri started walking yesterday!

When we picked her up on Friday, her teacher said Korri was kind of toddling around and thought Korri would be walking by Monday. I said, “Yeah, right, I’ve been saying that for 6 months!” Um, maybe I should listen to somebody who is around babies this age all day every day because…low and behold, Korri walked over to daddy when we picked her up yesterday and then walked back to me without any problems! She even got off balance, corrected and kept walking! I kind of started screaming, but then realized I didn’t want to scare the other babies in the room. It is funny how when you wait longer for something, it means so much more! Hey, she, at 15.5 months, is still ahead of Finn’s 23 months!

She still thinks crawling is easier and probably faster, but I even noticed last night, she was in the kitchen and she stood up, took a few steps and then reached down to get the ball she was playing with…instead of just crawling over! She also thinks she can jump and run…I mean, she’s been doing this for all of a day now, so why not?!?! I’m nervous for the hurricane that is going to follow her, but who am I kidding…she already was a hurricane, it will just be upped to a category 5!

And not to be overshadowed by this wonderful present, it is daddy’s birthday today! I always look forward to Jim’s birthday because then we are the “same age” for eight months. We have Finn’s T-ball at the field by our house after work and then we are going back to our house for some food and cake. It will probably get late (darn T-ball!), but that’s ok. Jim is spoiling me this week (must be a reverse birthday present) because he will only be traveling Wed and Thurs (or so I’m told)!

Rhubarb!!!

Sunday, mom, the kids and I went to church. I need to remember to bring TWO snack containers because both kids were fabulously well-behaved until the snacks came out and then they kept screaming (yes, SCREAMING) at each other to see who could hold it! Sheesh. Oh, and while Cheerios seemed like a good choice before church, I didn’t factor in the spill factor OR their ability to fly all over when grabbed by little hands. I think we’ll stick with pretzels or animal crackers going forward. After church, mom and I (with Finn’s “help” of course) planted 5 or 6 rhubarb plants that mom had dug up and brought with her. I know it will take a year or two before they yield anything, but I can’t wait. Then we tackled the pen…I mean fence! We blocked off the back corner of the yard so the kids can play out there without constant supervision (I mean, I need to use the facilities or start dinner once in a while!). We’ll see how well it keeps the Little Monster (i.e. Korri) contained!

In addition to the rhubarb plants she brought, mom also brought a ton of really good rhubarb, so she made a rhubarb crunch (I have pictures but they are still on my camera!) while Jim and I were away on Saturday and I made strawberry rhubarb jam yesterday. Both were super-extra yummy!! Now I’d better make some bread tonight to put the jam on!

Then Sunday afternoon, after Jim helped his uncle move some stuff (hey, we got a china hutch out of the deal!) we went over to our friends, the Arks, for Becky’s (the mom) quasi-surprise birthday party! Now that I’m working, I’m sad we don’t get to see them very often. The food was great, the company was enjoyable and the kids played so well, I didn’t even have to think about them most of the time (mainly, thanks to Emma for “babysitting” Korri! Hmmm…when she can start babysitting for real?!?!).

Taylors Falls Cruise

As mentioned this weekend, we had our last swim class for the season on Saturday. Finn is so clearly ready for the next level up (Water Tots) which is a class without parents in the water! Luckily, our teacher this session really took him under her wing and gave us tips on how to help him to actually swim and she worked one-on-one with him during free time. I should also point out that she just happens to teach the Water Tots class before our class! We are taking the summer off from swim class. While I LOVE swim class and all the things my kids get out of it, it is a huge commitment to be busy for 10 Saturdays in a row, especially during the summer. Now we’ll just need to decide if we start back up again at the end of the summer or wait until fall.

Saturday I surprised Jim with a scenic boat cruise along the St. Croix River for his birthday (which is tomorrow)! While Kristine agreed to watch the kids, my mom generously offered to come yet again and watch them at our house (so we didn’t have to rush home), which both were greatly appreciated. Jim didn't have a clue until ont he way there the GPS said "Taylors Falls" and then I said that they would add another boat if it were crowded...oops! Not bad for having made the plans weeks ago! The cruise was so beautiful and while there were thunderstorm warnings all around us, it was hot and partly cloudy the entire 80 minute trip. They mentioned a ghost town that I’d like to go back and explore a little bit at some point. And when our kids are older, I would love to go in the fall and go “hiking” and by that I mean, following the well defined paths! We saw two bald eagles, which were so magnificent (they said there are 60 mated-pairs along that stretch of river!). After the cruise, we drove around and found this super cute, somewhat trendy restaurant in St. Croix Falls called Grecco, I think. We shared the humus appetizer, Jim had a Caesar salad and I had the walleye both topped off with sangria. VERY good, kind of expensive, but worth it for a special occasion.

These pictures were taken with my camera on my phone. I SO wish I would have brought my nice camera along! I probably would have taken a million pictures. Oh, well. lesson learned for next time!

And I almost forgot to mention that Korri started "toddling" this weekend! I can't in good faith call it walking, but she walked from one end of the couch to the other without even thinking on Saturday. Grandma had just got walked in and she wanted to get to her! Then she walked several steps with ease again on Sunday. I've been thinking she is "so close" for 6 months, but she has been far too stubborn to actually do it. I think if we can distract her, keep something in her hands and practice a bit, she will be a walker-grill before long (help us all!). There is nothing cuter in the world than a child learning to walk!!!

Activity craziness so young?

First of all, I know we have nobody to blame but ourselves, but the kids’ activities are already getting a little out of control! For a few weeks, Finn has tumbling on Mondays, T-ball on Tuesday and Finn and Korri have swimming on Saturday! Three days a week is a bit much. But I/we signed them up for each of these activities for different reasons AND they just happened to overlap for a couple weeks. In two weeks, I think our only activity will be Finn’s T-ball.

That raises the question: how much is too much? I want to encourage my kids to explore their likes/dislikes and their abilities (or lack thereof!). With the exception of hockey (I would have a hard time being a hockey mom); I really want my kids to try lots of different things in order to find out what they like and what they are good at. Piano/music, choir, acting, art, sports…all of it. I want Finn to try football, Jim wants him to try basketball and golf, uncle John and Grandpa Ron want him to play baseball, etc. (since she doesn’t walk yet, I won’t even start on wishes for Korri!). But that being said and looking forward, I’m starting to get a glimpse into how crazy our combined schedule may get. Maybe putting some kind of limit on things as far as how many to do at one time is a good idea, although, like where we are at right now, many things overlap, so it isn’t as easy as it sounds.

Off to swim class in a bit...

One month already?

One month ago today, I started my new job. Can it really be one month already? They told me when I started that after a month, I’ll be an “old timer.” Ha, I didn’t think there would be any chance of that considering how long it had been since I had to shower and get dressed to go to a job! But honestly, I am rolling with the punches, really like my job and feel like I have a really good grasp of the process and what is expected of me. They also told me that it was a very fast paced position, which I was happy about. After all, if I can’t be with my kids, I want the day to go by fast and to keep busy. BUT, being the little worker bee that I am, I’ve smoothed out the process and gotten everything cleaned up so that things are kind of running like a well oiled machine; which is great for my job performance, but not so great on the keeping busy front. Oh, well. We start work on Q3 in about a week, so I think that will keep me busy, since I haven’t been involved from the start of a quarter like this will be.

Four weeks ago (remember my mom stayed with the kids for two days when I started), the kiddos started daycare for the first time. After MANY running noses, wet/pee clothes, fevers, doctor visits, four medications, early pickups, not being able to come back for 24 hours, one head injury report, etc, the kids have adjusted to daycare very well. Finn’s teacher and aid both told me they were surprised to find out he hadn’t been in daycare or preschool before this because he adjust so well. That’s my little “roll with the punches” guy! AND Korri made it one FULL week at daycare this week with no fevers or reason for them to call to pick her up early! Finally! She will be 16 months in two weeks and is transitioning into the young toddler room. Her infant teacher/caregiver said she just “blossoms” in there. I’m nervous for nap time over there because they sleep on cots and in the infant room, they still sleep in cribs, but they said I’ll be surprised at how quickly she will adjust. Fingers crossed as I think Korri starts napping in there on Monday!

In this last month, Jim has been traveling 75%+ of the time, which has made the transition for all of us a little tougher. But, with Jim’s superb problem solving and crisis resolution skills, the facility they’ve been having issues with is caught up and in a much better state. Hopefully, that means he will be traveling a little less, but I’m guessing it just means he will need to visit all of his other facilities that he’s had to “neglect” while focusing on this one…which means more travel! Oh, well.

I realized yesterday (sometimes you need to stop and smell the roses to notice things) that I really like the ages, personalities, quirks, schedules, etc of my kids right now. Both of them at the same time! I haven’t been able to honestly say that since…well…probably since before Korri was born, sad to say. Don’t get me wrong, they drive me nuts at times, but I have a feeling that will always be the case (probably until I die!). I wish I could push the “pause” button for a while and just enjoy our lives right now. Alas, that isn’t possible and things keep changing, but hopefully changing for the better!

First T-Ball

Finn has his first ever T-ball practice/session/activity on Tuesday night. Jim, yet again showing that he may be the best dad on earth, changed his travel plans so he could go to Finn's first night. Our friends Sharon, Laena and Braeland came to watch, which was very thoughtful and gave Korri somebody to play with (i.e. have her Sharon-time!).

The first part was a lot of explaining and not a ton of doing. Even given that, Finn did a great job, for a three year old. I'm pretty sure he was the shortest one and he probably was the slowest one, but he also has the shortest legs! We need to work on his running speed (um, uncle John?!?!) and jumping jacks. I'd tried to teach him jumping jacks a few weeks ago and he kind of caught on, but they are a hard concept to get. After some explanations, warm-ups and stretching, they worked on handling the glove and ball, running the bases and then finally...dum, dum, dada, dum...batting! Finn was the last to bat (of course because he just doesn't care about that kind of stuff...as long as Korri isn't in front of him, that is!) and he was by far the best batter (makes up for his short little body). Although, after he hit the ball, he just kind of ran kitty-wham-pus and never made it to first base. The learning curve, I guess!

He really did a great job. It was supposed to be 45 minutes, but in order for all the kids to have a turn batting, it went almost an hour and a half, which was too long for Korri and most of the kids! I'm so glad we signed Finn up for this. I know he is only three, but it will teach him some important life skills...and it is fun!!! More pictures on our picture website!

Best ever

I had the best Mother's Day ever on Sunday. My mom stayed over night and went with the kids and me to church. My sister, Renae, and her boyfriend, Craig came over after church for brunch. My wonderful husband made TWELVE servings of Eggs Benedict for brunch! It was so super yummy, in addition to the mimosas, of course. As a gift, Jim had made a three picture collage with pictures of the kids and I. So thoughtful. Then we played outside, well, because the weather could not have been more perfect. And mom had requested a bonfire the night before, but has, um, a little too much to drink, so we thought, "why not have one this afternoon?" And for dinner, Jim cooked me crab legs, shrimp and steak! It was just the perfect day, even though I may have fell into bed in a food coma.

Korri and her Godmother.

Korri having a snuggle with momma.

Craig and Finn helping find "wood" for the fire.

The makings of the fire.

Do you have another test?

Finn had his NICU Follow appointment yesterday morning. I was really looking forward to it because what parent doesn't like to get a snap shot on how their child is doing? I talked to Finn about the appointment before we got there and explained that he had to be a good listener and to ask if he didn't understand something. He was fabulous and the OT testing him pretty much fell in love, I think.

As a reminder, they used the Bayley Scales of Development to measure Cognitive, Language and Motor skills. They assess him based on his adjusted age, which is 36 1/2 months. He scored out of the test at the 42 month level, 91st+ percentile, for cognitive (how you perceive, think, and gain an understanding of the world). As a comparison, last year he scored at the 84th percentile.

This particular test only tests up to 42 months, so when I say he scored out of the test, he demonstrated he knew as much as the test scores. If you allow me to brag for a minute, the OT said that cognitively, Finn is at least one standard deviation above "normal" children his age. She said that intelligent parents tend to make intelligent children (LOL). I asked if this was going to be his intelligence standard as he grew up or if it would even out as he got older and she said there is no way to know that.

He scored at 88th percentile for language (receptive and expressive communication combined). Receptive communication refers to the way a listener receives & understands a message from a communication partner. Expressive communication refers to how one conveys a message to a communication partner by gesturing, speaking, writing, or signing. She was frustrated with his score for receptive because he scored between 40 and 42 months, but the way you test receptive language, you have to know several parts of a question and Finn would answer all but one part, so he didn't get any "credit" for that question. Obviously this is still ahead of his adjusted age, but she said most likely, he is  understanding at 42+ months as well.

He scored at 42 months+ and 35 months (68th percentile combined) for fine and gross motor skills, respectively. She stated he showed 21 month progress in gross motor from his last appointment! It is still his lowest scoring category, but he is only one month "behind" at this point, which I will gladly take! Oh, and he jumped off a stool with both feet and landed on both feet at the appt! I was pleasantly surprised.

When she was giving me the summary, she made me cry. She kept saying how impressed she was with him and how far he has come in three years. She said that they do as much as they can at the NICU but the biggest factor is the environment they go home to that affects their development and ability to thrive the most. If I could have had a crystal ball three years ago when he was at serious risk daily for his life, I would have been able to sleep a little better. Don't kid yourself, I would have still worried, but just differently. He is one truly amazing miracle!

As a "next steps" she said he will need to understand patterns. Like if you have red peg, red peg, yellow peg, which peg comes next. He didn't do it right when she showed him, but he always put them in a mirror image! So that shows some elementary knowledge of patterns. He also will need to do recall. Like, repeat the following numbers to me, "4, 6, 2, 3." He tried and could repeat up to 4, but more than that, he got confused. I like to know what is coming next and now I know that we can play with patterns to help him along.

I think all the ladies (and doctors) in the office are completely under Finn's spell. They all just loved him. At first they said they wanted him back in a year and a half to two years, but then said it was fun to see him and asked if we'd come back in a year! Funny. However I will need to find out if they have a different test for older kids because there really wouldn't be a point in coming back if they do the one he already "completed."

Sick again?

After being back to daycare for a total of four days (Korri has been to 6 of 12 days so far!), I received a phone call this afternoon that Korri had a fever of 102.3 and I had to come get her (Jim, of course, is traveling all week). I mean, really?!?! She is still on her antibiotic from the previous illness! Ironically or conveniently, we had her 15 month well child appt scheduled for late this afternoon, so I figured we could at least have her doctor take a look.

I feel like a broken record, but thankfully, NeNe was able to come along to the appt since Jim was traveling and we had a lot to discuss with Korri's doctor. I started telling Dr. Mackey about the last two and a half weeks at our house and she changed the appt from a well-child visit to a sick-child visit! She said she didn't feel she would be able to focus on the "well-child" issues given how severe Korri had been sick, was still recovering from and now had a new fever.

I was able to pull up pictures on my phone from when Korri's skin was really bad and Dr. Mackey was shocked. She said that she really didn't think that it was Hand Foot and Mouth considering the symptoms were atypical of the disease. However, with Korri's skin already being bad, it is possible it just presented very uniquely. She fully examined her and thinks that NOW Korri might have Hand Foot and Mouth because she had some sores IN her mouth today. Sheesh! Maybe Korri got it from Jim. She sent Korri down for some labs to make sure it isn't something much worse than a virus.

Dr called me back around 8pm tonight and said that overall, Korri's numbers were normal. Her white blood count was elevated, but just in the normal range. One of her ratios was not normal, but usually wasn't an indicator for illness, so not to worry about it. She re-prescribed hydro-cortizone to keep applying once per day until her skin is totally healed and she also said to keep giving Korri the antibiotic until it is gone (today should have been her last day).

SO, we now have Korri's 15 month well-child appt at the end of the month instead of today. Korri keeps Dr. Mackey on her toes. She always comments on how Korri has to be a little diva and do things dramatically. Hmmm...I think that is foreshadowing for much to come!

Baby Steps

We are very excited to be a part of the annual Baby Steps 3K Walk for the second year in a row. In previous years, we have fund-raised for March for Babies/March of Dimes, but since both of these organizations are so important to us, we've decided to alternate our fund raising efforts.

Hours after Finn was born 14 weeks early

Finn's 3 year picture...my what a different three years makes!

Baby Steps 3K Walk supports Children's of Minnesota Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and services. As you may remember, Finn, our first born, spent his first 85 days at Children's and while it was a tough time for our family, it was a comfort knowing he was in the best place for him and he was receiving the best care possible. We have no doubt that the staff and support services at Children's are the main reason Finn is such a healthy little boy today.

Children's of Minnesota has the largest neonatal program in the region and was recognized as one of the top neonatal programs in the country. The combined bed capacity for the neonatal units on the Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses is 138 beds. That is a lot of babies that need and receive excellent care.

Now we are asking for your support. Please either join our team and walk with us on Saturday, June 2 (it is a beautiful walk around the MN State Fair grounds) or give the gift of a donation so that other children just like Finn can receive the best care possible.

Please support this important cause. It's easy and secure - just click here to make your donation on our secure personal donation website. A donation of ANY size is greatly appreciated and WILL make a difference.

Your gift is priceless to patients, families and staff at Children's. Thank you for your support and maybe see you on June 2nd!

Messy Monster

In case you missed Korri's super cute yet so very messy mug shot on Facebook...or if you saw it but couldn't fully grasp the full nature of her sweet, messy little self...here it is in real life video! Enjoy! At least she seems to thoroughly enjoy Mexican food/El Loro just as much as Jim, Finn and I do. She did not, however, eat the salsa with a spoon, like Finn used to do...she just stuck her whole hand in!

First Holy Communion

On Sunday, my little princess and goddaughter, Emma, had her First Holy Communion at St. Raphael's in Crystal. She looked picture perfect and did a great job. I can't believe our little girl is old enough to have her first communion already. Where does the time go.

Twenty-two First Communion participants

Proud godparents

Sassy girl after all was done.

Mother and daughter

Personalized veil

It was probably selfish (or self-centered) of me, but I never had a veil for my first communion (let alone a beautiful dress like hers!), so I wanted her to have one. I was happy to see that all but one girl had a veil so she fit right in (but I bet she was the only one with her name on hers!0!

   

As any good godmother worth her weight in gold would, I made Emma's cake. Of course, taking Korri to Urgent Care on Friday put a big damper on my cake making/decorating schedule. But Korri helped solve that by getting up really early Saturday...I'm sure she knew I need to get up and get started! Yes again, (I'm sure you are getting sick of the broken record that I am) my mom saved the day by taking care of everything while I focused on the cake all day Saturday. I finally text Lorry around 11pm with this text: Cake=done :) Based on the feedback, I think it was a success. I wonder what it would take to make enough cakes to stay home again and still have money come in. Hmmm...

Recovering...slowly

Well, we thought things were getting better, but on Friday, it appeared that Korri's skin started falling off! It was very disturbing and after giving her a bath and talking to the nurse's line, we decided to take her back to Urgent Care. Thank you yet again, Mom, for staying with Finn and helping us out.

Finally a different answer than the other two doctors...a bacterial infection! He thinks it started out as Hand/Foot & Mouth disease but because of the weeping lesions, it turned into strep or staph infection. He prescribed a strong antibiotic that we filled that night so she could get started right away. She continued to recover over the weekend and finally today her skin looked SO much better and she was actually a happy little girl again.

A huge thank you for Mom helping out all weekend and also NeNe for coming last night and today. Korri has to stay home one more day (thank you Lorry for offering to help out tomorrow!!) and can hopefully go back to daycare on Wednesday. We are so lucky and thankful for the wonderful family and friends we have...both those that can physically help out and those that offer much needed prayers, support and positive thoughts!

Finn is showing slight signs of the tell-tale symptoms of HF&M, but isn't complaining much (not that he ever does!) and hasn't had a fever since Friday...so he got to go to daycare today. While I came down with what seems like a normal cold, Jim has actual HF&M disease (he went to the doctor today) and has been hit pretty hard. The doctor told him it would be about five days before he was feeling better. Yikes! A least it appears that we are all in the up swing toward recovery.

Weeping lesions...gross!

While they may have survived the first day of daycare, we may not survive this week! Korri was sent home with the note that she had "gunky" eyes on Monday. We put saline drops in them and they seemed better Tuesday AM, so she went to daycare, only for Jim to get a call to come get her within a few hours due to a fever of 102. He picked her up (luckily she still fits in her infant carrier since her seat was in my car) and took her to urgent care since she couldn't go back to daycare without a note from the doctor saying she was fine. Of course, they said it was just a virus but by bed time, she had a pretty good rash all over much of her body.

When she woke up, it covered all of her back, most of her legs and feet and was spreading to her arms, hands and face with what they call "weeping lesions." SO, Jim decided to take her to our clinic instead of urgent care. Yup, still just a virus, but seriously, people her skin is almost disturbing it is so bad. I was going to take her to Target to pick up her topical prescriptions and dressed her in long sleeves, pants and socks so nobody would be scared by looking at her! It is really that bad. Here is a view of her back and cuddling with daddy before their appt today:

She slept most of the morning and all afternoon after her dr appt, so hopefully all the sleep is helping her get better. I sure didn't mind the hour and a half nap she took in my arms! It was like she was a baby again.

Finn also has a cold, probably the same virus Korri has, but is much less affected with just a runny nose and occasional cough. I know it is good to make their immune systems better, but this is ridiculous. I almost wish to just keep her in the hospital until it is better because the doctor said it could get worse before it gets better! What? How? Her skin falls off? This just makes me realize how serious her skin issues really are. I was just hoping it was a matter of a little eczema with the propensity for occasional hives. Guess we couldn't be that "lucky."

Why am I working again? It took every ounce of will power I had to not just get up and quit today. I just want to be with my babies when they are sick. That being said, Jim really is Super Dad and did a great job dealing with everything the last couple days. I would have lost my mind without him! Korri now has been home sick from daycare more than she has been there and its hasn't been a full week yet :(

Again, a HUGE thank you to my mom for changing her work schedule to come watch Korri Thursday (she was already great enough to offer to come watch the kids Friday since daycare is closed for conferences). Jim had a business trip planned that he couldn't get out of. I feel like a broken record, but I am so thankful for her willingness to help at a moment's notice. Here's to hoping the next couples days see noticeable improvements!

First tee time

Finn received his very first set of real (junior!) golf clubs this morning! Yes, I agree with you that he is spoiled, but Jim felt VERY strongly about getting them AND they were on sale, so I felt like I couldn't say no.

The golf set comes equipped with a driver, wood, iron and putter, a deluxe stand bag with a rain cover. What?!? Doesn't every 3-year old need that? As you can see, he was VERY excited. He, daddy and uncle John have a tee time at a Eagle Lake Youth Golf Center at 10:30 this morning. Jim and Finn went early so they could go to the driving range and practice putting beforehand. I'm excited to hear how it went! Oh, and now Finn said that Korri can have his old plastic golf club set and he'll show her how to use them when she can walk! What a great big brother :)

Also, for the record, Korri needed a morning nap yesterday and today! I can't remember the last time she took a morning nap. Guess daycare did tire her out on Friday!

The four of us went to Benihana last night for a celebration dinner with Stacey, Dillon, Connie and Sam. Man, Finn LOVED it. Korri pretty much cried/whined the whole time, but Finn's reaction was classic. It is so fun to experience these things through the eyes of your child! And a very huge congratulations to Stacey. We are so proud of you and so happy to help celebrate last night!

They (I) survived

The kiddos had their first day at daycare on Friday. It was so hard to have to wake them up at 7 since all three of us are used to waking up on our own internal alarms (who LIKES waking up sleeping children anyway?!?!). After some initial mis-communication about the time the center opens (their paperwork said 7, but they'd told me 7:30), Jim and I dropped the kids off. Finn was concerned about two things before we got there: 1. where he was going to nap 2. what his teacher's name was! We figured both of those things out and he was good to go. I swear, he is so adaptable.

We drop both kids off in the same room and then as more teachers arrive, they separate the older kids into their age-specific rooms. I really like this because that means Finn and Korri can play together for about an hour every morning (or at least BE together). I know it seems like a small thing, but it does bother me that they don't get to see much of each other during the day (I mean, they are used to spending 24/7 together!).

After filling out some paperwork and figuring out where their cubbies were and whatnot, we were ready to go. Well, it was time to leave, I don't know about being "ready." I didn't leave until 7:45 and was supposed to be at work by 8...and I made it to my desk by 8:08. Not too bad. I'm thinking future drop offs will be quicker and smoother. Korri started crying when I said goodbye, but she usual does, so I tried not to let it bother me.

To be honest, I thought about the kiddos all day. The teachers' said I could call any time to check on them or they would call me if I wanted them to...but I declined, as I know myself well enough to know it would just make me cry. I'd rather operate on the basis that no news is good news! Korri's take-home note said, "Korri had a great day. She had fun with musical instruments. We painted today and she may have some left over paint on her arm!" Sounds like a pretty good day to me. Oh, and both kids didn't poop at daycare, which they normally do before late afternoon. I guess they just wanted to save it for me ;)

Oh, while grandma was here, we found the Spock hat from Finn's first Halloween costume (yes, that was two and a half years ago) and it finally fit! So Jim tried to get him to do the "live long and prosper" salutation while wearing the hat. So funny!

On a work note, I actually started "doing" some things on Friday, so I feel like I actually contributed. I also remember how nice it is to get personal things organized and done as well (on lunch break, of course!). I'm so much more organized as a working mom than I was as a stay-at-home mom! Now I just need an elf to vacuum and do the dishes every night. Hmmm...

How quickly things change

Yes, I am now a full-time employee. It all happened so quickly, I didn't even have the chance to breathe, let alone tell many people. Today was my first day and while I am completely overwhelmed and exhausted, I am looking forward to what is to come. I am a Project Manager for Capella University on a contract basis through the end of the year and work out of the Capella Tower in downtown Minneapolis. This position is to project manage about 450 courses that need to go through a series of steps to align scoring guide criterion to course competencies.

After five different visits, we finally decided on a daycare! It is 6 blocks from our house, which just has value to us that you can't put a monetary value on. We just decided that the kiddos' first day will be Friday. I know they will be fine, but I just have mixed feelings about it. They are my babies and it is far different to think of them at home playing with Grandma than at a center! I am really sad about what I/we had to give up by not being a stay-at-home mom any more, but it just all fell into place and we felt it was really meant to be. I am so thankful that my mom was able to come and stay with the kids today and tomorrow. I only wish she would move in and be our nanny. Any other takers? DeAnn?

Korri and Grandma cuddling on the couch!

In The Swim - Emma

My goddaughter, Emma, had a dance recital on Sunday, which, unfortunately, I wasn't feeling well enough to go to. Boo! But here is her dance/singing/acting performance. It MIGHT be the cutest thing I've ever seen. If you don't know Emma, she is the one in the middle with the purple stripes (once they take their coats off)! If she doesn't become an actress, I'll be shocked ;)

They were awful

Ha, April fools! Actually, everybody LOVED the cupcakes I made for Laena and Braeland's birthday party yesterday. I have to say, they were pretty cute! Jim asked me if cupcakes were easier or harder than a cake. Hmmm...just different, I guess. The up side is you don't have to smooth out a whole cake but the down side is they take up a lot more room in the fridge (I was surprised by that). I will be up for doing them again for sure! Here are some pics, but I didn't get any with the birthday kids :(

All the animal faces in the shape of a "3."

Special zebra striped cupcakes for the two birthday kiddos.

Oh, and Finn and Jim had a blast at Chuck E Cheese's. Korri thought she was playing games, but really, she was just touching lights of anything that blinked. Finn so generously gave all the tickets he'd won to the birthday kids, which made me very proud of him (and thankful, since the last thing we need in our house is more junk!).

No stinkin' bottles for me

Korri is finished with bottles! She stopped without either Jim or I even really noticing (second child syndrome?!?!). One night last week, I said to Jim, "Hmm, I can't remember the last time I washed a bottle." And with that, we figured she is done. I have mixed emotions about it. The good is that I don't have to wash bottles and she doesn't need to get up for one any more. But the sad part is that she is growing up so quickly! It is a sign that she is a big girl and the fact that she did it pretty much all by herself is yet another sign of her independence and strong "opinion." Get them off our kitchen counter...I've packed them up and are passing them on to Zander (good thing Kristine is coming over this weekend...the "Zander" bag keeps getting fuller and fuller!).

We are off this evening to what is probably Finn's favorite place in the world...Chuck E Cheese's, for his friends Laena and Braeland's 3rd birthday party. I made the cake for this party which is actually cupcakes...something I've never done before. The theme is "golden" because it is their golden birthday, so the cupcakes are all "gold-ish" animal faces (lion, giraffe, tiger, monkey and bear). Pictures to come afterward (I don't want their mom to get a sneak peek!). I'm sure Finn (and Jim!) will have the time of his life (especially since he didn't have to meet his potty deal to go!).

Get your move on

I'm excited for two new activities coming up this spring. Upon the amazing comment/suggestion from my friend Becky, I signed Finn up for Tumbling class! It meets on Mondays at 4:30 at a neighborhood Rec Center and starts in two weeks (4/9...Austin's birthday). The description says he will learn basic tumbling skills like somersaults, headstands and bridges and the focus is on balance, coordination and body awareness. All things that will be good for Finn, even though I have low expectations for him actually DOING most of these things. It is a parent-participation class, so one of us will be "helping" him. Should be fun for all of us.

The second activity I signed Finn up is for T-Ball!! I'm really excited for this one. Austin did a similar class when he was three, so I can't wait for Finn to experience it as well. It is on Tuesdays at 5:30 at the field down the street but doesn't start until May 15 (Dillon's birthday!). It is also a parent-participation class. Jim said he couldn't find a glove that fit Finn last time they went shopping, so hopefully we can find something. At this age, they obviously don't play a game, but rather  focusing on fundamental skill development and learning to be part of a team.

On a side note, I think it is time to leave diapers behind for Finn and transition to pull-ups for nap and night. I didn't really "get" the point of pull-ups, but since he only needs them for sleeping, it would make it easier.

Pretty flowers

We've been on two new adventures this week (thanks to our friends Sharon, Laena and Braeland). On Monday, we went to the Salvation Army that is considered the "underground Target." They have two levels: the top floor is a regular Salvation Army but the bottom floor is all brand new items from Target (and other stores). Target sends their items there after photo shoots and I also think clearance items, but I could be wrong. We went the day after a HUGE sale, so it was pretty picked over, but I still "managed" to find two bags of stuff for the kids. They get new things every day, so I'm sure we'll be back!

Here are the four kids sitting on a toddler bed waiting for us to pay and leave. The one down side: no restroom! Finn really had to go, so we had to go with plan C (plan B was to go next door, but they didn't have "public restrooms")...pee behind the car! I normally wouldn't condone it, but he really had to go. Problem solved. We went to lunch at Broadway Pizza afterward and has a big room to ourselves, so the kids could let off some steam. It worked out great and the kids loved the food (they have a buffet and Korri ate them out of peaches!).

Then on Tuesday, after a super fun play date at our other twin friends, Lily and Juliette's house, and of course nap, we met Sharon, Laena and Braeland at Macy's in downtown to go to the flower show! This is something I've never done before and never would have gone if Sharon hadn't mentioned it (I kind of invited us along!). It was super easy to find, park and get to Macy's. The kids had a much longer attention span and interest in the flowers than I thought they would (except Korri, but she IS one).

Finn LOVED the water features. I have to say, these flowers were amazingly colorful; so much so that they seemed fake. The show just opened this weekend, so I think it helps to go early on so they are still fresh. After viewing the flowers, we went downstairs and had dinner. Korri was a pill, but the kids did great again. All the way home and before bed, Finn kept saying he wanted to go back to Macy's. He must be his father's son ;) What a great way to spend a few days while Jim is gone (Thanks for babysitting us, Sharon!). Keeping busy doesn't make me feel like a single parent and the kids don't get quite as sick of me.

K-k-k-k-k-Kora

Korri has started blowing kisses and if I do so say myself, there isn't much cuter in life than a baby blowing a kiss! Jim was leaving last week for a work trip and we were on the porch waving goodbye and Finn and I were blowing kisses and she started doing it! I really need to get it on video. Now she does it most times when you say, "bye bye!"

Her hair is driving me nuts! Her bangs are so long and she doesn't really leave clips in unless I can distract her after I put it in so she forgets. A little front pony tail stays in, but she doesn't like to sit still long enough for me to get it in. Who?!?! Korri?!?! I really want to hold off and not cut her bangs, but we'll see. We see auntie NaeNae in two weeks and it probably won't take much convincing to get me to change my mind!

Oh and I just counted Korri's teeth (something I avoid these days to prevent finger amputation!) and she has 11 teeth! Her molars are through the gums, but still coming in. Her bottom second right (left if you are looking at her) tooth isn't in and doesn't really show signs of coming in. I'm sure it is fine, just weird that the matching one is in AND all four molars. Hmmm...

And since I don't like posts without a cute pic (who does?!?!), my wonderfully generous aunt Sandra sent Korri a summer froggy outfit including this beyond-cute summer hat!

She's worn it several times already and thanks to the strap under the chin, can't get it off! But honestly, once it is on, she leaves it alone. I foresee lots of summer fun in this hat! Thanks, Sandra :)

Oh, and happy belated birthday to Memere, who's (or is it whose?) birthday was yesterday!

Second language?

I know how crazy this sounds, but Finn knows and understands Pig Latin! Now, I realize it isn't technically a language, but he really knows it! About a year ago, Jim asked me if we could go for an "alk-way" and Finn responds, "Yes, can we go for a walk, mommy?" I just figured it was context and luck. Well, this past week, Jim was speaking it to me...and Finn understood what he was saying! So, Jim being Jim, he pushed it and within a few minutes, Finn told Jim what a "fish" was in Pig Latin without having ever heard it before. Needless to say, we were impressed. He also sings several songs in French, thanks to Memere and Jim. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I think he has a propensity for language! I've encouraged it since he was born, knowing that the most language connections develop in the brain in the first three years. I guess we'll see, but it was pretty funny having a three year old speaking in Pig Latin (or at least responding to questions that were asked in Pig Latin).

Korri took an unassisted step this morning! In the past week or so, she has gotten a lot more stable on her feet, but still refusing to stand or take a step unless holding on to something. This morning she was standing next to the couch and wanted to get something on the table. She reached over, leaned forward, let go with her other hand and stepped closer! I just about died. She kind of did a mini-version of that in the kitchen again after lunch. Uh, oh! I hope she learns to walk before she runs or I'm going to lose my mind. I really think we're going to have to get one of those yard play pens so I can look away once in a while when we are outside. At least those are made for kids...I was thinking about getting a dog leash that she could run back and forth on!

And this was the site I got when I looked behind the couch:

Uh, oh! They got into the Apples to Apples and Cranium games. On the bright side, they were playing happily with each other :)

Happy St. Patty's Day

My green kids:

Green as in Happy St. Patrick's Day, not green as in environmentally friendly or envious! Oh, and this is Korri's second green outfit of the day...she gets so dirty! It is also Korri's first time in pigtails and is beyond cute...if I do say so myself, which I do!! She looks like a little Irish pixie...which is what Korrigan stands for! Ironic, huh?!?!

Today was our first day of swim class for the spring session and Korri's first class ever!

She LOVED it, although I'm pretty sure she drank about half the pool! She kicked, splashed, went under and "jumped" in like a pro from the edge of the pool. The half hour session went very quickly with two kids. Today was Finn's first time being able to walk out of the pool (he had just learned to walk last winter when the session ended).

Technically, Finn should be in the next class up (Water Tots), but the parent isn't with him in that class and it has been so long since we've been to class. So, I figured this session they'd be in the same class, which makes it easy for us. Going forward, we might have to switch back and forth each session for who gets to have class.

B-E-A-U-tiful weather

Finn's chest congestion has spread to everybody in the house. None of us are deathly ill, but just have the crud. Yuck. Hope it doesn't last long. Finn sounds like he is going through puberty...so funny! One of the best cures is fresh air and sunshine...and we've had plenty of that the last few days! So beautiful. We started by raking the leaves...yes, from last fall. Better late than never. Then I started de-thatching and Jim started edging. Finn said today, "Mommy's really doing a great job, huh?" LOL We probably have two days left on both projects, but it feels so good and rewarding. Korri loves to be outside (as long as she isn't too far from me!) and eats grass, leaves and dirt like its going out of season. Could it possibly taste good? Otherwise I just don't get it. I'm pretty sure the clothes she has worn this week are ruined or at least stained beyond recovery. Isn't the boy supposed to be the dirty one?!?!

Korri still isn't walking. She seems perfectly happy crawling around with one leg up (like she is half walking). I have to say, I'm kind of glad as my life will drastically change when she starts walking. I highly doubt we will be able to just let her play outside like we could with Finn. She climbs up the stairs all day long, unless the gate is up. She has only fallen once, so maybe I shouldn't care if she keeps going up. I just don't think she knows she has to turn around on her belly to come down feet first.

Finn's potty training is going fairly well. He rarely, if ever, has accidents while wearing underwear. He LOVES peeing standing up, even though he is too short to reach! I would say he poops in his potty chair about 50% of the time (the other 50% he saves for his diaper!). He is usually dry after naps, but soaked and/or poopy in the mornings. Hey, I'll take it. I think he is learning how to hold it so we don't have to drop everything immediately, which is helping a lot.

How many Walshes can you fit in one...

After our overly disappointing experience with ECFE on Thursday, I was a little apprehensive about our new Friday class. It is a very popular birth to 5 class, which means it is always full. But I needn't have worried. It is at the same location as Finn's previous semester class, and both kids liked that. The parent educator has a VERY different style then I'm used to, but I'm going in with an open mind. When the parents came back to the room at the end of class, the kids were marching in a line around the room and singing. I thought that was super cute.

After class, we packed up and headed to the Holiday Inn in Alexandria for the weekend. We had a mini family reunion for my Walsh family.Or not so mini...if I counted correctly, there was 37 people there! It was so great to see everybody. It is sad how little we see them the older we get and the busier we get with our own kids/lives. I wish we'd taken a picture of the whole group since it doesn't happen very often. Oh, and I finally got to meet Renae's new beau, Craig...I don't know how she keeps finding these cute, nice Catholic boys ;)

On a different note, the kids LOVED swimming, which is good since we start swim class this coming weekend.  However, we will NOT be taking them to a hotel any time soon. Korri was awful the first night and was better the second, but we didn't get much sleep. I guess she is just a home-body, which I can't blame her for, but seriously! If there had been any takers, she would have found herself part of a different family...it was THAT bad. Finn woke up Sunday with a deep, hacking chest cough...not sure if it is from drinking too much pool water or a cold. Hopefully it isn't serious.

Who do you think you are?

We went to Finn's first "preschool" class yesterday. It is a class offered once a week through ECFE with a focus on Math and Science...I thought it would be right up Finn's alley. And it probably would be however the Child Educator was completely inappropriate. We've had her before in other classes and I was hoping, since this was a different age group, that she wouldn't be in that class. No such luck...but I really am/was open minded and figured I'd just deal with her. That didn't last long.

Finn is not interested in coloring, painting or crafts. I always encourage him to do these activities at class, but he wants to play with their toys or read books. Well, the CE came over and told me that Finn "had" to participate in at least two art table projects. I said he'd done one, I'd asked him repeatedly to do others and that he'd refused. I suggested she try if it were so important. To which she replied that perhaps he should move back down to the 2 year old class because he wasn't behaving appropriately for this age group! I couldn't believe it. He was doing nothing different than the other kids other than not coloring. I was so mad that I was seeing red, but again, I tried to give her the benefit of the doubt. Then, she came over later and told us moms that we needed to "play" with our kids by telling them that a bus was yellow and the cars go "in" the garage, etc. Seriously, lady?!?! I know my kid better than you do and Finn does NOT need me to explain these things considering he's known them for almost TWO YEARS. DON'T TELL ME HOW TO PLAY WITH MY KID!!!! And at circle time, she was practically yelling at the kids because they weren't doing things exactly how she was instructing them to. I really like the Parent Educator and I LOVE the location (it is the only one in NE MPLS and Finn could potentially go to kindergarten with some of these kids), but I don't think I can continue at this site with this child educator.

I called the main office and they suggested sending an email to the program director and also switching classes. There is another Math and Science class in North Mpls that has openings and I think I might switch to. We have regular ECFE class on Fridays, so we wouldn't NEED to have this second class, but since we aren't sending Finn to preschool, I thought it would be a nice compromise. Plus, Finn LOVES this location because they have a gymnasium and get to have play time in there every week (hello...bikes, balls, and other big toys...yes please!!) Argh! Why can't things just go as planned?!?! Sorry to vent, but it REALLY bothered me. Don't disturb momma bear or you'll see her wrath!

Holy Play Date Batman

We had our first ECFE play date gathering at our house this morning. There is a group of us that have been going to class together for two years, but have gotten switched around over the time. So, we have tried to keep in contact by having a monthly play date. This month, it was at our house. After a massive house de-cluttering and cleaning (mainly thanks to Jim!), we had five adults and seven kids over! The kids seemed to have a blast, even if our basement is pretty much toy overload (we almost need more space just to enjoy all the toys!). There was very little conflict or fighting over toys, so that was good. And the adults got some much needed "mom" time, which is always hard to come by but so appreciated. Since Jim's office is downstairs and the volume was turned up to an "11," he worked from our bedroom most of the morning. I love to watch Korri "play" with other kids...she really holds her own. I guess a benefit from being a second child. I think it is really good for Finn to have to share his own toys, which always seems harder to do than when you are playing with somebody else's toys. Can't wait for next month and I can't wait even more for when we can meet OUTSIDE at a park!! Shouldn't be too much longer.

Who's there?

I woke up this morning because I thought I heard something...maybe Finn's bedroom door? But there wasn't another sound, so I figured it was just a car door shutting outside. Then a few minutes later, I heard something else, probably Korri crying, so I got up...and there Finn was, coming UP the stairs with a basket full of toys he'd gotten downstairs! Sheesh. This was a first and it scared me. I'm sure that 99% of the time, he would be fine, but I'm not willing to gamble on the 1%. I told him how dangerous it was to go out of your room without mommy or daddy and how he could have fallen down the stairs and we wouldn't have known, etc. Up until now, he has done really well being in his big boy bed (he calls it "Austin's bed!). He got up and knocked on our door once about a week ago, but that was it. Hmmm... The balance of giving him his freedom and concern for his safety.

Photography

Yesterday, the four of us met NeNe and Uncle Les at Psycho Suzi's for brunch. The food was amazing, as always, and the kids did great (well, Korri would have liked the food to come a little faster!!). It was great to catch up and get out of the house. We walked there and back (since it is two blocks or so) and it was nice to get out in the sunshine and fresh air.

Last night, my friend, Becky, and I attended a workshop titled, "The Art of Photographing Children." It was really great...the workshop AND just getting out of the house! They served wine, cheese and chocolate, so we were set. I learned a lot about lighting and editing (I already had a good handle on composition) and I realized that I have a lot of interest in Macro Photography. One thing the speaker said that really stuck with me is to keep your camera out and handy so that #1 you take pictures and #2 when you take pictures, your kids don't freak out or act differently around it...and to let them PLAY with it. Yikes! But I didn't freak today when Korri was handling it...I was just very watchful and careful. Thanks for going with me, Bec! And thanks, Jim, for letting me get away for a bit!

And in the spirit of photography, here is the new addition to our family:

Jess, in all her infinite wisdom and creativity, took pictures from my maternity photo shoot and created what you see above! Yes, it was over a year in the making, but I was so excited to pick it up today, which is evidenced by us actually getting it up on the wall the same day! I LOVE LOVE LOVE it. I am so thankful to have a friend and photographer in our life that can create such magic. It is canvas, so that is why there isn't a frame around it. I freaked a little when I picked it up because I thought it was gigantic, but it really does work in the space. The photo lady LOVED it too and had others come over to see it before I took it! Now our next project is the kids' pictures on our living room wall.

My princess turns eight

Yesterday, the four of us went to Emma's birthday party! I can't believe my little princess is EIGHT years old (her actual birthday was on Friday). Where has the time gone? She asked me to make her birthday cake (after seeing Finn's cake!) and the only direction I was given is that she wanted dolphins. So, here is what I came up with:

I was pleased with the results and more importantly, Emma seemed to LOVE it. I think she told me thank you five times. I did tried something new with this cake...molded chocolate candies. I was surprised at how easy they were and how pretty they turned out. They added a lot to the overall look of the cake. This was also the first time I incorporated cookies in the cake, but they added a lot. Although they were pretty heavy and before long, they fell and took the edges of the cake with them!

Finn and Korri had a blast at the party. Signs that things are better than they used to be...I only held Korri for maybe five minutes the whole time we were there...and she didn't know anybody! I love that she makes friends fairly easily now. She always needs to know where I am, but doesn't need me to hold her constantly. Finn found some cars and was in heaven. Korri liked the three puppies that were there, too!

Lentils and wasabi

Two things I learned this week:

1. Lentil soup is really good and tastes like a hearty vegetable soup. Will be making it again for sure...maybe a vegetarian version since it is the Lenten season. My next food adventure will be Quinoa and possibly Kale. I'm so worldly ;)

2. Contrary to the opinion that Finn eats everything, he does NOT like wasabi! And based on his visceral reaction to tasting it yesterday, I will not be giving it to him again...EVER! And I gave him a drop the size of a pencil tip...seriously!

Finn's potty training is going okay. He does a good job of going potty on his potty chair and now he likes standing up to pee (I think because he can watch it!), but he is too short to do this by himself...and a stool makes him too tall. We'll figure it out. He does go poopy on the potty chair, but he tends to hold it and try not to go. I know this because he isn't going as often as he was before starting potty training AND when he has to go #2, he keeps saying he has to go potty...like every 5 minutes. Oh, well. Considering it has only been a month, I think he is doing really well...very few accidents, overall.

In the last couple of weeks, Korri has gone from napping three times a day to only once! This has both its pros and cons. First, it allows us more freedom to run errands and get out of the house in the morning (instead of always waiting for her to wake up!). Second, I think it also makes her fall asleep at bedtime better. Or at least she seems to be waking up a little less. However...she probably still needs sleep by around 11am or so, and it takes a lot of effort to keep her happy until nap time at 1pm. But if she naps at 11am, it screws up her whole schedule. I LOVE when they lay down at the same time and I get an hour or two all to myself!!