Third times a charm?

Since Jim shared our news on Facebook last week, I thought I should make it official here as well. We will be a party of five starting this August! Yes, Baby #3 is on the way and we are (technically) halfway through the pregnancy. So far, things have been going really well. Things might start getting a little interesting in a few weeks, but for now, all is well.

We had our level 2 ultrasound last Thursday. It was at Abbott and they had a pediatric cardiologist come in to read it while we were still there...and everything looked perfect with the heart! So happy. There could still be some small issues they can detect after birth but those issues are "easily" corrected. My cervix continues to be plenty long, but continues to thin (about half a centimeter every two weeks). This concerns me a bit, but doesn't seem to concern anybody who knows what they are doing! The one thing that came up was that I have more amniotic fluid than I should (which makes me feel better since I got HUGE way earlier than with either of my other pregnancies...some of that is to be expected, but this is ridiculous!). This could be caused by problems with baby's stomach function (everything looked fine on the ultrasound), problems with the kidney function (again, everything looked fine) or gestational diabetes, but baby measured exactly the right size and would measure large if that was the case. So for now, they want to continue to measure the fluid levels. I have ultrasounds every other week to monitor my cervix and then in six weeks we will do a growth scan. They basically just wanted me to be aware because obviously if you have too much fluid, it can cause your uterus to become tight, which can lead to contractions which is a huge risk for me (well, anybody but especially with history of preterm labor and delivery). I think it sounds worse than it really is. As with most things, we just wait and see.

Much to Jim's frustration, "we" have chosen NOT to find out the gender this time. We did with Finn and Korri and I didn't think it was necessary this time since we already have boy and girl stuff! Although, based on the first picture (below) that we got of him at the ultrasound, I think baby is just like daddy...baby was giving us the one finger salute! LOL. We have several other pics but this one is scanned in, but not the best one to SEE the baby.

Just like in my pregnancy with Korri, we are looking to switch OBs halfway through the pregnancy. I'm so frustrated that it is necessary but we just weren't receiving the level of care that my kind of pregnancy requires. So, I have an appointment with a new doctor on Thursday later this week. It is at the one other clinic in Buffalo but we are optimistic based on our phone conversation with them last week. This is the ONE reason I wish we were still in Minneapolis...we were 15 minutes from Abbott and my OB's office was amazing (AND was across the street from Abbott!). Oh, well. We will figure this out and God will help us with what we can't!

Nighttime potty update: Korri's record remains at 11 nights. She is still dry most nights and then will be wet one but she is doing great. Finn just reached FIVE nights in a row last night, which is his new record! His reward was new Dusty Crophopper sheets (shhhh...don't tell him that I'd already bought them because he needed a second set anyway!).

Korri's First Hair Cut

I was both dreading Korri's first hair cut and also couldn't wait for it to get here as soon as possible. Her hair was just impossible to brush and she didn't like it to be brushed, which would just spiral into more tangles and more tears. So, we set a date for after auntie's wedding so Korri could have curls for the wedding. I teared up twice when talking about getting her hair cut before the the big day, but surprised myself with only feeling emotional as we walked into the salon and no tears DURING! Korri was amazing. She just sat there and didn't move a muscle. We checked before cutting to see if it was long enough to donate to Lock of Love (because we knew it was close) and it was! How exciting to be able to donate 100% virgin hair! Here are some before pics:

 

And after:

  

I don't think I'm alone when I say how much I love it! It is a drastic difference but Korri really seems to like it and I know it will be so much easier to take care of. However, this morning when I told her it was time to brush her hair, she was confused, "Mommy, it is short, I don't need to brush it!" Not exactly, sweetie pie! I will miss spending time with her when I'd braid it or do fancy things, but honestly, those times were usually met with resistance and arguing. When Korri is old enough to brush it herself, I will be the first one to tell her to grow it out, if she so chooses. And I have to admit, the shorter do kind of matches her spunky personality a little better, anyway!! For now at least. It is just hair...it grows :)

Visit Our Video webpage (link on the right) to see the video (it won't upload on here right now for some reason..argh!). It is at the bottom of the page.

Update on night time potty training, of course. Korri slept in unders last night for the first time and...was dry! I took her potty around 1:30 because she woke up. Dare I hope she caught on this quickly? Probably not, but I hope so. I'll stop counting at some point, but this is night ELEVEN of her being dry in a row! Finn is pretty good with short streaks of being dry and then having one wet night. I think he is getting better and does better when we remember to take him potty (sometimes  we need to twice!). I'll wait patiently, especially since he isn't in pull-ups, the bedpads work so well AND he takes care of it himself when he does wet (meaning changes his pad and pj's and goes back to bed!).

Oh and Happy St. Patrick's Day! I tried to put green cream cheese on the kids' bagels this morning...they were having none of it. Not very good at representing their heritage or names! Oh, well. They did both wear St. Patty shirts at least!

Korri's 3 year pics!

Korri's 3 year picture preview is done! If you'd like to take a peek (because, let's face it...she is adorable and Jess, as always, did an amazing job!), please go to:

www.jessicahislop.com/korri
password: korri3yr

Korri is so expressive and spunky and Jess captured both of those characteristics perfectly. I have no idea how I'm going to pick the one that goes on our wall. What is your favorite? I also love the ones of all four of us...not sure how she got one, let alone multiple, with all of us looking and smiling. Finn was a bit wound up!

Let me know if you are interested in ordering any! And as always, if you find yourself in need of an amazing photographer, don't hesitate to contact Jessica!

Potty Time

Update on potty training...Korri has now been dry EIGHT nights in a row! Our deal was when you are dry seven nights in a row, you get to pick anything you want (think along the lines of hotel stay, Chuck E Cheese, Children's Museum, etc.). And you know what she picked? Ice-cream, specially an ice-cream cone. I can handle that. She called daddy yesterday morning to tell him the big news and asked if he could come with to get ice-cream. So hopefully we can do that this weekend some time. I'm so proud of her, but I guess not overly surprised. I'm sure I'm forgetting a lot of the details, but she did the same thing when she potty trained...kind of did it herself! Girls!

Finn is having a hard time because the day Korri hit day six, Finn was wet and had to start over. It is hard for him and I think it is just harder for boys in general. For a while, Finn wouldn't go potty when we woke him up and would become violent. But now (maybe because of this quasi-competition between the two), both kids go potty when I take them between 10:30 and 11pm, which I think helps a ton with not wetting.

And on a different note (and because I don't like a post without a picture), I finally pulled out the blender yesterday afternoon and whipped up some 'moot 'mooies (fruit smoothies, for those of you who don't speak Baby Finn)! They loved them (as did I). I need to make them more often. Apparently, it is better to stand up while having them!

Our NICU Graduate

Today, Jim, Finn and I headed to Children's Mpls for Finn's NICU Follow Up Clinic appointment. I didn't think he needed to go this year but when I heard others we know that are his age were scheduled, I called and they wanted to see him. Okay. Anyway, this was Jim's first time being able to come to one of these and I'm so glad he did. Also, a huge thank you to Pam for watching Korri since I thought Korri would be a bit of a distraction for Finn if she were there.

Anyway, this appointment is both a development assessment as well as a complete physical. I don't want to come across as bragging about Finn but the honest truth is that Finn fully and accurately completed every single assessment that was presented or requested of him...with the small exception that when he was supposed to replicate a "T" with blocks, he did two across instead of three. Gee. He has officially graduated from the NICU Follow Up Clinic! The OT administering the questions (and all the ladies/nurses there) LOVED him. Of course, Finn couldn't just answer the questions...he often had to elaborate or add a story to it and kept cracking Jim and I up. At one point, I was laughing so hard, I honestly couldn't breath (I think it was when Finn drew a picture of daddy, included nipples and felt he had to explain what they were!). It was so much fun to be there and experience Finn's personality coming out like that. Oh, BTW, Finn is on a kick where he thinks he is super funny (and wants everybody else to think he is too!).

We talked about a lot of different things including finding a new pediatrician for Finn. Thankfully, they gave us several recommendations, so I can't wait to establish a relationship with one of them. And since our lame ped didn't make sure Finn had his immunizations for Kindergarten, we looked at what he is missing and I'll need to schedule an appt to get those shots (he is "only" missing two, thankfully).

I asked about filling out Finn's Kindergarten health form and she said there is no need to mention that he was a preemie! She said that he doesn't have a single indicator left from being a preemie! This momma could not have received better news EVER. Praise God in so many ways. If Finn's story and journey doesn't show the miracles that are possible through and because of prayer, I don't think anything does. It is worth mentioning that he is 50 percentile for weight and 10th for height (I thought his height percentile had improved a little more than it did), but that is nothing new for us.

I'm sure I forgot a ton of details. We talked to the doctor a little about Finn's potty training at night and he was SO helpful (apparently there are two kinds/ways of bed wetting...and different ways to help with each). Update on that: Finn no longer wears Pull-Ups and is dry about 40% of the nights (would you agree Jim?!?!) with four consecutive night being his longest streak. Not to be out done, Finn's little sister can't be left out (she still wears Pull-Ups because I only have enough training mats for one at a time!) and without us pushing her at all, Korri has been dry FIVE nights in a row and she got herself up twice last night to go potty! So, she might be night-trained first, but I think that will just give Finn more motivation.

Class of 2027?!?!

Yes, that is what the principal at (what will be) Finn's school told us tonight at Kindergarten Registration. Finn will graduate in 2027! Crazy. Crazy that we will have a kindergartner as of September of this year! Where has the time gone? Seriously?!?!

Finn is SO ready. I only wish mommy were as ready. I know he will be fine. I know he will make friends. I know he will do well academically and socially. I know his teacher will love him. I know he will behave and listen when necessary. I know he will raise his hand and stay in line...most of the time :) I just want him to be my baby forever and not share him with the world.

So tonight was Finn's kindergarten registration. A huge thank you to Stacey for watching Korri kind of last minute since I didn't even think about them not wanting siblings to attend, but duh! What I gathered is that registration is more for the parents than for the children, although the kids were split into two classrooms and got to know some of the teachers and other kids, which was nice. We sat through an hour long presentation about what kindergarten is. Man, from the sound of it, they learn a LOT in kindergarten. I remember painting and napping and recess! I'm sure I forgot a lot of the rest but things have changed a LOT in the, um, few years since I was five. They don't have a final count yet but the principal said she is expecting there to be three kindergarten classes (two in Waverly and one in Winsted, I assume) with a goal of 17 kids per class. That would be great! I went to a smaller school and we always had 28 kids in a class (give or take one or two), which looking back, seems like a lot. All kindergartners are eligible for busing (when older, you have to live more than a mile from the school...and we live 1.1 miles!) but they don't know what the before and after school program will look like because they didn't have very high participation. Um, what do people do with their kids? Don't they work "normal" hours? I hope they have a program or we will have to get creative!

Our new idiot pediatrician, whom we will no longer be going to, said that Finn was up to date with all shots until he was 12 or something. I asked the principal as we were leaving about immunizations and she said there are several that kindergartners needs. ARGH! Thankfully, we are going to Finn's NICU Follow Up Clinic appointment at Children's tomorrow afternoon, so I can ask there.

Overall the evening went well. I only teared up twice, I think, which is better than I was thinking I'd do. (God, please help me be strong on the actual first day of school) Oh, and the parents received a packet (SEVENTEEN pages long!) with forms to return and informational sheets. I asked Finn why I had homework for Kindergarten and he didn't! He thought that was funny. Onward and upward. Here's to the beginning of Finn's (and our) next new journey...

Oh, and Korri had her three year pictures on Sunday. This was the first time that I kind of let Jess just take her on their own and do the pictures without me micromanaging the whole process and forcing Korri to do things a certain way. Because I wasn't there to see what pictures Jess was taking, I'm dying even more than normal to see them! She promised some previews soon. I can't wait! I was so proud of how well Korri listened and did everything Jess asked of her right away. We took a family picture since we were dressed up from Camille's baptism and Finn smiled great, but wouldn't look at the camera! Argh. Just glad it wasn't HIS photo shoot! LOL. I'll post the link when I get it :)

Explorers Gymnastics

Last night (Monday) was the kiddos first night of gymnastics...Korri's first ever since she hasn't been old enough until now. I took the kids by myself and while it is a class with parent participation, it was okay without help because the teacher and her aide helped out a lot. It was at the elementary school in Waverly...the first time we've been there. Now we know what Finn's future school looks like and where it is!

If you remember tumbling class from about a year or so ago, Finn was his normal self...the one that hates to try anything that he isn't perfect at, which comes along with a bad attitude. I quickly told him to participate "right away, all the way and with a happy heart" or he wouldn't be coming back the next week. That seemed to ring a bell and he improved marginally. I told him he wasn't supposed to be able to these things and that was why we were taking a class...to LEARN! The perfectionist trait is so strong in first-borns...at least the ones in my family!

But Korri was a whole other story. She took to it right away and seemed like a pro! She had a hard time paying attention to and following all the instructions (straighten your legs, point your toes, push up on your hands, etc.) but she improved throughout the class. I was SO proud of her. She even did a HAND STAND against the wall without even blinking an eye (even the teacher was impressed). The older gymnasts were practicing on the other side of the gym and Korri couldn't keep her eyes off of them and did NOT want to leave when class was over.

They are supposed to wear leotards or biker shorts but it seemed a little more relaxed than the sheet described, however I couldn't resist at Target last night...

 

I think we stumbled upon Korri's future passion and I'm perfectly fine with that. I'm planning on signing her up for the dance class this fall, which I also think she will love. I'm sad they don't have more t-ball/soccer/football/sports type classes. Oh, well...small town. Gymnastics will do for now. However, class is at 3:30 so it might be tough to keep going when I eventually find a job. We'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

Preschool Explorers

Finn and Korri attended their first day of preschool today! That is misleading because obviously, there was a preschool curriculum at their daycare but it is the first time I've dropped them off at class and left them there (8:30 - 11).

All ready to go to preschool

They both did amazing! I was a little curious to see how Korri would do, but she did great. I think it helped that the preschool is in the same room as ECFE and has the same teacher, so they knew the space and teacher a little bit. They were sitting at the front door waiting for me when I got there to pick them up and there were happy and talked about it all the way home. Finn made one friend, Aubrey, or at leas that was the only friend's name he could remember. Korri said she only played with Finn, but Finn said that wasn't true. I turned in the ridiculous amount of paperwork so hopefully if we don't qualify for the scholarship, the tuition still isn't very much. We will see. Oh, and the kicker of the deal, starting Thursday (I think, we had to get on their schedule), the kids will RIDE A BUS HOME! There have a little bus that drops all of the preschoolers off! If there were older kids on the bus, I would NOT allow it but I'm curious to see how it goes. Korri was ticked that she didn't get to ride it today...so I think it will be fine!

I really hope there are some 5 year olds that will be in Finn's class this fall, so he starts to know some kids.

Finn Rescreen

Today we had Finn's Early Childhood Screening rescreen. He was screened back in July '12 but due to several factors (even though he passed), they recommended he be rescreened at a later date. Well, we tried last summer, but the facility was booked when I called. So, now that we moved, our new school district was offering it today! The four of us headed over to the HLWW High School. Jim wasn't able to come the first time Finn was screened, so he took Finn through all the stations. Again, Finn passed with flying colors (he should have scored a 16 for his age and he scored 28!). The nurse was concerned about his hearing because he couldn't/didn't hear ONE sound they made for him. I'm not concerned but if there is a problem, I'm sure it will quickly come to light once he is in school (yes, that will be upon us before we know it!).

They took his height and weight and actually gave us his percentiles (which his pediatrician did not do at his well-child appt). He is 50th for weight (41 lbs) and TWENTY-FIVE percentile for height (41")! I know this may not seem like a big deal to the average person, but (as most of you know) Finn's height has always been a concern. He has NEVER been above the 10th percentile before. That means he is growing faster than his past growth curve and he is most likely growing faster than other kids his age. Don't get me wrong, I'm not having visions of a skyscraper of an NBA player, but I'm just happy he is growing and so healthy. SUPER happy momma moment for me. Side note: I told him he was square: 41x41! He didn't get my humor but I thought it was funny.

Korri just had to sit around and wait, but she was SO good. She put some chairs and tables together to make a tunnel and since there wasn't many people there, I didn't care. They even gave her some crayons so she had something to do.

At the end, we met with the ECFE director, which is the same lady I had a run-in last fall when they changed the time of the ECFE class for NO reason in the middle of a session. I was completely discouraged with ECFE is our school district because they did not have ONE class for kids 3 and older with a parenting component (which, let's be honest, is why I go to ECFE). She said that she opened up the 18-36 months class to kids up to 5 years...so we are going to consider that for Thursday nights going forward (but it is still at the later time which I do NOT like). She also told us about a new preschool program they offer in Howard Lake Tues and Thurs AM which both Finn and Korri could attend. They received a huge grant so she made it sound like the tuition would be waived! I'm going to call about that on Monday because I think it would be great for them AND me!

Basically, Finn is ready for school (which we already figured!). His kindergarten registration (gasp!) is on March 10. I'm really looking forward to this because I think he gets to see the classrooms and teachers and start to be familiar with the surroundings. It is really weird that in a town that is 2.5 sq mi...I have yet to come across the elementary school! It must be on the north side of the highway. While Finn is excited for kindergarten registration, he just doesn't understand why he can't go to school now. It will be here before we know it, buddy! Where has the last FIVE years gone? Seriously...anybody?

Twenty Questions - Korri 3

Starting at age 3, I have been asking Finn and now am asking Korri these 20 questions every year around their birthday(s). I am hoping to assemble a small album for each of them with their yearly answers. It should be fun to see how their answers change. I chose NOT to direct or influence their answers in anyway.

20 questions: answered by Korrigan on 2/6/14

1. What is your favorite color? Yellow
2. What is your favorite toy? Babies
3. What is your favorite fruit? Apples
4. What is your favorite TV show? Sophia the First
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Pasta, then pizza
6. What is your favorite outfit? Dress
7. What is your favorite game? Playing with panda bears
8. What is your favorite snack? I don't know, then Goldfish
9. What is your favorite animal? Lion
10. What is your favorite song? Cadillacs
11. What is your favorite book? Panda Bear, Panda Bear
12. Who is your best friend? Jacob, then mommy
13. What is your favorite cereal? Frosted Flakes
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Play
15. What is your favorite drink? Sprite
16. What is your favorite holiday? Eating my cake (her birthday!)
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Sleeping Beauty, Liony Lou
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast?  Cereal
19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? Pizza
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? Sleeping Beauty

I asked Finn his first and it was SO much easier than with Korri. That being said, I think she understood the questions better than Finn did at 3...maybe. She was distracted and just answered whatever she could see, in some cases. Oh, well, that will get better as she gets older.

My commentary (for what it's worth): 2. Spot on! 5. Pizza for sure. 8. She never has gold fish but couldn't think of anything else. I think candy would be her favorite. 10. Two Black Cadillacs by Carrie Underwood? That is the only thing I could think of and I have no idea how she came up with this. Twinkle is actually her favorite song. 12. Finn said there isn't a Jacob at daycare, but Korri said he is in the toddler room...so I asked her again and she said mommy...ahhhh. 16. She didn't know what "holiday" meant. but still had a good answer. 20. What girl DOESN'T want to be?!?! LOL.

On her birthday, we had her well-child appt, which was really good, then mommy and Korri got their nails done at the nail salon for the first time. Then Korri went to daycare and they celebrated with cupcakes there. For dinner, NeNe and Uncle Les came over for...what else...pizza, before opening a few presents, including her new dollie house!

Twenty Questions - Finn 5

Starting at age three, I've asked Finn the same 20 questions around the time of his birthday. This year it is on his one month anniversary of being five...close enough! I chose NOT to direct or influence his initial answers, and let me tell you, it was MUCH easier this year then in previous years. Here are his responses:

 20 questions: answered by Finnegan on 2/6/14

1. What is your favorite color? Yellow
2. What is your favorite toy? Trains and cars
3. What is your favorite fruit? Pineapple
4. What is your favorite TV show(s)? Jake and the Neverland Pirates
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Pancakes
6. What is your favorite outfit/thing to wear? Pajammas
7. What is your favorite game? Hide-and-go-seek
8. What is your favorite snack? Pirate Booty
9. What is your favorite animal? Crocodile, because it is on Jake and the Neverland Pirates
10. What is your favorite song? ABCs
11. What is your favorite book? The Chicken Book
12. Who is your best friend? Korri 
13. What is your favorite cereal? Frosted Flakes or Mini Wheats
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Soccer or football
15. What is your favorite drink? Lemonade
16. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Kiki
18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Cereal
19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? Pasta with red and white sauce
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? Ice Skater
Bonus Question:
21. What is your favorite sport to play? Basketball

I felt like he really "got" most of the questions this year. There were a few that we came back to so he could think about them for a little bit. Because I don't direct his answers, here is my commentary on some of his answers. 1. His favorite color is usually red or green...I guess not today! 2. Trains are NOT his favorite toy. Maybe cars, but I would say Dusty Crophopper is his favorite. 5. We RARELY have pancakes, much less for lunch, but whatever. 8. Pirate Booty is aged white cheddar puffs. 11. I don't know this book but he said they read it at daycare. Anybody? 12. He answered this without hesitation, be still my beating heart. I think the REAL answer is Carson from daycare, but that's okay. 14. I think riding his bike is actually correct but it is hard to think about playing outside in the middle of this horrible frigid winter. 20. Not sure what to make of this one! LOL!

Here are some pictures of Finn on his birthday. We were in San Diego and went to the San Diego Zoo...talk about a great birthday. Then he picked pasta for dinner, so we went to Olive Garden. He was in heaven!

If you are curious as to what his responses were last year, click here to link to that post!

2013 - a year in review

Here is a video clip that Google Plus put together of various pictures and videos I've taken over the last year. I thought it was really neat to see and I hope you enjoy as well (I hope you can view it since I'm linking directly from the source).

https://picasaweb.google.com/106162675812290445107/122713?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCLX3zonl5emekQE&feat=directlink

12/27/13

https://picasaweb.google.com/data/feed/base/user/106162675812290445107/albumid/5962166230944882113?alt=rss&kind=photo&authkey=Gv1sRgCLX3zonl5emekQE&hl=en_US

Monster Cookie Bars

What you need:
1 stick Butter
1 cup White Sugar
1 cup Brown Sugar
3 Eggs
1-½ cup of Chunky Peanut Butter
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
4-½ cups Oatmeal
1 package (12 Oz. Size) Mini Chocolate Chips
1 package (12 Oz. Size) of milk chocolate M&M's (we prefer Reese's Pieces)

Make it:
1. Combine the butter and sugars, blend well
2. Blend in eggs one at a time and baking soda
3. Add peanut butter in mix and blend until smooth
4. Then one cup at a time, mix in oatmeal
5. Slowly add in the M&M’s and chocolate chips (if you are using a mixer, don't over mix or candies will break)
6. Spread in a well greased 10x15 pan for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees– do not overbake! These taste better just a little on the soft side. Store in an airtight container.

So much easier than cookies...and just as good (if not better because they stay chewy).

Magic

Other than almost burning down the house on Friday, working from home is going well! I decided to take a quick break to bake some banana bread (or :boo-nana bwed," as Korri says!). Let's just say I should have 1. used bigger pans (it spilled all over). 2. attempted to clean up the spillage right away. 3. NOT tried running the clean cycle immediately after baking the bread with the spillage still in it! The entire main floor filled with smoke but I set up a relay system with the fans and it blew it out rather quickly. But man, that smell stays around for a long time. On the bright side, other than looking funny, the bread was really good (even JIM said so!).

Maybe I should complain (I like to call it venting!) more often...Korri slept through the night both nights this weekend! Sweet. She still gets up early, but I think we may need to consider room darkening shades for her room. Overall, the transition to a big girl bed went about as well as we could have hoped. Now I hope that trend continues. This is how I found her when I went to bed last night...half on and half off!

AND...Korri didn't cry this morning before daycare or during drop off! I am so proud of her. She was somewhat distracted because it was raining out and her feet got wet, but I'll take it! Finn has a mildly bad cough (does that make sense?!?!), so I don't know if he is sleeping very well and seems out of sorts. I mentioned it to his teacher when I dropped him off this morning. I thought about bringing him into the doctor late last week but Jim thought it was just a cough...then it got worse yesterday and this morning, he was wheezing. Oh, I hate sick kids...darn new daycare germs! It isn't nearly as bad as the adjustment to our old daycare...remember that? Korri's skin practically blistered and fell off! See, things can always be worse. Jim made the kids some "honey tea" for their coughs and I thought it looked funny, like they were drinking coffee:

And finally, once I realized that I wouldn't be able to watch the Vikings at home unless we got cable, the DirectTV guy came and installed it on Friday. What an ordeal that was, but the best part? It went out at Noon yesterday...yes just before kickoff of the Vikings game! Jim worked his magic (I'm SO thankful he is good at that stuff!!) and was able to finagle a signal to our basement TV and we got to watch the last 3 minutes of the first half and the second half, if you can call it a second half! Terrible game and we missed the only parts that were worth watching. Oh, well.

Because people keep asking

Yes, I have a new work schedule! I met with my boss and his boss last Thursday and we decided it was okay for me to work from home...part time. On a trial basis with an evaluation after one month, I will be working in the office Mondays (because Jim usually doesn't travel until Tuesday if he can help it) and Wednesdays (because it is my heavy meeting day) and from home the other three days. I think it is the most I could hope for right now and we'll see how it goes. I looked into the bus option but am hesitant to pursue it. I like having the flexibility a car gives you but I DON'T like driving the whole way (I would get on in Wayzata, I think). We'll see how that plays out. Oh and no update on the permanent position. I guess we'll just wait and see.

Bedtime update: if I'm completely honest, which I don't WANT to be, things are better. Going to bed is MUCH better and most nights, Korri only gets up once to go potty...even if she JUST went potty! Oh, well. I'll give her that one little concession. And things are fine until midnight or so. Then she gets up for who knows what reason! Last night I was up with her FOUR times and Jim was up with her TWO! Seriously. And then she was up at 6:15 and I said, "heck no!" I told her she had to go back into her room until it was light out (thank GOD it is getting light later now!). It worked and she didn't wake up until after 8! I'm just not used to getting interrupted sleep like this. I know it will get better (or at least HOPE it will). I think the other thing that is hard for us is that Finn is and always has been such a good sleeper that we don't know how to deal with this "new" behavior. Hopefully we figure it out together and if not, the knob locks I ordered from Amazon should be here soon and then she'll HAVE to stay in her room!

Overall, daycare is going great! Finn is 100% adjusted and LOVES it (although he does talk about his "old" daycare once in a while). Korri is having a really hard time with drop off and the time leading up to drop off. As soon as she hears the word "daycare" she starts crying and says she doesn't want to go. Then once we get there, she clings until we hand her over to her teacher and then she screams. I know it is part of the transition (hey, this little girl has had a LOT of transitions over the last two months!) but it breaks my heart. She asked me this morning if she could just stay home with me. Oh, I wish, little girl, but I'd get NOTHING done!

Because I hate a post without a pic, snuggles with Finn this morning!

Big girl bed!

One of the promises associated with us moving was that Finn got to transition to what he calls "Austin's bed" (a twin sized bed) and Korri transition from her crib to Finn's toddler bed! This is about 6 months earlier than Finn did, but in addition to it being a bribe (shame on us!) for her to want to move, she is also potty training at night and needs to be able to get out of bed. So, necessity, I guess, but I feel like she is too young and I had anxiety about it.

Night #1: After talking to her endlessly over the last few months about how when you have a big girl bed, you need to stay in it and not get out, etc, I hoped she was ready. She did okay, but bed time was really late and both kids pretty much passed out, I think. She woke up around 1pm soaked through but did stay in her bed until we came to her.

Night #2: She was braver and got up from bed, but stayed in her room and did NOT want to go to sleep. She finally did and woke up at some point (can't remember when) to yell for me and then go potty in the bathroom. She has a potty chair in her room, but prefers to go in the toilet.

Night #3: Would NOT go to sleep and would NOT stay in her room! She couldn't open the knobs at our old house but can here. She finally fell asleep (who knows what time?!?!) on the floor of her room. Oh, well. At least she was sleeping. She slept through until 4am, until she needed to go potty. Progress, I guess.

Night #4 (last night): We talked again about how big girls stay in their rooms (I've given up on the hope that she will stay IN her bed) and after Jim put her to bed, she needed to go potty (she has mastered stalling...something Finn hardly ever did or does) but stayed in her room until I open her door. She had to point out immediately that she stayed in her room and I told her that she did a good job. And she slept through the night (or the lack of sleep finally caught up with me and I didn't hear her?!?!).

Definitely progress. I hate change. I hate transitions. We had such a nice routine before we moved, but there is hope that things will calm down again. Finn loves his big kid bed and looks so darn tiny in it! It has rails, but we thought they would be harder for him to get down and he doesn't fall out of his bed often, if ever, so we didn't install them. He was sleeping IN his bed with the light on and door open when I went up to bed last night. Hey, at this point, as long as he is sleeping, I don't care!

I have pics of Koko in her big girl bed, but they are on the camera, of course.

Yesterday was the first day of their new daycare. Jim dropped them off because on Sunday night at 9:30pm I found out I had to go into work for a meeting the following morning! Argh. My drive sucks (about an hour and 15 minutes). Jim said the kids did well at drop off and were so excited to get there. When we arrived to pick them up, they wanted to tell us all about their day and show us all the projects they worked on. Finn's note said, "We thoroughly enjoyed having Finn in our classroom!" And that his favorite activity was meeting and playing with new friends. Success! Seriously, our kids are amazing. I love their ability to adapt and enjoy new things. Korri's note said they learned about "Y" and the number "6," and her favorite activity was making a caterpillar (which she talked about several times after we left!). I'm sure we may still have some transition issues, but day #1 at daycare was a HUGE success!

Homeless no more

We are no longer homeless! Well, thankfully family took us all in so we weren't ACTUALLY homeless, but we are home owners again. In true form, the sellers had to cause problems right until the bitter end (even as we were signing the papers...thankfully they weren't there, though). But, we should not have to deal with them again and we have a wonderful house and yard to live in, so we can't complain too much.

We signed the paperwork Thursday afternoon and all of our PODS were delivered before we got back to the house. Pam, Marty, Auntie Becca and Uncle Pete (with families!) all came over to help unload the PODS. Holy moly...they were efficient. Jim and I started unloading at 5pm and ALL SEVEN were empty by around 8:30! Not bad at all! Thank you SO MUCH for coming over during the week to help. We could NOT have done it without you.

Friday morning, we made a list of things we needed and headed to the store. And when we got back, we found out that the previous owners had given us keys to the front door deadbolt but NOT the handle! So, for an hour and a half and one trip to the hardware store, Jim broke in the door...yes, as in the lock was smashed in and the door was splintered vertically! What a fiasco that was. The kids (along with Memere and Grandpa) arrive early afternoon. It was SO good to have them back with us and they absolutely LOVE the house. It helps that the basement has all their toys they haven't seen since April and is otherwise empty, so they can play and play unhindered. Lynn helped a ton and then they headed back home for what I assume is some much needed peace and quiet (who can blame them?!?! LOL) on Friday night. My mom came after work (only a little over an hour from her work...sweet!) and pretty much unpacked 90% of our kitchen by herself over the course of the weekend. She is amazing. We still have lots to do, but at least we can live somewhat normally, if not still very unorganized :) NeNe and Uncle Les came over on Saturday; she helped wash and organize our china and Les was the self-appointed Installer (towel racks, CO detectors, ceiling fans, etc.).

We are SO happy to be in our house TOGETHER. And we are so thankful for all the help we've gotten over the last few days (well, actually last few MONTHS!).

Austin, Lilly and Levi watching a DVD and enjoying the cushions and open space in the living room.

 Finn and Korri playing downstairs (didn't take long to get this messy, trust me!!):

I have to admit, I sometimes get caught up in the who does what and how much and how often and how far, especially as a parent. And I HATE that I do. Why is it that we somehow take our worth as parents and feel like we've done a good job if our kid is "above average" with something? I have done a really good job of NOT comparing Finn to his peers with his gross motor skills. It was hard but the day (VERY early on) I came to terms with the fact that Finn WOULD do these things, but just on a different time frame, I could give it up and not stress about his physical ability (or lack thereof). I still brought him endlessly to physical therapy to give him the helping hand he needed, but it was with a sense of nurturing, not pushing.

But I think to offset it, I took great pride in his AMAZING speech, vocabulary and intellect. Like, "See, I AM a good parent, because my kid...blah, blah, blah." How faulty that way of thinking is, but it is so ingrained into our society, that I truly don't think we think about it. I AM proud of Finn's (and Korri's too, for that matter!) ability and I DO worry about his inabilities, but none of it is a reflection of me as a parent. I've learned to be a strong and ever-present advocate for my children and THAT is what you should take pride in as a parent. I'm there. I notice. And I DO something when needed. I ask lots of questions to people who know more than I do on any topic, I get help when needed, I seek treatments or therapy in areas where they struggle, I encourage them when they think they can't do things, I point out how strong, smart and beautiful each of them are, I hug and kiss them every single day and I tell him how important they are and how much I love them.

A friend on Facebook shared this article and it really got me thinking. My kids ARE happy and know they are loved. I say "I'm sorry" to them when the situation warrants it, which lets them know they are valued and that it is okay to question adults. I think THAT is truly the crowning achievement as a parent. I want to create an environment for my kids where they can grow up to be well-adjusted, happy adults. One-upping each other as parents isn't going to accomplish that goal! Here's to raising "average," happy children. Feel free to read if you want a reminder on just that!

What Should a 4 Year Old Know?

Cornfest 2013

Thursday night, Kelsie and I went to a movie..Airplanes! Yes, the new animated Disney movie and no, we didn't have kids with us. But it did make me miss my kids a lot. This movie is in the same spirit as Cars, but it is rated PG (Cars and Cars 2 were G). Finn has yet to go to the theater to see a movie and I thought this one might be a good option. But Finn is very sensitive, especially when it comes to movies and noise, so I wanted to see it first. There were some scary moments but nothing violent. Personally, I think Cars 2 was FAR more violent. And it was super cute with the message about perseverance and overcoming your fears. So, I think once we are moved in, Jim and I will take Finn on a date (Koko will probably get a date with Nene!). I can't wait. Both Jim and I LOVE going to movies and I'm looking forward to the day when we can do it as a family, especially for something to do in the winter. Thanks for the date, Kelsie!

Jim and I headed out on Friday a little early since it was Cornfest weekend! We LOVE Cornfest and now that we have kids, it is even more fun. And to make the weekend even more special, Grandma Kathy came, too! The weather was beautiful and while the kids were somewhat crabby on and off, they were pretty good considering they've been displaced for over three weeks and their schedules were a little off. And to make it even more super duper extra special...Austin and Ben were staying with Grandma Mary so we got to spend some time with them, too! It really was just a great weekend. The kids played Bingo and Austin and Finn did the dunk tank (they let Finn go up and push the lever!). The food was really good this year (has been hit or miss in the past) and Finn and Korri both liked the chili cook off. I honestly think my kids thought the Lakeside park was the best part...which they can play at any time! Oh, well. The more physically fit in our family (i.e. Kelsie and uncle Les!) even ran the 5K Sunday morning. Then, as always, the weekend is capped off with the parade. It was nice that Austin helped Finn and Korri get candy because it was during their nap time and both were super tired by the end. Austin has it down to a science and his hands can hold a LOT of candy!

Great weekend, but man, were we tired when we got back to the Cities! Here are some pictures:

New addition to the family

I hate everything about buying a new car, except taking it home.

That being said, we spent all of last night buying a new...Town & Country! We figured, "why ruin a good thing." Especially since we really loved our van that was totaled last month. We decided to lease, which means we were able to afford a brand new one! Sweet. This will be my ride for the next three years, barring any unforeseen circumstances. It has a lot more get-up then the 2010 did, so Jim likes that. I've only driven it around the block...because we need to save miles on it now, which is not something we normally think about. But we bought extra miles into the lease and we have Jim's car, so we should be fine. Jim returned the Enclave today...sad to see it go. Man, that was a nice vehicle!

One thing done. Now we just need to actually buy our new house and we should be set...for a LONG time :-)

Zand-man time

Update on closing? We are now closing on the last possible day the sellers could pick...August 22! I'm trying not to be bitter, but man, they jerked us around with this whole process. I just can't wait until we have the keys and can move our stuff in...and more importantly, live together as a family in our new home! If you are free and want to help unload the storage PODS or help unpack boxes, let me know! We'll take any help we can get.

Update on the van? Total loss. The computer was ripped out from under the hood, so just to buy a new computer, and wiring to hook it up wasn't worth the expense. We really didn't want to have to buy a new car right now, what with trying to finance a house and all, but the value it more than we owe, so we should be able to replace it fairly easily. We just need time to find something. We have to turn the rental in next Wednesday, which doesn't give us much time considering Jim is gone until Friday, then we are heading right to Oville when he gets back. We'll figure it out (of all the stress we've had, this is just a tiny blip). I stopped at the auto body shop early this morning to empty it out. Kind of weird, but I got everything (I hope!), including Finn's DVD from the DVD player.

Tuesday night, Jim and I met DeAnn and Les at Figlios. It was a first for them but a favorite of ours. We had a great time and amazing food, which ended in a huge storm coming through, which was kind of cool. Then, Jim and I decided to take advantage of the location and go to a movie. We saw "We're the Millers." Super funny.

Last night I got to spend the evening with Zand-man! Kristine wanted some help going through some paperwork of dad's, so I volunteered to come over. I got the better end of the deal: help Kristine look through papers (albeit dirty/messy papers!) for a couple hours in exchange to get to play with Zander for two hours AND they fed me dinner. Sweet! I found a piece of paper (Dad saved EVERYTHING but at least seems to have been very organized about it), which he "signed" Dad, so I took a picture of it (future tattoo, possibly, and if not, a great find!):

I couldn't keep my hands off poor Zander...if I can't have my kids, Zander is a VERY close second. LOVE that kid :-)

We're gonna win Twins!

Friday, Jim came home and we started the crazy time that was this weekend. We got a room at the Holiday Inn in Maple Grove since they have a HUGE swimming pools/water park area and the kids were joining us on Saturday. Then Saturday we had a lazy morning before the kids (and grandma) got there around 4pm. Man, was I itching to see them and kept walking back and forth to the elevator (stalker much?!?). Holy moly had I missed them. I swear they each grew an inch. Friday night, they got to stay over night at Grandma's house, which was super fun for them, but one night was not enough time! As soon as they got to the hotel, we hit the pool. I didn't take pictures but it was awesome. They had three swim areas: hot tub (that wasn't too hot!), kiddie pool that was maybe a foot and a half at the deepest and the big kid pool complete with basketball hoops, a monkey bars type thing and two four-story waterslides!

Then auntie Kristine, Zander and Austin joined us for dinner (the dinner break was NOT appreciated by the kiddos!). Then what did we do? Went swimming again, of course! Jim convinced Austin to go down the water slides with him...and then he some how convinced me to do it, too...twice! There were three slides, all of varying heights, in the kiddie pool, so Finn, Korri and Zander were in heaven. I'm pretty sure they would have stayed there until they actually fell asleep if they'd been allowed.

Sunday, the five of us got up, packed and went to the Twins game! It was the annual March of Dimes Twins game, which we always enjoy because we get to walk on the field before the game...it never gets old. This year, we were the SECOND family so that was pretty cool. Finn COULD have been the kid to hold TC's hand around the field, but he was too chicken...and Korri was terrified of him. How do you teach your kids to be a little more adventurous?!?! Mom joined us and it was the first time she'd been to Target Field...and the last time she'd been to a professional sporting event was 45 years ago, she said! Crazy. Well, since most people never get the opportunity to walk on the field, she did it right! The weather was perfect and the kids did really well...except the game was at 1pm...yup, nap time! We left a little early because the kids were about to crash. After we got back to MG, mom gave Jim a ride back to his car at the hotel and he said Korri was sleeping before they got there...which was a FIVE minute drive!

Oh and Christmas came early when the new car seats arrived Friday night. Jim and I divided and conquered and it didn't take TOO long to figure them out. Hope we installed them right! Korri was super excited because she now has a cup holder...which means she gets to have beverages in the car. Finn felt the need to point out to her that he has TWO cup holders in his new seat! Brothers!

Thank you so much, Mom, for toting the kids back and forth and for spending the weekend with us. Having you there was so much help and made everything so much more special. Also, thank you to Lynn for helping get the kids back and forth, too. So much planning went into this weekend.

I did okay last week with the kids being gone, but I'm really struggling now. It is a long time and we only were with them for about 24 hours this weekend. Jim is traveling until Friday, so we can't even take Friday off to go see the kids early. Oh, well. This too shall pass, but it is hard.

Sorry for the super long post! But here are some pictures from yesterday:

Single and fancy free

Tuesday night, Jim and I went to Pittsburgh Blue for a belated celebration of selling our house. I'd heard mixed reviews about it and since Jim's LOVES Murray's so much, I was skeptical. But I shouldn't have been. It was amazing! I would go back in a heartbeat and Jim said his steak was one of the best he'd ever had. Pretty high praise from him.

Then I was single and kid-less for the rest of the week...very weird feeling. Jim was on a business trip and the kids were still in Oville. I went to happy hour at Granite City with my friend Jess on Wednesday night. It had been FAR too long and it was so good to catch up with her. The beer and apps were good (and cheap!), too. Thursday, I treated myself to getting my nails done and running errands ALL NIGHT! I think I got home from shopping at 9pm! I was tired, but man, it was nice to run around without having to deal with crabby kids or car seat buckles!

Friday, I randomly stopped at Underground Target (i.e. Salvation Army in downtown) and found these total steals:

Four brand new, metal, padded patio chairs for less than $40 each! I looked online and the cheapest I could find were $65 each at Target, but there were out of stock. Sweet...and they JUST fit in the Enclave. Now if only we had a patio/fire pit area to put them on! Hmmm...

Update on van? No real update, but they don't think it is totaled, which is good...but who knows how long it will be until it is fixed?!?!