Team Gootch

Princess and Ballet Camp for the Prima Ballerina

2010-08-13T12:14:00.004-06:00

Kate just wrapped up two different camps at the GH YMCA. Last week was a two day deal called Pretty Princess Camp (day 2 pics above), and this whole week was Magical Ballerina Camp. Although she decided to sit out one dance where the girls pretended to be animals in a zoo (she said she didn't like that song), and despite the fact that she protested going to camp most mornings, from the looks of it I think she enjoyed herself immensely. And BTB, I tried to get her into both a science/discovery camp, and an art camp, both of which were full. Just for the record. Toddlers and Tiaras is not next for us.

Happy Birthday, Baby Girl

2010-07-12T07:05:00.001-06:00

A Chicago Weekend (aka, 3 days, no kids)

2010-06-21T21:12:00.002-06:00

June Update 2010

2010-06-21T21:02:00.000-06:00

Settling In

2010-06-03T12:24:00.000-06:00

Email

2010-06-02T11:56:00.001-06:00

While practicing her letters today:

"Guess what, mom? I'm making you an email. I'm going to send it to you when it's done."

Tidbits from this Week

2010-05-25T13:08:00.003-06:00

"Anna! You're quite the crawler!" (with hand on hip)

"Decay. Momma? Do you know what decay is? It's when something chaaaanges. Like a banana. Or an apple. Or a pumpkin decays."

"Momma? Have you ever been to Wisconsin? I've been to Wisconsin. When I was little I was there."

A Map

2010-05-18T07:40:00.002-06:00

Kate was busy drawing and rolling up a piece of paper this morning. She came over to me and proclaimed to have made a map to Michigan.

"See? First you go up into the sky, and then you go down through the sky, and then you're in Michigan!"

The Penguins

2010-05-13T12:41:00.004-06:00

We are sad that our Pittsburgh Penguins are done for the year, but we love and are proud of our Uncle Dan! Especially Anna, who in support of Uncle Dan wore these to bed last night...

Go Pens 2011!

Anna Is Crawling!

2010-05-12T10:16:00.001-06:00

I have to admit, I sorta wish she had waited until we were moved so that I could concentrate on packing instead of chasing her, but it is definitely exciting nonetheless. Not only is she crawling all over the place, but she has started waving bye-bye, clapping and she suddenly has 2 teeth! More soon to come from the looks of things. Enjoy!!

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-08T08:59:00.002-06:00

It just occurred to me that Mother's Day is tomorrow. This is honestly something that in my chaos I overlooked, which is odd for me because I love any chance to be in the spotlight over here. That said, as you might imagine, I've been distracted by the 1,279 things on my to-do list. Packing up your own house, while caring for two little ones, AND dealing with a baby with the flu (yup, she's had the flu for 7 days now) all at the same time is not good. Just really not good. And so, with all of that complaining and all of those excuses, this is my Mother's Day wish for the mothers in our lives...

May you have a beautiful day and lovely year ahead. Thank you for all of that you do and that you've done. Thank you for being a wonderful Grandma to our little girls. We hope that this move to the Mid-West allows our girls to see you more and develop a wonderful, lasting and meaningful family tie with you. We love you very much!

And look at that - I even saved on postage!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

2010-04-16T15:11:00.000-06:00

One more thing (for today)

2010-04-16T09:57:00.000-06:00

Kate just said, "I love my Grandma. And I love my Grandma Sloane. And I love my tennis shoes."

Classic.

Catching Up

2010-04-16T07:48:00.003-06:00

Since Anna's bout with whatever that horrible rash was, I've been otherwise occupied... my mom visited for 2 weeks and on the last evening of her time here it was decided that we will be moving to the mid-west. I'm delighted, it's true, but admittedly we should have decided this upon her arrival so that she could help me prepare for selling the house! Oops. Now I'm on my own, but looking forward to this adventure...

This said, I failed to post Easter photos, and many other delights of the girls (first trip to the dentist). Enjoy! And if you're able, come over here and help me pack!

Rough Road

2010-03-29T10:42:00.006-06:00

Anna has had a very rough go of it lately - although by her sweet demeanor you would never know it. Over the course of the last 2 weeks she has been in the ER - twice, Urgent Care, her regular doc - twice, and a health clinic. She has been diagnosed with RSV (who hasn't?), an ear infection (still has it), and has broken out in the scariest rash I've ever seen. Through all of this, we have had a lot of interrupted sleep and one night of complete sleeplessness, but other than those bumps, she has been a total hero. I thought I'd share this yucky photo with you, so you can gasp like I did when I woke up yesterday morning to discover this scene. Please know that it is clearing up nicely and that all will be well again very soon.

In the meanwhile, Daddy and Kate have been enjoying some great time together!

The Terrible Threes

2010-03-15T17:26:00.005-06:00

I'm sorry, but the terrible twos didn't even compare to what we're going through with three. I'm just hoping that four somehow gets better than this.

A glimmer of light on my cloudy day...

K: I want to go live in a different house.

G: Where do you think you want to go?

K: Ben's house.

G: But you and Ben seem to fight over toys a lot.

K: Joey is nice.

G: Do you think you would like to live at Joey's house?

K: Sometimes he doesn't share with me.

G: I think you're going to find that this house is where you are loved the most.

K: Yeah, but is it the right size for me?

G: (bursts into laughter)

K: (joins me)

Friends in Boise

2010-02-12T09:12:00.003-07:00

This is the painting I had commissioned for UB for his 40th. Our friend Tom Stack (www.stackmatic.com) painted it. It arrived yesterday. We love it.

Another Quotable

2010-01-28T06:45:00.002-07:00

THREE TIME
KATE: Hey Mom, can I have some 3 (holding up 3 fingers) time?
ME: Three time?
KATE: Yeah! I LOVE three time!
ME: OH! FREE time!

ANGELINA
KATE: Some day I'm going to dance!
ME: Yes you are!
KATE: Some day I'm going to be just like Angelina!
ME: Yes you are!
KATE: Some day I'm going to be a little white mouse!

Quotables

2010-01-20T16:21:00.005-07:00

Kate is becoming such a big kid. And, as you already know, big kids say funny things.

Today, while reaching for the top of the tv, but coming in an inch low: "I can't reach any higher. It's no use."

Yesterday, while playing with her Old Maid playing cards: "Look mamma, it's the Old Maid. She's a lady. Just like you're a lady!"

Catching Up, Video Style

2010-01-17T14:13:00.003-07:00

A Christmas video for our personal archives. If you have a moment, enjoy. As you might catch on to here, I'm pretty excited about our new Mac...

New Technology

2010-01-15T22:55:00.002-07:00

New technology, a couple of on-line tutorials, and here you go...

Finally, Anna gets some props:

Update Apology

2010-01-11T08:37:00.003-07:00

I have so many pictures and videos to share, and I don't know where to start. We've had technical problems over here for quite some time, and the promise of new hardware and technology has made me put off sharing some great things out here. I felt I should at least share my excuse. I mean, clearly, there are tons of pictures of that beautiful baby and the brilliant big sister that you haven't seen. Just know that to be true! :)

A Merry Christmas, Indeed!

2009-12-28T10:42:00.009-07:00

It is as though Christmas never happened before until this year. Kate finally grasped the concept of Christmas; lights, trees, elfs, Santa, reindeer, stockings, wish lists and finally, giving. What fun! Brad and I sat watching her with our own delight - while she tore into each and every gift with glee and happiness and then paused to say thank you and moving on to read each label carefully to understand that she was opening gifts for her AND her little sister.

Kate was blessed this year with two Christmas celebrations due to our trip to Michigan (see birthday post below). Between two birthday parties and two Christmas celebrations, it might be perceived that December was made for her personal happiness. We'll work on that next year...

MICHIGAN

HOME WITH DADDY

Happy Birthday, Kate!

2009-12-24T11:18:00.009-07:00

Kate is 3. It's true. I know, I know,... hard to believe, but true! This last October UB asked what I would like for my birthday and I responded with, "a trip home." I knew it would be a large undertaking - now with a baby and a preschooler, but it was worth it! We traveled between Thanksgiving and Christmas, encountered numerous angels sent from above in various airports across the country who helped and smiled and gave me words of encouragement when I needed it most. We stayed for 3 weeks, and celebrated Kate's birthday with her Bylsma cousins. It was a big girl party, to include a movie at the theater and a slumber party! Good times were had by all, and Kate absolutely loved being chased around Grandma B's house by her older cousins. Thanks to everyone to attended and assisted! It was a great day and Kate had a blast. And thanks to Aunt Carlin, she now thinks she really is a princess.

Oh My!

2009-11-14T13:29:00.010-07:00

It occurred to me this week that maybe Anna would like something new - the lameo bouncy seat has really lost its luster. And thus, the resurrection of the excersaucer! Check out Kate during her first ride 100 years ago, and then Anna below on her maiden voyage...

Anna wasn't sure at first, but then...

Happy Halloween 2009!

2009-11-06T13:06:00.005-07:00

Kate was finally able to participate in Halloween like a big kid - ringing doorbells, calling out "trick or treat!" - the whole kit and caboodle. She asks for chocolate daily, although most of it was hidden away and ends up in UB's lunches. She doesn't like much candy, but she's a BIG fan of chocolate. Loves it.
For the first year I didn't hop online on 11/1 to buy next year's costume at a huge discount. I think I might have opinions on my hands soon enough, so we'll see what comes about next year. Goodbye roosters! Hello princesses...

A Day at the Ballet

2009-10-30T14:10:00.002-06:00

Kate discovered a pink tutu in her closet the other day. I've had it tucked away for a rainy day, and it was, in fact, a rainy - or at least dreary - day. I decided it could be part of her outfit for the day, and she decided that she would fly through the house dancing for the day. Not to mention, sidewalk chalk and cookie baking. All in all, a great day home from school.

Halloween Preparations

2009-10-26T10:51:00.005-06:00

Kate and Ben got together to practice wearing their costumes, since the big day is quickly approaching! Phee has some great leaves in her yard, and the sun was out - a beautiful fall day for fun as a rooster - and a bat. This year Kate finally gets it - she knows enough that she is a little scared and skeptical, but excited just the same. The other night kids came to the door 1/2 dressed up in costumes collecting food for the Idaho Food Bank and when I closed the door behind them Kate burst into tears, crying that she was "MISSING IT!" She thought treat-or-treating was happening and she was devastated that she wasn't out and about. It took some explaining and finally some distraction to help her understand that she wasn't missing anything. A night or so later we were "Boo'd" - something I had never heard of until my adult, suburban life. The doorbell rang and a gift was left at our front door. I think Kate's excitement over that event is just an indicator of what is to come this Saturday night. She has her bag (a black, felt spider), her costume (a rooster - 2 years in a row) and her flashlight ready, and all of her favorite shows have provided her enough guidance to help her understand that on Saturday she is going to be scared and delighted and she's going to get a lot of candy. She can't wait.

Anna Banana

2009-10-11T08:34:00.005-06:00

I may have failed to mention - or maybe I failed to notice - that as of yesterday, Anna became a big girl. Yesterday was a typical day for her, aside from the freezing weather at the pumpkin patch. She ate and slept and smiled and that was about it. Then, last night I put her in her pj's and laid her on the floor, on her belly, in her room on a play mat. (She was in the exact spot where Kate was when Kate first rolled over.) In an instant she rolled over on to her back. I couldn't believe it! So, thinking maybe it was a fluke, I put her back on her belly. I walked out of the room, came back and she was on her back again! So, after a few more times I believed it was true. Especially when this morning, I brought her downstairs and laid her on her play mat. Immediately she rolled onto her left side, then over to her right side, then back again. I suspect by the end of the day she will have rolled from her back to her front. You may wonder why I was surprised that my nearly 3 month old baby rolled over. Kate was a good baby, but never as content as Anna is. Anna requires no bouncing, jiggling or special procedures for going to sleep. She will sit quietly and wait for me to come and get her out of her crib in the morning. She waits patiently while I put Kate to bed, often falling asleep where she lays while waiting. And so, I figured such a content little thing would take her time on her boot-scooting. And so we will wait to see if she is on the move as early as Kate was. I'm praying for a quietly content roller for a long time. No one needs her to start crawling any time soon. She does realize this, right?

3rd Annual Pumpkin Patch Outing

2009-10-10T17:47:00.005-06:00

I don't know how it is possible that this is my 3rd post of us - including Kate - at this same pumpkin patch. Which, by the way, has gotten more and more entertaining in many ways. The first year we were there Kate wasn't yet a year old, and the fun stuff was limited (I didn't really want her jumping in a bin of lose corn). Last year they had pony rides (for an extra fee), a cow train and a bouncy bubble. This year we saw a pig race, the pony rides were free - and you got to pick out a cowboy hat to wear, the cow train had a "station" of sorts and she was much more successful at the bouncy bubble. Kate was terribly excited about it all - and unfortunately it was freeeeeezing outside. Somehow we went from 90 degrees a week ago to 41 today. Needless to say, I wasn't prepared for that and Kate's extremities were bright red (maybe purplish?). Oops. And Anna slept through the whole thing while riding along in the Baby Bjorn (the story of her short life). Hopefully my body heat was keeping her appropriately warm. She was the only one in the family wearing a winter hat. Finally this year Kate is beginning to get the concept of Halloween, Autumn, costumes, candy, pumpkins. She loved getting to pick out her own pumpkin - which had the only requirement of being small enough for her to carry by herself. I'm not sure she's going to allow it to sit out on the front stoop, because so far it has gone where she has gone in the house (to include having a nap), but I'm pretty sure she's going to get excited about carving the big one we bought.

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

2009-09-28T12:45:00.007-06:00

Last week we celebrated #2's birthday. Although it was a big one, it was requested that it be quiet and relaxing, and so off to the north woods we went (with the Bausch's, of course). Kate spent her nights and naps in a huge bed in the darkest basement that exists in the world and adventures outside with bubbles in the woods. Kate's most exciting adventure was a trip to the hot springs with Daddy - the same hot springs visited a few times last year (and noted in previous posts) while we were renting the cabin. Enjoy photos of Kate's float and Anna's happy face while she observed...

Criss Cross Applesauce

2009-09-23T09:44:00.010-06:00

Kate has started saying and singing all sorts of things that I don't understand. I quickly came to understand that school was a) a wonderful thing and b) an introduction into songs and sayings that don't come from me. The mystery of what happens at school is an entertaining one for me. After a week or so I think I finally figured out that "criss cross applesauce" means it is time to cross your legs and sit in a circle. And then there was a little song like chant, "Days of the week!" *clap* *clap* I asked Miss Amy if they were learning the days of the week and she laughed asking if I wanted to hear the song. It is to the theme of the Addams Family... "There's Monday and there's Tuesday, there's Wednesday and there's Thursday, etc... Days of the week!" *clap* *clap*

And FYI - D is for Dinosaur and Duck.

Anna - much to my dismay and Brad's glee - has started doing all sorts of new things as well. When I hold her up to my shoulder she pushes off to look around instead of laying like a lovely sack of potatoes with her arms flung over my shoulders. And when I lay her down, upon my return she is in a totally different position than I left her. That said, it isn't as though she goes very far, just an invisible scoot of sorts. What a drag. My newborn is no longer a newborn, and I'll never have a newborn again. This is a sad moment for me. Don't get me wrong - I don't want to grown another newborn, I just want this one to stay tiny and sweet. It is all I have these days, as the big girl likes to do everything on her own and screams when things don't go well (her way).

I think we've finally settled into life now that the Stanley Cup business is over, fall is supposedly here, and there will be no more surprise weddings to attend in Hawaii. ASIDE from the fact that UB has a birthday this week and we're planning a weekend in McCall for a little treat, we're into a new routine of baby- and preschool-life. As a matter of fact, Kate loves school so much I'm thinking of having her stay for two full days instead of just two mornings.

And for those of you who are wondering, here's what we look like these days...

First Day of Preschool

2009-09-01T10:23:00.004-06:00

I couldn't wait to get out here and post these photos, as I wanted to share our family's excitement of the day with all of you. Now that I'm here, my eyes are welling up with tears! I cannot believe that I've been making posts on this blog for over 2 1/2 years, documenting Kate's ups and downs, and now Anna, too. And here she is, meeting all of the requirements of a preschooler (ie, potty trained) and marching off to her first day of preschool. When I woke her this morning and told her it was time to get ready for school she flipped out of bed with a gleeful, "YEAAAAH!" and off to the races we went. When we got there she headed for the first classroom we saw, and she was in heaven. It probably helped that there was a guinea pig that reminded her of a favorite cartoon character and a delightfully pleasant room filled with toys and children. When it came time to go I rubbed her head and said, "Have a great day, honey." Her response was an excited, "Bye Mom!" and much of the same to her daddy. I don't know how or when this happened, but she's a big kid!

Who is Who?

2009-08-22T21:32:00.005-06:00

Anna, then Kate:

Surfing

2009-08-06T20:56:00.001-06:00

Never a Dull Moment

2009-08-04T07:01:00.004-06:00

As you certainly know by now, my brother Dan's team won the Stanley Cup playoffs this year. What you might not know is that for the NHL championship, each member of the team and staff is allowed a day with the Cup - in whatever location s/he chooses. As a result, Dan will have the Cup in GH for a day next week. And as you must also certainly know by now, we couldn't possibly miss it. And so, two days ago we set off on an adventure. 2 young girls, 2 older ones, many different airplanes and airlines. The youngest and the oldest traveling together (Grandma and Anna), and the middle ones together - the latter on a much longer flight plan, more airplanes and more hassle. We all made it.
Yesterday we had a fun filled day of visits from cousins, aunts and uncle Dan! How exciting for Kate. She kept telling me, "these are my cousins!" She even warmed up to Uncle Dan enough to say, "Go Penguins!" - and she let him pick her up. Major progress.
Today we've been on our own for the first morning since Anna's arrival. Wow. First of all, THANK YOU, NANNY for all of your help over the last two weeks. I've been doing nothing, and she's been doing everything. I now realize that. Second of all, this is hard! I'm trying to get out of the door this morning and am finding that with the diapers and the baths and the breakfasts and the bottles and the car seats and the getting dressed and making sure we leave the house with everything we need,... it is hard. Oh - and nevermind the fact that I didn't get a shower or food. I mean, seriously, who am I in this big picture? And afterall, I did have a sip of coffee. And what's a little sleep in my eyes and a grumbling stomach when there is a beach to hit?!?
Adios!

Compare and Contrast

2009-07-27T13:42:00.008-06:00

A few of you have asked if I've compared first photos of the girls. Around here #1 and #2 claim #4 and #5 are twins. Now I'm taking a real look for the first time. Pictures 1 and 2 are truely first photos (as you can see, Anna took more of a beating than Kate did - thank you, Kate). Pictures 3 and 4 are both from their first days at home. From what I can tell, aside from the lack of white hair, Anna is her big sister's twin. You be the judge...
KATE:

ANNA:

KATE:

ANNA:

Homeward Bound

2009-07-27T13:41:00.001-06:00

A New Team Gootch Member

2009-07-17T17:54:00.014-06:00

Anna Mathea (aka, #5) arrived at 7:58pm on July 16, 2009. She weighed in at 8 pounds, 12 ounces and is 21 inches long. Shockingly (to #2 and me), she has brown hair and dark eyes (however - a hint of blue does exisit). I was expecting another litle Kate, but Anna had something else in mind. And it is just fine with me. She is an absolute delight. Welcome, #5. We love you very much.

Here We Go!

2009-07-16T10:41:00.003-06:00

I look at this photo with dismay at my girth, but I know that the fact is I am simply a vessel bringing my new baby girl into this world. What an honor I have. At the moment this photo was taken I am filled with excitment, nerves and anticipation, as we are walking out the door to get to the hospital for my induction. A long day is ahead of me, and as much as I want to not be pregnant anymore, it is hard to fathom the process of obtaining that goal.
And so here we go!

3 days and counting, or maybe 1, 2, or 4

2009-07-12T08:00:00.003-06:00

We're getting very close. I finally packed last night, thinking that my opportunities to do so are now very limited (like, maybe I was going then). I even timed a couple of contractions last night - with no luck. With such a short time to go, I anticipate that I won't be posting much of anything until after today; however, expect a couple of pictures of Kate. I feel like I'll need to be able to remember her exactly as she is today, in order that I don't forget these fanastic days of her suddenly being a big girl before her (our) world gets rocked by a new baby sister. I can't wait to meet Anna, but admittedly am aprehensive. With Kate I was aprehensive of labor and delivery, of bringing home a baby, of knowing what to do, of not screwing it up. This time I'm so focused on being the mom I became over the last 2 1/2 years that I can't help but to have changed aprehension regarding Kate and where she'll be during my labor and delivery, how she'll react to the hospital and a new baby, and of course to Anna's homecoming - and home staying.

So, as they say, one step at a time, and first off that means going into labor, or hurring up and waiting...

Closer

2009-07-06T08:12:00.004-06:00

Last night I counted the days (11) until I'm scheduled for induction. That's not a lot of days, but it seems like a lifetime right now. This said, I have been concerned about Kate and her ability not only to grasp what's quickly coming our way, but to accept it.

Yesterday we were brushing our teeth at my sink. She pointed to the 4th hole in the toothbrush holder and said, "this is for baby Anna's toothbrush."

I don't know why that seems like such a big deal to me, but between potty training, trips to the pool, getting organized and sprucing things up around here, I didn't think she was paying attention to my giant belly and all of the baby talk. Seems as if I underestimated her. Good for her. She's already leaps and bounds ahead of me. As it should be.

Happy Independence Day, 2009

2009-07-05T08:39:00.004-06:00

We kept it low key for the 4th of July this year and generally just enjoyed the day together (me hoping that I'd go into labor at any moment; however, that didn't turn out). Our neighbors; on the other hand, decided to go all out and throw a big shindig. They put adorable invites with red, white and blue ribbon and a firework attached to each in all of our mailboxes and pulled their chairs and grills out to the front of the houses. We joined them for the festivities, and the late night fireworks; although Kate only participated in the daylight activities - to include holding her first sparkler and throwing those snapping things on the street with all of the big kids. She also saw some some cool, colored smoke bombs and told me, "that's a lot of smokin, Mama!" She probably didn't go to bed until about 10pm, but had a great time celebrating with her BFF Joey and the big kids of the hood.

Training - the Final Frontier

2009-06-30T19:02:00.005-06:00

The final frontier before the baby comes, at least. I don't want to post a lot of details regarding potty's and all that, but I will say that the first day she decided she would go by herself, in the appropriate location, was one of the happiest days of my life. Back in December my mom made efforts at training her while Brad and I were in Mexico; to no avail. While Kate and I were home in May, Nanny tried again; and was met with unbelievably strong resistance. It was clear - even back in December - that she knew what she was supposed to do, and she didn't much care for a mess in her diaper, but the resistance was ridiculous, confusing and horribly frustrating. The other day, in between diaper changes, she marched into the rest room, closed the door, and moments later came running out hollering for me to come see. Sure enough - no prodding or begging from me! As suspected, she did it when SHE decided SHE was ready, no sooner, no later. I'm proud of her and she's been doing a great job. We have our accidents of course, but all in all it is a proud moment in our short time together. And now, Anna can come. After all, what will I do with myself if I don't have to buy diapers?

3 weeks and 4 days...

2009-06-22T09:31:00.009-06:00

but who's counting? 3 weeks and 4 days until my due date. The way I'm feeling would indicate to any reasonable human being that I will deliver before that date; however, I would have sworn that same thing last time and I was induced 7 days AFTER my due date. That said, I really do feel differently this time. I was never so uncomfortable and in pain as I am now. I can't imagine this will last another 3 weeks and 4 days.

And so, we decided to go camping this weekend. Not cabin camping, not RV camping, but tent camping. Needless to say, I didn't sleep well (although I DID have a little elf crawling on top of me and my belly in the middle of the night) and I probably wasn't of much help to Brad with set up, take down, and watching Kate in between. But Kate had the time of her life and absolutely loved the tent and her new sleeping bag, as well as her first fishing adventure with Daddy. Happy Father's Day, Daddy!

Can you spot the little elf peaking out of the tent window?

Yesterday we found a bounce house at a nearby neighborhood party. This face says it all.

Rainy Days and Monday's

2009-06-15T13:02:00.004-06:00

Kate asked me during a downpour this morning if we could go play in the rain. As you can see here, she requested her umbrella, rain coat and rain boots for the outing. When we saw a worm she asked, "what's that?!?" Then quickly, "let's go, Mommy. Bye worm!"

Budding Penguins Fan...

2009-06-13T18:46:00.003-06:00

Life Changes

2009-06-13T09:29:00.003-06:00

I just realized that I have been out of touch regarding the blog. After our return home it took me a few days to get settled - with getting back in touch with my doctor, visiting a physical therapist for my back pain, sending Brad off on a 10 day trip full of fun and .22 work, and making the insane decision to jet off to Pittsburgh for Game 6 (and pawn Kate off on Phee and Peter!). Oh my. FYI - I am 8 months pregnant, so needless to say it was quite an effort to get myself across the country. But alas - well worth it! What an experience to see Dan in his element (well, at least his element since 2/15/09), as well as Mary Beth and Bryan, and a WIN in Game 6. It was fantastic. Dan has always been an incredible person to me, but it was insane to see his local fame in Pittsburgh. And of course, Lauda and her friend (my friend, too) Kat came along for the ride. And Nanny, Grizz, Phatty, Kase, Mal, Josh, Gary and Gracer, too. Oh my.
And then, last night Kate and I went to Phee and Peter's to watch Game 7. I knew the result would either be devastation or euphoria. I can't describe to you how the outcome has made me feel - and the chance to see my brother raise the Stanley Cup above his head. I go from cheering to silent reflection to bawling my eyes out. It is incredible.
And I can't wait to see that Cup in person! That "giant cup" as Kate says. Yes, Kate, a giant cup. Oh my.

A Day at the Beach

2009-05-25T12:00:00.002-06:00

Actually it was just an hour, but incredibly exciting for Kate and rewarding for me to see her experience her first encounter with Lake Michigan. Grace came with us and showed Kate the ropes - sand castles, muddy sand pools to sink your feet in, blowing sand and toes dipped in freezing cold lake. I thought I would have a hard time dragging her away when it was time, but instead she said, "Wanna get an ice cream cone, Mommy?" and off we headed for the Dairy Treat. At one point this afternoon she had sandy feet, an ice cream cone in one hand and a Pronto Pup in the other. Life is good in Grand Haven!

In honor of the day, we dropped off flowers to the grave site of Grandpa and Grandma Oole on Friday. It was nice to see Grandma's name - Anna - printed on the stone, born exactly 100 years prior to our new little Anna soon to arrive. How happy she would be to have another Anna around, and it is always nice to have a reason to remember Grandma and Grandpa Oole. Happy Memorial Day to all!

Michigan Visit Part III

2009-05-18T13:31:00.004-06:00

Last week we wrapped up our time house/kid sitting at Grandpa Grizz and Aunt Phatty's house and I took a few days to visit Lauda in Chicago. While we were in GR Kate attended more softball games than she had ever thought about. The great part was that she used her new hockey game cheering skills for her big cousins AND there were other little kids at the games. This little girl became Kate's friend. I know this because Kate walked up to me and said, "This is my friend."

After I snuck away to the train station during the wee hours of the morning, Grandma took Kate to the zoo. I received a call about the time I arrived in Chicago with news that at that very moment Kate was riding a camel. Here is the proof. I hate that I missed this...

Part II - Visiting the Oldest Cousins

2009-05-12T11:31:00.003-06:00

We've now moved on to house-sitting and hanging out with Kase and Mal in GR. They treated us to a lovely Mother's Day brunch at their country club and we've been attending a couple of softball games, much to Kate's delight. She's learning a lot about being a big kid (last night she watched Mal paint her toe nails from about 2 inches away with great curiosity), but she has started asking to go "home". I don't know if she means back to Grandma's, or back to Boise, but needless to say, hanging out with the big kids is fun. Oh - and watching Uncle Dan's hockey team in the fight for the Stanley Cup has been super fun with them, too. Lots of cheering, jeering, and inappropriate behavior ensues. I love it.

Grand Times at Grandma's House

2009-05-07T09:04:00.002-06:00

We've been keeping busy with cousins and soccer games and Penguins hockey games. We're having a great time and Anna has been growing by the minute. Here's a quick look at our first week here.

Goodbye Cabin!

2009-04-27T17:06:00.003-06:00

We said goodbye to the cabin this weekend. Hard to believe it's been six months, however; it does coincide with the start of my pregnancy, so I guess it does make sense. We packed it up this weekend - shocking to us how much we packed in over the course of our time there. It was a great experience, and it was fun to think about how much both Kate and Ben changed during our time there. Ben started off as a baby that laid on a blanket in the middle of the room or chilled in his bouncy seat. Now he pulls himself up, feeds himself and cruses around the furniture. Kate started off getting into everything and being naughty at every turn. Now she has conversations, plays pretend for hours at a time, watches videos on her own up in the loft and is talking about the potty. Good times were had by all. Thanks to the Bausch's who included us in this great adventure!

"Thank You, Easter Bunny!"

2009-04-14T14:52:00.004-06:00

This Easter was a lot different than last year's celebration. If you look back at that entry you'll see that when Kate saw the Easter eggs in the yard she didn't give a hoot. This year the Easter Bunny visited us in the night (he managed to find us at the cabin!) and we participated in an Easter egg hunt on the bunny hill at Brundage Mountain (http://www.brundage.com/13/easter-in-the-mountains/ for photos, as I didn't take any) where Kate appeared to have the time of her life. As we ran down the hill she looked up at me and said, "LOOK AT MEEEE!" Because we were one of the youngest participants, and not on skis, there weren't many eggs for the taking - but Kate didn't care. 3 eggs total, a little candy and some great fun in the sunshine. Thank you to Daddy who insisted we attend!!

A Glimpse

2009-04-14T14:47:00.003-06:00

Today we had another ultrasound to check in on a couple of potential issues. The report is great - Anna is doing wonderfully and I, of course, appreciate any opportunity to catch a glimpse of her. Here is her adorable profile; a replica of Kate's ultrasound photos.

The Smallest of Gifts = The Greatest Excitment!

2009-04-09T12:38:00.000-06:00

2009-04-01T22:33:00.002-06:00

I've been a slacker blogger lately, but I suppose life has just gotten in the way of keeping you up to date on what's going on. Kate is becoming more and more of a person. Instead of repeating everything I say, she is starting to come up with her own thoughts. Yesterday she heard an airplane outside and said, "Listen! An airplane going to Grandma's!" This comment after much talk of taking an airplane to go visit Grandma B late this month. She has also discussed taking a rocket ship to see Grandma, and as you may know, when you take a rocket ship you have to cheer it on to make it go, "high up!" (from the show Little Einstein's). So is television teaching my daughter everything she knows? Maybe,... but it is a delight to see her singing songs, saying her ABC's and counting to 20. She is also starting to get very interested in babies. Don't you know, babies are "soooo cute!" I've laid off talking about her baby sister and all that, but we've started discussing how cute babies are, and how much fun it would be to get one. We're only 3 months away people! Enjoy this video of some conversation Kate and I had at the cabin last weekend.

Best Day Ever!?!

2009-03-22T10:22:00.008-06:00

I think it might be safe to say that all of Brad's dreams came true yesterday. We headed off to Brundage ski resort outside of McCall to rent some tiny boots, skis and a helmet. I waited in the car while they went in to rent the equipment, and when I saw him carrying her with her shinny red boots, jiggling helmet and 3 foot skis I couldn't stop my laughing. We took her to the Bear Chair lift and immediately she told me, "I ready, Mama!" I pointed out to her all of the big kids on their skis while we waited for Brad and she was pumped up! We clipped her into the skis and Brad and Kate headed off for the chair lift. I watched and waited with camera in hand to catch it all. Finally I saw the two of them come from around a bend, Brad holding Kate, stopping, putting her down on the ground between his skis and heading down the hill. I knew he was excited to share this moment with her, but I had no idea how much she would love it! She had a great time, and when it was all over (3 runs) she didn't want to give up the rented gear. Luckily, a packed snack of popcorn gave her some incentive to say goodbye to the red boots and the big helmet. An excellent first!
After an afternoon of rest and relaxation back at the cabin we headed back into town and decided to check out the skating rink. It just happened to be Open Skate and we decided to rent 3 pairs and another jiggly helmet and hit the ice! Skiing and ice skating in one day! Oh my! Brad indicated that it was my turn to be the instructor - as of the 3 of us I am the most steady on skates. Funny thing is that at 23 weeks pregnant I don't feel that steady these days, but it was fantastic. We quickly found the easiest and most constructive method was for me to skate backwards holding on to Kate's hands. I learned to skate at 2 yrs old while pushing a chair around the ice. The rink provided stacks of buckets to push, but Kate told me, "No bucket, Mama's hands" so that's what we did. She kept saying, "Look at me! Look at me!" I think we all had a great time enjoying another first.
I was very proud with how happily she embraced these two new, adventurous, potentially scary activities! Makes me marvel at the fun things ahead - ski passes, our own skates, maybe even some ski goggles and a figure skating skirt. Oh my! The places we'll go...

Progress Makes Perfect

2009-03-12T21:02:00.002-06:00

It takes time to make perfection out of cast-offs. And, the Martha Stewart empire wasn't created in a day, right? But, if I keep this up, the next thing you know I'll have my own station on satellite radio. If only I could actually sew. Anywho, between wrapping up at the Special Olympics, normal life with a 2 year old and clearing out the crap that has piled up over our 5 years here, we're getting closer to a big girl room. It seems so strange that "baby girl" isn't baby girl anymore. She is very excited about the big girl room concept - the big girl room and bed, big girl panties, big girl bikes, etc. And thank goodness another baby girl is on her way, otherwise I might just be a little weepy about all of this big girl stuff.

2009-03-09T14:20:00.001-06:00

Check it out - the "scarf story" from the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games. This video was first shown at Opening Ceremonies (and made me cry!).

Big Girl This... Big Girl That...

2009-03-09T10:12:00.003-06:00

Since our unproductive big girl bedroom furniture shopping (see previous post) I committed myself to finding a delightfully cute, hodge podge big girl room on craigslist.com. FYI, in the event that you haven't fervently sought out an object of your desire on craislist.com, IT IS HARD WORK! It is simply a dog-eat-dog world out there. You need to be available to search the website 24 hours a day, you need the stars to align and have the seller actually call/email you back, and need to be able to hop in your car at a moment's notice to go take a look at the item at the seller's convenience. Needless to say, I have none of those qualities.

This said, last week I secured a horribly ugly bed, a nice mattress and box spring, and a chest of drawers within a matter of about 35 hours. With the help of Home Depot, JoAnn's Fabrics and my Aunt Pat I was able to turn some pure crap into some pure delights for a big girl room worth bragging about.

Okay, so we're not quite there, but so close! The next item(s) on the agenda is taking away the remaining "office" bits of the room, in order that I can actually fit all of this new stuff in there. Good bye boxes of crap carried from Chicago 5 years ago! Good bye super slow clunker computer! And an especially enthusiastic good bye to a crumbling computer desk!! And can I please welcome the Weissenberger's to a new wireless world? I mean, please, it is 2009.

Enjoy (Brenna requested some "in progress" photos)...

Big Girl Beds!

2009-03-02T07:52:00.005-07:00

We spent the day Saturday shopping for a big girl bed. Kate didn't really know what was on the agenda, until we walked into the brightly lit, pastel dream land of a local furniture store. She immediately said, "princess bed!" in the most airy and dreamy of voices and climbed into a swirling, silver wonder of a bed that looked like Cinderella's carriage. Needless to say, Kate LOVED it. We then found this bed, which Kate took an immediate liking to - since there were "kitty cats" involved. She helped herself...

A Sweet Baby Girl

2009-02-19T13:51:00.003-07:00

My emotions over another girl are many, but mainly, I am delighted to give Kate a sister. Now that we know who she is, or rather, that it is a she, I feel like I can start to plan and prepare and discuss the new arrival with Kate. She still doesn't understand what is going to happen here, but now we can talk about the baby sister and how to be a great example of a how a big girl behaves. Let's hope that works...

Figure Skating

2009-02-12T19:02:00.004-07:00

I finally went out to see an event. When Kate woke up this morning I was ready to go, and we headed down to Qwest Arena to see what we could see. I had heard rumors that Joe Biden would be there today for a medal ceremony and that we should get there early. Unfortunately, upon our arrival we learned that a) we should have gotten there a lot earlier than we did (the lines where insane!) and that Biden hadn't left the ground in Washington DC yet. That didn't really matter to me - I was there to check out the skaters. It was great. We saw all different skill levels and a lot of excitement and smiles. I ran into a Volunteer with whom I worked on Saturday, and we sat together and enjoyed the event. Just prior to Kate's cut off point Scott Hamilton made an appearance and announced good and bad news. The bad news was that Biden STILL hadn't left Washington DC. The good news... Michelle Kwan were there! This was very exciting for me, as I'm a big fan. Both Michelle and Scott are supporters of the Special Olympic movement and it was great to see them there. As the medaling stands were being erected, Kate started to melt, so we headed home for a long winter's nap. What a great event!

Tomorrow are the Closing Ceremonies, which I won't be attending. I suspect that although I'll stop in the office tomorrow, my 2009 Special Olympics World Games experience has come to a close. I wish I had been able to see and do more, and I wish I had been able to interact with the athlete's more. I suppose that no matter how much I had done I would have been left wanting more. It was a fantastic experience that I'll remember for the rest of my days!

More - The Games

2009-02-11T13:49:00.005-07:00

The Games are in full force and it seems that Boise is pumping with the energy of the athlete's excitement. I've spent the last 6 days in the middle of the chaos; however, every time I speak to another staff member I realize they are more stressed/sleep deprived/chaotic than me. I was asked to help out with Food and Beverage. Never having been a part of an event before, I didn't really know what that meant.
Friday I visited the Floor Hockey events (they were "divisioning", or playing to determine skill level and who they would play against in competition) and then I worked in their dining hall (tent). What that meant for me was clearing tables as fast as possible in order that athlete's with full plates could find a place to sit. Athlete's were very excited and were singing and dancing in the isles. It was fantastic! When that rush had passed I was pulled into a Floor Hockey Coaches meeting. I learned my lesson quickly - stop offering to help! I was assigned to taking meeting minutes, which was horribly boring, although it did give me the opportunity to learn about floor hockey - something about which I knew nothing.
Saturday I was asked to work at a dining hall (HUGE tent) outside of Opening Ceremonies where I assisted in serving lunch and dinner to hundred's of athletes. This was very hectic, somewhat disorganized, but incredibly fun. I ducked out of there just in time to see the ceremonies and then quickly ducked back in to help serve dinner, and finally to clean up. I was exhausted at the end of the day, but rewarded by the smiling faces, hugs and cool pins I received from athletes.
Sunday I drove to Sun Valley (SV) to, again, help out with Food and Beverage. There is one dining hall in SV which is feeding all of the athlete's breakfast and dinner (boxed lunches are served at the venues). When I arrived there was a lot of confusion over various issues - specifically when the dairy truck would be arriving, final headcounts for meals, etc. Luckily I had a list of phone numbers and a cell phone, which made me incredibly useful to the caterers (Full Moon Catering, Sun Valley, Idaho). We were instant friends. I wish I had an event for which I could hire them, as they were fantastic people and absolute pros. I spent a total of 2 dinners and 2 breakfasts there, which required me to get up at 5am both mornings, but it was another awesome experience. Monday afternoon I was able to break away and check out the snowboarding venue on Dollar Mountain in SV. It was a blue bird day and there were school kids everywhere out on a field trip to cheer on the athlete's. It was great!
Today I am back to my "real" job - HR for this Organizing Committee. Sadly, all good things must come to an end, and these Games are celebrated with Closing Ceremonies in two days. With the closing of the Games comes the departure of some of the staff, and the wrap, up involving reports and closing down the building. I don't know how much longer I'll have a job, but for the short-term I have to make sure every one's departure is handled appropriately.
Tomorrow I hope to take Kate to some figure skating events, and maybe some speed skating. I don't feel like I've been able to enjoy these events as a bystander and I think that would be a great way to wrap up the week.
This has been an incredible experience - all due to the joy and excitement of the athlete's and the group of people who have planned this tremendous event in a short amount of time and on a shoestring budget.
For those of you out of the area, check out some of the coverage of the Games at www.ktvb.com!!

2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games Opening Ceremonies

2009-02-08T22:25:00.001-07:00

Special Olympics Day of Fun

2009-02-07T22:25:00.006-07:00

Pictures to follow, but I felt I had to share after such a day. I had the pleasure of helping to feed hundred's of Special Olympians in a huge tent just outside the Idaho Center, Nampa, ID. It was crazy at times, as well as confusing, fun, but mainly rewarding. I didn't realize how exhausted I would be at the end of two days serving food, wiping down tables, pretending to know when more food would arrive or when the buses would arrive and where. People confused me with someone who would know the answers to important questions because I wear a "staff" uniform. What they don't know is that all I did was hire the people who made the decisions about the important details. Regardless, it was a ton of fun, and the smiles of the athlete's will stay with me for ages to come. And the best part? Opening Ceremonies! My friend and neighbor, Jen P joined me, as well as Aunt Pat and a friend of hers. There were celebrities, politicians, Olympic athletes, and hundred's of Special Olympians. I can't wait to share my photos.

And then there was Brad's day with Kate. From the sounds of it, it was a day that Brad won't forget for a long time to come as well. He took Kate to see her first movie, with popcorn and everything.

After her nap they went for dinner and Kate received a fortune in her cookie stating, "Your charm has intrigued a secret admirer." I think the admirer is her Dad.

A Very Special Day!

2009-02-06T06:57:00.006-07:00

Julie P (triplet mom) put it best in her blog, so I've provided a link here. Plus, her camera is fantastic! www.prairie3.blogspot.com

I will add that it is very exciting for me to see the hard work of my co-workers come to life with the arrival to Boise of the Torch and Athlete's from around the world. Over the course of the next 5+ days I get to help at various venues doing whatever they need two hands to do. I am very excited to be a part of the execution of the plans these people have been putting into place over the course of the last 2 years. It is bound to be an incredibly rewarding experience!

Check out our website at www.2009worldgames.org!

Boob Tube

2009-02-03T13:42:00.003-07:00

Move over Disney Channel, there is a new tube in town. The cabin we've rented for the winter is located near a fantastic tubing hill and we've lucked out - the minimum age requirement happens to be 2. I see this as one of the first steps toward Brad and Kate zooming around on roller coasters. A baby step; however, Brad quickly realized that it isn't much of a baby step, as these hills are very fast. After the first run he decided to ride on his stomach in order to slow them down a little bit. Rules state that everyone has to be in their own tube and Kate apparently loves it. Unfortunately, much like roller coasters... no pregnant people allowed.

Sha Shwoosh Sha Shwoosh Sha Shwoosh

2009-01-21T23:20:00.004-07:00

I had the pleasure of hearing the baby's heartbeat today. This is always a good thing. I also scheduled the ultrasound (late February) to catch a glimpse of this tiny person. Kate looks at my belly and says, "Hi baby!" and gives it a kiss. I hope she has the same enthusiasm in July.
Yesterday I had a great deal of emotion regarding the swearing in of our new president. It occurs to me that change is upon us, that yesterday made incredible history in this country, and that my babies will know Obama as their first president. Regardless of how you feel about him, it all strikes me as a very important part of their lives and it gives me even more hope for their happy futures.
That said, my future involves a long winter's nap...

A New Year, A New Look

2009-01-18T21:21:00.002-07:00

Obviously I'm trying a little something new with the blog, and when God grants me more time in the day and fewer things to take care of in life I will try even more fun things. I thought maybe pink would be fun for a while... at least until I find out the sex of this new trouble-maker on the way.

There are no pictures from this week, but only a brief update. Brad went out of town to play with rockband .22 so I went to town on the house. This weekend I managed to tear apart a couple of closets, make large piles to donate to Goodwill, carry heavy furniture around (this is a specialty of mine when I'm pregnant), decide on big-girl bedding, and make decisions about who will go where when the baby gets here. Pretty soon Kate will have to make the move to a big girl bed, and I want to be strategic about placement and furniture decisions so that when the transition happens it is a done deal and Kate won't have to endure much change. She's definitely ready for a bed. Twice a week she's been going to McPhee's and nap time happens in a bed. Apparently Kate gave her grief on the first day, and since then it has been a smooth process. I'm very thankful to McPhee that she broke Kate in for me. As a matter of fact, McPhee does a lot of heavy lifting for me - all of which I'm grateful for.

The house is still in disarray and likely will be when UB walks in the door late tonight. But hey - Rome wasn't built in a day. Not to mention the couple of naps I had to fit in this weekend along with everything else. Oh, and then there was Kate, who when I'm busy with something loves to tug and pull for my attention. Go figure.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-08T14:32:00.013-07:00

I think it is safe to say that I've been a blogging slacker as of late. Truth be told, I have an excellent excuse, but I'm not going to share it with you now. For now I'm just going to bring you up to speed on the travels and fun we've had since Kate's birthday. The weekend after her celebration we enjoyed a quiet weekend in McCall where we enjoyed a ton of fresh snow! It was very exciting for Kate, who was able to get in some fantastic snow time - quite frankly her first snow time.

On the way home from this weekend I was talking to Brad about how I haven't been feeling well at all lately. He suggested that Kate and I fly to Michigan to spend some time with Nanny and to allow myself to relax a little (and quite honestly, be taken care of). This sounded like a fantastic idea - especially since my generous Aunt Marilee had just offered her frequent flier miles for a Christmas trip to Michigan in order to surprise my mom. The next day I started looking at flights and that night decided to book a trip. THANK YOU, AUNT MARILEE!! It was all I could do to NOT tell my mom that we would be showing up on her doorstep a few nights later! I quickly started to prepare - which meant leaving the house and Annie The Dog for 2 weeks, a doctor's appointment for Kate, one for me, wrapping up work, a work holiday party, packing for 3 (Brad also booked a round trip to Chicago), Holiday cards distributed, Christmas gifts purchased (I skipped this step), etc etc etc. It was something. THEN, the night before we departed Brad booked us (him and me) a round trip from Michigan to Cabo San Lucas for 8 days. Needless to say, Brad left at 6am on Friday the 19th, Kate and I left at 1pm that same day. We both made it unscathed and I was able to surprise Nanny (with the help of Aunt Marilee and Grizz, Phatty and Mallory) on her doorstep at 11pm that night. Brad joined us the next day and on Monday he and I flew to Mexico for sun and relaxation. What a trip it was! Cabo was great and I have to say that the true beauty of it - besides the incredible weather - were the naps and the HBO movies. True relaxation! Ahhh. And so it didn't seem like Christmas on Christmas day in 80+ sunny weather; I knew Kate was in good hands and that Santa was visitng her on Christmas morning with lots of snow and family and fun.

Brad and I returned from Cabo sunned and relaxed. We questioned more than once why we choose to live in cold weather climates, but I think he'll remember once he gets to ski this coming weekend up at the cabin...
Just prior to our departure and just after our return I was able to join my Bylsma family in some Christmas celebrations. It was fantastic to see Kate running around with her cousins, getting to know them by name, and to hear her say, "I wuv you, Uncle Grizz!" without running away from him in fear.

Kate and I finally returned to Boise on Monday, 1/5, after getting delayed in Michigan without luggage for 2 extra days due to Minneaplis weather (oh well!!). It is good to be home and settled, but I have to admit, Grand Haven is home sweet home. I can't deny it.
Thank you to everyone who made the time to visit with us (especially Lauda, who drove all the way to spend a couple of days in GH!), to Nanny who gave up her life for 2 weeks to be with Kate, to those who helped Nanny out with watching Kate (especially Grace!! and thank you for the report card, Grace!), and a huge THANK YOU to Aunt Marilee, who made the entire trip possible in the first place. And thank you to my loving husband, who knew that a relaxing, sun-filled, pool-side pool was just what the doctor ordered. Thank you for a(nother) wonderful trip.
And for those of you who haven't figured it out, I'm 3 months pregnant and due in July. I haven't been blogging because a) I don't feel well enough to want to share our lives with you and b) haven't been doing much at all due to the fact that I feel so terrible! It has been a rough first trimester, but I am hoping that I will start to feel better soon. I must admit, having toast with Nanny's homemade jam at my beck and call durring our visit to Michigan made me feel TONS better. Thanks Nanny!! I'm sure it killed you that I wanted to eat toast in your bed, but it was wonderful!

Happy Birthday, Sweet Baby Girl

2008-12-15T12:03:00.004-07:00

I think it's official - I have to stop calling her Baby Girl, but alas, it has stuck for 2 years now. On her birthday we hosted our weekly playgroup AND the kids from our block. It was a great little party and Kate had a blast. Her true happiness began when she found out that under the pretty paper and ribbons were toys and books and surprises! Check out this face while opening gifts...

Hello!

2008-11-18T21:37:00.003-07:00

We've rented a mountain cabin for the winter with our friends, the Bausch's. We're trying to make the most of this 6 month investment and have already made multiple trips there to enjoy the quiet of the woods, streams and mountains. The other day my mom asked me, "What do you guys do when you're there?" It took me a second, only to realize the answer was, "Nothing." And doesn't that sound wonderful?!? Here's a glimpse of the "nothingness."

Guess what I wished for when I blew out my candles!

Halloween 2008

2008-11-03T22:12:00.003-07:00

Okay okay! Enough with our fans asking for the Halloween photos! I'm a busy girl, people!

Kate isn't quite sure what this Halloween business is all about. It was exciting and fun, but she was confused by her friends that didn't look quite the same and by all of the dad's answering the doors (men = scary!). Her costume, although SUPER CUTE, was hot and kept pecking her in the face. She wanted to eat the candy, but you'll see why that wasn't an option outside of her highchair in a photo below. Once the bigger kids started trick or treating she loved the continuous door bell ringing; however, once Brad scared the kids on the front step and they screamed in her face she pretty much panicked. An interesting night to be sure, and yet another event where I sum it up by saying, "she'll get it next year."

Pumpkin Weekend 2008

2008-10-19T18:30:00.007-06:00

We had fantastic weather this weekend - and gladly took advantage of it. Friday afternoon we enjoyed our weekly playdate, which turned into good-timin on the back porch, ending with 4 of us huddled for warmth around charcoal on the grill while 2 little ones slept upstairs.

Saturday we had big plans to ride the Pumpkin Liner Train out of Horseshoe Bend; however, didn't realize that a lot of other folks had the same plan and that tickets would be sold out. Instead we headed to a pumpkin patch - the same one featured in pumpkin picking pictures approximately 1 year ago on this blog. This year we were able to take advantage of the super fun kid activities - which was delightful (for us to watch and for Kate to do). It was great fun seeing her do the big kid stuff. She had her first pony ride, first cow train ride (?), first public bouncy house thing, and lots of fun food! Oh, and we picked out some pumpkins, too.

Today we headed up to Horseshoe Bend early and took an 1 1/2 hr train ride to a pumpkin "patch" (a place where picked pumpkins are placed for families to come and make a selection). When we pulled up to the station Kate said, "choo choo!" She seemed to really enjoy the ride, and although it was nap time, she fared quite well (Brad gave her a B- for behavior, but I'd say it was a solid B).

This afternoon we've relaxed, watched a Packers victory! What a weekend!

Fall in McCall

2008-09-29T11:22:00.005-06:00

Happy Birthday to The UB! We had a fabulous weekend in McCall with our dear friends at a great cabin in the woods. The weather was just as you would want it, and of course a trip to McCall means a trip to the lake. Here Kate is, discovering sand and the glory of letting it wiggle through your fingers, as well as learning the hard lesson that you can't go running into the water all year round. As you can see here, it was a very hard, sad, lesson.

Happy Birthday to my dear, sweet UB.

Michigan Recap

2008-09-18T12:47:00.003-06:00

What a whirlwind trip. Every night after I put Kate to bed over the course of those 2 weeks I wanted to do nothing but go to bed myself. It was FANTASTIC seeing all of our family and ALMOST all of our friends. The 40 days and nights of rain, my sinus infection, Kate's ear infection and the 7 trips to Walgreens, did put a damper on things, and prevented us from seeing Lauda at her cottage and Steph and Paul; however, the number of visits we were able to squeeze in between the daily naps and the early bedtimes was still remarkable. Thank you to everyone who made time for us, fed us, and showered Kate with love and affection of the greatest kind! It was wonderful to see you all. And a special thanks to Grammie B - who set aside her life for 2 weeks and dragged us all over tarnation and back. We love and miss you!

More more and more Michigan!

2008-09-15T19:52:00.000-06:00

Michigan! The Mother Land

2008-09-06T07:27:00.004-06:00

Here we are in Michigan! I knew it was too good to be true - sunny, breezy days by the lake, cousins, aunts, uncles, Pronto Pups and Fricano's Pizza... and HORRIBLE allergies that I had long forgotten about. Unfortunately I'm sick as a dog, but we're making the most of it. Here are a few pictures from the first couple of days. We miss you, Dada!

Zoo, Friends and Good Times

2008-08-23T15:37:00.001-06:00

We went to the zoo yesterday with the Triplets (and their mom, Jules) and Joey (and his mom, Courto). Good times.

Nothing to Share?

2008-08-19T22:18:00.000-06:00

I feel a great deal of pressure from you all to post something each week, which can be difficult if there was a lull in activity or if we just didn't get out to do something fun and family friendly over the weekend. Unfortunately I suffer(ed) from the flu this week(end), and didn't really bother to take photos of Kate watching videos, recorded television and the Olympics (she loves the diving). #2 was able to get away yesterday for white water rafting with friends, but again, no pics. I do, however, have a great deal of video that I haven't bothered to put together until tonight, so please enjoy this hodge-podge of this and that (mainly Kate wandering around and being Kate).
Things you'll see here:
- Kate pushing baby Ben in her baby stroller. He didn't much care for it, but she thought it was pretty cool (although she has to work on looking where she's going, much like me)
- Kate enjoying the entertainment of our neighbors Esme and Isabelle. I don't know who enjoy's their company more, me or Kate
- Kate having fun in the pool with our friend, Bailey. Bailey taught Kate to say, "I did it!"
- Kate enjoying an Oreo cookie as a bedtime snack tonight. If you can catch it, we have the following exchange:
K: "What's that?"
G: "The power button."
K: "Good job, Mama."
G: "Thanks, Kate."
K: "You're welcome."
- Kate playing on the swings during our trip to Wisconsin. Leave it to Brad to stir things up
- A random assortment of pictures that I had yet to share with you all

Hodge Podge

2008-08-19T22:16:00.001-06:00

On the Go

2008-08-11T10:59:00.006-06:00

We've been going and going lately (hence the lack of updates). 2 weekends ago we enjoyed a great weekend in McCall with Peter, Kerry and Baby Ben. It was nice to get away and to relax in this beautiful town. Kerry took all the pictures, so I have none to share, but it was memorable due to the fact that Kate had the chance to feed a bottle to a REAL baby, instead of a creepy doll with a tuft of blond hair sticking out the top of her head. Thanks Peter and Kerry for a great time! Oh - and this trip taught us that Kate can climb out of a port-a-crib. It also taught Kate that she should try crawling out her crib back home (successfully).

This most recent weekend we headed to Cedar Rapids, IA for #2's 20-year high school class reunion and to visit Grandma S. We went to the St Jude's Sweet Corn Festival and made a trip to a local watering hole while reuniting/getting to know Brad's classmates. It was a great deal of fun. Saturday morning we headed off to Westby/Viroqua, WI to visit with the (Great) Grandma's for dinner and breakfast, followed by a trip back to IA and a flight back home on Sunday. It was a lot of time in the car and on planes, but it was also some wonderful, quality time with Grandma S and Kate's Great Grandma's. A special thanks to Grandma S for all of the time she gave us - sans Kate! A win-win for everyone involved.

Camping!

2008-07-28T15:11:00.003-06:00

A Week In Review

2008-07-21T12:37:00.007-06:00

We had a fun week since our last update. Kate has been up to... everything. She will say nearly anything I ask her to say and she's in the process of figuring out how to communicate with us when it comes to the words she doesn't know. If anyone knows what, "ta ta? ta ta? ta ta?" means, I'd LOVE to know. My favorite thing that she's currently saying is, "you're welcome-ah." I don't know where the "-ah" comes from, but it almost sounds like she's saying, "you're welcome, mom." Oh - and she has this confused with, "thank you." For example, when you hand her a toy she responds with, "you're welcome-ah."

On Tuesday Kate and I went to see the Boise Hawks play. There was a Special Olympics event there so we joined some of my co-workers and a group of athletes at the game. We didn't last long, but Kate loved the never ending steps, the loud music and the mascot Humphrey the Hawk (although when he came close to us she wasn't so sure). I only caught one photo, and please imagine the "cheeeeeze" she's busting out here.

Yesterday Brad took us all to the local water park. She shivered the entire time even though it was 100 degrees - I think it was from excitement. She was so thrilled to be there that she was grunting like an animal. She is the hugest dare devil - she went down a curvy crazy slide by herself and LOVED it. After shooting down every slide, immersed in water, she tried to stand up and climb back up it, only to get knocked down by the next kid. It was insanity. She was happy to walk right into deep water, swirl around under water for a good couple of seconds, only to be pulled out, spitting water and laughing. When we tried to put a life vest on her she screamed bloody murder until we gave up...

And in the midst of the fun, we've been struggling with our entrance into the Terrible 2's. This girl can throw a tantrum with the best of them. I'm trying to keep it together and not react to her the way she's reacting to not getting her way, but wow - this is a daunting time.

Happy Birthday, Joey!

2008-07-13T10:35:00.003-06:00

Thank goodness Joey likes Yo Gabba Gabba, too. Last night Mike and Courtney threw the best Yo Gabba Gabba party to which we've ever been. I don't think Kate realized that Yo Gabba Gabba could exist outside of the television set, but alas, it exists in Joey's backyard. Well done, Mike and Court! Thanks for a fun party, Joey!

Reading Genius Baby

2008-07-07T08:13:00.003-06:00

Last night I showed Kate her name spelled out on her magnadoodle and she said, "KATE!"

Brad said we can't call her Buba Girl anymore because there's nothing Buba (baby) about her (aside from the diapers). I'm struggling with the change to Lil' Kate, but I have to admit, if she can read her name she likely isn't a buba anymore.

Independence Day, 2008

2008-07-06T20:46:00.002-06:00

Yes, I know it is over, but it takes me a few days to get it together to get the pictures out here. This said, I can still hear fire crackers off in the distance so this still counts as being on time. We took it easy this weekend, but that included a float down the Boise River with friends (while Kate was with a sitter), a BBQ, a picnic in the park, a trip to Idaho City for breakfast and a couple of visits to the Bausch household to hold that new, sweet, fresh, squeaky baby they brought home on our nation's day of independence.

Sweet Baby Bausch

2008-07-06T20:28:00.006-06:00

McPhee asked me a long time ago, "If my mom isn't here for the birth, will you be in the delivery room with us?" And of course, I started secretly wishing that the baby would come a little early and I could wiggle my way into this exciting situation. McPhee's wonderful mom (Grandma Charlie) arrived on June 25 and it was official - I was out. This did not sadden me in any way, as I remember being in those same, fat, swollen feet about 19 months ago, absolutely COUNTING on the support of my own mom in the delivery room.
On the morning of June 30 McPhee called me to tell me that her brother's wife's water broke and they were in the hospital in Milwaukee delivering their twin babies at about 27 weeks. As you might imagine, Grandma Charlie felt she needed to be there and McPhee was showing no signs of labor, so off she went to Milwaukee. The twins are doing very well and her brother updates the following daily: http://www.freewebs.com/mckennatwins/index.htm.
I was feeling terrible that I was about to benefit from this scary time in McPhee's family's lives, and gave them the option to cut me loose in the event she went into labor before her mom's return to Boise. She assured me that Peter's response to her question, "Do you know what we need to bring to the hospital?" was, "Your black bag and GOOTCH."
As it would happen, McPhee went into labor on the afternoon of July 2. Things moved slowly at first, so Peter said to wait until after Kate was in bed to join them. I got there just in time for things to kick into gear, and Benjamin Francis Bausch was born on July 3 at 3:00 AM, weighing in at 8 pounds, 8 ounces and 20.5 inches long.
This was one of the most incredible moments of my life, one I will never forget, and one for which I am eternally grateful to Peter and Kerry. I am blessed to have been a part of this remarkable event.

To What We've Been Up

2008-06-26T23:26:00.003-06:00

The other day I received an email from Grandma Sloane asking something like, "What is she up to these days?" I knew I'd been slacking on the blogging - mainly because we've been up to a lot (summer lovin, mainly). We attended the Triplet's 3rd birthday party, we purchased a zoo membership, Kate learned to count to 10 (but no recent video yet). Enjoy...

Walkie Talkie

2008-06-18T13:57:00.002-06:00

Last night in the tub I was putting her foam numbers on the wall. We had the following exchange:
ME: One
KATE: Twooo
ME: Three
KATE: Fooour
ME: Five,... six,... seven
KATE: Eight

I could hardly believe my ears.

Additional new favorites are:
"Hiiii! Howareyou? Good (or good, thanks)."
"Oh my"
"Oh boy"
"Okay. Bye. See ya!"
"Share?"
"Kisses"
"Annie! Sit! No!"
"Ello" (Elmo)
"Book"
"Bebe, bebe, bebe, bebe"

June Good Timin'

2008-06-15T13:28:00.004-06:00

We've been enjoying our slow-starting summer. Last weekend was the neighborhood garage sale where I scored a large number of great things for Kate. To note, she got a kitchen ($5!) and a toy vacuum that is an exact replica of mine (with which she's been obsessed for a year now). Attachments, humming, light, dust bag and everything. Finally late this week it warmed up and we were able to go to the pool. Kate has absolutely no fear of the pool and wants to do nothing but climb out, walk away from the edge and then run and jump in. I will be purchasing a swimsuit with a built-in safety vest this week. Last night we threw a BBQ/babyshower for Peter and Kerry - they are expecting in just a few weeks now. I keep telling Kate that McPhee (Kerry) is having a baby and so now when we see her Kate says, "bebe?" Soon enough she'll get to see that tiny baby!! How strange to have a BBQ on a Saturday night with 8 kids watching the Disney channel in my living room. Huh. Who would have thought?

Travel Conclusion

2008-06-08T21:43:00.000-06:00

I know I have gone on and on about this trip, but let's admit it - it was an adventure! A child-less adventure with my best friend. I finally got the videos in order and have shared them here. When you have a moment please enjoy.
Istanbul:

Amsterdam:

London:

June Bug

2008-06-01T20:48:00.004-06:00

We had a nice suburban weekend ringing in June 2008, although Kate had a rough go of it. She is struggling to ring in four new teeth, one of which is practically all the way in; yet hasn't cut through her gums. It is a sad state affairs. This said, we tried a lot of tactics to distract her from the pain, her bad (short) naps and temper tantrums.
Quite a while ago our sweet neighbor, Esme, gave Kate an easel. It finally occurred to me that Kate was tall enough to use it and sure enough - it was a big hit. We quickly figured out that we have to keep a close eye on the chalk, or the coffee table also works nicely as chalkboard. The next tactic was to do some much needed yard work, and have Kate join in. Her favorite part was trying on my gardening gloves and using cut branches as a broom for the sidewalk. We both got a little sun in the process and ended the afternoon in the pool. Kate loved it so much that I've decided we're not going back until we purchase some floating device in which she can be secured.
Today (which was cloudy and rainy) we decided it was time for Kate's first hair cut. If you've seen her - or pictures of her - lately you would agree it was time. First it was a mullet, but now it was just plain shag-a-riffic. The actual cutting process didn't go well (she was so upset she didn't even want the sucker they offered), but Kate livened up after the scissors disappeared and enjoyed watching Daddy get his hair cut. And there was a balloon involved, so all was well.

Before we left...

2008-05-28T20:05:00.005-06:00

When planning our trip I mentioned to Grandma B that Kate might love a baby stroller (and I knew she had one in her gift stash). When we visit the triplets their baby stroller is the number one attraction. When I knew she would be able to fit the stroller in her suitcase I decided Kate was also ready for Bitty Baby. Grandma Sloane sent us Bitty last fall, and back then Kate was just getting used to her first doll and typically was found throwing her, banging her head against something, or chewing her feet. Needless to say, that baby doesn't even have lips anymore. Since then Kate has matured greatly. On the morning that Grandma B was scheduled to arrive I gave Bitty Baby to Kate. Her reaction was gleeful! Unfortunately I didn't have the camera ready when Kate first saw the box, but enjoy this video of her reaction once I freed Bitty from her cardboard restraints. Also included in this video is the presentation of the stroller and the love connection ever since. As a matter of fact, this morning when Kate woke up she said, "Baby?" She absolutely loves Bitty and her new stroller.

London - Day 4

2008-05-27T20:28:00.003-06:00

Now that I'm home it is getting harder and harder to keep this up. Don't get me wrong - I have fond memories and all, but it just seems like you wouldn't want to read about it as much. This said, Day 4 was our last, short day in London. We woke at the crack of dawn, packed our bags and headed to the British Museum. Wow! What a place. Oh - and on the way UB promised we'd find some "impossibly cute" place for breakfast. We arrived at the museum before it opened and found exactly that - an impossibly cute place for breakfast. Mmmm.

The main thing to note is that we saw THE Rosetta Stone. Enjoy the photos I shot as we ran through the museum.

We rushed off to the airport and watched bad movies and TV until we arrived in Boise. Kate was in bed but we peeked in at her. Mmmm!

In the morning, the minute she stirred Brad and I rushed into her room. She looked a little confused and surprised and then slowly started a big smile. It was a most wonderful moment. Then The UB took us all out for breakfast!! YAY!

It is wonderful to be home and settling in. A HUGE thanks to Grandma Bylsma who kept things running on the homefront, and who taught Kate to take nice long naps. Maybe it is time to add on Mother-In-Law quarters...

London - Day 3

2008-05-27T15:35:00.001-06:00

Up and Adam, and off to see St Paul's Cathedral. It is a fabulous place and there was a special treat (in comparison to my last trip here about 8 years ago). We were able to walk to the top of the dome, which is 365 feet high. At the very peak of the dome there is a tiny glass opening, allowing you to look all the way straight down to the middle of the floor (365 feet straight down). As you might imagine, the steps up where,... a lot. The climb was hot and uncomfortable, and the height at which we finally arrived was scary - at best. This said, it was a great spot to spend our morning.

Our next stop was the Tower of London. This place is full of crazy stories of death and dismemberment. Many people lost their heads here over the years, literally. As it turned out, kings and queens were big fans of the chopping block. They were greedy, crazy fools who weren't very nice to each other, making the stories delightfully juicy.

After our visit to the T of L, we looked around for a place to sign up for a Jack the Ripper Foot Tour. We had both read about these and knew they started near the tower. We asked around and ended up signing up for a tour starting at 7:30PM. We decided to grab a couple of beers and wait for our tour. It was well worth the wait. Our tour guide was named Leslie and she was perfectly charming and great at what she did. The tour lasted about 1.5 hrs and took us all over East London (which was the ghetto in those times). We saw many sights during this tour, to include Prostitute's Church, an actual death scene, the stairway where Jack left his only piece of evidence, and the bar where he likely hung out - with his prey. It was loads of fun! And - chilly. I special shout out to The UB who shared his long sleeved shirt with me.

And twas the end of Day 3.

London - Day 2

2008-05-26T06:54:00.008-06:00

There is nothing like a big, air conditioned, luxury hotel to make a person feel better. The hotel offered (for a large price, as are all things in London) a wonderful "traditional English breakfast" which I loved (as I do all breakfasts) but which also offered some surprises: eggs (poached, scrambled and hard boiled), potatoes (wedges and formed hash browns - like McDonald's), black bacon (what is this?!?), weird sausage links, regular bacon (sort of), mushrooms and tomatoes. Mmmmm mmmm!

Off we went to Buckingham Palace to catch a glimpse and see if we could see the changing of the guards. A police officer told me that the changing of the guards would take place at 11:20AM ("twenty past eleven, miss"). That wasn't too far off so we walked around, took some photos and waited. And waited and waited. If it weren't for the fact that we have 2 days in London and a lot to see, I don't think I would have lost my mind like I did, but by noon I was incredibly irritated. It was noon on day 1 of 2 and we hadn't done anything yet. As we started to walk away the changing of the guards process began and we were very happy that we stayed long enough to catch it.

The next stop was Westminster Abbey where we were blown away at every turn. If you haven't been, please read more about it. The opportunity to see the graves of Isaac Newton, Charles Dickens and insurmountable kings and queens and hundreds of others - as well as the place that held Princess Diana's funeral was incredible.

As we left Westminster we took a moment to take in the sights of Big Ben and the Houses of Parliment. Then we crossed the Thames River and took a ride on the London Eye. Wow.

After the Eye we parted ways as UB had plans to attend a Public Enemy show with some friends and I had plans to relax. I decided to walk for a while to take in the sights and pretend I was big-city-Gootch, versus suburban-mom-Gootch for a little while. I quickly came upon Trafalgar Square, which is a beautiful area filled with people relaxing. It was about 6pm on a Friday night and it was packed with people just starting their weekend. I decided to keep moving and possibly walk all the way back to our hotel. I walked and walked, and kept checking the buses to make sure they were the ones headed in my direction. Soon enough I came upon St Paul's Cathedral. The bad news about this sight is that it was in the opposite direction of our neighborhood. Oops. I stopped in a Starbucks and humbly got out the map. Once I found my way home I called room service and enjoyed a quiet, relaxing night in.

Brad came home late - and extremely frustrated. We found the public transportation system in London to be lacking - mainly because they shut down large portions of it for the "Bank Holiday", deeply effecting our ability to get around how we pleased. This said, he loved the Public Enemy show. Good for him, I say.

Amsterdam/London - Day 4/1

2008-05-26T06:11:00.004-06:00

It was very difficult to leave Amsterdam after a day like today. We got up early, packed, enjoyed our last delightful breakfast at this hotel and headed out to rent some bikes. As everyone knows, riding bikes in Amsterdam is part of the culture. Everywhere we went there were bikes; piled high and locked up tightly were tons and tons of rusty, decrepit bikes. They had bike baskets and buckets attached to the front, bikes with up to 3 child seats attached to the frame, bikes carrying dogs, children and friends. It was fantastic. Anywho, we rented some bikes and headed for Vondelpark . One thing to mention here is that the weather we've been having has been exceptional - so a bike ride in an incredibly beautiful Dutch park was over the top, great. We then braved the real streets - I made Brad lead and we set out to find a impossibly cute store we had passed the day before while out on our carriage ride. It was in the middle of a lovely neighborhood on one of many streets that looks just like another. On our carriage ride we asked the driver to tell us where we were, and between the two of us we were able to find it again. Personally I think this is a miracle. There I picked out the most delightful little tea set for Katers. I can't wait to have tea with her and Annie The Dog and her stuffed animals using this little set. After our ride around town we stopped and enjoyed the sun and some some Heineken's at the same street side cafe before we had to turn our bikes in, pick up our luggage and head for the airport. Although I knew that our flight to London would be quick and effortless, I was mostly heartbroken to leave Amsterdam. I would like very much to return to this place. The people, the culture, the sights - what a wonderful place!

Our flight to London was easy peasy. It was the tube ride into town from Heathrow and the idea to get off the hot, cramped underground a little early and walk the last little bit that maybe was the beginning of the end for us. We quickly figured out where to go, but it was further than anyone schlepping luggage would have wanted. We finally arrived at our hotel - in the middle of hustling and bustling London. I have to admit - maybe I'm getting old, but it was a little much to take after the laid back environment of Amsterdam. Our hotel was great - very luxurious for a European place, and as I mentioned before, The UB knows how to pick a hotel!

We headed out on the town and I offered to lead us to Piccadilly Circus . It wasn't too far, but we took a bus which allowed us to see a little of our neighborhood along the way. I don't know for sure what day it was (Thursday?) but we couldn't figure out why there were mobs of people everywhere. The streets were packed with traffic, the sidewalks packed with people, and every pub and restaurant had tons of people spilling outside. We decided that in our state of mind it would be best to find something more quiet, so we walked (and walked, and walked) to find a pub with outdoor seating that seemed a little less insane for us. We ended up sitting with a group of young Norwegians who have been living in London for a few years to study and enjoy big city life. They found it very amusing that Brad is from a little Norwegian town in Wisconsin and we talked about lufsa and other various Norwegian things. It was entertaining and they shared with us some tips about London and good things to do and see. Oddly enough, the night with them ended in a way I never would have imagined. I don't want to get into the details, but as it turned out they made a horrible comment that mainly just confused and befuddled us.

Good night, London! We trust that tomorrow will be a better day for us.