WOW...Flying with 2 under 2 is not fun..I mean REALLY NOT FUN!!!

Well, We Made It!!!

That sums up our adventure to WI.

The flight out was really out of this world...but let me first start by saying, in the scheme of things, my kids were good as gold and really could not have done better. We were not "That Family" on the plane (thank goodness) although we did sit across the row from "That Child" Holy Cats that little girl had lungs and a squeal to match!

It really was more that I felt bad for our kids. They really have this nice, safe, structured life that we happily live and a plane ride just really screws that up. Feeding was a joke, naps were almost non-existent and ants in the pants got the best of Ryan near the end.

Then we still had a 2 hour drive to Shiocton from Milwaukee!!! Did I ever mention how much Elise hates riding in the car? Well she HATES it!!! Again, I took Mike on a tour of the ghetto-don't ask how I know ever ghetto in every major city I have visited. I am pretty sure my husband would be happy if I would skip that part of the trip!! But I always get us there in one piece :0)

Mom and Dad were so happy to see us and Ryan was thrilled to see them. I know they like it when he still remembers them. My sister's and their kids are doing great as well. I can't believe how much they grow. Wyatt is looking more like a pre-teen than a little boy...I just can't imagine Ryan being that big, but soon he will be.

While we were there we went to the Fireman's Parade and Ryan got to see a bunch of trucks and he also got a carton of chocolate milk and some cheese. This was his first time with chocolate milk and he liked it well enough, but luckily he likes his plain old white stuff better!!

Elise was also baptized while we were there. She looked beautiful in her little white gown with her flower in her hair, wearing her "first diamonds" from Grandma Mertel. She won't be spoiled or anything (eyes rolling)!!

It was honestly just nice to be able to visit with everyone and just relax for a bit. Reality was just around the corner, so I enjoyed every bit of help from everyone while I had it!

The plane ride back was actually not awful! The kids were so pooped that they both slept for about 2 hours at the same time, so daddy and mommy took advantage and napped too. Although mommy got the shortest nap. Everyone commented on how cute our kids were and how good they were on the plane. Of course I was beaming with pride because they were both really good and of course they are the most beautiful kids EVER!! (every mom thinks that of her kids :0) )

We got home and I was never so happy to see home. There is just something about being in your own place with your own stuff. It just smelled like home when we walked through the door.

I still have a lot of work to do to unpack and straighten the house. It will take a few days I am sure, but I am doing it with a smile on my face. I got the break I needed to put me back into my correct mommy pants (instead of the impatient ones I had been wearing)

Did I mention how much I love being home :)

Ryan Cleaning as usual

Josie and Elise

Elise and Wyatt

Ryan Loving Elise

My Cute Family

Last day of swim lessons...good thing? Let's discuss

Well, the big finally was today. After two wonderful weeks of getting into the pool at 10:00am with the average temp. outside being around...oh I don't know 58 degrees...Swim Lessons have come to an end.

I am trying to decide how I feel about this. It was cold, it was chaotic getting things ready before and after, Ryan really just clung to me to keep the hypothermia at bay (except for that one day when it was freakin' awesome out), and it was hard lining up childminders for Elise for two weeks in a row.

In the end though, I decided it was the best idea I had had in a long time. The alone time Ryan and I had for those 8 days was something we both needed. For awhile Ryan has needed to look to other people a lot for some of the attention he would normally get from me if I did not have a tiny baby to look after. We have reconnected and I again have moved to the center of everything good in his world.

This does come with a tiny downside...Separation Anxiety!! And boy does he get it bad now!! That has been the challenge because now I have to come up with a new way to get Elise down to her room and put her to sleep. Ryan can't be away from me for that long anymore, and that is a total bummer!!! But, we are even coming around on that...there always seems to be a way to work things out I have found. Good thing I am such a meticulous planner-my life would not even be possible if I wasn't blessed with a brain that goes through all possible outcomes of a situation in 2.2 seconds. I always found it to be a hassle and a mostly useless talent....until I had kids!!! Now I pray to God and thank him daily for the blessing he gave to me :0)


Little McPretty is not up to much. She sleeps awesome, she eats awesome, she rolls awesome, she plays happily awesome (??? I just think she is awesome), pretty much she is an Angel baby with a touch of touchiness and a hint of spirited...pretty much a perfect mix in my book!!

She has such a personality. Her happiness is contagious, her smile infectious (that dimple gets you every time), and those eyes...what can you say, they are sooo engaging it is hard to look away!! Pretty much, she is everything a mom could want in a daughter.

I have even been doing a little gardening. I do it at 830 or 900 at night, but I can still see the weeds and the flowers don't mind being planted at that time either.

Life is good to me and I am thankful for every day I am given...I have found my little bit of heaven on earth!!!

Oh My God, How Did I Make It From 5-720pm??

So this is how my day went from 5pm-720pm. Let me tell you folks it was not pretty!! But, we made it through and I am a stronger woman for it! Bring on the booze...




Ryan turned 17 mo today and I am not sure if it is that, or the fact that we have been doing swim lessons for the last week and 2 days, but he has suddenly got the worst case of separation anxiety he has had in his entire short life!!!

I honestly am not quite sure how I am going to proceed with my days.

Elise is in the basement, which is where her room is now permanently. To put her down I used to let Ryan just play around the house, it is totally baby proofed and I really had no better option. Well, he started climbing so I had been coordinating his meals with nap put down times and for her cat nap I would have him sit in highchair and color or have a snack.

Today I tell him mommy has to take the baby to go to sleep it's time to color in your chair. I meet a little resistance, but I sometimes do. Normally he will just get it and play colors. Not today.

Of course Elise was fighting her nap-middle of an awake time change and I don't have it right yet-so I end up having to be down there for like 10-15min. That is the max I will spend with her leaving Ryan. I go to the steps and I hear him wailing. He has a good fake wail, but this was different.
So I pick up Elise we go upstairs and he is in FULL meltdown in his highchair. Now the baby is crying too because he is crying and she is not in bed. I pick him up out of his highchair (I have one babe in each arm) we go downstairs where we do have a tv and I tell him he has to watch Barney while mom puts baby to sleep.

We get to the tv everything is fine. I am sitting with the baby trying to get her close to sleep (she is touchy and will sleep no where but her pitch black room, but I am hopeful of a miracle of some sort to get me through this) I stand up (because Elise can't stand to be held while sitting ) Ryan starts to whine..."It's ok mom is here" Barney starts full swing and he is into it.
Elise looks like she might be ready to sleep so I slowly walk the hall to her room...nothing from Ryan.

I go into her room and I start to hear tears...the door to Elise's room in closed and I hear Ryan losing it. I open the door and he looks like he is lost in the middle of the world and no one will ever find him...breaks my heart!!!

I pick him up (both babes in my arms) and they are both crying again. I try to rock them in the dark. Ryan calms, Elise gets worked up. I try laying a pilloow on the floor for Ryan so I can settle Elise...not having it..

By this time about 15 min has passed and I have to abort mission...no one is falling asleep or settling down like this!!!

Upstairs and everyone is going for a walk...miracle of miracles...Elise at some point falls asleep. Maybe only for 10min, but I know for sure 10min because the first time I noticed she was asleep and by the 4th time I check on her (when she wakes) she has been asleep.

This is how the rest shakes out...

Ryan in Highchair with his dinner....Elise nurses....I run the bath for Elise in our bedroom where we have a tv...give Ryan a cup of milk and turn on Thomas The Tank Engine...give Elise her bath...get her out...put Ryan in...wash Ryan up...get him out...Elise is just talking to herself and sucking her fingers...put on Ry's PJ's....say goodnight to sister...pop him in bed with his fans and noises and ALL of his paci's...finish getting Elise ready for bed...she is starting to fuss, so I hurry because I do not want Ryan to get upset (he is already just about to sleep)...Elise starts crying more...Ryan starts a little fuss...I run her down the stairs...listen to see if Ryan settles (he does)...swaddle Elise and do a little Accidental Parenting On Purpose, we nurse to sleep.....And Do I Feel Bad About It...HELL NO!!!!!!!

I made it!!!!

Both are currently asleep and all systems are a go for it to stay that way....How I ever get through some days is totally beyond me!!

It is my hope that you will never have this lovely experience.

We Are On The Roll!!

My little sprite of a girl is just a wild woman!!

She has been rolling tummy to back for awhile now, but yesterday she also started back to tummy rolling!

This is shocking to me because I think I remember Ryan not really rolling until he was like 7 months old.

My guess is it doesn't take much to roll her pixie sized body over whereas my beefy little man had to get enough muscle to get his chubby little tush over.

It is just adorable to see her little feet kicking around and then whoop over she is!! CRAZY!!! Who knows what she will be up to next!

I also have learned how muffin top happens:
I used to see it all the time and thought to myself, how can that happen, isn't it uncomfortable? Well, I now know just how it happens...hips smaller than the leftover skin from having a baby!! (at least that is my excuse) Tried on a skirt from prebaby days yesterday. Went on over legs and hips no problem, tough to zip, but I got it zipped-then-skin flopping over the top!! WTH...no one told me this was how it would look!! Good news is I am still on the way down and things are moving back in the right direction. I'll just be happy when putting on clothes doesn't make me want to break down in tears anymore!!

Swimming Lessons HOORAY!!!!!

After an exciting weekend of visitors, we started our week off by getting into a pool at 1000am!!

Ryan and I are taking a Aqua Tots swim class and it is pretty cool. It's the first thing Ryan and I have gotten to do just the two of us in a very long time.

Ryan LOVES his bath almost more than any other part of the day so I was excited and also nervous for us. I really wanted him to like it, but a pool is very different than a bathtub. We started slow. I walked in and it was a heated salt water pool, so that was a plus. But right away Ryan was not super thrilled with the idea of nothing below him.

So back to the step we went. I just left Ry sitting on my lap until he got a little more time to watch the other kids play. I slowly dropped down a step so he was more in the water. Then we just started walking toward the other kids. It was a slow go, but he was not crying so I thought bonus! We sang songs and mostly I just held him in front of me telling him "Mommy is here, it will be ok. I'm not leaving you"

He was getting more ok with it, and then...the buckets came out!!!! Ryan was the hit from that point on!! You see, dumping water on his head is his specialty!! From that point on he splashed and let me float him and he even jumped to me in the water!! Remember this is day 1 of an 8 day session.

I think he had a good time and will be super excited when he sees the pool tomorrow.

Little Miss Elise got to stay home with Grandma Mertel...who she promptly charmed into taking her out of her crib to play...that little girl will be dangerous in the future!!


In other big news...Ryan got his first molar to pop through yesterday!! The bottom one will be soon to follow...his poor gums are so swollen. But he is handling it like a champ.


I have decided to hone in my grilling skills. On Friday, we had our neighbors over for ribs that I slow cooked over indirect heat for 4 hours. Saturday date night (on the deck) was cedar planked salmon, and yesterday we had friends over for some tri-tip. All in all I am becoming quite the outdoor chef.

Busy weekend and now a busy week...before I know it my babes will be 10 years old!!!