The Swenson Scene

Dancing and Singing

2012-02-20T16:38:00.001-08:00

A new favorite activity around here is dancing and singing. As a singer, I am of course thrilled at this development. Adam's favorite song is "The Wheels on the Bus," and he asks for it at least once a day. Clara gets very excited, too, and has even begun to learn the correct movements (not as of this video, though). This video is actually a little subdued as they were distracted by the camera - so you can imagine what the scene usually entails. Some days Mama can barely keep up! It sure is fun, though.

I couldn't get it to load here for some reason, so
YOU'LL HAVE TO CLICK HERE TO WATCH IT ON YOU TUBE.

Some other favorite songs are "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep," "This Little Light of Mine," and "Down by the Bay."

She Turned One!

2012-02-20T13:43:00.000-08:00

Our girl did it - she turned one!
It was a low-key birthday with Daddy out of town, but we still did some celebrating. We can't believe it's been a year since this little lady joined our family.

Here's a video of Clara showing off one of her new tricks. She learned this from Grandma Ann while she was visiting. I think you'll be able to tell which part is her favorite...
I couldn't get the video to load here for some reason, so
YOU'LL NEED TO CLICK HERE TO WATCH IT ON YOU TUBE.

At her 1 year appointment, she weighed 19 lbs. 10 oz. She continues to have a sweet laid-back personality and wants to do and eat everything her brother does.
Look at how helpful she is in the kitchen.
She is always interested in everyone's purse, and Grandma Ann gave her her very own purse for her birthday.

It has all the essentials: keys, mirror, credit card, bracelet, cell phone. She loves it!

Sister being silly before cupcake time. She finally got her first tooth at 11 months, and we're still sitting pretty at two teeth as of now.

We're going to have her actual cake next weekend when Daddy is back from all his traveling, but we did have cupcakes with Uncle Matt, who was visiting on her birthday. There was a lot more experimenting than actual eating. Oh well, it's her birthday.

We Skyped with Daddy so he could see his baby girl on her first birthday.
Adam waving "hi" to Daddy.
Adam now calls his sister Clue-ra. Adam is a great big brother, and now that Clara is a bit older, they are having more and more fun together. Adam asks to hold Clara and is always willing to give hugs. He has also become more concerned for her safety and comfort, bringing her the paci when she is sad and saying "be careful, Clue-ra" when she gets a little too close to Pooser.

Adam does "fist bump" with Daddy.

Happy birthday, Sweet Girl! We love you.

We're BAAAAaaaaaaack...

2012-02-20T12:57:00.001-08:00

We're still here! Phil was out of town for a month (with the laptop - hence no blog posting), but we survived and even had a little fun. Phil leaves (again) tonight, so I am going to try to do some quick posts to fill you in.

My mom came to visit for a week just after Phil left. We had so much fun and the kids enjoyed her very much.

We spent some time at the park. It is so funny to me that Clara likes to ride in the swing leaning forward like this.

The side view is even funnier.

Adam has a more normal approach.

The swing is Clara's favorite at the park.

Lots of play time with Grandma. Adam and Clara have both been really into playing with puppets and pretend food that we got them at IKEA. Good stuff.

Play-doh...one of Adam's favorite activities. Grandma turned out to be an expert sculptor.

Reading a book.

Quick time out for a smile.

We took Grandma to one of our favorite spots - Great Falls National Park. We had a great hike.
Looking over the bridge. This is one of Adam's favorite parts since it is a lot easier to throw rocks into the water from the bridge.

Clara and Mama enjoying the falls.

Grandma taught Adam how to use a walking stick. Adam was concentrating so hard on using the stick!

Grandma and Adam enjoying the view.

Grandma and Grandpa Swenson came about a week later. Unfortunately, I have no pictures from there visit BECAUSE...I got to go to Colorado to visit Phil all by myself!!!!! It was a glorious weekend. I don't have any photos to show you from that either. It'd be really boring for you, though, since we didn't really do anything - which was the whole point!
Adam and Clara had a great time while I was gone and I did get to spend a couple of great days with Mama and Papa Swenson before they had to go home.
I was so thankful for all of my visitors while Phil was away and their amazing helpfulness. I could not have made it through the month without them!

Going Dark

2012-01-22T08:27:00.001-08:00

The Swenson Scene is going to be going dark for a few weeks while Phil is away for work. I always thought that was so cool when a character would "go dark" while on a mission (think Jack Bauer on 24). Anyway, I wanted to leave you with a few images until we return...

I love chomping on my apple. No teeth as of when this picture was taken, but now she finally has two just peeking out on the bottom!

Yummy!

Little drool bubble on the chin...

This boy has been getting into Play-Doh lately. Still loving school and making big changes every week. His new favorite hobby is hiking and he loves doing "hug tight" with his family.

Crazy baby! Getting tossed up in the air by daddy.

Just hangin' out.

Moose!
The kids are really going to miss Daddy. (So is Mama.)

We've got plenty to keep us busy while Daddy is away. A visit from Gramma Ann and another from Grandpa and Grandma Swenson will be highlights to share with you when we're back. AND, we have a FIRST birthday coming up for Miss C.

Catch you on the flip side...

If He Builds It, She Will Bathe: Master Bath Reveal!

2012-01-16T06:13:00.000-08:00

It's finally time for the big reveal!!! Phil has been building me a new bathroom and it is magnificent! He did every speck of work himself (with some much appreciated help from friends and family) and I could not be more impressed and proud of him. Yes, I'm bragging up my husband right now, but he deserves it.

Here is the old bathroom. Perfectly functional, but "builder's grade" everything and nothing special. (PS, this photo is from the listing. We did have some golden rod paint on the walls and a navy shower curtain, but unfortunately, I forgot to take a "before" shot myself.)

Hopefully you can tell from the vantage point above that the door used to be all the way to the left in the corner of the master bedroom. Phil moved the door so that you would be entering the bathroom in the middle of the room, instead of on the far left of the room, which opened up some more layout options. I wish I would have taken some "during" photos because Phil literally had the bathroom stripped down to the studs, and he moved around all the plumbing and electrical himself.

Here's the new view as you walk into the bathroom!

Phil has always wanted a frameless glass shower with a shower head tall enough for him - and now he's livin' the dream!

I have always wanted a nice deep tub with a ledge for my glass of wine, candle, and book - and Phil made sure I would have it! He even sacrificed some space in the shower so I could have my tub. It has been such a relaxing place for me at the end of the day.

Featuring the tub.

Did you notice the window treatment? Yes, that was my contribution - I made it myself!

Here is the other side of the room with the vanity.

I can't believe how great it turned out. Phil had the vision all along, but I admit I was a bit skeptical at first (which may have been due to a giant whole being knocked through our master bedroom wall???) But now I see the vision and couldn't be happier. Thank you, Husband!!!
With each new project, large and small, I feel like we make our house more "ours" and grow to love it more and more.

Waterfalls and Mountains

2012-01-13T17:50:00.000-08:00

We've been doing some hiking lately since the weather has been so warm. Adam has really gotten into it, and let's face it, Clara is pretty much happy whatever we're doing as long as she is part of the action.

Last weekend, we decided to try out the trails around the Manassas battlefield - only a few miles from our house. We arrived after our very short car ride and I excitedly sang out, "Aaaaaall rrrrrright, Adam!" I turned around and this is what I saw.

So, we decided to keep driving and let him get a good nap in. We headed north towards one of my new favorite places, Great Falls National Park. When we arrived, everyone was awake and ready to go. Clara loves riding in the backpack.

The main attraction is, of course, the falls. It's beautiful and quite impressive.

Adam loves watching it and listening to the water roar.

Here is our attempt at a family photo. We always forget to do these. The kids were a bit confused as to why a stranger was taking our picture, so we're a little lacking in the area of facial expression.

We always hang around the falls for a while because Adam loves climbing on the rocks, which he calls mountains.

Climbing the "mountain" with Daddy.

At the end of our hike, we went into the Visitor's Center and one of the park rangers was showing off this snake. Adam was a huge fan and did a very good job gently touching it.

I also had a chance to practice with the camera. It's a lot easier to get nice photos when your subject isn't moving a mile a minute!
This one is my favorite. The clarity of the reflection in the water caught my eye right away.

These were taken in the area leading up to the falls. The water was so smooth, but you could tell the current was amazingly strong underneath.

Wrapping Up 2011

2012-01-13T16:53:00.000-08:00

Someone was raring to go on her first Christmas morning.

Santa knew just what Mama wanted in her stocking.

Phil and I opened our presents the night before so Christmas morning was all about the kids. FYI: Phil got a big tool chest on wheels and I got a plane ticket to visit Phil in Colorado while he is out there for a month in February. We get to stay in a really nice hotel and I get to sleep in! I love my husband for thinking of me and knowing how wonderful a break will be in this season of my life.

Adam wanted to play with each gift after he opened it, so Christmas morning actually stretched into most of the day. Oh well, we were in no rush.
This is a Thomas matching game.

Gordon takes a trip through the new abandoned mine tunnel.

Clara got two dollies! She loves to carry the one from Grandma and Grandpa L. around with her because it is easy to crawl while holding it. This one (from Santa) she loves to sit and hold and give the magnetic paci - over, and over, and over.

She got a picnic basket from Grandma and Grandpa L. Notice she is also holding one of her brother's new cars that he got from Grandma and Grandpa S. What can I say, she loves trucks!

Adam got a big floor puzzle (Thomas, of course.)

The kids got to open one present with each set of grandparents on Skype - lovin' technology!
Both kids like the story reader from Grandma and Grandpa S.

The next two photos are just cute pictures of Adam that I wanted to share.

Phil and I rang in the New Year together at home while the kids slept. Well, technically Adam woke up just as the ball was dropping, so rather than listen to him cry as we tried to celebrate the New Year, we just brought him downstairs, so he got to party with us for a little bit.
We got take out from our favorite sushi restaurant - YUMMMMM!

Check out this bottle of wine - bought purely because of the name.
"I have seen the elephant!"

Merry Christmas 2011

2012-01-13T09:14:00.000-08:00

Yeah, it's about time for this post, huh? We've been out of commission for a while due to illness, and we are just now emerging from our cloud of "blah."
What a great way to start a post about Christmas.
We stayed home for the first time this year and did not make our pilgrimage back to Minnesota. It was weird, but probably good since we all got so sick. So, there aren't many things to report from our Christmas break, but I will share a few things with you.

Everyone got a chance to help put the star on top of the tree.
This guy was the most helpful...

Here's a medium level of helpfulness...

And the least helpful...

Adam really got into the Christmas tree this year and actually understood that the ornaments were supposed to go ON the tree. He found his Elmo ornament right away and got to work choosing the perfect spot for him.

Picking out the next ornament for the tree. The kids had great fun inspecting each ornament in the box.

The finished product, complete with presents on Christmas Eve.

Ten Months and Toothless

2011-12-07T11:50:00.001-08:00

Ten months old and still no teeth - but isn't she just the cutest thing you've ever seen???

She's still our easy going girl. She loves playing outside, reading books, playing with Adam's trucks (she mimics him driving the truck back and forth along the floor), and clapping to music while Adam and I dance and sing.

She's gotten really good at standing up and can pop right up. This has been a little troublesome for Adam when he's trying to keep his books and things away from Clara. Luckily, Clara has figured out how to get back down from standing in the past few days.

Soooooo big!
Clara's other "tricks" include high five, waving, clapping, dancing, and touchdown.

Clara still completely adores this big brown-eyed boy. It's so fun when they get laughing together.

Adam's new favorite game.

Happy ten months, Clue!
(Yes, Adam still calls her Clue.)

Christmas Tree Hunt 2011

2011-12-02T14:42:00.000-08:00

This year, we drove a bit further to Moose Apple Christmas Tree Farm to get our tree - it was a very pretty drive and totally worth it! The tree selection was awesome, service was great, and you can't argue with a $10 military discount.

Christmas Trees as far as the eye can see! We left Clara at home with Grandma and Grandpa, so this was a special trip for just Adam, Daddy, and Mama. Adam was really excited when he saw all the Christmas trees and got really into picking one out and taking it home. Super fun!

Hunting for the perfect tree.

Found it! This is the one!

People always say there aren't enough pictures of me on the blog...so here you go.

Helping Daddy cut down the tree.

We're decorating this weekend, so pictures coming soon!
Also....master bathroom is almost complete!!!

A Ritter Christmas

2011-12-02T13:12:00.000-08:00

Who are the Ritters? Some secret branch of our family that is just now being revealed? No - nothing quite THAT exciting. The Ritters are a family in our neighborhood that we have never actually met, but I think they have become part of our Christmas tradition. Let me explain.

While Casey and Peg were here for Thanksgiving, they were on a walk with Adam and saw a house in the distance with some decorations in the front yard and decided to check it out. When they walked over to the house, they found that the house was totally COVERED in lights (think Griswold style). They came back and told us about it and said we had to go see it at night.

So, we loaded up the kids and took a little walk.

We could not believe it when we arrived. You can't make it out in this picture, but it says Merry Christmas from The Ritters in the arch over the driveway. Apparently, they do this every year and have won awards for their display. The lights are timed to music that plays in the yard, but they also have a radio station dedicated to playing the music so you can listen from the warmth of your car if you want. Click Here to see a website that the family created with all the information.

There are 25,000 lights and something like 250 statues that make up the display! What's also cool is that they have a big box in front of the house to collect food for the food pantry in exchange for viewing the spectacle in their yard, so we brought a bunch of stuff to put in there.

I've already driven the kids past a few more times when coming home at night. I think this will definitely be something to add to our Christmas activities! Thanks, Ritters, for your hard work and Christmas spirit!

Ladies and Gentlemen...we have a PRESCHOOLER!

2011-12-01T18:14:00.000-08:00

Adam started preschool a couple of weeks ago and it has been fantastic for him. He loves going and seems to have already learned so much. It's amazing and so fun - we're so proud of him!

All ready to go with his backpack (a Thomas backpack, of course).

Walking into school with his teacher, Ms. Jessica. He's looking to the right to look at the buses that park by the curb. He loves to watch the kids get off the bus.

Clara and I got to visit Adam at school last Wednesday for a Thanksgiving feast. It was so fun to see him in his classroom and do some fun activities together.
They made pizzas for their lunch. Here's Adam putting the cheese on his pizza. Look at that concentration! (Clara's hanging out in the background)

Playing some little games.

Play - doh.
This was a game with music that instructs you to tap your sticks in a certain way (above your head, fast, slow, down low, etc...) Please notice that Adam is the only one following the directions all on his own :) I think they had done this before because Adam was very excited when Ms. Jessica handed him his sticks.
Each of the classrooms has a Smart Board (as a teacher, this is amazing to me). Adam was so excited for his turn! I think he likes it so much because it's like a giant iPad. Ms. Janine is helping him in this picture and Adam is laughing because when you touch the dice it rolls around on the screen before it lands on a number.

Using the pointer to move the pumpkin onto the fence.

Playing with water is one of Adam's favorite activities.

After all the activities, it was time to eat the pizzas they had made.

A few days later, I visited Adam at school again to bring cupcakes for his birthday.
"Do I have something on my face?"

Swenson Thanksgiving 2011

2011-12-01T10:08:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with a great visit from the Swenson side of the family. Adam and Clara LOVE when Grandpa and Grandma are here!

Unfortunately, I didn't get a good picture of the table and everyone, so you'll just have to trust me when I say that dinner was completely awesome. Everyone made something and it all turned out great.
This girl enjoyed her first Thanksgiving. She liked the green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, carrots, and the cranberries.

Bummed that this photo is a little out of focus, but a good shot of the fam hanging out. You'll notice that it was unseasonably warm this year. We enjoyed temps in the 60s all weekend long! Great for spending lots of time outside.
Uncle Matt, Grandma, Grandpa, and Adam

Adam and Clara took lots of walks to the park and played outside in the yard with Grandma and Grandpa.

Clara and Mama.

Daddy and Adam - getting some serious air!

Girl loves her some dirt!

Happy Three Years, Adam!

2011-11-28T19:11:00.000-08:00

The Boy is three and we can't believe it! We had a great time celebrating with Grandpa and Grandma Swenson, Uncle Matt, and some dear friends.

Opening his presents.
He got matchbox cars and a cool carrying case from Grandpa and Grandma Leibrock and Aunt Grace. He and Dad got right to work playing with them.

Grandpa and Grandma Swenson took Adam to the Marine Corps Museum and got him this jeep from the gift shop. Adam loved his trip to the museum with all the big helicopters, trucks, and tanks - right up his ally.

Some more matchbox cars from Uncle Matt. Building his collection.

I think angels started singing in Adam's head when he opened "Gordon," his favorite Thomas and Friends engine. Notice he would not even let go of the box while Phil was taking Gordon out.

He was so excited!

He got to try Gordon out right away on the new track we got him. The new track makes playtime much more fun for Adam (and Mom and Dad) since we can make more elaborate configurations.

Gordon finds his new home at Tidmouth Sheds. Since Adam's birthday, Gordon has done everything with Adam including sleeping and riding in the car.

Here is his cake - I anticipated its creation for weeks and was pretty pleased with the way it turned out.

Adam was very excited once he saw his cake. Notice the Thomas in his hand, as well.

Maybe a little TOO excited...

Licking the frosting off of the Thomas from the cake.

Eating cake with his very good friend Mason.Clara got to try some of her big brother's birthday cake, too.
There was lots of investigating before the actual eating took place.

In the end, it was a hit.

I can't believe my boy is three. I remember the moment I saw him for the first time and my life changed. He brings us so much joy, even with the challenges, and we are so proud of him. He makes us laugh every day and his sister absolutely adores him. It is so amazing to watch him grow and we are so blessed by this little man.
We love you, Adam!

Happy Nine Months!

2011-11-12T17:58:00.000-08:00

She's nine months old and she's HAPPY!

She has so much fun playing with Adam and follows him (and the cat) everywhere. Adam has figured out that Clara says "BA BA BA BA BA," and they have great conversations back and forth using this language. Clara also mimics waving, clapping, and does "so big." It's been a fun month!

Playing peek-a-boo...where's Clara?

There she is!

Haven't found a food she doesn't like, yet.
Lovin' the mandarin oranges!

And, the peas and carrots.

Getting much better at the sippy cup.

She weighed 17 lbs. 11 oz. at the doctor - getting so big. She's lovin' life and makes life so fun for us. We'll see Grandma and Grandpa Swenson for Thanksgiving AND her big brother's third birthday - YAY!
Here's a silly picture to leave you with :)

Conquered!

2011-11-02T14:43:00.000-07:00

What once seemed insurmountable...

inconceivable, even...

has now been conquered!

And now...the world is her oyster!

Happy Halloween!

2011-11-01T17:02:00.001-07:00

Our Halloween kicked off a bit early with our friend Avery's FIRST birthday party. It was a costume party at Chick-fil-a and the kids all looked great.
This was our attempt to get a photo of all the kids. Ha, right!

At least this little butterfly was willing to hold still long enough for a photo with Mama.

The fun continued on Halloween night with trick-or-treating.
Monkey and Butterfly all ready to head out.

It was really fun because Adam really "got" trick-or-treating for the first time this year. He walked up to each house, said "Trick-or-Treat," and picked out his own candy to put in his pumpkin. Then it was off to the next house. Clara liked looking at all the decorations and costumes, and she earned her brother some extra candy at many of the houses.

Examining his loot. This year, Adam also discovered that he likes chocolate. Excellent.

I think it's safe to say that he likes Halloween.
Just for the sake of remembering, I need to tell you that according to Adam, he is a "Ski" and Clara is a "Buckyfwy."

Telling Daddy what it's like to be a butterfly.

"Watching" The Game

2011-11-01T16:59:00.000-07:00

My boys "watching" the game. Must have been a nail-biter.

Some Randoms

2011-10-21T19:04:00.001-07:00

Every once in a while, I find some photos that I either missed the first time around or that just didn't fit in another post. These are some that I came across that I thought were so cute.

My little camper. This photo was taken on Adam's first camping trip with Daddy and the Coopers. Clara and I were scheduled to go too, but then Clara decided it would be more fun to stay home with her first ever ear infection (boo). Adam had a blast, as you can see and I love this photo of him.

This is Clara and her friend Emma, who was born in July. Emma's mama is my friend Beth, who went to St. Olaf with me. The girls got to meet when we were home in Minnesota in September. Emma was not as into the photo taking as we had hoped she'd be - I think she had just woken up, poor thing. I love this photo, though, because it looks like Clara is trying to hold her hand and say, "It's ok, Friend, nothing to get worked up about. When you're cute like us, people are always trying to take your picture." Such a supportive friend.

Adam catching up on his reading before bed.

The boy.

Check out this look.

It's Fall Festival Time!

2011-10-17T18:44:00.000-07:00

Cox Family Farm is having its Fall Festival until October 31, so we took advantage of the beautiful weather this past weekend and went to check it out. We had fun last year, but this year Adam was even more into it, being a year older.

One highlight was all the slides. There are about a million - each one unique. This is the first one the boys tried out.

Adam wasn't thrilled with this one - it was a little too bumpy.

Daddy didn't mind, though.

This slide was the favorite - for everybody! It was pretty big, so it took a while to climb to the top, but the reward was outstanding. Adam and I had such fun!

We made it to the bottom!

Daddy's turn.

This bluegrass band found its new number one fan. We sat down to have a snack and Adam asked right away to go see the guitar and the violin. He spent the next fifteen minutes dancing his little heart out and clapping and cheering after every song. Phil and I were cracking up - this boy never stops surprising us.

Dancing fool!

Teaching his signature moves...

In between songs, he went right up to the stage to get a closer look at the instruments.

Our last stop was the goats.

As you can see, Adam was quite popular with the goats.

We had a great time and everyone was ready for a nap by the time we left. No pictures of Clara, but she took it all in from the stroller and was awake and looking around the whole time. I didn't take any pictures in the corn maze either since we were too busy exploring. Both kids liked it, though - lots to see in there. We might go back again to go on a hayride. There was just too much to fit in before nap time!

Back in Paradise - Our October Trip to MN

2011-10-16T17:43:00.000-07:00

We were back in Minnesota for cousin Miranda's wedding on October 8th. It was a beautiful wedding, and we were so happy to celebrate with Miranda and Darren - a great match. We stayed with Grandma and Grandpa Swenson and had an absolutely fabulous visit. The weather was unseasonably warm and the kids both had a great time enjoying the outdoors. Adam was constantly busy, making at least four trips to see the chickens per day. He also loved visiting Shelly, the horse, and just running around the yard in general. Clara enjoyed sitting on the deck and inspecting every leaf she could get her hands on.

Uncle Matt made a great leaf pile for Adam to run through. Adam decided it needed some maintenance and got to work.

Brother and sister enjoying the leaves together.

Then Adam discovered this game...

Clara thought it was a bit much.

This was awesome. Phil and Matt had these go-karts when they were young. They have been just sitting in the barn for years, but the guys decided to try firing them up in honor of Adam's visit. After a bit of work and a trip to the hardware store - they got them running! The sun is shining right in their eyes, but it was very exciting and I'm sure it will provide some fun rides in the coming years.

Adam got to sit on the riding lawnmower, which I think he thought was a tractor.

What a great time! Can't wait to see you again at Thanksgiving, Grandpa and Grandma S!

Our "Clue" is Eight Months Old!

2011-10-15T16:55:00.001-07:00

One of these months I'll actually post on time - maybe.
She's getting so big! She continues to be very happy and game for anything.

She sticks her tongue out like this a lot when she smiles - what a goof!
She still laughs the hardest at her brother's antics. She's getting around like a pro-crawler now, which keeps us all a little busier.

Here she is with the tongue again. She started pulling herself up to standing just a couple of days ago - very excited for herself! This has opened up a whole new realm of opportunities for her. As you can see, she's finally started to sprout a little bit of hair. It's coming in pretty evenly, so I don't think she'll be rockin' the mohawk like Adam did. That's probably ok, though. It was super cute on Adam, but I just don't know if Clara could quite pull it off.

Still fascinated by the camera - but this gives me a chance to show off her beautiful blue eyes.

She was completely in love with the leaves at Grandpa and Grandma Swenson's house when we were visiting last week. She spent a lot of her time inspecting them one-by-one. Notice the tongue (again).

I weighed her a couple of days ago and she was a little over 17 lbs. She is eating pretty much everything now and loving it! Still no teeth. We're still working on the sippy cup, but she's getting a lot better. She's very excited to help her brother celebrate his THIRD birthday next month!

Happy two-thirds birthday to our girl!

The "Yake"

2011-09-30T09:03:00.000-07:00

We're about to visit MN again for our cousin Miranda's wedding (can't wait!), so I need to get this post done - covering our last trip to MN. We visited MN over Labor Day and had a fabulous time. I came with the kids and stayed for about a week with my parents, and then Phil joined us for a long weekend up at The Lake ("Yake" as Adam says) in Hayward, Wisconsin. I miss being at The "Yake." It was so great to relax a little bit and see some of my favorite people. These are just a few highlights from our time.

Phil and Matty found this ladder ball set in the garage and tried it out until the mosquitoes (MN's state bird) got the best of them.

The action shot.

Clara spending some time relaxing with Aunt Paula. I was so thankful for my mom and her sisters. They watched the kids a lot so Phil and I could play and have some relaxing time.

Marble Works! Adam was fond of this make-shift hat.

I don't know who was having the most fun with this...

Adam says, "Ready, Set, Go!"

Great fun had by all.

Why is Phil so sad???

Take a closer look at the glass. The cousins went out to this little bar in town to hang out one night. It was disgustingly adorned in Packer crap - we did not approve. I know, I know, what can you expect when you're IN Wisconsin. Still, it made us throw up a little bit.

We still managed to have a fun time. I got to have my first cheese curds in quite some time - they don't "get" cheese curds outside of the REAL midwest.
Cousins! Love these people. (We were missing cousin Claire)

Adam was thrilled to go on the boat.

He insisted that he wanted to go in the water. Big thanks to Claire for going in with him - such a trooper! It was a little too cold for Mama to take the plunge.

Once Adam realized how chilly it was, he was in the mood for a good cuddle with Mama.

Phil tried out windsurfing and did a great job. He also got to go kayaking - FUN!

This is a little embarrassing...

Having some fun with Aunt Bethy. I'm not totally sure what this game was all about, but it was fun.

Bye bye, Yake. See ya next time!

WOOoooOOOoooOOOooo!

2011-09-28T18:21:00.000-07:00

Adam's been working on his fire engine noise for a while now and has become increasingly interested in the trucks we've seen on the road. Little did he know that he is related to a REAL fire fighter! Unco Matty recently became a member of the Lakeville Fire Department and it's been really exciting to hear all about his hard work and accomplishments - we're so proud of him! When we were visiting MN over Labor Day, Adam got a special tour of the fire station.

Adam was so excited that he got to go IN the engines. He got to see the lights flash, but didn't really like the siren. It was pretty loud with the station doors closed up.

Unco Matty showed Adam where the fire fighters sit and how the flashlights work. We also got to see all the equipment that gets stored in the trucks. I had no idea there were so many secret doors with pretty impressive tools stored in them.

Adam thought it was all pretty awesome.

Fire Fighter Matty!

Matty's locker. I think I could be on board with being a fire fighter. Everything is SO clean and organized - I LOVE it!

Sweet.

Checking out the driver's seat.

This is in the break room, which is more like a little family room. Matty will get to sign the hose up on top there after he finishes his probationary period (I forget when that is). It's pretty cool.

Matty showed us how to roll a hose. He has skills!

Adam loved playing peek-a-boo in the engine windows.

One lucky and happy little boy!

Thanks SO much Unco Matty for such a special time. We loved it!

Seven Months (Well...more like 7.5 months)

2011-09-21T18:15:00.000-07:00

Once again, I am very behind on blogging. Here is Clara at nearly seven-and-a-half months old! She is really becoming a little lady.

She continues to want to be right in the action and is very interested in everything her brother does. Now that she is more mobile, Adam has a little shadow more often than not.

Still no teeth, but plenty of drool. She's been doing great with solids. Her favorite is sweet potatoes, but she also enjoys green beans and, surprisingly, peas. Not too big on fruit, but we're working on it.

This is when I knew she had outgrown the bouncy seat.

She wanted to GO, and began to get upset at her limited mobility...soon to be remedied.

Up on all fours. This has been confusing to Adam. When Daddy and Mama get in this position, it is fair game for a horsey ride. He has tried this with Clara a couple of times and it hasn't gone well. Now, he just points at Clara and says "horse."

I thought she was no where near sitting up when she was six months old, but all of a sudden she had a burst of development (as little ones often do).
Just hangin' out on her belly.

Next, she was sitting with support.

Before we knew it, she was sitting all by herself like a big girl (still fascinated by the camera). She's been full out crawling for about two weeks now and babbling away. She's become quite the conversationalist.

Showin' off her baby blues.

Catching up with a Sneak Peek

2011-09-14T05:09:00.000-07:00

Wow, haven't posted in a while. We've been busy traveling and living life, so we've got lots to share with you. Several posts will be coming, but here is a sneak peek of what's been going on - just to build the anticipation!

Just a note: I left the good camera at home so I was using my parents' point-and-shoot.

We went back to MN and spent Labor Day up at the lake. Adam couldn't be bothered to go inside to put his swimsuit on. He wanted to watch his daddy windsurfing!

Clara turned 7 months and is becoming a very big girl.

Adam got to go visit Unco Matty at the fire station! He had a special hands-on tour of all the trucks and the entire station. Mama enjoyed it too!

Clara also enjoyed her Unco Matty and Aunt Jessie. Here is our side of the table. What are we laughing at?

The other side of the table! (another photo I couldn't turn)

We had a visit from Aaron, Kitty, Eleanor, and new baby Elise. This was our best attempt at a photo of all the kids. Not terrible considering we have two babies and two almost-three-year-olds! Wish I would have had my good camera for this one especially, though. This doesn't do justice to all the cuteness.

Clara and Adam both had some wonderful time with Grandpa and Grandma L.
Clara chillin' with Grandpa.

Catching up on her reading with Grandma.

Much more to come!

Six Months for Clara

2011-08-07T19:05:00.000-07:00

We can't believe Clara is half-way to ONE!
She's a beauty, isn't she?

She's been trying different foods and doing pretty well with it - very excited about sweet potatoes in particular. She loves having frozen watermelon in her mesh feeder.

Leaves a bit of a mess, but oh well.

Mom and Dad are OK, but she LOVES her brother. She watches him all the time and laughs any time he comes close to her. She is especially a fan of his dancing and jumping. It's been so fun to watch them become more aware of each other and even see a bit of a friendship starting to form.

Sometimes, I still can't believe they're mine...so cute!

Not the most flattering shot - it was SO hot this day, but I wanted to show them in the stroller together. It's funny, every so often Adam will just reach over and pat Clara on the head.

She got to have her first big-girl-bath with her brother. Super fun!
"Hmmm...I wonder what this is for."

"Yeah, probably this."

Havin' fun.

Some fun facts:

1.Still loves her paci and putting everything in her mouth. No teeth yet. Sophie is her best friend.
2. She watches everything her brother does and thinks he's hilarious.
3. Has been very receptive to food.
4. Isn't sitting alone yet. She does tuck her legs under herself while on her tummy like she wants to crawl, but hasn't raised to all fours yet like Adam had done by this age. Funny how they develop so differently.

5. She and Adam both love going to the gym with Mama. Adam knows right where to go as soon as we get in the door. When I come pick them up, he "helps" me find Clara so we can go.

Mount Vernon

2011-08-03T18:05:00.000-07:00

Phil and the kids took me to Mount Vernon for Mother's Day and it was the most perfect day I could have imagined. It is absolutely gorgeous there - I don't know how Washington ever got anything done! Unfortunately, I left the memory chip out of my camera that day - oops! So no photos. However, my mom and sister were out a few weeks ago, so we went back and this time I got some pictures. We had record heat that day, so it was an abbreviated visit and I definitely had sweat stinging my eyes by the time we got back to the car, but we still got to see quite a bit.

Adam's favorite part is the sheep. Luckily there are many around Washington's estate, so Adam usually occupies himself by running around looking for them.

My sister and a VERY big tree. There are little plaques on many of the trees that say what year Washington himself planted the tree. Gives you an idea of how old they are.

Doesn't this look like a senior portrait?

A shot of the tree looking up. Again, I can't figure out when this one won't turn.

All the buildings and the grounds are so beautiful. This is the green house in the center and slave quarters off to each side.

Some of the gardens.

Usually the front of the mansion is absolutely stunning, and I was so disappointed that they were doing some maintenance work on it! They were giving it a new paint job. Don't worry, they keep it authentic - I'm not sure exactly how this is accomplished, but Washington used a method of painting that makes it look like stone from a distance, and the modern day painters are doing just that to accurately preserve the mansion's look.

View of the mansion from the backyard.

Views of the Potomac from Washington's backyard.

We also went to see Washington's burial site. There is much more to see, though, so we'll probably go back when it is cooler and when my dad is here as well.

On the DL?

2011-08-03T11:50:00.000-07:00

Adam must be a lot tougher than all those athletes that get put on the DL. I mean just look at him - and he is still truckin' along just fine.

Adam had his first Real tumble resulting in his first Real injury a couple of weeks ago. He was running, got tripped up and ended up planting his face into the TV stand. I was really worried at first, since it's so close to his eye, but thank God it was just a surface wound. It looks pretty cool, though, huh? I think this is day 2.

These pictures were taken on about day 4 or 5 I think. Some crazy colors on my boy's face.

"Come on, Mom, what's the big deal? I'm fine so stop taking pictures."

Cereal...it's what's for dinner

2011-07-08T06:04:00.000-07:00

The new bibs Susie made for Clara arrived just in time for her first crack at cereal.
Here she is sporting the bib and checking out the bowl.
"Hmmm...this is interesting."

The first taste. Not quite sure.

But, back for more!

A little competition between the hand and the spoon.

Adam was very interested in the whole process.

The "after" shot.

Adam and "Clue"

2011-07-08T05:00:00.000-07:00

Adam has been taking an increasing interest in his sister.
I don't know if that's a good thing or bad thing for Clara...

Clara definitely loves Adam, too. Adam calls her "Clue" and it's so sweet to hear him say "Nye Nye, Clue" every night as he walks up to bed.

He will also say "Clue, kay" (Clara, it's OK) when she's crying.

A kiss for "Clue."

And a hug. He is saying "Awwww" in this picture.

Five Months for the Little Miss

2011-07-07T08:47:00.000-07:00

Here she is at five months old already!

This month has brought some huge developments for Clara. She continues to be happy as a clam (most of the time), and is a very content baby. She now rolls over in both directions and seems pretty proud of herself when she does so. She also continues to love her brother, which honestly surprises me a bit since Adam continues to poke and pounce. Clara takes it all in stride and watches everything he does.

She has been loving both the Bumbo and the exersaucer and really anything that lets her look around and see all the action. She gets upset whenever she can't see at least someone in her family.

She has discovered her feet and finds them fascinating.

She also had her first rice cereal this month (just a few days ago). I used the fact that she liked chewing on the spoon to my advantage. She was receptive to the idea, but not completely sold, yet. A good start, though.
This is my best attempt so far at capturing her smile. I pretty much have to just shoot whatever is in the window before she starts examining the camera (sans smile). So, part of her head is cut off, but you get to see her happiness.
Cereal face.

I totally forgot to mention the bibs in my last post. Susie included matching bibs as a special surprise in Clara's package. So cute and very well made. They've already seen a lot of use.
Lovin' life.

We are lovin' our girl!

A Perfect Fit

2011-07-06T18:30:00.000-07:00

Susie MADE this outfit for Clara and I just had to share it with you. Isn't it adorable? (The outfit and the model.)

You can read about how she made it here. Her photos of the outfit are also much better than mine, but at least here you can see the gift AND the happy recipient.

Ok, I love this photo, but for the life of me I cannot figure out how to make it turn. I've tried lots of things. Boo. So, you'll just have to crane your neck a bit to enjoy this cuteness. Thanks.

Thank you, Susie, for this beautiful gift! It's a perfect fit!

New Camera Lens - Yay!

2011-07-05T16:57:00.000-07:00

Phil got me a new lens for my camera........back at Christmastime!!! Sheesh. I kept saying I wanted to learn how to use it before I started really using it. Well with all the free time I don't have, it just wasn't happening. After six months, I finally just said screw it and started shooting with it. I haven't figured out everything yet, but I'm loving the super sharp images and the increased blurring of the background. Here are my first attempts - just fooling around taking pictures of the kids. Feel free to give me pointers. I feel bad, but there are way more pictures of Clara with the new lens because it's better for taking portraits and let's face it, Adam just doesn't hold still very often :)

I did manage to get a few of him while he was watching Thomas.

The eyes.

Clara always has this serious or dazed look on her face since she is absolutely fascinated by the camera. I can seriously have her laughing away and then as soon as I bring my eye up to the camera the smile vanishes.

Managed to catch a little smile!

Still can't believe I have a blue-eyed baby.

This is my favorite one.

Family, Friends, and A Really Big Fish

2011-07-04T14:26:00.000-07:00

We were so thankful for some time with Grandpa and Grandma Swenson while we were in MN. Not only did Adam have a blast with all the yard space to run in and animals to look at, Grandma and Grandpa made it possible for me to attend all my rehearsals and the concert - a win for everyone! Since I was at St. Olaf a lot during our stay in Albert Lea, I didn't get many pictures of the fun being had, but I heard there was a lot of it going on. Adam got to go help stock the food shelf with Grandpa and he had great fun playing this game in the front yard...

It may look like soccer, and it may have actually started off as soccer, too. However, Adam started changing the rules and it soon began to resemble dodgeball. I don't know if anyone but Adam really knew what was going on.

On to the "Friends" part of the post. Unfortunately, my mom and I both got really sick while we were up in Burnsville, which severely limited the number of friends we got to see. BOO! We did get to see Kitty and Eleanor, though. I was really glad, especially since we missed them at Christmas. I feel like this picture is a flash into the future. Old couple just sitting in their recliners...

Clara got to meet Marla and they really hit it off. I'm glad she already seems to easily make friends :)

I know what you're thinking. Right about now you're thinking, "Wait a minute, I was promised a Really Big Fish in this post." Well, here it is.

Courtesy of the Minnesota Zoo.

St. Olaf Choir Centennial Reunion and Surrounding Activities

2011-06-26T11:50:00.000-07:00

Warning: This post is oozing with UM YA YA. You fellow Oles will be loving it. Everyone else...you've been warned.

The St. Olaf Choir is celebrating its centennial anniversary this year, and in honor of that all the alumni were invited back to sing in a centennial concert. Singing in the choir was one of the most memorable experiences of my life, so I didn't want to miss the opportunity to return to The Hill and sing.

The weekend was a whirlwind - saw so many friends, went to rehearsals, and spent some good time walking around St. Olaf, a place I love so much.
It was a little crazy trying to juggle two young kids while doing all of this, so I took only a couple of photos. I was too busy getting in my visit time when I could and showing off Adam, Clara, and Phil to lots of old friends.

If you are interested, you can CLICK HERE to see some photos of the events as well as video of the concert. The current St. Olaf Choir sings first, so if you want to see just the Centennial Choir (about 800 singers!) you can fast forward to 90:55.

It was so great to sing for Dr. A again. I underestimated how good it would feel and how much I miss really singing like that. The picture below is very poor quality since the lighting was low, but it shows a special part of our rehearsal. Dr. Jennings (Dr. A's predecessor) came to the podium and directed us for Beautiful Savior. As you can see, he couldn't quite actually make it up to the podium, but it was still really cool. He directed the piece during the concert as well.

This was both Adam and Clara's first time on campus and it was so fun to see them running around (or in Clara's case riding in the stroller) this place I love.
My two future Oles.

Adam already has the UM YA YA.

I also got to co-host a baby shower for my good friend Beth (also an Ole Alum, so it goes with the theme). We're so excited to meet Baby in August!
Here are some friends chatting. It is so rare that we all get to be together, so this was a special gift.

Clara got to meet her friend Marla (Shana's daughter). They had their first snoozer together (Marla is in the pack and play).

The spread.

The Mama-to-be opening a homemade blanket from Sara.

How many mamas does it take to figure out a Moby wrap???

Brothers and Sisters

2011-06-20T18:00:00.000-07:00

I have the best brother and sister. Seriously. The. Best. I don't think anyone can make me laugh harder. Sure, Matty and I used to want to kill each other, but luckily we moved past that stage.

My mom took advantage of having all three of her kids in the same place - doesn't happen too often anymore - and took some pictures. This one is my favorite.

Adam had a blast playing with Unco Matty. Matty taught him lots of new games playing on Adam's new passion for crashing things together and general silliness. I wish I would have gotten pictures of Adam playing baseball in the front yard with Matty and Grace, but I was having way too much fun watching. Matty was doing a play-by-play commentary that had me on the floor. If you've ever heard him do this, you know what I'm talking about.

Unco Matty met Clara for the fist time. This is my favorite of the two of them.

These are good too.

I can't leave out my fabulous sister and brother-in-law. Aunt Jessie had great fun getting to know Clara. Don't they both just look beautiful? Seriously beautiful.
Jessie got to spend some quality time with Clara on the airplane ride home to VA. Jessie had a work conference out here and I was so thankful that she got on our flight and helped me out with the kids. Couldn't have done it without her!

Clara loves her Uncle Matt. Both kids had fun playing with him while we were visiting Grandma and Grandpa Swenson down in Albert Lea.

So thankful for all you brothers and sisters! It was so great to watch my kids loving them...I just wish it could happen more often.

Water, Water, Water

2011-06-19T18:22:00.000-07:00

I am so glad my kids love the water because some days it's so hot that the only way we can really be outside is if we're doing a water-related activity. Here are some of our first water adventures of the summer. Not included is our trip to the fountain, which Adam absolutely adored. I'll have to get photos next time we go.

Some fun in the sprinkler. Adam's first sprinkler experience.

For some reason he really wanted to hold his paintbrush while he ran in the sprinkler. You'll see what the brush is for in a couple of photos.

I wish I could claim this idea as my own, but I actually got it from a friend. Using water to "paint" the deck. Brilliant. Kept him occupied for a long while.

Our first trip to the pool this summer. Adam having some fun with Daddy in the big pool.

Clara's first time swimming. We stuck to the wading pool.

Serious Shopper

2011-06-19T14:27:00.000-07:00

We recently discovered that the Trader Joe's by our house has carts for little kids during the week. (Yeah, get this - they put them away during the weekend because stupid teenagers were messing around with them and running into old people. Idiots.)

"Too busy to smile for the camera, Dad. Can't you see I'm shopping?"

Yes, those are two bottles of wine in his cart. What can I say, He's got good taste.

Another cute picture of Adam that I just wanted to share.

Month Four Came and Went

2011-06-18T12:12:00.000-07:00

The blog has been quiet, which usually means we've been busy. We just returned from a trip to MN and are getting back into the swing of summer around here. I figure I needed to do a four month post for Miss Clara before she went and turned five months old right under my nose.
She is doing beautifully. Weighed in at 13 lbs. 13 oz. and 26 inches long at the doctor this week. She also rolled over for the first time a couple of days ago!
Still blue eyed and fuzzy as a peach on top...

This month brought her first plane trip (to Minnesota), which she handled beautifully. She is just like her brother in that she loves her baths. Here she is having a bath in Grandma Ann's sink.
"Hmmm this is a little different..."
She has really developed her own little personality, though, and in a lot of ways she and Adam could not be more different.
The most noticeable difference...she sleeps! It is amazing to me that she will just fall asleep wherever she might be. Notice: she also loves the pacifier and sucking on things in general.

People say she looks more like me, where as Adam looks so much like Phil.
Guess you can't really judge from this picture - sleeping again!
Do you see a resemblance here?
Clara and Grandpa Rob, doing what they do best.
She also went in the pool for the first time this month. She loved it just like her brother! Here she is in her little swimsuit waiting to take her dip.
Just like her brother, she has developed a deep love for Sophie. She's just figuring out how to get various parts into her mouth. Unfortunately, Adam thinks bonking Clara on the head is a great way to activate Sophie's squeaker. Clara isn't much help, though, since she smiles away at Adam as he is doing this.
She smiles so easily now, but she is so fascinated by the camera, she often looks like my little serious girl.

Did I mention she sleeps???
Playmat wasn't quite exciting enough for her.

Clara's Dedication

2011-05-23T06:44:00.001-07:00

Phil and I dedicated Clara and our parenting to the Lord on Sunday, May 22. It was a beautiful day and we took advantage of everyone being dressed nicely and did a family photo. The only other family picture we have is with me one day post-delivery and in a hospital gown. That one just isn't getting passed around much if you know what I mean. :) This one turned out pretty well - three out of four looking at the camera!

We decided to dedicate Clara along with some of our good friends and their little ones in our Sunday school class for a more personal experience. I'm so glad we did it that way - it was very special. Since Clara's grandparents couldn't make it (we'll be seeing them in about two weeks in MN) some of our close friends attended the dedication to support us. It meant more to us than I can say.

Here is Ray, the leader of our class and an Elder at the church saying some nice things about our family and Clara. He did such a nice job with the ceremony, and Clara even smiled at him at the end when he leaned in and told her how happy he was to have her there that day.

Here is Ray speaking to all of the families dedicating their children. To our right are the Harts, our good friends, and you'll see the T's on our far left (Ray is covering up CT's head). Clara was the youngest one dedicated that day and she was an angel through the whole thing.

Us and the T's. Yay for friends! Obviously the girls weren't terribly interested in having their picture taken. Oh well, they're still cute.

Afterward, we had a few friends over to have cake at our house. This cake needs some explanation. I know they do the lettering for free at the place, but I had both kids with me and thought - whatever, I can totally do the lettering myself.
Well, when I started, the tube of frosting exploded as I was writing "Clara." After that I had such a bad attitude about how it was going to look that I just kind of sped through the rest so it looks like Adam wrote it (no offense, Adam). Her verse is supposed to be 1 Samuel 1: 27-28, but the 28 didn't fit since I didn't think it through beforehand (because of the bad attitude).
The funniest part is that I wouldn't let Phil write on the cake because I was afraid he would screw it up. Yeah, good thing THAT didn't happen.

Here's the girl with her (not so aesthetically pleasing) cake. She is so fascinated with the camera, it's hard to get her to smile!
Phil and I pray that the Lord will touch her heart at a young age and she will grow to love Jesus and experience every joy He has for her.

"I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give [her] to the LORD. For [her] whole life [she] will be given over to the LORD.”
1 Samuel 1: 27-28

Showing Her the Ropes

2011-05-19T17:00:00.000-07:00

"Now, Clara, pay attention. This is how it is. Don't look at me like that. I know what I'm talking about."

A kiss for his sister.

How much does happiness cost?

2011-05-16T14:42:00.000-07:00

Now, normally I would say you can't put a price on happiness, but in this case we got a whole bunch of it for only $5.00 at a garage sale. It came in the form of this little tricycle.

He calls it his bike and he loves it.
He's really good at the steering, but we need to work on pedaling. Going downhill is fine, but he needs some pushing going up the inclines.

Happiness for Clara these days is sucking on her hands, which is free.

Oh Dear...

2011-05-15T12:21:00.001-07:00

Could he BE more white trash???

I don't know about you, but we're crackin' up over here.

The Big 3-0

2011-05-14T18:59:00.000-07:00

I turned 30 a few weeks ago and am just getting to post the pictures now. Did I mention how amazing my husband is? He is AMAZING. He planned this whole day of relaxation for me and it was wonderful. He gave me a sweet card in the morning with a schedule of events inside. I got to go to the spa BY MYSELF for three hours and get a massage and facial (my first ever). I came home to enjoy the afternoon with my family, and then Phil took me to the French restaurant that we went to for our anniversary last year - probably the best restaurant we have ever been to. It was such a special day.

The celebration didn't end there. Phil watched the kids for me so that I could have dinner out with some girlfriends. I have met another great group of girls here in Virginia - God is good! I am so thankful to have friends like these to spend my birthday with.
Clockwise from me: Tarah, Karina, Katie, Lauren, Anna, and Becka (with her sweet little girl)

We came back to the house after dinner for Dairy Queen cake (my favorite!!!). Phil went to pick it up for me and you can totally tell by the inscription "Happy Birthday Wife!"

Lauren helping me blow out my candles. Yes, I was caught a little off guard and am nursing Clara in the picture.

Thanks, everyone, for making my birthday awesome!

Truckin' Along

2011-05-07T15:09:00.000-07:00

I couldn't let a truck event pass without Adam being a part of it, so I decided it was time to venture out to our first EVENT as a party of three (me and the two kids). It went pretty well. It took a bit more planning on my part and I didn't get as many photos as I would have liked, but Adam was super excited and loved it.

We lucked out on the line to sit in this little digger and Adam actually got two turns, which was great since the rest of the lines were really long.

Hard at work.

I didn't get a photo, but he loved touching the tires of the garbage truck, which were taller than him. Then we made our way over to this giant shovel set up for the kids to climb in.
Doin' a little dance in the digger.

This kid cracks me up. He's so social, he has become a professional at barging in and ruining other people's group shots. Here he is, at it again.

He loved it when the other kids cleared out and he had the whole thing to himself for a bit.

He wanted to wear his new hat on the way home. He always wants to wear it backwards, but ran into some trouble here since he couldn't sit back in his carseat.

Thanks, Clara, for being such a good sport (hanging out in the baby bjorn) while Adam and Mama looked at some trucks! I'm sure Adam will be just as cooperative someday when you want to host your tea parties.

Hi! I'm three months old!

2011-05-07T07:24:00.000-07:00

Clara is three months old! During this month she had her first ear infection (boo) and slept through the night for the first time (yay!). Hopefully the latter of those will become more frequent and the first not so much. Some other new developments are holding her head up at ninety degrees when on her tummy and her love of sucking on her hands.

I took this photo just a week ago thinking it would be her three-month photo. However, I feel like she has changed so much even in the past week that I had to take new photos. It's still worth sharing, though.

It's a little bright out here for me, but I love chillin' outside with my paci and watching my brother play with his water table.

Oh Mom, you are just so funny.

Lovin' life.

Christ is Risen!

2011-04-28T11:28:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful time celebrating the resurrection of our Savior on Sunday. It was a beautiful day and we had lots of fun people to share it with.

Adam and Daddy chillin' before church.

Here's The Girl all ready to go in her Easter dress.

After church, I wanted to get some pictures of the kids by the tulips. Adam was very interested in the flowers. Look at how handsome he was in his little outfit!

Cheese! Look, a flower!

Ok, this was my best attempt to get a photo of the kids together. In retrospect, I should have 1) waited until Clara was awake so she could hold her head up. 2) Laid Clara in a basket and taken the shot from above with Adam looking up at the camera. Oh well, you live and learn.

After nap time it was off to the Coopers' for some fun with friends. We are so thankful for the Coopers - our families get along so well and we are blessed to have them for friends. Brett and Wisty cooked up a wonderful meal for everyone.
Brett was pretty serious about the grilling.

Look at all the cuteness here!

We actually didn't do Easter baskets until the next day. The kids didn't seem to mind. See the Cadbury egg in Adam's basket? Yeah, he DIDN'T LIKE IT!!! Is he even my child???

As soon as Adam saw the train stuff in his basket he got so excited. He loves his new Emily engine to add to his track downstairs.

Checking out his new book about Thomas and Friends.

We did a little egg hunt in the yard, and just like last year Adam was more interested in running around the yard than picking up eggs. Oh well.

Phil tries to get the point across.

He did stop running long enough to say cheese.

Check out the egg in his pocket.

Ok, it totally looks like he's doing it in this picture, but he's actually just reaching in the bucket to pick out some of the mini chocolate chip cookies that I had put in the eggs.

Some Randomness

2011-04-27T11:05:00.001-07:00

Here are some photos that didn't seem to fit anywhere else, but I still wanted to share.

Adam's version of Play-Doh. He loves to break it up into tiny pieces. The other day Phil was playing with him and I heard him say, "Do you want to annoy Mama? Let's mix the colors together." Oh, how well he knows me. (PS, they wouldn't dare.)

Some little feet I caught poking out from Clara's blanket.

My favorite flower is the tulip, so Phil planted a bunch all around the house. When they started blooming it was a stunning sight. We got so many compliments from the neighbors and it was fun to see our house stand out as soon as we came around the corner.
The front view.

Some more on the side.

Me trying to be a photographer.

Take THAT, Elmo!

2011-04-10T13:09:00.000-07:00

Elmo has met his match! Adam recently discovered Thomas the Tank Engine and I don't think he's mentioned his former Main Monster, Elmo, for about two weeks. I can't say that I'm terribly upset - we were ready to move on.

I went to a consignment sale on Friday and was so pleased to find a starter set with two engines and a small track for a bargain. I snatched it right up (I was actually surprised no one had grabbed it yet).

Adam has gone through a lot of change lately, so I figured he deserved a little treat, so we gave him the trains yesterday and let me tell you, I now sort of understand how parents get addicted to giving their kids gifts. I wish I would have video taped it because I've never seen Adam get so excited about a gift. As soon as he saw the trains he lit up and started laughing. He then proceeded to play with them for over an hour! That's a lot of mileage out of just two engines and a caboose!

His little voice is so cute when he says "choo choo!"

Figuring out how to couple the cars together.

That little book on the floor off to the left is a little catalog of sorts that came with the set (how convenient, huh?) Adam has been "reading" it over and over looking at all the trains and accessories.

So excited!
(Yes, I taught him how to "say cheese.")

I also found this Thomas for $5.00, so I picked that up, too. It moves by itself when you push on the conductor's head.

We didn't want Clara to feel left out, so in honor of her two month birthday we presented her with her Sophie. Our family-friend Vergie sent Clara a brand new Sophie to call her own (Vergie also gave Adam his Sophie). She didn't totally get it yet, but she did smile when I squeaked the squeaker.

I wonder if she will love her Sophie like Adam did. Adam's Sophie logged a ton of miles locally as well as in the air and on the road traveling to at least four different states that I can think of. Hopefully she will be a little more careful and her Sophie will avoid being run over by a car. Only time will tell.

Two Months Under Her Belt

2011-04-09T15:38:00.000-07:00

Clara turned two months old on April 7! She's doing great and we are getting glimpses of the fun little girl she will become.

She smiles! She makes us work for it a lot harder than Adam did at this age, but it's so fun when it happens. Her newborn acne is almost cleared up thank goodness. We told her it would return when she's thirteen and won't be nearly as cute.

A big smile - although her eyes are closed.

She weighed 11 lbs 3 oz at the doctor on Thursday - growing very nicely. She still loves eating. I think she gets that from her daddy.

Showing off some spit bubbles.

Some of her favorite things are her pacifier, eating, baths, daddy's singing, and watching her brother laugh and sit in front of her chair.

She hasn't been sleeping great, although she's still kicking Adam's butt in that category. However, she did sleep for four hours last night, so maybe we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I probably just jinxed it, though. Shooters.
Happy two months, Baby Girl!

Meeting Some More of Her VIPs

2011-04-05T16:46:00.000-07:00

My parents and Grace came out to visit for part of Grace's spring break. It made my heart so happy to see them - we had a lot of fun and they were also so helpful as we continue to adjust to life with two.
Clara had not met her Grandpa Rob or Aunt Grace until this visit, so that was priority number one. Clara definitely approved...

Grace is so glad to have her niece. She's a pro at being an aunt by now.

Getting reacquainted with Grandma Ann. We were so thankful for all her help while she was here.

The weather was pretty yucky while they were here so not much park time, but Adam still got some great playtime with everyone.
I love this photo - so cute.

He loved it!

Doing his letters.

I love watching Adam and Grace together. He absolutely loves her and I think they have a special bond that I hope will continue.

Seriously - he loves her.

I didn't take any photos, but we did get to go into DC on Thursday and have a tour of the Capitol and visit the Museum of Natural History. We brought Clara with us and she was so good for the whole day. Our tour guide at the Capitol was pretty lame (this history teacher was NOT impressed), but we still had a great time.

New

2011-04-04T08:17:00.000-07:00

Adam got a new counting book from Grandpa and Grandma. Adam loves to count and can go up to 20 (most of the teens sound the same, though). His language in general has really exploded in the last couple of weeks. He says his ABCs and has learned several animal and vehicle sounds as well.

Adam and Daddy made up this new game. It's a great workout for Daddy and lots of fun for Adam. Adam continues to love basketball and knows the difference between "shooting" and "dunking." He's actually pretty good.

Here is our newest member with her daddy. This is hilarious to me. She LOVES the sound of her daddy's deep voice. In this photo, Phil is singing the song that the Wicked Witch of the West's guards sing as they march into the castle. Oh wee oh - wee OhhhhOh. Hopefully I typed that right! Clara is absolutely captivated.

Getting to Know Each Other

2011-04-03T18:23:00.000-07:00

Adam is still mostly indifferent to his sister, honestly. However, there have been some moments of tenderness in between Adam's attempts to sit on her lap or his accidental eye gauges as he excitedly identifies her eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. He loves to lay with her on her playmat. While this inevitably leads to him laying on top of her and a swift Mama intervention, I was able to capture these sweet moments before it got too crazy. I know they will be great friends - just give them time.

Brother and Sister...

Clara has a little smile for her brother.

Adam: "I will give you a hug."
Clara: "I will eat your head."

One Month with Clara

2011-03-07T17:19:00.000-08:00

Our newest member is already one month old! What a month it has been. Our family has grown so much since this girl joined us. Thank you, Clara, for how you have already blessed us.

We're doing pretty well - all the family has gone now, so we are adjusting to being on our own. I have been learning how to manage with the 2 to 1 ratio while Phil is at work. It hasn't been pretty some days, but we've survived and I know each week will get easier. My parents and sister are coming to visit over Grace's spring break, which will be Clara's first time meeting her Grandpa L. and Aunt Grace, so we're all pretty excited for that. Clara loves eating (as evidenced by her developing double chin!), having baths, and riding in the car.

I can be silly...

or serious.

I think there's something in my diaper.

Everything amazes me.

One thing that Phil pointed out today: Clara is the youngest possible one-month-old. Born in February - the shortest month - AND at the very last minute of the day - 11:59 PM. You may say "who gives a rip?" but, for a competitive family like ours, this is pretty excellent.

Clara's First Bath

2011-02-26T16:24:00.000-08:00

It felt like I was waiting for Clara's cord stump to fall off forever, but maybe that's just because Adam's fell off quickly (day 9, I think). But, it finally fell off and she got her first bath yesterday. It looks like this girl will love her baths, just like her big brother.
A side note, for those curious. At her 2 week appointment (already almost a week ago!) she weighed 7lbs. 2 oz. and was 21 inches long.

Getting her hair washed (and still waking up a little bit).

A few shots of her in her tub.

Adam's First Haircut!

2011-02-26T15:06:00.000-08:00

I've been cutting Adam's hair for his whole life, but I decided it was time to call in the professionals. So, we took a trip over to the mall and went to Cartoon Cuts. It's a special salon just for kids. Adam did so well and he looked so handsome when he was all done.

Adam actually passed on the lollipop, so Dad enjoyed it for him.

Here is the star of the show. After they sprayed his hair, the cutting began.

Adam was a little skeptical until he found out that he got to watch TV while he got his cut. Thomas was his choice of show and he loved it.

Martha was his stylist and she did a great job.

The transformation continues.

Martha showed him how the clippers worked and he decided he was OK with it.

A little help from Daddy's iphone to get him to look down.

All handsome and ready to ride! He even got a little certificate when he was done.

Did I mention that this boy LOVES his new wheels? This trip was also our first time with the double stroller.

A shot of the stroller, and Adam rethinking his decision to not wear the bib during his haircut. His neck was a little itchy!

Boyfriend Material

2011-02-26T10:30:00.000-08:00

Clara met her first friend (and possible future boyfriend???) about a week ago. Canaan was born just before Christmas, and has been anxiously waiting to meet Clara. He was a little disappointed that Clara slept through their entire first date. Bummer.

They had their second date at Bible Study on Thursday night. Both were snoozing this time, so the mamas got to enjoy some grown-up time.

We can't wait to see these two playing together (if they're ever awake at the same time!)

Park Season Opener

2011-02-26T10:18:00.000-08:00

While Grandma and Grandpa Swenson were here, the weather took a turn for the awesome and Adam got to go to the park nearly every day that they were here.
Grandma and Grandpa with their grandbabies.

It has cooled back off a little, but we did enjoy one family trip to the park a few days ago.
Clara's first time at the park.

Adam had a great time.

Catching Z's

2011-02-25T10:07:00.000-08:00

Around here, we've been catching our Z's wherever and whenever we can.

Adam has found new ways to get his "Mama time."

Having a little sister is a lot of hard work.

A Photo Shoot of Sorts

2011-02-14T17:53:00.000-08:00

Well, reason number 43,578,475,349 that I miss my friend Susie: Who can take beautiful photos of my kids??? I had to make do and tried to capture a little bit of her sweetness myself. You all have been asking to see some more of her lovely face - so here you go.

Some alert time.

Some sleepy time.

At Home

2011-02-14T14:36:00.000-08:00

We came home from the hospital on Wednesday, February 9. I walked in the door to a wonderful surprise from my husband. He had gone out that morning and put together this lovely arrangement on the kitchen table for me. I was so excited I forgot to take pictures of it before I dove in. There was champagne, balloons, flowers, chocolate, and a bunch of little girl things that I hadn't bought because I was trying to "be good" reusing Adam's stuff. My favorite was a new boppy cover with butterflies on it. He even used my scrapbooking supplies to make a little card.

I did get a picture of us celebrating with the champagne (notice the new boppy cover and blanket).

Adam celebrated with the balloons.

Tulips from Phil and flowers and a fabulous edible arrangement from Phil's coworkers. We've had so much support from Phil's work and other friends - Thank You!

Clara's first outing for pleasure - we took Grandma out to lunch for her birthday. Clara slept the whole time and we had a nice lunch out. Happy birthday, Grandma Ann!

Clara's first time on her playmat. She was digging it.

Intrigued by the camera. Get used to it, Girl.

Steppin' Up His Game

2011-02-14T14:23:00.000-08:00

Since becoming a big brother, Adam has sensed the need to step it up a little bit.
After bringing Clara home...

he has expanded his palate to include chicken nuggets and a few other things like tortilla chips, french fries, and a few cautious bites of bagels. Also featured in this picture is his new fork from Grandma Ann. It is a fork attached to the nose of the plane - called Air Fork One...get it???

This is the most exciting - he has started to talk!!! Our friend Lauren stayed with with him while we were at the hospital and she took this video of him saying his letters. Since then, he's also said the words blue, lizard, Jess (his Aunt Jess), and purple. He's attempted lots of others as well. We are so proud of him!

Brother Meets Sister

2011-02-13T19:05:00.000-08:00

It's official - Adam is a big brother. I have been so proud of him so far, he's really done great. We're still working on the "gentle" thing, but he handles me nursing pretty well and has learned that the swing isn't really a place for him to kick back with some sips.

Adam was pretty excited when he got to get up in the bed with Mama and see his very own new baby.

Lots of exploring. He was also very interested in her hair and kept taking her hat off and then putting it back on for her.

The first kiss.

Me with my two babes.

I can't wait to watch their relationship develop. Keep us in your prayers as we continue to adjust.

Welcome to Life, Clara Grace!

2011-02-13T13:48:00.001-08:00

She is here! Clara Grace Swenson makes us The Swensons - Party of Four!

Here are some stats for you -
Born: February 7, 2011 at 11:59 PM (just one MINUTE away from sharing Grandpa Rob's b-day!)
Height: 20.75 inches
Weight: 6lbs. 13oz.
Everything Else: Perfect.

The story goes like this:

I had been having contractions for a week, but none that stayed regular for very long. I was excited that things were happening, though. I had an appointment on Monday, February 7, at 1:30. The contractions had been uncomfortable enough that I was sure that I would have made lots of progress, dilation-wise, but was SO BUMMED when the doctor told me I was still at "just over two centimeters." I called my mom on the way home from the appointment and told her that the baby and I were in a fight and she would never come out. (Keep in mind that I was still only 38 weeks - imagine how grumpy I would have been if she were over due...)

So - Phil went back to work (he had come to my appointment thinking that there would be bigger news) and I carried on with my busy day of errands and tutoring. I noticed some increasingly uncomfortable contractions as I browsed the baby consignment shop, but figured they were just a result of the examination that afternoon.

At 3:00, I noticed that the contractions were coming at regular intervals, but that had happened before, so I figured it would go away soon. Off to the mall I went to pick up a "new daddy" gift for Phil. By the time I walked through the mall and got back in the car to drive to my tutoring appointment, the contractions were still regular and getting a little more intense. By the time I got close to home, I was feeling a bit uneasy driving when the contractions came. I called to cancel my tutoring session and called Phil at work.

Phil came home and we went to the hospital. At this point, I am so hopeful that this is IT, but very skeptical at the same time. It was so different than when I was induced with Adam - knowing exactly when I was going to go to the hospital.

We walked around the hospital for about an hour and a half and were then admitted. I was four centimeters at about 6:30 or so. This was IT. Weird...I didn't think I was going to have a baby when I woke up that morning, but apparently I was.

Once they admitted us, it was game on and things started clicking right along. Phil and I worked through the contractions for quite a while - Phil was a great support to me and I was able to wait until about 7-8 centimeters before getting my epidural. I know I could have done the whole thing without drugs - I felt so strong with Phil's help - but I have such fond memories from my experience pushing with Adam, and I wanted to have that again this time. After resting for about a half an hour, it was time to push.

The epidural was perfect - just like last time - and I could still feel and move my legs and push really well. I pushed for three contractions and then...

She was here.
She cried right away, and then was just wide eyed and looking around. I felt really good after delivery and we have been doing so well. She figured out nursing quickly, and absolutely loves eating.

Daddy and Clara.

Meeting Grandma Ann. My mom is here for a week, and then Grandma and Grandpa Swenson arrive.

Ready to take my girl home. She is wearing the same coming home outfit that Adam wore (also worn by my brother, sister, and me).

All ready to go home.

Some Pre-Delivery Thoughts...

2011-02-01T17:22:00.000-08:00

Sorry, no photos this time. I hardly ever do this, but I have a lot going on in my head as this baby gets ready to make her appearance. Selfishly - these posts are probably more for me than for you all. Thanks for hanging in there.

I know I haven't posted in a while. I have some good excuses for you:
1. I am huge. We're talking house-like, which is actually literally true since there IS someone living inside of me. Poor Adam. He pulls on my hand to get me to come with him somewhere and it takes me five minutes just to get up off the couch.
2. I've been putting the craft room/office back together, and I can't get the scanner working with the computer. I have some ultrasound pictures that I am really hoping to get posted before she gets here.

So, anyway, I've had so many thoughts and emotions as the delivery gets closer and closer. She could really come any time now, and I've been feeling some uncomfortable contractions the past two nights. I think after Christmas, it really sunk in that this was happening and that I was going to be the mother of two very soon. While I can't wait to have my daughter and to see Adam being a big brother, the whole two kids thing has brought some anxiety with it. What will I do when Adam throws his tantrums (usually when I can't pick him up or when - God forbid - I want a moment of peace while I go to the bathroom) or tries to run away in a store and I have a baby in my arms? How will I meet the needs of two little people? What about when they both wake up in the night? These are just some of the things I am anticipating.

Don't worry, I am also looking forward to wonderful things, like Adam giving his little sister kisses. I also have the advantage of being on the other side of having a newborn. I know that I will struggle with the adjustment at first - just like I did with Adam - but it won't last forever. I clearly remember thinking after Adam was born that I would never be able to cook dinner again!

What has been amazing to me in the past few weeks is how God has shown himself to me through scripture and the people in my life. I am so glad that He knows my anxiety and cares enough to care for me through this transition. Three specific things that I have been keeping tucked away in my mind and heart:

1. God continues to use my husband in ways that I'm not sure he even realizes. Not only has Phil been wonderful helping me with Adam and the house, he has said some things to me that I know are straight from God. The other night, he reminded me that I would not be taking care of two children while being pregnant. This may seem completely obvious, but it was such a relief to be reminded of that!

2. I had some girlfriends over with their kids the other day, and they were talking about a conference that took place at our church recently. One of the points that had really stuck with her was the reminder that God gives us what we need when we need it in a way that surpasses our understanding. If we anticipate our future, it will inevitably cause us anxiety because we have no idea how God will provide for us. We cannot fathom it. We only see the challenges ahead. Isn't that wonderfully true? Why is it so hard for us to think this way?

3. I am in a Bible study at church and right now we are doing Beth Moore's David: Seeking a Heart Like His. It's been great, but one lecture has proved to be especially life-changing for me. Beth was talking about the part of the story when Samuel goes to anoint David as God's chosen leader of Israel. At first, Samuel assumes that David's older, stronger, more experienced brother is the one to be anointed, but God reminds Samuel that "The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7). After all of David's older brothers are rejected, David finally stands before Samuel. God says to Samuel, "Rise and anoint him; this is the one" (1 Samuel 16:12). God knew without a doubt - "this is the one."

I often can't imagine that I will be able to manage with two young children (one that throws a tantrum when I can't pick him up). But, this story is so encouraging to me because just as God chose David, I know that he has chosen me specifically to be the mother of these specific children. Sometimes I have no idea why - I feel so inadequate - but God knows exactly why and He will equip me to do what needs to be done.

So, I hope you are encouraged too. No matter what you face, God sees your heart for all that it is and all that it isn't, and He says with absolute confidence: You are the one.

If you are still reading, I thank you for listening as I throw some of my thoughts out there!

Some Advice...

2011-01-12T16:54:00.000-08:00

A word to the wise: Don't take your kid to the Children's Museum in the middle of Christmas break.
My mom and I were so excited to take Adam here - we didn't really consider the million other moms and grandmas who would be looking for a place to set their crazy children free mid-week during Christmas vacation. Adam had a blast, don't get me wrong. He loved running around and exploring all the different things. The adults, however, were pretty overwhelmed by the enormous number of psycho kids running around. (Not MY kid - my kid is never psycho, right?) Being extremely pregnant, I was actually really proud of myself getting out of there without killing anyone. I will say, though, that I loved watching Adam as he thoroughly enjoyed himself and made lots of new discoveries.

There were two clear highlights for him. One was the turtles. He started off tentatively...

but then got to be good friends with this turtle.

His other favorite was the water exhibit, of course. He was pretty soaked from the waist up by the time we moved to a new area.
I think these two are discussing strategy in this shot.

Aside from those two highlights, he also liked the room that had all kinds of real-life venues set up.
He carefully selected his items in the grocery store.

Then, he obediently paid his fare on the bus.

It was a fun time, but next time I think we'll go on a school day!

Even MORE Snow!

2011-01-12T16:49:00.000-08:00

My parents had gotten even more snow up in the cities than they had in Albert Lea, so we made sure to take advantage of it.
Adam couldn't even climb up the snowbanks, but once someone lifted him up, he was good to go.

I wanted to take a picture to show how deep the snow was - and then Grace got in on the action.

King of the mountain! Does he dare?

Of course he does.

Adam got to have a little ride too. He and Daddy also had fun playing floor hockey in the garage.

Time in the Cities Brings Fun with Friends

2011-01-10T17:56:00.001-08:00

I had a very special outing while we were up in the Cities for Christmas. I got to go have dinner with some dear friends from high school, some of whom I haven't seen in ages! It was so fun to catch up with these girls. I love that we can still laugh so hard, even though we rarely get to see each other. Thank you friends for a fabulous time!We also got to see Stacey and Hunter. It was so good to catch up with Stacey and Hunter and Adam had a blast chasing each other around. We continue to lament the fact that we can't live closer to each other.

This is how we spent quite a bit of our time. The dinosaur would come out and then the boys would run away. They always came back for more, though!

Havin' fun. It was tough to get a good picture of both of them since they were moving so fast!

By this time, they were both pretty ready for a nap. I guess the dog bed seemed as good a place as any. They both smelled fantastic after this, by the way.

I managed to get one last shot of them on the stairs. Adam was actually trying to get me to come upstairs with him to go to bed, but we had to say goodbye to our friends first.

We missed seeing most of our other friends. It was difficult this year, with me being pregnant (large, sore, and tired). If we didn't get to see you - we miss you!

Fun, fun, fun in Burnsville

2011-01-10T17:21:00.000-08:00

After our week in Albert Lea, it was time to move on to Burnsville to visit with Grandpa and Grandma L. More fun was in store for Adam!

Working on the nativity calendar with Grandma Ann.

One of his favorite presents from Grandpa and Grandma L. was his Elmo tent. He especially loved running around in it and tipping it over.

We see you, Adam!

Aunt Jess was also a fan of the tent.

He finally got to ride on the horse that Grandma picked out at a garage sale!

Christmas in Albert Lea: The Grand Finale

2011-01-10T07:05:00.000-08:00

Adam attended many Christmas parties over the course of our trip - I think he'd be happy if he never had to wear his "Christmas outfit" again. I'm pretty sure this party was his favorite, though. Peg put on a wonderful open house Christmas party while we were there, and it was so fun to be able to see so many people that we haven't seen in a long time.

The house pre-party looking all beautiful and Christmas-y.

Casey made two kinds of punch, one with alcohol and one without. I was very proud of the name tags I gave them ("Merry" Christmas and Noel - cohol, respectively).

After a short period of deliberation, Phil made his choice.

A no-brainer, I guess.

The party in full swing.

Adam pretty much just ran around and let everyone love him and tell him how fabulous he was. He was SO excited, though, towards the end when some more kids showed up. He ran right over to the door to greet them. They played together upstairs for a while, and I think it was the best night of Adam's life. Check out his face!

Again, the face says it all. Best. Night. Ever.

Once more dressed in his Christmas outfit, we headed to church on Christmas Eve. When we came home, it was time to open presents, since we would be off to Henderson in the morning for the Swenson family gathering.

Adam and I making the obligatory digger sounds.

The next morning, it was off to Henderson where we had great times with the Swenson fam. We hadn't seen them in a couple of years, since the giant snow storm last year kept us from attending. Next stop: Burnsville!

New and Exciting

2011-01-08T17:33:00.000-08:00

Adam had lots of new and exciting experiences in MN over Christmas. Here are just a few highlights...

He loved discovering the piano with Uncle Matt. They played many duets together.
Then he got his own turn.

He played very nicely, just like Uncle Matt.

Then he really got into it.

He even developed his own revolutionary way to play.

We had only gotten a light dusting of snow in VA before we left, so Adam was thrilled to find FEET of snow at Grandma and Grandpa's house. He figured out how to put his boots on by himself, and was always trying to escape to play in the snow.

Playing outside with Dad and Grandpa.

Grandma got him the perfect sled and he was pulled all over the place. Here they are ready to go collect the mail.

He loved dragging his hand through the snow.

Then, he was off to feed the chickens with Grandpa and Grandma. Much to Abby's disappointment, her leash doesn't reach all the way to the chicken coop.

The Best Laid Plans...

2011-01-07T17:56:00.000-08:00

Once we got to the MN, our first stop was Grandpa and Grandma Swenson's house. Adam loved playing with Abby, the dog that is just his size, and taking baths in Grandma's giant bath tub.

He also got his very own custom made booster seat for eating his meal. The unabridged version, of course! Only a former English teacher would have a dictionary that big. It was perfect for Adam.

Peg and I were so excited about this plan: decorating cookies with Adam. What could go wrong??? Peg made the cookies while Adam napped (she even made fun shapes that Adam would like, ie: a dinosaur), and got all the frosting and sprinkles ready.

When the big moment came, however, all Adam wanted to do was eat the frosting.

We tried showing him what to do and how yummy the cookies were after you put the frosting on, but he wasn't buying it.

And, cookie decorating officially ended when I told him he couldn't eat any more frosting.

Nothing like a two-year-old to keep you humble and remind you that life doesn't always work out the way you planned it.

Happy 2011!

2011-01-07T17:34:00.000-08:00

Ok, I know I'm a little late, but happy 2011 from the Swensons. 2010 was a good one for us with our successful move to Virginia, a new church home, and many new friends. We trust that 2011 will not disappoint as we continue to watch Adam grow into such a fun little boy and welcome our baby girl in February.

I've got a bunch of pictures to share with you from all of our Christmas celebrations. So, prepare yourselves for a bunch of short little posts in an attempt to bring you up to speed.

It all started on December 18th, before we left for Minnesota. We had our own Christmas at home, and Santa made a special early trip to Adam's house.
He still is a rookie at opening presents, but once he sees what's inside, he is on board. He got some new crayons with coloring books, and a set of magnetic letters for the fridge.

He was most excited about Mr. Potato Head.

Clapping for Mr. Potato Head.

We looked in his stocking, and he couldn't wait to try out his new Elmo toothbrush. Literally - couldn't wait.

Pooser digging in to her stocking.

All in a day's work...

2011-01-07T08:51:00.000-08:00

Adam was very busy the other day...

Can you even find him amidst all the chaos???

A better view of his handiwork.

The culprit.

But, who can get upset with a face like this?
It's a good thing you're cute, Kid.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

2010-12-10T14:43:00.000-08:00

I snapped a few pictures of our Christmas decorating last weekend. We took Adam to a farm to cut down our own tree and he loved it. I didn't bring the camera, but he had a good time hiking through the field looking at all the trees. He saw someone else dragging their tree back to the entrance and thought it was a very funny sight! After seeing that, he figured out what the point of all this was and wanted to touch all the trees so that he could pick his out. He also wanted to be a part of everyone else's big moment of chopping down the tree. Luckily, people were very understanding and let him touch their trees as he laughed. He may have even made it into a couple of family photos that day!

Once we got home, we all got started decorating. I spent a long time with him setting up the Nativity, which we both really enjoyed. I taught him who everyone was and told him the story of Christmas. He loved giving baby Jesus hugs.

Then it was time to help Dad with the tree.
The first step was cleaning up the needles that had dropped.
Adam was very helpful.

Then he helped Dad check the lights to make sure they were ready to go on the tree.

This one's a little blurry, but you get the idea.

Adam carried his Elmo ornament around for a while before he was ready to put it on the tree.

I didn't get a picture, but we also have green garland with white lights going up the banister, which I have always wanted.
Here are our stockings, hung by the fire with care. We have the new baby's stocking all ready to go for next year - it just needs to be embroidered to match.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh! (Translation: Rockapella - this time I brought my camera!)

2010-12-06T18:56:00.001-08:00

Rockapella must love me just as much as I love them. Shortly following every move we have made, Rockapella has scheduled a concert right by our new house! So, Phil and I made our way to our seats on December 3rd with great excitement and anticipation. They were doing their holiday show, so we got to hear all their Christmas awesomeness.
You can visit a previous post to read about Rockapella and my intense love for them. You can also read about how I LEFT MY CAMERA AT HOME, which was particularly traumatic because we got to meet the guys after the concert. Don't worry, though, they were signing stuff again after the show - and this time I brought my camera.

A couple of shots of the guys in action. As you can tell, I still need to learn how to use my camera with different types of lighting (Susie, help!). This is the best I could do:

For those that care, the guy on the far left is Steve Dorian. He is the "new guy" who replaced Kevin Wright in January. He's good, but I miss Kevin.

Last time I met them, in teenage-girl-style, I was so excited that I forgot everything I wanted to say to them. This time, I played it cool and actually talked to them.

Best photo ever!!! I wish Phil could have been in it too, but he was so sweet to be my photographer for the big moment to make sure the picture was how I wanted it.

The Birthday Gift That Almost Wasn't a Gift at All

2010-12-04T18:38:00.000-08:00

For Phil's birthday this year, I got him tickets to see the Vikings play the Redskins at FedEx Field. I gave him the tickets in September before the season had begun - so it seemed like a PHENOMENAL gift at the time. Then the season began...and the Vikings tanked it big time in pretty much every area. We began to look forward to the game with half-hearted enthusiasm and a fair amount of dread.

We actually thought about selling the tickets and going to get massages or something instead, but in the end decided to go. After all, we love our Vikings and Childress had just been fired - so at least we had that going for us. We were also into seeing a game outdoors, and our expectations were so low we figured we couldn't be in for too big of a heartbreak. As we were leaving the house, my parents (who were watching Adam for us) wished us luck instead of telling us to have a good time.

Once we got there, though, things began to improve. It was a beautiful day to be outside, and the atmosphere of the outdoor stadium was totally different than in the Metrodome. We had to climb a GIANT ramp to get to our seats - and I was pretty proud of myself, at 28 weeks pregnant, for making it to the top. As we were standing at the railing waiting for a Vikings fan to come by and take our picture, a Redskins fan says to us, "Don't jump yet, guys!" It was pretty funny. Here we are at the top. Don't worry - we didn't jump.

Here is the view from our seats. Even though they were in the upper deck, they were great seats. We could see everything, no matter what the field position (and we were right by the bathrooms!).

The Vikings taking the field.

You can see Favre on the right warming up.

Ok, so we witnessed a miracle, and the Vikes had their best game of the season! We cautiously cheered during the first half, not wanting to get too excited. I was nervous at half time, because I actually felt my hopes rising - a very dangerous move when you're a Vikings fan.
Here is Favre taking a knee to win the game 17-13.

There weren't any Vikings fans sitting close enough to us, so we opted for a selfy after the game. It was a great day of togetherness and re-celebrating Phil's birthday, and we were obviously thrilled by the outcome of the game. So - the tickets ended up being a great gift after all!

A Boy and His Leaf Pile

2010-12-04T18:23:00.000-08:00

Phil and Adam were out raking leaves the other morning.
Phil decided to take a break, so Adam picked up the slack.

He was really going to town!

Once Adam finished making his pile, they had some play time.

Adam was loving it!

A little tongue action.

Where's Adam? Can you find him?