My boys are getting so big!

Boy, they're a handful!!! This was after my birthday cake-
Simon definitely had his share on his face!

Lukas enjoying his blanket from Grandma Miller! Thanks again, Mom, for making this.

Gotta love the Bumbo

It is way past time to post some pictures! I can't believe how big my guys are getting and how much fun we're having this fall. Simon has become such an amazing big brother and is always ready to help and play with Lukas by showing him toys. Lukas is always ready with an "ah-goo" and a quick smile. It's also amazing to me that already, at 5 months, he ADORES his big brother. He watches Simon play and genuinely seems thrilled with his brother.

His acid reflux has also become much more manageable. I'm not sure if he's growing out of it or if it's the change we've made to him now taking formula after 5 months of fighting with nursing. He is overall happier and a huge eater and doesn't spend as many hours crying or screaming from reflux. That alone makes me so happy, although I mourn not being able to nurse anymore... I guess my big guy was just ready to move on!

As for Simon, we're laughing our heads off at some of the things Simon says these days... such as "Fish no drive trucks, fish no have hands" or when we say "Simon, when you're a bigger boy you can go to camp for a week, or go to school, etc...." He replies by saying, "I'm a bigger boy now"! So true, but I'm not ready for him to go to camp just yet (or school for that matter)!

Also- we had a very successful day (today) with potty training- so wish us continued success! I'll keep ya posted!

Makin' pizza! He loves making his own and eating a "Simon sized pizza". He's such a good helper in the kitchen and loves helping me unpack groceries after shopping.

Who ya lookin' at?!

Life these days...

I don't know where the last few weeks have gone. I do know though, that every time I intend to post- something comes up. So, I'll do a quick summary of some highlights of the last weeks.

1) We attended a Celtic Woman concert the end of June to celebrate our 9th year anniversary. It was an incredible getaway. 3 hours free of any responsibilities was the first remembrance of life without kids that I've had in a year! The music was great and the venue at Red Rocks was awesome. This was the perfect date. Thanks Brad and Jessica, for taking the kids!

2) Hardwood floors are halfway done. It took us 3 weeks but we plodded along and finished 800 sq. feet. of space. We did our master bedroom and our family room and then decided we'll complete the rest (800 more sq. ft.) at a later date. We are, however, doing some light demo in our Master Bedroom and will be repainting it and redesigning it. Check back in a few weeks for some pics!

3) Family came to visit us early July and we had 3 full days of fun, cooking, picnicking and resting. Janet and Karin even made 5 lasagna and chicken enchilada dishes for us to freeze so I've got some easy meals coming. Lukas and Simon also got lots of cuddle time in with Grammy so we feel very lucky to have had them visit.

4) Lukas was diagnosed with Acid Reflux. This isn't a highlight- but at least gives me insight as to why feedings have been so hard. The medication that he's been on (Zantac) works better some days than others. We're still taking this one day at a time and are sad that he's in pain and is so fussy so often. His cuteness and his charming smiles help to make up for it though... Pray for us in this area and pray that he grows out of this stage soon....Acid Reflux can take 6 months to grow out of, so I need lots of prayer!

5) We went camping in Frisco last weekend with Brad and Jessica and had a great time. We intended to stay 2 nights, but left early on the second day b/c we wanted to have good camping memories and feared the second night would tamper with that. If you're friends with Perry on Facebook, definitely check out the pics of Simon playing in the dirt. He looked like a character from Lord of the Flies!

6) Lots of family time. We've been working on the house a lot- but have also had a lot of family time which I don't take for granted. It's been phenomenal to have Perry around this summer and have help while I get used to 2 kids.

7) A highlight for me personally is the idea I've developed for a design blog which will allow me an outlet for all my ideas and inspirations. Keep posted for the link and all the ideas that have been churning around in my head the last months....

Life is good- yes it's busy and many times, exhausting, but I feel blessed and enriched by my kids and husband. So- we'll keep plodding along!

Happy Father's Day, Perry.

Why I love Daddy (more or less in Simon's words):
-He plays with me.
-He shares the computer with me.
-He's fun
-He makes cookies with me!

I agree! And on to some of the many reasons why I've got the best husband and father to my kids:
-We balance each other out
-He listens to me and supports me unfailingly
-He makes me laugh
-He loves us and would do anything for our family of four!

We went to the Cherry Creek Reservoir for Father's Day and had a blast.
Enjoying the marina and shoreline. Simon spent the entire time throwing rocks into the water.
It's become a tradition to enjoy a fresh strawberry pie on Father's day.
Simon wanted (but didn't get) two pieces!

Busy Days

Where does all my time in a day go? I start most days by making a list of what I'd like to accomplish. My list usually consists of something like this..

-Normal household chores like dishes or laundry or paying bills
-Then, since I'm a creative person, I like to throw in a little project on the side such as, 'send out remaining birth announcements' or 'transfer flowers into flower pots'.
- I might even try to do something extra such as 'hem shorts' or 'pack up boxes to be donated'.
-Apparently I need to include 'sleep' and 'eat' because it seems these don't always happen.
-And then there's the ever present home improvement section that includes major items like 'door framing in our bedroom' and 'hardwood floors'. All of which we're doing b/c we're cheap and don't want to pay anyone to do the work!

I'm learning to be patient, when, at the end of the day my plants are drying out and left unplanted, I'm still running around in unhemmed shorts and Simon still hasn't had the bath he so desperately needs. I have to remind myself (sometimes hourly) that right now my day consists of about 10 hours of nursing, pumping, and bottle feeding. It's driving me quite crazy, I believe.

And yet, these are the memoirs of any mom out there and that alone, brings me consolation. So in the meantime, despite the home improvements (hardwood floors being installed)and projects left undone (so many I can't even list), I'm determined to enjoy each day and what it brings.

So, here are some pics- mostly to prove to myself that we still are having fun, in the midst all the busy days.
P.S- Thanks so much to all of you who responded to my plea for comments. You've me encouraged me in my blogging quest!

Lukas is a big boy- 9 lbs, 8oz. and looking very much like his daddy!
Gotta love Rice Crispie Treats!
Gotta love the nightcaps- Mudslides and the bottle of milk!
The occasional stroll- fresh air does wonders!

Family Pictures

Lukas has been home for 2 weeks!

My head is swimming from sleep exhaustion- but it's all worth it, because Lukas is home and we're all together as a family. It's been a pretty easy transition, thanks to many friends who have brought us meals and visited me to keep me sane with adult interaction! Simon has even handled it very well and is very affectionate towards Lukas, although he runs to me with a worried expression when Lukas cries loudly. He also thinks Lukas sounds like a sheep b/c he makes so many little grunts and grumbles.

Perry has also been a huge help despite pulling crazy hours with these finals weeks. He's been up most nights until 1am or later, in order to get his work done. We feel like roommates- seeing each other in passing, but know it will be much more calm this Wednesday once he's done with his DU Spring Quarter. Bring it on!

We're also looking forward to summer (starting June 10) where we can finally slow down and enjoy family time. Enjoy the pics!

Also- if you have a chance- leave a comment so I know that we've got people reading this. With our Facebook accounts and photos posted there, I'm tempted to not use the blog unless I know we've got readers. Not to guilt you into posting a comment, but I'd love to know that this blog is worth my time or I'm likely not to do it.... Any one want to encourage me in blogging?

Daddy cuddle time

Mom and her boys! I LOVE it!

I think this watermelon is bigger than Simon!

First bath at home.

Lukas is 6 lbs!!!!

Our little guy is getting so big. Yesterday he weighed in at 6 lbs and today gained 2 more ounces! We couldn't be more thrilled with his steady weight gain and the prospect of him coming home by Monday, May 18! We spoke with our doc yesterday and requested that the gavage tube be removed and asked if he could, in turn, be bottle fed for every meal. So far, he's done fabulously with the change and is eating like a champ and nursing for me twice a day.

If this continues, we'll all be at home very soon! Please pray for continued success with taking a bottle every time and continued weight gain while in the hospital.

Weighing in at 6 lbs, 2 oz. Yeah!
4 days worth of milk- also weighing in at 6 lbs! HA HA! This really is very crazy, to be making 6 oz. at every feeding/pumping. All I can say is that Lukas better get VERY hungry VERY soon! Actually, this will store nicely in the deep freeze and be backup milk for us. I'd also like to donate some of it for other NICU babies who aren't able to get
milk from their mommas.

Fun at the Zoo

Last Monday I needed to feel like life was somewhat normal so I planned a trip to the zoo after our visit to the hospital. My mom realized she hadn't been to the zoo for at least 20 years, so it was long overdue! We had a great time and Simon tried his first bite of cotton candy. At first he didn't think he liked it- it's like cotton afterall, but shortly caught on to the craze and now asks for it daily. HA HA!

Our Family of Four

I thought I'd take advantage of a free moment and try to update you all as to what's happening with Lukas. He's what they call a "grower" and has no issues except that he's too "immature" to bottle feed for every meal- which is 8 times a day. For the past two days though he has been able to finish the whole bottle 6 out of 8 feedings, so he's getting better at it. I just wish they would let me take bring him home b/c I sometimes feel that the nurses are too busy and gavage him (use the tube to put the milk into his tummy) instead of taking the time to bottle feed him.

He's also gaining weight well and is 5 lbs. 14 oz.- so he'll easily be 6 lbs when he finally comes home.....maybe this weekend.... I can only hope! Although I'll be exhausted in a different way, when he comes home, it sure will simplify my life in terms of not having to line up childcare for Simon and I won't have to be leaving the house to get to the hospital- navigating through rush hour traffic. All this is taking it's toll on me. Luckily, friends from MOPS are helping with food and childcare- a huge help since Perry has class 3 nights a week and is stressed with finals right now.

Crazy times for sure! We've got the strength to take it one day at a time right now, but also know that we'll be ready for June 10 when Perry is finished with his DU spring quarter and his school year. Then we can have some much needed family time! YEAH!

All in all though, we feel so fortunate for how everything has worked out, despite Lukas' early arrival. He's a real trooper and is strong and healthy- thank God. Also- my mom was a lifesaver and got on the train as soon as Lukas was born and was able to help with Simon for two weeks. It was wonderful to not have to worry about him at all AND know that my mom was taking charge of the house as she finished up some projects I hadn't been able to get to! Thanks again, Mom! Words cannot express our gratitude for all your love and work!

Simon loves to draw

We've been collecting some of Simon's drawing from the past months. Eventually I'd like to frame some of them- because he's such a great artist. I thought I'd share some of our favorites...

He has been drawing cars since January- this one has "a tail".
He brought this one to me this morning on his Magnadoodle
and told me it was a "Chicken and Cookie"! Love it!

Simon calls this one "Fish" but it looks like one of them is
a car. The other drawings do look like fish though.

House Pictures

So far, everything has continued to run smoothly and closing on the house is set for March 17! The inspection went well and nothing alarming stood out. Of course, there are a lot of cosmetic upgrades we'll want to do, but all in all, we feel very confident about this purchase and are excited to be moving in within 3 weeks. I wanted to post some 'Before' pictures- so that eventually when we get around to the 'After' shots you'll be able to see some of the fun changes. Some of the renovations, like hardwood flooring, the updated kitchen and stair balusters/ handrails and removing the popcorn ceilings won't happen for another year, but I've become better at being patient. HA HA! I'm sure Perry would beg to differ....

Entry Way- lots of 80's pine goin' on......
We'll eventually widen the kitchen doorway, update the cabinets w/ 42"ers, install new countertops and enlarge the peninsula so it seats 2-3 comfortably.

The family room- directly off of the kitchen peninsula. This will be a perfect place for kiddos to play, while I've got view of them from the kitchen. We love the beams and the fireplace but will need to update the wood treatment on the beams, relocate the track lighting and add a "punch" to the fireplace. Perhaps a larger framed mantle, glass tile and slate hearth would be fun! In the meantime, my mom has generously agreed to donate her time and is willing to paint the fireplace white; that will be a perfect update for now.

Formal Living and Dining room. I want to install some funky modern wallcovering on the accent wall (only if it's washable vinyl b/c of kiddos) and use this as a dining space, extra kids' play area and possibly a small office/design studio... if ever time allows, that is....

Master Bedroom- I'm not loving the mirrors on Perry's closet! But am thrilled there's a walk in closet and master bathroom. I'm not sure we'll know what to do with so much space!

Anyway- this is a quick tour of our home. I'm excited to make renovations as time and budget allows, but need to be realistic as I'm unable to do many projects right now. Lucky for us, my mom is coming to "save the day" and wants to work on some painting projects while here. It will feel like home before we know it and I'm looking forward to hanging out with mom while she generously gives of her time and helps with moving. Moms are the BEST!

Housing Update

It feels like a long time that we've been waiting to hear about the house. Our 8 day wait turned up with good news yesterday afternoon when we finally heard that the seller's bank approved the selling price and set a closing date for March 17. So if all goes as planned, moving day would be Saturday, March 21st. Anyone want to help?

As for the next steps for Perry and I- we need to get final confirmation from our lender, meet with the house inspector this Saturday and secure our home owners insurance- all of which should be pretty easy. I still won't feel like this all is actually going to happen though until we've got the house keys in hand, but I know that's normal.

For now though, I'll start some preliminary packing and organizing and maybe even look at paint samples...

Happy Valentine's Day

Valentine's-Hallmark style would tell us this day is about spending money on loved ones and wining and dining the day away. In contrast, our Valentine's Day started out with Simon waking us at 6:15- so much for sleeping in on a Saturday! We didn't eat breakfast in bed but still enjoyed our crepes with whipped cream, bananas, nutella and strawberries.

The highlight of my day came next when I went shopping all by myself and realized I haven't left the house without Simon in tow for a month- it was wonderful to be on my own! I got some more maternity clothes at Arc Thrift and was happy to find a pair of jeans that aren't maternity but still fit me. I also splurged on two club chairs for $18 that I'll reupholster and will hopefully go in our new house.... one day soon.

Our afternoon entertainment combined grocery shopping and loading up on free samples at CostCo. Tacky, but fun AND I crossed a bunch off my grocery list! Score!

Lastly, our Valentine's meal this evening was not the romantic candle lit dining I'd hoped for, but was kid friendly Baked Ziti , with Perry doing the dishes afterwards. Now, while Perry is putting Simon to bed, I'm reflecting on how our lives have changed with the addition of a family and I feel such gratitude for so many blessings. The hallmark Valentine's focus has certainly shifted from amorous hearts/chocolates/gifts to seeing gifts in the little things- Simon's sweet voice waking us up and saying "Mommy, Daddy, all done sleeping", a much needed break where I could shop undisturbed, a somewhat calm meal where Simon ate his ziti without too much drama and an awesome husband who pitches in around the house. More importantly I feel such gratitude for a family to love and grow with. In my book that includes immediate family, extended family and friends!

So on this day, I'm so thankful for all my friends and family who have surrounded us during the last years. You've been there through the ups and downs- though it sounds so cliche, it's true! On this day and all others, I'm thankful for your friendship in our lives and we love ya lots! Happy Valentine's day to you!

Could this be our new home????

Could we actually have our own home- rather than moving every year? The last few years of our lives have been very transitional and are getting increasingly difficult to bear with a 2 year old and one on the way. As Perry and I made the decision to continue his PhD- we felt it only made sense to bite the bullet and purchase a house, since we will be here longterm (at least 5 years).

So the quest for a house began a few weeks ago. With this being a "buyer's market" and low interest rates, it would behoove us to get serious about it now, rather than this fall after the our little guy has arrived and is a few months old.... Are we totally crazy?

With this decision, came a slew of questions... such as, should we buy close to Perry's work where we can get a 1980's larger house for our money OR should be buy between work and school where the houses may have more character and are older and cuter, but smaller? The more we looked, the more we realized that I can make any house look awesome, I can't however, create a larger space on a little floorplan, add a garage and provide the space we need with a 2 bedroom house (which is all we could afford in the more affluent area closer to Perry's university). This is all assuming that the neighborhood we purchase in is promising, safe and prosperous, for resale value, of course...

We stumbled upon this one and imagined our happy family in it, so put a bid on it about 10 days ago. We bid significantly less than the asking price, ended up being second in line for the house and were outbid. Our realtor told us it was a "long shot" and "not to count on this one". So we looked at other houses, but compared everything we saw to this one. Well, Saturday afternoon our realtor called us, sounding very shocked and said it fell through with the first bidders- if we were serious about it, the sellers would lower the asking price by $10,000 b/c they absolutely need to get rid of it NOW or it will be foreclosed upon.

We jumped at the chance- although still very shocked ourselves. It's now a short sale- which means if everything clears w/ the inspection and with our closing costs/downpayment, we could move in March 7th! Less than a month! Freak out!

There are still a few items that need to fall into place, such as the inspection, but it's become a very real possibility. I'll keep you posted. Hopefully this isn't a roller coaster ride b/c I'm not sure my pregant emotions can handle such turmoil, but we'll go with the flow and follow God's lead. If this all really does happen, I'll be thrilled to redesign this place on a shoe string budget and will be sure to send before and after photos b/c this 80's house needs some updates!

Winter Fun

We made this Simon-sized snowman a few weeks ago. I think Simon was thrilled to have a snow buddy and daily kept an eye on him from the warmth of the living room. As it melted, Simon called him "Broken Eyes Snowman".

Passing the time- trying to find entertainment inside the house. It was all fun until he bumped his head, of course.

Baby Bump

We're happy to be past the half-way point and feel the baby move so often. I am surprised, however, that sleeping at night is already uncomfortable, because I'm not that large yet! The snoogle pillow that Perry got me helps quite a bit, but takes up most of the bed and then its impossible to roll over without a huge production. Oh well- it's all getting me ready for sleepness nights in 4 months!

As for other stuff- we're moving along into February, but have had a sick household for about 13 days now. Perry has been sick off and on and now has a horrible sinus infection and has been off work for 3 days. I guess Simon and I are lucky to have only the normal winter sniffles. Yuck!

Christmas Pictures- Only a Month Late!!!

Our Tudor Style gingerbread house. The last time we attempted such a feat was 10 years ago when we were engaged. Why has it taken so long to make another one? I'd like it to become a yearly tradition. Next year, let's do a contest! Anyone want to join?

Simon called it a "cookie house" and thought the chimney tasted the best.

Singing Christmas carols with cousins. It was so sweet it brought tears to my eyes.

Eating supper at the big kids' table. Simon was so proud of this milestone and ate extra mashed potatoes & ham to prove what a big kid he is!

Boys, Boys, Boys!!!

I know, I know... I've already told you all that we're having a boy- but I wanted to include it in our blog as well. I'm super excited to know the gender and be able to plan for him. Yet, last night when Perry and Simon were being "crazy boys" and playing rough and tumble, the realization hit me, "I'm going to be so outnumbered- YIKES!" Ha ha! This will be fun... Also, it's fun to be looking pregnant now, rather than just chubby. I'll have to include pictures next time I've got the chance.

As for "nesting" and gathering everything together for this wee one, it should be pretty easy since we already have Simon's outgrown clothes. I also reworked the bassinet that my friend, Jessica gave me, so it's boy appropriate and found baby boy bedding on sale at Target (b/c Simon's was gender neutral).

Also- a VERY sweet moment to share with you- b/c boys are so sweet. Last night, well past Simon's bedtime, we were watching TV and could hear Simon singing himself back to sleep. Apparently he had gotten up to drink his water and then was taking care of the situation himself... We could hear him singing- to the tune of 'Twinkle, Twinkle'.. "Maggie, Maggie, Mommy, Mommy, Daddy, Daddy, hum, hum, hum" and variations of this. Then the part that really cracked me up was "Broken Eyes... Snowman", because he was reliving the snowman we made that melted and had "broken eyes" when they fell off. Too funny!