December Memories

It's a Monday afternoon, and I should be working. Technically, I am off of work on Mondays, but I often use my Monday's as a cleaning, grocery shopping, cooking, laundry, working out, organizing and catching up day around the house kind of day. Especially, knowing that I will get a lot of 1:1 play time with the kids during the upcoming week, as Kyle works most evenings and this upcoming weekend. Instead, I am sick with the stomach flu. Aside from getting the kids off to daycare and doing a few loads of laundry, I have been in bed trying to nap and sipping on ginger ale.

One of my New Years resolutions is to blog more often, but the nights go by so quickly! I truly love this stage of life. We are thankful for our 2 healthy, active kids. I love our laid-back mornings letting the kids be my alarm clock, eating breakfast together, and watching Sesame Street. Our evenings fly by as I try to make a point of putting a homemade meal on the table, enjoy some more play time, and bathe both kids each night. I love rocking Macey to sleep each night and reading a few Bible stories to Micah before he falls asleep. By the time that Kyle and I (or just I on evenings that he works) finish cleaning up the kitchen it's nearly time for an episode of House Hunters before falling asleep.

Now that I'm trying to rest up before the evening routine begins, my options include watching TV or online CEU's for work or catching up on some much needed blog updating!

Our immediate Raadt family was able to enjoy a great December together. The month began with Kyle and I going on a last minute cruise to the Bahamas. We both had the week off of work several months ago, and were planning to do a Winona "staycation". When my parents found out about our plans, my mom insisted we go somewhere warm. So, 2 weeks prior to leaving, we found a great deal on a 5-day Bahama's cruise.

Our boat - Royal Caribbean, Enchantment of the Seas

One of the many fabulous meals onboard

We seriously used the Cruise to relax and enjoy some time alone together. We sat out on the deck or beach a lot, I read 2 books, we used the work out center, swam, enjoyed all of the wonderful food and drinks, and took in the entertainment offered by the Cruise each night. There were a lot of other couples our age on the cruise.

The weekend that we got back, we decorated for Christmas, and Micah and I tested out a new cut-out cookie recipe.

The kids' daycare/preschool had their Christmas program in mid-December. Both kids did awesome. Micah was a lamb and was happy to stand up with his friends and perform his songs. Macey rode in on a wagon with her friends.

Macey tried to climb out of the wagon when she saw Micah

Micah and Macey's Grandparents came over to Winona for their Christmas program, and afterwards we all had dinner at our house. We attempted to get a few Christmas pictures, but the kids were clearly not interested!

We've used our sled a few times this past December.

On December 23rd, Kyle and I took the kids up to the Macy's display in downtown Minneapolis. The kids did great considering the long car ride and all of the crowds.

Micah had planned to tell Santa that he wanted a train table for Christmas, but then became a little shy when it became time to meet Santa.

We stopped for supper on the way home, and Macey had her first taste of Noodles and Company

We spent Christmas Eve in Northfield with the Raadt side of the family, while Christmas Day was celebrated in Stewartville with our immediate families. The kids received many, many great gifts - I am still trying to find places for everything in our house! We had to travel back to Winona on Christmas Day, as Kyle and I both worked on the 26th. Santa did not let us down though, and Micah received the train table that he wanted.

My dad had set up his Lionel train set from his childhood for Micah

The kids received a lot of musical instruments. Some were from Goodwill, but they were new to them. Both kid received a keyboard/piano, Micah got a drum, and my Uncle brought all of these shakers and bells that he and my mom used to play with when they were children. Nonetheless, we have been making a lot of music at the Raadt house!

The weekend after Christmas, we were up in the cities for Kyle's cousin's wedding reception. We also celebrated Macey's 1st birthday. See last post. Kyle and I also attended our last Viking's game in the dome. Here's to outdoor football for the next 2 years!

New Years eve was laid-back. We spent the evening with our neighbors, although I did not get any pictures from that night. I think that we were home by 10:00, and both fast asleep by midnight.

We enjoyed 2013, but are looking forward to 2014. Like I mentioned, my goal is to blog more often about the small things that make up our daily lives versus the monthly update on the kids. I also am determined to get our house more organized!

Happy Birthday Macey!

Happy first birthday to our sweet, sweet little girl. "Little Miss" actually turned 1 at the end of the December, but just today had her 1 year appointment. Thankfully, Kyle was able to join me at today's appointment, as the one year appointment is the cruelest one when it comes to shots and a blood draw. Additionally, our little peanut and her daddy have been sharing a lot of germs lately, as both have been sick over the past week. Kyle likely had influenza earlier this week, and it's seems to be taking a long time running it's course. Our pediatrician feels that Macey has RSV, but we elected to refrain from the testing. We simply felt that a deep nose swab would probably put her over the edge after 3 shots and a blood draw that was unsuccessful. The course of treatment wouldn't change either if she were to have RSV. Now, Macey and daddy are both taking afternoon snoozes and Micah is at daycare for the day. The house is completely quiet!

Macey did have a much, much better 1st birthday on December 28th. We were up in the cities for the weekend celebrating Kyle's cousin's marriage. She and her husband were married in a small, private ceremony in October, but the reception was on Macey's birthday. We made a weekend out of it, and stayed in a hotel with a small Micah and Macey sized water park near the Mall of America. We got a lot of swimming in and did a lot of Macey's favorite which included walking in the hallways and climbing stairs. We also ate a yummy lunch and stopped at a cupcake shop to get a cupcake smash in for Macey. It was great to be together as a family!!

Before

During

After

Micah enjoyed his cupcake too!

My sweet, confident little girl. I love you sooo much!

Macey continues to change a lot! We love her determined personality, her curiosity, and the fact that she still loves to cuddle for a few minutes each day. It's so hard to believe that 1 year has passed, as the memories of snuggling with Macey during last years snowy winter are still vivid in my mind.

1) A big girl! Macey topped the scales at 23# 8 oz (80%), 31" long (95%), and a head circumference of 18.5" (90%). She's wearing size 4 diapers, and just barely squeezing into her 12-18 month clothing. Most of her pants are "capris" these days.

2) Sleeping has been a little rough over the past week as not only has Macey been sick, but she's also teething. Some nights she's up 4 times. We have really been trying to refrain from taking her out of her crib, but recently she has needed to cuddle for a few minutes before going back to sleep. I'm optimistic that this will improve over the next few days.

3) Down to 1 bottle/day which is before bed. I'm finishing up all of our formula, and don't anticipate buying anymore. During the day drinks whole milk and water from a sippy cup. Unlike Micah, who was very picky about sippy cups, Macey has no preference.

4) Loves to eat! She is my little carb fanatic too! She loves bread, pasta, pancakes, muffins and yes, sweets. Other recent favorites include cottage cheese, string cheese, clementines, pears and apple sauce. Vegetables are hit or miss.

5) If Macey hears me pouring goldfish or dry cereal into a snack cup for Micah, she is right there holding her hand out for a snack cup too.

6) A motor maniac! Walking at different speeds, trying to run to keep up with Micah, squatting down to pick up toys or crumbs off the floor and yes, doing A LOT of climbing.

7) Gravitates towards music. Both kids like it when I put Pandora on. The kids both received a lot of musical instruments for Christmas, and have a little "band". Naturally, it does seem that Macey is very interested in what Micah is playing with, and tries so much to interact with him. We now keep Micah's door closed or baby-gated off, as Macey would easily clear his train table.

8) Gets excited about Sesame Street - especially "Abby's Flying Fair School" jingle. She will clap her hands, turn circles, and dance when it comes on.

9) Does not like getting dressed after her bath. I don't know if she gets cold in the process, but she generally screams, kicks, and tries to flip over onto her stomach. Getting her pj's on seems more of a wrestling match.

10) Car rides were also traumatic for Macey until we turned her seat around a few weeks ago. We used to plan our long car rides around her naps, or I would end up sitting in the back with her. Now that she's forward facing, she loves it!

11) Has overall been healthy, until this past week! We did find out that Macey has a heart murmur, like her daddy and uncle Paul. They will monitor it over the next year and if it persists more testing will be done.

12) Has a lot to look forward to over the next few months including Micah's birthday, a weekend in Wisconsin Dells with Kyle's family, a play date with the Chamberlains, and a lot of grandparent time. In April Macey will transition down to the toddler room at daycare.

Macey will be getting 1 year pictures taken within the next week by the amazing Amanda Kelley. I can't wait to see how they turn out!

11 months and 34 months

Sadly, this will be the last posts in this age range for Micah and Macey. When I get around to updating the blog, Macey will be 1 year old and Micah will be 3.

Last night, Kyle and I and the kids were playing in our basement before going to bed. At Micah's request, he wanted to "shoot some hoops" before laying down for the night. One of my neighbors asked me about borrowing some of our old baby items this upcoming weekend, as she has a sister who is coming to visit her with a new baby. I had our pack and play, bouncy chair, and play mat all set out in the basement for when she comes to pick up the equipment. While playing, Micah went over to the bouncy chair and turned on the music function. Instantaneously, a whole bunch of memories of the kids as babies flooded my mind, as they both sat in that chair a lot as new babies. As I watched Micah run around the basement jumping and wresting with Kyle, I had to ask myself where the past 3 years have truly gone??!! This past year has also been a whirlwind with our move and then welcoming Macey into our family.

Micah

1) Growth has slowed down. Still wearing 3T-4T clothes.

2) Thankfully, he is squeezing into last years coat and snow pants. After spending a descent amount of money on good, quality LL Bean outerwear, I am very happy to see him be able to use it 2 years in a row. Macey will eventually inherit his snow pants 

3) I had to buy him new boots though - size 13!!

4) New favorite phrase is "How come?"

5) Into imaginative play, which is so, so, so fun. Yesterday, he and I played "school". He was the teacher - Miss Jodie and I was Micah.

6) Move over Pete the Cat - Micah's new favorite books are "The Polar Express" and "Peter the Cruiseship" - a book that Kyle and I bought him while on a recent cruise.

7) Still loves his matchbox cars, in particular his 2 black trucks

8) Interested in sports - asks Kyle to turn on basketball, football, hockey or golf. ESPN has taken over our TV!

9) Speaking of Kyle, he continues to be a daddy's boy.

10) Potty trained during the day. At school, he does not wear a pull up at nap. This past weekend, we attempted the same at home which resulted in a huge accident. Naptime/night time training is going to be hard!

11) Loves to assist with dressing and undressing himself. He's so proud when he can do things by himself.

12) Insists on putting his shoes on, even if they are already off, prior to undressing for bath each night. He gets a big thrill out of being able to independently take off his shoes and socks.

13) Still loves watching you tube videos of "Shawn the Train" and recently Buzz Lightyear.

14) Recently learned to cut with a scissors. So far, takes short snips with it.

15) Can recite all of his ABC's

16) Know's the days of the week and the months of the year.

17) Enjoys telling you the weather every day.

18) More interested in drawing and coloring lately. Likes drawing circles.

19) Still enjoys school. Some days drop offs can be hard, especially if Kyle's the one who is dropping him off, or if we get him there a little late and the kids have already integrated into a learning activity. Generally does not want to come home at pick up.

20) Asks to pray for Brutus and Jack every night before eating supper.

21) Overall a very good eater. There's not much that Micah won't eat.

22) Motivated to eat his supper by the fact that he gets a piece of Halloween candy or a cookie if he's part of the clean plate club.

23) Has a great memory - the small details that he remembers is amazing!

24) Does not like being told no, especially by me : )

25) When mad, screams, kicks or will hit something, like a table or a wall. We are really working hard at getting him to express his emotions through his words.

26) Punishments usually involve time outs in his room. If he continues to kick or scream we will close the door. Micah does not like being isolated from the rest of his family, so closing the door generally causes him to stop his tantrum and shape up.

27) Becoming better at sharing, but is not always happy about doing it.

28) Loves imitating Macey and vice versa : )

29) Needs reminders to be gentle with her, as he sometimes forgets that Macey is smaller than him.

30) Daily topic of discussion is whether or not it's a hair washing night.

31) Loves going to play at the YMCA 

32) I'm hoping to get him enrolled in swimming and basketball this upcoming spring.

33) Is looking forward to Christmas. This year, he's asking for a train, tractors, and trucks. Can you tell that we have a theme going?? Hopefully Santa is good to him.

34) Next post on Micah will be when he turns 3 years old. We are so thankful for our handsome, sweet but strong-willed little guy. It's been fun watching him grow and develop over the past 3 years.

Macey

1) Still fitting into her 12-18 month clothing, but not for too much longer. Currently wearing size 4 diapers, and size 3 shoes.

2) Active, active, active - this girl is constantly on the move, which is great. I love that our house is conducive to her activity level, as she basically has full ability to explore our main level without us having to worry about her getting into too much trouble. We just have to keep our bathroom doors shut.

At this point, she walks everywhere! She's now able to bend or squat down to pick toys up off the floor and carry them around. She loves getting to cupboards, and emptying their contents. She loves climbing, and with it being colder outside, we have been trying to go to the YMCA on a weekly basis to allow her to climb all over the kids equipment.

3) She is much pickier than her older brother when it comes to eating. She loves her carbs, but isn't fond of her vegetables. Fruits are hit or miss. She loves string cheese and yogurt, and she could snack on puffs or crackers all day if allowed to. She still gets 4-5 bottles/day, but she is less interested in them. She'd rather be on the move than sit down to drink a bottle. I've started giving her a sippy cup of water at meals, and she's getting used to it. She'll take a few sips before playing with it or throwing it on the floor.

4) She's started taking a more consistent morning and afternoon nap. Naps can be as short as 30 minutes, but never are longer than 2 hours. At night, she goes to bed around 8:30. She sleeps pretty well, but does cry out sometimes 3 times a night. She can generally self soothe herself back to sleep.

5) Imitates, which is so much fun. If she sees you talking on the phone, will imitate holding a phone up to her ear and babble. Screams when Micah screams - yes, our house can get pretty loud some days! Loves to play peek-a-boo. Shrieks with excitement when you blow raspberries on her belly! And, absolutely loves crawling around and bouncing on our bed.

6) We've been trying to read to her more, and she will sit for a short book.

7) Changing her diapers and clothes can feel like a wrestling match at times. Some mornings it can take up to 10 minutes to change her.

8) Loves to unroll the toilet paper roll, which is why we have to keep our bathroom doors shut. Becomes upset when taken away from this activity or if the dishwasher or a cupboard door get shut. Does not love having stuff - whether it would be a toy or something that she shouldn't have - taken away from her.

9) Making lots of sweet sounds - mama, dada, m ka, for Micah

10) Continues to be healthy, and we are so thankful for that!

11) Is excited for her first Christmas, although does not need anything present-wise. At this point she has been perfectly content playing with a lot of Micah's old toys and whatever else she can find around our house.

Finally, I couldn't resist posting the following picture. Kyle, the kids and I have gotten into the Sunday habit of grocery shopping. As I've posted before, Micah has become accustomed to getting a cookie at Hyvee when we do large grocery shopping trips. Sometimes, we buy a box and other times we get a free one at the bakery. On this particular shopping trip, Micah was begging for a cookie and we decided to get a box of peanut butter cookies. Kyle stated that "Macey probably won't notice Micah's cookie". Definitely not the case - she was after it the minute that it was placed in his hands. So, we had to get Macey a cookie too - sugar, instead of peanut butter. She's protecting her cookie pretty well in this picture!

A Weekend of Celebrations

Last weekend we had a lot to celebrate! Micah turned 32 months on September 26th, Kyle turned 33 (really?!) on the 27th, and Macey turned 9 months on the 28th. We celebrated Kyle's birthday by going out for Mexican food on Friday night with Grandma Dawn, and then having chocolate cake and Ben and Jerry's ice cream (Micah's pick with maybe a little bit of pressure from mom). On Saturday afternoon, my parents took Micah and Macey for a sleepover at their house. Kyle and I had a date night, and went over to La Crosse to one of our favorite restaurants, and we hit up a favorite martini bar too. Kyle and I were able to watch the Viking's game on Sunday, before picking up the kids late afternoon. The house was so quiet without them, and a few times we found ourselves looking at each other wondering what we should do with our extra time.

This month, I decided to do a combined post summarizing what Micah and Macey have been up to.

Micah:
1) Has been singing Kyle "Happy Birthday" since last weekend.
2) Always inserts a "cha-cha-cha" at the end of the song.
3) Continues to be a daddy's boy
4) Loves to "rough-house" - preferably with daddy as mom is not as strong!
5) Imagination continues to develop, which I absolutely love!!
6) Yesterday packed me a fake lunch with make-believe food.
7) Still has his adorable blonde curls
8) Wearing size 3T-4T
9) 2 weeks ago he tried on his winter gear. His coat and snow pants are a little snug, but I'm optimistic that we will get 1 more year out of them.
10) Will need new boots. His feet are huge - I just bought him a few pair of fall shoes that are size 10. Next size up is in the kid section. Really?! He's only going to be 3 in a few months.
11) Awesome at going on the potty during the day.
12) Night time is more of a challenge and he gets a muffin in the morning if he wakes up without a poopy pull up.
13) Wants to be a police officer for Halloween.
14) Would rather watch sports than a cartoon.
15) Enjoyed his first WSU game a few weeks ago. We only stayed through half time, as it was getting close to bedtime, but Micah had a blast, and even saw a few daycare friends there too.
16) Perfecting his football passing skills, his T-ball skills, and his free-throw shots.
17) Favorite toys continue to be match box cars
18) Transition was slow, and a bit difficult for Micah into the "preschool" room, but he now loves it.
19) Favorite school activities including being the weather or calendar helper, door holder, going to chapel, singing songs, and riding wiggle racers.
20) Loves his new teacher - Miss Jackie and one of the assistants in the room, Miss Jodie.
21) Car rides are a favorite activity for Micah - especially if they involve going by the Big Mississippi to look for barges and tug boats, or going over train tracks.
22) Does not like to be told no.
23) Time outs are often for screaming at us, telling us no, pushing Macey, or taking Macey's toys.
24) The rolling kitchen stool that the previous owners unfortunately left with the house has become property of Micah. That darn stool has been the source of many arguments between the kids.
25) Slow to wake up in the mornings or after naps - definitely a trait that he's inherited from his Daddy.
26) Every night tells us that he's not eating supper.
27) Easily coaxed into sitting at the table and overall is a great eater. He's not afraid of fruits and vegetables, often asking for seconds of each.
28) Dinner usually ends with a cookie.
29) Seems to enjoy nightly bath time with Macey, with the exception of getting his hair washed. Hair washing now occurs every other night.
30) Bed time routine consists of 3 Bible stories and paci. Yes, paci will hopefully make a smooth exit over the next few months. Goal is to say good bye to it after 3rd birthday.
31) Loves "Shawn the Train" and "Pete the Cat"
32) Is such a fun little man to have in our lives. We are so thankful for all of the happiness and joy that he brings to our family.

Macey:

A LOT has changed over the past 2 months, and I am once again doing a combined months post. Some day....I will get more time to blog on a monthly, maybe weekly basis?!

1) Stats - Macey went to the doctor for her 9 month appointment at the end of September.  Stats are the following - weight 20 lbs, 6 oz (73%), height 29.5 inches (95%), head circumference 18 inches (90%).

2) Currently wearing 12-18 month clothing, and I need to sadly pack up her 6-12 month clothing. Unfortunately, a lot of them are still hanging in her closet. A lot of them are summer clothes, and I guess that I don't want to fully accept that it's going to be a few more months before it warms up again. She's wearing size 3 diapers, but could easily go up a size. She has recently blown out/soaked through so many diapers and we've tried Huggies, Pampers, Luvs, and Target diapers without being completely satisfied with any of them.

3) Goodbye Chicco car seat. Macey has moved up to Micah's old Britex car seat, and he has transitioned into a booster seat. She still does not love her car seat beyond a 45 minute car ride to La Crosse or Rochester, unless someone is sitting in the back next to her.

4) A moving machine!! Macey has made the most leaps and bounds in her gross motor skills over the past 2 months. She is crawling all over the place and she is fast at it! She pulls herself up onto everything. She also has been climbing up onto the chairs in Micah's small table and chairs set and the step stool. On the weekend of November 2-3, Macey took her first steps. She loves walking short distances, while holding onto our hands or pushing something stable, such as a stool. I am thankful that our house is so conducive to Macey's curiosity and activity level.

5) Eating 5-6 bottles/day. I am officially done with breastfeeding and pumping. In fact, I just returned the pump (I rented) to the Mayo Clinic this past weekend, and it feels great to to be done. We still have some frozen milk in our freezer, but currently, Macey primarily gets formula. She holds the bottles by herself and is getting more inpatient with spending the 10 minutes in my lap to drink the 6-7 ounces.

6) She is continuing to expand her solid intake. She gets 3 consistent meals/day and some snacks too. She basically eats whatever we are eating. It seems that she is going to be pickier than Micah, as he would eat anything that was put in front of him. She definitely prefers her carbs and fruits over her veggies. And, she has a little sweet tooth too, just like her mama. A few weeks ago, Kyle's mom brought us a big chocolate chip cookie with frosting on it. It was amazing, but every time I ate a piece, I had to do it out of her sight, as she would fuss if she saw me eating it until I would share with her. Macey now feels herself finger foods.

7) Starting to throw a few temper tantrums. Namely, this occurs when you take her away from an activity that she is enjoying, such as climbing up into the dishwasher or standing at the open refrigerator door. She will also throw a tantrum when getting put into her car seat. Tantrums generally involve arching backwards and throwing herself on the ground if able.

8) Has 4 teeth - 2 on top and 2 on the bottom. Teething has not been easy for (and us) lately. The past few nights, she has been having a lot of pain at night. She has been waking up 2-3 times/night screaming, and isn't always easily consoled. We have been using a lot more Tylenol than I recall with Micah. I'm optimistic that her teething pain will be short lived and we can go back to having our happy baby.

9) Most nights she goes to bed around 8:30-9:00 and wakes up between 5:30-6. She still cuddles with us in bed in the morning.

10) Becoming quite vocal. Says Mama, dada, and I have to believe that she is trying to say Micah at times.

11) Loves music!! She seems to gravitate towards Micah's toys versus playing with her baby toys. Christmas and her birthday are going to be easy this year, as she does not need much. Micah also has plenty as well.

12) She loves watching Micah and when he interacts with her. One of her favorite activities is being chased by Micah.

13) Can't get enough of Betty at daycare. Micah also loved Betty as well! Macey's head is swiveling when we get to daycare to find Betty, and once she does gets a shy smile. If Betty is in the room, she is reluctant to go to any of the other daycare workers.

14) She also brings us so much happiness and joy! She has blended into our family perfectly!!

30 Months

It's strange to have a quiet house on a Sunday morning. It's almost noon and both kids are napping. Usually they both take afternoon naps, but this morning Micah was asking to "back to bed" at 10:30. Yesterday, we spent the day in Stewartville with my parents while Kyle worked and he is worn out from all of the excitement and activity.

I've been waiting a little extra to write Micah's 30 month post, because I knew that he had an important milestone coming up....

1) Potty training - yes, we survived and Micah is doing great! We did a 3-day "Potty-Training Prison" weekend a few weeks ago, and it worked great for us. I unfortunately had to work the Friday that we initiated it, but Kyle was off and he and Micah fumbled through the first day together. By Sunday, Micah was accident free. The hardest part about the weekend was being home bound, as it was beautiful outside. But, Micah was not in the position to use a public toilet, nor did we want to revert back to using a diaper. He's had a few accidents over the past few weeks, but overall has done amazingly well during the day. At night and nap time, he wears a pull-up.

2) Since potty training, he seems so much older! He will be going up to the pre-school room at school after Labor Day.

3) Wearing size 3T-4. Shoe size is around 10.

4) Doing so much better with getting dressed in the mornings and at nights. But, he's not loving having his clothes changed after an accident.

5) I love his little high pitched voice. This is a trait that he inherited from Kyle, as Kyle's voice was really high as a kid. If he's excited or is telling a detailed story, his voice seems to get an octave higher with every sentence.

6) Sweet innocence - he believes that everything loves him. While driving yesterday, he commented that the cows in the field love him. He tells me "I love you so much Mommy" several times per day. My heart melts.

7) Still loves to sing.

8) Learning to share. Since Macey has become more mobile, she's been getting into more of his "stuff". I frequently hear him say, "No Macey, that's mine". We're trying to teach him to be more giving, but it's hard for a 2.5 year old.

9) Tantrums are less, but still present especially if tired.

10) Loves to go in the car, whether it would be only for a few minutes while Kyle puts the boat on the truck or going on long trips up to the cities. He's a great traveler.

11) His love for "Micah music" has been abandoned. In ways, it's sad. But, we also enjoy having the freedom to listen to our radio stations too.

12) Sleeping great! Goes to bed around 8:30 and will generally sleep to 6:30-7:00. He often ends up climbing in bed with us in the morning for a few minutes. I love those morning cuddles!!

13) Loves Youtube videos of construction equipment, busses, trains, "Shawn the Train", and Sesame Street.

14) Everyday after getting home from school, he asks for a Goldfish snack.

15) Over the past month, he's had the same breakfast - 2 packets of Oatmeal and milk.

16) When potty training, I bought chocolate milk, thinking that he would love it. Instead, he asked for white milk. Still does not like juice.

17) Loves to help in the kitchen, whether is would be making his oatmeal in the morning, and measuring out coffee beans for the grinder.

18) Mr Independent - wants to do EVERYTHING himself, from carrying his plate over to the table, opening/shutting doors, climbing up into his car seat, flushing the toilet, etc. At times, this can really challenge our patience, which is where tantrums occur.

19) Still has an amazing memory. Earlier this week, he was talking about spilling chocolate milk on his shirt at school, which happened well over 6 months ago. He remembers that it was on his Tiger shirt.

20) Likes to go for walks, but does not love sitting in the stroller. So much for our double BOB!! We still bring it along and use it as a time-out spot, if necessary.

21) Has a preference for men - has really bonded with Kyle and especially my dad.

22) Constantly looking for a play opportunity with Gavin, our 3 year old neighbor.

23) Loves to shop - yesterday, I brought both kids to Target and the grocery store with me. Both did great, but Micah was especially excited about the trip.

24) Favorite toys continue to be his cars and his kitchen set/grill set.

25) Lately, he's been taking a lot of Macey's toys from her. We've been talking a lot about the concept of sharing around the Raadt household.

26) Recently been very interested in the smoke detectors around the house. I'm thinking that this must be directly related to a recent discussion about fire safety at school.

27) Is scared of thunderstorms. Also, is not fond of the water. I'm hoping that with more exposure to the swimming pool, he will get over his fear of the water.

28) He really is a great eater, and is willing to try just about anything that's put in front of him. Favorite foods continue to be pasta, pizza, raspberries, toast, oatmeal, eggs, cheese, gold fish, crackers, mashed potatoes, applesauce, and my homemade mac and cheese.

29) Sweet tooth - this little man loves ice cream, cookies, cake, muffins, candy, which he likely inherits from me.

30) Is a blessing to have in our lives. We love him so much!! Yes, he can be challenging at times, but he brings so much imagination, laughter, smiles and happiness to our family.

Puppy snuggles with Brutus - these 2 love each other so much!

Cake for Uncle Auggie's Birthday/Micah becoming potty trained

What a goof!

7 AND 8 Month post

A month ago, our sweet Macey turned 7 months old and now today, she is already 8 months old! I was just reading through her 6 month post and a lot has changed over the past 2 months. I'm thankful that I've blogged about both kiddos over the past 2 years, even if I may miss a month here and there...

• Stats - Macey goes to the MD at the end of September. I'm curious to see what how much our little (or big!) girl weighs. It seems like she has packed on a few pounds, especially over the past 2 weekends while staying with Grandma and Grandpa Youdas. She now has pinchable cheeks, a belly that's starting to protrude from her shirts, and rolls on her thighs. She is adorable!

• Currently wearing size 3 diapers. She's still rocking her 6-12 month clothing sizes, but I know that it won't be too long before she's wearing 12-18 month clothing. Her 3-6 month clothes are all packed away, and it was truly hard to put them away. Therefore, I'm hoping that one of my good friends has a little girl some day, so that I can pass them along.

• Goodbye goopy, teary eye. Yes, about a month ago, Macey's left tear duct spontaneously opened. I admittedly was quite skeptical that it was going to open by itself, so thankfully I was proved wrong.

• No more sitting - this girl is on the move!! About a month ago, Macey began crawling. In the world of PT terms, this means belly on the floor pushing herself along. At first it was only a few feet to usually get into Micah's favorite toys, but over the past week she has become stronger and quicker. Today, I invested in a sturdy gait for our stairs, as she has recently taken an extreme interest in the stairs. Macey will rock on all 4's, but has yet to start creeping - aka reciprocal movement on all 4's.

• In addition to crawling, Macey loves to climb. Over the past week, she's started to pull herself up to a tall kneeling and yes, she's even been caught briefly standing. Naturally, her favorite place to do this is on Micah's bathroom stool that he uses for washing his hands, and he is still not too fond of sharing it with his little sister.

• Over the past 2 months, we've experimented with more solids. She's eating a lot of fruits and vegetables. Admittedly, most are from a can or pouch. I made most of Micah's baby food, but this time around it is simply easier to do canned baby food. She loves yogurt, bananas, her cereal/oatmeal, avocados - especially when pureed with banana, sweet potatoes, squash and carrots. We have yet to try meat, as I will make that myself. Most food is smooth pureed, and I will probably start her on some finger foods sometime soon.

• Still gets approximately 5 - 6 ounce bottles/day. Bottles continue to be a combination of breast milk and formula. I've cut back to pumping 3x/day and am proud that I have been able to give her breast milk for 8 months, considering my supply issues.

• Still only has 2 teeth, but I think more are on the way.

• Sleeping schedule has become more routine, but she still does not take too many naps during the day. She generally goes to sleep at 9:00 and wakes up between 5:30-6:00 and will find her way into our bed. We snuggle until about 7:00. She is consistent about taking a good hour morning nap around 9:00, but her afternoon nap is more sporadic and sometimes will only be a half an hour.

• Loves attention and will cry when I leave the room. Daycare drop offs are still going well, and she has really bonded with all of the wonderful staff at her daycare, especially Betty.

• Gets a bath every night, and loves splashing in the water.

• Is very interested in all of Micah's toys, especially his matchbox cars, parking garages, books, bathroom stool, etc. We are working on the concept of sharing around the Raadt household.

• Starting to vocalize a little more. I can make out mama and baba.

Yogurt Faces

Boat Ride with her Bro

You wouldn't tell from her smile, but she has completely blown out her diaper in this picture. Macey's with her new favorite toy - Micah's bathroom stool.

6 months

I'm about 2 weeks late with this post...

Really, it's hard to believe that 6 months have already passed?! Our baby girl is growing up too fast.  It's fun watching her develop new skills and seeing her little personality continue to emerge, but I wish it wasn't happening so quickly! So how did Macey spend her 6 month birthday - playing with friends at daycare while Kyle and I closed on our old house and worked, lots of kisses, snuggles and hugs, giggling at Micah while watching him eat Papa Murphy's pizza, and enjoying a celebratory bottle with me before bed (milk for Macey and wine for me)

• Stats - weight - 15# 14 ounces (50%); height - 27.5 inches (97%); head circumference is apparently 17.5 inches (90%), but I have a hard time believing that measurement. The nurse and MD got completely different measurements for head circumference and she has been all over the growth chart the past 6 months.
• Still fitting into a few 3-6 month pieces, but primarily wears 6-12 month clothing. I finally put away her size 1 diapers, as we had about 20 left, but she's not fitting into them anymore. Officially wearing size 2 diapers during the day, and at night now requiring an overnight diaper. This past week, I've changed the sheets 4 times, as she's woken up completely soaked.
• Sleeping in her own crib without a swaddle. Loves to sleep on her right side or her stomach. Sleeping from about 9:30-5:30. If she does wake up in the middle of the night, I have the terrible habit of bringing her into bed with us. 
• Continues to take small naps throughout the day. She generally doesn't sleep more than 2-3 hours throughout the entire day.
• Eating - we've been playing around with a few solids. She's tried rice cereal, a banana, and applesauce. I can't say that she loves her solids. She still gets really excited about her bottles, and will seriously quiver at the sight of one. She's eating 5-6 ounces, 6 times per day. Bottles continue to be a combination of formula and breast milk. 
• We have a sitter. Macey is now able to ring sit for a short period of time. She seems to love being in an upright position versus being on her stomach or back on the floor.
• She content playing with toys. Naturally, she does seem to prefer things that don't belong to her, such as Micah's favorite stuffed animals, so we're learning the concept of sharing in our household.
• Loves attention, and we love giving it to her too.
• Laid back - generally, she is a happy, content little girl.
• Macey's two bottom teeth have popped through. Overall, the teething experience has not been bad. Micah used to get a bad cold every time he was teething, but so far Macey's has been smooth sailing. I have been using a little bit of Orajel, and one night I did give her a dose of Tylenol, but overall she's done great with it.
• Does not love the car lately. Just driving between Rochester and Winona is a stretch. I don't think that she likes riding backwards without anyone to look at. On long car rides, I usually end up squished in the backseat between both kids.
• Health-wise, she still has a clogged left eye tear-duct. According to our pediatrician, it still has a 97% chance of spontaneously opening over the next 6 months. I hope that's the case.
• Has lots of nicknames - "Little Miss", "Macey Maybelle", "Macey-girl" and whatever else comes to mind as we're singing songs and playing together.

Sitting so well

First meal of rice cereal

My friend Amanda took some awesome 6 month pictures last night that I will post in the near future. Things to look forward to over the next month include lots of outside time, boat rides along the Mississippi, and an upcoming trip to the cities to hang out with my our good friends Jackie and Ryan and their beautiful family