A Day at Home

Jack prefers to wear his helmet while eating breakfast.

Stella keeping busy in her johnny jumper.

Stella

Stella at 3 months
Stella and her sheepy
Stella is doing great, we'll have her 4 month check-up in a couple weeks so we can see how she's been growing. She's doing well with me being back at work and going to daycare & she's becoming more happy and full of coos every day!

Laughter is Contageous

A baby's first little laughs and giggles are just so precious and Stella has been gracing us with hers for the past couple of weeks now. She's already ticklish and has the best little giggle, in the mornings when I'm getting her dressed she's full of big grins. She's really mellowed out and gotten out of her newborn haze, and her personality is starting to emerge more and more. She hit 3 months old last week, which unfortunately coincides with me returning to work. I was thrilled to be the first to witness her first laugh the day before I returned to work, as this would assure me I had indeed been the first to hear it. Stella also, miraculously, started sleeping through the night(8+ hours straight!) the night before my first day back and has been keeping it up for two weeks now. I had a very difficult time leaving Jack as a baby and returning to work, so I was prepared for the worst this time around, but to my surprise it hasn't been so bad. There's even a part of me that feels good to be back in the workforce again. I have cut back in my hours since Jack was a baby which I'm sure is a big part of it, what also helps is having a trusted care-giver that has been taking care of Jack for two years now, and lastly I think I'm a lot more laid back about everything the second time around. Anyhow, whatever the reason, I'll take it and hopefully we will continue to find the right balance as a family. It is a hectic time in our lives with me being back at work, Dennis' bank being busy as always, building our new house and house showings to try and sell our current place (never try to stage your house with a new baby and a two year old, Never!) When it's all said and done though, as long as we've got the sound of two beautiful children's laughter in our home we'll be doin' alright :)

because why wouldn't you want to play matchbox cars in your diaper in a laundry basket
cutie pie
good big brother
Stella could stare at this toy parrot for hours, she just loves it
very proud of his "BIG block tower"

All About Jack

Jack has been cracking us up lately with his ever expanding vocabulary. There isn't a day that passes that he doesn't make us laugh hysterically about something, it's so great to have that kind of youthful, carefree energy around you. I find myself remembering more and more great memories from my own childhood, it's so fun to relive them. Of course, there are some moments when that kid energy makes me want to trade places with him, but more often than not, it's so much fun to get to act like a kid again with him.

Here are some of my favorite "Jackisms" of the moment:

runs around yelling, "I a dinosaur, a T-Rex!"

ah-ah-ah-chooo (makes fake sneezing noises)......."bless you"

after losing one of his matchbox cars in the front bushes, he proceeded to go back over to the shrub frequently and say "car, where are you?"

"Ah-oh, Stella spilled," on Stella spitting up

clearly Jack has a poopy diaper. when I ask him if he pooped, he replies "No, Stella did it"

at 4pm after being home all day:
Jack: "Momma I leaving"
Me: "Where are you going?"
Jack: "bank, my office" (while nodding head yes)

"Very cool" sidewalk chalk car
Storytime with Daddy
Jack loves to color
Jack's first mini-golf - he loved it!
Going "really high" on the swings

Bumbo

Stella working on strengthening her neck muscles and sitting up like a big girl.....
.....Jack doing the same.........monkey see monkey do!

Boxing & Rolling

Stella can now roll from belly to back! She did it five times in a row last week.........I guess there's a lot of motivation to do it when you hate tummy time :) She's also been batting at her toys like crazy and it getting stronger and stronger each day, we think she may be a boxer one day. Next up, I think I caught her discovering her hands today, stay tuned for more on that milestone.

Family

Irish Fest

Here are some pictures from Irish Fest in La Crosse, we took the kids to the kiddie area, where they had a little parade, puppet show, music & even a sheep shearing.