perspective

I was reading a magazine today as both kids were napping...yes, at the same time!!!!! And I wanted to share two things with someone, so I thought this was the best place!! The first one I actually cut out and tapped to my kitchen door so I can see it and be reminded each morning as I (all to soon) rush out to work each morning...

Relish These Days (about preschoolers)
Your children grow and return to visit me with their long legs, grown-up teeth, and first-grade readers tucked under their arms, and the little kid is gone forever. Don't stress about little things that will pass, like when she'll learn to tie her shoes or when he'll stop sucking his thumb. Instead, revel in the innocent, fleeting happiness that is life with a preschooler.

Written by a cancer survivor/patient
I just don't see the use in dwelling on the what-ifs anymore. If I've learned anything form my cancer experiences, it's that you never know what will be thrown in your lap tomorrow, and obsessing doesn't help. But I am thinking about how luck I am that I am that I Get to have another baby, that Alex gets to get a big brother, ad that there is life - a lot of life- after cancer.

a day at the zoo!

Last Friday we took Charli to Lincoln without her knowing why or where we were going. We got to the zoo and still didn't tell her! She walked in with some hesitation and after we were about 15 steps in we told her we were at the zoo! I wonder if we would have talked about it all the way there if she would have been more "hyped" about it, she was pretty calm all afternoon!

She did have fun, but I think was expecting to see an elephant...so a little bummed about that! It felt like we were missing something since Harper was at daycare, but it was very nice to have a day with Charli - she didn't have to sit and wait while we fed or changed him, etc...it was all about her that day! She was excited to get to take him to Lynn's house! I think she was proud to take him in like a little mommy!

When we got home we all went to eat BBQ at Columbus Days...Charli wanted corn on the cob - but we didn't get any! She then sweetly asked her grandpa borg for ice-cream...guess who got ice-cream! :-)

The pictures are in backwards order, so consider this a view of our day in 'rewind' mode :-)

this was funny, it was talking to her and she was a little scared at first! It ate trash, sucked it right up out of your hand!!

stuffing her cheeks like a squirrel with grapes on the way home!

after the zoo we went on a walk around the park

on our train ride around the zoo! it is hard to take a picture while driving in a train and holding on to your child!!

waiting for the train to start!

Charli sporting her new backpack she picked up with a monkey attached to the outside in a little carrier. She looks like a big girl...

beautiful butterfly!

i think she looks like she just fits in this frog!!!

hmmm, I think I have seen cuter ;)

yep, much cuter!

her new buddy the bear!

saying "hi" to her new friend that day! too cute!

high-five!

walking in the "spooky forest" she said!

she made lots of little friends that day!

the butterfly blends into her shirt!!

amazing :-)

she has wings!!

hanging by the seal!

they just fit together so perfectly, don't they!?

just waiting for dad to get his pop :-)

feeding the ducks, they aren't too intimidating!

they came at her like this and scared her!! So she fed them by throwing it at them!! They didn't mind :)

she got to take a pony ride - and enjoyed it!!

baptism

Harper was baptized this weekend at our "country" church, Looking Glass. It was a beautiful day for it, although most of it was spend inside!! It was a long day for the kids, we left the house a little after 8:30 to make it out there a little early for the 9:45 service. After church we hosted lunch for our family that was able to attend. After some afternoon visiting we took the kids back to the farm to play with a few cousins, and that was exhausting for them! Jumping on the trampoline, playing with baby kitties, changing clothes, playing with dolls, sneaking snacks, and watching a cartoon can take it out of a three, almost four, and six year old! After leaving the farm we went to town for their annual fundraiser. Charli had fun playing on several of the toys and games. She stayed up the entire way home and was ready to konk when we got home! They were gone from the house for over 12 hours, and she slept until 9:00am the next morning...probably would have slept later, but I woke her up!

Harper had his 2-month check last week. He has gained almost 4 pounds since he was born, and grew 3 inches!! He is a growing boy in ever sense of the word!! Friday was also his first day at daycare, we took him there and headed to Lincoln with Charli to take her for a surprise visit to the zoo! I will post those pictures later today hopefully!

Time for Harper to eat, so I gotta run :-)

I had to bribe chad to keep the tissue paper by saying Harper couldn't put this in his room if he didn't do it!! Yes, I was using my children against my husband for personal gain...like you haven't!! :-)

four of the cousins getting busted for playing the piano!

little macey is hidden here, but she is there right along side the rest playing away!

Harper's cake - given as a gift to us from a member of the church. It was delicious!

the fam'

on this side of the family Charli is the BIG cousin! I think the three little boys should be worried!!

Braxton and harper - 8 weeks apart...can you say TROUBLE!?!

This is the pose to show off our feet I guess!! She was proud of her John Deere boots. She got to go work with Dad one morning and she was pretty proud to dress like him!! Although, I have no picture of him in HIS pink polka-dot jacket. Sneak must have taken it off before he got home!

Charli and Daddy on their way to work!

very proud big sister! Harper's first day of daycare

Braxton babysitting Harper

sweet. Grandpa Preister feeding Harper at baptism

Charli in Grandpa P's boots!

ahhh, she didn't even mind that he was laying on her, for now!! Give her a few months and he might not be "so cute", as she likes to say! Last night she told me that he was growing, and this morning she told me he is getting "so big"! She also followed that up with "stop looking at me"!!! :-)

adding to the mix!

We haven't had too many things going on to report in our world, which I guess when we really sit down to appreciate that, is a good thing! Chad went on a little hunting adventure this weekend, leaving Saturday morning and coming back Sunday evening. The two kids and I enjoyed our first weekend home together. Charli desperately wanted to go to the park, but given her "daredevil" ways at time, I wasn't sure I was up to a trip to the ER with two kids in tow:-) She was a perfect big sister!

I have never once told her that I don't want Harper to suck his thumb, however...she knows! On two seperate occasions I heard her forcefully "tell" (aka yell) at Harper to "take your thumb out", or "you can not eat your fingers" and replace his hand with his paci! He did it a third time that I know she caught and told me that "he is hungry for fingers today mom"!!

Charli has also started to tell us that Kasper (our "little" white dog) is hungry for whatever it is on her plate that she doesn't want, and then attempts to feed it to him! One of her new favorite phrases is "just kidding"!! She is still sharing her favorite toys with Harper, which is cute...but at times makes our morning go a little slow when she doesn't understand why he won't take it!!

Her favorite past-time right now is coloring or watching her "piggie" (Three little pigs) movie from her birthday!

Harper is 2 months today, and growing a little each day! He is finally out of newborn diapers this week, and starting to outgrow some of his newborn clothes! He will be baptized at our country church this weekend, then then in three short-short weeks I will be back to work full time :-( I wonder if I can ask for an extension?!!

a few weeks ago I posted a picture like this with him in the same outfit...same "pose" - can't wait to compare the two!!

notice "little brothers" BIG smile as "big sister" gives him his paci! This picture is priceless! I walked around the corner and happened to catch it! I know that there are more of these moments to come!

going out to color on the sidewalk while dad is gone! (she wore her deere shirt for daddy this day!)

he is smiling a lot now, and started to giggle :-)

don't you love her beautiful flower she is making in the background!!

I am not sure if thumb sucking is genetic or not, but Chad sucked the same two middle fingers when he was a baby too...thanks dad :s

Charli and Charlie :)

Mmmmm

Just have to say I did enjoy my blizzard tonight, and while I know it is not part of my post-baby diet - I don't care!! Helping the kids was more important, and like my friend Andrea said - this only happens once a year!!

On a side note my parents came down tonight and brought two savings bonds from 1993 they found - I was all excited to see their value. They are $50 bonds so I thought since they are 15+ years old maybe $75. Yeah, not so much...$45. Yet another sign of the times, they estimate it will reach maturity in 2024...2024?!! Charli will be 18 years old before this $50 savings bond will be worth $50 -- 30 years after it was purchased. This took only 7 years in the past. HOW SAD :-(

Charli was in tears tonight because she wants a best friend...and I was informed that Chad, Harper, her imaginary friend Dodie, nor myself could fill this void. Really, it starts at age three that I am already not cool enough for my daughter.

What a day...found out I am not RICH and I already lost my best friend :-(
I am going to bed.... :-)

Children's Miracle Network

Like any of us really need an excuse to eat ice cream...but just in case!!!

TODAY - THURSDAY - AUGUST 13th, 2009
Dairy Queen will make a donation to the Children's Miracle Network for each blizzard purchased!! So, while you may be on a diet - do it for the kids!!! :-)

In all seriousness though, this is a very important organization who desperately needs all the help they can get to keep helping all the children that they do! If you are able to give them this help while enjoying some delicious ice cream, what could be better!!

PS. I saw that they have some girl scout cookie blizzards too, what a great time for you and me :-)

donkey-kong

Am I the only one who has heard the phrase "it's on like donkey-kong"!?!!!

Charli loves to wrestle, she will tackle anyone, but most of the time it is just Chad because he will wrestle back! Although, we have gone round and round a few times :-) Anyway...she will run across the room, put her arms in the punching position and say "it's down" (instead of "it's on!!") and as she is running to you say "it's on like donkey-kong"!!!!!

Charli is still loving on her little brother. She likes to give him his paci when he needs it, cover him up, and is sharing her favorite toys with him daily! She generally wants it back the next day, but always gives him something new!!

I love to see his smile, but I think he looks like a fish!!

I find it very ironic that her "most favorite" shirt is her "hand" shirt from the benefit hosted for our family in 2007. This is her "helping hand for Charli Ann" shirt - she puts it on every day that it is in her drawer!

the kids before a wedding this weekend...Charli didn't want her picture taken at all - until Harper was getting his :-)

grandpa's playing in the sand!! They were all a mess!

Happy Birthday daddy!!!

Thank you to grandma & grandpa preister and grandma & grandpa borg for babysitting so Chad and I could go out for dinner that night!!

I think Harper has outgrown Wynston!

I was too slow with my camera, but she had her legs crossed so ladylike!

the fish-smile again!! Does anyone else see a fish??

hanging out before running errands

laughing at something...probably his mom :-(