January - Week 4

Happy Birthday, John! We treated him to birthday supper & a Scheels gift card. Maybe he'll find time to spend it after this bathroom project is completed. 

We scraped all the major texture off the walls & smoothed everything out with fresh skim coat. A new tool is now in John's reporatoire - the Magic Trowel. It's amazing & was definitely a timesaver in this tedious, messy process. We still had to do three layers of joint compound but it greatly reduced the amount of sanding. 

Mike came over & lended his strength & they were able to knock down the shower walls in a Saturday morning. 

Next up: tub removal & installation of a new one! 

January - Week 3

The time has {finally} come! The bathroom is getting a facelift into the 21st century! We'll do most of the work ourselves, with a little extra grunt labor here & there. ;)

January - Week 2

First night of "hockey" skating for Colin. He did really well & surprised us with his work ethic. So much better at perseverance this year! 

We traveled to Eagan to celebrate Peyton's 3rd birthday. The cousins had fun playing together all weekend. 

Colin also lost his second tooth! The tooth fairy brought two gold coins & he couldn't have been more excited & proud. It had been loose for a while & fell out when he bit into a cracker at daycare. Easy peasy! 

January - Week 1

My goal for this year is to at least post some photos of what's happening in our family each week. Here goes!

We welcomed 2015 by spending quality time together as a family - lots of game-playing, ice skating, & running at the Y. 

Colin starts skating next week so we had to get fitted for all of his gear. He's pretty excited! 

12 months. ONE YEAR.

Valentine's Day is here (well, it was a week ago...) which means our little sweetheart is one year old!  It doesn't quite seem possible that Lydia has been in our family for 12 months.  She has experienced so much in her first year of life and we look forward to what the next year will bring.  Lydia is loved so much by her big brother - we can only hope that continues for a few years yet!  I was apprehensive about adding another child to our family, mostly for Colin's sake.  But he has been the absolute best big brother and watching the two of them interact and play is what it's all about!  Liddy is on the move, crawling faster by the day and getting closer to walking on her own.  She loves to cruise furniture and walk holding onto our hands or behind her car toy.  Her left hip and leg seem to be a little slower than the right so we'll have her checked again at her well-child exam.  I should also add that she still has a big gummy smile!  No teeth but there are quite a few white spots on her red, swollen gums. 

Likes:  singing, dancing, waving, turning book pages, peek-a-boo, bathtime, playing and laughing with Colin

Dislikes:  having something [a toy] taken away, being tired



Birthday Girl

The birthday girl was celebrated last weekend with a valentine/heart party.  I figure I can get away with that theme for quite a few years yet, right?!  Lydia had a great time entertaining her family and opening presents.  The highlight of the day had to be dancing to the music in the birthday card from the Zimney's.



11 months

This little monkey is 11 months old!  Lydia continues to be our happy little girl; such an easy-going baby who fills our house and lives with laugher and smiles. 

Likes:  waving, blowing kisses, really starting to enjoy books more, turning book pages, playing peek-a-boo

Dislikes:  unfamiliar faces (although this has gotten better), being tired

A few signs have started to become more consistent.  Lydia will sign "all done" after almost every meal; "more" is still hit and miss.  She is good at following simple commands: clap your hands, give that to mom/dad, stop, no.  She will also shake her head back and forth when she's told no. :)