Happy Half Birthday

On August 10th we were blessed with another sweet little boy. We've enjoyed his smiles for 6 full months now and celebrated Tyler's half birthday yesterday. What a sweetie.

P.S. Thank you to Rick, Amanda, Hailee, and Jake for taking spectacular care of our most prized possessions this weekend. Ryan had a lot of fun playing with his cousins overnight. He testified that he would do it again. "How about tomorrow?" he said. Tyler even acted as if we were never missed. Thanks guys. I know it was a lot to ask from you and we appreciate your generosity.

Another First

Ryan made his first trip to the dentist office this week. He was an exemplary patient! Doesn't it just make you so proud when your kids impress the public? He started by sitting in a chair and watching me first. He even used the vaccuum to suction water out of my mouth. (Always the little helper :)


Ryan sat very patiently and responded to all of the dentists requests. He really liked the Bubble Gum toothpaste too. They took a picture of him and put it on the wall for everyone to see for years to come. Now we are working on getting Ryan to stop sucking his thumb, which will be a real challenge. The dentist says it's causing his teeth to shift. Last night we put a bandaid on his thumb as a reminder to stop. I also bribed him with a trip to another basketball game if he stops. Here are some pictures for you.

Playing Around

I know I may complain alot about being so-0 busy. Getting ready for the next day of work, planning meals, cleaning house...you name it, it keeps me busy. One thing I think our family is really good at, is making sure there is time for fun. Tyler is even getting in on the action. He is so observant. He doesn't miss a thing. His head turns from side to side, constantly keeping track of everyone in the family. He is starting to enjoy some fun activities too. He is very strong and loves to grab hold of toys and his brother! He is always scooting close enough to Ryan so he can grab him...and Ryan loves every minute.

Oh...and talk about a kid who knows how to have fun. Check out this picture of my nephew Brendan who turned 5 yesterday and Papa Ralph. Now he knows how to have fun and you can really see it on his face. Happy Birthday Brendan.

Scrappin Fun

Here are a couple of scrapbook pages I put together this weekend. Fun;) "I need a hero" was inspired by the song Holding out for a hero featured on the Shrek 2 soundtrack that Ryan got for his birthday. Daddy is his real hero. The other is a reminder of his birthday fun.

M Go Blue!

Ryan is a true fan. That is, a fan of whatever daddy is a fan of. We went to a U of M Basketball game last weekend and had a good time. We were in the nosebleed seats but it was still fun. Ryan was so excited. His little hands were clapping 100 mph. The only time they stopped clapping was to grab a handful of popcorn. He made us really proud during the National Anthem when he put his hand to his heart and listened intently.

Meanwhile, Tyler enjoyed an evening with Granna and Papa Dick. He missed his normal bedtime determined to soak up Granna's attention without distractions from mom and Ryan. I guess they kind of spoiled him. (Thanks guys.) U of M does not allow strollers and there is no parking near the stadium due to construction. As it was, Jim carried Ryan all the way to the arena in sub zero wind chill. We really missed the evening with Tyler, but it was a fun night.

Sweet Potato!

We are entering yet another exciting phase of Tyler's life. He is now enjoying solid foods. He has mastered rice cereal and is now experimenting with some sweet potatoes. We got a few smiles and we got a few raspberrys...so we don't really know if he likes them. He is also eating oatmeal which he really seems to enjoy! I know it seems so simple. Probably no big deal for most of you who read this blog. To me, however, it is significant. Each day my baby moves a little closer to being a big boy and there's no way I can stop it ;( Instead, I'll relish today:)

Remeber how much fun...

it was to play Pac Man? One of the best presents we ever got as a kid was a mini-arcade game called Pac Man. It was the going gift that year at Christmas sometime in the early 80s. We were very poor and didn't expect much. What a surprise. What a memory. Games are so much more elaborate now, but to my surprise, our whole family is enjoying Ryan's Christmas gift...a plug and play Pac Man game! Ryan can't put it down. He can't wait to play. He doesn't even take his coat and shoes off after school before he turns it on. Truth is, we are enjoying the game too. Even as onlookers, we've enjoyed a few laughs at veteran players who can't outrun those darn ghosts.