Eirik at 21 1/2 months

I love doing a monthly update about our kids. Mostly because it helps me remember to write down some of the cute things they are up to. First of all, I have to tell how cute Eirik has been at rolling into this new roll as older brother. We have been reading so many books about new babies and being a big brother and what babies do for so long that Eirik seemed accept his new responsibility with ease. He LOVES his brother. He loves to bring Joren all of his favorite toys and pile them on Joren's tummy. Eventually Joren will have 4 horses, a rooster, 2 cats and a spaceman on him and Eirik will be going for the piano next. Eirik loves to say "Baby brother Joren, watch Eirik, clap like Eirik, jump like Eirik!" He talks so well now that I forget how young he is sometimes. He understands everything I say. We have to spell things if we want to keep secrets from him and I'm afraid he's going to start deciphering what we are spelling soon. He has learned to read 5 or 6 words from this awesome book that we got from the library called "Move" and we are working on reading quite a bit. He knows his whole alphabet and recognizes each letter. He can count to 20 without help, but he always misses 14. He has become a great little helper. He always takes Joren's diapers to the trash can without me asking. He has a few cute phrases that he says all the time like "Yes, mommy, ok" and "Mommy and daddy said no no" (this is said with a little finger shake.) He is afraid of trains. He always says "Train coming our house." I tell him every day that the train is far away and there are no train tracks in our house, but he is convinced that the trains are coming for him.
He loves pretend. Paul told him a bedtime story about dragons and swords and ever since we have been hearing constant monologue that sounds like this: "Daddy, sword, fight dragons, right ere, dragon scary rahrhhh, fight Eirik, sword, um dragon, yes oh yes, sword." Then Dad says, "What's the dragon's name? "Yes, oh, yes T-rex, Dragon, fight dragon right ere, this side, Tricertops, says, run cerotops, run Eirk play T-rex, mom play cerotops. Mommady T-rex. Princess go?" (Where did the princess go?) "Get it princess. Get it princess. (escalating pitch) Get it, GET IT, GET IT!! Mommady, (mix of Melody and Mommy) black horsey go? Black horsey go?? Girla ride horsey, hold on tight girla, fight dragon, fight dragon!" And if we keep it going this can go on for hours.
Eirik repeats everything that he thinks important over and over and over again. He is SO stubborn! I hear the following phrases about 100 times a day.
"Up pease mommady"
"come ere mommady"
"hode it mommady" (hold this toy mom)
"watch TV, milk"
And here are a couple of other sayings we love to hear him say:
"Eirik appy now" (happy now) or more recently "om appy now" (I'm happy now)
"duel Mommady!" (let's have a duel)
"on guard big dagon" (dragon)
"run free" (while naked after getting out of tub)
"lay down next" (lay down next to me Mom)
And my favorite "I love you to Mommady"
If I say something is hard to do Eirik will say, "Daddy help"
He loves anything with horses. If there is a tiny picture of a horse in a book, he will be obsessed with that page. He has about 12 horses that he carries around with him while he says, "woah, gigup, gigup" (giddyup) or "Mommady, by sis guy", (Mom, pretend you are this horse and play with me.) Today at Ikea we let him ride around on this hobbie horse (the kind with a horses head on a stick.) He was making everyone in the store laugh by trying to gallop by walking sideways holding the horse and whinnying at the top of his lungs. It was quite a show!
There is a show that we found on google video called "Horseland" that he insists on watching all the time. He also loves Wonder Pets. It's been a great starting point for lots of pretend adventures with his horses and other little animals that always have to go save other animals in our house.
Tonight we were putting together some a new kid size set of table and chairs for Eirik and someone said "I need a screwdriver." Eirik went to go find one. He tried to open the door where the tools are and couldn't do it so he went to the dishwasher, opened it, found a knife and ran back saying "ow bought knife?" (how about a knife, will that work?"!!!! We were all stunned, but not quite as stunned as when he showed us that he knows his right hand from his left hand when asked. I only told him this once, and Paul told him once when he showed him the right and left blinker in the car.
We've had more than one person tell us that we are in way over our heads with this kid. He's too smart for us.
Am I going to regret that I never learned calculus?

Joren is a keeper! ...

We've been snapping pictures all week and here are a few of the best...
We think he's adorable. When we brought him home from the hospital we found that none of the clothes we had for him would fit! He was too tiny. So I made some clothes. These are the only onesies that fit him, so I decorated them, and I made the green fleece pants you see. These are so easy and fast to make. I love sewing!



And I love this little bundle of joy. He is such a delightful boy! He doesn't cry except when getting his diaper changed. When he's hungry he just fusses and sucks on his hands. He is so good natured and sweet. He's a great eater and so far doesn't spit up much and burps easily. What a delight!

Christmas Stockings

My friend Amy told me yesterday that her mom suffers from OPD: Obsessive Project Dissorder. I totally relate!! This is my disease!

Ever since Kristen showed me her Thanksgiving banner creation I have been bitten by the sewing bug. I keep thinking up all of these fun fabric projects. The first couple of projects I have tackled are some darling little onesies for Joren, some fleece pants for Joren and these fun Christmas stockings. I've always wanted to make stockings, but it didn't make sense to make them until we had a bit bigger family.
I still need to embroider the names on the top. The "believe" one is mine, the wise men one is Paul's since he is wise and the patriarch of the home who's job is to lead us to the Savior, Eirik's is the shepherd with the sheep since he loves animals, and Joren's is the angel since he is our little Christmas angel this year.
I listened to the book of Luke online while I embroidered these and had a great time thinking about the Christmas story.
Thanks Kristen for inspiring me and giving me confidence!

Drum Roll Please.........

TA DA!!
Just in time for Christmas, let us introduce the newest little darling member of our family:
Joren Paul Aanderud!!

He was born Nov. 26th at 9:45 PM
He was 6 lbs. 2 oz.
20" long
He has short blondish red hair and deep cobalt blue eyes.


Before I begin our story, let me apologize in advance to all of you that have had much harder deliveries than mine. Please don't hate me because I deliver fast. :) (oh, and don't read this if you don't want graphic details.)

Joren was due Dec. 8th, but I had a feeling he would come early. I don't know why, Eirik was a week late. Maybe it was just a wish because I didn't want him to be born on top of Christmas, nevertheless, I had a hunch.
On the morning of the 26th I woke up at 3AM with some pretty strong Braxton Hicks. I rolled around on the ground and did yoga stretches for about 2 hours while they came about every 20 minutes or so, and then they stopped. I had my regular doctor's appointment at 9:30 where he told me I was at a 4. Then, very little happened for most of the day, just little contractions warning me that the time had come. I packed and prepared. At 6:30, I started to time them... about 10 minutes apart and getting stronger. We finished our pizza and packed the car. We took Eirik to Erin and Jed's house and put him to bed just before 8:00. At 8:15 we got to the hospital and went to the triage room. I told them they could skip triage, but they didn't believe me. Then transition came, and it came FAST. I think I went from a 5 to a 9 in about 3 or 4 contractions during which time they were trying to get me to walk to the delivery room... yeah right! It was excruciating, and I totally caved in concerning my desire to go natural and begged for pain killers, but as soon as I was through that 4th contraction and had layed down in the delivery room, I somehow got a hold of myself and stopped hyperventilating and started breathing right. One more contraction and they said I was complete and to forget about any pain killer, there was no time. The Doctor came running into the room at about this point, and I was glad he wasn't going to miss it! He had to pull himself away from Dancing with the Stars. :) I asked for the bar that goes over the bed to grip onto. (I was glad Erin and I had gone on a tour and learned about the bar because no one in the room knew where it was, and I did.) It was at the perfect height and made my positioning just right. The contractions were still very intense, but I got my mind wrapped around it somehow and I went deep and started chanting "open, open, open" to myself over and over and over again. I made everything else disappear except visualizing helping this baby out. And then I knew it was time to push him out. This is the coolest part! With Eirik I got an epidural when I was at a 9 so I didn't feel any of the pushing. I just pushed when the doctor told me to. I had a third degree tear that took 4 months to heal. I didn't want that again and I was convinced that if I could go natural I would be able to push when my body was ready and I wouldn't tear. I was right!! This time, I knew exactly what this baby needed to get out. I knew just when and how hard to push. It was such a rush!! I got to reach down and feel his head coming out. I can't explain how amazing this feeling is. After 4 or 5 good pushes, he was out and they put him right on my chest to see him! He was born at 9:45, one hour after we checked in!! He was gorgeous. I had a tiny repair, less than a one degree tear! I was thrilled! The doctor's and nurses were great through the whole thing. There was no in-my-face coaching or breathing or panic in the room. I felt like I was in a great calm amidst this crazy flurry of activity. Paul was perfect. He was calm, reassuring and motivating. I couldn't have done it if he hadn't been there.
The pain was outrageous. It was excruciating and overwhelming and yet so real and magnificent at the same time. I wouldn't do it any other way now that I know how awesome it is to be in control of the birth. What a miraculous experience!

Little Joren is precious! We were so excited to introduce Eirik and Joren. Paul went to get Eirik early in the morning and Paul and Eirik brought me flowers and Joren a teddy bear. Eirik was SO CUTE with Joren. First I showed Eirik that my tummy was smaller, then he looked around for the baby. He totally understood what was going on. He wanted to hold him and touched him and said "soft". Then I told Eirik that Joren was probably hungry so Eirik pretended to peel a banana and offered it to him. (We do this with his stuffed animals.) Then he offered him some pretend milk. Then Eirik gave Joren a little smack on the head just to see what would happen. :) Then he kissed him and told him to "open his lother eye", and poked him a bit. He wanted Joren's socks off so he could see his feet, then he tickled them. Eirik was giggling and loving it the whole time. It was so exciting. I wanted to get pregnant right away after Eirik was born because I just knew Eirik needed a buddy. He's such a social kid, and now I can't wait for these two to be able to play together more. I'm so glad they have each other.


We came home from the hospital after 24 hours, as soon as they let us. I was starting to feel like a rat in a cage and I was so glad to be home. Our wonderful friend Kristen drove back from Cleveland to stay with us for a few days since my mom can't come until my brother leaves on his mission next Wednesday. (YEAH DANIEL!!!!!) That's a pretty good reason to postpone coming I would say! We're so glad to have Kristen. And so lucky to have Erin who kept Eirik overnight, and Christina who kept Eirik for most of the day yesterday! Thanks you guys!!!

Merry Christmas!

Our good friends Kristen and Basil joined us for Thanksgiving. Kristen showed me the new Thanksgiving banner that she just finished. I LOVED it so much and was so inspired by her amazing creativity and skill so I coerced her into helping me make my own for Christmas.
You have to check hers out. http://andefam.blogspot.com/ (someone please teach my how to do links. :) )


So I had so much fun making this. Thanks so much Kristen for the inspiration and the help embroidering. You are awesome!

I Want to Break Free!! Theme song of the day!

Not mine though... Joren's Theme Song...
I just got home from the doctor's office. I am dialated to a 4 and 70% effaced. He stripped my membranes, so it could be any time. I can feel that Joren is getting antsy in there.... kicking, shoving, moving around a ton. We are so excited!!

Now, if I could just break myself free from all of my fun Christmas projects that I have been hoping to finish before Joren makes his debut, then I could get myself packed.. just in case. :)

Yes, Yes, I should have shown a picture of the rug. :)

Thanks so much for all the compliments! It's fun to share when you are all so supportive!
This shot shows the rug I was talking about.

Design on a Dime Nursery Reveal!

I know everyone has been so excited! :) JK... I know I have. My husband thinks I'm a bit crazy and I'm sure I am, but, as promised, here it is, the new nursery 95% done.





I also promised in my earlier post that I would list how much I spent to make this room work for two boys.... so...
here's the scoop:

We already had:
Crib- a deal from an Amish builder in Kirksville
Armoir (big green thing- free from K-ville cleanup- thanks to Charyce)
Eirik painting and two tropical paintings (cheap since I made them)
beetle art- calendar pages framed in found bamboo- mounted on foam core and cardstock
diaper basket
changing pad
growth chart- gift
lamp- garage sale
Rug- splurge from West Elm -I believe you can't skimp on rugs. :)

New Items:
New toddler bed: $25 craig's list
New Ikea dresser: $45 Craig's list
New bookshelf: $24 Wood and paint from Home Depot
New Curtains: free with a fabulous gift certificate from 4 wonderful girls at my shower! Thanks Sydney, Selina, Ashlie, and Katie!!!
New shelves on walls $12.50 (.50 brackets from Ikea and wood from home depot)
Paint for walls $22

Total for new items: $128.50!!

Yet to buy: crib mattress and new comfy glider! (The glider is my Christmas wish. :)

Although the room is a bit cramped, it's so functional and I'm so glad to have a changing table this time!! It was so fun to get out all of the baby boy stuff and put it in the new dresser. Eirik and I love our new play area and although the nursery will look this clean and put together for about 30 seconds before it's a giant mess, as nurseries always become, it is fun to have a place for everything and have it finished.

Now, where am I going to hang the new Joren painting I am working on ???

Look at this darling quilt! Erin, Charyce, Anona and Christina went in on this for me for the shower. Erin picked fabrics that are perfect for the new nursery and they hand stitched it. It's gorgeous! I LOVE it! Thanks so much ladies!

A fabulous baby shower!

I was amazed at the turnout at my baby shower. I looked around at all of these great women who came to celebrate our new baby and felt so blessed. 95% of the women that came were med students wives. What a support group we have! Thanks everyone for coming! And especially thanks to Erin for hosting! You are amazing.






Erin went out of her way to make all of my favorite shower foods including my special request for fruit soup which she brought to a cooking club once and I have craved ever since. She posted some great photos of the food on her blog that you should check out.

New Friends

This post is about Eirik and his "best" friend Benjamin .
Since Erin and I love to hang out all the time, our boys get to be together all the time. This has been a great blessing for all of us, and yet lately it has become quite comical. As these boys' personalities are starting to come more into focus, their differences are too. Eirik is a very needy, social, interactive, impatient, no attention span type of boy. Benjamin, on the other hand is very independent, meticulous, detailed, scrutinizing, and reflective. These traits make them great friends since they learn a lot from each other (I fear Eirik learns more positive traits from Benjamin than vise versa) but it also creates some interesting dynamics. For example, Eirik always wants to play with what Ben has, so Ben has developed a helpful tactic. When he finds a toy he wants to play with, he gets it and runs and hides before Eirik can try to take it away or trade him for something else. Eirik will of course chase him and Benjamin will turn and push him to keep him away from his prized toy. Then Benjamin gets in trouble and has to say he's sorry and share. Poor Benjamin, he just wants to be left alone. Eirik loves to give hugs. In fact, he likes it so much that sometimes I think he hits Benjamin so that he can quickly say sorry and give him a hug. Ben hates hugs and runs away from Eirik leaving him crying and chasing him. This happened at church. Eirik was so happy to see Benjamin at church that he chased him out of sacrament on their way to nursery. Eirik was insisting that Benjamin hold his hand, but Benjamin would have nothing to do with it. He ran from a crying frustrated Eirik pleading "Bejamees, hand, hand!!" all the way down the hall. Eirik is always trying to play catch with Ben. He gives him the ball or the bat or the net or whatever and then Benjamin goes off to play with it by himself. Eirik gets so frustrated. It just cracks me up, and makes me sad because Ben just wants Eirik to LEAVE HIM ALONE, and Eirik just wants someone to play with him ALL THE TIME!
I just hope they stay "best buds". Eirik still squeals with delight when I say we are going to Benjamin's house. I just hope Benjamin doesn't start hating to have Eirik around. Erin and I just wouldn't be able to deal with that! :)

Old Friends

My fabulous friend and her family came to dinner on Sunday. We had a great time recounting some of the stories of our extensive history together and enjoying the joy that comes from having long time friendships.
In our relationship it seems like I often take the roll of the overconfident make it happen person, while she is the one with her head on her shoulders reminding me, ever so gently, of reason and realism. I've always appreciated this about her. This week I dug myself into a tasking frenzy (which seems to happen a lot with me) where I have this awesome to-do list that I'm so excited about and I go nuts trying to get everything done all at once. Of course most of the things on the list are creating some sort of art, and a very few things on the list include things that will make my son happy. Well, as she was leaving she said she often has to give herself a little "talk". Her talk goes something like this. (side note: she has two small kids)
"Do I want to look back on this time that I had as a mother of small children and remember how rushed and frustrated and overwhelmed I was? This is my life now. This is my chance and I need to enjoy it everyday. "
She said it much better, but I needed to hear it again in her sweet way since sometimes it's so much easier to find fulfillment in accomplishing tasks than it is in sitting down with the kids and some books.
I thought I would attach a few special pictures of the two of us. This first one is at this really cool arch on the far side of the island of Aruba. We were there for work, and had one day off. We rented a car for the day and drove around the island. This side of the island is mostly barren and in this cove the waves were incredibly strong and created this awesome rock formation. We loved it.


The second picture was from the same outing, later, while we were driving through a herd of wild donkeys. It was near Christmas time, and Mary was pregnant so I persuaded her (good friend that I am) to jump out of the car and go try to ride one of these donkeys so she could pretend she was the virgin Mary wrapped in a blue cloth. Darn those donkeys, they sure could get away fast!

Also, you have to check out her incredibly cool family photos she just had done.

www.amberlightsphotography.blogspot.com
Just scroll down a bit until you see Lauritzen.

PS someone should tell me how to include a link. I'm slllloooowwwwww and can't figure it out.
... on second thought, I will just upload the picture..

Design on a Dime- Nursery Edition

For some reason when it comes to decorating our house I get so giddy about getting new things that I feel absolutely guilty about how much they cost. I feel like I'm getting totally spoiled. (yeah, I'm still getting over the new draperies! Yikes, Paul talked me into getting the ones I wanted and they were not cheap.) So, when I gave in to the reality that we just need some new things to accommodate a second child, I finally got busy and planned a cute little nursery. For Eirik's first room, the only things we bought were the crib, a rug and some curtains. For this nursery, I decided we have to have a toddler bed, a new glider and I'm sick of changing diapers on the floor and we're totally out of storage space, so we needed a dresser. I searched and searched on Craig's list for deals on these items and finally decided on some pieces. I mapped out the rout to go pick them all up and was ready to go when I got cold feet about driving all over Detroit in places I had never been when I really didn't know how long it was going to take and I couldn't take Eirik since it wouldn't all fit and I didn't want to leave him too long. Anyway, I got Paul to pick it all up for me yesterday, and let me tell you; Paul hates traffic, and it was traffic for 5 hours. I am THRILLED with our super sweet deals and great furniture. Even with $25 in gas, it was totally worth it.... for me. :) For poor Paul, I think if I try to pull a stunt like this again, he will have nothing to do with it.
So, just for fun, I am going to add up all that I have spent on the nursery and post some pictures since I think I'm an excellent deal finder and do-it-yourselfer... and I'm pretty proud of it. :)
(I may be digging myself into a hole since I'm just hoping that it all turns out as cute as I imagine it, and it's not done yet. If you never see pictures, then you will know that all my efforts resulted in a hodgepodge of bad sacrifices in the name of a deal. I've been known to get succored in the name of a deal.)
Here's my little sketch: Hope it turns out...

20 Months Old

Well, Eirik is now officially in a toddler bed. I pulled off the side of his crib about 2 weeks ago and he fell out every night for the first 5 nights. I almost gave up, but he hasn't fallen out since. He loves it and so do I. He HATES to be in bed with Paul and I for some reason. He just won't do it, so we never have to worry about him coming to our bed. He just gets up and cries at the bottom of the stairs for me to come get him some milk and turn on his favorite animal show. (This is his favorite thing to do in the morning!)

Eirik and I went to this Mom 2 Mom sale last Saturday (one of my favorite things about Detroit) and Eirik spotted this cute little potty chair that sits on the floor. He got so excited and wanted to sit on it and drag it around the room. He grabbed my hand and said, "mommy, open diaper please?" How could I resist. I had to buy the chair. The next day, he pulled the chair to me from the bathroom and said, "open diaper please". Mind you, I am not ready to potty train a 20 month old boy with a new baby coming in a month, so I was not going to really encourage this, but when he sat down and actually went I was AMAZED! We, of course, profusely congratulated him, but he was as excited, if not more, than we were by his own accomplishment. I think if I were diligent I could get him totally potty trained soon, but I am not ready for that responsibility. For those of you experienced moms, do you have any advise for me based on the signs he is giving? If I don't move forward with his excitement am I going to make it harder later?

Recently Eirik and I have been doing a lot of puppet making, finger painting, peanut butter playdough, regular playdough, hide and seek, tons of throwing and catching the ball, Eirik helping mommy paint ie: he sorts the pencils by color and makes a giant mess while I paint, Storytime at the library (a lifesaver!) and the best way to cure day to day monotony has been getting together with Erin and Benjamin almost every day for something or other. I can't tell you how great it is to have at least one activity planned every day. That saves me!

Oh, and I'm sad to say but Eirik has a few TV shows he likes to watch every day and I let him. :) Zaboomafo, Backyardigans, and Wonder Pets. They are all such cute and informative shows and I love what Eirik learns from them.

Eirik is talking in sentences and knows how to ask for anything he wants. I finally discovered the power of discipline this week. I realized that I have been letting him walk all over me. He's been developing tantrums when he doesn't get what he wants right when he wants it. Well, I finally learned that when I get firm with him, he is glad for the boundaries and does respect them. We are starting on a whole new venture here. Now, mommy is definitely in charge.
In fact, today we did a whole lot of things that I wanted to do instead of mostly things that Eirik wanted to do and he had to fend for himself. I worked on three paintings and painted the nursery walls, and he learned to paint on paper with water and leave mom's paints alone and find things to play with. It was great! He was very well behaved and it felt like I had a little bit of synergy between us that will continue to develop into a relationship where we are helping each other and I'm not just the caregiver. Pretty fun!

He's absolutely delightful with his spontaneous thank yous and I'm sorrys and hugs. He loves to help in any way that he can. He loves to sit on the counter by while while I do make up or while I cook. He wants to do everything I do. He has learned though that make-up is just for girls and he likes to tell me all the time... "make-up for gilas" which sounds a lot like gorillas. (We're working hard on those r's still.) :)
Today we played hide and seek for the first time- his idea.
He told me he was hiding in the shower. I told him it was my turn and he had to come find me. I went to hide and then he said, "mom?" I said "yeah" and he goes, "yeah, ok" and tries to follow my voice. We went through this conversation about 4 times for each hide and that cute little "yeah, ok" had me rolling. So cute!

Eirik loves to lay on my belly and talk to Jorin and give him hugs. I hope they're good friends.
I hope the boys like their new nursery. :) (who am I kidding.. the new nursery is for me, not them. They could care less what the furniture looks like!)

Mom, remember how I could Ollie before I could jump!

This one is for my brother Dave who has been checking out my blog lately! Thanks!
So, Eirik and I watch Dave's my space video of him skateboarding all the time. Eirik loves it. Lately he stands on a book .. basically anything and says.. "Skateboard!" Well yesterday we had an empty diaper wipe box that Eirik was trying to balance on. He was having trouble so he came and grabbed my hand and said, "Mon, mommy, hep skateboard." He then balanced on the little box and kept trying to jump or ollie! I was so proud. He can't get air yet, but by the time you see him next Dave, you can teach him a thing or two. :)
PS. I just googled my brother's name and found this amazing pic of my bro on the main page of a skateboarding site!
We think you're super cool Dave!

Halloween

So I was planning to dress Eirik up in the same darling Lion costume that he wore last year for Halloween, but a few weeks before Halloween, Erin and I took the boys to a storytime at the library where the puppet show was given by a very loud and scary man who did a show about lions. Eirik was terrified by his loud scary voice and loud scary growling, so everytime a lion was mentioned Eirik would cry out "NO LION", or in his voice something more like, "NO LIORLIN!"
I tried to get him to try on the costume again many times and there was just no convincing him... so I decided to go with a costume I thought he could really get into. He LOVES horses. I mean, he LOVES them. He wants to watch horse videos on You Tube every day and there's a new Zaboomafoo show about horses. Yeah, you better believe he can't go a day without wanting to watch it. He carries his little horses around and he has to ride the horse at the grocery store every time! So I figured a cowboy would be a great costume. I found some cute costumes on Ebay, but mind you, at this point, I had no time to order anything, so I used them for ideas and made him his own vest and chaps. I was so surprised to find that I had all the materials in my sewing closet for this cute little getup, including the little brads on the stars. What good fortune. I had bought the hat at a garage sale a few weeks before for a quarter and we just had to find the boots at a second hand store to complete the outfit. I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. The best part is that Eirik really likes his costume, (although keeping the hat on was absolutely impossible!) and he says cowboy like this: "cawbie" which is really cute.. to me at least. :)
Happy Halloween everyone!

As promised, Emily has supplied MUCH better pictures of the Red Barn Festival.
Thanks Emily. Your talent is truly a treasure!

Fall is here- well, at least it looks like it's here!

It's still gorgeous 70 degree weather with a tiny breeze. I would never guess it's almost Halloween. We have been going to all kinds of fun fall activities. These first photos are of a "fire safety class" that our complex held for the kids this morning. I invited Erin, Jed and Benjamin and I'm so glad they came. I think Erin had as much fun as the kids and Paul and Jed played with the airplanes that the firemen gave us more than any of the kids did too. It was fun for Eirik and Ben to climb into the fire truck and ambulance and hear the sirens and see all the equipment. They loved the cookies and free firemen hats too.





These pictures are of a really fun party that the hospital threw for all the students and their families at a place called Fun Acres. There were all kinds of games, animals for the kids to feed, a corn maze and pizza and cider in the barn. It was great to meet some of the people Paul has been getting to know and to see all of our friends. The kids loved it. And the light was gorgeous. The hay ride was the best. Eirik woke up talking about it in the morning.






Anona, Erin, Christine and I all went out to Apple Charlie's this week too. We let the boys pick apples off of the trees and we watched the ducks and geese and saw a whole slew of other animals in pens. The boys loved it, except Eirik was driving me nuts since I guess he was ready for a nap at 10:00 instead of his usual 12:30/1:00. He was so tired he kept falling down in the rotten apples and making me carry him everywhere (he says, "mommy, cavy, cavy" or "mommy, hold it" and then he whines and whines. We skipped the pumpkin patch on account of the whining and the fact that Eirik sat down right in the mud and became caked in mud. No big deal if I didn't have to carry him everywhere. :) In the end, it was for sure worth going, and what great women I get to hang out with!

I finally got my haircut last night, and Paul got dragged into giving me a pedicure. What a sweetheart! I feel spoiled and renewed. I also made Paul document my haircut since I have hated my hair for so long. It's better! I'm glad. I really always will be a short hair girl from now on. What was I thinking!!!


Thanks for everyone's nice comments on my last whiny post. I think we all have those days, but you are all so kind!