emmett laughed today!

Emmett laughed pretty hard for the first time this evening! Matt has been able to make him giggle quite a bit, but tonight was a real laugh. It was so cute; Matt's brother Franz and our two nephews Ryan and Ammon were over visiting. Ryan started making that 'popping' sound like when you put your finger on the inside of your cheek and pull it out and Emmett just started laughing. Ryan kept making the sound and Emmett loved it! He has such a cute laugh and we can't wait to hear him do it again. He is growing so fast and is really starting to reveal his personality. He just turned 3 months old and is already wearing 6 month-old clothing! Such a big boy!

enjoy interior decorating or sewing?

I was anxious to find something new and fun to read and become addicted to, so I started searching online for new blogs to follow. Because I love interior design, decorating, fabric and learning how to sew, I searched for those types of blogs. I came across some really great ones and am excited to dive in! Feel free to check out these blogs under BLOGS WE FOLLOW. They have great pictures and ideas for the home. I really envy people who are creative in that way. If anyone out there knows of a fun blog I would like, please let me know! I will let you all know if I complete a fun project from this new addiction.

Michelle

getting SO big!!!

Emmett is our little hog. He is now 11 weeks old and we can literally watch him grow. He recently had his 2 month check up and we were SHOCKED. He is 24.25" and weighs 14 lbs! He has doubled his weight already! Dr. Balfanz said his weight is just right for his length and thinks he is going to be a basketball player. He is such a happy boy; I snapped these pictures while he was smiling up a storm. He looks a lot like his big sister!

first day of pre-k

Ethnie started preschool at J.J. Hill Montessori today! She picked out her clothes, shoes and packed her new backpack. She was so excited and ready to go - until we got there. Then she started clinging to us and crying. Actually, there were a few kids doing the same thing. She settled down once we got her into the classroom and had a fantastic day! Michelle and Emmett picked her up and her teacher, Ms. Leslie, said she had a great day and was a very well-behaved girl the entire time! Since she got home she's been saying, "Mommy, I want to go back to my new school tomorrow." We are all very excited about her preschool and know it is going to be a great fit for her.

summer activities

The end of our summer has been nice and busy. A couple of weeks ago, Michelle took the kids to St. Cloud with their Nana and spent the day at the park at Lake George. Unfortunately, the grounds around the lake were under construction so we couldn't enjoy it, but there was a 'splash pad' up by the playground that Ethnie loved! We hung out there, had some lunch, then went to the mall to get Ethnie some new school clothes.

The State Fair was quite a challenge this year with two kids! It was 94 degrees with the thickest humidity possible. We still had a great time. Our plan was to stay the entire day, but we were too exhausted from the weather. So, we went home in the afternoon to get out of the heat, took a nap and came back later that evening and stayed late. Ethnie loved her corn dog, shake and tried the cheese curds. Matt tried a pot roast sundae and I had grilled shrimp on a stick. We also went on the new crazy Rock It! ride and hung out in the Butterfly House. Ethnie absolutely loved it and would have stayed in there all night long. We were really surprised this year; no mullets, NASCAR hats, 80's hair, and very few fanny packs!

Labor Day weekend this year was very relaxed. Matt was busy getting ready for his first day of grad school, Michelle was sick with a sudden flu, and Emmett was not napping - at all. We just went outside when it was warm and got some rest. Emmett has his first ride in the tree swing and loved it! He looks so small in there. Ethnie did a great job pushing him and blowing bubbles for him.

precious moments

Adding a second child has been quite an adjustment so far, but has also been very fulfilling. Watching Ethnie and Emmett start to bond has been such a precious experience. Ethnie didn't want to hold Emmett much at first, but now she is very comfortable with him; sometimes I have to remind her to be careful! In these photos, Ethnie is singing to Emmett, rocking him to sleep, and helping me bathe him. It's so fun listening to the things she says to him and seeing Emmett's face light up when Ethnie is in the room. We love our kids!

tiny dancer

Ethnie started ballet last spring and loves it! She takes lessons through Ballet MN downtown St. Paul and is in the pre-ballet level. She is doing really well learning basic ballet moves and has had one performance so far! The next ballet she will be preparing for is The Nutcracker in November. She will be dancing as one of the little mice. We are so proud of her and love watching her practice. We'll keep you all informed about performance details.

emmett matthew is born

Hello! It's been a really long time since we've updated our blog so there are a couple major things that need to be mentioned!

First of all, Emmett is finally here! He was born on June 27th at 3:38 AM. He weighed 7 lbs. 10 oz. and was 19 inches in length. The delivery went very well and we had plenty of visitors. Emmett is very strong. He lifted his head up on day one! Ethnie is excited about her new baby brother and is going to be a wonderful big sister. We're so glad to have Emmett in our family!