I was able to capture Daddy and MarBear enjoying their little moment together last night :)
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Dancing With Daddy
Josh and the girls LOVE to listen to music and dance together! They all have their favorite songs and Makenna's even old enough to request specific songs! But over the past few months a very cute little habit has been established... whenever Josh plays the song Times Like These (acoustic version) by Foo Fighters Maryn will run over to him, ask to be picked up, hug him tight and nuzzle her little head into his neck and insist on a slow dance with Daddy for a good portion of the song. This has been happening so consistently that I think Josh has started to purposely play this song to get a little extra snuggle time with his youngest sweetheart :) This daddy is a softie when it comes to his girls and we love him for it!
I was able to capture Daddy and MarBear enjoying their little moment together last night :)
I was able to capture Daddy and MarBear enjoying their little moment together last night :)
Apple Orchard
One of the fun family things we did on Saturday to celebrate Josh's birthday was go to the apple orchard. We went last fall as well, but the girls were just enough older to really enjoy it this year. Makenna had also been to the apple orchard with her preschool class a few weeks prior to this and was a certified pro on how to properly pick the apples and apple orchard etiquette! Josh and I were downright astonished at how much of the information she had retained from her field trip! She was showing us the correct way to twist the apple off the tree so you don't hurt the tree or the apple!
Makenna exhibiting her apple orchard wisdom!
Maryn proudly showing off her first apple of the day!
Daddy and Makenna hunting for the best apples on the tree
The birthday Daddy with his girls at the apple orchard! Fun was had by all! This is definitely another Budke family tradition :)
Makenna exhibiting her apple orchard wisdom!
Maryn proudly showing off her first apple of the day!
Daddy and Makenna hunting for the best apples on the tree
The birthday Daddy with his girls at the apple orchard! Fun was had by all! This is definitely another Budke family tradition :)
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Happy 30th Birthday Joshua!
The girls and I are so excited to celebrate Josh's 30th birthday with him! He's actually not taking the whole "30" thing too hard, he just keeps making old comments :) The only thing actually old about him is the grey hair he is starting to get (which I of course have to point out all the time!). But turning 30 can't be too bad when we have SO much to be thankful for... two kids going on three, happily married, good health, successful career, beautiful home. We have been so blessed! I feel so lucky to spend everyday of my life with this man and that we have been blessed with a family together. He continues to amaze me each and every day and somehow still manages to keep life lively and entertaining after 12 years together! He is my best friend and soul mate and I am so thankful to have him in my life. I saw a quote the other day and I think it sums up exactly how I feel about Josh - "When I count my blessings, I count you twice." I couldn't agree more.
His favorite activity that helps keep him feeling young (and looking great too if I may add!).
And the two little girls that keep him young at heart :)
His favorite activity that helps keep him feeling young (and looking great too if I may add!).
And the two little girls that keep him young at heart :)
All About Josh - 30 Years Old
Josh is probably going to kill me, but I decided in all fairness, I better do an "All About Josh" blog for him too since it's such a big birthday! I think I probably know him better than he knows himself so let's see how I do! Love you sweetheart!
Nicknames: Daddy
Weight & Height: Holding steady at 5'7 1/2, but sometimes tries to claim 5'8! He has lost a ton of weight due to training for triathlons and is typically somewhere around high 150s, low 160s nowadays.
Hair: The good news is that he still has LOTS of it! Thick, medium blond/light brown hair (depends on time of year) that grows faster than anything I've ever seen! He has strands of black and grey hairs in his head as well. I figured the grey would come with age, but the black has really thrown me for a loop.
Favorite foods: Josh is a very adventurous eater and loves to try new things. That is actually one of our favorite activities to do together (try out new restaurants and new foods). He is horrible about eating breakfast and I have to harp at him about that, he typically eats out for lunch and then eats dinner at home with us. Overall I would say he is a very health conscious eater minus his lunches every once in awhile :) As for his favorite food, there are probably a lot. He loves a good tuna steak. Any sushi. Claims the best hamburger in town is a Frog Burger at Al's Red Frog. Cheesecake. And any warm, hearty homemade meal that I make for him. He always loves what I cook and is always appreciative (minus a few weeks ago when I was in a hurry and made Hamburger Helper - he was not so thrilled about that)
Favorite Drink: Probably a good glass of red wine or a dark or amber beer. He also typically drinks at least one Diet Coke every day and a cup of coffee. He definitely needs his caffeine in the morning.
Favorite toys: Easy - His Felt B2 triathlon bike! He's really not into material things at all and could care less what he "has", but he LOVES his bike!
Favorite books: The Bible and probably anything to do with triathlons.
Favorite Game: Anything he can play with the girls.
Favorite stuffed animal: By default I would have to say Duckie and Puppy... those little animals now mean a lot to mommy and daddy as well! Heck, they help our children sleep through the night every night! What's not to love about them?!
Favorite Person: Can't be just one - Makenna, Maryn, baby and of course me!
Bedtime: He typically is ready to crash between 10:00 and 10:30 every night.
Wake-up time: There is a huge variation in this category... he could be up at 5:30 or sleep in until 9:00 (on the weekends). Depends on the time of year and how much he has to get done that day.
Naps: If he's getting to take a nap than the two of us need to have a little conversation :)
Latest Accomplishment: Completing 4 triathlons this past summer (7 in the past 2 years), including a 5 hour 20 minute finish on a half-Ironman triathlon in August!
Likes: fall, playing with the girls, Pearl Jam, reading anything and everything about triathlons, a good sermon at church on Sunday, comfy clothes, talk radio, having short, clean-shaven hair, being outside
Dislikes: when I don't take the garbage out and it starts to overflow, some of the neighbor kids, when his yard doesn't look perfect, public speaking/cold calls for work, bad drivers (especially those that aren't courteous to bike riders), and rude, ignorant people
What gets said about Josh most often: That he is the jokester at work and constantly causing trouble, comments about how young he looks (ie. people assume he is the intern at work :), that he is a great Dad and loves to have fun with the kids (he was even crowned Best Jedi Knight on our block last summer!)
Health: Due to triathlons and all of his training, he is in great health. He used to struggle with high blood pressure, but has managed to control it through exercise. The doctors were talking about blood pressure meds with him and that was enough to scare him into a serious exercise routine which lowered it almost immediately. He recently had a health work-up (for a new life insurance policy) and everything looked great. Even his cholesterol was in the good category (which I was skeptical beforehand due to the amount he eats out). He is in great physical shape and this past summer claimed that he was in the best cardiovascular shape of his life while training for the half-Ironman. That's a pretty impressive statement for someone who used to be a DI athlete!
Life's Aspirations: to raise healthy, strong, independent-thinking Christian children, to own and live on a large piece of land (30-40 acres would be great for him!), to complete a full Ironman triathlon (2 mile swim, 120 mile bike, 26.2 mile run), to continue growing his successful career at TrueNorth and hopefully retire at a moderately young age :)
So honey, how'd I do?! Did I miss anything? :)
Happy 30th Birthday Joshua!
Nicknames: Daddy
Weight & Height: Holding steady at 5'7 1/2, but sometimes tries to claim 5'8! He has lost a ton of weight due to training for triathlons and is typically somewhere around high 150s, low 160s nowadays.
Hair: The good news is that he still has LOTS of it! Thick, medium blond/light brown hair (depends on time of year) that grows faster than anything I've ever seen! He has strands of black and grey hairs in his head as well. I figured the grey would come with age, but the black has really thrown me for a loop.
Favorite foods: Josh is a very adventurous eater and loves to try new things. That is actually one of our favorite activities to do together (try out new restaurants and new foods). He is horrible about eating breakfast and I have to harp at him about that, he typically eats out for lunch and then eats dinner at home with us. Overall I would say he is a very health conscious eater minus his lunches every once in awhile :) As for his favorite food, there are probably a lot. He loves a good tuna steak. Any sushi. Claims the best hamburger in town is a Frog Burger at Al's Red Frog. Cheesecake. And any warm, hearty homemade meal that I make for him. He always loves what I cook and is always appreciative (minus a few weeks ago when I was in a hurry and made Hamburger Helper - he was not so thrilled about that)
Favorite Drink: Probably a good glass of red wine or a dark or amber beer. He also typically drinks at least one Diet Coke every day and a cup of coffee. He definitely needs his caffeine in the morning.
Favorite toys: Easy - His Felt B2 triathlon bike! He's really not into material things at all and could care less what he "has", but he LOVES his bike!
Favorite books: The Bible and probably anything to do with triathlons.
Favorite Game: Anything he can play with the girls.
Favorite stuffed animal: By default I would have to say Duckie and Puppy... those little animals now mean a lot to mommy and daddy as well! Heck, they help our children sleep through the night every night! What's not to love about them?!
Favorite Person: Can't be just one - Makenna, Maryn, baby and of course me!
Bedtime: He typically is ready to crash between 10:00 and 10:30 every night.
Wake-up time: There is a huge variation in this category... he could be up at 5:30 or sleep in until 9:00 (on the weekends). Depends on the time of year and how much he has to get done that day.
Naps: If he's getting to take a nap than the two of us need to have a little conversation :)
Latest Accomplishment: Completing 4 triathlons this past summer (7 in the past 2 years), including a 5 hour 20 minute finish on a half-Ironman triathlon in August!
Likes: fall, playing with the girls, Pearl Jam, reading anything and everything about triathlons, a good sermon at church on Sunday, comfy clothes, talk radio, having short, clean-shaven hair, being outside
Dislikes: when I don't take the garbage out and it starts to overflow, some of the neighbor kids, when his yard doesn't look perfect, public speaking/cold calls for work, bad drivers (especially those that aren't courteous to bike riders), and rude, ignorant people
What gets said about Josh most often: That he is the jokester at work and constantly causing trouble, comments about how young he looks (ie. people assume he is the intern at work :), that he is a great Dad and loves to have fun with the kids (he was even crowned Best Jedi Knight on our block last summer!)
Health: Due to triathlons and all of his training, he is in great health. He used to struggle with high blood pressure, but has managed to control it through exercise. The doctors were talking about blood pressure meds with him and that was enough to scare him into a serious exercise routine which lowered it almost immediately. He recently had a health work-up (for a new life insurance policy) and everything looked great. Even his cholesterol was in the good category (which I was skeptical beforehand due to the amount he eats out). He is in great physical shape and this past summer claimed that he was in the best cardiovascular shape of his life while training for the half-Ironman. That's a pretty impressive statement for someone who used to be a DI athlete!
Life's Aspirations: to raise healthy, strong, independent-thinking Christian children, to own and live on a large piece of land (30-40 acres would be great for him!), to complete a full Ironman triathlon (2 mile swim, 120 mile bike, 26.2 mile run), to continue growing his successful career at TrueNorth and hopefully retire at a moderately young age :)
So honey, how'd I do?! Did I miss anything? :)
Happy 30th Birthday Joshua!
Thursday, September 25, 2008
19 Weeks 2 Days
So here you have it... my belly at 19 weeks and 2 days (picture taken by my 4 year old!). I would definitely say that the size of my belly is finally evening out. I felt so incredibly huge for so long and now I feel more appropriate for how far along I am. As you can tell from the picture above, somehow I am still in my regular jeans. I have numerous pairs of pre-pregnancy jeans that still fit me. The only reason I mention this is because it is so different from Makenna and Maryn - with Makenna I was in maternity pants by 15/16 weeks and with Maryn I was in maternity pants by 11 weeks. I am carrying so differently this time... definitely more up in my belly than in my hips (at least up until this point!).
I continue to feel good and am incredibly thankful for that. Honestly the only issues I can think of that I'm dealing with right now are occasional heartburn/indigestion and exhaustion. Oh yeah and the fact that I have to go to the bathroom every 20 minutes and my skin finally seems to be getting better (I typically have bad skin at the beginning of my pregnancies). Luckily though I've been able to sleep better lately so that helps in the exhaustion area.
Baby is an active one :) I can actually feel him/her moving around in my belly as I type this! I have been feeling movement since around 14 weeks but experienced my first good solid kicks last week (18 weeks 2 days). Josh and I were laying in bed talking and the baby just walloped me in the belly. Since Josh was right there he got to feel probably 6 kicks over a 2 minute period of time! It was so great to have him experience the first kicks with me :) He was impressed by how noticeable and hard they were! Our baby is feisty for a little peanut! But I guess that's not surprising given the personalities of our first two :)
Still no ultrasound but I should hopefully have a date for that next week. We pray that the baby is healthy and can't wait to get confirmation of that in an ultrasound.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Health Updates On The Girls
There have been numerous health issues regarding the girls that I have written about over the months so I just wanted to give some updates.
Makenna had all of her allergy testing done mid-August. She did exceptionally well with the blood test. We were mainly testing to figure out if she was allergic to antibiotics and if so, which ones. She has only been on antibiotics twice so far (thank God!) but has reacted with a rash each time. We were surprised and relieved to have all the tests come back negative. This means that she won't have a more severe reaction to the antibiotics than a rash, which is the main thing we wanted to find out. We can deal with a rash, it was the other more serious side effects that we were concerned about. We were not able to test for one of the specific drugs she reacted to (Cephalexin), so the doctors decided we would just avoid that one from here on out. We are so relieved because this gives us plenty of options for treating her in the future if need be. Right now in the allergy department it just looks like she will be dealing with some skin sensitivity issues and some mild seasonal allergies.
Last week Makenna also met with an ENT (Dr. Carpenter) to discuss the possibility of getting her tonsils removed. We have been told by three different doctors on three different occasions that she needs her tonsils removed based on their shear size, so I finally broke down and made an appointment. First of all, I have to say that this doctor was the best doctor I think I've ever seen in my life. He was SO good at dealing with kids. He talked directly to Makenna (not over her like most) and told her she has ears that look just like Belle and Aurora (trust me to a 4 year old, this made a HUGE impression). He even tried to race her down the hall to the check out when we were done. So on to her tonsils... he was in agreement that her tonsils are huge. On a scale up to 4, her tonsils are a 2 1/2 to 3 in size, with a 4 meaning that they touch. But he said outside of their size, she has had no issues with them whatsoever (sleep apnea, tonsillitis, etc) so the benefit of surgery would be close to nothing at this point. He said his daughter's tonsils look almost exactly the same and they are still in her throat. He was very thorough and answered all of our questions as for what to look for in the future in case they do become a problem. Overall, we are so thankful that she doesn't have to go through any surgery at this point. Thank you God!
Maryn had her 2 year check-up yesterday. Maryn has been as healthy as can be ever since we had her ear tubes put in back in April. It was an answer to our prayers. She feels so much better now. Maryn shocked us all yesterday and weighed in at 26 pounds and was 34 3/4 inches tall! She has grown a ton! We have always called her our little peanut but we might have to change that now - she is in the 80% for height (as she was last time) and she finally broke out of the 7-8% and jumped to the 44% for weight! Since her 18 month appointment she grew close to 2 inches and gained over 4 pounds!! The doctor said she is going to be a tall, skinny kid. It is so weird for us to hear that she is tall for her age because we obviously compare her to Makenna at that age, who seemed SO much bigger. Well yesterday I decided to pull my journals out to check Makenna's size at her two year check-up... it wasn't our imagination, she was a lot bigger. Well over 2 inches taller and 3 pounds heavier at the exact same age. That's a huge difference on a 2 year old - no wonder everyone thought Makenna was so much older than she was.
As has been mentioned on here before, Maryn has numerous birthmarks on her body. Three are cafe au lait spots (including a very large one on her ankle) and she also has a mongolian spot on her lower back/upper buttocks area. The doctors have always told us to watch them closely and report any change. I have noticed that the mongolian spot seemed to have been growing larger so the doctor took a look yesterday. He said that her spot is very light for a mongolian spot (thankfully) and that he can almost guarantee that it will fade away completely as she gets older. He also wasn't the tiniest bit concerned about it growing a little bit. He said it all looked fine.
In talking about development at Maryn's 2 year check, the doctor asked if we had concerns and I just mentioned that her speech seemed delayed to us due to her ears but that we've noticed a significant improvement ever since she had the ear tubes put in. He decided to check her with a typical 2 year old speech test (asking her about various pictures) and she knew them all and was able to say everything out loud. The doctor said that only about half of 2 year olds are able to do that at their 2 year check-up so she is very normal in her speaking, in fact probably ahead of the game (since she actually knows probably 10 times more than what he tested her for). Maryn's appointment ended with a shot (she missed one somewhere along the way so we had to make it up) and she did really well. A short mad scream, a few big tears and hug for mommy and then she was fine by the time I opened the door.
We continue to thank God everyday for the good health of our little girls.
Makenna had all of her allergy testing done mid-August. She did exceptionally well with the blood test. We were mainly testing to figure out if she was allergic to antibiotics and if so, which ones. She has only been on antibiotics twice so far (thank God!) but has reacted with a rash each time. We were surprised and relieved to have all the tests come back negative. This means that she won't have a more severe reaction to the antibiotics than a rash, which is the main thing we wanted to find out. We can deal with a rash, it was the other more serious side effects that we were concerned about. We were not able to test for one of the specific drugs she reacted to (Cephalexin), so the doctors decided we would just avoid that one from here on out. We are so relieved because this gives us plenty of options for treating her in the future if need be. Right now in the allergy department it just looks like she will be dealing with some skin sensitivity issues and some mild seasonal allergies.
Last week Makenna also met with an ENT (Dr. Carpenter) to discuss the possibility of getting her tonsils removed. We have been told by three different doctors on three different occasions that she needs her tonsils removed based on their shear size, so I finally broke down and made an appointment. First of all, I have to say that this doctor was the best doctor I think I've ever seen in my life. He was SO good at dealing with kids. He talked directly to Makenna (not over her like most) and told her she has ears that look just like Belle and Aurora (trust me to a 4 year old, this made a HUGE impression). He even tried to race her down the hall to the check out when we were done. So on to her tonsils... he was in agreement that her tonsils are huge. On a scale up to 4, her tonsils are a 2 1/2 to 3 in size, with a 4 meaning that they touch. But he said outside of their size, she has had no issues with them whatsoever (sleep apnea, tonsillitis, etc) so the benefit of surgery would be close to nothing at this point. He said his daughter's tonsils look almost exactly the same and they are still in her throat. He was very thorough and answered all of our questions as for what to look for in the future in case they do become a problem. Overall, we are so thankful that she doesn't have to go through any surgery at this point. Thank you God!
Maryn had her 2 year check-up yesterday. Maryn has been as healthy as can be ever since we had her ear tubes put in back in April. It was an answer to our prayers. She feels so much better now. Maryn shocked us all yesterday and weighed in at 26 pounds and was 34 3/4 inches tall! She has grown a ton! We have always called her our little peanut but we might have to change that now - she is in the 80% for height (as she was last time) and she finally broke out of the 7-8% and jumped to the 44% for weight! Since her 18 month appointment she grew close to 2 inches and gained over 4 pounds!! The doctor said she is going to be a tall, skinny kid. It is so weird for us to hear that she is tall for her age because we obviously compare her to Makenna at that age, who seemed SO much bigger. Well yesterday I decided to pull my journals out to check Makenna's size at her two year check-up... it wasn't our imagination, she was a lot bigger. Well over 2 inches taller and 3 pounds heavier at the exact same age. That's a huge difference on a 2 year old - no wonder everyone thought Makenna was so much older than she was.
As has been mentioned on here before, Maryn has numerous birthmarks on her body. Three are cafe au lait spots (including a very large one on her ankle) and she also has a mongolian spot on her lower back/upper buttocks area. The doctors have always told us to watch them closely and report any change. I have noticed that the mongolian spot seemed to have been growing larger so the doctor took a look yesterday. He said that her spot is very light for a mongolian spot (thankfully) and that he can almost guarantee that it will fade away completely as she gets older. He also wasn't the tiniest bit concerned about it growing a little bit. He said it all looked fine.
In talking about development at Maryn's 2 year check, the doctor asked if we had concerns and I just mentioned that her speech seemed delayed to us due to her ears but that we've noticed a significant improvement ever since she had the ear tubes put in. He decided to check her with a typical 2 year old speech test (asking her about various pictures) and she knew them all and was able to say everything out loud. The doctor said that only about half of 2 year olds are able to do that at their 2 year check-up so she is very normal in her speaking, in fact probably ahead of the game (since she actually knows probably 10 times more than what he tested her for). Maryn's appointment ended with a shot (she missed one somewhere along the way so we had to make it up) and she did really well. A short mad scream, a few big tears and hug for mommy and then she was fine by the time I opened the door.
We continue to thank God everyday for the good health of our little girls.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Stay-At-Home Mommy Vent
So I'm really fed up and frustrated today so I think I need to vent a little bit. What a better place to do it than here on my blog :)
Without getting into specifics, let's just say that someone that I have to interact with on a regular basis (no one that reads this blog) just assumes that because I am a stay-at-home mom that I have all the time in the world to do whatever and help out in any way I can. Now don't get me wrong, I love to volunteer, help with my kids' stuff and be involved, all of which I do, but there is a limit to what any sane person can commit to. After volunteering to help out with something recently, the person in charge made some comment about "Oh well you stay home, don't you?" and then proceeded to stack the responsibilities and expectations on me. Just so everyone knows, stay-at-home mommies are actually working mommies too! We just happen to work at home! People that work outside the home pay good money to have someone watch their children and do all the things that I do all day long... they would be irate to find out that their childcare person is doing all of these outside activities when she has their kids, so why should the expectation be any different for stay-at-home moms?
There is all the typical stuff that goes with being a mom (running kids around, making meals, dr's appointments, taking care of kids, etc) but then I think there is the stuff that shouldn't have to be scheduled... play time, snuggle time and learning time with mom. It is very important to me but other people seem to think that just because I have a morning on my calendar that is not filled in that I have all this time to volunteer and help out. NO! And I'm not going to resort to scheduling play time with my kids. That is just plain old ridiculous. I can promise you this - I'm not going to get so bogged down with stay-at-home mommy activities and responsibilities that I don't have time for the one reason that I stayed at home... my kids.
Without getting into specifics, let's just say that someone that I have to interact with on a regular basis (no one that reads this blog) just assumes that because I am a stay-at-home mom that I have all the time in the world to do whatever and help out in any way I can. Now don't get me wrong, I love to volunteer, help with my kids' stuff and be involved, all of which I do, but there is a limit to what any sane person can commit to. After volunteering to help out with something recently, the person in charge made some comment about "Oh well you stay home, don't you?" and then proceeded to stack the responsibilities and expectations on me. Just so everyone knows, stay-at-home mommies are actually working mommies too! We just happen to work at home! People that work outside the home pay good money to have someone watch their children and do all the things that I do all day long... they would be irate to find out that their childcare person is doing all of these outside activities when she has their kids, so why should the expectation be any different for stay-at-home moms?
There is all the typical stuff that goes with being a mom (running kids around, making meals, dr's appointments, taking care of kids, etc) but then I think there is the stuff that shouldn't have to be scheduled... play time, snuggle time and learning time with mom. It is very important to me but other people seem to think that just because I have a morning on my calendar that is not filled in that I have all this time to volunteer and help out. NO! And I'm not going to resort to scheduling play time with my kids. That is just plain old ridiculous. I can promise you this - I'm not going to get so bogged down with stay-at-home mommy activities and responsibilities that I don't have time for the one reason that I stayed at home... my kids.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Veggie Tales Birthday Party
Maryn thoroughly enjoyed her Veggie Tales birthday party on Saturday. She had fun with her cousins, liked all of her presents and even enjoyed everyone singing "Happy Birthday" to her (hard to believe considering she usually cries even if we're singing to someone else). She just smiled ear to ear and couldn't wait to blow out her candles - and she actually did! Our little girl is 2!
Look at this huge birthday smile as mommy was walking towards her with the cake!
Her AWESOME Veggie Tales cake! This combined with the Bob the Tomato cupcakes made for an extra special birthday :)
Blowing out her candles - and she did a great job!
Maryn with sweet little Eden (or "Ian" as she says!). She was very taken with Eden this weekend and kept trying to share puppy with her :)
My two girls who absolutely just LOVE birthdays - really doesn't even matter if it's their own :)
Here is an action of shot of Maryn trying to get the frosting out of the middle layer of the cake. Both of my children tend to eat around the cake just to get to the frosting.
Very excited about her new computer!
Maryn and cousin Hannah over the top for a new Dora phone!
Maryn enjoying her birthday balloons!
Look at this huge birthday smile as mommy was walking towards her with the cake!
Her AWESOME Veggie Tales cake! This combined with the Bob the Tomato cupcakes made for an extra special birthday :)
Blowing out her candles - and she did a great job!
Maryn with sweet little Eden (or "Ian" as she says!). She was very taken with Eden this weekend and kept trying to share puppy with her :)
My two girls who absolutely just LOVE birthdays - really doesn't even matter if it's their own :)
Here is an action of shot of Maryn trying to get the frosting out of the middle layer of the cake. Both of my children tend to eat around the cake just to get to the frosting.
Very excited about her new computer!
Maryn and cousin Hannah over the top for a new Dora phone!
Maryn enjoying her birthday balloons!
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Happy 2nd Birthday Maryn!
Friday was Maryn's 2nd birthday! It was a pretty typical day around our house since it was a Friday, but we added some extra special activities just for MarBear! While Makenna was at preschool in the morning, Maryn helped me get the groceries for her party and then we went and played at the playland at the mall the rest of the time :) We were racking our brain for a fun place to take a 2 year old for dinner (especially since she doesn't care for Chuck E Cheese) and we came up with the McDonald's playland. Yes you can all groan like Josh and I did, but our kids think that eating at McDonald's is the coolest. Maybe it's because they don't get to do it that often, I don't know. It's definitely not because the food is good :) I guess the play structure inside probably gives it a huge boost in the eyes of children. Anyway, we took her to McDonald's for dinner for chicken nuggets (what she always asks for whenever we drive by a McDonald's). But she barely touched them and wanted to move right on to the playing. Don't worry the irony behind the fact that my kids like McDonald's and I'm such a health nut has already been pointed out to me (thanks Aunt Nene!).
After dinner we went home for presents and some Bob the Tomato cupcakes :) If I do say so myself, we did a great job on her gifts this year. She loves them all... some Veggie Tales books, Fisher Price snap n' style babies, Dora's backpack (that talks!), stuffed Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber, and a Veggie Tales DVD. She wanted to play with each present after she opened it and didn't want to move on to the next one until she had thoroughly explored the one in front of her.
She initially thought it was more fun to stand on the presents than to open them.
One of the gifts that was a huge hit... her new babies.
Opening presents - action shot!
These are the awesome Bob the Tomato cupcakes our cake lady made for me! When Maryn first saw them all she could say is "Bob! Bob! Bob! Bob!" The theme for her party this year was Veggie Tales.
Enjoying that first taste!
Licking every bit of frosting off her fingers!
After dinner we went home for presents and some Bob the Tomato cupcakes :) If I do say so myself, we did a great job on her gifts this year. She loves them all... some Veggie Tales books, Fisher Price snap n' style babies, Dora's backpack (that talks!), stuffed Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber, and a Veggie Tales DVD. She wanted to play with each present after she opened it and didn't want to move on to the next one until she had thoroughly explored the one in front of her.
She initially thought it was more fun to stand on the presents than to open them.
One of the gifts that was a huge hit... her new babies.
Opening presents - action shot!
These are the awesome Bob the Tomato cupcakes our cake lady made for me! When Maryn first saw them all she could say is "Bob! Bob! Bob! Bob!" The theme for her party this year was Veggie Tales.
Enjoying that first taste!
Licking every bit of frosting off her fingers!
Friday, September 12, 2008
Maryn - 2 Years Old
Nicknames: MarBear
Weight & Height: Maryn finally seems to be putting on some weight and growing taller. All of her pants from last winter were probably an inch too short when I tried them on her for fall. She also seems to be much heavier lately :) We'll see at her 2 year appointment in a few weeks.
Hair: We've heard it over and over lately... her hair got blonder over the summer! This was the kid that I thought was going to have darker hair and she turned blond over the summer! Her hair finally seems to be filling in a little bit more but continues to be thin and wispy
Favorite foods: She's kind of gone on a picky eating streak lately. It's kind of the 2 year old thing... she'll decide when she wants to eat and then she'll eat. Outside of that though it's almost impossible to interest her in food. Great example, the other night I made one of her favorite dinners, lasagna. I thought she would gobble it down but she just sat there and looked at it and then handed the plate to Josh without touching it and said "All Done." Then tonight I made some tuna salad concoction with vegetables that I was guessing she would for sure turn her nose up at and she ate almost the entire plate! Go figure! It's true though - kids will eat when they're hungry! Another interesting eating habit for Maryn is that she tends to eat poorly at restaurants or if we are at someone else's house. There is just too much distracting her and she's not a bit interested in the food. She also seems to eat better if you give her a big person fork or spoon instead of a toddler fork or spoon.
Favorite Drink: The same - milk, water, and water mixed with apple juice.
Favorite toys: Two different toys are a big hit right now - flash cards and stickers. Yes, stickers are self-explanatory because every little kid is fascinated by those at some point or another. She can sit long periods of time methodically putting stickers all over a piece of paper or her puppy :) But I'm sure some people would wonder about the flash cards. I'm not one of those psycho moms that bores my kids with hard core flash cards at young ages, but Maryn found a set of "First Words" flash cards shortly after her ear tubes were put in and she started really talking. She loved it because it was something she picked up quickly and was able to repeatedly say out loud. This little fun teaching tool has been a big help in developing her speech. We expanded into a second set of flashcards recently that cover all kinds of different animals. She will seriously grab the pile when we're done and ask me "Again!" over and over until she finally tires of it. I'm excited to give her yet another set of fun flashcards for her birthday.
Favorite books: Yet again she's into a library book, a little board book about Clifford. She also recently rediscovered "Hop On Pop" by Dr. Seuss and loves that as well. Actually she loves all the little Dr. Seuss board books... don't let her loose in the kids' section at Barnes and Noble because she will empty the Dr. Seuss section and think she's taking it home with her :)
Favorite Game: Are baby dolls a game?? She tends to play with her baby dolls a lot lately or acts like puppy is her baby. She will feed him, rock him and push him round and round in her stroller. She talks to that little puppy like he is a member of our family. She also loves Hide and Go Seek with her big sister.
Playing Hide and Go Seek on vacation
Favorite stuffed animal: Still Puppy but we added two more little favorites to the pack on vacation... an itty bitty stuffed Clifford and a turtle. Her crib is getting a little crowded at night :)
Favorite Person: Her stuffed animals and blankies :)
Bedtime: We start getting ready for bed at 7:30 on the dot and try to have both girls in bed by 8:00.
Wake-up time: Approximately 7:30am
Naps: Her naps seemed to have moved back a little later as she has been getting up a little later. She is happier to go down right around 1:00 or a little after and still sleeps for 2 - 3 hours most days.
What she's saying: She talks CONSTANTLY and I would guess that I can understand 75-80% of what she's trying to say. Her favorite thing to say is definitely counting (she can count to 10 and then tries the teens haphazardly) and loves to sing the ABCs. Her ABCs aren't perfect yet but she's pretty darn close! She loves to have anyone join in and sing with her... she could sing them over and over and over and over.
Latest Accomplishment: Potty training!!! Yeah! She has been showing signs of wanting to potty train since way back in June, but has really taken a fond interest since we returned from vacation a few weeks ago. She goes on the potty probably 4 - 5 times a day and she is the one that always alerts me to the fact that she has to go. She even wakes up from her nap dry and asks to use the potty right away. She is confused about pooping on the potty still and either asks to use the potty too late or tries first on the potty but it ends up coming out in her diaper about 5 minutes later. Oh well, at least she's trying! She loves wiping and throwing the toilet paper in the toilet and then flushing! Actually I think that's her whole motivation behind even going on the potty ;) I'm still waiting for us to have a free weekend so we can go cold turkey on the diapers and just make the big switch over to underwear.
Likes: being just like her big sister, drinking out of water bottles, stickers, Dora, Clifford, getting to watch the DVD player in the car (doesn't happen very often), brushing her teeth by herself, dogs, playing in water
Dislikes: trying on clothes with the tags still on, the fact that we won't let her play on the computer, all the scary Halloween decorations at the store
What gets said about Maryn most often: How full of it she is and how beautiful she is
Health: Maryn had a very healthy summer. Nothing except the typical outdoor scrapes and bruises. We're praying for a healthy winter.
Happy 2nd Birthday MarBear! You are a beautiful little girl inside and out and we are so proud that you are ours! You have been an absolute joy and have blessed our family tremendously! We love you!
Friday, September 5, 2008
A Week Of Firsts
This was our official first week of fall. Everything seemed to start at once... school, dance class, Wednesday night church, playgroup, etc. Luckily we have a week to prepare for soccer and Bible study because I don't know if I could have handled one more thing on our schedule this week. Makenna is loving being back at school and hasn't missed a beat. She went running in this morning and I had to ask her to come back for a hug. I'm so glad that she is so eager and enthusiastic for school. Poor little Maryn is having a hard time coping with big sis being gone. She cried when we left her at dance class and wasn't too happy about not getting to go with Makenna to preschool this morning. Luckily we had playgroup this morning to distract Maryn, but when I asked her if she was ready to go get Nenny from preschool she ran as fast as she could out of the park towards our van! The girls are exhausted from the long week (as is mommy!) and I'm hoping everyone will crash for a nap this afternoon ;) Wishful thinking, right?!
So excited for preschool open house day! She was standing at the back door yelling "Come on Mommy! We're gonna be late!" She walked right in like she owned the place and made sure to talk to all of her teachers and all of her friends and played equal time with all of the toys. Her little social self is totally loving being back with all of her friends.
Maryn wanted to get in on the picture taking action this week as well. The funny thing was that she loved preschool open house all most as much as Makenna! She followed Makenna around (well as much as Makenna would let her) and tried to do everything she was doing. Sat next to her at the puzzle table, colored a picture with her, played in the kitchen, played Legos and even had to go on the big girl potty when Makenna went to use the bathroom! Monkey See, Monkey Do!
First day of dance class! Makenna has taken dance in the past through the Rec Center but she is now enrolled in a dance school/academy. It's a lot more serious than before but she has her heart set on being a dancer so we decided to give it a try. All the girls even have to have matching outfits at practice... black leotard and pink tights!
Her favorite aspect of dance class above and beyond is tapping. She could live without the ballet, but absolutely loves all the noise the taps on her shoes make!
1st Day of Preschool (2nd Year)
When did she get so big?! I just look at her in awe some days and wonder where all the time has gone. Boy will I miss her next year when she's at kindergarten. She's been my sidekick for 4+ years and I'm not sure what I'm going to do without her :(
Had to get the traditional pose on the stairs :)
I tried to get some pics of her standing outside her preschool but she wanted nothing to do with it. She was just too anxious to get inside! This is the best I could come up with. She definitely wasn't going to smile for me, I was lucky she'd even stand there!
So excited for preschool open house day! She was standing at the back door yelling "Come on Mommy! We're gonna be late!" She walked right in like she owned the place and made sure to talk to all of her teachers and all of her friends and played equal time with all of the toys. Her little social self is totally loving being back with all of her friends.
Maryn wanted to get in on the picture taking action this week as well. The funny thing was that she loved preschool open house all most as much as Makenna! She followed Makenna around (well as much as Makenna would let her) and tried to do everything she was doing. Sat next to her at the puzzle table, colored a picture with her, played in the kitchen, played Legos and even had to go on the big girl potty when Makenna went to use the bathroom! Monkey See, Monkey Do!
First day of dance class! Makenna has taken dance in the past through the Rec Center but she is now enrolled in a dance school/academy. It's a lot more serious than before but she has her heart set on being a dancer so we decided to give it a try. All the girls even have to have matching outfits at practice... black leotard and pink tights!
Her favorite aspect of dance class above and beyond is tapping. She could live without the ballet, but absolutely loves all the noise the taps on her shoes make!
1st Day of Preschool (2nd Year)
When did she get so big?! I just look at her in awe some days and wonder where all the time has gone. Boy will I miss her next year when she's at kindergarten. She's been my sidekick for 4+ years and I'm not sure what I'm going to do without her :(
Had to get the traditional pose on the stairs :)
I tried to get some pics of her standing outside her preschool but she wanted nothing to do with it. She was just too anxious to get inside! This is the best I could come up with. She definitely wasn't going to smile for me, I was lucky she'd even stand there!
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Topsail Beach, NC
We have been so blessed to be able to have spent last week on the beach in Topsail Beach, North Carolina. This was our first official family vacation since the girls have been born and I think it was a huge success! :) Topsail Beach is an amazing little island off the coast of North Carolina that we fell upon by chance and we were in no way disappointed. The beaches were beautiful, the water was warm (although it tastes "icky" according to Makenna), it is peaceful and not as touristy as other vacations hot spots, the house we stayed in surpassed all of our expectations, and the weather couldn't have cooperated better. We spent everyday on the beach, typically with numerous trips to the beach in one day.
Some of the highlights/memorable moments from the week:
Spending time with Poppy and Peepie: We were blessed to have my parents join us for the week. The girls loved every second of it and all the extra attention :) They would even cry if my mom and dad would want to leave to do something on their own! It was great to build all those terrific memories together!
Flying: It was the first time flying for both of the girls. Makenna was extremely excited and couldn't wait to be on an airplane. She enjoyed the experience and was good during all four flights. Maryn didn't know what she was getting into. We were concerned about making an almost 2 year old sit on our laps and be quiet for that long, but she honestly did very well for her age. A few little outbursts on the way there but she did much better on the way home. She managed to dirty her diaper on 2 of the 4 flights :) The girls seemed to be more relaxed with flying on the way home because both girls fell asleep on the plane on the way home. We also happened to have one of the funniest moments on the airplane... on the way to North Carolina we experienced turbulence a few times. We weren't sure how the girls would react since it was their first time flying but both girls put their hands in the air and started yelling "Whee!" like they were on a ride of some sort! When the turbulence ended Makenna said "I want more of that!" and Maryn just kept repeating "Again! Again! Again!" We were getting some odd looks from the people sitting up front :)
Trip to the Turtle Hospital: Topsail Island happens to be one of the main nesting grounds for Loggerhead Turtles. There were over 90 nests on the island while we were there and two right on the beach outside of our house. Since there are so many turtles, they also have a turtle hospital on the island. We were able to tour the hospital and see some of the turtles up close and personal that are currently going through rehabilitation. Most of them were hit by boat propellers or got sick from something else.
Makenna's Big Girl Bed: Makenna has been sleeping in a big girl bed at home since she was 21 months old, but she has been using a railing to keep her from falling out of bed. Well she had her own big girl bed on the trip but there was no railing. She wasn't scared at all and was up for trying out her new bed. The first morning we woke up at Topsail I gave her a high-five and congratulated her on staying in bed and not falling out at night. I was acting all excited and she finally turned to me and said "But mommy I kind of rolled onto the floor last night." I was shocked because Josh and I didn't hear a thing and we were in the room right next door. I asked her about it and she calmly said "Oh it's okay, I just got up and got back in bed." What a big girl! And once we got home the railing came off the bed at home as well and it has been a complete success!
The Beach: I could write so much about the beach. It's pretty much the only activity we did while we were there and numerous times a each day. Makenna wasn't skiddish about the water at all... jumped right in with Josh the first night. But Maryn took a little while to warm up to it. The first day she would run away every time a wave came in, but day by day she got a little braver until by day 3 or 4 she was running in with little to no reserve whatsoever! Maryn's new phrase for the week was "Watch Out!" because that's what we yelled every time a wave was coming towards her :) The girls loved using their floaties out in the water with Daddy, especially the turtle floatie. Searching for seashells and building sand castles was another beach favorite. For the first time in their lives, our girls have tan lines. At first I was freaking out (if you know how crazy I am about sunscreen and my kids' skin), but Josh then informed me that it's okay if they don't look like ghosts anymore. They didn't get burnt, but for as much time as they were in the sun they were bound to get a little color in their skin.
Okay so let me here's our trip in pictures... I know there is a lot but this is really narrowing it down for me since I took like 120 pictures!
Our first night at Topsail! We didn't get there until 5:30 in the evening and then of course had to do dinner, but Makenna and Josh just couldn't go to sleep that night without jumping in the ocean first!
Looking straight out at the ocean off our deck. Down below you can see my dad, Josh, and the girls doing one of our favorite morning activities - searching for seashells! We had no idea that this little island would have such great shells! It was fun to look for bigger and better shells, fossilized shark's teeth and all the other little sea urchins we came upon (we still don't know what some of them were!).
Our first official full day on the beach and I couldn't even get the girls to look at the camera....
Too busy exploring the sand ...
The view from our deck facing south
The view from our deck facing north
What our beautiful vacation home looked like from the beach
The kitchen in our vacation home
The living room in our vacation home
The dining room
Our bedroom... notice the great view of the ocean! You could see the ocean from almost every room in the house!
Poppy and Peepie with the girls on the beach. Or should I say Poppia... Maryn has decided on her own name for Peepie :)
The girls on an ocean search, nets in hand! I love this picture!
Darling baby on the beach!
Darling big girl on the beach!
Budke family on the beach at Topsail!
Boogey boarding - A new favorite activity for Josh and Makenna! Josh was very adamant that he was going to learn how to body surf/boogey board while we were there and I definitely would say he succeeded. Of course Makenna had to be just like Daddy!
Maryn sitting in the beach chair pouting. I had to include this picture because this is what she would do every time Josh would take Makenna out to swim... she always wanted it to be her turn! I tried to take them out myself but the waves were too powerful and would knock me and my big old belly down if I was carrying someone.
Getting SO big! She just had to try on Makenna's slippers and show them off!
Another favorite... the floating turtle!
Both girls spent lots of time on this turtle
We had a great week with Poppy and Peepie! Makenna was loving the fact that they were there every morning when she woke up!
Trying to share the turtle
CUTE CUTE CUTE! Daddy and his girls!
The three people that mean more to me than anything else in this world!
Maryn in search of a sand castle to destroy! She was definitely better at destroying than building (much to Makenna's dismay)! Notice the blue sky and ocean in the background. I miss it already.
One of the many sand castles Josh and Makenna built while we were at Topsail. I'm sure this one was also destroyed by Maryn.
The girls being goofy on our last night at Topsail
My gorgeous husband :) I think this is the tannest he's ever been in his life!
Everyone enjoying the view from the deck on our last night at Topsail.
Maryn's darling smile
Makenna's darling smile :)
Mugging for the camera!
Our sweet little family! What an awesome first family vacation! Note the girls new favorite stuffed animals from the turtle hospital.
Some of the highlights/memorable moments from the week:
Spending time with Poppy and Peepie: We were blessed to have my parents join us for the week. The girls loved every second of it and all the extra attention :) They would even cry if my mom and dad would want to leave to do something on their own! It was great to build all those terrific memories together!
Flying: It was the first time flying for both of the girls. Makenna was extremely excited and couldn't wait to be on an airplane. She enjoyed the experience and was good during all four flights. Maryn didn't know what she was getting into. We were concerned about making an almost 2 year old sit on our laps and be quiet for that long, but she honestly did very well for her age. A few little outbursts on the way there but she did much better on the way home. She managed to dirty her diaper on 2 of the 4 flights :) The girls seemed to be more relaxed with flying on the way home because both girls fell asleep on the plane on the way home. We also happened to have one of the funniest moments on the airplane... on the way to North Carolina we experienced turbulence a few times. We weren't sure how the girls would react since it was their first time flying but both girls put their hands in the air and started yelling "Whee!" like they were on a ride of some sort! When the turbulence ended Makenna said "I want more of that!" and Maryn just kept repeating "Again! Again! Again!" We were getting some odd looks from the people sitting up front :)
Trip to the Turtle Hospital: Topsail Island happens to be one of the main nesting grounds for Loggerhead Turtles. There were over 90 nests on the island while we were there and two right on the beach outside of our house. Since there are so many turtles, they also have a turtle hospital on the island. We were able to tour the hospital and see some of the turtles up close and personal that are currently going through rehabilitation. Most of them were hit by boat propellers or got sick from something else.
Makenna's Big Girl Bed: Makenna has been sleeping in a big girl bed at home since she was 21 months old, but she has been using a railing to keep her from falling out of bed. Well she had her own big girl bed on the trip but there was no railing. She wasn't scared at all and was up for trying out her new bed. The first morning we woke up at Topsail I gave her a high-five and congratulated her on staying in bed and not falling out at night. I was acting all excited and she finally turned to me and said "But mommy I kind of rolled onto the floor last night." I was shocked because Josh and I didn't hear a thing and we were in the room right next door. I asked her about it and she calmly said "Oh it's okay, I just got up and got back in bed." What a big girl! And once we got home the railing came off the bed at home as well and it has been a complete success!
The Beach: I could write so much about the beach. It's pretty much the only activity we did while we were there and numerous times a each day. Makenna wasn't skiddish about the water at all... jumped right in with Josh the first night. But Maryn took a little while to warm up to it. The first day she would run away every time a wave came in, but day by day she got a little braver until by day 3 or 4 she was running in with little to no reserve whatsoever! Maryn's new phrase for the week was "Watch Out!" because that's what we yelled every time a wave was coming towards her :) The girls loved using their floaties out in the water with Daddy, especially the turtle floatie. Searching for seashells and building sand castles was another beach favorite. For the first time in their lives, our girls have tan lines. At first I was freaking out (if you know how crazy I am about sunscreen and my kids' skin), but Josh then informed me that it's okay if they don't look like ghosts anymore. They didn't get burnt, but for as much time as they were in the sun they were bound to get a little color in their skin.
Okay so let me here's our trip in pictures... I know there is a lot but this is really narrowing it down for me since I took like 120 pictures!
Our first night at Topsail! We didn't get there until 5:30 in the evening and then of course had to do dinner, but Makenna and Josh just couldn't go to sleep that night without jumping in the ocean first!
Looking straight out at the ocean off our deck. Down below you can see my dad, Josh, and the girls doing one of our favorite morning activities - searching for seashells! We had no idea that this little island would have such great shells! It was fun to look for bigger and better shells, fossilized shark's teeth and all the other little sea urchins we came upon (we still don't know what some of them were!).
Our first official full day on the beach and I couldn't even get the girls to look at the camera....
Too busy exploring the sand ...
The view from our deck facing south
The view from our deck facing north
What our beautiful vacation home looked like from the beach
The kitchen in our vacation home
The living room in our vacation home
The dining room
Our bedroom... notice the great view of the ocean! You could see the ocean from almost every room in the house!
Poppy and Peepie with the girls on the beach. Or should I say Poppia... Maryn has decided on her own name for Peepie :)
The girls on an ocean search, nets in hand! I love this picture!
Darling baby on the beach!
Darling big girl on the beach!
Budke family on the beach at Topsail!
Boogey boarding - A new favorite activity for Josh and Makenna! Josh was very adamant that he was going to learn how to body surf/boogey board while we were there and I definitely would say he succeeded. Of course Makenna had to be just like Daddy!
Maryn sitting in the beach chair pouting. I had to include this picture because this is what she would do every time Josh would take Makenna out to swim... she always wanted it to be her turn! I tried to take them out myself but the waves were too powerful and would knock me and my big old belly down if I was carrying someone.
Getting SO big! She just had to try on Makenna's slippers and show them off!
Another favorite... the floating turtle!
Both girls spent lots of time on this turtle
We had a great week with Poppy and Peepie! Makenna was loving the fact that they were there every morning when she woke up!
Trying to share the turtle
CUTE CUTE CUTE! Daddy and his girls!
The three people that mean more to me than anything else in this world!
Maryn in search of a sand castle to destroy! She was definitely better at destroying than building (much to Makenna's dismay)! Notice the blue sky and ocean in the background. I miss it already.
One of the many sand castles Josh and Makenna built while we were at Topsail. I'm sure this one was also destroyed by Maryn.
The girls being goofy on our last night at Topsail
My gorgeous husband :) I think this is the tannest he's ever been in his life!
Everyone enjoying the view from the deck on our last night at Topsail.
Maryn's darling smile
Makenna's darling smile :)
Mugging for the camera!
Our sweet little family! What an awesome first family vacation! Note the girls new favorite stuffed animals from the turtle hospital.
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