Holiday Baby Syndrome

A phrase I learned this week.

BEWARE: Your child may catch this contagious syndrome if they:

- have a high intake of sugar and crackers instead of regular meals

- have a lack of sleep, both at night and during nap time, or no nap at all, for more than one day

- no schedule for more than one day

- attend many parties with lots of people and lots of running around, especially after multiple days in a row

What could happen? You could end up outside with your child in the freezing cold, trying to get them to calm down as they have a MAJOR tantrum, the worst you have ever seen! Or maybe you end up taking your little one out to the car, in the middle of the winter, in just their diaper! (actually the diaper was half off as she didn't want it on anymore) And it takes TWO people to get your child into their car seat.

I think this is why God makes kids so cute, so you know you will still love them, even after they scream, scratch, take off their clothes, and resist EVERYTHING!

Any suggestions on how to avoid Holiday Baby Syndrome would be much appreciated!

Hope your holidays were calm, cool, and collective!

Hi-ho, hi-ho it's off to work I go!

Next week is a big week. I (nicole) am going back full-time at a new job. I have already been there 2 days training and just know I am going to LOVE it! I am going to miss my lazy summer days hanging with my little girl. But after much prayer (okay, ALOT of prayer) and thought, I know that this is meant to be. Please pray the week goes smoothly, for all of us!

Happy 2nd Birthday Ellie

Ellie's favorites at 2 years old:
Show: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse
Food: Macaroni & Cheese
Color: "mink"
Song: ABC's which somehow turns into singing Ring around the Rosie
Game: Ring around the Rosie (will do this all day if you let her)
Team: Michigan Wolverines
The latest things she knows: Going on the potty, recognizes shapes (circle, diamond, square, heart, star, triangl), counting to 13, singing most of her abc's, says MICHIGAN! when she's sees the U of M "M", GO BLUE!, jumping, she loves to jump, I'm sure there's a ton I am forgetting
Activities: Playing with her new kitchen, playing outside, slides, dolls, reading books, singing & dancing
Schedule: Wakes up around 8:30am/9am, naps around 2, and goes to bed around 8:30pm/9pm depending on what's going of course, some times later.
Personality: Ellie is very strong willed and knows what she wants, when she wants it. She has lots of energy and talks A LOT! She speaks in sentences sometimes, and repeats everything! She doesn't like people telling her what to do, but if you give her a choice, she is usually okay with that. She seems to exhibit a "leader" personality. She is such a sweetie and loves to give hugs and kisses.

Ellie is going to start "school" tomorrow! Mommy is returning to work so Ellie is off to a great daycare. I'm so excited for her to start and think she will love it.

Potty Time Celebration

Ellie decided to take off her diaper this morning all by herself and go in her potty! woohoo! She has gone 3 other times since we have moved. So proud of Ellie! I lost my camera, otherwise I'd post a pic of our big girl!

Moved & Settling In

So I've been slacking with this blog. I need to do some updating since a lot has changed recently, though most of the people that actually do read this already know.

A few weeks ago we moved to Ann Arbor, yes, the maize and blue country! Mike has been working in Ann Arbor since last November and we finally sold our house in April. (we had it for sale for 6 months, which really is not too bad considering the market, but it still felt like forever since Ellie and I were away from Mike during the week). I have a whole new respect for single moms! It is really hard to be the only parent and never get a break. Work was considered my "break" away from mommy-ness. =) (Thankfully Mike's parents, who lived about 3 minutes away, did watch Ellie for me when I needed help on occasion. My friend Jenna and my sis-in-law Brenda watched Ellie a little bit longer on the days I worked. Also, thanks to my other friends and fam that watched Ellie in a pinch!)

Now our family is back together 7 days a week. Mike was coming home just on the weekends for those 6 months. Luckily we have some great friends (Thank you SO much Dan & Jen! You guys are awesome! ) who Mike was able to stay with during this transition. We are now living in an apartment for the time being, while I look for a job and we figure out what area we want to live in. It is a bit of a change for me being home all day during the week since I am used to working, as well as not knowing a ton of people or knowing my way around the area. I know how to get to the major stores, so that's all that matters for now I guess. =) I do know for sure that I am not cut out to stay at home! I love being with Ellie, but it is just not my calling to be home every day, ALL DAY LONG. I am a busy body and just need my own time to challenge my brain once in a while I guess. Hopefully something will happen soon with the job situation. But it is nice to be able to go to the beach with Ellie whenever so I will enjoy it while it lasts. I am glad that it is summer and we can be outside a lot. I am so excited to be in Ann Arbor, back with my wonderful husband, and love the area so far.

Here are a few highlights from the past month or so....

Packing was a lot more fun for Ellie and Maizy than for me. =) Those stuffed animals on the floor had a hard time staying packed for some reason.

We sat on bag chairs in our new living room for a few weeks at the new apartment before getting A NEW COUCH!!! I have been wanting a new couch for so long! It is so comfy! Love it! Probably a little more exciting for me than for you I suppose.

The scary thing is that it almost didn't fit in the door when delivery guys came. I almost had a heart attack and REALLY hated that we were living in an apartment at that moment! Luckily they took the legs off and we were good to go. I took this picture so that I will know how we are going to have to get it out when we move. That day will be fun, I just know it. ha!

Memorial weekend we had a lot of fun. We took a trip to the John Ball Zoo with Grammy & Papa Raska and Ellie's cousin's Keaton & Kyndra.



We went on a 40ft. yacht from Grand Haven to Holland and ate at Boatwerks for dinner that same day. Thanks for the fun Jerry & Kris! As you can see, Ellie was loving her life jacket.




Here is Ellie at Mike's aunt & uncle's house on Memorial Day chasing bubbles and being very patriotic about it.

We are adjusting to living in an apartment versus a house. One downer is that we don't have a garage so our parents' houses are acting as our storage facilities for now. What would you do without your parents?!?! We love them! This means that we have a few extras in our apartment, including Ellie's wagon that is in her room. Thank goodness her room is a little bigger than her last one so we can fit all her toys in it.

This is where you will find Ellie and I this summer...at the beach our apartment has! It's actually a big lake with cottages and homes on it, and our apartment building has a slice of the beach with some grills and a beach house for us to use. Ellie is LOVING the sand and she will soon LOVE the water, I just know it!

Until next time...

First Finger Painting Experience

Forgot to add to the last post what the easter bunny brought Ellie....a Radio Flyer Scoot About! (I liked the name so we had to get it!) She loves it!

Ellie's first time finger painting. Decided to play it safe, and do it outside in one of daddy's t-shirts with a tarp layed out. =) Ellie decided that washing her hands in the car washing bucket was way more fun...
And then she wanted to taste the car washing sponge...But it didn't taste very good (though she did it again after this).

Easter

Egg hunt at Grandma & Grandpa's the weekend before Easter.

Ellie in her Easter dress! (and my feet! =) )

Our little cutie!

Easter pic in front of our house. I insisted we get a photo in front of our house since we may not be living here much longer.

Spring Fever

Spring is here, and we have been spending lots of time outside. Ellie LOVES being "ow-side".

Wagon Diva!

Biker chick at Grandmas! She likes to just hold on and stand up and walk with while on the bike versus scooting. We're still perfecting our biking skills.

Ellie in piggytails, causing trouble and Grandma's!

Spring sledding with daddy! =)

Getting ready to debut the wagon outside. Maizy was not a fan, she jumped about about 2 sec. after this photo was taken.

So big!

Ellie is getting "so big"! She has quite the personality these days. She loves to run, run, run. She loves being chased, getting into Maizy's (our dog's) food, wrestling with daddy, playing with her baby stroller, trying to put on clothes, emptying out cupboards, taking baths, dancing to music, and eating "crah-kers"! She does not like to be confined in one area for long. Sitting at basketball games toward the end of the Chix season got to be quite difficult as she wanted to be running on the court with the bball players. She keeps us busy, that is for sure, and is VERY talkative. She is always "discovering" (or getting into) something new. It'll be interesting to see what she really ends up being passionate about. For now we're enjoying all her little adventures!


Maybe she'll be a dentist? She loves brushing her teeth!



She's always up for a new adventure! (even if it is just a box)

Our Little Adventure Seeker



Our Equestrian/Fashionista (she picked her outfit)

Mommy's little dancer!

Go Chix! Future Basketball Star!

Winter Fun!

Ellie giving herself a whitewash. Her first time walking in boots was a little tricky!

It is hard to walk in these boots!
Woohoo! Much better!

Children's Museum

We took a trip to The Grand Rapids Children's Museum last Friday. Ellie liked looking thru this little window on a door. Just her size!


Little Drummer Girl!


Her favorite place, the sand box!

Love Birds

Happy Valentines Day to all you love birds out there...

From our little love bird!