Fall Fun

We hope everybody is having a good fall! Jeremy has been very busy with school - he's had a test every week for the last three weeks and the next two weeks! Luckily he doesn't have to stay late too often so we still get to see him a lot. We are enjoying it!

Here's my little chef - she loves to sit on the counter and sample what I'm making.


I ordered this fantastic book from Amazon last week called "The Toddler's Busy Book" that has all of these games, arts & crafts, songs, and projects to do with toddlers. (I'm sure some moms don't need a book to give them creative ideas of what to do with their kiddos....I'm not one of them. And I highly recommend it - so many great ideas!) Anyway, I've been making an effort to spend some one on one time with Addison during Davis' morning nap. We even stamped some Happy Birthday cards to send to Grandma Judy and our cousin Jezelle. I left Addie alone for TWO seconds and came back to this.....

So we went to the Children's Museum Trick or Treat Night this week with our friends Ben and Carrie and their cutie daughter, Bentley. Ben is in law school and they just moved from Utah. It was a lot of fun but so crowded!

Here is Davis' costume - he was the world's cutest skeleton, although my friend Stephanie pointed out that with the hat on he looks like a burglar. So he was a skeleton/burglar. Come on, you've heard of those, right??? ;) And yes, he's in Addie's pink umbrella stroller. But he's a skeleton/burglar so don't mess with him.

Here is Addison in her costume - a monkey. The girl LOVES monkeys, says monkey cuter than anybody and looked so cute we had to get it. Plus Davis can wear it next year. She was so happy here - she looks like her favorite animal, in her favorite place (the museum), with her favorite person (Davis). I don't think life gets much better for a soon to be two year old.

My favorite people!


Like I said, it's her favorite place. Just thought it was funny because after awhile, she just totally forgot that she or anybody else was dressed up and just started playing like normal!

Here's our cute friend Carrie and Bentley. I had to post this picture because Bentley borrowed Addison's costume from last year. It was so fun to see Bentley in it and to think of how big Addison's getting!
Jeremy and Davis. Kimi, that H&M shirt has been everywhere!!! ;)


Davis is getting SO close to crawling. He gets anywhere he wants by his own little crawl - he uses his arms to pull his body and drags his legs which, if you've seen my son's legs, is no small feat. He now also pulls his knees off the ground in a sort of downward-facing dog yoga position, so that's a new thing.

So we carved pumpkins a few weeks ago, which made us a little homesick because that was something we always did with the Hartley side of the family every year. Luckily we were able to do it with some great friends we met in August. Jeff and Stephanie and their daughter Lauren - they are from the area and Jeff started med school with Jeremy in the fall. They live about a mile from us and we've been able to hang out quite a bit since school started.
(I know, really original design! It was creeping up on our kids' bedtime so speed took priority over quality.) I don't know if you can see it, but the face Davis is making is SO him - he is sucking in his bottom lip, he does it ALL.OF.THE.TIME. No teeth yet, though, but maybe he's working on something.

Pumpkin Patch Fun

Back to our regular topics, i.e. our kids.

Some of you have asked what our house looks like, so here's a picture:

Addison is quite the climber. When Davis was in the pack 'n play she climbed up into it, but I figured when we moved him to the crib that would stop. No, she just scales the crib. Seriously. Jeremy and I have proof. (Ignore the mess on the floor, it was right before bedtime and things can get a little hectic getting everybody clean, diapered, lotioned, dressed, etc.)

And then I caught her in it a couple of days ago, after Davis woke up from his nap. (Sidenote: Everytime you point the camera at Addie she makes this face. No idea why....I try to tell her to open her eyes, but this is the smile she gives. Jentry, your post on Addy's new smile on your blog made me laugh because of course now my Addie is doing it, too!)

So we went to a fun pumpkin patch a few miles north of our neighborhood. It was so much fun. I love the fall! They had all sorts of activities for the kids - and we HAD to get a picture of this. They have a silo filled with kernels of corn for the kids to play in - sort of like a Nebraska version of a sandbox. Addie wasn't sure at first, because you walk in it and your feet sink to the bottom. She ended up liking it after a little while.
They had a tiny hay bale maze for the toddlers. At first Addison wasn't sure where to go....
Wait a second.....

Oh, that's better! Now she can see where to go!
Favorite picture ever of these two.

The pumpkin patch also had a petting zoo. Addie LOVED the "hop-hops" (bunnies) because we have that random one in our backyard.
Right after we took this picture the goat tried to lick Addison's hand and it really startled her. After that she was hesistant to pet the animals.

But Jeremy was able to convince her to pet the little pigs. She liked these the best, I think.

She also really liked the little ponies they had to ride. It was $3.00 for a ride, so we just pet them instead. :)

Proof that Davis was with us....although after this trip I vowed it was his last time in the front pack! Kid is almost 20 pounds!

I took this photo so I could show you how pretty it is where we live. We live in NW Omaha, and it's right on the edge of the city, so to the north of us there are still lots of fields and farms. When I take Addie to the library, we go to the tiny community library in the little town north of us. (Which is so quaint and cute - its in a tiny warehouse that shares space with the fire station. I have to take a picture to show how cute it is.) Anyway, it really is beautiful out here and we are enjoying the time we have until the weather turns awful. Everybody has told me to brace myself for the winter. So we are enjoying it while we can! Love and miss everybody!

Rrrrreally????

I got no less than three texts last night asking about the presidential debate. You wanna know something???!?

I wasn't watching the debate....I was SHOE SHOPPING. That's right, instead of becoming an informed voter I was becoming a cute momma and getting a new pair of shoes. (That reminds me of Meg Ryan's line in "You've Got Mail" where she confesses to her boyfriend that she forgot to vote in the last election because she was getting a manicure.)

I have to say I am becoming so disillusioned with ALL of it.

Sarah Palin

While the choice initially got my attention, I just think it was too rushed. She should have either been spotted and prepped two years ago, or spotted and prepped for four (or eight, as the case may be) from now. She just wasn't ready. I *HATE* when people makes attacks on her intelligence because she stayed home and raised a family or because she attended the University of Idaho (gasp!) or lived in a rural area. I also hate it when she totally plays up the "folksy-ness" of her language. I think her quote about having a "Joe Sixpack" in office bugged more than anything. Uhhh...I know that in our country we like to believe that anybody can aspire to that office. And they can and it's great. But you don't aspire to it and then next year become it. I've been there and D.C. is super complex and super intricate and to downplay it as something some frat boy could do was a bit disheartening. Rrrright.

Joe Biden:

I love the way Peggy Noonan from the WSJ describes Biden. "It continues to be true that nobody really cares what Joe Biden says. He could announce his hairdo is going to war with Mrs. Palin's hairdo on the fields of Agincourt, and no one would pay attention." It's true. And it's SO obvious that he's had botox and some eye work done. Instead of all of the denials, he should just come up with some medical excuse for his cosmetic enhancements like the celebs who get nose jobs because of a "deviated septum." Rrrrright.

Obama:
So, I get that he's a fascinating public speaker, young and fresh and full of the right talking points. I just have a hard time with all of the abstract-ness of his campaign (both campaigns actually). I liked in the Republican Convention when Rudy Guiliani (or somebody else, can't remember who) said "Hope is not a policy and Change is not a strategy." All of the ethereal slogans will make the contrast of being in office (if he wins, which looks most likely at this point) and having to compromise and scale down and be realistic even that more dramatic. I do, love watching his wife do the talk shows and he has gorgeous kids. She would be a great first lady.

He just is such an unknown. Then he goes around staying stuff like, "I think when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody." Say What? Rrrreally???

McCain:
My kids are waking up and need me so I need to post this and get back to real life. I've always super respected him and his experiences as a POW and as a Senator. He is old, I think that it's ok to say that without being viewed as an ageist (gasp!). I think that's something to think about because dude will be 76 at the end of his first term if he wins. 80 at the end of his second term (not happening). And his campaign and rallys have been so negative lately, which means he's on the defensive which means they think Obama is gaining a lead which means Obama is gaining a lead. I just was shocked when he won the nomination because I could never fathom how the RNC would sell him against Obama. And it looks like I might have been right!

Last political rant for those of you who are still reading, which is doubtful at this point.

I *get* that we needed this economic bill to "bailout" the banks, bad mortgages and homeowners. That doesn't mean it doesn't bother me. I saw this image on a columnist's blog the other day and it made me laugh.
So by their logic, can Jeremy and I take out massive loans at zero interest knowing we have no way of paying them back, then after graduation when the rate goes up, say "sorry" and have the government pay them off? Cause that would rock....

I had to laugh because Dave Ramsey, a financial advisor, was on GMA the other morning and a couple was asking if they should buy a house right now. They had no emergency savings fund and didn't have a substantial down payment and Dave looked right at the camera and just said, "Don't buy a house until you can freaking afford it."

Or the moratoriums on foreclosures. A conservative blogger made an interesting point: And hey, why stop at foreclosure moratoriums?

How about a rent moratorium for idiots like me who stayed out of the housing market and took a pass on indulging on an overpriced McMansion with no money down and an ARM?

I get that we had to do this because of the ripple effect it was having on the rest of our economy and the worldwide economy. Doesn't mean I have to like it.

So who am I voting for??? Hmmm....maybe I'll go get a manicure instead.

P.S. Anybody want my fiesty toddler? I swear the first thing she says when she wakes up and the last thing she says before bed is "nnnnno!" (Emphasis on the "n"). Lovely.

Random Fun

Here's a couple of cute videos - Davis is this close to crawling! It's very exciting because only a couple of days ago he was just learning to get up on all fours. The other video is just of Addison being a total goof. This was like her 15th time circling our kitchen, while blowing raspberries with her mouth (what a multitasker! Yes, I'm very proud.) Goes on a little long, but I figured the grandparents would get a kick out of it!

P.S. In Davis' video you HAVE to watch the first couple of seconds. Addie TOTALLY nails him with a bottle of lotion (on accident)! Second babies are so tough!






Toddler Bed Update: Addison has been doing GREAT with the toddler bed. She still just whines in the morning when she wakes up - I don't know if it has occurred to her to actually get up and out of the bed by herself. I won't be the one to point that one out, though! We did have one little problem, however. We woke up one morning to find this:


Where did all of the books go???? Oh, here we are............

Needless to say, no more books in Addie's room during naps and nighttime.

She DOES Love Him!

Cute story that I wanted to share:

This morning Addison, Davis and I went to a neighborhood park by our house. She had been having a rough morning - lots of whining and stuff so I knew she needed to get out and run around in the fresh air.

We had a great time running around, going down slides and swinging on the swings. Davis is sitting up pretty independently most of the time now, so he was sitting on a blanket to the side of us, in the grass, watching us.

As any mom of a toddler knows, explaining it's time to go back home for lunch is a precarious situation! I was trying to keep her spirits high, so I discreetly scooped Davis up, and told Addie we were going to march to the car. So we marched. Then we walked slooow, then we walked fast, then we walked in zig-zags, you get the picture.

We were halfway there when I thought she realized what I was doing because she freaked out and started crying and walking back towards the playground. I thought great, here comes the tantrum.

I walked up to get her and I heard her crying, "Davis! Davis! Davis!" while looking back towards the spot in the grass he'd been sitting. Apparently she was so consumed by our walking that she didn't notice I had Davis in my arms and thought we had left him at the park!!!!!!! I said, "Honey, Davis is right here!" and showed her Davis on my hip and when she saw him, immediately stopped crying and continued to the car.

She really DOES love him!

Two of a Kind

As Davis has gotten older, I have been able to combine tasks that used to be impossible to do with a newborn. I am able to feed them both breakfast at the same time, dinner at the same time, and do baths together. Davis is even in his convertible carseat, so to see both of them back there in their carseats (even though D is still rear-facing) is really fun. I'm now starting to see what it means when people say they will grow up together!

Anyway, here's a few shots of our day together today. The only other "together" activity that I didn't get a shot of is them in their carseats.

Davis is six months old now, so we have been starting him on cereals. He wasn't crazy about them at first, but he is coming around. Addison loves "helping" to feed him.



Here they are in their highchairs. Of our four dining room chairs, two are occupied with highchairs. I guess we won't be inviting anybody to dinner anytime soon - there is no place to sit!


They also love bathtime together. Although I'm constantly reminding Addison to only wash Davis' feet, because she inevitably dumps water over his face while "washing his hair". Good thing the kid loves the water!


I also have a new trick to keep Addie from streaking around the house after the bath, which she loves to do. I lay Davis down and have her put lotion on him while I sneak some lotion on her. I was pretty proud of myself for finding a way to get around her freaking out because I want to get her lotioned and diapered after the bath.

It's October and I have to say fall in the midwest is beautiful. All of the fields are being cut down, the leaves are changing and it's in the low 70s. We are going to a HUGE pumpkin patch this weekend in Gretna, Nebraska. It's called Vala's and is supposedly amazing. I'm sure we'll get some great pictures and I will make sure I post them this weekend.

Love & Miss Everybody!

Ode to my KitchenAid

As a result of trying to get my children's sleep (especially Davis) back to some sort of normal routine, we have been home a lot.

Having two kids under two generally means one of them is sleeping at some point. Davis gets up, then Addie gets up, then Davis goes down, then Davis gets up, then they both go down....you get the picture.

So this necessitates a lot of time at home. So I've been experimenting with cooking, something I wish I was better at but like to do. Almost all of the recipes I try use my KitchenAid mixer which was a Christmas present last year.

Some have been great (focaccia bread, for example), some not so great (see tortilla pictures in a previous post).

Most of you know that my little sister is getting married in December. As a result, Jeremy and I are driving home for Thanksgiving and I am staying for the three weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas break to help in all of the shower/wedding/reception preparation.

Yesterday I was making pizza dough (in yes, my KitchenAid) and the thought occured to me that I will be without my beloved mixer for three weeks. I literally use it almost every day. I started scheming ways to throw it in the back of the car for the drive out to Idaho but Jeremy denied that idea pretty quickly.

So this post is dedicated to my mixer. Anybody out there have the same love? Anybody have any great recipes that use the mixer I can try?

Addie Toddler Bed: Night #1

So we set up Addie's toddler bed yesterday when Jeremy got home from school. She seemed pretty excited about it and loved being in it. We put her down for the night and about a half hour later we hear crying by her bedroom door. We walked in and rocked her for a bit and put her back in her bed. About an hour later, as we headed up to bed, we checked on her and she was asleep. Yay!

Until about fifteen minutes later, Jeremy and I were reading and we hear this big thump. I told him, "Oh my gosh, Addie just fell out of her bed!" and he said that couldn't be it because she would cry - and then as if on cue, she started crying. Am I a horrible mother if I admit to totally laughing? I just thought it was so funny to picture her being sound asleep and then rolling off the bed. I'm laughing now just typing about it. Yes, I am a horrible mother. Moving on.

She actually went back to sleep (in the bed, after we moved her back, I'm not THAT horrible of a mother) and slept all night (wish I could say the same for Davis). She normally gets up around 8:30 (I know, I'm spoiled) and it's 7:00 and she's in there half-whimpering/crying. I think I will go get her out for the morning. Hopefully the morning wake up time will stretch back out to normal. Addie AND her mother are NOT morning people so she will be fun today. I am giving this a week before I give up and try again in a few months. Which means I will have to break down and get a second crib for Davis - kid is so big! He had his 6 month check up this week and weighs 18 1/2 pounds.

P.S. Jeremy's new love of his life (his new computer) arrived Monday - and he was mysteriously home from school super early that day, hmmmm.... Anyway, so I will post new pictures - I promise - I know why you visit my blog.