July/August

July/August
updated August 1, 2008 at 12:22pm

It's been a while since my last update. I've been procrastinating because so much has happened in the last month I don't think I'll be able to remember it all! The kids have both had some pretty phenomenal things happening. We're alright too.

Here is a video I put together of the kids playing:

Pictures of the kids

Click on the photo below to see all the pictures from June and July.

June July Share

Make sure you click "Download this photo" or right-click, save as
if you want to save any of them for yourself.

Kiddo news:

Nick continues to excel and grow and learn new things every day. In the past month he's hit some pretty big milestones. He talks in small phrases and sleeps through the night. He is going through a bout of major separation anxiety, even at home. It's Mama 24/7. He is so funny and has a great sense of humor. He also has a little bit of the devil in him and he likes to hit, mostly to see what your reaction will be. He also learned to say "NO!" and throws food and cups from his highchair. F-U-N. His favorite food is bananas.

Nick is teething his 1 year molars slowly. He has the two bottoms in fully and is working on the upper two. This means sometimes all he eats is milk and Popsicles. This also means he is crabby, grouchy and mean. I can't wait till this part is over.

Nick likes to ride in Marlee's Jeep with her now. He used to take one look at it and shriek and run for the closest adult. Now a lot of times he'll jump in the passenger seat and wait patiently for her to come out and drive him around. He also loves to drive around on Tim's 3 wheeler and lawnmower, and actually gets upset if he isn't offered a chance to do so. He's still deathly afraid of the push mower and any jets that fly overhead.

Nick got to ride his first horse when Grandma Teri took him to the Relay for Life Fundraiser at Kudig Jensen.

He loves to hang out with Daddy. His favorite thing to do is hang out in the garage pushing a broom or carrying tools around.
He absolutely loves to play "chase" and "peek-a-boo" and wrestle with Marlee. He also likes to swing and be outside. He loves the beach, playing in the sand, and is getting used to being in the water. He can point to eyes, ears, nose and mouth. His favorite books are picture books, animal books and a book called Air Patrol.

Nick's OT and COTA (therapists) consider him to be a success. He's overcome a lot of his issues though they warn me they come and go. Since we started with his oral therapy he's started talking more and eating more, which contributed to him sleeping through the night (if it hadn't been for those darn teeth)! He also acting more appropriately and his tantrums are not violent and less prevalent. He's still receiving therapy every other week for the next few months.

His current vocab is:
8 months – Mama, Dad-Tee
11 monhs – Marlee (Ma-eee)
12 months – Hi, Boom, Yummy, Done, Boo! Bye
13 months – no, owie, oh-ooh (oh-oh), whoah, MOM, DAAAD, All done (first sentence same as Marlee’s!)
14 months - I got ya, achoo, danku (thank you), up, down, Baba (bottle) ta-da, wow, ball, cheese (eeeeeeehse when taking a picture)
Signs: All done and Eat.

15 months: Out, I love you, Down, Up, Icky, Peek-Boo

16 months: Mine, Baby, Thank you (perfectly!!), Oh Oh, What did you do? Where did it go? Shoes, Apple, Meow, What's that? Here you go, Nuh-Nigh, milk, woof-woof, book, Banana (nana) (What's a fishy say?) pupupupupupupu
He'll pretty much try to say whatever you ask him to.

Nick is currently in 12 month outfits. He's 30" long / 20lbs.

Marlee is proving to be a very typical almost 5-year old. She's sassy and snotty, but extremely smart and funny. In the past month she learned how to read books and she's been doing great at simple math. We got a letter from her t4K teacher in the mail and we'll be attending "Welcome Day" at the school August 26th. We get to meet her teacher and bring all her supplies to school to get ready for the big first day. We registered her for Kindergarten on July 24th and got her first ever school portrait taken. We also registered her for Soccer that starts in September.

Marlee also taught herself how to swim. She can barely float but can go a few lengths in the pool swimming on her front and wants me to teach her how to swim on her back. I guess it saves us on swimming lessons. She's in the pool as often as possible - she's a water bug.

Marlee wants to be a teacher, and a ballerina. NOT an astronaut, because the sky isn't real. It's just space, mom. I said to her, "You talk a lot." "Yeah I do! Talking is my favorite!" She also randomly says to me "Smell my breaf, mom."

Marlee likes to go on long bike rides on the road with her bike. Though she recently got grounded from her bike for a wholeweek because she took off in the opposite direction without telling me and then didn't listen when I asked her to stop. Listening is and has been our biggest problem with her. Now we also have her saying "No, I don't want to." When we ask her to do something. It's very frustrating. Especially when you have two kids saying no. She's also picked up a baby-talk habit that we're hoping to break very soon.

Marlee had a dentist appointment and they told me she would likely be getting her frenulum cut around age 8. I've been bugging every doctor and dentist she's ever seen to have that darn thing cut but they all said to "wait and see". Apparently, just like I suspected, if we never get it cut, her teeth will be permanently gapped in the front. I wanted them to do it right away but they said I will have to take her to an orthodontist in 3 years. Also in big news, her two bottom teeth are LOOSE and they think she could loose them by Christmas (or a year from now). I can feel them. They aren't all wiggly, but they definitely are loose.

Marlee is very excited about her upcoming birthday party on September 20th. She could use some back to school items - books for beginning readers, math for beginners, leapster games, and winter boots/hats/gloves and snowpants. Her coat this year is bright/lime green. We will be getting her a bigger bike for her birthday.

UPDATE 8/4: I forgot to include that Marlee was in a photoshoot for a mailer for Demco - see her here:

Marlee is a size 5. She's 39" tall and 41 lbs.

US news:

In June, Tim went to Rochester, MN on the Hot Rod Power Tour. Unlike the previous year, he didn't have a breakdown or major malfunction. On the other hand, at home, I was dealing with storms and flooding. The worst of the storms passed through on Thursday, June 12. The roads near our house were completely underwater and the shoulders were mostly washed away. We had water in our backyard up to our patio. Luckily no lasting damage.

We took the kids to the Sauk City Fly-In - they had tons of kids activities. We also took them to Oschner Park in Baraboo where Marlee got to see a the bear.

Grandma Dodie came to stay with the kids for a few days while our daycare was closed and things went very well for her and the kids! We loved having her (and miss her cooking).

In July we celebrated the 4th with our good friends, Chris, Tracy and Mady Behm. We also took the kids to the Sauk County fair and went to Tim's family reunion at Castle Rock. We left the kids off with Mom and Grandma Dodie so we could play tourist in the Dells for a day. The following day we took the kids to Noah's Ark and they had an absolute blast. The weekend after that we went to the Relay For Life in Mauston and stayed the weekend with the family. It was such a great time! Despite the mosquitos and clingy toddler.

Next month we'll be going on a Family Vacation with the Behms and our other friends, the Vests (Ayden's mom and dad). We will be staying in a 3 bedroom condo somewhere near the Dells. I am apprehensive of how the kids will manage - we'll all be sharing a room with Mr Nicholas who will hopefully be over his sep. anxiety and teething issues by then.

Here's what's going on with our family in the upcoming weeks:

August 1st:
Camping at Merrymacs
with the kids

August 9th:
Warrell Pig Roast
Belinda and Jimmer's BBQ
Rocky Z's birthday

August 15th - 17th:
Family Vacation
with the Vests and Behms

August 26th:
Welcome Day at school

September 6th:
Marlee starts Soccer

September 13th:
WoZhaWa

September 20th:

Marlee's 5th Birthday Party

Hope this finds everyone well and happy!

Love you!

Sam, Tim Marlee and Nicholas