Weekend Visitors

This weekend we had lots of activity.

Saturday Elly went to her first friend birthday party at Chuck E Cheese. Wow can we say stimulation overload! We had a blast though! Grama watched Lorelai and Harry while I went. It was lots of fun to have one-on-one time with Elly...something that does not happen that often anymore.

Sunday our friends Nick, Sam & Adi Thompson came to meet Mr. Harry. Unfortunately our schedules kept not matching and so it took longer then we wanted to get together.

Adi & Harry are 2 months & 2 days apart. They are already spoken for each other.
Don't they make a cute couple!

We also got a couple pictures of the whole clan...well we tried to get them to all look. This is my best one...maybe Sam got better ones. Such a cute looking group though!

Sunday evening Grandmother came to visit and stayed over into Monday. Unfortunately for the winter weather the visit got cut shorter then anticipated as Grandmother wanted to travel back home in the daylight. I don't blame her.

Grandmother & Harry

Grandmother the kiddos. Needless to say none of them wanted to sit long enough for a picture. Oh well.

So glad we had a blast with so many wonderful family and friends this weekend. Harry is off today so let the snow continue so it is over by tomorrow night when he has to be out in it.

Bidding Routes

At Kwik Trip there is this thing called bidding routes. Every 10 weeks they change routes. By seniority they start at the top and work their way down the line and when it is your turn then you get to choose which route you want with what is left. Make sense? I hope so! Anyway, right now Harry is working 4 days on and 2 days off routation and he goes 2 days to Milwaukee and then the other two days to Marshaltown, Iowa. Well starting Feb. 22nd he will start his new route. Right before Christmas he got to bid for his new route. He will work Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday with Monday, Tuesday and Thursday off. He will go to Kenosha, Ladysmith, Appleton and two others that I can not think of right off the top of my head. Then at the end of April he will get another route.

In ways this is nice to switch things up but for people like me that likes to schedule in advance it is hard to do but I am learning to adjust. For Harry it is a nice change. He will still be on nights through April...you never know what will be available for the summer routes.

Making Decisions

Have you ever made a decision that you thought was the right decision for yourself or your family and then minutes, hours, days, weeks or months later you are second guessing those decisions, or the decisions that you made just don't work with the current situation and therefore you are reevaluating once again. Most times this means another conversation with God asking him why, what and where to go from here.

Today was a huge leap in another direction then what we were thinking for some time now. Today I filled out paperwork for Ellaree to attend 4K at Kickapoo. For some time now we have discussed me homeschooling through elementary and/or homeschooling preschool and now we have decided to send her to 4K. For the longest time we have been set that she would not attend school until she was 5 and that she would just go straight to Kindergarten. But like I said, some circumstances makes you reevaluate and look at what is best for her. Don't get me wrong, this will not happen until September therefore I will continue to do school work with her each and every day like I have been and during her time at school. It will just be at a different level then what I have been doing with her.

We have discussed with Ellaree her going to school and she is very much excited about going. We will see how it goes when we actually get to that day of me dropping her off. This does require some creative scheduling as Kickapoo is not in our school district and we will be open enrolling. As we look at our future we see ourselves in the Kickapoo school district and I am very adamant that she will start where she will finish. Granted only God knows this for sure but I do not want to have to pull her out after she has started a school and made friends if at all possible.

The other day I also scheduled her first swimming lessons at the Bigley Pool in Viroqua for this summer. After getting off the phone from having conversations with the pool and school I was very quickly reminded that my baby is no longer a baby...she is growing up very quickly. I am excited for her new adventures but at the same time saddened by this new revelation. I also am reminded that the running the kids here and there is starting and will only get more and more busy.

In the end...one decision at a time with God's help!

The Little Man

Well my little man went in for his first illness today. Harry has been constipated for quite some time now. We usually can give dark karo syrup and it takes care of the issue. This is what we have done in the past with both girls and it worked just fine. Well after no sleep for 3 nights and then last night he stopped eating, I decided that it was time to take him in. Of course today is Dr. Nancy's day off and so I had to see Dr. Yunk. He is just as good as Dr. Nancy but we just like to see her.

So after some examination we got the problem solved and we are back to eating and pooping. Not that you really care about his pooping issues but what I thought was awesome was that he is up to 9 lbs 11 oz already. This little man likes to eat and is doing great growing.

Watch Out World

Well in the past 2 weeks Lorelai has become quite the pro at walking. She still stumbles every once in a while or falls down if her sister runs by at the speed of lightening and knocks her down "accidently". But for the most part she is cruising right along. Ellaree was about 11 months also when she was on the go so it was no surprise to see Lorelai up and going. And besides she has her sister to keep up to also.

Speaking of siblings, can you believe that this Saturday, January 29th Harry will be 1 month already. I was looking at my planner today and could not believe my eyes. Wow where did that time go and at the same time it feels like he has always been in our lives and this is not something new. But like I have always said "what is one more"!

We are getting preparations ready for Lorelai's big day. That is another amazing thing to think about that she is already one! Wow before you know it, she will be like her sister and ready to head off to school and leave her momma behind. They say that in a blink of an eye your babies will be grown...boy is that the truth! Ellaree already talks daily about when she grows up and married. Yup married! Right now it is ok because she is married to daddy but some day it will not be that simple for me to accept.

Well off to make dinner before Harry and Ellaree get home from Uncle Jerod's. And then tomorrow is a momma day! Yeah so excited to go shopping and get my hair done with no kiddos. Maybe I will sneak a coffee in there too!

Similarities and Differences

In the 2 1/2 weeks since we have had Lil Harry, I have seen similarities and differences between the three kids. Here are the ones I have had time to jot down and remember. It is interesting to see the personalities.

Bath time
~Loves bath time ~ Lorelai
~Could stand to not have bath time ~ Ellaree & Lil Harry

Nuk Nuk
~Take it or leave it ~ Ellaree & Lil Harry
~Addicted ~ Lorelai

Sleeping
~Doesn't like to take the time ~ Ellaree & Lorelai
~Loves sleep time ~ Lil Harry

Eating habits
~Eats like a bird ~ Ellaree
~Eats anything and everything ~ Lorelai and Lil Harry

What a great combination we have going on here. I am sure I will start to notice more and more as Lil Harry gets bigger. What fun we are having!

2 Week Well Baby Checkup

Yesterday was a great day. Harry was off of work and therefore I was able to get out and about a little on my own. I went to Westby to the locker and the post office ALL BY MYSELF! Don't get me wrong, I love my kiddos but I also need a break. 45 minutes to run errands was enough to get back to the crazy house!

Our friend Mark stopped by around lunchtime to meet Mr. Harry and have lunch with us. He also brought some toys (new to us) for the girls to play with. Their kids thought that Lil Harry needed to start off right with some Little People Farm Toys!

In the afternoon the girls stayed home with Daddy while I took Lil Harry into his 2 week appointment. All was great and wonderful!

Weight ~ 7 lbs 14 oz ~ 22% (side note: they like to see baby at birth weight by 2 week appointment which would have been 7 lbs 1 oz...yup he flew by that!)

Height ~ 20 inches ~ 57%

Head circumference ~ 14 inches ~ 19%

I think that our Little Man is growing up! He is up to 4 oz of formula and doing great with that. He gets up 2 times in the night and basically gets his diaper changed, eats and goes back to sleep. So basically 30 minutes and we are both back to sleep. I can't complain about a schedule like that. Last night we had a little fussiness (the first since coming home) and so today we are going buy some gas drops just to be on the safe side for next time.

Sneak Peak

This morning I took Lil Harry's 15 day old pictures. Here are the two that I love the most out of 60 in 10 minutes.

After the belly was full and satisfied. Harry asked me not to do any naked pictures so I found these cute overalls in his closet...Wow what a little farmer already!

Yup he will fit in with the family just fine!!!!! I believe this is my all time favorite!!!!

Hospital Visitors

It was brought to my attention that I must have overlooked posting pictures of the hospital visitors. My apologies...love you Dad/Grapa!

3 generations of Harry's ~ kind of scary isn't it?!

Nonie and Lil Harry

Jane Korn & Lil Harry ~ Jane and her family kept the girls the day of Harry's birth. I hear the kids were not too happy with her for sneaking into the hospital without them. haha

Grama & Lil Harry

Grapa & Lil Harry ~ I think he is ready to go cut wood with Grapa anytime!

Visitors

With the holidays we have not had the rush of people to visit Lil Harry as what we did with the girls. But we still have had lots of activity and I wanted to share with you. Please bare with me as there are lots of pictures on this post...but fun!

Kassy & Harry - Uncle Jerod was nice enough to let her hold him first!

Uncle Jerod & Harry

As you can see the kids love when Uncle Jerod and Kassy come over!

Cousin Maddie was first in line to hold Lil Harry...of course Big Sister stayed close by to make sure Maddie held him correctly.

Aunt Jen & Lil Harry - they came up the Sunday after we got home!

Uncle Nick & Harry

Nurse Lori at first weight check

Dr. Nancy

Big Grama

Big Grapa

Thursday night we went over to visit with Big Grama & Big Grapa. I threw a roast in the crockpot, bread dough from the freezer and brownies from the box and took over with us. We had a great time!

Out On My Own

Today I ventured out on my own with all three munchkins. I figured with Harry being up for 27 hours straight that he needed some much needed rest with no kiddos here to bother him. So off to Organic Valley in Cashton we went to show off our newest addition. We will be venturing to LaFarge next week to visit. It went pretty good. We spent a half an hour this morning with Harry when he got home while he ate breakfast. Then he helped me get them all into the truck and then we were off. Of course we went right at nap time for Lorelai and I was hoping she would sleep on the way over but her sister that is now in the middle kept her awake. Gotta love sisterly love. So Lorelai was pretty clingy to mom but we managed. We all made it there and we visited for about an hour and half and then we bundled all back up and made the trip back home.

We are doing quiet time early today as Lorelai was zonked out by the time we hit the highway and I want Harry to sleep as long as possible. So we will do a late lunch and then hopefully everyone will be in a good mood.

I would say it was a great success of getting out of the house...oh and the best part was we were even 15 minutes early getting there...I hate being late!

Weight Check

Today Lil Harry had a weight check and I had my staples taken out. Nothing grand about me. But Harry is up to 6 lbs 14 oz which when he came home from the hospital he was 6 lbs 12 oz so he is doing great. The recommendation is the be back to birth weight by a week and that is tomorrow. Dr. Nancy was very happy with his weight as he is almost there and was happy all was doing great. We go back in a week for another weight check and then it is to the normal checkups.

Harry being home for 6 days has been wonderful. He has been a huge help and he is really enjoying this time as he did not get the time off when the girls were born. I feel like he is a whirlwind around me as he is getting things done so much faster then I would have been able to. Yes, I know, I am still healing and getting back in the groove of things but it is frustrating to me to still be dependant on people.

Harry did get called into work tonight. It was very sweet as we were in Walmart after our appointments and he asked if I cared before he would tell work yes or no. I told him it was fine to go to work as they were so understanding of the time he needed off before Lil Harry was here. I have to learn to do nights by myself at some point. It was a good trial run. I won't lie...it is difficult at times by myself but I just remind myself that I can only do so much and the rest will wait. I am taking one minute, one hour and one day at a time. At this moment all kids are sleeping. Yes I know a couple more columns and then I am off that way too before Lil Harry gets up. Speaking of he is doing great at night as he is getting up 3 times in the night...so can handle that as I remember Lorelai it was every 45 minutes there for a while....yikes!

The girls are just loving Lil Harry. Elly is a huge help and loves to hold him, sing to him and give him kisses. Last night she was holding him and rocking him at the same time. She sure has grown up in the past week. Lorelai loves him too but in a cute 10 month old way. She loves it when he gives her kisses and she gives him hugs. She talks to him in her own language and it is almost like they understand each other. Lorelai says baby for Lil Harry but it comes out more like bubba then baby. Very cute....you never know he could become nicknamed bubba. Lorelai has also started to say sissy for Elly and she is taking from 5-10 steps by herself. She gets the biggest grin on her face as she knows how hard she has to work to do this. She is so proud of herself. She still prefers to crawl over walking but I am guessing one of these days she is just going to take off.

Home Sweet Home

Friday I was discharged from the hospital. We were so happy to beat the bad weather that was predicted and come home on New Years Eve afternoon. Grapa & Grama had the girls Thursday night and brought them in on Friday for a while. We had our family celebration meal which turned out to be a feast of pizza, pop/milk, breadsticks, ice cream, cookies & cheesecake. Wow were we stuffed when we got done. The girls really enjoyed it and had a blast.

While we waited for our lunch to arrive and to be discharged we had some fun hanging out with the girls.

Lorelai really liked the jammies from Grapa & Grama that they got Harry and she would crawl all over the room with them over her head. This is her sitting right next to the door hoping someone would open it so she could escape.

The nurse brought us the cart early so we could be packing and loading things up while we waited for lunch. Well one child loaded and ready to go home!

WOW did you know that it is quite the task to get all 5 of us happy, smiling and looking in the right direction at the same time. Welcome to our wonderful chaotic family! I love it!!!!!

Last night was not terrible but will get better with time, one night at a time. Lil Harry woke up around 10:30 and was awake until 1. What a way to bring in the New Year! The girls slept really well, Lorelai got up for 5 minutes, and they actually slept in for us this morning. Can't beat that. Lil Harry has been trying to discover his thumb and he is looking for the bottle constantly just to have the nipple in his mouth, not because he is hungry. So this morning Harry & Ellaree went to Walmart to buy new Nuk Nuk's for him as all our other ones are pink and purple. Of course Ellaree says he needs blue because he is a boy! Hopefully tonight he will sleep better with the Nuk Nuk and we can get him away from the thumb before it becomes a problem.