What the?????

The girls came running and screaming down the stairs this morning like it was Christmas. Me, on the other hand, I want to climb back in bed and cry! Seriously? October 10th seems a little early for the first of the season.

"I was waiting for this! I didn't know it was going to come today!" (Maggie)
"I was waiting for this day!" (Nora)

I don't think Maggie will be playing soccer this morning, do you?

Can We Say Random?

Isn't she beautiful?

He turned 19 months today. He was drying his hair after I got him wet while unloading the dishwasher.

Henry saw this sign at a pharmacy the other day. He was disappointed he didn't have his camera so he could submit it to the Fail blog. Then it was on the news last night. I submitted it, so I'll let you know if it makes it on there.

Our Girls

I noticed I haven't taken many pictures at all in the last month. We have been busy getting in a good routine with school and have been spending fun times with each other. But nothing that I've gotten the camera out for much. So here are some pictures from a month ago. I have to periodically set the camera to black and white and have a little photo session with the kids. Have I mentioned I love b&w pictures? I did take lots of Buddy too. I posted those here.

These girls love to play and be silly together. They can be the best of friends.

I definitely need to do better about posting when they say funny things. They keep us laughing constantly with funny little comments. Like how every time we drop Maggie off for school, I ask Nora what she wants to do while she's gone. Her response every time is, "Go to Toto Tea!" (CoCo Key) She is always sad when I tell her we can't go without Maggie or Daddy.

We sure love these girls!

I Am Officially a Soccer Mom

So we all knew I would never make the 50 posts...and I don't feel bad about it. I've been just a little busy...

Maggie had her very first ever soccer game yesterday. She decided she wanted to try soccer instead of dance this year, and after the first week she has decided she is done dancing. When practicing a little with us in the backyard, she got very frustrated. I was a little worried when it came time to play, she would get frustrated and want to give up, so we talked to her about just having fun and doing her best. But after Nora went to her first dance class of the year, Maggie told me, "I'm NEVER going to give up! I'll never quit soccer!"

So I'm happy to say that she LOVED it and had a great time. They practice for 30 minutes and then play a game for 30 minutes. She did great listening to her coach. They don't keep score, but Henry did. ;) Maggie's team won 8-5 with Maggie scoring/helping score 4 goals. Every time her team scored, she would turn to us with the biggest smile on her face. She can't wait to play again next week!

She was just about to score here and got tripped up. She's the one laying on top of the other team member. :)

Scoring a goal. I love the little thumbs up at the end. :)

Nora was sad she is too young to play this year. But she had fun watching.

Enjoying the game...er...I mean snacks.

GO BIG RED!

The first Husker game of the season starts in 1 hour! We are all excited and ready! We are seeing red here. Henry is there, in his seat already, as are my parents and my brother and his girlfriend. I, however, will attempt to listen on the radio if the kids will let me.

I promise I am wearing my red too, but someone had to take the picture.

The other day we were walking into a Husker apparel store to get everyone a shirt. As we were walking through the parking lot, the girls started chanting, unprovoked (not that we haven't been training them in the correct ways of college football or anything), "GOOOO BIIIGGGG REEEDDDD! Go big red, go big red!" over and over. This is known to some as the "Sloth" cheer - you know, from Goonies. That got them a few laughs and made Henry one proud Dad. :)

Buddy actually smiled when I asked him to for the pictures. Too cute!

Henry Max has obviously heard the chanting a time or two. This morning he started running in circles around the living room chanting, "G, g, g!" with the correct inflection (is that the word I'm looking for?) He will talk eventually, right? ;)

I may try to make my 300th blog post (this is 250) on Sept. 26th. That will be the game I get to go to...the 300th consecutive sellout game. Think I can find 50 things to post in the next 3 weeks? It's only 2.38 posts a day.

GO BIG RED!!
the REAL Big Red

18 Months

Henry Max turned 18 months on Sunday! How is that even possible?!?!?!

STATS
25 lbs. 8 oz.
32.5 inches

This is THE cutest boy ever! (I am SO allowed to say that as much as I want, right?) He amazes me every day with how smart he is! He has learned how to come down the stairs. If the gate is left off and he heads up, he will come right back down when I ask him to and then get the gate for me to put back. Twice last week, Henry left his shoes by the couch when he went to bed. Buddy saw them in the morning and immediately picked them up and put them on the stairs to go up. He cleans stuff up all the time...he is the only one of my kids who picks up toys the first time I ask. ;)

He finally got a molar. I think it's been about 9 months since his last tooth came in! I thought he was getting them for months, but his bottom right one finally poked through on Wednesday (8/19) and his bottom left should be in soon! The doctor thought all his molars and i-teeth would be coming in soon. That should be fun!

He is down to one nap a day. At first he was taking his nap in the morning before lunch, but now he is napping in the afternoon. He had been waking up every night around 1am or 5am just crying and screaming. I would have to let him sleep with us because he wouldn't calm down. Then he would wake up at 6-6:30 when Henry would get up to go to work. I knew with school starting, that wouldn't work any more for us. It's like he could tell...All by himself, he has slept in his own bed all night 7 of the last 8 nights. Yea! (I think it may have something to do with the pillow we gave him!)

This boy LOVES to watch football with his dad. He will actually just sit and watch it. He claps at the right moment too. Then he'll get the football and play catch for a while. He has quite an arm and good aim as we all know. Each of us have been hit a time or two from one of his accurate throws. :)

We had a little photo session the other day. I narrowed it down some, but here are lots of really cute pictures!

Playing with the tool table...a great garage sale find.

I know it's blurry, but too cute!

I caught him throwing a sucker...he still loves to throw things.

Sitting on the table...any time a chair is left out from the table, he is up there in seconds!

Dancing on the table.

Stop growing. Right now. Please.

Zoo Member Days

Two weeks ago we went to the zoo with friends for Member Appreciation Day. We like this day because we get to see some behind the scenes stuff. It is super busy on that day, but it was fun to go with friends!

Up close and personal with the giraffe.

These are the jelly fish from the top of the tube you see them in.

The fish that swim in circles...from the top.

The snake that took 5 people to carry and they almost dropped him a few times.

The worst part was that we couldn't take the stroller in for the behind the scenes stuff. So we would leave it on one side of the building, but would come out of the other side and have to go all the way back for it. Not a problem if you aren't weak like me trying to carry a 25+ lb boy for 30 minutes. But we got our free train tickets, so the day was a success! ;)

School Starts

School has started again already. I was ready for a routine, but after just 2 days, I would like summer back please! :)

It's hard to believe both of the girls are in preschool this year. We decided to wait until next year to send Maggie to kindergarten. A decision I was very happy with on Friday when everyone else was taking their little ones for the first time.

Maggie started school yesterday. She is an old pro. She decided to wear the dress one of her friends gave her for her birthday. She said she had a fun day and made a new friend.

Nora's first day was today. She wanted to wear a dress just like Maggie. I was a little more nervous leaving her, but she was so excited and not at all nervous. She was always with me when I dropped off Maggie last year, so she already knew her teacher and the classroom. I am told she did really well and she said she had a fun day and can't wait to go back.

Here's hoping we have a good year, but that it doesn't go too fast! In a short two years, Maggie will be in first grade, Nora in kindergarten, and Buddy in preschool. I'm trying not to think about that...

Party Time!

Here's the birthday girl!

Showing off their pretty nails that they begged for two days to have painted and then whined when they had to sit still and let them dry.

Last night was the much anticipated birthday party. Maggie could hardly wait until her friends came so we could go. In fact, right before they were to arrive, she asked if we could just go already! It was so fun listening to Maggie and her friends talking all the way there. All the way home was hilarious knock-knock jokes. My favorite was probably "knock knock-who's there-shoe-shoe who-blah blah" Hahahahahaahahahaha!!!! Don't you just love 5 year olds and their jokes?

Here's the group. Maggie had 4 friends from school plus her cousins. And yes, they all walked around with dirty faces the rest of the night!

They all had fun riding the Frog Hopper, roller coaster, playing air hockey, golf, bowling, racing games, etc. Matthew and Shelley were great to help take the kids on the roller coaster since they weren't tall enough to ride by themselves. Next time I'll be sure not to plan it on the night before the first day of school so we can just stay and play longer!

Maggie and Daddy racing.

Matthew, Nora, and Nick on the roller coaster. Nora had a huge smile on her face most of the night.

Richard braved the roller coaster to take Holly. I love rides and roller coasters, but I DO NOT like this one!

Maggie said it was a perfect party and was everything she hoped it would be. I started the morning feeling a little sorry for myself that she was 5 already, but it didn't last long. How could I be sad when she was SO happy and excited all day for her birthday?

Happy Birthday Miss Maggie!

Today is Miss Maggie's 5th birthday! I can hardly believe it. I've been telling her she had to stay 4 forever. She didn't listen very well!

Maggie has been planning for this day since before her birthday LAST year. Ever since we went there for Henry's work in June 2008, she has been planning to have her party this year at "the pizza place". And the moment Christmas was over, she began her birthday wish list. It's been fun to see her so excited for so long. And remember her chain? She didn't think it would ever be done and now it is!

She woke up this morning singing, "I'm the birthday girl, I'm the birthday girl, I'm the birthday girl!" Tonight we are taking 4 of her friends from school to "the pizza place". More on that tomorrow...

Saturday was party #1. Since my parents and brother can't come tonight, they came up on Saturday. (Not sure how I didn't get any pictures of them here!) Maggie could hardly wait until they got here after lunch to start her party. She HAD to wear her polka dot dress, of course. With her new haircut, she looks too grown up!

One of 3 Fancy Nancy books she got.

THE most asked for toy...a Woody doll. It's a good thing Nana found this! I don't think Maggie's birthday would have been a success without it! The girls have already had many fights over the loved Woody doll.

Trying to get a picture in her new apron. Buddy thought it was a perfect opportunity and jumped right in there. See that owie on his lip...he fell at the swimming pool and caught himself with his face, of course.

Showing off her new apron.

On her new bike.

She picked nachos for her birthday dinner. Then it was cake and ice cream time!



Blowing out the candles.

Here is the cake Mom and I spent quite a bit of time on. The colors look wrong in this picture.

That's better. They were so bright and vivid! Here is where I first saw this idea. It takes some time, but so fun! I used chocolate cream cheese frosting.

Now on to more birthday fun. I'm getting ready to paint Maggie's nails and do her chores for her since in our house, the birthday person gets a break from their chores for the day.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MISS MAGGIE! Mama and Daddy love you SO much! You are so smart and talented, and are such a big helper and awesome big sister. We love your beautiful smile and everything about you! Happy birthday!!

Buddy and Woody dancing.