"Cute Blog Updates"

So - once again I have been behind on blogging. I feel like that is a regular occurrence...maybe I just have a new "regular" and I'm really not behind. Anyway - I usually go about our week taking pics thinking "this will make a cute blog update"...and a week later realize I had about 6 "cute blog updates" that were never posted. So - here we are with some "cute blog updates" - ha!

Alayna - liking the vacuum!

Alayna eating her first cracker - 10-18-09 She is still mostly babyfood - 2nd stage - but now also has expanded her diet to include cheerios, puffs, crackers and toast (sometimes - she often gathers too much in her mouth and starts to gag). Some good "outside weather" again. Thank goodness for one more swing ride and sandbox sit!

It was Grant's last week of tumbling. A 5 week course through the rec dept. Daddy and Grant went to this together and each class was 30 min. Grant's favorite part of the class and what he improved the most on throughout the 5 weeks - the BIG trampoline (not the one in the above picture - but the pics of that one didn't turn out very well). He would get up on one end and run/jump across and jump off the other end onto the mats. He was having a ton of fun!

Last weekend we went up north to Grandma and Papa Meidam's place. This was Grant being goofy.

Then he got to work with Daddy and Papa out in the garage with "tools" on the snowmobiles. He had a blast! Look at that smile!

Our kids seem to love pushing themselves underneath Grandma's couch up north. Grant did the same thing at about the same age. We found Alayna here several times throughout the weekend - once we almost lost her under there (and she wasn't exactly happy about it).

Alayna is to the point where she is wanting to move and has figured out how to move herself backwards. She just pushes herself around, but is likely to eventually get stuck. She does get up on all 4s and tonight (10-31) I think she moved in slightly in the forward direction...but I wouldn't say it is yet a crawl. As of 10-29 (I think) she can go from laying on her belly to sitting on her own! WAY TO GO!
Grant was helping me make dinner one night and while adding shredded cheese to the top of the dish - we dropped some on the floor. As soon as he noticed he said "vacuum" and was immediately off to the living room to get his vacuum to clean up the mess. He tried and tried with all his might and then realized that a dust pan and broom would work much better.
Then we got to play in the leaves. Daddy raked a pile just for us to jump in!Awwww...let's make sure we keep this one for reference in years to come :)
Friday night we went to Flabbergast. It is a really fun place that has video games and even better - big jungle gyms and inflatable slides! We met some friends there to have some fun with the kiddos and they had a blast. Grant ran and bounced and climbed and went down lots of slides. Even better - it was free for us to get in b/c if they are under 2 there is no charge. Whew - just made that cut off :)

Maybe this week I will be better at the quick "cute updates"...but let's not hold our breath :)

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween everyone! Today we went with some friends to the Zoo to go Trick or Treating. It was lots of fun! If we said "Trick or Treat" to the people at the tables in the buildings - they gave us lots of fun things...candy, stickers, tatoos. I carried my bag and finally got the hang of saying "trick or treat". I went as a bat and Alayna went as a bear. Funny - I was that bear last year :) Even funnier though - sometimes Mommy and Daddy call her "Layna Bear" and now she was a bear for Halloween! Hmmm...

Our costumes kept us pretty warm. Mommy was happy that most of the trick or treating was inside the buildings because it was so cold outside today. After the zoo we went over to my friends Grant and Taylor's house for some chili and hotdogs. It was a great day!

I love my Daddy. He is so much fun!

Candy? What candy? I didn't eat any candy!

I'm showing you how bats fly :)

Sneak Peek

Check out our family picture "sneak peek" at www.marygundrumphotography.blogspot.com
Let me know what you think! :)

8 Months

I am 8 months old already! Can you believe it. Mommy keeps saying she can't believe it and then gets a little sad. I say - "get over it - I'm getting big and it's fun!"

Some fun facts about me now that I am 8 mos old.

- This month - I have finally put all my 3-6 mo clothes away and fit nicely into my 9 mo clothes. Thanks to all those who have shared with me! I'm sure you will see me sporting your outfits in pictures soon :) (or actually right now - I am in one above)

- I am wearing size 2 diapers during the day and size 3 diapers at night

- I'm still being a bit tricky with my eating - but mommy is trying her hardest to figure it out. Here is what we are trying now...wake up - nurse, then about an hour later have cereal and some fruit. Sometimes at this point I am ready for a nap...if not I play for a while or we are out and about for a while and then I take my morning bottle. Mommy makes 4oz and I take 1.5 - 3. (See - I like to "hold out" for my nursings). Then I nap and around noon or so I have some fruit and either a veggie or a little meat/veggie mix. I play for a bit and nurse again before my afternoon nap. Around dinner time I have more cereal and another veggie and then nurse again before bedtime.

- I still like to wake up at night to eat. This is anywhere between midnight and 3:30. Mommy won't feed me if I wake up before 2...so I guess I should just sleep until then. I'm trying... Like last night I slept from 7pm until 5:30am when mommy woke me up to feed me before she went to run. See - sometimes I can do it! (actually they did let me cry a little bit at midnight - so I guess I woke up a little)

- I sit up very well and often transition to my belly and roll, roll, roll

- I've been sitting in the Johnny Jumperoo a bit more lately, but don't really "get it". It seems fun when mommy makes me jump - but am not too sure how to make that work myself

- I still have just 2 teeth

- EVERYTHING goes in my mouth

- My hair is getting thicker and filling in nicely, but no pony's yet! I still get cradle cap - which is kind of a pain. It's not too bad, but doesn't look very nice :(

- I still LOVE TV. I stare and stare at the animal movies!

Wheels on the Bus by Grant

Sorry for the poor positioning of the video camera - Grant was a bit curious of why it was in the middle of his floor - so I couldn't adjust it any more. (Also - apologies in advance for the mid song boogie picking...yes - it's become something he likes to do often - GRRRR!)

YAY!!!

Alayna learned "YAY!" tonight (aka - clapping).

A Walk to Remember

Last weekend was the annual infant loss Walk to Remember. The walk took a slightly different path than the past two years, but it was still nice. There is a brief memorial service with readings, music and the mention of all our babies names...then the walk...then the finishing touches at the park we end the walk at with another song and an opportunity for families to speak if they'd like.
This was our 3rd year in a row for the walk. The first year we made a quilt square to add to the others. We made a square for Briana, turned it in to the hospital and then someone there put it together with a couple others. During the walk we carry the quilt squares in memory of our babies and lay them all together at the end of the walk to see them all joined as one big quilt.
There is one big kite that is flown in memory of those lost as well. There were a few families who brought their own to fly (it was windy enough that's for sure)...I think we will do that eventually. This year we just brought some balloons. We let the balloons go at the end of the walk. Hopefully they all made it all the way to Heaven.
We miss you Briana Mae and think of you often. Thank you for watching over us each day. Please continue to keep a close eye on your little brother and sister. We LOVE You!

Here we are before we left on the walk portion of the event (holding our quilt square).
The kiddos were soooo tired.

Brian showing Grant Briana's quilt square. It's the second one up...square on the right.

The balloons we brought to send to Heaven

Here they go! Kiss, Kiss...bye bye!

23 MONTHS

Mommy is a little slow in posting - but I have been 23 months now since Sunday. Now that it's getting cooler outside we're not able to go out as much to play. That stinks! I love it outside - but we don't want to get sick.

What's new now that I'm 23 mos? Not a whole lot. This past week, Mommy and Daddy have been much happier with my eating. I actually say yes when they ask me if I want something to eat. I LOVE apples. I will eat a whole apple for a snack. It takes me a while - but I can do it.

I've been saying a lot more words as well. I'm putting 2 and 3 words together and will repeat everything you say - so be careful! :) If I see a bus or motorcycle while we are driving - I'm sure to point it out to you. I also love helping read my books. I complete a lot of the stories with the last word on each page. My favorite song is Wheels on the Bus and nursery rhyme is Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear. I know all the actions to both of these.

I'm excited for my 2nd birthday party. I hope you are too!

I love to help clean up

TROUBLE

If I get two stepstools - I can see. See! I came up with this idea all by myself. Mommy & Daddy didn't like it too much though. I wonder why?

More Babbling from the Changing Table

Our kids love talking on the changing table...and I love listening :) Sorry - she gets a bit camera shy so I had to get her started.

Fall Fun

What's going on lately? We were doing good with lots of posts for about a week and then I guess we got busy and time got away from us again! Well...

Our friends Hannah and Collin came over to play last Monday night. We had a lot of fun!
Bathtime suds...doesn't this look fun! We went to see Grandpa and Grandma and helped them get their pumpkins out of the garden
Here Grandpa...don't forget this one! Oh - here is another one...I am getting good at this! OK Grandpa...I'll show you how this gator works Now...out of the gator and over to the pumpkin pile to get cleaned off Here they all are! White ones and orange ones and gords!

This is a fun part of fall!