On the Move!

I was hoping my last baby would stay a baby a little longer so I could enjoy it a little longer, but it seems that is not meant to be. For the first time ever Jake rolled all the way over. Yes, he is now offically mobile & can roll himself right across the room should he choose to do so. Monday we also went to the Auto Show. Everyone tired out pretty quickly this year so we only made it through Ford, GM & the mini's. Scotty loves big trucks! Here are some pictures. Kevin spent MLK day with Grandpa & Grandma Skousen at the IMAX and the muesum.

Belated Merry Christmas!

Christmas was the usual crazy busy. We left the day after Christmas for Virgina & enjoyed almost a whole week with the rest of the Herr clan. It is a trip Kevin & Scotty look forward to every year. They love their time with Grammie & Pappy, Jack & Sam and all their aunts & uncles. The highlight was meeting their new cousins Dylan (4 wks older than Jake) & Liam (2 days older than Jake). It was babies everywhere!!! Mike & Scotty have gotten into making balloon things... I don't know how else to describe it. I got Mike some professional balloons for Christmas, just in case the whole auto industry doesn't work out and we need a plan B. Kevin likes to look up ideas for Scotty & Mike to work on (future boss in the making). Here is a video to give you an example of the crazines that lives in our house.

Tagged

Seven random things about the 'Queen' of the Michigan Herr's


1. I LOVE being a mom. It is the most challenging, patience building, love fulfilling job I have ever had.

2. I feel blessed to have all boys. Though I do worry about the type of world they are growing up in, the type of influences around them and the types of opportunties they will have as adults. Nothing makes my day like their smiles and small successes though.

3. I wakeboard but I don't snowboard, never quite picked it up. Odd?

4. Family is really important to me, but housekeeping?!? I am not so good at yet.

5. I have this drive I can't explain for family history, gathering, puttng it together, etc.

6. I like to share the fruits of my labor & make sure no one is left out.

7. I have an 600sq ft. organic garden in my backyard that I share with some friends.


I am going to 'tag' Becca. Bec ~If you get to it, you get to it. If not, no biggy.

Skiing

I only have a minute or two...lunches for school (that somehow wasn't cancelled despite the snow storm) still need to be made & it is late.

The boys went skiing. Kevin really has his eye on snowboarding....maybe next year. This is their 2nd time ever going...but Mike bought ski's for them Saturday so I am sure there is more skiing in their future!

Visiting Santa

WE FOUND THE REAL SANTA...! For those who were looking for him, he sems to be hiding out at Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. Don't ask us why he choose Dearborn but we are glad we found him! He gives the best presents just for visiting him (little Ty Christmas mouses). Really this was the BEST Santa experience ever (and I have 33 years of experience in this Christmas business).

Here is a movie of the kids visiting with him today. Kevin was so nervous about meeting the REAL Santa (he knows there is a lot of fakes out there....7 year olds know EVERYTHING already).

Thanksgiving

Before thanksgiving dinner Scotty & I had everyone write down what they were thankful for on a turkey feather, then we put the feathers on our turkey.

Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Program

Things are very busy in our house since the arrival of the new baby. He cries alot and seems to get overwhelmed easily...never a good thing if you have two very active older brothers. White noise seems to help a little. Swaddling doesn't seem to help. Looking for ideas.....or hope.

Kevin @ Gymnastic's

Fall Fridays

continued...

>Here are more pics of the boys. It was a week of parties. AKA lots of candy. I secretly donated a majority of it to hubby's coworkers. Though I think he did his fair share of 'getting rid of it' ....

Hope to see everyone in their costumes when I FINALLY get to catching up!

Thanks for checking in on us.

A Peguin, Incredible Hulk and a Nija all went to a party....

And got LOTS of candy......

Jake starts to coo

Jake smiled back for the first time yesterday and over the last couple of days we have heard a couple of coo's out of him. Scotty is really enjoying preschool, espcially Fridays on the Tumblebus. Kevin is a full of energy, especially when they have in door recess. He was all bounces and jumps when he came home from school yesterday.

Grammie & Pappy came to visit

Grammie and Pappy came to meet Jake and visit with Kevin and Scotty (us too but we are old hat). The kids loved having them around. Jake doesn't really do much yet except eat, sleep and need to have his diaper changed.

Scotty is getting more gentle with Jake it seems as time goes on. And Kevin (along with all of the other neighborhood boys) are just delighted to have a baby around. All is good here...now if I could just get some decent sleep!!

Sarah's New Dog

Aunt Sarah's new dog is a hit!!! Both Rebecca and I had our new babies within days of eachother and Sara, was not going to be left out of the maternal stuff...so she went & got a dog!!!! My boys love the new dog!

Jake is here!

Lobster Wrestling

Saturday

It is HOT!!!! Some people think it is a no good, nothing can go right kind of day....can't you tell by the pictures????

Labor Day Weekend

Scotty figured out on his own how to make balloon animals after watching daddy make a few. While daddy was talking to Grammie on the phone he sat down with a balloon and started twisting it this way and that. Low and behold he had made a balloon doggy without any assitance!!!! Here he is pictured with his first balloon animal.

Mike and Scotty took up lobster water wrestling. The new inflatable toy was lots of fun for all!!

Kevin danced up a storm with his Aunt Laura and cousin at Uncle Brad's wedding.

Grandpa even got in on the lobster water fun on Labor Day.

Busy Last Days of Summer

We have had lots of summer fun on the lakes around our area. Here is a picture of Scotty and his friend at our friends beach.

My stepbrother Steve was married yesterday. It was a perfect day for an outdoor wedding. Mia is from Estonia. Her and Steve dressed in traditional Estonia celebration outfits. Wondering where in the world is Estonia? Here is a map. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estonia

The small reception was held on the Queen Mary II.

Today Mike and Scotty did a little painting around the house. Here is what that looked like....

Mommy's Pink Fuzzy Slippers

Scotty is really curious about what life is going to be like after baby, he has even taken up watching a Baby Story on TLC. He calls it the baby TV show. We have discussions all the time now about how to hold a baby properly, what to feed him (not lunch meat!!!), and the fact that mommy will have to go to the hospital for a couple of days. He and Kevin have been really curious about how in the world is that baby going to get out of mommy's stomach?? To which, when they watched TLC they immediately related it to being a little like having a painful bowl movement. It was getting difficult to explain it to them until they watched a Baby Story for the first time. Then the light went on and I have yet to get that question for the 51st time. Now they are more than happy to tell any stranger... "Mommy is going to have to poop this baby out!" followed always with some giggles. Ahhh...boys....

Kevin isn't as curious; he kind of has the 'been there, done that' attitude, with the exception of the science part of it. How did it get there? How big is he now? Even though I don't think he remembers when Scotty was a baby because he was just 2 1/2 himself; he seems to have a pretty good idea that this is going to a huge change and he isn't so sure he is going to like it. I am sure this will be a major transition for all of us since it has been so long since we had a baby around.

School is right around the corner and I find myself trying to get everything ready all at once. Kevin will be going to a new school this year and Scotty will be going to Pre-school for the first time ever. He has been going to daycare once or twice a week, depending on my schedule. I am hoping this baby will hold out until at least the 2nd week of September, if not a little later. I am just bracing for him to come the first day of school!!!!

It feels like a hot summer to me. We have been enjoying swimming and the lake, but I am not so apt to take the boat out on my own during the day this summer as I don't feel like a safe boat driver right now.