Six weeks

This was a week of milestones. On my birthday sweet Penelope decided to start giving social smiles and also slept 9 hours straight. It was a total fluke, but a nice present anyway. Then on Saturday she rolled from tummy to back three times. She's gaining a bit of personality and I'm starting to notice her losing that newborn look and taking on more of a baby look already. She's growing way too fast.

Max loved the second day of his program on Thursday and is so excited to go back.

30 things before 30

So today I turn 28. I thought I would write a few (30! ok a lot) of things I would like to do before I'm 30. You know as a way to make sure I'm doing something worth while and have a couple goals to reach.

1. Run at least a half marathon if not a full one
2. Clean out my closet to things that I only actually wear (not wish I could wear or might wear someday)
3. See the pacific ocean
4. Decide whether or not (and have if we are) any more children
5. Weekend in Chicago (this was on my list last night as I was thinking of things, and that's what my gift from Adam is for my birthday! He must have read my mind)
6. Learn to quilt
7. Complete another full sized afghan (either knit or crochet)
8. Decide on a career
9. Join a CSA for a summer
10. Get Adam to eat the veggies from the CSA
11. Take Max and Penny to a real live farm to see animals and/or harvest
12. Visit the PNW
13. Find a little black dress I actually like
14. Finish reading the whole Bible (I've started this one so many times, but always go back to my favorites instead of reading it all)
15. knit myself a sweater
16. Feel comfortable in my own skin, no matter what it looks like, or who I'm with
17. Clean out everything we collect and make it into everything we use/need/love
18. Catch up on Max and Penny's scrapbooks
19. Have a "handmade Christmas" where everything I give has been handmade by myself or someone I know
20. Vacation without the kids (I think the overnight in Chicago might count for this one too...)
21. Go to Disneyland
22. Learn to use our camera in manual mode a little better
23. Have professional (really professional) family pictures taken
24. Visit Dallas again
25. Spend some time alone on a beach and just read a book or magazine or knit
26. See MOPS (or any other ministry I might be involved in) flourish
27. Play my cello again
28. Read all the books I've bought and never read
29. Use trifle dish that I bought years ago but have only used to hold ice
30. Have a garage sale

I'll be checking in with these periodically to update as I go.

First Day of School

Max's first day at the Parks District was this morning. We all slept in late (not necessarily a bad thing) and so we rushed around this morning to get there by 9. I had Adam snap a few pictures before we left while I was getting Nell ready to go.

He wasn't quite sure about what "school" meant, he kept mentioning the bus and friends that I knew wouldn't be there. 

When we picked him up he refused to leave. Adam had to literally grab him by the hand and make him leave. So I'm thinking today was a success. When we asked him what he did, he kept telling us about LEGOs.

five weeks and everything else too...

We've been super productive around here cleaning out closets and the fridge and we "deep" cleaned the house all day Saturday while Nell took a 5 hour nap. I only agreed to the cleaning because I thought she would only sleep an hour or two and want to be fed and cuddled and would get me out of cleaning. Instead she even slept through the vacuum.

This week is VBS at the church. Last night we had over 60 kids and it was awesome! We have been walking alongside the couple who is running it this year but it's nice to not have the official responsibilities. I did help with registration in hopes of talking and meeting each of the kids and especially their parents. It was great to see a bunch of the Awana parents I hadn't seen in quite a while and catch up really quick.

This year we are starting a MOPS group at the church in hopes of reaching out to the younger families in our community. I'll be heading it up and I'm super excited about getting my hands dirty in a ministry that I get to form and shape and mold into something that's honoring to God. Not that I don't do ministry everyday with all the church stuff we have going on. :)

This morning we are staying inside and it might just make both Max and I crazy but Penelope has some awful heat rash and it gets so aggravated when she is out.Otherwise, she is doing so well and has made herself a little schedule which I absolutely LOVE. She's been still sleeping in the pack n play in our room, but I told Adam that she'll have to move to her crib soon, she's getting so loud sleeping making little noises and stirring but going right back to sleep that she keeps waking me up at night. She did nap in her crib for the first time yesterday for a few hours and did really well.

Also on Saturday we finished putting together Nell's nursery and finally have things on the walls, I just need to finish her curtains or valances once I can decide what to do and a few other teeny things.

I can't believe this time two years ago we had just moved to Illinois and were settling in. It truly feels like it's been FOREVER since that.

Crafts
It's been a long time since I've posted any projects. Here are a couple. There are more but I've failed to take pictures yet.

Above are preemie hats for donation to the hospital where Penny was born and where our friend's little guy spent 5 weeks in the NICU.

The rest of my niece Ella's birthday present including Max giving the bunny some love before it was sent.

another wool soaker

More presents to be mailed away to family and friends

a blankie I finished for Nell for this winter (Mamaw: the purple is the rest of the yarn from the blankie you made for Penelope)

Four weeks

I almost missed the 4 week picture. it's like i doomed myself by saying i was going to do it.
But here it is in all it's glory.

Really she's ok. I promise. She just doesn't look like it.

We've been having a ton of fun around here lately.

Penelope-
We can't believe she's one month old already. The time is just flying by- She is a great eater, sleeper (7 hours straight on Saturday night!) and is such a happy little thing when she's awake. She's awake a surprising amount and likes to watch Max especially. Today she's actually smiled a couple of times while I was talking to her, and weighed 10.5 pounds when i put her on the baby scale. Too big!

Max-
Since Penelope is one month that makes Max 2 years and 2 months. I can't believe how old he is too! He continues to be obsessed with tools and animals. He loves to play hard and sleep hard. Everyone we meet is constantly amazed with his language skills and can't believe based on his size and diction that is he just two. Next week he starts a preschool program/ Mama's day out twice a week in the mornings to give me some time to run errands and concentrate on Miss P a little bit. I can't wait to see how that jumps his development forward.

Man I love these kids.

Walking through the weeks...

I've decided on my theme for Penny's pictures. Every week (and then month when that gets old) I'll be taking her picture with Max holding her. I've done well so far, I have Day 1, Week 1, Week 2, and today's Week 3. I so wish I would have done this with Max.

one day

one week

two weeks

three weeks

Three weeks

Penelope turns three weeks tomorrow. It's been a crazy ride folks, but we're still hanging on even if the merry go round keeps spinning.

We are so fortunate to have such an easy baby. Last night I even got a 5 hour stretch of her sleeping (too bad it started at 9pm and not at 11 when I went to bed).

Max loves her to death still. Maybe even a little too much. But immediately calls for her in the mornings instead of Mommy and Daddy now, like she's gonna come let him out of his room.

Here are some stats and facts about out life and specifically Penny.
- She has darker hair than I would ever have imagined, but in the last two days it's started to turn an auburn/strawberry color.
- She's a champ of an eater, and is very interested in eating all the time, but at least she's quick about it. And she'll let you know when she's done.
- That leads to her weight being 8lb 12oz on Wednesday at the doctor at 17 days old. That's accounting for her weight loss after birth and then gaining another 3/4lb on top of that. But that's still smaller than Max was at birth. Which blows my mind.
- She loves to be cuddled and held and snuggled. Max did not particularly care for any of these things.
- She is still in newborn clothes but is already getting too long for them.
- She has a round little belly but skinny little legs
- We tried cloth diapering for the first time yesterday, but the skinny little legs left leaky gaps in even the smallest of the cloth diapers I have. So we'll try again next week.
- She has the most perfect little pout and a very angry cry. The pout is courtesy of Mama's genes. I have many a baby picture with the exact same pout.
- She loves to sleep on Papa
- She thinks Mama is solely for eating
- When Max "holds" her he keeps repeating "Not crying yet, Penny not crying yet"
- I've already started perfecting my knitting while nursing moves. I'm getting pretty good at it already
- It took me almost two weeks to pick up yarn again
- My recovery from this pregnancy has been a piece of cake compared to the last one. I think that I knew this time I needed to take it easy and really tried to, and that made all the difference. Now I can almost do everything I was before.
- I have three weeks until I am back on the treadmill training for that 5k again. I'm counting down those days.
- I've decided that you totally forget how much awesomeness there is in a tiny brand new baby. How in awe I am of every movement and moment. I also can't believe how people cannot believe in a Divine Creator when they see every perfect little part of her from her nose to her toes.

 Family Picture

Family picture with Grammy and PopPop

Two weeks of love

Sweet girl

Baby wearing

Max was measuring the sky <3

Picking flowers

 Baby toes