Pool Time

The other day, Lulu and I went to the pool with Kers & kids, Tara & kids and Nanny. Lulu was a little tired. She wanted to get a tan, so she tried to nap on a lawn chair.Aunt Kers swaddled her and we moved her to her stroller. She didn't make another peep until we unswaddled her to put her in the carseat. Something tells me that next summer it won't be as relaxing for me at the pool.

Tennis Shower

For the past 3 years I have been playing tennis in a women's league. My team is so nice. They didn't even get too mad at me when I told them I was pregnant. I was allowed to play competitively until the end I was 32 weeks along (although I didn't move quite as quickly toward the end). They didn't even get mad at me when I couldn't play in districts or when my water broke while watching them play districts (that is a whole different story).

Our team captain, Candy, called about a month ago and asked if she could host a "meet and greet" for Lulu. She said everyone on the team wanted to meet her. This is Candy holding our girl.

One lady on my team, Cindy, made her this blanket.

Everyone enjoying drinks and food in the kitchen.

LuEllyn, my mother-in-law, watching Lulu try on her new headband.

Our New Friend, Logan

Last week at our Mommy and Me class, Lulu and I spied a new baby (4 weeks old) with a lot of hair. That baby's name is Logan (it is a girl, don't get me started on all of the names of Lulu's classmates...).

Logan's mom told us that Logan's hair will not lay flat no matter what she tries. If you can't tell from the pictures, the hair on top of her head stands straight up and the hair on the sides of her head goes straight forward.

The other thing that I thought was interesting was the color. Usually babies have dark hair, red hair, or wispy blonde hair. Logan's hair is dirty blonde.

Whirlwind Synopsis

Our crazy weekend began on Wednesday with a visit from Lulu's great grandparents. This is Grandma Gert with the girl.

Grandpa Bud with the girl.

Wednesday night Aunt Chunk arrived from Texas. Thursday morning we were anxiously awaiting her arrival. Aunt Kers was reading books to Lucia and Haddie.

Hurray! Aunt Chunk arrived to meet her newest niece. Chunk got her girlbaby time in since she is pregnant with her THIRD little boy. She said that Lulu can pick her favorite to marry...

Chunk and I left the babe with Nanny for an hour so we could go get pedicures. Chunk is more like Nanny than I am, so she got flowers to match Nanny. I went with boring (I prefer to call it classic) dark red for fall.

Thursday afternoon we went to have some smoothies at Nanny's favorite coffee shop. Lulu just wanted to be one of the big girls.

Nanny thought Lulu's gut looked uncomfortable, so she showed Lulu how she handled a little muffin top. I guess nanny thought it was better to pull them all the way up rather than cutting her off in the middle.

The side view of the front butt.

Papa and the girl hanging out.

Chunk's whole family has blond hair, but they accepted Lulu as an honorary member of the family anyway... Chunk, Grandma Sandy and Mindy let me crash the party for a little while om Friday afternoon.

Friday evening we were headed to the farm. Since both sides of relatives' visits overlapped, we all got together to cookout over the fire pit. We even had smores. Lee's other grandma, Grandma Helen, getting ready for our campfire out at the farm.

Lee's Aunt Lynn drove from South Dakota to visit.

The paternal great-grandparents. The little house with the red door is where Lee and I lived (rent-free might I add) for our first 1.5 years of marriage

By Friday night, Lulu was a little exhausted. She refused to eat for her mother, but finally settled down to drink a bottle for her dad.

Saturday morning we got up bright and early to spend some more time with Chunk before she left town to visit her brother's family.

I sure wish her face was cuter...

Saturday afternoon the relatives stopped by and hung out on the porch. I got a good four generations picture.

So, we got a little tired , but we got to see lots of people we love.

Where am I?

So...it is 8:00am on the first day of school and where am I? Sitting in my house wearing my pajamas and blogging. It is the weirdest feeling.

This is the first August since 1984 (that is 24 years ago, fyi) that I haven't gone to school in some capacity. It is hard for me to think that life at school is happening without me. Shouldn't the school shut down? Shouldn't people miss me?

I am glad I get to stay home with my girl and I wouldn't trade it for anything (I could start crying just thinking about leaving her with someone else), but a small part of me misses teaching already. Okay, that's all my whining for today.

So, I promise to post later today. We have had a crazy past week.

Life

All four of the girls in the house were settled in to take a nap. For the record, Lucia only made it about thirty minutes. This was the start of her tough day.

We decided it was time to put the batteries in the bouncy seat and try it out. She thought it was her new best friend. She smiled at it and talked to it as it sang to her and blinked its lights.

My grandma (who would be 103 if she was still living) made this smocked dress for me when I was a baby and now it is Lulu's turn. I can't believe I got a picture of her cute little smile.

Twinnies and more...

Saturday morning Nanny and I went to the local farmers' market. It was huge. Lots of booths and lots of attendees. I ended up with kettle corn, squash, zucchini and a huge cantaloupe. Nanny ended up with a little more. Papa stopped by and found us later in the morning. When I saw him, I told him how much i liked his shirt. As we were wandering through the booths, we came upon a person wearing the same shirt. Nanny (AKA Blog Boss) said I had to take a picture. So, they grabbed the poor, unsuspecting lady and her dog for a photo op.

I think Papa wears it better, don't you?

Later that day, Lee and Lulu were bonding. She is starting to do more talking (making noises intentionally) and big cheesey/gummy smiles. Also, she had her first 8 hour night. Friday night I fed her at 7:30pm , put her to bed, and she didn't cry until 3:30am. Then, I fed her again, put her back down and she slept until 7:30am. Anyway...she and Lee were hanging out on the floor when Petunia wanted in on the action. She laid down and rolled over so she could get a little lovin' too.

By the way, she is not always so wonderful. She has cried more in the last two days (Saturday and today) than her first 8 weeks combined. I guess she was bound to be a normal baby sooner or later.

Siblings

The other day Lucia asked if she could spend some quality time with her two oldest siblings. I think their mantra was, "If we don't look at her, she's not there."

After Yoda left, Lucia got a little tired and tried to snuggle with Helmet. He made a very nice pillow.

Also, just because I like this picture...the other day mom and I were at the mall when Lulu got really tired and passed out on Nanny's shoulder. I think I am going to have to work on her shopping stamina.

This one is for you, Sarah.

Sarah has repeatedly asked for a picture of me with the baby, but I haven't had one until now. As most of you blog mothers know, we are the ones behind the camera documenting every cute face made. So, Kerstin took a picture of me with the girl at Papa's birthday party last week.
And a little family portrait...

Thanks for caring about us Sarah (and others). By the way...Sarah is pregnant with a fourth daughter to add to her family. I am just trying to figure out one!

A Visit from the Relatives

Yesterday we had quite a busy day. Lucia's great-grandma, great-grandpa and great-aunt came to visit from Illinois. This was the first time they had seen her.They have nine grandkids and eighteen great-grandkids with one more on the way.

Grandpa Jack with the girl.

Grandma Marge and Grandpa Jack with her.

Grandma Marge got her to fall right to sleep.

Aunt MaryAnne getting her turn.

With all of that excitement in one day, we decided to end the day with a bath. After she was all clean and ready to get out, I realized that I had yet to take a bath time picture of her. So, i ran to get the camera and Lee kept "floating her down the river." She loved it and just relaxed and laid there.

Usually she screams when you get her out of the tub, but last night she was content and we chatted and she had some good naked time.

Any Marthas Out There?

I much prefer to stay in the kitchen and prepare, serve and/or clean up than actually socialize. Is that strange? Maybe my social anxiety is flaring up again...I have company over right now (seriously, as I sit and type) and they are all playing "HORSE" in the driveway, drinking bluish lemonades, and chatting. I am looking for anything that could possibly need to be done for the meal. My mom always makes fun of me and tells me to sit down and not to start cleaning until people leave. I also choose not to judge Martha either. Mary maybe should have helped. Maybe Martha was listening through the kitchen door; we don't know.

Okay...I will go now and make conversation.

Another Soccer Weekend

This is weekend we went to Des Moines for another 3v3 soccer tournament with the team Lee coaches. I was a little flustered trying to take Lulu on her first overnight trip. She was a trouper. She was nice all day at the fields. She was nice even though she was pretty tired. She even slept well in the hotel-provided crib.


Des Moines, if you were unaware, is Iowa's capital and largest city. Even so, we had to drive on a gravel road to get to the soccer complex. If you look closely you can see that surrounding the complex on one side is a corn field.

And surrounding the complex on the other side is a soy bean field.

Lulu got pretty tired by the 4th game and crashed. Doesn't it look like she is doing the "sprinkler?"

The highlight of our trip was seeing Maggie McBlogger. We got some dinner, walked around the mall, and then went back for some "dessert." If you notice, Lee is drinking his dessert and trying to finish my chocolate cake. I have never been a big chocolate cake fan, but starting from about week 34 of my pregnancy I can't get enough of it.

Maggie put the girl to sleep when she was starting to get a little crabby and she stayed asleep until we got in the car to go back to the hotel. Thanks for the fun Maggie!

Papa's Birthday

Papa turned 66 yesterday. For his birthday, we ordered our favorite pizza and had a party at the park. Hank and Haddie played on the playground with Nanny and Papa and had a great time.

Nanny got Lulu a new dress. She must have gotten tired modeling it or maybe a Nanny's arms is the perfect place to fall asleep.

Haddie (amongst others) enjoyed the "birthday cake" I made.

Cute Little Boy

Last night Lucia and I went to Bible study. Nanny insisted that she wear a dress. It was a little bit too big, but cute anyway. When we got there, a newer attendee said, "Oh you had a little boy! What did you name him?" I thought to myself, "Dang! I knew it was too soon to dress her in blue." I was thinking that the fact that it was a dress and she had a bow in would help. Guess not.

On a side note, I think Lee is really getting this daughter thing. As we were dressing her for Bible study Lee said, "I'll bet you are glad that I bought her a blue binky now. She has to have one that matches her outfit." He was right. I was proud of him; he has come so far in 6 weeks.

Lulu is definitely a morning baby. She is most alert, smiley and "talkative" for the first 2-3 hours of her day. Papa was talking to her and getting her to smile this morning.

This is yet another outfit Aunt Katie got for her. I tried to get a side view so you all could see her ruffley butt (my favorite part).

Nanny thought that Lucia needed help with tummy time and bought her a picnic-style play mat.

She was exhausted after such a grueling upper body workout.