Mother's Day 2011

I feel like the luckiest Mother on the planet today - celebrating Mommyhood to the best boys in the world!  Being a Mommy is the best gift ever, but the gifts (pictures below) are great too!

Mother's Day Gift #1: Bill & Brady made Mama a Garden!

Finished product - now, need to figure out what veggies to plant!



New necklace - AWESOME!







Life is too short - a Bday visit to see Gma & Gpa Hollywood!



Essersizing



Whew, we're baaaack!  We had a great trip to California to surprise Gma for her birthday and she was sooo happy she SOBBED and SOBBED!  The two hours of Bennett screaming on the airplane there was TOTALLY worth it, right mom? We had such a great time relaxing by the pool and hanging out, we took sooo many pictures and wanted to share some of the best with you!  Thanks Gma & Gpa Hollywood for the great time - when can we come again? 

The first video here, turn up the volume. It's hard to see but this is what Brady wanted to do with Gma every day - essersizing!  They would go on the treadmill and then lift weights together!

Went to park...whew, it was a hot one

Brady Michael - 29 months

Lulu & Sadie

We went out for eye cream!

Stroller Rides

Lunch with Gma & Gpa for Gmas Bday!



Hands full, beer full.

Cute bunch...

Gma with the chunka

Bennett 11 weeks

Mr Blue Eyes by the pool



Lu - the dog that smiles

Before...

 

After...Happy Bday Gma!

Brothers

Tub Time

And...a LOT of pool time!!  The weather was 85-90 degrees and sunny the entire time.  It was so nice, we even extended our trip another two days which was great!  Clearly Mom is taking advantage of the end to her maternity leave!

My swimming instructor

Need a life jacket because I'm FEARLESS

We need to sign up for lessons, right mom?



Gpa & me (brady) chillin

 

Chunka Dunk



I'm now a world traveler



Picture this walking into the airport from the parking garage: Mom, a baby bjorn on the front with Bennett and a full backpack on the back. She is pushing me in the stroller, with one hand, pulling a huge duffle bag with the other hand.  Some people looked at Mom and thought she was crazy.  Some looked at her an felt bad and...some looked at her with pure amazement.  What else do we need to conquer? If we can travel to Los Angeles and make it, where next?







Formula: The Cure All? One Week Left & Counting...

A note from Mom...

 From previous posts, we've mentioned that we have a little fussy baby on our hands with Bennett. It has been exhausting and tiring and after trying several things within my diet and a very fussy baby on the plane ride to California, we started Bennett on Formula 6 days ago. Selfishly I need more sleep and with one more week left of maternity leave, I figured trying formula was worth a shot!  We may be speaking too soon - but believe Bennett has been less fussy, gassy and in general more content. He is now able to sit by himself for short periods without being held and is not grunting like a pig as much as before!  This is a huge step as our little feisty monster is growing up...we've also seen many more smiles which is so awesome!

Smiley Boy

I have over-produced breast milk for the little Beast but assume that he has some type of allergy that is too hard for us to figure out. We know it is not dairy (I was on a no-dairy diet), but could be wheat.  I am not patient enough to figure it out so THANK THE LORD for formula and a baby that slept from 10:30-4pm on Thursday night.  Maybe there's hope?  Even though it may kill me to throw away almost 650oz of liquid gold mama's milk that I have stored up, I'm willing to do it to make our munchkin settled and happy!

So, you're asking - is MOM ready to head back to work?  I feel like the time has flown by - SO FAST.  I think everyone says that, but with very little sleep and napping during the day makes the days go by even quicker.  I am ready to head back to work to start a routine in our lives and for Bennett to join Brady at Shelli's for daycare. I'll assume in no time she'll whip him into shape, right Shelli?

Thinking, just thinking about being content

Loves bath time! Bennett 10.5 weeks old





My NEW buddy Connor

I am so excited.  I have a new friend and his name is Connor Purdy. He was born 8 weeks after I was and I went to meet him the other day. He is one tiny dude.  He doesn't know it yet, but we will be good buds.  Because I am huge, I look like a MONSTER compared to him. I will definitely in years to come beat him at any wrestling match and flatten him on the hockey boards, but - never know, he just may beat me on the bball court with a sweet jump shot from around the perimeter.  Only time will tell...until then, Connor - I suggest you start practicing your slap shot.

Congrats to our good friends Mark & Erin!

Catcha on the flip side,
Bennett


My new buddy



Mama Erin & Baby C-Dog

Connor's Daddy holding me (Bennett)

Mr Connor Purdy, world's cutest baby

Surprise GMA!

Yes, our mother could possibly be the craziest lady on the planet for traveling with us two nutballs all the way to CA, but we heard there was sun and 90 degree weather so we're in!!



Thanks to my Mama...

Dear Mama,

Thank you for feeding me all of your delicious milk.  I'm sure not starving...and, as you can see I no longer have a neck to prove it.

Love,
Your chunky son, Bennett

Easter 2011

 This year for Easter, we decided to mix it up a bit from the normal, traditional church, dinner at home....we celebrated Easter at the cabin with Gma & Gpa Sherck!  Some of our favorite pics are attached...from the weekend. We DID NOT want to come home, even though the weather was a little ishy.  We can't wait for fishing, boating, throwing rocks, swimming, adventures in the woods, hunting for frogs, tractor rides and much more this summer...sure hope it gets here soon!  Thanks Gma & Gpa for a great time!

Bennett 9 weeks old

Gull Lake Sunrise (Bennett likes to wake to watch these)



Mom, Dad & Brady after the Easter Egg Hunt



Gpa put up the swing!

Me, Gma throwing rocks

Bennett's naptime with Gpa (SPOILED)

Gma's drink of choice during the egg hunt



"Mom, the Bunny put an egg in the tree! How silly!"  - Brady




From high to low - Brady was happy but then very angry when he couldn't eat all of the chocolate for breakfast.



Bennett - Easter Basket

Brady - 28 months old

Ice still on the lake, praying for it to GO AWAY

PURE Exhaustion