Naturally Optimistic

Another beautiful day (this time, all the way through!) today in Duluth. Time to get the kids to the Lakewalk! We started at the Rose Garden. Dahlia thought the gazebo looked like the perfect place to perform. She loved to sing & dance in there. It reminds me of princesses so I can only imagine what she thought! She loved running through the gardens. Loved smelling the roses. We walked on the lakewalk down to the rock beach where Dahlia loves to throw rocks into the water. We had a snack there & dipped our hands in the lake. August slept through most of it. I'm considering moving his crib outside!

The long, cold dark is steadily approaching. While I appreciate the cozy nights, a fire in the fireplace, dark skies which make bedtime easier & thoughts of baking pumpkin, I do dread the cold cold coldness of it all. The isolation that comes with it. The LENGTH of winter. So, after a bright beautiful morning, followed by dark ominous skies & pouring rain, followed by near 70 degrees & sunny, I decided I had to get out of the house. August was fussy (as per his norm) but he loves to be outside, so into the Baby Bjorn he went & off we went. This is truly one of my favorite parts about where I live. It quite literally takes me two minutes (less?) to be here:

August is 5 months old today. 5 months? What? Where has the time gone? I can tell you where it has not gone....with me sleeping - ha! but enough about that... He is more & more fascinated by his sister every day. She entertains him all the time. And like Peder & Sarah's kids - Dahlia loves to have the audience! He has conquered rolling from his tummy to back, but has only gone the other way once or twice. He's a champ at tummy time & will actually lay on his tummy with his head up for long stretches (unlike Dahlia). He loves reaching for toys & chewing on everythinh. He enjoys his jumperoo for a while & is getting stronger & stronger every day. His smiles delight me. He started eating rice cereal last month & loves it! He gobbles that stuff down. Last we started giving him some pears as well. He doesn't like those as much but we'll keep trying. The really bad thing lately is that he won't take a bottle from Steve (or anyone else) withou...

Steve & I always like to try to get up the shore around our anniversary. We often dream of a multi-night getaway from everything (kids, house, mice, house projects, etc) but those don't always happen. This year we drove up for the day & it was spectacular! We hiked at Oberg Mountain which is a spur trail off the Superior Hiking Trail. It is just a few miles north of Tofte. 2.3 official miles (although my pedometer tracked us for just over 3 miles), it's a rocky & rough trail (in places) with dramatic views of Lake Superior & the surrounding forests. Maple, aspen, everygreen - they're all present & we hit it on the peak weekend. It was stunning. Simply stunning. The trail was packed with others out enjoying the beautiful fall day & colors. In fact I'm not sure I've ever seen so many people on the trail. It makes me quite happy to see so many out enjoying the beauty of the North Shore. Dahlia & August were constant recipients of comments re...

We have mice. Argh. I'm so annoyed. We have two totally useless cats. Aren't they supposed to take care of such issues? I've only seen one mouse (at at time) but I'm sure there're more than one. They haven't found the food yet (knock on wood) but I know they're in the kitchen and have SEEN it now on a couple of occasions (including WHILE I was standing in the kitchen about 10 minutes ago!! Argh! I *used* to be opposed to setting traps, but this is it. I've had it. We've gotta get rid of these pests!! The traps are coming out. (and by coming out I mean we have to go buy some & set them...sounds like a good job for Steve, right?)

Happy Anniversary, my Sweet Stevie!

On my first visit to the WIC office last month they let me know about a new program in Duluth called ' Ruby's Pantry . Its a food share program. You pay $15 and get over $100 in groceries. There are no income guidelines. Everyone is welcome. This was the 2nd time it was offered in Duluth. Last month they had 400 people. This month there were expecting between 700-800. I decided to check it out. The road in front of the church was backed waaaay up. I ended up parking quite a ways away & grabbed by empty 'Click-n-Go' stroller (they tell you to bring totes, laundry baskets, boxes, etc. There was a huge line when I got there & I waited outside (it was chilly!) for probably an hour. It was interesting though to chat with the others in line & find out how they'd heard about it, etc. Finally moved inside. Paid my $15 & waited. (This is why I have a book with me at all times...). It was probably another 45 minutes or so but I didn't mind. Once your numbe...

Today we: Built many castles, houses, dog houses, garages; had numerous birthday parties, slid down slides & ran in & out of the rain - all with Dahlia's little people - all by 8am. Colored many a picture in the new Princess color book & the Dora color book. Dug out lots of tiny pink newborn clothes that I am now going to put in the "giveaway" or "sell" pile in the basement. August is clearly a boy & I'm not going to get away with dressing him in purple cupcake onesies as much as I might like. It makes me a little bit sad....but it is time...*sniff* Fed & pumped - numerous times. Went for a walk to the playground. It's only 4 blocks down & 3 over but coming back UP the hill pushing the double stroller qualifies as my workout for today. Ate lunch & executed a perfect "it's now nap time" "No, REST time, Mama" "Okay, rest time." Read approximatelly 1 1/2 pages in my book. Called the bank to inqui...

So last night I had plans with my friend Julie to go out for some wine & also to go to a preview of a play at the local Playhouse. Cheap date as Tuesdays are half price wine night & the play was free! Whohooo! Because the last time I left August (for one hour to go to the grocery store) was a disaster because August wouldn't take formula, I pumped for a couple of days to make a stockpile for Tuesday night. I wouldn't let him down this time! I met Julie around 6pm and by 6:45 my phone was ringing & I was receiving frantic texts about August freaking out. He started screaming around 6:07 (not that he was paying attention) & wouldn't stop. I was in the restaurant & couldn't hear so I didn't answer the phone but I knew how it would go. Once outside I called Steve & heard the mayhem in the background. Part of me just wanted him to figure it out & handle it but the other part of me knows how stressful it is & how non-stop screaming can make...

Oh I feel like I'm back in the same place that I was 2 years ago! The no sleep thing. Ugh. I knew it was coming, I knew it would suck, and I was right! Dahlia's doing great on sleeping & going to bed (for the most part). We have instituted the timer routine & that works quite well. We say - you have 5 minutes (or whatever) to brush teeth & get jammies on. Then I set the alarm clock on my phone. It goes off in 5 minutes & then we HAVE to move on to the next thing (reading a book). When the snooze goes off in another 7 or 8 minutes, we have to shut off the light...then we saw our prayers, sing some songs & by time it goes off again it's time for the crib. The whole process takes longer than I'd like but right now I'm just happy that there isn't a fight. August, on the other hand, that kid just doesn't sleep. He 'cat naps' during the day. In the bouncy, stroller, car seat, high chair - but whenever I put him in his crib hoping for a ...

Over here .

First day of PRESCHOOL! Since Dahlia is now 33 months (what?) she has 'graduated' from her daycare to the next step - Preschool. Hard to believe. I really like the Benedictine Program though so I'm glad she'll be continuing on. This is in a different location, but still pretty close to home. Some of her best buds are already there so that makes the transition easier. She had her first day yesterday. She was unfazed when I said goodbye & she scampered off to join in storytime before breakfast. I, however, was once again teary. How can your heart stand it? Year after year of stages, accomplishments, growth? I think mine will burst because I could just keep her in my pocket forever. I know this is not how it works. *sigh* She's only going one day a week for now...as it's all that's in the budget (well, hopefully it's in the budget). I'd like her to go 2 days for a little more consistency but right now I'll take what I can get!

Dahlia had her last day at her daycare on Tuesday. Her first "school." I really loved that place. I had a great feeling from the first moment I looked at it. Of course there were tears when I started dropping her off there (mine, mostly) but over the 14 months that she went there, it was all a really good experience. I really liked the teachers, the special projects they did, the potty training - If there comes a time when August needs to go to a daycare, they'll be first on my list to call!