{Airstream Rehab} It's Livable!

As mentioned in a previous post, we got Marge's Barge to a workable and livable state. Our maiden voyage was a wonderful trip up to Acorn Hill Resort, on Leech Lake. The nearest town is Walker, Minnesota, which is about 4 hours north of the Twin Cities. It was the perfect distance for a first adventure with the camper and our new tow vehicle.

The few times that we had towed the Airstream with our Dodge Dakota, Hubs and I both knew that it just wasn't quite right. We told ourselves that we think the Dakota would make it up north with the camper. We think it'll be just fine. The gas mileage will be crap, but we think it should all be just fine.

But then we came to our senses. A 2007 Dodge Dakota. Towing a 31 foot camper? Really, people? Not smart. So we got a new vehicle. And now we own two trucks. A 2007 Dodge Dakota. And a brand spankin' new Ram 1500. And man, that thing tows Marge's Barge like a charm.

Oh. My. Is this what my blog has become? Talking about trucks? Ugh.

Back to our most amazing week camping with our Airstream for the first time. It was beautiful. It was perfect. It was awesome.

The camper made it up to Leech Lake without a problem. Hubs got Marge's Barge nice and level next to the cement patio. He got everything set up while I took the kids to the playground. Can I just say that I got the better end of the deal? Play on the playground with the kiddos while the husband sets everything up? Sign. Me. Up. I'll do that again every camping trip we have (especially since he's totally okay with me reorganizing and moving things around).

Marge's Barge did spring a few leaks. One was right over our bed, bummer. Especially since it rained for a majority of the time. We placed a bowl on our bed to keep everything dry and made notes of where to place the crack filler.

The fridge doesn't work, but we brought my husband's fridge from college. Worked like a charm.

The dinette, oh the dinette! In all her perfect glory, the dinette was the best thing ever. The husband worked endless hours to build the J-dinette. And then he spent a few more hours cutting and staining the table. I added a special touch to the top and the dinette was absolutely perfect. We fit eleven (ELEVEN!) people around the table one rainy day (keep in mind four of them were under the age of five). Two people played checkers, two more played backgammon. Seriously! We put a checkerboard and backgammon on the table!

As with most of our projects, it is still a work in progress. There are still a few things we'd like to do: curtains, paint. Paint, paint, paint.

That, and figuring out where everything needs to go. I also have 3 cushions that I need to finish (as you can tell by the random assortment of cushions and pillows at the dinette).

Oh, and. I'd like to re-do the counter tops. Orange is definitely one of my favorite colors. But not necessarily for the kitchen.

And this last picture. Oh, this last picture. My littlest camper. Isn't she just the cutest thing there is?

It's Summer!

We have been a busy bunch this summer, with endless projects and kid activities. To be honest, I'm bummed that it is already mid-July. But I look back over the last month and a half and am overwhelmed with how much we have accomplished.

The biggest accomplishment, you ask?

Our camper is livable! It's not 100% done (the fridge still doesn't work, but that's another story), but we can use it. It can be towed, it keeps is warm and (mostly) dry. Big huge props to the hubs - he worked night and day on that camper. We still have a couple of projects to go, but it was nice to have some time to enjoy the Airstream, instead of just work, work, work.

Kid has grown, grown, grown. He and I butt heads quite a bit. His stubbornness shines through many times a day. He's spirited, as they say. I know that it will one day be a strength of his, but right now, it is so, so difficult to parent. He tries my patience day in and day out. But, oh, how it pays off. His endless questions are a glimpse into his thirst for knowledge - how does that work?, what does this do?, do just caterpillars become butterflies or do bees, too? He's a bright boy. He's a happy boy. It's hard to believe that he is already three. And in the next breath, it's hard to believe that he is only three.

In just the last week, his bike riding skills have blossomed. His love for SCUBA diving (really, he's snorkeling) has grown. His interest in letters is just beginning to sprout - trying to write the first letter of his name and recognizing other letters.

Little Miss is dang near one and a half. Whoa, has that flown by. She's finally starting to use the sign language we've been teaching her since 9 months. Initially, she refused to use any and all signs. She knew exactly what they meant, but preferred to point and whine instead. Finally, though, she will sign "more" and "please." We're still working on "thank you" and a few others as well. She is also starting to use more and more words. She's said the typical first words for quite some time -- mama, daddy, ball, hi, bye-bye -- and is now beginning to use "pleee" for please, and "da-doo" for thank you. She has also mastered "bubble," which is important for any child in summertime.

She runs, she dances, she loves going down the slide. She's a daredevil, just like her brother. I doubt she will have any problems keeping up with him!

{This was posted on the go - I apologize for the lack of photos!}

Same Old Story

There's not much to say, but there is so much to say.

It seems as though, every so often, I am drawn back to this blog of mine. But then, things pick back up and I am absent for a few months. Not surprisingly, this "schedule" of mine goes along with my school calendar. And, in case you didn't realize it, I am always drawn back to the blog when I'm on break.

It's spring break now ... my husband and I have enjoyed calling out "SPRING BREAK!" whenever we're stressed or adulting really hard. It just serves to remind us how much our lives have changed since we enjoyed spring break in college.

Daaang, we're just lucky we still get spring break.

A lot has changed since I was here last.

My baby girl is ONE! I cannot believe it. She is a hoot and a half. I'm 100% positive that her first word was "uh oh" and she first said it when she threw her "pato" (lovey) behind her. She likes to throw things, though she doesn't throw well (or, she throws really well because she adds a little backspin and can play "catch" with herself). She is interested in anything and everything her brother does, and she is not afraid to tell us her opinion.

She is, most definitely, a keeper.

My big guy is almost THREE! That's even harder to believe. I have a three year old person. And man, he is a great guy. Sure, he tests our patience (all the time). He currently says he loves bad guys, but is quick to remind me that bad guys never "winned." And whenever we're playing super heroes, he is Batman because Batman helps all the people. One minute, he is "yer-yer-ing" us (think lightsaber sound). The next minute, he is belting out: "It's a jolly holiday with Mary!" using a toy putter as a cane and attempting to dance like Dick Van Dyke.

Seriously, though. My kid is awesome.

We are currently potty training the big guy. He's a stubborn little dude, though, and often tells us that he would rather poop his pants. (thanks, bud.)

I'm planning a joint birthday party for the kids in the next few weeks and am toying around with the idea of 2 separate themes. I know that birthday parties don't have to have themes ... but I like having a little flair on the invite. Kid told me that he wants to have a spaghetti themed birthday party. I think that is perfect.

Well, hopefully the motivation I'm feeling to write will stick around for awhile....

Happy Easter!

Christmas Traditions

Ever since I became a mom I have been thinking about Christmas traditions. Everyone grows up with the traditions of their own families. Then marriage happens and traditions tend to bend and meld a little bit.

I had plenty of traditions growing up.

The season started with a visit to what is now Macy's 8th Floor Santa Land. As a kid, it was Dayton's 8th Floor Auditorium, and it was fantastic. Every year there was a new theme, Cinderella being my favorite. Dayton's became Marshall Fields, became Macy's and now, it is the 8th Floor Santa Land. The 8th Floor auditorium at Macy's in Minneapolis is converted into Santa's workshop. You can see the elves waking up for breakfast, feeding the reindeer. Some elves are the teachers at flight school, teaching reindeer to fly using hot air balloons. After getting through the entire story, there was a place to take a picture with Santa, and then the bakery. Oh, the bakery was so delicious.

Another favorite tradition we had was packing some treats and driving around looking at the Christmas lights. There are more than a few houses around my area that go all out with the Christmas lights. It's such a treat!

My husband also had traditions growing up. Now, we get to make memories with our own children and build traditions. Kid is old enough now, to get excited about Christmas and the Christmas season. He has been wearing Christmas jammies since Black Friday.

I'm excited to start traditions with my little man (and lady, too). Again, Kid is old enough to "get it."

I am holding on to the Macy's 8th Floor Santa Land tradition. Our plan is go early on Black Friday. So many people are busy shopping that the lines are nearly non-existent.

Cookie decorating. This year, we met at my parents house to decorate sugar cookies and have some lunch. It was so fun to get all of the cousins together. Kid has a cousin that is a few weeks younger-oh, goodness, watching those two "decorate" cookies was quite the sight.

Cookie making: this tradition comes from my husband's family. Each year, they all get together for a baking day. We make lefse, sugar cookies, spritz cookies, chocolate dipped pretzels, among many, many others. Kid (and the little chica) will probably enjoy snacking on all of those sweets on baking day!

Tree decorating/movie night. I love decorating the tree. We typically make appetizers and watch a Disney movie while decorating. Unfortunately, Disney movies are still a little too scary for the little ones, so we had to watch the Curious George Christmas movie this year. Eventually, we will watch the Disney movies again, but for now the toddler-friendly movies it is. But, oh. the joy on my sweet boy's face when we brought out our tree (yep, a fake one!). The next day, he asked if we could pack the tree in his backpack for daycare.

Oh, my heart.

What holiday traditions do you have in your family?

My Little Nut {A Birth Story}

(This post was written in March 2015, a few days after birth)

She's here, she's here, she's here! We were blessed with our daughter's arrival on Sunday morning and have had such a wonderful time getting to know her and introducing her to her big brother.

I love a good birth story, and I'm surprised at how quickly you can forget all of the details, so I figured it was high time to get to writing. So, here goes nothing.

Saturday had been a long day. I was uncomfortable, Kid was ornery, and Hubs had been very busy all day long. I had a need to get out of the house, so we made a plan to go out to dinner and run a few errands in the area. I had a craving for a greasy burger, so we went to the local malt shop.

Dinner was great! We had fun together, and Kid was such a gem. Little did we know it was his last night as an only child. Though that exact thought crossed my mind later that night as I lay in bed.

Once we got home, we began our typical bed time routine. I had been on bed rest earlier in the pregnancy and was still on a limited lifting protocol. I was not allowed to lift my own child, which was so so sad! Kid, Hubs, and I headed to Kid's room to change into jammies and to "row-row" (sing bedtime songs and rock). Kid and I rocked in the rocking chair and Hubs went "nigh-nigh" on the floor. I got teary as we row-row-ed, thinking about the numbered days we had as a family of three. I would be 38 weeks pregnant the next day. Only two weeks left.

Kid went to bed as usual. Hubs and I left the room and hung out in the living room. I retreated to bed to read and, at 11:45, realized I had a lot of energy. This was not the norm for me - my bed time is usually around 9! Then I remembered the 3 hour nap I had taken that afternoon. That was why I had so much energy. Not that I was going to be giving birth soon! Hubs came to bed after watching a basketball game. I continued to read for another half hour and turned out the light.

I woke up Sunday at 5:30 morning with a poop cramp (sorry, TMI). I went to the bathroom but the cramp didn't go away. It wasn't that bad, so I thought I'd lie down again. I got up once more and felt the need to poop again. Then I realized that this could be the start of labor. But weren't contractions super painful? Can't talk, take your breath away, really bad? This wasn't so bad. I took a lap up and down the hallway and threw up in the kitchen sink. Pretty, I know. The poop cramps didn't go away, but they weren't getting much worse.

Either way, I flipped my bedside light on, which I knew would wake up the hubs. I told him that I thought I was having contractions, but I was still talking fine so they weren't that bad and we weren't that close to delivery. He got up and called his dad, who was going to sleep on the couch until Kid woke up. I got dressed through the contractions and gathered a few last minute things for the hospital.

It felt like my father in law was taking forever! I headed out to the car and told Hubs that he should back out of the garage. We could just wait in the driveway until his dad showed up and we would head out for the hospital. Only a 10 minute drive, we'd be fine! I knew things were moving along more quickly than they had with our first kiddo, and I was antsy to get to the hospital.

But HOLY CRAP! All of a sudden contractions hurt like a B! I reclined the seat, but then got out of the car. We were in the driveway, I was swaying back and forth with my head against the cool exterior of the car. It was cold outside, but I was sweating. I tried to get in the car again but it hurt to sit and my father in law still wasn't there. Where was he!?

I couldn't wear pants anymore. I got undressed from the waist down, no longer thinking about the hospital. There I was, in the middle of our garage, naked from the waist down. I reached down to see if I could feel anything and there was something there. Baby's sac. Are you kidding me!? I'm at home! This was not the plan! The contractions had started just 15 minutes earlier. Labor does not progress this quickly. Kid took 7 hours. This was crazy fast!

I ran inside yelling "owie, owie, owie" (you know, because I'm a two year old). And for some reason, I found myself on my hands and knees in the tub. Hubs followed me in asking if he should call 9-1-1. "I don't know, OW!, yes! Where is your dad!?" I yelled from the tub.

The fire chief showed up (he lives down the street) at the same time as my father in law. I'm sure he was shocked, not knowing why the fire chief was walking up to the door. I saw the chief walk into the bathroom and yelled at my husband once more, asking an ETA for his dad. I remember asking the fire chief if he had delivered a baby before (he hadn't). Husband's dad was in the house and, between cuss words, I called him into the bathroom.

Then, the EMTs arrived on the scene. One was crouched near my head. My father in law sat on the toilet seat near my rear. Delightful.

My father in law is an amazing man. But I never thought he'd be so up close and personal with my hoo-ha. I mean, really?! But I really didn't care. All modesty was out the window. I could now feel part of the sac outside of my body and it hurt. I wanted that little girl out, and I wanted her out now.

Thankfully, he is a family practice doctor. Delivering babies is part of his job.

A moment later, I "swore a blue streak" according to my father in law and he said, "Well, okay! Push!" I felt a gush of water as he broke the sac and pushed once. And then I heard it. A nice little cry. At 6:08 am. I heard a proud grandpa as he wrapped her in a towel and then heard the two year old finally stir from his sleep, yelling, "Mama!" I flipped onto my back and I held that little sunshine close and delivered the placenta. Daddy got a turn to hold her. Grandpa washed his hands and went in to Kid's room.

The lucky little fellow got to meet his sister before we headed out in the ambulance. I walked down the stairs and got ready to go in the ambulance. I held the little peanut the whole way. Upon our arrival, we got some wonderful skin to skin time and a good hour of nursing.

This second birth was such a different experience than the first. With Kid, my water broke 6 weeks before my due date. We had a good chunk of time together for some skin-to-skin, but he was quickly whisked away to the NICU. This was much more relaxed, much more natural. And my un-medicated body felt so much better. Sure I was sore, but I could get up, I could walk around. I felt good.

------

Our Little Nut is 6 months old now. She has two tiny teeth poking through her gums. And I absolutely adore my birth story. I didn't have any complaints about birthing my oldest, but this was so ... fast. So wonderful. And so unexpected!

Sorry they're all phone pictures.

Hello? Is There Anybody Out There?

I was 37 weeks pregnant the last time I checked in - my doctor was so proud of me for making it past 33 weeks, 5 days (bed rest helped!).

And now, I come to you with a 6 month old. That's right, folks. The little nut is 6 months old.

She's vocal. She's happy. She has two teeth. She wants to do whatever Kid does. In fact, Kid was the first to make Little Nut laugh. This past week was the first time she enjoyed a mom-free bath (the other three times were awful!), and she loves her toes.

I'll have to fill you in on the birth story sometime. But not now, it's too crazy.

And Kid? That bugger is almost 2.5! He, too, is vocal beyond his years. Very articulate and knows exactly what he wants. We put him in soccer this fall and he has had so much fun!