Turkey Day 2012

 

This year we spent Thanksgiving Day at Dan's parents house with all of the Krauses and Carpenters.  It was a nice day so we were able to take some pictures outside and all of the kids had a game of football after the meal. Once it was dark, we spent the rest of the day hanging out and catching up.  All of the kids got a new puzzle from Grr and Grr Mom and the adults all received a new ornament for the tree.  As it got closer to bed time, we put the girls in their pj's and hit the road for La Crosse.  We have really started to enjoy driving later at night (even though we only do it a couple times a year) as we have found we get a few hours of uninterupted time together and the kids sleep the whole way there!  We spent the weekend in La Crosse. 

 

We had our Thanksgiving meal with my family on Friday and helped put up the tree on Saturday.  For quite a few years, Dan and I went out shopping on Black Friday, but more often now we have avoid it since they offer a lot of the same deals online.  If there is a door buster item that we really want, we might still venture out- last year we went to Target at midnight for a Dyson vacuum.  This year as we rolled into town around 11:30 we expected to see lines of people outside the stores as we drove by so we were surprised to see full parking lots, but no people...and then realized that the stores continue to open earlier and earlier on Thanksgiving Day so we had already missed all of the action! 

 

 

Great Grandma Kearns

Waiting for Gamma to return with more lights

Starting to sit like a big girl!

6 Months Old



 

At Reagan's 6 month appointment she weighed in at 14lbs 13oz. and was 25 1/2 inches long.  Rylie weight 14lbs 10oz at 6 months, so they appear to be growing at a similar rate. However, Reagan has some big chubby thighs that Rylie never had and I love it! I could just eat her up!  She still isn't a great sleeper...unfortunately this is becoming a theme.  The Dr. said it's time for some sleep training and letting her cry a little.  Getting into a sleeping pattern is much more difficult with two.  We jump up every time she makes a peep for fear that she'll have Rylie up as well.  Unfortunately we haven't done very well with letting her "cry it out".  And she has wound up in our bed more nights than I care to mention, something I never did with Rylie...it was an absolute last resort with her.  This time around, I'll do anything for a little sleep! So we'll have to figure it out soon because the only time we care to have the kids in bed with us is Saturday and Sunday mornings for cartoons!

 

Reagan has ventured into most of the 1st foods- bananas, carrots, sweet potatoes, peas, peaches, etc. Babers loves her jumperoo, she is starting to sit up just a little, moves in a circle on her tummy and she has found her feet as well.  Her crazy sister has her laughing the most out of anyone. She had her first formula bottle this month- a desperate attempt to get her to sleep a little longer- didn't work.  However, she is still having one formula bottle a day as my supply is depleting. Even with the lack of sleep, she is still a smiley and happy baby and we just love her to pieces.

 

 

 



Gymnastics/Pre-School/Swimming

 

Rylie took her first gymnastics class early in the Summer- it was a parent/child class.  She really liked it so we signed her up for one in the Fall too.  We go through Germantown Park and Rec- Totnastics- $20 for 8 weeks...can't beat it. This class was just the kids and the instructors while the parents stayed and watched.  The first class was a little rough as she was used to us walking with her from station to station, but once we were past the first class she LOVED it and she did great.  We can't wait for the next one in the Spring. 

 

We didn't start Rylie in 3K this year- we decided to wait for 4K instead.  Because she isn't in a traditional day care setting we thought it would be important for her to have some experience in a classroom type setting before going to Kindergarten.  However, this Fall she had the opportunity to get a little taste of what it will be like at pre-school.  Our neighbor is a Senior at Germantown High School and she is going into early childhood and child psychology, so for one of the classes, they basically run a pre-school for a month.  Their teacher is present, but all of the students are involved in the activities and instruction.  So for the month of October, Rylie went to "pre-school" from 8:20-11:50 each day.  They fed them breakfast, a snack, and lunch before they were picked up and she came home with lots of artwork and projects she had done each day.  We loved seeing how much she enjoyed it.

 

Rylie also took a swimming class both in the Fall and Winter.  The Fall class was designed to get the kids swimming on their own, so Daddy was in the water with her the first four classes of the session and she was on her own in the second half of the session.  I was surprised how well she did on her own.  We didn't want to lose the momentum by waiting until Spring, so we signed her up for the next class right away.  She moved into the "big" pool for this class.  She enjoyed the first few classes, but was much less enthused after that.  Towards the end, she dreaded going to swimming class, so naturally, there was some bribery involved to make it throught the last few weeks.  She will be in the same level next time as she has to improve in some areas.  She kicks and paddles fairly well, but needs to work on her confidence and speed.  We'll give swimming a break until Spring and fingers crossed that she likes it better next time.

 

Gymnastics:



 

Reagan was there too!

 

 

Pre-school

 

 

Swimming: 

Basse's/Halloween 2012

We did all kinds of fun activities for Halloween this year.  Grr and Grr Mom held their 2nd annual family Halloween party.  They had all kinds of games planned for the kids.  Rylie went as Doc McStuffins and brought her little sister "Lambie" along.  Dan and I were very original and went as doctors as well.  The next day we met our friends, the Maios, at Basse's to take some Fall pictures, pick up some apples, popcorn, and pumpkins.  This was our 4th year out at Basse's.  After we spent a small fortune on all of the Fall goodies, we all came back to our house for lunch and let Genevieve and Rylie play while the moms got caught up and the guys discussed basements and watched football. 

The following weekend was the Halloween parade in Oconomowoc.  It was a pretty cold day so Reagan and I stayed back home while Dan and Rylie walked in the parade.  The kids chose a pirate theme this year and transformed the golfcart into a pirate ship.  All of the kiddos, along with Dan, Jerry, and Trudy dressed the part.

On Halloween day, Rylie wore her Dr. costume again to pre-school and they trick or treated around the school to several class rooms.  And later that night she opted for the pirate costume again.  I loaded up the double stroller and we walked up the hill to stop by a few of the neighbors houses.  Rylie did great and probably would have kept going, but it was cold and we just didn't need any more candy! 

Making a potato head face on a pumpkin

Doc McStuffin and her Lambie

Besties- Ry and Soph

Rylie ad Genevieve

The Maios

Babers in the pumpkin

Doc ready for school

 

Pirate Rylie

 

My pirate and ladybug