the harrison's life

monster cupcake party

2012-02-09T13:21:00.000-06:00

On January 29th, my baby boy turned 3...such a bittersweet day. I love watching him grow and learn new things, and am amazed daily at his vocabulary, figures of speech and all that he has soaked up and learned in those 3 short years. But I also so badly want to hold onto his infant and toddler years that have somehow slipped by, way too quickly. Sweet, intense, active, caring, adorable, funny, loving, intelligent, bookworm, curious, daring, and talkative are some words that come to mind to describe the little man who has filled our hearts with so much love and joy the past few years. And one week later, on February 5th, our little Emma Grace turned 1. She is seriously the most cuddly, content baby I've ever met. She's also incredibly attached to mommy and daddy though, so others who have witnessed her stranger anxiety may not agree with my last statement. =) But she really is just such a sweet, happy girl full of snuggles, giggles, smiles and love. Every time I hug them and feel like I just can't hug them quite tight enough to show them how much I love them, I am reminded of the depth of God's love for all of us...which is thousands of times more than I could ever love my own children. Simply amazing.

Okay...now for the party pictures...

I know you love making things like this hat mom, but do I really have to wear this silly thing all day?

After way too much thinking about what theme their party should be, I decided on a Monster Cupcake party. The monster cake was made using one of those giant cupcake pans...hence, a "monster" cupcake. I know...lame...but it worked. =) Mom made the hat and other features...it was a joint effort.

I've found that decorating cakes/cupcakes is very relaxing and fun! Something I'd like to try my hand at a bit more...so I've recently invested in a few cake decorating supplies...cakepops look fun, too!

YUM!!!

I LOVE etsy! Though there are hundreds of shops on the site that make birthday banners just like this, I figure I can cut a circle and have tons of scrapbook paper sitting around not being used for it's intended purpose. So, as I did for Isaac's past two birthdays I whipped up a banner for them. It was so fun watching Isaac's excited over it when he woke up and saw it the morning after we hung it. He said to all his daycare friends "Look everyone! It's for my Happy Birthday party!"

I was a little bummed, because Isaac was so excited for his party and then about a half hour after it started, he spiked a fever and felt miserable for most of it. After the Tylenol kicked in, he did perk up a little bit, but even opening presents wasn't helping.

Emma "trying on" her new clothes

I adore her bloomers. =)

Still not feeling well...Emma looking quite concerned for her brother. =)

Loving her cupcake!

And of course, daddy took this picture and then we got distracted and forgot to take one of the three of us together. I find it's harder to remember to take the pictures you want with two children!

All that sounded good to eat was one of mommy's weight watcher smoothie bars. Poor guy. I felt so bad for him since he was so very excited for his party. =(

Hmmm...which one should I have?

I just love these little pettiskirts...can't wait for her to wear it for her 1 year pictures!

Turning one is hard work!

Later that night, after the family party and some friends who came over later went home, Isaac was feeling good enough to blow out some candles on his cake...and of course mommy wanted some pictures...and after all, what's a birthday without candles to blow out? =)

And of course, we had to re-light them and do it one more time...

A wonderful day celebrating the lives of two wonderful gifts.

The End.

Thomas and our little bug

2011-11-01T14:40:00.000-05:00

We headed to the MN Zoo last night for a Halloween event they have for zoo members. We met up with the Garey's and Millenacker's and had fun watching the kiddos trick or treat.

We tried hard, but a good picture of 4 kids is pretty impossible

Isaac had a hard time waiting to eat his treats

His favorite...neminems!

I think Strawberry Shortcake is trying to give Thomas a hug from behind here =)

Our little ladybug

We stopped by the Grandma Karen and Grandpa Dave's on the way home...Isaac was way too in to eating the candy he should not have been eating at 8:00 to smile for the picture. =)

Costume day today! So cute! So fun!

Hey Emma, let's see if we can frustrate Mom. Don't look at the camera!

Do you think it's working?

I'm gonna look. Maybe then she will stop.

Nope, didn't work. Guess I'll play with woodchips.

I'll half-smile but I won't look!

Okay, fine...I'll smile big but I'm still not looking!

Hey Isaac, if you smile and look at the camera just one time you can have some M&M's!

Well, at least he finally obliged...maybe someday I'll have a picture of both of my children looking and smiling at the same time! Maybe they are holding out for Christmas. =)

Our Little Cook

2011-11-01T13:57:00.000-05:00

Two years ago, and again right before Emma was born, Brian was hospitalized with a small bowel obstruction. Ever since the 2nd time, he has had a lot of pain in his stomach almost every day, but not enough to feel as though he needed to go to the ER again. He has seen a GI doctor and had a couple CT scans, an MRI and several other tests, including one for celiac and they have all come back negative...which is good news, but frustrating when the pain is still there with no known cause. He decided to try cutting gluten out of his diet just to see what happened...even though the celiac test was neg., and ever since he has had virtually no pain. This has meant cutting a lot out of his diet, obviously, including pizza (with the crust, anyway)...until Isaac came along and made Daddy a gluten-free pizza last Friday night! It was "very tasty" as Isaac says. =)

Making the crust...he had to be remind many times to stir gently.

Such concentration

This was his favorite part

And a little more cheese

Our little perfectionist...he's slightly OCD...pretty sure he doesn't get that from me. ;-)

A few more pepperonis

And done! Looks good!

So proud!

And excited!

Let's eat!

Yum!

Finger-lickin' good! Or hand-lickin'...whichever you prefer. =)

Completed "park"

2011-10-22T22:38:00.001-05:00

Toward the end of September, Mom and Dad came down and Dad helped Brian surround Isaac's "park" with mulch. It was one of those projects where you don't think it will take all that long, and ends up consuming an entire day. We got home from Menards with all of the supplies at about 10am and it was complete by 8pm...with a lunch break in there and a couple others just to rest...it was unseasonably warm that day. We love how it turned out and Isaac and his daycare friends LOVE playing on it.

A Day at the Orchard

2011-09-27T20:50:00.000-05:00

The weather couldn't have been more perfect this past Sunday as we put on our sweaters and headed south on 169 after church to spend a few hours at Minnesota Harvest picking apples. We started with a lunch of apple cider brats and then headed out in a tractor pulled wagon to pick...after, of course, I tried (unsuccessfully) to get a good picture of Isaac and Emma together...both looking at the camera and smiling. Maybe someday they will both cooperate. =) Isaac was so excited to pick the apples and was so focused and busy the entire time we were out there. Emma loved it, too! I'll let the (many) pictures tell the rest of the story of the afternoon...

Next post...coming soon...recap from the summer. =)

"I have a park in my backyard!"

2011-09-01T15:26:00.000-05:00

Isaac is SO excited to now have a "park" in his backyard! They came yesterday morning to install it and were completely done in just over 2 hours! We ended up purchasing one through Crown of Minnesota, which I HIGHLY recommend. They were a great company to work with, build quality swingsets and the install was free due to a State Fair special. Can't beat that! Sadly, we had to dig up our garden since it was right in the middle of the best spot in our yard to put the swingset...so if you'd like some green tomatoes, we have plenty to share! Mom came to help watch the daycare kids (thanks again, Mom!) while the men were here. We spent the morning on the deck watching...Isaac was even too excited to change out of his pajamas first. =) Quite an entertaining process...

Next weekend's project...enclosing the area with some sort of wood chips, mulch or something of the sort. THANKS Grandpa Jerry and Grandma Lila for our park in the backyard!!! Love you!

100 days old

2011-06-10T15:45:00.001-05:00

These pics were taken on Emma's 100th day of life. As I post this now on June 10th and look at her beautiful, perfect features (yes, I realize I may be a bit biased as her mommy) =) I am amazed at the fact that one year ago today we did not even know we were having another baby. It was June 14th that we discovered Isaac was going to be a big brother. Two weeks later, I had an ultrasound that showed a tiny tadpole-like figure with the faintest heartbeat that even the ultrasound tech was surprised to see so early on. Makes me tear up whenever I think about how truly amazing, wonderful and beautiful the creation of life really is. To look at an ultrasound of a tiny blob, and not even a year later to look at this face, is an amazing miracle. One that in my mind, no matter what one's circumstance in life may be to make them think otherwise, proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is very, very real and He is worthy to be praised!!!

three months ago...

2011-05-04T14:16:00.000-05:00

Three months ago today...February 4th, we were a family of 3, eagerly awaiting the arrival of our new baby. Brian went to work, I took care of children in our home, Isaac played with his friends, and that evening we went to Perkins for dinner. Little did we know the next day we would be a family of 4, welcoming our beautiful little girl into our lives. Emma is now 12 1/2 weeks old and I've been back to providing child care for 4 1/2 weeks. I loved the 8 weeks I had to spend with just Emma and Isaac, but I have to admit I love doing child care even more. While I do still sometimes miss the freedom we had to go wherever we wanted, whenever, and being able to give our children all of my attention, I absolutely love watching Isaac play and interact with his friends and seeing the joy in his face every morning when he wakes up and sees all of his friends here. The years between our children's birth and when they go off to kindergarten is such a short, quick time in our lives, and I am SO VERY thankful that I have the opportunity to be a part of most every moment of it. I wouldn't have it any other way. It's perfect for us. Emma is growing way too fast, loves to smile and is a champion sleeper. Last night she ate at 9:30, fell right to sleep and slept until 4:30! Isaac loves her to pieces and it is so much fun to watch him interact with her. He rubs her back, gives her hugs and kisses, and loves to hold her and lay next to her when she's having "tummy time." I can't wait until she's a little bit bigger and they can actually play together more. People often wonder if and how they will have as much love for a second child as they have for their first. It is very true that your heart just gets bigger and there is plenty of love to go around. Each and every day my love grows even more for both Emma and Isaac. You wonder how in the world could I love them more, and then you wake up the next day and you just do. And then it amazes me even more when I think of the love I have for my husband and children and know that God's love for me far surpasses that...amazing.

Here are some Easter pics...

Beautiful, smiley little lady

Lovin' the Easter egg coloring

Major bed-head Easter Sunday after nap!

Trying to get a pic of the two of them together...never really did accomplish that. =)

Our prayer...

2011-04-05T22:35:00.000-05:00

I first heard these two songs, written by Cheri Keaggy for her son Cameron and daughter Sarah, when I was in college. They are beautiful songs with such great lyrics that express exactly how Brian and I feel about how we desire to raise our children...

“Little Boy On His Knees”

He sees me in the morning,

Lifting him out of bed.

The sun comes with little warning,

A brand new day's ahead.

To the kitchen for some breakfast,

A plate of toasted bread,

A cup of milk just as expected,

Close your eyes and bow your head.

You can thank Him for anything you want to,

For the flowers and the trees

And pray, Lord Jesus, make me,

A little boy on my knees.

He's Mommy's little helper.

Learning to comb his hair.

And loves his baby sister,

Though he doesn't always share.

A quarter in the bucket,

A memory verse or two,

Although he may not know it,

He's beginning to follow You.

You can thank him for anything you want to,

For your Daddy and for me.

And pray, Lord Jesus, make me,

A little boy on my knees.

As we teach our Son to serve the Lord, in every way,

Lord the most important thing is this that we now pray,

Lord, we thank you for everything you give us,

but most importantly,

We pray Lord Jesus, make our Son a little boy on his knees.

Lord we thank you for everything you give us,

but most importantly

We pray, Lord Jesus, make our Son,

A little boy on his knees.

We pray that someday he'll become,

A young man on his knees.

“Beautiful Little Girl”

Beautiful little girl

Discovering all the world

I wonder what she'll be

Will she take after her Daddy or Me

Careful to hold her hand

And help her understand

How much we love her so

And how much we'd like

To help her to grow

Into a woman who loves her Maker

And who knows what she's living for

So that nothing can harm

Or take her from You

For a woman who loves her Maker

Has a quality you can see

That will certainly mold and shape her

Into the woman she's meant to be

Beautiful little girl

Adorning a lovely smile

Eager to learn to fly

There's almost nothing

She wouldn't try

Lord, help us do our part

To give her a Godly start

Teach her what she must learn

And guide her

Until she's ready to turn

Into a woman who loves her Maker

And who knows what she's living for

So that nothing can harm

Or take her from You

For a woman who loves her Maker

Has a quality you can see

That will certainly mold and shape her

Into the woman she's meant to be

Beautiful little girl

Discovering all the world

I wonder what she'll be

Serving her Maker faithfully

Emma Grace Harrison

2011-03-17T22:09:00.000-05:00

These are some pictures taken by the gal we had photograph our wedding. We went to her home when Emma was 3 weeks old. Mom made all of the hats, which I think are adorable! Thanks again, Mom!

Isaac was less than trilled about being in a few pictures...

Emma's Arrival

2011-03-17T16:03:00.002-05:00

The morning of February 5th, I checked my email and there was one from Mom telling me that she had just looked up flights from Dallas to Mpls., and if I were to go into labor while they were on their trip there later in the month, she could be home within about 8 hours. She was wondering if she should go on the trip, or not. A decision that she had been going back and forth on for quite some time. She said "This is why you should just go this weekend." I responded and said I thought she should go, and said "Keep praying for this weekend, or early next week!" I was dreading having to do daycare for another couple weeks, since it was getting to be rather difficult to move around so much, so was really hoping Friday had been my last day for awhile.

At about 1:30 that afternoon, I was taking a much needed nap and starting feeling a dull ache in my lower back that was going around to my lower abdomen. I was induced with Isaac due to the high blood pressure I had during my pregnancy with him, so didn't really know what it would feel like to start going into labor naturally. I got up and moved around, had something to eat and drink...all the things they say to do to see if the contractions stop. They did not, so I called the hospital and told the nurse I wasn't sure if I was in labor, but thought I might be. It wasn't as painful as I'd remembered the beginning stages of labor with Isaac being. She suggested I come in and get checked out just in case...that it sounded like my body was thinking about it, is how she put it. So, at 4 o'clock, we grabbed the bags I'd had packed for several weeks already and got in the car to head to United. I had a feeling it was most likely a false alarm, because what were the odds that I would actually be going into labor on the very day I wanted to, and two weeks before our due date? Isaac came with us, since I was sure we would just be sent home with some meds to slow down or stop the contractions, as a friend of mine had happen when she started labor with her son.

When we got to United's Birth Center, they had me sign some forms, and then took us back to one of the birthing rooms. We ran into a couple in the hall. The woman was being pushed in a wheelchair by her husband and they said something about us having a baby today, too. I said I wasn't actually sure if I was in labor or not and the wife kindof chuckled and said "oh, you'll know", making me doubt myself even more. I changed into a gown, laid down on the bed and waited for the nurse to come in...all the while telling Brian how foolish I felt and they were doing all of this for nothing...we would just be sent home.

The nurse came in and asked a bunch of questions and then said she was going to check if I was dilated at all. She said "well, it's not a false alarm, you're dilated to 5!" I was so relieved I immediately had tears running down my face. But, I was also not really prepared to have a baby in the next 12 hours or so. We had planned to go to Target that day and buy groceries to freeze some meals to have on hand after the baby came, I was going to write down some instructions for those caring for Isaac while we were at the hospital, the house still needed to be cleaned, etc.

Brian called our friend Jess and asked her if she could come and pick up Isaac at the hospital, since they live about 5 minutes away and bring him to our house. Brian's mom and step-dad headed to our house to be there soon after Jess got there. My parents quickly got out of their greeting duties at church for the Saturday night service and headed down to the cities. After kissing Isaac goodbye and telling him we'd bring him home a new brother or sister, Brian and I made ourselves at home in our little birthing room.

Our nurse was absolutely wonderful. She had a "let's get down to business" attitude, which worked very well for me. I asked her when her shift was over, hoping it wouldn't be soon. She said "I'm here until 11, so I think we're going to have a baby together!" It gave me great hope that she thought baby would be born within the next 6 hours! She gave us her plan of action. Once she got me hooked up to an IV to start antibiotics I needed to be on during labor, we were to go for a walk for about 45 minutes, then come back and she would evaluate things. We walked down to the part of the hospital that Brian had been in just a few days prior for a blockage in his small intestine. The nurses recognized us and said to me "wait a minute...weren't you walking him around this floor a few days ago?" It was pretty humorous. The bills that have started coming in for these stays...not so humorous.

When we got back to our room, I rested for a bit while Brian ran to Burger King to grab dinner for himself. Then our nurse told us she'd like us to go climb some stairs to help baby move into the right position for birth. We did this for about 30 minutes and then went back to our room. I was instructed to sit on a birthing ball for an hour...one of those large exercise balls. Up until this point, my contractions had been uncomfortable and only slightly painful. When I was up and moving around I could barely feel them. The doctor had come in to introduce herself (I was bummed to be missing my doctor's shift by about 8 hours) and our nurse said she'd come back out and told her I looked a little too comfortable. That all changed in the next few minutes when our nurse decided it was time to break my water. By this time it was about 9:30pm and for the next 1 1/2 hours I experience by far the worst pain in my entire life. I definitely second guessed a few times my choice to not have any pain medication. As long as Brian was rubbing my back through each contraction and my nurse was talking me through them I was okay. A little after 11pm, I started pushing and 3 pushes later all of the pain disappeared (well, most of it, anyway), and I heard the doctor say "it's a...Dad, what is it?" And Brian said "it's a girl!" Our nurse was not expecting her to be born quite so quickly, and the dr. didn't get in the room in time...she was putting her gloves on as baby entered the world. She arrived at 11:11pm weighing 7.2 pounds and was 19 inches long. We spent the next 2 hours in the delivery room holding Emma, feeding her, calling our parents, taking pictures and resting. I was a little concerned that her face was so blue, but the doctor assured us it was just bruising from being born so quickly, and that she was completely perfect. We were so thankful to be holding a healthy, beautiful baby girl.

I was then wheeled down to the room we stayed in until we went home Monday afternoon. After watching the nurse give baby her first bath we once again tried to decide what we should name her. We were still debating between two names. Brian decided we should sleep on it, and decide in the morning. So, he curled up on the not so comfy chair and slept, and I got on the computer and looked up girl names some more. =) When morning came, we decided her name would be Emma Grace, and I think it suits her perfectly. So, that's our story of how our second born joined our family...a little bit early, but at the perfect time...God's time.

All Aboard!!!

2011-02-20T17:36:00.000-06:00

We celebrated Isaac's birthday Sat., January 22nd. It was a fun day and we can hardly believe he is already 2 years old! We had his party the week before his actual birthday so my parents could stay with him that night and Brian and I went and stayed at the St. Paul Hotel for our 4th wedding anniversary. We had a relaxing evening away, though Brian was rather sick and had stayed home from work a couple days earlier that week. We are thinking we may go on a trip somewhere warm next year for our 5th anniversary...after being very spoiled during my 20's and having the opportunity to travel quite a bit for fun and for mission trips, I am REALLY missing the ocean not having been anywhere for a few years!!!

I love to scrapbook, and don't make nearly enough time to do it, but wanted to make a few things for Isaac's birthday. I had planned to design something myself, but ended up ordering a DIY printable package from dimpleprints on etsy. She sent me PDF's of everything and I printed it, cut it out and assembled it...

Grandma & Grandpa Harrison got Isaac a Thomas the Train set for Christmas, and as soon as he opened it, I knew I would be using it for a centerpiece for Isaac's train themed birthday party...much to the amusement of my father-in-law. =)

Checking out his new wagon!

He was very serious about blowing out the candles and having Happy Birthday sung to him. We didn't get too many smiley pictures. After we sang Happy Birthday once, he asked for it to be sung again...two more times. =) He loves that song and loves to sing it, too.

Not a very good pictures, but it's the best we could do with Brian not feeling well, me having pink eye and Isaac not being a fan of posed pictures these days.

Here's to many more Happy Birthday's to you, our dear Isaac!!! We love you SO much!!!

November

2011-01-07T14:32:00.000-06:00

Catching up, once again. After living in our house for 3 years, we FINALLY covered up the awful deep red color in the bathroom. Some people liked it, I guess, but they didn't have to look at it day in and day out. It was a bit much for such a small room. We also updated all of the hardware and took down the mirror above the vanity and mounted a large medicine cabinet instead. Yay for better organization and use of space! =) I love how it turned out, and it is much more enjoyable to look at...it's the simple things in life...

New vanity light...thank you to Brian's dad for installing it for us! He was here the weekend we (well, I) decided we NEEDED to do this project, and played with Isaac for us so we could get it done. Also, a big thank you to my wonderful husband for doing over half of the painting so I didn't have to climb and breath so many of the fumes, even though it's definitely not one of his favorite things in the world to do. We both agreed it was nice for Isaac to be able to spend some one on one time with Grandpa Bill though, since whenever we see him, Brian and I are also around.

Also, a big thank you to our friend, Pete, for helping to put up the medicine cabinet. One would think it would be an easy job, but it was rather heavy and awkward...Pete had the blisters to show it was not an easy task...sorry, Pete! And lastly, thanks to JCPenney for having a great sale on all of the accessories...always feels great to hear the cashier say "you saved $120 today!" =)

November also brought our first significant snowfall of the year. Isaac was not a fan of the snow last year, so we were excited to see what he would think of it this year. We maybe should have waited until the snow had stopped falling...still not a fan as you can see...

We spent Thanksgiving Day with Brian's side of the family...Isaac loved the corn on the cob Grandma Karen brought him as a special treat. That, and watermelon are two things he really misses from the summer.

Reading with Grandma...

We then went to my parent's for a couple days over the weekend. He loved the mashed potatoes...and eating them out of Grandma's antique bowls made it EVEN better! =) j/k, mom.

Sitting in the rocking chair that we used as children...some things are worth hanging onto.

Sleeping with Grandma...

Out for a walk, sporting an ITCI hat (the company Grandpa Jerry works for). He refuses to wear a hat for us, but apparently when Grandpa puts it on, it's okay!

Deciding the snow isn't so bad, after all...

Checking out the lake

December/Christmas post to come soon...I promise I won't let a month go by this time!!!

At the Farm

2010-11-29T12:52:00.001-06:00

Back in October, we took a trip down to Isaac's Great Grandparent's.

Here are some pics of our time at Great Grandma & Grandpa Solberg's farm...

Halloween

2010-11-10T13:48:00.000-06:00

What a difference a year makes! Look at all the hair he has now compared to last year! =)

Isaac LOVED carving pumpkins this year...particularly the important part that involves stirring the seeds in a bowl, and stirring the pumpkin. I've been carving pumpkins for the past 31 years and was not aware that this is a VERY important part of making the perfect jack-o-lantern. =)

My cousins, Lydia and Sophia were over the night we carved pumpkins. We had a good time! Lydia's is the far left, then Sophia's, then Brian's and Isaac's is on the right.

We went to the Minnesota Zoo Halloween night for trick-or-treating with Isaac's friends Lexi and Anna and their parents. Of course, he was not into getting his picture taken before we left in front of his pumpkin, but he did have fun playing with it! He went as Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes this year. Grandma Karen got him the stuffed Tigger to complete his costume, and we figured he'd carry it around that night and go back to loving just his monkey(s) but Tigger has won a spot in his heart and he now sleeps with him, too and now needs to have monkey and Tigger with when rocking/snuggling.

At the zoo.

With friends, Lexi and Anna. Anna was obviously the only one into getting pictures taken!

20 Week Ultrasound

2010-10-05T14:18:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, we got to see our little baby again! The doctor said everything on the ultrasound looks great, which was very comforting to hear. Brian and I both looked away as she measured the legs, feet and whatever else they check out in the lower extremities so we can keep baby's gender a mystery until he/she arrives. So, we're halfway there...20 more weeks and we'll know if we need to go shopping, or empty the bin of clothes in Isaac's closet marked "Newborn - 3 Months" =)

Profile pic...

Another profile...

Closeup profile...

Waving hands...

Tiny toes...

To give you an idea of size, a baby at 20 weeks weighs approximately 10.5 oz. and is roughly

10 inches from head to heel.

Thank you all for your continued prayers for a healthy baby and pregnancy!!!

Catch up

2010-10-01T12:31:00.000-05:00

September 29th, Isaac turned 20 months. Very hard to believe! I think I've said this before, but never in my life has time seemed to go so quickly. The other day, I was trying to remember what we used to do in the evenings before Isaac came along and they weren't filled with playtime, feeding a toddler, bathtime, storytime, snuggletime, picking up tons of toys, doing a counter full of dishes from daycare and dinner, etc. We wouldn't have it any other way though!

One of Isaac's favorite things to do this summer was swinging! "Weeeee!"

He also LOVES to play on our new sectional. He especially loves to have pillows thrown at him and on top of him...makes for a VERY giggly boy! I'm glad we bought a light colored one, since it's often filled with drool and remnants of a runny nose from a tiny boy who inherited his mom's allergies...poor kid. I guess I never thought our baby would be on a daily dose of allergy medicine by the time he was 1 year old. It helps a ton, though he still has bad days from time to time.

Another favorite this summer was sweet corn. He did very well getting most of it off the cob. Now that the season is pretty much over, he's content playing with his play cob of corn. Not quite the same, but he doesn't seem to mind.

He also really enjoyed helping Grandpa B. shuck the corn. Isaac brought the pot out to the garage, but set it by the door instead of the garbage can. He had a blast running each ear over to the pot!

At the MN Zoo

Teaching Isaac where the corn he loves so much grows at the Wells Fargo Farm at the zoo

He can't get enough reading time in! I only wish he didn't have to read the same book over and over 20 times in a row (literally). That's rough for his mom who gets bored easily! =)

We had a great weekend with the Davich's at their family cabin in Crosslake. Yes, this is the same book as in the pic above...it's definitely a favorite and has seen better days. It's even gone for a swim in Isaac's kiddie pool. We have a few books that may be on Isaac's Christmas list for a new copy!

So sweet...

This is at the playground near the cabin with the Davich's. I can't believe our little baby, who one year ago had just begun to crawl, is now wearing size 7 shoes. They are adorable, but he's growing WAY too fast!!!

My two favorite guys in the whole world hanging out at the playground

Last weekend my sister, Tracy, got married. Isaac's allergies were really acting up and he pretty much looked and felt miserable the entire weekend. I've had my fair share of feeling just like he looks in this picture...not fun!

The happy couple...Tracy and Kirk Dilly!

We attempted to get a nice family photo at the wedding, but someone apparently rode their bike to the wedding, and Isaac was MUCH more interested in the "cycle" than taking a picture!

So, we decided it just wasn't worth it, and let him go play...

Okay, now that I've finally caught up a bit, maybe I'll be more consistent with posts...maybe. =)

Nigh Night...

2010-09-22T14:04:00.000-05:00

This is how our little man prefers to sleep these days. Well, not without clothes, but with his monkeys...this pic was taken on a hot day this summer before our air conditioner was fixed/replaced (thanks to generous gifts from our parents!) =) Though we bought another monkey (two more, actually) just in case something happened to his original one, he's taken to liking them all. He only sleeps with two though. If three are in his crib, he throws them all out onto the floor. I don't know, maybe they all don't get along or something. What I do know, is that he has a great time playing with them before he falls asleep. We often hear him giggling and talking to them before going nigh night. He loves to have them tucked up under his arms. Not quite sure what he'd do without "Maurice"...he's gotten quite good at saying his (their) name and also frequently just calls them "monkeys", but with a long o sound...very cute. =)

Isaac often amuses us with the positions we find him in when we go check on him after he's fallen asleep. On this particular evening this summer, he apparently forgot that he had an entire crib to stretch out in, and preferred to lay like this...

Looks comfy, doesn't it?!?! Those toes are pretty cute though, if you ask me. =)

2010-08-11T12:11:00.000-05:00

Once again, it's been over a month since I've posted anything. Once again, I promise to try to post more frequently for the few I know actually check this. :-) Once again, it seems I spend way more time reading other people's blogs than updating my own.

I know you all already know our exciting news, but I want it documented on our blog, since I KNOW that when Isaac and our other children grow up, they are going to LOVE reading about their life growing up on this blog {insert sarcastic tone} :-) Oh well, even if they don't want to, their mama will want to occasionally look back on the memories.

We found out June 14th that we are having another baby! We knew we wanted our kids to be about 2 years apart, but weren't necessarily expecting they would be QUITE so close to 2 years apart. Baby's due date is February 19th. Isaac's due date was February 2nd. I am very thankful that my blood pressure has remained low so far, so there is no need for medication or the many extra appointments I had with Isaac. We would love your prayers as we continue on this journey through the pregnancy of our second child! As I was looking at pictures of a newborn today on facebook, I all of a sudden had a huge desire to be holding our newborn baby...this could be a very long 6 months for me! :-)

A little bit of this...a little bit of that...

2010-07-02T12:08:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago, we took Isaac to the Children's Museum on a Friday evening. We found that that is the perfect time to go...very few people there...at least that particular Friday. The last time we were there, he wasn't quite walking yet. It was fun to watch him explore and try new things!

Sitting on an ant, asking his all time favorite question - "what's that?"

Making animals sounds...

Loving the bubbles...

Getting a few groceries...

And finally, he did a few dishes before heading home.

ABC...123

2010-07-02T10:06:00.000-05:00

Isaac still loves his bathtime, and he loves learning the alphabet and numbers. We have an alphabet border in the room I do daycare, and several times every day he comes to me, points to the border, says "ABC's" and wants to sing the song MANY times. He loves to repeat all the letters after me and this morning sang ABCD by himself. We've lost track of how many words he's saying now...seems like every day there are several new ones. It's quite amazing to watch toddlers develop...soaking up all that's around them all day long!

Fun Family Day

2010-06-10T09:27:00.001-05:00

This year, my birthday fell on Memorial Day. We spent the weekend at my parent's and then decided to come home and spend Monday doing some fun things, just the three of us...four, counting Isaac's beloved Monkey. We spent the afternoon at Minnehaha Falls, which is only about a 10 minutes drive from our house. I hadn't realized it was so close...I think we will be going there a few more times this summer. Isaac loved running around, watching the waterfall, and playing with his ball. It's a wonderful relaxing get-away in the midst of the busy city for a busy toddler!

Having a much needed snack time...so much happier with a full belly!

And off we go!...

This was a common theme throughout the day...walking away to explore

Catch!

Much needed water break, and off we go again!

Taking a break

And off he goes...again!

and again.

Isaac had his 15 month checkup a couple weeks ago (when he was actually 16 months) due to his doctor being on vacation and needing to reschedule. He weighed in at 23 pounds...the same as at his 12 month appointment. It's no wonder he hasn't gained any weight, all the moving around he does. He very rarely sits still these days. He was 33 inches, which puts him in the 20th percentile for weight, and 90th for height. His doctor was very impressed with how verbal he is and with how many words he has already...we definitely have a talker on our hands! He was also diagnosed with allergies and put on some meds that are helping a ton! He can breathe so much better and his poor nose is no longer constantly running. Otherwise, he is a healthy and growing boy, for which we are very thankful!

A Visit to the MN Zoo's Wells Fargo Farm

2010-05-27T14:13:00.001-05:00

A couple weekends ago, we took a trip to the zoo. We have a membership for the year so hope to get there several times this year. Isaac evidently has inherited my tendency toward allergies, and they really flared up when we got to the farm part of the zoo. He seemed pretty miserable, his eyes were all red and watery and he kept sneezing, poor guy! His doctor gave him a prescription last night at his checkup, so hopefully that will help him feel a little better, and will take care of his ever-dripping nose. It's so nice to have the season pass...we feel like we can go for just a few hours, instead of having to spend the entire afternoon there to get our money's worth for the day. A couple hours is really all the more we need to spend there at a time, quite frankly. Isaac gets a little restless after much more. So, this day we spent the majority of our time at the farm...Isaac loved the animals, driving the tractor, picking up mulch, and had to be carrying either his monkey, or two water bottles...one was not enough...he needed "two." Enjoy the pics! :-)

Random April Happenings

2010-05-06T15:29:00.002-05:00

Well, I'm not sure what happened to the month of April, but apparently it happened, because I have a few pictures to prove it! Thank the Lord for cameras...I have no idea what the history is behind cameras, but I am sure glad somebody invented them. Can you imagine not being able to capture moments and look back at them? I can't. It always made me really joyful and really sad at the very same time in Belize when we would take pictures and the people there would get SO excited and would RUN to the camera immediately after the photo was taken to see it. Most of them did not own cameras, and many did not have one single picture of themselves. I cannot imagine being a mom and not having any pictures to remember my children as they grew. So, so sad. They are something we take for granted here, that is for sure. I will never forget a mother and her three children in a tiny Mayan village in Belize. I asked her if I could take a picture of her with her kids (because I thought her boys were two of the most adorable children I'd ever seen), and she said "sure, but give me 30 mintues." I had no idea what she was doing...I figured she was going to finish feeding them or something. When she came to find me, she had changed all of their clothes and had attempted to straighten the boy's flyaways, evidenced by occasional wet spots throughout their heads. :-) They had never had a picture taken together before, and she wanted it to be special. I sent her the photo when I got home. I have no idea if she ever received it, but I sure hope she did. Maybe someday I can go back and see. Aren't they cute?

Alright...onto the real reason you look at this blog - another cute boy...

He was so excited to go with Grandma and Grandpa to the Great-Grandparent's! His bags are packed behind him. They all had a great time, and Brian and I got a lot done around the house, which was nice.

Beautiful apple blossoms in our backyard. (Remember, the title does say "Random") :-)

Picnic in the park...good 'ol KFC...real healthy, I know. But for a picnic planned on the spur of the moment, it's very convenient and I have to admit, tasty. Isaac enjoyed a few potato wedges.

Beautiful tulips in our front yard.

Isaac, please be careful with the flowers. Be gentle.

Like this, mom?

Mmmm...this rock tastes good!

Sandy drool...I'm afraid we'll be seeing a lot of this look this summer...

because he LOVES the sandbox.

Isn't this the cutest little tush you've ever seen? :-)

A daily ritual, though usually on the kitchen floor...emptying Daddy's lunchbox.

Rubber ducky, you're the one...he LOVES bathtime, which is a good thing...sunscreen, sand, sweat, drool, dirt, & learning to eat with a spoon and fork makes for a daily bath these days.

Hope you all had a wonderful April, and may May be wonderful, too!

Easter

2010-04-14T13:48:00.002-05:00

Easter weekend, we drove out to my parent's Friday night, went to their church Easter morning and then headed back to the cities to spend time with Brian's family for the afternoon. Doesn't he look handsome all decked out in his Easter suit?! Well, except for the fact that he now would rather... A. make funny faces at the camera or B. not look at the camera at all.

Sooo tired...

Annual Easter egg hunt...

Peacefully sleeping after a long weekend.

While Easter and all that goes with it is fun for kids...Easter baskets, plastic grass, chocolate, colorful eggs, peeps, fuzzy yellow chicks, eggs hunts, the Easter bunny, etc. we are excited to teach Isaac as he grows and celebrate with him the true meaning of Easter and why we celebrate - the death and resurrection of Jesus for us, and the hope that we have in Him. We want to teach him that Easter is not to only be celebrated one day of the year in March or April, but every day of our lives. We don't want to be parents who do not allow our children to take part in the secular aspect of holidays, but also do not want them to focus only on that, and not on what's really important. We are thankful that our parents raised us in such a way, and want to continue that legacy. Thankfully many creative people have thought of ways to use the "fun" Easter "stuff" as teaching tools for children...and the young at heart...such as resurrection eggs! Hope you all had a wonderful, blessed Easter!

Baptism Birthday

2010-03-30T12:14:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, March 29th, was Isaac's baptism birthday. I don't think I will ever get used to how quickly time is going. Those older and wiser than myself say that it goes faster and faster the older you get, and I am definitely finding that to be true. It makes me want to be less busy so we can really take the time to slow down...to appreciate and get the most out of every moment. Last year for Isaac's baptism, I thought it would be neat to make a cake similar to the one that was made for my baptism 30 years ago. My grandma still had the same pan that was used to make my cake, so we made Isaac an identical one...except his had brown and blue frosting of course...pink would have been a bit silly. But, if we should ever have a girl, you can be sure that her cake will be decorated exactly like mine was :-) I don't know why, but I enjoy replicating the past and carrying on tradition. So, I also wanted to get a picture of us, just as one had been taken for my baptism. When making the collage, I realized I don't have the picture scanned of me with my parents...only my sponsors...but you get the idea. :) Isaac is lying on the same afghan that I was. My mom crocheted the afghan, and if I remember correctly, it was the very first thing she ever crocheted. Isaac is wearing the gown that Brian's grandfather, father, sister and himself wore, so that was very special, as well! Tradition...a wonderful, meaningful thing!

A weekend of fun!

2010-03-17T20:43:00.002-05:00

I'm a bit behind in posting once again. A few weeks ago, we went to the Children's Museum with my parents and brother on Saturday, and Sunday we went to the zoo with Isaac's Aunt Kat. We now have a membership to both places for the year, thanks to my parents and Brian's mom and step-dad. We will be spending a lot of time at both in the next year...both fun and educational! Isaac LOVED the water table at the Children's Museum...we could have stayed there for hours and he would have been perfectly content. He's still crawling in these pics, but in the past two days has pretty much stopped crawling altogether and prefers walking. He took his first steps toward the beginning of January, spent a long time taking just a couple steps, then spent a long time taking 8-10 steps at a time before falling and is now fully, confidently walking. He can even walk with his sleep sack on...it is pretty cute. It's been very fun watching him get better every day, and watching his confidence grow...there are a few important life lessons to be learned (or reminded of) in watching a child grow, learn and develop, that is for sure! He's also quite the talker...mostly babbling, of course. He does have a few words though...some he's been saying for quite some time, and others just recently. Words he has said so far include various forms of mommy and daddy (mom, momma, mom-mom, dad, dada), up, push, more, go, spoon, bowl, me, no, uh-oh, ball, blue, yeah, monkey (this doesn't come out quite so clear...more like "eeeee"...but he definitely means his monkey when he says it) and answers in a very quiet "woof" when asked what a puppy says. His favorite word, which we have absolutely no clue what it is, or means is bitabitabitabitabita. He says it all the time lately. Perhaps one day he will share with us what it means. :-)

The Hair

2010-02-23T14:22:00.000-06:00

Isaac has one little hair that is, for some reason, growing MUCH faster than every other hair on his head. Maybe someday the others will catch up, but for now we will continue to enjoy our low maintenance baby...err, I mean, toddler...no hair cuts, no combing, no bed head.

ps...I've been on a roll with entries, so be sure to scroll down if you don't want to miss anything! :-) Thanks for visiting, by the way!

Ducky, Monkey, Blankie, Books...

2010-02-23T11:15:00.000-06:00

Isaac's one year pictures with some of his favorite things...

Isaac's 1st Birthday Party!

2010-02-22T21:19:00.000-06:00

2010-02-22T21:17:00.000-06:00

We had a house full on January 30th for Isaac's birthday party. He had a great time and did wonderfully the entire day. I had a fun time planning his party and decorating for it...something I love to do. Here are some pictures from the day...

Isaac is ONE!!!

2010-01-28T23:14:00.001-06:00

It seems very hard to believe that 365 days have already passed since our precious, blue-eyed angel came into our lives. It was at this moment that I am writing - 8:43am, that I was lying on the bed in the hospital answering a bunch of questions from the nurse. The only one I remember is "if your heart should stop for any reason today, would you like it to be resuscitated?" Ummm...yes, please! I was reminded at that moment how fragile life is, and what a miracle life is. It's rather unfathomable to think about how life begins. I'm in awe every time I think about Isaac growing inside of me...from a tiny little tadpole to a beautiful baby boy. How his eyes, lips, nose and ears were formed just perfectly. How his brain learns and picks up on things. It is truly amazing. It is incomprehensible to me how someone could see a baby be born, and grow and develop and still not believe that there is a God...for there truly is, and we give Him thanks so many times every day for entrusting us with His child. One of my favorite singer/songwriters, Cherri Keaggy expresses perfectly what is in mine and Brian's hearts..."Lord we thank you for everything you give us, but most importantly, we pray Lord Jesus, make our son a little boy on his knees. We pray that someday he'll become a young man on his knees." That's what it's all about...life...following Jesus. Trusting in Him. Living for Him. Loving Him. Having faith in Him. We pray that Isaac gets that...and believes it. The speed at which this past year went by is a gentle reminder to cherish and hold tight to every moment we have with Isaac. Time really does go way too fast. Our baby is now a toddler...soon to be a preschooler...soon to be school-aged, soon to be an adolescent, and soon to be off to college...making a life of his own...a wife, children, and us...grandparents. The circle of life. We hold tight to these moments and cherish the memories we can hold in our hearts forever. We love you, Isaac...more than we will ever be able to express to you. Happy Birthday, Love!!!

Christmas

2010-01-20T12:24:00.012-06:00

My friend Jess posted her Christmas pictures on her blog January 11th, and titled it "The Ridiculously Late Christmas Post". Well, here we are 9 days later on the 20th and I am finally getting around to it. I'm not sure what to title this late post other than Christmas, but I think I will reserve the word ridiculous to describe the number of collages that follow to tell the story of Isaac's first Christmas! In my defense, we celebrated Christmas SEVEN times with family.

1. Brian's dad and step-mom 2. the three of us 3. Christmas Eve with my parents and brother (since we couldn't make it to my grandparent's due to weather...Tracy was in Kansas with her boyfriend) 4. Brian's mom and step-dad 5. my Solberg grandparents and relatives 6. my Burmeister grandparents and relatives 7. my immediate family at my parent's house

We had a wonderful Christmas with family and friends!

We love you all!!!

I love this picture...

He loved his gingerbread house!

Christmas with Brian's dad and step-mom...his very first Christmas present!

Christmas Eve all ready for church! He also got a couple gifts from G&G B.

At Brian's mom and step-dad's...Kaylee helped open presents! :-)

At the Great-Grandparent's homes...

He was rather fascinated with my parent's Christmas tree and the ribbon on gifts.

Christmas at my parent's home.

Go Vikes!!!

2010-01-20T12:07:00.002-06:00

Helping out around the kitchen...

2010-01-11T14:34:00.000-06:00

Happy New Year! I've fallen a bit behind with keeping up to date on this blog. It's hard to be motivated to do it when I'm not sure if anyone really even reads it! :-) I'll post some pictures of Christmas soon. Isaac loves to help around the kitchen...sometimes too much. His tiny fingers have been accidentally stepped on a couple times when Brian is cooking and Isaac quietly sneaks up behind him and waits to be picked up. He loves to check out what's cooking on the stove and seems genuinely interested in it all...maybe he will be a great cook just like his daddy! That would be nice...it would ensure that I don't ever have to somehow learn to enjoy cooking. I can continue to only make my specialties of spaghetti, mac 'n cheese, eggs and grilled cheese on days that Brian needs a break from the kitchen. Brian has told me that I am better at making breakfast food than him...what a compliment! :-) I am definitely blessed to be married to a man who is not only a wonderful husband and daddy, but a wonderful cook, as well. He keeps us well fed...I only wish I had his metabolism!

Baby's First Christmas

2009-12-21T11:36:00.001-06:00

This past weekend, we took Isaac to Gertens in Inver Grove Heights to see Santa and Mrs. Claus. They also give reindeers rides, but there was a long line, so we opted out of that...maybe next year. After waiting in line for about 40 minutes, Isaac was able to sit and listen to Mrs. Claus read a story. He sat so nicely and listened very attentively...we had to pick him up when it was time to go see Santa...he would have sat there for quite awhile, I think. He didn't seem to mind sitting on Santa's lap...we showed him a picture of him on the computer before we went...I'm sure that helped him to not be scared ;-) Santa told Isaac to be a good boy and to go to bed when his parents told him to.

Even though Santa Claus is a fun tradition, he is far from the real, true meaning of Christmas. This story I found is a bit long...but worth the read...and some cute pictures await you when you're done ;-)

Just a week before Christmas I had a visitor. This is how it happened...I just finished the household chores for the night and was preparing to go to bed, when I heard a noise in the front of the house. I opened the door to the front room and to my surprise, Santa himself stepped out next to the fireplace. "What are you doing?" I started to ask. The words choked up in my throat and I saw he had tears in his eyes. His usual jolly manner was gone. Gone was the eager, boisterous soul we all know. He then answered me with a simple statement . . . "TEACH THE CHILDREN!" I was puzzled. What did he mean? He anticipated my question and with one quick movement brought forth a miniature toy bag from behind the tree. As I stood bewildered, Santa said, "Teach the children! Teach them the old meaning of Christmas. The meaning that now-a-days Christmas has forgotten. Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a FIR TREE and placed it before the mantle. "Teach the children that the pure green color of the stately fir tree remains green all year round, depicting the everlasting hope of mankind, all the needles point heavenward, making it a symbol of man's thoughts turning toward heaven." He again reached into his bag and pulled out a brilliant STAR. "Teach the children that the star was the heavenly sign of promises long ago. God promised a Savior for the world, and the star was the sign of fulfillment of His promise." He then reached into his bag and pulled out a CANDLE. "Teach the children that the candle symbolizes that Christ is the light of the world, and when we see this great light we are reminded of He who displaces the darkness." Once again he reached into his bag and removed a WREATH and placed it on the tree. "Teach the children that the wreath symbolizes the real nature of love. Real love never ceases. Love is one continuous round of affection." He then pulled from his bag an ORNAMENT of himself. "Teach the children that I, Santa Claus, symbolize the generosity and good will we feel during the month of December." He then brought out a HOLLY LEAF. "Teach the children that the holly plant represents immortality. It represents the crown of thorns worn by our Savior. The red holly berries represent the blood shed by Him. Next he pulled from his bag a GIFT and said, "Teach the children that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son." Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift. Santa then reached in his bag and pulled out a CANDY CANE and hung it on the tree. "Teach the children that the candy cane represents the shepherds' crook. The crook on the staff helps to bring back strayed sheep to the flock. The candy cane is the symbol that we are our brother's keeper." He reached in again and pulled out an ANGEL. "Teach the children that it was the angels that heralded in the glorious news of the Savior's birth. The angels sang Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace and good will toward men." Suddenly I heard a soft twinkling sound, and from his bag he pulled out a BELL. "Teach the children that as the lost sheep are found by the sound of the bell, it should ring mankind to the fold. The bell symbolizes guidance and return. Santa looked back and was pleased. He looked back at me and I saw that the twinkle was back in his eyes. He said, "Remember, teach the children the true meaning of Christmas and do not put me in the center, for I am but a humble servant of the One that is, and I bow down to worship him, our LORD, our GOD."

We wish you all a very Merry Christmas as you celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May He alone be your peace, your comfort, your joy, your strength, your center, your hope, your Everything...Always!

Santa Baby

2009-12-12T16:04:00.001-06:00

Isaac decided today during his bath that trying to eat the bubbles and drink the water was great fun! He made himself look a bit like Santa in the process...

Our little Schroeder...

2009-11-28T14:26:00.002-06:00

Here's a video of Isaac playing the piano at my parent's...

Monkeying around...

2009-11-28T11:10:00.000-06:00

Isaac LOVES his little monkey that Grandma and Grandpa Burmeister got him on their trip to New York this fall. Whenever he sees Monks (very original name, we know) :-) he gets a huge smile on his face, gives him a big kiss, and then starts talking to him. He gave Monks a piggy back ride at his Great-Grandparents' last weekend, and fell asleep with him last night in the jumperoo at Grandma and Grandpa Burmeister's. Life is great when Monks is around!

I'm growing some hair!!!

2009-11-14T10:37:00.000-06:00

Happy Halloween!

2009-11-02T16:47:00.002-06:00

Halloween is definitely not my favorite holiday...in fact, it's probably my least favorite. First of all, I really don't like the color orange...that too, is probably my least favorite. I also don't care for spiders, ghosts, goblins, witches, etc. and think that they make for some rather ugly decorations...though I have seen a few cute ghosts. However, Halloween does happen to fall right in the middle of my favorite SEASON, and I do love pumpkins, pumpkin flavored foods, and seeing the joy in children's faces when they get to get dressed up for Halloween, and when they see their newly carved jack-o-lantern lit up in the dark outside. There are some fun things that go along with Halloween, I have to admit. Isaac enjoyed his first Halloween dressed up as a little bear (thanks, Jill, for the costume!).

The week before, we went to Grandpa & Grandma Nelson's to carve his first pumpkin. Needless to say, as you can see in the pictures, he was not impressed. In fact, he seemed downright scared of the pumpkin.

The little bear had a difficult time playing with his toys once his hands turned into paws...

We were at Grandpa and Grandma Harrison's for the weekend, so went trick or treating to three of their neighbors. Isaac looked at us like we were crazy and was definitely wondering what in the world we were doing, but he seemed to have a good time, anyway.

Isaac with the pumpkin Grandpa carved...grown in his garden. He seemed a little less scared of this one...maybe he's getting used to this whole Halloween thing.

Fall fun!

2009-10-22T14:20:00.000-05:00

We've been wanting to take Isaac to an apple orchard for several weeks now, but our schedule and the weather haven't seemed to want to cooperate. This past Sunday we made it work, though. The weather was beautiful! We stopped at Apple Jack Orchards in Delano on the way home from Mom and Dad's. They came with, too, and we had a fun time walking around, taking pictures, picking a few apples and eating dinner. Isaac loved the apples and thought they worked very well as a teether for his sore gums that don't seem to want to let any teeth through. Here are some pics of our time at the orchard...

Daycare friends

2009-10-08T08:56:00.001-05:00

I started doing daycare in our home when Isaac was 2 months old, the last week of March. We are very thankful that it has worked out for me to be able to stay home with Isaac. I can't imagine having to drop him off at someone else's home for the day, or at a center...for as long as I can remember I have always wanted to be able to stay home with my children. I love that he is able to have other children around to play with, as well. It's been a great thing for us as a family and we pray that it continues to be so. With the economy the way that it is, calls for people needing daycare have been few and far between, but the Lord has blessed us with 4 children to care for so far. Jermaine (age 4) and Azzareya (age 2) were the first, then Alex (age 16 mo.) started the beginning of May. Mason (age 3 mo.) started the beginning of September and comes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It's been a little bit of a slow start, but we have placed our daycare business in God's hands and have very much felt His presence in it, and His hands around it. We know that He will provide the right kids at the right time for us. Here are some pics of Isaac with his daycare friends...

On the move...

2009-09-29T22:29:00.005-05:00

On the eve of turning 8 months old, and after a month of rocking back and forth on his hands and knees, Isaac started crawling! He's quite proud of himself, and loves that he now has another mode of transportation other than rolling around and being carried around. He never did the "creeping", as they call it, so this moving forward thing is a first for him. We recently got a new computer, which I LOVE, and I've been having fun with imovie...not the best video here, but just threw this together quick to show Isaac's newfound skill. One of his biggest motivations for crawling is to get to the computer, as you can see. He thinks if mommy seems to be having so much fun using it, it may be fun for him, too! We don't usually have it on the floor, but if it helps him learn to crawl, we'll put it there for him. :-) The video is about 1.5 minutes, and not as good of quality as in imovie...must have happened when I converted it to another format to put on the blog. I'll figure this all out someday...anyway...enjoy!

* I typed this up last night, but the video took so long to upload I decided to go to bed and do it this morning. He's now crawling all over the place & trying to pull himself up on things this morning...computer no longer needed for motivation. :-)

rubber ducky you're the one...

2009-09-22T12:26:00.000-05:00

Isaac absolutely loves bathtime...especially now that he can sit up in the tub and play. His favorite of course...rubber ducky. Since these pics, we have added some more toys to his bathtime fun!

Crawling...getting SO close!

2009-09-14T13:14:00.003-05:00

He wants to go somewhere so badly, but just can't get his arms and legs to move yet. He was a little fussy in this video...he has started to get rather frustrated while trying to crawl...it will happen soon enough! Pretty sure he says "Mom" at the end of this, too...and yesterday during the Viking's game (with Tracy as my witness), he said "I want my ba ba (bottle) mama"...right, Tracy? :) He has started to "talk" a LOT the past couple weeks (oddly enough, when we took away his pacifier except for nap and bedtime) :), and some of it sounds so much like real words...fun to listen to!

Fun in Alex!

2009-08-19T17:53:00.000-05:00

We have spent a few weekends in Alexandria at the Harrison grandparents' home this summer. One of those weekends, Isaac's Aunt Kat was in town from Baltimore. It was fun to spend time with her and we were so glad she could see Isaac for awhile while she was here...and he had a good time playing with her! The weather hasn't been the best while there, but we have been able to get in a couple boat rides, and Isaac thoroughly enjoyed lying in the hammock! He also enjoyed picking marigolds and pulling all the petals off...we only let him do one, but I think we'll let him pick some of ours just for fun later this fall before it freezes. :)

At the doc...6 month well check

2009-08-12T20:24:00.000-05:00

We just got home from Isaac's 6 month well check. Since his birth, he has gained 9.65 pounds and has grown 7 inches! The doc says he's just perfect in every way...we couldn't agree more! We love you Isaac...SO much!

Growing up so fast!

2009-08-11T13:27:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe, but a little over 6 months have already gone by since we welcomed Isaac into the world. We have his 6 month check up tomorrow night...a couple weeks late, since we have to have evening appointments and they are hard to come by. I'll post his "stats" after his appointment so we can see how he's grown over the months!

Our little snorer...

2009-08-06T13:16:00.000-05:00

I can't figure out how to turn this...doesn't work like a normal picture, so just tilt your head and enjoy! :)

At the Lake...

2009-08-05T09:40:00.000-05:00

We went out to Grandma and Grandpa Burmeister's a couple weekends ago. Grandma and Grandpa Nelson stopped over for dinner, since they were at their cabin nearby for the weekend. We had a great time eating dinner on the new patio, playing with Isaac, going for a boat ride, and making s'mores. Isaac still enjoys his boat rides, but we are very much looking forward to next summer when he can play in the sand and go swimming! We tried putting his feet in the water, but he wasn't too fond of it...too cold from a cool summer. Maybe he'll even try fishing next year!

Who does he look like???

2009-07-28T14:54:00.000-05:00

I've had a few people tell me they were confused by this collage. The pics with the caption "Me" are Isaac...not me (Nikki). I'm just the "Mommy" one :)

These are a few of my favorite things...

2009-07-21T14:36:00.000-05:00

Friends

2009-07-17T11:20:00.000-05:00

One Month

2009-07-17T08:07:00.000-05:00

It is very hard to believe that half a year has already gone by since we were eagerly anticipating Isaac's arrival! In just 12 short days he will be 6 months old...crazy!!! These are the pics we had taken when he was just over 4 weeks old at Carlson Studios in Spicer, MN. I didn't post them earlier, so here they are...

1st 4th

2009-07-15T20:22:00.000-05:00

We spent Isaac's first 4th of July at my parent's lake home. Isaac enjoyed helping my dad drive the boat, and we also discovered that he loves to lay on the floor of the boat on a pillow during boat rides...very cozy. Diamond Lake always has a boat parade on the 4th, and Isaac watched it on the dock with Grandma and Grandpa in his new Bumbo seat from them. For the fireworks, we went to Green Lake and went out on the pontoon of some friends of my mom and dad. It is very fun to watch them go off over the lake, and Spicer always puts on a great show. Isaac stayed awake to watch them...the picture of him in the lifesuit and tan blanket is at the fireworks. We are thankful that he appears to still have good hearing...Grandma did a good job holding multiple layers of blankets over his ears for 20 minutes! And thankyou to Jill, Lydia and Sophia for the very cute 4th of July outfit!

Fun at the park!

2009-07-15T18:57:00.000-05:00

Last weekend, we went to our friends Kim and Andrew's for dinner. Afterward, we went to the park so their son Benjamin could play and we could get in a little walk. Turns out Isaac had a great time playing with his daddy! Actually, I think Brian had the most fun...he's really going to have fun when Isaac can run around. Brian is the most wonderfully amazing dad - Isaac is one blessed little boy!

First rice cereal experience...

2009-07-15T16:13:00.000-05:00

A few posts ago I said our doctor had told us to wait until six months to start solid foods. We got a bit antsy, though, and decided to try it over the 4th of July weekend. Isaac seemed to really like it that first time, and the second time...and even tried to feed himself, but now a couple weeks later just gags every time we try. The gagging sounds a little fake and he thinks its kindof funny, but he isn't actually swallowing it, so it doesn't work too well. I can't say that I really blame him...that stuff has to taste and feel disgusting in the mouth. We even tried mixing some pears in with it, but he still didn't care for it. Will keep trying though...

Mmmmm...toes!

2009-07-09T15:26:00.000-05:00

I think most, if not all babies at some point discover that putting their toes in their mouth is great fun! It's been one of Isaac's favorite activities for a couple months now...they are better than toys most days. Every time we change his diaper, as soon as we lay him on the changing table those toes go in the mouth. He also loves staring at his hands and thinks they are quite fascinating. We're hoping his love for his toes diminishes a bit once he gets teeth. He chews them with such vigor that we're sure he could draw blood with teeth! OUCH!

A little fish in a big sea

2009-07-09T14:58:00.000-05:00

On June 24th, Isaac went swimming for the first time! With a mom who was a lifeguard, swimming instructor and loves to swim, and a dad who really doesn't care to swim, it will be interesting to see what Isaac thinks of the water. As you can see, he wasn't crazy about his first experience, but seemed to warm up to it a bit the longer he was in the pool...and once his body warmed up! Swimming, in my opinion, is one of the most important skills a person can learn...especially if they spend a lot of time around the water as it can end up being a life-saving one! So, we are starting early to teach him to love the water and be a strong swimmer.

Sooooooo BIG!

2009-06-09T21:47:00.001-05:00

Last Wednesday, Isaac had his 4 month checkup. All is well...he is a healthy, happy baby boy. He weighed 14 pounds, and was 26 1/4 inches...50th percentile for weight, 60th for height. He is well on his way to being a tall, lean boy...taking after his father!

Tonight we put him in his high chair for the first time while we ate. His doctor told us not to give him rice cereal until 6 months, so even though it would have been fun to try we will hold off for now. Supposedly anywhere between 4 and 6 months is okay, but she said it would be best to wait a bit. He thought he was such a big boy sitting in his high chair...I have a feeling he is going to be a big eater like his daddy, and will come to really enjoy his time in this chair in a few months eating actual food!

Memorial Day Weekend

2009-05-29T13:45:00.000-05:00

We spent most of Memorial Day weekend at my parent's on Diamond Lake. Isaac went on his very first boat ride (2, actually) which he seemed to really enjoy, and also experienced his first campfire. I think he was rather jealous that he didn't get to have a s'more. He was quite tuckered out when we got home, and took a LONG afternoon nap on Monday. We know you're never supposed to have a baby sleep on the couch, and the boppy pillow he's in has a big line through the word SLEEP on the tag, but we were nearby the whole time and didn't actually intend for him to fall asleep there. He was playing and then just zonked out. I'm sure our parents had us sleep on the couch from time to time, and we all survived, right?! :) Anyway...onto pictures of our cutest, most adorable, handsome little boy :) (yep, we're a little biased...aren't ALL parents?) ....

Peacefully sleeping after a long weekend
Pretty sure he's flicking us off in this picture...a rebel already! :)

First boat ride. With a mommy who loves her boat rides, he's sure to experience MANY more of these. His lifejacket/wetsuit is a little big, but he'll grow into it over the summer.

Lounging at grandma and grandpa's

Isaac was lying on the dark blue loveseat with just his diaper on during a clothing change (he's just started to enjoy being without clothes on), and it made his eyes look so blue, I had to get out the camera. He was enjoying the impromptu photo session so much that we just kept shooting pictures...

Oops! Tipped over!

What's up there, Isaac?

3 months!

2009-05-04T20:46:00.000-05:00

Wednesday, April 29th, Isaac was officially 3 months old! In that short time, he has filled our lives with so much joy and laughter and it's already difficult to remember life without him here.

He has been having fun watching his new little friends at daycare play, and is excited for the day when he can actually play with them a bit more.

Isaac has been sleeping in his own room now since April 3rd. He seems to enjoy sleeping in his crib, but still misses his mommy and daddy every night around 3am and finds it necessary to wake us up to talk with him a bit, give him a little snack, and a hug and kiss.

A few random pics...

Mmmm...terry cloth!

Where's my thumb?

Oh...I'll just use this one!

Bright eyed and bushy tailed - ready for church!

So happy! Sitting up is FUN! :)

2009-04-20T13:40:00.001-05:00

Make a Smilebox postcard

Smiles & More!

2009-04-10T13:29:00.000-05:00

I already haven't been doing too well at updating this blog on a frequent basis, but will try to improve :) Sorry for any "facebookers" who may read this - many of the photos are the same, but believe it or not, several people who I know read this have no desire to join the facebooking world, so haven't yet seen these. This past week, Isaac had his 2 month well-check. He is now 12.5 pounds (53rd percentile) and 23 1/2 inches (60th percentile). The dr. said "he's just perfect!"...music to his parent's ears! In the past month, he's started smiling big for the camera which has been very fun to see - here's one of our favorites...

Grandma Karen's dog, Kaylee, is getting more and more used to Isaac...

Mall walking with Alexis Lucille Millenacker - my friend Laura's daughter - born 4 weeks after Isaac. We are looking forward to the day they can actually have fun playing together. So far whenever they are together one or both of them are sleeping.

Isaac was baptized March 29th at our church - Normandale Hylands United Methodist in Bloomington. We were blessed to have many family and friends come to celebrate with us! Brian's sister, Kat, was also a sponsor but unfortunately, every picture I have of the baptism she is covered up by Brian. Hopefully another family member has a different angle!

Isaac is enjoying bathtime more and more - it will be even more fun when he's able to play with some of the MANY tub toys we have received. We love this tub that my friend, Di, got us...it makes bathtime SO much easier with the little hammock.

Smile for the camera! :)

Aunt Tracy bought Isaac this Twin's outfit for the opener.

Have a happy and blessed Easter, everyone! Isaac's first Easter pictures coming soon!

A glimpse of Isaac's first 6 weeks...

2009-03-18T20:40:00.000-05:00

Isaac's very first car ride - coming home from the hospital January 31st.

We got home to find these balloons and this sign that my family had put up. Very sweet :)

Snuggling with Gramma Lila - 1 week old - his first "sit down" restaurant experience. His VERY first restaurant experience was Chipotle with mommy and daddy when he was 4 days old. We needed to get out of the house!

This picture was taken yesterday - he's already taken to his little bear blanky. He loves to hold it close to him and sometimes sucks on it's little ears - it's very cute. :)
This past Sunday, we took Isaac on his first stroller ride outside (he's been around the Mall of America several times). He didn't get a very good look at the neighborhood, because he slept the entire time, but mom and dad enjoyed an hour of good exercise and conversation.

Our strong little boy was holding his head up the night he was born, and here at 6 weeks is already up on his arms looking around. I knew he'd be strong the way he kicked me for several months! We were eating supper when I took this picture, and he actually rolled over shortly after. Brian looked over and said "hey! he just rolled over!"

Isaac took a break from Grandma Nelson feeding him to meet Kaylee for the first time - Brian's mom and step-dad's dog. Kaylee enjoys licking Isaac's head - he doesn't seem to mind.

Such a sad face! I think his little pouty lip is pretty cute...even better in person.

Sleeping peacefully at Grandma and Grandpa Burmeister's - taking a quick nap while waiting for his "Come and Meet Isaac" gathering they had for their friends to come and see him.

This was my attempt to get him to hold up his hand for the camera to show that he's 5 weeks old in this picture.

6 weeks old and ready for bed.

He's sitting in his car seat in this picture - when I pulled the blanket off that was on him, this is how I found him.

Big blue eyes!

Reading with Daddy.

Soooo tired, but don't want to miss anything!

He loves his toy keys, probably because it's the only toy he can grasp his fingers around right now.
Sadie, my parent's dog, checking him out the day he came home from the hospital - she's not quite sure what to think of him yet.

More pictures from the first couple months of Isaac's life coming soon! :)

2009-03-13T21:31:00.000-05:00

"Train up a child in the way he should go, and

when he is old he will not turn from it"

Proverbs 22:6

It seems like just yesterday...

2009-03-04T15:09:00.000-06:00

I seem to hear this saying on an almost daily basis, and it's never felt more true than during these past 6 weeks since Isaac's birth. Time really is moving by faster than I ever remember - maybe it's because I'm really enjoying what I'm doing now - being a mommy and spending time with our baby, or maybe it's because I am getting less sleep - who knows? What I do know is that I desperately do not want the next years of my life to slip by so quickly that I don't take time to reflect on the days and events that fill them. So, after a bit of consideration, since I never thought I'd be one of those "bloggers", I have decided to start one as a sort of journal for Isaac to look back at one day of the journey of our life as a family. I don't even really like the word blog, but after doing a little research on why this is called a "blog", it's not so bad. You may already know this, but I didn't. The word blog is a contraction of sorts of "web log". Good to know. Since I'm a bit late in getting this started, the first few entries will be back-tracking a bit and looking back at the past 6 weeks of Isaac's life.

The beginning of a new life...Isaac William Harrison...

Isaac entered the world Thursday, January 29th at 11:48pm weighing in at a hefty 8 pounds, 15.8 ounces, and was 21 1/4 inches.

Mommy and Isaac's first moment together - a little dark - Daddy was so excited he forgot to raise the flash on the camera.

Our very first family photo, taken about an hour after Isaac was born.

Our little burrito baby - one day old.

We brought Isaac home on Saturday, January 31st which really does seem like just yesterday. The Lord has truly blessed us beyond what we ever thought possible by bringing Isaac into our lives and we are so excited to watch him grow and discover all that this life has for him!