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...

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

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

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

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

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!