Back to School!

Back to School

Back to Daycare for Andy and First Day of Daycare for Aaron

Yum! I like corn on the cob!

May I have some corn too?

Off to the Football game...

Toes, toes, toes...

Cheese!

Bubble Machine fun with cousin Jack!

Catch the bubbles!

Bubbles make a soapy table!

Bubbles make good shampoo!

Yum! Elephant ears!

Gym time!

Big Boy outfit!

I'm hungry for cereal and bananas!

Where is it?

8 Months Old & Update

Yeah...that's right, I'm 8 months old!

Greetings! It is so hard to believe that our little guy is now 8 months old. Andy has been standing up with minimal assistance, babbles non-stop, rolls all over, "scoots" around the room on his behind, and wants to crawl. He is so much fun! Everyday after work, I rush to day care to pick him because I enjoy being with him so much. Andy loves day care and being around the other three kids. Andy also began a swim class on Sunday afternoons and loves that as well.

The graduate students I teach are in their final semester, so I have been very busy reading/editing their final thesis papers (journal articles). I will be applying for another go-around, so wish me luck. I have amazing freshman students on my case load this year at my other passion of teaching high school special education. It is a very diverse group of young adults with varying intense special needs ranging from autism to cerebral palsy.

Here are some recent photos of our little guy:

Is this Clifford the Big Red Crustacean?

This lobster makes a great pillow!

(Jack, hope you like your orange one.)

First day back to day care!

Passed out after swim class...

Off to a Labor Day Picnic...

Look at me! I can stand up!

What? There are frogs all of my pajamas?

(Thanks Aunt Amy, Uncle Nick, and Cousin Jack)

Update Chrislaw Road

Well, I am adjusting to going back to work. My students really missed me...so they say. Andy loves day care and hanging out with the other kids. Grant is busy with work and coaching HS girls soccer.

This weekend, Amy, Nick, and Jack were in town from Minneapolis. I had the State Forensics (Speech) Tournament on Friday night, so I was unable to hang out with them, Grandpa Roy, Andy, and Grant. I did get to see them on Saturday at Grant's Mom's side of the family "Holiday Party in April".

On Sunday, our church had a baby shower for all of the new babies that have been born and the babies that will be born in the near future. It was a fun time. The six families all received gifts and a gift card to Target. The generosity was amazing! We are very thankful for everything!

This weekend, Andy and I are off to Woodstock, IL to visit Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Sue, and Cousin Jacob. Grant is attending a Football Clinic, so he will be unable to join us. Stay tune for photos from the trip to Woodstock...

This baby shower stuff is cool!

My Dad was so worried about the possiblity of rain at his soccer tournament that he forgot to pack sunscreen...

So, what's new?

"Wonder Twin" powers activate...

...form of a farmer baby!

3 Months Old!

On Wednesday, April 9th, Andy turned 3 months old. We learned from our baby books that he is no longer considered a newborn. He is now considered an infant. Wow! Our little guy is growing up too fast! I started back to teaching (high school special education) on Monday. Grant is home with Andy on Mondays. Tuesday through Friday, Andy goes to our friend Amy's house for day care. Amy stays home with her daughter and runs a small day care out of her home. Andy is having a great time at day care and enjoys being around the other kids.

What, I have to go to day care?

I'm not sure about that.

Day care was cool!

Fish face, fish face, fish face...

I'm an infant now!

Hanging with the family

Sunday, February 10th, Grandma Mary, Grandpa John, and Cousin Jacob came to visit us from Woodstock, IL (home of the 1993 film, "Groundhog Day"). Aunt Sue stayed with us later that week as well. That was sure fun! We sure appreciate all of them making the 2 hour drive one way every time they visit us. In a month or two, we will have to venture down to see them. The downtown square is a great place to check out if you are ever in the area.

Jacob & Andy

This past weekend, Aunt Amy and Cousin Jack came to visit from Minneapolis, MN. The two of them, along with Grandpa Roy, had dinner at our house Friday night.

Amy, Jack, Andy, & Grant

On Saturday, I headed off to facilitate the Kettle Moraine Learning Community Masters degree program. Grant and Andy hung out at home all day and then went out to dinner with Amy, Jack, Roy, Aunt Janet, and Uncle Pat at the Claddagh Irish Pub in Middleton. After class, I met up with all of them at Roy's house for dessert.

Aunt Janet & Andy

My co-facilitator and I ended up canceling class for Sunday, so I was able to spend the day with guys!

Weekend Work

Some of you may know that in addition to teaching high school special education at Lodi High School , I also am an associate lecturer/facilitator for the UW-LaCrosse Masters in Education-Learning Community Program. There are satellite communities all over the state of Wisconsin. Currently, I facilitate the Kettle Moraine Learning Community Masters' degree program one weekend a month. My learners have entered their 3rd semester of a 4-semester program. This weekend all of the facilitators were required to attend the annual February Weekend Retreat in Madison. I choose to ease back into work and only attend Friday night, Saturday afternoon, and Sunday morning. Leaving Andy and Grant at home Friday night was tough, but once I was at the retreat, I quickly transformed from new mommy to facilitator. Saturday was a little bit easier to leave the guys at home.

By Sunday, the sleep deprivation got the best of me and I could not wait to get home to rest and hang out with the guys. (Maybe I over did it just a little bit...I did just give birth to Andy a little over 3-weeks ago.) :)

I did get to see the first quarter of the Super Bowl along with the commercials (the real reason I watch the Super Bowl), however, for the rest of the game I entered "Sleepville". My next class is the weekend of February 16-17, so hopefully, I will be stronger by then. Until then, I will continue to enjoy my maternity leave from LHS with Andy. Below are more photos:

Power to the people!

This is the life...