Addie at Grandma Jans

So our wonderful nanny, Nicole is back at school at St. Ben's and summer is coming to an end. This is the beginning of a new chapter for the kids and it's the first time that the two diverge. Since Addie came into this world, Jackson has been by her side every day until now; Jackson is headed off on a new adventure which I will tell you about in another post.

And Addie will now have Grandma Jan to accompany her on her adventure. While Ron and I are off at work Addie is staying with Grandma Jan and Grandpa Joel at their house. We are lucky to be able to keep her out of childcare for a while longer, it allows us to save some cash and for her to get more individual care and attention. Everyone is adjusting well, though I am sad to report that my days without Addie will be longer now as Ron will be the one transporting her in the morning and evening. To make up for it, I stayed home from work a couple of extra Fridays to be with just Addie for some additional time.

Zucchini Bread

Jackson and I made our first loaf of zucchini bread for the season. Jackson really likes to be in the kitchen with me while I'm baking or cooking and sometimes actually does a great job helping. This time he shredded all of the zucchini for the bread. Yum!


He's wearing a giraffe halloween costume that is two sizes too small... I don't ask, I just roll with it.

Play-doh

Sometimes I think Ron and I have more fun perusing the toy aisles more than the boy. We like toys. And I will readily admit that I bought this toy just as much for myself as for Jackson. Fun with Play-doh:

Would you like fries with that burger?

Camping at Lake Elmo

Well we took another camp adventure all the way to Lake Elmo! Along for the ride were: Grandma Pam and Bill, Mell, Terry and Luke, Tinker, Nancy and Malak. We've had some bad luck camping, but this one takes the cake. To begin with I have allergies, I don't like to admit this because I've never had allergies. Well it's time to face facts: whatever is in the air outside in August makes me sneeze and sneeze and then sneeze again. And while I sneeze I itch my poor throbbing eyes.

Things were going pretty smooth, the camper was set up, we'd had dinner and Addie took a bath in the dishpan! After dinner though we had some visitors at our campsite; the good ol' mosquito and friends came out to play and they didn't play fair and in the end we forfeited and went to bed early. After quite the task of getting kids to sleep in 90 degree temperatures with high humidity, we woke in the morning and got a good start to the day, however my allergies were getting worse. We enjoyed a bike ride, ate some snacks and headed to the beach. We had a lovely time swimming and the kids were great.

At this point I had made many runs back and forth to the bathroom with Jackson, which was a block away. Sometimes I would run with him in my arms, sometimes I would bike him down in the trailer, sometimes my mom or Ron would take him. Sometimes he would make it in time, sometimes he would not... wait... I think more often than not... he wouldn't make it. Oh wait, let's clarify: he never made it!

At 5:30 pm on Saturday night we were plum out of underwear or pants for the boy. We were frustrated, sneezing parents and had already decided that we would leave after bonfire that night. And then he pooped. He pooped and we packed up the camper.

We got kids in the car, hitched up the trailer, said our sad goodbyes and off we went, looking forward to our air-conditioned house and beds. While Addie screamed (too tired and hungry) Jackson fell asleep before we even left the park.

Thump, Thump, Thump!!! What the hell is that???

A flat tire.

You have got to be kidding me.

You're not?

Damn.

Flat tire.

We pull over and while the sun beats down on him, Ron works to change our flat tire on the trailer (without a jack). I hold a screaming Addie. Wait, she's screaming AND grunting.

Lovely. The girl has pooped.

So I change a stinky diaper and Ron finishes the tire change.

P-I-C-K-L-E

The Birthday Girl

We had a glorious day for Addie's first birthday party... the weather could not have been better, breezy and sunny. Addie started the party off well in her pink tutu dress with flower petals inside, she welcomed family from both sides:

Bumpa, Grandma Pam, Bill, Nancy, Tinker, Donnie, Candy, Mell, Terry, Josh, Lisa, Luke, Dame, Tasha, Grandma Jan, Great Grandpa Kolar, Jim, Steve, Kathy, Mike, June, Linda and Chris.

We served up Jimmy Johns for dinner (thanks cousin Dame!)and had a beautiful cake. Addie ate the large chocolate cake set in front of her like it was nothing. She was neither surprised that she had a cake to herself or bothered to share with her brother. She was however, sad when it was taken away!

I'm one year old!