Just a Quick Note...

I just wanted to write quickly to say that Addison officially started babbling today.  I was changing her diaper and every time I looked away she would coo.  When I would look she would smile and then look away or make other cute little noises, seemingly for my amusement.  This went on for probably 10 minutes.  I wish I had the camera handy.  I'm sure she'll be doing it more.  I have pictures and video that I will try to post soon.  I hope you are all well.

James' Ore to Shore

I did Joel's O2S post the morning Addie was born, so I just realized that I never did Jam's.  Jam did the Littlest Rock first.  It was a 50 yard race.  He did that with his friends Charlie, Lily, Max, Emmy, and Bea.  

After that he did the Little Rock.  That was a 1 mile race that he rode with his daddy.  During this race he got stuck in the parking lot and got really mad and cried because people were able to pass him.  Once he got out of that parking lot he said, "Let's catch 'em!"  He did catch a couple of people and was in a better mood at the end of the race.

This is right when we got to the arena.  He was so scared he was shaking and said he was thinking he didn't want to do the race.

This is the start to the Littlest Rock.  James and Joel are a little to the right of center.  Jam has on his yellow fleece.

James and Joel at the end of the Little Rock.  Jam got to go through the same finish line that daddy did, which was of course a very big deal.

James and Uncle Tony after the race.  We had root beer floats in celebration of both my men doing so well in their races. 

Finally! Photographic Proof of a Smile!

Addison gave Joel her first real smile on Friday night (9/5/08) at dinner time.  Since then we have been spending a ton of time unsuccessfully trying to catch her smiling.  Friday night at like 2 Am she was smiling at me while on the changing table, but obviously we didn't have the camera.  A 2:00 AM diaper change is a ton more pleasant when you get a smile as a thank you.

Last night I thought I was getting ahead of the camera shy little stinker by bringing the camera upstairs.  Unfortunately she then wouldn't smile for either Joel or I.  At that point I  was thinking it may be easier to get footage of Big Foot than Addie smiling.  

Well, this afternoon our persistence payed off.  I held Addison, James made her smile, and Joel got the picture.  She has now officially smiled for all three of us. 

There is nothing in the world better than a smiling baby!

A Little Tummy Time

Addison definitely enjoys Tummy Time more than James did.  Maybe she'll be crawling before 10 months, unlike James.  

James thinks Tummy Time is fun because it's a little like playing and he is already getting impatient for her to be able to play.  Jam was playing with some of his horses on the floor and he told me that, "In a year, Addie will play with the orange and white one and I'll play with the black and grey."   He is going to be really good at sharing I think... thank goodness :)

James and Addison on her new mat from Auntie (and Godmother) Barb.

Sometimes you just feel like sittin' around and pickin' your nose ;)

Both kids very favorite place for tummy time is daddy's tummy!

Below is video of Addie being REALLY active on her mat!

First Day of Preschool

James had his first day of preschool today.  With all the craziness of a new baby I didn't get a hold of the teacher in time for the first day on Tuesday, but from now on he'll be going every Tuesday and Thursday AM.  

When I dropped him off he just took his jacket off and started playing.  After a couple of minutes I said, "OK dude, I'm leaving."  He looked up and said, "OK bye."  He couldn't have cared less.  I was heartbroken.  It was definitely easier for him than for me.  I got a little teary-eyed driving away with just Addie in the car.

When I picked him up the first thing he said was, "I love my school."  He said he played cars with a girl (he couldn't remember any names).  He had cheese sticks and strawberries for snack.  They read a story about a duck riding a bike that runs into a bunch of aminals (how Jam says it).  He also colored a picture of a cow since a cow was one of the things the duck saw.

After rest he went and found his monkey backpack and was ready to go back to school.  I told him he couldn't go back for 4 more days so he spent a good part of the evening filling his backpack with stuff and pretending to go to school.  I am so relieved that he liked it.  It sounds cheesy, but it seems like Jam was just in the little infant car seat that Addison is now in.

Jam standing by my purple willow tree.  He decided that was a good place to take a picture!

James and Mommy happy at the end of preschool.

Where the (Minnesota) Wild Things Are

James found an old Wild outfit that was his when he was a baby so they both had to wear Wild stuff.  I put a pink onesie under the outfit so it would still be girly.  Both kids had super rough days, so I think they took the whole "wild" thing a little too literally :)  Maybe we'll wait a while before we wear them again!

Jam said, "I'm snuggling with Addie like you and me do Mom!"

He gets a little better at holding her every day.