Its Pumpkin Time!

Our little ballerina/princess had a great Halloween day. She was so excited to take out her monster bucket and go trick or treat she could hardly stand it. Luckily for us, we were able to distract her with her pretty skirt and other activities during the day before we really had to deal with it. Myla has been singing in a children choir with her BFF and they did a little song today. It was cute with all the kids in costume. Myla didn't really sing, but she got up there which, frankly, was more than I expected. After they sang their song, Myla stood up and her pretty skirt fell right off her waist and on to the floor. She just laughed - it was classic.

Myla had her three year check up with the doctor this week. She's looking great he said, measuring in at 32.5 inches tall and a whopping 23 pounds. We can finally turn her carseat around! (Just kidding, she's been forward facing for awhile, but if she's supposed to be 20 pounds before you do it...) Really, she passed with flying colors on all the little parts of the exam.

Check in for baby coming on Tuesday, just really to make sure that my blood pressure is where its supposed to be. When we were in the doctor with Myla, he was pushing on her tummy and he said "what do you have in that tummy?" And Myla responded with "a baby." And yesterday after breakfast she had me say hi to the baby in her tummy before she said hi to the baby in mine. I think she understands a little more than I thought...

How old!?

Three today! Holy moly, how did that happen!? We had a little family birthday party for her yesterday and she was so excited for it. When we went for the plates and such in the morning, she kept telling me, "and I need balloons and presents too." In fact, when A2 came in with both the balloons and presents, Myla said "may I have one of those presents?" She made out like a bandit again this year, books and clothes and games and stuffed animals. She loved seeing all the family - and great grandparents too! But perhaps, in out little bug's mind, the best part was...

The duck cake! Uncle Scott's girlfriend has a brother that is a chef and was therefore recruited to make a duck cake. We had grand plans last year to make her one and it didn't happen, but this year, she got it. She walked in and was smitten. She was still talking about it today, in fact.

Today, Myla and I spent a little bit of time just hanging out (since, again, she didn't want to nap) and we spent some time in a furniture store looking for chairs for our sitting/play room. She was awesome in the store and took to calling me mommy-pony in homage to her little pony that came with us. And so, for the rest of the day, there was daddy-pony and Haley-dog-pony and Myla-pony. She was so much fun to be with and even though I found myself looking at her remembering and comparing, she made me laugh too. She made me thankful for the seven-millionth time for all that we have and had to come through. And excited for our third year and what it will hold!

Its fall!

Although you'd never know it with the up and down of the temperatures... But that doesn't stop us from enjoying the crunchy leaves, the colors on the trees and the warm days that let us get outside. Myla is having a great time, but still ready for the snow. She asks Johnny all the time "do you want to play in the snow with me?" She's also quick to say "but first, we need to put our boots on." Lets slow down a bit kiddo, enjoy the warm days just a little bit longer...

I think Myla has been testing out this turning three thing. She's been protesting the idea of naps and has started asking the why questions. But why do you want me to lay down mommy? But why is sun going down? Her birthday party is this Saturday - its hard to believe that she's three. Tonight she told Johnny, "I'm not your baby, I'm a big girl." So, there you go.

We had a check in with the doctor on Tuesday and baby girl is growing just fine so far. She's right where she should be they tell us. We've also started going every two weeks, so if something changes, we will know quick. Which only reinforces the idea to me that we have to get painting!

This is my sister. She is - in a word - awesome. When we were growing up, we were pretty different. But I remember when we moved down into the basement into separate rooms and we devised a plan with flashlights to say things after the lights had gone out. Or when we tried to learn sign language so we could talk without saying anything. And in high school, I was pretty proud to say that my sister was the best diver on our swim team. I would drive up to Minnesota when we were in college to see her in gymnastics meets and to cheer her on because she was fun to watch. In college, if anyone called me after 9:00, it was my sister. My sister gave an amazing maid of honor speech at my wedding that still makes me cry. She was there every day I was in the hospital with Myla. She's brilliant and cute and an amazing aunt. She has taken a day a week for the past two summers and taken Myla to gymnastics and swimming and they just have a great time. Myla loves to see her A2 - she knows her car and usually runs to give her a hug when she sees her. And its not because she goes on these enviable trips and brings Myla back fun presents - its because my sister is that awesome.

We found out that Myla will be having a baby sister. I am so excited for Myla to have the same kind of person in her life that I have in mine. I know there will be fights. I know the little sister will annoy her sometimes. I know that when Myla starts to drive she will say "do I have to take her?" But I also know that there will be times when she is so proud of her little sister. I know that she will love her in a way that only sisters can love each other. And I know that she will be thankful to have a sister in her life.

I'm thankful for my brother too - but that's a different post.

A good day for what?

When I woke up this morning, I thought, let's get out of the house today. Johnny will be sleeping anyway. So I made a plan with myself that we were going to the zoo. After all, only one more month until Myla has to pay to go! So I went in, got her dressed and said "lets go to the zoo!" She was very excited, and then I opened the blinds. Rain. Clouds. NOT the 85 degree day I had heard about. But, once you say you're going to do it to Myla, there's no turning back. And so, to the zoo we went!

It actually turned out to be perfect. We got rock star parking, it didn't rain, the clouds cleared and we got there early enough to beat the crowds. There were animals out playing and we got first row seats to the polar bear, the kangaroos and the elephants. And Myla got to feed some birds, which she thought was so fun! We left just as the day started to get hot and the crowds started to come.

The house is coming together slowly, but some of the more major things are getting done. Which is good, because in about a month we are throwing a birthday party - for a three year old!

Preemie Reunion

Today was the annual preemie reunion. Myla picked out a pretty dress - as she loves to do for big things like that - and was all decked out in pink. She even carried a little pink purse with her. It was fun to see all the nurses and few friends that we met while she was growing those first nine weeks. The nurses were saying how they remember her and exactly where she was in the NICU. This year we also got to see our primary nurse Jan and Myla even ran to give her a hug, which was very sweet to see. Surprising because she doesn't readily hand out hugs, but very sweet.

Myla also got her first face paint. I thought it was kind of funny that she picked a blue octopus. Here she is, all excited about wearing her pretty pink dress, she has a pink pig sticker, pink shoes, pink purse - and a blue octopus on her cheek. Just goes to show what an unpredictable little girl she can be. She sat really still and was very proud of it. So much so that she didn't want to take a nap before she showed a sleeping daddy. Wait, she didn't nap after that either...

So the nights are getting chillier and we've pulled out the long sleeve jammies. Its a good thing Myla has so many clothes (hand-me-downs rock!) so that we can go between the warmer than expected days and the beginning of fall days. We're going to have fun crunching in the leaves this year!

3..2..1.. We're live!

Well, we did it - moved and no where near being unpacked. But - we got the computer up so we can finally update those that might be interested in the goings-on 'round here...

The move took a long time. I admit, we weren't as packed as we needed to be in order to move all of our stuff. Family was indispensable and helped us do a lot. On our first night in the new house, Myla changed over to a "big girl bed" which she promptly fell out of twice. We were loaned a great "transition" bed that luckily isn't too far off the floor. Since then, she's gotten the hang of it, and knows that you can get in and out as much as you want. (Until mom got smart, and went the old fashioned way. Yep, I bribed her to stay in her bed.)

So now, we are unpacking box by box. (Don't come look in our garage.) The house is big, but not as big as I thought it would feel like. And the floor boards squeak just enough that I can tell where Myla is - a nice little plus. The dog is enjoying the large deck and the fact that the squirrels have to go across the fence because there is no wire for them to sneak by on. The neighbors are awesome and the neighborhood is quiet. Its a good house. But no, no pictures yet. I've just started to get the painting bug, so its all going to change anyway.

Other than that, life goes on. We found out that we're going to have another baby in (hopefully) March. Myla is getting used to that idea and will even tell you what room is baby's and where baby will sit at the dinner table. We had a fun time at an annual fiesta that my family has with another where Myla got a nice little shiner from walking in front of a swing. Next up, we get to go to the preemie reunion this Saturday. Always fun to show Myla off there. Ok, anywhere - she's pretty cute!