Nuh-Night

Tonight Aaron had just gotten Addalyn's pajamas on, and we were all sitting on the floor...I said something about going "Nuh-Night" to her, and she replied by saying in the sweetest little voice "nuh-night" and then taking her bear and started walking toward the hall way.  Aaron and I looked at each other and smiled, then followed her (and I grabbed the camera) as she said "nuh-night" a couple more times as she walked straight to her crib. 

I snapped this picture right as she approached her crib.  She then turned around and looked at Aaron as if to say, "pick me up and put me to bed, daddy"

Aaah, she is just such a precious little girl!

Oh, for the LOVE of shoes!

So I've mentioned before that Addalyn loves shoes.  Well, we just got some shoes from our neighbor that her daughter has outgrown - and there is this one pair that Addy LOVES!  She will find them and want to wear them around...so the other night we took some pics of her in her shoes and PJ's.  Such a goofy girl.  But as I have said before...she is sooooo my girl when it comes to the shoe-loving thing!

I mean really, can life get much better than having a cute pair of shoes?

Cuddling with the warm sheets that just came out of the dryer!

Just having my bedtime snack with my shoes

Reliving my pregnancy with Addalyn

So I'm 32 weeks today...and I've had a few people tell me how different I look this pregnancy vs. Addalyn.  They say I'm carrying lower...but I was carrying pretty low with Addy - I decided to look back at my 32 week post when I was pregnant with Addalyn, and something tells me I'm looking pretty similar...what do you think?

31 weeks & 4 days with baby 2!  (I know, a similar pic was posted in my last post...sorry!)

32 weeks with Addalyn

One thing that is much longer, is my hair!  Other than that...I'm feeling and looking about the same as far as I can tell.  I'd love to hear your thoughts!

31 weeks

Last Thursday I was 31 weeks - and I realized I hadn't taken a picture since around 26 weeks.

Things have been going pretty good this pregnancy -- can't complain! I had the glucose testing a few weeks ago, and all went well. The baby's heart rate is still in the 150s at the appointments...

I can't tell if this pregnancy is different or not - I feel like it is the same but people tell me that I look different, so who knows. I have taken about 5 different "gender predictor" quizzes online where you answer questions and based on the answers it determines whether you are having a boy or a girl. They all pretty much say girl with an 80% chance...and Aaron is pretty convinced he's having another little girl --- so maybe we'll be covered in pink again!

But, if you go by the Chinese Calendar, it says boy :)

The heat has been starting to get to me a little - I pretty much think it is hot all the time at home. The office at work this summer has been really cold (60's) and everyone is pretty much freezing...but I have been feeling just on the 'tad' cold side, so I'm not uncomfortable like others!

I haven't gotten too swollen yet - can still see my ankles, although I can definitely see it in my face and toes...just the look of them, not like they look SUPER puffy - but I notice the difference. I have been able to still wear my wedding ring. I looked back at older posts to see when I couldn't wear it anymore with Addalyn, and it was right around now. I actually had to have it resized after Addy because it was still too tight for me about 3 months after she was born, so it probably makes sense that it is fitting a little longer this time around!

This pregnancy is FLYING by - I can't believe I'm already less than 10 weeks away from my due date. I'm pretty confident I'll be going over like I did with Addalyn. I was talking to my doctor and the day that I would probably get induced would be on Monday, October 25th because they have a 10 day overdue policy before inducing, and 10 days would be on a Sunday, so more than likely it'd be scheduled for that Monday. If that happened this baby and Holly Sue (our niece on Aaron's side) would share a birthday - I'm pretty sure that Holly would think that was SUPER exciting!! I think she'd love sharing a birthday with her little cousin :)

Splishing and Splashing

We've been trying to do lots of swimming time this summer with Addalyn. I was a fish when I was little, pretty much at the pool from the moment it opened until the moment it closed every day in the summer - so I love to take Addy in the water at every opportunity we can.

For Addy's birthday, she got a swimming pool for our deck from the Scheel's - plus a water table from me and Aaron. The first time we tried to put her in the pool, she wasn't so sure if it even though she LOVES her bath...but when we put the water table in the pool - she was much more comfortable!

I would recommend a water table for ANYONE with little ones...it provide lots of entertainment for Addalyn in the evenings...some nights we are putting her into her P.J.'s early or having her run around in a diaper for a little while because she has drenched herself from her table - but she loves it!

When we were at my parents cabin over the 4th - we took her in the water where she couldnt' just sit on her own for the first time. The VERY first time we took her in, we were actually out in the middle of our lake with my family on the pontoon, all jumping off and relaxing. But, I didnt' have my camera for that event. My mom has pictures for me though :) She wasn't so sure of it at first, but then she relaxed after I talked to her and sang her some songs...and then she was just very calm in the water.

This picture is right off the dock at my cabin - but the same weekend!

We also went for boat rides a lot over the weekend...this one is when Addy and I were spotters for the tubers that we were pulling...we had just gotten done with some swimming!

The next time I attempted to put her in the pool on the deck - she was LOVING it and splishing and splashing!

We also have taken Addalyn to Family Swim at the Pine Island pool. On Sunday's they open the pool from 5 to 6:30 for families - where the kids can bring floaties, their life jackets, etc...which you can't do during normal business hours. She had lots of fun here too, floating in her toy, hanging out with daddy in the deep end with her life jacket and floating on her tummy/back also :)



I really wish we could take her swimming more...it is lots of fun! I'm hoping to try and find one more trip to the cabin this summer - and maybe another trip to a larger pool before it starts getting too cold for swimming :)

Not for the Weak-Stomached!

CALLING ALL SUGGESTIONS ----- PLEASE!!!!

I mentioned in my last post that little Addy got carsick. The poor little girl has gotten sick twice since my post. Therefore, in July she's thrown up in the car FOUR times. I feel so bad for her, but she really has acted just fine after it happens, and even before, it isn't like she's crying and necessarily acting like she doesn't feel good for a long time before it all of a sudden comes.

Anyone know of some good remedies I could try? I was notorious for getting car sick on the way to my cabin when I was little, and still can't read or sometimes even be in the back of cars, so I know she gets this from me. But she's so little - I don't know how to stop it from happening...I know there are medications out there, but she might be too little for them. I plan on checking with our doctor at her 15 month check-up.

I will say though, the story does have sort've a funny side. I thought I had a weak stomach - but OH MY GOSH does Aaron EVER have a weak stomach. I can't help but laugh!!!! More to the story below...

So Addy and I had an incident on the way to my parents cabin when Aaron wasn't with us, and I had told him I wasn't sure how I handled it so well. I told him I probably would've thrown up if I had him to rely on, because I have a pretty weak stomach. Well, I may have thrown up, but one thing I can count on for sure - Aaron would've thrown up for sure!!!

Case in point: Aaron was bringing Addy to daycare last Wednesday morning...seriously they hadn't been driving for more than 3 miles (which is weird that she got 'car sick' - but she really was fine after that, although we had to keep her home from daycare). Aaron said Addy was quiet in the backseat when all of a sudden she starts saying "uh oh" over and over again. And then she throws up. In the meantime, Aaron pulls over and tries to get her out of the seat - and he throws up.

I had posted something about it on Facebook, and for those of you not familiar w/ the website...people can comment on your posts. Well, one of my friends had jokingly said "toughen up Aaron" - and to which Aaron commented this:

"So picture this...Addy and I pulled over in a parking lot, cars going by, Daddy hanging onto his knees launching in a parking lot trying to help Addy get out of the puke saturated seat she is sitting in. Every time I go to grab her my hands slither around the puke and I have ho again. Finally get her out as she is crying, me taking her clothes down to nothing still standing in the parking lot with cars going by...pretty sweet"

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I really shouldn't laugh at my husband, but when I read this - I laughed out loud to myself. The thing that makes it more funny to me, is that it doesn't end there, because at home later in the morning he attempted to take the car seat out of the truck, which caused him to throw up again...

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...and THEN - as he was attempting to take the cloth covering off the seat so I could wash it (side note - I offered to do it for him so he wouldn't throw up) he threw up again - THIS TIME IN OUR GARBAGE BIN IN THE GARAGE. Ugh, seriously! So, I tell him that needs to be cleaned up...and - well, you get the gist. The chain of events just keep coming!!! I think from her one incident in Aaron's truck, Aaron threw up 5 times - no joke!

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We had another incident of her throwing up this past Saturday, where Aaron was actually in the back seat with her because we were driving with the Scheel's - and as you can imagine, I couldn't hardly get the car over quick enough for him to get out :)

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We all know what I'll be doing when I have sick kids in the future - looks like I'm going to be the solo parent in that department!

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Anyway - the reason for my post is obviously to get suggestions - but I couldn't help but share Aaron's story that goes along with Addy's car-sickness. And, I don't think Aaron minds my sharing, considering he posted that comment above to facebook, which has access to more people than my blog does :)

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In regards to Addalyn, I'm not sure what to do. Before July, she had no problems.

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Any ideas that you guys have, I'd love to hear them! Let me know!!!

A bridge, an island, a wedding, baseball, and some carsickness :)

We spent last weekend on a mini-vacation in Michigan. Aaron's cousin Vanessa got married in Gaylord, MI - which is about an hour south of the Mackinac bridge that connects the Upper Peninsula to lower Michigan. I was very excited for this, because I've never been anywhere other than Aaron's hometown area in the U.P., so I was excited to see other areas of the region!

The trip one-way takes about 10 hours, so we decided to break things up a bit. We drove 6.5 hours Thursday night to Escanaba, MI and stayed over...got up and drove 2.5 hours to the bridge (my first time crossing it!) and parked in Mackinaw City to take a boat over to Mackinac Island for the day.

The Mackinac Bridge (this pic is taken from the island)

Poor little Addy threw up literally as we were pulling into the parking lot of Shepler's - which is the boat that took us to the island. Her timing with throwing up is quite great these days (another blog to come on that entire topic!)...but it is for certain that poor little Addy gets car sick. But, she was a super happy little girl after she got that nasty feeling out of her tummy.

But...Aaron and I were a little nervous about the boat ride that we were about to take considering the waters can make people sick...and she had just thrown up...so we had her wear her bib on the boat just in case!

About to take the ride to the island...as you can see, she's a happy girl now that the 'icky's' were out of her tummy! The bib in the pic makes me laugh!

Approaching the Island

Mackinac Island is VERY cool/unique. No motorized vehicles are allowed on it, so it seems as though you are stepping into the "Olden Days". Your only options were to walk, bike, or ride the horse-drawn carriages to where you wanted to go. We mainly did some walking - but we did rent bikes for about an hour to go to another area of the island and also biked the main area from one end to the other.

There is so much to do that we have already talked about going back when we are done having kids and they are all old enough to ride bikes. With Addy's age - we couldn't see all that we were interested in, but that was okay with us because we didn't have a ton of time to spend there anyway.

Walking, biking, or horses! This is a picture of the main area

We rode our bikes to Arch Rock - which was about a mile from the main area. Addy didn't really nap that day, but she managed to take a quick snooze on our trip to Arch Rock. She had fallen asleep in the stroller when we were in line to rent bikes...and we were able to transfer her with no issues!

Just taking a little snooze in the bike cart...she looks pretty comfy!

Arch Rock - geologists believe this is made from water/ice passing through the rocks thousands of years ago. I did read on the island that there is an Indian Legend that this was caused by tears of a maiden whose father forbid her to be with the person she loved...

Getting ready to leave Arch Rock! As you can see in the background, the road to get there provided us with some nice lakeside viewing, as it was right along the shore of Lake Huron.

Prego mommy on a bike! I was a little nervous about riding around, but wanted to take advantage of the place we were at, so that is why we decided to rent them for an hour!


Checking out the ducks below, waiting to get back on the boat to go back to Mackinaw City. Next destination: Gaylord, MI - only a 1 hour drive from where we were!

Alex and Vanessa got married on a resort with 81 holes - it is known for its golfing (Treetops Resort). They got married overlooking one of the golf courses - the scenery was very beautiful!

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The view from our seats for the ceremony

The 'Minnesota' Anderson's before the ceremony!

Alex and Vanessa facing us during a reading...Vanessa looked BEAUTIFUL! We are very happy for them. Congrats Guys!

Quincy (Alex and Vanessa's little guy!) giving Addy a hug on the dance floor :) Too Cute

Addalyn was really good at the ceremony and the reception. She LOVED dancing and being on the dance floor. If she would get up the courage to let go of our hands and walk on her own...she would've been ALL OVER that dance floor. She was having so much fun.

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Look at that smile!

Who needs to dance on their feet? Crawling around and bobbing my head to the music is fun too!

Ironically, our nephew Jeffrey was also playing in the Little League State Tournament that weekend in Gaylord. So, we got to see him play on Sunday before we left town. His team lost the game we watched, but Jeffrey did really good (from my perspective, I don't think I am too biased!). He got a really nice hit that got him to 2nd base (sorry, I'm not good on my baseball lingo!) - and did really good defensively when the coaches had him playing outfield. So proud of him and very happy we got to see him play!

#7 on 2nd base :)

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After his game, we started our trip back to MN. We stopped again in Mackinaw City and had lunch with Aaron's family, and walked around for just a little while with his sisters (oh yeah, and purchased some fudge!). From there we drove 4.5 hours to Green Bay, where we stayed at Aaron's uncle Gary's and Aunt Sue's house. We didn't arrive there until about 7:30 at night, and we still had 4.5 hours to go, so it was very nice to break up the ride.

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We got to see Aaron's cousin Derek, who couldn't make it to the wedding, and his wife Amy and their kids Tyler (2) and Cooper (4 weeks old!). Little Cooper is a cutie-pie, and Oh My Goodness Tyler is a RIOT! He is too cute! He had some very quick one-liners that I wish I had my video-camera to record, because me trying to tell you about them would not do them justice!

We did get some good blackmale photos of Tyler and Addy in the bath. But I'm only putting one on here...where Ty was scrubbing Addalyn's back. Seriously, too cute!

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We got up early Monday morning to finish our trip back to MN. As always, it is a great time and goes too quickly - but we are happy to have had the time we did with the Anderson family :)