Few More Weeks Down...Lots To Go

I have not written since right after Independence Day. We haven't been too busy, mainly just passing the days with lots of family time. We have started the unfamiliar task of disciplining a toddler. Noelle has taken to Time Out and when threatened she will put herself in the corner! I guess that is a good sign that she understands what it is. Every time she does it I just want to pick her up and give her tons of hugs and kisses because of the extreme sweetness she exhibits.

I am now fourteen weeks along in my pregnancy. Basically that means my first trimester is over and the nausea and fatigue should start to subside. While at my last doctor's appointment we pretty much decided that this baby will be delivered by cesarean section. A few factors helped make the decision, the biggest one being the doctor said it was the best decision in my case! I'm a little nervous about the recovery, but I know that I can handle it with the help of family and friends.

Aunt Charlotte came to stay with us from Wednesday until Friday of last week. She was on break from her school. Of course, instead of a fun relaxing visit she had to get an eye infection and we had to take her to the doctor and get that taken care of! She did end up watching Noelle so Tom and I could see a movie. We saw Transformers and loved it.

Last Saturday, Tom's Dad came to visit for the day. Noelle was way more cranky than she normally is and I'm not even sure why. It was nice for her to be in her own environment and I think that helped combat her crabbiness. We grilled for lunch and have yummy Mancino's Grinders for dinner. It was really a great visit and Noelle loved reading books Grandpa and having him around for the day!

On Monday, this week Noelle and I visited my Grandparents in St. Clair. We haven't seen them since they left for Florida in the early fall. We stayed for a few hours and Noelle loved watching the boats go by on the river.

Zeus decided this week that he wanted to have an ear infection! I took him to the vet on Tuesday and we found out that he weighs 78 pounds! I also booked him some obedience classes that start in mid August. He listens fairly well, until he is distracted then you can yell at the top of your lungs and his ears seem to stop working! Next Tuesday he gets his "manhood" taken away and that will be an interesting time for him.

Well that has been the last few weeks for us. Next week I venture up to Alpena for a few days and will return will lots of pictures from my good friend's baby shower! Wish me luck on the long drive, alone, with Noelle.

Fourth of July and Fun Times At The Zoo!

I hope everyone had a fabulous Independence Day! We didn't do too much for the Holiday. Being so far way from family makes it very difficult. Noelle is too young to go to the fireworks as she goes to bed around 7:30pm! We did go to our local Adrian Mall and walk around to get some exercise and for a change of scenery. After the sun set we could hear fireworks in the distance and decided to step outside. Fortunately, we could see very clearly just over the trees the Adrian fireworks. I think the best way to enjoy fireworks is at your own house with the one you love! It was a very fitting ending to a wonderful Fourth of July! Last year at this time we were on our Alaskan Cruise and it was something we will always remember, this year was not as exciting, but what can compare to Alaska? Here are two pictures one from a year ago, in Alaska, and the other one is this year, with the same hat on!

Today, we went to the Toledo Zoo! Tom took today and tomorrow off of work and the Zoo just seemed like such a fun trip with a toddler in tow! After we woke up we got ready quickly and headed out. Luckily, it's only about a 40 minute drive for us and we arrived just after they opened. We stayed for about two and a half hours, visiting almost everything. Noelle really enjoyed all the animals and making the appropriate noises to go along with most of them! There were times when the animal crackers I brought to snack on were of more interest than some other things, but who can turn down the great taste of animal crackers?! They have a children's zoo with goats that Noelle did enjoy brushing and petting. After a few hours we were getting very sticky and dark clouds were rolling in. We decided to head towards the entrance and as we got there light showers started to cool us. We had to stop at the gift shop and get a few souvenirs. Noelle chose a giraffe and tiger stuffed animals, which were clutched tightly in her arms the rest of time!

Pictures

Some weekend pictures to enjoy...

Noelle's first orange push pop!

Chasing Bubbles!

Fun Times At Gladwin!

Wednesday morning Noelle and I woke up a bit early and started our drive up to Gladwin. The three hour drive is really not bad at all, since we are used to the five hour drive up to Petoskey! Noelle was very good in the car, even though she does not have the luxury of any DVD players, poor Noelle! She is so used to making trips that she just sits in her car seat and watches the scenery, and sometimes falls asleep! I couldn't resist snapping this picture of her sleeping, while I was driving. Notice the kitty cat and "night-night" grasped tightly in each arm!

We arrived in Gladwin around noon. Beautiful warm, sunny weather welcomed us. My little brother was staying with my Aunt so we were able to spend time with him as well. Noelle loved looking outside at the lake saying "wa-wa" over and over. We finally took her down to the water and Uncle Alex took her for a swim. She has never been in water deeper than she is, so I was a bit apprehensive as to how she would enjoy it but being the water baby that she is, she loved it! She kicked like a pro swimmer and submerged her little head under too!


When Noelle was covered in goosebumps and her lips started to turn a shade similar to a plum, it was time to get out of the "wa-wa". Of course we were met with some screaming opposition, but such is life! We let Noelle play with a bucket of slightly warmer water and some cups on the deck the rest of the day! After dinner we went up to a little local store for some ice cream. The Sugar Shack thinks of a single ice cream cone as a means to see how much ice cream they can possibly stack until it almost falls down! I can't even imagine the double! Noelle learned very quickly how to say "ice cream" and savored every spoonful I gave her. She had a better liking towards Uncle Alex's peanut butter chocolate than my raspberry sorbet, but for some odd reason Alex was not all about baby slobber all over his ice cream! What a poor sport!

Thursday, was a bit cooler and we stayed until about 1:30pm. In the morning we didn't do much outside, just enjoyed the beautiful condo and let Noelle play with Uncle Alex and Desmond. It was a wonderful quick get-a-way and I think we both wish Da-da was there with us! Maybe next time!

Morning Sickness and Not Much Else...

The past week has been pretty uneventful. I continue to have some pretty bad morning sickness, that usually hits in the evenings. I know it's a blessing in disguise, so I try my best to suck it up and focus on Noelle's beautiful face, knowing that I am creating another cutie!

Noelle reached the big 18 month mark on June 21st. I still can't believe that in another six months she is going to be 2! Her vocabulary keeps expanding and we have introduced the "potty". She tells us when she does do anything in her diaper so we decided to slowly try some potty training. Throughout the day she sits on the little toilet. She hasn't actually done anything yet but we hope it happens soon. The toilet we bought actually plays music when the child does use it and we are hoping that the excitement of that will entice her to go more. Ever since telling Noelle that mommy has a baby in her belly so loves to kiss my belly and point at it and say "baby". She also has taken a lot of interest in her baby dolls, wanting to wrap them up in blankets and feed them whatever food she is snacking on.

Tomorrow Noelle and I are heading up to Gladwin, Mi to visit my Aunt Judy at her condo. We are only staying for one night but it will be nice to be on a lake and just relax for a day. I promise to have lots of pictures from our visit. Until then here are some pics of Noelle:

Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there. Here are a few quotes I found and liked!

"Anyone can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a DADDY!"

"To be a successful father . . . there's one absolute rule: when you have a kid, don't look at it for the first two years." -- Ernest Hemingway

"Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope." ~Bill Cosby

"Father! - to God himself we cannot give a holier name." ~William Wordsworth

"A father is always making his baby into a little woman. And when she is a woman he turns her back again." ~Enid Bagnold

"A father carries pictures where his money used to be." ~Author Unknown

"When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years. " ~Mark Twain, "Old Times on the Mississippi" Atlantic Monthly, 1874

"Old as she was, she still missed her daddy sometimes." ~Gloria Naylor

"There's something like a line of gold thread running through a man's words when he talks to his daughter, and gradually over the years it gets to be long enough for you to pick up in your hands and weave into a cloth that feels like love itself." ~John Gregory Brown, Decorations in a Ruined Cemetery, 1994

"Never raise your hand to your kids. It leaves your groin unprotected." ~Red Buttons

"Dad, your guiding hand on my shoulder will remain with me forever." ~Author Unknown

Long Time

It's been a long time since I last posted and we have been pretty busy. We recently found out that we are expecting another little Roehrig to join our family!! My due date is January 20, 2008 and at my nine week appointment this past week the baby had a very strong heartbeat and everything looks wonderful! I have been a little more tired than usual and during the evenings very nauseated, but I welcome every pregnancy symptom because that is a good sign all is well. As many of you know we have been trying very hard for a while and we feel very blessed and extremely excited about this baby. I showed Noelle the picture of the ultrasound and told her that this is our new baby in my belly. She grabbed the picture and gave it a big kiss! Hopefully that is a good inclination that she is going to be a very loving and accepting older sister.

The first weekend in June we spent celebrating Grandpa Roehrig's 55th birthday. All of Tom's family got together and had a big BBQ. It was a lot of fun and we finally got to see our new little niece Macy Isabella Marie Roehrig, born in March, not to mention other family we haven't seen in a while. Noelle really enjoyed pointing at Macy and saying "baby" over and over. Surprisingly, she was very interested in her. Also, while we were there Tom was able to wash his car outside. For some odd reason it is something he really enjoys and looks forward to. Noelle, being an extreme water lover, had to be right in the middle helping out. We gave her a bucket and the hose and much fun was had. Here are some pictures to enjoy of the weekend!

This week my good friend Stacy Zbytowski and her son, Jacob, came to stay with us. We stayed busy during the week visiting a local petting zoo, shopping, going to the water park in Dundee, and playing together! We have discovered this summer that our little girl is a complete water baby. She loves to dunk her head in water and stay in any pool or sprinkler until her little body is shaking from the cold and her lips are bright purple. While we were at the indoor water park, she played in the kiddie pool continuously and her little body was so cold she could barely stand without visibly shaking! I kept taking her out and warming her up, but she wanted right back in! Also we learned that Noelle doesn't know how to share very well so I spent a lot of the week trying to stop her from ripping toys out of Jacob's hand! By the end of the week the children were playing together pretty well. Here are some more pictures to enjoy:

Well, that has been our June so far. I promise to update more frequently!