Daddy's in Florida

Austin working on his sitting up. Does pretty good until he stops concentrating and topples over.

"Look Mom, I can almost crawl"

"I can line the bears up too, just like Cee (Sissy)"

"Come on, give me a challenge!"




So Aaron left on Sunday for Tampa. He won't be back until Friday evening. He is there for training for work. Of course the kids don't understand why he has to go there for work, Mackenzie said that he is Already really good at his job! lol And Turner asks me if Daddy is home about a million times a day (do you see a pattern here with Turner getting something stuck in his head) Things are going good here. The kids have been being so good. Of course they get all of mommy's attention, so I think that is a big part of it. We didn't even turn the TV on last night and tonight we have big plans to play outside all night, assuming it isn't deadly hot. Last night we had Mackenzie's Parents-as-teachers meeting. Of course she is a genius! Everyone enjoys getting to play when she comes.

More reunion pics

PRICELESS!!

Matching "I survided the Walker 2008 Reunion" t-shirts - $33

Gas to get to/from the reunion - $265

Daddy teaching Turner how to pee on a tree - PRICELESS!!!

We are home safe - more to come later.

So today could have gone better, could have gone worse. Mackenzie woke up this morning with a fever and threw up. Then once the medicine started kicking in she seemed to be doing better. I babysat the baby while mommy got to sleep in and Aaron and his uncle went golfing. Once they got back we decided to go tot he park to the beach area and hang out. Once there Mackenzie really took another turn for the worse. She just sat in the stroller and then ended up falling asleep on the bench. Turner wasn't much up for playing either, so we only stayed for maybe a little over an hour then left. Got home and Mackenzie threw up again. But then has been fine since, guess as long as we keep her fever down she is ok. I went to the store and got stuff to make dinner which turned out really good. There was a family get together tonight at Aaron's other uncle's house, but I'm here at Curt's with the 3 kids. I didn't want to take Mackenzie out since she was sick and thought I needed to be the one to stay with her while she wasn't feeling well. So we made desserts for the reunion tomorrow and got some cleaning in. Now I've got all 3 kids sleeping and just waiting for them to get back here so we can hang out for a while. I'm trying to make our footprint on their house as little as possible. I know it must be hard to have all of us here with a 2 1/2 week old baby, and now I have sick kids to boot - they are never going to invite us back again! I REALLY hope that baby Dylan doesn't get any of the sickness, gosh I would feel so awful. So tomorrow is the actually family reunion, picnic out at the park. Should be a great time. Hopefully everyone will be feeling ok, but the park is only about 5 miles away from where we are staying so we can always come back for naps or whatever throughout the day.
I still love Michigan so much. I'm falling in love more and more everyday. It is really just perfect up here. Too bad Pfizer had to go and shut down Ann Arbor, gosh that would have been ideal for us. Oh well, other opportunities will arise when the time is right.

minature golf yesterday

my little guy



my sick girl - fever this morning and threw up, hopefully short lived like Turner's was the day we left



this is what happens in only 6 months



Dylan Thomas - 3 weeks old



me in heaven - sorry, no makeup

We Made it

Did somebody say something about a party?!


Could this be the start of swimsuit modeling career!??


I ran out of space in my camera to take picture, but Aaron was buried in the sand next.


We're here, safe and sound. And we may NEVER leave!! Oh I only wish. maybe someday it will be a more permanent trip. It is so weird how "at home" I feel in Michigan. I just love it. So yesterday we got on the road at about 4 AM. At about 8 we stopped for breakfast at McDonalds and let the kids play on the play set for a while. Then back in the car for the rest of the drive to the beach. We stopped in Sawyer, MI to hang out at the beach. We weren't planning on getting in the water when we stopped, hence no swimsuits, but hey, it's the beach - I couldn't say no to the kids for too long. This was their first time being at a beach and they loved it. I would have stayed there all day if I could. I vowed right then and there that we will plan to stay there for at least 3-4 days next summer for a family vacation. Then we had about 3 more hours before we got here. With the 1 hour time change we arrived at 6PM last night. It was a long day - but didn't seem that long. Really it could not have gone any more smoothly if I'd sold my sole to the devil. Funniest thing on the trip so far.....So everyone had fallen back to sleep before we stopped for breakfast (see pic of Turner) and Aaron and I were up front talking about how this kid of symbolizes the end of the summer for us because we've been planning for this for so long. So remember, we are whispering because everyone is asleep, and we were all the way up front and Turner in the very back, and I make the statement of "when we get home I'll have to start planning Turner's birthday party" and out of NOWHERE Turner pops up his head and says "me birthday party!" and then hangs his head right back down and is back to full sleep!! IT was the funniest thing ever. Guess I have fine tuned hearing for babies, Turner has it for parties! lol Anyways, got to figure out what fun we have planned for today so gotta go.

BTW - the baby is SOOO adorable and of course he loves me!! I've already gotten him to sleep when he was crying for everyone else! I've still got the touch!

Happy Anniversary

OH and another thing, today is Aaron and I's 8 year anniversary since our first date. Here is the email I sent to him this morning! Shows a little about us!

Happy anniversary honey. It has been 8 years since we went on our 1st date! Doesn’t seem real does it. On one hand to think it has been that long, on the other to think of all that has changed in a mere 8 years.

I love you so much. I’m so glad you started crashing on my couch! See drinking did do us good in our lives – if we weren’t alcoholics who did nothing but drink every night and hadn’t passed out drunk so many times, who knows what might have happened.! Lol

In all seriousness….I wouldn’t change a thing!

And this is the conversation of emails that followed - good thing we don't take too much too seriously! lol

Aaron:
That was so romantic honey especially the part about passing out drunk. lol. I love you too honey and couldn't have written a better life for myself. You are my best friend and the best wife anyone could ever ask for. I can't wait to leave tonight and spend the week with you. It has been a great 8 years and I am looking forward to at least 2 more! Lol! I love you honey!

Me:
At least 2 more – what things gone so fast you are planning on hitting your midlife crisis early – or will that just be our 7 year itch in the marriage………
Sorry honey, but I run this marriage and I aint letting you out, so you might as well just get settled in for the next 50 or so. At like 50 years, I might give you the option and ask if you are happy, but until then death is your only way out
LOVE YOU!

Aaron:
Is that a death threat. I am forwarding this email to my brother in case I turn up dead someday!

Me:
Oh honey you’ll never turn up dead….maybe missing……….. but not dead!!!!!!!!!! LOL

Aaron:
This one is going straight to the authorities!!!! Lol

Pictures

They have this cute little train at the park - so Sunday we met up with the great-grandparents and of course we ALL had to ride the train. Yep, even had a great-grandparent on there! Everyone except for the people on the Wal-Mart car is our family, and I think it was about half adults, half kids!

Austin and his Great-Grandma DeJonge. This is my dad's mom. Man, he really stole her heart. She just couldn't stop talking about how good he was, and how he just watched her sing the whole time in church and never made a peep. Thank goodness he is a plump baby so she is confident that I'm feeding him enough! lol You just have to understand Grandma DeJonge - maybe now that I have 3 she will be trust me to keep them alive - NAW, but she just wouldn't be Grandma if she did! lol
I cherish these pictures with the Great-Grandparents, not everyone is as blessed as we are with so many of our grandparents still being alive, and since loosing Aaron's Grandmother last year, it just brought it even more to the surface that they won't be here forever. Mackenzie probably once every 2 weeks or so, will just pipe up while sitting on the couch that she misses GG, Turner unfortunately probably won't have the memories of her, but I'm sooo glad that Mackenzie does.

Cousin's hugging good bye. Gavin is a year older than Turner but you wouldn't know it in this picture. Allen and his family are moving to Houston on Thursday so this was the last time we will see them in a while. I don't think it has quite hit me yet. I gave Gavin strict instructions that he is not allowed to grow while he is there - think he will listen?!

And here was the immediate family: Ashley, Allen, Gavin, Christopher, Mackenzie, Aaron, Turner, me - ended up moving Turner up to Aaron's lap so Grandma Dejonge could hop on board too! Of course this train was a BIG hit to Turner who daily, hourly, maybe even once every 10 minutes (REALLY!) talks about trains, and if we will see one, and that he hears one, and that he wants to ride one, or is on the back of the couch like he is driving one.......

So we had a good time this weekend. Got to see some family and cousins that I grew up with but haven't seen in a while. It was definitely weird to see all of us taking over and being the ones having all the little kids running around. So Friday we went to the bar in the hotel with everyone while my sister sat with the kids. We had a great time, and maybe a little too much to drink -but hey, every once in a while you just gotta let loose, and since it was only about a 15 foot walk to my bed i was all good! lol Saturday I paid for it though :) The kids got us up about 8 and it was time to put my mommy face back on! Saturday night my dad took the kids to spend the night at his house so Aaron and I headed out to a movie - we felt like we had seen enough of the family and were ready to take advantage of our time alone. It was nice to get to go see a movie and then we just went back to the hotel to bed. And funny thing, we slept in different beds! lol Well we had two double beds, so once I got ready for bed I looked over and Aaron was sprawled out watching TV, so I just asked "hey, are we secure enough in our marriage that I can just sleep over here!" I was just SOO tired from the night before.
Sunday we got to spend some time with my Grandparents, dad and cousins again. I do have some pictures but don't have my cord with me right now to download them. I'll try to get it done tomorrow.

So tonight I've just been trying to get everything packed up for our trip to Michigan. I can't wait. I've got food, snacks, drinks, clothes, baby food, baby bed.......oh my gosh, I don't know if we will be able to fit it all in the van. Especially with Aaron going, my little pack rat! lol I give him so much crap about it every time we go somewhere and he always gets mad, just like he just did, it is like our token little squabble before we go anywhere! But really, I'll take pics of his suitcase compared to mine and kids - and let you decide! Aaron actually come home sick today, and I was nauseous all day too, so hopefully we aren't coming down with something, right before a road trip, that would NOT be fun. Well wish us luck!!

Family Family Family

So today after work we are leaving for a family reunion for my step-dad's side. Can't wait, this is such a fun family. Lots of kids, lots of jokes and lots of drinking! Who ho. Don't worry, we'll have babysitter's around to help. So we go down this weekend for the family reunion and come home on Sunday, then on Wednesday morning at about 3AM we are heading out for Michigan for a family reunion on Aaron's side. Another FUN family! We cannot wait. It seemed like so far away and now it is finally here. So this week has been busy trying to make sure I'm keeping up on laundry and chores for our out of towns, along with t-ball practice and games, gymnastics, Aaron being gone for softball.....and I'm sure that next Monday and Tuesday I'm gonna be stressed trying to get everything ready for our next trip - but we cannot WAIT. Oh and to boot - when we go to Michigan we are staying with Aaron's uncle who has a 2 week old baby! yeap, Nany Jen is on her way!!! Wow can you tell through the email that I'm bouncing off the walls today at work anxious to leave :) Hopefully Aaron can get off a little early today and we can head out of town ahead of traffic. i should have lots of good pics and stories for Monday!

We clean up pretty good

Here it is - the outfit Aaron picked out for me for his reunion. I loved it, felt great for the night. And now we have proof for when the kids get older that we were hip and good looking once upon a time! lol We had a really good time. Of course yesterday I was reminded why we don't drink very often! It was a little bit of a rough day and I hated feeling like such a beautiful day was wasted.

My dad came up yesterday to see the kiddos and took us out for lunch. Mackenzie and Turner didn't want to let him leave. I really think he should retire and become full time Grandpy, he is so good at it!

Owwweee

Could this be the next Patch Adams??!!! I'm an alien - no I'm your doctor!! lol This kid, seriously he is pure entertainment!

Austin had to have 3 shots today at his doctor's appointment, and he was NOT happy about it at all. Went down for a nap on his way back home and he is up right now eating and a happy baby. Hopefully he doesn't remember anything. OK for the stats...





First...our doctor agrees that he is PERFECT and we couldn't hardly kick her out of the room, she just wanted to stay and love on him. I have the BEST pediatrician and love her and her practice.





Height: 26.5 inches (50th%)


Weight: 18.4 lbs (70th%)


Head: 17.5 (70th %)





Tonight Aaron and I are going to a BBQ for a lady that he works with so I will be meeting a lot of his co-workers for the first time. Hope I hold up to all the compliments I'm sure he gives me at work! lol And then tonight we have Aaron's 10 year reunion. It is exciting - but I think I'm more nervous than if it were my own. So I searched and searched yesterday for a dress to wear and couldn't find anything, so when Aaron got home he said that him and Caitlyn would go find me something while I was at gymnastics so I could stop stressing about it - well I came home to 3 dresses to choose from and a pair of shoes!!! Now THAT is a good husband - oh and he only spent like $50 - so he understands my issues with having to only buy stuff on a budget! Even better. So now I have something to wear and a new personal shopper!

Just some quick pics

Sometimes you just gotta let em Dance in the Rain!

I LOVE my mommy's kisses!

Momma bear and her cubs

3 incredible reasons to smile every day and know I'm the luckiest mom in the world!

Happy Half Birthday Austin

I can't believe it has already been 6 months. Wow, what a difference 6 months ago today was. I'm so sad that my little baby is getting all grown up. But then it is so exciting at the same time. I'm sure every parent reading knows exactly what I mean.

We have Austin's 6 month checkup on Saturday. He is eating a lot of baby food now, and is starting to decide that he doesn't care for some of them. Last night he was spitting chicken noodle right back at me. He is technically sleeping through the night. He goes to bed about 8 and gets up between 5-5:30, then back to sleep till around 7. He is still the perfect baby. I know some of you may think that that is just a mother's point of view, but really, he is perfect. just wait till you get to meet him. He has been starting to try to get up on his legs when he is on the floor, so I'm sure that crawling isn't too far away, but he sure gets to anything he wants right now by rolling and scooching his way. And he just LOVES his brother and sister, always happy to see them. I love this little guy so much - I just don't know what else to say.............

FIRETRUCKS!

Sorry, but had to post before I forget to. So Turner keeps calling fireworks "Firetrucks". lol It is hilarious, he just keeps yelling out Firetrucks! Firetrucks!
And the other funny thing he is saying right now "YES I DO" ...yesterday I told him "Turner, we don't jump from the couch to the chair" and he turns around and says "YES I DO" - so I have to tell him, I know that you do, but I'm telling you you aren't supposed to. So everything this weekend is "Yes I do" and "Firetrucks". Saturday night he was scared when he went to bed because of the fireworks going off, so he came out on the couch to fall asleep, so last night he tried the same thing again. Ended up letting him go in Mackenzie's room to go to sleep so they slept together all night for the first time. It was SOOO cute to see them there this morning. We actually had to do the "Kids, it's time to go to bed, stop talking"! LOVE IT!

"Look mom, I can hold my own bottle!" -Austin is taking some formula now. He has been on 1/2 and 1/2 at the babysitters, and now I give him a bottle here and there when it is inconvenient to stop to feed him, like at the zoo yesterday or when mommy needs a little bit from the bottle too! lol It is kind of the best of both worlds right now, I can bottle feel him when I need to and breast feed him when I want to.

Look mom, I wrangled a dinosaur - this dino aint got nothing on me!

Turner was GLUED to us yesterday at the zoo through the dinosaur display. The kid loves them and goes around all the time roaring like a dinosaur - but once he got up close and saw them moving and making noises, I think he thought they were real.

And he was GLUED to Aaron in the Penguin house too. OK maybe by this point he was just taking advantage of the fact that if he said he was scared when Aaron tried to put him down, then we would coddle him and hold him closer - he is a smart one!

Mackenzie came out all dressed up yesterday. She then proceeded to tell us that she couldn't eat lunch right then because her and Turner were going to the wedding and they would be late and miss it if she had to sit at the table. Ohhh all the memories of me playing wedding: setting up the altar, runner down the hallway, bible on the table, bouquet of flowers, all dressed up - guess I should probably start saving up now for the dream wedding she is already starting to envision!!


Our friend Kelly holding Austin and Sean. We had a 4th of July BBQ on Friday and had a great time. Lots of kids playing together and good adult time. We might just go ahead and adopt the 4th as OUR holiday!!

Doesn't Austin just look so sweet sleeping. And I love the spiked hair that he has all the time now!

Our cousin Kayla playing with Turner. she is SOO good with the kids and such a beautiful and nice girl. When I'm around her I just want to steal her and take her home with me. Makes me look forward to the years when Mackenzie is that age - such a good age - right before she turns into an evil teenage that thinks I'm the stupidest person on earth! OHHHH, can't they just stay babies!


No I wasn't trying to pose weird, I was looking at Turner and the guy was in a big hurry to take the picture. Oh well, at least we are all in it!

OK, so now you've seen all the pictures, let me put a little text around the weekend. Thursday night we went to a neighborhood party and met some more neighbors. Had a great time. Friday we had people over for the 4th for a BBQ. Pretty much took all morning setting up for that and then people were over from about 1 on. Gosh I love having parties. If it were up to me we'd have one once a month or more!! Saturday I took 2 - yes I said 2 - naps. I went back to sleep for a while after Aaron woke up since the kids had me up at 7. Then got up, got everyone fed and down for naps, and down I went again! I can't remember the last time I've been able to do that. Then we got up and went out to our cousin's house to go swimming. Sunday we got up and went to the zoo to see the dinosaurs. It is a great display, I really liked it. The kids did too but it was a little too life like for them. They weren't quite sure what to think about the moving dinosaurs. We just did half of the zoo, then went to the history museum and then home and watched a movie together. All in all, a GREAT weekend.

All I want for Christmas is my 2 front teeth.....

Aww wait...I already have my TWO front teeth. What am I gonna ask Santa for now?????

Love,
Austin