Halloween Partyin' and a Daycare Update...

So after the punkin' carvin was finished...I had to wrangle the kids into costume to head over to the daycare Halloween Party...
unlike years' past - at our new daycare - the Halloween party is a really big deal for the kids AND their families who all come as well -

Our 'traditional' shot of the kids on the table with the pumpkins...

Q~Isn't that the very same costume that H wore in 2006 when she was just one year old? And again in 2008?
A~Why yes, yes it is! Thanks for asking!! I purchased the costume as a 2T when she was just one - knowing we'd have to put it over her clothes because October 31st in Minnesota is traditionally quite cold...Even though it is definitely NOT still her size - she insisted on wearing it! Just as she did LAST YEAR!

Q~Isn't that the very same costume that D wore last year too?
A~Why yes, yes it is! Thanks for asking! He did not know what he wanted to be this year. We looked at costumes often at multiple different stores. Finally, with about 12 hours to spare he informed us he wanted to be a vampire, and a bat.
Well, sorry Scooby...you're out of luck! Thankfully, this one still fit...again, because we bought just big enough to put over clothes last year...


She was all smiles as we headed out to the daycare party!

I knew the party was going to be a big deal, but I didn't know just HOW big a deal til we got there and saw just how many kids from now and then enjoying the Halloween Party!

No wonder they ask the parents come to help out and run some of the games the kids partake in!

(yep - definitely the last year for this costume! stay tuned for Halloween 2010!)

A little Fireman picking out a prize after playing ring toss...

And check this out..you ARE seeing double! D and his little buddy were BOTH Scooby Do this year!

There was face painting...

And the two little girls with the same name had matching Rainbows...

It's amazing to see all of the princess/fairy type costumes...Guess we know what's big with the pre-k crowd this year huh?

H with one of her two 'new' providers...

Which brings me to this...We've now been at daycare for two weeks since I called them to talk about H's insecurities...and things are going remarkably better. In fact, they are like night and day different for our little H - Thank GOD!

The first couple of mornings there were minor anxiety issues...H asking me if I talked to both of the providers again, did they know she didn't want to be outside alone, etc etc...and after knowing that things were CHANGED and CHANGED FOR GOOD - the drop off tears ended...Hallelujah!

And that folks...

That is why I never shut up...I couldn't just sit back and let our little girl be miserable...if having an uncomfortable conversation for fifteen minutes will change the life of one of the most important people in my life, which in turn changes the life of ME...what do you have to lose?

What are you waiting for? SPEAK UP TODAY!

I do need to say THANK YOU to each and every one of you who read my last post about daycare and offered me words of support whether it was via Facebook, Twitter, or Email - there were only a few of you who left comments here, but dozens who emailed me or spoke with me directly and I am so very grateful for this village of folks out here getting me through my days...

Knowing that I am not alone, not a failure, not completely off my rocker crazy...is a tremendous lifesaver.

So to each and every one of you reading - whether you had a horror story of your own to share, a story of how you trusted your own gut and pulled your child(ren) from their situation and saw immediate change, or those that offered me just a pat on the back for speaking out...THANK YOU!

I cannot tell you how grateful I am for each and every one of you!

xoxo

Punkin' Carvin' Day!

I'm amazed that we actually got punkin' carvin' day done at our house this year...but we did!

Early in October I picked up a family of pumpkins at a local grocery store - dirt cheap compared to paying by the pound at all the fun pumpkin patches...

But then, the weather got cold and crappy and we just never got around to it - these dang pumpkins sat around our house (because it was too cold to leave them outside) for a month before we finally - the day before Halloweener - got around to carvin' them!


Notice the tape job on this lil guy?
This was H's special pumpkin - but one day, in all of his 7 year old acts like a 7 month old excitement - Bosco knocked this one over and the stem broke off. She was PISSED!

But, little brother to the rescue - one day when he and Daddy were home alone - He engineered this all by himself! What a guy!!

But...Pumpkin Carvin' wasn't on the list of fun things for these kids this year...

Both thought they smelled terrible after we cut open the tops! (and truth be told - they sort of did!)



But, just as he always does...D wanted to dig in and see what he could see!

But you won't see any other pics of H participating in the punkin' carvin' as she refused to wear any clothes for the better part of this day - so she had to sit out after doing a little inspection...

But not before getting a goopy seed caught in her hair! That was one unimpressed lil gal!

I tell you what - I am having a TON of fun being able to go back on this blog and see how things have progressed and changed over the years, especially while doing the exact same thing! See for yourself!!

This is about the best I got of the two of them sitting on the table with the carved pumpkins...



Happy Halloween!

Let them be little...

So...over three months ago we switched daycare providers. It is not something that we wanted to do, but something that had been on our minds for quite some time, and we felt would be a positive thing for our family. If you've been here before, you know we loved loved loved our daycare provider. She was everything we had hoped for for our children and more.

She not only met every expectation, but beat it as well.

Our kids were happy...and we were happy. That daycare provider built a new house further out of town that added to our daily commute - added an extra 41 miles a day actually - but for awhile we were willing to do it. With busy metro traffic and wonky Minnesota weather - there were many many days I was late for work...sometimes not just late - sometimes HOURS late...
If you know me, you know that this City Life isn't necessarily for me...So driving past my exit and being on the road another 20+ minutes one way to get our kids was starting to tax me...and in turn, I felt it was taxing my family...

So when our favorite daycare provider decided to move again to a different house, a little further out yet - adding (just how much depending on if we took a gravel short cut or stayed on concrete) even more time to my already hectic commute...
We decided it was as good a time as any to research our options -
So we did...and we were confident in the new provider(s) that we found. We ARE confident with the new provider(s) that we found...the kids are learning a ton and both recite the pledge of allegience. They know a ton of new songs & are learning so very much...we were impressed with what they had learned before - but now, under the care of an actual school teacher - you can really see their brains sponging up new info!!

Buuuttttt it's been a long adjustment period for some of us. And by long... I mean looooooooooonnnnnnnnnnngggggggggggg. It took about a month for H to settle in and be happy to go - D, oh, maybe an hour? That surprised us...he was our 'difficult' baby - we thought it'd be tougher for him to transition than for her...but we were wrong. Dead wrong.

After about a month, she finally seemed to be enjoying herself...

But then, just as we knew would happen...The 2nd part of the two provider team started doing more of the care - so the kids were having to adjust to a different person again and a different 'style' of care - more old school if you will.
Well, it's now been over three months - and for the past several weeks H has been back to being happy go lucky until we get inside the door - where she starts sobbing under her breathe and trying not to cry...

Now before you say she's playing me...keep in mind it's been OVER three months...and by her crying, she's not getting anything from me but an extra hug (an extra hug that little brother also gets even though he's not crying!)
She's still going to daycare four days a week...She's not 'getting her way' by acting this way.
I feel she is legitimately scared or anxious or something...

I've been pressing her and pressing her for information...remember, this is my baby - she just turned four last month...

One day she was scared to 'ask' to go potty - so she peed her pants and HID it ALL DAY waiting til she got home to tell me! WHAT!?! I told her she can ALWAYS go potty...and showed her where we keep the change of clothes should that happen again...God help me if it does!

The other day, she told me she didn't like a certain kid cuz they have stinky breathe...bwahahahaaa - got a kick out of that one!

Occasionally she mentions that she wants me to pick her up before they go outside because she doesn't like going outside by herself...I've been there when they are getting ready to go outside - they get their shoes,etc on and go out two by two - until everyone, including the littles and the provider are outside...So I was assuming that that was the issue - she wanted to go out with her provider(s).
(This is our little girl who at 14 months old at her first daycare Christmas party refused to have anything to do with either of her parents and instead clung to and hung out with her Daycare provider the entire party! How embarrassing! ;) )

So...after pressing her for more info last night - She tells me that the kids play outside while lunch is being made - and that she is scared to be outside alone without an adult...
So NOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWW we are getting somewhere...
At our house - the rule is - you don't get to be outside without an adult - unless you are making 'recipes' on the deck or near the bottom of the deck stairs playing on the 'pirate ship' -
it's our rule...It's for good reason. She JUST TURNED FOUR not even a month ago...and little brother is still only two. Our yard is not fenced in...nor is daycare's...
(Our house backs up to a very busy road.)

I called our provider to discuss this...She informed me that when it's time to make lunch, the little kids go in with the providers and the bigger kids stay out and play within eye/ear shot of the kitchen window while lunch is being made...

She is more than willing to accommodate our request and bring H in with the littles when it's time to make lunch, but not without first reminding me that my child is very shy and could have trouble starting school, trouble with transitions, etc...

...yeah well, she's four...Can't we just let them be little for once? Do they have to grow up so damn fast? I'm not worried about her starting school for two more years, blah blah blah...

~I could see the relief in H's eyes when I told her that she could come in when the adults come in - she had a smile on her face and her anxiety was gone.

Also...during said discussion with provider...She reminded me that when she was little she was gone all day without anyone knowing where she was, and that our anxieties as parents rub off on our children - that she was just at a workshop about such stuff. I do realize that - I think I was no older than 5 when I was out playing alone, walking two blocks to the city pool and spending all day there.
But that was 30 years ago. Times have changed and we live in a major metropolitan area. Things are different now. Very different.

I realize that I can't protect my kids forever. I do. But she's FOUR. BARELY four. And she's scared. And guess what? I'm GLAD she's scared to be outside alone at barely four years old. I do not want my kids walking up to any old car and saying hello to whomever might be inside...I WANT them to be aware of their surroundings and I want them to be comfortable in the presence of adults. I do not want my children thinking it's ok to 'go outside and play alone' whenever they feel like it...Do you people watch the news? Kids get out and freeze to death not being able to get back in, kids get abducted on their way home from school, etc etc

And as my good friend and neighbor said...I know my kids...one minute they are in my backyard - the next minute they are at her house getting a gumball from her awesome gumball machine! It only takes a second.

I know. I know...I can't protect her forever - but I can help her to feel better about certain things...and it's my JOB to protect her from what I can...
I realize we all have different parenting styles and no one way is the right way...(except I of course think our way is the right way...and it IS...for us! And would people compliment us on our perfect children if our parenting style really sucked so bad?? Ok, don't answer that part!)

If me telling my little girl at 6:30 am that it's ok to be sad and that if she tries really hard I just know she can have a great day instead of running out on her while she's sobbing isn't ok...then I need to figure out a way to make things ok.

Because this...this is not ok.

There's a First for Everything!!

There's a first time for everything...and even though the kids have been up Nort' to Duluth a few times before - they've never gotten to frolick along the shores of Lake Superior before...


So we thought we'd treat them to a weekend away and see what we could find...




D had a blast tossing rocks into the waters of Lake Superior...


But the little Diva grew quickly bored cold and retreated to the truck with Daddy -


We were all very excited about our hotel and all it had to offer us... but I was quickly disappointed to find out I had booked a room in a MOTEL ajoining the HOTEL...There's a difference people - a big difference!

ugh...

The room was a bit on the smelly side - no thanks I'm sure to the people who smoked right outside our Motel room door and used the empty planters as ashtrays - but they also (at least I hope that's what they did) steamed the carpets before we were given the keys to our room so the carpets were soaked...ish!

Other than the decent rate - the one thing we really enjoyed was the view from our balcony - well, our balcony and everyone else's...since it wasn't really a balcony but a skateboard trail for the teens down the way...
It was a pretty spectacular view though -



The kids had a blast playing in the water park which was pretty fun...well, ok, by kids I mean the hubs and D played in the water park and spent tons of time on the slides, playing basketball and walking across floating lily pad type things -




H and I pretty much stuck to the hot tub and the lazy river...that was more our speed -
And H and her older cousin Heather spent some time bonding in the hot tub as well!



We girls also enjoyed ourselves some fruit smoothies...



The hotel had some crafts going for the kids which was fun - they made boats that were to float down the lazy river but due to a few logistics we weren't able to get there before the start of the race and our boats didn't get put in with the rest...
better luck next time -


And there's never an arcade we can pass up...

The kids were wiped at the end of the day...which was nice for this mom and dad...

But the BIG First time for Everything on this weekend trip...

Was this...

A big first birthday to the kids' cousin and our Godson Luke!

Happy First Birthday Lil Man - We love you!

It was a long weekend for us - spending two nights in the hotel and hanging with some family - but our visit with our extended family and with Little Luke was much too short - blame that on a few miscommunications, scheduling conflicts and a fever here and there...but it was still good to see everyone no matter how short...and there's always next time...

Great Grandma Gladys and Luke

Luke with Mommy and Daddy -

Three Generations -

Wedded Bliss...

Wedded Bliss...Expecting a post about how wonderful my life is married to the man of my dreams...almost ten years after we met?

Nope - that will have to come another day...
THIS post about wedded bliss - or more accurately - wedding day bliss - is all about THESE two special people...

Kirby and Lisa...

After these two got engaged - a little more than a year ago, they asked if H would be their flower girl. She was thrilled - having just turned 3..she was very excited about this flower girl stuff...and would talk about how she was going to wear a fireman outfit for this gig...

We talked to her about being some sort of fairy instead...but weren't making much progress. She hates sparkles so wasn't a fan of talking about getting her hair done and she did not want to wear a purple bow. She
is a very independant little woman - she knows what she wants, and what she doesn't.

We did practice hair at home - with some success -

but she complained a lot and wanted to be done...

About a week before the wedding she really got into the whole dress thing and was asking to wear it nightly - so we let her a little bit...




But on the morning of the big day, I figured it best to spend a little cash and have someone ELSE take care of her hair...we had enough going on...

I LOOOVED it down in curly ringlet type things - but she wanted it all up - so we let her have it her way...

And I still think she looked like a princess...

And she insisted on having shoes like 'Barbie' in her Barbie movies - so we got her white ballet slippers - and then she decided a few days before she was wearing these and only these...



We had a rehearsal the night before the wedding - and I will say - H SHOCKED us with her all business - let's do this attitude!
She was just beside herself with excitement and did soo well at rehearsal...could the wedding REALLY run this smoothly?

H and Cadon and the Kubal Men...


We had a dress rehearsal of sorts at home too - Where D tried on some shirts and ties - he LOOVED them!




But we opted for red like Big Poppy on the day of the wedding...

Aren't my boys handsome?

The wedding couldn't get started soon enough for Miss H...




H and the ring bearer - and no joke - these two photos were snapped for the ONLY two seconds this little boy was somewhat still -



Minutes before the wedding - there was talk of D being a stand in ring bearer as the other 2 year old boy wasn't really having it. He was literally lying on his back on the floor in the entrance of the church when the wedding party was walking in...

And then - just as Hails was about to head down the isle - he ran over, grabbed her hand - and did just as he was supposed to do!

It was just too cute!

He stopped as soon as he saw his mom - allowing H to be able to continue on and toss a few petals...


She was so happy and so proud!


All that work wore everyone out -

And if you look close enough - you can see drool on the side of his face -

But fifteen minutes later - they were raring to go!



Hails with Kirby - AKA - the GROOM!




And...Lisa - the bride!

H could NOT get enough of Lisa's gown!

We attempted a couple of family photos by asking randoms to snap shots of us -
Kitty - where are you when I need you????



But mostly I just took a couple hundred of my hubs and kids...(more on this soon-not the couple hundred pics thing - the thing about pics of me with my kids.)

Britt and Hails

YUM! Cupcakes!



Like father like son - You see my little man out there dancin' in his bare feet?



All the single ladies...Put your hands up! So...my son can identify you! What was he doing? Hangin' with the ladies that's what! As I said...like father like son...

One of my favorite pics of the night...

I think they look just like a little old married couple here!

(Thanks Brittany!)

Mother Son Dance -

Me and my wunnerful neighbor and friend Betsy -

And more of my wunnerful neighbors here - the ONLY reason we are still in this godforsaken house eight years later!

Betsy, Abby and Denny - Our adopt-a-family/pet lifesavers!

Sue and John

Britt with a couple of the neighborhood 'dads'

Sue with her kids...

The kids could have partied all night - Hails was a little dancing machine - well, so was D for that matter - but he was also a barefoot-running from one end of the room to the other-not stopping to watch where he was going-strung out on chocolate frosting-over tired-2.5 year old little boy...

I was actually a little bit horrified at his behavior - I have NEVER seen him so crazy in a public place before - our house - sure - every hour - but 0ut and about - never. What the???

So...we bailed early.

We'd of loved to let H enjoy the night until she couldn't anymore - but life doesn't work like that for us -

We had a marvelous day up until we decided to go - It could not have gone any better - at all!

May they live happily ever after...

525, 600 Minutes...

525,600 minutes,
525,000 moments so dear.
525,600 minutes -
how do you measure,
measure a year?
In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee.
In inches, in miles, in laughter, in strife.
In 525,600 minutes -
how do you measure a year in the life?

~ RENT - The Musical

Dearest Hailey ~ How DID it get so late so soon?




Another year? Are you kidding me? 525,600 minutes. How do we measure, a year in the life? It seems that just last week Daddy and I brought you home from the hospital. You were so tiny, yet so big, weighing in at 8 pounds, 3 ounces. Four days in the NICU and then off to start our lives together - alone - as a family.

The world's best baby - the greatest sleeper I've ever met. Content to hang out just about anywhere - willing to eat whatever we offered you, well, except apricots - you hated apricots.

At not quite 15 months old - you became big sister extraordinaire...Still doing a darn good job of it I might add. Daily you ask me and/or Daddy for a baby sister - even though you know where babies come from and you tell us all the time that kissing is 'yucky' ~ Yet you are content to hang out with, look after, occassionally boss around...the one little brother you've got. When he's in trouble - you demand that I say sorry to him - he's the first person you ask for in the mornings and the last person you want to see at night. I pray you'll always be best friends...




You are kind, compassionate...passionate.
You love things with all of your heart, and like me, you dislike things with all of your heart as well.

Once a big eater, willing to try anything at least once - you now insist on eating hot dogs, ramen noodles or pancakes. Not necessarily in that order. You love milk, especially chocolate, and could care less if you ever drank a soda as long as you live.

You love to 'collect' things - again, like your mom. Much to Daddy's dismay. I can only imagine what types of things you'll have stored in shoe boxes in your room, or in mine, ten years from now. The package that things come in is just as important to you as the item IN the package itself...

(We're working on it.)


You have a style all your own -




Months on end where you wear dresses and only dresses, including 'evening gowns' in the garden and crushed velvet in July -
Jeans under pettiskirts, red with pink, or vertical strips with horizontal stripes - in different colors.

I love that you march to the beat of your very own drum...

I always knew I wanted to be a Mom. It has been my #1 goal in life. You, my dear sweet Hailey, have helped me to accomplish that goal. It has been the hardest, most rewarding, most satisfying most...most...oh, I don't know - most unbelievable thing ever.

I count my blessings daily that you were born to Daddy and I. That you are our little girl.

I pray over you as you sleep at night (albeit in 10 minute increments that you are actually sleeping) that I will be the mother that you hope for, wish for, dream of, love...
I know I'm not perfect...I just hope that you will love me now and for always ~

Because I love loving you.
Happy Golden Birthday Hailey Elizabeth.

I love you. More than you can ever possibly know...

Punkins and Apples and Kids..oh My!

Well, we planted our seeds very early last spring - indoors even - and even with the help of Auntie Betsy's miracle grow...
This...this is what we ended up with. Three punkins from our own garden - one half eaten by something, one teeny tiny one - and this one - just right for Miss H.


So, we called up a couple of friends and headed off for some Fall Fun out at our favorite Apple Orchard/Punkin' Patch Haunt...








There is so much to see and do...where does a person start???





Their scarecrow festival reflected a sign of the times...2009 -
what says 2009 like Michael Jackson's silver glove coming out of his grave?



The kids burned off a little energy on the tuff trikes...



And took some time to ride the ponies...

Before we hit the REAL petting zoo - and made friends like last year!







Um...oops?

Too bad they are priceless!

One of the best treasures in the punkin patch...the lady bugs!

(This one has to be one of my most favorite pics EVER!)











I'll admit that seeing three little brown eyed babes running carefree through the orchard made my heart hurt a little....thinking about what could have been...what could maybe still be...


But it didn't take long to put a smile back on my face...
I loooove how she eats her apples!
I found a pic of her doing that last year too!




D helped C make sure he didn't go hungry!



























I couldn't believe we saw Santa Claus there - on October 9th...but...the very next day, we did have snow on the ground...that's STICKING AROUND! So, I guess it was only appropriate! Talk about a sign!

After frolicking around the grounds at Emma Krumbie's we went inside to scope things out -
yummy! home made apple everything!





I made attempt number 1,437,999 to get a pic of the two of them LOOKING AT ME...

whatever - they are still cute...



And we had a great day...


And just like last year, we even brought home a big fat treat for Bosco...





But Hails decided she would like to keep one of his apples for herself - because just look at how big it is in her little hands! Who wouldn't!?! Them are some big apples! It's pretty much the only fruit she'll eat - so I'll take it!

Your Vote Counts...Every time!

If you are reading this - chances are that I emailed you about this, or you saw it on Facebook or Twitter - but on the off chance that I do have more than three people who read my blog...and you didn't already see this...

Here's your chance to vote for the world's cutest kid!

The Star Tribune is sponsoring a Kid's Costume Contest...on a whim I grabbed a couple of old pics I had on my computer - Both kids were put in the same semi final round and only H made it through to the top fifty...

That's ok - but that's where you come in...We. need. your. votes! Voting opened today and you can vote once an hour between now and Friday! ACK! FRIDAY! YIKES! I'm going to have to set my alarm all week long to vote for our kid? Sheesh! That's why every single vote you can give us counts! The top winner receives $1000.00. The other 9 finalists in the top 10 each recieve $100.00! How awesome would that be?

Simply Click here to vote - Again, you have to register to vote, but that only takes a couple of seconds, and once you are in, you can vote once an hour every hour, um, for the whole week! I of course would love you to vote often, but I'll take what I can get...every vote counts!

Thanks gang!

The Short of the Long and Short of it...

I didn't give my apprentice photog any props in my Long Shots softball post -

So I thought I'd share a few of her snapshots she took at the 'awards banquet' fan appreciation bbq -
She's got a love of the camera like her Mom!








I think she did a pretty good job of capturing their personalities don't you??

It's a Long Shot ~

This season I got the official role of the unofficial team photographer...

This folks ~ is Long Shots softball...

Are you a fan on Facebook? If not, you should be...they could use all the love and support they can get!

Plus, you can see more of my photos there!
Anyway...back to my unofficial role as the official photographer...or is it official role as the unofficial photographer?



I have been having a ton of fun playing with the settings on my SLR camera - figuring out what it can and can't do - and the softball games offer me so much variety!


There are the adoring fans...



And the off the field conditioning sessions (Cookie was out with a torn Achilles for both the summer and fall seasons this year!)


There are the ouch - that hurts! moments...

And the ones that I can't resist...

Fun action shots...going, going...GONE?

The ones where the super skinny guys look a bit on the heavy side with the wind in their sails...

And just regular old action shots...

There are the serious facial expressions...

And good practice learning how to shoot through the fence...

After all is said and done - you get to enjoy the fruits of your labors on a beautiful fall day at the Cook Home -

Wiffle Ball is played...

~ even with the youngest of the Long Shots Fans...

While others enjoy brownies and cheer them on!

And the big surprise at the end of the season?

That's right folks - an 'awards banquet' if you will!

Jeff presenting Dan with an award...





Next up...Darryl



And then...our very own Daddy! I wish you could have heard how proud little H was of her dad...

"Mom! Did Daddy win? Did he get a trophy?" She then promptly ran over to him to give him hugs and squeezes and squeezes and hugs - she was so happy for him...She carried that trophy around for days!





The night wound down with a blazing bonfire on the brand new patio -



A little more good cheer...





And then naps by the bonfire...We were the first ones there, the last ones to leave...hate it when that happens - but what can we say...it was a fun time...and we don't get out together nearly as much as we should!

Til next year Long Shots...(oh wait - you still have two freakin' games left this month! UGH - it's COLD!) I'll have to hang up my photography belt for this season...

See you in the spring!