Erik is ONE!

Our little "corona-baby" is one! This has been the most bizarre year for many reasons, but it really seems like it has simultaneously dragged on and flown by all at the same time.

Despite the chaos of the outside world, Erik is truly living his best baby life. He has literally run into toddler-hood and fills our house with giggles and sweet belly laughs when he is happy, which is most of the time. I'm sure it has helped his demeanor to not be forced to keep up with anyone's schedule other than his own, which has been possible due to all the time stuck spent at home.

Erik is as easy-going as every third baby should be and looks up to his devoted big sisters so much that he has started to imitate them on a regular basis. He loves to eat, and he loves being outside, so he fits right in with the rest of our crew.

Total pro at the sheep photos

Erik's first birthday coincided with Election Day, so everyone had the day off to celebrate. We made the deliberate decision to ignore all election news and as a result had a very lovely day. Our first order of business was to have some "nana," which is what the birthday boy calls all food, including but not limited to, bananas. On the menu were scrambled eggs, of which Erik had at least two all by himself.

We planned to go on a bike ride after breakfast but noticed some friends playing at the park across the street while we were getting packed and ready to go. We thought we'd join them for just a few minutes...but ended up staying all morning. Erik got to swing to his heart's content, so I don't think he minded the change in plans.

We did eventually go on that bike ride, taking a picnic to the elementary school playground, so more outdoor playtime. It was time for a nap after that in order to gear up for more fun. The girls "helped" Erik open up his birthday gifts from family, and really, it would have been rude if they hadn't shown him how to play with everything. I have a feeling he's not always going to share so readily.

Next came dinner--featuring noodles in honor of "Noodle" (the nickname the girls gave him in utero). We had to then quickly prepare for the Zoom party cake smash. A silver lining of celebrating birthdays during this strange time is that it is easier to include our family from far away. Once we got everything settled, technology-wise, the question on everyone's mind was whether or not he'd dig into that cake.

Birthday Boy or Chippendale dancer?

Despite his tendency to eat everything in sight, it took a while for Erik to figure out the whole cake business, and he mostly made a mess. But it was fun to share the moment with family in Washington, Kansas, Missouri, and Texas anyway.

It wouldn't be a birthday at our house if we didn't stretch the occasion out as much as possible, so we also hosted a drive-by/walk-by party the following Saturday. The weather was beautiful, and we are so grateful for the friends and neighbors who stopped by and indulged Erik me by taking a picture with the infamous sheep.

So, maybe not the first birthday we'd envisioned last year, but if 2020 has taught us nothing else, it's to expect the unexpected. Happy Birthday, Little Buddy! It's definitely been a year to remember.

Escape to Wisconsin

We are so grateful that our crew has been relatively easy-going throughout the pandemic. They quickly adapted to being stuck staying at home throughout the lock-down period in the spring. Kids are much more resilient than we give them credit for.

But once summer rolled around, we all needed a break from the monotony. Normally, we would spend several weeks travelling and visiting family, particularly during Jon's annual Army Reserves training. Yet this year, that training--like so many other things--was uncertain. Desperate to have a plan and desperate to have something to look forward to, we decided that if the training was cancelled, we would rent an RV and drive across the country to visit those friends and family we haven't seen in so long.

The decision was made at the last minute to proceed with the training, so Jon headed to Georgia, and the kids and I went to Kansas City to quarantine at Grandma's house. By the time we all returned, the school year had already been delayed to essentially September, so we returned to our RV plan. Since we had skipped our holiday trip to Washington due to a having a tiny baby, and our spring break trip had been derailed by the coronavirus, we were anxious to go out west and introduce Erik to his grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

Then reality sunk in. The thought of driving for five days straight with three kids--one of whom has spent very little time in a car seat--became increasingly unappealing. And then what would we do once we got there? Would our family even feel comfortable with us bringing our germs halfway across the country?

So, with those concerns in mind, we (wisely) decided to postpone our Washington visit until a later time and set our sights on Wisconsin. Why Wisconsin? Well, first of all, it is much cooler there, and we knew we wanted to do outdoor activities like camping and fishing. Secondly, we could get there in one day of driving as opposed to five, and thirdly, Jon has been itching to return to the area after completing his Army training at Fort McCoy several years ago.

Early on a Sunday morning, we loaded up the kids and hit the road. Our plan of logging a couple of hours while they went back to sleep was thwarted by the summer sunrise, but they were generally good travelers. Just like any time one travels with kids, it took much longer than anticipated, but we also took some much-needed long stops.

One of those stops was in the serendipitously discovered town of Lena, Illinois. Thinking that we would just take a picture of our Lena in front of the town sign, we stumbled upon the Lena Brewing Company, where we decided to have dinner and enjoy some delicious brews. The relaxed feeling of vacation washed over all of us, starting the trip off on a great note.

Lena welcomes you to Lena!

Ah, vacation...

Due to the prolonged stop, we rolled into the town of New Glarus, Wisconsin after dark. We quickly found our AirB&B and settled in for the night. We found ourselves charmed by the Swiss-themed village, discovering the bakery, cow hunt, and park (across the street just like at home!) the next morning. We explored a bit during the day--picking up some requisite Wisconsin cheese curds--and then introduced the girls to miniature golf.

     

Getting our Swiss on in New Glarus, hunting for cows around town, and practicing our putting

That evening, we made plans for the next leg of our trip: camping at Peninsula State Park, the peninsula in between Green Bay and Lake Michigan. We were curious about how Erik would fare on his first time camping, and we were relieved that he seemed to enjoy it as much as the rest of us. The campsite we found was not too far from the water, so the first morning we were able to dip our toes wade into Green Bay before swimming in earnest the following day. We also rented bikes, including a trailer for the littles, and checked out the trails nearby. We did a little hiking as well, and Jon even squeezed in a bit of telework. But mostly we hung out at the campsite, building fires, toasting marshmallows, and enjoying the fresh air.

I think he likes it!

First dip in Green Bay

Biking and hiking, oh my!

So proud of the fire and all we could cook on it

Sorry, Erik, no marshmallows for babies

We were then faced with where and how to spend our remaining days in Wisconsin. We were so smitten with New Glarus that we ended going back to the exact same AirB&B we had left earlier in the week. There were still activities we wanted to check out, and it was a clean and comfortable known destination that was especially important this trip.

One of those activities was tubing on "the sweetest river in the world," aka the Sugar River. I stayed in town with Erik, who was too little to join (and should have been napping anyway), but the pictures I saw were clear evidence that Jon and the girls enjoyed themselves immensely.

The sweetest girls on the sweetest river

On our final full day in Wisconsin, the whole family packed up and headed to Yellowstone...Lake, that is. We managed to squeeze in the trifecta of outdoor activities: hiking, swimming, and fishing. 

Ready to hit the trail

We were not going to let the fishing gear we packed be hauled around all week in vain, so we picked a quiet fishing spot on the way back to New Glarus and put in a few lines. Having fished many times, I knew the odds were against us, but I was hopeful that at least one of the girls would catch something. Yet after nary a nibble, we were getting close to calling it a day. I was headed back from the car after grabbing a snack for Erik when I heard excited squeals and was relieved to discover that Elsa had caught her first fish. The pride on her face--and Jon's--was priceless.

Proud fisherwoman

And just like that, our Wisconsin getaway was over. Travelling during a pandemic was not as challenging as it could have been, although I do confess to feeling a little guilty about not just staying home. The opportunity to escape, however, was good for the body and the soul, so I'm thankful that we were able to make it happen.

Elsa is SEVEN!

Well. The final months of Elsa's seventh year certainly didn't happen the way anyone expected. To be fair, life seldom works out the way we think it will, but that has never been more true than this year. One unexpected gift of quarantine is that we have really been able to observe first-hand how much Elsa (and Lena and Erik, too) has grown.

Physically, she has definitely experienced a growth spurt, evident by both clothing that is suddenly too short and all the "happy plates" she leaves in her wake at mealtimes. Academically, those short chapter books she was just starting to read solo last year can be devoured in an evening or two, so thank goodness she received some longer books for her birthday...which she has already nearly finished. As her honorary homeschool teacher this spring, I have also seen what she is capable of in other subjects as well, and I am confident that she will be just fine in second grade. Her curiosity and creativity have certainly been on display these past months, and I am grateful that we have had the time for those big ideas to blossom.

Socially and emotionally, Elsa is becoming increasingly better at regulating her feelings, and she continues to be a devoted friend. She also continues to be a great big sister. Thankfully, the girls have done so well at playing together before, but especially during, quarantine, which is good since Lena desperately tries to keep up with Elsa. And even though he smells bad and drools a lot, it's obvious that Elsa loves her baby brother very much.

It's no secret that we love birthdays over here, so I was a little worried about how Elsa would accept all the necessary changes to her birthday celebration. She was definitely thinking about it for some time, and although she was initially worried about having a birthday during quarantine, she got excited about all the new ways to mark the occasion. Most of our family's traditions stayed the same anyway, so it wasn't as though everything had to change.

The birthday girl mixed things up this year, and requested a chocolate cake, which she and Lena helped bake the day prior. Lena was so excited to be a birthday helper that she woke up early on the big day--these girls evidently have very strong internal alarm clocks--so she could be the first to give Elsa her birthday present. I should say the rest of her birthday present because Lena also had the idea to surprise Elsa the night before with a special bubble bath in the upstairs whirlpool tub. That gift was certainly much more exciting than the socks, underwear, and book we gave her, but I know she would be disappointed if we didn't deliver.

Since Elsa's birthday fell on Mother's Day again this year, the girls also presented me with an amazing homemade book--authored by Elsa and illustrated by Lena--entitled The Night Before Mother's Day. Elsa also shared her birthday breakfast with me...which I'm pretty sure was just a ploy to request scrambled eggs and waffles.

That sheep is getting a lot of work this year!

Due to the early wake-up, we had time to do the requisite sheep photoshoot before taking a walk and participating in "Zoom church." Then it was time to get ready for Elsa's "party." We couldn't decide if we wanted to do a walk/bike/drive-by party or a virtual Zoom party...so we did both. For a little over an hour, we soaked up all the Vitamin D we could and greeted the friends and neighbors who stopped by to spread birthday cheer. Thanks to everyone who came by to make the birthday girl feel special.

We had some time before the zooming began, so Elsa got to open the awesome gifts sent from family. You all did an excellent job choosing gifts as nearly everything has already been read, worn, or crafted. Thank you!

No raining on this girl's parade!

We moved back inside for part two of the birthday festivities. While strange, it was so nice to celebrate with friends and family through the computer. Honestly, we don't get to see family in person on birthdays anyway, so that was kind of a bonus. I do wish, however, that we could have shared some cake with our guests...it was maybe a bit on the rude side to have everyone sing "Happy Birthday" and then eat cake in front of them. Next year we'll have to serve double dessert to make up for it.

Speaking of food, the birthday girl requested Chinese--specifically duck--for dinner. Our plan of riding bikes down to pick it up was foiled slightly, but it all worked out in the end because Elsa was able to enjoy her final birthday gift while Erik and I drove to a different, farther location to get the food. When we returned, there were Elsa and Lena, swinging from a ninja line, complete with ladder, rings, and rope. Be on the look-out for their appearance on American Ninja Warrior in about 10-15 years.

So, it was not a typical birthday, but definitely one that Elsa will never forget. I think she felt special, and I know that she didn't want it to end. Happy (Quarantine) Birthday, Elsa!

 

   

A Real Good Time at Reelfoot Lake

Erik's First Vacation!

I wrote about our latest adventure to Reelfoot Lake and Discovery Park for the Memphis Moms Blog, which you can find here. However, for this blog, I wanted to share a little bit more, including some fun pictures of our crew on Erik's first vacation.


Some highlights:

*The girls were "high on vacation," immediately making themselves at home in the cabin, which included jumping on all the beds (oops) and warming up in front of the heater, literally named "Mr. Heater."

*Rather than notice and appreciate the scenery around them, the girls spent our hike "ice fishing" with sticks they picked up along the way. Oh well, they had fun!

*Jon came up with the "Real Foot Challenge," which consisted of dipping one's toes in the chilly waters of the lake. There were many squeals and much laughter, but I'm still glad I elected to be the photographer and not a participant.

The lake was "real cold"

*We fully indoctrinated the girls into the magic of the skillet cookie, thanks to a fun heart-shaped skillet from Grandma.

Honorary members of Team Skillet Cookie

And now some (more) photos:

Home Sweet Home for the weekend

Watching for eagles

In two places at one time!

Discovery Park:

Erik was there, too

We are already itching to get back on the road on our next adventure!

Lena is FOUR!

And then she was four. Just like the hand-me-down shirt her aunt made says, Lena is definitely "fierce and four."

Yay, birthday!!!!

Lena continues to be very much her own person and has added a new role this year: big sister. She is thrilled to be the only one who gets to be a big sister AND a little sister, which--as a middle child myself--I think is an excellent way of looking at things. She dotes on Baby Brother and desperately tries to keep up with Big Sis, all the while cementing her very special place in our family.

Besides the obvious change of gaining a sibling, things have remained pretty much the same in Lena's universe. She continues to attend preschool three days a week and ballet on Saturday mornings. She had also been tagging along to my adult education and Stroller Strides exercise classes until Erik's arrival. I cherish all the one-on-one time we've gotten to have while Elsa is at school, which we still enjoy even now when Erik naps at home or on-the-go.

Equally wonderful is the way she plays with both of her siblings. Despite being a bit of a bruiser, Lena is very caring and gives the best hugs. If you haven't been on the receiving end of one of these, just wait...Lena is very generous with her affection. At three and now at four, nearly all of her emotions are big, but the joy and laughter--Lena is quite funny--are usually worth suffering through any anger and tears.

One of those events causing great joy was of course her birthday. Lena, with Elsa's help, created a calendar in the kitchen to help her count down the days. What was especially exciting this year is that one of her teachers is her "birthday twin," so there was a double-celebration at school.

January 19th fell on a Sunday this year, so both girls helped me make the requested fairy cake the day prior. By help, I mean lick the beaters, but that's still an important part of cake baking. We went out to dinner that night for burgers and fries, and Lena even got a special milkshake even though her birthday wasn't until the next day.

Elsa was so excited to be a birthday helper that she woke up early so she could present Lena with her gift: a hand-drawn computer. Lena was equally excited and played with it until the requisite birthday breakfast of scrambled eggs. We attended our Lutheran church that day, where Lena was serenaded after the service, and then it was time to prepare for her party.

As usual, it was a simple affair at the house. We served "Sunday Snacks" (essentially a kid charcuterie complete with popcorn) and the kids ran around and had a blast. The day was cool, but the sun was out, so after a boisterous rendition of "Happy Birthday," nearly everyone went to the park. I stayed home with a sleeping Erik, which I honestly didn't mind too much because then I was able to watch the Chiefs win the AFC Championship. Go Chiefs!

So photogenic

After the festivities wound down, the sheep appeared for a photo shoot. Then the birthday girl finally got to open her presents from family--thank you for all the gifts, cards, and calls! Lena finished her day with a continuation of Sunday Snacks and a movie. Thank goodness the next day was a holiday because we all needed some extra sleep that night.

Happy Birthday, Lena! We hope your day was as special as you are!

Welcome, Erik!

We are officially outnumbered.

In the very first minute of our 12th (first) anniversary on November 3, 2019, Erik James joined our crew...and we've been running a zone defense ever since.

Maybe I'm still in holiday mode, but I can't help but think that, like the Grinch, our hearts grew three sizes that day as we welcomed the little guy to our family. The girls somehow knew all along but were over the moon when they learned they now had the little brother they had been hoping for.

Elsa and Lena are great big and biggest sisters. They love their brother dearly and are always willing to help, from diaper changes to entertainment,,,and may or may not have even fought over who gets to hold him at any particular time. Interestingly, the girls are much more concerned than Jon and I are when Erik is upset; Lena has even made up a song for him in these moments: "There is No Reason to Cry." It really feels like Erik is our baby, which is pretty cool.

Erik himself is pretty cool. He has recently started smiling, and those grins are irresistible. He is a charmer for sure. He's also a bit of a fighter who came out swinging; when he was born, the nurses had a hard time cleaning and measuring him because of all the wiggling and kicking. So far, that hasn't changed. Yet, he still manages to be as laid-back as a third child has to be, for which we are infinitely grateful.

He's a lover AND a fighter

As we transition to life as a family of five, I have been doing some reflecting. A lot has changed since Elsa and Lena were brand-new, but a lot has stayed the same. In fact, the other day we were looking at old photos and videos from when the girls were babies, and not only do our children look and act the same, but a lot of feelings I had during their newborn periods are the same. I just re-read the posts I wrote shortly after Elsa and Lena were born, and I was transported back six-and-half and nearly four years, respectively. 

We are still overwhelmed, and we still don't know what we're doing. I continue to struggle with my need to "do all the things" while relishing those sweet new baby snuggles. Our home and lives are certainly full of chaos and mess, but they are also full of love and laughter.