5 months and counting

I wrote this last week and had hoped to put pictures with it before posting. I have yet to get to the photos but thought I should post what I wrote. Pictures soon plus an update on Emma's 4th birthday party.

Our little Katherine is growing up way too fast. Oh what a joy she is! So happy. Many people comment every day about how smiley and how happy she is. She sleeps great. And she adjusts great to our crazy life routine of going here, there and everywhere. She has tried just about every vegetable so far and is now moving on to fruits. She gets better each day with eating. Tonight Ethan gave her a sippy cup because she is always eyeing up our water bottles. She enjoyed playing with the cup. See photos below.

This past weekend we had a little getaway to Door County. Part of our reason for going was because Ethan participated in his first triathlon. We were able to find a cottage to rent in Ephraim and loved it! We had a great long weekend with good weather. A little cool on Saturday morning for the triathlon but better than being too hot and humid. Ethan did a great job for his first one and is now hooked. He is already planning for his second in 2 weeks. :-) That didn't take long! We spent Saturday afternoon with my parents and brother having lunch, enjoying some sun at Nicolet Bay in Peninsula State Park and then ending with ice cream. Saturday night the 3 of us enjoyed hot dogs on the grill and peas for Katherine with an early night to bed for the girls. They were up very late on Friday and up very early on Saturday. Both slept well Saturday night including Mom and Dad as well. Sunday we enjoyed a nice breakfast, then went to Peninsula again - took a bike ride and then Emma and Daddy enjoyed the water. Emma loves water. She reminds me of myself as a little girl. I remember never wanting to come out no matter what the temperature is. Sunday night we went to a great restaurant called PC Junction. It has a train track around the bar and the train brings the food and drinks to you (if you are seated at the bar, of course). When it is not bringing food they send it around with stuffed animals or bubbles. Emma absolutely loved it! Plus they have fun things outside for kids to climb on, slide on, and play on. I definitely recommend this place if you are in Door County. It is at the corner of County Highway A & Cty Hwy E.

Monday we ended our trip by stopping to say hello to our best friends the Mittag family as they are spending the week in Sister Bay with Dan's family. They were headed to Whitefish Dunes State Park. Emma really wanted to play in more sand and water so we decided to head that way as well. Emma had a great time playing in the waves with Dan. Thanks Dan! Monday night both girls went fast asleep - easily and happily. Happy to be home, I think. Although Emma was crying on Monday that she did not want to leave the cottage and go home. It was a really neat place with a great hammock. I enjoyed it for a little while. Papa tried to enjoy it on Saturday while Ethan cleaned up but not sure if Emma let him. :-)

This weekend is a family birthday party for Emma's 4th birthday! I can't believe it has been 4 years. The time really does fly. Two of my cousin's have just had their first and I have told each of them to enjoy the moments - good and bad because the time when they are little goes way too fast.
Congratulations Brad and Hadley on the arrival of Hiram - June 6th. Congratulations Jake & Karen on the arrival of Owen - July 8th. We wish all of you everlasting memories, hopefully some sleep and never-ending love.

4th of July Fun

Katherine so peaceful despite the noise, people and fireworks!

She decided to wake up and enjoyed watching the end of the fireworks. It was a great show!

Me and my daughters



We had a nice 4th of July. Started it out in our traditional way - running the 5 mile Freedom Run on the shores of Lake Michigan in Sheboygan. I pushed the girls in the double stroller and still kept 10 minute miles! Had lots of encouragement along the way from other runners. Weather was perfect - not too hot or humid. After the run we watched the parade all 101 entries. Now that Emma is older and likes parades it is hard to not stay for the entire thing. She enjoyed it. She especially likes it when they throw candy. She was very concerned when we left Nana and Papa's for the run that we did not have a bag to put the candy in but we did! They threw free Frito Lay chips too.

After the parade we returned to Nana and Papa's for a cookout lunch with my sister and her family. It was tasty. Emma always enjoys being able to play with her little cousin, Ian. We made our way home later in the afternoon/early evening and then headed downtown to find a spot to watch the fireworks. We were not sure how Katherine would do 1) with the fireworks and 2) with being up so late. She did fabulous! She fell asleep before the fireworks began and laid on my stomach through half of them. At some point she woke up and we sat up and she just looked up in the sky and watched. It was amazing. Back at the car she was ready for her bed but she did great!

Thank you to all veterans who have fought and are fighting for the wonderful freedom we have - this includes my brother, a Desert Storm veteran.

Ethan is off in Atlanta for a training seminar. He left yesterday afternoon. Emma and I were quite sad but hopefully the week will go fast. He is not home until later Friday evening. We did see his plane take off from the parking lot, and he called to say he saw us waving. That made Emma's day! This week is the start of another 3 weeks of swimming lessons. The last session she did so great and had such wonderful improvement I signed her up again. Tomorrow night soccer starts. She is so excited. And a friend from swimming lessons that she made last session will be in soccer with her too. Can't wait for tomorrow night! Otherwise just hoping to make it through the week as a single mom.

Last Thursday we enjoyed an afternoon at Bay Beach with Emma's cousins. She had a great time! A couple moments were priceless - see below.

Updates on Katherine - likes green beans. She has finally decided to give eating real food a try. She will eat rice cereal but likes something with more flavor so she will not eat it for long before becoming mad. She has rolled from her tummy to her back a few times in the past weekend. So we know she can do it although she still sometimes gets mad. She can sit up bent over at the waist, if that makes sense, for a short time. I think sitting up alone is not too far in the future.

Green Bean Face!

Cousins - Friends - Love. Ian took Emma's hand after riding the train at Bay Beach last Thursday.
Enjoying ice cream cones together!
Our daughter - not sure what the pose is but she sure makes us laugh. Her hair is in beautiful braids that her babysitter did on Wednesday. We kept them in until this morning before swimming. Her hair was so wavy! It looked neat both ways. Here is a photo of the braids.