Mike, Karrie and Liberty

Better late than never...

2010-02-24T12:29:00.009-06:00

Here are a few pictures of Libby from Christmas. As most of you know, we got snowed in at Mike's parents house for 5 days. It was a pretty cool Christmas if you ask me. We all just hung out, watched movies, played games, ate, ate and ate some more. We all got lots of cool gifts. Libby got her Buzz Lightyear, the only thing she asked for. Mike bought me a DSi but somehow Libby plays it more than I get to. Libby and I didn't make it to my sister's until the day after Christmas due to the weather. We didn't get to hang out with them as much as I would have liked. I think the Christmas holiday should be 5 days long every year!!

Sorry, no pictures again...

2010-02-21T16:35:00.002-06:00

Since I have been sharing a computer with Mike I never thing to download pictures to the laptop, they are on the desktop that I don't use very often. I also keep forgetting to bring the camera with me! I need to start leaving it in my purse or car (when it decides to warm up!)

Nothing new to report. We went to Sioux City Friday night so Mike could play softball. Libby went and spent the night with Taylor and Caleb. She had fun playing with them and their dogs. I had lunch with Jeni and her girls on Saturday, hung out a little bit and then we headed for home. We were expecting a blizzard over the weekend but it looks like it missed us.

Libby got into the Gingerbread House preschool. In September she will start going on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:30-3pm. I am going to sign her up for gymnastics on Wednesdays at 12:30. Mike thinks I am crazy but I am also going to get her to play soccer this fall. It only lasts 4 weeks and should be some good 3 year old entertainment.

Last weekend for Valentine's Day we all went out to breakfast on Saturday morning and then to the Durham Museum. It is an old train station and it has lots of neat things about the history of Omaha. I want to go back (without Libby) so I can loiter around and read everything. It was pretty cool. Saturday night we stayed home and I made crab legs for the first time. They turned out excellent!! I may never go out for crab legs again....

2010-02-08T15:59:00.001-06:00

Sorry this got added to the wrong blog: It was suppose to be my post last week.

This Thursday was my birthday. We didn't really do anything special. Libby is pretty tired of watching TV so I have been trying to keep her busy with outside activities. This also means my house is a disaster! Tuesday we went to Gymboree, got Libby a hair cut and went out to lunch. Wednesday I took Libby swimming and then we went to McDonald's playland all afternoon. Thursday it was my actual birthday-I took Libby to Gymboree and then we went to look at a preschool for her. I am trying to get her into the Gingerbread House. I do not have her immunization records yet so I am crossing my fingers that she gets in! Thursday night the 3 of us went out to dinner and then did a little shopping. Friday we got up super early (which is anything before 8 for us!) and went out for breakfast with Carla and Kelsey. Libby and I then went to the Carter store and Target. We also had Gymboree for 2 hours that afternoon. Libby did awesome considering how tired she was! Once I get a few pictured downloaded I will add our weekend post.

I'm a Big Girl!

2010-02-08T15:50:00.002-06:00

Libby got a new big girl bed! I am very sad to see the crib go. It was so easy (most nights) to put her in and let her play or fall asleep. Now, one of us has to stay in her room until she falls asleep, otherwise she is up roaming around. It didn't help that we picked the worst week EVER to switch. Libby got sick on Wednesday. She had a fever, runny nose and a cough. A couple of nights she was awake every half hour. SO, she ended up sleeping with us 2 nights. Last night she didn't wake us up at all but when I went in her room this morning she was sleeping on the floor. I sure hope she gets well soon and gets on a better sleeping schedule for all of our sakes!

My computer crashed!

2010-01-26T20:27:00.002-06:00

Shortly after I updated from Libby's birthday party my computer crashed. The mother board is fried and the cord went out. We are just going to live with Mike's laptop for now. Maybe if we find a super deal on a new computer I will get one since it would cost more than a cheap computer to fix!

Also, this is the first week I have felt good since Libby's party. I had a fever for about 8 days and severe muscle aches set in about day 4 or 5. A couple of nights my fever spiked to 103 but hovered right around 99-100 during the day. I wasn't really tired but had no energy. Mike stayed home a couple of days to take care of Libby. She was VERY good the whole time I was sick. My legs still feel pretty weak but I can function a little better now.

I will re-download the pictures from Christmas and recently to start updating a little more.

Libby's 3rd birthday party

2010-01-12T19:00:00.006-06:00

I can't believe my baby is 3 already!! We had Libby's party on January 9th in Sioux City. Mike is playing softball on Friday nights in South Sioux so we decided it was easier for us to stay there and have her party instead of making everyone drive to Omaha the next day. It was a small Buzz Lightyear party with a Wall-E cake. We ate lunch and opened gifts. Libby got lots of good presents-a few games, a bunch of movies, a Toy Story sleeping bag, barbies, barbie clothes, and a bowling set. We are saving the big party celebrations until she is old enough to know the difference and tell us what she wants.

This year.....

2010-01-03T21:51:00.002-06:00

I am going to post once a week (or more). I might not add pictures everyday but I am going to post a bit about what is going on with us. I am really behind right now and will try to catch up soon.

Check out my cute girl!

2009-12-02T09:23:00.002-06:00

Libby is potty trained!!

2009-11-19T16:17:00.005-06:00

I know I am WAY behind on my blogging but I had to share the news that Libby is officially potty trained! She has only had a handful of accidents in the past 3 weeks. She has even stayed dry during nap the past 4 days too. She got a Woody doll for being such a big girl!! Minutes later she asked for a Buzz Lightyear for Christmas.

Happy Halloween!

2009-11-05T21:11:00.008-06:00

For Halloween this year Libby and I went to Sioux City. Mike was gone to Louisville, KY for a business trip. Libby and I weren't feeling the best so we decided to wait and go on Saturday morning, plus she had a costume party at Gymboree Friday afternoon. We met Caleb, Taylor and Kim and went to the Train Museum in Riverside. We went on a hay ride, the kids painted pumpkins and looked at a few trains. Then we went to visit Nick, JJ, Jordyn, Mimi and Papa for a little while. Libby didn't get a nap that afternoon but had slept pretty good the night before. I was worried about how long she would hang in there. Taylor, Caleb and Libby started Trick or Treating about 6. Libby lasted less than an hour. She tripped about half way through the night and wanted to be carried the rest of the night. I stopped and got her stroller but that only lasted about 4 more houses. She was perfectly happy handing out candy at Kim's house. About 8pm we packed up and left for home. Libby was asleep by 8:20 and slept the whole way home. She woke up about 3am for a diaper change and a drink of milk and was out again until 9am. Libby was happy to see her Daddy when she woke up! Mike got home about midnight, just in time to sleep in his own bed and enjoy his last day off for a LONG time.

More fall weekends...

2009-10-30T16:19:00.006-05:00

I just realized how far behind I am on my blog!

Here are a few pictures from when Josh, Jessica, Tina, Ben, Kim and all the kids were here a few weeks ago. Kristin, Collin and Sylvia couldn't make it because the girls were sick. We originally were planning on going to the pumpkin patch but the weather changed our plans. We all just hung around at our house. The kids played very well with only minor meltdowns. We also made "Thanksgiving" Dinner. It was awesome and we all ate too much. I can't wait until Thanksgiving comes again so we can have more turkey!

Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-22T18:04:00.006-05:00

On Friday October 9th, Kim's kids didn't have school so the 5 of us headed to the pumpkin patch. We were originally going to go on Saturday but the weather called for 40 degrees and snow. Friday was sunny and 50-nice fall weather.

The kids had a good time. The big kids went into a couple of haunted houses (Libby tried one and got scared 5 steps in the door), we fed a bunch of animals, and the kids rolled around in hay a few times through the day. The big kids also had carmel apples and Libby and I shared a popcorn ball-which I dropped on the ground. We went on hay ride and picked a pumpkin out of the patch. The hay ride was definitely Libby's favorite, she still talks about it to this day.

We are lucky we went Friday because we woke up to 4 inches of snow Saturday morning!!

Fall Days...

2009-10-13T18:08:00.007-05:00

Here are a couple of pictures of Libby playing school and at the zoo. I have been printing off worksheets from a couple of school sites so Libby and I can "play" school. She mostly colors but I want to try to work with her on letter sounds, writing and a little more on numbers. Libby recognizes all the letters but doesn't know them in order. She can count to 17 but only recognizes 0-9. She knows all of the basic shapes and colors. I got her to write "L-i -b" the other night and then she quit. She is such a stubborn student-I wonder where she gets that from??

A couple of weeks ago when it was still nice, Libby and I went to the zoo for the afternoon. We ended up staying for 4 hours! She got a free ride on the carousel and we spent a lot of time watching the new baby gorilla and the monkeys. I could spend all day in the aquarium but Libby wasn't having any of that. When we were getting ready to leave we passed a man pretending he was a gorilla next to the gorilla statue. Libby thought it was funny and tried it herself. The guy was still around and was laughing that Libby was copying him! She is so cute! I am hoping the weather gets nice enough to go to the zoo one more time before it snows...again.

We also took Libby on a Ferris wheel ride at Scheel's. She kept begging us to go on it. I didn't think she would really like it once we got on and it got going. Libby did great! She held on really tight and sat really still at first but once it got going she really enjoyed it. Unfortunately we didn't have our camera with us since it was a surprise that she actually went!

Libby Belle...

2009-10-12T12:44:00.007-05:00

Again I am sorry for not posting for a while. Libby and I were busy enjoying the nice weather while it lasted. We played catch outside, went the park a few times, and went for a some stroller rides. Libby found her pink t-ball glove that I bought her before she was born. She likes to try to throw the ball with the glove or use it as a helmet. Hopefully she will have more athletic ability as she gets older. Daddy gave Libby a hair cut due to the fact that she REFUSES to get one at the salon. He did a pretty good job however she still has crazy hair everyday. Every so often she will let me put it up and make it look cute.

I am also happy to report that Libby is OFFICIALLY pacifier free!! It has been almost 2 weeks now that she has been without it. The first couple of days were a breeze. After that I think she got overly tired and was whining more at bedtime. She hasn't even mentioned them for a couple of days now so hopefully we are over the paci.

Labor Day weekend

2009-09-18T07:01:00.003-05:00

(Sorry it took so long for this post)

Well to say the least, Labor Day weekend was a bust for us this year. Mike left for St. Louis on Friday morning to visit some clients and to play softball that weekend. Also on Friday morning I twisted my lower back while getting Libby ready to leave for Gymboree and to run a few errands. I tried to call Mike to come back but he was already too far away. I couldn't sit, which meant no driving and it was pretty painful to walk. Luckily Aunt Joyce was available to bring me some much needed diapers. Joyce and Brady visited a little while-the highlight of Libby's day. I some how made it though taking care of Libby by myself but not without a lot of tears, pain and laying around.

Saturday morning, I called my sister to come take care of Libby. In the mean time, Mike's games aren't scheduled to start until 6 pm so he is calling around to find me a chiropractor in Omaha. I was thinking "good luck-it is a holiday weekend, nobody is open on Saturday". With luck he found someone that was open and would see me right away! Aunt Joyce came over to drive me and watch Libby while I was there. I felt a little better after the visit. The painful twing was gone but it was still sore and stiff. About the time we were getting home Kim and the kids showed up. Libby was SUPER excited to see them since she had been stuck at home with mom unable to do anything. The kids played, watched a bunch of Disney movies, and ate pizza. Kim did some laundry for me, cleaned up the messes that Libby had made that I couldn't pick up, and changed about 6 poopy diaper-she was my lifesaver!

Sunday morning Mike's team was on a rain delay. They still hadn't played any games and weren't scheduled to play until 7pm that night! I had another chiropractor's appt. at 1:30 (what an awesome chiropractor to see me on Sunday during the holiday weekend!). Kim stayed until about 3:30. She originally was going to take Libby home with her so I could heal but Mike had called to say the team was heading home. I was so glad! The boys got home around 7, they were pretty disappointed in how the weekend went. I was too! Libby and I missed the Husker party at Steph and Howie's and we missed the pool party (and the weather was beautiful) at Uncle Rod and Aunt Callie's.

Monday we went to Lowe's so Mike could get some supplies to finish painting the basement. It felt good to walk around but was still painful to sit in the car. The rest of my day was spend on the couch.

Tuesday I took Libby to Gymboree art class with a little pain. I still couldn't sit on the hard plastic chairs or bend over much to help with her projects. I had another chiropractor appt that afternoon. I have been getting around much better but still am a little sore.

Hopefully next Labor Day weekend will be better for us!

Busy weekend

2009-09-02T20:38:00.004-05:00

Friday night we took Libby to the carnival for Millard Days. Again, we forgot the camera so here are a few camera phone pictures. Libby surprised me and went on all the rides! She normally freaks out and wants off when thing start moving. She rode the carousel twice, the train twice and drove a big semi. Libby also played two games and won a stuffed "nemo" fish and a HUGE dolphin "balloon". She had a great time and would have stayed all night! When we were leaving she got to sit in a fire truck. Austin came over and spent the night with us since we were going to Sioux City on Saturday morning.

When we got to Sioux City we all went out to lunch with Jeni, BA and Sophie. Mike took Libby to put her down for a nap and Jeni and I went shopping and ran a couple of errands. Later, Libby and I made a quick trip to visit Taylor and Caleb. We didn't stay very long since Libby was cranky and hungry. Jeni and I had a much needed night out while Mike had his fantasy football draft.

Sunday we stopped at the Maxfield's on the way out of town. Their swimming pool is so freaking NICE!! Libby and Austin got in since the water was very warm and it was sunny but the air was still too cool for me to get wet. I didn't get any pictures-of course.

Where did the summer go????

2009-08-13T22:03:00.006-05:00

I can't believe it is mid-August already!! School started in our area yesterday. Most of the pools, except 4, closed August 1st and the rest closed August 9th. Our busy days are coming to an end. I think Libby is a little lonely now since she has pretty much been with other kids non-stop for about 5 weeks. We will now get back into going to Gymboree 2-3 times a week since we missed about 10 classes that we now have the time to make up. Here are a couple of pictures of Libby at art class that we go to on Tuesdays. She is an excellent painter and is learning how to use a glue stick pretty well. They do 3-4 projects per class, I am still trying to decide what do with the all the stuff once I get it home!

Omaha Children's Museum

2009-08-12T10:15:00.010-05:00

On Saturday August 8-the 12 of us headed to the Omaha Children's Museum. None of us had been there before so it was pretty exciting. Libby loved the little house, the "shopping" areas and the science room. We all went to "The Body" Sesame Street exhibit. I think that was geared towards older kids but it was pretty interesting. I think the face painting was Taylor's favorite and the costumes were Caleb's favorite. Sylvia was getting tired so Kristin, Sylvia and Collin left for home. Libby and I will be headed back there in the near future sometime during the week. Mike was starving so the rest of us went to the Old Market to eat at Spaghetti Works. Once we got home Bailey took a nap, the boys went to the GI Joe Movie, and the girls hung around the house. Libby wasn't interested in taking a nap. When Bailey woke up from her nap, the girls went to the outlet mall for a little bit. Again it was after 10 when Libby got to sleep.

Sunday we all slept late and lounged around the house then ate breakfast. All of our house guests were gone about 2pm. I spent the next few hours picking up toys, cleaning up the kitchen and starting loads of laundry. Daddy and Libby tried to take a nap but Libby again wasn't interested. The previous days had gotten to Libby-she fell asleep in our bed watching "Scooby Doo" at 7:30, woke up at 4:30am to have some milk and a diaper change then slept until 9:30! I still don't think she is quite caught up but she should be by the end of the week with the way she has been sleeping in the mornings.

Family Fun

2009-08-11T10:06:00.004-05:00

Friday August 7th I got up early and starting preparing myself for all of the house guests that were going to be arriving throughout the day. I took and break and Kim and I took the 3 kids to the pizza machine for lunch. They had a good time as usual with no major meltdowns. I continued my cleaning until Kristin, Sylvia and Collin got here around 3:30. The kids played and we visited. Josh had called during the day to let us know that their family would not be making the trip. After dinner I set Libby's pool up again-I had taken it down during the thunderstorm the night before. The kids had a ball splashing and running around. Taylor and Collin still played as nicely as they did when they were 2-like no time had past since the last time they had seen each other. Ben, Tina and Bailey arrived around 9pm. All the kids were still up waiting to play with Bailey. It was kind of a late night for all the kids but none of them were crabby.

busy week!!

2009-08-10T10:18:00.006-05:00

On Tuesday August 4th Taylor and Caleb came to stay with us!! It was Taylor's birthday so their Grandma Dora and Papa Dana took the kids to the zoo for the day and then dropped them off at my house. Tuesday night we went out to the DQ to get ice cream for TT's birthday and then to Target to get her a present. Wednesday I took all the kids to the spraypark/playground. It wasn't very warm so we didn't stay long. When we got home I set up Libby's little pool so the kids could rinse the sand off themselves. It didn't work very well, so we had an early bathtime. Wednesday night after we ate dinner we went for a walk and then played in the pool again. Thursday I took the kids to the movie "Hotel for Dogs" and then to lunch at Sonic. Libby had gotten up really early that morning so she was ready for a nap by the time we got home. The big kids played in the pool while Libby slept. Again after dinner we went for a walk and played in the pool. About the time we got done with baths and bedtime snack time, Kim showed up. The kids were pretty good, I only had to break up an occasional fight. Libby was super entertained so I could get a few things done around the house. It seemed like a lot of work because I am not used to having so many kids around but it was fun to have them here.

Cabins 2009

2009-08-09T20:19:00.006-05:00

On Thursday July 30 we left for our annual cabins trip. Mike ended up working late so I had to pack the car and get everything ready myself. I thought I was never going to leave! Finally around 7 or so I got there and Mike followed shortly behind. We unpacked and got organized before dark. Friday the boys went golfing and the girls mostly just hung out and went swimming. Friday night all the Water's girls (and their kids) and Brady and Lea came out for a visit. It was sure great to have so many visitors! The kids played, we roasted marshmallows and JJ made us pies before the thunderstorm rolled in. Libby and I spent the rest of the night resting in the cabin and listening to the rain. Saturday was a cooler day. We all just played games and visited most of the day. Gary and Michele came out for a visit, Libby and Aunt Jacque took a long nap and the ALL the boys played whiffle ball before dinner. I think Libby had an awesome time this year. She went around to all the cabins, knocking on the doors, and begging for food. She had fun playing and dancing with the big kids and eating and running around with Jordyn and Jackson. I don't think she was bored for a single minute! The weather was great but could have been a little warmer for swimming but was perfect for sleeping and camp fires. I hope we are as lucky next year!!

Michigan vacation

2009-08-04T03:36:00.009-05:00

On Friday July 17th-Kim and I and the 3 kids headed off to Michigan. We drove overnight so the kids could sleep in the car. They all did pretty well. Libby was awake from about 3am until we got there but she just looked around and didn't fuss. Saturday we pretty much slept, unpacked and let the kids play-I didn't have the energy to do much else. Sunday we went to Judy and Rob's for Melanie's birthday party. Libby had a good time playing with all her cousins, swinging and swimming. The rest of week we didn't do much, the weather wasn't very cooperative to do many outdoor activities. Kim and I had a couple of long trips to the mall, we ate a bunch (of course), and hung around the house. Libby had a good time just being around Taylor and Caleb. Every morning she would wake up and ask what her "friends" were doing. Wednesday we went to Judy and Rob's pool for a little bit but the weather cool and cloudy. Friday we all went out to Kert and Penny's. It was awesome weather for boating and swimming in the lake. Libby had her first boat ride! She enjoyed going "real real fast". I think she would have fallen asleep had we stayed out just a little bit longer. On Saturday Joey and Ben were over to play with the kids before we left. Libby and Ben had a good time running around in the backyard picking flowers (weeds)-they are so cute together!

The drive home was pretty uneventful. As soon as we left Michigan the kids slept the whole way-getting to that point was a little trying at times. On Sunday we all just lounged around, unpacked and started the laundry-getting ready for our next vacation!

So far behind!!

2009-07-15T21:08:00.003-05:00

I just realized I hadn't posted anything on here for quite a while. Needless to say we have been very busy with summertime activities. Again, I am sorry I have no pictures. I just cleaned off the memory card so I have no reason to not take more pictures!

The last weekend in June Mike had a softball tourney in Sioux City. The morning was a little chilly so Libby and I went and hung out at my sister's for a while. After it got a little warmer, Libby and I went to the ballpark for a little while. We then went to play with Sophie's toys because she was napping. Jeni, Libby and I went to lunch. When we got back Sophie was up and the weather was nicer so we decided to go swimming in Jeni's pool. We ended up hanging out at Jeni's for quite a while because when we got back to the ballpark Mike's team was done and it was time to go. We ended up not spending the night and just going for the day.

During the long 4th of July weekend we were super busy! Mimi and Papa came into town on Friday morning. Mike Jr and Sr went golfing while us 3 girls and Austin went to Uncle Rod and Aunt Callie's to visit and go swimming. It was definitely NOT swimming weather! All the little girls were freezing even though the water was warm. The rain shortened our swimming a little but we still had a good time. Friday night we had a BBQ at our house with a portion of the Marlow family.

Saturday we went back to Uncle Rod and Aunt Callie's for the 4th of July potluck. Again, the weather was not great for swimming but Mike braved it with Libby since I had my torture the day before. It was great to hang out and visit with everyone. Saturday night we had another BBQ at our house with the Marlow clan. Libby and Jordyn didn't have naps that day (plus Jordyn didn't feel well) so it was a challenge to keep them chipper until the fireworks started. Once it got dark and we started sitting in the front yard, they were both great! The fireworks in Omaha are AWESOME! I guess I am used to living in Iowa where you can't set them off in your own yard. Mike is already making his plan so show up the neighbors next year.

The last two weeks Libby has been taking swimming lessons everyday (tomorrow is her last day). I will say that she is learning a little bit but has problems listening to the instructor. She thinks we are there to play. I have taken her swimming at our regular pool a couple of times since lessons have started and she will do a few things that she has learned. However, I definitely think she is ready for the next level of lessons because of her age and interest in swimming. She might listen a little better if I am not around and if she is around older kids (7 of the 8 kids in her class were younger than her.) that know how to listen.

On July 9th Libby and I made an impromptu visit to Sioux City. Libby visited with Uncle Matt, Aunt Kim, Taylor and Caleb while I went out with Jeni. It was our first childless adventure for a long time. Carla joined up with us later. We had a good time catching up without interruption. Friday morning I left Libby with Mimi so Kim and I could go to Cherokee. My grandparents are moving so we went to help them pack a little, get a few things organized and do a some cleaning. I am glad to say that Libby is an GREAT traveler. If she weren't, I don't think I would leave Omaha so much by myself.

I am sure there is more to fill in some of the blanks. I will post more when I start remembering :)

A few pictures...

2009-06-23T08:21:00.005-05:00

We have been working with Libby on becoming a "big girl". She has given up her pacifier during awake times now. She only gets it for nap/bedtime and in the car. One of these days I will get brave and start cutting them for sleeping. She will probably do fine since she likes to hold them anyway. Cutting them will just help her to not put it in her mouth. We have also been sitting on the potty every night after a bath. She loves to sit on the potty with her "ruff ruff robe" on and do puzzles. Last night I filled her up with fluids and put her on the potty before her bath and she went! This is a picture of her in the bathtub eating her "yum yums"-that is what she calls M&M's. She still sat on the potty for quite a while after her bath but nothing happened. She will catch on someday.

Also pictured is Libby sleeping in her stroller at the ballpark after a slumber party with Taylor and Caleb. And Libby "helping" daddy mow the lawn with her bubble mower.

We are still here!

2009-06-21T08:13:00.002-05:00

Sorry I haven't posted for a while now. We have been keeping busy these last couple of weeks.

The first weekend in June-Mike and I celebrated our 11th anniversary. We went to dinner and a movie while Libby stayed over night with Jacque and Austin. They were supposed to go camping but the weather was too rainy.

The next weekend-we went to Sioux City for the Rhonda's softball tourney. Libby spent the night with Taylor, Caleb, Aunt Kim and Uncle Matt while we hung out at the softball fields. Libby must have had a good time because she slept in her stroller at the ballpark for 2 hours on Sunday morning.

During the week Libby and I have been busy swimming, shopping and going to Gymboree 3 times a week. It has rained here everyday for almost 3 weeks. It looks like the weather is going to clear up and get warmer so we can do more outside things.

This week was the College World Series!! My friend Pepsi (Carrie) came in from MN to go to a couple of games with us this year. As usual we had a good time. Now we are all resting for the next couple of busy weeks we have coming up!!

More trips to the zoo

2009-05-31T21:55:00.007-05:00

On Tuesday- Libby and I decided to venture out to the zoo. It was a cool day and a lot of schools were still in so I didn't think it would be too busy. We went after breakfast and spend about two hours there. This trip we got to see the butterflies and the jungle. Again we spent a good amount of time in the aquarium. It started to sprinkle about the time Libby fell asleep so it was time to go home. We just made it to the interstate before it started pouring.

On Friday-Kim, Matt, Taylor and Caleb all came to the zoo. After we went to Gymboree, Libby and I met up with them for a few hours. The kids were all very good and the weather was beautiful. This time we rode the train so we got to see the elephants, zebras and a couple other exhibits we hadn't seen before.

I think we will give the zoo a break so Libby doesn't get bored with it too quickly. The pools are open now so we will give those a try when the water warms up a little bit!

Libby the Dancer

2009-05-30T15:58:00.008-05:00

Last Sunday, Mike's cousin Alisa got married. Since this was Libby's first experience in a church since she has been able to walk, I was a little nervous. Libby did excellent. The Marlow family had a pew to ourselves so Libby and Jordyn played musical laps, ate snacks and played with toys. Lucky for us the ceremony was short and sweet! As soon as we got to the reception Libby was a little restless. But as soon as her cousins started arriving and the music was playing, she was off! Libby had the best time and danced ALL NIGHT!! I even got to hold her newest tiny cousin, Clayton, and she didn't even care-which is a first because she usually gets upset if Mike or I touch another baby. Our table was right next to the dance floor so she could see us or make one of us dance with her, plus it was great entertainment to watch all the kids. Libby took a couple of breaks to get a drink and rest a little but otherwise she was a dancing machine! She learned how to do the hokey pokey and the chicken dance and loved them both.

Libby was exhausted by the time we left but still insisted "I want to watch the band" several times that night before she finally fell asleep at midnight.

Congratuations again Alisa and Nate! We had a great time at your wedding!!

I want to watch the band....

2009-05-29T08:28:00.003-05:00

Last Saturday we had a very busy day. We picked up Austin so he could spend the weekend with us, Jacque was busy with wedding flowers and work. Then Mike, Libby, Austin and I went out for lunch and hit a couple of rummage sales. We found this Little Tykes Garden, like Libby's friend Sophie's, for $3. It is in pretty good condition and cleaned up really nice. During Libby's nap time, Mike and Austin went to the movies.

My cousin Mikey, his girlfriend Melissa and little girl Jaelyn came to Omaha to spend the day at the zoo and spend the night with us. After they were done at the zoo we went out to dinner. We were at Village Pointe so we decided to check out the band, every Saturday night in the summer they have a free concert. Libby had the best time, after she got over being scared of the loud music. She danced, watched the other kids, and watched the band. The very last song the band played was "Jump Around", which is my favorite song of all times. Libby and I jumped around and Libby's kept saying "Look, everyone is jumping!!" When they started taking things down Libby was saying "do it again" and "try again". We messed around at Village Pointe for a while, let the kids play in the water, and the big kids rode the Ferris wheel. All the way home all we heard from Libby was "I want to watch the band". I guess we will be spending our Saturday nights this summer at Village Pointe watching the bands. We might turn Libby into a groupie before she hits kindergarten!

I am sorry I don't have any pictures from Saturday night. Melissa had her camera there so when she emails me pictures I will add them.

Libby's Haircut...again.

2009-05-28T09:48:00.005-05:00

We have been wanting to cut Libby's hair for some time now, mostly because her last hair cut was horrible! Well Friday night, before Jacque and Austin came over, Mike decided it was time. It wasn't too bad. She kept turning her head which made it a little difficult. I will say it is the best free hair cut she has gotten and looks better than the first time he gave Austin a haircut.

Finally...some pictures.

2009-05-26T17:30:00.004-05:00

Last week when it was HOT out, I bought Libby a big blow up pool. The water was a little cool but she still had a good time splashing around in it for a couple of days. I had to take it down since it was dirty and in the middle of the driveway. I decided I couldn't stay home forever! Next time I want to put it in the backyard but don't really feel like killing my brand new sod yet.

The other picture of Libby is after Daddy let her run around in the sprinkler after he mowed the lawn. She sure LOVES the water. We can't wait for the pools to open!

Libby the Hilarious

2009-05-25T15:27:00.004-05:00

Thursday and Friday Libby had me cracking up all day! It is just the little things that make her so adorable.

Thursday afternoon we went to Gymboree for open gym time. There were a couple of new kids there and a couple that are there all the time. She walked up to every kid there and said "Hi, I'm Libby" while she points to herself. She even walked up to Miss Mallory, one of the teachers that she has had about five times, and introduced herself. Miss Mallory played along and thought she was super cute as well.

Thursday night before we went to the softball fields to watch Mike's game, we were watching So You Think You Can Dance? Libby caught about 10 minutes of it and then started doing the moves! It was hilarious! Then at the softball fields there were a couple of groups of older kids, like 6-10 years old, chasing each other around. Libby decides to join in the fun. When a group of about three boys stopped she walked up to them and said "Hi, I'm Libby. Do you want to play a game?" and then started doing her new dance moves! Of course they didn't pay attention to her but that didn't stop her. Libby kept following them around. Finally one boy, who was about 7, started chasing her a little bit. After it started to get dark she told me she needed to go home to take a rest.

Friday morning we went to Gymboree class- which we call "school". Again, she walked around to all the kids, even the ones she had seen the day before and says "Hi, I'm Libby". She was running around pretending to be Diego and saying "to the rescue!" I was also proud of her because she was the only one that paid attention during class. She is old enough to move to the level 6 now and is obviously ready to be around some older kids.

Friday night we didn't do much. The three of us went shopping for a little bit and played outside. Jacque and Austin came over after baseball practice and played Wii. Mike downloaded a game from the 80's that they used to play when they were kids.

More about our fabulous Memorial Day weekend on another post-with pictures!

a little rewind...

2009-05-19T21:34:00.005-05:00

On Thursday May 7th Libby and I headed for Cherokee. We left the house around 11:30, ran a couple of errands, and left town. Libby slept for a while. We stopped in Correctionville for a snack and rest room break. We got to my grandma and grandpas a little later than I had expected but still had plenty of time for a nice visit. My Uncle Tom and Aunt Beth (my mom's sister) were visiting from IL for a long weekend. My Aunt Beth made Chicken and Noodles for dinner-one of my childhood favorites!! Libby was very good the whole time, unlike the last time we were there.

After our visit, Libby and I headed for Sioux City to spend the night. We visited Nick and Jordyn for a bit before Jordyn's bedtime and to drop off our stuff. We then went to Kim's to play with TT and Caleb for a little while before their bedtime. Plus I had to borrow my sister's phone charger. I didn't pack my charger and forgot how many dead zones there are in between Omaha and Cherokee that sucks my battery's power. Libby played a little bit more at Nick and JJ's before we went to bed.

After we got ready in the morning we ran a couple of errands and then had lunch with my friend Pam. After lunch we went to Jeni's to play with Sophie's toys! Sophie had gotten tubes put in her ears that morning so Jeni was home for the day with Sophie. She seemed pretty happy-like nothing ever happened! We then headed back to Nick and JJ's for naptime.

Libby had a doctors appt. in Sergeant Bluff at 3:30. It turns out that Libby has a form of warts underneath her armpit. The only treatment is some cream (that is only available at one pharmacy in Sioux City) that I would have to put on with a toothpick so it doesn't damage the healthy skin around them OR she can possibly outgrow them in 6 to 9 months. I chose the waiting method. I have to fight her to put lotion on, I can only imagine what the toothpick scenario would be like! She has also lost a pound since her 2 year check up. I know she is getting taller though! A bunch of her summer clothes and most of her summer PJ's from last year still fit. I am glad the weather is warming up since she has outgrown most of her long sleeve shirts and sweatshirts! Libby has the smallest feet ever. I know she is going to take after her mom and both her grandmas in that department.

Libby was perfect the whole way back to Omaha. She is a pretty good traveler-luckily or else I would never be able to go anywhere with her by myself!!

Libby First Zoo Trip

2009-05-18T19:17:00.003-05:00

Since I have been a HUGE slacker on the blogs posts, I am going to get a little out of order. I will fill in the blanks later this week.

On Saturday we took Libby to the Omaha Zoo for the first time. Which is horrible since we have lived here for almost a year now. The weather was windy and cool in the morning but perfect in the afternoon. I think Libby's favorite were the monkeys. One was in trouble and had 3 zoo keepers around. The monkey was running around the cage and yelling. Libby kept saying "monkey makes loud noise" and "monkey is silly".

We spent a little bit of time at the aquarium, which is my favorite. I could stay in there all day and watch the penguins. Libby just stood by the wall and watched the sharks, fish, stingrays and the big turtles. It was getting close to nap time so I think she enjoyed the dark. After the giraffes, we walked around a bit and Libby fell asleep.

We didn't make it to the butterfly exhibit and a few other things so I guess we have a goal for next time. We bought a season pass so I know we will make it there a few more time this spring and fall.

Also, we have no pictures. Mike video taped all day so when we get an edited video I will add it here.

Busy, Busy, Busy...

2009-05-12T16:59:00.002-05:00

The past couple of weeks we have very busy. On top of our normal routine we have a couple of ventures out of town. Two weeks ago Libby and I made a trip to Sioux City to visit Kim and Caleb for the afternoon. The kids had a good time playing and even took a bath. After we finished there, Libby and I went to Jeni's to play with her toys! Jeni, Peyton and Sadie (Sophie was sick so she had to stay home with her Daddy) joined us for dinner at the Texas Roadhouse. It was my first trip there and it was VERY good! We did all this because Mike was in Kansas City visiting clients for the day.

On Friday the 1st, Mike and I left for MN for the weekend. Mike had a softball tourney so we thought it was easier to leave Libby home with Aunt Jacque. I am glad we did because it was FREEZING on Friday night and all day Saturday. We had a very good time hanging out with Mike's new and old softball teams. My friend Carrie a/k/a Pepsi, joined us for the afternoon on Saturday since she lives an hour away from where we were. Mike's team got beat out at their 9am game on Sunday, which was OK since we had a 5 hour drive home. We didn't get home until about 6:30 on Sunday night. We messed around and took our time getting home. Libby was SUPER excited to see us. She hugged and kissed us all night!

Happy Mother's Day!!

2009-05-10T21:20:00.004-05:00

Mimi and Papa came into town yesterday. The 3 girls had a bridal shower to go to for Mike's cousin Alisa. The boys went golfing. Jacque and Joyce came over Saturday night for grilled burgers and brats. Mimi and Papa spent the night. Mike made us all breakfast in the morning and cleaned up the kitchen. Other than that it was a pretty typical Sunday at our house. I went tanning and Libby and Daddy had an afternoon nap together. Our neighbors gave us some sod so Mike fixed some brown patches by our driveway with Libby's help. After it started raining we decided to go eat at Old Chicago. When we got home Mike gave Libby a bath and is now reading her books and putting her to bed so I can watch TV and update our blog. We had a good day even though Mother's Day isn't my favorite since it makes me miss my mom more than I do any other day.

I know I am a little behind on my updates. I will add a few more entries this week.

Libby's Hair Cut

2009-04-22T14:20:00.006-05:00

Libby has been needing a little hair trim for quite some time. So on Monday we met Mike for lunch and the mall and decided to get Libby's bangs trimmed. HOLY COW!! I am glad I did not attempt that alone. She SCREAMED the entire time!! You would have thought someone was cutting her leg off. She was crying so hard that I thought she was going to throw up. I seriously don't remember her crying this hard during any shots, IV's, chest x-rays or the CAT scan she had! I guess she prefers hospitals over hair cuts. Mike had to hold her arms down so the lady could at least get a half way decent job done. It isn't the greatest but her hair does look cuter. Needless to say-we are doing hair cuts at home from now on.

Today Libby and I had a picnic at the play area by our house. I sure hope spring is here to stay! It is so beautiful out. I bought Libby these new sunglasses yesterday. She wore them all afternoon. Isn't she the cutest girl ever??

Hoppy Easter!!!

2009-04-19T21:41:00.005-05:00

On Easter morning Libby slept in really late and had no interest in hunting for Easter eggs. She just cared about what was in her Easter basket. The Easter bunny brought her 2 old Mickey DVD's, she loves the 1970's cartoons, and 4 Dr. Seuss board books. We had 15 here for Easter dinner. 12 people slept here. I am sure glad we have a big house with more than one bathroom! My cousin Mikey, his girlfriend Melissa (the ones that live in our old house) and daughter Jaelyn showed up to eat with us. We did LOTS of eating and visiting. The kids played outside a little even though the weather was a little dreary. I am sure everyone had a good time and left here pretty stuffed!

Kim, Taylor, Caleb, my dad and Cande all stayed over night again Sunday night. Monday we went out to lunch and shopping at Target. Kim and the kids left late in the afternoon. I then finally got a little rest after entertaining for 5 days. It was awesome and didn't mind cooking and cleaning for that many days.

Happy Birthday Papa!

2009-04-18T15:25:00.010-05:00

Last Saturday, April 11th, my dad turned 60!!

The weather was nice so the kids dyed Easter eggs out on the deck. I am glad that mess was contained outdoors. Libby had a good time but she does not quite understand how delicate eggs are so a few of hers ended up cracked. Her clothes stayed surprisingly clean through the whole process. Papa spend a good part of the afternoon by the creek in our backyard throwing sticks with the kids.

I invited my aunt, uncle and cousin over to spend the night Saturday night so we could have party for my dad. He claims he was surprised that they showed up earlier than expected. We just hung out, ate, play wii and guitar hero. It was nice to hang out with everyone. We haven't spent that much time together in a long time!

Busy Busy Busy....

2009-04-17T16:33:00.003-05:00

On Thursday April 9th we started our holiday celebrating. My dad, Cande, Kim, Taylor and Caleb all showed up to spend a few days here. I had been rushing around all week getting ready for their arrival. After they all got here we basically just sat around and ate. They were tired from driving and I was tired from cleaning and grocery shopping. Plus, Libby has been the WORST sleeper since the time change. I just can't get her back on a good schedule. Having a houseful of people didn't help much either.

Friday morning Kim and I took all the kids to Bounce U. Libby didn't have as good of a time this round. She got trampled by a couple of boys right when we first got there and was scared after that. It was pretty crowded. By the end she was bouncing more as the crowd thinned out. For lunch we went to "The Amazing Pizza Machine". Again we ate and ate. We were there playing the games and walking around for quite a while. After we got home, the kids rested and Kim and I played Dr. Mario for a while. We of course ate more Friday night and just hung out getting ready for the next day.

more random Libby pics

2009-04-08T14:32:00.008-05:00

Just a few cute pictures of Libby. How cute she is in her pigtails, eating chicken and dumplings, and eating breakfast. Every morning she sits in her chair with a cereal bar and milk to watch cartoons. The other day I had to bring Libby's carseat in to adjust the straps. She is getting so tall! She thought it was pretty cool to sit in it in the house.

Next week I will try to post a few pics of our basement project. It is coming along nicely!

more about Libby...of course

2009-04-06T10:02:00.003-05:00

Libby has been busy playing with her cousins! On Sunday March 22nd Mike's Uncle Ronnie and family were in town visiting. Libby had an awesome time playing all the kids at Uncle Rod and Aunt Callie's. They have the best toys! I think she had the most fun swinging with Sidney and Tony. Rod and Callie have a pretty cool swing set with 3 swings. While they were all swinging Libby would look at them and say "Hey Sidney, what's up?" and then "Hey Tony, what's up?" Tony sounds a little like bologna but we know what she means. I did not have my camera along this day so there are no pictures.

Then on the 29th we went to Uncle Roy and Aunt Kathy's to attend a baby shower. Libby again had a good time playing with all her cousins. They all love her as much as she loves them. Sidney, Tony and Katie were all fighting over who got to sit on the swing with her, and followed her around fighting over whose turn it was to play with her. Libby cuddled up to Tony pretty good on the swing and would have probably fallen asleep if I would have given her a paci. Libby and Alyssa were drawing with sidewalk chalk together when it was time to leave. Libby cried and cried because she wanted to stay!

Someday I will remember to bring my camera everywhere I go so I can take more pictures to blog about!

Austin's birthday party

2009-04-05T22:12:00.008-05:00

(Sorry I haven't posted this sooner) On Saturday March 28th we had a surprise birthday party for Austin at our house. He turned 13 on Friday March 13th! We had the whole Marlow clan (minus JJ who was at softball but arrived in time for dinner). Libby was a big helper in the morning when she helped me bake the cake and cupcakes. I had to hide the apron because she wore it the rest of the day! I was very impressed when she told me we were making 12 cupcakes!

Austin was surprised when he saw that we were having a party and even more happy to get more gifts!

2009-03-27T09:53:00.004-05:00

Twice a week Libby and I go to Gymboree. On Monday or Friday (which ever day Libby decides to get out of bed the earliest) we go for class. We call it Libby's "school". The first 10 minutes we sing songs and find out what we are going to learn about that day. The middle of the class time is playing/learning. It is really geared at her age group so it is fun. There are about 5 other kids in her class. The last 15 minutes we sing more, play with a parachute, catch bubbles, and Libby gets her body stamped! She comes home with about 8 clown stamps every week. The first couple of times Libby didn't really want anything to do with the learning section, she just wanted to run around and play, but now she knows what to expect and likes it more. On Thursdays we go to "open gym". There is no class, Libby just gets to run around and play. There are usually the same group of girls Libby age there every week so she is starting to warm up to them. Now if it would just warm up so we could start swimming again...

Libby's new hair do..

2009-03-26T15:54:00.007-05:00

Libby has finally been letting me put her hair in pigtails or a barrette. It is so cute! Someday I will get up the nerve to trim her bangs when I have her hair up so she doesn't have hair in her face anymore.

Sunny Days...

2009-03-19T15:06:00.003-05:00

Libby and I were outside a bunch on Monday and Tuesday enjoying the beautiful weather. Monday we met Mike for lunch and then went to the park for over an hour. Tuesday Libby and I went for a walk to the playground by our house. When we got home we decided it would be a nice day to eat lunch outside. It was pretty sunny! I think Libby's cheeks got a little pink from the sun. When Mike got home from work, we ate dinner outside and then went for a walk to the school. Libby again played on the playground. The weatherman said it was going to rain Wednesday but we haven't seen any yet. Maybe this weekend. It is still sunny enough to go outside but a little cooler. This other picture of Libby is her version of potty training. Last Thursday night we went to Babies R Us and bought Libby a new booster seat and a travel potty/training seat. However, she chose to sit on her booster and use the travel potty for a food rest. She is a silly girl. Libby is showing no interest in the potty so we aren't going to force the issue just yet.

random pictures of Libby

2009-03-06T09:06:00.007-06:00

I have taken a few cute pictures of Libby lately and wanted to share. Libby loves tomatoes. I think this is the first one we have let her eat like an apple though. Daddy built a fort for Libby one night. She thought it was pretty neat. She did start climbing on the chairs so we had to hold the blanket on the top which led to us swinging her in a blanket. Pretty entertaining for a 2 year old!

Our new project

2009-03-05T09:44:00.004-06:00

Mike has decided that we need to finish our basement. I guess the rest of the house just isn't big enough. We have organized our storage area, we have gotten a cold air return for the furnace, exhaust fan for the bathroom, and the framing for the hall and bathroom are complete. We also opened up the area underneath the steps for additional storage. For some reason when the builders partially completed the basement they closed it up. Howie, Mike's cousin in law, is coming over this weekend to do the electrical work. We have purchased the tile for the bathroom and in front of the sliding glass door. I am guessing the next stages will be the drywall, doors, tiling and bathroom fixtures. The plumbing for the bathroom was put in when the house was built, however we are not adding a shower. Once these phases are complete and the walls are painted, we will have assess our budget for carpet, trim and furniture. Mike and I have decided that we wouldn't make good house flippers, there are too many decisions to make!!

Libby and her cousins

2009-03-03T11:33:00.004-06:00

Saturday afternoon Kim, Taylor and Caleb came to spend the night with us. Libby took a three hour nap so the 4 of us just hung around the house waiting for her to wake up. Libby was really tired because she had spent the night at Aunt Jacque and Austin's the night before. They must have worn her out. Saturday night we all went to the "Amazing Pizza Machine". Taylor and Caleb had fun eating a bunch of hot dogs and having 4 different kinds of slurpees. Then we played games and went on rides. Taylor spent all night at the Frog Hopper ride. She also made me, Kim, and Caleb go on this spinny ride with her. I was not a big fan. Libby of course was a cheap date and just walked around looking at things and sitting on rides. She gets scared and wants off if you actually make the rides move. After we got home we got in our PJ's. Kim and I played Wii, Libby and Taylor watched a movie, and Caleb ran around the house. I believe Mike was hiding from us...ha ha.

Playhouse Disney Live!

2009-02-22T17:16:00.006-06:00

Saturday the 3 of us went to Playhouse Disney Live in Sioux City. Libby loved it!! She was a perfect angel the whole time. Our seats were pretty good. We sat in the 3rd row of the balcony on the end of the aisle. Libby just sat and watched the whole time. She was very attentive. During the show she sat on our laps so she could see better. Even during the intermission she just sat in her chair looking around saying "Mouse where are you?" Mouse is what she calls Mickey. When he finally came back on stage she clapped, smiled and yelled "there he is!". All her favorite characters were there-Handy Manny, Little Einsteins, Pooh, Tigger and Darby. She was definitely most excited about Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy (which sounds like Goopy). Mike and I thought the show was pretty good. I only lasted about an hour and a half with the break and kept the kids pretty entertained. It was definitely geared towards the little kids. We are also happy that we got away without spending a bunch of money on snacks and toys. We will save our money until Libby is old enough to ask for something.

Our little friends...

2009-02-17T16:29:00.007-06:00

We have a family of deer that live in our backyard. Somedays I see them a lot and then we won't see them for days. Sometimes we only see a couple but I have seen 10-12 at a time too. One only has three legs! We went to Cabela's and bought a deer lick for our yard. We have only actually seen one licking it but have seen lots of deer tracks. Here is a short clip I shot from our bedroom window, in this video you can see 4 deer. I have no idea what Libby says during the video. It sounds like something about fish but I am not sure.

The girl named You

2009-02-16T11:40:00.003-06:00

Libby seriously thinks her name is You. It makes sense though. We show her pictures and say "this is you", we chase her around the house and say "I'm gonna get you". I just showed her the attached picture and asked who was sleeping with daddy, "you" was her answer. Also in the picture "you toys". We have been playing hide and seek. She is a good counter and will wait until I hide (she doesn't get the concept of her hiding yet), when she sees me she yells "You found me!". Last week she started carrying around her trick-or-treating pumpkin. She talks to it like it is a person, asking the pumpkin if it wants to read books and makes it "kick" the ball when we play catch. She also has to sleep with the pumpkin. Every morning she hands me the pumpkin and says "hold you pumpkin". I have been trying to use her name as much as possible but it doesn't seem to be sticking.

On another note I will brag about how smart she is! In the last month Libby's vocabulary has skyrocketed!! She can now count to 10 and recognizes every letter of the alphabet. She recognizes tons of animals and knows what sounds they make. She can speak in complete sentences and most of the time I understand what she is saying. I found a couple of websites that she LOVES. We spend a lot of time learning phonics, capital and small letters and playing memory games. Libby is going to be reading before I know it! We need to spend a little more time on shapes and colors. Maybe someday we will concentrate on potty training too!

Perfect weather!

2009-02-09T14:05:00.002-06:00

We have been enjoying this unseasonably warm weather the past few days! On Thursday Libby and I went swimming. It is an indoor pool but since it was warm I didn't have to worry too much about going outside with wet hair after. The pool is very shallow and not very big but Libby had a good time. When we got home we played outside a little bit and visited with one of our new neighbors. Libby slept for 3 hours after all that activity.

Friday Libby and I meet my friend Ruth for lunch. We got home and played outside a little bit before naptime. That evening Libby and I went to run a couple of errands. Mike was in South Sioux playing domeball for the night. I must admit how much easier it is to run around with a 2 year old when we are both not wearing heavy winter coats!!

Saturday morning I was hungry for pancakes so the three of us headed to IHOP. After we ate we went to Sam's Club, Best Buy (Libby's favorite store), and to wash my car. We played in the yard, took a little walk, and met some more of our new neighbors. I can tell this is going to be an awesome neighborhood in the summer!! I also decided to take Libby's picture every couple of months in front of this utility box in our front yard. I wish it were a tree or something but I guess this will work!

Saturday night we had a few friend over to grill and play Wii. I sure wish the weather would stay like this until summer rolls around!

Our weekend guests

2009-02-05T16:36:00.003-06:00

Last weekend we had some overnight visitors. Jeni, BA, Sophie and Noah came to shop and hang out with us. Jeni and I found some great bargains on our shopping spree! My best purchase was a new twin size quilt for the day bed. It was originally $80 on sale for $9.98-that is my kind of shopping! We also found some cute outfits for our girls on clearance too. We didn't get as much shopping done as we did in the old days but we still had a good time.

All of us went out to dinner Saturday night with Jacque, Austin, Brad and Teri. Then back to our house to hang out before bed. Austin and Noah stayed up late playing Guitar Hero and watching a movie. Noah did awesome at Guitar Hero for it being the first time he has ever played.

On Super Bowl Sunday Austin, Jacque, Mike, Libby and I went to Billy Frog's to watch the game. It was not crowded at all so Libby could run around. We only stayed until halftime because the kids were getting tired. I only watch for the commercials anyway so it didn't bother me to finishing watching in my own bed.

I think our string of visitors had come to an end. It seems like we have had company every other weekend since we moved here. WE LOVE IT!! If anyone wants to plan a trip to Omaha the "Marlow Motel" has vacancies until April :)

Jordyn's First Birthday

2009-01-28T13:30:00.005-06:00

Friday the 23rd the three of us headed for Sioux City for the weekend. I had plans to hang out with my friends to celebrate a slew of birthdays and Mike played domeball. We both had good times with our friends but were both home pretty early as neither one of us were feeling the greatest.

On Saturday the 24th, it was Jordyn's first birthday and her party! We all had a good time eating, hanging out, and watching the kids play. Jordyn got lots of great gifts. She also enjoyed her first birthday cake so much that she needed a bath afterwards. Libby decided that she needed one too. Both of the girls played together very well. There were only minor melt downs the whole weekend.

We left about naptime on Sunday. Libby was super tired because she slept the whole way home.

Libby's playroom

2009-01-27T18:22:00.003-06:00

Since Libby has gotten so many new toys for Christmas and her birthday, we had to turn our living room into a play area. We didn't really have any furniture to put in there anyhow. She got a new table with 4 chairs from us for her birthday. Her new favorite thing to do 5 or 6 times a day is play "tea party" with her babies. Mimi and Papa gave her a wooden birthday cake that she loves to serve to her babies. Libby is VERY particular about the cups, saucers and spoons matching. I mix them up just to get her to show me she knows how to match colors-she doesn't appreciate that too much.

On another note-we have had a little bout of the sickies at our house. Mike and I haven't been feeling the greatest for about 10 days but are finally starting to feel better. I don't think Libby was feeling like herself either since she was VERY cranky for a few days but is doing much better now. Maybe the terrible twos aren't FULLY upon us yet-only when it comes to getting dressed. It was impossible to take her anywhere last week but today we went to the mall (in pajamas) and she was an angel.

Libby's birthday part 3

2009-01-19T14:57:00.005-06:00

On Saturday (January 10) Libby had 2 birthday parties! Taylor had to be back in Sioux City early for a Girl Scout swimming party so the Niemeier family came to Omaha early. Libby's party theme was "Blue's Clues". I made 2 paw prints cakes so we could have one for each party. Libby wore her very pretty blue and brown dress, we ate cake and opened her present. After all that excitement Libby was tired and ready for a nap. She slept until right before her 2nd party began. She woke up pretty cranky and refused to wear her pretty blue dress again. She insisted that she wear her santa pajamas. What can I say-the girl LOVES her jammies! The party was great despite Libby being a little fussy and clingy. A big thanks to everyone for the cool presents and making her 2nd party a success.

Mimi, Papa, Uncle Nick, Aunt JJ, Jordyn, and Aunt Jacque all spent the night. Brady and Lea stayed late into the night hanging out with us but spent the night at Aunt Joyce's. We were all super loud but the little girls slept though the night. I guess that is one of the big advantages of having a 2 story house.

I guess our holidays are officially over. We have no more parties to plan, food to prepare, or overnight guests to get ready for again for quite some time. It kind of makes me sad.

Libby's birthday part 2

2009-01-18T10:26:00.004-06:00

On Friday (January 9) I picked up Caleb while I was in Sioux City and brought him back to our house to spend the night. This was Caleb's first overnight trip anywhere without his big sister along. We picked him up at Tina's who was Libby's sitter also. It was really sad but Libby didn't remember going there. All the kids are different now so that was some of the "newness". She ran around and played with the toys while I visited with Tina a bit. Caleb was very anxious to go so we didn't get to stay very long. On our journey back to Omaha, the 3 of us stopped at McDonald's in Onawa for lunch and a potty break. I was also hoping that the kids would sleep after lunch since it was naptime. Libby slept for about 30 minutes but Caleb did not. I was a little concerned about driving by myself with the two kids but it was fine.

Back at our house was a little more stressful. Neither one of the kids would lay down to take a nap despite being super tired. This made me a little tired since I need a break too! I did manage to take a shower and get ready to go. After Mike got off work we took the kids to "The Amazing Pizza Machine". Caleb had the time of his life! The kid had never been to a buffet before and had never been to a place where he could have 5 different kinds of slushes! Uncle Mike played a bunch of games with Caleb while I chased Libby around. Caleb was so good! It is amazing how different that kid acts when he is away from his parents and sister.

After we got home the kids took a bath. Libby is usually terrified to take a bath with Caleb but this time she was fine with it. Both of the kids slept well that night. It was a good thing too since Libby had a big day ahead of her!

Libby's Birthday events part one

2009-01-16T15:51:00.006-06:00

On the morning of Libby's birthday she slept until 10am! This very rare-however I didn't mind because I had to get ready to leave for Sioux City. We left a little after 11am. Our first stop was Dr. Amir's for Libby's 2 year check up. Yes, I know I need to find a doctor in Omaha. I just really like her doctor and their office. Libby weighs 26 lbs and is 33 inches tall. She is in the 50%ile for her age so I guess that means she is pretty average. She has grown 2 inches and gained about 4 lbs in the last 6 months. Libby had to get a flu shot and was very brave-she didn't even cry. Dr. Amir gave her 3 Mickey Mouse stickers for being good.

After her appointment we went to Mimi and Papa's house for a nap. While she slept I ran some errands. Libby has a rash on her belly so we had to get a prescription for a cream. After Libby got up, we went to Jeni's to play with her kids for a little while. Libby loves to play with all their toys because they "new" to her. All the girls then went to eat at the Olive Garden. Sadie was very excited since she hasn't been on a "girl date" with us in quite a while. Libby ate a ton because noodles are her favorite. It is a good thing that Libby slept in so well because she didn't want to sleep that night at Mimi and Papa's.

Sick Day

2009-01-15T11:52:00.003-06:00

My baby is sick. Last night before Libby went to bed it felt like she was running a little fever. Being that she gags when you show her the Tylenol bottle-I decided not to give her any. She woke up at 3:30am (which she doesn't do very often), I changed her diaper and gave her some milk. A little after 4 I heard her coughing and whining. She had vomited milk everywhere. I woke Mike up, he gave her a bath and I changed her sheets. I tried to let her lay with us, then I tried the couch, then finally at 5:30 she fell asleep in her own bed with a sippy cup of water. She was up at 7am. I brought her in our room because I knew she was still tired and Mike was getting up for work. She drifted in and out of sleep until about 7:45. I turned on the TV, gave her some crackers and milk. At 8:15 she vomited again. So Libby had another bath, I piled up more laundry, and we had lots of snuggling on the couch. She seems better now, just a little tired. We ate chicken noodle soup for lunch (but NO milk) and she seems to be holding it down...so far.

In the next couple of days I promise I will post pictures from Libby's birthday party.

Libby spreads the New Year cheer.

2009-01-13T18:46:00.005-06:00

Happy Birthday Liberty Isabelle!!

2009-01-08T09:23:00.007-06:00

At 8:19pm my baby will officially be 2 years old! It seems like just yesterday she was born. Yet so much has happened with our family in the past 2 years it sometimes feels like a lot longer. I am going to put a picture of Libby on the day she was born, a few weeks old, her 1st birthday and then recent pictures. It is so amazing how much babies change in the first two years. However, I was looking at pictures of Libby when she was one and she is still wearing some of the same PJ's. I guess we will find out today how much she has actually grown in the last year.

Happy New Year

2009-01-07T21:30:00.004-06:00

We decided to have a few people over for New Year's Eve since we aren't much for going out. During the morning of New Year's Eve I picked up Austin to come hang out with me and Libby for the day. He played with Libby while I did some cleaning and took a shower. We also played Guitar Hero during Libby's nap. Jacque and Angie got here around 6:30, others started rolling in around 7. There were a bunch of little girls here for Libby to play with. She had a ball! She shared her new toys very well and just kept running until I grabbed her about 10 and put her to bed. She didn't fight me and fell right asleep. We all had a good time just hanging out, eating, and playing games. The party broke up shortly after midnight. I guess we are all getting old and can't stay up that late anymore.

Jacque and Austin hung out with us on New Year's Day. We got a pizza and watched the Nebraska game. I did sneak up to my room to take a shower and watch a couple episodes of the Twilight Zone. This was after the half time/Guitar Hero break.

On Saturday Mike and I went to a Husker's Basketball game. The game was good and the seats were awesome. Unfortunately, the weather was pretty icy. We decided to venture home even though stores, churches, and some roads were closing. We must have been in Lincoln long enough because it wasn't too bad driving home. Libby stayed with Aunt Joyce for the afternoon. She had a good time playing with Kobe and Aunt Joyce.

Sunday Mike and I took down our trees and decorations and did a little organizing in the basement. We have so much to clean up in the basement before we finish it. I am planning on having a big rummage sale in the spring.

Christmas 2008 part 2

2009-01-06T19:02:00.003-06:00

On Friday morning I got up super early and went shopping with my friend Jeni. We went to Younkers, Target, Walmart, Kohl's, Old Navy and then out to lunch. Shortly after we were done eating Sophie joined us. Sophie is Jeni's baby. She is getting so big and is super cute! She was good while we went to K-Mart and then home to nap. Jeni and I found tons of great bargains! There were not very many shoppers, I am guessing most people had to work since it was a Friday. It was great to hang out with Jeni and get some shopping time without Libby.

While Jeni and I were shopping, Libby stayed back at Mimi and Papa's with Daddy. She got a bath, played with her toys a little and watched cartoons. Daddy took her over to Uncle Nick's to play with Jordyn and so the boys could play PS3. Mimi took Libby back to her house since it was nap time and left Daddy to play with Uncle Nick. I also took a nap the same time as Libby since I had gotten up so early. That night Nick, JJ, Jordyn, me, Mike, Libby, Mimi and Papa all went out to dinner and then back to Nick and JJ's to hang out until bedtime.

Saturday morning we all went to Perkin's for breakfast. Libby was kind of cranky until she ate, then she was crazy. We hung out until she started getting tired. She slept the entire way back to Omaha. All the go, go, go was catching up with her. When we got home Mike and I unloaded all of our presents, luggage, and new purchases. We then put together Libby's new kitchen and doll set. About the time we finished up-it was time to go again.

We went over to Jacque's to watch Austin open his Christmas presents from all of us. He was at his dad's this year so he didn't get to come to Sioux City. He got a bunch of really neat presents. We ate and played Scene It until Libby got tired.

Sunday the 3 of us got up early. We got ready and went out to spend all of the gift cards we had received for Christmas. We went to Bed, Bath and Beyond so I could get a new bathroom rug and a few other things. Next was Best Buy. Mike didn't find anything special that he thought he needed to have (but has since gotten Guitar Hero-which I am addicted to but that is a different post). We then went to Pier One. I have had a gift card since May and decided it was time to find something to purchase. I found some AWESOME curtains for the living room. They look so nice and are just what I have been looking for. After our big shopping spree we went out to lunch at Olive Garden and then home for naps. We lounged around for the rest of the day trying to rest up from the week before and to get ready for the week to come.

Christmas 2008

2009-01-05T22:11:00.003-06:00

So my laptop is still in the shop. Hopefully I will have it back tomorrow. I have decided I had better start writing a post a day and add the pictures later so I don't forget anything.

On Christmas Eve we left for Sioux City around 12:30. Libby napped most of the way so our ride was pretty peaceful. We mostly just hung around at Mike's parent's waiting for everyone to show up. We ate our traditional salad, toasted ravioli, and lasagna dinner. Libby went to bed shortly after that since we ate dinner so late.

We didn't get up too early on Christmas morning. We drank coffee, ate breakfast and waited for Nick, JJ and Jordyn to arrive. We opened presents for about 2 hours. Libby opened all of hers within the first 20 minutes. She wanted us to open every box so she could play with each present. We tried to divert her attention since we didn't want to open everything before we got home. Libby got lots of stuff! She got a new kitchen, some food to go along with it, a Cabbage Patch Kid, a Care Bear, a princess CD player, a Fisher Price doll set with a crib, stroller and swing, a couple of puzzles, a bye bye Choo Choo baby, a sleeping bag, a memory game, tons of stocking stuffers-I am sure I am forgetting something. Before Christmas she got a Sit and Spin from Aunt Joyce. My dad also bought her a Dora bike/big wheel that I put together a little early for her. Mike and I also faired very well with the gifts. We can't complain-Christmas was good this year.

After Libby's nap that afternoon, Libby and I went to my sister's house. We opened presents with Taylor and Caleb. Libby got a Little Einstein's bath set and a play tool box full of tools and screws. Kim made us dinner, the kids played with their new toys and Kim, Matt and I played their new Wii.

Libby played with her new toys a little bit after we got back to Mimi and Papa's. She was over tired from all the excitement from the day and she didn't want to go to bed that night. She cried in bed for quite a while-which is not like her. Nick, JJ and Jordyn were over (everyone else had to leave that day) so while the kids slept, we all played Nick's new game for PS3-"Buzz". It is super fun. If we didn't already have a couple quiz games for Wii I would probably want it.

SO SORRY!

2009-01-01T20:16:00.002-06:00

I sincerely apologize to all of my loyal readers for not updating about our Christmas celebration. We got home from Sioux City on Saturday afternoon. That night I went to turn on my laptop and I couldn't get on the Internet. I had already downloaded all the pictures to my computer. As soon as I get my laptop back from the shop I will post about Christmas, New Years and everything in between.

Happy New Year to all!!

Weekend update

2008-12-22T16:47:00.002-06:00

Just an update to let you all know that it snowed here finally..I still don't think snow plows exist because I haven't seen any! I have seen trucks with blades plowing out parking lots and such but none on the roads. I am pretty sure the street in front of my house hasn't been plowed either. Luckily we have only gotten a few inches of snow and some freezing rain.

Tuesday was the first of the snow. Libby went to Aunt Joyce's for a couple of hours so I could get a little shopping done and go to the post office. It worked to my advantage to go on a snowy day because there were no lines.

Thursday night we got a storm of freezing rain and snow. I spent over an hour Friday afternoon scooping/chipping ice on the driveway and didn't even get 1/3 of it done. Now it has been too cold to finish. Maybe tomorrow...

Saturday late morning Mike's parents came into town. They wanted to make it before the wind and snow picked up in Sioux City. Austin and Jacque came over and we all just hung around and played games. It was too cold and windy to go anywhere.

Sunday we had the Andersen family (Mike's mom's side) Christmas. Libby had a great time playing with all her cousins and the "new" toys at Rod and Callie's house. She didn't get her usual nap in so she has been super tired. I am hoping she gets rested up by Wednesday when 3 more days of festivities begin!

As I am typing this it has started to snow...again...I'm dreaming of a White Christmas....

A-B-B-B

2008-12-16T09:25:00.007-06:00

Here are a couple of cute videos of Libby. One is of her singing her version of the "ABC's" and the other is her looking for the neighbors mailbox. They have a Christmas mailbox that lights up and opens and closes. When it gets windy they have to take it inside. Every morning we have to look out the window and see if it is "hiding".

Oh Christmas Tree.....

2008-12-15T21:39:00.006-06:00

Here are a few photos of our trees and house. I know the outside picture is pretty light. I need to sneak out when it is a little darker. I also did not turn the flash off my camera when taking pictures of the trees so the lights did not show up. I apologize I am not an expert like my husband.

In the picture of our house is also the picture of ALL the snow we have gotten this year. It might not ever snow in Omaha but it sure is COLD! Today it was 25 below with wind chill. Libby and I stayed in all day and baked cookies for Mike to take to work. These are the days when I enjoy not having a job.

Does it snow in Omaha??

2008-12-12T22:10:00.002-06:00

I know the weather is a little warmer here "down South" but does it snow here?? I have seen about 10 flakes so far this year. I am sure that was only because my dad and Cande were here- (it doesn't matter if they come in October, November, March or April-it will snow while they are visiting). I know it has stormed all around us but nothing here. I haven't even had to get out my broom to sweep off the deck or driveway.

Today it was like 40. Tomorrow it is supposed to be 50. I guess that means we can clean out the garage yet this year, in case it decides to snow sometime maybe we can get both cars inside.

Yes, I am bragging to those of you have had tons of snow and sleet already this year!!

Libby is so smart...

2008-12-10T20:55:00.002-06:00

Libby's vocabulary is getting bigger by the day. She is probably up to at least 200 words and about 50 phases/sentences. Libby can count to 5 but rarely does it on demand. I would like to get a video of it-maybe someday. She recognizes a lot of numbers, zero is her favorite. She knows 0-2-5-9 pretty well and she is getting better about 3 and 4. Libby also recognizes a lot of letters, B is her favorite. She also knows A-D-I-P-N-M-O-J-T-L-Y. When we sing the alphabet she says "A,B,B,B".

We went to Hobby Lobby tonight. She looked at the sign and said "Look daddy, B-B-Y". On they way home we drove by Super Savers. She pointed and said "Jacque work". Mike and I looked at each other in awe, we can't believe how smart she is. She recognizes familiar houses also. She knows when we are at Jacque's, TT's (my sister's house) or Mimi's (Mike's parents).

Libby is getting to be a BIG copy cat too. This afternoon, I had some food in my teeth so I put my finger in my mouth to get it out-she did the same thing. Last night, Mike was reading a magazine. He was licking his fingers to turn the page so Libby grabs a magazine and licks her fingers to turn the page! It was so cute. We have to start watching what we are doing around her-she doesn't miss a beat.

newest blog

2008-12-03T12:59:00.001-06:00

Check out the new family blog. It is pretty boring right now. We need to add some pictures and a few other posts. The link will on this web page to the left.

http://www.aetribune.blogspot.com/

Bounce U

2008-12-02T09:23:00.004-06:00

On Friday morning we took the kids (Libby, Taylor and Caleb) to Bounce U. It is a big room with about 3 giant inflatables for the kids to jump around and a big slide. We got to go to the "Preschool Playdate" room where all the kids were 6 and under. It took Libby a little while to warm up to everything but I think she had a good time. The slide was the biggest hit with Taylor and Caleb. Libby wouldn't go down by herself so Kim or I had to climb up with her every time. It was certainly a work out climbing up a narrow walk way holding onto a rope and a 25 pound girl. I am sure Libby and I will go again this winter.

Since I didn't get out of bed at 5am to go shopping, Friday afternoon Cande and I went to the mall. By the time we got there the sales were ending but we still got a few things (for ourselves). This means I am way behind on my shopping and need to get started! Maybe next year I will make it out at 4am.

Saturday we all headed to Sioux City for the night. My dad, Cande, Libby and I went out for lunch and did a little more shopping. Kim and the kids came over to the hotel, we went swimming and ordered pizza. We must have all been exhausted because we were all asleep by 9:45pm and slept until 8am. The 7 of us went out for breakfast and then my dad, Cande, Libby and I headed back to Omaha.

My dad and Cande left for home about 4am on Monday. It sure was a quiet day around here with just me and my girl. Libby was pretty cuddly and wanted to sit on my lap most of the morning. I am sure she is still pretty tired from the last 9 days of festivities. Last night she asked to go to bed at 7:45pm and slept until 9am this morning.

Happy Belated Thanksgiving!!

2008-12-01T21:43:00.004-06:00

Our Thanksgiving was great!! My Dad and Cande got here on Tuesday about 4pm. I showed them around the new house, we ate dinner and just rested. On Wednesday-we meet up with Mike for lunch and I gave them a little tour of Omaha. We hit a few stores at the mall. We came home around 3pm- had naps and ate again. Wednesday evening Mike, Carolyn, Jacque and Austin came over to hang out. We played Wii and Libby stayed up too late. She was fine since she took a nap until 6:30pm.

Thursday was a big cooking day. We had 19 people over for Thanksgiving dinner. Everything turned out perfect-except the scalloped corn took a lot longer to cook than expected. There was PLENTY of food so I don't think anyone minded. A few people left during the afternoon but there were still 12 people here for leftovers that night. We all just read the Black Friday ads, played Wii and a few of us played Phase 10. It was probably the shortest Phase 10 game I have ever played.

It was fun to have lots of people hang out all day without anything pressing to do.

We're on the map!!

2008-11-24T22:03:00.002-06:00

Our address is on the map anyway. If you google our address it shows how to get to our house but no houses show up on the map.

I also tried to MapQuest our address. That doesn't work. It gives directions to somewhere about a mile from here.

Maybe someday everything will get caught up.

Turkey Day is on the way....

2008-11-18T09:20:00.002-06:00

Libby and I have just been busy running errands, cleaning and organizing-getting ready for our big day. We are having 19-20 people over for Thanksgiving. My dad and Cande will be here on Tuesday to spend a week. We are getting excited to show them around in Omaha.

Mike has been working long hours everyday. He is looking forward to Thanksgiving so he can have a day off to hang out around the house. He did manage to find the time to hang the Christmas lights on our house. They look pretty nice.

Cheap Entertainment

2008-11-04T09:07:00.004-06:00

Who needs expensive toys when you have an empty box and a daddy who will push you around.

Happy Halloween!!

2008-10-31T22:11:00.003-05:00

Libby LOVES Trick or Treating! This year Libby was a puppy. I couldn't find a costume I thought she would wear that I liked. Last Saturday I went to Old Navy and happened upon this costume for $5. She LOVES it. Libby wore it without a fuss and kept the hood up all night!! She was so good. Mike and I pulled her around the neighborhood in her wagon. Jacque came to our house to hand out candy-we only had 2 visitors all night. Libby wanted to stay out longer so Jacque and I took her over to Aunt Joyce's and Jacque's friend Cindy's and around to a couple of their neighbors. I am sure she is going to think we need to stop at all the neighbor's houses for candy tomorrow when we go for a walk to check the mail.

getting settled...

2008-10-21T08:44:00.002-05:00

The move went pretty well. Mike got the computer area and one wall in the kitchen/family room painted on Friday. It looks so good. When he first started putting it on we didn't know about the color but we like it now. I moved and unpacked the important things so we could spend the night in our new house. Our new fridge, washer, dryer, daybed set, and kitchen table were delivered. The water softener was installed and the cable lady was here. All of our things from storage made it into our garage on Saturday afternoon. We are slowly getting those things disbursed to their correct spot in the house. Nick, JJ, Jordyn, Jacque, Mimi and Papa all spent the night on Saturday night. It is so awesome to have a lot of room for everyone to come visit.

Our backyard is so beautiful. All we can see are trees and grass from the back of the house (unless you go outside). It is like we don't even have neighbors. We have seen LOTS of deer and a couple of wild turkey already. I can't wait to be able to sit on the couch and watch it snow-not that I want it to snow right now or anything.

On Friday I took Libby to the doctor for a check up on her head. She is doing fine. It doesn't even phase her that she has a gigantic bump on her forehead. She will probably have the bump for 2-3 weeks. Libby has a little bit of swelling in between her nose and she has two black eyes. Too bad it isn't Halloween right now, Libby could go as a boxer. I have been looking for my camera so I can take a picture to post.

moving day is here...again

2008-10-16T09:06:00.002-05:00

We are SO excited to move...again! I have been packing all week. There is not a lot of room in our apartment to put a lot of boxes. We are pretty crowded in here right now.

On Monday we went to the house to do our final walk through. Just a few little things needed to be touched up but our house still looks GREAT! The builders went though everything with us, made sure everything worked, and explained the warranty to us. Today we are going to see all of the touch up work and sign off that we think our house is perfect. Tomorrow morning we sign our final loan papers and get the keys!

Mike is going to paint a little bit and I am going to do a little cleaning, it is pretty clean so it won't take me long. I am going to Scotch guard all the carpeting so it stays pretty. We are going to move what we can so we can spend the night in our new house tomorrow night. The bulk of things will be moved on Saturday. Then the fun unpacking will begin.

I will post some pictures when we get some furniture moved in and a few boxes unpacked.

Libby's First Omaha Hospital Visit

2008-10-15T21:45:00.004-05:00

Last night we were shopping at Lowe's for painting supplies. Libby was riding in the basket portion of the cart and flips over the side. She hit her head HARD on the floor. She cried for a very short period of time. I was feeling around her body, trying to see what was hurt. Then I noticed the GIANT lump on her forehead. We immediately left the store and went to the ER. She whimpered a little bit on the way to the hospital but seemed OK. We got checked in and sent to a room. Libby just sat on one of our laps and watched cartoons. She was clingy when someone would come in the room, which is normal for her. I think the worst part of the ordeal was when they gave her a CAT scan. She had to lie still which she didn't like. Her CAT scan showed no injuries. Her injuries were so minor we didn't even get to see a doctor. The hospital sent us home and told us to put ice on it (like she would let us), give her Tylenol (you know her history with medication) and follow up with a doctor later this week. So, guess what-we are trying a new Omaha doctor. He was recommended by the PA at the hospital so we will give him a try on Friday-which is also moving day.

When we got home from the hospital we let Libby lay on the floor and watch Blue Clue's (her favorite show) before we put her to bed. I think I checked on her 4 times before I went to sleep. She was up at 3am. I changed her and gave her some milk. She was wide awake and wanted to talk. I think her spill knocked some silly into her because she has been a crack up all day. Libby acts like nothing ever happened. I don't even think she got a headache! We tried to take it easy today but she was climbing around on everything like her normal self. The pictures don't do the bump justice. It looks much worse in person. I think the swelling has gone down a little and the bump is starting to migrate down her face already.

Tonight we went shopping again. Libby wanted to ride in the cart in the worst way but I wouldn't let her. We took the stroller instead.

Libby's First Haircut

2008-10-13T09:45:00.005-05:00

Apparently getting your first haircut is very tramatic. On Friday morning Libby and I headed to Sioux City. I had a bunch of errands to run which included getting Libby's first haircut. I tried to put her in the chair to sit by herself (so I could take some photos) and she screamed. Needless to say, I ended up holding her on my lap for the trim. Stephanie gave her a sucker but she just held it, I don't think she put it in her mouth once. After the haircut she was fine. She walked around the Hair Parlor with her kitty (that we bring everywhere) like nothing even happened. Her hair cut is cute. She mostly got her bangs cut so her hair wasn't in her pretty face anymore.

Happy 40th Birthday Mike!!

2008-10-05T19:00:00.004-05:00

Yesterday was Mike's 40th birthday! We had a big party for him at the dome in South Sioux City. We had a very good time and I am sure all of our guests did as well. It was great to see people we don't get to see very often, especially since we have moved. Libby had a good time running around with all the kids and playing with the balloons. My sister took Libby home with her to spend the night. She must have had a good time with Caleb and Taylor because she took an almost 4 hour nap this afternoon. Hopefully she will sleep that well tonight.

2 more weeks!

2008-10-03T21:44:00.003-05:00

We are getting SO excited to move! Our house is so close to being finished. As of last night, all the carpet and flooring is done, the door knobs are on all the doors, the blinds are hung and all the closet shelving is complete. The carpet isn't as "shaggy" as I thought it was going to be but it will be fine. There were a few dings and scrapes in the walls that were VERY noticeable that are getting patched up and repainted. The front door still needs to be painted and the house needs a good cleaning before we move in. I will probably post another picture slide show once we get to do our final walk through. I also promise to do a post about Libby sometime soon too.

another house update

2008-09-24T12:25:00.006-05:00

On Monday when we got home from Florida we decided to check the progress on our house. So much has been done in a week! The counter tops and kitchen sink are in, all the walls are painted, the light fixtures and electrical are working. While we were there the floor guy arrived to put the linoleum in the laundry room, 1/2 bath, and Libby's bathroom. Yesterday when I drove by the floor people were working to put the tile in the kitchen, entry way and the master bath. I am guessing that carpeting is next. Only 3 weeks, 2 days until we move in!!

Oh so tired....

2008-09-23T14:20:00.004-05:00

Mike, Austin and I got back from Orlando yesterday afternoon. The weather was beautiful. The only day it was really hot was Sunday. The other days were warm but bearable. The mornings were humid but cleared off during the days. It rained on us a couple of times but it didn't last very long. We got to Orlando around 8pm on Wednesday. We were to arrive around 6:30 but we had an hour delay in Chicago because our plane didn't have any pilots.

We stayed at a house with 7 bedrooms and 4 1/2 bathrooms. There were 16 people there total (Austin, 5 girls and 10 softball players). Our house had a pool, a game room and was super close to everything. After we got to the house, we went and got a few groceries and some dinner. We hung out the rest of the night waiting for 8 house guests to arrive around midnight. The boys' first game wasn't until 6pm Thursday night so we had plenty of time to hang out, which is what we did.

Since the boys lost their first game they didn't play again until 2pm on Friday. So that morning we got ready, went out to breakfast and headed to the park. Unfortunately, the boys lost that game too so they were out of the tournament. Friday night a few of us went shopping and hung out at "Old Town", which is a carnival type area with tons of shops. This turned into a long night and nobody at the house got much sleep except for Austin.

Saturday 13 (6 from another house) of us went to Disney World. 6 of us only had 2-3 hours of sleep. We still had an AWESOME time and stuck it out for 14 hours!! We went to Hollywood Disney and Magic Kingdom. It wasn't too hot and the lines weren't too long for any of the rides. We were all in bed before midnight Saturday night.

Sunday we went back to the ball park to watch an Omaha girls team that was playing in the championship game. Then we went to eat lunch, did a little more shopping and back to the house to lounge around. At night 11 of us went mini-golfing and out for dessert. We packed up our things when we got back since we had to leave for the airport at 7am Monday morning.

The little amount of sleep we got, the go-go-go, and the excitement of traveling has worn us out. We had a great time. I did miss my girl and I am glad to be home to spend time with her and get some rest (hopefully) before our next big event-Mike's 40th birthday party.

We're leaving on a jet plane....again

2008-09-15T09:39:00.006-05:00

Austin, Mike and I are leaving for Florida on Wednesday. We will be gone until next Monday. I am excited for a vacation but I am going to miss my girl. This will be the longest I have EVER been away from Libby. I am sure she will have a good time with Aunt Jacque. It is going to be interesting to see what they have done to our house while we are gone.

We decided to take Libby to do something fun last night. We took her to the "Amazing Pizza Machine". It is like Las Vegas for kids. They have tons of video games, bowling, golf, go-kart racing, a pizza buffet and tons of other stuff. The first 20 minutes Libby just ran around to all of the games, seeing what they do and pushing buttons. We tried to get her to ride a couple of the kiddie rides but she didn't stay in one place long enough. So needless to say, she is a pretty cheap date. I guess we had better enjoy that while it lasts!!

Libby is getting so big! She talked up a storm. She recognizes letters and numbers and knows the difference between them. However, all letters are "Bs" and all numbers are "9s". Libby loves to read. She will go in her room and sit on the floor and look at books for 15 or 20 minutes at a time. Libby is very entertaining and keeps us laughing all the time.

Our new house slideshow part 3

2008-09-14T09:52:00.004-05:00

More pictures of the house! Things are coming along great. See the pictures to check the progress. All of the inside doors are hung, the laundry room sink is in, the bathroom cupboards are in just to mention a few things. We didn't think they were ever going to get the deck on since it has been raining here the last 5 days. As soon as it is finished and the mud clears up, I will try to get some pictures of the back of the house.

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We are very excited to get out of this apartment living. Our hot water heater has gone out 3 times in the last 3 weeks. Hopefully we won't have that problem since ours will be brand new.

house update

2008-09-07T09:38:00.002-05:00

Things are progressing nicely on our house. All the dry wall is sanded, the concrete pad is down for the basement walkout, the posts are in for the deck and the sidewalk is poured. We have been looking at paint colors. Mike wants to paint one or two walls in about 4 or 5 rooms. I think that is pretty ambitious thinking right now, we will see how it actually turns out when the day comes. Yesterday we went to NE Furniture Mart. We bought a new high top table to put in our kitchen and a day bed set to put in one of the bedrooms. Someday Libby will sleep in but for now we are going to have 2 guest bedrooms. We are going to have PLENTY of room for lots of overnight visitors.

Our new house slideshow part 2

2008-08-28T14:49:00.002-05:00

We found out last week that we get to move into our new house on October 17th!! This is a week earlier than we originally thought. Since we don't have to be out of our apartment until October 31st this will give us some time to paint some walls and take our time moving in. All of the walls will be painted a "khaki" color before we move in but we might decide we need a few new colors. Hopefully everything will be spic and span so I don't have to clean (except our apartment when we move out).

All of the dry wall is up now. We went in the afternoon so I could snap a few pictures (see slideshow link below). It looks SO much bigger with the walls up! Everytime we go in, it makes me more excited! I am not looking forward to the repacking and the unpacking again but it will all be worth it when I don't have to live in an apartment anymore

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AbuWrJw0ZMmTp4&emid=sharshar&linkid=link4

Let me know if you can't open this link and I will email it to you.

home again, home again..

2008-08-26T09:02:00.006-05:00

Libby and I are home again. We had a good time in Michigan. We just hung out, ate and Libby played with her cousins. We went swimming at Aunt Judy and Uncle Rob's one day but the rest of the time was too cool to go swimming or to the spray park. Libby had a good time playing with "JoJo" and Ben. Ben and Libby are definitely "kissing cousins". Ben would walk up to Libby, take the pacifier out of her mouth, they would kiss and then he would put the pacifier back in her mouth. They did it a few times and it was too cute. You would never have known that a few days before Ben was pushing her around.

Libby was a pretty good traveler on the way home. This time I had to go though security alone and all was going good until I had to take Libby's DVD player out of my carry on. She saw it and started screaming. I put it in the stroller with her for our 25 minute trek to the gate and everything was fine. She had a couple small fits when we had to board the plane and when I had to shut it off for take off. As soon as the plane started moving she fell asleep and slept until just before landing. I would absolutely do it again since she was such a good girl.

Summer Vacation part 2

2008-08-23T08:54:00.006-05:00

Friday August 15th we went "Up North" to my grandma's house on Lake Huron for the weekend. It was the first time I had been there with the whole family for 12 years. Libby was pretty good considering she was in a big house full of strangers (well, strangers to her) and all the other kids there were boys. Libby made a little progress since a few weeks ago when we were there but she still HATED the sand. She literally gagged when I put her on the beach without shoes. She would sit in the sand and play if she had shoes on-for a short period of time. Libby loved the water however I did not. The lake is a lot dirtier, rockier and more shallow than it was when I was a kid. It was also windy so I was afraid that she would get knocked over by the waves and swallow dirty lake water or hit her head on a rock. I think she had a good time playing with her cousin Ben on the beach and chasing "JoJo" around the house. Maybe next summer she will like the beach and sand a little more.

We're leaving on a jet plane....

2008-08-20T09:40:00.003-05:00

Thursday August 14th Libby and I left for Michigan (again). I was very nervous about flying alone with Libby. I got a new movie for her DVD player, some new books and brought her new favorite snack-pretzels. I didn't know how I was going to get though security with all of our electronics, a stroller and a little girl. Luckily when we checked in the airport gave Mike a pass so he could help me though. Mike stayed at the airport for a little while then he had to leave for work. Libby and I had about 45 minutes before we boarded the plane. We watched the planes, Libby ate some grapes, and we strolled around. I made sure we boarded the plane last, I wanted the smallest amount of time on the plane as possible. Libby was PERFECT the entire trip. I didn't even have to get her DVD player out. We sang, read books and ate our snack. She liked looking out the window, seeing the clouds and being "high in the sky". We had about a 25 minute trek from our gate to the baggage claim (because I had the stroller we had to wait for about 4 elevators) and she just sat quietly in her stoller. Our luggage had already been put out by the time I got there. I hope I didn't jinx myself and she is that good on the way home.

On the road again...

2008-08-11T10:11:00.002-05:00

On Friday August 1st we got home from Kansas City about noon. Mike wanted to be home to be at work much earlier however, he spent most of the night vomiting. I don't know what got into him but it must not have been a bug since Libby and I didn't get it. Needless to say I drove home while Mike slept.

After we dropped Mike off at work (he was feeling a little better), Libby and I came home took naps, took baths, unpacked and repacked. We were on our way to Sioux City for the night. We went out to dinner with Jeni and Sophie then went to Mikey and Melissa's to pick up our mail. Apparently the post office only forwards your mail for 2 1/2 months these days because they had a TON of our mail. It was nice to visit the old house again. I don't know if Libby remembers living there or not but she sure had a good time playing with Jaelyn and all her toys.

After we got back to Jeni's we took the girls on a stroller ride around the neighborhood. Libby played a little bit and then we all went to bed. Libby slept all night at Jeni's house. I am glad too because she needed it.

In the morning Libby and I went to give Taylor her birthday present before her big party. The kids played for a while then it was time to head to Cherokee. My Aunt Beth and Uncle Tom were at my grandparent's house for the weekend. Libby was pretty good during our visit. She was getting tired so it was time to leave. It was sure a lot of driving, but it was good to visit with everyone.

Oceans of Fun

2008-08-10T15:23:00.002-05:00

Wednesday July 30th-Mike, Libby and I headed for Kansas City. Mike has some clients to meet up with so Libby and I (and Mike's boss, wife and daughter) decided to tag along. Wednesday night we headed downtown to eat-however, when we got there every where was too long to wait to eat with two little girls. So we ended up eating at the Waffle House across from our hotel. I didn't mind because I LOVE Waffle House. Thursday while the boys were working, the girls headed to Oceans of Fun. The guys meet up with us in time for lunch. Libby was such a trooper. She didn't have much sleep the night before since we were in a strange place. We were there for almost 6 hours. Libby took a short snooze on a lawn chair but otherwise enjoyed playing in the water.

Thursday night we meet up with Josh, Jessica, Avary, Ben, Tina, and Baby Bailey. We went out to dinner at Cheeseburger in Paradise at Legends. Avary and Libby had a good time playing together at the fountain when we were done eating. Mike and I got a little shopping done before Libby started to melt down. I am glad it worked out for us to make a visit to KC before the summer was over and Jessica and Tina had to go back to work.

I made a little digital "photo album" that I hope you all enjoy!

Oceans of Fun

2008-08-10T14:54:00.000-05:00

Make a Smilebox photobook

Our new house slideshow

2008-08-07T10:17:00.001-05:00

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AbuWrJw0ZMmTjQ&emid=sharview&linkid=link4

Here is the link to the the slideshow of our new house for those of you that may not have gotten it by email. I am not thrilled with my gmail account. The contact feature is not very useful sometimes. One of these days I am going to switch to Cox but I need to figure out a user name first.

Always on the go...

2008-08-07T08:29:00.002-05:00

Since I haven't posted for a while-I am going to try to do what I did last time and update chronologically.

On Tuesday July 22nd Libby and I made a quick trip to Sioux City. My very good friend Pam's mom passed away on the 18th. So, I made a big batch of chocolate chip cookies and took them to her at the visitation. I also got the chance to visit with a bunch of my old friends. While I was at the visitation, Libby stayed with Uncle Nick, Aunt JJ and Baby Jordyn. Nick said she didn't even notice that I was gone. She had a good time playing with Husker (their dog) and Jordyn.

We stopped to visit Taylor and Caleb before we went home. They had gotten a new puppy-Chloe. She is a cute little fur ball. Libby didn't get worn out enough though, she stayed awake until 10:30-the whole ride home.

Then on Thursday we went on our annual cabins camping trip. MIke had his training/convention for work so he didn't get to go along. This year seemed a little different since we only live about 15-20 minutes away now. The weather was OK this year but the bugs were certainly biting more than I remember. Libby had a good time watching DVD's in the cabin, going swimming one day, and playing with all the dogs that were there. She was a pretty good sleeper too. Unfortunately I did not take one picture this year.

busy, busy, busy....

2008-07-15T17:23:00.004-05:00

On July 9 and 10 my Aunt Jackie (not to be confused with Libby's Aunt Jacque), my cousin Alisa, and her 4 girls were in Omaha for a visit to the zoo. My Aunt lives near Kansas City and Alisa and girls all live in Washington state. Wednesday was a hot day and with Libby's recent ear infection I didn't think she would want to spend all day outside. When they were all done at the zoo, we meet them at their hotel for dinner and swimming. Our friend Ruth (who lives in Council Bluffs) and her 2 girls came along too. It was fun eating out with all 11 of us girls. Libby ate and ate and had a good time swimming. On Thursday- Alisa, Jackie and all the girls-this time including my cousin Tracy-came to visit my apartment. We hung out for a little while and then went out for lunch. It was awesome to see them all again and will hopefully get to see again soon.

On Friday- Libby and I visited a sprayground in Omaha. It wasn't as good as the one in Michigan. She was more interested in the slides and the play area than the water but it was entertaining for a brief period of time. Saturday-Mike played in a tournament so we spent a few hours at the ballpark. Libby, Jacque and I also made a visit to Uncle Rod and Aunt Callie's for a swim. It was a little chilly that day so the swim didn't last very long.

Today-Libby, Austin and I went to a really neat pool. It has a shallow end with a couple of spray areas and a little kiddy slide. Libby could walk around and play on the slide by herself (with supervision). The pool gradually got deeper and also had a deep end with a diving board and a slide for "big kids". Libby is going to be disappointed when we go to the pool at the cabins and she can't play in the water on her own like this pool and the sprayground.

Libby is 18 months old!!

2008-07-13T08:21:00.002-05:00

On July 8th Libby had an appointment for her 18 month check up. We are still going to Dr. Amir in Sioux City for check ups. I guess I should try to find a doctor in Omaha in case of emergency but I would love to keep going to Dr. Amir whenever possible.

When I started typing this I looked back in my blog to see what Libby's stats were at her 15 month check up. Well, the girl hasn't grown at all! She is the same size as she was 3 months ago. Actually this time she measured 2 inches shorter at 30 1/2" which puts her in the 35th percentile. Last time they measured her laying on the scale, this time they did it standing. Libby weighs 1 oz. less this appointment at 22 lbs. 12 oz which is the 25th percentile. I swore she weighed more than that and she was more on the average size. Her head was in the 40th percentile but I have always know that she has a peanut head.

While at this check up it was discovered that Libby had a double ear infection. She didn't act cranky but had been pulling on her ears occasionally but Dr. Amir said the infection was only a couple of days old. When we got back from MI she had a fever for a day, she had been drooling a lot and had a runny nose so I just thought all of those things were because she is getting her molars in. I asked Dr. Amir to give Libby a shot of antibiotics to clear up her ear infection because two out of three times I tried to give her Tylenol/Advil for her fever, she threw it up. I knew the shot was going to be painful for her but not as painful as trying to shove medication in her mouth for 10 days and worrying about how much she actually swallowed. Since Libby has gotten the shot she has been eating and eating and her runny nose has cleared up.

Dr. Amir was impressed by Libby's verbal skills. She didn't actually say very much at her appointment but I told him how she can speak a few sentences and has started putting words together. I am sure she gets her verbal skills from her dad and Aunt Jacque.

4th of July weekend

2008-07-12T09:10:00.005-05:00

On the 4th of July we packed up and went to Sioux City for the weekend. On Friday night we went to the Explorer's game. Libby liked clapping and cheering when everyone else did. She was in love with the mascot "Slider". She kept crying and saying "Puppy, Puppy, Puppy". Libby did great staying up for the fireworks. She LOVED them too. The loud noise didn't scare her at all. She just watched and said "WOW". We have since seen fireworks on TV and she will stare and say "WOW".

On Saturday we went out to Brad and Teri's for their annual pool party. Libby LOVES swimming. She has no fear of the water. She would jump in by herself if we let her. We didn't make it until the fireworks that night because Libby was tired and kept wanting to get in the pool with her clothes on. Austin gave us a little fireworks show at Mimi and Papa's after it got dark. He only tried to light the neighborhood on fire once, which was pretty funny and scary at the same time.

On Sunday Mike and I made a visit to our old house. It was cool to see the family but sort of sad to see it again. After everyone went back to Omaha on Sunday (Libby and I stayed until Tuesday), we went over to my sister's to visit with Taylor and Caleb. Libby played with the kids, had a couple of snacks and went swimming. We left when it started raining and the tornadoes came. My visit would not have been complete without the tornado sirens going off.