photo explosion

Now that our house is under contract (hallelujah!!!!), we have a little more time to relax. Here's my long overdo blog post on the highlights of the last month or so.




We now have a dog! Introducing Doug the dog, aka the Magnificent Douglass Fir.

He and cat Bart and getting along pretty well so far.

Father's Day was filled with relaxing, eating delicious food, and playing with our pets.

Rose and I made a trip down to Northfield, which was so much fun for both of us. Part of me hopes she goes to Carleton (the friends! the education! the memories), but another part of me hopes she doesn't (the money!).

We've lived in our town for 14 years, but only now got to the local summer parade. It was so much fun!

We also went to see The Dweebs in concert a couple weekends ago. Totally awesome!!!

The cat likes to taunt the dog, then attack:

When Mike was in Montana for the inspection of our new house, the pets and I lounged about a lot. So relaxing!

We had a fluke hail storm a couple weekends ago.

How long until Doug outgrows this bed??

Rose graduated from preschool!!!!

My favorite photo of Doug and Bart:

My other favorite photo of the two of them:

5yo "well child" appt

Better late than never! We have been so busy with prepping our house for the market that I haven't had much time to breathe, much less blog. But Rose's last medical appointment went well, and she also had a fabulous birthday party!

Two months
weight:  12# 6.4 oz (85th %ile)
height:   23.5"  (86th %ile)
head:    15.5" (66th %ile)

Four months
weight:  15# 10oz (86th %ile)
height:   26"  (95th %ile)
head:    16.75"  (85th %ile)

Six months
weight:  17# 7oz (78th %ile)
height:   27.25"  (93rd %ile)
head:    17"   (72nd %ile)

Nine months
weight:  19# 9.6oz (65th %ile)
height:   28.75"  (87th %ile)
head:    17.5"   (66th %ile)

Twelve months
weight:  20# 9.6oz (61th %ile)
height:   30.5"  (89th %ile)
head:    17.75"   (55th %ile)

Fifteen months
weight:  23# (70th %ile)
height:   32.25"  (91st %ile)
head:    18.25"   (67th %ile)

Eighteen months
weight:  24# 9.6oz (72nd %ile)
height:   2'10" (98th %ile!)
head:    18.5" (68th %ile)

Twenty four months 
weight:  27# 12.8oz (66th %ile)
height:   2'0.25"  (98th %ile)
head:    19"  (72nd %ile)

Thirty months
weight:  31# 6.4oz (80th %ile)
height:   3'3.25" (99th %ile!)
head:     19.5" (83rd %ile)

Three years
weight: 32# 12oz (71%ile)
height: 3'3.75" (96%ile)
BP: 86/50 

Four years
weight: 38# 3oz (74%ile)
height: 3'7.75" (99%ile)
BP: 88/52 

Five years
weight: 43# 12oz (74%ile)
height: 3'10.5" (98%ile)
BP: 94/50 

annual birthday questions

Rose is 5!! (2017)

Favorite color:  all of the colors in the rainbow except orange and red
Favorite toy/game:  dragon Legos
Favorite food:  mac and cheese
Favorite drink:  chocolate milk
Favorite movie:  Finding Nemo and Finding Dory
Favorite TV show:   My Little Pony
Favorite song:  Twinkle Twinkle
Favorite book:  My Little Pony (the Pinkie Pie one)
Favorite outfit:  sparkly things
Best friend:  Eden
Favorite holiday:  my birthday
What I take to bed each night:  a stuffed animal like Rainbow Dash
When I grow up, I want to be:  a junior ranger
I'm afraid to: nothing!
I'm proud of:  myself!
Something I do really well:  Legos
This makes me happy:  doing Legos
This makes me sad:  when it's nap time
Favorite time of day:  lunch time
Dream vacation:  Disney World
Favorite thing to do with Mommy: cuddle
Favorite thing to do with Daddy:  play Legos

(age 4 -2016)
(age 3 - 2015)

April updates

This month has been a whirlwind! Partially because I was sick for a week, then on vacation for a week. But mostly because we are moving!!!!!!! I have officially accepted a position in Great Falls, MT, and we will be relocating in August. As a result, we have been busy decluttering, cleaning, painting, interviewing realtors, and just generally freaking out. :)

If you want to follow along with my Montana-related ramblings, I started another blog:  http://midlifemovetomontana.blogspot.com  (I've been numbering the posts there so they'll be easier to read in order.)

But this blog will still be devoted to family stuff... like Rose's birthday today!!!! Can you believe she's 5 already? We let her choose everything we did today, and she opted to:
-sleep in ridiculously late
-open her presents immediately upon waking
-eat both pancakes and cereal for breakfast
-go to the MN Zoo to search for a white tiger (no luck)
-eat at Noodles for mac&cheese for lunch
-play with her new Lego set after nap
-go to Noodles to get mac&cheese for dinner as well (!!!!)
-eat a piece of chocolate layer cake with chocolate frosting (decorated with chocolate chips and sprinkles)

She knows how to have a great day!!

She is such a delight! I can't imagine a better kid. She is a joy to be around, and I love her more and more every day. Can't wait to see what the coming year brings for all of us!

Bart's new favorite place to sleep

Great at 8pm, not so much at 3am!

To do lists

Rose went to a friend's birthday party today, and in the small gift bag she received she was given a pencil and a small pad of post-its. She was so excited and immediately asked to make a to do list, "just like Mommy." Awwwwww....
We made sure to do both things on her list: "play outside" and "play with cat" :)

staying present

I left work pretty late last night, but I was treated to this interesting cloud formation as I walked out to my car:

And then this lovely sunset as I stopped by Target to pick up more kiddie ibuprofen:

Today "little miss" and I are hanging out and watching movies as she continues to recover from being sick: