Standing Boy

We have a "Stander"!  Maxwell can officially stand on his own for a few seconds... it's too soon and he will be a walker, too!  He just HAS to keep up with his big bro!

Back it up

So, we learned the hard way this week that you have to back up your stuff, even if you have a back up drive.  I should have put all of my pictures not only on my back up drive, but onto disks and more disks.  My back up drive bit the dust on Wednesday... taking with it 3 years of pictures of my precious little boys. 

Goodness, it's heart wrenching.  I feel like I have a huge weight on my chest right now.  Because I have been in contact with several people and SeaGate (company that manufactures the back-up drive) and it looks like the only option is real life retrieval of the data... which is expensive.  According to SeaGate it is almost a FOR SURE that the pictures are there on the drive, but the memory has to be put in a new drive to make it work.  This doesn't come cheap...$1200.  $1200 sounds like a fortune.  But pennies to the lost memories and the beating myself up I will do if I don't just bite the bullet and have the data retrieved. 

As we speak I am backing up my computer, so I am using Andy's computer right now.  I am just sick to my stomach.  But luckily, we can afford it (don't want to, but we can).  And I can't imagine not having all those files of my babies.  Especially Maxwell, because I have not done as many photo books or printing for him.  I haven't even uploaded most of his monthly pictures onto Snapfish! 

So, now it's to break the sad news to Andy and figure out how I can cut back for the next few months to "make up" for the added expense.  No trips to La Crosse...

County Fair

County fairs are nice and small.  I grew up in an area that had a HUGE fair and we almost never went... my grandpa took us for kids day when we were younger (it was always the hottest day of the summer and we ate our fill of junk), but I don't remember going very often.  We visited my grandma in Wisconsin and got to go to the little town fair, which was always fun... I think this fair is like that one, small and you see everyone you know.  I pretty much DID see everyone I knew at the local county fair... all 3 people. Ha ha.

 My friend Sharon's kiddos playing "dead" on one of the tractors! 

My first friends in Waukon (Nola and her Daughter-in-Law Sharon).  We just all happened to be at the fair at the same time.  We even had dinner together!

 Jackson sat on EVERY tractor that was available... kind of glad we didn't go when ALL of the tractors were open during the day.  We stopped by often to ride a tractor during our 3 hours there!

 Grandma Jo and Grandpa Larry with the kiddos.  Notice the barns in the background, yes we went through all of them and our stroller and shoes are still in the garage waiting to be cleaned from all the poop.

 Maxwell and I hanging out in front of the fair.

Our little family at the fair (forgot to take off the filter, but oh well)


Jackson and Maxwell both were excellent at the fair.  They lasted well past their bedtimes and went to sleep (better yet slept through the night) right away.  Even though Jackson had the beginnings of a croupy-coughy-coldy episode.

I love spending Friday nights (and any night really) doing things with our kids.  They are only small and lovey for a short time... I want to soak it all up!!

BFF Visit

Jackson, Maxwell, and I were very lucky to have some special visitors earlier this week... our BFFs came to visit!  Sunday-Tuesday was a bunch of Three-Year-Old fun!  Jackson made a list of 10 things he wanted to do with Lily and we did all of them, except meet our neighbors (they weren't home), plus so much more!  There were lots of firsts for Ms. Lily and lots of Mommy talking time for Alissa and Emily.  Jackson had such a great time running/jumping/playing with his best buddy.  Here are some highlights in pictures...  I have a few more I will add to another post tomorrow.

 Lily and Jackson in the Mississippi River, Lily's first experience!

 Jackson putting the sand BACK into the Mississippi, they'll have to dredge after last weekend!! :)

 #1- picnic outside

 #2 playing in the pool

 #3 Playing "chase"

 Maxwell couldn't wait to be in the water, he wouldn't let me put on his swimsuit!

 This baby loves water even if it's squirting in his face!

 Alissa enjoying some sun

#4 Hiding

 #5 Golf Cart Ride

On hole #2- playing golf!

Boys

Our boys are 3 years and 8 months respectively... where does the time go?

Jackson:

• 3 foot 1 inch (30th percentile)
• 34.5 lbs (90th percentile)
• Didn't cry AT ALL when we went for his 3 year check up
• Loves anything with wheels... tractors and trucks are favorites
• Plays with his dinosaur rice (bucket of rice we had hidden dinosaurs in the first time we played with it) for hours each day.
• Loves to run, chase me is a favorite saying!
• Sweet to his brother, until he gets a little crazy and then he pushes
• Likes to go to museums, go fishing, boating, golfing, bowling, swimming, running, camping, and just about anything else you want him to do!
• Will repeat everything you don't want him to...
• Tells us he loves us without prompting, says "bless you" when you sneeze, thank you unprompted when given something or someone says something nice to him
• Asks Mommy to lay with him almost every night.
• Loves to read books (especially about tractors, but likes all books)
• Says his prayers starting with "Dear Lord" a thank you for something (often tractors) and an Amen.  All while folding his hands.
• Happy most of the time, but will for sure throw a fit if he doesn't get what he wants.  Says I'm sorry, for ____, and that he won't do it again.
• Loves his neighbor kids (Dylan and Lexi) and wants to play with them ALL the time.
• Loves to sing nursery rhymes (sings Tuckery Songs like All around the Parking Garage)

Maxwell:

• Has 2 teeth
• Can crawl on hands and knees (fast)
• Can pull himself up on almost anything he wants to
• Walks around things if he wants to get to something
• When standing will bounce on knees
• Let's go of the table in the living room and leans a little with his belly so he can use both hands
• Knocks 2 objects together
• Will repeat a pattern if you hit a table
• Loves any toys Jackson has and hates it when Jackson takes a toy from him
• Eats solid foods (likes most veggies and fruits)
• Eats snacks (Mum Mums, puffs, teething cookies, rice krispies)
• Will drink water from a sippy cup
• Goes after the cat food every chance he gets and laughs when you pull him away
• Has solid poos
• Goes to bed most nights by 8:45pm, wakes either 3 or 5:30am, sleeps until 7:30/8am, naps around 9:30/10 for an hour and a half, naps around 1:30/2:00pm for an hour or two
• Drinks from a bottle a lot better (unless Mommy is around)
• Goes to Daycare 1 day a month
• Loves to laugh at Daddy and Jackson, but loves to go to Mommy
• Cuddler, but active little man!
• He loves to chase Spooky and try to pet her (or pull her tail)
• Does not have stranger danger (just like Jackson)
• Pulls toys out of baskets, buckets, off table
• Climbs up on stairs!  Yikes!  He sits a little too close to the edge, but doesn't fall much.  He likes the fireplace so he can look at himself in the glass.

Our boys are so big and we couldn't be more proud!  We love them to pieces!

3rd Birthday

Our little man had his 3rd birthday party a week ago.  It was an exciting and awesome day!  Jackson was so excited from the minute we started talking about birthday parties... he got super excited when our guests started arriving Friday night (Grandma Donna and Grandpa Leslie & Uncle Michael and Aunt Jenny).  He woke up on Saturday morning excited for his birthday party.  By 11am when the first guests started arriving he was hyper!  When cousins Aubrey and Elise arrived  the running began!  He was going non-stop from 11am-3pm.  He had such a fun time with his friends and family.  Here are some highlights from the festivities...

Jackson and his friends... I love that you can see the other boys "helping" him blow out the candles.  He was so darn cute while everyone was singing to him!!

 Candy dump truck suckers... made by Mommy using candy melts

 Fabric banner... I cut out pennants and hot glued them to a piece of bias tape, super easy!  The fabric on the table and banner is Michael Miller.  In the background behind the cake you can see Jackson's bowling trophy.

 Dump truck cake (I used a mold and decorated it) and cupcakes... I made the stand using 2 Walmart resin plates and a candle stick... the picks were also made by me... I used my Silhouette to cut them out and design them.

 Birthday Banner over the fireplace, used Silhouette to cut out the letters and pennants.

 Food... we got cheese and meat platters, potato salad, and fruit from Fareway.  I like the Mason jars held together by Caution tape to hold the silverware.

 The best birthday EVER!  I loved how much he LOVED this party!  Jackson has such a blast with everyone and was so gracious and loving... it was by far my favorite birthday ever!!  (I made his shirt, too... used my Silhouette to cut out t-shirt vinyl, Maxwell had done with an orange dump truck on it)