Our Baby Turns 1!

Happy Birthday Wyatt! He's one and I am still tired. He hasn't been our easiest, most laid back baby like people said the third would be. It might be because the poor guy gets dragged all over and hasn't had a schedule of his own due to his brothers' activities. It might be because we are tired and not up to listening to any more whining. It has been a fun year of seeing him grow, learning how to do "so big", clap, throw kisses, wave good-bye, play peek-a-boo, crawl, stand, say mama and dada, and go up and down and up and down and up and down and up and down the steps. He's got big blue eyes, shy looks, and a sweet smile. He's a great hugger. He is much loved by his brothers, sometimes a little too loved. He's up to 5 teeth and we'll check in on Monday as to how big he is officially.

Wyatt got up this morning to find his birthday present in the middle of the living room. He and Gavin played with the Learning House for a while before we headed off for a MOMS Club meeting. Then Grandma and Grandpa J came down and we went out to eat at Buca's for lunch. Fred met us there and Drea stopped in to wish Wyatt a happy birthday too.

Wyatt with his birthday present.

Gavin and Wyatt playing.

Being a big 1 year old means you can face forward in the car, hopefully that makes it less of a struggle to get him in his seat.

Such a big boy with his straw cup.

Happy Birthday at Buca di Beppo's.

Drea and Wyatt.

Jacob, Grandma, Wyatt, Grandpa, and Gavin.

After supper it was cake time! I made Wyatt his own little cake to dig into and destroy. He was a little tentative at first, but made a mess of it by the end.

Our family before cake.

Single serving cake for Wyatt.

Hmmm...

Liking the frosting.

Getting into it!

Making a mess.

Done.

Apples to Apples

We've made a couple apple field trips lately. First Gavin, Wyatt and I went to Belle Plaine to Emma Krumbee's, but decided it was too chilly (and we were too cheap to pay the entrance fee) to pick apples. We had a yummy lunch though and bought some baked goods and apples. Our friends Cori and Avery (Gav's good friend) joined us.

Gavin and Avery on a cute bench at Emma Krumbee's.

Wyatt and Gavin on the "You are my Sunshine" bench.

We also made a field trip to REI last week for Drea and Jacob to do some climbing. Jacob tried a harder wall this time and made it about half way up.

Jacob on the rock wall.

I was a volunteer chaperon on Jacob's field trip to the Arboretum's Apple House this week. It was an interesting, educational and fun field trip and the rain stayed away, so it was a good trip. It was funny to have Jacob's little friends want to sit by me or hold my hand as we walked, I was never so popular in school. It was fun to see Jacob's teacher in action, she is full of energy and fun cheers (firecracker, cheese grater, hip hip hooray, etc.). The tour guide told us how the scientists have to wait 5 years before an apple tree grows apples to see how the hybrids turn out and I said to Ms. Kennedi that it takes a lot of patience to be an apple scientist, almost as much patience as a 1st grade teacher.

Jacob with classmate Max.

Jacob's class at the end of the tour.

First Days of School

Jacob has started 1st grade. His teacher is Ms Kennedi and she is awesome. She teaches them all sorts of fun songs and is really great about communicating with the parents. Jacob has some friends from church, school and preschool in his class, which we didn't know before open house night at the end of August. It was nice to see familiar faces in his classroom.

Jacob on the first day of 1st grade. Gavin was not to be left out.

Another before school picture.

The whole gang waiting for the bus.

Gavin started 3 day a week preschool at the Preschool Place this year. His teachers are Ms Debbie and Ms Anne. He seems too like it so far. His friend, Avery, is in his class along with some other friends from MOMs Club.

Gavin on his first day of preschool.

Avery and Gavin.

Wyatt is just hanging with me this year. We hit the gym while the other boys are in school and he gets to hang out in the childcare.

Wyatt loves Peek-A-Boo, here he is peeking.

The little boys and I went to the Mall of America for Toddler Tuesday when Curious George was meeting and greeting.

Last Hurrah of Summer

To complete the summer, we made a trip to Como Zoo with my parents and Alyssa and kids. It was kind of a hot day, but a breeze made it tolerable. The kids got to enjoy rides, see some animals, and then ride some more. Como is the perfect size for the kids and my Dad.

Maddie and Gavin driving.

Jacob, Isaac, Maddie and Wyatt.

Wyatt

Gavin and Jacob watching for bears.

Polar Bear

Wyatt looking for the Polar Bear

Jacob by the ape

Grandma and Grandpa with Wyatt

Isaac, Gavin, Maddie and Jacob behind a display screen.

He's a little bit Techy

Last night as I was reading a bedtime story to the boys, Gavin put me on "pause" while he went to the bathroom. He said "pause the story Mom". When he came back he said "Ok, unpause". And I continued reading.

All in One Week

I'll start last Thursday when we went to Valleyfair, well actually the night before I took the boys to Shakopee where the Rosenbergers were staying at a hotel and went swimming and sliding with them. The next day we did a full day at Valleyfair. Wyatt was home with a temp and a very sweet babysitter. Gavin was not tall enough, nor would he have been brave enough to go on the big rides. Jacob was tall enough for most of those, including Wild Thing. It was a nice day out and hot enough for us to enjoy some time at the waterpark there too. We arrived at 10 and when I left with Gavin at 7, he was crying that he didn't want to leave, but I think he was asleep by the time we got out of the parking lot. Rosenbergers brought Fred and Jacob home about an hour later. I spent most of the day with Gavin and I think the small rides are rougher than the big ones, all that spinning I can no longer handle.

Friday night Fred took Jacob and Gavin to the Spy Kids movie. Wyatt and I stayed home, he fell asleep at 5:30 and slept until the next morning at 7AM. He slept similarly the next night when Fred was home with all the boys and I was in Waconia "helping set-up for a baby shower". I say that in quotes, because we were very unproductive, but did lots of gabbing and made it out for a bite and a drink.

Sunday, Becky and Kari hosted a shower for Kim. I provided the games. I froze little babies in ice cubes and hung them in plastic cups to see whose baby would be "born" (unfrozen) first. I also made bags with the letters "Baby Gillespie" on them and found baby items to put in each bag that started with the letter on the bag. Both pretty fun games. For Kim's present I attempted to create art and was pretty happy with my results. My mom had made her quilt, so I had some fabric samples to match the art to. Now I am trying to figure out how to make art for in my house, it was so fun to do.

Art Imitates Fabric

Monday night, Fred got a break and got to go to his fantasy football draft. Then I was off again on Tuesday night to Katy Perry. I met Jolene at the Mall of America for some sushi at Crave and then we went to the concert with Adrea and Kim. It was a fun concert, entertaining except for the odd middle "karaoke" bit. They were free tickets from Fred's work, so it was well worth it!

Kim, myself and Jolene at Katy Perry, thanks for taking the pic Drea.

Katy Perry and dancers

On Wednesday night Fred's mom and nephew Jesse came down and we headed to the Twins game. Jolene's dad threw out the first pitch, so they had some extra tickets and we got to sit amongst all the Boeckermanns. The game was a loss, but the boys were all really good during the game and it was much better than last year's Mother's Day outing.

At the Twins game.

Jesse

Gavin

Jacob

The view from the Skyline Deck

Yesterday was the first day of the State Fair, and we were there at about 9 ready to eat the day away. After a some cheese curds, crab fritters, cini minnies, a corn dog and smoothies the kids got their faces painted and Drea got some body art.

Drea, Maddie, Gavin, Jacob and Isaac

Then we hit the "Sing-a-long" area and did some giant karaoke. On the way to Little Farm Hands, we had some walleye cakes. On our way to the 4-H building we had a twisted sausage (sausage on a stick, with spiral cut potato surrounding it), apple dumping, footlong hotdog, and strawberry and chocolate malts. After the 4-H show we headed to the food building for catfish and fries, caramel apples, pineapple, mcRib sandwich, bull bites, eggroll, onion rings, corn fritters, popcorn, taffy, deep fried cookie dough, and crab cakes.

After "lunch", Fred and Joe took the kids on the skyride while the women got to go to the Horticulture building to buy knives, State Fair knives are the best. We watched the parade while sharing a gyro and more cheese curds. Some rode the space needle. We ventured into the International Bazaar, so Maddie could find a new bag. There we had some cinnamon roasted almonds and strawberry cheesecake on a stick. Then Fred and I took the kids on Ye Old Mill, a log ride that is mostly in a dark tunnel (98 years old, but very Disney-like with all that dark). After that we got the bucket of cookies and Adrea found some gummy candy and gelato on the way to the DNR building to look at the fish pond. We made our way to the Giant Slide for a couple rides down. Then Fred took Jesse to the Midway and Joe, Dre and I took the kids to the kidway while Lys and Mom checked out the Grandstand merchandise.

By this time it was about 5 and the kids were about done. Fred, being the awesome husband and dad he is, volunteered to take our kids home and let me hang out with Adrea for a while. We went to watch Lori and Julia, a radio show and we made them a list of what we'd eaten that day, which they read on air - only pronouncing mine and mom's names correctly, but oh well. It'd been a while since we'd eaten, so we went to find some cheese on a stick, we didn't find a stand with the pepperjack option and the American cheese version was not as good. We found the breakfast lollipop, sausage surrounded by pancake on a stick, yum. Then went to weigh in at the Health Booth and check our visceral fat. Finding that we weren't in danger yet, we got some ice cream. I wandered thru the Fine Arts building while Drea checked out the Eco-Experience, then we watched a little of the County Fair Talent contest. For one last "treat" we sought out the chocolate covered jalapeno, took one bite each and declared it disgusting. Some chocolate milk helped cool our mouths, we gave away one of the 3 jalapenos they give you, warning these strangers how disgusting it was and headed out of the fair. At the end of the night, it was not my stomach that hurt, but my feet.

Week in Oz

I spent the first week of August in Melrose with the boys. Jacob and Maddie went to Theatre Camp put on by the GREAT Theatre Company out of St Cloud, where we are season ticket holders. This year the play they put on was "The Wizard of Oz". Jacob got the part of Ozian 2 and Maddie was the Wicked Witch. Jacob thought he looked like a leprechaun. They only had 5 mornings to put together this 30 minute play. The costumes were so fun and the kids appeared to know their lines really well. Only problem was that it seems they were told they'd have microphones, but they didn't. The only lines you could hear were your own kid's because you'd practiced them and knew what they were saying. Plus during the show, Wyatt was about the loudest one there (on or off stage) and in the middle of the play I felt this familiar warmth soak thru my shirt (meaning I'd been peed on).

Jacob as Ozian 2

The Wicked Witch and the Ozian

We did have a fun week in Melrose though. We had lunch at the bowling alley and bowled one day. Ate at the pizza buffet in town. Saw the smurfts movie. Swam in the Rosenbergers pool. Spent another day at the lake with the Feldewerds. Went to McDonalds playland for lunch one day. And enjoyed time with family. Fred missed us, next time I'll leave him a list so he doesn't get so bored.

Gavin with a Mario mustache from the bowling alley.

Gavin with crazy "Shark Boy" hair.

On the 5th of August Adrea, Alyssa and I went to Glamorama, a fundraiser for Children's Cancer Research.We went out to Crave before hand for sushi and appetizers. The show was at the Orpheum, it began with a video about a MN family whose 2 children both had a rare form of cancer, but now are cancer-free, so we started out in tears. Then the fun came, the show starred Far East Movement and Bruno Mars, they performed during a fashion show of a number of designers, the last one being a men's underwear designer. After the show, we all hearded over to Macy's to their 8th floor for appetizers, desserts, drinks, dancing, and activities. We got some body art painted on our shoulder and had some fun photos taken of us. We ate and drank to our best abilities and tried not to look too old on the dance floor. It was such a fun evening, I hope we can do it again next year.

On the 11th of August we went to St Paul's Rice Park to help set the world record for most simultaneous somersaults. Adrea came with us. Adrea, Jacob, Gavin and I somersaulted for the record. We also got to see Kerri Strug and Petey the Pea Cup (a HealthPartner's mascot).

It was a challenge to try to get a picture of us.

Here we are with Petey.