COUNTING TO 10

Finally caught it on video. KJ likes number-shaped fruit snacks that we bought him, so Kurt started to count them with him and put them in order. I guess he caught on because he counted to 10 by himself the other day and I finally got video of it. So cute to hear the little voice doing something like a big boy.

READY, SET...

A couple of cute pictures of the little guy. I am telling you, he hangs out with me too much. A little yoga, a little talking on the phone. He is going to be such a sensitive husband...



37 weeks and official. The last picture that you will see of me prego. Nobody needs to see the hideous stretch marks. In fact, I can't really see them, or my thighs, or my feet...love pregnancy.

TOO MUCH TIME WITH MAMA...

I think that KJ might hang out with his mama too much. KJ and I have been spending a lot of time lately working to get the house ready for the new baby by going through our stuff. The things he decides to play with...

22 MONTHS and 33 WEEKS

It seems that both KJ and I are growing, growing, growing. Too bad for me, he is still getting taller, I am just getting wider.

The little fella is not only physically bigger by the day, but he is acting more and more independent. He started to sleep in his full, big boy bed on January 31st and hasn't looked back. Naps start with him getting down to play with some toys and read a book or two, but for the most part, he stays in bed and actually rests. Bedtime is freakishly routine already- bed around 8pm, a couple of whimpers and silence.

Playing in the snow. KJ helped his daddy fix the snowblower, so he naturally thinks it is his now.

He is also moving toward being potty trained. He will use the potty with the promise of an M&M a few times a day and recently started to tell me that he has gone the bathroom in his diaper. I am going to keep working on him, but I am hopeful that we will be most of the way to trained shortly after the new baby arrives. I have no desire to change two sets of diapers for a long time.

My 25 minutes of peace. KJ will always go for mama's bed and Handy Manny. Fine by me.

As for the second one, this pregnancy has been good, but a lot more tiring than KJ's. I guess the addition of a toddler to the mix doesn't give much time for rest. The baby is a mover and a shaker, and is stretching my stomach with feet, heels, knees, everything. According to my last doctor's appointment, I am measuring on time, which is good because I measured small with KJ. I am hoping that it means I will deliver on schedule. Although the chaos with two might be overwhelming, I have a feeling I will be more than ready from a physical standpoint by April 5th.

This picture is at 28 weeks, but I love that KJ couldn't have a picture without him. Stepped right in and said cheese.

A YEAR IN REVIEW: 2009

Rather than print pictures for everything we do each year, I create an annual digital photo book with a couple of pages per event to document our travels and family fun. Amazingly, Kurt and I already have a library of books from the past 5 years.

2009 is finished and I am awaiting the printed book. It is so exciting to open up the package and check out the finished project. Check out the book...

Click here to view this photo book larger

FUN HOLIDAY SEASON

We really enjoyed our time over the holiday with KJ. It was especially fun to watch him open presents and talk about Santa, Baby Jesus and the tools he was hoping to get. Well, he was not disappointed.

A few pictures from Christmas morning. Once KJ saw his workbench, he could have cared less about the other gifts that were still wrapped. Thanks, Santa!



On Christmas Eve we headed to mass at St. Clement's and then over to Kurt's mom's house for the Schuster Christmas. KJ was hamming it up. I think he knew presents were coming.



After opening gifts at our house on the 25th, we traveled to Kalamazoo to spend some time with my family and celebrate Nordquist Christmas. KJ got into the annual college t-shirt tradition, had an awesome time sledding with Daddy, Mimi and Papa and had to take a picture with Papa's new Santa that he got him for a present. Thanks to Kurt and Brad for making sure the Santa was blown up and outside!

THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

Apparantly the closet in the guest bedroom wasn't the best place to put unwrapped Christmas presents. I walked upstairs to see the little man and...