Don and Andrea

The Best Gift

2012-01-22T13:26:00.000-08:00

We went in with Don's parents on a rock climbing wall for Christmas for the boys. We've been debating whether to get a swing set or a trampoline or something like that for awhile. We have a large lot but the majority of it is wooded so we only have a small flat area in the backyard. We found this "mountain" and it has been a hit. Declan constantly climbs on it, plays in the middle and jumps from it. It was perfect!

Christmas continued

2012-01-22T13:19:00.000-08:00

Johnson Christmas

2012-01-22T13:12:00.000-08:00

We traveled to MN for Christmas and stayed with Don's parents along with his sister and her boyfriend. It was a great 4 days, despite some rough nights with Tate - we did a lot of relaxing, eating, drinking and laughing. Unfortunately there was hardly any snow, but we did get the boys out on the lake down the street.

Sledding on Medicine Lake

Loving our bottle

Lisa and Steve with their most treasured gifts

Tate Turns 1

2012-01-22T13:01:00.000-08:00

Eek, it's been a long time since I posted. Tate turned 1 right before Christmas (12/22) so we had a couple of celebrations. On his bday I made chicken parmigiana from scratch and we had my parents and the neighbors (Tate's godparents) over for dinner and cake. It was a perfect low key celebration and a great way to savor the end of his first year with us.

He is healthy and a big boy, around the 90th percentile for height and weight. Declan was also tall, but Tate is a bit more "solid" if you will. He's got a nice round tummy and thick legs. He is solidly walking and we dropped the bottle cold turkey right after Christmas without a hitch (which was surprising). He had become accustomed to walking around the house with it, sucking away - very cute but I was worried he'd get too attached to it if we kept it around much longer.

He is starting to comprehend more, just saying a few words like Dec Dec, dada, doggie and a little bit of mama. But he definitely understands quite a bit of what we say which is neat. We are definitely busy lately!

This is the only shot I have of the whole group

Mmmmmm, chicken parmigiana!

11 Months

2011-11-28T19:53:00.000-08:00

It's official, Tate is walking. He started taking some steps 2-3 weeks ago and then last week he really started moving. Over Thanksgiving weekend he seemed to switch off between crawling and walking and now he is walking every chance he gets. His teachers told me today that he was their busiest baby! He is so excited about his new skill, he has no interest in eating, going to bed or doing anything other than running around and testing out his new skill.

He has also become very LOUD over the last couple weeks. He has always been such a mellow baby and now he loves to use his voice, laugh, wave bye-bye and play chase.

When we do get him to sit still to eat he is really enjoying whatever the family is eating. In fact, he often surprises me with the foods he enjoyes - a couple weeks ago he was devouring the homemade PF Chang's style chicken lettuce wraps I made.

The first year can be long at times, but it really is amazing that he's almost one.

Tate's Baptism

2011-11-28T18:12:00.001-08:00

We finally got around to getting Tate baptized on November 20th. It was a great day, and his godparents Larry and Kaye (next door neighbors) were able to join us.

Halloween

2011-11-28T18:09:00.001-08:00

Neighborhood picture

With our neighbors Jim/Ed

Tallulah Gorge

2011-11-28T18:06:00.000-08:00

We've gotten back into hiking now that Tate is a bit older and recently enjoyed a day trip to Tallulah Gorge in northern GA. It was gorgeous and a nice drive out of the city. Apparently they have some sliding rocks that you can hike down to and slide on in the summer. When the boys get older we'll have to give that a try.

Dec's Birthday

2011-11-28T17:59:00.000-08:00

We did a simple party for Declan this year and invited several of his buddies from school to join us at the local airport playground for pizza. Unfortunately it was the coldest morning we've had in months, but the kids didn't seem to mind. My mom and Don's dad were both in town which was nice as well. Can't believe he is 4 years old. He has really grown up in the last couple months. He went through the "why" phase over the summer and is now just very into asking lots of specific questions. He loves playing soccer at school with Coach Jorge, bringing books to school and playing barefoot in the backyard. He says something hilarious every day and I really need to get better at writing down those quotes!

The Beach

2011-11-28T17:53:00.001-08:00

In late October we took a nice long weekend trip to Blue Mountain Beach down in Florida. We had a great time with beautiful weather. The water was a bit cold, but the boys enjoyed playing on the beach, we all enjoyed the sun and had some great food and relaxing days.

Pumpkins!

2011-10-13T18:34:00.000-07:00

Fall is Here!

2011-10-02T18:53:00.000-07:00

We got the house ready for Halloween this weekend and I bought Declan's costume. He was so excited and wore it all afternoon, including on our afternoon walk.

Hanging Out

2011-10-02T18:50:00.000-07:00

Helping Mom clean - he was very excited to help so I took him up on his offer.

Visit

2011-10-02T18:45:00.000-07:00

Don's mom came to visit in late September and we had a great weekend. We went to the Gwinnett County Fair and also hiking up in the GA mountains. It was a busy weekend but we had a lot of fun.

Tate - 9 Months

2011-10-02T18:39:00.001-07:00

Eating raspberries for the first time - Messy!

With his buddy Jack at the neighborhood pool

Tate is doing well and growing up quickly. He started crawling around 8 months and has pulled up a couple of times. He enjoys clapping his hands and is still our smiley guy. We've been keeping him up until 7:30 or 8pm lately and that means he sleeps until close to 7am which is a good thing for mom and dad. He loves real food and babbles all the time. He weighs 22.5 lbs and is 29.5 inches long.

Key West

2011-08-24T16:35:00.000-07:00

I surprised Don for his bday and our anniversary with a trip to Key West while my parents watched the boys. We had a ball and it was so great to just hang out. We mostly ate, walked around, drank and laid in the sun, which was perfect. That town is definitely filled with some characters, but it was a blast. I think we'll definitely return.

8 Months

2011-08-24T16:28:00.001-07:00

Hard to believe Tate turned 8 months this week. He's not quite as mobile as Declan was at this age, we call him our relaxed baby. He just started sitting a few weeks ago and is just barely crawling. It's quite humorous, it's army style on his tummy and he pretty much just drags his legs behind him. He is getting on all fours, but then rocks forward and back like crazy as if that alone will propel him forward.

He's loving people food, he simply devours it and gets upset if he doesn't get to try what the family is having. He's still a good sleeper, although lately he's been waking up at 5 or 6am occassionally, but hopefully that's just a phase. He's a sweet and mellow guy which makes life a lot of fun.

Callaway Gardens aka "The Hotel" aka "Vacation"

2011-07-30T20:54:00.000-07:00

The boys had no school Thurs/Fri (changing classes Mon - more on that another day, Declan will be going on FIELD TRIPS this year). So we booked a last minute trip to Callaway Gardens, a resort about 90 minutes south of Atlanta. We really wanted to go to the beach, but everything was booked solid and Tate was recovering from a nasty cold so we decided to keep it low key. We had a great time, played at the beach party Fri night, rode bikes Sat morning (quite a workout with a 40 lb child on the back in 90 degree heat) and Declan/Dad did the Aqua Land water bouncy park tonight. Lots of fun packed into 24 hours. Oh, and ask Don about his little trip down the backroads of GA...the rest of us were not happy with the driver!!!

Pancakes, Stories and Monkey Jammas

2011-07-03T05:55:00.001-07:00

Summer Fun

2011-06-22T17:02:00.000-07:00

It has been hot, hot, hot here in Atlanta the last few weeks and we've been spending a lot of time at the pool. Tate enjoys just drifting away in his float and Declan is now swimming alone, jumping off the diving board and swimming to the side with no float and no help, and learning to take a breath while swimming. I can't believe how far he has come but I guess that's what lots of practice will do!

Six Months

2011-06-22T16:57:00.000-07:00

Tate is still a big guy, he went for his six month appt and is 18 lbs, 12 0z and is 28 and 1/2 inches long. He's eating solids, babbling a ton, rolling over to sleep on his tummy and is still working on sitting up (but that seems a ways off still). He loves jumping in his exersaucer and is overall a mellow guy. Declan is the only one who can make him truly laugh which is fun.

Bike Day!

2011-05-26T17:16:00.000-07:00

Misc Summer

2011-05-22T18:25:00.000-07:00

Auntie Lisa

Don received his MBA from UGA this month- woohoo!!!! So glad all that hard work is over.

Grandma and Grandpa Johnson

Mother's Day

Tate enjoying some music at a church picnic

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T13:56:00.000-07:00

3 Months

2011-03-24T17:50:00.000-07:00

Tate turned 3 months this week. He's doing great, although he's started teething the last few days and has been a little grumpy. He started sleeping through the night last week for a few days in a row (7-7) but now is back to waking up once per night to eat a snack. Hopefully he goes back to sleeping through the night again soon!

Overall he's easygoing and loves to smile and play in his little floor gym. He loves grabbing the hanging monkey and is trying very hard to roll over. He can almost do it, he flips his legs over and cranes his neck but just can't quite flip those shoulders yet. I'm sure he'll be doing it soon. He also coos and squeals a lot which is fun.

Mathers Visit

2011-03-20T18:09:00.000-07:00

My parents came to visit a couple weeks ago and my mom watched Tate for my first two weeks back at work. We had a lot of fun and Don and I have enjoyed having another set of hands around as I transition back to the working world. Good thing Grandma Martha arrived today!!

Best Friends

2011-03-20T18:06:00.000-07:00

Declan and his classmate Will have been best friends since Declan was about 22 months old. Hard to believe friendships are formed that young, but these two just have a chemistry that they felt from when they were toddlers and it continues today. They both love to run, wrestle and play "dragon". The teachers love them but say they usually have to split them up so they'll pay attention in class. They recently started swim lessons together and have had a ball. It is seriously the height of Declan's week. Between the goggles, swim outfit, Coach Gabriel and his best buddy he can hardly stand the excitement. It's so cool to see them grow up together.

Misc

2011-03-20T18:04:00.000-07:00

2 Months

2011-02-28T12:08:00.001-08:00

Tate had his 2 month appt today:

Weight: 13 lbs, 1 oz (75-90th percentile)

Height: 25 and 1/8 inches (over 95th percentile, she said he was off the chart!)

All is going well, he goes to bed at 7pm and wakes to eat around 2pm and then sometimes fusses a bit at 5am. The doctor said he's a big guy and should be able to sleep through the night so this week we're going to work on phasing out the 5am wake up time and then slowly start reducing the amount of food we give him at the 2am feeding. Wish us luck! I go back to work next Wed which is a bummer. I love my job but wish I had more time with the little man. I am looking forward to my job but am dreading the commute and feeling of being pulled between two worlds. As a working mom you just never feel like you're doing enough at your job or at home so it will take some time to find the right balance again.

Hilton Head

2011-02-21T17:01:00.000-08:00

The forecast was great so we decided to do a quick trip to Hilton Head this weekend. We got a great deal on a hotel room and decided to give it a shot. We always had trouble getting Declan to sleep in strange places so we were a bit nervous but it ended up being the most slept we've had in months! We all went to bed around 10pm each night and Tate woke up only once each night to eat, then right back to bed.

One of my favorite things about living in Atlanta is that there are so many cool places to go for weekend trips. It was a lot of fun and Declan even dipped himself in the ocean a couple times! It was just what we needed, life gets so routine with an infant and it was nice to get out of the house.

Burning energy!

Taking it easy

This could not capture their personalities more clearly..."Mom, let me go, I'm busy" vs "I'm so happy"

On top of the lighthouse in Harbour Town

Misc

2011-02-17T17:32:00.000-08:00

We've had a few good weeks and lately are enjoying some gorgeous weather! We had a great weekend a couple weeks ago and took the boys to the zoo and had a picnic. And today it was over 70 and is supposed to be the same all weekend - we're contemplating driving to the beach for one night on Sat. It is all Declan has been asking about for the last month or so.

Tate is doing well, he was 8 weeks yesterday. For the past week he has gone to bed earlier every night and is now going down at 7pm. He can barely stay awake and we basically feed him and he crashes, no crying or fussing. He's been getting up once or twice to eat still, but last night he only got up to eat at 2am and then slept to 7am. So I think we're getting somewhere! He is smiling a lot and is just a happy and easygoing little guy. We had a lot of issues with eating, he'd scream at each feeding but there was no spit-up. The doctor put him on Zantac anyways and that seems to be doing the trick which is a relief.

We went for a walk today, and I caught Declan holding onto Tate.

Can't believe the difference in size between them!

And here is one of the cakes I've been making. The Johnsons gave us a KitchenAid mixer for Christmas and I've been doing lots of baking. This was a lemon cake and I made a flourless chocolate cake the other day. It's been fun and Don's coworkers are enjoying the extra treats.

3

2011-02-17T17:16:00.001-08:00

I've been having a lot of conversations with other moms lately - conversations about 3-year-olds and what to do with them! It seems everyone's child has suddenly hit a period where they whine, talk back, throw extreme tantrums and at times simply act like a brat. We all have been saying, where did my child disappear to? It seems for Declan the height of this period was right during the holidays and the arrival of Tate. At first I thought it was simply the sibling issue but as I talk to his friends' moms I realize it's also partly the age. He is realizing he is not the center of the universe and is definitely rebelling! I desperately started reading all sorts of books about discipline, child development and parenting styles. Things have calmed down lately, and Declan seems back to his cheerful self and also seems to have forgotten that there used to be no little brother. But it was a rough couple months - it has been interesting to compare to the challenging parts of the newborn phase. I guess every stage has its delights and it's troubles. :)

That said, Tate's arrival has surfaced a lot of memories about Declan that I had plain forgotten about and I want to capture them here:

*All babies have periods of "active" sleep where they rustle around and Tate is no different. However, Declan's version of active sleep often involved flinging both legs straight up into the air (while in his swaddle) and then slamming them down. It was quite distracting.

*Dirty diapers - Declan had them often and they were LOUD. It sounded like a volcanoe was erupting every time he had a bowel movement. We got a lot of strange looks when it happened out in public.

*Declan used to hate when I wore my hair in a ponytail. When he was a baby he'd cry if I came into his room and my hair was up, I'd take it down and he'd instantly smile. As he got older he'd tell me "no hair mommmy" and make a big fuss until I took it down. I don't know when he got over that but Don reminded me the other day about it and we had a good laugh. God knows why that was such an issue.

One Month

2011-01-26T09:55:00.000-08:00

Tate went for his 1 month appt the other day and is 23 and 1/8 inches long and weighed in at 11 lbs, 8 oz. He is a big guy, just like his brother - 90-95th percentile for height and weight! He has started to do some little smiles. This morning he was just staring at Declan and smiling up at him - he is definitely entertained by his big brother.

He does have some mild infant acne and the pediatrician mentioned she was filming a segment for CNN on the topic. So I brought Tate back today and they filmed the two of us briefly. It's for the Health Minute segments on Headline News - I'll let you know if we make the cut for the program!

Massage Time

2011-01-21T08:02:00.001-08:00

Yesterday Tate and I went to an infant massage class. It was a small group, just 3 babies and all were under 8 weeks. It was a lot of fun and I had the brilliant idea that it would be a great way to have some family time and include Declan on something with the baby. So while Declan was in the tub I set out a couple blankets and pillows and I massaged Tate and showed Don how to do the same massage with Declan.

Let's just say things did not go according to plan. Declan enjoyed it in his own special way and I think it had the opposite effect we were hoping for. He was so excited about doing something new he could not sit still for more than 10-15 seconds. He'd lay down, then run and grab another pillow, then lay down and then want to massage Tate. By the end of it he was laying on about 7 pillows, then proclaimed that it was "too high".

We got a good laugh out of it, we'll see if it goes a little smoother next time!

And just for fun - we're one day shy of a month old today!

Ice Storm 2011

2011-01-16T08:58:00.000-08:00

Johnsons

2011-01-16T08:49:00.001-08:00

Don's parents braved the crazy Atlanta ice storm aftermath and came to visit this past weekend. We had about 5 inches of snow last Sunday night which then turned to freezing rain. We then had several days where the temp didn't even reach 32 degrees. In a city with 11 trucks, we found out that this equals 5 DAYS home from school and work, with empty grocery store shelves, horrific roads, etc.

Don's parents' flight was canceled but they got on one that connected in Charlotte. After a long day of travel, Don managed to pick them up at the nearby MARTA station! They were troupers and we managed to celebrate Martha's birthday and have some fun. We spent out days making good meals/drinks, watching movies, trying to play in the ice, taking care of baby and entertaining the 3-year-0ld! It was great to see them and to have extra hands to help with dinner, laundry and soothing a fussy baby.

3 Weeks

2011-01-16T08:45:00.000-08:00

We're still doing good, although Tate has developed a fussy/colicky period each day. Some evenings are worse than others, but he has a 1-3 hour period each nigth where he just needs to be constantly held, walked around, etc. We've tried just about every trick in the book, but I think it's just going to be part of life for a few weeks. On the positive side, he continues to be a great sleeper at night.

First couple weeks

2011-01-09T09:44:00.000-08:00

It's been a good couple of weeks home with Tate. So far he is a very good baby, we've only had two nights where he's kept us up for a couple hours, otherwise he tends to wake up to eat and then goes right back to sleep. Don and I are much more relaxed this time around and it's made for a much better experience. We had a great Christmas with my parents (it snowed!) and my mom stayed for a total of 3 weeks and did a ton of cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, etc. She also watched Declan while we were in the hospital which was a big comfort. So nice to have help and an extra pair of hands!

Declan has been adjusting okay - he's had good days and bad days. He seems neutral towards the baby but has been acting out in other ways, getting into power struggles with us (i.e. wanting to wear his pajamas all day, then wanting to get dressed in regular clothes at night). I'm anxious for my friendly and happy little guy to return back to normal and realize it will probably take some time, but it's tough to be patient on limited sleep! But other than that, it feels so great to have two little boys and my favorite times are snuggling with both of them on my lap.

Coming home from the hospital on Christmas Eve

Introducing Tate Donald Johnson

2011-01-03T07:11:00.001-08:00

Our newest addition arrived on 12/22/10 at 11:33am, weighing in at 9 lbs, 5 oz and 21 inches long. I went in on the morning of 12/21 to be induced and after about 8 hours on Pitocin at full blast I was still only 1 cm. The nurse turned off the Pitocin around 5pm. I was feeling very frustrated and was extremely anxious that this would be an even tougher delivery than I had with Declan. The doctor said to get some dinner and we'd start again in the morning. Funny thing was, I started having regular contractions that were stronger after they stopped the Pitocin. When the doctor stopped by to check me around 8pm, I was 3 cm! We went to sleep feeling much better.

We started Pitocin again at 6am the next morning and things moved very quickly with a fairly small dose. I got my epidural around 8ish, the doctor came and broke my water and a couple hours later we had Tate after about 15 minutes of pushing. It was an awesome experience. Tate was a big boy, and because things went quickly he had some bruising on his face but he was very healthy. We had a great hospital stay - Declan and my parents came to visit and although Piedmont is a bit more dated than Northside we had a fabulous experience with all the staff and the food!

After the delivery with Dr Roberts and Nurse Kate

Getting cleaned up

Pushing the music button for our new arrival

39 Weeks

2010-12-15T07:30:00.000-08:00

Still waiting...time has flown this entire pregnancy until Mon when time suddenly seemed to come to a standstill. I go to the doctor today so we'll see if there are any updates. The baby definitely feels and looks lower to me, but that may just be in my head.

Watching the Green Grinch...this is the only time I've ever seen a picture where I think Declan and I look a bit alike.

Santa and Cookies with Friends

2010-12-15T07:26:00.001-08:00

Declan was invited over to his friend Will's house to make cookies on Sunday. The boys had a blast, although they only spent about 10 minutes total on the cookies. Declan insisted on bringing some Santa hats and they ran around the house yelling "ho, ho, ho" at the top of their lungs. Quite entertaining.

We also had the neighbor girls over a couple weeks ago to make gingerbread. They were much more focused on decorating the cookies. :)

Our santa visit this year.

37 Weeks

2010-12-04T17:23:00.000-08:00

Well, the end is near. I've actually been feeling pretty good lately and have a decent amount of energy. I've been throwing myself into Christmas shopping, baking cookies and washing baby clothes. Work has been really busy the last couple months which has made the time fly as well. Don finishes his last two MBA classes this week so I'm actually hoping for a week or so to relax as a family, then will feel ready for baby.

Holidays

2010-11-30T16:01:00.001-08:00

Pumpkin Farm

2010-10-17T15:31:00.001-07:00

We made our annual trek up to Burt's Pumpkin Farm and Hillcrest Apple Orchards. Declan had a ball, this was the first year he really "got it" and if it had been up to him we would have filled our wheelbarrow to the brim with pumpkins! We also got to do a giant jumping pillow, feed goats and chase chickens around.

Little 5 Points Parade

2010-10-17T15:29:00.000-07:00

Movie Night

2010-10-17T15:26:00.001-07:00

We had a movie night last weekend and had a great time. Lots of Declan's friends from school made a stop by and within a matter of minutes 4 little boys were in a pile on our front lawn wrestling. It was fun to see them letting loose together.

30 Weeks

New Playground

2010-09-28T15:52:00.000-07:00

At Declan's school they just finished tearing down their old playground and installing a new one. The parents were invited to come today for playtime and I got some good pictures of him and his friends.

Lining up to go outside...

Best friends, Will and Declan

2010-09-19T07:27:00.000-07:00

New Bedding

2010-08-08T13:28:00.000-07:00

Hippo Hop

2010-08-08T13:23:00.001-07:00

The parents in Declan's class organized a little party to celebrate the end of the year at a place called Hippo Hop. Imagine a room full of bouncy houses and you'll get the picture. The kids had a ball and it was so fun to watch them all hang out outside the classroom.

Declan and one of his teachers, Ms. Judy.

Don is in there somewhere...

Declan and his best buddy, Will. The teachers tell us these two are inseparable and they are the two in the class that are "all boy". Constantly in the wood chips, wrestling, etc. Let's just say that Will is a hot topic around our house.

Declan and his friends Will and Sully.

Pool Time

2010-07-05T17:29:00.000-07:00

We've had a ton of fun at our neighborhood pool this summer. Friday nights we meet up with friends and do potluck style dinners and on the weekend we typically spend lunchtime here before we head home for a nap.

Fripp Island

2010-07-05T17:17:00.000-07:00

For Memorial Week we had been planning to head down to Destin - we just love their beaches and the crystal blue water. But with the oil spill we decided it would be best to head for the east coast. We rented a home on Fripp Island, a resort island between Savannah and Charleston. Our neighbors go all the time so we decided to give it a shot. My mom came along as well and we loved it and had a great time. The beaches were awesome, warm water, lots of shallow parts and tons of tidepools full of stone crabs and blue crabs. Declan had a ball in the water. They also have a huge deer population - they are everywhere and walk right up to you. And the best part was that our house came with a golf cart (the primary way to get around the island) so we went for nightly sunset golf cart rides.

Papa Don's Birthday

2010-07-05T17:15:00.000-07:00

Don's dad was in town for a couple of weekends in April and we were able to celebrate his birthday during one of them. I wish I could say I made that beautiful chocolate cake, but it was complements of Publix.

Declan's Special Day

2010-07-05T17:11:00.001-07:00

In March and April, everyone in Declan's class at school got to have a "special day". We made him a poster of pictures of his family and favority things, and then we went into class (along with Grandma and Grandpa Mathers) to have his favorite snack, do a craft and then sing and dance to his favorite song "Peanut Butter and Jelly". Grandma led the kids in that one and they had a ball. It was so fun to see all the kids in action and he brought home all sorts of cool things over the next few weeks as his friends did their special days.

Easter

2010-07-05T17:09:00.000-07:00

It was unseasonably cold this spring and Easter was pretty chilly. But Declan had a blast at the Easter Egg Hunt and breakfast at church.

Gracie and Declan

2010-07-05T17:04:00.000-07:00

It has been months since I've posted, I've just been too lazy to upload photos to the computer. That, and as many of you know, we discovered in April that we are expecting our 2nd child in late December! So I spent the majority of April and May feeling perpetually nauseous and not in the mood to blog.

We've had a great few months and I'll recap them tonight. First, one of Don's best friends from high school, Charles and his wife Liz came to visit us on their way to Florida. Their daughter Gracie is a year older than Declan and they hit it off instantly. I think she was Declan's first overnight visitor and he just thought she was the bomb!

Disney Cruise

2010-03-12T17:50:00.000-08:00

We went on a 3 night Disney cruise last weekend and had a ball. It was one of the best trips we've ever taken and definitely the best trip since we've had Declan. We drove and Declan did awesome in the car, he stayed up late and went to dinner with us 2 of 3 nights, enjoyed all the shows and loved meeting the characters. It was a little chilly for the beach and pool but he still had a great time. The staff was just awesome with kids and Don and I got a couple of moments to relax as well. I highly recommend this and we would go again in a heartbeat, except for longer - Disney does it right!!!

Big Boy Bed

2010-03-12T17:47:00.000-08:00

Snow Day!!!

2010-02-13T12:37:00.001-08:00

Crockpots and Thanksgiving

2009-12-06T18:31:00.001-08:00

I love cooking soups and crockpot meals in the winter. A friend and I went to the cheapie theater to see Julie/Julia today and I came home all inspired to make Beef Bourguignon next weekend. In my search online for a recipe, I came across this website: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/

Much in the spirit of the movie, a woman decided to use the crockpot every day for a year. There are a lot of interesting and easy recipes so I thought I would recommend checking it out.

Also, a bit delayed, but here are some pics from Thanksgiving.

Remodel

2009-11-02T17:43:00.000-08:00

For those of you who don't know, Don and I have been working with a builder on a pretty major remodel of our main living spaces. We have an older ranch home and it had a traditional layout of a large front living room, dining room, small kitchen and small den. All of these spaces were divided by walls so the home always felt very small and claustrophic. Except for a huge front living room that we never used! We decided to bite the bullet and tear down the walls, get a beam put in above the ceiling for support and basically to create one big open room with a larger kitchen. We're still decorating and settling in, but we are very happy with the results.

Party Time

2009-11-01T12:06:00.000-08:00

We had some friends over to watch an outdoor movie last weekend and Declan and his friends started an impromptu dance party.

More MN Pics

2009-09-09T18:05:00.001-07:00

Checking out the New Gopher Stadium with the Devines

2009-09-09T18:01:00.000-07:00

On the Lake

2009-09-09T17:59:00.001-07:00

Trains, Planes and Outdoor Movie Night

2009-09-09T17:57:00.000-07:00

Moving on Up

2009-08-09T17:36:00.000-07:00

Well, tomorrow is the first day of school down here in Atlanta and Declan will also be making a transition - moving up to the ranks of Toddler II at his daycare. :) I actually have been looking forward to this . He moved into the Toddler I room in January and he was a lot younger than some of the other kids. It was a bit of a tough transition - no cribs, only one nap a day, eating at a little table, etc. He learned a lot and I loved his main teacher, but overall the room just always felt WILD. Every time I walked by Toddler II they looked so much calmer, there is such an amazing developmental difference between kids that are around 18 mos and those that are 2 years.

So I am excited he is moving on up. But at the same time it is really starting to hit me that he is not a baby anymore. He now uses two words together - my daddy, it's mine, apple juice, mama here - and is constantly surprising me by what he knows. The other night we were on the web cams with my parents and he found a coloring book. We all commented on it, then he ran into the kitchen and pointed at the drawer that holds the crayons. He rarely colors and I had no idea that he knew that we kept crayons there. Just makes you realize how much he is absorbing and learning. It will be interesting to see how he does with the new room. I'm sure he will miss his teachers Loretta (Ett-a), Lubov (Bu-ba), Corterra (Tar-a) and Michaela (Ya-La).

Summer Fun

2009-06-21T11:43:00.000-07:00

It has been a HOT weekend but we've had a lot of fun. Friday night we went to Decatur Square where they had a beach party. Each year they bring in truckloads of sand and create a beach. We also spent some time at our neighborhood pool and then set up our own waterpark in the front yard. We wrapped up our Saturday by having an impromptu movie night - projecting Indiana Jones on a bedsheet in front of the carport. I just love summer.

Declan loves going to the pool and is quickly learning to jump in and put his face underwater.

Who can resist this face????

MN Trip

2009-06-21T11:40:00.000-07:00

Chicago Trip

2009-06-21T11:37:00.000-07:00

We spent a weekend with the Johnsons and Aunt Lisa and Uncle Sean a few weeks back. Declan loved going to the neighborhood park!

Keeping Cool

2009-04-25T17:27:00.000-07:00

Easter

2009-04-12T10:41:00.001-07:00

Easter Egg Hunt #1

2009-04-05T09:42:00.001-07:00

We met our friends Carrie/Judd and their daughter Charlotte at the Easter Egg Hunt in Decatur yesterday. It was a lot of fun and gave Declan some good practice for the church and neighborhood hunts next week!

After a little instruction, we were an old pro at getting a stash of candy...

Switching baskets with Charlotte

Dancing to the music

Happy Birthday Anne!

2009-04-05T09:34:00.000-07:00

Fun with Grandparents

2009-03-17T18:29:00.000-07:00

Don and I went to Hawaii last week for an event with his company. My parents flew into town to watch Declan for us and he looks like he had a ball!

Going out for pizza

Looking at pandas

Swinging at the airport

Washing the car

Learning to dip french fries...

While mom and dad had some much needed fun times together!

Snow Day!!

2009-03-01T16:20:00.000-08:00

We woke up to rain this morning, which turned to a heavy snowfall around Noon. It snowed for several hours, leaving a nice coating on the ground. All the kids were out making snowmen and sledding. Of course, the snow is half melted now, but it sure was fun while it lasted!

2009-02-21T12:28:00.001-08:00

Thomas Time

2009-02-21T12:26:00.001-08:00

Declan will only watch TV for 2-5 minute intervals, but he always stops in his tracks for Thomas the Train.

Future Firefighter

2009-02-21T12:24:00.000-08:00

2009-01-22T18:15:00.000-08:00

Christmas with the Johnsons

2009-01-11T09:21:00.000-08:00

This highchair was used by Don and his sister Lisa. Declan enjoyed many snacks and meals over Christmas!

Children's Museum

2009-01-10T18:53:00.000-08:00

TV really doesn't hold much of Declan's attention, he'd usually rather be getting into books or toys or running around the house. But the one show that he will watch for 2-3 minutes straight is Bob the Builder. The Children's Museum had a special exhibit with a Bob the Builder theme so we took Declan on the last day last Sunday. It was one of those mornings where we all felt we'd been cooped up in the house too long and boy did he have a ball! He RAN from one thing to the next and crashed in the car on the way home. It was a blast to see him have so much fun.

"My hero"

Hangin' with the big boys

The Babes are Growing Up

2009-01-06T18:50:00.000-08:00

Our friends Molly and Dan were in town for New Year's with their daughter Cora (19 months). We had them and our friends Mike and Rachel over with their daughter Anne (9 months). Don drove Cora around on Declan's remote control airplane and it was just neat to see the kids together.

New Year's Eve

2009-01-04T18:52:00.000-08:00

Our good friends, Matt and Kat Gabriel, hosted an awesome New Year's Eve party. Everyone brought a dish to share and Katharyne put together a beautiful setting. After dinner, DJ Don got busy keeping the party going. Declan woke up for midnight, just like last year!

Christmas 08

2009-01-04T18:46:00.000-08:00

Haircut #2

Declan enjoyed sitting in his toybox at Grandma's house

Christmas Program

2009-01-04T18:25:00.000-08:00

Declan had his first performance in his Daycare's Christmas program. The lucky parents got to bring the baby class onstage to sing Jingle Bells. We got a few snaps of Declan along with one of his "classmates", Charlotte. She is such a cutie and these two were nothing but trouble!

Checking out their fans...

As you can see, Declan's teachers don't have a gender bias when it comes to distributing bibs.

The children's holiday program papparazzi (aka future stage parents).

DisneyLand!!

2008-12-05T19:14:00.001-08:00

Don and Declan on the spinning teacups - I think Declan liked it more than Don did!

Declan loved playing the piano at Goofy's house. He kept bumping other kids out of the way so he could take control. :)

The Wedding

2008-12-05T19:08:00.001-08:00

Rehearsal

2008-12-05T19:04:00.000-08:00

My sister got married in Orange County last weekend and we had quite the trip! It was a lot of fun and Declan was just a trooper.

Waking Up and Tree Trimming

2008-11-23T11:40:00.000-08:00

Birthday Party

2008-11-06T17:45:00.001-08:00

Declan, Lucia and Anne - a little harder to get them to sit still on the couch this time!

Aunt Katharyne and her awesome Lion cake. Soon after this photo, Declan turned and smashed a bunch of cake on her face!

Halloween

2008-11-06T17:33:00.000-08:00

Neighborhood block party and the yearly picture before we turn the kids loose!

Declan's Pediatrician (who I LOVE), Dr Colton, aka Darth Vader.

Birthday

2008-11-06T17:28:00.001-08:00

Hillcrest Orchard & Burt's Pumpkin Farm

2008-10-24T17:35:00.000-07:00

Amelia Island

2008-10-16T19:27:00.000-07:00

Wild horses on Cumberland Island

11 Months Old

2008-09-28T17:32:00.000-07:00

Groceries

2008-09-13T12:20:00.003-07:00

My mom sent the toy shopping cart that my sister and I played with when we were little along with some fruits and veggies. So far, it is a hit!

Palm Coast, FL

2008-09-13T12:13:00.000-07:00

Our friend Susanne got married last weekend and we made the trek down to Palm Coast, FL. It was great to see her and meet her husband, who is from Brazil. We spent a day at the beach although it was pretty windy from Tropical Storm Hannah. Declan ended up in our bed both nights and nearly pushed Don off the edge Sun morning!

Cora Comes to Visit!

2008-09-13T11:59:00.000-07:00

Molly and Cora came to visit Atlanta and we had a fun get together with the babies. Declan loved watching Cora walk and drink from her sippy cup.

Giving Declan a hug...
Getting sleepy...

Baby Anne

10 months old

2008-09-01T07:54:00.000-07:00

Declan is attempting to walk and has been able to take a grand total of two steps on his own. He doesn't have much stability but is sure trying hard! He also loves to dance to music and jump on the mattress in his crib. We went to an art/music/food festival this weekend and he enjoyed some catfish tacos and live music.