This morning we met my parents, Grandma, and Aunt Vicki at The Lodge in Starved Rock State Park in Utica, IL. It's close to halfway for both of us and the brunch is really nice. But we really like the large room outside the dining room. There is a big stone fireplace, cute shopping, and lots of room to sit a relax, and visit after a eating. For Dane, there is lots of room to run with Daddy and Grandpa following which allows Mama to visit longer.
I got a webcam so now Dane can Skype with his Granparents and Cousins! I also got clothes which is great because it's hard for me to shop with Dane. Aunt Vicki made me a really cute and unique apron. I love the bright colors but she designed it in a handkerchief shape with an empire waist so it's very unique. She is so talented and creative!
It was so special to be with my family today, I miss them so much!
We've just re-connected with the wonderful family with whom we share Gotcha Day. Celeste found our blog through a mutual friend's blog so I thought I would post this picture of all of us to see if they catch it! lol
We feel so bonded to this family since we shared the biggest moment of our lives together. I'll never forget meeting Celeste at the lottery counter in the United concourse of O'Hare. After long adoption journeys, here we were at the end, both of us about to become mothers for the first time in the next 90 minutes. It was surreal and I was very thankful to them and their family for being so warm and welcoming. We were one big mob of very emotional people nervously waiting together.
In all of the excitement after our boys burst into baggage claim, we managed to get a couple of pictures of the six of us before we parted ways. However, Celeste and Tom were a little distracted with baby Doyle who was not totally on board with his new surroundings yet! :) Having looked at their blog, I can report that Doyle is having a lot of fun and is surrounded by people who love him.
I hope we have the opportunity to visit together in the future!
Ever since the temperature dropped and the majority of our playtime moved from outside to inside, I have had to get a little more creative in helping my active toddler expel his energy. Our favorite, and we are not the first ones to play this game, is chasing each other from the doorway of the kitchen to the end of the hallway. Steve and I just laugh at how fast his little feet fly :)
That game has recently been enhanced with myself or Steve holding Dane up to pull a streamer off of the ceiling (yes mom the bday decorations are still up but he really likes them :) and then holding that in the air above our heads as we run so it trails behind us - hysterical fun! Ususally the game ends with us spinning around with the streamer until Mommy gets motion sickness. lol The video is a little old from December (you'll see our Advent Candles) but you'll get the idea of how the game works.
Another attempt to help keep up with Dane's energy is a tumbling class we started last week, thank you Grandma and Grandpa Green. Kids' Spot in Roscoe has a mommy-and-me type of tumbling class for toddlers that came highly recommended. Dane had his first class Wednesday morning and loved it! They set up different obstacle courses for the kids that requires them to use different tumbling skills like somersaults, balance beam walking, and donkey kicks. Dane's favorites were the trampoline and sliding into the foam pit.
I was so proud of how well he followed directions and how much he really could do. He had no problem swinging on the rings or pulling up his feet on the bars. It was so exciting with each new activity to see if he could do it! This athleticism is yet another blessing of him NOT being genetically related to me. Just the smell of the gym gave me flashbacks to humiliation and feelings of insecurity!! lol
Because I have to be with him I'm not sure if I will be able to bring my camera with me onto the gym floor. I will try to find another mom in the stands to take some pictures so I have something to post.
Today, we will be taking treats to Dane's Sunday School Class and tomorrow we will be celebrating with our Lifelink friends at playgroup. Tomorrow night, just the three of us for mac'n'cheese, more birthday cake, and presents. CAJ, you may be the only one who can keep up with Dane's level of partying!!
Even though Dane is not officially two years old until Monday, the celebrating began yesterday. My Mom, Dad, Grandma, and Aunt Vicki all drove in the cold temps to Rockton so we could all have lunch together at Fibs. It was so special to have everyone here and it was extra special because Saturday was Aunt Vicki's actual birthday. She has just moved back from Florida (I know, why move here in January???) and we are thrilled to have her with us! Also, Grandma just had surgery this week (you can't even tell by looking at her - she's such a trooper!). I am so thankful to have such a wonderful family that would want to make the trip!
After lunch, we headed back to our house for presents, cake, and ice cream. Dane went down for a nap while we put up the decorations for his party later that day. Thank you so much Mom and Aunt Vicki - you did a great job! Dane's third word was "Bob" as in Bob the Tomato from Veggie Tales. A year ago I had no idea who the Veggie Tales characters were but now the dvd's seem to be the only thing he wants to watch. The party theme was an obvious choice!
Soon after family left, our very good friends the Wilsons came for a little pizza party. Heather had made the birthday cakes and did an awesome job, as always. Dane partied his you know what off and dropped like a rock after everyone left. We had a lot of fun just hanging out together. We are truly blessed to have such wonderful friends.
We are having a wonderful Christmas weekend here in Rockton! Steve had Christmas Eve day off and it was really nice to have him home. I would like to say it was because we spent the time together as a family celebrating but we were in what I consider a Christmas Eve tradition of last minute cleaning frenzy and grocery shopping. I experienced two Christmas miracles that day: Steve went to the grocery store for me and Dane helped me clean (no, he really did - he wiped all the baseboards down with a dust cloth :).
Christmas Eve we spent at the Wilsons, which is an annual tradition. We have a potluck dinner and the kids exchange gifts from each other, then pile into our cars for church.
Christmas morning was really special. Last year with all things considered, we told Santa he could pass by our house just this year and we missed him. This year, we cherished all of those moments from helping Dane put out the cookies (on a special plate hand-painted by my Aunt Kathy) to the fun of Christmas morning. I was so excited for Dane to wake up I got up around 4:30 am to wait for him. Christmas is completely different with a toddler in the house.
Mom, Dad, and Grandma drove all the way from the Quad-Cities for dinner and more presents. We ate off of the special china that was my great-grandmother's. Steve and I found it easier to give than receive :) But most importantly, we gave Grandma her collage of all the grandkids and great-grandkids. Lewis fam, below is the video of her opening it:
We love you, Grandma! You have been such a blessing to our family. Thank you for setting the example laid out in Proverbs 31 for all of us.
