Christmas 2010 in Review (Part 1)

This year I decided to start a new tradition- Decorating a Gingerbread House! A friend of mine makes hers from scratch- I bought the kit! This was SO much fun and we did it together! Reagan had fun putting everything on the house (another advantage to buying the kit- the candy doesn't taste good!), Jon licked the frosting, Kamryn drooled over how beautiful it looked, and I loved every minute of it!! As you can tell from the before and after picture we did a good job. Outside of the roof almost falling off I think it went well! Reagan kept telling us how "beauterful" the house turned out!

Christmas #1: Cousins Christmas!

Cousins Christmas is one of my favorites! It is all about food and spending time with family. This year Jenny and Kelly hosted it at the Coppola House (since they both live out of state). We did a brunch this year. We were assigned to bring appetizers- which means a recipe you have never made before. Believe it or not I have never made Monkey Bread, so I made that and a recipe from my sisters friend, Bacon Tomato Cups. After a minor mishap- the bacon cups ended up on the floor so they did not make it to cousins Christmas! Reagan was so excited to see her cousins. There were lots of kids running around and she loved every minute of it. Kamryn just smiled and looked cute! She got held a lot and didn't seem to mind at all who was holding her. The men sat upstairs, women downstairs, and kids everywhere. Macy (who is almost 3) kept referring to Kamryn and "Camera"! Kamryn didn't seem to mind!! It was a fun morning and Reagan was very sad when it was time to leave.

Christmas #2: Remsburg

On Christmas Eve we headed up to Jon's grandmas for the big Remsburg get together. We left around 1 when Jon got off work and made it up there by 3. Reagan was so excited to see her cousins AGAIN in the same week! Kamryn hadn't slept well the night before so I was a little tired, but excited to see everyone. When we got there we started getting the food ready! This is a chore for the Remsburgs because there is SO much good food! I can't even list everything because it takes to long. Lots of snacks, meats, salads, and DESSERTS!! We ate dinner and then headed to church. My tiredness was catching up to me so I only ate a piece of turkey and jell-o (plus some snacking)! I wish I had the chance to eat all that food now! Church was interesting to say the least. We went to the children's sermon because it was earlier- I am thinking it should have been called the story of the Remsburgs! 9 children under the age of 8, sugar, the excitement from Christmas got the best of everyone! Jon and I sat and watched Heather try and keep hold of Reagan (all the cousins sat with them or in front of them, while we sat on the other side!) Pretty sure Reagan has 5 carmels, took off for the alter twice, and kept moving around. I don't think Heather knew what she was in for!! Kamryn was great during church. She sat on great grandma Phyllis's lap the entire time and was entertained by her pacifier, toy, and the chaos of her sister and cousins. After church we headed back for presents! This was a whirlwind of activity and I could not keep anything straight, it took me 5 minutes to figure out where Kamryn was! In that time Reagan managed to open a gift! The kids went to town opening their presents while the adults sat and watched. Kamryn sat on her great aunt Sheila's lap and rocked back and forth looking at her book not minding the chaos at all!
 After presents was dessert, a little playing, and a mini concert put on by the children. We were getting ready to make the long trek home and Reagan over tiredness was catching up to her. While trying to get her to go potty before we left she decided to hit me (mad because she didn't want to go) and laughed hysterically at this. I was BEYOND frustrated and done as my own tiredness was getting the best of me. We finally got ready to go and she did it again, laughing just as hard!! That is when I told Jon it was his turn. We got her in the car and I was waiting for her to crash.... it never happened! She stayed awake the entire hour and a half drive home! She would start fading and then get silly to wake herself up. Jon and I gave up and started laughing, what is that saying if you can't beat 'em, join 'em! Overall is was a fun night and we enjoyed spending time with family!

Christmas #3: SANTA CAME

When we got home Christmas Eve we got everything ready: Reindeer food sprinkled on the lawn, Reagan picked out a cookie, Hershey's kiss, and juice box for Santa, left Santa a note, and got girls to bed! Kamryn was up about 5 minutes later, so she won't remember- but she saw Santa! Reagan's note asked Santa when his birthday was and she thought he was 2!

Christmas Morning! Santa came and ate his snack, the reindeer ate their food, and gifts were under the tree! Reagan was SO excited, Kamryn liked watching Reagan run around like a crazy girl! We started right in on opening gifts. Reagan was so excited for everything she got. She got socks and said "this is just what I wanted!". Reagan got lots of games, snap'n'style dolls, a scooter, TAPE, a necklace, light bright, make-up, and other things. Kamryn got some books, toys, clothes, and Reagan picked out a small kitchen for her. Jon got a Nike jacket. I got Scrabble Flash and a laptop! Butters got a bed! It was so much fun watching the excitement on Reagan's face.

After we opened gifts we ate our Butterscotch Rolls (another tradition), started opening toys, and got ready for the rest of our Christmas Celebrations!!

Must be Santa...

Santa and Mrs. Claus took time out of their busy schedules to stop at the Slater Fire Station last weekend. Reagan was SO excited to see Santa. She talked about it the entire way (4 blocks!) up to see him. We walked in and she freaked out, stood behind my leg the entire time. Finally after setting Kamryn on Mrs. Claus's lap she decided she could stand by Mrs. Claus. Kamryn just looked around and smiled. Reagan was trying hard to keep from crying every time Santa looked in her direction. Finally she whispered to Santa what she would like for Christmas: A scooter, a barbie, and Tape! Mrs. Claus looked at me and said in a weird voice " did she day TAPE?"  Then Reagan answered, "Yes, I really want tape!" After a few snapshots Reagan was out of there!! She told me she hopes Santa will bring her what she asked for and so just really didn't like him, but Mrs. Claus wasn't too bad!!

She is Growing!!

Kamryn 4 months

Kamryn 3 months

Here is how she is growing:

• Still working on getting a sleeping schedule down
• Sleeps in her crib
• Slept swaddled until she was 4 months
• Got another ear infection and received tubes on December 1. (We figured out she had either had ear infection or been on medicine for about 14wks or her 18 wks life.)
• Loves to talk and growl
• Loves to drool and puts everything in her mouth (no teeth yet)
• She follows anything that moves with her eyes
• She LOVES to grab things- especially hair
• She can roll from her tummy to her back and almost from her back to her tummy
• LOVES cereal and gets very messy when she eats it
• Waits to poop until she is in her excersaucer (makes it a lot messier that way!)
• Takes about an hour nap in the morning in her crib
• Will sleep about 7-8hrs. straight- once she gets to sleep at night
• Has had some formula and doesn't seem to mind
• Loves her sister
• Loves to splash in her baths
• Loves noises, especially things that crinkle
• Smiles everyday

I can't believe how quick Kamryn is growing and changing. It seems like she is learning something new everyday. She is a laid back girl who doesn't seem to mind most things. She loves to be held, but also likes to lay on the floor to play by herself. Every time she smiles her whole face lights up!! I love this girl!!

A new Recipe

Italian Turkey Roll

2lbs. ground Turkey
1 egg, beaten
Italian Panko Bread Crumbs
Onion

Mix together and make into a rectangle on foil sprayed with nonstick spray.

Saute 6 cups chopped spinach and garlic, lay over turkey.
 Top with Mozzarella Cheese (how ever much you want)

ROLL....
 Bake in a 9x13 in. pan lined with sprayed foil. Bake for 1 hour at 350.

Slice and eat with marinara!!

I saw this recipe on a television show one morning. I didn't get all the accurate measurements so I just guessed and it worked well. It was very good!!

Hmmm.....

Kamryn has been showing signs that she is just growing up WAY too fast...  Here she is preparing for her first taste of "food" if you can call it that! Rice Cereal....

Not sure she got much in her mouth, but in true Remsburg fashion it didn't slow her down a bit! She loves cereal and lately I can't get it in her mouth fast enough!! I can't believe she is old enough for cereal... she is growing up way to fast!!

Thanksgiving 2010

This year we headed up to Lake City for a quiet Thanksgiving with family. Reagan and Kamryn were lucky to have all their grandparents there and Great Grandma Phyllis. There was food galore!! Becki was very busy making Turkey, Sweet Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes, Corn Casserole, Green beans, Cranberries, Fruit Salad, Dressing, & Black Forest Cheesecake. It was all delicious!! Grandma Phyllis brought rolls and her jello salad and I did provide some brownie trifle for dessert. It was a nice was to spend Thanksgiving. Reagan enjoyed played with Grandma Becki's toys and Kamryn enjoyed being held!! We had a great time!!

Mini Dribblers Basketball!

What do you get when you put 50  3 & 4 year olds in a gym? CRAZY PARENTS!!! Or Mini Dribblers Basketball in Huxley. Monday night was our first night of basketball for Reagan. This is the first year the parks and rec have offered it so it was a bit CHAOTIC to say the least :)! Reagan was all decked out in matching shoes, shorts, and shirt (thanks to her daddy and ebay!). Jon is one of the coaches on Reagan's team, but seeing that it starts at 6pm and he can't get there until after 6pm I am helping.  I asked Jon when he signed up for this if he had ever been in a room with 3 yr. olds for more than 5 minutes. I said this is what will happen: one child will be excited, one will run over to hug their mom, one will cry because they want the ball, one will do the opposite of what you tell them, one will spin in circles until they get dizzy and fall down, one will pick their nose.... etc. Well REAGAN accomplished everything on that list herself!

There are 6 teams. Each team spent about 10 minutes at each station (1st mistake!) Then they would rotate to the next station with new coaches (2nd mistake) and they ended with a team picture at 7:30pm (BIG Mistake!!). Again, first year! Next week there will be shorter stations and coaches will travel with their team and we will be out of there by 7:15!!

 At the stations they worked on : Dribbling, Rebounding, Passing, Defense, Conditioning,& Shooting.

Overall Reagan had fun, but considering she is usually in bed by 7:30 (as are most of the kids there) we got a little tired and crabby...daddy too!! Kamryn LOVED watching the action so much she slept for 9 hours straight that night!! We will see how next week goes!! Stay tuned...

God Bless Kamryn Cecilia!!

 Kamryn Cecilia Remsburg was Baptized on October 31, 2010 at St. Malachy's Catholic Church in Madrid. We had a small ceremony after mass. Grandparents, great-grandmas, and Chad & Addy Mentele were there. It was very nice and Kamryn did well until the end. She smiled so much!! Following the ceremony we went to lunch at the Country House. It was delicious!! When we arrived Aunt Shanon, Uncle Marcelo, and Michael had sent a beautiful bouquet of flowers to the restaurant.

We are SO blessed to have you Kamryn Cecilia!! Happy Baptism Day!! We love you so much!!

Halloween 2010!

Happy Halloween!! We had a busy Halloween! On October 24 we took the girls to a Halloween Carnival in Huxley. Reagan was Princess Tiana and Kamryn was a duck.  Reagan enjoyed seeing her friends, playing games, winning prizes, and eating candy! Kamryn enjoyed the warmth of her costume and took a nice nap!

 On Friday October 29 we headed to Ames to go trick-or-treating! We went to my parents neighbors and then headed over for indoor trick-or-treating at the assisted living facility where my grandma lives. Reagan had a great time and the people there really enjoyed all the kids!

 Saturday night was trick-or-treat in Slater! Some friends came over and we headed around town! My parents kept Kamryn and handed out candy. Reagan had fun walking around. She would get candy for Parker and Henry (who hung out in the wagon!) and she said hello to EVERYONE!! We lasted about an hour and then headed back to hand out candy. I think she had more fun doing that! She would say things like " hey girl" (when it was a boy), " Got any tricks?"  (thanks to Andrea), and "Watch out for the bugs!". She would also yell at the parents on the sidewalk to come up to the house. She would chase kids and keep giving them candy! It was an awesome night and we were lucky that Jon was able to come with us. This is the first year he has been off work for trick-or-treat!

My Reagan

Reagan I love you so much! You keep us on our toes and always make us smile!! Here is you:

• Pretend to nurse your dolls
• Tell us that you have little food and mommy has big food
• LOVES helping take care of Kamryn
• Wanted Kamryn to only wear the diapers with baby Bert and Ernie on them for the first month of her life
• Tells everyone Kamryn is your baby
• Whenever Kamryn makes noise you say she is whiney
• You call a pacifier a "suckie" (not sure where this came from)
• Taught your friends at daycare how to nurse a baby
• Told your friends (and everyone else) that boys have "peanuts" and girls have "pickles"- When I asked you who told you this you told me you just figured it out on your own!
• Love to help decorate and clean
• You have major OCD! You must line everything up perfectly,each animal must have its own blanket and pillow, etc.
• You could sit and do puzzles with your eyes closed! You love puzzles and can do 24 piece puzzles with no problem
• You like to sing in the car
• You ride your bike fast (you didn't ride it for 2 months after a fall!)
• You love to drink strawberry or chocolate milk
• I still put a pull-up on you at night and you always wake up dry. I can't remember the last time you didn't!
• You can dress yourself, pick out your own shoes
• You are a daddy's girl
• You love to share!
• Whenever someone gives you a candy pumpkin to eat you always make sure there is one for daddy.
• You have grown an inch and a half since your birthday!
• You love pancakes for breakfast
• You asked me if you could go to California and ride a Unicorn with Michael
• You like to watch Super Why, Dora, and Fresh Beat Band
• You like to make up stories about random things
• Miss Danielle gave you a make over and now you love Make-up
• You like to run and hide from us
• When you get in trouble you cover your ears and close your eyes (so if you can't see or hear us then you are in trouble!!)
• Lately you like to put your socks on your hands and pretend they are puppets
• You talk a mile a minute and finish every sentence with "ok!ok!"
• WE LOVE YOU !!!

I can't believe how much you are growing. Sometimes I wish I could bottle you up and keep you 3 forever!!

My week..so far!

Our week so far.....

Monday

• Taken the girls to the pumpkin patch ( We bought a season pass this year). Spent 2 hours there Monday morning.
• Took Kamryn to the doctor- Still fluid in the left year after 5 days of antibiotics :(
• Cleaned bathroom from top to bottom, organized hair accessories, and re-folded all of the towels and organized them by size
• Made chicken and rice for dinner
• Gave Kamryn a bath - she didn't cry!
• Picked up toys and puzzles
• Went through mail
• Did something to my neck and back
• Went to bed and was up 3 times with Kamryn- dumb ears!

Tuesday

• Got up for the day at 4:30am
• Worked out
• SHOWERED for more than 5 minutes
• Got girls dressed and Reagan out the door with Jon for school
• Headed up to Ames with Kamryn stopped by dental office to pay bill, left Kamryn with my mom who was there with my gma and ran errands
• Went to Hobby Lobby- got a few things for a gift I am attempting to make
• Went to couseling center to get information for Maren
• Went to bank
• Went to my moms and fed Kamryn then headed to Huxley to pick up Reagan
• Went to Story City and drove through McDonald's for lunch
• Reagan ate lunch and watched a movie in my mom's car while I ordered Maren's Senior Pictures
• Went to VF outlet mall- got Reagan PJ's.. not much there anymore
• Fed Kamryn in the parking lot
• Ran into Walmart while my mom sat with girls in the car- listened to a screaming child the entire time I was in Walmart and just was glad is wasn't mine
• Got to moms and Kamryn pooped so had to change her
• Loaded up my car and headed home
• Cleaned the kitchen and sorted through mail
• Made Taco's for Dinner
• Fed Kamryn
• Went to bed at 9pm not feeling good

Wednesday

• Got up at 4:30 with Kamryn and couldn't go back to sleep so I laid in bed and caught up on tivo!
• Jon left at 5am to head home to harvest
• Showered and got girls ready, with the help of gma Becki, by 8
• Took Reagan to school
• Came home and checked email
• Played with Kamryn
• Cleaned kitchen and put dishes away
• Called to get Kamryn's baptism lined up
• Fed Kamryn and dropped her off with my friend Heidi
• Went to physical therapy to try and fix my neck and back
• Picked Reagan up from school
• Picked Kamryn up from Heidi's
• Friends were here waiting for us to play
• Sat and visited with Abbie while Reagan and Austin played
• Put toys away
• Kamryn pretty fussy-dumb ears- so rocked her
• Read books to Reagan
• Cleaned up toys again
• Now going to fix dinner.....

Just thought it would be fun to write down what we do sometimes in the week- This might explain why I feel so tired today!!

2 months old!!

Kamryn at 1 Month and 2 Months!!

Here are a few things about my little Kamryn from the past 2 months:

• She sleeps about 3-4 hours at a time
• She slept 8 hours on August 2
• Very alert when she is awake
• Smiled at Jon on August 4- pretty sure it was gas!
• Belly Button fell off August 1
• She pooped on our bed in the middle of night and we had to change sheets and start laundry at 3am!
• Squeaks when she yawns
• Likes to have her hands up by her face when she sleeps
• Poops A LOT!!
• Had her first ear infection at 2 wks. old :(
• Likes it when Reagan talks to her
• Loves to look around
• Holds her neck up for 5+ minutes at a time
• Has Blue eyes
• Still sleeps in our room :)
• Loves to be swaddled with her arms out
• LOVES to smile
• Hates her baths
• HATES being cold
• Loves kicking her feet

Kamryn is a sweet baby! She likes to cuddle and be talked too. She has ANOTHER ear infection right now and was up the other night from 1-6am!! Poor baby... I talked to the ENT yesterday, I think she will be getting tubes before Thanksgiving. She is growing so fast! At her 2 month check up she weighed 10.5lbs. and was 23.5 inches!!

Adventureland

For Reagan's 3rd Birthday Jon and I took her to Adventureland! She has been there once before and every time she would see a commercial on she would talk about how she wanted to go again! We left Kamryn with my parents and off we went. It was a lot of fun!! I was able to ride the merry-go-round twice and the balloon ride once, then I was done. I must be getting old! Reagan is fearless like her daddy! She would put her hands up on every ride. Jon rode everything with her that he could. He thought a few rides he "had" to ride on ( like the kids dragon ride). Maybe there was some miscommunication between us! Reagan loved every minute of it. Her favorite ride was the Frog Hopper! We left the park around 8pm. Reagan almost made it to Slater before falling asleep! We had a great night!!

The BIG "3"

It happened.. I am not sure how.. I am not sure where the time went... but it did happen... MY LITTLE GIRL TURNED 3!!!  We spent Reagan's actual birthday taking the girls to the doctor, hanging out with my brother, wife and nephews, eating cupcakes, and just relaxing. Jon and I took Reagan to Adventureland (more on that later) 3 days before to celebrate and then the Sunday after we had her Ice-Cream Birthday Party! Reagan always tells us she dreams about ice-cream- so we decided to have cake and an ice-cream sundae bar! It was very hot outside so we had everyone in the house-- it was a little crazy and chaotic, but Reagan had fun and that is all the mattered!  She even had an ice-cream dress to wear!

Here are some pictures from the party!! Reagan apparently did not like the singing!

Here is Mommy and Daddy with their big 3 year old!!

After some hard times, it was nice to find a reason to celebrate! Reagan got a lot of great gifts (which she didn't need:) ) and was just so happy! We are so blessed to have her!! Happy Birthday Sweet Girl!!

My heart is broken....

On August 8 our neighbor and close friend Karen Holland was killed in a car accident..... Karen was more than our friend, she was our family along with her husband Mark, and children Cramer and Maren. I talked to Karen everyday, multiple times. We spent a lot of time together and she taught me so much. Some memories of Karen:

• When we first moved next door she was always outside- but never really said hi! She used to tell me she was anti-social and she didn't have friends.
• St. Louis Cardinals baseball was the greatest thing in the world- next to her family.
• She got up every morning at 4:30am to workout and clean her house.
• She loved animals and reading books.
• She did not like children- but she LOVED my children.
• She would tell people what she thought not matter what.
• She LOVED her family.
• Shortly after we moved in, her and I got drunk at a neighbors party. Karen made me lay in her new bed with her, we threw rocks at our other neighbors window, and we had a blast!!
• She would go on vacation with her family every year. She told me that you never know what can happen in life and she wanted to spend that time with them.
• She was my voice of reason- she gave me advice on everything and was always there for me.
• She read at our wedding.
• She would check in everyday to see if Kamryn was making her arrival- the night I went into the hospital I talked with her in the street.
• She kept candy in a jar at her house for Reagan.
• She didn't cook much... but made some of the best pasta and we would eat it together at least once a month.
• She got to meet Kamryn and hold her. I am sad Kamryn will not get to know her.
• She was always there............................................

There is not enough space for me to write all of my memories. I can not write down everything she taught me. My last memory of Karen was when she was leaving with her daughter and niece. The came over while I was going on a walk to see the girls. She gave Reagan a kiss and said I love you and got in the car.... I will cherish that memory forever. Here is 2 pictures of Karen taken at Maren's prom......

I love you Karen and I will forever miss you............
Life without you sucks...
I know in time it will get easier, but it will never be easy......

Sisters

Reagan was the first person to meet Kamryn! She spent the night at my parents house and in the morning Jon went and got her. We did not tell her until she got to the hospital that she had a new baby sister. She was SOOOOO excited and kept calling her "my baby". She spent a lot of time holding her and kissing her. She seemed pretty interested in what was going on with Kamryn. Kamryn even had presents waiting for Reagan when she got there. She got a Cinderella Barbie and The Letter Factory dvd. Kamryn is so blessed to have such a wonderful BIG sister and Reagan is so blessed to have a wonderful LITTLE sister. I can not wait to watch these two grow up together!!

Kamryn Cecilia Remsburg

Kamryn Cecilia Remsburg decided to make her arrival on July 25, 2010

8 pounds 11.5 ounces 21 3/4 inches

Born at 12:15am

Here is her story:

 Saturday the 24th I went to Ames to get groceries...when I got home I started having contractions about 3 min. apart- nothing new for me! So I kind of ignored them. After 2 hours I went out and walked to see if they would go away... they didn't. So we decided it was time to go to the hospital. We dropped Reagan off at my parents (she was still in her pj's from the night before :) ) I really wasn't sure I would be staying at the hospital as I had been there a lot in the past 6 weeks.  So I changed Reagan so my parents could take her out to eat and off we were...

 When we got to the hospital they checked me and said I was dilated to 5 and 90% effaced which meant I wasn't going home!!! The doctor told me I would probably deliver quickly so they gave me the option to walk the halls or break my water: I chose the break my water! I decided to get the epidural (even though I thought I could go without) but with my luck I was worried since they said it would go fast that it would really end up taking days!! The nurse asked questions, hooked me up, and we just waited for the epidural! They gave me the epidural and then broke my water. Except for the numbness in my legs, I felt great! After about 1 and half hours I was getting ready to push, the doctor told me to wait because he was not ready!! I got the "ok" to start pushing at midnight. With the first push her head was almost out!! (They asked me if I wanted to see it- I said NO!!) At this point we knew this baby had hair, but didn't know if it was a boy or girl. The next push I told Jon this was going to be a big baby!! Two more pushes and she was out!! I did not hear them say it was a girl so I was pulling the legs apart when they laid her on my chest!!

 I was so excited and couldn't wait to introduce her to Reagan!! We spent the next few hours just holding her and admiring how perfect she was!

It's Official...

 

Reagan took a big sister class about 2 weeks ago at the hospital where I will deliver. She was "SO CITED" to go! It was a cute little class that lasted about an hour. She learned a lot:

* How to change a diaper (her favorite thing and she practices on her doll ALL of the time)
* How to hold a baby (she practices this with milk cups, towels, dolls, books, and she shows us how to do it- according to her neither of us do it right!)
* Saw the rooms where I will be and where the bassinet the baby will be in
* She colored a bib for the baby
* How to wash her hands and to remind others to wash their hands before holding the baby


At the end of it she recieved her official "Big Sister" certificate! I think it really helped her understand a little bit better of what will happen when the baby gets here. It was fun to see how excited she got to learn about everything and tell us about it. After her class we went out to eat at Hickory Park! It was a fun night!!

What's Missing??

 

 

 

 

Happy 4th of July!!

Given the fact that I could go into labor at any time, we didn't make any plans for the 4th this year. Luckily we live in a great town that puts on a lot of activities for the 4th. Friday night they had a Kid Parade. This is where they kids decorate bikes, strollers,wagons, etc. in red, white and blue and get to be the parade for 3 blocks. We decided that day that Reagan would ride her bike with Grandma Becki. She hasn't ridden her bike much, but she did GREAT!! We decorated it with ribbons and my friend added a balloon. I got tears in my eyes watching her go- and how big she looked! When they got the end of the parade they got a drink and then it was fun at the park. She ran around and played with all the kids- there were lots of kids!! Jon got there after worked and we walked around the park some. We sat and watched a dog show for a bit before we headed home.

Saturday Jon had to work so Becki and I took Reagan to the parade. We always sit at my neighbors' sisters house which is at the beginning of the parade. It was a great parade and we walked away with a ton of candy. We headed to the park for lunch and more playing. Then it was home for nap. After nap Jon took Reagan to our friends house to swim. They just put in a pool and she was excited to go with Jon. That night we watched fireworks up the street with some friends. We made s'mores and had a great time. Reagan wasn't sure she liked them at first, but then she kept telling us how sparkly they were. She did great considering it was 11pm before she got to bed.

Sunday it rained and rained. We had a lazy day. Jon and I went up and watched mud volleyball for a while--- We both have been on pins and needles waiting for this baby to get here, so it was nice to get out for a little while. The rest of the day we just relaxed and played with Reagan.

It was a great weekend!

Wednesdays

Wednesdays are Reagan and daddy days around here! Jon usually is off work and lately him and Reagan stay very busy! This past Wednesday I followed them around with my camera so I could get out of the house for a bit! Soakin Up Summer!!

They took a bike ride up the elementary school to play. There is a lot to climb around on. They jumped on the bridge, rode a motorcycle, got stuck in ropes, rode on a glider, and played on the swings. When it was time to leave Reagan climbed in the "wagon" behind the bike,got her water and fruit snacks, and was ready to head home!

Next was the pool. I sat in the lawn chair and watched :(! At least I got to take pictures. Reagan LOVES going swimming and she really likes it when daddy takes her. She gets to eat lots of suckers during break time. We met some friends up there and they all played together. She likes jumping in, climbing out on the ladder, throwing the ball, and laying out. She does good in the water, but she is fearless.

It was fun to spend the day together (even though I had to watch). I can't believe how fast Reagan is growing up!!

Happy Early Birthday Reagan!

Happy "Early" Birthday Reagan! Before my sister and Michael took off for California we had a little Birthday party for Reagan. Shanon picked up a little cake and brought some presents. They got Reagan a bike!! Michael got her a necklace,earrings, and a purse. We talked about getting Reagan a bike this year, but Shanon wanted to give her something before she left and this worked out good. Now she has all summer to ride it. We had fun with out little party and Reagan was SO excited to get to have a birthday with Auntie and Michael!! Closing their eyes in anticipation! Michael told Reagan it was a bike, but she was still suprised!

The last week

Our week:

Last Sunday Jon and I took Reagan to see Toy Story 3! It was the cutest movie ever and Reagan loved it! She had never been to a movie theater before so we weren't sure how she would do. Outside of having to go the bathroom 3 times, she did great! A HUGE tub of popcorn and some snacks helped a little. It was a great way to start of celebrating Father's Day! After the movie we headed home and hung out the rest of the day. I started not feeling the best in the morning, but just kind of ignored it. Well as the day went on it was getting harder to ignore- I was having contractions and they weren't going away. So after a lot of thought we headed to the hospital. Now in my post last week I said how I couldn't wait to meet this little one- but I didn't mean so soon!!! We dropped Reagan off at my parents and off we went...

Turned out that I was in fact showing signs of labor. My contractions were about 3 minutes apart and not letting up. Because I was only 33 (almost 34) wks, they starting giving me things to stop it. I received 2 shots in my arm that worked for a bit, then some oral medication that seemed to slow things down. I also received 2 steroid shots as a precaution to help with the babies lung development. We thought it was looking good and thought we might get to head home around 11pm they started again. We were there for the night. Jon had the luxury of sleeping on a mat on the floor, while I was hooked up to a bunch of machines and peeing every 20 minutes- It was not a fun night!! I made it most of the night with just a few contractions. We waited for the doctor to come around in the morning thinking I was gonna go home... then contractions started again!!! More meds! I ended up being discharged around 12:30pm. My orders were to stay on modified best rest and take this medication 3x a day.

It was great to come home and Jon's mom was waiting for us to help out. Tuesday was pretty uneventful- although I still was having contractions! Tuesday night I woke up with a few intense contractions but they didn't last long.

Wednesday Jon's Grandma came down to spend the day with me and Reagan. (Now it is finding babysitters for both of us!!) Reagan was SO excited for Great Gma Phylis to get here. Heather (Jon's cousin) and her daughters came over to play too! I headed into the doctor that afternoon for a check up just to find out that I was not actually dilated to a 3 (I was not dilated before I left the hospital)! My doctor told me he thought I would at least make it a week! So continue bed rest and meds!

Thursday my sister returned from California! She is preparing to leave next week and I am not excited about it and even more bummed now that I can't do anything to help her with the move! Thursday was kind of a long day.

Friday was mine and Jon's Anniversary! 5 Years already!! We had big plans to celebrate over the weekend- those plans have been postponed :(! Shanon and Michael came down to play Friday. It was nice to get the see them for a bit. Jon's mom has been busy cleaning, cooking, taking care of Reagan, and helping out in every way to make sure things are done since I can't do them myself. Jon picked up dinner from the Country Club and we just hung around and played with Reagan. I got Jon a watch for our anniversary and when he walked in the door Reagan took the gift to him and said "Here daddy, it's a watch!" Little turkey:)!

Friday night was pretty eventful- Reagan woke up with a nightmare around 10:30 and I woke up with contractions. After 2 hours of contracting and trying to decide if my water broke we headed into the hospital! Got to hospital, water didn't break but my contractions were every few minutes. Long story short- more medicine to try and stop them, Jon went home to sleep, and I hung out with my nurse most the night waiting for my doctor to come in in the morning. Jon got back first thing in the morning shortly before my doctor arrived. They couldn't stop my contractions, but I was still dilated the same so they sent me home. I can stop taking the medication because it really isn't working anyway. So now we just wait- I am almost 35 wks. We discussed the concerns the doctors would have if the baby comes now and there are none. Obviously the longer it can wait the better, but they are not going to try and stop it any more. The lungs should be closed to mature (if they aren't already) and I was given the steroid to help with that. So far the baby has shown no signs of distress and the doctors have shown no concern for the health or me of the baby. So now we just wait....

There is a chance I will still be pregnant in 3 weeks, there is a chance I will have this baby in 3 days! For now I will continue on "bed rest" and ride out the contractions until I am certain they are worse. I am scheduled to see my doctor again on Thursday- we will see if I can make it until then!!

33 weeks and counting!!

Soon to be Big Sister!!

33 weeks

Is it me or is this summer Hotter than normal? I am not enjoying the humidity or heat at all! Maybe it is the fact that I am blowing up like a balloon everyday. This baby seems to be getting bigger and bigger by the minute! I am starting to get very anxious to meet this little one. We have been trying to get everything ready for his or her arrival. That includes trying to prepare Reagan for what is about to happen. She seems excited! I signed her up for the Big Sister class in July so we will see how that goes! This baby is very active and likes to move a lot at night. I am still working and trying to keep up with Reagan. That is getting more and more difficult! I am feeling a little mommy guilt because I am not able to do things with Reagan and she knows it too.

We have the room ready and are working on getting everything else in place. My sister came over last week and we re-arranged, cleaned, and moved toys in the living room to make room for the pack-n-play! Shanon has a good eye for re-arranging and I am SO excited with how the room looks. It looks big for once!! With the pack-n-play out, Butters too has started to realize changes. He is a little upset that he can't get to his favorite window now, but he will manage!

There are going to be a lot of changes in this house soon!! We are very excited and anxiously waiting!

Weston Patrick

On June 1st I became an Aunt again! Weston Patrick Tjelmeland joined mom, dad, and big brother Owen out in Colorado. He weighed in at 7 lbs, 12oz, and 20 inches long! My sister-in-law, Alisa did a great job and once again she did it without an epidural!! So far I think he looks like Owen, but I will have to wait until I see him in person. I can't wait to meet him! It sounds like they might make a trip back here this fall.

May Pictures

Seasame Street Live:Michael's Birthday:

Blank Park Zoo:

More of May...

May was a blur for the most part... Here are some of the main things I remember about May:

• Jon's Uncle received some news regarding his cancer. The news was not what anyone wanted to hear, but we are staying positive and praying for him everyday!
• Marcelo, Shanon, Anita & Luiz (Marcelo's parents), Becki, and I took Reagan and Michael to see Seasame Street Live! It came at a difficult time, but was a nice break away from everything else going on and we had so much fun watching the kids enjoy it!
• Marcelo headed back to Japan to have knee surgery. He was able to be here for a week and will return to California in July.
• We celebrated Michael's 3rd Birthday- We went to "The Playground" in Ankeny with friends Jen, Ebba, and Berlin. It was 2 hours of pure fun for Michael and Reagan!! Their feet didn't stop the entire time we were there. They kept going from bounce house to slides to bounce house!It was a great way to celebrate! (Pictures to come!) Then we celebrated with a small party that night at my parents house. Michael had a Mickey Mouse Cake and balloons. He got a lot a good presents and was exhausted by the end of the day.
• Shanon, Mom and I braved it and took the kids the the zoo over Memorial Day! It wasn't too bad and the kids LOVED it! They even rode a camel! (Again, pictures to come!)
• We went to a BBQ at Rasmussons (family friends) and had a good time watching the kids splash around in the pools. It was raining and started to get a little cold, but Reagan didn't care- she stayed in her swimsuit until 8! We had to pry it off her and give her a bath. Her, Michael, and Parker had a fun time playing together. We sat around a fire and made smores!! It was a fun, relaxing night.
• Jon set up Reagan's pool and sprinkler and they went to town! Reagan wasn't sure what to think of the sprinkler- but she loved it when Jon picked her up and ran through it with her

That is what I remember of May- I will post pictures soon!

Be still my heart...

" When you come to the edge of all the light you know, and you are about to step off into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing one of two things will happen: There will be something solid to stand on, or you will be taught how to fly."

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On May 10 Adalyn Ranae Castro was born sleeping at 6:51am. She is now an angel among us.

My sister went into labor at 22 weeks and it was just to soon. She had a difficult pregnancy. It was and is a very hard thing to understand, but we are all doing the best we can. Her husband was able to come home from deployment for a week. It was nice that they were able to spend that time together and prepare for the next step in their lives.

I was so lucky to get to share that time with my sister as well. Although it is not a situation anyone would choose to be in, I am glad I could be there for her. I am also so thankful for the short time I got the be with Adalyn. She is truely an angel.

It is hard when you have experienced a loss of a child. I know my situations have not been the same as my sisters, but there are similarities. There were conversations my sister and I had that I never wanted to have- but again, I was glad I could help in any way.

Overall everyone is doing well. My sister is one of the strongest people I know and she has been tested more times that not in the past few months- but she is a fighter and will continue to fight.

In time it will all make sense...

24 weeks and Counting!!

Just can't get enough....

Reagan,

I just can't get enough of you right now!! Right now you are the little girl who:

• Likes to say "Oh-no mistletoe" when something is wrong. (Not sure where you got this from)
• Loves to go to Dance Class and gets so excited when I get out your leotard
• Raises your hand say "O-O" when something pertains to you
• Will tell us "Oh, I am so sorry" when you have done something wrong or even when you haven't but think you have!
• Uses your left hand for everything- no matter how many times daddy tries to put something in your right!
• Always, always dreams about pink and purple ice- cream. Every morning we ask you what you have dreamt about, the answer is always the same!
• Likes to stand in the mirror and say underwear 20 times (again, not sure where this came from!)
• Waves at everyone!
• Asks where things came from- the books we read, clothes you wear, dirt on the ground...and if we say it was from us, you thank us and give us a hug!
• Asked me to be your "Co-Pilot" one day because Michael wasn't here.
• Always says prayers at night and points to everyone we pray for and if they are not in the room to point to the door and say they are out there.
• Always kisses the baby is mommy's tummy when it is time for you to go to bed and you tell us the baby is going to bed too.
• Likes to pull your cheeks as far apart as you can and stick your tongue out.
• Likes to play with your friends and always say when we leave it was fun to see them.
• Loves to play with your hair when you are tired- still!
• Has been wanting her mommy a lot lately.
• Loves to play outside and is learning to pump the swing all by yourself!
• Tells everyone that daddy goes to the gym and the pharmacy everyday. Oh, and he drinks pop and mommy drinks water.
• Loves playing with her cousin.
• Told papa that you were Reagan Remsburg, like he had never met you before.
• Likes to sleep with your "B's" and Pink Bear every night.
• Loves suckers!
• Tells everyone you have a dog named Butters. (Everyday you tell the same people!)
• Tells people you are having a baby sister- even though we don't know- and gets upset when they ask what if it is a brother!
• Is growing up way to fast.........

Prom

Maren our 17 yr. old neighbor went to prom Saturday night, so Reagan and I went to check it out. Maren has been like a little sister to me and Jon. She was only 11 when we moved in... at first she would always come over and just walk into our house like it was her own..she still does that, just not as much now that she is older and has a life of her own. She is always willing to come over and watch Reagan whenever she can. We LOVE Maren and can't believe she will be a senior next year. Reagan LOVES Maren too and always asks to see her...Maren always makes time for Reagan and I love her even more for that!! Maren looked so beautiful at prom. She went with her boyfriend, Weston who Reagan won't even acknowledge when he is around, but then she talks about him all the time. While we watched them walk in Reagan kept telling me that wasn't "Mon-Mon"! We are used to seeing her in sweatpants and t-shirts!! Reagan has fun looking at all the dresses and telling what colors they all were. Here are a few pictures! The picture in the middle is Cramer, Maren's brother who is college.