no more babies!

Sheldon mastering the Kazu!
Another haircut!
Coranelle with her new umbrella from Grams and PopPops!
Coranelle has a new found love for puzzles and she is really good at them!
Josh talking to his new son- Anders!
Hello precious boy! I am one proud Auntie!
Sheldon exploring at Jumpin' Jordy's on one of the many days that we were avoiding the wind or snow!
Finding play places wherever we can- this is a canoe slide at REI!
Lots of Morks. This is Sheldon's first time meeting Anders. Sheldon really is still more interested in Kona (their puppy) than the baby. That will change!
Coranelle's new bear- Good Luck!

Cleaning off the bear and fluffing it!
Playing at a lego table in Barnes and Nobles. I've had to get creative to get these kiddos out and burn some energy!

Somehow, in just over a month my "baby" will turn one. It is hard for me to believe that he is already becoming a little pre-toddler. And, as we are not having any more kids, our house will almost done with its baby days.

It is a good thing that Josh and Claire had their precious son on February 22nd. I had the honor of being there during Claire's labor and I got to meet my nephew right away. It was such a gift and an amazing experience to watch my brother-in-law and sister-in-law become parents. It was amazing to see the way Josh took care of Claire all through labor and delivery. They were so smitten and excited and emotional. It has been fun to see them be proud and protective and taking lots of pictures! Ryan and I are so in love with our little nephew and Coranelle cannot stop talking about little Anders. We are thrilled that our kids will have cousins that they can be friends with.

The other news in our corner of the world is the wind. It has been crazy and unrelenting. It actually blew down a section of our fence two weeks ago. Ryan spend the whole weekend working hard at replacing it. The wind has prevented us from spending much time outside because it has been so cold and intense. So, today we have a park date planned with a few friends and we are really hoping we won't be blown home!

Sheldon is fearless and crazy. His newest addictions are unrolling toilet paper and trying to play in the toilet. He is a FAST crawler and walking all around furniture and even taking a few steps from one table or chair to another. I feel like walking will come soon and I am not prepared for having two children taking off in different directions! Sheldon babbles and chats all the time and loves to laugh and crack himself up. He is really a pretty silly boy and we adore him. He has learned a few signs (despite our lack of dedication in teaching him them) and can tell us when he is all done or wants more. Sheldon also has at least 6 teeth now and seems to be in a constant state of teething. He's getting ready to be a great eater!

Coranelle is as busy and spunky as ever. One of our recent highlights was filling up her bead jar for her good behavior and listening. We went to Build-A-Bear and she got to stuff and create her own green teddy bear. It was a fun and sweet experience and I think the bead jar is working well for her. We now have Coranelle enrolled in soccer camp, summer preschool and real preschool in the fall. Lots of fun things on the horizon!

I hope you are all doing well and enjoying the coming spring. We are excited to be spending more time outdoors and to vacation in Arizona in April!

SUCH a big heart

Coranelle and I threw and spur-of-the-moment tea party on Friday. She got all dressed up, helped me make cookies, sandwiches with the crusts cut off, fruit teas, snacks, and name cards!
Getting all set up for her friends!
She even let me braid her hair and she put on her special dress that "twirls and swooooshes" when she dances.
Her Valentines Day flowers from her daddy!

It is 9:30am and quiet at my house. It has not been quiet at my house at this time since Coranelle was 10 months old and taking a morning nap!

Sheldon is upstairs sleeping and Coranelle is enjoying a sleepover and special morning with her Grams. Heidi had the day off for Presidents day, so Coranelle spent the night with Grams and PopPops. She has had a great time- soaking up all the one on one attention. Sheldon is also basking in the attention that Ryan and I doted on him. I am SO glad that I have two kids! I love them with my whole heart, but it is so fun for them to be spoiled and get one on one attention!

Since I had a few seconds to blog, I thought I'd share a touching story about my girl. On Thursday this past week, I took the kids to the mall play place. It was cold and windy... again, and we were going stir crazy... again. After running, climbing, playing, crawling and wearing themselves out, we got ready to leave and head home for lunch. Coranelle spotted this really cool, bright red, firetruck stroller that you can rent at the mall. Without really thinking, she crawled into the empty seat as the mother tried to park her firetruck in the busy stroller parking. Meanwhile, I had Sheldon in one arm and was trying to dig our stroller out of the chaos. I told Coranelle she couldn't get in the stroller, as it wasn't ours. Since my hands were full, I couldn't physically remove her. The beautiful, sweet mom behind her stroller jokingly said, "Oh, that's okay. She can stay in. She's pretty cute and I wouldn't mind taking her home with me." I smiled and laughed and asked the woman if she would mind if my daughter sat there until I could put my son down in our stroller where he wouldn't get stepped on.

Coranelle, on the other hand, did not realize that the woman was teasing. She just melted down and began balling and yelling, "I don't want to go home with her. No mommy, no. No!" She quickly became hysterical as I pulled her out of the firetruck and tried to convince her that she wasn't going home with anyone but me. I told her I loved her and would never let someone else take her home. Anyhow, it took me about 15 minutes to fully calm her down.

So, I thought that the episode was over and she understood that the woman was just teasing and complimenting her. I was wrong. Later that night, I got Coranelle out of her bath and she was sitting on my lap as I put lotion on her. This is our usual cuddle time and I put my arms around her and told her I loved her. Out of nowhere, she just melts down all over again. Quickly becoming hysterical. She turns around in my lap and just blubbers, "Mommy, I don't like firetrucks! I don't want to go with that other mommy! Mommy, I just love you too much. I just love you too much." It took me a while to figure out what she was talking about. And then it took another 10 minutes to get her to calm down.

Meanwhile, Josh, Claire, Ryan and Sheldon were downstairs listening to her wail- probably thinking that she had cracked her head open. I think they were all a little surprised to know that she was crying because she "loved me too much". Bless her heart!

Now, suggestions on how to explain to 2 year olds that some things are said literally and others are not? Who knew?! At least I know she loves me and wants to continue coming home with me! ;-)

pictures and a moment

Our snowman, whom Coranelle named "Goke".
First time sledding!
Helping to make Oatmeal Raisin cookies in her adorable apron.
Using anything he can find as a walker.
On the move!


With Sheldon's increasing mobility and curiosity- I find myself constantly on the go. Moving him from situations and places of danger and putting out fires as he and his sister fight over toys and me.

But, I do have a moment I wanted to share- specifically so I can remember it in the midst of the chaos that now seems to reign!

Each night, after the kids have had a bath, had their teeth brushed and are cozy in their PJ's- we have established a new, very comfortable routine. Ryan takes Sheldon to feed him his last bottle of the day. Coranelle and I cuddle up under a blanket on the "little couch" and read library books together. I love the down time to snuggle and discuss books with my girl. When Sheldon is finished with his bottle and cuddling with his daddy, he comes up to say "goodnight". Coranelle always exclaims- "We want to give him a hug!". So, Ryan lays him down on our laps. Coranelle kisses and hugs her brother with gusto and such love and affection. Meanwhile, Sheldon gazes up at us with a huge smile. We both say good night to him and I just sit there and soak up the precious moment of calmness and love! It makes my day!

So, that's all for now. Just a little moment for you to smile about!

chasing 2

Sorry once again, for the blog neglect. It's been one thing after another. A few weeks ago, Coranelle came down with the stomach flu and then we passed it along until we had all had the terrible illness. And I really mean, terrible! Coranelle probably threw up 20-30 times within 12 hours, and most of those times, it was one me. (Sorry... too much information). When I had it, it just rocked me. I was too sore to move or do anything. When we had all recovered from that- we did some deep cleaning. Our immune systems must have been down, because Coranelle, Sheldon and I all got a cold a few days later. We're still recovering from those, and my voice is finally strong enough to read a whole book to my kids. This past weekend, I had no voice at all and had to whisper and squeak to get by.

In the midst of all of that, a flip switched on Sheldon and suddenly, he was a moving maniac. He began to crawl on all fours and quickly mastered pulling up on everything and anything, cruising quickly along furniture, crawling up stairs and getting into everything. I am now constantly on the watch that he is not pulling things off shelves, out of cupboards or putting choking hazards in his mouth. This surveillance makes going to the bathroom a very difficult task. I cannot believe how quickly he mastered all of this and how fast he seems to be growing up. It's exciting and fun to watch, but exhausting! He seems so excited about his new abilities, he has decided that he is too busy for napping. Yesterday, he napped for a total of 20 minutes- from 5:30 am until 7:15pm. It was not for lack of my trying to make him sleep. So, I can only hope that the novelty wears off soon and he catches up on lost sleep. I just might need a nap too, with all the effort it takes to keep two young ones safe and entertained- let alone make meals and clean up the house!

We're still in the midst of the preschool chaos, but narrowing down the possibilities. Tomorrow, Coranelle and I will go visit my first choice while classes are in session to get a feel for things. If all goes well, she'll be registered by this coming Tuesday. I think it will be so fun for her and I am really looking forward to it! It will be great for her to have the structure, the socialization, and friends. Sheldon and I will also enjoy some time for just the 2 of us!

I know that I had a whole, mental list of things I was going to post about, but right now, my mind has gone blank. And, Sheldon is actually taking a morning nap, (Yay!), so I am going to go cuddle up with my girl and dive into our new library books!

Happy almost February! (How did that happen?!)

PS- most of my recent pics of the kiddos are on my phone, so when I get them loaded onto the computer, I'll make sure to post more!

Christmas letter

It's been a long time since I've blogged. I don't really have a reason why. Honestly, I think it's because I have been reading a lot lately, and when I get a quiet moment, I have been picking up my book instead of getting on the computer to blog. Anyhow, I thought I should document what is going on in our lives, as this is really the only place that happens. So, here's a pseudo Christmas letter:

Dear friends and family,
It's hard to believe that the Christmas season has already come and gone! I hope you all enjoyed it and got some time to share some fun moments with your families. Our Christmas was great! Coranelle is at a really fun age for Christmas and it was so neat to share in her excitement to unwrap gifts and have "parties" with our families. Sheldon had no clue what was going on, but was pretty happy to rip open presents and eat the wrapping paper and bows. Both kids got fully spoiled and now I am trying to figure out just where all of their new toys and clothes should go. Our house is in need of some serious organization! All in all, we had a good time celebrating with families! The real present was Ryan taking off the whole week after Christmas! We had a wonderful time as a family taking day trips to the zoo, parks, swimming, Jump Street and playing together. It was an awesome little "vacation" for us all.

Starting with the youngest member of our family, I will give you a little update. Sheldon turned 9 months old on Saturday. Where time has gone? I cannot even fathom! He is a beautiful little boy and so much fun. He has moved on to eating lots of solid foods and likes to stuff more into his mouth than he could possibly chew and swallow- all while screaming for more. He has drastically decreased how much formula he takes, and the doctor says we need to get more in him. How we will do that is a mystery to me. He glues his lips shut after just a few ounces and there is no forcing any milk on that kid! It seems that both my kids were not big milk drinkers. In other news, Sheldon now weighs a whopping 18lbs and is in the 11th percentile. So, he's growing, but tiny. He loves to clap, babble, bang toys together, play with his sister, listen to music and roll. He is not crawling, but desperately wants to. We are supposed to be working on his ability to pull to stand, as that is a milestone he should have reached by now and isn't quite there yet. He seems much happier being left at church and occasionally at the rec center. He has been sleeping through the night consistently since about 7 1/2 months. He has also moved to waking up near 7am, instead of the old 5:30am. We are thrilled about that and feel much more rested and normal! Overall, he is very smiley and easy going and I just love him to pieces. I feel so blessed to have him in our lives and I cannot wait to see his personality shine more!

Coranelle- now older than 2 1/2- never ceases to surprise and amaze us. She still loves to read and would sit and listen for hours! Her memory is incredible. I can read her a 35 page book, just a few times- a lengthy paragraph on each page- and stop anywhere mid-sentence, and she'll finish the sentence. It's amazing to me! She hears a new word once, asks what it means, and I'll hear her use it properly within the day. She's mastered her letters, letter sounds, numbers, shapes, colors and just continues to learn and be curious. She observes the world around her with unique eyes and wants to know how and why everything works and happens as it does. She lies awake at night for almost 2 hours after being put to bed singing songs, telling stories to her animals and reviewing her day.

Coranelle is also an athlete. She is a pro on her strider bike and can lift up her feet and "glide" for a long ways. I think a bike with pedals is in her future for the 3rd birthday! She continues with her swimming lessons and is great at floating and swimming with help and holding her breath underwater. Both kids love the water and it is a fun family event for us! Coranelle is also a runner, a climber a jumper and always on the move! So much so that getting her to sit down and eat is still a daily battle that we fight with her. But, she seems healthy and happy so we'll just keep on keepin' on and hope that some day she has an appreciation for food!

We are presently looking into preschool for her. Next fall, I'd like to have her go someplace two mornings a week for a couple hours each session. I think it would really help her socially and also give me an opportunity to spend some quality time with Sheldon.

Coranelle is a lover. She gives the greatest hugs and kisses and cares SO deeply about her family and how we are all feeling. She is a wonderful big sister ( even if she often forgets how to share her toys with her little brother). She is very protective of Sheldon and always insists on hugging and kissing him before bed. The glimpses I get of the two of them playing together just warms my heart.

Ryan is doing well with work and supporting his family- as well as jumping into the "work" as soon as he walks through our door. Both kids adore him and Coranelle begs him to "stay home all day" every morning. Ryan continues to lift with friends and mountain bike when the weather permits. Both of us are very much looking forward to meeting our nephew this February.

I am keeping busy with two little ones, MOPs, my book group, Step and Zumba classes at the Rec Center, and a wonderful set of girlfriends. I feel very thankful and content at this stage in our lives and am working on laughing more and enjoying the small, wonderful(often fleeting) moments that I have with my kids and husband each day.

I hope you all enjoy the new year! Thanks for being a part of our lives!
Many hugs,
Kari and Family

Friends and Dance

Headed out to look at Christmas lights in the neighborhoods!
My awesome little helper, preparing Lasagna Al Forno for some friends of mine who just had babies.
After a fun Zumba class- Sheldon playing in the box his new toy came in.
Opening a present early so we can spread out the fun!
lSheldon's new blanket and dog!


So, my friend Tara invited me to go to a class at the Rec Center called Zumba. I had seen the "Zumba people" come into the studio as I was leaving various classes and I was always skeptical. Dance lessons? Latin dance? I am a terrible dancer and it takes me a long time to learn steps, so I never imagined I'd try it. Until Tara asked me about 4 times and told me how much fun it was. Finally, I hesitantly put on my tennis shoes and went to my one, free trial class with Tara. I was feeling nervous, self conscious, and positive I'd only go once.

Boy, was I wrong. How much fun! I got lost in learning the "routine" for each up beat, fun, latin song. I smiled and laughed the entire time. I completely avoided looking at my ridiculous self in the mirror and just watched this wonderful dancer in front of me and pretended I looked that awesome! The instructor was fun and positive and Tara is the perfect friend to go with. She's one of those people that "brings a party" with her wherever she is. She's has not perfected her dance moves (although she's far better than I am), but she is not timid or self occupied. She just shakes it! I came home Wed. evening all sweaty, and all smiles. Ryan commented that he had not seen me that bubbly or happy in a long time. But, I sadly said that I didn't think I'd go anymore because the drop in rate for the class is $12!

Well, my mom and Ryan both picked up on how much fun this class was and how much I wanted to keep going, so they got me punch cards for the class. Now I have 14 more times to go and lose myself in the rhythm and dance!

So, why am I writing on my momma blog about a dance class? Well, because it makes such a difference to have things to do- just for me, that don't involve kids or worrying about kids and their schedules and naps, sleeping, eating, behavior, etc. Zumba takes me back to a time where I was passionate about Spanish, latino cultures, traveling to Argentina, Spain, Mexico, Honduras, etc. It takes me back to High School dances where I'd be out on the center of the dance floor the entire dance, just having a blast and being a goof. (Admittedly, I wish I had taken this class in HS! I would have looked SO COOL out there with some real dance moves, instead of the sprinkler or the shopping cart moves we busted! ;-)). It is so fun to have a chance to laugh at yourself while learning some provocative hip hop moves, simply in the name of a good work out and a good time! Tara is also a Spanish enthusiast and mother of two- her eldest proving to be quite an energetic and challenging kiddo- just like mine. So, for a few hours a week, we can forget all of our mom responsibilities and immerse ourselves in something a bit Latin, and utterly carefree and fun!

Alright- so as not to sound as if I am being paid to advertise Zumba, I'll stop there. I promise, my next post will be more related to my kids, or Christmas, or something relevant. Until then- have a great week!

Joyful Joyful

Can I just say, in the past month or so, I have had the chance to actually get to know my son, and he is awesome. Some of you are probably wondering what on earth I mean- isn't he 8 months old? Yes, yes he is. But for the previous months, there was so much time and frustration related to Sheldon's sleeping, eating, nursing, formula, waking from naps, waking at night, etc., that I didn't really get much time to just PLAY with him. And now that the kid can suck down a bottle in a matter of minutes and he eats baby food like a champ, we get to play a lot. And he is SO much fun. He is such a smiley, silly, fun little guy and I love his frequent belly laughs and giggles. I love that he rolls everywhere instead of crawling. He loves banging things and dropping things. When he hears or sees clapping, he claps too. He is hilarious in the bath, splashing and growling and laughing like crazy. He has been sleeping through the night (8pm-6am) and it is glorious! He has also been sharing his silly self with the nice child care workers at church, MOPs and the Rec Center. I am being called out less and less and am enjoying the few hours away here and there! I cannot wait to see what kind of kid he becomes and I am excited to see his personality come out more and more.

We are also learning about how Coranelle ticks and when she is the happiest. She cannot be rushed. If she feels you stressed out about getting things done or getting out the door, she acts out. So, I have really worked on allowing more time and warnings for her to get ready to go someplace. And, we have been doing less (out and about), and playing at home more. This seems to be good for all of us and it has been fun to see my kids playing together and Coranelle's imagination run wild. She is truly incredible- spunky, smart, and so intuitive! She is loving counting down the days to Christmas with our online and paper Advent calendars as well as a paper chain we made. She soaks up Christmas stories and is memorizing them. I can read her books like the "Polar Express" and stop mid sentence anywhere in the story and she can finish the sentence. Her memory astounds me!

Shopping this year was so fun because our families have taken the pressure off of buying for all siblings and parents and focused more on the kids. So, I have had a great time finding fun toys for each kid and I cannot wait to see them play with their new gifts! Another joyful thing we have found this season is looking at Christmas lights. In the evenings, we often bundle up and walk with the kids around the neighborhoods to see all the Christmas lights and decorations.

This is a very random and disconnected post, but I hadn't blogged in a while for lack of something to blog about. I thought I should just share some of the little joys we've been experiencing in our home recently. I hope you are all doing well and enjoying this season without being sucked into being over committed and stressed out!