Play Date

Tyler had a friend from church come over for a play date on Monday night. Tyler's dad and Juliana's mom play in the Boone Community Band together and they had their first practice on Monday night, so Juliana came to play and Tyler was very excited! It was a good chance to practice sharing his toys too.
I think they drug out every toy we have!

Teamwork to help pick-up!
Picking up was my idea, but it was their idea to work together.

Popsicle for a treat at the end of the night.

Easter Weekend 2011

We traveled to Clarinda for Easter weekend. It was an extra special weekend because for the first time in her life, my 78-year-old grandma Geer had a birthday the same day as Easter, so the whole family gathered for an extra special Sunday celebration.

We started the weekend with Tyler's 3rd annual Easter egg hunt on the courthouse lawn. (I have decided no more pregnant pictures of me - I just don't photograph well right now!!)

Tyler got to see the Easter bunny before the hunt started. As you can see, he wasn't impressed! I was the town's Easter bunny for many years growing up. The Chamber of Commerce rep at the hunt joked that I wouldn't fit in the costume this year!

And the hunt begins!

Showing off his candy!

One of the eggs Tyler got in the hunt had a coupon for a free candy bar at Easters, so he and Adam went over to find a candy bar and also take a couple of rides on the horse while I was running other errands.

The guys also spent some time at the library before meeting up with me for lunch at Vaughn's

With all of the family in town, we got hotel rooms instead of crowding in at Grandma's house. Tyler enjoyed swimming in the hotel pool! I got a bed all to myself and the guys shared - well...as you can see toddlers don't share well!

Tyler finding the basket the Easter Bunny left for him in his hotel room.

He wanted to play with the hollow chocolate bunny -
the thought of biting off it's ears didn't seem right to him!

The siblings outside of church

The family

Easter egg hunt back at Grandma's house
After awhile his bucket got so heavy he decided to leave it in one spot and just run the eggs back to put in it rather than lug it around. Problem solver!
The great-grand kids: Kelsey, Soley, Tyler & Brodie

The sun finally came out and warmed up the afternoon.
Here is the birthday girl!

Playing in the yard and burning off energy from the Easter candy and the birthday cake

New Water Table

Grandma Janelle surprised Tyler with a new water table this week. He had a great time helping me put it together and play with it - even before we got the water in it!

VEISHEA 2011

It was a VERY cold day for a parade, but we braved the weather with some family members for Tyler's 3rd annual VEISHEA parade in Ames. He was bundled in about 4 layers, but still preferred to sit in Dad's warm lap under the blankets rather than chase down the candy thrown in the street. Thankfully he had a nice cousin who helped keep his candy bucket filled and a few nice college students who brought the candy right to his bucket!

We got to see one drum line up close & personal!

Checking out the new bucket & scoop he got in the parade

Dedicated cyclone fans!

After the parade, lunch at my Mom's, and after our naps - we visited Adam's friend Meggan Snyder & her family who were back from South Carolina for VEISHEA. It was a short but fun visit - the kids ran most of the show!

Latest Tyler Tales

One morning after watching Bambi - Tyler woke up at 7:20 a.m., bounded out of his room, sat down on the carpeted floor outside him room, and started pounding his leg/foot on the floor. Then he said, "I'ma thumping my leg...like Thumper!"

On Tuesday Tyler and I enjoyed the beautiful weather and spent 2 hours outside before his nap (including a lunch picnic). Tyler helped me full weeds in the flower bed and put them in the wheel barrel. He said several times to himself, "Ima helping Mommy!" then suddenly he sighed and said, "This a hard work!" Tyler got to spend 2 more hours outside with Adam after his nap, too, but the phrase "this is hard work" is now his new catch phrase.

This morning Tyler woke up and went into Adam's office to talk to him while he woke up a bit more. Adam eventually told him to go downstairs where I was. Tyler stood at the top of the stairs looking down for a moment and then with a gravely sleepy voice said, "there's too many stairs!" - Oh to exert so much effort so early in the morning - being 7 months pregnant, I know exactly how he feels, which is why I was laughing so hard after hearing what he said. Unfortunately, no one offers to carry ME up and down the stairs!

Linda's 60th Birthday

All of us pulled off a surprise weekend family celebration for my mother-in-law, Linda's birthday in March. We made up a story to get her up to Des Moines for the night then surprised her with Nicki (who flew in from the East coast for the weekend), dinner reservations, and a weekend stay at a hotel plus shopping.

Tyler enjoyed dinner at the Machine Shed, especially the mini mason jar mugs

Swimming in the hotel pool was also a big hit. We went twice!

He even got to sit in the hot tub with Daddy

What could be better on a Saturday morning
than lounging on the hotel bed to watch cartoons.

Quality cousin wrestling time

Story time with Grandma - the birthday girl

Awaiting baby #2

20-week ultrasound photos
The baby wasn't very cooperative so we had to go back
for two more ultrasounds after this one.

24-week belly shots

28-week video of baby giving me a strong kick

Now we are at 30.5 weeks and counting. About 10 weeks left! Tyler stayed at Grandma & Grandpa Haselhuhn's over the weekend so I could finally get some progress made on the baby's nursery, so I feel more prepared now. Still lots to do before June 16th, but we are getting very excited around here!

Boone Health & Safety Fair

While I was scrapbooking over the weekend, Adam and Tyler attended a kids fair in Boone with a friend from church and her daughter. He really enjoyed the "Cars" slide and even came home with a free bike helmet!

Camp Cabin

The 4-H Club I am helping with decided to adopt this cabin at the Iowa 4-H Center - Swamp Cabin in Hickory Village. We are working to clean, update, and improve he cabin before this summer. Tyler had fun visiting it with me recently to take pictures of the "before" look and take measurements.