Mya & Brady

Happy Fall!

This weather is amazing--well, without the rain! Homemade soups, breads, fresh air, and scents of cinnamon, apple and pumpkin is sure comforting. The hustle and bustle of is also upon us. Between Brady''s school, Mya''s 1 day at school/daycare, Sunday School and now hockey, we''ll stay plenty busy.

Brady is enjoying 8th grade, which is showing in his grades :) He just began tryouts for hockey and is loves spending time with his friends skateboarding!

Mya is also staying busy. She loves to color/paint, have tea parties, cook with me, and play with her new eye pet, Ashley! She''s going to be quite the Martha Stewart someday :) We all get such a kick out of things she says so here are a few:

*Mommy, just relax. Lay your head down, close your eyes, and just go to sleep.

*Your my best friend.

*I love my daddy, and you mommy. I love you both!

*I want that puppy! He could jump up on me, and I could be like that lady there.

*I love you. I love you so much!

*Wanna fight about it? Don''t cry to me.

I feel so blessed every day to have these 2 in my life! They remind me to enjoy life to the fullest and for that, I''m grateful!

I hope you all are enjoying the little things in life too...that''s all that really matters :)

Love, Katie

Wow! Where did summer go? Training has begun for me at work and Brady came home today from the lake so it feels as though it''s come to an end. Yet, the weather is still very hot and humid--something I''m ready to come to a close.

Brady will be in 8th grade in just over 2 weeks! I can''t believe it''s only 1 more year until he''s in high school. I was always told not to rush time and now I know why, it goes way too fast the way it is! Hockey will also be starting soon--with warmups in 2 weeks. He''ll be a Bantam this year which is exciting yet scarry (some of the kids seem so BIG)!

Mya has been enjoying her time with her new sitter, Jessica. She will also be attending a daycare 1 day a week this fall. It will be "her school"! She''ll have time to play with other kids and be at a park everyday which she absolutely loves. As much as I want her home, it''ll be a good way to slowly transition to not seeing her throughout the day everyday.

Last night Mya had her first sleep over at Grandpa Don''s with the boys! And today Anthony & Mya spent the day at Valleyfair. It was extremely warm out so they spent all day at the waterpark there. Both had a great time and of course are ready for bed!

Well, I too must get to bed as I''ve got an early morning! I hope all is well with you and your families. Cherish all of the little things in life--they are the important things!

Love, Katie

Where has the summer gone?

Brady got out of school on June 11 which seems so late but given all of their breaks during the year I guess they need to get it in somehow! He watched Mya for a week, and spent some quality time with us for a few weeks before heading to the lake for the summer. He is in heaven of course--fishing, driving the golf cart, helping out with yard work, hanging out with Tristan/Zach and other cousins, and of course having his independence!

I was able to take a couple weeks off to hang out here, go to the lake and enjoy the kids! I also starting potty training Mya which has been going really well...considering! Now if she would just tell us when she has to go all of the time! haha...

My niece Nissa arrived to MN towards the end of June; was able to spend some time at the lake and then returned to St Paul with us after the 4th to babysit Mya for the month. It has been going great and she is such a wonderful helper! We''ve been keeping busy going for walks, shopping, birthday parties, a Twins game, and exploring Minneapolis--Mill City Museum, Guthrie, and Stone Arch Bridge--places I had never been :) I love listening to the 2 girls belly laughing, playing, reading, and cooking. I''m also grateful that they are getting to know eachother since we don''t get to see them very often!

Mya''s favorite things to do:
~Sing & dance
~Play copy cat
~Go to the park
~Play with her babies
~"Make" (cook in her kitchen and with mommy)
~Read Judy Bloom books--yes, she loves chapter books and is able to recite what she heard the next day!
~Shop and pay with Mommy/Daddy''s card!
~Eat...nonstop! And luckily she''s not a picky eater!
~Ride rollercoasters! She LOVED Valleyfair which we were able to enjoy while Brady was still home!
~Comb mommy''s hair
~Take pictures of others

Considering how fast time has been going, we''ve been able to have fun making lasting memories! I look forward to many more :)

The sunshine is finally here! The past couple of months have flown by and I''m not sure where spring went. Mya is continuing to grow up way too fast along with Brady.

Brady is finishing up 7th grade which means our conversations about high school have begun. Only 1 year left at Ramsey Junior High before he enters HS. All of the choices and decisions to be made are definately going to be difficult. As excited as he is to go to the lake for the summer, he has a strong interest in working. Apparently he has a lot of things he wants to start buying--4-wheeler, dirt bike, car--the list is never ending. I''m fortunate to have him thinking ahead and taking responsability however he is still my baby and seems too young to start working already. Perhaps next year...or the year after!

Although I know siblings "fight", I never thought these two would with an 11 year age difference. Guess I was wrong! Mya likes to be a boss and tells Brady what to do which in turn makes him frustrated. Or Brady will pick on Mya until she screams--very high/loudly--which then gets both of them in trouble. Then in a split second, they''ll be best friends, cuddling, talking, whatever it may be; they truly love and adore eachother!

Mya, well, what do we say about her! She is full of life and energy. Loves to be outside, especially at the park or having a "picmic"! She loves to play with her babies, especially Allison who was mine growing up--and she doesn''t ever wear clothes! Haha...singing to her babies, bringing them places, and cooking for them are some of her favorite things to do. Not to mention dancing, cheering, playing teacher, and playing with play-do. In fact, she loves dancing so much we are going to a dance class soon. Hopefully they''ll allow us to register her even though she''s not the right age of 3 yet! Oh, and did I mention our conversations? Sitting down for lunch/dinner or just hanging out is never quiet with little miss Mya around. She begins by asking you "hows your day mama" and expects you to ask her the same questions. We tend to repeat many questions but she is so proper that I don''t feel like I should cut her off. Oh to be so young and carefree :)

Mothers Day this year was amazing too. Anthony brought the kids and I along with his mom to Ichibans for dinner. The food was delicious but watching the kids expressions as they watched our chef was priceless. It''s definately a present and memory I won''t ever forget!

I can''t wait for the many new memories we''re going to have this summer! Much love, Katie

HOCKEY is now over! Brady''s team finished 4th in their district--amazing season :) Although it''s only been a week since his last game, Mya already misses it. She keeps asking about hockey and going to Brady''s game. Guess we have another hockey fan in the family!

The weather is finally getting to be spring-like so we''ve been spending extra time outside--going to the park, going for walks and even a bonfire @ Em & Jeff''s :)What a special treat that was for all 4 of us!

Spring break is next week already and unfortunately, it''s the first year in 3 years that we won''t be making the trip to Arizona. Brady plans on doing some hunting up north with his dad while Mya and I will hang out at home for a few days before going to the lake and Fargo for a few days. It''ll be great to see family that we haven''t seen in so long! And fun to be back at the lake :)

Some of Mya''s favorites are:
*Having fits when told "NO"
*Asking for ice cream as a meal!
*Painting nails
*Putting make up on
*Brushing her teeth b/c they are "yellow"!
*Cooking meals--"what you want? You want this?"
*Climbing--on everything!
*Eating whatever you have instead of her meal
*Reading, by herself!
*Watching movies such as Incredibles, Happy Feet, and Open Season...along with Dora
*Wrestling with Brady
*Talking on the phone--for real & for pretend
*Chicken, pancakes, cereal (Lucky Charms, Fruit Loops), toast with PB&J, soup, black olives, pickles, Cheetos, Subway, McDonald''s, sausage, Mac & Cheese w/cut up hot dogs, oranges, M&Ms, peanuts, sunflower seeds

Time just goes too fast but we sure are enjoying every minute we have together! We hope you too are doing well and able to enjoy each memory! Love to all of you~ Katie, Ant & kids

Where does the time go?! Our winter has been very busy with hockey 6 nights a week, school, work, and confirmation class not to mention a very busy 2 year old! Playing kitchen, play-doh, princess dress up and babies are among her favorites! And don''t forget to color/paint and read! So needless to say, our winter has been anything but hibernation!

Brady''s hockey team has done well too taking 2nd place at the Breezy Point tournament last weekend. They beat Eagan 2-0, Lakeville 7-0, and ended up losing to Eden Prairie 2-6. Brady had a great game though scoring the 1st goal on a break away :) Grandma & Grandpa were able to join us for the weekend so we had a great time swimming and watching hockey! They have 4 games left for this season before districts so our season is winding down--thankfully as I''m starting to become a "true" hockey mom!

Mya is growing up too fast--talking nonstop and doesn''t miss a beat! She enjoys cooking for us which we of course all love. Her favorite foods lately include grits, cereal, pancakes, and anything sweet (i.e. ice cream!). She loves play dates with her cousins and talking on the phone to them. She too has become a super hockey fan of Brady and his teammates--she always says "Brady #8?!" and has even knows some of the others names/numbers. It sure is fun to see the excitement she brings to the boys!

Although we enjoy the hockey season, we are looking forward to spring to get outside more!

Brady''s hockey team has had a great year so far! See below for the article submitted through the association :)

Peewee C Blue Team brings home 1st Place Trophy
1/18/2010 7:43 AM

PeeWee C Blue

The Highland Central Peewee C Blue team won the Championship at the Inver Grove Heights Power Play Tournament the weekend of January 15-17, 2010. The boys used strong defense and stellar goaltending, coupled with timely goal-scoring, to take home the hardware. They defeated Tartan Blue 3-2 in the quarterfinals and Edina 4-1 in the semifinals, before topping host Inver Grove Heights 4-1 in the championship game.

It was the boys’ second tournament championship of the season!

Congratulations Peewee C Blue and Coaches Godfrey, Diekmann and Dullea!

Happy Holidays!

Another year is coming to an end in which I reflect on all of the memories created and look forward to the new ones to come in the next year! I''m so grateful to have 2 wonderful children, words can''t even describe the love I feel for them; especially at this time of year!

Brady''s hockey season is in full swing with 2-3 games/week and practice. His team played in a tournament in Somerset WI last weekend and took 1st place! It was such an exciting weekend...they won in overtime 3-2 the first game, 5-0 the second game, and 4-2 to take 1st place! Brady played great too--scoring 2 goals and having 1 assist. He sure has become a strong member on the team! Mya had fun cheering him on and making new friends! She isn''t shy and asks "mommy, say hi to boy/girl?!".

Speaking of Mya and ice skating, we took her skating for the first time tonight! She absolutely loved it! And although she didn''t skate alone, she did a great job--only falling once. She kept wanting to go too however I was a bit too tired and sore to continue. So, after about 1.5 hours, we were done. And no, we will not have another hockey player in the family! hahaha...

We will be spending the holidays with family. Anthony, Brady, Mya and I will have our own Christmas here on Monday or Tuesday night, Christmas Eve will be here with Anthony''s family, and Christmas Day we will go to my parent''s to celebrate with them. It will be a fun filled break--much needed for all of us!

I hope you are all well and enjoy this beautiful holiday season! Love, Katie

November already--fall has come and gone; well except for this weekend! We are fortunate to have beautiful weather for the Fall Kick Off event for hockey. Yes, hockey is in full swing--has been for over a month already! Brady is on the Peewee C Blue Team at Highland Central. He is playing with some old teammates which is exciting for him and I both (I''m actually starting to know families :)). You can follow his team at http://www.leagueathletics.com/?org=hchockey.org. Click on Teams and then select Peewee C Blue. I''m anxious to see his first scrimmage tomorrow as I know Mya will be so excited to cheer him on :)
Along with hockey, Brady has been keeping very busy with school. 7th grade is proving to be more challenging in multiple ways than we anticipated. We just keep taking 1 day at a time and look forward to breaks!

Mya is continuing to grow like a weed and is becoming ever so smart. She is in a copying phase now where she does and says everything we do. So my morning routine of working out, showering, getting dressed, make up, hair, and brushing teeth has also become HER routine! It''s actually quite adorable and fun to have a morning partner :) She is also starting to want to use her potty chair more and more although she never really goes to the bathroom on it. She does tell us when she goes in her diaper though so we will hopefully be done with diapers in the near future. Playing with her baby dolls, watching Dora & Boots, reading, and coloring or painting are some of her favorite things to do. She also enjoys dancing and/or singing! She has flashcards to help her identify shapes, items, colors, etc. and she is getting very good at them! So needless to say, she''s a busy girl--even makes time to help mommy clean by using her wipes (I''ve learned to give her dry paper towels) to wash off the tables, pictures, mirrors, or anything else she can get her hands on. Oh, and did I mention she loves helping with laundry?!?

Yes, now I understand why the fall has gone by so fast...we barely have time to relax...but don''t get me wrong, I definately take time to enjoy every moment and memory I can make with my two blessings!

Wow! It''s been over 2 months already since I wrote last! Clearly we''ve been extremely busy!

Brady spent the summer at the lake with my grandma Betty and my parents--lucky kid! He was able to stay up as late as he wanted, sleep in until noon, and eat whatever, whenever! He was in heaven :) Oh not to mention he didn''t have his usual chores to do! Grandma loved having him but I think Brady loved it more and when he came home, he was excited to see friends but was sad to leave grandma alone too. He started 7th grade on September 8th and now attends Rasmey Junior High School. He likes it so far and is able to get himself up at 630 in the morning to shower and walk to school with a group of friends. He''s also gone through a lot of changes this summer from my little boy to my "little" man! He''s about as tall as me so I can''t look down at him anymore unless he is sitting! hahahaa...how did this happen so fast?

Mya too has been growing like a weed. We spent some time at the lake but most of it was at home in the cities, working, going for walks, going to the park and occassionally the pools. She talks a lot more and is becoming a lil independent! Daddy bought her flashcards and so now she knows shapes, things, and colors. I can''t believe how smart she is! We''ve also been working on the ABCs and counting to 10. She counts 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9 :) hahaha...too funny! Her ABCs are ABC and then a lot of who knows what but she tries to do it to the tune so I guess that counts for something. Some of her new favorite foods are fries, chicken, black olives, pickles, cones, and chocolate (aka M&Ms). Really healthy, I know but she''s definately got my sweet tooth.

Currently, Mya & I are in Denver to celebrate my oldest sister Beth''s wedding...Brady stayed in the cities with my cousin Kristin and her husband Mitch so he wouldn''t miss school (studios right?!). We are so happy for Beth and Kev---I''ll post pictures when we return.

Wish you all love and happiness, until next time, Katie

What a FUN & BUSY summer! We celebrated Mya''s 1.5 year birthday at Anthony''s with his family and a few friends. Mya is clearly meant to be a winter baby as our day was very cold--not the hot day we had hoped for! Also in June, we spent time in Fargo at my cousin Kristen''s wedding--beautiful and we had fun! We also spent lots of time at my parents lake home where Brady still resides!

Mya loves the weather and is not afraid at all--jumps right in to play. She loves to fall backwards into the water too! She''ll laugh and say "I unny"! Too cute! She also had her 1st ride on the jet ski--and yes, she loves it! Actually, she falls asleep as soon as we get going, just like in the boat.So anytime she needed a nap, I knew exactly what to do~ go for a jet ski or boat ride. Other things she loves doing this summer are to play at the park--slides and swings are her favorite although she is also a huge fan of the dump truck w/sand! I would write a list of her new words however she is never short for words and talks non-stop! She copies almost everything I say now too so I have to watch what I say now. She also eats just about everything but since we''ve been on the road so much, she has had her share of fries and asks for them everytime we drive past a McDonald''s. And if she gets corndogs (not McDs), she picks the hot dogs out and won''t eat the corn breading--which is my favorite part! I also took her off her bottle in June which has gone really well. She occassionally asked for it but was fine without it.

Other than her fever last week which got extremely high (106 at 1 point), she has been healthy and continues to be such a wonderful baby girl...such a joy and blessing everyday! I can''t wait to get home to play dolls, read books, color and building blocks with her as those are her favorite things to do at home lately. We also spend a lot of time running--she ran her first 5K with me at Grand Old Days in June and we had our best time yet! :) If I don''t get her up to run in the morning, she has started asking me to go for bye bye for a ride in her stroller--keeps me on track!

Brady is up north--spending time relaxing at the lake with my grandma Betty, mom & dad. He was also able to go to Billings with his grandma and grandpa Haider this past weekend. They went for a long weekend to see his aunt Jackie & uncle Richie :) I was told today that he also got a new bike so I know he''s super excited about that! While I''m so grateful that he is able to spend his summers up north with his grandparents, I also miss him greatly...as does his lil sister! Mya will ask for him daily, which usually results in us calling him!!! I was doing laundry one day and as I folded one of Brady''s shirts (he wasn''t even here), Mya said "Brady''s"! She is just so smart and loves him so.

Well, now that I wrote a book, I will go and try to update this more frequently. Love to all~ Katie

WOW! Where did the time go? I can''t believe I haven''t written since March...well, actually I can! It''s been a crazy spring! We have been busy traveling, running, and enjoying the parks.

Brady finished 6th grade tomorrow and will go to a new school next fall--Ramsey Junior High! He is extremely excited and is looking forward to playing on their soccer team--along with starting hockey again. The past week has been full of fun times for him with his classmates before they go their own ways. They had a book war, trip to Valley Fair, end of the year all school picnic, 2 6th grade only picnics, end of the year dance, and tomorrow he''ll enjoy a game against the teachers. He has a close knit group of friends that I too have enjoyed getting to know this spring.

Mya has been growing like a weed too! She says SO many words--copies almost everything you say however she struggles to say 2 words in a row. She has definately grown into her own personality --sassy already at 18 months! She loves bath time however has also decided that the tub is a toilet...so we''re working on using the real potty. She tells me when she has to go (occassionally) and has used it once; Saturday June 6th :) Now we need to get her a toddler potty to use more regularily. On June 7th we had a 1 1/2 birthday for Mya at Ant''s. She had a ball playing outside with her cousins and eating lots of food. Another new favorite thing for her to do is to dump out liquids on anything and everything...then play with it! She loves lotion so I think she assumes its similar and can be used to rub her hands in. A few other favorite things to do lately are:

*Follow Brady--wake him up in the morning but giving him hugs!

*Read books

*Play in her toy corner with blocks

*Clean with mommy--she actually takes napkins, paper towels, anything and will follow me around wiping the TV, frames, tables, and floor off!

*Talking on the phone to daddy---anything and everything is a phone!

*Eating--she''s not very picky so everything goes in her mouth!

*Sitting in her rocking chair or new recliner (Thanks Daddy) reading books with her blanket, bottle and D (aka nuk)

Well, I hope all is well and I will try to be better at updating you on whats going on in the Olson household :)

Love always, Katie

I can''t believe it''s already March! Actually, I''m SUPER excited as we have a fun filled month! This coming Saturday Mya and I will be flying to Seattle for a week to see my brothers family--she finally gets to meet the rest of my family! And I will be able to attend a conference for work. We''ll stay a couple extra days to spend time with Jon, Cathy & the kids which I''m really looking forward to. And although Brady isn''t coming with, he is excited to have Grandma and Grandpa here with him, to himself, for the week. He keeps asking when we leave and if we can go sooner...perhaps that''s a sign! hahahha...Then, from March 28-April 4th, the kids and I will be going to Arizona to see my grandma again. It''ll be a much needed vacation for all of us.

Brady finished his 7th hockey season yesterday. Although I''m sad it''s over, it''ll be nice to have our weekends free again to go up north or do other activities. In addition, it''ll be nice to NOT have to smell the stinky pads (and boy :)) for awhile. They played really well in 3 games this weekend during districts but weren''t able to pull it off to continue playing. I''m sure next season will come soon enough.

Mya has been busier than ever...she is SO smart...it just amazes me! She knows what to do when asked things such as "put this in the garbage", "bring that to ______", "pick that up and bring it to mommy", etc. She even knows to get undressed and where to go when you ask her if she wants a bath! It is so fun to watch her! Oh, and she cleans! hahhaa...well, sort of. I give her rags and she will scrub the floor, tables, etc. Too cute :) In addition, she now has a full mouth of teeth which means she eats everything. Some of her new favorite foods include black olives, pizza, anything she can dip such as chips/salsa, craisins, and cuties. She is also starting to say more words like shirt, whats that/this, and bye. Her little personality is sure showing--fits and sincerity. She will throw herself on the floor when upset which is too cute but she also shows her affection when appropriate. She has wiped my face with kleenex, crinkles her nose up to make a sad face and sniffles, and gives hugs. Although it is sad, it truly melts my heart!

I hope you are all well. Remember to hold those close to you to tell them how much you love them everyday and enjoy every moment! Love you all, Katie

Happy Valentines Day! As you can see by the time between my entries, we''ve been very busy!

Brady has been busy with hockey--they finish with districts at the end of this month. They''ve been having fun as a team and continue to fight for their victories! Sure is fun to watch...except now with checking it makes me more nervous. In fact, the other night, a goalie from another team was injured. He laid flat on the ice for about 30 minutes before the paramedics removed him on a stretcher...they think he broke his neck. I stood there and couldn''t take my eyes off as I imagined how I''d handle that if it were Brady. This players mom seemed to be composed however I don''t think I''d be that patient & calm. It sure makes you rethink your decision as a parent in terms of what to allow your child can do. Then I came back to reality and realized that could happen anywhere, doing a number of activities. I must say I was more on edge during Brady''s game that night though!

Brady will be spending V-Day at his friend Christian''s sleepover birthday party. Mya and I will be going to Taylor''s Falls for dinner with my friend Beth. Pretty low key but should be nice.

Mya, our little tornado, is now into EVERYTHING! She walks and tries to run everywhere!!! She can''t wait to be "let out" into the hallway or outside...she absolutely loves and embraces being on her own...and very independent! She won''t let us feed her very often as she wants to do everything herself. Her food usually ends up in her hair, all over her clothes, and when she''s really done, it''s all over the floor as she thinks it''s fun to throw her food! We don''t have any boring moments anymore as we are constantly following her to pick up after her. She also has about 5 teeth coming in right now...there are eye teeth and mollars...she''s been a bit more fussy and has less of an appetite but overall pretty good. Her new words are:

BA (bath)
BYE
BAA (what does the sheep say)
MMMM (what does the cow say or for yummy!)
And my favorite, MOMMY or MAMA!!!!

At the library or book store, she will pick books out, bring them to other kids, or just throw them on the floor as Ant quickly learned the other day! I don''t think he could keep up with her!!! She also enjoys putting things into something and taking them out, over and over and over. She also takes after her big brother and loves to listen to music--on her own MP3 player! She knows where the earphones go and everything...she''s SO smart, it just amazes me! WE have to watch what we do now as she likes to copy everything! She is also blowing kisses, giving them for real when she chooses, and also loves to give hugs. She certainly is a cuddly baby girl!

I hope you are all doing well...we look forward to seeing many of you next month! Love to all, Katie

Happy New Year! We have been enjoying the winter weather the past few weeks! We (the 4 of us) celebrated Christmas here before heading up to my parents lake home. Ant worked so he was unable to join us. While at the lake we spent lots of time with family...I''m so happy that my grandma, aunt and her family from Colorado, sisters and their families, and my uncles family from Fargo were all able to spend it together--for the first time in many years! We sure had a good time!

I took Mya sledding for the 1st time, went snow-shoeing, ice skating on the lake, and watched movies. Brady kept busy following my cousin Ty around and playing with the boys outside.

The kids and I then started New Years Eve with my friend Emily and her family at SCSU Family Fun Night. Brady went skating and played on the big blow up toys while Mya and I watched. We then spent the night with Mary and her family. It was a very low key night but very nice to catch up! Now we are back to reality--work and school! Brady will also play in a hockey tournament in Blaine this weekend.

Mya''s new things are:

*Walking (3-10 steps) on her own!
*Feeding herself--Miss Independent!
*Yells "Jack" (my sisters family dog)
*Winks--both eyes!
*Blows kisses
*Rocks, hugs and kisses her babies, Bruno & Kate
*Plays in the toilet--thus we keep all bathroom doors now shut! :)
*Shakes her head NO when asked a question and she usually means it!

I hope you are all doing well and had a great holiday too. Love to all, Katie

Happy Holidays! Where does the time go? In the past 6 weeks, we have celebrated Thanksgiving, Brady''s return to hockey, Anthony''s birthday, Mya''s 1st birthday, and we are now preparing for Christmas!

Brady has been back on the ice for 2 weeks now and is enjoying getting to know the team! This past weekend, the kids and I went to Brainerd for his first hockey tournament of the year. They ended up taking 6th place--winning 1 and losing 2 games. During the down time, he enjoyed the water park at our hotel, walking around with teammates, and chasing the girls--although he still denies it! Whew, not sure that I''m ready for him to be a real PRE-TEEN! My mom and dad were also able to join us for the day Saturday to watch 2 of his games and then left to beat the huge blizzard! We were able to make it home okay yesterday too but it took a bit longer as we drove through blowing/drifting snow, ice/freezing rain, and rain! The kids did great in the car as I didn''t want to stop until we were home!

December 5th was Mya''s 1st birthday and we sure had a blast celebrating it! Friday (her actual birthday), Anthony and I took the day off to spend with her--we just hung out, ran some errands, did a little shopping, then ate out after we picked up Brady from school. Saturday we hung out all day with my parents and then celebrated by having a party at Edinborough in Edina. It is a huge indoor playland with a gym full of scooters, balls, hoops, and a blow up jumper! Mya had a princess cake to share and one for herself to dig into! And best of all, we were able to share her special day with family and friends. We also had her 1 year check up and she is doing great--she now weighs just over 21 lbs and is 30 inches tall :)

Mya has begun standing on her own but fusses when she realizes you''re not hanging on to her anymore--she is so close to walking on her own too! Anthony & Brady keep trying to get her to do it while I tend to just enjoy her needing me still! She loves to eat so anytime we are in the kitchen, she thinks she needs to be there too--and eating! hahaha...her new thing is to feed herself! She has also started copying everything you do so now she:

*Plays Brady''s recorder
*Claps whenever you clap, cheer or yell (as I found out at hockey!)
*Does Patty Cake motions as you sing the song
*Can bounce on her horse toy all alone
*Blows kisses
*Gives real hugs and kisses when asked
*Uses everything she can as a phone--and knows to talk on it! She has even called Daddy from my phone all by herself!
*Turns the channel with the remote in the morning when watching Disney with Daddy
*Drinks out of a straw and real cup
*Knows what a camera/video camera is and will say chz as soon as she sees it! She will also smile huge and start to crawl towards it :)

Of course she continues to talk non-stop however we don''t always know what she is saying! If there is something she wants, she will reach her arm towards it so she''s learning how to "ask" for things more and more!

We are looking forward to the holidays and I am looking forward to time off--2 weeks--to be with the kids! They grow and change so quickly that I can''t seem to get enough time to just enjoy them. We will be heading north for the holidays and will enjoy spending time with more family, sledding, relaxing, and creating more memories with the kids!

Be sure to check out the videos and pictures of the kids--they really are too cute! Have a safe and wonderful holiday season! Love to all, Katie

Happy Belated Halloween!

We celebrated Mya''s 1st Halloween with a Butterfly and Flavor Flav! Brady went trick-or-treating with his friend Jack while Mya and I delivered treats to the residents in our building. Since Mya can''t/shouldn''t have candy, I decided to reverse trick-or-treating this year! Mya, Ant and I also went for a walk to see the decorated houses--they block the street off and have a block party--so that was fun. The weather was great too! After getting Brady we had a fun dinner at Chatterbox playing Mario Bros on the Nintendo.

Brady''s wrist is healing well and he should be back on the ice by Thanksgiving! Just in time for his tournament in Brainerd the 12-14 of December! His school conference is tonight so hopefully it goes well! He is then off to Mahnomen to do some deer hunting.

Mya is continuing to grow and learn new things every day! This week she has been walking on her own with her push toy--I will try to get the video on here soon! She has also started shaking her head to say NO! Of course she smiles the whole time :) I think I may also have a little cheerleader as she LOVES to clap and cheer when she''s excited or when you say "yay"! Today she was reading with her babysitter Megan and decided that she should be holding the book and turning pages instead of Megan. Playing the copycat game has begun!

It''s so amazing to me to watch my kids grow up and learn! They never cease to surprise me or make me proud :)

Wow, where does the time go? We have had a busy, fun and exciting month!

Brady started October by breaking his left wrist playing football during recess. This means no hockey for awhile! We go back to the doctor next Friday so we''ll see what they say--hopefully he can skate at least so he''s ready for his first tournament December 12-14 in Brainerd! We also went to Jeff Corwin here at St Thomas. It was fun to see all of his reptiles--from a distance :) Brady enjoyed it too but didn''t dare volunteer to hold any of them! School is going fine for him although he''d rather just play with his friends.

The kids and I spent a weekend at my parents lake home while Ant had a guys weekend in Madison. We had a lot of fun even though it rained every day. We were able to visit and relax with my parents and Grandma! We also celebrated my mom and grandma''s birthday with ribs and DQ cake--YUMMY!

Mya has been changing SO much too! She is working on her 7th tooth, maybe 8th although I can''t tell yet. And you certainly don''t want to put your fingers in her mouth as she has razors and is NOT afraid to use them! hahaha...She is also busy crawling everywhere and is really fast! She often sits outside Brady''s bedroom or bathroom when he has the door shut and shouts "Bah, Bah" until he opens the door and lets her in! It truly is too cute! She still gets the most excited when he comes home from school! I guess the age gap isn''t so bad after all!

Eating is rather interesting with Mya. She loves to eat when you eat however doesn''t open her mouth until she sees what you are putting in it. Her favorites are baby food fruits, sweet potatoes, peas, chicken, noodles, and of course, she LOVES ice cream! We have found out that we can''t feed her eggs yet as she gets sick each time she eats them. She also loves eating cardboard, paper and her shoes although we try not to let her get it! At the grocery store, she broke open a can of Crescent rolls--yes, I did give it to her and shouldn''t have but it kept her busy as I tried to hurry--next time I''ll try something that can''t explode though!

Some of her favorite games are pat-a-cake, peek-a-boo, counting, and singing the ABC''s. Last weekend over MEA, the kids and I spent a day at the Como Zoo, shopping, went to the Apple Orchard, Tommie/Johnnie Football game, and Jaylens birthday party! It was a busy weekend but sure was fun :)

WEll, I hope you are all doing well and I will try to update more often! Take care--love to all,
Katie & family

Fall is here already! It''s amazing how fast time really does go by...Mya is now 9 months, has 5 teeth and another coming in, crawls faster than a snake, and can pull herself up! She is also eating more table foods, talking and giggling more, and can''t seem to get enough of her big brother Brady! He can just walk into the room and she''ll start smiling, laughing, and throwing her arms all around as she''s so excited to see him! It is so fun to see their interactions. Brady of course adores his little sister and can''t wait for her to wake up each morning or to give her a hug after school. He has been a tremendous help! He was so worried about her as he watched her get her ears pierced too! She did cry, really hard actually, for about 5-10 minutes but was fine after that and hasn''t had any issues with her ears since. They didn''t get infected, she doesn''t play with them, and she sleeps just fine on her side. Hopefully we''ll have less people asking how old "he" is!

Mya''s 9 month check up went well...she is now 19 lbs 13 oz and is 29 inches long. She had 2 shots that day and did great but had a very high fever that night so I spent most of the night up with her to make sure she broke her fever. She has also been fighting a cold but I think it''s finally going away after having it for over a week. I keep praying that she''ll also sleep through the night someday soon! She has been getting up about 1-2 times still although it''s not really due to her being hungry as it is for her to just come snuggle in bed with us...so I can''t really complain about that!

This past weekend Brady went bow hunting (deer) with his dad--he did get one however by the time they found it, it was already full of flies so he didn''t get to keep it. Maybe next time...We also got Mya''s 9 month pictures taken. They turned out adorable--we have a natural model on our hands! I will hopefully get them sent out in a couple of weeks.

Well, off to class! I hope you are all enjoying this beautiful weather. Take care, Katie

Wow! Where does the time go? I can''t believe summer is over already! Brady had a great time at the lake with my parents & grandma, grandma/grandpa Haider, in Montana, and at Sarah''s. He is now home--this time for more than 1 week :) He will begin school on Tuesday, September 2nd and will be in Ms Hammes 6th grade class. This is his last year at Groveland Park so he is now "top dog"! Hockey starts in October and will keep us busy again through March--hopefully Mya enjoys the cold arenas watching her big brother!

Mya has been doing really well and is growing like a weed! She now does the army crawl, says Mama and Dada, laughs alot, and is eating a lot of table foods with her 4 teeth! She will be 9 months already this next week which is hard to believe. Megan babysat her this summer and will continue to watch her this fall; we sure are grateful to have such a caring person to be with Mya!

This weekend, although it is a holiday, will again be a long, work weekend as we open the halls for residents. Classes start on Wednesday here at St Thomas so beginning yesterday, we will be working 10-12 hour days through Tuesday to get all students moved in. Hopefully sometime this fall we''ll be able to take a long weekend and go somewhere for a mini vacation!

I hope you are all doing well--we look forward to seeing you soon!
Katie & family

Happy 4th of July!

Mya, Anthony and I just returned from spending a week at my parents lake home on Straight Lake in Osage, MN. It was so much fun and relaxing to sleep in, be on the lake and visit with family! We also had my parents retirment party (they both retired in May) and 35th anniversary party on the 5th! What a celebration!!!!

Brady is still at the lake where he''ll be most of the summer...sure do miss him but I know he is having a blast!He had a great time at his hockey camp at UND too. He made some friends from Canada and scored a couple goals at his final scrimmage. I on the other hand cried as I left him--felt too much like dropping him off for college (not that I know what that''s like yet) but it was all too real for me and I''m certainly not ready for that day!

Mya has been doing great. She has been a wonderful traveler with me as I''ve been going up north every weekend since I brought Brady there on June 12th. It gets to be a lot of driving but she usually just sleeps!

She continues to get busier every day. She loves to walk, of course you have to hold her hands; sit up and play; listen to others conversations; play peek-a-boo with Great Grandma Betty; and the ABC''s! She''s been eating more veggies and fruits too which has helped make her more regular. She''s still teething too however we can''t see anything coming through yet. She just chews everything she can get her hands on so be careful, her 2 bottom teeth are like razors!

At the lake, she went on her first boat and bike ride--fell asleep on both-- and swam in her pool and in the lake! She sure loves the water :) She also enjoyed watching the fireworks whenever she wasn''t too busy listening to everyone else around her!!!

Mya has also become a mommy''s girl and cries until she sees me coming to get her--this usually only happens when she''s tired and/or hungry but it sure is cute as she reaches her arms out for me :)

Well, off for a walk to DQ, Mya is like me and LOVES ice cream, then to the grocery store.

''Til Soon,
Katie

Mya had her 6 month check up yesterday!! She got 2 more shots but will have to go back next week for 2 more as they didn''t have them in at the time. She did really well and only cried a little bit.

She now weighs 18 pounds, is 27 inches long, and is in the 90-95% for both areas :) Since she is having troubles going to the bathroom, we will no longer be feeding her cereal but will give her vegetables instead! So, today, she had her first veggie, sweet potatoes! She did like them, at least she didn''t gag on them like she did when I fed her prunes, but she didn''t eat much. Hopefully she''ll eat more so she gets full and will start sleeping through the night--at least I can keep hoping! The veggies should also help her get regular again, or so we hope!

You can see how big she is getting in the May/June photos! She is such a BIG girl and loves to sit up on her own...even in her stroller and shopping carts now!

We look forward to seeing you all soon :)

June already and yet you would never know given the weather we''ve had lately!

Mya has continued to grow like a weed! She has 2 bottom teeth and is working on more--just don''t know which one yet :) She has also been sitting up on her own now and loves to be in her new ExerSaucer (thanks Ava!) particularily now that she has a great view by the window! She is a very strong little girl and loves to know what is going on around her; yes, she is nosy as can be! We started her on rice cereal with bananas but it''s not her favorite, especially when I have to add prunes in it! She coos, giggles (especially when playing with Brady), and reaches for everything in sight. She has not slept through the night yet but is close...now she goes to bed around 10 p.m., wakes up at 4-430 a.m. to eat and then sleeps again until sometime between 6-9 a.m. She is definately a morning baby however if she''s cuddling with daddy, she''ll sleep in!

Brady finished 5th grade on Thursday! He is so excited to be in 6th grade, his final year at Groveland Park. Last night he attended the end of the year school dance and was already missing his friends. On Thursday, June 12, Mya and I will take him to the lake where he''ll spend his summer vacation. The UND hockey camp is June 22-28 and he gets to go to Billings with Grandma/Grandpa Haider in July so he''s got a busy and fun filled summer ahead!

I will try to get all of our new photos up soon...until then, take care!

Hello! So apparently the month went by too fast! Since the last time I wrote, Mya has grown so much!!! Thus, we have started giving her cereal (with bananas) in her bottle as she can''t seem to get enough to eat! She is now sitting up--almost on her own--and continues to get mad when she''s not sitting up! She also has a good grasp on things now, especially hair! She often will hold her nuk in her mouth as she chews on it and is learning how to hold her own bottle! Oh yes, she got her first tooth on the bottom!! :) It came through on Friday, April 25th! She still drools, chews and rubs but I''m guessing she has more teeth coming very soon (thanks Katy & Annie for the heads up)!

Mya is a very nosy girl as well...she always wants to see who is talking or making noise and won''t stop wiggling until she can! She talks a lot to us and giggles more and more every day! Brady is her favortite---she gets so excited to see him when he gets home from school by greeting him with smiles, giggles, and the "shakes" (she is so excited she can''t stop shaking her arms)!TOO CUTE!

Brady continues to be on safety patrol and has a parade on the 13th in downtown St Paul followed by a picnic at Como Zoo--yes, he''s very excited! He also can''t wait for hockey camp at UND, summer at the lake, a trip to Billings, and fishing trip! Only 1 month and he''ll be on a wonderful summer vacation!

We have had an eventful month--my nephew Marcus''s 1st communion, my Mom''s retirement party--her last day is TODAY!--and a trip to Fargo. May will prove to be a busy month as well with Mya''s Baptism, my Dad''s Retirement, and closing the hall (work)!

I hope you are all doing well,
Katie

Wow, where does the time go?! We celebrated Mya''s 1st Easter in Mahnomen with my parents and also at Anthony''s grandparents house with his family. Mya was cute as a button in her pink dress (thanks Ava) and her khaki coat! She did great on the trip and Brady was a super helper--feeding her when she got fussy in the car!

Then, on Sunday, March 30th, I took the kids to Arizona to see my grandma. Mya again was a perfect baby on her first plane ride without any fussing! The people sitting near us were very impressed although they were apprehensive when they saw they had to sit next to a baby. We spent the next 4 days with Grandma Betty, my oldest sister Beth, and cousin Kelsey. We were also able to see my great aunt Jo and uncle DeWayne, my aunt Mary Jo, and my cousin Jessica and her 2 kids, William and Jayden. The week flew by as we spent time swimming, playing mini golf, bocce ball and riding in the golf cart. Brady also went shopping with the girls while I stayed home with Mya to take a much needed nap! We missed Ant and he missed Mya, so I sent him pictures everyday showing him her new outfits! The flight back also went well, thankfully!

Mya continues to rub her head/face so the mits are still around. Some of her newest things to do are: grabbing things such as toys, blankets, and hair; chewing her fingers; putting her whole fist in her mouth; sitting or standing up at all times that she''s awake; chatting or should we say yelling :); giggling; smiling at anyone and everything; and looking towards any noise she hears! She is such a smart baby and is growing way too fast! Her 4 month check up was on Monday, April 7th. She now weighs 15.6 lbs and is 26 inches long! I can''t even believe how quickly they grow--I wish I could stop in time to enjoy these moments with her longer! She also had 4 shots despite her cold. She did great but was up all that night with a fever--still, she didn''t fuss! I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful baby girl!

I hope you are all doing well--I will try my best to be better about updates :)

Love, Katie

Happy Belated St Patrick''s Day! The kids and I celebrated St Patrick''s Day by going to the St Paul parade on Saturday with Kari. Little did I know that the parade was a walking parade...I kept waiting for the floats and candy however when they didn''t come after being there for an hour, we left. I was also freezing--I guess I didn''t dress warm enough for the forecast of 30 degrees! We did see one of Brady''s teammates family in the parade which was fun!

Mya is finally over her cold! She finished her medicine on Saturday and we went to see Dr. Hocks yesterday to make sure her ears were cleared up; thankfully they are! We also had her weighed and she is now 15.5 lbs!!!! WHEW, almost double her birth weight already!

She has been keeping us all entertained by cooing, laughing--yes, she actually has a little giggle that is very contagious, and grabbing things. Her fist is typically in her mouth but I don''t see any teeth coming yet. She is also sleeping better at night, for the most part! However, we still can''t figure out why she rubs her face and head so much. Dr. Hocks didn''t know either. We have been making sure to put lotion on so her skin doesn''t get dry but she just doesn''t stop rubbing. In fact, I had her swaddled last night and by the time she woke me up again, she had released her little arms from the blanket and was busy rubbing her face. If any of you know what could be causing this, I''d love to hear it!

Brady had a hockey clinic 2 nights last week for checking. Yes, the time is here where he is moving up to Peewees and he will be allowed to check people. Of course I am very nervous for this new aspect of hockey, especially after watching the gopher''s player get checked the other night (he has a broken nose, fractured skull, had bleeding on his brain, need I say more?)! I always knew it could be a dangerous sport but now it''s becoming all too real! I must say however, that after not having practice or games for 2 weeks now, I do miss it. In fact, the team Brady played on this year will be getting together again in May/June for a pool party! It will be fun to see everyone again and for them to see their "team baby" as they called Mya!

Brady also went to his first lacrosse game---he was invited by a hockey teammate, Danny Ryan, to see the Swarm play against Chicago. He had a great time and wants to go again soon!

I hope you all have a wonderful Easter weekend!
Katie

I can''t believe it''s already March! Mya is now 3 months which boggles my mind...where did the time go?! I had Mya to the doctor yet again. She had been rubbing her head so much she is getting 2 small bald spots (one on each side of her head). Turns out she has fluid in her left ear which would explain why she had been rubbing so much as well as why she''s still had her cold. She is now on meds so hopefully they help soon! Brady too has been to the doctor for a few reasons and we''ll be going back again soon but I''m hoping they both are better and we can stay away for awhile...although I do like Dr. Hocks!

We had an exciting weekend last week. Brady''s hockey team closed the season with a tournament at Faribault. We (team) all stayed at the Holiday Inn in Owatonna where they have a small indoor water park. The boys had a great time swimming between games! They also played well enough to make it to the championship game! Friday''s game was won in the last 56 seconds of overtime, Saturday they won 6-1, and Sunday we lost to Ames Iowa in a close game, 0-1. So even though they didn''t take 1st place, we were proud of how well they did play! Saturday night the team had a banquet of sorts too at the hotel which really made the weekend. The coaches were given gifts of appreciation from the parents and the boys told of their highlights from the season. They also did impersonations of the coaches which was hilarious and we had some pizza. The parents hung out by the pool, visited and had a few cocktails which made the weekend fun as well!

Mya has been doing well with me back at work...she gets more 1-1 time with daddy and seems to like all of her sitters. Mitch is now done babysitting so Megan Miller another RA will start next week. She''s super excited and has been over a few times to see Mya. I of course miss being home but am lucky to be able to go home at least once a day to see her.

Make sure to check out the video of Mya talking--yes, she is trying to be a BIG girl yet again by cooing all of the time and always wanting to sit up! Her facial expressions are also very fun to see as she has so many!

TGIF!!

I went back to work on Wednesday and it''s been going well. However, I sure do miss my time at home with Mya!!! My maternity leave went extremely fast...I feel as though I should have a longer leave! One of the benefits of living where you work however is being able to come home and see her whenever I need!I had a very difficult time Tuesday night/Wednesday morning--Brady told me to just quit crying. He informed me that I''m lucky because I''ve been able to spend time with her when he and Anthony had to go back to school/work right away! He also told me I should just work an hour, come home for 20 minutes! I do like that idea although I''m not sure that it''d work so well! Mya has done a great job with the babysitters although I think she''s a bit mad at me each time I come home and she doesn''t smile! hahaha...

Brady started the week of well as he attended a friends birthday party at Water Park of America (yes, he loved it!) but has had a bit of a tough week...he hasn''t been feeling too well (cough, stomach ache) and ended up coming home yesterday due to chest pains when he was breathing. I took him in to the doctor and he doesn''t have pneumonia or anything but the doctor didn''t like the sound of his cough so he did prescribe the Z-Pack. Hopefully he''ll be 100% soon! Brady''s hockey team also lost on Tuesday night in a close game--overtime actually! They are now done with the season with the exception of an upcoming scrimmage and tournament in Faribault next weekend.

I have also posted some new videos of the kids playing and pictures of Mya in her new jeans!!! :)

Well, off to work. Have a great Friday :)
Love, Katie

Happy Early Valentines Day!

Mya still can''t get rid of her cold--she has been congested at night however it''s not right in her nose so there''s not much I can do to help her! However, she has actually been sleeping really well...even in her bassinet! Last night she slept almost all night with the exception of one feeding, but her moving around and making noises wake me up which I don''t mind!

This past weekend was pretty quiet but we spent Sunday with Ant''s family for Mia''s birthday and then brought Mya to meet Scott''s mom and dad, Gloria and Paul. Mya was extremely good and Brady enjoyed playing with the dogs--6 total!!!! WOW :)

Mya and I have been enjoying time reading too. I brought her to her first storytime at the library yesterday. She was sleeping when we arrived but I was able to wake her up and she just looked around at everyone, cooed and smiled at the books! Tomorrow we are going to go to storytime at Barnes & Noble...hopefully it lasts longer than 10 minutes! hahaha...Other new happenings:

~We did Mya''s hand & foot prints
~Mya likes to try standing and taking small steps with the help of Brady
~She also loves trying to sit up on her own
~Since we bought a Baby Bjorn carrier, she''s helped mommy cook, clean, do laundry, and eats at the dinner table with us
~Mya also enjoys her swing more now along with her jungle gym and other toys

Brady has been busy with hockey and will be playing in the District Festival (playoffs/tournament) this weekend. He will also be going to his friend Christian''s birthday party at the Water Park of America! He can hardly wait!!! It''s an overnight party on Sunday since they have Monday off of school. I''m sure he''ll be ready for bed early Monday :)

I will be going back to work next Wednesday and am having a hard time with leaving Mya--if you have any suggestions to make it easier, let me know!!!

Well, we are off to go window shopping at Ridgedale--until next time! Love, Katie

We had a weekend of "firsts"! (if that''s even a word!) Friday night, Mya met Grandma Nanny (Emily''s grandma) and we had a great time playing with their family. They also brought Brady & Mya great Christmas gifts and a birthday gift for Brady---which they love of course! Brady also had a friend spend the night so he was busy playing!

Saturday, Brady went with his dad for the night so Mya and I went to Em''s house. I had my first night out with Em while Jeff stayed home with Mya! She did a great job--snuggled up next to him and slept the whole time! Thanks Geray''s!

Sunday was Mya''s first Super Bowl! The 4 of us hung out at home to watch the game. Ant and Brady were both cheering for the Giants so they were thrilled to see them win! We also had a couple visitors--Colleen and Kristen. Colleen works with me at ST Thomas and Kristen was our babysitter while I finished my Masters a few years ago. Kristen''s dad is also Dr. Hocks---love the family!

Monday, we had to bring Mya in for her 2 month chechup. She had 3 shots and had to swallow another vaccination which she did not like! She cried for a minute or two but was fine the rest of the day! In fact, she slept almost all day! She has also continued to grow like a weed! She has gained another 2 lbs putting her at 13.5 lbs and has grown to 24 inches!!! Thus, she is still in the 97% in these two categories!!! Her head is growing fine too but is in the 75%. Her cold is getting better but she still has some congestion. Hopefully by the end of the week we''ll both be feeling better!

Mya has also been sleeping better!!! Last night she slept for over 4 hours straight!!! I couldn''t believe it...we went to bed at 12:30 and when she woke up to eat, it was after 5 a.m.!!! YAY!!!! I hope this trend continues--I''m sure Ant & Brady do too! :)

Good Morning!

I can''t believe it''s already February and my maternity leave is nearing the end :( I love my job but am having an extremely hard time imagining not spending 24 hours/day with Mya! I do have wonderful sitters though so that eases my mind a bit!

This past weekend, we celebrated Brady''s 11th birthday! My mom came for the weekend which was great! We hung out, ate good food, saw the Bucket List, and did a little shopping. On Sunday we had a birthday party at our place with Ant''s family and the boys (Marcus & Luke). It was fun to see everyone although we definately need more space for hosting! We also spent a lot of time at his hockey tournament in Circle Pines. Friday night his team won 9-1, Saturday they won 4-1 and so for the Championship game on Sunday, Brady said his teammates were super excited and confident. Brady on the other hand was scared and nervous. He stated that you can''t forget that the game isn''t over so you have to stay focused! That is exactly what he did! Brady had the best game ever!!!! They played Edina who proved to be a tough team from the beginning of the game. They scored immediately and I thought the game was going to be long for our Capitals. Then Brady had a breakaway--scoring the first goal for his team!!! By the third period, Brady was the only one to score for his team...but not just one goal, 4 goals!!! He had some great help from teammates but was able to get the puck in the net! The game was very intense throughout each period as it was always a tied game or within 1 point. Marcus couldn''t understand why grandma was having a tizzy...and then crying each time Brady scored!!! Brady''s team pulled it off in the last few minutes, winning 1st place--6-5!!!! What a great birthday gift :) Mya attended the games too and looked around as she heard the yelling and whistles!

Unfortunately this week, Mya got her first cold and is still trying to get rid of it...I too have a cold so the two of us have been resting a lot during the day trying to get rid of it! She''s usually okay during the day but at night has a hard time breathing since she''s so congested. Hopefully it goes away soon so she can sleep better and be able to breath while eating! I never imagined I''d use the nasal aspirator as much as I''ve used it this week! Poor little girl...

I hope this finds you well and warm in this chilly winter weather!

Katie

Wow, it has been SO chilly...I guess this is what January is supposed to be~ perhaps we need to move somewhere warmer! :)

Mya has been doing great! She has been sleeping 3 hours at a time during the night--mostly because we let her sleep with us! I love the extra cuddling time so breaking the habit when the time comes doesn''t worry me...she''s only this little once! Especially after seeing her pictures this week (7 weeks old now) compared to her newborn pictures, it makes me realize how fast the time goes by. It''s so important to cherish every minute! She continues to amaze us as she lifts her head on her own and likes to look around, pushes herself off of us or off of the couch when laying on her stomach, and the other day, as she was laying on her side, she pushed herself and almost rolled over! She also likes to try to stand as you hold her and sit up (against pillows of course)!

We have finally established a schedule too for napping, eating, and of course, fussy time! Unfortunately, the fussy time is between 9-10 p.m. when I''m ready for bed...however she is still a very good baby the other 23 hours/day so I can''t complain too much! Her smiles and belly giggles--no sound really yet but she does jiggle her belly--continue to make me smile with her!

We have had a lot of fun lunches, walks at the Mall of America--she''s a great shopper for mommy--hockey practices and games, and now photo shoots! On Tuesday the 22nd we took family pictures at Flash Photography. Mya and Brady were wonderful as they posed and smiled for the camera. Then on Wednesday the 23rd, I took Mya to my friend Dana''s to have pictures taken (posted on the website) and she did a fabulous job! I''m so grateful to have such talented friends!

Brady is doing a great job being a big brother! He''s been busy with school aka science projects and hockey! He also just purchased an electric guitar which made him ecstatic! He informed me that after he learns how to play it, he''ll start small by playing at programs here in Selby, then before bands on campus (fall and spring concerts), then off campus opening for larger bands, and eventually he''ll be the star! He stated that when he''s making tons of money and buys me a house that I''ll be thanking him for buying it! I hope he''s right...especially since I''ll have to go through the "growing pains" to get there! hahaha...As for hockey, his team is doing really well--winning and losing some--and he seems to enjoy his teammates/coaches. Prior to a game the other night, he asked if I would buy him animal crackers if he scored! Of course he scored :)

This coming weekend we''ll be busy with his hockey tournament in Circle Pines and celebrating his 11th birthday! Where did the time go?!

I hope this finds you all well---we always enjoy company so let us know if you''re in the area!

Love, Katie

Mya had her 1 month check up today with Dr Hocks and has definately grown! We knew she had grown but didn''t realize just how much until today! She is now 11.4 lbs (up over 3 lbs!)!!! She has also grown 1.5 inches so she is currently 22.5 inches long!! :) In both areas, she is in the 97 percentile. Her head is still smaller--measuring in the 75 percentile. Everything else looks great and she is healthy as can be! Even her baby acne is finally starting to clear up. She had 1 shot today which she did NOT like at all! Luckily Daddy was holding her to try to calm her as her entire body clenched up and she cried real tears for the first time! Anthony and I are both dreading the next doctor visit when she''ll have 4 shots! Mya is also busy trying to be a BIG girl by holding her head up on her own for longer periods of time and by pushing herself up when on her tummy or away from your body when holding her.

This past weekend, Brady played in a hockey tournament at Highland. His team won 1 of 3 games but had fun anyways. We also spent a night at a hotel in Bloomington to visit with my friends from college--Brook (Alaska) with her 2 year old daughter Donna and 3 month old son Deegan, Mary with her husband Aaron and their 2 year old twins Vincent & Ella, and DD (SD). It was great to see everyone again although it is definately challenging to truly visit when chasing after toddlers and nursing!

I hope you are all enjoying the beautiful weather we are fortunate to have this January!

Katie

Happy New Year!

It amazes me how quickly the holidays go by! We had a busy break as we celebrated Christmas several times--as a family of 4 here in St Paul, with Anthony''s family on Saturday prior to Christmas, on Chrismas Eve in Mahnomen with a visit from Santa Claus and Mya''s first time to church (what a beautiful service too!), and on Christmas Day in Mahnomen with my family!!! In addition to celebrating Mya''s first Christmas, she also had her first bath in Mahnomen!!! She was a bit unsure of the water at first but she has come to really love it! She doesn''t quite relax in it yet but it''s fun to watch her expressions as we wash her with the warm, soapy water! Her arms and legs tend to flinch every now and then too which gives us the giggles!

Mya does extremely well in the car--even up to Mahnomen--her first long road trip (4.5 hours) went better than expected! We actually didn''t even have to stop for her as she ate in her car seat and slept the rest of the way! No crying, in fact she hardly even made a peep :) We went up on Sunday, December 23rd. Anthony had to come back to the cities to work on Tuesday unfortunately; while Brady, Mya and I stayed until Friday with Sarah and her kids. During our stay, my grandma Nana (my mom''s mom) and my aunt Genine came to visit us and meet Mya for the first time! She sure is lucky to have so many grandparents--5 grandma''s and 3 grandpa''s to be exact! The trip home also went well and daddy was anxiously waiting to see her again! 3 days was a bit too long to be away :) Brady too was anxious to get home to play his new guitar hero! I also think he was excited to be home with his baby sister after spending some time with his dad!

Unfortunately, it seems that we can''t get through a holiday without getting sick so Brady and I fought the flu as did my mom and sister''s family. I think we should be good now for the year, at least I hope! Mya seems to be okay and didn''t get fussy or spit up a lot so I think the little bug missed her!

New Years Eve was relaxing! My parents came to visit during the afternoon and took Brady to Sarah''s house in Jordan to play with the boys. It was sure cute to see Brady say goodbye to Mya before leaving--he picked her up to hug her and as he looked at her, he said "Hi baby sister, I love you so much"! Then kissed her head and was ready to go :) Ant, Mya and I spent time at his sister Taryn''s house and went to dinner. Ant was right--he didn''t think I''d make it to midnight and by 11 p.m., I was sleeping! However, since we were at Taryn''s, I had to get up to come home so I didn''t actually miss the ball dropping! New Year''s Day we went to Ant''s aunt Debbie''s house in Minneapolis. Again, Mya was able to meet some more family members as she was passed around!

With all of the hustle and bustle of the holidays, Brady missed hockey but will get back in the swing of things starting today with practice and a hockey tournament this weekend!

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and have a blessed 2008!

Katie

Happy Monday!

This past weekend, Mya met her Papa and Grandma Toots for the first time! Mya also attended her first birthday party--for cousin Ava--at Chuck E Cheese in Burnsville! I kept her extremely covered as we entered the germ fest by keeping her in her sling rider! She was extremely good and didn''t fuss at all, in fact she slept through most of it! In addition, she made her first trip to the mall...I''m sure she''ll be a great shopping partner for me when she''s a bit older!

Sunday was a busy day as Brady had Sunday School, his Sunday School Christmas Program, and a hockey game. The program went really well and it was fun to see all of the kids celebrate Jesus''s birthday. Brady''s team lost unfortunately but they did a great job and played a very quick paced game! It was definately enjoyable! Mya did not join us--instead, she spent the afternoon with daddy at home. Ant''s aunt Debbie and cousin Samuel stopped by to see her as well :)

Today, Mya went with me to the Campus & Residence Life luncheon for the student staff. She met all of mommy''s co-workers and a lot of the students!

Although she''s been very busy and is up more each day, she still thinks that 4 a.m. is a time to be up and alert! She sleeps up to 3 hours at a time however it''s usually followed by 1.5-3 hours of being up, eating, and changing dirty diapers. Thus, sleep has been very limited here for Mya and myself; or maybe just for me!

This week we will be busy with hockey practice today, Tuesday and Wednesday; and a Christmas party with my co-workers on Thursday. We also look forward to celebrating our first Christmas as a family of 4 here at our home before celebrating with Ant''s family and heading north to be with my family.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday Season!

Katie

Greetings!

Tonight, Mya had her first, real outing to watch/listen to her big brother Brady at his winter music concert!!! Mya and Brady were both GREAT!!! The concert went really well--of course I kept her as covered as possible to try to keep her safe from all of the germs! Brady''s classmates (the girls anyway), couldn''t get enough of her either! They must have come to see her throughout the 1.5 hours we were there at least 5 times...too cute!

This weekend she will get to meet Grandma and Grandpa Olson :) In addition, the kids will get to enjoy cousin Ava''s 2nd birthday party, Brady''s Sunday School program, and Brady''s hockey game! Well, Mya may make it to some of it although will most likely hang out with daddy on Sunday watching football to keep her out of the chilly December weather!

Thanks to all of you that have sent your best wishes--we look forward to sharing Mya with all of you soon!

WELCOME Mya Marie!

Mya was born at 8:32 a.m. on Wednesday, December 5th 2007. She weighed 8 lbs 4 oz and was 21 inches long.

The C-Section went well...we (my sister Beth, Brady, Anthony and I) checked in at 6 a.m. to get all of the paper work completed and by 7:30 a.m. I was getting an IV, had blood drawn and was in pre-op. By 8 a.m. I was in getting the spinal block, Beth and Brady had gone to get breakfast, and Ant had to wait in the recovery room. Ant wasn''t able to be in the room with me until after the spinal block was complete so I was extremely nervous! By 8:15 a.m. Ant joined me and they started the surgery. Ant even stood up to watch as Mya was born...I couldn''t believe it! And he DIDN''T pass out! hahaha...His first comment was "She has really dark hair but she''s so white"! I was able to peek at her but couldn''t hold her until we were in the recovery room. Anthony joined Mya in the nursery while they finished cleaning up and stiching my incision. They both joined me in the recovery room as did Beth & Brady. Around 11 a.m. we were brought back to our room where we spent the next 4 days. We were released from the hospital on Saturday, December 8th around 12:30 p.m. Mya''s weight at discharge was 7 lbs 12 oz.

Mya has been a wonderful baby! She rarely cries and eats well! She also sleeps a good 3 hours at a time which is fabulous for Ant & I! She does have a little jaundice so we are watching it closely. Her check up appointment today went well...her weight was back up to 8 lbs which amazed her pediatrician (Dr. Hocks)! He stated that he doesn''t expect babies weight to be back to birth weight until they are closer to 2 weeks old~ apparently Mya is eating plenty! :)

Brady is a wonderful BIG brother! He always wants to hold her, kiss her, and today he even helped feed her before he went to school! We are so fortunate to have such a great helper!!!

WE will be adding photos soon and will continue to update you as Mya grows!

Thanks to all of you that were able to visit, the phone calls, gifts, and prayers! We really are blessed!

Love, Katie

Greetings!

Winter is definately here! I think this is the first time in months that I''ve actually been cold--so you know it must be cold! :)

I had my final doctor appointment today! Everything looks good and Dr. Percy estimates the baby to currently be 7.5-8 lbs however also stated she may have underestimated based on Brady''s birth weight. I guess we''ll know in 8 days! WHEW...I can''t believe that the next time I go in, it will be to have the baby! The heart rate was again a steady 140 beats/minute.

Saturday night was a bit exciting. My friend Beth was here with me and we had been out shopping when I started to have some contractions. It was rather entertaining to see her reactions and then Anthony''s as they continued for a few hours!

Brady had a busy day Sunday with hockey. They had a game on Sunday morning against South St Paul and lost 5-2. They played again Sunday evening against West St Paul (his old team from our 1st year in the cities) and beat them :) This week is less hectic however on Wednesday night we''ll be volunteering at the Wild Game to fulfill some of our 10 hour volunteer requirement. This is always a fun event as we sell programs for the first period of the game and then get to watch the remainder of the game--for free! December will prove to be a much different story as Brady will have hockey practice or a game almost every day!

Last night Brady asked what he should do when the baby comes. I asked him what he meant by that and he stated that he didn''t know if he should just hold the baby or play with the baby when it arrived. He also said he know''s he doesn''t want to burp it because then it''ll puke, pee, poop, and get the hiccups. It amazes me how he is already thinking about the responsibilities that comes with having a baby!

Well, off to get Brady then a program I''m putting on for my residents!

Love always, Katie

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you all enjoyed your turkey dinners! Ant and I spent T-Day with his family in Rosemount at his grandparents home. I was also able see my dad as he was in the cities for the Waubun Football team Championship game! I did go to the game today and the Bombers lost but put up a good fight against a strong team! However, the Mahnomen Indians state record of winning 4 state championships in a row is now defeated by Stephen Argyle and their record of 5 in a row.

Brady left on Tuesday night (no school T-F) to go with his dad for the holiday. I had his school conference prior to him leaving and it went very well. His teacher really enjoys having Brady in class and Brady really enjoys his teacher so for the first time in 5.5 years, Brady''s actually okay with going to school! YAY!!! He''s been having a blast out at the lake this week shooting his new bow (gift from his dad) and playing with his dog! I on the other hand, have been trying to prepare for Christmas and packed the baby''s bag for the hospital to fill my time as I''m getting very antsy and miss having Brady around.

Brady''s team lost their game on Saturday against Forest Lake but came back to win their 3rd game on Monday night against Irondale. Brady even scored!!! It was a fun game to watch! Following the game, we went to have our pictures taken--something I never thought I''d do when I was 9 months pregnant! Brady and Ant were good sports about it too! I posted 1 picture but as soon as I get the disk with all of the originals (February), I will post them. My favorites are of Brady hugging my belly, and seeing his braces; and of Ant and I with our hands on my belly!

Today Ant and I went shopping at 5 a.m. Again, something I never thought I would do! It was a bit chaotic and I''m not so sure it was worth it! We did get some Christmas shopping done however not as much as I wanted. I must say it is interesting to watch people though...I never knew how important materialistic items are for some! My arms were always extended in front of me protecting my stomach as I never knew when a cart or person was going to come at me!

So I have decided to write a book on Proper Comment Etiquette! Late on Wednesday night, I decided to make pumpkin bars to bring for Thanksgiving. Little did I know, hundreds other people were still in need of their turkey dinner fixings. As I was walking down the isle with my 4 items in my basket, an older male employee walked by me and stated "Looks like you have your own Butterball". Initially I didn''t know who he was talking too as there were several others around and I didn''t have a turkey in my basket. Then it hit me, he was talking about my belly. He then stated "you must be due soon". I replied by saying yes, in 2 weeks. He continued to have a conversation with me as we walked down the isle in opposite directions yelling that his co-worker thought he was going to have a baby next week but already had it. I guess I look as though I''m ready to "POP"! Yes, another comment that people have told me recently! I really need to come up with some responses however I''m always so taken back by these comments that I either laugh it off, get a bit angry, or want to just cry! I guess some just don''t know what is appropriate and what is not okay to say to a woman, especially an emotional pregnant woman! :)

I hope this holiday season finds you all well and I look forward to seeing many of you soon!

Love always, Katie

Greetings! I can''t believe we only have 18 days until we meet our new baby!!!

I had my 37 week check up yesterday and all went really well. I saw a new doctor (Dr. Percy) as my doctor is booked and on vacation for the next couple of weeks but it all went well. I have been feeling nauseous again, very swollen--to the point of my fingers being red and knuckles white as a sheet, and have severe heartburn. Dr. Percy said it''s all normal and that it''s because it''s getting close. She did give me a prescription for the heartburn so hopefully that will help! You also gotta love it when the doctor says "oh yeah, look at your poor legs" or should I say, Wow, your legs really are swollen! hehehe...hence the reason I should only wear pants in public to hide the kankles!!! Dr. Percy also estimates that the baby weighs 6.5-7 lbs at this point. However, after she asked how big Brady was, she thought maybe the baby was hiding and is actually bigger--I guess we''ll have to wait and see how big Kanootz (the baby''s nickname given by co-workers, Kari & Onar) really is! The baby is definately active these days and even had the hiccups! Kari was able to witness and feel the little bumps this made in my stomach so we both got a good chuckle out of it!

I was in Rochester this past week for a conference so Brady and Anthony held the fort down. Ant''s brother Quinn picked Brady up from school and stayed with him until Ant got home. Then Sam, our Hall Chaplain, would bring Brady to school in the mornings for us. I guess it takes 3 men to take care of 1 child when it only takes 1 woman to do the same!!! hehehe...just kidding! :) I am very grateful to have the support and help to be able to continue my professional development!!

Brady''s hockey season is getting to be very busy! He has his 2nd game today in Forest Lake and another game on Monday in Blaine. They won their 1st game--yes, Brady scored :)--last Sunday against Edgecumbe!!! It''s so fun to watch the games--I don''t know who gets more nervous, Brady or I! December is going to be a full month of games and practices so hopefully Kanootz is a good baby and likes hockey! :)

Well, off to clean--that''s one thing Brady & Ant didn''t do while I was gone! I hope you are all doing well and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Love always, Katie