Wow!

It is getting harder and harder to find time to update the blog. I can't believe almost 3 months passed without a posting. Not good!
With the kids in school I thought I would have more time but that extra time has translated into more time in the car and grocery shopping without the boys! It has its pros and cons.
Now that Christmas is a week away, we have been trying to make the most of the snow-less season. Last weekend we went to RJ Grunts and saw the Lincoln Park Zoo Lights. Jack was afraid to go because we once we came back from the Zoo lights with the flu. Luckily we have all been very healthy this year.  It is a blessing since there is usually bronchitis, croup, flu and head colds circulating the house for three months.

Matt falls asleep before we get to RJ Grunts

Matt and Jack at Zoo Lights

Riding the Carousel

I bought the loudest color so I could always spot Matt.

Jack as a cow in his Sunday school play

Walking with neighbors

Drinking hot chocolate

We also got together with our neighbors to take a nice stroll around the neighborhood to see Christmas decorations. With mostly wired first graders and Matt in tow, the walk turned out to be a game for the kids. I am still not sure what the object was, but the kids were cookies that Santa wanted to eat. Every time they saw a Santa, the kids ran and screamed. Our walk turned into a 2 mile jog. We then had hot chocolate and cookies at a neighbor's house and ended the night with a play that the kids wrote and directed.

Getting to Know Our Local ERs

On Thursday Matt's breathing seemed a little fast. He had a cold so I thought maybe it was just hard for him to breath through his mouth. He was eating, playing and acting fine but I felt something was not right.

After a trip to CVS and then Urgent Care, we ended up in the ER at Christ Hospital. Matt's heart rate was about 130, he was having trouble breathing and tests showed his oxygen levels were low. One would not guess this by looking at him. He ran right into the ER and jumped up on the counter as I checked in.

Christ was wonderful and took him right away. Matt received a series of breathing treatments over the next 8 hours. In the end, the doctors think he may have allergies. Matt's cold was probably not a cold but a sign that he was allergic to something. For the next month he will have to do a breathing treatment three times a day. When I told him this he got mad and said "Ugh, for a month? That will take years!"

I think we will have to upgrade Matt's toddler bed to a hospital bed. He is enjoying it a little too much.

Goodbye Curls

In early June Matt's hair turned curly. The wild curls matched his untamed personality. Terry and I loved it but with school approaching, it was time for a hair cut. Matt loves getting his hair cut and sat so patiently in the chair. It even made him a little tired. Afterwards, we went grocery shopping and he sat quietly in the cart, looking cute. 

Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday to our 6 year old little boy!

Old Videos

Instead of being a responsible parent and putting the kids to bed on time, the boys and I spent an hour watching old videos. I am so happy to have these because there is so much I have forgotten.
It was funny to see that Matt's wild personality existed even at a few months old. He loved loud noises and hitting things even at the innocent age of 6 months old. His little baby laugh was just as devilish then as it is today.
Jack, on the other end of the spectrum, was very calm and gentile with baby Matt. There are videos of him burping Matt or helping him crawl or just playing together. There are also great videos of Jack singing or telling elaborate stories.  I really don't remember these moments so I am so glad to have them recorded. I will post a few videos over the next couple of days.


May 2008



May 2008



May 2008




June 6, 2008



March 2009

Making Pizza...With the Kiddos

Jack and Matt make pizza by adding sauce and sausage

Next they add the cheese. A little for the pizza, a little for their mouths.

Now for the clean up. No broom required.

Looks good!

A little video of the crazy pizza making...

Audrey Grace Ewald

My blogging has not been very good lately. My goal is to keep this up for as long as possible and hopefully have a wonderful keepsake of the boys' childhood. Life is flying by right now but I really do not have a very good excuse.  I am really appalled at myself for not capturing the arrival of my first niece, Audrey Grace!
Audrey was born April 7. As soon as I heard the news, I knew I had to see her. Matt, my mom and I drove to Milwaukee early the next morning and got to hold her and congratulate Griffin and Kathleen. It was so wonderful. Audrey is as cute as can be and such a treat to have in our lives. I was especially taken back by how excited my boys were to meet her - Terry included! I just know that Matt and Jack will always protect her and treat her well. Matt keeps asking when will she talk and why can't she walk. It may be a while but it will be worth the wait!

Family picture!

Poor Matt needs attention too

My first time holding Audrey

Uncle Ricky and Uncle Griffin take Matt to lunch

Great Grandma Audrey holding Audrey Grace

Matt's first time holding Audrey. He is so excited. I am terrified.

Hide n' Seek

Matt and I were playing hide and seek the other day. I was just wrapping up on the phone so I may have taken a little longer than Matt anticipated. I snuck into the family room, lifted up the pillow and found this...

After about an hour, Matt woke up...

Poor guy. He REALLY needed it though.

While I Make Dinner..

I listened to Matt play for a long time before I got out the camera. He never saw me which tells me how focused he was on his "race". A while after I shot the video, he ran into the kitchen. I asked him if he had fun playing and he immediately said yes! Then, as he ran away, he said "When? At the Montessori?" and he was gone.
Now the boys are wrestling - with their shirts off of course. Life as a boy is good!

Jack Learns to Ride

After a few hours of hard work, Terry taught Jack to ride his bike without training wheels. Jack never wanted to give up and was determined to learn today. He listened well and kept saying "okay" when we gave him direction or coached him.

Little Helper

Matt patiently made soda bread with me on Saturday. He carefully poured in each ingredient but really loved mixing it all together.

A Good Start

Jack and Matt have been coloring for the past hour. They are quiet, sharing and really working hard on their masterpieces. It has been a good start to the day.

Happy Valentine's Day

Matt and I celebrated Valentine's Day with Jack and his class. Jack seemed very happy Matt was there and all of the kids were so nice. It made for a very fun afternoon.

We Found the Boot!

As of 3:00 today, Matt found his missing boot. It was about 15 feet from where he told me to look and about 25 feet from where I discovered Matt running around in his sock. The three of us has a little celebration.

Snow Tunnels and Obstacle Courses

Matt and Jack were trying to replicate Winter Wipeout. If you have ever seen the show Wipeout, Winter Wipeout it is the winter version with horribly dangerous obstacles with people from the sides throwing snowballs and ice water at you. Terry's course did not live up to Matt and Jack's expectations as they wanted more thrill and death-defying obstacles. The dealt with sledding and snow mounds.
Later we built a tunnel. It was very weird to be inside this tunnel and not be able to hear anything on the outside. It was totally sound proof and probably something that should not be built for a 3 and 5 year old.

Snow Days!

Matt and Jack experienced their very first blizzard that came with two days off of school. I don't think they ever imagined so much snow.

Matt was in love with the huge snow mounds. His eyes were popping out of his head as he thought of every dangerous activity he could do in this snow.

Jack loved climbing over the bushes or looking over our 6 foot privacy fence just by standing on the snow. Neighborhood friends joined the boys in the action building forts and just running wild.

The week was fun but I have to say, I am looking forward to some normalcy again. Constantly calculating the best route to the hospital is a little exhausting.