Timber!

The boys and I are home alone again this weekend - Adam is at the farm trying to get another deer. They must know I'm the only one here, because last night Nolan went to bed at 6:25 and Kale went down at 7:10. The best part is Kale didn't wake up to eat until 4:45 this morning! Nolan started talking around 5:30, but he wasn't crying so I ignored it until he finally got up at 7. I felt surprisingly well rested today! Nolan again went down at 6:30 tonight, and Kale at the same time of 7:10. It's nice to be able to have some down time to get things done around the house!

Today was an eventful day. We woke up to several inches of very heavy snow that had fallen overnight. It was so heavy that it started taking out our 20 year old maple tree in our front yard, branch by branch! I was in Kale's room with the boys when we heard something crash in to the house. Nolan heard it, said "uh oh" and made a beeline for the kitchen to see what it was. I wasn't too concerned - I thought maybe a gutter had fallen off the house. When I finally went in to the kitchen to look out the window I saw a fairly large branch laying near the house. One by one other branches fell throughout the morning, until only half of the tree was left standing - and it did not appear to be very sturdy. Luckily my brothers-in-law were around this weekend, and they came over to help take care of the tree issue. I was really concerned with the weight of the snow that the largest section of the tree that hadn't fallen yet would tumble down on to the house, right on Nolan and Kale's bedrooms. It took about 4 hours, but the tree is down. Our front yard looks very, very empty. In addition to the help from Dave and Josh, our neighbors Todd, Jim and Kurt were super helpful, too. There is no way I could have shoveled this snow or taken care of this tree, so thanks to all!

Hard to believe, but Kale is 2 months old today! He has changed so much since he was born. He is a very smiley baby, and is quite a talker. He is content most of the time, except in the evening after dinner - that's his crabby time. He's up to 5 oz. of formula at each feeding, and is a pretty amazing sleeper. He recently has taken an interest in watching Nolan. He seems to really enjoy his big brother's antics and entertainment - especially Nolan's mad dancing skills! His neck movement continues to improve, and he's doing really well with tummy time - in fact, he's been rolling over from his tummy to back for a few weeks. His 2 month appointment is on the 22nd. It will be fun to see how much he's grown!


Right after Kale was born I picked up a potty chair to put in the bathroom, so we could start introducing Nolan to it over the next few months. We try and have him go "potty" before bathtime and naps, if he wants to do it. We're not pushing it - just trying to keep it fun and exciting. Last night he made his first big steps in to the world of potty training - he dribbled in the potty! I was so excited for him, although I'm sure he thought I was crazy with the way I was cheering for him! Each time he sits on the potty he gets an M&M. Hopefully that will keep him motivated! Nolan loves playing with his blocks and building towers, and is learning how to count. He has the number 1 down with no problem, and he even knows that's how old he is! He enjoys coloring at his play table, and loves to throw around any ball he can get his hands on - football, baseball, soccer ball, etc. He has quite the arm on him! We're working with him so he can learn how to catch the ball. It's harder than you think. This afternoon after his nap I tried to take him outside to see the snow. He was not a fan of his new snow boots. He's used to his tennis shoes, which sit below his ankle. He did not like how the boots felt on his legs. He refused to walk outside, which is loads of fun for me - especially since he weighs 27 lbs! I just have to remember that it's considered exercise every time I have to carry him around:)


Wednesday morning brought us some very sad news. Adam's grandma had a stroke Tuesday evening sometime, and wasn't found until Wednesday morning. She's in the hospital, and is not expected to make it. She is an amazing woman - still lives in her own house, walks on the treadmill, goes to coffee downtown, and quilts. In fact, she just made Nolan a baseball quilt and gave it to him at Kale's baptism! Pretty darn good for being almost 97 years old! We're sending lots of prayers to her and the family, but any extra are appreciated.