Take that, Daddy

We've been working with Heidi for a few weeks on staying in her own bed all night (after a terrible habit started of letting her come into our bed whenever she woke up in the night, which was usually 3-4 nights a week). We wanted to make sure we nixed the habit before baby brother arrives and as a little added incentive, we devised a sticker system where she earned a sticker for her pretty pink piece of paper each night she stayed in her own bed all night. She really doesn't know there was no other option, she's not coming into our bed regardless.

Well, this week I ended up very sick with a stomach bug and Josh thought that he'd play it safe and sleep with her in her room instead of with me in the sick bed. In the morning, Heidi proclaimed that she gets a sticker, but daddy doesn't because he didn't stay in his own bed. Burn.

Heidi on driving (and gestation)

Apparently Heidi thinks I am going to be incubating her baby brother for a long time. Or that she is going to age miraculously quickly in the next 4 months. We had this conversation on the way home today:

Heidi: When my baby brother goes to De's, he can ride with me?
Me: Yep
Heidi: And I can drive him to De's.
Me: Well, you won't really be driving by the time your brother comes. You'll only be 4 and you have to be 16 to drive.
Heidi: Are you 16? (bless her heart)
Me: Yes, I'm 28.

Then she went off on some tangent about what clothes she would wear when she's 16. I assured her she would continue to get new clothes as she grows.

Reasoning with a 3 year old

Here's how I know reasoning and logic do not work with three year olds...

Heidi: Can I have milk when we get home?

Me: I don't know, you didn't drink all your milk last night and we had to throw it away, that's like throwing money in the garbage.

Heidi: You threw my cup in the garbage?

Me: No, but we had to dump the milk out and milk costs money.

Heidi: We can buy more at the grocery store.

Me: Yes, but that costs money and we shouldn't waste things, we need to use what we have.

Silence for roughly two minutes.

Heidi: So, can I have milk when we get home?



Side story, not t all related to the above. She's discovered tucking her hair behind her ears (thank God). Tonight she goes: "When my hair gets in my face, I just go like this! [tucks hair behind her ears]. If you do that, you can come to my party!"

Someday...

Heidi watched the real-people version of Cinderella at Grandma and Papa's this weekend and Grandma mentioned that she didn't really like it and said there was "too much singing." I was asking her about it on the way home and we had this conversation...

Heidi: She got married!
Me: She did, who did she marry?
Heidi: The prince! When you got married was daddy the prince?
Me: Yep, daddy was my prince.
Heidi: When I grow up I'm going to marry a prince. Maybe Daddy can be your prince and my prince.

The definition of 3-going-on-13.

Heidi: Can I have a banana?
Me: Not right now, we're going to have supper in a minute.
Heidi: Fine! Then you can't come to my party!
[Other variations include: "You can't come to Disneyworld then!"]

Me: Heidi, what'd you do at De's today?
Heidi: Don't worry about it!

Heidi the Pilot

Last night Josh and I were talking about our Disneyworld trip and excited that we have earned a couple of free plane tickets. The following conversation with Heidi ensued:

Josh: Heidi would you want to fly in an airplane?
Heidi shakes head no.
Me: Not even to go to Disneyworld?
Heidi (slightly panicked): But I can't know how to drive a plane!

My MOH Speech

This weekend my very best friend (who happens to be my cousin) married a terrific guy and I was honored to be asked to be their matron of honor. I'm a major planner, so of course I'd been working on my speech for a few weeks. Perhaps I'd even practiced it, practically memorized it, and timed it out. Of course some ad-libbing was done in the moment, but the heart of the speech stayed the same. Here's how I had it written. I hope that Emily and Jason felt my love when I gave it :)

Good evening! I’m going to assume, since we’re all gathered here tonight, that the second April Fool’s Proposal was not a joke?

For those of you who don’t know me, I am Emily’s cousin and best friend. Emily is a year and a half younger than I am and I really don’t remember life without her. From the very beginning Emily and I have been as close as sisters. At any family gathering, you could find Emily and I together laughing and giggling and generally being goofy—not a whole lot has changed in that respect J. Over the years we’ve gotten into our share of trouble (I know Emily remembers hiding out in my closet all night because we invited her over before asking our Dad, who then said no  AND I’m sure Aunt Marge and Uncle Craig don’t have any stories from the summer I babysat for Emily and Erin).  But wherever Emily and I are together, you can pretty much guarantee that we’re having a good time—whether it was out on the lake lot on those hot summer days, our shopping trips to the New & Used Store, or our Girls’ Vacation to Florida---Emily makes even a boring errand seem a little more fun.  Emily is a great friend and a wonderful “auntie” to my daughter Heidi.

As I’m sure most of you already know, Emily and Jason met while they were both working as CNA’s at St. Clare’s, where they still work.  I first met Jason when he came with Emily to one of our “game nights” with some friends. The thing that struck me first…well, the thing that struck me first was obviously that he’s like 6 and half feet tall and Emily is like 5 feet tall. But the thing that struck me second, was that, he fit right in. Not only did Jason fit right in, but Emily was able to be herself when he was around, which was something I had never seen before. Emily wasn’t worried about acting silly because Jason was acting silly right along side her. When you spend time with Jason and Emily, you can tell that not only do they love each other, but they genuinely like each other, which, I think,  is kind of important. Whether they are singing karaoke or showing off their dance moves on the XBox, riding their bikes around Baraboo, or using whatever their word of the day is, Emily and Jason together just make life better.

I wanted to end my speech with a quote of some kind or a song lyric perhaps that would remind me of Emily and Jason, unfortunately, most of the songs that remind me of Emily and Jason, are ones that we’ve sang perhaps with a cold beverage or two, along to the XBox, and they just didn’t seem fitting. First there was….

·      “We can dance if we want to, we can leave your friends behind, cause your friends don’t dance and if they don’t dance well they’re no friend of mine.”

·      Or there was. “When a problem comes along, you must whip it, before the cream sits out too long, you must whip it…”.

·      And Emily and my favorite to sing together…”I like big butts and I cannot lie, you other brothers can’t deny…” You know the rest.

So, since I couldn’t find the perfect song, so I thought maybe a quote would be better and I found this one that I

·      “Happy marriages begin when we marry the ones we love, and they blossom when we love the ones we marry.”–Tom Mullen

Everyone please join me in raising our glasses to Emily and Jason. May your marriage blossom for many , many years to come. Cheers.

Special and Cool

Conversation with Heidi on the way home today:

H: I want to make something special for you. For keeping.
M: That sounds like a good idea.
H: When we get home I'll do something special. It's a dance. It's a twirl and a booty shake.
M: Sounds cool.
H: It's special.
M: Sounds special.
H: It's special and it's cool.

Conversation at dinner tonight:

M: I thought you were going to do your special dance when we got home?
H: Yeah, after I'm done here. It's lots of twirling and a booty shake.
Daddy: Did you learn that at De's?
H: No, I teach Littlegirlatdaycare to do it.
M: I bet her mom is thrilled.

Proof that even outdoorsy daddies don't "need" a son

Proof #1: Josh came in from bowhunting this evening and told HJ that he had seen a baby deer. Her response, "could I see the baby deer? I could shoot it!"

Proof #2: Heidi trying to talk Josh into staying upstairs to watch TV (not coming downstairs where I was watching TV), "Daddy, you can watch your deer hunting shows up here!"

A Keagen Kind of Day

It's been over two years since Keagen passed away and there are still some days when I just think about him a lot. Maybe it's because it's September (Childhood Cancer Awareness Month). Maybe it's because a certain song comes on the radio--there are so many that remind me of him--today it was the line from When I Die Young that goes, "Lord, make me a rainbow, I'll shine down on my mother. She'll know I'm safe with you when she stands under its colors..." I'm not sure what it is on any given day, but some days I just spend a car ride somewhere thinking about my sweet nephew and missing him.

It's been over two years and still the details are so clear to me. I can still remember how I felt that night and the next day and the days that followed. I can almost feel the way my body ached from the inside-out. I remember it all...
I remember the phone call that night and the frantic dressing.
I remember driving with Mom and Grams--all of us hoping it was going to be a "wasted" trip.
I remember arriving in the family room at the hospital and seeing Laura and the family and friends that were gathered.
I remember Laura starting to tell us what she knew when the doctor came in.
I remember his words that broke our hearts and the sound of the sobs in the room.
I remember the first time that I saw Keagen that night. When I really knew that this was the night he'd become an angel.
I remember how I felt standing next to my sister and feeling her agony over the decision she had to make.
I remember seeing Keagen all wrapped up like a burrito in mom and dad's arms.
I remember rubbing his head when we left the hospital and saying "see you on the flip side, buddy."
I remember driving back to Laura's. Each of us in her livingroom not sure what to do next.
I remember crawling into bed and waking up with my alarm to call in to work.
I remember my friend Meagon calling to see if it was Keagen. If he was why I wasn't at work.
I remember sitting in the funeral home and looking at the pictures of the little tiny caskets. Thinking how silly the blue and pink ruffly ones looked.
I remember the wake and being so happy to have a few more minutes to rub his little bald head and tell him how much I loved him.
I remember the service and my heart breaking when they closed the casket--handing Heidi off to Emily because I was sobbing.

There are a lot of things that I don't remember too. I don't remember if Heidi went to daycare the next day and how she got there and who picked her up. I don't remember eating lunch or dinner on any of the days that followed. I don't remember what I wore to the wake or the funeral (I do remember what Keagen wore, though).

But most of the memories are still crystal clear. And on days like today, I relive them all and I miss my sweet nephew so much.

In honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

Last year my sister suggested that we give up something in honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month--kind of to signify the sacrifices that cancer kids and their families face. Last year I gave up Mountain Dew. This year, I'm pregnant, so I've already given up alcohol (obviously), caffeine, artificial sweeteners, etc. I just can't envision giving up one of the few things that sounds good to me right now. So, I decided this year to give up something a little different.

For all of September I'm going to give up yelling (at my kid, my husband, the cat, inanimate objects...) and using "mean" words like stupid, moron, etc. I've been really bad lately and feeling bad about it, so I thought this was perfect for the month. And every time I mess up a Quarter will be donated to Childhood Cancer research :) So far I'm 25 cents in the whole for telling DH to "get your stupid credit card back from your dad!"

Wish me luck :)

What wasn't photographed.

Josh and I just returned from a long weekend in Canada. We were invited to go for the weekend by a former colleague of Josh's who owns a cabin up there on a gorgeous lake and does a lot of Muskie fishing as a hobby. He's even been in some fishing magazines. Our original plan was to start driving right after school (teacher inservice) on Thursday, stay overnight on the way up, finish the drive Friday morning and fish the rest of Friday, Saturday, and Sunday before trekking back home on Monday. On Thursday, as luck (and generous friends) would have it, Don (our host) called Josh and asked if we'd like to be flown up instead. Did I mention he also has his own 4-seater plane and years of experience flying it (he even has his commercial pilot's license, I found out)? Of course we took him up on the offer knowing that it would shave 10-12 hours off of our travel time and give us a lot more time for relaxing and a lot less time in the car. Not to mention the amount of money it saved us in fuel and hotel costs.

So we ended up flying out around 4pm on Thursday afternoon and, after clearing customs and all that jazz, arrived at the cabin around 8:30pm. The beauty of this place is beyond description. Right on the lake front, the front porch even with the tops of trees overlooking the water. The inside of the cabin is decked out in North Woods decor and fully outfitted. We were living large. Josh, particularly, was in heaven.

Friday morning we got up, had our breakfast, and headed off to the bait shop for fishing licenses (pretty much our only expense of the entire trip) and bait. We launched the boat, and we were off. I won't mention too much about what a jinx I was, except to say that Josh had little competition for the Walleye King title. I was happy, after a few hours of jigging and casting, to set my poles aside and get out my kindle for some reading and scrabble playing. We didn't wind up back at the cabin until 8:30 or so and decided to fry up some of our catch, so dinner was late, but delicious.

Saturday was probably my favorite day :) I begged off of fishing and was a complete bum while the boys went out and cast for Muskies all day. I watched a couple of chick flicks (Beaches and Amish Grace), finished my book and started another, took a walk down to the shore line, and took a nap. What a wonderful day. I was perfectly content to lay in the livingroom and stare out at the gorgeous view. Josh came home so lit up with excitement about the fun they had with Muskie "follows" and the big Muskie that Don caught. They also caught enough "keeper" walleye to max out the number that we could freeze and take home (darn customs!).

Sunday was back on the boat for me for another full day of fishing. I caught fish earlier in the day than Friday's jinx, but soon settled in again with my kindle while the boys caught lots more walleyes (and perch and rock bass and a crayfish or two) and Josh caught his first Muskie. We headed back a bit earlier tonight to get the boat and outdoors ready for our return home on Monday.

What a perfect relaxing weekend. We had blue skies for our flights both directions and were so thankful for the generosity of Don in opening up his plane, his cabin, and his boat and fishing expertise to us for the weekend. Josh was still telling big fish stories today when I spotted him working at the school. I may have even told a couple myself.

I think I would prefer "Why?"

Most kids Heidi's age, I've heard, have an affinity for asking "why" questions.

Heidi, being the forward thinker that she is, prefers the longer but just as monotonous "where did you get that?" This is pretty much what she says all day long. A book--where'd that come from? An apple--where did you get that? Her fork at dinner--where did you get this fork?

I've tried explaining to her that we pretty much just get everything we need at the store. Hasn't stopped her from asking the question over and over again.

I hope she's not counting on a big tip

Heidi loves to walk around with a pad of paper and a pen and take our orders. The exchange typically goes something like this...

Heidi: What do you want?
Me: I'll have a buffalo chicken salad
H: No, buffalo is not good!
Me: Okay...then I'll have a fish sandwich
H: We don't have that.
Me: Okay, how about pizza?
H: Okay. What else you want?
Me: I'll have a salad with ranch
H: And what else?
Me: I'll have bread with butter
H: We don't have butter, but we have honey for your bread.
Me: Okay
H: You want ice cream?
Me: No, I'd rather have pie.
H: I threw that in the garbage.

Heidi: What do you want?
Josh: Chicken Nuggets.
H: We don't have that.
J: Onion Rings.
H: Those are not for breakfast, it's breakfast.
Me: Maybe you should tell us what you do have.
H: I have milk....for Daddy. You can have orange pop.

Earth to Mom

Typically for breakfast Heidi sits in her high chair and watching cartoons and I sit in the kitchen at the breakfast bar and check emails and the like.

Today I must have zoned out reading something for a minute and I hear this from the other room...

"...I can't stay in here FOREVER!"

[Gotta say I was pretty proud; a big improvement over "ouuuuuttt! OOooouuttt!"]

Inappropriate song for a toddler to sing #237

...You and Tequila make me crazy...

Hearing Heidi sing along to the radio almost makes driving places worth it. I don't think she knows what Tequila is, but I do think I probably do make her crazy. It's mutual.

Only 3 and already smarter than me

Walking home from the park this morning, she always tries to talk us into letting her walk as opposed to the stroller, but we don't let her walk on the road, only the bike trail...

Heidi: Mom, I told you there was no cars on this road.
Me: Nope, I don't see any.
Heidi: So, I can walk or no?
[The answer was no]

She also explained: I'm a big girl Mom, I'm not a kid!

On her list of things she's looking forward to doing when she gets bigger:
--riding in the front seat next to me, or as she told me last time "I will drive, you will sit by me when I'm bigger."
--chewing gum.
--work at my school with me (awww....)

My live-in compass

I'm not sure what future-career this beholds for my child, but she appears to have an amazing memory for directions. I'm not sure if she could get me to Menards on her own or to the movie theater or to a hotel we've stayed at, but by golly when we're within a few turns of it she could finish the route.

We stayed with a friend at Christmas Mountain a couple of weeks ago. This week we passed the road that it's on (but it's not visible, it's a couple miles down), and Heidi exclaimed "that's the way to the hotel!" Seriously kid, we went there like one time.

She does this all the time. There's the place where we went swimming (a year ago), there's Great-Grandma's house, there's where we went to a party for Dad's friend...She gets mad if I go a different way to get somewhere "this is not the way!"

Today was my favorite. I told her we were almost home (from taking the pets to the vet).
Me: We're right by the Kwik Trip, almost home
Heidi: Turn by the Kwik Trip and yellow house and garage.

I'm wondering what she's talking about. Until. I turn by the Kwik Trip, go down a few blocks to our turn and see a yellow house on the corner (I ask is this the yellow house and she says "yep, see it's yellow!") and then she points straight up a few blocks where the road curves sharply to the left at a garage and says "there's the garage." She knows her stuff.

What to do when it's 95 and humid

Make Homemade Mud Pies

And splash around with Elmo

               

AC is for sissies :)

On relatives and temper tantrums

First: Relatives

Heidi was lucky enough to get a new baby cousin on Monday. As we were driving home from the hospital the evening that Kylee was born, we had this conversation...

Heidi: Morgan and Shay-shay are best friends
Me: Yep, and they're sisters too. They are Mama's sisters too! And you are Morgan and Shay-shay's niece!
H: I'm not a niece!
Me: Yep, they are your aunt's and you are their niece!
H: I'm not a niece! I'm a sister!

Pause

H: I'm not...that word...I'm a sister
M: Okay.


Second: Temper Tantrums

Tonight Heidi had one of her infamous temper tantrums. She doesn't have them that often, but when she does, they are doozies. She was pitching a fit because she had to take a bath after dinner and had the unlucky fortune to come into the bathroom as I was running the tub and I wouldn't let her escape. I peeled her clothes and flip flops off as she bawled. She tried one last (naked) sprint out the door, but I managed to wrangle her and plop her into the bathtub. She continued to bawl for the entire bath as I quickly scrubbed her hair and sudsed her up. We let the water out and she toweled off bawling the whole time about pajamas and whatnot. She picked out the jammies she wanted and as I put them on and buttoned the top, she suddenly stopped crying...

"Mama, you like buttons?"

[Sidenote: she says this every single time that she wears a coat or sweater or shirt with buttons. If she wears a coat with a zipper she says "Daddy likes zippers."]

Promises

When I was pregnant with Heidi...it was not a fun time. Some women "glow" and just "love every second of it." They say they've never felt more beautiful than when they were pregnant. I wasn't one of those.

I had the all-day nausea loveliness. I ate a lot of saltines. And French Fries. And Vitamin B6.

I craved all the unhealthiest foods (see above). Bar food. And orange Crush soda. And Sweettarts. Mostly. The thought of steamed broccoli made me want to hurl.

I couldn't ride in the car. Or sit at my desk at work. Because my back hurt so badly from conception through the 9th month (why when the baby is the size of rice does my back hurt, I do not know). I carried a pillow on long car trips for the back. And walked a lot at work.

I had restless legs. In the car. And in bed. You have no idea how fun those are until you have them.

I had heartburn. The kind of heartburn that wakes you up at 2am and you debate waking your spouse because you think it's quite possible, despite your health and the lack of historical cardiac problems in your family, that you're having a heart attack. I ate a lot of Tums. And drank the liquid stuff when the Tums just laughed in the face of it. And stayed away from Casey's red sauce.

I started showing the minute the second line showed up. And I gained 50 lbs. I don't think any of it was water.

I screamed so loudly during delivery some folks in Hillsboro probably wondered who they were killing at the hospital. I lost so much blood that I could barely walk to the mailbox for the first two weeks afterwards.




And what I wouldn't give to do it all again.

Lord, I promise, if given that chance, you wouldn't hear even one complaint. I would savor every single minute of another pregnancy because I know that it isn't some guarantee in life. It isn't something to take for granted and to wish away. I know that every minute I spend with an aching back and restless legs and heartburn is a minute that another woman would trade me for without hesitation. Without hesitation. I promise.

Random thoughts on infertility.

I know, right? In honor of April, which apparently is "Infertility Awareness Month," which, I can only assume, is for those NOT dealing with infertility because heaven knows those who are certainly don't need to become any more "aware" of it.

Anyway.

Random thought #1: When you're at the infertility clinic, it should give you hope that there are lots of pregnant people and lots of pictures of babies on the wall, right?

Random thought #2: It should be encouraging when the tests all come back normal and nothing is "wrong," right?

Random thought #3: It is never appropriate to ask someone when they are going to have children or when they're going to have more children. Or to say that they "can't be going through infertility" because they already have a child. Sometimes lightning only strikes once.

Random thought #4: It's nice to finally have a doctor that knows as much about fertility as I do. Finally.

Heidi's takes on love and marriage

We've had a lot of conversations lately about marriage. Heidi is very much a "girly-girl" into all things pink and sparkly and princessy and baby dolls and everything nice. Add to that the fact that my best friend and cousin recently got engaged and we've been having lots of love and marriage talk around here. Anyway, some snippets from our daily conversations:

Grandma: Heidi, do you have a boyfriend?
Heidi: Yeah
Me: You do? Who's your boyfriend?
Heidi: Daddy
[awww...swoon]

Me: Heidi, Aunt Emmy is getting married!
Heidi: I'm getting married too!
Me: You can't get married, you have to live with Mama forever!
Heidi: I'm getting married!
Me: Who are you marrying?
Heidi: You marry me!
[awww...swoon]

Heidi: The king take her hand and he marry her! [random conversation on the way home in the car]
Me: He married her? Who is Aunt Emmy marrying?
Heidi: Aunt Jason!

Heidi also thinks that the prince in all the princess movies is actually the princess's dad. She plays with her Cinderella figurines and she always gets to be Cinderella and I have to be "the dad," which is better than when I have to be the evil stepmother.

All about waiting, sisters, and summertime

About half of the conversations around here, or so it seems, go something like this:

H: Mama, I want pizza!
M: When we get home you can have some!
H: Mama, say "not yet!"
M: Not yet!
H: Say "not yet!"
M: Not yet!

On the way home from daycare yesterday, Heidi and I had this conversation:

H: I have a sister!
M: No you don't.
H: I do have a sister!
M: I think I would know if you had a sister.
H: I do. Littlegirlatdaycare is my sister!
M: Littlegirlatdaycare is your sister?
H: Yeah and Littleboyatdaycare is my sister!
M: boys are brothers, is Littleboyatdaycare your brother?
H: Yeah, Littlegirlatdaycare is my sister and Littleboyatdaycare is my brother!
M: Okay.

Today, on the way to town to get haircuts...

[Heidi was talking about her new shoes...]
M: Pretty soon it's going to get really warm out and we can wear shorts and flip flops and t-shirts!
H: For me! Thanks!
M: We have to wait though till it gets sunny and the snow all melts.
H: And flowers?
M: yep, and flowers and the grass is all green.
[We drive over a hill, where it's kind of sunny]
H: Mom! The sun is out!
M: uh huh
H: Mom! Green grass [points to green grass where the snow has already melted].

I'm afraid she's going to be disappointed when it snows next week.

She also spends a lot of time lately saying "Mama! You mean!" or "Mama, I mean at you!" But I'd rather not talk about it.

What's so funny?

On Sunday Josh, Heidi, and I were leaving the liquor store (had to get some beer for the game). We sat at the stop-light, waiting to turn left towards 'Boo when Heidi piped up, "Mama! Look!" I asked her what I was supposed to look at. "A carrot!" She points up at the airport across the intersection. And we see something similar to this:

Josh and I laughed for at least 6 blocks. Heidi laughed along with us as she chanted "a carrot! a carrot!"

Not so fast

Heidi is a bit obsessed with going to school (doesn't help that I work there and we drive by it every day on the way to daycare). We had this conversation on the way home the other day:

H: Mama, I go to school!
M: Sorry baby, you can't go until you're 4, you're only 2!
H: I ALREADY 4!

The other day I was changing out of workout clothes into PJs and Heidi was in our room with me. She spotted my bee tattoo on my back...

H: Mama, your bee!
M: Yeah, you like Mama's bee?
H: Where MY bee?

First kindergarten, then tattoos.

Um. Thanks.

Heidi Jean was playing in the utility room while Josh was puttering around back there. She comes out with a half of a 2-liter of Hawaiian Punch leftover from New Year's Eve.

H: Here you go, Mama, this yours!
M: Okay, thank you.

She goes back into the utility room and comes out with a full 2-liter of orange soda.

M: Who's is that?
H: This mine!

*Note: she later came and took the Hawaiian punch back mumbling something about "chocolate soup."

2010 Recap

It was definitely another year of highs and lows. The highest of highs being watching our daughter grow and change into a little girl. I've loved this age--the 18 months to 2.5 years age--so much learning and personality. She's gone from a new walker (yes, she didn't walk until 14 months) and barely talker to this little bundle of energy that goes up and down stairs alone, opens doors, runs circles with her shopping cart, and sasses back to her Mom and Dad on a daily basis "Stop talking, MOM!" I have loved every minute I've spent with her this year.

2010 month-by-month:

January: A fresh start to the year, I started working out again (and lost 6.8 pounds in 2010!). My Grams turned 70. We went to lots of Aunt Shay's basketball games.

February: More basketball games to go to. Watched the Saints win the Superbowl. Laurie's bridal shower. Josh turned 28 and played in the basketball alumni tournament.

March: I traveled to Chicago for the National Association of School Psychologist's conference and met up with some fabulous former classmates. Shalyn's basketball team made it to the State Tournament and we all took the day off to go. It was amazing.

April: We celebrated Easter and Heidi actually looked for eggs this year! Laurie and Peter got married and we discovered Heidi loves to dance. Casey's bridal shower. Baby Cousin Emmett was born!

May: Josh and I played on a softball team in Reedsburg. We lost a lot of games. Baby shower for Greg and Dana and baby Ella. Heidi started sleeping in her big girl room, on accident. Casey and Dustin got married! Met-up with our BN friends in Madison and went to the zoo. Heidi and I traveled to Milwaukee for the day to hang out with Laura. Celebrated Memorial day with our families.

June: I got to chaperone the junior high trip to Mt. Olympus and take in some sun. School's out for the summer. I turned 27. Josh, Emily, Jason, and I went on the Brewer bus for Pat's birthday. Relay for Life, our team won Most Improved, even though we got rained out.

July: Heidi and I camped with Mom, Aunt Laura, and the kids in Tilleda Falls. We met Baby Emmett in person! Aunt Morgan turned 21, we went out for lunch. The Bakers all traveled to South Dakota for a long weekend. We loved Custer State Park. Heidi Jean turned 2! Josh and I attended our 10-year high school reunion.

August: Heidi and I spent lots of time at the lake, she loves the beach. Josh and I went on a Wohlrab hayride. We celebrated our 6th anniversary. We helped move Morgan to Platteville. Work started up again. Teacher's socialized at Dutch Hollow and the Chipmans'.

September: School starts. Laura and I did the 5K in Suzy's Walk in Madison. Shay's volleyball season started. Emily and Jason moved! Meagon introduced us to Jewel Kade and her sweet Aunt Julie.

October: We went to the orchard with Grandma Baker and fed the goats. Aunt Shay turned 18. We traveled to Chicago for another BN Meet-up and went to the Shedd Aquarium. We went to Six Flags Great America in place of our annual Halloween party. We rode all of the coasters except one, which got rained out. Heidi loved trick-or-treating as Cinderella.

November: Aunt Laura's bakery had its grand opening in Reedsburg. We watched lots of Packer football. Kaileigh turned 4 and Seth turned 7. We celebrated Thanksgiving with our families.

December: We attended the Rasmussen Christmas party and lucked out in the White Elephant draw. AHE made a float for the holiday lights parade, in a blizzard. We baked cookies at Laura's bakery. We had lots of Christmas celebrations. Heidi was big-time into the lights, the tree, and of course Santa and presents. Josh and I built Heidi a kitchen for Christmas. We hosted the 2nd annual Baker's NYE Game Night and played lots of Kinect.

Adios 2010. Can't wait to see what 2011 brings.