4th of July Festivities

We had a very busy and fun filled 4th of July weekend.
It started off with a pool party at our friend's the McMillans on Saturday morning. We've been swimming in their pool a few times this summer and it's always so great. Hayden the fish loved it, of course. Cole loves the pool too. He was in for about an hour then went in the house for a nap. Here he is after he's fully rested.

Later that night, we went with my bro's fam and some friends to see fireworks. We got there about an hour before they started and just let the kids run and play.

Cole found a red vine one of the kids had left laying around. He was in heaven.
Ryan was helping the kids find fireflies. Hayden does not like bugs. At all. But she was so excited about the fireflies!

I decided since I'm usually the picture taker instead of in the pictures, that I would get some proof that I'm actually an active, involved parent ;)

I asked Hayden why she's ornery in all of the family pictures and she said because she just wanted to play. Silly me. Hayden was not a huge fan of the fireworks. She kept saying "they're too loud." She was scared and wanted to sit with Ryan or me. We had to cover her ears for her. We covered Cole's ears too, and he just hung out watching.

Sunday was spent going to church, then lounging and recouperating from Saturday. Then Monday we headed up to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. We walked by the water, showed the kids the boats, and visited the shops. Later that night, we went to a BBQ to say goodbye to some good friends, the Greenwells, who moved to Kansas.

It was such a fun week and we really enjoyed spending time as a family!

Welcome Home Stanley!

The Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley cup last month. All of Chicago was partying. They even had a big parade and party with the players downtown the Friday after. Ryan took the day off and we decided to brave the crowds and join in the fun.
Hayden's been on the metra before but she really enjoyed it this time. She was running upstairs, then downstairs, then upstairs, etc..... This was Cole's first metra ride and he enjoyed flirting with the female passengers!!

The train was running behind and got us downtown late. So, we missed the parade. But were greeted by LOTS of confetti. The sidewalks all looked like this. I've never seen anything like it.

We did get to see the players speak. We watched it on the jumbo tron. They were at the top of this street. It was so fun to see all of the red (the blackhawks color).

The police were out in great numbers and Hayden thought it was cool that a lot of them were riding horses.

This is what the streets looked like after the event. I've never seen so much trash in the street before. Crazy!

We watched the games and Ryan loves the Blackhawks, but I'm just kind of along for the ride. However, I was so excited to go downtown for this. Ryan says I just like to be part of the party with things. And it's true. I think it's fun. It was really cool to walk all over town and see all of the flags, banners, signs in stores, decorated statues and everything else people had put up to support the Blackhawks. It's the city's team and they really showed their love and support. It was awesome.

We spent a few more hours downtown getting lunch and checking out the shops along the mag mile. We were really impressed because the streets were totally clean when we headed back to Union Station. Then we headed home. Home to a $15 parking ticket because Ryan couldn't get the parking meter machine to work at the train station. Oh well. We're always so exhausted when we get home, but it's so worth it. I love spending time downtown. It's one of my favorite things :)

Random Happenings

Here are some random things our family has been up to...

Cole has been pulling himself up on everything.

And getting into the cupboards. He has also recently learned to climb up stairs. We haven't tried down yet. That's for another day ;)

Hayden has started swim lessons at the local park district. She just finished her first week and has one more to go. She is a little fish with no fear of the water. Needless to say, she LOVES swim lessons and is doing really well. In the above picture she's in a pink suit next to the teacher and her friend Avery is 3 kids to the right.

Her cousins came over to play and Anika helped her transform into a princess. Complete with lip stick. She was loving life with all that pampering....

We have season passes to Six Flags again this year and made our first visit to their water park, Hurricane Harbor, a few weeks ago. Cole was loving the water. Hayden would only slow down long enough for me to snag this quick picture. We played in the kid area, the wave pool, and of course the lazy river. It was a lot of fun and I enjoy it as much as the kids!


As I said in the previous post, the kids were sick for a while. So a lot of our time that week was spent cuddling and lounging.
We won this awesome kite at a super bowl party we went to and broke it out a while ago. Hayden loved it and even flew it by herself for a while. Cole and I just hung out on the grass enjoying the show. We need to get it out again for another go.

I didn't get a picture, but I went with a few friends of mine to the midnight showing of Eclipse last week. I don't love the movies, but this one was a lot better than the first two. It was also great to be out with friends and act like a teenager again ;)

Hayden's Party

We've been playing hard the last few weeks and I am way behind on my posts. So, it's time for another post overload.
The night of Hayden's birthday, we picked up a happy meal for her and headed to a forest preserve near by. Cole had his first taste of french fries. Then we let Hayden ride her bike around the preserve.

Then on Friday night, Aunt Camille and Uncle Eric came into town. We hit Lou Malnati's for some pizza that night. The next day we had Hayden's party with all of our friends at a nearby park. Ever since her last birthday, Hayden's been telling me she wanted a ballerina cake. So, my cake decorating friend Tina, helped me put together this beauty....

It turned out so great and Hayden loved it. She also loved opening presents. Her friends enjoyed helping out on that part too.

She loved the mixer from Grammy and Grampa. Unfortunatley Cole broke the beater off later that day. Which reminds me, I need to get out the super glue and fix that ;)

I had taken the kids into the doctor earlier in the week and Hayden had a double ear infection. The doctor said Cole had a viral infection and there wasn't anything we could do. Then on Friday night Cole was just screaming and inconsolable. So, about 3 am and after hours of crying, Ryan took him to the emergency room. And what do you know, he had a double ear infection. Poor guy!! They gave him medicine there to relieve the pain so he could sleep, but he was so tired and miserable at the party. This is how he spent most of the time.....

Hayden had such a wonderful birthday! Thanks to all of our friends and family for making it so special ;)

Happy Birthday!!

Today is Hayden's 3rd Birthday! She has been waiting for this day for many months now. For the past few months any time she saw something she wanted she'd say "maybe for my birthday party." I've heard this every day, usually multiple times a day. She cracks me up. Here are a few pictures that have brought us to this milestone....

Hayden's Birth Day-

Her 1st Birthday-

Her 2nd Birthday-

Her 3rd Birthday-

We aren't actually having her party until Saturday. But she got to choose her birthday breakfast. Which was "regular pancakes." (as opposed to egg pancakes or hootenanies) Cole got to share in the birthday breakfast with his first sampling of pancakes.

We let her open her present from us before Ryan headed off to work. She was very excited and has already had a tea party this morning, complete with Cheerios.

Here are a few things about her at this age-
She loves nursery and is very eager to go each week. It amazes me how much she actually learns there. Every Sunday she'll tell me what her lesson was about. About the picture- She had some milk that she spilled and was playing with. I told he we don't play with milk and she needed to clean it up. Then she said "but Mom, I made a Temple." I stopped and looked and it really does resemble a temple. How can you be mad about that ;)

She loves to ride her bike! I got her a bike at a yard sale last month and she is always asking to ride it now. And she's actually really good at it. She loves to be outside and loves to get together with friends. She's very social.

She is a Daddy's girl most of the time. She loves building tents with him. She runs out to meet him every day when he gets home from work! She also loves being a big sister, aside from getting her hair pulled. She loves to kiss, hug and hold Cole. She is a very loving little girl. She doesn't usually like to cuddle but she gives great hugs and kisses.

She is silly! She loves to laugh and loves to make other people laugh. This face is often seen around our house. However, she can also have a major attitude! For example, a few months ago she was getting something out of a drawer in the kitchen. I opened the fridge and accidentally bumped her. Full of attitude she said, "Excuse me. I'm trying to do something here!" Also, we just taught her her full name. If we call her a princess or baby girl or something like that, she'll say "No, I'm Hayden Karen Woodland." So many of her replies are just laced with attitude! Oh boy. We're in for it ;)

She has a lot of energy and is a little performer. She likes to to gymnastics and loves for me to take her picture while she does. She does flips off the couch, somersaults, jumps off of everything, etc, etc.....

One of her favorite thing to do it DANCE! We had her in a dance class last year, which she loved. We are going to sign her up again soon because it's so fun to watch her. Every time we go to 6 Flags we have to see the Wiggles Show. And everytime she's up front dancing right along with them! I love it. I think she has a future career as a Wiggles dancer.

That's just a little bit about our Haydie Babe. She makes us so happy!

Happy Birthday Hayden!! We love you!

Silly Smiler

Cole's been so busy in the last couple of weeks. He's developed this super silly smile. He scrunches his nose and squints his eyes. It makes me laugh every time.

He has been crawling on his knees a lot more and loves to climb through the barstools and under the kitchen chairs and table. A lot of times he'll get stuck half way through and gets really mad.

I've learned not to leave the applesauce within his reach. Should have already known that one ;)

He's been dressed up like a little man and had a photo shoot with Hayden.

I'm heading out in a few minutes to take him to the doctor. He's been miserable. I'm crossing my fingers it isn't his 7th ear infection of the year. While I hate for him to be sick, I've been taking advantage of the cuddle time while he's been sick. It's the only time he'll really hold still long enough.

Love you Cole Bear!