Back 2 Work!

Our one last summer fling was a trip to the Pine Grove Zoo. It's a tiny zoo about a half hour away from our home. But it's a perfect zoo for a two year old. You could walk around the whole zoo in less than four mintues. There are probably less than 20 animals in all but enough to make a little boy pretty happy. And for five bucks it was well worth it. They had five bears, two tigers, a cougar, wolves, elk, prairie dogs, antelope, deer, peacocks, emus, turkeys, donkeys, goats, cows, rabbits and tortoises. Jack loved the donkey. He got to feed him some feed pellets. The funniest thing Jack said at the zoo was to the donkey. The train (not part of the zoo) went through town and blew it's horn and Jack who was feeding the donkey said, "Ears Hurt Donkey?" We couldn't stop laughing. His sentences are getting better everyday! We had a blast at the zoo.
One week under my belt and I'm feeling pretty good about working "full" time and being a full time momma of two. I'm glad my "full" time is four days a week. Because I do love my long weekends with the kids. I'm just always amazed how fast my days go at work. Our office just continues to be extremely busy which in this economy is a blessing. It's also a blessing because I never have time to spend one minute looking at the clock and wondering how much longer will it be until it's time to go home. My biggest problem is when I finally do look at the clock it's quarter to five and I have fifteen minutes to get an hour worth of work done so I can get to daycare to pick them up on time. It was a big week of firsts: My first day back to work, Emma's first day of school and Jack's first day wearing underwear to daycare!!! Emma did great....she's so laid back and well behaved she probably doesn't even realize she is not at home. Jack didn't do so hot the first day with his underwear BUT he was dry all day on Wed and Thrus!!! Hoorray!!! He is amazing!! He went from not caring at all to being a big boy in a matter of just two weeks. Today we've had one accident but I'm not complaining at all. His reward which he picked out himself was "Doc Hudson" a $3.50 matchbox car from the Disney's Cars Movie. He was pretty excited to pick him out at the store. He loves these little cars. He has to sleep with one in each hand.
We also had a first with Emma...first time caught sucking her thumb!!! Naughty Naughty!!! And she must have liked it. She's been thrashing around trying to get it back into her mouth. I feel bad for her because she wants to suck on something and she can't. She gags on pacifiers and she can't get her arms to coordinate enough to get her thumb in her mouth. I really don't want her to become a thumb sucker so I found the tiniest pacifiers I could find (and one brand we didn't already have) and we are going to give that a try. She has my gag reflex for sure! She had been pretty content with nothing but now being a little bigger she (being a girl of course) has changed her little mind.

Two Years, Two Months

Jack and Emma are growing up! Emma will be two months old already in two days. Her two month check up appointment is a week from Friday on the 10th...poor girl will be due for shots. The two month mark also sends this stay at home mom back to work in a week on Tuesday Sept. 6th! It's hard to leave them with someone else but for the past two months I've had at least one child with me for every waking and non-waking hour of the day. Our two attempts to get a babysitter ended in Emma having the flu and no date night. The second time our baby sitter canceling at the last minute so the kids came with me to my appointment anyway. I know I will enjoy my time back at work...for the simple fact that I won't having to be worrying about my kids. Or running from one diaper to the next. We will also fall back into a schedule of sorts. I've never been a dictator about schedules but having some order is helpful. Jack's been allowed to stay up later this summer so that he can play with Glenn when he comes home...however that later keep edging towards 10pm which was great for Dad. Not so great the next day for Mom and Jack. Jack will be practicing this week being in bed before 8:00 so that he is not to tired when he has to wake up at 6:45. Also we will be having lil miss Emma practice some bottles so that she can be ready for school as well. I may be calling my mom and singing to hear it's the most wonderful time of the year.......as she always did with aunt carol when she sent us kids back to school in the fall.

Photo Contest

Boredom can lead to many things.....like actually reading the magazines that lay on my coffee table or buried under piles of mail on my counter. Today I picked up the Lake County Journal which is a Brainerd Lakes Mag...they are having a photo contest. The photos have to be taken in the Lakes Area. So I entered in two categories People and Lighter Side. Of course both pictures were of Jack and Emma. Because what else do I take pictures of. Maybe we will win something. They give out prizes to tenth place. And mostly gift cards to the local greenhouse! I titled them More Hockey Daddy Buddy and This Little Piggie

Yellow Streak

Jack has had a yellow streak! He's been using his potty for a week now. He will even stop playing and go potty! He also used the potty at daycare which impressed his teachers! It's kinda a bittersweet transition...he will really be a big boy not my Baby Jack! He has been so sweet to Emma lately he will come up to her and say "Oh Honey," and give her a kiss. He's also kept us laughing with his many movie lines. He is one of those people. The kind that can watch a movie a hundred times in a row and then insert lines from the movie into everyday life and crack up a whole room of people. I think my favorites are "Oh, Yeah!" (Lightening McQueen) and "Don't Touch it!" (Buzz Lightyear-about his laser). "To Fineatty and Yond" is another cute one. He is also always saying "Fixth it momma!" His Little Buzz Lightyear's legs have to be perfectly straight. But as a Two year old Jack can't understand that some action figures have pose-able legs. We may need to glue Buzz's knees straight...his bendable legs are starting to get on my last nerve. If he's not carrying around Buzz he is two fisting Racer McQueen and Doc Hudson. He carries those two cars everywhere and sleep with them at night. He won't fall asleep until he's got one in each hand.
Emma hasn't been quite as entertaining lately. She is just such a good baby. I say it a million times every week but she is really good. On her best nights she will wake up only one time and on her worst maybe twice. The only bad thing is sometimes she is wide awake at ten when I'm ready to go to bed...but she doesn't cry she just makes little noises in her bed. We have two more weeks together of Maternity Leave and then it's back to work/school. I'm excited for the kids to be back to daycare. Jack loves it! He is so cute with his friends when we leave. Saying goodbye to all of them. Emma should do great she manages a bottle just fine. And the girls at work can't wait for me to be back so that makes it easier to feel needed.

Flu Bug....Quit Buggin' Me

We've officially all had the flu over the past two weeks. It's hasn't been fun. The hardest part is the lack of sleep. Emma gave me a really hard time because she's been so good at sleeping and she didn't sleep at all for two nights and slept all day instead. She got sick right as I was getting better so I was already exhausted as it was. She is bound to be much better by tomorrow. She's been sleeping all morning.
She is sure going like a weed...she's already out grown the newborn clothes and is filling in the three month clothes easily. She is really tall. At her one month check up she was 9lbs 12 ozs and 21 inches in the 50th percentile for height and weight.
Jack was 22 lbs and in the 3rd percentile....hmmm maybem sister will pass him by. She was 6 ozs bigger than he was at a month. And a about a pound bigger at birth. So I guess she is slowing down.
Three more weeks and than back to work. Jack can't wait to show off his new sister at school.

Two Years Old....Already?

I can't believe it my little Jack-Jack is going to be two on Thursday. He sure is a fun little guy. Yesterday morning he walking into my room with the rubber ring from his potty chair on his chair. His only explanation, "Cowboy!" After going to see Toy Story 3 at the Movies before Emma was born. Jack has some new favorite characters. He is still in love with Cars and Lightening McQueen. But he loves Buzz and Woody.
He also has been getting very creative during nap time. I usually put him in his bed, turn the radio to sleep and read him a book. I then tell him to take a nap and walk out and shut the door. Since he has figured out how to open doors we had to put a special child proof door knob thing on that he isn't suppose to be able to open the door....however he still has escaped. But for the most part it works. However every day he manages to put his Red Wings jersey on before he passes out in some random spot (never in his bed) It's kinda like where's waldo...especially with the Red Jersey.
He has been a goofy dresser lately....pants optional. Cloth diapers a must. Buzz Diapers as they are called. Heaven forbid I try to put a regular one on him unless we are going somewhere...funny he knows how my system works. And Buzz Light-year Shirt better be clean!

Sweet Baby Girl

We were only completely shocked when the Doctor said "It's a girl!" Little Emma Rae Hagberg finally made her debut July 1, 2010. She was 7 lbs 10 ozs, 19 1/2 inches.
She has been a great little sister to big brother Jack. He adores her. He spends a lot of his time delegating who can "hold the baby" most he delegates himself. He has done a few brotherly things like stealing her nah-knee "pacifiers", crawling into her bassinet with her, and driving a monster truck on her head. But over all he is doing a great job at being gentle to his new Sissy.
Emma is a great baby. I can not believe how well rested I have felt the last week. She sleeps at least one four hour stretch each night. Well...right now she mostly sleeps. I have to wake her up during the day to get her to eat. Otherwise she is pretty content. She doesn't like cold wet wipes and loves to be swaddled up nice and tight. She is Jack's opposite for sure. Hopefully in the next few weeks she will become more and more alert each day so that we can get pictures in all of her cute little outfits before she outgrows them.

Jack seems to have grown two months worth in the last week. I swear he's even put on weight...but that could be all the "chocolate rabbit" aka milk he's being chugging down since Grandpa and Grandma were here. His vocabulary has also improved. He didn't have to say much because Momma had all his little words figured out but must be that he had to talk when different people where watching him and now that he's got it down there is no sense in stopping. At least he is using his pleases and thank yous so that makes Momma proud. He has also been a good helper around the house. This afternoon we are going to Kathy's house to see the cows and flowers and spend some time enjoying the beautiful summer weather. It should be lots of fun.