Thirty Two Weeks - Dogs, Cats, Dust Mites...Oh My!

Brody the Aviator! Since Uncle Neal took Brody to see his new airplane (the Hawker), Brody has been a bit obsessed with airplanes. Everyday I go to get him at daycare he has a new "Hawker" built...tonight he even saw an airplane on one of the apps I have on my phone and was questioning if Hawkers had spinny things on them....maybe we have someone to continue the tradition on the Christiansen side of the family.

Sunday was the first birthday party the kids have attended for a friend. Brody's best bud, Mackenzie, had her 4th birthday party at a local park. I tried to use the time to capture some 7 month pictures of Addisen, but unfortunately I didn't have my good camera with me.

These are the best that I got.

My favorite - I think I have about a hundred variations of this photo - close ups of her face are just the best!

We had such a fun week! My girlfriend, Barb, and her family were up staying at a lake house about a half hour from us. We managed to venture over there on two different nights and Brody had a blast swimming and playing with the girls.

Jim was a great daddy and got in the water both nights - even through Thursday night the water had fallen about 10 degrees because of all the rain we got this week.

Brody's girlfriend Sydney!

Finally some pictures of me and the cutest little girl I know!

This week was Addisen's appointment with the allergist...it didn't go as I planned. It is still somewhat of a mystery what exactly is going on with Addisen. The allergists best bet is that she had her first viral respiratory infection at a young age and for some reason she is unable to completely recover from that. We went on with some allergy testing and as the title eludes to, she showed allergies to cats, dogs and dust mites. This is devastating news to me because I have one cat who has been living with me for the last 11 years! We are doing a trial of an inhaled steroid to see if we can correct some inflammation in Addisen's airways, and hope that this will be enough to heal her lungs. My hope is that this along with keeping the cat out of her room and vacuuming often could mean that Zodoe can stay. There is also a possibility that this isn't due to allergens, so if we don't see change in the next month on the inhaler, then we will try to eliminate milk from her diet and then a medication to help with reflux if that fails. She seems to be a bit of mystery still. I can't help but be worried about my cat, of course my kids are my number one priority, but Zodoe could not tolerate a move to someone elses house (she cannot even tolerate the kids when they are awake!). So keep your fingers crossed that we can manage this successfully!

We went into Rockford tonight for dinner and to feed the ducks. We have been going for the past couple of months, but this is the first time that they have actually been there!

Jim and Brody enjoy having "Duck Races" and this time even started naming them! As I have stated previously, everything is a competition with Brody and Jim!

I'll leave you with a picture of one of the world's most peaceful things.

Thirty One Weeks - Summer time Fun!

This weekend was our annual Family Reunion on my mom's side of the family. Brody had a GREAT time in Grandma and Bobo's pool. His new life jacket keeps him afloat enough for him to swim all over the pool by himself!

It was a great day (with just a little bit of rain). The kids had a great time swimming, running around and playing games!

Closest thing Brody would give me to a smile! He loves his Uncle Neal!

Every year we (mostly me) fill up water balloons for the kids to play with. I started out with a box of 175 and I think Brody broke about 25 of them during the filling process! The water balloon fight only lasted about 5 minutes -it's amazing how quickly little kids can go through water balloons!

Grandma and Bobo always have a pinata for the kids - this year Brody was the lucky one to keep what was left of the fish!

We are always trying to think of some new games to play. Brody came home one day from daycare and told me that he had played a game where he had to walk with a banana on his head. It was a strange game - but the kids enjoyed eating the left overs!

Addisen loved all of the people! At one point all of the little girls were sitting around talking to her - and she just couldn't stop smiling!

This week was another eventful one for us. On Monday daycare called to say they thought Addisen had an ear infection - and sure enough she had one in her right ear! Her breathing had taken another turn for the worse too - wheezing in her lungs again. Our doctor decided to send her to an Allergist to see if they could determine what was going on since the breathing treatments don't seem to be helping. We luckily got in quickly and will be heading there next Thursday to see what they have to say - so hopefully next weeks post will be the end of all of these illnesses!

Thirty Weeks - The kids are growing up!

Addisen moved up into a "real" car seat this week. She has been struggling with a rash on the back of her head and I started to wonder if it was getting too hot in the infant carrier. The move meant that she now had to sit in highchairs and grocery carts - it really is a lot easier to just carry her around in the infant carrier.

I think Jim is pretty excited that Brody has hit another milestone - the ability to ride with him in a go-cart. This all started when we were camping a few weeks ago. I am beginning to think that this might become Jim's new obsession rather than Brody's.

We had been home for about 2 hours this afternoon when Jim came up with the idea of going to the local go-cart place. Jim was thrilled when the kid running the track asked if they would like the fast cart. Surprise, Surprise, Jim and Brody lapped the grandparents on the track 3 times!

This is not the best quality video - but it cracks me up to see how serious Jim is taking the race against the grandparents on the track!

When we walked in to buy the tickets the girl asked if Brody would be driving - WHAT? Yep, this track allows 3 year olds to drive! This was the funniest and scariest 5 minutes of my life (see video at the bottom of why 3 year olds don't drive...)!

Brody stayed a few days at Grandma and Bob's this week - he was spoiled beyond belief!

Grandma and Bobo took Brody to the fair on Thursday with Uncle Neal. I couldn't believe the pictures when I saw them - a year ago Brody jumped off the pony after about one circle - this year he is riding alone! My mom said she asked him if he liked his horse and Brody answered "This was a good idea!"

Brody loved petting the animals and he even got to see them showing llamas. My mom said that he loved watching them - little did he know his momma use to show llamas!

This is another thing that just amazes me - last year Brody would do nothing alone and now he is riding all of these rides with kids he doesn't know!

Grandma and Bobo said that Brody's favorite ride was the mini scrambler. They said the ride was stopped a few times to let crying kids off - but not Brody! This is one of my favorite pictures!

On Friday Grandma and Bobo were off to spoil him again! They took him to a park in Lansing that has a bike track and playground.

I'm not sure he was quite big enough for this scooper!

It makes me laugh to see my parents with Brody. I can remember growing up and having rules (much like the rules I give Brody now), but these people that were once the rule enforces now allow my son to have two desserts after he doesn't finish his dinner....where did my mom and dad go? I am glad that Brody can be so spoiled by his Grandma and Bobo - just another year and I'm sure Addisen will be covered with Ice cream when we come to pick her up!

Why Three Year Olds Don't Drive!

Twenty Eight - Twenty Nine Weeks - First Camping Trip for Addisen!

Sorry it has been two weeks since the last post - we have been busy camping! I should start out with Addisen's six month stats from our doctor's appointment before we left. She is 27 3/4 inches long and 19lbs 3 oz - this puts her in the 90th percentile for height and 95th percentile for weight (surprisingly her head was in the 75th percentile!). She is right on track for development and is now eating a fruit/vegetable at lunch time and cereal/fruit or vegetable for dinner. I think she is finally to the stage of making it through the night - bedtime at 7am and wakes up around 6am. She has stopped taking her long naps during the day and increased the number of smiles and giggles!

We started out our camping adventure at Harrison State Park with my friend Barb and her family. Brody really enjoyed playing with Skylar, Sydney and Danielle! He does pretty well for being the only boy. Of course there were a lot of fishing trips to the lake with Jim and a few trips to the "pool" aka lake! Addisen was voted best baby by pretty much everyone we met. She slept through most of the night and we woke up to her just talking away in her pack and play.

Brody was able to participate in the bike parade at the park this year. He stayed with the pack for about the first 30 seconds, then we took our own route around the park!

Addisen stayed awake for her first fireworks - and was she amazed by them! This picture captures her look for most of the show! Surprisingly she didn't cry until the finale - it was a little overwhelming!

Brody and Jim of course turned the fireworks in to a competition - Brody counted the number of green fireworks and Jim counted the blue. If you ask either one who won they both say they did...I think I am going to have a problem in the near future!

On Monday we went to the annual fourth of July parade in Harrison. We have been going for the last 4 years and Brody is starting to take a little more interest in it. This year he made it about 3/4 of the way through before losing interest in the people and candy!

Addisen made it about 1/2 of the way before taking a nap in the shade!

Jim and Brody made their annual trip to the flea market in town....

Love this picture - what the fourth is all about!

The firetrucks were too loud!

We headed home on July 5th and then left again on the 7th for our annual trip to the Jellystone campground in Fremont, Indiana. Brody was so excited to see Smokey and BooBoo! We had to keep reminding him that Smokey was at the State campground and Yogi was at Jellystone! I thought that he was going to be brave enough to talk with BooBoo and Yogi - but as you can see below Addisen was the real trooper!

I got to take my annual trip to the Outlet Mall located about a mile from the campground! I can always get Brody to go along if I bribe him with the little rides!

This year Brody noticed fireflies for the first time. It was so fun to watch Brody and Jim chasing the fireflies to put in Brody's bug house. Brody was walking around say "Fireflies, Fireflies" - one of the cutest things ever!

Addisen spent most of her time napping or hanging out in the shade - but we did make it down to the splash park one evening. She really enjoyed watching the kids and hanging out in the swing. Next year it will be a lot more work for Jim and I to keep up with two kids!

This is my favorite picture from the trip - look at those eyes!

At Jellystone we camp with one of my coworkers and a few of their family friends. We try to keep all of the kids entertained with games - this year I was in charge of the pinata and a little scavenger hunt.

Jim and Brody spent some time each day at the fishing pond. Brody was even brave enough to hold the fish with his thumb in their mouth by the end of the trip!

I went on one of the fishing trips with them and found that they had a lot of rituals. Brody had to give the worms a little kiss (or blow them a kiss) before they were cast into the water....

We stopped by Grandma and Bobo's on our way home Sunday. Brody enjoyed some time in the pool with Uncle Neal and Jim! My mom had made Addisen a sundress and hat - we joke about how big the kids heads are - but I think my mom went a little extreme with Addisen's hat!

I'll leave you with my other favorite picture - it is the simple things that make this mom happy!