Just One Question

It's the Holiday Season

Like most Midwestern-ers, we enjoyed our first winter storm last week. Since we are so close to the lake we weren't subjected to the mega amounts of snow (18" for our friends in Madison - yikes!) but the stuff we did get was wet, heavy, and bound to freeze into a sheet of ice if not immediately removed. So G and I went out to supervise while dad did his grounds work.

Hi dad! Having fun?


Bundled baby


It's like watching a turtle try to flip over


There's a tot in there somewhere...

There was a serious arctic chill in the air so G and I didn't stay out too long. Instead we went in for bath time and G decided to ham it up.

You messin' with me?


Every night we have to 'brush' mama's teeth first.


Then the brush may or may not make it in her mouth

With a very busy toddler running around, we gave ourselves a little extra time before Christmasing-out the inside of the house and constantly telling her "no no, don't touch". Saturday was really nice so we bundled up and headed out to find the family tree. Last year G had to stay home with Grandma & Grandpa. This year she was chief decision maker.

No...no...no...


Hey this one might work


High five. Now carry it back, dad

Once we got home Genevieve helped herself to the totes of Christmas decorations. We knew she would love digging in there (who needs presents when you have breakables?) but once she got hold of the beads it was all over.

Such a girly girl. What else would they be but the world's longest necklace?


Starting to work on her grand jete


Kiss the fish


then find a spot for him on the tree

The finished product

Horsin' Around

G has a lot of toys at daycare, but one of the things I noticed her really enjoying was this big plastic rocking horse. So we found her one for el cheapo (love you, CraigsList), gave it a good once-over with the disinfecting wipes, and rode off into the sunset. Normally she rides in the living room but last week she pushed her horse into the kitchen, for a change of scenery I guess.

Uhhhhhhhh, there's a chair in my way


Daddy, don't tickle!


Saying "woahhhhhhhhhh"


Look at the joy molded plastic can bring

Turkey Day 09

Last week we hit the road for Rochester to spend Thanksgiving with Grandma & Grandpa Martin. The ride there and back was, to quote a friend of mine, a hell that Dante couldn't imagine. Genevieve has never been the kind of kid for whom a car ride is an instant sleep agent, and on top of that she is going through a serious "sleep is for the weak" phase. In anticipation of the inevitable freak-fest we broke down and bought a portable DVD player. This is not something that I'm proud of. And frankly I thought it would be a waste since she doesn't watch tv or videos much at home. But after letting it work its magic, I feel like a better mom by plugging my kid in and keeping her happy for 30 minutes (or more, if you choose the "repeat play" button on the Baby Einstein DVDs. Genius.) than by having her scream for literally hours on end. Because when the video was off, this is what the conversation was like:
G: Up peese
Me: Here, how about some milk?
G: Up peese
Me: Goldfish crackers, yummy!
G: UP PEESE
Me: Baby Stella? Books? A Ball?
G: (cue giant tears) WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH
Ralphie: Too bad this trunk doesn't have a privacy screen
Matt: Too bad this front seat doesn't have a privacy screen
Me: (after round after round of Itsy Bitsy Spider/Patty Cake/ABC/Old Mac Donald) Ok, let's watch a video!
G: happy

So she watched "Baby Beethoven" a few times and all was right with the world. The Baby Einstein videos are very simple images (sock puppets, basic shapes and colors) and she would announce when things like the "puppy" or a "baby" were on the screen. Lovely. In the middle of the Beethoven video there is a giraffe sock puppet who plays the saxophone for a few seconds. Every single time that saxophone would appear, she would scream in horror. The giraffe would come in and out of other 'scenes' but when that sax came around she would just freak out. So, no Charlie Parker, got it.

Anyway outside of getting there and back, we had a great time in Roch. On Thursday we stuffed ourselves silly with the mandatory feast.

Stuffed


On the 293rd take, we all looked at the camera

We also kept busy opening and closing doors, a favorite new activity. No door or drawer is safe, and I love to hear the evil little giggle when she locks herself in the bathroom. It's like she's saying, "I'm getting into stuff and you can't stop me! Bwahahahaha!"

She's got a great personality

On Friday we did a little shopping (not crazy door buster stuff...I am not interested in standing in line for 45 minutes to save $10 on a pair of pants, hello Kohl's) and on Friday afternoon we headed to Owatonna to meet up with Scott, Anna, Ethan, and Addison. This was our first chance to meet little Addie and it was so fun to finally see this little doll. She was born on 9/26 so she's just about exactly where G was this time last year. It was crazy to think that our little bee was ever that small (or that still) and it was funny to think of Addison being as big and busy as G next year.

I have noticed now that when we take Genevieve out to eat we are usually seated far away from the regular (read: kid-free) customers. At first I was offended by this but then I got over it and realized that it meant I could relax if she was on a rant. Our hostess at the Timber Lodge apparently wasn't aware of this family-seating rule and put all 7 of us smack in the middle of the dining room. Ethan and Genevieve were really good for most of the meal, and totally cute with their little crayons and cups. But as soon as they were done eating we turned into "those people". Mmmhmmm, that's right, we had two hollering kids who were literally running around the restaurant with us chasing after them. They had a grand time and we would sort of hustle them away from other diners with a sheepish "sorry" and try to keep them occupied somewhere else. The night was topped off by Ethan walking by Genevieve and knocking her just a little off balance, and the drama immediately ensued. By this time we were in the empty lobby and practically out the door, but that brat hostess just stood there and gave me the fish eye. I probably would have done the same at 17 but I really wanted to say "just wait!". Ahh, good times. Anyway although dinner out for us now is a little different than it was a few years ago it was still fun to see the Harms' and meet their adorable new addition.

Plotting to take over Timber Lodge


Green bean, my friend?


Pops & tots

We spent Saturday hanging out and taking the dogs to the park for them to romp and burn off some steam. My parents have a new dog - a chocolate standard poodle called Greta - who Ralphie thought was the bee's knees. On Saturday night we stopped by the Kroening's to catch up a bit and let the kids play. G decided to be super shy and was glued to my or Matt's leg for most of the visit. Miles tried to help by offering her "puzzles" to play with and showing off his newest signs. What a clever little man he is! But she was more interested in eating his Chex mix. She did finally let Kyle hold her for about 2 minutes before we were off to meet my parents for dinner. Crazy to think that the next time we see the Kroenings, there will be 4 of them!

We went out to dinner again on Saturday and it was clear that this hostess had been taught the kid rule as we were seated in the 'outer' section of the restaurant with quick access to fun things like escalators, benches, and planters. Plus Grandpa volunteered to chase after Genevieve so Matt and I had a drink and enjoyed the 10 seconds of peace. Ahhhhhhhhhhh, babysitters.

One, two, threeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!


Found you, daddy!

On Sunday we packed back up and hit the road. We finally got home around 5:30 and collapsed as soon as G went to bed. So, things I am thankful for this year: babysitters (live and electronic), working part time (guess who hasn't showered today?), and knowing that one day we will look back on this and laugh at our crazy family memories.

Welcome to the Family!

Matt and I were thrilled to death to hear the big news the other week, that his little bro Steve popped the question to his girlfriend, Erin. So we had to go out to celebrate and finally were able to schedule a date last Friday night. We went to Maxie's Southern Comfort, home of the Maxirita (which incidentally I highly recommend), as well as their famous sweet potato fries. Matt & Genevieve had been looking forward to dinner all day.

Thinking of sweet potato fries makes them both drool a little

The happy couple!

The wedding is planned for next October - exact date TBD - and all three of us have been asked to stand up. Matt as best man, me as brides' maid, and Genevieve as likely the cutest flower girl in the history of weddings. Cannot wait to see her in that poufy little dress!! Oh yeah, and see Steve & Erin get married too. We are so happy to add Erin to the family - congrats you crazy kids!!

Meanwhile it's been life as usual here in Tosa. The warm front that graced us for a few days has definitely moved on and on Monday in came the typical November weather: gray, cloudy, and windy with a bite in the air. Since I try to take Ralphie for a walk at least 5 days a week that meant we were getting bundled up on Monday. I realize a snowsuit seems excessive without any actual snow, but it was really cold! It must have done the job...after our walk we went to go swing at the park and when I went to take her out of the swing (because I was starting to get chilled) she threw a fit.

Who has to pee?

Ha ha! Not even the constricting nature of this get up can stop me from playing with electronics!


Wearing mama's hat


Dahhhhhhhling, don't I look mahhhhhhhhhvelous?

Which brings me to the topic of temper. As in, Genevieve has found hers. On the one hand her second molar is breaking through which looks incredibly painful and must drive her absolutely insane. On the other hand she is clearly a drama queen and the big crocodile tears are flowing about every 10 minutes here at casa del Maio (yeah yeah, can't imagine where she gets it, ha ha very funny). If you take away something she wants, she rolls out the crocs and combines them with jelly legs and arches herself backwards. Completely typical but a little wearing. On the up-side her vocabulary is growing every day: when she's in the mood her lexicon includes dada, ball, hi, bye, hat, cup (bop), baby, mommy (joy!), up, puppy, and best of all, please. When she sees something she wants she points and says "peese" but the other day she saw that I was getting her some goldfish crackers to snack on and pointed at them screaming, "PEESE! PEESE! PEESE!". Yeah, message received. She can also identify her foot, her belly button, her nose, ears, and eyes. Will the genius ever end??

This weekend we're going to hang out with the Bansemar family and get some snuggle time with baby Alana, then it's off to Rochester for Thanksgiving. Turkey, gravy, potatoes, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce and pie? Might be even better than sweet potato fries...

Double Double Toil & Trouble

Well, there was no eye of newt or toe of frog this Halloween but there was a darn cute giraffe. Grandma Heidi was in town to help G officially celebrate Halloween, and we decided to go out right after G woke up from her nap. Although she is definitely a walker now, it's still slow going so we decided to hit the neighbors who we knew and call it a night. However one of our neighbors told us about a huge trick or treat just a few blocks up in our neighborhood that would start at 6:30. She said it was as much fun for the parents as for the kids, so we went to dinner (once again to La Reve which was, indeed, a dream) and headed back out afterwards.

All we could say was, wow! We've lived here for five years and I have never known that this huge event was going on just a few blocks from our house. Essentially the 2400 and 2500 blocks of our neighborhood (we're on the 2300 block which is my excuse for never having known about this giant party) all agree to go nuts each Halloween. People must have spent hours putting up the lights and decorations in their yards. Homeowners weren't just handing out candy, but they were out in their yards with their fire pits and their grills, and the sidewalks were packed with kids and families. It was awesome! There were even crossing guards at the busier intersections to make sure the little ghosts and goblins were safe. So we toddled our way up and down a few blocks before our little critter got cranky and told us it was time to head home. All in all she did great, looked adorable, and brought home some delicious treats for mom & dad.

Suiting up


Um, I am not amused by this thing on my head


Trick or treat (notice the little giraffe tail, adorable)


She caught on pretty quick that when you hold out the bucket, good stuff goes in.


Mama's little creature


Later that night - nose to nose with daddy


Snoozy time


Love that little giraffe head popping over daddy's shoulder

Autumn Hustle & Bustle

So far this fall I have admittedly been a crappy blogger. I spent all summer hearing about the inevitable "off-season lull" at work (meaning when the bite in the air is too much for most motorcycle riders) but despite the near-freezing temps I am still waiting for the promised lull and the lazy days that I think should go with it. So now that the baby is down for a snooze it is time for me to catch up on the last month and change, starting with the arrival of yet another baby into our friends-family! Little Miss Alana Bansemar made her debut on October 8 to proud parents Shawn & Melissa and big doggy brothers Brewer & JoBu.

Mel, me, and the star, Alana


Hello little one! Welcome to our crazy world.

Melissa & Alana had excellent timing as it just so happened that Kyle, Robin, and Miles were in town that same weekend for a wedding we were all attending in Illinois. So the Kroenings and the Maios all piled into the Pilot and headed to West Bend to greet the adorable new addition. Genevieve and Miles were pretty well behaved considering they were surrounded by stuff that they shouldn't touch (torture!!). After the visit we stopped at Culvers to feed the hungry baby bellies and by the time we got home it was snooze-central. And to anyone in the market, we can assure you that four adults and two giant car seats can fit in one Pilot. It's not graceful, but it works.

One daddy in...


another daddy in...


...and two babies out.

As the little ones slept we parents went out to Matt and my league bowling date. That's right, yet ANOTHER addition to the list of thingsIsworeI'dneverdo. We're partnered up with a guy Matt works with, Dan, and his wife, Angie. They're fun people and it's actually a pretty good way for us to force ourselves to get out together once a month. Anyhoo Grandma & Grandpa Maio volunteered to watch the kiddos while we were out (thanks!!) so Kyle & Robin came with us and graciously volunteered to taste-test the yummy bar food while we showed off our lack of bowling skills. When we returned home the kids were fed and ready for a bath. Matt protested having them in the bath together and warned Miles, "I'm watching you". Oh that silly daddy. They were so cute together in the tub and we captured plenty of future blackmail photos.

Hey, yours is different


Fun in the tub!


Who can catch it?

It's always fun to get together with our friends, but now that we all have kids it's also nice to get a reality check and realize that we are not the only ones who are totally drained by the end of the day.

Cozy pillow. Cozy blanket. Cozy brewski.

On Sunday we loaded back up in the car and headed to Illinois for the wedding of Lisa & Joe (a former Raider teammate of Kyle and Matt's). None of us had been to a Sunday wedding of late, but it actually worked out beautifully because Saturday's weather was total garbage and Sunday's was sunny and crisp. The ceremony was outdoors but blissfully brief, and we later found out that the lovely bride had long underwear on under her gorgeous gown. The things we do for good photos! We headed inside for a cocktail reception followed by an early dinner and were back on the road by 6:30. Actually worked out perfectly for those of us with kids in tow. There was a little boy there who was just a few days older than G, and his great-auntie was borderline obsessed with getting photos of the two of them together. She even took pictures of Matt, G, and me dancing at the reception. Hi, stalker. Anyway the Kroenings stayed until Monday morning and had a snowy welcome home in Rochester. Yuck! We haven't gotten any flakes here but I know it's not far off.

Super stylish


Coming soon to a holiday greeting card near you...


The happy couple!


G and her buddy


There's cake at this thing? Hooray!


G and her favorite dance partner

Anyway since then we've done a lot, including wrapping up our first series of swimming lessons at the Y. Unfortunately the last class was the same day that Genevieve got her tubes so obviously we were MIA that night, but otherwise G and her dad headed to their class every week in September and October. She did pretty well and towards the end really seemed to start to understand what 'kick!' meant. We also did a lot to practice making the kiddos wait to get in the pool until mom or dad is ready, which I'm sure will serve us well at the lake next year. Assuming we get to swim next year. The best part of swimming lessons was that Genevieve was so exhausted by the end of each class that she would fall asleep in the car and be out for the rest of the night. Love that!

Yes, she was actually hollering across the entire pool.


Going after an illusive toy


This pool is fun!

And now that the tubes adventure is behind us, we've been getting ready for G's second Halloween! Last year she was barely 6 weeks old and couldn't hold her head up. This year we'll get to watch those wobbly legs walk down the sidewalk in her little costume. Amazing. It was lovely this morning so I took her out to grab a few spooky shots in a little dress I got on uber-clearance last year.

A little apprehensive of walking where she can't really see what's underfoot.


Maybe if I just stand here and look cute mom will pick me up


Ha! Got her


Gimmie candy!


My favorite shot of the morning


The vicious attack poodle, making sure no squirrel even THINK about coming near us