The Polar Express

December 6th we traveled south to Mt. Pleasant to visit Santa's workshop and ride the Polar Express. Nate is crazy about trains and I was happy to spend the money to buy some family time. Magical? Maybe for Nate. They put this coating on the windows so you couldn't see out clearly and realize we just lapped the track 3 times to get to "The North Pole". After we arrived, we stepped out basically into a shed (so cold!) that had a gift shop, a craft room, a bar they were serving hot cocoa and cookies from and a red caboose where Santa was. There were people dressed in pretty weak imitations of elves and the places wasn't really decorated at all. I was kinda bummed, but Nate didn't seem to notice. He loved it. After I ate 3 sugar cookies I started to feel better about it. There were some major highlights: the conductors that rode in each train car were dressed up perfectly, just like the guy from the book- hat and all. Santa was perfect with a real white beard (but Nate still wouldn't sit on his lap or even give him a high five), they gave us really cool jingle bells (like from the book), the gift shop was super cheap, they took a free family photo, and the unlimited cookies were quite good. So it wasn't exactly a winter wonderland, but it was still worth going. Here is the link for all you locals to check out next year. It is Midwest Central Railroad. Tickets go on sale in October and you HAVE to buy your tickets the day they go on sale. We did take Andy even though he isn't pictured. He slept the whole time (thank goodness because it was so cold and he stayed bundled in his car seat.) Oh and the whistle on the train was really cool, not ear splitting like most. And the steam that came out made it feel magical. I have heard if you go on one of the night rides it is really cool. The only do it the first 2 weekends in December (that is why tickets are so hard to get).

Waiting for them to shout "All Aboard!"

Next in line to see Santa inside the red caboose

Eating sprinkles off the sugar cookies


Nate kept saying "chuggachugga"

Blessed Baby

Russell Men
Great Grandpa Rich, Chris, Nate, Uncle Jon, Andrew and Kapka (Grandpa Steve)

My family
Uncle Ben, Aunt Erica (and 5 mo. baby bump), Cousin Lauren
Grandpa Harold, Grandma Amy, Nate
Chris, me, Andrew

November 30th Chris blessed Andrew. We were lucky enough to have family join us, including Chris's grandparents from Atlanta and Chris's brother home from California. Though I could not hear it, Chris said Andrew was cooing and laughing during the blessing. Thank goodness because I couldn't get him to sleep before that so he was very tired. Doesn't that always happen? Thanks for making the effort to join us family. We sure love you.

True story- When we were saying goodbye to Chris's grandparents the night before they flew home I told Nate to give Grandpa Rich a hug and Nate said, in front of Rich, "No, he's grouchy!" I was so embarrassed, but Rich only replied, "Perceptive!" Thank goodness he has a sense of humor!

Brothers

He'll be my buddy for all of time,
My fellow conspirator in many a crime,
A willing participant in messes of slime,
And be worth more than Scrooge's #1 Dime;

We'll play pirate ships on the couches,
And jump on Daddy until he slouches,
We'll fight when we are grouches,
But share each other's lunch pouches;

And when life threatens to smother,
And there's help from not one other,
We'll remember these words from our Mother:
You'll always have your brother.

One way to clean your purse

Comic Relief

My mother-in-law just sent this to me. I thought it was too funny not to share. It's kinda long- 3.5 minutes- but you get the idea of it in just a minute. THis is one of the funniest ward talent show acts I have ever seen

Halloween Recap and A request for advice

We had AMAZING weather on Halloween- at least 75 all day and then 60's at night while we were out trick or treating. AMAZING. I pushed Andrew in the stroller while Chris took Nate door to door. He did great. He would yell trick or treat at every door and even meowed for them! One lady gave him a toy mouse! He did not want to stop, but his paws were dragging and head was flopped to the side- we knew it was time to stop. Can't wait for next year when Andy can go too.



I need any suggestions from you guys on how to teach your kids about the true meaning of Christmas and how to keep Christmas Christ centered. This is our first CHristmas that Nate will really understand what is going on and so I want to start it off right and start some good traditions. PLEASE PLEASE give me some ideas!
Love, jen

Happy Halloween

THANKS GRANDMA AMY FOR THE AMAZING COSTUME!

My littlest pet shop
Puppy Dog Andy
Kitty Cat Nate

October

Andrew's 2 months!
14 lbs, 23 inches
Can hold his head up and look side to side
Coos non-stop
Smiles all the time this huge, open mouth smile
Sweetest, chubbiest little baby



Annual trip to the pumpkin farm with Chris's mom




Enjoyed our last few days of warm weather





And a trip to Wilson's Apple Orchard
I promise they like each other... they just don't like the camera

Where's my camera when I need it?

Oh well, at least I had a cell phone to capture the moment!
p.s. yes, Andy HAS doubled in size!

Startin' 'em young

Nate too is displeased with how his stocks are doing

This , that and the other

We are all a little sleep deprived..... maybe that is why these things were so funny to me-

Today Nate had this little toy and brought it over to me and said, "Look at this"
I said " Where'd you get that?" and he said " I got it from Ebay"
Yes, it's true. I have been buying a lot of things on ebay lately to get my retail therapy fix because things have been kinda crazy around here and quite frankly- it is a lot easier than hauling 2 kids to the mall!


Then tonight during dinner I had made him a grilled cheese sandwich with this
because I bought it a few weeks ago to make meal times easier. It had worked thus far- but tonight he didn't want to eat dinner and he picked up his dino and made him walk on his plate and then said "No Nate! Don't eat me!" and then looked at me and said, " Mom. I can't eat it. He doesn't want me to". How could I argue against that?!

Andrew is growing like a champ. Out of newborn clothes... he has got to be over 10 lbs. It is kinda fun to have a chubby baby! Check out those cheeks! Deer in the headlights look = the camera flash

A frog and a prince

Last night Chris and Nate caught a frog. Chris wanted to put him in the bathtub with Nate- I said no- and compromised with letting them keep him in our bug cage and put it on top of the fridge. Nate woke up last night and we were rocking in the chair when we heard a noise. Nate said, "what was that?" I had no idea because I was more than half asleep. Nate decided it was the frog. We both went back to sleep without another thought of it. In the morning I was nursing Andrew and all of the sudden I saw the frog jumping across the rug in the family room! So it was the frog we heard last night! How it got the lid open and survived the jump from on top of the fridge, I will never know!



Andrew is growing so quickly! He is probably about 10 lb. now. He is going to be a big boy like his brother.

Most of our time these days is spent like this...


and this...



And do my boys have the coolest dad or what?

Andrew Pictures

My sister in law Erica took some cute pictures of Andrew this week. I will post some here. She also had some cute ones on her blog from the hospital too. Her blog is http://www.ericayoungblut.blogspot.com/

Thanks Erica! You are such a great friend!

Getting back into it

This week has been a roller coaster trying to find our new normal. Chris started his final year of law school and is really missing all of this friends that left this year. I was grateful he didn't start school until Tuesday so we had all day Sunday and Monday home with the 2 boys trying to get back into a routine. Nate was at my parents house Thursday til Saturday night and when he cam home it was like my eyes were opened- this kid is not a baby any more- nothing about him. His hands are so big, his facial features, everything is grown up! I always saw him as a baby before, my baby. But now that I truly have a baby he seems HUGE!
Yesterday I was changing Andrew's diaper on the ottoman of our rocking chair (like always) and Nate climbed up and laid down next to him (pictured above). They stared at each other for the longest time. Then Nate started to shake his hand and touch his face. It is really sweet to watch him get to know his "baby brother" as he always refers to him.

I was afraid this baby would change my relationship with Nate, but if anything it has made me appreciate who he is more. A couple of things that I love about Nate this week:
-He calls me "sweetie" as in "here ya go, sweetie" because I always call him that. It just sounds adorable coming from a 2 year old
- He is so funny! Last night Chris told Nate he should drink his milk because it would make him grow bigger. He looked at Chris, took a drink of his milk, and then exclaimed, "I'm big now"
- Last night Chris told him, "I am going to teach you how to pray" and he told Nate the 4 parts of a prayer. Nate listened carefully and the afterwards said, "Now teach me how to drive!" If you know my son at all, you can appreciate how serious he was! 2 going on 16!
Every day he does something or says something that makes me smile and love him even more. p.s. Nate is in jammies.... I don't usually let him out of the house in that special polyester number:)

First Photos

On our way out the door to the hospital on Wednesday

Seconds after Andrew was born


In honor of the Olympics- our little Buddah


Taken by our nurse

Tired dad crashes after adrenaline wears off

The details: I had been having contractions since earl morning on Wednesday and they started to hurt around 2:30ish. I didn't go through the whole contractions thing with Nate-my water broke, we went in, the put in my iv- I was never uncomfortable. I didn't know when I should go in this time since I never experienced this. After much prodding from my mom and MIL I went in to the hospital around 4pm. I was only dilated to a 4 so they wanted to monitor me for an hour before admitting me. Then at 5pm I had only dilated a 1/2 cm so they put me on another hour of observation. My body is retarded and wouldn't dilate but they decided to admit me anyway. The doctor on call came in and broke my water at 7pm. At 8pm I received my epidural and it was cake from there:) This whole time we had been watching the Olympics. At 9pm the doctor came in to check me and I was at a 9 so we got ready for the delivery. When I started to push Chris turned off the Olympics. The nurses and doctor told him multiple times he could turn it back on- I think they wanted to watch:) After 4 sets of 3 pushes Andrew was out. I know, I have easy deliveries. He is the most peaceful, quiet little baby.... right now. No post labor preeclampsia, no bad tearing, no mag sulfate. It has been so great enjoying spending time with Chris getting to know Andrew together. We are a blessed family.