Girls Weekend

Red Sunglasses
Originally uploaded by gingerkohles

Last night I met up with long lost friends from way back in my childhood. It was the first "girls night out" that I had had in so long that I am just guess that it was last summer.

We had a great time. And are planning to meet up again before we have grandkids. I rolled into bed at 1 and was up again every hour with a fussy baby. By 6 I nudged Jason and croaked "help" and he did. What a guy. By 8:30 I was up and getting Abby out the door for our day together.

We called up Rachel for a rain check from last weekend shortly after breakfast with Pop Pop and Grandma. She joined us for our first ever visit to Build-A-Bear. Abby picked the Pink Monkey and named him "Pink". LOL. We played in the Loony Toons Train area and then grabbed lunch.

And to wrap it all up we are here at my folks and Donna and Elizabeth have come to visit!

I have had the BEST weekend in a long long long time — but I am exhausted (in a good way)!

2 Posts in One Month?

The Many Faces of Morgan 18
Originally uploaded by gingerkohles

Morgan is sooooo expressive with his eyes and mouth! I think he may get the acting bug like his grandpa (only time will tell). Click on the picture to go check out the tons of recently uploaded pictures of both the kids. We even have a bunch loaded from Abby's most recent experience at The Little Gym.

Briefly, (because everyone is doing it, so why shouldn't I?) I just wanted to talk about how I was glued to the TV yesterday. This was the first time I wasn't working (in an office) on inauguration day since I watched the Clinton's take the office (and even then I wasn't working because I was school age at that time).

I am so inspired by the new President and his family. They ooze optimism and hope. You could see the love in their eyes and their body language for their family. Also, President Obama's sincere wish that this next few years will be a redesign of America — for the better. I am looking forward to the weekly VLOG updates on whitehouse.gov (if he can stick to them) and additionally the Blog.

For the first time in years I am seriously interested in the politics of out nation and the outcome of our country. I desperately want the US to be respected by other countries because of our values and freedoms. I feel very strongly that President Obama has a very hard road ahead and that he has many challenges to overcome before he can get to his agenda, but I am looking forward to being here to watch his successes and be supportive when he fails. All humans fail and make mistakes after all he is only human.

But enough of my blubbering go check out how Morgan and Abby are growing! :)

Life on a Roller Coaster

This week has been challenging to the extreme. At the same time the kids are growing and learning in LEAPS and BOUNDS.

GOOD NEWS: Morgan has TWO teeth! Both of his lower front teeth decided to grace us with their presence on Monday (1/12/09). Morgan is sitting up without support for long periods of time. And he is an EATING MACHINE! I am totally in trouble when he hits puberty. He is on Stage 2 (of 3) eating solids. We haven't introduced puffs or other chewable foods yet, but I feel that it is only a matter of months and we will have a crawling baby. Right now he successfully rolls onto his tummy and seems to be okay with chilling there for extended periods of time. He hasn't quite figured out how to roll back onto his back, but I see that happening very soon. Morgan's 6 month check up is this upcoming Tuesday where I expect all of his measurements will be in the 75%-100% on the growth charts. He is HUGE! I would guesstimate his height at about 30-31 inches and his weight at about 20-21 pounds. I have no clue where his HC will be at this point. He is still on special formula, but significantly less now with the solid foods. I plan to talk to the Doc about the lactose issue and see what they think we should do next.

Abby is LOVING BOOKS. We go to the library almost every week to every other week and get about 5-25 books. Of which we (and by we I mean Jason most of the time) read her 5-7 books a night before bed. She also loves in no particular order: Legos/Building, Playdoh, Drawing, Card games (GO FISH, Matching, & Complete the Picture), Taking Pictures, Dancing/Tumbling. The newest hurdle is POTTY TRAINING. I have had it with changing her when she occasionally goes potty. So now I am making it my goal to have a fully potty trained toddler by February! Here is to trying. I found the best bribe is CHOCOLATE MILK! If she doesn't go 1 & 2 on the potty NO CHOCOLATE MILK! And Oh My God has that been working!!! Well today was my first real day of putting this method into action. Our previous attempts have been unsuccessful and just as impromptu.

And everyone has been in good health even the kids. This is all good as the BAD NEWS: Jason was laid off on Monday. So my Potty Training should save us a little money on groceries (while not the laundry — water bill — for now). And not being sick means not having health insurance in 3 weeks will hopefully not hurt us. Though I certainly am trying to think positive and believe that Jason will have found a new job at a stable location where he is making a little more thereby allowing us to be able to put money aside versus living paycheck to paycheck as we have been since last May.

I love roller coasters, but I don't like the idea of living on one. Here is to hoping that Abby can successfully achieve BIG GIRL status ASAP!