Watching Wonder Pets

Ava LOVES the wonder pets. There is an episode where the wonder pets save a baby reindeer and basically save Christmas. Ava wants to watch this episode over and over (even now that Christmas is over) and she insists on wearing her Santa hat just like the wonder pets do. Also she got a snow globe from her Grandparents and she kept saying "this is like Tuck's". Everyone was confused and then I realized, oh yeah, she is talking about the turtle on the wonder pets that got a snow globe too. Ava also thinks we can solve any problem with Team Work. Like when I am nursing and can't get her a book. "Yes mom let's use team work"......ummmm she doesn't really get what that means.

Help comes from afar....Thanks Mom!

Wearing Grandma's earmuffs

My Mom flew to Wisconsin when Vivian was a week old to see the baby and help our family. The weather forecast had some chilly forecasts. I asked my mom if she had ever been in weather that was just above zero or below. She couldn't recall a time. This is not the time of year I would ever invite visitors. We ventured out three times while my mom was here and that included taking her to the airport. It was so nice to have her here. She brought so many fun things for Ava and really kept her entertained while I got a couple naps or while I nursed. Ava really bonded with my mom and still talks about her visit. Ava insists her new electric toothbrush stands up where grandma "Debi's" stood up in her bathroom. Silly girl. Thanks again Mom and hopefully it won't be so cold next time you visit :)

Cousins who love baby Vivian

My sister-in-law made us a wonderful dinner last week. We all ate and then the kids enjoyed holding Vivian. Our nephew is sure that Vivian prefers to see him in red. "She always looks at me when I wear red" he says. What would we do with out family nearby.....................

Dad's Sledding Partner

After we got some snow last week, we bought a sled for Ava to enjoy with Matt. Of course I don't do outdoors this time of year. She had a great time sledding and came in the house with the rosiest cheeks.

My Little Helper

Ava Holding Vivian and wanting a picture for the 89th time :) Ava piled a couple of new blankets my mom made on Vivian's legs. "She likes them" Ava exclaims.

Ava is a great big sister. She wants to hold, touch, and help with Vivian all the time. Every time she holds the baby she wants me to take a picture. Ava's adjustment to her new role has been relatively good, she is very gentle with the baby, and loves talking to her. She always wants to know if "Bibian" is coming with us and wants to know where she is at all times. Her adjustment to us now being the parents of two has been a little trickier for her. She is a bit more demanding, bossier, and winier. She is constantly battling about things that are non-negotiatable. How am I adjusting.........Tomorrow will be more like reality as Matt is at work and my mom has gone home. We'll see.

She is a few days old......

Vivian in her going home outfit.

Getting ready to go home. I thought it would be funny to get a picture in the same spot as I did with my huge belly right before I delivered.

Daddy is ready to go home too. No more fold out couch bed for him!

3 Girls in the bed and the little one said...........

Wide eyed !

Ava holding her baby sister with her cousin.

It is so dry right now. This is a picture of Ava's hair all static-ee.

3 days old and sleeping.
YAAWWNNN


She already loves soft blankets just like her mom and sister.

Surprise, we took a few more pictures. I have a feeling I'll be posting a little more often the next little while. Partly because babies change so quickly and partly because I think it is supposed to snow for the next 10 days. We had a huge blizzard last night, 10 inches of fallen snow, and feet of snow where it drifted. We made it home just as the storm was starting. Our first night with baby Vivian was memorable. We were changing her diaper and noticed a little mucus in her diaper, as we were peering a little closer, her bum exploded sending baby poop all over Matt's shirt and shorts, our bed spread, my end table, our curtains which are 4 feet away. Anyway you get the picture, a fine mist of poop. She slept decent, eating at 10:30pm, 1:30 am, 6 am. Daddy got up with Ava at 7 and let me sleep with Vivian until 9:30. It felt like so much sleep compared with the 3 previous nights at the hospital. I can only hope for our nights to go as smooth as last night. Also having Matt to hang out with Ava in morning was pretty crucial too!

Sistas

Ava loves holding Vivian at least until she moves.

Vivian is simply adorable.

Announcing Vivian Jane...

Vivian Jane was born December 5th at 1130 a.m., a very healthy girl at 22 inches and 9 lbs 1 oz.

Pictures of Vivian w/dad (wink) and w/grandma and sister Ava. Mom is recovering from the c-section surgery and is doing well, in the beginning of the long recovery, she is incredible!

Ava is a wonderful big sister, very proud of 'her baby' and is doing her part to help baby sister!

Ava has been staying with my parents and sister's family - cousins Durlin and Grace are great friends and playmates. What would we do without them this week?

Vivian Jane Paske arrived yesterday at 11:30 am. She weighed in at 9 lbs and 1 oz and is 22 inches long. We are having a hard time getting photo's to post over the hospital internet, which is totally annoying. So after 2 hours of trying to get photo's to upload, I could only get the one right before we went into surgery. I will keep trying........

Impromptu Cookies

Ready to pop! Only a few more days......

Well it snowed last night. You can't tell exactly how much because the fierce wind has blown most of it away. It is 24 degree's outside but the wind chill makes it feels like 14 degrees (WHAH!). So of course I won't be going outside today. Well I try to keep Pillsbury sugar cookie dough on hand just for days like this. The dough keeps a long time, it is the perfect amount (I let her cut cookies out of half and I make round one's with the rest), and you can use cookie cutters with it if you add a little flour. We didn't even frost them this time, because they are even good plain.

Hat's Galore

Ava was being super quiet and I suspected trouble. I was pleasantly surprised to find her putting as many hats on her head as it would hold. Ahhhhhh........nothing to worry about.

Go Badgers!

Ava talks about Bucky Badger, the UW mascot, anytime she see's him. He could be on a sign, on some one's sweatshirt, on her cup that goes in the bath etc... But to see him in real life.........she is terrified. Ava kept track of Bucky's every move at the basketball game. She sat great through out the game, but kept asking "Where is Bucky?". We have season tickets and she has been to two games now. I think Ava might be Daddy's new basketball partner after baby "P" arrives, as long as Bucky stays a safe distance away!

Waterpark Weekend

Ava eating lunch in the Condo.
Jordan and Ava hiding.

Ava tromping through the water.

Ava going down the slide.

Jake playing in the fountain.

Ava showing off her balancing skills

Matt, and our friends waiting for the waves to start.

Ava, not loving the wave pool. She is saying "mom".........I of course didn't want to get in the wave pool. Not warm enough for my taste.

Matt, Ava, Jordan, Jake, and Lisa playing ring-around-the-rosie for the 100th time.

Ava and Jordan playing Ring-around-the-rosie.

We went to the Wisconsin Dells last weekend for a last "Hurrah" as a family of three. The "Dells" as we call it, is known for the many water parks that are there. Several of them are indoors and in the summer there are even more outdoor water parks. It is only 45 minutes away, and there are always a lot of folks from Chicago that come for the weekend.

Yes I put my pregnant body in a swim suit. Too bad I didn't make it into any of the pictures. Another a family we know from Milwaukee met us there. We stayed in a condo for 3days/2 nights just two doors down from our friends. It was nice to have a full kitchen and separate bedrooms. Also everything at the resort is connected, so there was no reason to leave. The walk to the water parks were a little long for me, so most of the time I took the shuttle. Ava absolutely loved the water parks and of course never wanted to leave. We would get together with our friends for dinner and movies after we were done swimming. A week later Ava is still talking about the water park. She was asking her dolls the other day if they want to go to the water park too. We might have to make this an annual tradition.

Incredible Sweet Potato Casserole

Just in time for Thanksgiving!!

Incredible Sweet Potato Casserole
4 sweet potato’s, cooked and mashed
½ cup melted butter
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp cinnamon
½ cup honey
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup toasted pecan pieces (to toast preheat oven to 300 degrees, bake for 10 minutes, stir, and then bake another 10 min)
Mix together above ingredients and put in baking dish

Topping
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup flour
3 Tbsp melted butter
½ cup toasted pecan pieces (to toast preheat oven to 300 degrees, bake for 10 minutes, stir, and then bake another 10 min)
Mix together and crumble on top of potato mixture
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes

**This recipe is a good one to make the day before if you want. When the oils from the roasted pecans sit on the top over night, they give the casserole even better flavor.

Ready for Winter

The other day I dressed Ava in her winter gear to make sure everything fit. She looked so cute all bundled up. Too bad mom doesn't ever go outside when it finally does snow. Our weather has been very , very cold. The pond behind our house is frozen (2 inches thick) and the wind has been bone chilling. Baby paske probably won't see the great outdoors until she is old enough to crawl. The joys of Wisconsin weather. I'll try not to spend the next 6 months complaining.

Mom's little white lie....

We head to the bank once a week or so. It seems we always have rents coming all through out the month, even though they are due by the 5th. Well last week as we were driving to the bank Ava was in in the back looking pretty dazed. It was around nap time, so I decided it would be perfect if she fell asleep and I could just move her to her bed for a long needed nap. My dilemma is that Ava always gets a sucker at the bank. The week before they had run out. Although she was disappointed, she wasn't devastated, so I decided they would be out this week too! She would never fall asleep in her car seat if she had a yummy, sugary, sucker to eat. I sent my deposit to the teller. I then pretended to call her and ask her if they had suckers that day. "oh you don't, your all out.......huh". I turned to Ava and said, I'm sorry honey but they are out of suckers today. She grinned and said "No they not, look!". She was right, there was a giant bowl in the window full of suckers. BUSTED. I then pressed the call button and asked if I could get a sucker for my daughter. She did not fall asleep on the way home. And in fact, she didn't take a nap at all!

Trick or Treat

Our little princess Ava, complete with earrings and crown-but no beautiful blond wig.




Derek the bear and Ava the the princess.

Ava was very excited about trick or treating last night. Just as she and Matt were getting ready to leave, a family dressed as Kiss the band knocked on our door. If I had known how awesome their costumes were, I would have had my camera ready. Big black wigs and faces painted to the tee. Well what I found to be great costumes, Ava found terrifying. As soon as she caught a glimpse she ran into her room and hid in the closet. She was crying frantically. Who would have guessed? So then she was nervous to leave the house. She went to a total of two neighbors houses and she had enough. The weird thing is she really, really loves candy and especially chocolate, so I thought this love would out weigh a couple scary costumes. After she finished trick or treating, Grandma and Grandpa came over with a pumpkin filled with goodies. Then we went and ate pizza at a friends house. I wonder what Ava will think next year?