Merry Christmas . . .

. . . . from our home to yours!

29 Weeks

Lately, there have been only pictures of Simon; because he is the one who changes the most in our household. Well, here is one of me - since I am changing practically every day! I am now 29 weeks pregnant, and early March seems so very close with still lots to do here at 4 West Adams! Christmas is coming and keeps us busy, Eric is finishing up Simon's bed, plans are underway to re-do the kitchen after the holidays, , and I need to start looking for a preschool for Simon! Can you believe he will be in preschool! Soon not even a toddler anymore.

Santa's Visit

Simon was fascinated this year with Santa! He could hardly wait in line; he was ready to march right up to Santa. When it was his turn, he walked up close to him, looked at him and said "twuck twator". No need to wait to sit on his lap! He just sat on his lap and took it all in! He then rode the train with much enthusiasm! We enjoyed our special Santa visit, train ride, and lunch with his little buddies T.J. and Baby Charlie!

A Friends Christmas

Our June Bug group gathered last Sunday morning for a Christmas brunch; and we had a delicious and fun time! The original group now has an 18 month old friend that has joined our fun gatherings! It is amazing that this year is their third Christmas. Simon definitely enjoys opening presents and playing with the new toys inside! He is learning to give his gifts to others, more fun to open them himself. He'll get the hang of it! Such a fun Christmas it will be this year! Here are the four June bugs playing together. The best picture I could take with them all naturally playing in the same general area!

T.J. is now a big brother, and here is Bahy Charlie. Next year at Christmas, there will be 10 kiddos in the mix. Since Baby Charlie, everyone is now expecting their second child!

A Snowy Day

Simon woke up and could barely eat breakfast; he was sooo excited to go outside to play in the snow. He wanted to go out there since the night before when the snow was falling. He played so hard in the snow and did not want to come inside. Such a different experience from last year (check our blog archives if you cannot recall). Enjoy our snowy day!

Simon is pretend snoring and sleeping, not making a snow angel.

Lady Park Truck

Here is how Simon's nativity looks when put away for the night. One day Simon comes to me and says "lady park truck", never heard that before and could not figure out what he was talking about. A few minutes later, a walk into the living room cleared up any misunderstanding. The heavenly host angels were standing next to his big, semi-truck. His "ladies" parked the truck. So, now baby Jesus, several people, and sometimes a few stable animals now live on top of the truck. Oh, and the camel always goes inside the truck. A modern version of the stable scene. So remember, "lady park truck"!

A Mother's Song

This is great! Every Mom will enjoy this song!

A Wiens Thanksgiving

We then drove up to MN to enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday with Grandma and Grandpa Wiens from Minnesota. Simon is now calling them "Grandma/Grandpa Wiens" or "Grandma/Grandpa Soda". He is also calling Eric's parents "Grandma/Grandpa Lussow". This was our first sign that we were on our way and headed in the right direction. Friday after Turkey Day we went further north to hlep Grandma and Grandpa pick out their Christmas tree. Eric, Simon and I went to visit the goats and other farm animals while Grandma and Grandpa headed into the barn/shed. Needless to say that history was made, a tree was decided upon before we joined them. This is usually a half-hour task with lots of hemming and hawing. Simon was most interested in the cats, park, sandbox, and tractors. He did not care that it was quite cold and windy outside. He was not at all happy to leave the toy tractor at the sandbox. He cried while we were driving home and kept saying "back barn". No idea the trip was all for a Christmas tree.

Saturday, Aunt Christina treated Simon to his first hockey game and boy-oh-boy did he enjoy it. He especially loved the zamboni. He first called it a "boni" but now says "damboni". Anytime we drive somewhere and ask him where he's going, he says "hockey game". Who knew it would take only one game to get hockey in his blood?

A Luedtke Thanksgiving

We enjoyed Thanksgiving a weekend early with Eric's family. We had a great time. Simon played his little heart out with his cousins and we enjoyed too much food!

The young cousins eating cookies. Doesn't look like too much trouble, do they?

Simon and Jessica

Uncle Gordon playing with the little ones, Jessica, Nathaniel, and Simon

Baby's First Picture

We recently had my ultrasound - and here are our new little one's first pictures! We did not find out what we are having. So like us you will have to wait a while longer to call our baby a "he" or a "she". The baby weighed 14 ounces at this ultrasound. It is always amazing to see life when so little and so fragile. We enjoyed seeing our little one moving around!

This first picture is of the foot and leg.
This second picture shows the hand, arm, and face - on the far left looking downward and towards the right.

Some Fun Moments

Simon's toy kitchen has spent the last few months un-played with in his room. We started to move toys out of his room and put this large toy in the basement. Of course, he started to play with it like crazy! Here Simon put on his apron and chef hat from Grandma Wiens for the first time! He cooks up quite the delicious meal! Simon situated himself just so on the couch with a pillow behind him, a "bankik" and a "maa deen" to be just like Mommy!

"Squirrel Eat Pumpkin"

This was our view each morning our pumpkins were still on our front porch! Simon exclaimed "squirrel eat pumpkin"! The squirrel and Simon were so close that only the window separated them!

Halloween

It has been a while since we updated our site, because our computer had a virus. We were able to restore it and save everything, thank goodness! Simon and I had a terrible cold that put us under the weather for about a week. We are now all back up and running! Here are some pictures of pumpkin carving and Halloween night! He did not quite appreciate scooping out pumpkin guts, but enjoyed watching Eric carve his happy face jack-o-lantern!

Halloween Festivities!

This weekend was filled with Halloween activities! Our great friends from our Bible study gathered for our annual chili dinner and pumpking carving on Friday evening. It is amazingly fun to carve pumpkins with adult friends and see at least 10 jack-o-lanterns all lit up! There is always the speedy carver, the gorey carver, the happy pumpkin carver, and the creative carver!

Saturday, the June Bugs enjoyed their 3rd Halloween Party! The June Bug gang is growing! There is a one-and-a-half year old added into the group and a two-month old sibling who joined us in August. And there are two more itty-bitties on the way! This group of kiddos played so very well around each other. Then on Sunday, Simon picked out his pumpkin from the pumpkin patch. He is so excited to see pumpkins and scarecrows this Halloween. He is joining in on the excitement of Halloween!

As of last week it was a question if Simon would put on his costume! His sitter was asking Simon what he was going to be for Halloween. He would not talk about his Elmo costume with her. He put his head down and ignored her! Her first guess was going to be an apple, because she knows he loves them so very much. As of last Monday, he would not put on his costume. So, the next evening we forced the costume on him, for two minutes. He whined and wouldn't look in the mirror. He kept asking Eric to pick him up. Even the giggle box did not win him off. But once Elmo was off, he was a desired item. Elmo hung from the corner of Simon's crib and "watched him sleep". Simon did not want to put his costume on the next morning when I asked him. However, all of a sudden he brings me his unzipped Elmo and asks for help. So he watches Sesame Street and Elmo's World while wearing the Elmo costume. Then he wouldn't take it off. He wore it for about 2 hours. Then he comes to me with it unzipped and asks for help to take it off. So he will be Elmo! Who knew a little guy could have Halloween stress!

It's Pumpkin Time

This past weekend we experienced yet another unseasonably warm, October Saturday. We got up and out of the house and drove to Sonny Acres farm. Or the pumpkin farm according to Simon. We had so much fun playing on tractors, hay bales, slides attached to large farm wagons, tunnels made from hay bales and corn stalks, and a train ride. Simon was sooo excited and happy; we enjoyed just watching him experience it all! He generally will not go on a train ride, and in typical fashion did not want to that day. When we were leaving, he dropped to his knees and started to cry. When asked what was wrong, he told us "train". This was the first train ride he wanted and enjoyed without any tears. And he was lucky enough to have a view from the engine - he loved ringing the bell! He then picked out a small pumpkin to give to Uncle Gordon and Aunt Dolores, who we visited after since they live so close to the farm.

Pumpkin_Facts

The Old Graue Mill

Last weekend we enjoyed a fall walk at The Old Graue Mill and Fullersburg Forest Preserve. The Old Graue Mill was erected in 1852 in Oak Brook, IL to grind corn into corn meal along Salt Creek. The water wheel has been restored and continues to work today. Historically, the mill was a part of the underground railroad. The creek and mill are part of a beautiful forest preserve with paths for walking. We saw ducks, geese, a blue heron, and a white crane. We ended our visit by purchasing corn meal and made chili with corn bread over the weekend.

http://www.grauemill.org/

Counting to 60!

Grandpa turned 60 years old just a short while ago! Simon helped make a collection of 60 of his favorite things - pennies for fountain wishes, goldfish crackers, straws, froot loops, etc. You know, the important things in his life! Simon and I picked up 60 small shells from the shores of Lake Michigan. Boy, was it an effort to keep him interested! Sort of reminiscent of when I picked up shells on beaches with my Daddy! Such a short attention span to put 60 shells into a bag.

(taken 9/25/2007)

Visiting Friends in Michigan

We enjoyed a lovely weekend with our dear friends Matthew and Kelli (from Indiana) in St. Joseph, MI. Our fall get-away turned into Indian summer. We enjoyed a very breezy and cooler day on the beach and one warm day on the beach. We spent our time playing in the sand, getting wet, walking along the beach, watching boats, flying a kite, picking apples, and catching up! That part of Michigan is becoming one of our favorite spots! Possibly a yearly tradition is in the making!

(9/21-9/23/2007)

Just for Jo

Can you mix your sportswear?

(picture taken 9/16/2007)

Relaxing Like Daddy

The ottoman must be touching the couch so Simon's feet can rest on it, just like Daddy. Notice how his feet barely stick off of the couch. Plus the pillow must be just so! (picture taken 9/18/2007)

CUBS CLINCH! GO CUBS GO - off we go to post season!!!!

Enjoy the highlights of our Cubs season. Otherwise known at our house as the "Tubby Wubbies"! The song you hear on this clip is now our household favorite. Tickle Toes (a well-loved song by Simon) will have to wait until post-season play is over!

Petting Zoo and Pony Rides

We met Eric's cousin and his family in Elmhurst to enjoy Spring Road Days. We enjoyed looking at firetrucks, watching Simon's escaped balloon rise "up high" in the sky, a petting zoo, and a pony ride. Simon wore his serious face for most of the animal events. The petting zoo was a little cramped with a crazy llama that butted his way into our food. Dodging the llama was not an easy task to protect our little 2-year old. Then the short little goats nudged their way to be fed by Simon. Quite the adventure. Simon first wanted to ride the pony, but up close was not so sure. He did not "saddle up" until just before the ride started. Can you tell from his expression if he had a good time?