June 2015

Once school finished, summer kicked off at full speed ahead. No sooner had we wrapped up the school year, then Tim was off to Atlanta for a technology conference. Emma had the kids at home doing a few summer things before she took them to the farm. Judah started his summer with a ear rupture and antibiotics for an ear infection. He still put all his legos sets together from his birthday by himself. And Krissy who was not sure what to make with Judah home all the time, went around singing the ABC's (the whole song for the first time). Emma also changed the nightly routine to singing two songs before bed after lights out followed by a good night.

The kids settled into a long weekend at the farm while Emma traveled back to Des Moines to pick up Tim at the airport and for her Ultimate Journey Class at church. Then we turned around and traveled north in Palmer, Iowa, to celebrate with Isaiah and Sarah (Cutshall) Janssen at their wedding. As a bridesmaid, Emma played dress up with the girls while Tim did whatever was needed, decorate, run errands for the girls, or eat the food available. All the festivities including the rehearsal dinner, the ceremony, and reception were very special and a lot of fun.

Staying in Fort Dodge, we drove up to Forest City Sunday morning to see our nephews baby dedication and pick up our kids. We had a nice family dinner before hitting the road to Des Moines all tuckered out from our long weekends.

It was while Tim was in Atlanta, that Emma called Tim to say she was feeling nauseous. Before this time she had been unusually tired but with feelings of fighting to get food down, the writing was on the wall. Thus started the beginning of pregnancy with Baby Boo. The first person to guess was our friend Robin who saw Emma at her Ultimate Journey class on June 4. She took one look at Emma and knew why the food she was eating made her cringe. The secret was out right away. Slowly the neighbors were finding out as well.

We barely had a week to do laundry and repack before we were off on our family vacation to Hannibal and Branson, Missouri. We left on Friday evening in time to reach our Best Western on the River in Hannibal to turn in. The next day, the four of us explored the downtown museums featuring Mark Twain. Judah and Krissy were our very own Tom Sawyer and Becky Thatcher going from building to building learning about the various adventures. That afternoon we took a break from the heat and storms to go swimming in the hotel pool and have a leisurely supper out for pizza.

On Sunday, we took a riverboat ride on the Mississippi learning about Hannibal history. The kids were not impressed with the sights as much as eating from the concession stand. So then we played at the park for a while and found a place downtown to eat. Perhaps the highlight of the trip was going to visit the Mark Twain cave later that afternoon. While Tim carried Krissy who asked every other minute when we would be done, Judah stayed up front with the tour guide taking in every word. Afterwards, the kids then panned for their own gems and treasures.

Monday, we loaded up the car to begin the second half of our road trip to Branson where we stayed at Table Rock Lake with all of Tim's family. Our house was big enough for each family to have their own room and bathroom. Each family took a meal to cook for everyone. The adults could visit or play games while the cousins ran around or played in the theatre room.

Tuesday, Papa Larry rented a pontoon boat for us to be together on the lake. Those who wanted a turn to ski went in Andrew's boat while those who wanted to stay dry from the rain, went underneath the cover of the pontoon boat. Before we got caught in the rain, we all took a dip in the refreshing lake water. Much of the afternoon it rained so we found some indoor activities for the kids and just relaxed enjoying each other's company. Some of the kids went swimming later in the rain too.

Wednesday, most of the troop went swimming the beach house. All the boys (of all ages) enjoyed playing, wrestling, and jumping of of the big water mat. After a big lunch, the kids took a quiet time while the moms walked around the shops at the Landing. Then everyone went back out to the lazy river for some pool time.

Thursday we cleaned up the cabin and loaded back for the long, tired drive home. We had to get family pictures before we left and it was at this moment we told the Rittgers family our news of Baby Boo. We made it home for supper and ordered pizza to share with those still on the road.

By the weekend, everyone was exhausted, Emma especially.  In spite of rest that weekend and all the next week with lots of help from Tim, Emma came down with a severe cough and cold. She started vomiting enough that the doctors put her on nausea medicine. She recovered slightly enough to see Philip who was in town for his Okoboji 200 bike ride. Unfortunately by the time Philip left, he not only got sick but the rest of the family was on antibiotics as well.

Tim spent most of the end of the month taking care of the family so that Emma could recover. Judah took swim lessons at the Urbandale Public Pool. Several times the kids played with friends so mommy could rest. Krissy finally got to go with daddy to pick out her new big girl bike. she was so excited to find a My Little Pony 14 inch bike. She even helped daddy put it together she was so proud. Practically bigger than her, she still rode around the neighborhood to show off her rainbow dash tassels of hair hanging from the handles.  Such good kids!

June also marked one of the wettest parts of the season. Late June, we had continuous storms all night long. The next day, Tim found that all the roads around us to the East were closed for flooding. Come to find out, Walnut Creek had flooded the entire area. Our own dike kept the water from flooding us but still was five feet from the top of the berm. Our long-time neighborhood resident, Jim, came by to make sure we were ok and said this was the worst flood in our neighborhood since they built the dike. They even had the flood gates closed. This started our rainforest summer. Can't wait for the mosquitoes.

February 2012

Our routine has some what turned back into normal programming if you will from last month. We have resumed play groups on Mondays and music class on Tuesdays. We have also added some other activities like open gym or story time on Wednesdays with an occasional play date at the mall with a friend later in the week. Fridays continue to be appointment days for mommy. By Sunday, we are back to doing our small group every other week as we have started a new series at church.



Judah desires and even attempts to do everything on his own. You will find him quite frequently saying "let me do that." So to increase his need for independence, we have moved his clothes to his level so that he can start picking out his own clothes. In addition, he has shown interest in the chore chart "game" we developed as we learn about completing tasks. He helps around the house doing minor things like sliding the laundry baskets to the laundry room or putting soap into the dishwasher. He has had to also pick more things up now that mommy cannot bend over so much.

His speech often includes complete thoughts and sentences. He is very articulate in his thought processes as well as applies such an advanced vocabulary to our amazement. His curiosity for letters has caused him to name letters and pick them out knowing what the letter stands for like on a billboard sign when we drive by or on his clothes. He knows the letters of his name and also what mommy and daddy start with and gets excited when he sees them. By the end of the month, he has recognized and named many of his letters and is able to name a word that they start with.


Outside frigid temperatures or mom's lack of energy have required us to create fun activities indoors. Judah still likes to play with his play dough set. We also made indoor snow with soap foam from the food processor. He enjoys playing with his cars especially racing them. He has asked for a race track (probably the first thing he has asked for that he has wanted). He also has time to pretend scenarios that requires creativity and ingenuity on his part. imagination soared - pretend for an hour on on particular thing like planting and harvesting a garden or painting with many colors. He has really played with his floor puzzles being able to put them together solely on verbal instruction of prepositions like "next," "beside," and "over."


Winter has finally visited us this month. We started out the month with a five inch snowstorm. Judah was elated to get outside finally with daddy to build a snowman and ride around on the sled. He certainly likes to climb snow mountains created by the snow plows as well as make tracks into the snow. Any chance he can get he is out walking in the snow.

Judah went to his new Sunday school class (for the 3 year old's) for the first time this month. He clearly enjoyed the Bible story and puppets as he talked about them on the way home. He also was more stimulated by the toys such as the train table and Lego table. His teacher said that he sat better than the older kids. His Bible story's mirror up with the stories in the service giving us an opportunity to talk about it more in depth at home. This change was much needed after he came home from the nursery talking about angry birds. Aside from church, Judah likes to say his own prayers now. We have always asked him what he wants to pray for but now he likes to say them himself often naming his toys or friends.



Another weekend, we went to the library to see Clifford as a family. Judah enjoys reading about the big red dog. So we took him to the nearby library for a special appearance of Clifford. Judah loved to hear the stories and then waited in line to give "Clifford a hug, a kiss, and to have his picture with him."



The last weekend in February, Tim's office surprised us with a baby shower on a Friday afternoon. Decked out in pink, we enjoyed a very nice shower with work friends and board members as well as play group moms and neighbors. Even all four of the grandparents made the trip to Des Moines for the shower. We played some nice games and then ate some thoughtful treats (that even fit in my diet). Finally, everyone gave us so many nice gifts with plenty of diapers and cute clothes. Judah even had some of his friends there to share his cars with and hit the balloon around.


After the shower, we went out to dinner with all the grandparents at the Machine Shed. Then Judah went home with Papa and Gigi for the weekend to go to his cousin Jacob's birthday party. He had fun up at the farm playing with his cousins while mom and dad enjoyed a quiet house for the weekend. Both of us were able to get some things done, rest, and enjoy a date night together with dinner and a movie.

Our month has ended once again with fevers and colds. Judah though has learned to blow his nose but of course that is if we can catch him to wipe it. We have had a few early mornings and more movie time as a result of being sick. Thankfully, we could get him on some antibiotics for his sinusitis.



Tim has been busy trying to get things in place at the office to be gone for when baby comes. A staff hiccup added some additional stress to his overworked schedule causing him to spend more time at one of the sights. At home he continues to cook and clean for the family so as to relieve mom. He also spent some time to get the taxes done and finish up the last of some home improvement projects such as replacing the bathroom vanity with Philip and putting together the toy room in the loft area.

Emma has been using all her energy to get ready for baby as well as chase Judah around the house and to/from his activities. She has reveled in those activities that seem to entertain Judah so she can rest. When she can she has been working on baby announcements but even more so doing a ton of laundry on infant clothes and blankets. Judah has fun playing with all the socks and baby toys himself.


The biweekly and now weekly doctor appointments continue to go well as baby keeps growing. The diabetes has been able to be maintained by diet. Mom's feet however have started to be perpetually swollen causing her to put them up often. Nausea has also set in meaning smaller meals more often including at 4:00 in the morning. We did go to register as a family one night for a few items. We all found things to add to the scanner. Judah had fun picking out things for baby and even more fun playing with Winnie-the-Pooh and Piglet. Judah also insists we keep praying for our family including mommy, daddy, baby Boolina, baby, and Maestro before bed every night. And he also continues to say we should name her "Four" as he talks about her being born.

January 2012!

New Years started off quiet and we enjoyed being at home together as a family. We stayed home New Year's Eve eating pizza for supper with spinach and artichoke dip with Uncle Philip. Judah went to bed while the rest of us watched movies late into the night. The next day we had our friends Katie and Lynn over for some Pork Chops and sour kraut/cabbage to celebrate bringing in the New Year.

Next, we started the New Year off with the Iowa Caucuses for the Iowa Presidential Republican Candidate. We ran our local caucus where Senator Rick Santorum won. For our large turnout in our small urban precinct we had 27 people. Judah spent the evening with a neighbor friend getting his first taste of Winnie-the-Pooh as they watched the latest movie in their pajamas. Meanwhile the statewide vote totals came in putting Senator Rick Santorum and Governor Mitt Romney at a virtual tie until mid-January when certification showed that Senator Rick Santorum finally won Iowa.

By this time we all became sick with viruses. For three Wednesdays in a row we went to the doctor. For our first round of the virus, Tim took the day off so we could go to the family doctor. The second Wednesday we did a follow up appointment with Judah as his sleeping and eating still seemed off. In spite of a swollen lymph nodes, Judah's blood work and second strep test turned out normal.
Finally by mid-January (January 18) Judah came down with the flu. After nap on Tuesday, Judah started throwing up. In four short hours, he managed to throw up five times. By 8:30pm he has stopped throwing up and was ready for bed at 10:00pm. He slept until 2:00am when he awoke throwing up again every 20 minutes on the dot until 5:00am before dropping off to snooze. By the time we took him into the pediatrician at 11:15am he still was vomiting. The pediatrician sent us directly over to the Emergency Room for some fluids. Judah had thrown up everything including water he had in the 16 plus times within that 24 hour period making him one sick boy who lost three pounds.


Our afternoon and evening then was spent in the children's emergency room at Mercy where Judah was started on fluids. Hooking him up to an IV was not his favorite part. By evening though, we transferred over to the new children's ward upstairs in the hospital to keep him overnight. Tim spent the night with Judah so that mommy could go home and take care of herself. After being hooked up to fluids all night long, Judah woke up finally laughing again the next morning, especially at his Winnie-the-Pooh movie. A little puffy-eyed, by mid morning with his IV out, he finally found the toy room across the hall. And by later afternoon, we were released to go home.

During recover, our house became crazy with piles of laundry, dishes, toys, and remnants of cleaning as we had been doing some projects around the house. Judah continued to gain his appetite and put on the calories as we let him choose his own diet and drink plenty of juice. Thankfully, for us, our church family delivered a few extra meals on the side as we got caught up at home and at work.


This month we really focused on getting ready for baby aside from being sick. Tim did some small home improvement projects around the house by adding shelving in the closet and in the laundry room. By the end of the month, we then moved around the upstairs furniture. Papa Ed and Nana Joyce came down for the weekend to help play with Judah and move desks, beds, and toys. The next week, Tim gifted us with having the house deep cleaned including in and behind appliances and behind furniture.


We were able to see lots of family this month though. Tim and Uncle Philip did take Judah to the John Deere expo for some much needed man time. Judah had fun seeing the tractors and he continues to line up his toy tractors for his own expo. That same weekend, Papa Ed and Nana Joyce came to hang out for some Judah time. Also, we saw Papa Larry a few times as he was on his way down to Kansas City as Gigi was with Cousin Gabe, who was also recovering from being ill.


Getting back home from Christmas meant we struggled with nap and bed time again. Many times Judah would get up out of bed to turn on the lights so he could play or read books in the nearby rocker. By the end of the month, we changed the room around again taking away his toddler bed and replacing it with a Tim's old twin bed. Judah had fun picking out his McQueen sheets and construction big boy sheets as a result of his new bed. Then we took out all the toys moving them into the loft, now our toy area, removing any temptation to play during quiet time. Afternoons have become quiet times now where he can just sit in bed doing quiet activities and reading his books. However, we found that if he gets too bored, he likes to rip up his books.


Weather has almost been spring like temperatures allowing us to be outside and take walks. Judah has been on the look out for snow all season. The nice January weather has allowed us to spend a lot of time outside instead of being cooped up in the house. In fact in one week we went from having Monday play group at the park and eating lunch the next day without coats practically outside to a snowstorm a week later with 5 inches. Tim finally was able to take Judah out to build a snowman and get a ride in the sled.


Judah is really starting to use his imagination and pretend. Often he takes objects and pretends they are something else. Even at meal time we pretend his macaroni is different cars and trucks. He is also starting to role play such as playing David and Goliath, being a tap dancer, or being a cowboy with dad. Judah's conversation skills have also increased to include real thoughts and several sentences. You will often hear him say, "I already did" or "I am thinking." He likes to ask so many questions and you can see his little brain processing the answers.



Being sick this month has opened a whole new world of television for Judah. He really has become quite attached to Winnie-the-Pooh. We bought him the new movie after it made him laugh during recovery at the hospital. Then with his new Chuck and Friends tumbling tower, Judah received his Chuck and Friends video, where he now plays with his cars and trucks. A lot of his play has been centered around his video experiences.

Tim has been struggling to stay afloat with work this month. Missing several sick days has caused him to get behind on the many projects and daily work. Approval for the new Boys and Girls Club site has increased Tim's work load as they move forward to making plans on setting up space in a nearby Middle school. Also, Tim has been in charge of the Iowa Youth of the Year state event.

Mommy has been spending her extra energy on getting ready for baby's arrival. Sorting, reorganizing, and packing has kept her busy. Her biweekly doctor's appointments continue to go well. In spite being more uncomfortable with swollen limbs and back pain, her diabetes has been able to be controlled by diet. The third trimester has definitely left her more tired though.

Judah has shown an increased interest in baby. He can pronounce Baby Boolina correctly even though he still tells people her name is "Four." When we pray he often wants us to include her as well as daddy's "baby" as we pray for each member of our family. Occasionally, he will think of her as he talks about sharing, saving, or getting something for her. He enjoys the few books we have that discuss baby asking to read them several times. Judah has also tried pulling up his pants over his belly like mommy's maternity pants.