Operation Sippy Cup

As many of you know, Lauren has been bottle-free for about a week now. She's actually been using a sippy cup for several months, but she's been fairly stubborn (huh? my child???) about only drinking water out of a sippy. "Silly Mommy, milk goes in a BOTTLE!" Well, last week when I was at grad school, Todd took charge and frankly wore her down on the matter. For the past few days, she'll drink the milk out of the sippy, but gives us these very mature dirty looks (flash forward to age 13...YIKES!!). This morning we tried something new and just ever so slightly warmed the milk and the child chug-a-lugged with the best of them, consuming 1.5 sippys worth o' the frothy white stuff. We think it was just too cold and because the spout allows more milk out it was like little brain freeze for her. No wonder she would fuss at us.

Lesson learned. :)

PS. The B-O-T-T-L-E-S (we can't say it out loud) are all packed in a box and heading to the basement. YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Curly Sue

I have been telling many of you about how curly Lauren's hair has gotten. I couldn't get a full on pic (you'll notice they are all of her walking away). What can I say? The child has a mind of her own...ahem!

She even let me put a little barrette in on Saturday!

Mountain Getaway

Last weekend Lauren and I went to Cashiers, NC with Jill and her two boys while the 'menfolk' in our lives had fishing trips planned. It was great to getaway, and Jill's parents have a just lovely weekend home up there.

Michael gave Lauren her first flower...a dandelion!

Lauren's First Ride Down the Slide

She loved it!

Playing in the Park

As always, very curious, especially about nature. Clearly her father's child, right??

She was climbing all over everything!

Her first time on the swings. She started giggling almost immediately. We need to get out more, apparently...if it weren't for the heat, and the pollen, and ....EXCUSES! EXCUSES!

All three children enjoying their Free Ride (a shout out to all the Coe Collage folks!)

My First Game of Blog Tag!

I've played this on email before, but this is my first tag in the blogosphere!

What was I doing 10 years ago? I was working for MCI Conferencing in the job that was supposed to only be a year or two until I was ready for graduate school. They SUCKED ME IN and now after 12 years I am still there, and will complete my master's in May 2009.

5 things on my to-do list for today?
1. Finish and submit my group paper for grad school It's ready to go, just needs to be emailed to our prof.
2. Laundry
3. Clean out my work email and make a good To Do list for tomorrow
4. File paperwork in home office
5. Make dentist appointments for me and Lauren ...why I didn't do this at my last appointment is beyond me. I am usually so much more organized than this!

5 snacks I enjoy:
1. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
2. Wheat Thins and Hummus
3. Chips and Salsa
4. Red Licorice
5. Green Apple Slices

5 things I would do if I were a billionaire:(this is in no particular order)
1. Pay off our house
2. Have more kids
3. Help the less fortunate as many ways as I can
4. Pay off my student loans, and those of my siblings
5. Buy my parents house and the house behind them so my mom can have the SUPER GARDEN she's always dreamed of.

5 bad habits:
1. TV Watching. Life is so busy that I need a mindless activity to decompress.
2. Gossip Magazines....LOVE THEM! Fridays are a happy mail day.
3. Complaining. My life is pretty great, but I still find negatives to focus on.
4. Swearing in the car. Lauren is starting to repeat things so I am super aware of it these days.
5. Picking at my nails/ cuticles. Half the time I don't even realize I am doing it!

5 places I've lived:
1. Racine, WI
2. Cedar Rapids, IA
3. Minneapolis, MN
4. Lawrenceville, GA
5. Norcross, GA

5 jobs I've had:
1. Office Assistant at a Gastroenterologist's Office and a Cardio-Thoracic Surgeon's Office (learned lots of big words for the procedures they each do!)
2. Admissions Tour Guide in college....best work study job there is!
3. The Gap (I was mostly assigned refolding the denim wall. I still think of it every time I fold my own jeans!)
4. Implementation Engineer (sounds fancy, but I was really just a glorified project manager)
5. Training & Development Manager

I was tagged by Jen, and I get to tag 5 people: Wendy, Misty, Jenny, Kerstin, and Jill (so she will update her blog!)

Stephanie gets a break on the game of tag since she did just give birth to a very big girl!

Welcome Haylie!

Our dear friends Jamie and Stephanie had their baby girl on Monday! Last night we got to visit her-- more pictures to come since I forgot my camera and had to rely on the new daddy to capture the moment. :) In the meantime, here is a debut photo of our newest "niece", compliments of her Grandma Martha.

Haylie

born April 7, 2008

8lbs 7oz, 20.75 inches

More Easter Pics (...Finally!)

I knew I was forgetting something...I never uploaded my Easter pics from my digital camera. I have some video too, but I doubt I'll get to that until the semester is over. :) So...here are some more pictures of Lauren's first Easter Egg Hunt!

Her first dyed egg...fancy, purple sparkles. What more could a girl want?

Kaitlyn, Jonathan, and Lauren searched all over Mimi & Papa Fish's yard ...

Lauren wasn't so great at the searching, but she managed to pick them up pretty well once they were "found" by Mommy, Daddy, or Jonathan!