Better watch out

Mabel’s favorite thing right now is to remind everyone that “Santa is watching”.  If Louis is being naughty, she says, “Louis, Santa is watching”.  She will tell Happy, “Happy, Santa is watching”. The first couple of times she said it she would even look outside to check if she could see Sant watching.  One might think that knowing Santa is watching would encourage Mabel to be good, but no, not really.  She doesn’t seem to care that Santa is watching her – just everyone else.



Mabel causing trouble



Winter Wonderland

Along with everyone else, our lives seem defined by the various snow storms that have occurred so far this “winter” (which isn’t even officially here!). It has given us the opportunity to do things we normally might not. The children have loved playing in the snow - Louis more than Mabel, but she is getting there. Louis is getting to the point, like most kids his age, that he doesn’t seem to mind his bare skin touching the snow. Even Happy has had the opportunity to play in the snow, something very out of the ordinary for her.

We had the chance to meet some friends for lunch at the Midtown Market in Minneapolis. We only get there about twice a year, but it is always good to get out to try and buy some new and interesting foods (this particular trip meant quail eggs which made for good deviled eggs later that day). We received 21.5” of snow a few Saturdays ago, and like most were forced to stay indoors all day. The kids had a ton of fun coloring, cuddling on the couch and playing. That afternoon we made lasagna from scratch – homemade sauce and homemade noodles. Louis got the job of turning the crank to flatten and stretch the noodles.


Louis, Mabel and their friend Henry at the Midtown Market



Test run of the noodle maker



Mabel cuddling with Happy

We also decorated for Christmas. We have two trees this year and the children helped decorate both. Both are incredibly excited for the upcoming Christmas week.

Papa the Sherpa

Hooked on Phonics

Mabel: Look mommy, Sammy Sammy!
Louis: no, Mabel - it's Handy Manny.
Mabel:  Sammy Sammy!
Louis:  Mabel, say "hand" (pause).  Now say "e" (pause).  Now say "man" (pause) and now "e".  Okay Mabel?  Handy Manny.

Look at me, look at me

We have had a very busy but great fall.  I can't believe that Thanksgiving is only a week away!  Both kids fully enjoyed Halloween.  They didn't do much trick or treating but between a halloween party with grandpa and nana, a party at school and a party at the Edina Kemper's - there was plenty of time to wear costumes.  Louis went as Captain America (his superhero obsession continues) and Mabel went as a fairy princess (if you ask her, she was a princess, but I was insistent that she wasnt a princess so I compromised and called her a fairy princess).  To me, she was a pretty darn cute Tinkerbell!!

On the way to the party

climbing a "giant" hill

The day after halloween, Mabel was home sick with a fever.  I tried to work while I stayed home with her, but she was literally crawling all over me and asking me, "Mommy, what are doing?" "Are you working mommy?" "Can I press the letters?".  So I decided to put my computer down and enjoy the day with my daughter.  We eventually decided to go pick up Louis early from daycare.  It was a beautiful day and I knew that soon enough it would be getting darker earlier and this might be the last chance to hit the play park until spring (I also intended to take some pictures of them for the christmas cards).  We had a great time playing and taking pictures.  It was like they also realized  that it might be awhile before we get to do this again.  As we were leaving, I asked Louis and Mabel to hug each other and look at the camera - and they did, but then they fell to the ground as they lost their balance.  I was worried there would be tears but instead they both broke out laughing and said, "let's do it again".  So they did, they kept hugging and then falling to the ground on top of each other.  They did they 10-12 times.  Each time they fell harder and laughed harder.  It broke my heart to tell them it was time to go home, but it means so much to see them being silly together doing something completely organic, and just the two of them.

Before the fall.

After the fall





Marshmallow Clouds

Scene - driving home from school on a beautiful, sunny fall day
Louis: Mom, look at those clouds way up high!
Mom:  Wow, those are pretty.  They look like marshmallows.
Louis: Yeah, we should get one and get crackers and chocolate.  Then we can sit by a fire and cook them and then we can eat them.  They would be good.
Mom:  You are right Louis that would be good.
(pause for a beat and a thought...)
Louis: Yeah, we're gonnna need a tall ladder.

Happy Birthday Mabel!

Happy 2nd birthday Mabel
You have grown so much in the past year!  You talk like you own the world.  You are more mobile than ever and you always want to explore more!  Here are the things that matter to you at 2:

• Your babies.  You need them to fall asleep.  The baby needs a blanket just like you.  You love to feed them, push them in stroller and pat them on the back.
• fairies, Dora, princesses - everything girly
• Laughing with your brother.  You two love giggling and making mischief.
• Teasing your brother.  You have been known to purposely skip numbers when you count - just to bug Louis
• Singing songs: You love it when you and Louis get to sing together and even more when papa brings out his guitar.  Your favorite songs: ABC's, twinkle twinkle, baa baa black sheep, and the GaGa song
• Having your way.  You don't always get it, but you want it.  In fact today in church when it was quiet, you said out loud: "Grandma, is it over?  I want to go home."
• You love breakfast food, yogurt, chocolate milk and mac-n-cheese (actually you just like to order it and you rarely eat it)
• Happy.  You probably give more attention to her than anyone else in the house.  Someday she will like you too!

Mabel, we are all so lucky to have you in our lives.  You have a smile like an angel and you melt our hearts with your sweetness.  You are smart, and strong and funny. Thank you for the smiles, the songs and your love.

Days of Summer

We had a fabulous and fast summer. It was filled with play park trips, the lake, the zoo, friends and lots of fun. The kids really enjoyed the summer and loved being outside. I think both of them take after Brad in that department. Some big events of the summer included my parents 40th wedding anniversary. The whole weekend was great fun to hang out as a family and the actual celebration was enjoyable as well. I am very proud of my parents to have reached this milestone!! We also had the Budde Family Campout in August. Everyone had fun. All of Brad’s siblings and their families were there including the DC and Milwaukee Budde’s. The adult boys loved the monster slip and slide. I am not sure if any little kids even did it!

Mabel on a scooter

Teasing grandpa

We ended the summer with a trip to the zoo, a trip to the arboretum and trips to the play park. Mabel has really started to enjoy the swings and could stay it in all day

Louis measuring up the water fountain

Both children grew tremendously over the summer. In February Louis just started wearing a 3T, and he now wears a 4T. Mabel’s feet grew a ton, over 3 sizes in the last five months. We have more shoes than we know what to do with! Louis also continues to amaze us with his “reading” skills. He has a few books memorized and is constantly starting to memorize more. He is so fun right now, and has such “adult” conversations with us.

Lastly, my sister Katlyn lived with us this summer. It was nice having someone else around at night to help out with the kids, or to watch vampire movies with me and Harry Potter movies with Brad. On September 7th she left for a semester abroad, so she moved out about a week before. Both children miss her immensely as do Brad and I. The house feels so different. We are so proud of Kate and can’t wait to hear about Europe.

Split Personalities

In the last few months, Mabel's personality has really developed and she is quite the character.  I am torn many days between laughing at her and sighing in exasperation.  In fact, it is almost as if there are split personalities.

Personality #1:
The child in the photo below is sweet and kind.  She says, "please, thank you, excuse me and sorry" without provocation.  She giggles and plays hide and seek.  She loves ice cream.  She will push her babies in a stroller all day if you let her.  She will sing songs (ABC's, twinkle twinkle, Baa Baa black sheep) and says things like "I'm a naked" while wiggling her butt.  She plays pretend with her brother. She cuddles and she loves and she is nothing short of an angel.

Personality #2:
The child in the below photo is the same child...I think.  In this photo she is refusing to go to bed and is holding her baby stroller four feet in the air refusing to let go.  It is hard not to laugh at her attitude.  I am not really sure where/how it started; but she crosses her arms and scowls with the best of them.  She is very strong willed. She also went through a biting phase and everyone was a victim at least once.

I am not sure if these are the terrible twos arriving early, but this little girl sure keeps us on our toes - you never know what you are going to get on a moments notice.  But no matter what - I wouldn't trade her for anything else.

Are my teeth still shiny?

Louis had his first dentist appointment this week.  I called on Wednesday and we got in right away on Thursday morning...I wasn't expecting such a fast turnaround!  So Wednesday night we briefed Louis on what would happen at the dentist and promised him if he did a great job, we would go to Target and get something "superhero".
He was a little nervous going in, but he soon was very comfortable and eager to go back for his checkup.  I was a little nervous his shyness would kick in, but man he did great.  We grinned the whole time in the chair and didn't mind at all that I was sitting six feet away.  He listened very well and did everything they asked.  The clinic it self was great in explaining all their tools to Louis and letting him feel them ahead of time.  While at the dentist he got a new toothbrush, floss, a little toy and a whole lot of confidence.  I left with an amazing amount of pride over how big my little boy has become.  I also realized in that moment, that nothing else in my life gives me the same feeling that my children do in moments like this.

As we left for Target, he was beaming.  He kept talking about how the polisher tickeled his teeth but how we liked the grape stuff (the flouride) best.  That night after school he talked to Brad all about it and he told Brad and I both separately that he should go back to the dentist again soon.  As he was getting ready for bed that night he stopped and asked me one thing..."Mommy, are my teeth still shiny?"

Oh, and his Target prize...see below.

Summer Catch-Up

Things have been going very well in the Budde household.  So much has gone on but I haven't had time to update, mostly because I haven't been good at taking pictures and the blog is just boring with out them.  Instead of catching up on what we have been doing for the last 5 weeks, here is an update on the children:

Louis continues to love words and spelling.  He wants to know how to spell everything.  He wants to know what letter every word starts with and loves to spell out words.  It really is amazing.  The other day he asked me, "how do you spell, Clark Kent turns into Superman?"  I find that is a request you cannot deny!   When we read him his books we will ask him to sound out Clark (as in Clark Kent) and to find that word on the page.  And for the most part he is successful.  He loves to tell us stories and loves to run "fast" everywhere.  If you ask him how fast he is, he will respond with "faster than light".  Ha!  He has been enjoying summer very much.  He has been having fun playing in the water and the sand and going to the play park.  His imagination has really started to kick in as well.  At the play park he loves to pretend that he is in a space ship and will count down "5,4,3,2,1, blast off!!".

Mabel is also doing well.  She is getting faster and stronger with her walking.  In mid-April we took her to a pediatrician that focuses on genetic disorders just to be certain that there wasn't any underlying condition that she might have inherited.  Long story short she was diagnosed with Type 3 Ehlers-Danlos - which is nothing to be concerned about and that she probably got it from me (even though I haven't been diagnosed).  As a final precaution she had an echocardiogram done at the end of the month to be certain the arteries in her heart were working correctly.  Everything turned out amazingly normal and it was a huge relief!  She loves to talk- none stop. She no longer calls Louis "Lou Lou" but just plain old Louis.  it is good, but it is a little sad to see her growing out of it.  She loves to tell everyone to "come" and "listen" and "where is she/ it/ him/ baby?".  She loves to carry around a purse, wear bracelets and even likes nailpolish!  She is full-on girl.  She is getting rather adventurous now that she is mobile and has also developed a little bit of attitude.  Unfortunately, she has also become a biter - so I apologize in advance to the people she bites, I promise we are trying very hard to break her of that habit!  Mostly right now Mabel just loves her brother (or rather loves bugging her brother).  She finds it so funny when he gets frustrated with her.  She is starting to get interested in potty chairs so we bought her first pair of underwear - Dora of course.  Lastly, Mabel is now rid of her pacifier.  She was biting on them when she was teething and tearing them apart.  So we took them away.  To be honest it was a pretty painless transition except for Church time - that is the one time I want to give it back to her!!

The first few weeks of summer have been filled with fun, water, play parks, friends, family and silliness - all of it a great time.  Lastly, welcome to our new niece/cousin Quinn!  She was born on 6-1-2010.  Welcome sweet girl!

To whom much is given...

much is expected.

At the end of 2009/beginning of 2010, of group of our friends agreed to volunteer as a group, once a month.  As a group we all feel it is important to give back to the communities that we live in and to help those who are less fortunate then ourselves.  For us, it also serves as an example for our children.  So far we have helped make food, make blankets, played with kids at a shelter, cleaned a park and planted potatoes at a community farm.  Some of the events were adults only and at some we were able to include our kids.  The great thing about the group is that we are builiding our friendships, exploring different volunteer activities and I feel truly making an impact that sometimes is difficult when you only have one day a month to give.

Louis and Mabel obviously don't quite yet get the whole volunteer concept, but we hope that it just becomes something that we just do as a family, an expectation - and that when our lives get busy, that volunteering and helping others stays a priority.  Below are pictures from our April park clean up and our May potato planting.  Louis and Mabel didn't like the cold and wind but both had moments where they enjoyed throwing the potato "seed" in the hole.  Our plan for June is bingo with the elderly - kids included!

And She's Off!

Mabel is walking! About four weeks ago she started taking more and more steps and for the last three weeks, walking has become her primary mode of movement. We are so happy and thrilled for her. She loves it too! All she wants to do is walk. It is great, except, along with her independent movement came independent, strong willed Mabel. ALL SHE WANTS TO DO IS WALK, no carrying, no hand holding, just walking. If you pick her up, you will hear a “No, I wanna walk!!!”. For the most part it means we just slow down, but in cases like parking lots, it means we win and we pick her up (and there will be a meltdown - so maybe we don’t win).  Either way it is great to have the months of physical therapy, dr's appts and practicing pay off!