A Happy Birthday/Nurse's Week/Mother's Day Week

This past week was a big one for celebrations. I turned 28 last Monday, I'm not really sure how that happened. Am I really getting that close to 30? Where did the time go?

My birthday was a pretty low-key day. I worked, went to our nursing gala for work, and that was pretty much it. I got a cute carry-on luggage piece for our trip to Nashville for my birthday, and then some odds and ends on the actual day from John. It was a nice day, even though we didn't celebrate in any big way.

This last week was also Nurse's Week. I attended the Nursing Gala, which is a celebration our Nurse Governance puts on for us. It was okay, it tends to get pretty boring towards the end. There is a lot of talking, and award presenting. We also got some free t-shirts and ice cream at work. It was a nice week to feel a little extra appreciation for being a nurse.

I also celebrated my first Mother's Day as a mother of two. Unfortunately, I had to work nights all weekend, and we put in quite a few hours, so it wasn't the best weekend in the world. However, I got to spend whatever time I wasn't at work with my family, so what more could I ask for. I also got some cute Mother's Day gifts from the kids at daycare, which is always completely adorable.

We usually spend Mother's Day out at the Greenhouse to help Jim and Barb since they are open and sometimes busy on Mother's Day. This year there were thunderstorms, lightning, and quite a downpour, so we ended up just staying home. We had a lazy day at home enjoying some time with each other and the kids.

We also helped celebrate Abby's 3rd Birthday. We headed to Marie and Todd's Saturday evening, and Emma really had a good time playing with Abby and Anna. It was nice to see everyone and visit. We also got to meet Juan Jr for the first time. Elliott and Juan Jr. also got to meet each other, it was pretty cute.

The beginning of May is always a fun time because the weather is getting so beautiful and we have so many things to celebrate. I am truly blessed to be a mom to two wonderful, healthy children. They can be busy and hectic sometimes, but I love every second of it. I am trying to soak this all up while they are young, because time truly does fly.

Today was a beautiful evening, so John and I spent some time planting our perennials. We decided to put in some perennials by our basement window and we had to replace our hastas that were damaged by hail last summer. It felt really good to do some digging and get our hands dirty.

In other news, both kids have pretty nasty coughs going on right now, so that'd always fun. Emma is a big snot factory, and she hacks pretty good at night. Luckily, she tends to either sleep through it or just deal with it, because she doesn't cry or come out of her room, even when she is coughing quite a bit. Elliott just has his usual cough that he has had since starting daycare. It's kind of annoying, but we are sort of getting used to it as well.

That's just about all that's new in our household. We have a pretty busy week, and then this weekend we are heading to Minnesota for Cody's Graduation Party (how is he old enough to graduate?) I am pretty excited to hang out with some family this weekend :)

Elliott enjoying his jumper

Playing in the rain

John and the two little boys (BTW Juan Jr is 2 months older than Elliott, but Elliott is way bigger...haha)

Bubble fun

Hugs

Me and my little boy on Mother's Day

Fun on the farm :)

This past week has been a little bit of a struggle. Elliott has been pretty sick. He has been fussy, teething, drooling, coughing, gaging, barfing, snotty, and running temps on and off. Needless to say, it has been very fun. John and I have been switching off sleeping downstairs so that we at least get a good night's sleep once in a while. So, it's been a little hectic.

On a brighter note, the weather has been completely gorgeous this week. I'm talking sunny, 70s, and little to no wind. So, we have taken full advantage. Emma just LOVES being outside. She goes and plays in her sandbox, rides her bikes on the patio, plays with sidewalk chalk, and just generally runs around out there. She will even go out by herself sometimes, if John or I are busy with Elliott. So, that has been very nice. And all the fresh air really wears her out and she sleep like a champ.  At least one kid is sleeping.

Today was a pretty busy day. We went out to Grandma Barb and Grandpa Jim's house and "helped" them work in the greenhouse. Emma pretty much ran around non-stop all day. She didn't even take a nap, and she survived without any major meltdowns. Elliott did pretty well today too. He's starting to feel a little better, and cough a little less, and he enjoyed the outdoors as well. But he still got all his naps in.

Emma saw a large variety of animals today, and she was just eating it up. She saw chickens, baby ducks (a new addition to the Nelson farm), horses, kitties, and even a couple dogs. She loved it all. She also played in the sandbox quite a bit and had fun "helping" the customers.

Elliott mainly slept, kicked around, smiled, and ate, like usual. But it was so nice to see him getting back to his normal self. I am hoping he can kick this cold to the curb, and maybe be healthy for a few weeks. Please.

It was a long day at the farm. We didn't get home until close to 8. So, we quickly bathed the kids and put them to bed and now we are winding down for the night as well. We all enjoyed the beautiful weather today, and I'm thinking that maybe we will have to go to a park tomorrow.

Now for the pictures from all our adventures today!

Catching a snooze on the way out to the farm

Baby ducks!

Flowers in full bloom

The cutest pictures ever!

Trying (and failing) to get a family photo

Uncle Jeff

Giving the horses treats

Holding a kitty 

Double the antibiotics, double the fun?

Yep, that's the way things are going in our household lately. Emma is still on antibiotics from being diagnosed with Strep throat last week, and now Elliott is on antibiotics for what we think is an ear infection. Fun stuff.

I had today off, and of course had the kids home with me today. Emma was great all day. She behaved herself, she was adorable, and I just enjoyed the day with her. She even put herself to bed for her nap, it was awesome!

Elliott was another story. He was very, very fussy. I couldn't even set him down all day, or he would start crying, which gets a little heavy when he weighs 21 pounds! He also had temps on and off during the day, is very snotty, coughing, and is teething on top of everything. So, he was a complete mess all day.

I made a doctor appointment for him since we were barely surviving the day. He tested negative for strep, and apparently he had too much ear wax in his ears to see if they were infected or not. But the doctor thought we should give him antibiotics since he was so miserable, running temps, and that she couldn't get in there to see his ears very well. I quickly agreed, hoping that some medicine would help my poor little boy feel better.

Emma was very well behaved at the doctor's office, and in Hy-Vee to pick up the medicine, so she got some gummie bears, which completely made her day. I have Elliott his medicine, and fed him, and he passed out for 2 hours (which was great!) So, Emma and I went outside and played, and enjoyed the 70 degree day.

As of right now, Elliott is still pretty miserable. We gave some Tylenol and another dose of Penicillin before bed, so I am hoping something makes him feel better. Luckily, John is watching Elliott tonight, I am looking forward to a full night of sleep after a long, long day with a fussy infant.

So, that's the news over here. Sick children, sleepless nights, and stressed out parents. I am hoping this round of antibiotics does the trick for a while, and we can maybe be healthy for a few weeks? Is that asking for too much?

So, here's hoping we have healthier days ahead!!! (Also, I don't think I have any new pictures from the last time I blogged, so I guess I have to do something weird and not post any pictures. Sorry. )

Mommy's First Solo Trip to Minnesota

Yep, you ready that right. I took the kids on a 3 hour car ride to Minnesota by myself. A total of 6 hours in a car, by myself, with a 2 year old and a 5 month old. I don't know what I was thinking. But, luckily, it all went really, really well.

I have been a little behind on blogging lately, mainly because I have been working some crazy weeks at work. Two weeks ago I put in 54 hours, and this last week I worked about 41 hours. So, between work, housework, and taking care of the kids, there really hasn't been any extra time to blog. So, sorry about that!

I had this past Friday off, so I used the time to pack and then head to Minnesota with the kiddos. They did so well on the way there! Emma was entertained with her DVD player and headphones, so I didn't hear so much as a peep out of her. Elliott did very well. He was happy and quiet until about halfway to Minnesota. I stopped at a gas station, fed and changed him, pottied Emma, and then we were off again. I stopped in Fairfax at my grandparent's house, and they just loved getting to see Emma and Elliott again. The kids had fun playing there also, since they were pretty sick of the car by then.

Friday night consisted of playing the Grandma Patty and Grandpa Jack, and then we all called it a night. Saturday was a fun day. We spent the morning at Stefanie Black's wedding shower, and Emma had a blast because she got to help open all the presents. Meanwhile, Elliott got passed around and everyone kissed and squeezed his cheeks.

After naps back at my parent's house, Rachel stopped by and her and Emma went on some Tractor rides with Grandpa Jack. They also rode the Ranger and 4-wheeler. Emma was in heaven.

Elliott also had a good day. He is rolling over like a champ from back to belly, but then he gets stuck on his belly and gets mad. He also has his two bottom teeth coming in, so he is drooling and snotting all over the place. He was very happy and content all weekend. He was full of smiles for everyone and just generally enjoyed himself.

Samantha and Holly (friends from high school) also came and visited for a while. They had fun spending time with the kids, and it was very nice to catch up with them since they are both planning wedding right now.

The day ended with some more visiting with family, and some wine and beer of course. Emma was a little party animal and was not in bed until about 10:00pm. Little stinker!

Today has gone by pretty quick. We went to church in the morning, and both kids did pretty well. Then we ate some lunch, and enjoyed the sunny, beautiful 65 degree day. Then it was time for the ride back home. I was a little nervous about it, but they did great! I didn't make a single stop on the way back. Elliott slept some of the way, and otherwise he was content to just ride. Emma watched Mickey Mouse, and then slept for the last 45 minutes or so. It was a nice little drive.

Now, I am finally unpacked and settled in. Elliott is peacefully sleeping downstairs, and Emma is negotiating for a snack before bedtime. Typical Emma.

John stayed behind this weekend because he had a lot of photos to finish up and some other errands. He enjoyed the break, but I think he missed us pretty badly. It is very nice to be back home :)

This next week looks nice and warm and sunny. I think spring is finally here!!

Emma and Elliott swinging 

Elliott's first time swinging 

Siblings

Painting pictures for the grandparents 

Daddy and Elliott 

Play kitchen at Grandma Patty's 

Elliott at 5 months 

Emma taking a well-deserved nap

Ranger rides

Swinging with Ryan 

Blooming crab apple tree

Dancing

Elliott Firsts and Emma Silliness

This past week has flown by pretty quickly. Nothing too exciting happened during the week last week. Except it did rain, which we needed desperately. Otherwise, it was just us getting back into our weekly routine after a weekend of holiday fun. Elliott is still coughing away, but it's not terrible, and I am hoping someday in the future he will get over this cough.

This past weekend wasn't too exciting for me. I worked. And I was pretty much at work all day long each day. But it wasn't too bad of a weekend, I just missed my kiddos. On Saturday, John took the kids out to his parent's farm for a good chunk of the day. Emma had fun running around and seeing the chickens, and Elliott enjoyed all the attention.

After work on Saturday, all four of us headed to my co-worker's house for a work potluck. We didn't stay long, but Emma had a lot of fun jumping on the trampoline and Elliott got passed around quite a bit.

On Sunday, John had the kids all day by himself (I think it's the first time that's happened) and he was pretty pooped by the end of the day. It is a lot of work to watch them both, by yourself, all day long. He did a great job, but I don't think he realized what it was like until he experienced it.

Today, I had the kids all day by myself. However, I have been doing that for a long time, and I have developed a pretty good system with them. And I can usually get them to nap at the same time, which is glorious.

Today was a fun day. First of all, Elliott rolled over for the first time on Sunday, and then he did it again today. So, that was fun to watch. He can roll from his back to his belly. But he has only done it those two times so far. Elliott's doctor said it may be a while for him to roll since there is so much of him to roll (haha). He has to be creeping to 20 pounds by now. My little chubster.

We also had another first today, Elliott ate baby food for the first time. I tried it a few times last week, with rice cereal and baby food, and he just wasn't very interested or getting it. But today, he ate sweet potatoes like a champion. It was awesome. And he loved it.

Emma has been wanting to "ride a horse" for a few days now. And when she says that, she is referring to a carousel ride. She saw some pictures from last summer during the fair when she was on some rides, and now that's all she can talk about. So, I promised her Sunday night when I put her to bed that today we would go to the mall and ride some rides. And she sure didn't forget about it, and I heard about it. ALL DAY LONG. It was pretty cute, but also kinda annoying.

So, anyway, we went to the mall this afternoon and Emma got to ride her horse. Twice. And then she rode a bull. And then I had to promise that we would come back again some other day and do it again. Oh joy.

While we were in the mall, she also weaseled her way into getting french fries and ice cream. She was very good all day, but I'm not sure she was good enough to justify both french fries and ice cream. But, I guess I felt like spoiling her a little after not seeing her much this past weekend. Whoops!!

John and I just finished watching an episode of Game of Thrones, and now it's getting to be time for bed. I had a great day off with the kids, and I am not looking forward to work in the morning. Only 4 days until the weekend :)

Eating sweet potatoes like a champ

Finally getting to ride her horse 

Cuties pants 

Emma being Emma 

Napping in the food court 

Ice cream!!

Emma feeding Elliott (so cute)

Loving the real food

Elliott "helping"

Easter 2015

This past weekend has been very busy. John and I both took Friday off, and we we headed to Mankato for Easter. We hung out with Rachel on Friday, and then spent the night and had Easter with the entire family on Saturday.

It ended up being a beautiful day on Saturday, so we spent most of the day visiting out on the deck and even got in some bean bag games. It was really nice to see everyone and the kids had a blast with all the attention and playing.

We headed back Saturday evening, and we spent Easter Sunday at home. It ended up being another very nice day, so we spent a lot of the day outside playing. We blew bubbles, played sidewalk chalk, played in the sandbox, and we even painted a birdhouse that Emma got from the Easter bunny.

Emma had such a fun weekend. Her and Jenna were two peas in a pod again, but Emma also had fun with Trevor, Cody, and Kyle. They were pretty cute with her. She also really enjoyed her aunt and uncle time with Rachel and Ryan. She ran around and played hard all day long. But, amazingly, she basically put herself to bed for a nap, and she slept for about 2 hours. I guess she was tired!

Elliott did really well with all the commotion. Unfortunately, he has another cold. He's not as bad as he was with his first cold, but he is snotty, and coughs at night, and pukes up phlegm along with some of his bottle. So, it's fun times at our house again. We are giving nebs and sucking out his nose like crazy again. But, he is still in a good mood and smiling all the time and talking too. He found his voice, and he loves to use it.

After a quick weekend, it's back to work again today. I work call today and tomorrow, and I work the weekend. So, yay. And, it's supposed to be rainy and cold all week. Boo.

Hope everyone had a great Easter, and have a wonderful week :)

Enjoying the weather with a bike ride

Easter basket :)

Emma loves M&Ms

Elliott's Easter Basket :)

Bubbles

Daddy and Elliott

Mommy and Emma 

Mr. Handsome in his Easter Outfit 

Easter Outfits

Painting a birdhouse in the beautiful sunshine!