with lots of love...

a month ago today we welcomed our newest addition to the family...Brody Richard

weighing in at 9lbs 6oz

&

21 1/2 inches long

(pictures @annitorriniphotography)

baby boy VerStrate

Here is our little bundle of joy growing ever so fast in my tummy.

I am now 26 weeks. I am guessing I have a future NFL Kicker growing in my tummy or he is getting way tooo much chocolate:) The doctors can't even get him to keep still long enough to take his heart beat. I feel him move all through out the day and into the night. He is going to have to learn quickly that when 10 o'clock in the evening comes it is sleepy time for mommy NOT play time!! I still have my cravings, most of my pregnancy I have craved popcorn, beer( I don't even like beer and don't freak out if you are reading this...I have not had any beer to drink, just a weird craving), and pickles. Lately it has been funnel cakes, and strawberries with Nutella chocolate!! Addison is very excited for her little brother to arrive, she loves going to the doctors with me to hear his heartbeat, she talks with him, tries to hold mommies belly saying "I hold brouder", and will give zurberts to mommy's tummy and tickle my tummy saying she is getting baby brouder:) The cutest is when she hugs my belly and gives it kisses and telling her baby brother "love you brouder"

Monkeying Around!

We took Addiosn to go see Curious George at the MN Childrens Museum and found ourselves getting more and more curious and having lots of FUN!! Not sure who had more fun though, mom and dad or Addiosn:) here are some pics of our day!

playing minature golf with George

building towers with daddy

future construction maker??!!!??? she loved her hard hat!

There was a room with lots of tunnels, bridges and slides for her to run about!!

showing daddy how the gears are suppose to work!

They had a huge bubble station...every kids dream!

Racing boats with daddy

lots of water fun!!

here daddy was showing Addie how to operate a crane...

here is the crane and the truck to
place the beams on...                                           I think daddy had more fun with this one:)

We found a room where the kids could become scientists, so Addison put on her lab coat and came up with her own formula on how to make playdough!!

Mommy had to take a bathroom break and this is what I came out too....

Addison playing with face paint!! As she painted her face she would say "pretty"

Our little Warrior Princess

Fun at Wisconsin Dells

We packed up the car last week and took our family to the Dells for a little mini vacation! We met up with grandma and grandpa VerStrate and cousin Cole. Although it was short, we had a lot of fun in that time. We found out if you put our daughter in a room with water and slides she is in heaven!! We couldn't get her out of the water park a few times without her kicking and screaming! She loved going down the waterslides(all the ones she could) running through the fountains and splashing around. She found out she could float with her life jacket on, so ever so ofter we found her belly up floating around just giggling away!! Here are a few pictures at the water park....

going down with daddy on the "BIG" slide was so much fun, as soon as they splashed down she would say...Again!!!

she had this fascination with the ketchup and mustard bottles. Opening and closing the lids and organizing them by color and size!

After breakfast one morning we headed over to the deer park to feed the deer and see the other animals around the farm.

off to feed the deer!!!

The best part of this last weekend was Addison telling the entire family that she is going to be a "BIG" Sister this November!!!

"Keeys"

Our conversation's lately first thing in the morning and ALL through out the day goes like this...

Addison: Side(outside)

mom: no not yet(when she is asking to go out at 6 in the morning)

Addison: keeys pease---Side(outside)

mom: no you don't need those

Addison: starts to cry and pout like I just crushed her excitment to go outside with the keys!!

I didn't think this was suppose to happen until she turned 16!! She is only 1! We found out today that she can walk up to the car and try to open the car door and then once inside(as you will see below) crawl into the driver seat and place the keys in the ignition!! Oh boy!! We are in TROUBLE!!

Operation Tear Duct(s)

Last December we found ourselves taking our baby girl to the University of MN Amplatz for her first surgery!! She was born with blocked tear ducts and they were stubborn little ducts,  we massaged, and massaged, and massaged them, well let's just say her tear ducts decided they would stay blocked!!
We went on to see Dr. Anderson in November and she recommended we proceed with the probing of her tear ducts to open them up. They say 95% of babies who have this procedure is successful...Our daughter and her ducts decided they wanted to be in the other 5%, where it does not work!! This last week we found out her first procedure did not work and that her tear ducts were too small, which still caused her eyes to be goopy and teary.  The doctor then suggested we have another procedure to put in stints(or some call it tubes, the tubes are the size of fishing line) in her tear ducts to help the opening stay open(they should stay in for 4-6months) So this last Friday we went for round two of operation tear ducts... our day started arriving at the hospital at 9:30am and ended at 2pm with the tubes in!  Addison was a Rock Star!!! She is such a trooper and deffinately knows how to ham it up with the doctors and nurses:)  Her recovery went so well that you wouldn't even know she had them done!! Here are a few pictures of our journey at the hospital:

When we first arrived they had a whole area of toys for her to play with, she even got to color, her favorite was tooling the trains and cars around the track.

 

She did great with the nurses in pre-op (this is from round one)

practicing with daddy how to breathe through the mask

playing doctor while waiting she was know as Dr. VerStrate this visit(round 2)

daddy and Addison ready to go back for surgery(daddy went back both times)

In recovery, both times she was given popcycles, juice, and her favorite...cookies!! This time she got to watch Elmo on the dvd player they had in her room and she even went home with an Elmo balloon!!

Daddy's Little Girl

Recently the term "daddy's girl" has come very prevalent around our house! It is so fun to see her get excited to see daddy when he comes through the door after a days work, and say "dada, up pease" then give him a BIG hug!! She follows his every step and wants to be right by his side trying to do what he does:) Infact today I asked who she wanted to hang out with daddy or mommy, her answer...DADAA with a big smile!!

going up the ladder to inspect daddy's work

trying to walk in his shoes

her favorite place to be and "trying" to help daddy with his report!

just chillin' with dada

having a little treat and anaylizing daddy's report to make sure it is correct

Bella

Click here to view this photo book larger

Create your own personalized photo books at Shutterfly.com.

Betty Crocker in the Making!

Hiee! Momma thinks I am napping... little does she know I snuck into the computer room and found my way to write this post!! Hehee:)
I love helping my mom out in the kitchen...especially getting into the bread drawer(I see she already told you about that in another post) oh and pulling all the pot holders out, and when I can,  rearrange her spice rack(dad put a lock on that draw too so when mom opens it...BAMM! I right there to help her pick out a spice or two!!) 

Now that I am a "big" girl she lets me help her when she bakes yummy food:) The other day she let me help make Rice Krispy Treats!! Who knew they were so easy to make!! Here are a few pictures of me making Rice Krispy Treats with her!! I am such a big helper...

First we measured out the Rice Krispies

                              Then you dump the marshmallows in...

momma says every good cook tastes what they are making...so I had to test out a marshmallow or two!

no worries, momma didn't turn the stove on, she was lettin' me practice stirring!!

CHEEEEESE!

The best part....Lickin' the spoon(can't let any of those krispy treats go to waste)