Chad has been so busy with work - he is now a "Level One Mini Tech" which means "Master Tech of Minis" in BMW-speak. We are so proud of him...he's worked so hard to get to this point! So, now he works on both BMWs and Minis...he's a very busy man!
PJ was feeling a lot better after the morning sickness subsided. Her eyes were still giving her problems for the longest time, but have gotten a little bit better now...she still has problems, but can look at a computer monitor and TV for longer periods of time before the headaches start. The pregnancy is still kicking her butt. She's more tired now, and is having a hard time moving around as much. This baby is kicking more than we remember Kimiko doing, which stops PJ in her tracks at times.
Miko has been learning more and more...and throwing even bigger tantrums than before! She is now stomping her feet, running away, and slamming her own head into the walls, doors, etc. when she doesn't get her way. It's a riot! She is using sign language more and more to communicate (book, duck, dog, more, etc.), and is actually starting to do small commands such as throwing trash away, cleaning up her toys, giving the pups their dinner, etc.. She can also count to three...but it's more to get the pups riled up (more like a, "1...2...3...GO!" type of thing). It's been amazing watching how much she's progressed. She loves to dance and sing, and absolutely loves when she can make you laugh. She has this thing where she yells "Aw, man!" especially when she sees Dora the Explorer (the character Swiper the Fox says this a lot). Only now, she's starting to put her hands in a gun-like pose and crosses her arms over her chest...gangsta-style...while saying it. It's hilarious! Also, she's very caring when it comes to the possibility that you may have gotten hurt. She runs up with a very concerned look on her face and starts rubbing you and asking, "Alright?" She's growing up so fast!
Now for a break down of what happened in the last five months:
As soon as Chad got back from California (which he hurt his back again while out there), we had our niece come stay with us for her Spring Break (03/27-04/03). Alma turned 13 on May 19th. She traveled by plane all the way from Maryland to Colorado all by herself! We knew she could do it...she's one smart cookie...but that didn't stop us from being nervous. We had a blast while she was out here! She got to visit with BobbiJo, Christopher, Relena, and Connor, go to the Butterfly Pavilion (where we held Rosie, a friendly Chilean Rose Hair tarantula), the drive-in movies, and shopping in Estes Park and Fort Collins! For her 13th birthday we gave her $100 to go on a little shopping spree while she was here (something we plan to do for all our nieces and nephews for their 13th birthdays). She had fun...but had a hard time letting go of that money! PJ plans to teach her the joys of shopping!
Alma left the day before Easter...of course, that was an adventure as well. First, she missed her flight - totally PJ's fault...she read the times wrong and they got to the airport right as her plane was taking off. They were able to get her on a later flight, but supposedly her bag had made it to the flight that had taken off. The airline said her plane was going to arrive in Baltimore at 9:20pm, so that's what we told Joey and Isabel so they could be there to pick her up. Well, she arrived at 10pm...but her suitcase was MIA. This was the first time we ever actually knew someone who had the airline lose their luggage! Poor Alma! They did eventually get her bag back.
We spent Easter at home. Kimiko got an Easter basket with some candy, and we tried to color eggs made out of clay, but they didn't turn out this year and crumbled into crumbs with the slightest touch. Maybe next year will be better...hopefully!
To end April, Miko received the last of her baby vaccines (we spaced them out considerably...we didn't want her getting so many at one time), and Chad turned the big 3-0 on the 20th! We went out to dinner for his actual birthday, and PJ and Miko made his birthday cake the following Friday to celebrate.
In May, Kimiko started her Tumble, Rattle and Roll classes (a type of gymnastics for toddlers) and got registered for swim lessons. She is becoming a social butterfly! She never seemed to want to do what the class was doing in the gymnastics class, but would dance and dance around to the music that would be playing. The class was about four blocks from our house, so PJ and Miko would walk there...sometimes taking a detour and going around the lake to look at the ducks and geese.
Miko's new favorite thing is blowing bubbles in her milk...or anything she's drinking with a straw.
On May 11th, we lost our Siamese cat Barbara to neurological disease. It was very hard. She came into our lives on July 25, 2008...just showed up at our front door and absolutely refused to leave. She had a hard time walking from severe arthritis, and her eyes always moved crazy-like because something was wrong with her brain. We talked about putting her in Siamese rescue back then, but then decided that we could give her all the love and care she needed. She was as healthy as only Barbara could be until Sunday the 9th in the evening...she was even letting Miko climb all over her on Friday and Saturday. We gave her some fluids Sunday night and Monday and she seemed to bounce back a little. By Tuesday, she went downhill at a very high speed. We made the decision to take her in to have her euthanized that evening. The doctor said that she was already in a catatonic state and her body had already started to shut down so much that her temperature wouldn't even register on the thermometer because she was already so cold. We held her and told her how much we loved her until she was gone. So, our family decreased by one that day.
On a happier note, in May we also made a trip to West Virginia for our friends Kathy and Brandy's wedding. It was lovely! They got married in a beautiful park on a warm but nice Saturday afternoon. We stayed at a cabin with other very friendly cabin-mates. Kathy was absolutely stunning, and Brandy was just as handsome as ever! Even good ol' Rocco (their American Bulldog) looked fabulous in his pink bow-tie! We had a great time! The day after the wedding, we made a surprise visit to PJ's Great Aunt Betty. We hadn't seen her since the summer of 2005. She got to meet Kimiko for the first time, and we got to catch up on everything that's been happening in our lives. By the time we got home from this trip, Kimiko had a total of eight plane trips under her belt! She's racking up her flying miles like crazy! Thankfully, her trips are still free for us...but that will change after October 21st this year when she turns two!
PJ and Kimiko also made a trip out to Nebraska for Grandpa's memorial service. It was very nice seeing family again and being there to finally lay Grandpa to rest. Chad wasn't able to take off work, so the girls made the trip to stand in for our family. Miko was very well behaved during the ceremony, but was very restless and wanted to constantly be on the move. She kept both PJ and her Glamma moving! After the service (which had a 21-gun salute and "Taps" played - which still makes PJ cry since hearing it at her own Granddaddy's funeral), the song "Spirit in the Sky" by Norman Greenbaum was played. Kimiko started swaying to the music and clapping her hands trying to dance in Glamma's lap. It was the sweetest and most innocent thing in the world.
June was a busy month for us! First, Kimiko officially started her swim lessons. She had class from June 1st until August 5th. She absolutely loves the water! So much so that she actually now puts her face in the furkids' water dish to blow bubbles and get her face wet! We have to watch her very closely at the dog park because she tries to follow the pups into the water where they swim. And, now, instead of baths every night, she likes to take showers once in a while! We just start up the water and put her in there. She lets us wash her up, then she sings and dances in the water coming down until it's time to get out! She's our little water-baby!
PJ celebrated her 36th birthday on June 7th. Chad had to work, but when he came home he made her a Pig Cake for her birthday. It was very yummy!
Miko also moved up to her first toddler bed! She's doing very well sleeping in her "big-girl" bed. We got the bed off of freecycle...it's a handmade bed that's very sturdy. We got it, the mattress, and the Thomas the Tank fitted sheet, flat sheet and comforter all for free from some lady who's son had outgrown it.
PJ and Kimiko also went to the Miller Cousin's Girls Retreat (Chad's Dad's side of the family) in Utah. They left Colorado on Rodeo's 10th birthday (06-09) and headed to Wyoming to stay with Chad's Mom at Steve and Anita's house for one night. Miko and PJ got to meet Chad's Uncle Tim and Aunt Jill, and see Tarrin (Chad's Mom's side of the family). Then it was off to Ogden, Utah to the Snowberry Inn! The inn was huge and beautiful! There were lots of stairs, and Miko went up and down them at least a hundred times...giving her Mommy and Glamma a work-out every day! There was a visit to a Dinosaur Museum (which we plan to go back to as a family in the future...yes, it was that awesome!), shopping, bowling, and, of course, the tea party. It was Kimiko's first retreat (PJ's second), and they had a ball!
We also went to a Wild Animal Sanctuary to show support one weekend, went to Cool Beans to play and have lunch, and went to the dog park and playground numerous times!
The last weekend in June we had PJ's niece and nephews come stay with us. Christopher, Relena and Connor had a lot of fun! We went to the Greeley Stampede to ride the carnival rides and to watch the fireworks, we made "squid-dogs" for dinner one night (veggie dogs with spaghetti poked through them), and baked and decorated cookies. We put up Miko's peapod tent and her ladybug tent in the living room and had a camp-out every night! It was loud and busy in our house those few nights, but it was a fun-filled weekend!!!
Our friend Pat arrived on June 30th and visited with us until the day before Independence Day. We love when friends come to visit! We went to Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park on Friday the 2nd. It was as beautiful as always, and the weather was perfect! The elk were putting on a show that day...as were the ground squirrels and a bunch of other wild life!
We celebrated Connor's first birthday the Saturday that Pat left. We went down to Colorado Springs and had a cook-out with BobbiJo and her family. It's hard to believe Connor's a year old already...although he's a BIG boy and looks older!
Kimiko continued her swim lessons, but her Tumble Rattle and Roll class was cancelled. She kept busy though...playing outside became her new favorite thing. It doesn't matter if it's raining or not! We also attempted to start her potty-training...yeah, she thinks it's a game and doesn't show any "signs" that's she's really ready for this. But she's having fun, nonetheless!
We went to two kid-oriented festivals in July and a wedding for one of Chad's friends/co-workers (Jason and Megan).
That brings us to this month...August.
On Sunday the 1st, Chris, PJ's Brother-In-Law, deployed to Afghanistan. It was hard on BobbiJo and the kids, but they're getting through it. We're trying to be there for them as much as possible.
PJ's going to the doctor every two weeks now for the baby...so far everything is going great with that. Chad tries to go with her to every appointment, but his job is very demanding and makes it hard sometimes.
We also found a lump on Rodeo's side, which was very scary! We had it checked and it came back non-cancerous. Yay! Weirdly enough, a week later, the lump wasn't there anymore! We have no idea what that was about!
On August 10th, Eros celebrated her 15th birthday! She's now our oldest furkid since Dax and Morris left us last year. We made her a "cake" of tuna mixed with cream cheese...which she devoured! So far she seems very healthy and happy...although she does seem to be deaf now.
We went to Omaha to visit Chad's Mom and Sister from the 14th to 17th...but ended up staying until the 18th due to a tire blowing. It was great visiting family and friends again. We got to see Meghan, Willy, Erin and their cute little boy Liam, Dara, Crystal and her new boyfriend Matt, and, of course, Chad's Mom. Kimiko got to go to the zoo for the very first time! She really liked it! She's definitely an animal lover. PJ had a hard time of it because of all the walking and the heat...this pregnancy is killing her...especially when the baby wants to lay on a nerve that makes her stop dead in her tracks! Kimiko also got to go swimming in her Glamma's pool, which she absolutely loved! All of us got a little sunburned. PJ's the only one that peeled afterward. Thankfully, it seems Miko got her Daddy's skin and seems to turn tan after a burn instead of getting the ugly peeling her Mommy's going through right now! The sunblock we used didn't seem to hold up...although we didn't reapply like we should have. We've learned our lesson! Oh, and check out Miko's cool new Dora shades we got her for the looong ride home!
Which brings us to the last weekend in August. We've had a few "Art Attacks" already...mainly happening outside on Miko's art desk which then gets carried away onto the house siding and grill.
Well, on Saturday, Miko snuck out of her room while PJ was in the bathroom thinking she was still asleep. We have no idea where the markers came from, or where she found them, but this is what PJ walked out of the bathroom to find:
Thankfully it all came off with just a washrag wet down with water! Miko is now limited to only drawing on the kitchen table while we are right there watching her!
She better be a dang good artist when she grows up!!! Besides, who can get mad at a face like this (taken yesterday):
Other than all of that, it's been the same ol' same ol'. Chad works...a LOT. PJ keeps Miko and the house happy. Kimiko keeps us laughing and on our toes. The furkids keep us happy and busy as well. We're doing great and that's all that really matters to us!
Hopefully this will be the longest post this blog ever sees...and hopefully we will be better at keeping up with it in the future! Starting tomorrow, we will get back into taking a daily family picture. This is the one we took right before we lost Barbara...this is our 2010 family picture (taken at the beginning of May).
