A Busy July!!!

Well, I gotta say, I'm getting a little better!  It's only August 7th and I am already posting for July! 

July was very busy, but I must have been slacking in the picture department cause I only have pictures from a few events!  Don't worry...there are plenty of pictures from those  events though! :)

The beginning of July, we opted not to go to a family get-together with my family since a couple of my nieces had been exposed to hand, foot and mouth disease.  Well, the joke was on me, cause a few days after that gathering, Michael was diagnosed with H, F and M.  It intially started with a mild temp and worsening diaper rash including some pustule type things...not good!  I took him into the pediatrician, she took one look at his rash and said it was H, F and M.  She then looked down his throat and he had "horrendous" canker sores all the way down his throat!  No wonder he was so miserable!  Thank goodness it only lasted for a short time!  Unfortunately, we missed some other fun acivities including all of Belle Plaine BBQ days festivities.  Oh, well.  There's always next year!

The good news is that since he had tubes put in his ears, he hasn't had one ear infection!  I know it's only been a month, but I'm optimistic!

We had a spur-of-the-moment gathering with all of my sisters and their kiddos.

All the cousins!

We went to the McDonald's playplace!  Michael was not too thrilled with going down the slide.

My newest nephew, Gavin!  Isn't he adorable?!?!?

We went to the Scott County Fair!  I must be a bit of a "fair snob" cause I was not impressed, but Michael had fun looking at all the animals and riding on the tractors!

The BIG Percheron horses! 

Mchael liked the goats the best.  He tried to pick this one's nose!

All smiles!

"How much does this thing cost?"

Every year, we have the Pieper Picnic to celebrate my Grandpa's birthday and have a family reunion.  The weather was perfect and we got to see a lot of new cousins!  See Gavin in the picture above?  Well, the Pieper's have been busy cause there have been 2 babies born since he arrived!  We got to meet one of them at the picnic and the other was too new to join us.  Congrats to all my cousins and their precious little ones!

Playing ladder golf with Daddy

My Grandpa and his kids!
Mike (my dad), Ray, Frank
Mary, Jean, Julie, Tony
Trese, Kathy, Grandpa, Carol



The Birthday Boy and his cake...91 years old!!!

His first taste of birthday cake!

My Family!!!
James and Wyatt, Rob and Michael, Jayde, Tony and Brooklyn, Andy and Ava
Jen, Dee, Dad holding Gavin, Mom, Katherine, Jodene

We actually got a family picture!



My Gorgeous parents!

Grandpa used to play horsehoes, but for today, the bean bag toss had to do!

It has been a very busy, but very fun July!

It was great to spend so much time with family and friends!

June in pictures...

As promised (or feared) here is a recap of June!

The night of my birthday, I went in to check on him before I went to bed.  I found him like this!

Yet another fever and ear infection.  Poor little guy just looks miserable!
 Daddy puts Holy Water on his head for a blessing when he doesn't feel good.  He grabbed the bottle and held it to  his head!
My good little Catholic boy!

Michael's First Haircut

June 22, 2012

Dawn's Salon in Belle Plaine by Auntie Dawn!!!

All set for my haircut!  Check out my rain gutters behind my ears!

He was bribed with chicken nuggets!  He also hated the cape, so we went au naturale!

All done!  Thank you Auntie Dawn!

The finished product!  He looks like such a little man now!

We got a new pool!

 We celebrated Daddy's Birthday and Grandma and Grandpa Polingo's Anniversary!

Michael and Grandma

Michael and Godfather Joey

Michael and Daddy with Grandma and Grandpa Polingo

Michael painted a surprise picture for Daddy's birthday!
(He wasn't crazy about the paint on hs hands!)

Love this one!  He looks a little devilish though :)

Checkin' myself out in the mirror after my bath!

Michael got tubes in his ears on June 28, 2012

due to too many ear infections and antibiotics!

Trying to get his ID and allergy bands off!

Playing with a new car Papa and Nana brought me after my ear tubes were put in.

I was going to add July to this post as well, but it got too long again!

At least I'm getting better at taking pictures!

Don't fear, I'm sure a July update will soon follow!

Where does the time go?

Someone mentioned that they hadn't seen an updated post for a while.

I'll admit, I've been slacking.  You see...I got this new thing called an iPhone.  Since I got it, I barely open the laptop anymore.  It's just too easy to check facebook and email on the phone!  I finally decided that I really need to update.  Too much has happened so far this summer...

I hate to say it, and feel free to turn away now, but here come a ton of pictures...

Some from April....

You were warned!

We went to the zoo with Papa Peeps...

It was still cold in April.  It's tough to remember just how chilly now that we're at the end of July!

Papa teaching Michael how to drive the tractor!

We got Michael's first pair of shoes...

He was thrilled...can't you tell???

Michael started doing tricks with his sippy cup and eating with a fork!!!

Mommy got a day/evening away with the girls!

The 6 of us can have fun anywhere!!!  Even on a pontoon under the awning while a thunderstorm keeps us at the dock!
Hence, "the drowned rat" look I got going!

Don't ask...  (told ya, Jan!)

Michael and Mommy took Cousin Ava to the zoo!

Tough "Farm Girl" Ava!

Watching the bird show

Ava showing Michael the fish in the new coral reef!

Okay, so this is already crazy-long!

Unfortunately it only brings me to the end of May.

I'll spare you the rest until a later date.

Thanks for checking in!
Rob, Jen and Michael



35...

What? 

When did that happen?!?!?!

I definitely don't feel 35.

But that's what I am now.

I had a wonderful day filled with people I love (not all, but a lot of them!).

I got to take a nap...I love naps!

I got beautiful flowers from the hubs!

I got a kiss from my little man...he's learning!

All-in-all, a great day!!!

I just have to face the music that if I ever have another baby, I'll be considered AMA (advanced maternal age for those non-medical people). 

Not cool. (And not happening yet :))

I am blessed!

A Gentle Nudge...

I don't know why, but I've been in a bit of a mood today.

But...how can you not smile or laugh when you see this little guy acting so silly and being so happy.

It's a gentle nudge from God reminding me how blessed I really am.

Playing in Mom's jacket

Strike a pose!  Check out those thighs!!!

Meet my new nephew!!!

When I got home tonight, I made myself sit down and import some pictures to my computer.  I had some super cute ones on there that I really want to share!  I didn't realize that I had over 300 pictures on the camera!  There have been alot of things that I have to write about...a trip to the zoo with my dad...shopping for shoes with my boys...a girls day out...and finally Michael demonstrating all the new things he's learning!!!

But...there are some very important pictures that I want to share first.

The Pieper family has grown yet again!

My sister Dee and her husband James welcomed their second baby boy early this morning!

Gavin Michael arrived at 4:08am...1 hour after mom and dad arrived at the hospital!

Both Momma and Baby are doing great and Dad is relieved (I think) that they didn't have to stop to get gas on the way to the hospital.

I didn't see Wyatt while he saw his little brother, but spoke with him afterwards and he is very proud and happy that his baby brother came out of his mommy's tummy!

Thanks, Dee and James for letting me barge in on you tonight to visit the little man.

And for all of you out there counting, the Pieper grandchildren are now tied...

3 boys and 3 girls!!!

Get ready for some cuteness!!!

Love those little footprints!!!

Ridgeview gives each baby a pair of socks with their birth year on them.



Love those little lips!!!

Proud Mommy and Daddy and Baby Gavin

My beautiful sister!  Doesn't she look great?!?!?!



Happy Birth Day, Gavin Michael!!!

15 months!

I'm sorry it's been a while since I last posted.  I've also been a little stingy with pictures.  Whenever Michael does something super cute, I run to grab the camera and he stops. 

Michael officially turned 15 months yesterday!  He is such a little ham!  He loves to walk around, show off his belly when asked, read books and point out the animals he sees, drink from his sippy cup without using his hands, try to put on his shoes and socks by himself, pet Harley and tell him to stop barking (in his own language of course!), and carrying around anything he can lift...including some rather heavy toys!

We spent yesterday morning at Auntie Dawn's salon and he watched his mom get her hair cut.  No hair cuts for the little man yet.  His hair is looking a little longish, but I just can't bring myself to get his hair cut!  It's the hair he was born with!  I know, I'm a dork.

The last few night have been a little rough at our house.  He has been waking up 2-3 times per night for 1-2 hours at a time.  Now some people might think I have it super easy compared to what their little one's sleeping habits are, but Michael usually sleeps / needs to sleep at least 10-11 hours a night...down at 7pm and awake around 6am!  Ugh!  He did the same thing at the beginning of the month and ended up having a ear infection when I took him into the doctor.

Last time, the first antibioctic did a number on his GI tract.  They stopped that one and put him on Zithromax, which is supposed to be a great med!  Wrong!  I don't think his ear infection ever went away and has been left to brew for the last two weeks!  Poor baby! 

We made a trip to the peds again this morning and sure enough, he has another ear infection, this time in both ears instead of just his right.  Actually, I should stop calling it "another" infection...same one that didn't get all the way better 2 weeks ago that is now back with a vengeance!

Well, first dose of antibiotic is in, a little ibuprofen for the swelling/pain, and a nap.  Hopefully he'll wake up feeling a little better.

I was going to upload a picture here, but I just found that I have not uploaded any pictures to my computer for the last 2 1/2 months.  Bad mom award.  I guess I better start snapping!