Crash and Burn

The last of the birthday guests left at 4:30 pm and Gage, Tim, and I played on the floor with all the new toys for about an hour.

Gage was filthy, and badly needed a bath...yet it wasn't quite 6:00pm yet when we turned around to find...


I was afraid that if we put him down at 6:00 pm, he'd be up and ready for the day at 4am...and quite selfishly, I wasn't in the mood for that.
But after several attempts to rouse him to get him bathed and at least fed for the night...
we gave up and put him to bed, as you see above.

He woke up at 6:30 AM!

Birthday Party: Year Two

What a wonderful, wonderful weekend. I don't think we could have asked for better weather, better company....it was just great.
For Gage's 2nd birthday, we toned things down a bit as compared to last year and just invited family and some close friends. Since Gage has been obsessed with tractors, and anything related to farms, barns, or farm equipment, we went with a John Deere theme, which almost looked like a Packer theme. Let's just say Tim got a lot of razzing for that! (Being a HUGE Vikings fan and ultimate hater of the Pack).

I wanted Gage to have a few little buddies around to play with, so I invited our playgroup families, which only 2 of the 4 could attend. I think everyone had a blast, and I know Gage did. Thanks to everyone who came, and for all the great presents. Gage is one lucky little boy!

Cousins Rich and Cass pushing Gage on his bike. You've never seen kids "connect" like Gage does with his older cousins. Amazing.

Tim's sister Jacqueline, Mother Judy and sister-in-law Arianne with baby Brian (3 mos.).

Ummm..."brrrr"?? (Otherwise I'm not quite sure what he's doing here).

My mom and her husband (Nana and Bumpa Shoe) made Gage a beautiful barn, from scratch. It is amazing. There are stalls for the cows, feeding troughs, swinging gates, a haymow with places to drop the hay. All of the doors swing open and shut, and there is even a hay "elevator" that connects to the upstairs door so that Gage can load hay into the haymow. It was a big hit at the party amongst all of the kids and is a huge hit at our house with Gage alone!
He was also showered with a HERD of cows, sheep, horses, pigs....and about 5 new tractors and wagons. Oh, and a manure spreader, combine....
Where did this farmer kid come from, anyway?? His mom sells jewelry and his dad sells software!
(Maybe from Bumpa Tom?!?!?!?)

Playgroup friend Carly loved the barn!

Friends Kirk, Dre, and Julie with Carly on the right. Kirk's wife Tracey and son Kaden are MIA)

Cousins! Rich, Cassidy, Gage, and Hunter. Just one more year and Brian and Lilly will be sitting at this table...and the older kids will have to stand behind!

Bumpa Tom (Jill's Dad) and Lisa

The one thing all the wind out here is good for?? Flying a kite! Nana and Bumpa Shoe flying a kite with Gage (not standing near them, of course) before the guests started to arrive.

Good friend Kimmy with her boys, Wesley and Eastan.

4th of July Festitivies

During the first years of our marriage, Tim and I would often say to one another that we really needed to start some sort of a tradition over the 4th of July holiday. For a few years before finding out that we were pregnant, we would spend the day with some friends and their extended families but we never quite felt "in the loop", if you know what I mean. I always felt as if we were invading their family celebration.
After leaving this particular families' celebration on the 4th of the July in 2005, both Tim and I agreed that the following year we would come up with something really fun and special to do and we would make it a tradition. We didn't have anything in mind, but it was something we promised to seek out--a new 4th of July tradition.

Who could have predicted that the following July 4, 2006 would find us in the labor and delivery room in Northfield, MN, awaiting the arrival of our first son. It was then joked about by Tim and I that "We won't need to worry about what our plans will be for the 4th of July holiday....EVER again!" Gage ended up arriving on the 5th of July of course, which still left us looking for plans on the 4th.

I think we've found our new tradition.

"Just Us". Getting ready to watch the fireworks in New Richmond.

Gage and buddy Nathan D. Both in their "jammies" ready for the big display.

Gage's reaction when the first fireworks went off. "All Done". And he just kept repeating this, over and over....I don't think he liked the noise although he never did cry like he did last year.

This is Gage and Daddy INside the van. Gage is reaching up to pull the door closed...this is where they watched the fireworks from!

We were invited over to our friends house, Mark and Denise, who have 5-year-old Arianna and 2-year-old Nathan. Gage and Nathan are in playgroup together and really do have a lot of fun together.

Playing at Nathan's house.

Mark and Denise's neighbors came over to play and BBQ with as well. From left to right: Arianna, Gage (making eyes at a cute girl, as always) Bella, Beau, and Nathan.

Arianna, Gage, Bella, Beau, and Nathan. Bella has a twin brother, Brady, but he didn't want to be in the picture!

Cheeeeeeeese!

The Best 2 Years of Our Lives...

Late June 2006

The early morning hours of July 5th, 2006. Our very first family picture.

Just 2 weeks old. Look how his little sock is sliding off! (Those baby socks never fit him, as his feet were too long...but I sure tried!


My little "pudgecicle" as I called him in those days....couldn't hardly sit up on his own at 6 months. I think he only wore this cute outfit once or twice.

I remember taking this picture and feeling a little sad at how grown up he looked at 9 months. He was standing for one of the first times!

Happy 1st Birthday, baby boy...

Being a goof ball at 18 months.

Playing with your toes at about 21 months...you always take your socks and shoes off in the car, no matter what the weather is like! And on this day, it was COLD!

My little farmer....he loves those tractors! Thankfully Bumpa has several. Taken July 1st, 2008.
Almost bigger than the "Watch Me Grow" dog you used to get buried in.
Happy 2nd Birthday, my little "man".

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Tears fill my eyes as I go through the past 2 years in pictures, trying to remember what you felt like when you were little, and didn't try to fight me when I changed your diaper. I sometimes pick you up from your changing table (that I still refuse to quit using, because it keeps you fairly-still when I'm trying to change you!) and I yell, "Congratulations, you have a 30 pound baby boy!" I try to hold you like I did when you were only 8 lbs....and you refuse to lay there, squirming to "up, mama, get up".

You are talking in full sentences now, and you amaze your daddy and I every day at the things you point out to us, and say aloud. Such as "I fah-ted", when we try to get you to say "Toot" and then, "Excuse Me". You think it's so funny already....you are such a boy. Who taught you that, anyway?

I love how you have such pent-up energy in the mornings, and you run around the house screaming your head off, and dancing to whatever music the TV is playing.
I love how you say "Mama" and how excited you get when you see Daddy after work, and Nana, and Auntie Katie.

You are so loved, and you've made the past 2 years of my life the best I've ever experienced. I pray for a lifetime more of these memories. I just wish I could freeze you at this age and hold onto you for a couple more years as a toddler.

We love you, Gage Thomas Fox.