First Day of Preschool

Today was the first day of 3 year old preschool. This means a new place, new faces, new routine. This also means no turning back, Sullivan is now in school and will remain schooling until he settles on a career. That is a very very large pill to swallow. How in the world can my little 3 year old boy enter the big world of school, teachers, eventually homework and be there at least the next 18 or so years?!

Luckily for me, my little boy was excited about school. He loved his new backpack, loved what we told him about school and LOVED the playground outside. With a fresh haircut, new shoes and outfit on a chilly Wednesday, August 26th morning we moved forward to new things. We entered the new place excited, nervous for this momma, but ready for the day. Mike and I both took Sullivan to school on his first morning and it seemed like he knew what to do. He took his coat off and place it along with his backpack on his hook with his name, signed it and headed straight to breakfast. He was cool as a cucumber and didn't care that we were leaving him. 

All day long I thought about him. Wondering what he was doing, was he having fun and then 1:00 came around and knew he was switching from daycare to his preschool class. I wondered if he'd make friends, wondered what he was learning. I couldn't wait until I could see him and ask him everything! 

Tonight when I picked him up, he was happy to see me but yet he didn't want to leave! He had a great first day playing and getting to know his new friends. So what did Sullivan do today, I asked him: "played, colored, and thad a snack." I also asked him what his favorite thing was about today and he said "having a snack and playing in the gym." Tomorrow is another day at daycare and then preschool again on Friday. Cross our fingers things continue to go well!

Mrs. Amy

Today was a bittersweet day. For the first time in Sullivan's life we said good-bye to a wonderful care provider. Mrs. Amy has been amazing to our Sullivan. She is patient, kind, loving and full of fun. Sullivan first met her at a daycare center and then moved to her home daycare two summers ago. 

Sullivan begins 3 year preschool tomorrow so we've decided to keep him at the same location for preschool and daycare.  This was a very  very tough decision, but we feel it will better prepare him for school and give him the ability to interact with both boys and girls his age. 

At Amy's Sullivan has made such good friends with all "his girls." He's fallen in love with Reyna and Baby which are Amy & Jim's puppies, and he's been a big helper which will hopefully be to our advantage when his little brother arrives this fall. 

I honestly can't say enough great things about Amy. Maybe it's my pregnancy hormones, but today has been more emotional for me then Sullivan. I'm not a mom who just hands my child off to anyone. Maybe that's why it took us 3 daycare providers later to find Amy and know she's right for our family. Since Sullivan has been at Amy's, I never worried about him and the care he was getting. It only took a few days of her care before he came home and was calling me either "Amy" or Amy-Mommy." Nowdays I rarely get called mommy, for over a year my name has always been "Amy-Mommy." 

Amy holds a special place in Sullivan's heart. He loves her just like our family and I'm sure we have many days ahead of us that he will miss her. 

Sullivan has also met his first "girlfriend" at Amy's. Belle is the first little girl Sullivan called pretty and between Belle and Mackenzie, he definitely protected them and gave them kisses. The good news is we will see Amy again after the baby arrives and we hope to have Sullivan spend some time at her house again next summer. 

Thank you again Amy for everything! We will always stay in touch and will see you again soon. 

30 Weeks

Saturday I rounded another corner and hit the 30 week mark. Boy oh boy is this going fast! With only 10 more to go I have more than enough things to do before he can arrive. Our nursery is still a work in progress. We made some headway this weekend by storing our guest bed and touching up paint. So at least the room is painted and we have almost everything. Now we just need to put everything in its place and wash baby clothes and even more baby clothes. 

I will feel so much better once the room is in place and we have the carseat washed and ready, bags packed, and at least a drawer full of clothes washed and waiting. With a few big things happening this week and a few more busy weekends in our schedule, I guess the best thing I can do is take a deep breath and move one step ahead at a time. 

With 30 weeks down baby is moving-let's hope moving in the head down position. I've also had the pleasure of getting my first cold which began last Tuesday. It is not fun feeling sick and trying to cough when pregnant. As if breathing is easy right now anyways with a big boy in my belly. Hopefully it will pass soon and we can be free of illness for a long long time. 

Baby right now is the size of a large head of cabbage (although I'm pretty sure he's much bigger than that). At my 28 week appointment, my belly was measuring 5 weeks ahead of schedule! If this is confirmed again at my next appointment I think me and the doctor will be having a discussion. Baby's eyes are also getting a sense of light and know when it's light and dark outside. His body is thickening up, he's working on swallowing and opening and closing his eyes, and hair is growing. We shall see if this one will have little hair that was blonde like Sullivan or will this baby be born with lots of hair and a different color? 

Topics like this and who he may look like tend to come up almost daily in our house. 

My 30th

On Thursday I turned the big 3-0! My emotions are mixed. I'm exited for another chapter in life, but also well aware that it's another phase of getting older and the ones I love dearly getting older as well.  Thursday was almost like any other working day. It's no fun working on your birthday, much less your 30th birthday but when a baby is cooking and your holding on to every vacation day possible for maternity leave, you work on your birthday. Luckily, my co workers made the most of it and decorated my workspace with balloons, signs, streamers and wrapped just about every thing I use. We had scratch cupcakes and lunch out to Longhorn Steakhouse. 

The evening continued in celebrating with my two favs. Sullivan, Mike and I ventured out for a light dinner and more cupcakes to end the day. 

On Saturday I celebrated with Mike by heading to the Cedar Rapids farmers market. It's been years since I tagged along with him. It was actually a wonderful treat just the two of us, acting like we did when we were dating. That evening we headed back home to what I thought was going to be a quick trip in picking up Sullivan from my sister's house. Little did I know they had a special mini surprise birthday party planned. I was greeted with love from my family and very close friend. It was the perfect evening. I left that night feeling loved and so very blessed to have the most amazing people in my lives. 

So cheers to my 30s! The year I become a mother of two. I look forward to what God has planned for me this next year and then next 10 more.

Happy 90th Grandpa Joe!

This past weekend my mom's side all got together to celebrate a wonderful man's 90th birthday. I have so many memories with my grandpa from learning card games, going to bandstand night on Wednesday evening in Fort Atkinson when I was young, to learning how to polka. 

It was the perfect get together, everyone seemed to just relaxed talk and catch up with cousins, aunts and uncles and in-laws. Of course we had delicious food, pictures and birthday cake. We all try to get together for Christmas each year but it seems that holiday is busy playing games, preparing food, and opening presents that you never get to talk to everyone you want to. 

I left my grandpa's birthday party feeling happy. God is good and I'm so blessed to have wonderful family that surrounds me. 

Today is my grandpa's actual birthday, so I wish him another round of celebrating. Wishing you many more!

Grandpa with his tractor

My grandparents

My grandparents with all their children

My siblings with Grandpa

All the great grand kids

Grinning the whole time, here's a video of grandpa riding his tractor around the yard with my uncle.

3 new parks in 2015

On my bucket list this year, I had a goal to take Sullivan to 3 new parks. Well we did it. Two here in Cedar Falls and the other in New Hampton.

A few weeks ago on a Saturday evening we met my sister and her boys in New Hampton to have a little play date. I remember going to this playground when I was little, in fact, I even had a birthday party hear once. Although some things have changed, most of all the wood equipment is still the same. 

Sullivan had a blast with his cousins exploring the new park and still talks about it. We will have to visit again real soon.

One of the other new parks we explored was this past Sunday evening. Close to home around a little curve tucked behind some trees. This little playground and wide open spaces to run and fly kites. Sullivan wasn't a huge fan of this one mostly due to the sand getting stuck in his toes. Either way he loves parks and it was another new one to try out. 

To view our first new park of the season, click here.

28 Weeks!

This Saturday I turned 28 weeks. That means I'm one week into my 3rd and final trimester and only 3 more months to go! Boy do we have a lot of work to do. I'm no where near ready for baby boy Nelson to arrive. I have nothing washed, the nursery is still a storage/guest room, not sure where the car seat is much less any other necessities. About the only thing I have done is a few boxes of diapers are bought and the nursery is staying the same blue color Sullivan had. But we have to touch up a few areas and hang new curtains so I can't even cross that off my list. 

Feeling a bit overwhelmed, but I know the next month we will kick it into high gear. Mike only have 3 more farmer's markets before the season is done and one other show to make his 2015 year in the books. School is only 2 weeks away so we are practicing early bedtimes and gathering school supplies. Big changes are approaching the Nelson house and there is no turning back. 

I had an early 28 week appointment last Wednesday with another ultrasound and another glucose test. I passed an early one around 18 weeks but the doctors aren't that optimistic so they are testing it again. So far I haven't heard anything so I'm hoping "no news is good news." Ultrasound showed baby boy sprawling his legs out and still head up. Both ultrasound tech and doctor say he looks to be a big boy weighing in at 3 pounds at 28 weeks and long long legs. In fact he's in the 80% percentile an measuring 2 weeks ahead of schedule. Sounds a lot like his brother and he didn't come out that big, just had long legs. We shall see! 

At 28 weeks, I'm feeling sore and uncomfortable. Swelling remains but is less when I wear compression stockings and sleeping isn't that great. I've had a few episodes of Braxton Hicks contractions in the last month. I never had them with Sullivan so I consulted a cousin over the weekend to confirm what they were. 

He also continues to be very active in my belly, though I haven't really felt any hiccups yet. I'm doctoring every two weeks now so is also exciting. Keeping cooking baby boy, but please try not to be over 9 pounds!