3 weeks old (and a day)

I finally uploaded more photos from what we've been up to the past three weeks. Declan is doing great... eating, sleeping, and pooping like a newborn. At his 2 week doctor appointment, he had well-surpassed his birth weight... the doctor said he was showing off! Theo is a really good big brother. He loves to help (get me a burp cloth, throw away this diaper). He likes to know where Declan is, and even cried the other day when Jay took Theo to the grocery store, but Declan had to stay home. He's very gentle with him and definitely knows that "Baby Gek-in" is part of the family. Can't wait to watch them grow up together! In other Theo news, he counts to ten regularily (and sometimes adds twelve, fourteen, sixteen, and eighteen), and he sings the alphabet. He also repeats everything I say, so I will soon be learning if there are things I shouldn't be saying around him! So far, so good... in fact, he's extremely polite and says "please" and "thank you" without prompting. Is it possible that this behavior will continue throughout age 2, 3, and 4?? (Parents of toddlers, please don't answer - that was a rhetorical question!)

Welcome, Declan!

Here is an album that Jay put together from Declan's time in the hospital. Everyone is doing well at home. Theo is a great big brother and Declan is eating, sleeping, and pooping just as a newborn should!

I'll try to keep pictures current, but for now, you'll have to settle for the hospital pics from a week ago! Surprising how much his looks have changed in a week already!

January & Theo's 2nd birthday

Theo turned 2 at the beginning of the week! We had a fun (and short) Elmo party with my family. Theo got lots of nice presents which will come in handy to keep him occupied when the new baby comes. Favorites are a trampoline, tool bench, and puzzles!

Happy Birthday, Theo!

Christmas / New Year's

Before I have the baby, I figured I should at least post pictures from Christmas! We had a nice Christmas celebration with my family on the 23rd and then a low-key Christmas Eve and Christmas. Then the Mann family arrived from Germany on Christmas Day and we were busy with them until they left on January 5th. It was a very fun visit with some sight-seeing in Milwaukee and lots of shopping! We also had some professional photos taken of all of us. I scanned in two of the photos that I don't have in frames. We also had a cute photo with all of the cousins, but I have that framed in Theo's room now.


Next post will be Theo's 2nd birthday, which we celebrated yesterday!

Merry Christmas! (November & December updates)

We've had a busy November and December. It started with a birthday party for Theo's friend Tyler who turned 3. The next weekend we traveled to Minnesota so Jay could go on his annual deer hunting trip with his family and I could attend Debbie's baby shower for her twins. Theo and I had a great time staying with Jeanne, Casey, Darby, and Ainsley. We attended a talent show at Darby's school, went to the Minnesota Children's Museum with Theo's cousins, aunts, and Grandma Nancy, played at the Eden Prairie Mall, and attended Kailey's show choir concert. It was a really fun weekend! Two weeks later, our Minnesota relatives (minus Alex) traveled to Racine for Thanksgiving. It was another fun-filled weekend with lots of playtime and food. Theo had a great time having his cousins visit his house and "talked" about it long after they left. Once December started, our calendar has been packed with Christmas parties, starting with the Johnson Controls Family party in downtown Milwaukee. It was a really nice party, complete with a buffet meal, crafts, and a visit from Santa. The following weekend, we enjoyed some adult time at the Johnson Controls Holiday Party (also in downtown Milwaukee) and then a party with our Modine friends. Last weekend I got to have two Moms' Nights Out and another Childrens' Party with 3 different Moms groups.

Theo's big news this month is that he started sleeping in a toddler bed on December 11th. He really likes his new room and seems to have pretty much forgotten his old room and crib. He likes his bed, but often falls asleep on the bean bag chair next to it. His vocabulary has blossomed the past 2 months... he says over 75 words unprompted, but will pretty much try to say anything we ask him to now. He talks about the baby and likes to put his stuffed animals and books on my belly for the baby, but I don't think he really understands what's coming! He also started showing interest in the potty, so we got him a potty seat which he has used a few times, but I expect it will be a long time before he's really potty trained. I doubt I'll have the discipline to it once the baby comes!

That's all for now! Merry Christmas! We're not sending out cards again this year and will instead send out baby announcements in February!

October

You may notice a theme to our October photos - sports, pumpkins, and fall fun! We have had a busy and very fun month! The highlight of today was Theo saying his own name for the first time! He sure has changed a lot in the past month. Happy Halloween!

End of August & most of September

Summer's not over yet! We've been enjoying the last few weeks of warm weather with celebrating Jay's birthday, Taste of Racine, a visit to Minneapolis for cousin Hank's 1st birthday, and our very own Brew Fest!