don't blink

One thing you might know about me is that I am not a huge fan of country music - I don't have anything against it. . . it just isn't my thing. But, when I saw Kenny Chensey sing "Don't Blink" I couldn't help but see all these different images of life flash through my mind. Lars and I always talk about how fast life is going and that we feel like every time we blink another year has gone by (case on point - see title of my last post).

I remember after we had Bergen pretty much every parent told us "just you wait. . . he will be driving before you know it". Hearing that only hours after birth made me want to cry as I didn't want time to move that fast. But time is moving that fast. When I look back at all the hundreds and hundreds of photos we have taken of him - I am moved to tears. Such a bitter-sweet thing to watch our baby grow into this amazing boy but still wanting him to stay my sweet baby boy. While he isn't driving yet, I am afraid that he will be behind the wheel before we know it.

So, I put together a little montage of our family since we were married in 2000. Watching it makes me think a couple of things:

1. I feel a little like Katie Couric with all my changing hair styles over the years. Yikes, who knew I had so many.

2. How lucky we are to be parents in the age of digital photography, blogs, and other wonderful media tools like One True Media. I have been able to watch children of my friends grow without even being in the same town. . . or even ever having met them. And they in turn are able to stay connected to us. . . that is truly amazing to me.

3. While it is very hard to be sleep deprived and wishing that our baby girl would sleep through the night, before we know it we will be reminiscing about these horrible sleepless nights and our arms will ache with the long distant memories of our children as babies. . . .

Click here . . . DONT BLINK

oops, i blinked

And Annika is 5 months old today!! I can hardly believe how fast the time as gone. . . we had her 4 month visit last week (almost a month late, yikes!) and she weighed 13.2lbs (20%) and was 26.5" long (95%) - she is our string bean! I went back to compare how big Bergen was at his 4 month visit and he was weighing 15lbs . . . and that was almost a while month earlier then when she went in for her visit. . . so, she is our perfectly happy, healthy peanut who likes to play with her toes, put everything in her mouth and has even started belly laughing at her dad! Now, if only we could get her to sleep better at night. . . .

We also started her on rice cereal last week - which from the pics you will see she wasn't a huge fan. We have continued to try and while she isn't eating a whole lot yet, she at least doesn't cringe when I try to feed her. So different from Bergen who from the first taste couldn't get enough - our little baby bird with his mouth wide open for more. Annika instead presses her lips together and gives me "ohhhh. . . I don't think so" eyes. Makes me wonder what she will be like at 13 (payback time, right mom?)!

Here is a fun video of the kids together. . . Bergen discovered a new game to play with Annika. We just need to watch closely so that he doesn't tip her over!

why, oh why, do we live in minnesota?!?

I ask myself that every year when it starts to get cold and the snow starts to fly. And I especially question our lifelong commitment to live in Minnesota when we are able to go to "Grandma's Beach House" (aka Naples, FL) and experience just a small taste of what other parts of the world get to experience other then the frigid cold north. Strange to think as I write this post and look out into the white covered world in 20-degree weather. . . that not too far away people are enjoying a life of sunny, warm, and GREEN. As Barbara and I always say - if only we could transplant our WHOLE family somewhere warm, we would do it in a heartbeat. Not sure if my hubby would ever be on board with moving somewhere warm, but I can always dream!

We enjoyed a week of fun in the sun the first week of December. This was the second annual trip for Bergen and me and the first for Annika and Lars. We all were able to do what we enjoy . . . I got to read in the sun, Lars got to enjoy some quiet reading time, Bergen got to build sand castles, and Annika got a lot of lovin' from every one around her! We spent the week with Grandma, Aunt Megan and Uncle Michael and Grandpa Dan was able to fly down to be with us for the weekend. Other then Annika deciding that she didn't want to sleep while we were there (I feel like that is happening more and more lately. . .any sleep experts want to help me out with this one because I REALLY need some sleep!), we had a wonderful, relaxing (well, as a trip with two kids can be!) vacation!

feeding the ducks

One of Bergen's most favorite things to do. . . and what a great treat to have Uncle Chris and Aunt Kate join in the fun over Thanksgiving weekend!

we got elfed

Click HERE to see our awesome elf moves!!