Children's Museum

Today the boys and I met my mother in law, my sister in law Beth and her 2 little ones at the Children's Museum. Beth has a family pass plus 2 guests so we were able to get in for free! We all had a blast. Eli hasn't been since he was 17 months old and this was Jude's first time going. We started off on the lower level and let the kids play with the blown glass replicas. It is a beautiful area of the museum that is so full of colors. We then took the kids up to the play scape and let them run around. Eli absolutely loved the water table!!! He actually tried to climb in it a few different times. Even with the vest they provide he was soaked. Luckily we had a change of clothes because after he was done at the water table he was ready to go to the sand table. Both of the boys had a blast being able to walk around and explore. I had to remind Eli several times that he had to stay in the same area as mommy or grandma because he was ready to run and find the next activity. :-) We then went to ride the carousel. Eli has ridden a carousel many times before and we ride the penny pony at Meijer all the time but today he didn't want anything to do with the moving ponies. So he and Grandma rode around on the bench and Jude, John Paul, and Madeleine got to ride on the animals.

Grandma and all her grand kids

Madeleine, Eli, Jude Grandma, John Paul

I love the way Jude is looking at his Grandma

Eli and Madeleine working together

Eli Grandma and John Paul checking out the beautiful colors

Looking at the reflections on the floor

Poor John Paul can't move on this floor

Jude liked all the colors on the floor!

Having fun in the toddler area

Jude found his reflection!

He loved it

It was so so cute!!

Eli had so much fun playing in the water with Grandma!!

Jude found some cars to play with

Eli enjoyed the slide

Jude had fun in the sand

After lunch my mother in law, Beth, and her little ones headed home but me and the boys wanted to check out a few more exhibits. Eli LOVES dinosaurs so we had to check out the dinosaurs. It was so neat to see how into it he was. There was a museum worker talking about T rexes and Eli just stood there and listened. Jude was not so into it. He wouldn't touch any of the dinosaur statues and just wanted me to hold him. Both of the boys had fun playing with all the little artifacts they had. Neither of them would put the costumes on but we still had lots of fun!

Eli taking in all the dinosaurs

He loves Dinosaurs!

He couldn't get enough

Checking out the big Nino footprint!

Jude had fun checking out the dinosaur nest

Eli had fun digging for dinosaur bones

Jude looked pretty cute in the goggles!

They both had fun playing with the little dinosaurs

We then checked out a few of the smaller exhibits like the race car, the trains and the Arctic area. Eli thought the big polar bear was pretty cool and he liked that we could walk through the big train. To end our trip we went and played with the blown glass replicas one more time and then headed home. The boys had a blast and were sound asleep in the car within 2 minutes of leaving!

Racecar Driver Eli!!!

Racecar Driver Jude!!!

Vroom Vroom

The blown glass replicas were so much fun!!!

Eli and Mommy looking up at all the pretty colors on the ceiling!

Thanks again Beth, it was such a fun day!!

National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day

Today I am remembering my sweet angel that we lost on May 11th, 2006 at 11 weeks 5 days. My due date was December 3rd, 2006. I still think of our angel all the time and for some reason it has really been getting to me lately. I think of things like "our little one would have started preschool this fall and would be turning 4 soon". I wonder if he would have looked like Eli or Jude or what his little personality would be like. I know that I am so blessed to have Elijah and Jude and I thank God for giving them to me everyday. My heart goes out to everyone who as ever lost a little one or is dealing with infertility.


On my due date my mom and sisters gave me the Willow Tree Angel of Remembrance. Right now that angel sits up on top of our kitchen cabinets next to the bottles of sparkling juice we received when each of the boys were born. I can look up there and think of all 3 of my children.


In honor of today Michael and I have to decided to name our little angel in heaven. I wish that we had done this when we lost him but it took me awhile to make sense of every thing and realize that it was important to me. I have been wanting to do this for awhile but thought maybe it was silly because it happened over 4 years ago.

So today and always we are remembering our sweet angel, Michael Ignatius.

Jude is 14 Months!

Little Jude Michael is 14 months old today! I can't believe how big he is getting. It is so much fun to see the little boy he is growing into and to see his little personality come through. He is such a fun little boy and I couldn't love him more. He is starting to talk a little more or at least make more sounds like du for duck and at for cat. He can also say bear, and bro means Brobee. Jude has really gotten into books lately. He likes to look at them by himself, but he loves to look at them with me or Mike. He picks up a book and brings it to us with the biggest smile on his face. We look at it together and then he takes it back to the book crate and gets another one. We have so much fun together!

Jude Michael at 14 months

Touchdown!!!!

He loves his books!He makes so many silly faces that I love!ooooooooooo!!!!
Such a silly boy!

I love this little guy!!

Yo Gabba Gabba Live!!!

MOST FUN EVER!!!!!!!

We took the boys to see the live Yo Gabba Gabba show and it was awesome! We had been planning this surprise for the boys for months now. I actually saved the money I got for my birthday back in July to get these tickets. I knew that the boys would love it. Eli has been in love with Gabba since he was 11 months old. Jude doesn't really pay attention the show besides the opening song but he loves the Brobee merchandise we have. I used iron on transfers to make them each a shirt. I asked Eli who he liked the best and he said Muno, and there was no question who Jude wanted on his shirt! I also made myself a Foofa shirt! :-)

The boys fell asleep on the way there so they were a little confused when we first got there. All we had told them was that we were going to go somewhere fun and it was a surprise. Eli recognized Gabba on all the posters when we got there and we told him we were going to a special show. I don't think he fully understood that they were really going to be there until it started.

Both boys had a blast. Eli was very quiet and reserved while we were there only cracking a few smiles, but I know he loved it. He hasn't stopped talking about it since. It is almost like he was shy when we got there. Jude was bouncing and dancing on my lap and kept pointing and saying "oooooo"! I am so so glad that we were able to take them both.

We recognized all the songs and were able to sing along. During the second half the people in front of me moved so Eli was able to stand in front of me and for the rest of the show. Once he was down on the floor he was moving and dancing to the music. It was so awesome to see how much fun the boys were having.

Yo Gabba Gabba Live!!!

The boys in their shirts I made

Muno and Brobee cut outs!!! DJ Eli Rock!
DJ Jude Rock!

Jude and Mommy waiting for the show to start
Eli and Daddy waiting for the show to startThere's a Party in My City!!!DJ Lance RockMuno, he's tall and friendly!
Foofa, she's pink and happy!

Brobee, the little green one!Toodee, she likes to have fun!
Plex, the magic robot!Eli when the show started!Yay for Gabba!!
Daddy and the boys at intermissionMommy and the boys
The Balloon song!!!
Eli with his balloon
Jude with his Balloon!Eli showing some excitement!!Jude loved the entire show!
This was my favorite song!!!When we were leaving we saw Leslie in the lobby!!!

I am so happy that we were able to do this with the boys. I have dreamed of doing something like this with my family even before I had kids. It was amazing to see how happy the boys were and how much they enjoyed it. I love these boys so much and I love making them happy. Being a parent is the most amazing gift in the world.