Happy Birthday Dad/Grandpa!

For my dad's birthday we went to a Twins Game! My dad broke down and bought a 20 game season ticket package. Which means he has 4 seats to a 20 games and of course one was on his bday! So he took Erik, Chris, myself and Linnea. It was Erik, Chris and Linnea's first time at the new ballpark and they loved it! The Twins may not have won but we still had a great time!

Linnea had so much fun she needed a 2 inning nap in my arms. It was kind of nice to have her passed out there. She rarely falls asleep in my arms anymore. Thats usually the grandmas job!

Sleepy Twins Fans!

Happy Twins Fans! She spent some time with Erik while Chris and I tried some of the amazing food at the park. He had a burrito from Senor Smokes which is a restaurant somehow related to Juan Beringer, a former Twins pitcher. I had a Kramakcuks polish sausage and it was tasty! We are going to try something new every time we go. There is just such a huge selection! My dad and Erik tried the Murray's steak sandwich and loved it. We will of course have hot dogs and beer as well, because a ball game is not a ball game without a hot dog and beer, but when there are so many other options and smells it is hard to always go with the hot dog. Plus its no longer a Dome Dog which takes some of the fun away from it for me. And the beer is way too expensive to have every time.

We ended the day at my parents house for grilled mahi mahi, fruit and veggies. We also played at the park and enjoyed my chunky monkey ice cream cake made just for the birthday boy!

First Official Word

So Linnea has been saying mama and dada for quite some time but just last week out of the blue while changing her we heard something else. It was different than her usual na, na, na's and on, on, on's she says. We aren't sure what she is getting at when she makes those sounds but it always seems important. Any of you who have heard her know what I mean. She also has said something that sounds like "I know". Particularly when we tell her "no" when she is messing around with the volume and other knobs on one of our tv devices looking back at us like she knows she shouldn't be doing it but alas she does it anyways. But we aren't convinced she is saying I know or no. However, back to the changing table. We are certain we heard Linnea clear as day say diaper and she knows what she is talking about. She will repeat it quietly when we ask and she will do it with a very proud grin. So there you have it. Our child's first official word was said April 21, 2010 on her 16 month bday and it was diaper. Diaper of all things. Good job Linnea! The video doesn't completely capture it but you can kind of hear it! Enjoy!

Woodlake Nature Center, Como Zoo, Just Jump and Great Grandma's House

My cousin Kim and I had a very busy week last week keeping our kiddoes busy while our parents worked in our grandparents houses. Our Thomas Grandparents house is behind. My mom and her dad grew up there and now our gma T is living in an assisted living home in Woodbury but her house is still hers so we spent some time going through things and taking some memorable items. But we also went on plenty of other adventures which you will see in the many pictures below...

Linnea got ride in Kim's van which has a portable DVD player in it which she thought was pretty cool.

We went to Just Jump which has many inflatable slides and jumping areas but also this cute cabin which Linnea liked to go in and out of and shut the door and open the door and do the same with the window. Eloise and Eoin joined her for this picture.

Here is Eoin jumping and Linnea being bounced!

Hmmm...I wonder why I have Linnea's shades on and why are they backwards?? Thanks Eoin!

Happy Eoin in the car after or before one of our adventures!

I think she was clapping. Her and Eoin both were at one point and it was so cute! She definitely has more rhythm than her mama!

oooh sooo tired! Life is rough being a toddler!

Below are the cousins sort of holding hands at Woodlake Nature Center after our Chinese Buffet lunch. We went on a long walk here looking for animals. We saw geese, birds, muskrats, dogs and squirrels. I think the kids enjoyed the animals at the Como Zoo more.

But the Nature Center had a neat play area outside and Linnea found this log to sit on, or maybe her mom did and had her sit on it for a picture.

Something was pretty neat about this wall.

Tired Eoin.

Kim and I also brought the kids so some thrift stores...one of our favorite things!

We made it to the Como Zoo before the rain on Wednesday and got to see the baby orangutan!

Eoin and Kim got up close and personal with Sparky the Seal or Sea Lion ( I can never remember what he is) Eoin wasn't crazy about this...

neither was Eloise...

So we went and had a picnic in the sunshine!

Then it started raining so we got the kids in the car and they fell asleep so we took a road trip to Stillwater in hopes of the rain stopping long enough so we could play at a toddler park called The Teddy Bear Park but no luck. It just kept raining. So Kim and I just enjoyed the scenic drive, got a yummy coffee drink and headed back to St. Paul. I showed her Grand Ave. and Summit and then the kids had had enough of the car so we got out at a lil cafe/bakery for a bit.

We had a wonderful time during their visit, but went by too fast as usual! Can't wait until we get together again! Linnea is still looking around at night for all those people to kiss goodnight. Apparently just her two parents are not enough.

The Henjum Guest House

Last week our cousins drove from Colorado as you will see in the post after this. They stayed at the Henjum Guesthouse (aka, my parents house in Woodbury). I proceeded to stay there most nights as well because I knew I would be with them almost everyday and its easier to start out from the same place and plus then I got more time with them after the kiddoes went to bed. Anyways...here are some pictures of just hanging out in my parents back yard and at the parks by the pond behind their house. Linnea LOVES slides. She went down her first tube slide by herself two weeks ago with my friend Brooke catching her at the bottom! She also loves to watch us go down the slide. It makes her laugh so hard which then makes us laugh and it is just so much fun!

weeee!

The guys catching up.

Lil Eoin.

Yay for shoulder rides from uncle Brian!

Eloise Grace Jones

Here she is! Linnea's second girl cousin on Amy's side Eloise Grace Jones!

Look out boys...the girls are making a comeback!

Kim, Ben and Eoin welcomed Eloise into their family the beginning of February. 2 months later they decided to make the journey to Minnesota from Colorado so we could all meet her and see the rest of the family too of course. Our parents also spent lots of time going through things at Grandma Thomas' house while Kim, the kids and I ran around town doing other fun things which you will see in the following posts!

Eoin almost 2, Caleb almost 3 and Linnea...16 months all playing with our new toys from one of many kids sales I will be going to.

We met for pizza in grandma's basement of her assisted living building. We also had ice cream and raspberries which lil Ms. Linnea thought was the best.

Proud Great Grandma.

Proud Megan and Brian. Kim had to be very careful leaving Megan with Eloise. They had a special connection or maybe Megan just loves babies!

Outdoor Baseball in Minnesnowta!

Who would have thought that one day in April of 2010 the Twins Home Opener would be played outside? And even more exciting is who would have thought I would be lucky enough to be there! I maybe didn't have tickets and I maybe wasn't sitting in the spectacular seats and I maybe didn't even watch the whole game but I was there! I was there working. I got to be a greeter which means I got to help excited fans find their way around the beautiful new stadium. Outdoor stadium. Baseball was meant to be played outside. Granted it snows well into March and April in Minnesota. And it rains quite a bit. And there is no retractable roof. But we have sooooo many great, sunny 70 degree days that those days will outnumber the crummy weather days. And if you are in the seats at this great new place on a nice weather day or night, you won't remember the bad weather.

The HUGE scoreboard!

One of many full houses!

April 12, 2010. Home Opener in Target Field. I don't know how anyone couldn't LOVE this place!

And what was the little Twins fan doing while mommy was working? She got to be with her grandpa all day! They played at parks, played with toys, ate and of course cheered for the Minnesota Twins!

Steps!

Linnea has found the steps. And even better is she has figured out how to go up them!

The first time she did it was with Daddy when she was home with him on Easter. I think that's pretty cool that Chris got to see it for the first time since he works and misses some of her firsts.

This video would be better if Mom could figure out how to turn it. Oh well...you get the idea of our lil climber. She still needs us right there and lots of encouragement. She prefers us to hold her arms up and she walk up them like we do. I think that has something to do with her not crawling! Oh well! All babies figure their life out one way or the other!

playgrounds!

So it has been almost two weeks since I last posted! I dont know where to begin. I think I will start with the Thursday before Easter when I babysat Dylan and Ian with my friend Breanna. I meant to put this blog up before Easter but didnt quite get to that!

swinging is so fun!

and so is sliding!

and the mini monkey bar!

And climbing!

We had such a fun day doing crafts, reading, playing and going to two different parks!

Yogurt.

Linnea is working hard on eating on her own with a spoon. This is one way to do it!

Easter Sunday

Hmmmm...what's in there?

Our Easter was spent at home and at my parents house. Linnea caught a nasty cough and cold somewhere so she only made it to the early breakfast before church and then spent the day at home with daddy.

This was after our yummy breakfast of ham, eggs and all sorts of "homemade pastries".

A family photo before I went to church and they went home. After church I got to play cards with my parents and grandma before Brian and Erik and their families showed up to celebrate Easter and Mom's bday.

A quick picture with each grandparent before church and going home.

Earlier in the week Linnea got a very cool Easter package from the Meyers since we didn't get to see them this Easter. There were goodies for Linnea and for mommy and daddy. She loves this new book by Karen Katz....Where Are Baby's Easter Eggs. So she didnt get to go on a real egg hunt this year but she got to look for them in this book do lots of sleeping and playing with Daddy.

Happy Easter!

The bunny stopped by during naptime on Thursday when I was babysitting Dylan and Ian and helped me make these cute little bunny snacks for the kids! We hope you all have a very happy Easter!