Summer Fun

We are already loving summer, as if we could ever hate it. The month of June brought swimming lessons for Teague, Ryan being done with work (but not until mid June thanks to the 5 extra snow days that needed to be made up), Lots of basketball commitments, graduation parties, fun at Nana and Papa's, etc. We're off to a great start and before we know it, summer will be over...but we're not going to talk about that. Swimming Lessons (Level 3...he was with 2nd and 3rd graders, so it was a little tougher) We went to see a movie as a family at the drive in theatre...it's always so fun but not fun getting home until midnight (because you have to wait until it's dark to start the movie). Kai slept the whole time like the good baby that he is! Kai started giving us lots and lots of smiles! Kai likes to watch us swim in the pool We took Kai to his first Twins game...and again, he slept the whole time! We like "summer hours"...sleeping in! We went to the pig races at Melrose Riverfest days and I got to bring home two little piggies of my own! We had a few bonfires....and Kai slept.

Last Day

My oldest baby has finished Montessori and will be off to kindergarten in the fall! (tears) He ended his year with a picnic and graduation ceremony. Even Lola got in on some of the singing and dancing action (she'll be going there next school year so she had had orientation the week leading up to the picnic, so she felt like one of the big kids that night!) I know he's ready for kindergarten. He's had a great year of growing and maturing at Montessori. It was the best decision we could have made, educationally, for him to go there this year. He's learned so much (like the level of reading he can do, I'm amazed). But also socially, it started out hard for him, but he was forced to expand his friendships beyond those of his daycare friends and it was a good learning lesson for him as well. I have no doubts that he will do so well in kindergarten next fall. No comment for how I might do.

One Month With Kai

Wow! One months old! It's been a fantastic month with Kai.


Some "stats" on him;
-I think he weighs around 11 pounds now
-He is a champion sleeper. He goes to sleep around 10p and wakes once around 4a, eats, and goes back to sleep. Really this kid is rarely awake.
-He's a very laid back baby and even takes his "cuddles" from Teague and Lola in stride!
My all time favorite Lola quote about Kai? Every morning she says "Is Kai big now? Is he a girl now?" Teague is very protective of Kai and is very careful with him. Neither are interested in helping with diaper changes but like to be around him and occasionally helping with things like getting a diaper or paci.
Both of Teague and Lola are going to Montessori and daycare two days a week. Part of this is for Lola to get used to Montessori as she will be attending part-time this fall and so they can "get away" from the chaos of a baby and play with their friends. I won't lie, I enjoy these days alone with Kai as well! T and L have been really adjusted well to life with a baby, so it's been an easy adjustment. The only bump is Lola doesn't want to sleep in her room anymore...so it's a revolving door challenge with her! How could she not want to sleep in these kick butt bunk beds my dad made?

Bus Ride

We went on our annual trip to the Children's Museum of MN and Como Zoo on the ECFE bus on May 17th. It's always a fun day to spoil the kids. We even snuck out of the museum a little early to go to Candyland. Mmmm, yum!
Thanks to my mom who tagged along to help...I wasn't sure I was ready to handle all 3 kids on the trip by myself!

At the zoo

At the museum

Dancing Queen (and King)

At exactly 24 hours and 23 minutes after Kai was born we broke out of the hospital (they kinda insisted that I stay for 24 hours). May 3rd was a big day for the dusha family as well, Teague and Lola's first dance recital! Teague was in hip hop dance for boys and Lola was in tiny kicks. It was adorable, and hilarious! I love the innocence of little kids, waving and shouting "Hi Papa!" or "Hi Coco!" in front of the huge crowd of people! They both did great. Here's a picture of each of them before they went on stage.

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Kai Vernon

Introducing our beautiful baby, Kai Vernon! He was born on May 2nd at 107pm weighing 9lbs, 2oz, 21 1/2" long.

May 2nd, my heart tripled with love. Kai Vernon (first name given to him by big brother Teague and middle name after my dad) came, literally, skidding into this world! He's been a total delight and joy to our lives; really loved by all of us...some loving him rougher than others! He's an amazingly great baby; crying rarely, sleeping a lot, and eating like a little piggy! The best part of his birth-day? He shares it with his dad!

The Birth Story

I went to be induced on Wednesday May 1st and spent the whole day on oxytocin and did not have much for pain or progression...who knew that by your 3rd baby one would not immediately go into wild labor once given oxytocin?! So by 4p I was sent home, in tears, and told to return that night. Of course Teague and Lola were so confused by me returning home without a baby. Lola: "Did you leave the baby at the hospital?" So it was sad and confusing for all of us. Kai was just not ready, and I felt guilty for "forcing" him to come. So the reason for induction; I was "lucky" enough to have gestational diabetes again, like I'd had with Teague. Though I was measuring only 37 weeks, my Dr felt it necessary to induce at 39 weeks (thank goodness...he wasn't exactly small!) So I returned that evening, started the induction again in the a.m., had virtually non painful contractions for 3 hours...then they broke my water and things went really quick from there. At 105p I started pushing and delivered Kai at 107p...much to the surprise of everyone in the room. My Dr did not have his gown or gloves on, I guess they thought it would take longer! And what a totally joyous moment to me, I got to deliver my own baby!

I'll leave you with a few pictures if Kai over the past 3 weeks.

April= Spring?

We wish April would have been nicer. I've told Ryan time and time again that I have a feeling I'm going to be bringing this baby home when we still have snow! I think I speak for my whole family when I say we are over this winter weather and just want some good spring weather before summer weather! Teague asked if there would still be snow on his birthday (July) and I told him if there was still snow on his birthday that we'd go to Florida for his birthday and probably move there!

Easter 2013 - with snow!
Lola started dance....and loved it!

We signed up the kids to take a "Sibling Class" at the hospital. I think they learned alot!

We went to Chuck E Cheese and then to "The Croods" movie...they were in heaven!

Daddy and Lola played naptime"

Lola loved her new shoes so much that she slept in them. Why not?!

They like pretending that they're the baby and like getting swaddled. I may even be guilty of giving them a baby bottle. But I can't convince them that if we play baby that we have to take naps. Oh well.

A snow day in April, so we had an indoors picnic!

In a final attempt to make baby arrive on his own, we had a girl's night of pedicures and dinner out with my sister and niece. Lola would not put her feet in the water. First she said "I won't fit!" (She thought the chair was too big for her) and then it was that she didn't like that the water was colored blue! So she agreed to just having her toes painted, but none of that other (feel good) stuff!

Mad For March

We took a mini "vacation" to the water park in Maple Grove.
Teague was excited about going to his first "friend's" birthday party!
Cousin Chase stated overnight and they all crashed early!
Lola came down with the stomach flu and felt pretty crummy for a few days. I didn't mind being able to get some snuggles in with her!
By about day #3 she was feeling better and here she was enjoying a fort we made together.

While I don't have any pictures of the disappointment, Ryan's season ended much sooner than anyone had hoped. He lost in the section final to Litchfield, which was also our only loss earlier in the season. I do think I took it harder than Ryan. It was a depressing weekend, and my pregnancy hormones sure didn't help, but we picked ourselves up and now it's into the next season!

February Happenings

We gave ice skating a shot...
...and did some falling.
...and Lola mostly just supervised.
I was surprised when Lola showed me this, apparently at 3 y/o she can now write her name! She says "L-O-L-A, that spells Ponygirl (her nickname). But my Tina (daycare) says it's Lola."
We had an overnight in Minneapolis with Chase, Skylar and auntie. We went to the MOA (on Valentine's Day) and played mini golf.
The next day we hit up some all day riding fun at Nickelodeon Universe. This is the only picture of Teague as he prefers all the big, fast rides so my camera doesn't focus well with those!
Lola stuck (mostly) to the "little" rides.
We did some sledding.
And we played dress up to pass all the cold, snowy days.