Easter 2014

Easter was a lot of fun this year. Marla really got into it and the weather was actually not horrible for a change. The festivities began early in the week when Marla colored eggs. This was a hit!

 

 

 

Once again, we braved the Eau Claire Easter egg hunt in Carson Park on Saturday morning. It was insane, but everyone kind of clears out after the hunt, so we got to spend some time playing in the bouncy houses and visiting the Easter Bunny.

 

Marla loved the Easter Bunny. Before this, she has been pretty wary of people dressed up as animals/mascots, but this year is a totally different story.

 

Playing with the photo booth props.

 

Avery passed out sometime after the hunt.

 

We spent Saturday afternoon at Jeff's mom's in-laws' home. They always do a massive egg hunt for the kids, so Marla stocked up on even more goodies.

 

Sunday morning Easter baskets!

 

After church, we hosted dinner for my family. I made a ham for the first time ever and didn't screw it up! (I have been told that it's hard to screw up a ham, but I was nervous nonetheless.)

 

Sporting masks from Grandma Pam. Happy (belated) Easter, everyone!

Tiny dancer

Marla has always loved to dance, which you probably know if you've ever watched her at a wedding reception. For some reason, I have a lot of opinions about dance classes for little girls, the main one being that they get far too expensive and intense too early in life. I'm a firm believer that kids should be able to explore many different activities without committing to any particular one, at least before high school. So I hesitate to enroll Marla in any of the area dance schools, which all seem to require a 9-month time commitment and cost upwards of $35/month.

 

However, my friend Jodi tipped me off to a "Dance Buffet" class at the Eau Claire Indoor Sports Center, which runs for just six weeks and offers instruction on "basic dance moves along with an emphasis on listening and following directions." Perfect! I got Marla into the class and she LOVED it. Here she is in her leotard and tutu.

 

 

We were excited to discover that Marla's friend Greta was enrolled in the class too. They had so much fun together each week.

 

The final class was a recital for families. Here she is on recital day.

 

Here's one of the numbers they performed. It doesn't get much cuter.

 

 

Locks three years in the making

This post has been a long time coming: Marla's first haircut! Yes, I waited until she was three years old to cut her hair. But can you blame me? Just look at those beautiful waves.

 

 

We took her to Nicole's Salon downtown Eau Claire, where I get my own hair cut. They made a really big deal about it being her first cut, which was sweet. Here's the first lock, complete with a curl. 

 

Marla was pretty excited about the whole ordeal, until we got her into the chair. Then she got really serious. She didn't cry, but she sat stone-faced throughout the whole haircut and didn't smile again until she was done.

 

We didn't do bangs and just stuck with a shoulder-length bob. It has since grown to its previous length and hasn't lost its waviness! Unfortunately the curls of her early toddlerhood only pop up in extreme humidity.

 

First haircut on the books! She came away with a sucker and a certificate, and I came away misty-eyed with a lock of her hair in a baggie. Success!

Cliff's Notes: Winter 2014

No, I didn't give up blogging or drop off the face of the earth. I just got sidetracked for a bit (like eight months). I have a lot of guilt about this for various reasons, but mostly because I've dropped the ball on updates of Avery's babyhood. I plan to do a more in-depth post about Avery soon, but here's a synopsis of January through April in the Schmidt household.

January

I went back to work on December 2 after a 3-month maternity leave. Jeff took over until the end of January. He got busy bonding with Avery and being active outside in the middle of winter. More power to him.

 

I was recognized for five years of service at CVTC. It was actually six years in February (I started in 2008), but they were recognizing based on the previous year.

 

Jeff turned 33 years old! Marla is excited that now both her parents are "three like me!"

 

Avery started taking baths in the big tub.

 

This feels very long ago, but the significance of the below picture is still huge to me. When I went back to work, Avery refused to take a bottle. She put up a good fight, which created a lot of stress and frustration for both me and Jeff. We tried seven different bottles/nipples, different milk temperature, different holds and methods of distraction, different people feeding her... NOTHING worked. I came home every day at lunch to nurse her and she'd go the rest of the day without eating. I was feeling a lot of pressure as the only food source, particularly during a busy time at work. I was always rushing home to feed her, rushing back to work, rushing back home again, etc. One evening about three weeks into this ordeal, our babysitter informed me that Avery had taken a bottle without a problem in her bouncy seat. After that evening and a few tweaks (we ended up having the most success putting her in front of the TV... desperate times call for desperate measures), she began eating from a bottle like a champ. The Bottle Battle was over as quickly as it had begun. I can't describe the life changing effect it had. I could stay at work a full day. I could rest easy knowing she wouldn't starve while I was gone. Jeff could rest easy knowing she wouldn't fuss through the day. Never again will I take for granted the complicated task of feeding a baby as a mother working outside the home. Fortunately, things continued to go smoothly and she was able to switch from bottle to breast without a problem. Here's Marla pitching in by feeding her sister.

 

When Avery went to daycare, she adjusted very quickly to the routine and classroom. She also promptly developed a chronic runny nose/cold which lasted until about, oh, a month ago.

 

February

 

Marla had her first visit to the dentist! She did a great job and had no cavities.

 

 

Later that evening, she got serious about flossing.

 

 

Grandma Pam took us to an awesome production of The Very Hungry Caterpillar at the Minneapolis Children's Theater. Here's Marla meeting one of the stars after the show.

 

Marla let me put buns in her hair. They lasted long enough for me to get a couple pictures. She hasn't allowed me to do it again since.

 

Avery just kept getting cuter and cuter.

 

We had to put Betsy down on February 15, the day after Valentine's Day and exactly seven years and four days after we adopted her and brought her home from a foster home in Siren, WI. I plan to dedicate a full post to Betsy at a later date, but here's a quick summary of what happened.

 

We noticed that Betsy was holding her head at an odd angle for a month or so prior to bringing her into the vet. She seemed normal otherwise, but began to get clumsier and fell down more and more. The vet did an x-ray and found that her spine looked ok, but she was favoring one side of her neck, most likely indicating a damaged disk or something similar. We tried steroids, pain medication, and laser therapy, but the condition got much worse very quickly. Within a few weeks, she could barely walk. When she tried, her legs would buckle underneath her and she would fall. She held her head very gingerly and hardly moved her neck at all. She began to have accidents in the house on a regular basis. She was obviously in pain and, according to the vet, becoming paralyzed. The nerve damage was worsening and was unlikely to get better with treatment. Our only option left was an expensive MRI to determine what the actual problem was, which would most likely be followed by an even more expensive surgery. If surgery was possible as a treatment, it may or may not have stopped the nerve damage, but the doctor was doubtful that it would lead to a full recovery. If we could have had more of a guarantee that more extraordinary measures could have saved her, or if money was not an issue, or if she wasn't in so much pain, we would have done it without thinking twice. But we knew the only realistic decision was to put her down. Just a couple of days after we came to this conclusion, she had a decent day, followed by a horrible night, sleeping very little and whining off and on. The next morning, she only walked far enough to get from her crate to her blanket in the living room. She wouldn't eat and stayed in the same spot for several hours. She was not herself. I couldn't bear the idea of putting her or us through any more agony, so we brought her to the vet that day. Both Jeff and I were with her until the very end. It was devastating, to say the least. I don't regret our decision, but continue to be plagued with guilt, wondering what we could or should have done differently. She was such an energetic, healthy, vibrant dog and her absence in our home and as a member of our family is palpable.

 

This picture was taken the morning of the 15th, just before we left for the vet's office. It is the last picture I ever took of her.

 

 

We continue to talk about Betsy nearly every day. Marla understands that she is "in heaven" but still talks about her as if she's part of our lives. I like that we can talk about Betsy and don't have to hide the fact that we miss her. At the same time, my heart breaks for my sweet Bets. It has gotten easier over time, and not having a dog has certainly made our busy lives less complicated, but we miss her so much. I know that no other dog will ever quite fill the space she created in our hearts.

 

This is one of the first toys we ever got for Betsy. Somehow, after years of abuse, it survived countless acts of brutality while lesser toys were left in shreds. It currently sits on top of the box of Betsy's ashes in our bedroom.

 

The day Betsy died, I was putting Marla to bed when she brought out a stuffed dog that plays music. Marla whispered, "I'm going to play you some music so you don't cry for Betsy in heaven." I am glad that she understands that a pet like Betsy was not simply a dog, but an integral piece of our lives and family. Here's one of many drawings she has done of Betsy. Don't act like you're not impressed by the seven legs.

 

 

Whew. Let's move on to some happier times in March, shall we?    

 

March

 

We bought a new car! Well, new to us, anyway. After getting stuck on our street and driveway multiple times this winter, we finally took the plunge and got an all-wheel-drive vehicle. Our Chevy Traverse (aka Travis the Traverse) has seating for seven passengers, captains chairs for the girls' car seats, a whole bunch of airbags and safety features, and handles MUCH better on ice and snow. Needless to say, the extra space has come in very handy too.

 

 

This photo doesn't document anything specific in March other than how adorable the girls are together.

 

Avery started eating solid foods! Here she is with a pancake, made expressly for her in the shape of a letter A, by Grandpa.

 

Marla began drawing "people" that are faintly recognizable as human beings. This is a picture of me, in case you're wondering.

 

We visited Govin's lamb barn again. This year we found an actual lamb to hold, rather than a goat.

 

Avery began sitting up unassisted.

 

Marla got yet another massive bruise on her face after falling into a garbage can at daycare. Sigh.

 

April

 

We visited Jeff's friend's maple syrup camp. The entire process was fascinating. Unfortunately, Marla was tired and cranky and threw an ongoing tantrum upon arriving, so we only stayed for an hour or so. I'm looking forward to going again next year with happier kids.

 

 

The girls had their first wagon ride together!

 

Avery had her first swing ride. So began a love affair with the swings that is going strong yet today. (You're probably wondering why it's April and there's so much snow on the ground. I was wondering the SAME THING.)

 

I brought the girls to the CVTC Early Childhood Education program's annual puppet show. Marla loved it. Here she is meeting the puppets after the show. Yes, of course they sang "What Does the Fox Say?" 

 

Christmas 2013

This year's Christmas was even busier than last year's, so it's a miracle that I'm getting this post done already on New Year's Day. Highlights from this year include: Marla singing Jingle Bells, Holly Jolly Christmas, and Away in a Manger on a continuous loop for a month straight; cookie decorating with both Grandma Susie and Grandma Pam; picking out and cutting down our Christmas tree from Pleasant Valley Tree Farm in Elk Mound (so fun!); visiting Santa and Mrs. Claus at said tree farm; hosting the Schmidt/Swoboda/Hansen/Buchholz/Reischel clan at our new house for the annual family gathering; attending the Holidazzle Parade in downtown Minneapolis (no pictures of that miserable experience, unfortunately); decorating the tree; Marla breaking the baby Jesus in our nativity set; Marla successfully standing onstage for our church's entire angel choir performance (no singing or accompanying actions yet, but it was an improvement over last year, when she ran screaming off the stage); Marla opening up ALL the presents under the Christmas tree on December 23rd while nobody was watching; Christmas Eve at my dad's house and visiting Grandma Martodam; Christmas Day at my mom's house; toys, toys, and more toys; and eating, eating, and more eating.

Here's our second annual Christmas slideshow. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Happy 3rd Birthday, Marla

Marla:

Today you are three years old. As I put you to bed tonight, I kept searching for traces of the baby we brought into the world three years ago...

 

But I'm afraid you're not a baby anymore. How did this happen??

 



The past year has brought so many changes, and you've proven time and again that you are even more extraordinary than I give you credit for. When I got pregnant with Avery, I had a list of things that I hoped you'd accomplish before the baby was born, including: potty training, sleeping in a big girl bed, giving up your pacifier, climbing into your carseat by yourself, etc. I told people I'd be happy if I could check just one of those things off the list, but you handily conquered everything on it and more. In many ways, you are a typical first child and seem to master just about everything with little effort. You continue to amaze us with your intelligence, creativity, humor, and overall positive attitude.

For all the growing up you've done this year, nothing has moved me more than watching you become a big sister. You welcomed Avery into the family without batting an eye and have blown us away with your love and acceptance of her. You tend to be a bit bossy with other kids and Avery is no exception. But you also protect and watch over her, doing your best to make her smile and laugh. I have no doubt that you will be her hero for years to come.

Your personality. Where do I even start? You are my shining light. You have boundless energy and a thirst for life that just can't be quenched. Everything is exciting and interesting to you. I could tell you we were going to get a root canal and you'd get a gleam in your eye and exclaim, "Guess what, Avery?! We get to go see the DENTIST!" Physically, you're a force of nature. You're still a bit clumsy, mostly because you want to move faster than your feet will let you. You love to dance, laugh, run, swim, jump, spin, bounce, and basically move in any way possible. People often ask me incredulously, "Is she always like that?" Yep.

You also have a quiet side. You continue to love reading books and coloring, and have recently started drawing and writing more. You love to listen to stories. Every night after we read you your books, you ask for a story. These are usually just retellings of our day or a recent event, but you drink them in like bestselling fiction, grinning in anticipation as I start out each one with "Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Marla, who lived with her mama and daddy and little sister, Avery." (Have I mentioned that you're easy to please?)

You are sassy and full of attitude, but the temper tantrums of a year ago have subsided considerably. It's impossible to stay mad at you for anything. One of my favorite recent Marla-isms is when you say something along the lines of "I don't like you," I respond by saying it's not nice to say that, and you pause and say, "I don't like you, please??" You have a sense of order and like to be in control. You line up and arrange your toys and stuffed animals and collect things from around the house to carry around with you everywhere. You often order others around without feeling the need to follow the rules yourself, but we're working on that. 

You LOVE to accessorize. First thing in the morning, you put on necklaces, bracelets, rings, a headband, sunglasses, and a tutu. Getting you out the door takes an extra ten minutes because we have to negotiate with you to take off all your bling before leaving, only for you to put it all back on when we get home. In fact, it's hard to find a picture of you in the last year where you're not wearing at least one accessory. So, in closing, I'm including this picture, which captures the very essence of you, Miss Marla. You are my dazzling, lively, clever, happy little girl, and I couldn't be prouder to be your mom. I love you.     

We built this house

On December 16, 2011, we moved out of our condo and into an apartment that we intended to sub-lease for about six months while we found a new place. It had taken the better part of a year to sell our condo, so when we got a buyer, we accepted the offer without thinking twice. We moved into a two-bedroom townhome with a single stall garage and left about half our stuff packed up in its basement, awaiting a more permanent residence. Little did we know we'd be there for a year and eight months.

House hunting was extremely frustrating. We looked at more houses than I care to count. When our lease was up in May, we signed on for another year. I'm pretty sure our realtor hated us. After becoming pregnant with Avery in December of 2012, it was like a clock began ticking. We found a home we liked that month and put in an offer, but after lots of negotiation and a last minute second buyer who outbid us, that process ended in disappointment. We knew we would most likely lose our minds if we stayed in our tiny apartment with a toddler AND a newborn, so we began talking seriously about building a house.

We met with several builders and ended up signing a contract with one at the end of March, 2013. We had hopes that they'd break ground by the beginning of May, since the baby was due September 4. Well, it seemed our bad luck was going to continue for a while longer, with horrible weather throughout the month of April and even a snowstorm in the first week of May (seriously, May??!!). They finally broke ground on May 8, then it seemed to take forever for anything else to happen. But once June hit, things sped up and the house seemed to pop up overnight.

We had a close date in our contract of August 31, just five days before our baby was due. (This seems like poor planning on our part, but the builder hesitated to give us a date at all, so we felt fortunate to have him committed to anything.) Of course our apartment lease was up on August 31 as well, and based on the size of my expanding belly, it seemed the baby was planning an early arrival. Between stressing about the timing of everything, packing, arguing with the bank about the appraisal and closing, finishing a big project at work, and the physical discomforts of being nine months pregnant, August was probably the most stressful month of my life.

The house was completed a week ahead of schedule, on August 23. Looking back, the early completion was a huge blessing. I honestly don't know what we would have done if it had taken any longer. After many phone calls and emails and near-breakdowns, it became clear that we wouldn't be able to close with the bank until a week after construction was done, but our builder took pity on us and allowed us to move in prior to closing. Another huge blessing. I had contractions all afternoon and evening on the day of our final walk-through and was convinced I'd be spending our moving weekend in labor, but Avery held off and we were able to move some stuff ourselves over the weekend before the movers finished up on Monday. That Friday (August 30), we closed with the bank and the house was officially ours. Next Thursday, Avery was born, and the rest is history. The house felt like home within a week. I spent my maternity leave unpacking and organizing, and though we still need to paint the bedrooms and add some decor, it seems as though we've been here for years.

I wanted to chronicle the building process while it was happening, but of course that didn't happen. Instead, I made a slideshow of the construction pictures. I set it to the song "We Built This City" by Starship, which I found appropriate on several levels. It was the first song that Jeff and I ever danced to more than ten years ago. Enjoy!