MacKay and Oscar are going to be Big Brothers to a little baby.....

SISTER ! ! !

We found out last Friday (yep - Friday the 13th - oooohhhh) at our ultrasound, that more than likely we are having a GIRL ! ! ! I say "more than likely" only cuz it wasn't that the ultrasound tech SAW that it was indeed a girl, but more so just said that due to "lack of external plumbing" it looked to be a girl. Chris was keeping a good eye out during the ultrasound too and was pretty convinced he was seeing a girl in there as well. So a girl it is - tho I am still hesitant to buy any of those cute girlie things I am dying to purchase when I go out shopping. I'll just let it sink in a bit longer. Personally I was quite convinced we were having another boy, tho it seems I was the only one who thought that (so much for mother's intuition).... so the idea of it actually being the little girl we always talked about was a bit of a shock. But, excited that we FINALLY get to use the name we've planned on for a girl for the longest time...... Evelyn Christine (Hoglund). Everything else looked great though - measuring right on schedule for our due date (8/8) and was quite active in there waving and punching and kicking around. We just got back from our OB appt this morning too, and Dr Leland validated that yes, everything looks perfect and "normal" from the ultrasound. I completely forgot to talk about birth options (I think I am leaning toward another Csection), but I still have 4-5 months left, so we have time. Next appt is 6 weeks from now (May 1st I think) where I get to drink that lovely sugary liquid and do my glucose test. So we're moving along swimmingly. I'm just glad to be out of the first trimester and to be feeling "good" finally, which helps considering we are in a mad dash to get our house ready to put on the market (hopefully later this week). So if any of you out there are interested, or know someone who is interested, in a quaint little house that comes with lake shore access to the Gull Lake Chain of Lakes (via Round Lake) up here in the Brainerd area... send them our way. The whole idea of bringing home little Hoglund-ette to this house and having her in our room for the time being is doable.... but not ideal for me. So hoping this little house sells for what we're hoping to get for it and we can start our search for (or building) our new home.

We've had lots of visitors lately and the boys have been loving it. Gma Bonnie and Gpa Dean came up to visit Sun (3/8) afternoon and brought the boys some new fun Spring/Summer outfits. Auntie Jolene and her family have been over a few times to visit and watch the boys for us. Gma Chris came up this last weekend for a visit, and Gma Diane and Dave came up this Sunday (3/15) afternoon to visit before heading down to AZ for the rest of the month for vacation. And the boys got to go over to our neighbor's (the Vagts') to be watched while we went to our OB appt this morning. So they've been getting lots of love from all over lately.

I'm happy to report that the boys are both seeming to be fully recovered from their bout with the flu bug earlier. It lingered on for a couple weeks almost, but they are back to being eating machines again and back to their old mischievous selves. They are getting so good at "following" and taking direction too - lately we've been getting them to walk themselves to and from areas (their room, the living room, the bath etc) and they seem to really "get" it when we tell them where to go ("go to your room", "naptime", "bedtime" etc). We're also trying to teach them that their sippy cups belong on the table (vs the floor and everywhere else) and to put them there when they are done with them. I think they get it, but just are being lazy - it will take some time but they really seem to be getting it. This is so good for me cuz I really want them to be able to do this well by the time that our new addition arrives to make things easier, so I am very glad to see it is taking off well. Besides, we might be moving onto "straw" cups soon anyway as I recently found out (while letting them try my orange pop) that they have figured out how to use a straw. So I bought some new cups for them (with straws) so we'll see how that takes off. Speaking of drinks.... these guys are little sponges and learning SO much lately - they don't miss a thing. Now when I ask them "Do you want your [drink]" (milk, juice, water) they come running over to the fridge and grab the handle and try to open it - they totally have been paying attention to where the food comes from. :) Recently, we needed to make a change to their schedule as well - Why? Cuz MacKay wasn't napping anymore. The little devil was in there playing and singing to himself during the entire naptime - if we were lucky he sometimes would fall asleep about 15 minutes before it was time to wake him up. So I decided to start waking them up earlier (which was quite hard for me cuz I have been LOVING the fact that I get to sleep in due to my good sleepers).... and voila - it worked. Just waking them up 30-60 minutes earlier has done the trick.... AND, cuz of that we also can put them to bed a little earlier than we were before - so now their bedtime is closer to 8:00/8:15pm which I think is for the best anyway. We've also been trying lots of new foods with them... they LOVE Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies (we got those from Sophia Hillmann - thanks again - YUM), brats on the grill, steak, banana bread, fried potatoes (we call them raw fries), etc. There really isn't much they won't eat these days - makes Mommy and Daddy proud. And they are getting so big - we now have moved all their 18 month tops into a storage bin and they are wearing 24 month and 2T tops, but still wearing their 18 month jeans/pants as the next size up is WAY too big and long on them. They love going to ECFE class and are getting so much more adventurous there, climbing up on the apparatus', interacting with other kids, playing on the jumping mats etc. So fun to watch them at places like that - they just are SO busy. We've also started having "art" time most afternoons. I got sick of watching other kids in ECFE who are able to hold and work with pencils, crayons, paint brushes and stamps..... and all MacKay and Oscar want to do is draw on themselves (unintentionally) and eat them. So practice makes perfect right? We've already made a few masterpieces (see below) that definitely will need to be framed and mounted. They even made some drawings for Gma Chris while she was up visiting - we better see those displayed proudly at her house next time we visit ;)

Some details on MacKay ..... MacKay got 2 more teeth recently, bringing his total up to 10 teeth (Oscar has 14). He recently got one of his canine/cuspids and one of his lower lateral incisors. Still very lovable and hugging all the time - whether it be Angus, us or Oscar. He's CONSTANTLY going over and hugging Oscar, even right after a spat. And if you tell him how nice he is being, he just keeps at it. So sweet. And our little love bug has been getting SO upset when people leave. Lately anytime people leave (after a visit etc), he gets SO upset and starts crying and throwing a fit - actually throws himself on the floor and makes a big scene. MacKay also has a new favorite toy.... his Smart-E bear that he got for Xmas from Gma Bonnie and Gpa Dean. It talks, plays games and music - his favorite is the "Five Little Monkey's" song.... he just hugs the bear and sways back and forth throwing a little bopping (bouncing) in here and there. He loves music and dancing. He also loves doing Patty Cake... tho really only cuz he loves the "rolling" action... so he gets ahead of himself and starts giggling and doing that action way before he is supposed to. MacKay is also being quite vocal lately too..... he's been saying some new words like "Peekaboo" (tho his version sounds a little different), and "Hi" (very high pitched while waving at you), and "Yummy" and "Nummy" while he is eating. And MacKay is SUCH a little ham lately - really getting a kick out of making us laugh and being goofy.

Oscar, still our little brut. Loves to steal toys from MacKay - isn't interested in them at all until he sees that MacKay wants them and then just goes and grabs them. Unnnghh. But he's also our little sweet heart and gives us SUCH big hugs and is a little lover. And he's quite helpful around the house.... he seems to really understand me when I ask him to bring me something - you can just see him working it over in his head, looking at the item, then me. And is helping me out a lot when it comes to disciplining, as he is mimicking me saying "GET DOWN" when the boys are climbing up on and all around on the furniture. He even says it with gusto. :) He also loves playing catch and is getting REALLY good at throwing, ... mostly left handed tho every once in a while he shocks us with a right. He gets so excited after making a good throw and does what Auntie Jolene has dubbed "The Oscar Shuffle". He dances very quickly back and forth on his tip toes like he just cannot contain his excitement. He also does it when he wants something and knows he is about to get it. Oscar is also our little pig pen lately.... is it fate that we named him Oscar and Oscar the Grouch just happened to live in a GARBAGE can? I dunno - but this kid is messy within about 30 minutes or less of waking up in the morning. Always juice stains and food on his shirts.... juice stains on his face even. He's going to be THAT kid - you know, we all knew one :) Oscar also loves to bring you pretend things (pinched tightly in his little fingers), which we always thank him for... to which he says "Dah Doo" back to us. I think it really is about him wanting to get the chance to say "Thank you" to us... cuz he seems so proud of himself every time.

Well.... as always I've said too much..... and it is time for the pictures. Hope all of you are well and we will keep you up to date out here on how things are going as always with us, the new addition to the family, and hopefully soon will have some news about the house (sell sell sell sell sell). Enjoy.

MacKay and Oscar coloring.... and their first masterpieces (coloring and hand prints) that we all worked so hard on.

Daddy-Time: The boys were dying to get up in Daddy's lap to read the newest Cabellas magazine. Such boys I tell ya..... And MacKay getting a horsie back ride from Daddy. He LOVES getting these and actually grips on pretty tightly with both his hands and his legs (pinched into Chris's sides). Chris will just be lying on the ground watching TV or playing with the boys and MacKay sees his opportunity and just runs over and plops right onto Chris's back waiting for a ride. (P.S. Oscar is more about the piggy back rides).

Our little Hugger. Some pictures of MacKay hugging Angus (over the side of the couch) and Oscar. He really knows how to give a good hug too - must be genetic cuz his Daddy and his Great Uncle Jerry give the best hugs around.... (he's giving them a run for their money though).

Crazy eating pictures. Both MacKay and Oscar love to CRAM stuff into their mouths to the point where they can barely even chew. Caught Oscar in the act here..... and MacKay was just being a little ham that day.

Lastly, just a cute picture of the boys today, wearing their new shirts (2T) that they got from Gma Bonnie and Gpa Dean for Xmas this year. I remember them looking so big months ago when we got them..... crazy that they now fit them.

Bub Bye for now.....