Yep - it's been quite a busy time with milestones in the Hoglund Family since the last post. They grow up so fast and change so quickly ... and for me, this blog is the only place I capture it. I used to be so good at writing in their journals (don't even know where I stashed them away during the whole house renovation), and keeping up with their baby books. I think I need Gma/Gpa to take the kids for a week or so and I'll just throw myself into all the things that have been sitting by the way-side for the last few years. Ha..... Anyway, here's our update.
We went to Gma and Gpa Hoglund's (Bonnie and Dean) for the 4th weekend which was a BLAST. The boys got to swim, ride in a tube (a first), ride on a jet ski (a first), go on rides at the carnival in town, take in a parade, play with their cousins, fish off the dock (another first), and even stay up late enough to catch the fireworks that are shot off at the park right across the street from where Gma and Gpa live. They have been little chatter boxes ever since, telling us all about all the fun things they have done in the past week or so. Some details: MacKay is our little dare-devil and is going to give me a heart attack... and probably sooner than later. He has NO fear. While we were swimming he constantly wanted to go out as far as he could... and didn't like us trying to help keep him balanced in the water by holding him etc. VERY independant and curious this one is. And both the boys enjoyed being pulled in the three person tube behind the jet ski. Surprisingly Oscar was the more daring with this one and didn't hesitate a bit to get into that and sit there anxiously awaiting his ride.... this time MacKay was the leery one. But once the ride started and MacKay realized there was no way to get out he let himself enjoy the whole experience. Daddy even took them separately... and even together, on the jet ski for a spin around the lake. Now Oscar is obsessed with jet skis and points them out every time he sees them and talks about how he rode one and went around and around the lake with it (while drawing a circle with his finger to demonstrate for me). They even got to fish off the end of the dock with their cousin, Jack, (with Daddy's help) and caught a few fish. Daddy said they really "got" the whole reeling it in concept and MacKay even caught a pretty big sunny out of the deal and wasn't at all apprehensive to grab it when it popped out of the water. I missed all of that and didn't get a ton of good pictures as I was in the house showering and dealing with Evie ..... just came out to find my boys (and hubbie) at the end of the dock fishing with no life jackets on and about fainted. :) Apparently I am a bit too paranoid? - anyone want to weigh in on that one? :) But the big hit were the fireworks. MacKay and Oscar were in awe with them. MacKay sat with Gpa Dean the entire time with this big perma-smile on his face, while Oscar moved between Chris's cousin, Roger, myself and Daddy.... yelling out the various colors he was seeing when they would go off - loud enough for everyone within a 20 food radius to hear. At one point he yelled out " A SPIDER!" when one of them went off and shot off in different directions - which he thought looked like a spider. His commentary kept quite a few of us amused throughout the show which was pretty spectacular.
Evie had a pretty good time as well hanging out with her aunts (I would say uncles but she's so leery of men lately that I don't think any of them got to touch her) and her cousins. Cousin Taylor brought a friend (AJ) along for the weekend and those two just devoured Evie and the boys .... they loved playing with them and were so good with them. And they all seemed to really like playing with Sophie, Jack and Stella - it was so fun to see them all interact and play so well. Jack was really good about showing the boys what he knew about fishing (he's quite the fisherman). Evie spent quite a bit of time with Auntie Niecey (Denise), even took in a nap with her in one of the patio rockers one afternoon. She even got to take her first boat ride during the Pleasant Lake Boat Parade. Every year the residence of Pleasant Lake have a parade the night before the 4th and they gussy up their boats and patrons with different themes and compete for prizes. We don't compete as Bonnie and Dean sorta organize the whole thing, but this year it was decided we would partake in having a theme as well - BASEBALL, specifically the twins, of course. So we all donned Twins garb .... a few even tacked on some Pavano 'stach's and Mauer chops (see pictures).
All in all it was a great (chaotic as always) and fun weekend and the kids had a blast. The only downfall was that one by one we all got sick as the weekend progressed. Started with MacKay when we got there, then moved to Evie, and then Oscar and I got it the morning we left. The boys bounced back from it quickly..... and for some reason, as always, I hang onto these colds/sinus issues much longer so I'm still struggling with it. And just last night and this morning Evie had a slight temperature, so not sure she's quite out of the woods either. But hoping we all get well soon as we have other places to visit yet this summer..... pretty soon we take off to go up to Gpa Gary's cabin up on Island Lake just outside Duluth. Want to be well for that. But regardless of the illness... Evie has sucked it up and has now technically become a walker.... quite the walking machine actually. She now will just let go and self-initiates walking (vs us helping her or urging) to get to things she wants. At most she's probably taken around 15 steps before falling down... but she is getting so good, will even catch herself when she is off balance and will ready herself again before continuing on. She's just so busy and loves to be upright now... walking everywhere, or at least trying. I think she's gonna be a handful pretty soon here... I see "running" as a very near milestone for her. She'll be 1 in just a matter of a few weeks, and I predict she'll be pretty steady on her feet by then. I still cannot believe that she is almost 1 year old .... seems like yesterday that we found out I was pregnant with her. But like they say, Time flies when you are having fun ..... or just plain too busy to really be able to take it in and enjoy it. I really am trying to though - she has been SUCH an easy baby. So content, so happy, ..... just handled this first year like a trooper with all the changes babies go through. And her teeth (the 6 of them) have come in so she has this adorable toothy smile. She's got some really big teeth too - I'm trying to figure out where all the others are going to fit in that tiny little mouth she has. She's discovered her tongue now too and has that hanging out almost all of the time. Should also mention - we think she knows who Mommy and Daddy are. When we try to get her to say "MaMa" or "DaDa".. even mention one of us, she always looks for or to that person. I started to notice it when Chris would come home and the boys would yell "Daddy's home"..... and she would stop whatever she was doing and just b-line it over to the door to greet him. I think it is so precious how she loves her Daddy and gets so excited when he comes home.
Lastly, let's tackle one of the other milestones I mentioned in the title that probably sticks out more than the others..... Pooping in the Potty. Now before we get all excited about it... I should note that the "pooping" pretty much had already happened in the diaper, tho the big thing to take from it was that Oscar actually KNEW he needed to poop... and WANTED to use the potty. We've put them both on the potty when we think they need to go (in AM when they wake up with dry diapers etc)... they show interest in sitting on it, but not really in using it. But this time he kept wanting to use it. We had a few false alarms... but on one occassion Gma Chris (who was visiting this last weekend) took him in there and noticed there was a little bit of something in the bowl. Like I said before, we're pretty sure it was more something that fell OFF of him vs fell OUT of him.... but he was quite proud nonetheless. Oscar stood up from the potty, pointed at it in the bowl and said, "Look.... It's Dirt!" So while this wasn't entirely constructive ..... it still was quite entertaining for us.
Well I have a slew of pictures to share, so let's get on with it. Hope you all had as much fun as we did this past 4th holiday weekend.
Fun in the lake at Gma Bonnie and Gpa Dean (Hoglund)'s for July 4th Weekend.
You had to hear Evie "growl" every time Daddy would dip her into the very cold lake water. She wasn't a fan... tho the boys just took it all in, shooting water out of squirters and walking all the way out til they couldn't touch bottom anymore.
MacKay and Oscar going for a ride on the tube with Daddy (Uncle Joel driving the jet ski with Stella on board)
Evie hanging out on shore with cousins Taylor (left), and Sophia (right) and Taylor's friend AJ (middle)
MacKay and Oscar's first time fishing off the dock with Daddy. (again, no life jackets..... unnnghh) :)
Pleasant Lake Boat Parade
Our three kids.... NOT happy to be wearing their life jackets. When they sit in them they seem to ride up and they feel so restricted .... the boys quickly learned that they were more comfortable when they were standing up and then really enjoyed the boat ride. (Note: MacKay is with uncle Joel, Oscar is helping Gpa Dean drive the boat)
Some pictures of us really getting into the Baseball/Twins theme with the Pavano 'staches, Mauer chops and baseball equipment:
MacKay with his beloved baseball mit, waving at all the onlookers watching the parade from their docks as we went past.... and Stella boogie-ing to the baseball themed music we were rocking out to on the boat ride.
Just some random shots. Stella and her Daddy Joel, Evie and her doting tween buddies Taylor and AJ, and a tuckered out Stella with her Mommy Kelly and Auntie Denise.
MacKay and Oscar on their first jet ski ride. I love how MacKay has pointed me out, taking his picture from the dock... probably again telling me "No Pictures, Mommy". And Evie taking a nap on Niecey while Oscar watches MacKay on the jet ski and talks incessantly about his jet ski ride (he's still talking about it) :)
Annandales 4th of July Parade:
Not much to say, just tons of pictures of family.... the entire family, Gma and Gpa with their brood of grandchildren, Lexi (the adorable red head, that apparently got a good-bye kiss from Oscar - hmmmm), Evie not liking sitting in the grass, and the Asbeck family (Cullen, Brennen and Ellie - who is just 2 weeks younger than Evie).
Had to put something in about these pictures.... there was just something so sweet about this image - Oscar sitting all by himself with his bottle of gatorade (he had just learned how to drink from a spouted bottled like that). There was no one else within about 15 feet of him.... he just plunked himself down on this stoop like he just wanted some peace and quiet from all the parade related noise and to just relax for a bit.
Back to more water fun after the parade.... Oscar showing me the chips he was eating (right before dinner) and some more fishing off the dock. And one last ride on the jet ski with Daddy... this time both of them at the same time. (MacKay, again, telling me to stop taking picture.) :)
Some silly pictures of the kids since we got back home: MacKay in Daddy's work boots - he's constantly walking around the house in our shoes. Actually walks pretty good in shoes that are too big for him..... future clown possibly? And a snapshot of Oscar on the potty chair, proud of his little poo that he made. Lastly, Evie falling asleep during her lunch... and walking.
Come back again soon.... we should have pictures from our Island Lake getaway as well as pictures of a little girl who soon will be turning ONE YEAR OLD. Can you believe it?
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