Daddy's New Job

Adam recently started with EXP Pharmaceuticals, selling to pharmacies across the state. While it was a great career move, it has taken him away from the family a lot. I'm slowly getting used to being by myself at night and taking care of the kids alone for sometimes days at a time. He hates being gone, but he's trying to stick it out for awhile. He's going to be gone for two weeks the month of October, so we will see how I'm holding up by the end of the month :)

On a positive note, Adam and I leave for San Francisco in 8 days! It's our first trip just the two of us since our honeymoon. We've always done vacations with other friends or the kids were along, so we will see how bored we get with each other by the end of it! I won this trip from Merck for my 2010 performance, so it's not going to cost us anything...BONUS! We're super excited, but also nervous to be gone for 5 days. Mimi and Papa Mark are watching the kids for the first few days, B and Leigh are taking them for a night and Papa Bill and Gwen have the kids for the last two days. It's so great to have all of the close and willing to help us out so we can get a break and enjoy the trip. I'm sure the kids will have a blast (and be fed WAY too much candy), but they're with people who love them so that's all that matters.

We're slowly getting used to daycare. Aubrey doesn't cry anymore (she actually tells me to go to work sometimes) and Aiden is now with kids a few months older, so I think that's helping. He's so advanced for 16 months that I don't think he liked being with kids exactly the same age. Owen has turned into the sobbing mess when we leave now, but seems to have fun once he gets over the drop-off. The twins can count to 15 now and Aiden has added many new words to his vocabulary. We've been crazy busy so far and weekends have flown by. Ugh, winter will be here before we know it. Here's some latest pictures of the kiddos.

Go Irish!

Player Owen wanted to dress himself...note the boots are from last year and a size too small,

but he refused to take them off.

Who needs pants?

Boys snuggling and eating some kettle corn.

Aubrey helping mommy make cookies.

Kiddos are Heading Back to Daycare

We've had two great nannies this past year, but we decided it was time to take the kids back to a daycare center to get a little more structure. We're back at KoalatyTime in West Des Moines and so far it's been an adjustment. Owen is doing the best. He puts up little fight when we leave and seems to be ok with the new arrangement. Aubrey is having a little harder time. Poor girl cries and cries when we drop her off and when I pick her up after work she starts crying when she sees me...strange, I know. The first couple of days she was pretty sad and told her teachers she really missed mom, but on Wednesday, she did great and her teacher said it was her best day yet! Now Aiden is the toughest of the bunch. Being 16 months and never been in daycare, he hates it. He's never even been babysat outside of our house (except for an occasional trip to Mimi's) and has never been left with someone he didn't know, so this is huge for him. It's also tough since he's separated from the twins too. I'm so thankful to work part-time, because I would never survive taking them full-time. We're hoping they get used to their new surroundings soon and really start liking "school." They all got new backpacks and LOVE them (we even have temper tantrums over taking them off to get in the car seats).

Owen is really starting to expand his vocabulary. We can understand most of things he says and is putting together some longer sentences. He sits on the potty and occasionally actually does some business in it, but still prefers his diapers..ugh. He is super cute when you tell him "thank you" and he responds "welcome" in his little voice. We had to get a second lock on the sliding patio door since he figures out every locking mechanism out and lets himself out...all the time. He doesn't care if he's buck naked, he just runs outside and starts playing. He's going to be a chicken for Halloween, so that should be pretty funny.

Aubrey is the goofiest thing. She easily says 10-13 word sentences that are easy to understand. You can have full conversations with her, which are always amusing. She and I were in the car the other day and she was listening to her kids CD which has a song about Santa. Suddenly she tells me that "Papa shoot reindeer in his downstairs." It was hilarious! She's very much a mama's girl and is very into pretty things, especially lip gloss. She is going to be a tickle monster this year at Halloween, so hopefully she doesn't get all diva on me and decide last minute she isn't going to wear it.

Aiden is growing by the minute. He was in the 70th percentile at his 15 month appointment. He was way above the chart in vocabulary. He can put two word sentences together, "peek boo" "no mama" "more please" "thank you". He knows every character on Sesame Street. The little stinker has also started head-butting things when he's mad or doesn't get what he wants. He gets really mad when he hurts himself after doing it. He loves hard, but melts quick. He is going to be a shark for Halloween, so should be adorable!

Here's some latest pictures of the kids...

Aiden loving some sweet corn.

Don't mess with me after my nap... yes, I tried to undress myself.

My child loves to be naked...enough said.

Iowa State Fair

We decided to hit up the Iowa State Fair twice this year (as if one day of fried food, people watching and stinky barn animals wasn't enough)! The kids and I went with Mimi and Papa Mark and got to play in the Little Hands on Farm area, see all the baby animals and walk through the horse barn. We ate corn dogs, JR mini donuts, strawberry smoothies and chocolate chip cookies. It rained for a good hour, so we had to keep the kids entertained in the baby animal building, but ventured out in the rain once we found some ENORMOUS ponchos.

Adam, Uncle B and Leigh were able to join us during our second trip to the Fair. It was a picture perfect Sunday morning and the kids had a great time. We got to see the big bull and big boar and spent a lot of time walking and playing through the tractors.