Meeting Miles

 Smiles from Miles!
 Great-Grandma Shirley with Miles.
 Cousin Ashley helping out with Miles.
 Sis, this is MY toy, you’re too big.
 Sophia and friend Derek Nelson.

Entry from Mom:

So Miles had the pleasure of meeting Great-Grandma Shirley and the Hurd family as mentioned in the previous blog entry. The first photo is Miles from today, smiling. He sure is a happy baby today and is cooing/talking so much lately...of course because Mom goes back to work on Monday already! I am looking forward to going back, getting back to the routine of working and all, but I sure am going to miss my baby, being with him all day, every day since his birth! 

Sophia is now in her toddler bed. She does okay with that as far as sleeping in there, but getting her down for bedtime is another story. We are dealing with the typical terrible twos but she still brings joy and love to our hearts...even the moments when she hits, smacks, scratches, screams, yells, cries, etc. The times that she gives you those hugs and kisses and the “sorry Momma” make up for the moments that you are angry at her for her behavior. I just keep reminding myself at least we only have ONE two year old and not like three or four of them at once! She's been at her new daycare now since May 5th. She really enjoys it there and has many friends. She comes home with the most unique art projects and is so proud of them. Her language skills have just exploded in the last month. It is so fun to hear her put sentences together. My new favorite is when we ask what her brother’s name is and her response is Miles with a bit of a southern drawl and an O added to the end “MileOs.” 

Iowa Birthday Party!

Another birthday cake!
Mmmm, that was yummy!
Thanks Aunt Kerry for my new book. 
Love you Grandpa Mike!
Here's my monster tent that Gramma Ginny made me. 

Mom, Miles, and I made a trip down to Iowa last week. It was such a long trip in The Buggy (that's what my parents call the new car), but well worth it. We got to celebrate my birthday down there and Miles got to meet Great-Grandma Shirley, Aunt Kerry, Uncle Mark and cousins Ashley, Ryan, and Jacob. The ride back home went much better because Ashley came home with us and she kept me entertained the whole way home. She is so funny...made me giggle practically the whole trip. :) Thanks Ashley for playing with me and helping my mom out when you were here. I hope you and Ryan are having fun with the Xbox! 

Annual Pool Party

 Little girl in big pool.
 Big girl in little pool.

Every summer we head down to the cities for the Gilbertson/Simonsen annual pool party. I loved the pool. I got to to in for awhile with my dad, but soon I had to get out so that the men could play their volleyball tournament. I was pretty mad and tried to climb back into the pool while they were playing. Thankfully Daddy was right there to catch me. I was then moved to the froggy pool that Aunt Jaime brought for Tessa. I am thinking that next year and the years to follow are going to be less v-ball games and more kid-time in the pool with my brother, cousin Tessa and second cousin Oliver, and who knows...maybe some other kiddos by then.

My 2nd Birthday!

 The birthday girl waking up!
 A birthday girl always needs a bouquet of balloons.
 Princesses cake from Cold Stone Creamery.
 A lot more better at the eating the cake than last year!
 Oh, all the presents to open!

This past Saturday was my 2nd birthday party. My Grandma and Papa Simonsen came, so did Great-grandma Mathiowetz, Uncle Aaron and Aunt Jaime and cousin Tessa along with a few good friends. The weather was nice and I got many neat presents—an Aquadoodle mat, a singing mic, clothes, a mirror for my dresser, an Elmo phone, a tote full of art stuff, and a portable dvd player (for those long trips to the grandparents’ houses). And to think I get to have another birthday down in Iowa with my Gamma and Papa Bunt and my Aunt Kerry, Uncle Mark and cousins Ashley, Ryan, and Jacob. 

4th of July vacation to Duluth, MN

  

This Forth of July weekend, we headed up north to Duluth, MN where you will find Lake Superior. It was beautiful the entire time we were there (Wednesday thru Saturday). I was a bit of a challenge at times. Everytime we would head back to the hotel room I would throw a fit. The room was so tiny and boring for me. What was a 2-year old girl supposed to do? So here are some photos that Mom and Dad took with their new camera. Honestly, I am so tired of "smile for the camera" and "say cheese." I actually stayed up for the fireworks which started at 10:10 p.m. I was impressed at first, but after a few of them, decided that my Baby Einstein video on the portable DVD player was much more interesting. 

The last photo is of my brother Miles his first time in the Bumbo chair. Not sure if he likes it or not because if Miles is not being held, swayed, swung, rocked, nursed, burped, or carried in the baby bjorn, he's being fussy anyway. He sure is a light sleeper! 

Hope you all had a great and safe Forth of July as well. We are closing the weekend off with the Frikkens at their house. Katie and Brent are good friends of my parents. I think there's talk of some sort of ping pong tournament and a game (or two) of bocce ball. Take care everyone!