Should be sleeping

A working mom of two under two...that is what I am these days.  Wow -- I never knew I could be so busy and so tired.  I often fall asleep typing up the next days Geometry lesson around 10:00 or 10:30 each night.

As tough as it can be sometimes, I know that this is exactly what was planned for us.  My children bring me absolute joy.  We are back home. We are close to grandmas and papas, aunties and uncles, cousins, and friends.  We have great jobs, a comfortable home, and lots of smiles. 

After a few weeks of school, I'm finally getting into a groove there and at home.  The kids at CFHS are great and I know that eventually I will love it there.  The Knights got a huge WIN last Saturday over ranked Monmouth.  Elijah can't stop talking about his daddy coaching football.  Winning seems to make all of the long hours and hard work worth it.

Madeline and Elijah are doing great at Miss Brooke's house.  I'm so thankful to have no worries as I drive to work each day because I know my kids are being well cared for and loved.  Elijah adores Brooke and absolutely loves to jump on the trampline.  Elijah amazes me with all that he knows. He is saying new words every day. He finally started to say "Yeah" instead of clapping his hands to signify "yes." He loves for me to tell him over and over about the things we do and see. Other than a recent ear infection, he's been happy and healthy.  He is definitley a boy and loves to climb, jump, and rough-house.  It is evident that he loves his sister more and more each day!

Madeline had her 2 month check up last week and weighed just under 13 pounds (94th%) and was 23 & 1/4 inches (83rd%).  She is smiling big smiles frequently and loves to chat.  She has been sleeping so well (often all night long).  I'm not sure I would be surviving if she wasn't such a good baby! 

I can't believe how quickly they both are changing and growing.  I'm trying to treasure all of the little moments that I have with each of them and with the two of them together.  I'm really glad that I'm able to pick them up by about 2:30 each day...it gives us time to spend together before the dinner and bedtime routines must begin.  The weather has been beautiful so we have enjoyed walks and playtime in the park. 

I will only post a few pictures for now as I really must get to bed!  We are headed to St. Peter, MN tomorrow with Papa to cheer on the Knights!  Okay...so I got carried away...

We love being KNIGHTS!

Attempt #4 to get all four kids to lay on a blanket in the park to take a picture. :-)

Oh so cute!

He loves everything about the park!  The slide, the swing, the bells, the river,

the ducks, the puppies that walk by, the....

A few pictures from Olivia and Luke's visit to Iowa! 

We had so much fun and miss the Taylor family so much!

Pictures from PAPA's birthday celebration...

Playing in the corn at the Bremer County fair...we talk about the

animals we saw at the fair ALL of the time!

Wow...what more can you say?

Our sweet little girl!

And our cute little boy!

Brother and Sister!

My How Time Flies!

I could be doing a million different things right now but looking back at my blog to compare EJ and Madeline made me decide to spend some time blogging.  Poor Madi...she definitely is being treated like a second child in terms of blogging. I am apologizing to you now sweetie! 

I absolutely can't believe that she is a month old!  She is growing like a weed!  She is eating every two hours these days but stretches the nights to at least three.  At her 2 week appointment she had gained significant weight...from under 7 pounds when we left the hospital to 8.5 pounds!  She has awakened in the last week and a half although she still enjoys her sleep.  She is cooing and has big, bright, blue eyes just like her brother. 

Elijah is a very spirited little 18 month-old these days.  He is definitely a little boy that loves to play rough ... unfortunately Belle gets the brunt of his roughness and Madi has already taken her share of her brothers "love."  I'm sure she (Madi) will get him back sooner or later.  He continues to make us smile with his cute little dances, his shooting hoops skills, and his double clap as his way of telling us yes.

Enjoy the pictures from the last 3 weeks...

July 9th...very proud big brother!

Awwww

Matt's parents are in the process of cleaning out their home to sell.  What a treasure this is...Matt's outfit when he was a toddler...so fitting for EJ, of course!

Matt's quick trip to St. Paul...the Wheeler GIRLS...Jess, Anna, Pam, Jenevieve, & Jamie

A visit from my college roommate and her family (they live in Waverly too!)

Elijah & Madeline with Avery, Brinley, Jess, Jacey, and Josh 

Matt & EJ made a 4 day trip to Minnesota. They stopped in St. Paul on Friday night.  They got to see Jamie and Jess perform in Jack & the Beanstalk.  EJ's cousin Jamie just loves him to pieces!

Matt didn't take too many pictures on their trip.  On Saturday they went to Bemidji for a big family reunion.  This is Matt & EJ with Matt's cousin Anna and her youngest son, Kai.

This is the beautiful scenery that I missed out on.  I haven't missed too many summers in Minnesota.  Can't wait to get back there next summer!  Elijah loves to "talk" about getting his feet wet in the lake!  He also enjoyed swinging and playing in the fishing boat sandbox. 

Elijah also can't get enough of talking about the horses and the cows that he and his daddy saw at a relative's nearby farm.  Matt said he was thrilled with them until he got right up next to them. 

My boys had quite the trip.  Matt is such a great daddy!

Try to look past the big spit up spot in this picture...EJ's favorite spot to hold Madeline...the bouncy seat.

Our good friends, the Bergstroms, came down from St. Peter, MN to visit with us and stay the night.  We had so much fun hanging out with them.  We laughed about how different our time together was this trip with four little ones ages 3 and under to tend to.  It seemed like yesterday that they were visiting us in North Carolina and we were at the beach having cocktails! :-)  They have an almost 4 month old, Beckett, that we got to meet and Krayton who is 3 and 1/2.  Unfortunately I didn't get too many pictures ... only this one of EJ and Krayton shooting hoops.

A cute outfit on Madeline from Nana Wheeler

Some evenings Madeline is a little unsettled after dinnertime.  My one go-to- move is to walk outside with her...it is amazing that one step out the door changes everything for her!  I've been thinking how lucky I am that it isn't the middle of winter! 

A couple of pictures of Madeline as a 1 month old..

And Madeline's first bottle (last night)...she did great!

Finally...our sweet Belle who has taken the very very very backseat in the family...she's such a great dog and is getting her turn using the boppy! :-)

Introducing Madeline Starr Wheeler

We have been blessed once again with a beautiful, precious baby!  Madeline joined us at 8:45 pm on Wednesday, June 30th.  She weighed 7 pounds and 1 ounce.  She was 20 and 3/4 inches long.  Madeline came into our world a happy, healthy, and sweet little girl.  It is hard to imagine that you can love the second as much as the first but I can now testify with all other mothers that it is possible...it is very possible! 

We came home on Friday morning and have been doing very well.  Madeline is a sweet pea...she's so content and is eating and sleeping so well.  Thank you, Madeline! Elijah has adjusted to our family being a family of four -- he's actually done much better than I expected.  He's had a lot of changes in the past three months and has just amazed me with his adaptability.  He has also changed and grown so much in the past couple of months -- he seems to understand everything, he is saying a ton of new words and making lots of animal noises, he wants to put words together to talk, he sings and "stomp" dances (which is hilarious), and so much more!  

The last three months have been crazy to say the least ... I'm sad that I haven't captured them on this blog.  As crazy as things have been...as hard as it was to be without Matt for a couple of months...it has all been so worth it!  Everything has fallen into place as if this were the plan all along.  I am so forunate, so blessed, and so happy.  We are home.  We are settled. I have a wonderful husband and happy, healthy, beautiful children.  Thank you God for the blessings in my life!

Here are a few more lot of pictures from our first week...

Daddy's Girl

Proud Parents

Aunt Anne got to partake in Madeline's entrance!

One of my best friends, Jami, visiting the next morning

Tickle, Tickle

A Proud Big Brother!

Elijah and Daddy

Gram Bailey & Madeline

Our Family

Snuggle Bug

Cousin Lauren

Mommy & Madeline...ready to go home

Olivia gave this to Madeline...love it!

So Precious!

Hmmm...Welcome Home

4th of July ... We spent the day in Reinbeck

Pretty in PINK!

Madeline's new catepillar from the Hatch girls.  Elijah loves it!

LOVE this picture!

Elijah and Madeline with new friends...Austin, Emma, & Annalise. 

These are Jami's kids ... lots of fun times ahead with this crew!

My sweet girl!

Snack time after a long nap!  Notice the nap hair...

Uncle Jim & Madeline