Albertville Outlet Mall +Twins Game + time with friends = GREAT BIRTHDAY

This past Saturday was my 26th birthday!  We packed the kids up and took them home to my parents in the afternoon and then picked up some friends and headed to the cities.  We spent the night and then in the morning we went out for breakfast and then the boys dropped us girls off at the Albertville Outlet Mall (my favorite place to shop!).  The boys went to Cabela's to shop and then met back up with us at Albertville.  We shopped until it was time to head back into the city so we didn't have to worry about traffic and getting to the game in time.  We picked up our tickets, got something to eat, and then headed to the game.  I have to say I'm disappointed only 5 people participated in my Twins playoff poll!  Well, 3 out of the 5 were correct and they made it to the playoffs, but unfortunately the giant (the Yankees) beat them.  I said I wanted to go do a devotional for the Twins before the game and tell the story of David and Goliath!  It was fun to be a part of the last Twins game in the metrodome though!  Here are a couple pictures from the game.  The dome was packed and the "homer hankies" were going!

Evan, Brandon, and Ashley

Brandon and Ashley (thanks Berkley (their 5 week old baby) for letting us steal your Mommy and Daddy!)

Where has 5 months gone?

Makenna was 5 months old on October 5th!  I can't believe how fast the time has gone.  I thought time went fast with Denver....it goes twice as fast when you have two!

Here are a few things that have changed since Makenna's 4 month post:

-started eating cereal (Makenna does okay with this, but has not mastered it yet....we're still trying to learn to be consistent on feeding her cereal...when we're busy it's the first thing that goes)

-sits up on own (she still tips over at times, but can hold herself up for quite some time)

-ROLLS OVER (Finally Makenna rolled over! I think it was last week (it's on her baby calendar) that I was complaining to my mom that she hasn't ever really attempted to roll over and then I put her on the floor on her tummy and it was like she heard me and almost immediately rolled!)

-had her first taste of applesauce (applesauce is one of Denver's favorites and so one night when he  was eating it we let Makenna have a little taste...she wasn't sure what to think she made quite the face)
   
-passes toys from one hand to the other (Makenna loves to play with all sorts of things and is now always trying to reach out of her bumbo seat for ANYTHING that looks like it might be fun)
   
-there might be more, but that's all I can think of right now

Here are some 5 month pictures of our little princess!

Our lil "All Star"

Denver loves to watch ball with his Daddy in the evenings, but he also loves to PLAY ball! He has gotten pretty good at it and finally last night we got the video camera out and tape recorded a little bit of him playing. Evan draws a batters box with feet in it for him and its really cute how he's so concerned where his feet go in it! Enjoy our little "All Star".

Don't forget to vote for the Twins on the sidebar!

Makenna's First Food

I almost forgot to do this post. Makenna had her first taste of cereal Saturday Sepetember 19th (I realize you probably don't care about the exact date, but this is my baby book for the time being! Makenna, I promise, some day we'll get one done!). This adventure went like any first "solids". Makenna was not quite sure what to think or what to do with it. Very little stayed in her mouth, but it was a good start. I wasn't ready to start doing cereal as I don't have the time or ambition to keep up with it every night, but when Makenna took 10oz from a bottle before going to bed one night when I was at work I figured it was time! This is still just an occassional thing....of Makenna getting cereal, but its a start.

"Hmm, I think I could get used to this." Or is she saying "yuck, what is this stuff?!"

Denver wasn't quite sure what to think of what we were doing either! He always wants to share his food with Kenna, but we always tell him she can't eat it. Now we were giving her food, "What!?". And of course he had to try what she was eating.

Visitors!

We had some "visitors" due to Makenna's baby dedication last Sunday. Aunt Kim and Cousin Jacob came and stayed a couple of days. Denver loved his time with them! It was great spending some time with my sister and nephew and I greatly appreciated my sister helping out with the kids as I was working nights when she was here! I wasn't around much so I didn't get much for pictures, but here's one! Since Jacob has left Denver has asked for him every morning soon after he gets up. If only he lived a little closer!

Smurf?

A week and a half ago or so I bought Denver some markers. I got these markers knowing he was probably too little, but I was doing this as a tactic to get him to be good during a meeting we had at Church. They served their purpose with very little mess! BUT......on the way home someone (I'm not naming who, but I bet you can guess who!) let him hold the marker.....while we were driving I heard "color, color", but was scared to look so I waited until I opened up the door to get him out when we got home and Denver had some how turned into a smurf! The pictures don't do it justice as the flash washed out the color and when I turned the flash off it was too dark and of course Denver can't sit still...enjoy!

I think Color Wonder markers will work for awhile yet!

Twins Fans!

Here are my Twins fans!

On the side of the blog find a place to vote for if the Twins will make the playoffs or not? .

And a "first" for Makenna!

Makenna hit another milestone this past Saturday. She is officially sittng on her own! She's been practicing lots, but usually is pretty top heavy and would fall forward pretty fast. I had noticed she was able to sit up longer and on Saturday Evan sat her down and we watched and she sat forever! Evan went along his way to go play with Denver and I continued to watch her and then got to thinking I better go grab the camera. Makenna was sitting in the grass so I left her sitting while I went for the camera and she never fell over! Here are the pictures to document her milestone!

Here are a couple other pictures we took as well while we continued to play outside for awhile.

Another First for Denver!

The "firsts" for Denver have really slowed down, but they still happen once in a while and are lots of fun. Denver had his first tractor ride with "Papa" (Grandpa Rodney). I wish I would've had the video camera and lighting that could pick up Denver's reaction as the tractor was being started. He was so excited! Denver took both arms and pull them in, like saying "yes!" and had the most excited look on his face. Denver has been asking and asking for a tractor ride, but a while back when he asked he got scared when Papa turned the tractor on so they never went for a ride.

Of course Denver wasn't ready to be done riding and wanted to climb right back in!

Makenna's Baby Dedication

We had Makenna's baby dedication last Sunday. It was a beautiful day and went very smoothly. We were also very blessed to share this day with so many family members and our Church family. Our new head pastor, Dr. Kimlyn Bender dedicated Makenna and our Children's Ministry Director Shelly Haan participated in her dedication as well. We appreciate and thank you all for your thoughts and prayers as we raise Makenna (and Denver) to know and serve God. I tried downloading the video of the dedication part of the Church service on Sunday, but it was too long and wouldn't download, sorry!

Presenting Makenna to be dedicated

Pastor Kimlyn Bender and Makenna

Daddy reading a passage from the Bible and Makenna's life verse that we chose for her before she was born.

"Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6

Praying for Makenna

Shelly Director of Children's Ministry saying a few words

Daddy, Makenna, and Mommy

Mommy with her beautiful baby girl! "What a great day! Thanks everyone!" Just a couple shots to show off our little girl in her outfit for her special day.

Home Videos

Just what you've all been waiting for...well, maybe, maybe everyone doesn't like the videos as much as I think they do. Here are some home videos of the kiddos. I hope you enjoy them. It's amazing how much these little ones make us laugh.

Denver loves to dance and his Elmo Live (that I found on clearance and was his "distraction" when Makenna was born) dances. Here's Denver dancing with Elmo...us talking in the background might be as funny....in the end we decided Elmo was dying, but no worries, Elmo got revived with new batteries!

"Tottorn?" Denver and his Daddy LOVE popcorn and eat it almost every night (Evan probably does eat it every night, but Denver some times misses out!). Here's my boys stuffing their mouths!

Screeching is a common noise heard in our house. Makenna loves to talk, but most of its screaming....and it's not because she's upset, it's just to talk and to hear her own voice!

And here's another video of Denver...of him staying up too late yet another night! "Woo hoo, fun, fun!" Denver is hilarious when its late and he should've been in bed hours ago. He winds him self up tighter than a kite (did I get that saying right honey? :) sorry, kind of an inside joke, but yet not) and goes crazy! Not only is Denver super hyper, but he also acts "drunk". We've had many good laughs late at night....what mean parents to keep him up so we can laugh at him and see what he'll do!

Makenna in her jumperoo one of the first couple of times. I need to get the video camera out again as she has now learned how to "play" with the different things and actually jumps! She thinks its great and will spend lots of time playing in it....at least until Denver comes and thinks she needs to be crazy and flies her around in it! Oh poor Makenna...her life never has a dull moment! :)

Makenna's 4 months old!

Makenna was 4 months on September 5th. She is growing like a weed! At Makenna's 4 month check she remained in the 90% across the board!

15lbs 10oz

25 inches long

Developmentally Makenna is doing great and doing everything she should be doing. We got the jumperoo out about a month ago or so and she loves it. This has also helped her to bear weight on her legs. She wasn't one who liked to stand a lot before (who would when you have to hold up that much weight, right?), but now she likes to stand. If I had to pick what Makenna's favorite thing to do right now it would probably be "blowing bubbles". She is constantly blowing bubbles and drooling all over herself. If we don't have a bib on her she soaks her shirt usually within minutes of getting her dressed! We are still waiting for Makenna to truly roll over on her own. She hasn't had much interest in even trying to figure it out, but she loves to scoot her body all over the place. There continues to be a "fight" in the car, especially if Daddy's along...in other words she still hates riding in the car. Makenna loves her brother and he loves her. Denver likes her to lay on his tummy; sometimes she thinks its funny other times she can't get off him fast enough.

Here's what I had time to "capture" for Makenna's 4 month pictures. Enjoy our beautiful baby girl!