Our Cute Centerpiece

Just thought that I would share with you all our cute little centerpiece. He's sooo smiley and happy.

Crazy Daddy

Funny Funny Funny Story!

Dad was going to get my pj's on the other night. Mom tells him, "There's some pj's on the shelf beside his diapers."

Here's what my dad put on me...


These clothes were not found on the shelf beside my diapers they were just "in" the same room. Crazy Dad! He had no idea that he was putting on my little brother's clothes that are a) way too small for me

and b) so dirty already with spit up. Wasn't there some kind of question in your mind like "Man, these pants are skin tight" and "Man, this shirt stinks and his shoulders barely fit through." I guess not.

I love you Daddy but sometimes you're too crazy.

Rolling Over

Our Little Man is rolling over already. I can NOT believe it! He is a tummy sleeper but now has learned to turn onto his back. The first time he did this stunt was Nov. 4th and I thought it was a fluke. But now it's almost instantaneous as soon as he lays on his tummy, which makes going to sleep tricky sometimes.

For his morning nap yesterday, I just left him on his back to see what would happen, and this is what happened...

our little boy fell asleep on his back. This was a good thing except he didn't sleep nearly as long as he usually would have. For his afternoon nap, he did the same thing but once he was asleep I went in to flip him over again and he slept so well.

I have also figured out that he only likes to roll on his right shoulder so if I butt him up in the pack and play close to his right side then he won't can't roll over.

He's even found his thumb on occasion (like yesterday). When he does, he's just like his older brother, and will just sleep and sleep and sleep, I have to go wake him. It's so odd.

That's what's new in Tucker's life. Growing leaps and bounds each and every day in all sorts of ways. That's for sure. We are so blessed!

First Sleep Over

I was sooo excited for my sleep over with my cousin Jackie-Boy. The first night my mommy tried to put me to bed at the same time as Jack but we soon figured out that was not going to work. Cousin Jack turns in early and I am kind of a night owl, so I just kept talking to him and he wasn't able to fall asleep. So this is what my mom and dad did instead: I started out going to bed in my mom and dad's bed and then once I was alseep they transfered me into my sleeping bag in my room with Jack. I had a great time spending a couple days with Jack. I miss him already. Love you Jackie-Boy!

Tucker 4 Months Old

I am a BIG boy! Here are my stats: I weigh 17 lb 7 oz (97%), I am 26" long (95%), and my head is 16.25" round (50%). I am doing well on the growth chart. My head circumference percentile actually decreased from 75% to 50%, but the doc. said that that measurement is ok to fluctuate a bit at my age. "It's ok," she says. My doctor also checked my ears and I have some fluid in them (especially the right one), she said to just watch me. If I start acting different, then my mommy should call into the office to get me some medicine (my sister has ear infection problems). I am kind of congested a little bit, which may be the reason for the fluid in my ears. I hope that my body can just get rid of it itself and that I won't get an infection.

I am a VERY HAPPY baby. My mommy use to say that if I were half as happy as my cousin Orin, she'd be thrilled. I think that I am. I love to smile, love to coo, love to giggle at my siblings. It doesn't take much to make me happy. As long as I am fed and have a clean diaper I am good to go.

Sorry, my mommy didn't have time to get my red eye out

Here are some other facts about me at my age:

• I love to play under my playmat
• I love to suck on my fingers (I may be teething a little bit)
• I wear 6-9 month clothes
• I just switched to wearing size 3 diapers all of the time (not just at night), I started blowing my size 2 out--sorry mommy
• I still love my pacifier
• My mommy is letting me cry it out in the middle of the night if I wake up (I don't get my pacifier again if I spit it out)
• I use to bunk with my sister but since mommy is letting me cry in the night, I sleep in their room or the office until I learn not to wake up--I don't want to wake Lilly up with my crying
• I drink 7-8 oz of formula every 4 hours
• I take 2 good naps during the day and sometimes need a 3rd in the evening
• I am getting too big for my carseat bunting so mommy needs to find something else to keep me warm in this weather

My really cute birth mark on my tummy

That's about all that's going on with me at 4 months old. Enjoy the pictures that my mommy thinks she always has to take:-)

Our Little Ballerina

(I finally got a picture of Lilly in her dance leotard and tights. I will take more when it's not raining outside.)



This is my first year in dance, at Robin's School of Dance, in Sioux Center. I absolutely LOVE it. I have met some really great friends. I don't tell mommy and daddy everything that I learn because I finally get to keep something to myself. I often say "well, maybe you should just come and watch me then if you want to know." It's a pre-dance class that I am in. I learn tumbling, basic dance (ballet) movements, sing songs, and have a lot of fun.

Thanks Grandpa and Grandma Kollasch for this great gift. I love you!

It's Working--slow but sure

Our life has been pretty crazy lately. Adam's busy with the fall rush of construction, trying to meet a deadline for the house they're building, putting plans together for a new spec house to build yet this fall, Butlers, Converge, so on and so forth. I just have to keep reminding myself that this season too shall pass, even if it's a couple years down the road, it too shall pass.

I have been so blessed to be able to stay at home all the while with not only my own kids, but as of late, my nephew Orin-while his mommy does some subbing at the local middle school. It has been so great getting to spend time with Orin and seeing my own kids interact with him. Lilly is such a mommy.

This brings me to my main topic. Lilly. She is going through some major changes right now. She's trying to adapt to 2 little siblings and discovering her own will. Adam and I have had to really bare down and be extra consistent with her, in lots of areas of her life-general schedule, naptime, bedtime, discipline, how she talks, how she acts.

I feel like we have always found it crucial to be consistent but as she's gotten older and gained siblings, it's so much MORE important. When she directly disobeys us, she is not only disobeying us and the Lord, she is showing her siblings how to disobey. This is so dangerous, especially when Thatcher is in super copy mode. It seems like Adam & I could be kind of lenient before we would simply verbally correct her and go on. Now, once Lilly is disobedient or disrespectful she is verbally corrected and if it continues a spanking is necessary. She knows what we expect out of her and the second she deviates from those expectations, a verbal talk is needed, we can no longer shrug it off. (Her and I have had numerous heart to heart talks in her bedroom) It will only get worse and worse if the situation is not taken care of right away. I definitely feel like we are breaking her spirit--not breaking as in ruining it, but breaking as in breaking a wild horse. Does that make sense??

Now, when her attitude starts to turn negative or she starts bullying her brother, all I have to do is look at her because she knows what I expect of her. I will catch her correcting herself now. Instead of "Mommy, help me." She'll say, "Mommy, may you help me?" (even though it s/b will you help me, but I will correct that later). If she doesn't correct herself, we will say, "Lilly, try again" and she knows what we mean.

She's to the point now that she really needs meaningful attention from daddy AND mommy. We can no more just go through the day without making Lilly time. Bedtime is a disaster if we don't have this special time for her.

Those are the 2 areas where we've had to concentrate a lot of time, 1)her spirit and 2)her quality time

Lilly, we love you dearly and love the little girl who you have become. Stay strong, stay energetic and stay close to us. We love everything about you!! ~Mom & Dad