Happy Halloween!

ISN'T SHE PRECIOUS??

She had a blast! She really had a hard time with kids coming to the door and then LEAVING her! How dare they :) Oh and if you're wondering why she doesn't have that adorable pinafore on while trick-or-treating. . .it's because she spit up her dinner all over it. . .goof! :) The best part was the end when she got to raid the trick-or-treat left-overs!

Pumpkin Patch

Mike, Lorén, and I went to the Pumpkin patch with my best friend from High School. Eckerts Apple Orchard was having a Dress Up Day. We thought it would be a great time and it would give the girls a chance to wear their halloween costumes! We had such a great time with Jessie and Jeff. Kaylee and Lorén had such a good time together! They act just like sisters! The girls played with the pumpkins (they both threw fits when we pulled them out of the pumpkin pile), played with grass (again, threw fits when we wouldn't let them eat the grass, and pet the animals (threw fits when the goats tried to eat their clothes :) ). Anyway, here are some pictures of our GREAT day! Can't wait to carve these pumpkins!

Go Card!

Last night was awesome! I really enjoyed watching the St. Louis Cards kick some Tigers booooootie! Mike and I had a great time trying to get Lorén to say, "Go Cardinals/Tigers". Nothing like some friendly banter :) BTW Uncle Joshie . . . Niner Niner Boo Boo! ;)! (Come on Cards, don't make me eat that ;) )

We have had a fortunate opportunity! Grandpa Dean is coming down with a couple of his guys to help Mike rip up our basement! YIPEE! We have so much to get done and this isdefinitelyy going to be a blessing. What will I be doing during this time? I will be with Grandma Lou SHOPPING of course! Lorén and I will keep Bon from buying anything toooooooo extravagant!

Lorén is very proud of herself these days. It won't be long before my girl is WALKING! She takes huge steps between objects these days. She will take up to 8 steps between objects! She also has learned the word "MOM". She thinks it's cute to be across the room and yell "Mom, Mom, Mom" until I respond to her! If she wasn't so cute. . . . :)

I start Physical Therapy tonight. I'm really nervous about it. I heard it hurts like a bear! I'm having trouble with swelling and lack of range of motion since my surgery. Hopefully this takes care of it. I am sick of my knee hurting.

Okay, off to change poop factories 3rd dirty diaper of the day!

A Great Day S-H-O-P-P-I-N-G!

Ohhh Boy! What could be better than a day designated entirely to family fun. Mike took Lorén and I shopping at Old Town St. Charles. We had such a good day walking the length of the strip. Everyone made over Lorén! She was wearing her adorable pumpkin hat (see other entry). Anyway, she looked so sweet! She also thought it was her duty to wave "hello" to everyone she saw. Her daddy however was very mean! ;) He wouldn't let her mommy buy anything! Although, Mike did let me try out the newest store! He did allow me to buy a Starbucks coffee at the new DRIVE THROUGH Starbucks!

Lorén has begun an adorable new trick! She will drop things on the floor and say "Ohhh ohhhh!" It is very cute the first 100 times she drops the object. However when mommy or daddy gets tired of fetching it for her, she will protest quiadamantlytly :)!

This afternoon however, was no fun at all! We had to send Bunny to her Aunt Debbies so we could get a bunch of our boxes unpacked. It was no fun! Lorén had a blast at Aunt Debbies though. Aunt Debbie and Lorén wouldn't let Aunt Debbie go potty, she pulled everything out of her cabinets, and refused to eat! Somehow Aunt Debbie thinks this is "cute"! Aunt Debbie said Lorén was working very hard to say "tickle"! So sweet! Thank you Aunt Debbie! Lorén loves spending time with you! :)

Whoa there Walmart!

So today Loren and I went to Walmart to get some things. We stopped first at Babies R Us. I put L in her shopping cart cozy, got her buckled in, had her toys all attached and we wandered BRU. Well next I went to Walmart to get some things (right next door). Rather than take her out, carry her things to the next cart, and get her buckled back in (believe me, this is a process) I kept her in the BRU cart. The Walmart Greeter Person "patrolling" door turned me away saying that I was "not allowed to bring a different cart into Walmart." WHAT???? I asked him to repeat himself just to be sure that I had actually heard right. He said, "It is our policy that we do not allow carts from other stores into Walmart." I was so peeved and flabbergasted! I simply left with my jaw dragging on the ground. I got home and started thinking about it. I called that Walmart and asked them to send me a copy of this so-called-cart-policy IN WRITING. The manager couldn't find it. He was really apologetic and he said that it would never happen again. WOW! I sincerely couldn't believe it! Imagine, turning away a mother and her 11 month old baby and MAKING UP A POLICY just because I had a BRU cart instead of a Walmart cart. Amazing. What has happened to customer service? Why does it seem that so many people are on ridiculous power trips?

Lorén’s First Birthday and Dedication

Thank you to everyone who made this day so special for Lorén! A special thanks to grandparents and aunt's/uncles who travled so far to celebrate with us! Isn't her cake sooooo cute? Anyway, she had a blast! It wore her out so well that she slept through the night! YIPEE! Lorén loves her new toys, blanket, clothes and especially wrapping paper. . .

. . .and it just keeps getting better. . .

Well, what turned out to be a big financial loss keeps getting deeper and deeper. We decided to pull our house off of the market until after the new year. Maybe the new year will bring some luck. We are pretty disappointed but we are hanging in there. Okay, we are really disappointed. . .but such is life. . .I just can't bring myself to unpack all of those boxes yet. I will do it after this weekend. Sigh. . . .

Well. . . Shoot!

The woman who was buying our house had to back out of our contract. Why? Why with 2 weeks until we have to be out of our house? BECAUSE THE JERK WHO HAD A CONTRACT ON HER HOUSE JUST DECIDED, "I DON'T WANT YOUR HOUSE." The lady who purchased our house had sold all of her furniture and her house is 100% packed. Our house is 50% packed, and the woman who we were purchasing a home from had her contracts ready to move to join her husband and children in a different state. This woman who backed out has really upset the lives of 3 families. We are pretty sick about the whole thing. We are just. . .Sick. . .Disappointed. . .Frustrated. . .Angry. . .and hurt. Thank God for our little Bunny. If it weren't for her and her accomplishments and snuggles, we'd be pretty bummed.

Speaking of our little Rabbit, she took huge steps between daddy and I yesterday! She would walk inbetween us up to 5 steps at a time. We would praise her every time she would walk between us. However, a couple of times she dropped and crawled to one of us. We didn't praise her that time. She looked at her daddy, looked at her mommy, started clapping and yelling "YAY!!" It was like, "Hello I made it from point A to B, praise me no matter what my method!" She is so freaking adorable!

Okay, well I'm off to UNPACK my home. >:(

WE BOUGHT A HOUSE

HOLY COW! We have a new home! I can't believe it! We have had our house sold "contingent" since July '06. We got a call 2 days ago at 10:00 pm saying that we had sold our house and needed to be out in 23 days! HOLY COW! Is that possible? So we went out looking for homes yesterday and found this:

It is an amazing two story home with 4 bedrooms, a walkout basement, a double bayed back, a HUGE kitchen with an island, breakfast area, and main floor laundry. The Master bedroom has French doors that enter into a room with a four panel bay window, a master bathroom with a HUGE soaker tub, double sink and separate shower. It has an octagonal deck and professional landscaping. I mean this house is BEYOND our wildest dreams! We cannot believe it! Here are a LOT of pictures from our new home! (did I mention the window seat)

Fun with Grandma Sue

You would think that Grandma has worn out Lorén. However, it is 8:30 and Lorén is wide awake and Grandma is conkeded out in bed. We did have fun today though! Grandma took Lorén shopping for her birthday presents! Shhhhh! I can't tell you what she got her yet! Grandma also bought her a dress for her Dedication next Sunday. It is so beautiful! I had bought her one 4 months ago and wouldn't you know it, IT'S TOO SMALL! Little booger has grown up on me! I just can't believe it.

Speaking of growing, let's talk about her feet! Lorén looks like a puppy who hasn't grown into her paws yet! She went from a size 3 shoe to a size 5!!!!!!!!!!! Size 5 shoes are so heavy. I broke down and bought her 2 pair of Robeez shoes. Her Grandma Lou had bought her a pair that she finally grew out of. I LOVE them! I wish I could get her at least one more pair. Those suckers are expensive. However, for a shoe she can't take off, is machine washable, and will promote walking, I will pay for it! Plus they are like moccasins. The leather stretches. The size 3-6 month pair Grandma Lou bought her has lasted until now. I'm hoping these will last her at least to next spring.

I can't wait to post pictures of Lorén's Halloween costume! Grandma Sue made it by hand. It is THE most adorable costume EVER! I am getting her 11 month pictures taken in it so you'll just have to wait a week or so to find out what she is going to be!

Georgie

I thought it would never happen. Lorén has become attached to a stuffed animal. Here is Lorén with Georgie at 3 months

She is so cute. She will go into her room and pull her Georgie through the slats in her crib just so she can play with him. She will roll around on the floor, laugh and giggle with her Georgie. She will even try to say Georgie. It comes out sounding a bit like "Kitty." Whenever I take Lorén to MDO I bring her Georgie. She gets giddy when I hand her Georgie. Whenever I tell her to "Love Georgie" she will hug him tight to her neck. It really is precious.

PJ Day

It was a great day today! We had so much fun just hanging out today as a family. There was nothing too exciting to report. Lorén still is pretty miserable. No new teeth yet. I was hoping that those little teeth would pop through. No dice though.

Well, nothing else to do tonight except let Mike watch his Bears game!

Let's Go Bears!