Even though Owen was practicing his 3-point stance...
learning to spike the ball...
and even fitting in a little "grill" time... the packers didn't win. That's okay. We are still proud!

Momma didn't have to work on Martin Luther King Jr. Day so we took a trip to Shoreview to see Coach and her family...minus Jeremiah who was at "Young Americans" all day today...
Owen, Madeline, and Matthew played, danced, sang, wrestled...
... said "cheese"...
... and even talked about picking boogers! Here, Owen is making Madeline laugh so hard!
We had a good time and decided that we need to go over to play more often! Thanks, Coach and Mike, for all you do for me without even knowing your doing it! :-) Thank you also for the faithful prayers and support even when we go months without seeing you. You are a wonderful gift from God!

GO PACK! WHOO HOO! Whent the Vikings are out of the running, Papa Steve (Reger) even says "Go packers!" So, I thought it okay to sport our outfit today...Gramma Grampa, it's on! We are all ready to watch Favre throw the ball and run to the end zone when we make a touch down! Blue 42! (that is the cue for Owen to get into 3-point stance). We've got a fresh haircut too! We'll post a picture or maybe a video later!

Two more of Owen's words are "mittens" and "wow!". He used to cry when I put the mittens on, so I stopped doing it since we ran from building to car and car to house. With the temp in the negative numbers and the wind chill even colder, I have him wear them. He doesn't mind at all, and if they fall off in the car, he says, "mittens!". The "wow!" came this morning when he repeated me. Then he kept saying it and it turned into "wowie!". He loves to say uh-oh when he drops something or someone else drops something. It turns frustration into something very endearing. He turns a tough day into an "uh-oh" and makes me smile. One thing about working all day and therefore craving more time with my little boy: when he isn't feeling well or is working on a tooth at 11:30 p.m. when I know I need my sleep...I don't mind sitting up with him and rocking him to sleep. He's my little angel!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! :-) more to come...

What a weekend! I turned 29 today and coultn't be happier about having come this far...time only brings more opportunity to know yourself, change, improve, and learn more. How can it be a dilemma getting older?...ask me in few more years and see if I feel the same! :-)

We stayed in and watched a movie on Friday at my request. Saturday Gramma Momma and Grampa Phil got here and we went swimming! So much fun to blow bubbles and get all pruny. That night Rog and I went out to his company holiday party and enjoyed ourselves while Gramma and Grampa played and played and loved every minute of Owen time! I guess he was up a 1/2 hour past his bedtime...I said it was okay. :-) Gramma Momma started a list of all the words that Owen said in their time together. She is so impressed by his vocabulary! So Gramma...here we go, in no particular order:

Poppa

momma

blue ("blue 42!")

elephant (sounds like evident though)

basketball

poopy

potty

peepee

weewee (you know what that is! no we are not going with anatomical names!)

doggie

duck

bear

no

snack

up

bye bye

grampa

gramma

mimi

tazzy

car

swimming

cracker

cookie

milk

book

horsie

baby

please (peees!)

more

book

apple

blocks

clock

pen

owen

grapes (gapes)

water

crayon

car

fork (usually can't say the r though!)

And that only includes the words that he says without prompting. One of his favorite games is repeating whatever we say. So fun. Today we had a party with Gramma Mimi and a party with the Reger family. We ate, laughed, smiled, and were entertained. Bedtime is calling me early tonight so I'd better rap this up. Thanks everyone for your messages, gifts, calls, and best wishes. I am already enjoying 29.

So we've had a little free time around our house with me not working for two whole weeks (whoopeee!), but now the time is drawing closer to its end (boohoo). I am not saying by this picture that Owen is getting potty trained...I would not be so brave, but when he points to the toilet and says, "potty!" I got a little eager. I bought him a cheap little stool/toilet trainer so he can have something to sit on. Heehee. Now...all he has to do is make the connection between "poopoo" & "peepee" and how it all works...oh yeah, and he has to have a little control and desire, right? :-) Okay, so it may be a year...or...

He's having another rough week with falls and trips and pinching fingers in cupboards. He has a bruise on his cheek from an altercation with the coffee table. No, he was not dancing on it this time. :-) Once again...clutching the monkey!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

(Auntie Julie...recognize the monkey??)

Christmas was a whirlwind with less than 4 days in Wisconsin with the Larsen clan (minus Julie & Todd :-() where we ate, drank, and were merry; we went to Christmas eve service that Owen slept through, had a ham dinner, and opened gifts. Owe also got to get his first molar at Gramma & Grampa's house! This was the first time I was up with him at night with teething, and it was only an hour and a half. Whew! One down...how many to go???

Regardless, there were lots of smiles and giggles and good times had by all.

Auntie Julie and Todd may not have been there, but they wanted to be the ones to give Owen his first bike...even if he can't reach the peddles! :-) Auntie Julie said she would come over and fashion blocks on the peddles this summer so he can learn to ride. She remembered that's what her daddy did so she could ride her little red trike when she was little.
Christmas Day brought us traveling back to Minnesota and just barely beating the snow. We celebrated with the Reger's, but Katy and Aaron were not there. So...the day after Christmas, we gathered at Nanny and Papa Steve's to eat just a little more and open more gifts.
I believe this is Emmi under the table with Owen...being silly!
Owen, Emmi, and Cali sat so nice when Nanny was playing the piano and sang some songs with everyone. :-) Poor little Owen cries whenever we sing Away in a Manger...I have no idea why...it just works every time. We'll see what happens next year. :-)

It didn't turn out super great, but I had to take a few pictures on my cell phone after my camera battery died. Here he is! Rog on Skis. :-) I was so proud to see Rog try and actually do really good! I am looking forward to our next trip skiing...when and where????

Rog took me to Lutsen for our December 18th anniversary for two days to a fantastic condo on Lake Superior. Owen was shifted between grandparents who were not at all put out about taking care of the little guy. He did well, but I know he missed us. Thanks to all who made it possible for us to get away for a few days.