Wednesday, September 30, 2009

What a Difference a Year Makes!

I have been trying to get some more snapshots of Mia and Cole together lately, because it seems like I only have pics of one or the other. It has been very difficult though since Cole is at that age where he just runs and runs and Mia is at that age where she is just stubborn sometimes. Getting the two of them to cooperate and actually sit and smile next to each other is nothing short of an amazing feat! :)

Anyhow, I was finally able to get them together on the sofa. I pulled out all the stops-singing, dancing, and jumping, and managed to get a shot where they were both happy (and actually in-focus). After pulling up this shot on the computer I was struck by two things. One, my children look way more alike than I realized and two, my children look nothing like me. :)

And, just for fun, I added a picture that was taken a little over a year ago of the two of them in the same place. They have both really grown up!




Sunday, September 27, 2009

American Heart Association Heart Walk

This past weekend I participated in the American Heart Association's Start! Heart Walk, along with my family. Jen had organized a team for our family to walk in honor of my dad. About a month ago I had posted about raising money and I am so proud to say I reached my goal, plus some, as you can see by the thermometer on the side of the page! I have to say thank you to all my wonderful friends who supported me and made donations. I even had friends through facebook who I have not seen in 10+ years donate. THANK YOU all so much! It truly means the world to me that you would help me to honor my dad's memory this way.

I am also very proud of my family. Through our team (my sister, her husband Mike, Cort, my mom and aunt) we raised over $1,800 total! That is amazing and will go to such a great cause!! My dad was a very special, very remarkable man and I know that despite the fanfare (which he was not a big fan of!), he is looking down and proud of what we have done.

Also, Jen was honored with a lifestyle change award. She had written in and told how she had changed her lifestyle after having Noah and her entry was picked! She got to go up on stage and receive her award. Here are some pictures from walk.


Our Team

Waiting for Jen to be presented with her awardWalking for her Grandpa-Mia was still waking up, it was early!
Jen being presented her award

On the big screen :)
Walking

The kids hula hooping in one of the tents after the walk


My mom and aunt
Noah and Mia had the bounce house to themselves!
Our Family
The Pulins Family
Enjoying a post-walk snack

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

They've Come So Far....

From This.....
To This....
It is hard to believe, but Mia and Noah are already 3. I can remember like it was yesterday, when Jen and I spread out the white sheet in Mia's room, with my old little Nikon Coolpix camera in an attempt to get a pictures of the two of them (I would like to think my picture-taking abilities have come a long way as well after seeing that first picture-ha, ha!).
Now both of them are in preschool and have distinct little (BIG!!) personalities. They grow up so fast! This shot was from this Labor Day Weekend at my Aunt's house. Mia and Cole are so lucky to have cousins so close in age. It is something that Jen and I never had growing up and I am so glad they have built-in playmates. :)

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Mia's First Day of School

Today was Mia's first official day of Montessori preschool. Not that she wasn't in a pre-preschool last year, but this year it just seemed different. First off, she is starting in the Fall. Last year, due to my maternity leave and Cort's paternity leave, she didn't start her center until January. And now she is officially 3-preschool age! :)

I have to say Mia was pretty excited and it seemed like school lived up to her expectations. She is going in the p.m. due to my new work schedule (I work 12-3:30), and she will now be missing a nap 3 days a week. I thought for sure she would be EXHAUSTED when I picked her up, but instead she was a total bundle of excitement, talking a mile-a-minute about her school day. She was so proud to show me some shapes she had traced and asked if we could put them on the refrigerator. Oh, and when I dropped her off the other kids were in line for the water fountain and that was about all it took for her to forget I was there. I had to ask her for a kiss goodbye. :)

Normally when she gets picked up, they will load her in the car but today I walked in to touch base with her teacher. Her teacher said she did great-ate great, went to the bathroom by herself, and played well. Her teacher even told me that when it was time to come in from playing outside Mia told her "It's not time to go in yet." Yep, that's Mia-not so shy I guess. :) On the car ride home I asked her if she liked her teacher and her response was "Yep!" Then a couple seconds later she added "A lot!"

It is so hard to accept my little girl is growing up, but I am proud of what an independent girl she is! Here are some obligatory first day photos....


Mia picked out this dress to wear for her first day (Thanks Grammy!)


Proud to have her backpack

In front of her school
And here is a picture of her in her classroom from her orientation-working with the dropper and her fine motor skills