Happy Birthday Daddy!

Enjoy the last year in your 20's!!!!

Love,
Dee, Josh, and Hilo

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from the great state of MN! We hope you are having a fantastic holiday with friends and family!

Josh has had a great Christmas. We have been very busy watching Uncle Jack play hockey, seeing Santa, playing hockey, sledding, visiting with cousins, watching Elmo, and getting very little sleep! He had a great time opening presents this year and started to understand that clothes are boring presents to open. He would pass them off to me as soon as he saw any sign that it wasn't a toy. Too funny - we got it all on video. He got lots of clothes, an Elmo gas station, hockey net/sticks, Elmo videos, and a little Elmo/Cookie monster ball.

We were able to spend some quality time with family and friends and really enjoyed our time. We destroyed our parents house in the process with Mr. Hilo tracking in some #2 on his paw which required a carpet cleaner, Josh coughing a little too hard resulting in him losing his lunch on the freshly shampood carpet, and then ending with the guest bathroom toilet over flowing and the water making it through the floor to the kitchen below. AWESOME!! Well we definitely helped build my mom's case for a new kitchen and flooring on the main level. Ha ha! Thank goodness Josh and Hilo are so cute, because my parents didn't kick us to the curb!

Josh has really missed his uncles since we got home this weekend. He plays with his hockey goal and mini sticks every day and is very good at yelling "Goal" when he scores and quickly follows it up with "Jack" or "Joe". It is nice to see him so comfortable with our family on both sides even though we don't live close by.

Enjoy the pics! Obviously, the first one is our Christmas card which we got a lot of "return to sender" -- so if you didn't get one, sorry! Next was his gift from Jim and I - we bought it for $30 off of Craigslist! Score! And he loves it for now! Then pics of sledding in my parents backyard and trying to play hockey with a big hockey stick. Finally, a pic of my two good high school friends little ones. Sarah (Stoudt) little man Reggie, Josh, and Mandy (Gausman) little girl Stella.

Greatest Article for Parents

My sister-in-law just forwarded a snipet from the Washington Post. It is a must read for any parent... or anyone who doesn't have kids and doesn't understand why your friends with kids have no time for anything... like phone calls or going out.

8 Things!

My cousin Jessie tagged me on this... so here goes!

8 TV shows I love to watch

1. The Biggest Loser
2. Grey's - haven't watched yet this season :(
3. Simpsons
4. Modern Marvels
5. Amazing Race
6. Good Eats
7. How it's Made (on mute - can't stand the narrators voice)
8. Family Guy

8 Favorite Restaurants

1. Apollon in Appleton (Greek Restaurant)
2. Sawatdee in Maple Grove (Thai)
3. Ruth Chris Steak House
4. Victoria's in Appleton (Italian)
5. Quiznos (they taste so good, and there a $1 off)
6. Chipotle
7. Texas Roadhouse
8. Solea in Neenah (Mexican)

8 Things that Happened Today

1. Showered
2. Worked
3. Ate lunch with coworkers
4. Got a call from daycare that Josh got bit again!
5. Got officially registered in the MBA program at UW Oshkosh
6. Had a parent/teacher conference with daycare
7. Watched a new Elmo video with Josh
8. Went to a holiday dinner with our friends

8 Things I Look Forward To

1. Christmas in MN
2. Seeing Josh open his presents
3. Watching my brother Jack (Hill Murray Varsity) play hockey
4. A clean house
5. Cross country skiing this weekend
6. Building a gigantic snowman in our front yard
7. All inclusive Mexico trip in March
8. My MIS final exam being done tonight!

8 Things On My Wish List

1. No more car trouble. Finally paid off. And had $1000 of work done this month. Karma.
2. Safe travels for friends and family over the holidays
3. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac return the $750 Billion to the real working Americans who don't play with money like it is monopoly money.
4. Healthcare infrastructure that information is readily shared between all of your doctors/pharmacists so you don't repeat tests or get treated right - sooner.
5. People in the senate, congress, state offices actually work for the people of this country rather than those that give them ridiculous amounts of money.
6. A good prognosis for my friends mom diagnosed with AML.
7. Healthy/Happy 2009.
8. A new master bathroom.

8 People I Have Tagged, DO IT!

1. Michelle
2. Emily V.
3. Kara
4. Mandy G.
5. Ami
6. Liz
7. Sarah T.
8. Sam S.

What a fantastic Thanksgiving!

Nana and my Aunt Ann came into town the weekend before Thanksgiving to hang out with Josh and of course help us with some organization/redecorating. For 3 years our office has been the dumping ground. We never organized it and it was pretty much the place were random stuff was stored. We got some bedroom furniture from a friend that we had no room for... So Ann and my mom went to work. They were able to get one of the full beds from the upstairs bedroom down into the office after they had completely reorganized. Then the new furniture fit perfectly in the upstairs bedroom. YAY! Josh got lots of playtime as usual and showed them how much he loves Hockey and playing with his trains. Can't wait to spend more time with them over Christmas.

We left late Tuesday night for MI to visit Jim's family for Thanksgiving. The drive went pretty well for Josh. He just doesn't sleep like he did when he was under 6 months old! But the DVD player helps tremendously. We spent the week hanging out with G'ma and G'pa Kirkwood, Aunts and Uncles, Cousin Izzy and Charlotte, Great G'mas, and friends. Josh and Izzy got along very well throughout the week. Izzy got very good at saying Josh. Although we confirmed they are complete opposites on a few things. Izzy is a morning person, Josh looks like he needs some coffee to get going. Izzy loves Dora... Josh loves Thomas the train. Izzy loves to dance... Josh loves to play hockey and throw balls around. By the end of the trip they were holding hands where ever they went. It was ridiculously cute. I hope they stay close even though we don't live nearby.

I pretty much cuddled with Miss Charlotte all weekend - it was my excuse to get a nap in every day. ha ha! I forget how snuggly newborns are!

The drive back was horrendous. It took 10 hours. Josh did very well through it all - only one stop. He slept for the first 3 hours - record by the way. Then watched a few movies including Ice Age - loves the tiger and saying baby! We were all very happy to be home. Josh went to bed without even a peep last night... but woke up at 6am ready to play. Yikes!

Josh Updates:

• Potty trips are still the same. Once every other day or so. And he still actually goes to the bathroom.
• He is loving Mommy a lot lately. Could this be the switch to a mama's boy? I think it was because I caved in during the MI trip and let him sleep with us. Dad got booted to the couch and Josh and I slept in the big bed. If that is what it takes to get A#1 Status... I will take it! ha ha
• He says all of his g'parents names now. Although Jim and I are likely the only ones to understand.
• He is really starting to talk more and string words together. My favorite is Elmo which sounds like Melmo.
• He loves helping out with chores. Dishes, throwing away garbage, wiping down tables and counters with wash cloths/tissue/towels, putting toys away, folding laundry.

They seriously grow up so fast! After holding Charlotte I couldn't help but look at Josh and think - what happened to my baby?