Andrew was scheduled to have surgery on Wednesday but complications arose, and it was postponed. After spending half the day trying to figure out what the heck was going on, and being too late to go into work, we did what any good parents would do: Go to the zoo!
(It was great, no one was there!)





We were told it is very rare for the tiger to sit up next to the window.


Just as exciting as the animals:


Thomas!


Scuffy!


The next night, we fired up the Greenwood (our furnace) for the first time!




On Saturday Andrew and the kids headed to the Anoka Halloween parade!

Monkey #1 (refused to wear his costume)


Monkey #2 (had no choice)


I met up with them after running my first 5k with Chris!!!
(29:58- not bad for a first time!)


Sunday we celebrated Grandma's birthday!

Cade entertaining us at the dinner table.



Eve...


Of course we had to buy Guitar Hero on Sunday!

Cade...

Andrew has his surgery on Monday, so send good thoughts for a speedy recovery!!

a week of mishaps...

Eve's walking- with a walker, that's not a mishap-



But she is also climbing EVERYTHING!





(Not pictured- the slide, the stairs, our bed, into the bathtub...it goes on....)

But all her climbing eventually leads to this:

Mishap #1

Down a few stairs, and Mom was too slow...
I feel horrible. (It looks even worse now!)

Mishap #2

He wanted a mustache like daddy's.


Playing with Cade's toys..shh don't tell Cade.

Putting it in writing

Cade is offically potty trained! We still are using a diaper at night, just in case, but he hates putting them on now so I think we'll be moving onto undies soon.
We're about $20 in the hole buying matchbox cars, but it worked! In fact his matchbox cars have taught him a lot. The other day we were at the post office waiting in line, Cade looked out the window and said "Red Porsche mama". And sure enough there was the life size version of his red matchbox Porsche sitting outside. (You should have seen the owner of the Porsche's smile!)
I have to say that once we finally got serious about getting Cade out of diapers it was a lot easier than I thought it would be. (Though he has already learned the stall tactics of going potty -"time for bed Cade", "no, poop in toilet now mommy" is how are nites are going!) I credit Andrew to getting Cade to go. After weeks of me putting Cade on the toilet and standing in there waiting for him to go, Andrew put him on the toilet, said "Cade do you want to be alone", Cade said yes, and he went! I can't tell you how nice it is to go to Costco and only spend $32.00 on diapers as opposed to $60!!




PS. I haven't posted much about Genevieve lately, probably because we are a little disapointed with her right now. She had her 9 month check up a few days ago and is only in the 95% for height instead of Off the Charts. We're hoping she can catch up again soon. :)

A fall day

Cade, Genevieve and Jillian all had a perfect fall day yesterday.





Eating apples!



Wagon rides






And jumping in leaf piles.

Cade and Jillian also helped me pick pumpkins, move hay bales, and tie up corn stalks for some halloween decorations. They set it up all by themselves and it looks great.


It looks like a house-(don't mind the unpainted front door)

We are now working inside!

!!!

My little man pooped in the toilet this morning, and right now is napping in his underwear. (I never in my life thought I would type something like that, parenthood is amazing, I'm excited about poop!)

Out of touch

President Bush? Didn't you just declare it National Children's Health Day?



I really like Trent Lott's reason that the bill wouldn't work "if we add a large tax to cigarettes, people will stop smoking, and then the SChip won't be funded..." Do people listen to themselves?

We started SERIOUS potty training last week and Cade caught on really quick. Probably because at first he got a new matchbox car AND chocolate everytime he did anything...we are bad parents sometimes...
He is now offically "pee" trained, but still won't poop for us. At least instead of going in his underwear he asks for diaper. So that is our challenge next week. But he is doing great, he is even waking up from nite time and naps dry! Yay Cade!

We've been having a lot of rain lately, so I finally let Cade go out and play in the puddles...


At first I think he was in shock that I was actually LETTING him play in the puddles...


But he got the hang of it real quick!


Eventually he ended up striping out of his boots and coat, and later his pants..



We brought home some hay bales the other day and Grandpa showed Cade how to climb to the top while Dad showed him how to throw it!



Cade making bubble gloves while I mop.



A Cade masterpiece. (Mom drew the mane in)



The only way to play guitar



How Genevieve, Cade and Jillian play piano together.


And what happens when I walk out of the room for two seconds.


We went to the zoo on on of the non-rainy days.

We always have to sit on the turtle


Eve loves getting out of the stroller and looking at the fish. I think she could do this all day.


New animal exhibit?