It's NEVER too early to LOVE......

ICE CREAM!!!

Fight 4 Tylor benefit

Last night we went to a benefit for Tylor (my brother Sy's girlfriends son). There was an AMAZING turnout and so much support! The amount hasn't been calculated yet....but it was a HUGE SUCCESS!

Sy, Tylor, and Jenn

Kelly in "the box". At one point the box was filled with books, legos, puzzles, etc. for the kids to play with. Once the box was empty...the kids took turns playing in it!!! They were funny. Here Kelly was in the box with Jackson, Helena, and Landon waiting for their turn.

Kelly taking her turn riding the rocking horse. It was won by Larry Simon and he let all the kids take turns riding it, and then donated it to all of Grandma & Grandpa Mulgrew's grandkids.

While we were all at Tylor's benefit, Molly was enjoying getting fed and played with and Grandma and Grandpa Murray's house.

Playing with second cousins

We spent Saturday afternoon at my Aunt Nancy's house. My cousins Jenni & Kari and their families were in town for the weekend. We were able to meet Amelia (Jenni & Joe's new baby) and they were able to meet Molly. It was a fun visit....yet, a little too short. It will be fun for all of the kids to be together on vacation this summer in July.

Molly (born 12/3/08) & Amelia (born 12/30/08)....only 4 weeks apart! Molly looks so BIG!!!

Molly smiling....she likes her new friend!

Kelly & Eli played well together!

Kelly enjoyed throwing the dog toy to Gordon (Kari & Nate's dog) while sitting on Papa Michael's lap.

The boys....Eli (2 yrs.) & Jaxon (8 months)

Kelly's FUN day!!!

Kelly was a LUCKY girl today! She had a day FILLED WITH FUN......with all of her friends! It started this morning with my sister Staci (from Kansas City) and her three boys coming to our house this morning to play. Logan (5), Jackson (3), and Landon (1) all came to our library stortytime at 11am too! Also there were Kelly's two best friends....Sophia and Claire from the babysitters house! Kelly was all excited and introduced Claire and Sophia to her cousins a million times! It was really cute! Then the entire group....cousins, Sophia, and Claire all went to McDonald's playland for lunch! WHAT FUN...in the eyes of a 2 1/2 year old girl! After that Staci headed back to my Dad & Jackie's house with Logan and Landon.....and left Jackson at our house to continue his playdate with cousin Kelly. After they both took a nap, they played for almost two hours outside....bubbles, sidewalk chalk, balloons, swingset, etc. They got along so well. We came inside for dinner, bathtime, and a little more playtime too. Jackson then went home with Papa Mike around 8pm. It was a great day....and Kelly then fell SOUND ASLEEP!

Jackson & Kelly blowing bubbles on our front steps.

Kelly blowing bubbles while Jackson is catching them.

Kelly showing Jackson how to play hopscotch! (I taught Kelly how to play hopscotch last week)

Playing with balloons in the backyard! I think we went through 15 balloons....they kept popping on sticks and they thought it was Sooooooooo funny!

Jackson & Kelly on the glider swing together....with their balloons!!!

Bathtime fun!!!

Jackson & Kelly playing with Play-Doh after bathtime!

"Take this LITTLE egg, Molly!"

A few days ago, I got out all of our Easter stuff....including the million plastic eggs that we have! Who knew that plastic eggs would be SO MUCH FUN to play with? Kelly has LOVED playing with them the past few days. Anyway, we have one little egg, and Kelly thinks Molly ALWAYS has to hold it!!!

"Take this little egg, Molly!!!"
Molly holding her little egg in her FUN bumbo chair!

Molly Ann - 3 month professional picture

This is Molly's 3 month professional picture that I got taken....and just bought the package. Everyone tells me that I won't keep it equal....and so far I'm proving them wrong! :) Next month....4 month Easter pictures!

Happy Birthday Papa Michael

Today we celebrated Papa Michael's birthday!!! Kelly LOVES celebrating birthdays and thinks EVERYONE needs to blow out candles....and that SHE should help them too! It was a beautiful day. Both girls took a walk with Grandma and Papa while Mommy ran a few errands. Kelly also got to play with sidewalk chalk and blow bubbles too! The weather was beautiful and it turned out to be a really great day!

Kelly & Papa Michael with the birthday cupcakes we made for him.

Kelly helping Papa Michael blow out the candles!

Papa watching Kelly blow bubbles!!!

St. Pat's Parade

Today was the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dyersville. It is normally a really big parade....and this year it was even bigger, since Dubuque decided to cancel it's parade. The parade lasted a FULL hour....with lots of candy and treats for the kids! Kelly had a great time! She loved every aspect of the parade....except the LOUD NOISES! Molly slept through the entire parade. We were able to go to the parade with Grandma and Grandpa Mulgrew, my sister Tami, Eric, and their kids: Peyton, Helena, and Racquel.

Kelly watching a tractor go by.....and waiting for candy too!!!

Kelly's favorite part of the parade....the HORSES! She liked the irish dancers too!

Kelly covering her ears when the fire trucks went by.....she didn't like the LOUD noises!!!

Molly slept through her first parade!
(I forgot a hat for Molly, so she borrowed Big Sister Kelly's hat....which was REALLY big!)

Kelly blowing bubbles waitng for the parade to start.

Helena & Kelly playing on the swingset in our backyard before we walked up to Main Street for the parade.

Go CUBS Go!!!

I realize it's only spring training, but I already have TWO daughters that are Cubs fans!!!! (Especially Kelly....as she sings and dances to the "Go Cubs Go" song and gets her pom-poms out like a little Cubs cheerleader!!!) Since Molly was wearing Kelly's old Cubs sleeper today, I couldn't resist taking some pictures of Molly....and then looking for pictures of Kelly wearing it two years ago too! Here's what I found....

Molly smiling today in her swing!
Kelly smiling a few years ago!

Molly sleeping with her binki today.....I'm not sure if she is going to take a binki or her thumb??? She has taken a binki every once in awhile, but the last two days I have seen her with her thumb in her mouth too!!! Time will tell....

Kelly sucking her thumb a few years ago....she STILL sucks her thumb when she is tired. She sucked her thumb in both ultrasounds before she was born....so she was destined to be a thumb sucker. Someday we will have to break that habit......but we need to get her potty trained first!

Do you think Kelly & Molly look alike???

Molly playing with toys

The past few weeks, Molly has become more alert when she is awake. When she is on the floor, Big Sister Kelly is ready and waiting to give Molly LOTS of toys to hold.

Molly with her Pooh rattle....
....and her grabbaloney.....

...and her inch worm too!

Brice's 4th birthday party

We celebrated Brice's 4th birthday yesterday! All the cousins had fun playing together!

Brice with his Spider-Man cake!

Molly slept through most of the birthday party!

Kelly's favorite toy....Isabella's Barbie laptop computer!!!
(Kelly doesn't even know what Barbie is....but she must have those computer genes in her from her daddy!!!)

Kelly and her cousin Helena playing the drums!

Potty Training UPDATE!!!

I'm sure ALL of you know how I feel about potty training!!!! Last Saturday (2/28), I decided I was going to get Kelly potty trained......as I was going CRAZY!!! I spent all day Saturday and Sunday with Kelly in "big girl underwear". Needless to say, I found out that she went pee-pee around 20-25 times a day!!!! It averaged about every 20-40 minutes. (Since Kelly sleeps around 10 hours at night and takes a 2 hour nap)....she's only awake around 12 hours a day! We had LOTS of accidents and she went pee-pee on the potty around half of the time. Anyways, I thought that she was going to the bathroom WAY TOO MUCH! I decided to call the doctor, as I thought something might be wrong. We have been working on this potty training process on and off for about a year! My motherly GUT INSTINCT was right! The doctor found out that Kelly has a Labial adhesion....which basically means that she never is able to empty her bladder as urine gets caught/trapped behind the adhesion......hence, why she went pee-pee SO MUCH! We have medicine and it should clear up in about 3 weeks. We have a re-check appointment on March 24. I feel terrible that I got SO INCREDIBLY frustrated with Kelly, as I found out it's really not her fault. The doctor told me to take a break from potty training until she is healed. Needless to say, she has gone potty TODAY 5 times already on her own....and only one of those times was her diaper even wet!!!! YEAH, KELLY!!! Hopefully she heals quickly and I can get my daughter potty trained after all!!!!

My parents

My Mom (aka: Grandma Peggy), and Dad (aka: Papa Mike) might not have been the best married couple in the world.....but I'll tell you what.....I think they are up for the BEST Grandparents award! It took me 20+ years to realize that my parents weren't great together as a couple. I had a hard time throughout my life realizing that my divorced parents weren't going to be together. Until kids were involved, it was always wierd and ackward having my parents together (ex: weddings, etc.). Now enter GRANDKIDS!!!! Oh, how things change!!! (AND FOR THE BETTER!!!) Both my Mom, Dad, Jackie, and Michael are all wonderful grandparents! Kelly LOVES all of them and is so excited when we get to go to either of their houses. (They are great with Molly too....but she's still a baby). This week we got to spend some time at both houses....and of course, Kelly was SPOILED! I believe Kelly has all of her grandparents wrapped around her little finger!!! :)

Grandma Peggy & Kelly putting out Snowbunnies at Grandma's house on Sunday 3/8.
Papa Mike and Kelly making dinner together at Papa's house on Wednesday 3/4.

Molly - 3 months old

Molly is 3 months old today!!!!

Building the floor.....

Yesterday was another LONG day working on our house re-modeling project. Brian and my Dad started at 7:30am and finished up around 8:00pm. They got the floor joists in the TV room completed and also did a lot of work in the attic supporting beams, etc. so that we can tear down some more walls.

Dad & Brian working on the floor joists.
The raised floor of the TV room.

Kelly playing in the floor joists!

Kelly had fun walking over all the joists!