3 months old

Rocking a Little Sis shirt and her Babylegs

Sweet Josephine is now 3 months old! Which is ludicrous! My life is in warp speed and I need my kids to stop growing up so fast.

Anyway, here are some facts about Miss Josie:

• She's a happy girl. She smiles and coos...and absolutely LOVES when people talk to her.
• She eats well. Eating - NEVER an issue for this little girl. I don't want to give her a complex at such a young age...so I will stop calling her "chunky/chunks" and I will start referring to her as "healthy." 
• Josie is a "professional" when it comes to being a baby. She has been "sleeping through the night" since she was a month old. No joke - every night at 7ish she starts fussing and getting annoyed with me. She wants to eat. Once she has eaten she wants her diaper changed and then - wrap her up like a burrito and she's OUT by 8PM. I honestly have NO idea how she became this way, but I'll take it. She eats again around 11/11:30PM and then she sleeps until 8AM. Considering it took me THREE and a HALF hours to get myself and two children out of the house today...you can understand my surprise that my daughter is punctual.
• Josie loves her brother. I love watching her, watch Jack. She follows his voice and his rapid movements...and gives him a big ol' smile when he actually takes a second to acknowledge her. It's cute.

So that's the latest on our "healthy" little girl! We love her to pieces and are so thankful she's part of our family.

Fearless

Yesterday was a sunny day in Winona Lake...cold, but still sunny. Sunny is good! So I decided that I would put my parents' tax dollar to use and take Jack to the Winona Lake Park. Despite the cold temperatures, he had a great time and wore himself out!

Climbing and sliding - I'm a big believer in "active play." That may sound redundant, but it's possible for kids to play without being active.

Josie was all bundled up and toasty warm. She wasn't into playing at the park. See her pouty lip?

I went to give Josie her paci and turned around to find my son at the top of this slide. He's fast. At first my heart dropped to my stomach...but I let him come down on his own. He flew off the end head first...stood up, brushed himself off, and climbed up again. Lord help me.

Babylegs ALERT!

As you may recall from Jack's infancy - I am a BIG fan of Babylegs! GOOD NEWS!! They are having a sale! Almost ALL of their Babylegs are $4 and they have $4 shipping. So Josie just got 3 new pairs!

Trust me when I say this - your children/grandchildren/friend's children will thank you when they are crawling! Especially for summer crawlers, like Josie... 

And here's an added bonus - they are THE BEST for diaper changes! They are rarely casualties during "blowouts." And considering Josie went through three outfits of her own today - you can understand why I think Babylegs are a BONUS during blowouts!

So head over HERE and get'cha some... The SALE ends TODAY!

A Mother's Prayer for her Daughter

My friend, Camille, had this on Facebook today and it's too funny not to share! I love Tina Fey! Her book, Bossypants, has been on my list of books to read for a while now.

This "prayer" is hilarious. Click here to read it!

**It does contain some language that may be offensive to some... And also, if this "language" offends you, never ride in the car with me.

Chairs

 I bought this rocking chair at a Used Furniture store in Fort Wayne. It's going in Josie's new room... eventually... but for now, in true toddler fashion, Jack has laid claim to it.

He thinks it's his "office" chair. "Do work, son." (Rob Dydrek)

Josie says it's okay that Jack is "borrowing" her rocker...because for now, she is enjoying her "Lazy Girl" recliner.

It's at the perfect angle to watch her favorite show - the ceiling fan set at it's lowest speed.

Jos Jos

Jos Jos is getting big...like really big. She'll be 3 months old in just a few short days, but she's well on her way to wearing 6 month clothes.

Yesterday, Jack helped me give her another bath. I was amazed at how much she adores him. She watched him the entire time and followed him with her eyes when he moved (so, as you can imagine, she got a good neck workout). After a few minutes of watching her big brother and listening to him jabber - she gave him a HUGE smile. Melted me. I said, "Jack, Josie loves you." His reply? "Yes." and he patted her on the head as he nodded.

Not quite the response I was looking for...but, at least he didn't hit her.

Things I Love

My friend, Brooke, has done a list of 5 things she loves each day this month.  Today is the 2nd anniversary of her Dad's passing...and in his honor, I'm joining her in remembering the "little things" I love.

FUN:
1. dipping my DOUBLE stuf Oreos in water (if I'm being honest, I actually just stick them under the faucet for a second or two)   try it before you knock it...it's GOOD!
2. finding money in my pocket (rare, since I never have cash)
3. when both of my kids nap at the same time
4. squishy french fries and soggy cereal
5. babies with "rubber-band" arms & legs (aka: chunky babies)

SERIOUS:
1. watching my husband as a dad & seeing my brothers as uncles

2. looking at pictures - old & new

3. grandparents - my own and my children's - knowing my grandparents and our parents (Tyson's & mine) can see my children grow up is priceless 

4. creative outlets 

5. the freedom and ability to continue learning throughout my life

Thank you, Brooke, for your inspirational lists! In honor of your Dad, I hope my blog readers will share some of the things they love, as well.

What do you love?

Need help posting? Click HERE. (thanks, Brooke, for this helpful post, too)

Name That Becker Baby

Take a look and decide - Which is which? Cast your vote.

So true.

My name is Kady and I'm addicted to Target. Just ask my husband - who does not enjoy seeing random charges from my "quick" trips for diapers. Since Warsaw doesn't have a Target, my spending has been significantly less in the last few months. Tyson is happy.

Good news - our new house is just a short drive away from a brand new Target (with those over-sized plastic carts so you can buy more sh*# than you need)! Tyson isn't happy.

Inspection Day

It's inspection day at 1502 Sweet Flag Cove. Let's all cross our fingers for a "clean bill of health." Our friend, Cliff - the inspector - will be going through the house...and we'll be following him around pretending we know what he's looking at...when in reality, we have no clue.

In other moving news - 416 is cleared out. All of our stuff will wait in storage until we can move into the new place. We officially "closed" with the Relocation Company effective yesterday. They will close with the new owner on March 12th. Then we will (hopefully) close on our new house March 14th. It's a housing domino effect...

Happy Friday everyone!

Friday Flashback

Flashing back to a Christmas during the "Blue Glasses Era." Such a time really existed and is often referenced by myself and/or family members.

For example:
Brother: "When did Dad have his red Stealth?"
Kady: "Oh, we were young...it was definitely during the Blue Glasses Era."

See - it's epic. And for the record, laugh all you want, but this style & color are popular again. So there.

Can you tell I was super excited about the basketball card? #50 - Spurs. Name that player...and go...

Jack's Stats - 2 years old (plus two months)

So Jack finally got into his new pediatrician for his 24 month well-ness visit. I'm a little late with that - but I'm sure you can understand why. I felt lucky to snag this appointment, because the next available appointment (for a new patient) was close to JUNE!

Jack is fairly normal in size. He's 34 inches tall and 28 pounds.  Comparing him to other boys his age - he's 30% for height and 50% for weight.  Not too shabby. However, I think it's safe to assume he won't be the next Cody Zeller...

We won't have to take him back for a well-ness visit until he's 3! Who's taking bets? Think we can make it that long without seeing the doctor again??

Pinheads

Last night before Tyson got home from work - Jack found a new book to read. His book of choice? Bill O'Reilly's Pinheads and Patriots (BARF!). I liken this to him playing with scissors. It was dangerous and unacceptable. The only books worse may be those written by Glenn Beck or Sarah Palin. We won't get too political - for now, we'll stick with Richard Scarry books. (Busytown author)

 I think he was attempting to de-face the cover with his Magna-Doodle pen.

Josie looked like a fun-fetti cupcake yesterday. So cute I could eat her up...

F-

Dear Kady,
You get an F- in blogging...
Love,
Your friends & family

Dear friends & family,
I know, I know.
My apologies,
Kady

Jack was sporting one of Toy Story shirts. This one was a Big Brother gift from his buddies Maddox and Jace. He loves Buzz and "Hat" (Woody). Actually, in this picture he was trying to convince me to let him watch "Hat." The series of pictures after this show him getting progressively more mad at me. We'll keep those hidden for now.

How cute are these chunky cheeks?? Josie is a fan of anyone willing to stop and have a chat with her. I can tell she wishes she could say something back. But, for now, her big grin is pretty great. We'll keep her.

More Exciting News!!!

Sorry for being M.I.A.  We had a busy weekend filled with house-hunting...which eventually led to house BUYING. Yes, we found a house! Actually, the perfect house. I walked in the front door and knew that it was THE one. I had that same feeling when we bought our house in Royal Oak - I stood at the front door and said, "This is it."

Here is a little info on the new Casa de Becker:

• Located in Bridgewater (for non-Fort Wayners, it's a large, family friendly neighborhood)
• Located at the end of a cul-de-sac and on a pond
• It has a fenced in backyard that features an in-ground pool, hot tub, fire pit, and playset (or endless entertainment)
• 5 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, finished basement with a large living space and a playroom (praise Jesus!)
• First floor master with a master bath - and HEATED floors (spoiled!)

Basically this house has every single thing we wanted or could have wanted. We considered building, but I know now that we wouldn't have been able to build a house like this. We feel lucky and blessed...and excited to move in!

We hope we get LOTS of visitors!

(Also - for the worriers out there or my insurance agents - the trampoline is not staying and the fence has a "chicken wire-type" fencing from top to bottom, which will keep all children and pets contained)

Valentine's Day

Here are a few pictures from Valentine's Day. Jack wore his seriously-too-cute-for-words red & white striped overalls from his Aunt Gina & Uncle Joe. They will be staples on IU game days...but I thought the should be debuted on the Day of Love. I'm serious. Aren't they the cutest??

Checking out his Valentine's and his treats from friends.

Trying to convince me that he should get these fruit snacks before lunch. It was a holiday. I gave in.

Josie thought Valentine's Day was okay - but she can't wait until next year when she gets goodies of her own.

Happy Wine Day, Winos!

My friend Kat recently made a blog post informing her readers that today is National Wine Day! I didn't know such a day existed and I'm disappointed it has taken me 9 years to learn this (I could drink at 21, I'm 30 now...simple math). What a special occasion!

And just so we're clear...

(That's Illinois coach - Bruce Weber, for my
non-basketball-following friends)

To celebrate - I shall share some of my favorite wines.

Oliver Winery - in Bloomington, IN
While Tyson was getting his MBA - we frequented Oliver Winery a few times. Right before we moved to Michigan we did a wine tasting with some of our friends. Tyson (<---not a wino) enjoyed the Soft Rosé. (seriously, he did) I believe it was a step up from his usual Bud Light. I, Kady, (<---wino) enjoyed the Moscato.

Cupcake Winery - California
Okay, so if you mix together two of my favorite things - Cupcakes & Wine, you get this delectable bottle'o'heaven. It's called Red Velvet and it's delicious.  I was introduced to it by my friend, Sarah. And after Josie was born - I went out and bought myself a bottle (or two). Big fan!

Chateau Grand Traverse - Traverse City, MI

If you like Riesling - they make a good one! I'm sure their other wines are great, too...but I tend to stick with their Riesling.

Forty Five North - Lake Leelanau, MI

Finally - a family favorite - 45 North. The winery is located in northern Michigan, but the owner is a family friend (and fellow DePauw Grad) here in Warsaw. They also make a spectacular Riesling and a great Cabernet, too. But, honestly, I will drink any wine made by 45 North. Get'cha some!

Since I was pregnant for 85% of my time in Michigan, I didn't have a chance to visit any of the great wineries the Mitten has to offer. I guess this means I need to plan a ROAD TRIP! Who's coming?

What are your favorite wines? I always enjoy trying something new.

iPad

Jack and Josie spent some time hanging out together today before Jack went off to school. Yes, Toy Story 2 may have been playing on the TV, but Jack has this new "I'm ignoring you, MOM" thing going on. And it really only happens when I want him to look at the camera. As you can see, Josie was really bored...

Until Jack shared his iPad with her! Then she perked right up. Colors, lights, SOUNDS!

The app they were looking at is one of our absolute favorites - Sound Touch! Jack has been using it for over a year now. It has six different pages of "things" - pets, wild animals, birds, modes of transportation, musical instruments, and household items. At first we would touch different animals for him and say the name - a real picture of that animal would pop up and it would make the animal sound. Now he likes to find things himself. For example, I may say, "Where is the bus?" and he will find it.   The cool thing is that the app rotates different pictures of each "thing". So, for example, when he touches a bear - he may see a grizzly bear, a polar bear, or a panda. Educational!

Happy Friday!

416 - you're popular

We are SO excited to finally be able to share that our house SOLD! It was on the market a whopping 10 days when we received TWO offers! We agreed on a price with the buyer a week ago Friday, but have been waiting for the inspection to be completed. The movers will come next Wednesday and Thursday. We'll be putting our belongings in storage until we can find a new home in Fort Wayne.

I guess St. Joseph wasn't needed after all.  We will most definitely miss our beloved 416, but we know the new owners will love her just as much as we did! And - if I may add - they are getting some pretty kick ass neighbors - Sydney & family.

We can't wait to embark on the next stage of the move and settle into a new home!

PS: Royal Oak friends - if you're ever looking for a realtor, let us know! We have been SO happy with ours - for obvious reasons! :)

Will you be my Valentine?

Today is Jack's Valentine's Day party at school. It's not really his day to attend, but we are going...because who wants to miss the PARTY? I decided to use Pinterest to find some inspiration for Jack's valentines this year. I found this cute little number and added my own touch.

Of course, we added Swedish fish to them. They are Jack's absolute favorite treat, but we NEVER use them to bribe him. Okay, that's a lie. Swedish fish are amazing and Jack will do almost anything to get one. They are on the short list of "potty treats" when we reach that stage...which we have not...so don't ask. Jack has zero interest in using the potty and actually gets mad at me for suggesting it. NOT READY!

Anyway, enough about fish and bathroom habits. HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! We love all of you!

XOXOXO,

Helpful Jack

Jack helped me give Josie a bath yesterday. He liked using the washcloth to clean her big belly.  He also liked pouring water over her face. That wasn't exactly the pleasant bathing experience Josie usually enjoys.  She was happy to have survived the ordeal and has requested that Jack not be allowed to help with baths any more.

Guess who is home...

Daddy!!! Jack was a lot more excited than the picture shows.

Friday Flashback

Flashing back to my toddler days on a sweet little ride I named Patti. That's right, I named my pink bike, Patti. I still have her somewhere in my parents' basement. Jack's hoping I find her, so he can cruise around on her. She was preeeeety sweet!

PS: Like my hair?? Remind you of anyone??

Blue Eyes

Josie's eyes are a much darker blue than Jack's....but there is no denying they're blue. If she is anything like her mommy - she'll cringe every time she hears the song "Brown Eyed Girl." It's a great song, just not applicable.

Jack is sporting some flushed cheeks thanks to a fever. Poor buddy.

Everyone is excited for Tyson and Uncle Jon to get home this weekend! Happy Friday!

Jack Ornery Becker

Okay, aside from the runny nose...does that look like the face of a sick child? I didn't think so either. I think we should have named him Jack Ornery Becker.