Reading Time

Tonight Cherilyn read some books to Sydney, and she loved it.  Not neccesarily the reading part, but the part where she could put a colorful object into her mouth.  That is her new hobby.  Today it was Owlivia, Bunny FuFu, a monkey on rings, and she valiantly attempted multiple times to put her under the sea fish in her mouth as well. 

My favorite things

I've been thinking about doing this for awhile now.  I hope I'm not infringing upon Beth's copyright but this is pretty much a rip off of her "Things I Love" posts.  In honor of one of my favorite events of all-time.  That would be Kansas losing in a huge upset in the NCAA tournament.  This is the second year in a row too.  A huge thanks go out to VCU and UNI.  You guys are awesome and I will always cheer for you, unless of course you play Texas.  Anyway here are some of my favorite things about Mannying so far.

• Having Sydney fall asleep on her belly while she is lying on my chest.  She's so cuddly.
• Her huge smile when I come into her room in the morning
• When Sydney is sleeping sometimes I see her flailing her legs violently.  So I get up to help calm her down when suddenly I hear a huge fart.  Then when I go look at her lying in her pack and play she is sound asleep again.
• Today she started getting angry after a short while napping.  I went to heat up a bottle and then back to her room to change her.  By the time I went down stairs and back up again she had found her thumb and had soothed herself back to sleep.  This is the first time she has done this and I hope it continues.

Thawing out

So after all the rain freezing and then 5 inches of snow yesterday it all went away again today.  This morning was pretty cool though.  It was still way too cold to be melting, but the sun was out when I took Odin out this morning.  It sounded like there was running water everywhere but I couldn't see anything but ice.  I went to the middle of the intersection and it sounded like the water was all around me.  It turns out that it was the ice cracking as the sun started to thaw it out.  There was so much ice everywhere cracking all at once that it sounded like I was next to river rapids.  Pretty cool.  Not too much else today.  Chris borrowed the camera so I don't have any pictures but I assure you Sydney was very cute as always.  We are watching the sweet sixteen and eating spaghetti casserole.  I was cheering for San Diego State but one of their players just got a T for pushing over a Uconn player for no reason during a timeout.  So now I think I'll cheer for Uconn.  Since Texas is out I'm hoping for a Richmond/Marquette final.  Here's hoping.

4 Months Old

Today Sydney is 4 months old.  We were going to celebrate with a stroller walk outside, but someone decided to ask for more snow today.  That someone being the horrible excuse for a human being Nik Wachter.  Yes Nik, you are a poopy face.  So since it snowed 5 inches today Sydney and I hung out inside and played with Odin and Owlivia.  Now I apologize to Jim and Beth for the offensive picture below, but when Texas lost to Iowa State in football I lost a bet and a little bit of myself.  Here is the happy 4 month old.

Tonight for dinner I made a surprisingly easy meal.  I marinated chicken in Caesar dressing and then grilled it up.  I also made a delicious and easy Strawberry Spring Salad.  Spring mix, walnuts, strawberries, and blue cheese.  Then the dressing was 1/4 cup italian dressing, tablespoon honey, tablespoon soy sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil.  It was great and very easy.  Give it a try.  I'd show you a picture but all that was left was this.

More Snow?!?!!

I didn't think it was possible, but it is snowing again today.  I thought spring was here......but no.  Hopefully Sydney and I will be taking a trip to the store later today.  But right now it looks like it did on the day when Sydney got baptized.  Good Luck out there today everybody.

Gloria Dei

We just joined a Gloria Dei this weekend.  For the last month we've been going to new member meetings and today we were welcomed at the service.  It was the perfect excuse for Sydney to wear her pretty red dress.  Today Texas lost as well, so I came home depressed and despondent, but Sydney greeted me and helped make me feel better.  Now if somehow Kansas loses all will be right with the world.

Texas Vs. Oakland

It's currently a commercial during the Texas/Oakland march madness game.  I just needed to comment that this has been the hardest half hour of Mannying so far.  Not because Sydney is being difficult.  She is sound asleep.  I have wanted to scream at the TV so many times during this game, but I have had to hold it all in because of my sleepy Sydney.  Just a sec....GET A REBOUND!!!...ok I'm back.  Texas is up 5 and I won't be calm until they have won or are up by 50.AHHH WHAT WAS THAT!!!!   Sorry back again.  I better just get back to watching otherwise I might aggressively type too hard and break the keyboard.  Hook 'em!

How can she sleep through all this excitement

Spring Break

This weekend officially started spring break for the teachers up here.  Even though I'm not currently teaching I still feel a sense of extra relaxation.  We had a nice long relaxing weekend with the Sydinator.  Cherilyn put together her jumperoo.  She's not quite big enough to jump in it yet, but we put a box under her feet and she enjoys playing with the toys.  Her neck is finally starting to be strong enough to not fall over after 3 seconds.

The jumperoo makes everybody sleepy

On Sunday Aunt Sarah and Uncle Nathan came over for a visit on their way back to Decorah.  It also happened to be Odin's birthday, and this was probably the best present Odin could receive.  He loves Nathan and his farmerly roughhousing.

Yesterday Sydney was pretty cranky and wouldn't let me put her down for any pictures.  Today though she was very happy and was cheesin it up for the camera.

Baptism Weekend

The Baptism photos have arrived.  We had a great time with family and friends 3 weekends ago.  The blizzard made sure that everyone stayed overnight, but it was fun.  Here are pictures galore courtesy of Wachtography.

Cue the Lion King music!  I must have a thing for Disney music that I didn't realize.

Cherilyn says that Sydney and I both have Nana's fingers

The Blizzard arrives

Somehow these two strapping young men couldn't dig out the cars

Sydney loves the company