Upon returning from a day at work for me and a day at the sitter's for Genevieve, we gratefully savored (moreover devoured) a dinner our sitters blessed us with.  It being a day Mike would be working later, Genevieve and I were able to dive right in, needing not to practice any patients.  Thank you, Steffensmeiers!

Once the table was cleared, she and I found ourselves parked on the floor, playing baby dolls.  Her newly named doll, Jet, began by "nursing" and was soon stripped down for a "bath".  Genevieve initially wanted Jet to take a shower, but she learned this evening that babies don't shower.  I had a strong suspicion that she'd want to actually shower the doll in the tub.

Before too long, Genevieve wanted to see our baby (aka baby belly on me).  At home, that usually means snuggling up to my bare belly.  Genevieve began singing, "I will sing of mercies of Lord forever. I will sing. I will sing.  I will sing of mercies of Lord forever.  I will sing. I will sing."  This just melts my heart. Of all the songs of God's goodness, this is one I haven't taught her.  It seems Ms. 'Suzie' (our sitter's mother, whose name is really Karen) sings this beautiful love song to her.  Thank you, God. A wonderful evening together...

Good news.

A break had been taken from this new blog, in efforts to keep our exciting news quiet for a short while...what, with the couple people reading and all ;) News has been out for a while now...

The Fulks are welcoming a baby in September! Genevieve her typical "almost two" about it all. She's loving kissing, hugging, singing to, and "holding" the baby/tummy. She is also showing signs of being the BIG sister with occasional antagonizing, as if she really understands this all. A little push here and a little pinch there. With baby #1 being as strong willed and confident as she is, I suspect that this baby #2 will follow suit...will NEED to. And, if that's the case, maybe baby #2 will come 4 days early too...

This pregnancy has been fairly predictable. Same queasiness and tiredness all day long. Strongly irritated by various smells. Being 14 weeks along now, I'm feeling good though. This new peanut has decided to pop out and show quite a bit sooner. Early into the maternity clothes!

With our exciting news, Mike and I ramped up the house searching. We placed an offer...then a counter offer on a foreclosed home, but did not bid the highest. Around the corner, we found a house that is move in ready (smaller yard but overall in much better condition). Same day of our offer, it was accepted! We are within a month's time of closing/moving...and very excited, nonetheless. What's grown to become our closest friends, will certainly be missed as neighbors, but I have utter confidence that our small efforts will keep us close. We love you, Ices!

Genevieve's quote of the weekend: Mike asked Genevieve, "Will you love your baby brother (gender still unknown)?"

Genevieve: "Um, yes."

Mike: "Even if he steals your toys?"

Genevieve: "Um...Maybe not. Maybe not"

Wonderful Winter Day

Winter has finally arrived with some welcome from us. Monday, Genevieve and I joined our good friend, Kim, and her children (no school for the kids!) playing outside. The wet snow made for a quick job rolling the snowman. As much as I tried to get Genevieve involved in making 'our' snowman, she was much more interested in eating snow with Kate...

After many trips down the hill sledding with Kate, Genevieve was very happy, but wiped.

So, we made our way back inside. Without any prompting, our 20 month old girl began requesting hot chocolate. Somehow, she just knew that is what you do when you come in from play in the snow. I made her some 'hot' chocolate and let her enjoy it while prepping her lunch. Boy, she loved it!

Upon waking up from her nap, Genevieve was quick to dive her fingers into the fresh bread cooling from the oven. "Warm bread. Warm bread!" Yes, we love it just as much, Genevieve.

How we Wire them

Mike worked at a Home Show this afternoon. Upon returning home, Genevieve gave him the usual grand welcome that involves yelling something like this.

"Daddy home! Hi daddy! Hi Daddy!"

Once settled in and our Skyping session with Grammy and Papa was over, the Sunday evening easy dinner of enchiladas were served around Genevieve's 'princess table'...in front of the football game. Yes, Sunday evenings we make some compromises. Genevieve, thinking only of her father, must have been thinking of her father and pulled up a 'princess chair' for daddy to sit on. Well, let's say momma's tush can't fit on that so, daddy remained on the couch.

Once dinner was finished, Genevieve began pulling apart her basket of baby dolls and accessories, climbed up on the couch and began caring for her doll. Out of nowhere, Genevieve said,

"Daddy football" (aka daddy's game of football), and began yelling, "Go Packers! Go Packer!"

Despite my heart for Chicago, the moment was too sweet, so Mike and I joined in on cheering for the Packers...certainly not in the playoffs anymore :) So, it's the Packers for football. Baseball- she'll learn to love the Cubbies.

To leave some things to wonder

As Genevieve, Mike and I head out to sled in the yard and eat lots of fresh snow (Genevieve's favorite), I count it a blessing that Genevieve has been able to play outside with Macie, go for a couple warm walks and roll around in the snow...all within two days. You can always count on the midwest for that.

This morning, Genevieve and I went to Barnes and Noble. She had a blast touching everything. With a little reminder of "one finger", she does a decent job of listening. And then there's the lego table that the salesman led her to...away from the sale book section I was looking through. I don't think he has a toddler to know the difficulty of quietly leaving such enticement. Nor the foreknowledge that leaving a toddler out of sight is not just asking for trouble, but unsafe. So, my time was done looking at books and I took great joy in playing legos with Genevieve. 19 months and she already has an imagination. The simple legos turned into trains. Bliss.

As sushi awaits Mike and I on our date I notice the bits and pieces of toys around our living room...and dining area. Thankfully, our dear friend's the Ice's know we are human, and my anxiety about a perfectly clean home is reduced with the thought of them caring for her at our humble home.

A New Year's Begun

As the ticking of the clock reminds me of the short remainder of time the babe shall be sleeping, I'm yet again starting something else, not quite sure what I'm getting myself into. It's a family blog.

The beginning of the year brings people a sense of freedom to start things over, start new things, and create great anticipation for the coming months. For our family, much of our new year excitement comes in getting back on course post holiday, post hunting...and post vacation.

This morning before church, as the ice fishing show play in the background, Genevieve grabbed her purse (compliments of Auntie Sarah), threw it over her shoulder, walked up to me and said (with a wave), "Bye Mommy!"

I stated, "Bye! Where are you going?"

Genevieve's reply was, "Umm. Umm. Mexico!"

She walked off into the kitchen, walked back and proceeded to put on her bracelets, necklaces and started calling Babcia (my mother) on the phone.

With great joy, Mike and I welcome this new year with gratitude in our hearts for how we've been blessed.