Preparing for Baby Rippelmeyer

Not long to go. My sister and brother-in-law are expecting their first baby on April 3rd and we can't wait.

Drew, Owen and Evan are anxiously awaiting the arrival of a new cousin. As for me, I can't wait to watch my baby sister become a mother. Few experiences in life can measure up to the reward that parenthood provides and I'm so happy for the adventures they are about to embark on. But I'm also aggravated with her. How come Karen gets to look so cute pregnant? Seriously?????












We showered Karen and TJ and had a great time. I think that baby Rippelmeyer's room is ready to rock and roll.































TJ is ready for this 'Daddy thing.'









We played only one game at the shower. It was called, "My water broke!" The mastermind behind this game was my cousin Shannon who purchased 50 small babies and froze them in ice cubes. Everyone was given an ice cube and was told to yell out loud, "My water broke!" when their cube melted. It was hilarious.







And here is one proud Grandma. Awaiting more happy news.

Valentine's Day, Sesame Street Live and Monster Trucks

The title says it all.

We handmade our Valentines this year. The project went well if it weren't for Drew and Owen's incessant need to eat all of the candy instead of putting in on the cards!



We took the boys to Sesame Street Live in January. Unfortunately, Drew got a fever a few days before the show so he had to stay at home with Grandma Patti and Grandpa Dave, but Owen and Evan had a good time. Fortunately, we were invited by some work friends so we got to watch the show from box seats (and also got invited to a VIP "meet and greet" with the characters). This was great. The box seats allowed us to let the kids move around if they needed to which made for an enjoyable time for everyone. I'm not quite sure how the families on the floor pulled it off. Seems to me that if the kids are still interested in Sesame Street, they are pretty little. And if they are pretty little, it is highly unlikely that they will find it appealing to sit through 2 long halves of Elmo's World . . . .

Note that Owen was too scared to sit on Elmo's lap so Evan showed his big brother the way!



As a reward for good behavior, Dan took Drew to see the Monster Truck Show in St. Louis. Supposedly.

Supposedly what, you ask? Supposedly, Drew actually had good behavior? . . . no, not our Drew . . .it couldn't be. Or supposedly Dan only went as a reward for Drew? . . . no, we all know better . . . Dan couldn't wait to cheer on his favorite monster trucks himself!









And I'll leave you with this sweet picture. Dan and two of his boys decked out in Cowboy gear. It was taken this summer and I noticed that I never blogged about our chance to meet two of the actual Cowboy players in STL (sorry, don't even remember these players' names) . . . .

One Year Old = Big Boy

My baby Evan is ONE. One???!!! I can hardly believe it. My infant baby Evan is walking around like no one's business, is exploding with personality and characteristcs that are uniquely his own, and is already standing his ground in matters where two older brothers and toys are concerned. My baby boy is turning into a toddler and the passage of his baby days makes me sad. There is nothing in the world like having babies to remind you of the preciousness of ordinary life. Every day I am overwhelmed by the desire to capture the flood of moments that could very well pass us by unnoticed if I let them. Before kids, I never used to think much of the past, but having children has made me much more wistful about the passage of time and has given me absolute reason to live fully and thankfully in the present. A quote that I came across recently has resonated with me: "There are times in the lives of most of us when we would have given all the world to be as we were but yesterday, though that yesterday had passed over us unappreciated and unenjoyed."

As you are aware, I am a 'wanna-be' photographer. In the photos below, I have attempted to capture the smiles and the sweet essence of my baby Evan. So while he will continue to grow at the speed of light and the days will pass me by, I will have my treasured photos to transport me back to a day just like today when he stood at my feet with his arms outstretched urging me to hold him, when he sat by himself and giggled hysterically at nothing, when he loved to aggrevate his brothers by hiding their toys, when he practicially jumped out of arms at the sight of 'Gerber Puffs' . . .



































I would be remiss in my documentation of Evan's baby days without drawing attention to his signature position . . . ouchie, if you ask me, . . .