The Koopmans

Wordless Wednesday- Pictures from the Week of 2/1/12

2012-02-01T11:46:00.000-08:00

Look who is coming...June 2012!

2012-01-21T18:02:00.000-08:00

We were excited to see the first glimspes of our Baby due June 8, 2012. What a blessing! We did not find out what we are having...it will be a surprise!

Christmas Vacation Highlights 2011

2011-12-30T11:57:00.000-08:00

We had a great time over Christmas break. We had alot of parties and presents. We enjoyed being home as a family and getting together with family. Here are some pictures of the last couple of weeks.

Levi and Maci got into Vaseline when I was working and Ryan was in the kitchen.. this is the 11th hair washing with cornstarch to trying to remove it.

Grandpa and Grandma Roedema took us to Meijer Gardens to see the train and Christmas Tree and then out to dinner.

Maci's reaction to Santa aka Uncle Casey

and Levi after warming up to him

Roedema Christmas party singing Happy Birthday to Jesus

Maci in her Tutu made by Grandma Koopmans. She loved to dance in it.

Riding the new 'lil Red' in the front yard. Both the kids love it. Maci says go-go when she wants a ride. Levi likes to go in the sled behind when there is snow.

We took Levi ice skating for the first time. Maci and I watched and had snacks in the concession area. Levi got frustrated that he could not do it right away. He told us that he wants to keep trying.

We had our little family Christmas on Christmas Eve morning since I had to work on Christmas. Levi was really into Santa this year, we put reindeer food out the night before.

One day while I was working Daddy took Levi and Maci out for pizza and to Chucke Cheese. What a fun time to spend with their dad!

12-12-11 Bath Time

2011-12-13T12:08:00.000-08:00

Maci 16 months, Levi 3 .5 years.

Our 2011 Christmas Tree

2011-11-28T10:37:00.000-08:00

This past Saturday it was so mild outside we thought it would be a good day to get our Christmas tree so the kids would not get so cold. We had a good time and we went to the same tree farm as last year. It is Bosch's Tree Farm in Allendale. It did not take us long to find "the one" for this year. Levi helped Daddy cut it down and Levi and Maci liked riding in the sled. We went inside and saw Santa, although both kids were too frightened to sit by him. They did like seeing the baby chicks. We had some hot chocolate and dounuts and sat outside by the fire. We were home before all the rain came and Levi loved helping decorate the tree and putting the star on top.

Fall Things...

2011-11-01T10:35:00.000-07:00

Fall Picture up at Half Moon Lake

Bob the Builder ride at the Pumpkin Patch

Grandpa R and Levi and Alexa at the farm

A Orange Truck! at the Pumpkin Patch

The Cousins at Grandma and Grandpa Roedemas for pizza then Trunk or Treat at church.

A visit to the pumpkin patch and Trick or Treat what more could we ask for. Levi was Tow Mater from the movie CARS and loved Halloween this year. He actually went up to the houses this year and said Trick or Treat. He did get a little scared of some of the older kids costumes. He got a ton of candy. We have to hide it and ration it otherwise he gets a little carried away. Maci was a giraffe and loved eating tootise pops this year. She pointed to all the kids and said...ooohh.

Levi Goes to the Dentist

2011-10-27T11:22:00.000-07:00

Today was a "brave" day for Levi. He has been using that word alot lately and said he was brave today when he went to the dentist for the first time. We have been preparing him for awhile now about going there by reading books and talking about it. He was scared at first but like going in the rocketship chair, wearing the sunglasses when the bright light came on, and meeting Oliver with his big teeth and toothbrush. He opend his mouth like an alligator and got all this teeth counted. He choose chocolate for his favor for the cleaning. He got xrays too and everything looks good, no cavities! He got to pick out some prizes afterward too. He does have one tooth that got hit this summer that is going to have to be watched for decay but other than that a great appt!

Maci Jean One Year Photos...

2011-10-20T11:35:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago with the help of Grandma Roedema I took some pictures of Maci. Here are some of the many pictues that we took that morning.

Fav Pictures of the Week

2011-09-13T11:26:00.000-07:00

Maci - 9/12/11

Levi - 9/12/11

Kite Flying on A Sunday Afternoon

2011-09-13T11:18:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed the last day before Ryan went back to school. We relaxed at home it was a beautiful day for a walk to the park to fly our kite.

Maci's One Year Parties

2011-09-04T12:42:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Maci Jean!

Cousins=Chaos Here

Helping Daddy put together her stroller

I AM ONE YEAR OLD!

A little scared of the flame...

Cousins= Chaos There

Maci had two parties to celebrate her first birthday. She enjoyed both parties with the Roedema side and Koopmans side. She got alot of nice presents from her Grandpa and Grandmas and her aunts and uncles and cousins. At both parties she ate a cupcake with icecream and Levi helped open her presents and blow out her candle.

Meijer Gardens

2011-09-04T12:08:00.000-07:00

Snack Time

Pumping Water at the Old Farm

So happy to play "boats"

We had a fun morning with Grandma Roedema, Allison and Katelyn at The Gardens. The kids loved playing with the boats, walking the trails and running around. The weather was so nice that we had a picnic lunch afterwards.

Double Take

2011-08-25T19:06:00.000-07:00

I had one of those moments today where a was taking picture of Maci and she reminded me so much of Levi...I had to find the picture of him and compare....

Maci Jean is One Year Old 8/25/11

2011-08-25T18:59:00.000-07:00

Last year we welcomed a red haired baby girl into our family. What a blessing she has been. What a fast year too! Maci went to the doctor for her one year check up today..I know what was I thinking...I was thinking that Ryan would be home to help with the shots and blood draw for Maci. What a helpful Dadda he was today. Maci is now 31.5 inches tall and 23lbs and 6oz for weight. 99 percent for height and 85 for weight. She screamed with the pokes(Ryan held her) and then wanted to hold her blankie and drink her water. We went down to the lab and Ryan held her tight while they found a vein and they got it on one poke. She took 2 good naps this afternoon. Levi spent the morning at Grandma Roedemas house and they were busy making a banana bread cake for Maci...decorated of course by Levi. He put alot of candles on it! Maci will have two parties coming up in the next couple of weeks one with each side of the family.We did give her a kitchen set that I got a garage sale for 5 bucks..she loved opening and closing the cupboards.
A few things Maci has been up to...
pointing at what she wants
walking behind her walker, furniture or shopping cart
babbling a lot..says hot, wow, mama, ot oh, "oof oof for doggies, ni ni-night night
loves reading books, playing with her brushes and braclets, chasing levi around
riding in her crazy coupe, or bike trailer or just being outside, will stand at the screen door and bang on it till she is outside...eating alot, and now no more bottles...sippy cups for everything..i had a hard time packing away the bottles for Levi too....usually taking one nap in the afternoon and waking up around 715 in the morning.

Love the frosting on her lips..

A Few Days At Big Star Lake

2011-08-17T18:14:00.000-07:00

Last week between working we headed up to Big Star for a few days. We had a fun and busy time doing a lot of things...riding the "nycle", swimming, riding the boat, having a campfire, eating ice cream, geocaching and spending time with friends and family.

Crystal Moutain Resort 2011

2011-08-07T16:49:00.000-07:00

Empire Bluff Trail

Grandma Reading to Maci and Alexa

Levi and Katelyn

Bestie Lighthouse Beach with Maci

Waterballon Bombs

Roedema Family 2011

We had a great time last week up north at Crystal Moutain Resort. We stayed longer than before and were able to do things as a whole "Roedema group", as couples, as families and as indiviuals. Ryan and I went kayaking for a day and had alot of fun just relaxing and enjoying the sun. As a family, we took a ride one afternoon to the Bestie Point Lighthouse and out for dinner to the Cabbage Shed( a recommedation of someone on the beach). We also went on the Empire Bluff Trail for a morning and to a beach in Empire, MI. We spent time at the pool and the waterpark. The cousins played together well and they had fun playing waterballons, t ball, bubbles and finding the fake snakes and turtles that Grandma hide outside the condo. Levi loved riding the Crystal Clipper chair lift to the top of the moutain where he got his facepainted and they had a live band. Ryan took Levi on the Alpine Slide, which is a "bobsled" type slide down the moutain. They went down twice the second time a little faster then the first, Ryan got pretty scraped up trying not to let the sled tip. The kids also liked playing in the playhouse that they had in the resort while us moms and grandma watched and had coffee. One night, the girls went out for appetizers and drinks( I loved my martini), at the resort, while the guys took care of putting all the kids to bed. Another morning, we drove to Frankfort and played at the beach until "the big boat"(used in the movies for the Pirates of the Carribean) came into harbor. Ryan spent a morning going moutain biking on some of the trails on the moutain. We also had a campfire and smores and played the game "Things" a few times. The guys went golfing twice during our stay. And we ended the week with our traditional steaks on the grill dinner. The kids needed two days or so to get used to their surroundings as far as sleeping. But after that they both took their naps and slept really well. Maci got another tooth so that also could have been the problem the first day. Thanks Mom and Dad R for a great time!

Maci 11 months old 7/25/11

2011-07-23T16:35:00.000-07:00

One morning we went to Georgetowm Twp Park to have a picnic and play with my cousins. I think Maci looks alot like Levi here.

Hereare some pictures of Maci at 11 months old. She is "walking"behind her walker now, will walk with our hands. She and Levi have alot of fun together laughing, and crawling and chasing each other. Maci is getting into the cupboards lately and love to play with the pots and pans and their covers. I have told her no on a few occassions and she gets really mad, arches her back and screams...she also does this when I take the remotes away from her. She is finally getting how to suck out of the sippy cup and the other night she tried her first icecream cone. What a treat! She cried when we finshed that off for her too. SHe loves looking at her books in her bedroom especially ones with flaps that she can look under. She has been playing with her dolls lately too, giving them pacifers and hugging them. She"kisses" the baby dolls or books with pictures of animals..

Tigers Game...

2011-07-17T11:19:00.000-07:00

We all got a star hat for being one of the first 10,000 fans in. To commerate Negro Tigers Baseball.

We had a lot of fun this past Saturday. NO KIDS! Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Koopmans Ryan and I went to a Tiger game with the Roedema clan. It was so nice to spend time as a couple. The game was not the best, they lost. But Ryan and I enjoyed the elephant ear, nachos, hotdog and beer! I wish some of my Tigers would have played but oh well. It was really hot at first and then the shade came over us and there was a nice breeze so not so bad. It was fun to watch the game and then come home and sleep in the next day.

Fourth of July

2011-07-10T13:33:00.000-07:00

We had a great 4th of July! I did not have to work and we spent time up at the lake. We had lot of fun being outside and spending time with family. We picked wild blackberries, went tubing and played in the water and sand and went on boat rides. I did not get many pictures since we were out having fun. Here are a few though...

Strawberry Picking Afternoon

2011-06-29T11:50:00.000-07:00

Strawberry Shortcake!

Last week, we all went strawberry picking. We were only in the field pickng for 1 hour but managed with all of us helping to get 24 lbs of strawberries. Ryan helped me make alot of jam and we froze alot and ate alot on icecream too. We love strawberries! It was fun to watch Levi find the strawberries and Maci love eating them too!

What a pair!

Maci Jean 10 months old 6/25/11

2011-06-25T17:13:00.000-07:00

Another month as gone by and Maci is as busy as ever. Lately, her and Levi has been into wrestling each other and crawl chasing each other on the floor. Maci loves her Dadda this month and crawls to the screen door and cries when he leaves. She is getting alot of teeth and we can see the top four poking through. She is such a adaptable little girl and we were really impressed with how she handled all the sitting in the car for the camping trip and how she took in all the sites at the campground. She loved riding in the bike trailer. Levi though, cramps her space at times.:) She is still learning how to do the sippy cup and gets frustrated when she cannot get anything out. She is moving along furniture and pounds on the cushions and the front door. Maci is a rountined eater and loves all her snacks and meals. We had both kids wellchild check up and Maci weighed in at 21.5 lbs and 30 in tall. 75 % for wt and 99% for height. We switched her carseat too. Levi weighed in at 34lbs and was 3ft 2 in tall 75 % for each. It was a double appt and Ryan was able to go too which was so nice and no shots this time! She babbles and talks to us and Levi...sometimes she says oof, oof for when she sees a doggie.

Camping 2011

2011-06-22T17:56:00.000-07:00

Well, we tried it..again and just like the last 3 times we have gone camping another snag in our adventure. Early this year I debated about whether or not to even plan another camping trip and I went with it. We booked a few nights at Ludington State Park, one of our favorite camping spots. Levi was excited to ride his new bike, see animals, play at the beach but most importantly to have a campfire with smores. We did end up camping for one night this past week but knew the forecast was not really the best for camping. We got up to Ludington at 2pm and 24hrs later we were packing up and heading for home. We did go for one bike ride and had our campfire and smore. Although, I was enjoying the fire while rocking Maci in the camper till she went to sleep. Of course, it did not help either of the kids for going to bed in that we were camping on some of the longest days of the year! The forecast seemed to get worse as we asked people at the campground and for Dad R to check the radar. Thunderstorms and rain predicted for the week with really not signs of clearing. At 6am on Tues the thunder started rumbling and by 7am downpour. We packed the kids up and headed out for a long drive for breakfast and early morning naps for the kids. We found a small family restaurant in Freesoil, Mi and Levi had his promised pancake and sausage while Mom and Dad had coffee. So as much as we were bummed about packing up early we knew that we could not wait it out with severe thunderstorms looming all day with on and off rain with the kids in a camper...are we crazy!?. So we packed up and got our refund and headed home. Just in time to have a huge thunderstorm hit Grand Rapids. On the way home, we did stop and play at the park right where the Badger is docked. Levi loved it! All I can say is we are troopers...and we will try to camp again!

Grand Haven...2011

2011-06-15T12:32:00.000-07:00

We had a busy but fun time this past week while the kids and I spent some time out at Grand Haven State park with Grandma Roedema and the cousins. Levi stayed one night in the "big trailer" with Grandma by himself and I spent the night with the kids and Grandma from Sunday night to Monday. Levi was so tired on Sunday night he fell asleep in the chair while drinking his chocolate milk. Maci on the other hand needed some help going down. She was a happy, awake little crazy girl till 10 pm on Sunday night..what a stinker and was up early 515 the next morning but still was not really crabby till later afternoon. Her front teeth are so close to coming in too her gums are swollen so that could have been part of the issue too.. But why would I push/fight Levi for a nap when he was having so much fun during the day. He rode his bike, went on walks, played in the sand, went on the swings and had alot of fun with his cousins Katelyn and Alexa and of course Grandma. Monday was sunny and beautiful. Levi and I went on a early morning walk down the boardwalk, we went with Grandma to the park and to see the big train, we rode the trolley and spent more time playing in the sand. What a great time we had! We had an icecream cone in the afternoon and packed up around 330 and both kids were asleep before we left the campground. Ryan used his time at home to finsh up more Masters classes and do some other things on his check list.

I love the trolley ride!

Are you ready for icecream, Levi?!

We love our Grandma!

Don't take my picture Mama!

Little Blessings

2011-06-09T10:03:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday when Levi was feeling better after a few sick days with strep we took a ride out to Grand Haven to play in the sand and have supper. It was 88 degrees here in Grand Rapids and was 68 when we got out to the beach. We thought it would be cooler but it was pretty cool there with a breeze. We usually stop at Culver's and have a burger. Levi remembers from last time how there was an antique car show in the parking lot and asked "where are all the cool cars?"..how does that boy remember those things. Last time we went they also had Halloween decorations up and he asked "if that scary man(statue) was going to be inside"..Maci did very good eating her burger and taking in all the action at the resturant. We then just rode to the beach and sat in the sand and the kids played. Maci loved crawling in the sand and feeling the breeze. We are thankful for our little ones and a night where we can go out, away from the routine of home and enjoy each other and the outside.

2011 Garden

2011-06-07T17:31:00.000-07:00

I planted our garden again this year and tried some different veggies to grow. New this year we have green onions and lettuce. We also have tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, snap peas, zucchini and peppers. So far everything looks like it is growing well except the peppers..they are really mini sized but it seems like the same thing happened last year. Every morning we go outside and water and check the progress...Levi likes to tell the bunnies and birds..."to stay away from my garden..don't eat it."

6/2/11- Levi Turns 3 Years Old

2011-06-07T12:25:00.000-07:00

It's My Birthday...Finally! We had to explain the order of when his birthday was and now it was his turn.

Family Shot on Memorial Day

We celebrated Levi's 3rd birthday two times this year. The first party was on Memorial Day with the Koopmans side up at Half Moon Lake. It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed the sunshine and the water. Levi and Dadda went tubing with Collin and Uncle Dan. I went tubing with Mom K and was glad that I did not fall off when I felt the water. When I asked Levi what kind of cake he wanted this year he said that he wanted an orange one and chocolate one. It was orange and we had orange sherbet too. Levi got his big boy bike and his helmet, a new sleeping bag and a Handy Manny backpack. He has the sleeping bag on the floor in his bedroom and likes to crawl way inside of it. The bike is a balance bike info here at Strider Bikes. Of course, it is also orange. Grandma K also made him a special photo book with ABC's. On Wednesday, the night before his birthday Levi was screaming in his bed and Ryan went to find him covered in puke, all over his face and ears, chest and pillows. He was shaking and had a fever of 103. Over the next day, he had a continued fever and sore throat and not drinking or eating much. No fun to spend sick on your birthday. We had to cancel our zoo date with friends. I took him to the Dr after I looked in his throat and saw the "spots", strep throat. He was put on an antibiotic and the 2nd birthday party with the Roedema side was postponed one day till he felt better. So on Sunday, we had the Roedema side over for brownies, snacks and icecream. Levi was feeling much better and could not get enough of his presents.."next one" was what he said. He got a John Deere tractor, coloring books, CARs chair and cars, Lego dump truck and a sprinkler. On the night of his birthday, Levi also told me after his bath that he did not want to wear a diaper to bed...so with underwear since and no accidents in the night. He comes and wakes us up at night to go...but that is ok. No more diapers for him! Yeah! Other things that Levi has been up to are expressing his independence by spending time in the "chair", time out. He is biting, hitting and yelling saying NO! We have been taking away his toys and that usually shapes him up pretty fast. Beside speaking English and Spanish, Levi has started making up his own language, called "oka". Ryan and I know a few basic words and Maci seems to understand some.:) He loves talking in "oka" and then seeing how Ryan and I ask him "what?" and then he explains what he said. He also loves going to the park, reading books, playing with his lawnmower and his friends next door and riding his bike.

The Annual Motorcycle Picture and Levi's new bike!

We love you Levi and the big boy you are growing up to be.

5/25/11- Maci 9 Months Old

2011-05-24T18:26:00.000-07:00

Maci, What are you doing?

Today is Maci's 9 month birthday. Ryan said last night that with Levi milestones/time seemed to go so slow and with Maci it is flying by. Maci is an awesome little eater. She is eating all big people food now and some night eats more than her brother. She is a good napper and when she is home with me a Mama's girl. She is very predictable with her naps and eating which is good. We just have to lay her down with her paci and blankie and she is set.I really do not remember that with Levi. She smiles and babbles alot. The other night I swore I heard her say" all done" and then the next day "hot" when she tried to take my coffee. But who knows. She can pull herself up and plop her self back down. She loves to bang her hands on the screen door and the front door. I have eternally given up on trying to keep the fingerprints away..some days I just laugh..o well. We sure love our Maci Jean and think this summer will be fun with all the new things that she will encounter and explore.

Finally Sometime Outside!

2011-05-10T11:18:00.000-07:00

Helping Dadda!

Levi had to have his own rake and red hat like Dadda.

Little

Miss Maci Jean loving the sunshine and playing in the sandbox. She did eat some sand but after the first few "bites" had enough. She also loves to sit in her stroller and eat..snacks like golfish crackers and "puffs" and watch Levi and Dadda in the yard.

It is weird how the old is becoming new again. Line drying is coming back as far as energy savings. It is also a great way to dry my cloth diapers and the sun is a natural stain remover. I got this online and Ryan made a cement bucket pole thing in the ground for support. So far so good. We just need more sunny days. Levi seems to love to help with this too which gets us up and moving in the morning. I remember my mom line drying..but where is the line now? Who knows. Here is a summary of the cost saving comeback.

Debates also arise about having clothes lines in neighborhoods. Hopefully I do not get in trouble for this.

Find that article from The Wall Street Journal here

We will see how this all goes. Just another way to try something new!

One Reason Why We Recycle....

2011-05-05T19:10:00.000-07:00

Maci is 8 Months old 4/25/11

2011-04-25T18:05:00.000-07:00

Maci is 8 months old this week. It is hard to imagine she is that big already! She is doing so much better this week after having a fever of 102-103 for five days last week. She is eating now and taking a bottle which she was not doing much of last week. She is also back to her active self. Maci is offically crawling and can move. She moves faster on her stomach with the army crawl but still manages to find Levi and or Mama and Dadda and see what we are up to. She is into exploring her surroundings very well: pulling over plants, pushing over her basket of books or eating her diapers. She loves to eat and we have been giving her "puffs" and other small finger foods and she seems to like it all. She also loves music and after supper while we are cleaning up we usually put on music and dance and sing..she flaps her arms and laughs at us all. She knows when Mama or Dadda leave and it seems when I work a day and then are back home she is more clingy to me( but that is ok :))..she will babble..ma..ma..and I think she is just babbling..but maybe she is saying MAMA :) Levi is offically in his big boy bed downstairs and the toddler bed is away. They are no longer sharing a room and that quick transition had partly to do with a night last week where Maci was sleeping and Levi got out of his bed about 20 times and this lasted till about 10 pm. Of course waking Maci up in the process. We do have to stay by him for a few minutes downstairs while he settles in but after that he is ok. We have the baby monitor in his room and he knows he can talk into that and we can hear him.

Spring Break Project...

2011-04-13T18:58:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago a coworker was telling me about how her husband made her pedestals for her front loading washer and dryer...that got me thinking. I asked her where she found the idea and it was on this website. I showed it to Ryan and he put it on his "to do list" saying that "I could do that". I added the idea of having " laminate flooring on the pedestals to help with wear and tear. I do not think that I would ever buy the pedestals in the store because they seem too expensive this was an alternative that was much cheaper. Needless to say, Ryan got the pedestals made, painted and installed in 2 days time staying up one night till 4am to finsh. We had to move the cupboards up to make them fit(thanks Case and Laura for your help)but they look better than I/we thought they would. It organizes our laundry space better and makes the room seem bigger.

4/10/11- Maci's Baptism

2011-04-13T11:57:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful day to celebrate Maci getting baptized. Record high temperatures in the 80's and gathering for lunch with family. During the service Maci did great.She looked so cute in her little white sweater dress and hat. Levi was a little restless but did not yell or say that he had to go pee pee in the front so that was good. Maci did not mind the water for the baptism at all and I am sure that is related to Daddy and Levi's bathtub splashings and sprayings..."just getting her ready for swimming". so the few sprinkles were fine. We are committed to raising Maci to know and love Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior and our families will help with that too. We know that Maci is loved! Daddy said a prayer before lunch and shed a few tears for the love that he has for his extended family and Maci Jean. We rested after everyone left and then headed out for some icecream a great way to end a blessed day!

Maci 7 months old 3/25/11

2011-03-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

Last week we got Maci's pictures taken for her 7 month old birthday. Levi came too and we got some really cute ones of both of them. Maci is growing up so fast and moving fast too. She can scoot all around on her tummy and is always up on her knees rocking and looking where to go or where Levi is..Watch out! When she starts moving Levi and her will be trouble. At the dinner table Levi will make her laugh and scream and they go back and forth with each other. She is sleeping well, and eats well so those are all good things. She is over her bout of RSV so now just to keep the two kids healthy until the warm weather. Levi is offically potty trained and loves wearing underwear "like dadda" everything these days has to be like "dadda". "Where's my dadda..he working..I miss him" I hear that every morning. Levi has been getting alot of time outs lately and some spanking so hopefully the warm weather comes so that he can get some of his energy out. He loves to bother/poke/hit his sister and hates when she gets near "his" toys which of course he is not even playing with...again when Maci starts moving we will have more trouble. We are excited for Spring Break so that we can be home as a family and get some little projects done.

Typical pose at 7 months

Spring Please Come Soon!

2011-03-17T11:10:00.000-07:00

We are so ready for Spring here at the Koopmans household. These past two weeks have been occupied with medications, sleepless nights, and germs. Two Sundays ago it all started when Maci had a fever 102-103 that would not go down. I was working and Ryan was home so after talking to the doctor Maci was seen in ER and sent home after a urine cath was done, which did not show anything. The fever continued and now with a cough and runny nose. On Tuesday she was seen at the doctor and started on Amoxicillin. On Thursday, she went in for her 6 mon well child visit and was wheezing and still coughing with on and off fever. She got her vaccinations that were due and I felt comfortable watching her at home. On Friday morning she was much worse with congestion and wheezing so I called and back we went to get set up with an at home neubeulizer which we did for her every four hours through the weekend. She was also started on nystatin for thrush and an oral steriod. This week she has improved a lot. She is fussy but sleeps through the night which is much needed and no more fever or cough, sometimes just a runny nose. Part of the reason she could be fussy might be her two bottom teeth popped this week..so we add Motrin and Tylenol to the mix of medications she needs to continue on. At her 6 month appt she weighed 16.5 lbs(75 percent) and was 28.75 inches long which is 99 percent for height. Levi now has had a fever of 102-103 since Monday night so if he is not better by tomorrow I will call the doctor and see what is next for him. Levi is doing great with potty training! He is wearing underwear during the day and a cloth diaper at night(which is mostly dry in the AM). He is almost there! We also started the transition of moving him downstairs into his new room. The bunk beds are up and his race car bedding on(I will post some pictures of that later) He has been taking his naps down in his room. We all have been pretty tired over here but are thankful for each other and for grandmas and grandpas to help out.

Weekend with Casey and Laura

2011-02-28T17:41:00.000-08:00

This past weekend we ventured out of Grand Rapids and visited Uncle Casey and Aunt Laura in St. Joe. We had a good time. We did not do much but it was nice to catch up and be away from home for awhile. Maci is always such a good girl and did not seem to mind being away from her bed or her routine. She slept well and did not fuss at all. Levi just loved playing with the trucks and truck mat at their house..that is all that mattered to him. He LOVES playing with trucks and reading about trucks. Casey and Laura made all the meals so we did not have to lift a finger. Levi got to eat out of a special Spider Man plate too. Ryan and I both got to take a nap on Sunday too while they mangaged the kids. On Saturday, we went to ride the carosel and then to Fernwood Nature Center. They had a small train at the center and some hands on activities and a bird watching area. They also had alot of trails and garden area that seem like it would be really pretty in the Summer or Spring. On Sunday, we went on a walk on the pier and see the "snow and sand", as Levi would say by the lake. It was a nice break from our routines to spend time with family. Here are some pictures from the trip..I love the candid family ones. Oh..the memories being made:)

Maci Jean 6 months old

2011-02-28T12:00:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures of Maci on her 6 month birthday. She is a moving girl. She can scoot her way around on her tummy in a circle about 3-4 feet around her. She is reaching and grabbing for everything and putting everything in her mouth. She is also being much more vocal with her noises, making buster noises as Levi calls it.She loves eating baby food now and she loves most everything except green beans.That is the only time you will really hear her scream is when she is hungry and wants food. NOW! Maci still loves her bottle and will take 6 oz or so at a time depending on how much baby food she has eaten. Maci also is sleeping through the night if she does wake is just needs help finding her paci and then is back to sleep.Maci loves sleeping on her tummy. Usually she is to bed by 730 and up around 6. Maci also is able to sit up on her own and does pretty well unless she reaches too far for a toy and then she is down. Levi is good at making sure that she is ok where she playing and balancing her when she is sitting up.

Bird Treat with "Tweetie"

2011-02-28T11:32:00.000-08:00

Today Levi and I had fun making a recipe for a bird treat. We mixed peanut butter, nuts, raisins, honey, oatmeal and shortening.We bundled up and treked outside and smeared it all over the tree trunks in our backyard. Ryan and I used to feed the birds in our backyard all winter and we had to cut that expense out when the kids came:)But now, hopefully, we will get some bird action.

with our mix.

Winter Blast

2011-02-15T11:53:00.000-08:00

We got hit with a huge snow storm in Feburary. Ryan had two days off from school and thankfully I did not have to drive into work. I think we got over a foot of snow. Ryan enjoyed snowblowing the drive way..he is crazy but says it is one of his favorite things to do in the winter. Levi helps shovel and brush the snow off the snowblower before it goes in the garage.

Joy of Bath Time

2011-02-15T11:40:00.000-08:00

Maci loves her bath.She is sitting up now in her bath too! Her are some pictures of her last night in the tub. I think she already has Dadda wrapped around her finger.

.

Good Morning Sunshines

2011-02-15T11:30:00.000-08:00

The sun has been shinning the past few days and what a difference it makes to the start of the day. We are all waiting for spring to come!

Monster Truck Show

2011-02-15T11:25:00.000-08:00

This past weekend when I was working. Ryan took Levi to the Monster Truck Show at Van Andel Arena.He probably has over 15 monster trucks of his own and loves playing with them each day. So, Levi loves Monster Trucks and even wore his favorite orange monster truck shirt to the event. (Orange is his favorite color lately) Grandpa Koopmans, Collin and Uncle Dan came too. We were a little unsure of how he would do with the noise since there are times where Levi is afraid of the blender and vacumm. But Gramps brought along some ear muffs for the boys and they seemed to do fine. Levi loved talking about how "they smashed the cars" and how it was "really loud."

Maci 5 month old Pictures

2011-01-24T12:01:00.000-08:00

Maci is already 5 months old this week. Where did the time go already? She is getting to be more active. I had to get the Jumperoo out and she will bounce and laugh with that. I did not strap her into her rocking chair this morning and she managed to slide out onto the floor on her back and then rolled onto her stomach. No injuries, or crying, but will need to strap her in from now on. She is a happy, and easy going girl that I think will have a tough side to her...she has too with Levi around.But Levi sure loves his Maci girl,or Maci Jean. She just started laughing outloud now too.Look at her hair in these pictures...brown, red or blonde? Today more red...we will have to see. Like Ryan says, I guess we don't know my real hair color either..one day I am sure that her hair will declare itself.

Cabin Fever

2011-01-24T11:49:00.000-08:00

What do we do these wintery days? I thought I would share with you just some of the things we do on our crazy indoor days.
Came into the kids room in the morning to find that Levi had "organized" his closet. Meaning he took all the clothes off the hangers and out of his tubs. This organizing all took place in a matter of minutes as I went to the kitchen.

We also do crafts..this day we made a snowman out of cotton balls. Maci always seems to enjoy watching.

Levi "fixes" things with his tools. The oven, the table, dishwasher and washer and dryer have all been "fixed" this week.

Levi also loves making puzzles.."its my favorite" Today he had to show me the truck one.

Levi also loves helping me in the kitchen. Today we were making a special supper for dadda. Levi says " I hope he likes this..I help"

And of course...there is alot of play time with both Maci and Levi. Maci will just sit in her chair and watch and grab at Levi. She cries now when Levi takes a toy away from her and Levi gets upset when she "touches me". Lets just see what these two are like when Maci can walk and talk back to him.

We all love it when Dadda comes home and both Levi and Maci want to see him. Maci reconizes her Dadda now and loves seeing him. Levi and Maci both love to dance to the cds that Levi will put on in their room and Dadda usually has to join in the fun right when he gets home from work.

Maci 4 month Pics and Stats

2011-01-06T10:25:00.000-08:00

Maci is now 4 months old and we are loving her more each day. She can now "talk" to us..she is very verbal and loves to scream and yell. She has not let out a laugh yet but smiles all the time. She loves sitting up in her Bumbo chair and to watch Levi play. He sings to her and she just smiles. She likes reaching and grabbing at things and reading books with Levi. Some of her personality is starting to show already. She will be tough little one and will someday hit Levi back. She has been hit by him with a book and Levi seems to get jealous when Dadda is holding and playing with Maci. We have been giving her cereal a couple of times a week and she seems to like it. She now weighs 15lbs 1oz, 72 percent for wt and is 26.5in long, 98th percent...(last time 24 inches a 2 months. What a sweetie!

Christmas Get Together Take Two

2010-12-30T12:47:00.000-08:00

We spent the night up at Grandpa and Grandma Koopmans to celebrate Christmas. We had breakfast in the morning and then it was more presents. Levi took a nap in the afternoon with Uncle Casey and after that we all went outside and played. We had fun seeing Maci and Emily together and Levi "playing" or tackling Collin. Another fun day full of the blessing of family.

Christmas Present From Grandpa Koopmans

2010-12-30T12:35:00.000-08:00

We had fun with Grandpa Koopmans new "surprise". We had a beautiful day, the day after Christmas, to enjoy being outside with the sun shinning. We only had one "accident" when Levi and I were getting pulled on the sled behind the three wheeler and fell off, otherwise it was alot of fun to play with the new toys. Ryan and Levi especially enjoyed it!

Christmas Get Together Take One

2010-12-24T18:14:00.000-08:00

We had the Roedema Christmas party last weekend. What a fun and crazy day! We went to West Leonard in the morning and headed to Mom and Dad Roedema's for lunch. We spent the morning eating and opening presents. Levi was way into opening gifts this year and could not get enough of all his presents. We had a few moments of not sharing with his cousins and then we knew that it was time to try to take a nap. We headed home for awhile and Ryan tried to calm him down..needless to say Levi did not sleep until about 10pm since he was so excited and wound up from the day. He was talking as he was falling asleep about his "chain saw"..from Uncle Brian and his trucks. Around 5pm we gathered again at our house for dinner and drinks. Steve made us "Frostbites" which were really good and strong. The kids all got into their new monkey pjs from Grandma. Maci was such a good girl. She has not been sleeping much but did not seem to fuss at allduring the day as long as she could see her brother and the action she did not seem to mind. We are sure blessed with a great family and we are thankful for the fellowship and time that we can spend together.

Snow Day

2010-12-13T11:33:00.000-08:00

Ryan had a snow day today and we had fun at home as a family. Levi is still fighting a cold and is now on antibiotics so hopefully he will get better before all the busyness of Christmas. Ryan took good care of the kids this weekend while I was at work, he tackled alot of the household duties(without being asked) what a guy!...even washing the cloth diapers that we now use for Maci..ask him to tell you about the dishwasher episode too. Lets just say there was some confusion between dishsoap and dishwasher soap.

World Vision Micro - Small Loans for Entrepreneurs in Need

2010-12-08T18:56:00.000-08:00

What are you doing with your Christmas money?
I hope to give some money to one of the women entrepreneurs this Christmas.
I want to thank my friend Sarah for leading me to this site. Please check it out and consider empowering a person in one of these communities.

World Vision Micro - Small Loans for Entrepreneurs in Need

A Real Christmas Tree...a New Tradition?

2010-11-30T11:21:00.000-08:00

We found it!

Cutting it Down

Love Him!

It was my 31st birthday on Saturday and we went for the first time to find a real Christmas tree. Ryan asked me what I wanted for my birthday and told him that I wanted to go and do this as a family and have some quality time together. It was alot of fun and I appreciate Ryan's willingness to do this since he had to cut it down, strap it to the car, set up the tree stand and bring it into the house. I decorated it and water it:). We dropped Maci off at Grandpa and Grandma Roedema's and headed out to "Donalds" for breakfast so that Levi could have his "pamcakes". Information about the tree farm we went to is here : http://www.boschsnursery.com/
We found a "perfect tree". We rode on a horse carriage ride and Levi got to sit in front by the driver, had popcorn and watched our tree get shaken of its needles and bound up( Levi liked that part). Santa was also there handing out candy and talking to the kids, Levi got some candy but was scared of Santa. After a morning of being out in the cold Levi fell asleep on the ride home.

Check out the article that was in Sunday edition of the Grand Rapids Press
about real vs. fake Christmas Trees here: http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2010/11/why_buying_christmas_trees_eve.html

Happy Thanksgiving! ...Maci is 3 months old

2010-11-30T10:28:00.000-08:00

Here is what Maci looks like at 3 months old. Getting bigger and changing everyday. Ryan loves his "little bonita" and puts a towel on her head most days. She is sleeping a good chunk of the night 8 or so till about 5am. I do give her a bottle while she is sleeping around 10pm and that seems to top her off for the night. Levi and Maci are now sleeping in the same room(for now) and seems to be going pretty well. Maci and Levi have both been fighting colds coughing and runny noses. We had the warm steam going most nights last week and the vapor rub on so hopefully by the weeks end they will be over this bug.

"Worker Boy"

2010-11-13T10:44:00.000-08:00

Levi calls himself a "worker boy" whenever he joins Ryan in doing something outside in the yard or the garage. He gets his old "worker boy pants" on and an old sweatshirt so that he can look "like dadda". Today he even had to find a hat to go with his outfit. He loves to help today he got out the wrenches.."one for me and one dadda", he got the cardboard out for the oil change and handed the supplies to Ryan while under the car.Ryan tells him in Spanish what to get and do next and he follows the directions. What a little helper..he took a good nap afterward because he was so worn out. I love to see these two in action..Levi loves his dadda!

11-09-10

2010-11-13T10:34:00.000-08:00

What a great week to spend some time outside!

Maci is 2 months old

2010-11-04T11:27:00.000-07:00

Our little Maci is getting so big. She is now two months old and very interactive. She knows now when she is going to get fed, she can hold onto her blankie, loves to smile and "talk" to you. She watches us move around the room and loves when Levi reads to her or "plays" with her. Both Levi and Maci are doing well at day care and go there twice a week. Levi tells me how Maci did during the day and he loves playing with his "friends" there. He also is starting to talk about going to school..saying that he wants to put his backpack on and go on the bus to school and see all his friends. Maci is starting to get a little more predictable with her sleeping and eating. But still wakes up once a night for a bottle which can be hard when having to be up at 530am for work some days. Ryan and I work well as a team and although we are both tired we drink our coffee and manage to get through those long days. Maci had her two month appointment and got her vaccines. I thought it would be easier with the second watching them get the shots but it is not. She screamed and then smiled when I picked her up. Typical Maci personality. She weighed 12 lbs 3oz and was 24.75 inches long that is 98 percentile for height and 74 percentile for weight.

Little Monster

2010-11-04T11:13:00.000-07:00

Levi was so excited this year to go Trick or Treating. He practiced saying it for awhile. I had to work so Ryan took Levi out on both Saturday and Sunday to get candy. On Saturday, he went to church's Trunk or Treat with Katelyn and then met up with his cousins for some pictures. On Sunday, they went around the neighborhood to a few houses with his friend across the street, Antonio and his dad Dom. Ryan kept Levi up so that I could see him in his costume. It is nice that both sets of Grandparents help out on the weekends that I work so that Ryan gets some help taking care of both the kids.

Pumpkin Carving and Fall Walking

2010-10-24T18:41:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, Ryan helped Levi carve his pumpkin for Halloween. Ryan did most of the carving but Levi enjoyed playing with the "slimy" seeds and putting them in a bowl. He also did some of his own carving work with a butter knife on the inside top of the pumpkin. After all the seeds were collected I seasoned some seeds in the oven for us as a snack. Levi is getting excited for Halloween and all his "dulces"..he says, "me excited to be monster". On Sunday afternoon, we spent some time at Blanford Nature Center. It was so warm we hardly needed a coat. (But of course, Levi had to wear his hat, he hardly takes it off. Who would have thought a 75 cent hat from a garage sale would be loved so much.) We took a walk and looked at all the fall colors. Earlier this week, Levi and I collected leaves in our neighboorhood and hung them on our window. We have gone to Blandford a couple of times before as a family and we have Levi look for animals (using his quiet feet) :) usually we see birds, chipmunks, ducks, squirrels but today we saw two deer. Maci loves being in her pack and the times we have been there this year she has just slept on our walks. Levi also likes seeing the injured animals that they have there but today it started to rain so we had to end our walk early. But there is always next Sunday afternooon. :)

Fall Fun

2010-10-19T11:41:00.000-07:00

Donut Time!

We have had a lot of fun enjoying this beautiful fall weather. Last weekend, we spent time at a few different orchards and pumpkin patches. Levi had fun on the rides at one place and spent time with his Grandpa and Grandma Koopmans, Uncle Casey and Aunt Laura and cousin Collin. He rode the pig train and a "little horse"..he was scared of that at first but Daddy and Casey were on either side of him so that made it better. Last week Thursday afternoon we went on our own to a orchard off of Alpine. We have gone there the past two years and really liked it. Levi loved playing in the corn with the trucks, and picking out his own little pumpkin. He also loved having a donut and cider. After the orchard, we all went to Fricano's for pizza one of our favorite places. They had a live band playing during dinner so you could not hear Maci when she would cry. She has been such a good baby to take around. Ryan and I said that we would have never attempted to go out to eat when Levi was a baby but we are glad that we are able to go out as a family and enjoy ourselves.

Maci's First Trip to the Zoo

2010-10-08T11:46:00.000-07:00

"Little Bear"

We took advantage of the great weather and headed to the zoo yesterday. It was nice because it was not busy or hot and I had extra hands to help with Maci and Levi. It took about an hour to get everyone and everything coordinated and out the door. We took the wagon and stroller for the kids and met Grandma R Allison, Kris, Katelyn and Alexa. Levi was disappointed that Mighty Mike, the alligator moved back to Florida and was also scared of the bear who was pounding on his door for food. He talked about that for hours. Maci did well and we took a break to feed the kids their snacks and her bottle and were on our way. What a difference than Levi..as a baby..I do not think I went out till he was 3 months old...so even though it is a lot of work it is definitely worth it to me to be out of the house for a while and to enjoy the day!

"Crazy Monkey"

Maci is One Month Old and Levi's Latest

2010-09-23T12:59:00.000-07:00

Starting to SMILE

This week Maci is already a month old. What a crazy month it has been. Life has gotten busier that is for sure. Maci is a good baby who is doing great on regular formula and sleeping a good intervals. The last couple of days she has taken some shorter naps in the morning and longer 2-3 hour naps after feeding in the afternoon. She had her month check up and weighs 9lbs 15oz and is 22 inches long. She is in the 75th percent for weight and 90th for height. She is awake more so that gives us more time to see how much she has even changed in the last month..she is even starting to smile! Levi loves her so much and at times too much..so we have gotten more stern with how he can interact with her. Levi has been doing very well with playing independently at least for awhile. He loves playing "farm" with his barn and all his animals. He also has been into all the different trucks..dumpers, dozers, diggers..I am getting better at identifying all these things. The other Saturday he went to the "tienda" aka Ace Hardware to buy his own truck with trailer..he was so proud that he used the money from his own piggy bank. He loves loading up his trucks, trailers, and tractors with "loads" as he calls them. I give him raisins, fruit snacks, cheerios, chocolate chips and he loads up his trucks and takes it to the farm so that the animals can eat. He gets such a kick out of this and it really keeps him busy..moving his "loads" around. The past couple of nights at dinner he has been smearing his food all over..like my mom said..he is 2 so this is normal..but messy. I decided the other morning to let him paint with "edible" finger paints and pudding..he had a good time helping me make the paint and then getting dirty. If ever I need to spend some time with Maci we get out the coloring books, and playdough..these are Levi's favorite things these days.

Levi's First Purchase..with a BIG "Load"

Playing "FARM"

2 Week Photos

2010-09-11T11:34:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I attempted to get some newborn pictures of Maci Jean. I went over to my sister, Kristin's house and with the help of her and Grandma Roedema we were able to get some pretty good ones..at least for not being professional. She was really alert and we had a lot of fun seeing her different expressions and dressing her in some cute girly hats and bows. She looks like she might have blue eyes..her dad hopes so but we will have to see. In some of the shots her hair has a reddish tint...what color will her hair be as she gets older? It is fun to think about how much she will change in the next couple of months and what a precious gift she is to us. Here are some of the 100 pictures that we took yesterday.

Tub Time

2010-09-11T11:23:00.000-07:00

Maci is now 2 weeks old. She went to the see the doctor last week for a recheck of her weight and is up to 8lbs 11oz. I looked back in Levi's baby book and he weighed in at 8lbs 6oz at 2 weeks which was Maci's birth weight. She is a good baby who eats, sleeps and had 2-3 hours during the day where she is alert. She does get her fussy times, mostly gas we think, but nothing like Levi. She likes tummy time and interacting with her brother:) Levi has been very helpful with her, getting her diapers, feeding her her bottle, finding her paci and helping with her bath. He also always has an "I luv you Maci Jean" or I wanna hold or or kiss her, Mama". What a good big brother he has been. We do have to remind he at times to be gentle, and to leave her alone... at least for a little while.

Maci Jean Koopmans

2010-08-28T16:46:00.000-07:00

We welcomed Maci into our family on August 25, 2010. She came into this world at a fast pace and I had a great labor experience.I was induced at 3am and had her by 1038in the morning.I only had to push twice and went from 5cm to 10 cm in one hour! No other complications after delievery either..for which we were concerned about placental problems but everything was fine.I was able to pull Maci out and put her on my chest after the delievery and Ryan cut the cord. We are thankful for such a problem free and uncomplicated birth. Maci weighed 8lbs and 6 oz and was 21 inches long. We loved the surprise of not knowing what we were having until the moment she came out. Its a girl! She is being a good baby so far and Levi is adapting pretty well to the new addition to the house. He is very helpful in getting pacifers, diapers and "dressing" Maci. He knows how to be gentle but still likes to "honk" her nose. Levi is so helpful that they other morning he wanted to help me use the breastpump...what a sweetheart...I did show him how to turn it on.

My Monkey

2010-08-10T11:15:00.000-07:00

On Monday, we took Levi to the Grand Rapids Childrens Museum to see the Curious George exhibit. He loves watching "George" on tv in the afternoon. He had alot of fun exploring all the exhibits and seeing all the other kids play too. It was a nice way to spend a raining and humid morning.

Crystal Mountain Weekend 2010

2010-08-01T18:25:00.000-07:00

We had a great time with The Roedema family this past weekend. We stayed Thursday to Sunday up at Crystal Mountain Resort. We had time to spend with each other as individual families and also as an extended family. On Friday, Ryan, Levi and I went to the little town of Frankfort and spent time at beach. We relaxed while Levi played in the sand and the water and then we walked the pier. It was a perfect day. On Friday afternoon, we spent time with everyone at the pool. Levi especially liked playing with his cousin, Katelyn. They just chased each other and screamed because they were so excited to be together even at 7 am in the morning ;). On Friday night, we fed the trout "their food" as Levi would say, and also went on a hayride and had a campfire. The guys all golfed on Saturday and us girls got pedicures at The Crystal Spa. Allison and I went first and we were able to "meditate" in lounge area, read magazines, drink tea and talk while we did not have to worry about the kids. I felt bad for the lady who had to work on my feet, but the part I think I liked best was the leg massage. It was a special treat, from Mom and Dad, to be pampered. Thank you! Unfortunately,we did not get any pictures of us in our white fluffy robes. Saturday afternoon the rain did not let up till late, so after golfing, Ryan and Levi napped and I actually was able to read a book for awhile, It was so nice! Late on Saturday afternoon, Ryan took Levi to the outdoor splash pad and pool for the kids. They really liked playing in the warm water since it was chilly after the rain. Ryan took Levi on the mini water slide about 20 times and was finally able to convince Levi to go at it alone. It was nice for Levi because the water area is only about 2 feet deep. For dinner on Saturday night, we had the traditional steak dinner which was grilled up by Steve. While waiting for dinner Aunt Allison planned a fun game for Levi and Katelyn, she bought plastic turtles at the Dollar Store and hid them around the condo. Levi did not know what to think if they were real or not but he sure had a blast looking for them..what joy from such a simple thing. He was so excited to find his turtles. After dinner,we were also able to ride the chairlift, The Crystal Clipper, up to the top of the mountain where they had a live band. It was such a nice night and the views were awesome. Levi loved riding the chairlift he went twice with Ryan and I and twice with Grandpa and Grandma. Sunday morning we were treated to breakfast by Grandpa and we took the annual family photos. Levi was not the only one who was tired out from later nights and so much excitement, Ryan and I were too. It is always fun to catch up, hang out and take some time to spend with family.

Happy 4th of July

2010-07-08T10:24:00.000-07:00

We had a fun fourth of July. I had to work the majority of the weekend..Sunday-Tuesday but Ryan and Levi spent the days that I was working up at Grandpa and Grandma Koopmans at Half Moon Lake.It was hard to leave my boys but I knew that they were having a blast out at the Lake. We did spend Saturday together as a family and it was a beautiful day. Levi went on his first tube ride with Dadda and he loved it. He wanted to do "fast wheels" in the boat and did no hands. Ryan said that he went 6 times in 3 days.He loved getting splashed and laughed and laughed. I still think that he is recovering from all the action the last weekend.

Mackinaw Island Adventure

2010-06-21T11:11:00.001-07:00

Last week we ventured out on a family vacation to Mackinaw City. We had such a great time being to together and sharing some great family memories with our family of three. Levi took in all the sights and it was such fun to see him experience the little pleasures in life. We felt really blessed that we could share some time with him, although he probably won't remember the trip it was overall a good time, unlike the past trips that we have tried to take. Levi did really well in the car ride. We sang songs, played puzzles, read books and ate snacks while Ryan drove. He did fall asleep for part of the ride there and back so that helped. We stopped for breakfast on the way there at a small family run restaurant in Lake City and all the locals were talking to Levi, on the way home we stopped at Mc Donalds and had nuggets and of course he loved that too. We had a nice hotel in Mackinaw City which Levi called "his house". He slept really well in his pack n play and he woke up with a smile on his face peaking over his bed saying...Hi mama and dada. He loved the Continental breakfast and Ryan made us waffles there too which probably helped. We spent some time looking in shops and Levi could not forget the store with all the "animals" stuffed real animals that he really was trying to figure out. Every morning he would spot the "big bridge" and say "there it is" he was so excited. He wanted to "go on it" which we did but he ended up being a little nervous when we went over. We did take a ferry boat or "big boat" to the island for the day and brought our bike over and Levis "trailer" he loved riding with Ryan pulling him and would say "fast wheels" when he wanted to go fast. We rode the 8 miles around the island and Levi fell asleep not a mile in. It was a beautiful day and Lake Huron was perfectly smooth. After Levi woke up we had lunch at a park on the island and just relaxed. Levi like watching all the different horses "clip clop" and thought the spotted ones looked "dirty". He especially liked the fudge we got as a snack. One afternoon, we played in the sand at a park by the bridge. Levi loves doing his. He liked watching all the cars and trucks going across the bridge..."car carriers", "dumpers", "mixers" and "trucks." We also spent time at the hotel pool and Levi and Ryan worked on his jumping skills...counting down in Spanish to jump in. Levi loved getting icecream, candy and popcorn at night more than eating his dinner. The popcorn he spotted in the store window we got a fruit favored kind and he had to "save some" he put it in his sweatshirt pocket "for later".

Levi Theodore is 2 Years Old

2010-06-02T10:17:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that this week Levi turned two. In a way, it seems so long ago that he was such a little baby. One thing that has not changed is that he is still our special little boy. He has grown up so much in the last year and is definitely starting to act like a two year old. However, he still is such a little lover boy, and loves to cuddle with "baby" and his mom and dad. He is such a helper to us. Most of the time, anyway. He helps with cleaning, laundry and yard work and emptying the dishwasher. He loves to "work" and likes toys and things a certain way and to be organized. For example, he can put his DVD in the player but the doors to the entertainment center have to be shut before starting it, he needs his shoes and/or coat off when he comes inside and will tell us to do that too. He puts his toys away in the garage before coming into the house. He loves routines and running errands with his "muthers" which I do not think is uncommon for a typical two year old.He usually is well behaved saying "hi" to all the people and eating his snacks and drink. He is starting to sing with us at night which is so precious..he will say "sing songs now". Here are some of his other loves, hates and phrases.

Loves:
"monsters" trucks
playing outside in the sand or dirt
playing downstairs with the train set with Dada
coloring with chalk
playing ball with dada
read books or "check books" aka go tot the library
cleaning when mom does with his "sprayer"
pushing his shopping cart
playing with his lawn mower
ride his tricyle inside
putting on lotion after his bath..."Levi do"
watching "tooners" in the morning
Tomas the Train
construction trucks
birds..especially the mama and baby we have in our yard, he looks for them each morning

Hates:
big dogs
loud noises
his "Big Boy bed".."scary"
hang nails
"ouwies"
getting his hair rinsed in the bath tub
sometimes sharing his toys

Some Foods he Likes:
all fruit
"chalkolate"
fruit snacks
"cook cooks" cookies
icecream
"chicken" what he calls all meat
honey on rolls
pancakes
donuts
popcorns..."corns"

Some Sayings:
don't like that
stop it mama, dada
Levi do
play now
car bath...aka car wash
get gas
check books
all right?
time to eat
take bath
brush teeth

We love you Levi!

Memorial Day Weekend

2010-06-01T11:22:00.000-07:00

We had a lot of fun enjoying the beautiful weather this past weekend. We spent time with both families and celebrated Levi's 2nd birthday. He loved his construction cake at The Koopmans party and even has had to sleep with the cake toppers, which are trucks, "digger" and "dozer", the past couple of nights. At The Roedema party, he had a donut with frosting and a candle which he decieded to try to eat with his new sand toys a rake,"fork" and shovel,"spoon". We had fun at Half Moon Lake, seeing our new niece, going to the Walker parade and just being together as a family and not working.

Katelyn, Alexa and Levi visiting on Memorial Day

Eating his Birthday Donut

Opening Presents, Levi loved his safety goggles and nail gun.

Playing in the sprinklers at Half Moon Lake

Staying Cool in the Lake with Mama

Construction Cake with Levi's Favorite Toys

Playing in the sand and water

A New Family Member

2010-05-30T18:00:00.000-07:00

My sister Kristin and her husband, Keith welcomed a baby girl, Alexa Grace into the world on May 26. She is a cute little peanut weighing in a 6lbs 4oz. What another blessing. Levi is happy to have another cousin, although when we went to visit them at the hospital he thought it was "my sister". Does he know what he is in for at the end of August..? :)

How Does Your Garden Grow?

2010-05-25T11:07:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago in the Home and Garden section of the Sunday edition of The Grand Rapids Press, an article about gardening perked my interest. I started reading sections of the article out loud to Ryan(by the way, one of his pet peeves) and he too seemed interested in trying out the concept of square foot gardening.
I checked this website out www.squarefootgardening.com also here is the article from the Press:
http://www.mlive.com/homeandgarden/index.ssf/2010/05/square_foot_gardening_produces.html

I have never had or tried to garden before so this is all a learning process. But hopefully, a worthwhile one. I have always thought it would be nice to be able to have a garden and pick the veggies from your backyard and not the store. So, Ryan, Levi and I all went to Home Depot to get our supplies and seeds. We actually did a 2x8 foot garden and I picked out the veggies to try for each square. Ryan built the box in our backyard and I planted. We will not see anything for a month or so but Levi and I will keep watering and watching for our plants to grow.We will have to see. I will post some pictures later this summer with hopefully a more mature and ready to harvest garden.

Tulip Time

2010-05-09T11:06:00.000-07:00

This past week Grandma Roedema took Levi, Allison and Katelyn and I to Tulip Time. We had a fun morning at Dutch Village. We went on the slide, carousel and swings. We also saw goats and bunnies in the petting barn that they had there. We watched some Dutch dancing and Levi and Katelyn also Dutch danced and became Honorable Dutch dancers for a day with stickers. Of course, we enjoyed looking at all the pretty tulips too. After a busy morning, we ate some lunch by the pond and watched and fed the ducks and headed home.

Hair Cuts by Daddy

2010-04-29T18:21:00.001-07:00

We recently bought a set of hair clippers to save some money on hair cuts...Ryan wants me to cut his hair too, but I am not at that point yet. I think that the only style that I would be able to pull off would be the full out buzz cut which is just too short. The other afternoon Levi randomly asked if he could get a "hair cut, Mama". His hair was not too long but could use a trim. Ryan set up outside and Levi sat very still for the majority of the 10 minutes of the cut. I have to say that Ryan did a good job...he kept saying..then the lady,(who cut Levi's hair at the salon) did this and he copied what she did. Not so bad for a first attempt. I think Levi's favorite part was "wetting" down his hair at the end with the sprayer.

20 week Ultrasound

2010-04-13T17:55:00.000-07:00

We had our 20 week ultrasound appointment today. Baby Koopmans was not very interested in letting us have a sneak peek. It is hard to believe the next time we get to "see" the baby will be when it is born! The ultrasound tech said that the baby was either very stubborn, shy or naughty, can that be at this age? The tech said the baby was in a position where it would be like us lying on our stomach. It makes sense then that she was not able to get the pictures that she needed. However, she was able to get some of the measurements and pictures that she needed but not all. She said that even if we wanted to know the sex of the baby there would be no way to tell what it is with how the baby is positioned with its legs. She made me walk around two separate times to see if the baby would shift positions but no luck. It was a long appointment since we were there for over 2 hours trying to get the right pictures and waiting in between. Thankfully, everything that she did see looks fine. We did have to reschedule another appointment so that they can get more accurate pictures of the heart. Here are the only good pictures from the ultrasound in 4-D...kinda alien like.:)

2010-04-07T10:36:00.000-07:00

Spring break with Levi has been quite fun for me. He is always wanting to go bye-bye and knows where he is going before we get there. He has been to Chippy's house on multiple occasions and even wanted to "check books" two days in a row at the library. On this day, mamma was "workin" so we went to the critter barn. Levi liked all the little animals, like the ducks and the kittens, but didnt really want to be near the goats or horses. We watched this man give the sheep a hair cut. Levi kept saying "blankie on" because that what happens when he gets his hair cut. When we were looking at the horse, Levi kept saying, dada ride it. Eat burger. i wasnt sure what he meant by eat burger, but we went to Burger king on the way home and he was all excited, and then ate nothing.

Easter Eggs

2010-03-30T10:19:00.000-07:00

This morning Levi and I decorated eggs for Easter. Boy, did this keep him occupied for awhile. When he first saw the eggs he tried to break them but then realized that he had to be "gentle" with them and that they really could not break anyway. We mixed the colors in clear glasses so he could see the color tablet disappear and the color appear...we are working on colors. He said "oh pretty" when the colors came. He also liked adding the vinegar to the mixture which fizzed. We then put all the colors in separate bowls and he mixed his eggs with all the different colors. After drying he put his final touch on the eggs by adding stickers. It was fun to watch him enjoy such a simple project. Hopefully, in the future we can emphasize the real purpose of Easter. However, Ryan and I were impressed that this week Levi prayed his first prayer. We were getting ready for dinner, setting the table, putting food on the plates when Levi said, Pray Mama! So ok, we stopped what we were doing and said to Levi that he could pray...this is what was said...Jesus...trucks...boats...choo choos...owls...Amen! What a prayer of thanks. So lately though, he only prays when he wants..not usually when asked.

Frog Hollow

2010-03-16T12:02:00.000-07:00

Today Levi, Katelyn, Allison and I went to the Frog Hollow park. It is located right behind Metro Health Hospital. We had fun in the warm sunshine. There were so many kids there. We will have to go back to the park again and take a lunch with us so that we can stay longer and play. What a great way to spend the first sunny,warm day of the spring.

Levi's Soup for a Cold Day

2010-02-15T16:35:00.001-08:00

Today I made cookies and Levi, my little helper. His phrase to say is "help me" when he wants to help someone else. Ironic, since most times he really is not "helping me." He gets his little step stool and carries it over to where all the action is. He is getting better at pouring the ingredients in the bowl and he loves stirring the dough. The egg cracking...although he loves that part, he needs more practice on. After we get the cookies baking in the oven and while I am cleaning up, I set Levi up to make his "soup" as he would call it. I give him a bowl with a little bit of water and some dish soap and he stirs and stirs. I set out all sorts of random things and he adds and stirs. He has not tasted his soup which is probably a good thing. Today's soup of the day was the following: dish soap and water, Mrs. Dash, honey, salt, sugar, pepper, baking soda, flour, egg shells, peanut butter, and my favorite, old hard marshmallows. Levi has such fun doing this and seems so proud that he can make his own "soup".

Weekend Trip

2010-02-09T09:39:00.000-08:00

This past weekend Ryan, Levi and I went to visit Ryan's brother, Casey, and his wife Laura. They live in St.Joesph. We spent time on Saturday at the Curious Kids Museum. Levi had fun exploring while we all watched him...and played with some of the exhibits ourselves. The only part that Levi did not seem to like was the "exploding volcano", he got pretty nervous when it would make noise and "explode." We also walked to a new inside carousel and Levi and Ryan rode that together. On Sunday, we went to their church and Levi seemed to really like their Sunday school. We enjoyed visiting Uncle Casey and Aunt Laura and had a relaxing time together.

Swimming Lessons

2010-02-09T09:26:00.000-08:00

This winter I signed up Levi for swimming lessons. Ryan and Levi have been really enjoying their Parent Tot Swimming Class together. It is on Saturday mornings at the Grandville Middle School Pool. I have gone the past couple of weeks to watch. A couple from our church's son is also in the class too. Levi knows when we are driving up to the building that he is going "swimming"! He loves practicing his "kicking" in the bath tub. At the end of the class the kids are supposed to be able to jump of the side of the pool and go under. One part of the class the kids play with all sorts of boats..I think this is Levi's favorite part. At least this week he did not have a fit when the toys went away. He has gotten more used to the water and Ryan enjoys playing/teaching him how to float, grab the side of the pool and blow bubbles. After class, we go to the donut shop and each pick out a donut or as Levi call them "no newts". This also might be the part of Saturday morning that Levi likes the best. He loves donuts.

A New Life

2010-02-05T09:56:00.000-08:00

We are blessed and thankful to announce that Levi is going to be a big brother on or around August 28, 2010! I had my first doctor appointment this week. I was thinking it would be pretty standard with blood work and an exam so Ryan took the morning off and stayed home with Levi. We were thinking that we were early in the pregancy 6 or 7weeks. However, after the exam the doctor thought I was further than what we thought.
She found the heart beat, 167, with the fetal doppler and I could not believe it. She next sent me to ultrasound to get a more accurate picture of the baby and an estimated due date. The u/s tech said that I was about 10.5 weeks pregnant! What a surprise and a blessing to see that God has already carried this little one almost to the first trimester. God taught us a lesson in patience and trust. I know God and I were laughing together on Monday..HIM saying, See...I have YOU always in MY hands and YOUR life in MY control.

Snow Shoveling!

2009-12-27T10:28:00.000-08:00

Since Ryan has been home on Christmas Break him and Levi are such buddies together. He sure loves his "papa". Lately, when Ryan wants to go outside and shovel or snowblow Levi wants to come too. He grabs his "oots", "ittens" and coat and cannot wait to do outside. He can last a lot longer outside than last year. He wants to move faster outside and pick up his shovel but it is hard for him because of his snowpants and his mittens...he is figuring it out though, sometimes the hard way.

Christmas Snapshots

2009-12-27T10:20:00.000-08:00

We had a fun Christmas. We spent time with both families and enjoyed seeing Levi open all his presents..too many. We feel blessed to have such great Christian families who know the real reason of Christmas. Here are some pictures of our time together.

More Christmas Fun

2009-12-14T09:40:00.000-08:00

This year I bought Levi an Advent Calendar. He loves opening tabs like the ones on the calendar(some of his books have them) so I knew that he would love it even more if there was a chocolate treat behind. Plus, I get to have some candy too. In the morning when he wakes up he goes to the counter and pulls his step stool over and says "up", "num num". But the routine now is that he gets his treat after his nap...he says "ooohh" when he gets it. This past Saturday, we went to Blandford Nature Center for there Homestead Holiday. Blandford is about 5 minutes away from our house so we bundled up and headed over. I used to go there all the time growing up with my parents to walk the trails and to see the injured animals. We were not sure what the event was all about but we were ready to get outside after all the snow days the past week. Ryan sure was excited when he got "a threepeat" with the snow days. I am sure that will not happened again. But it was nice to be home as a family for those 3 days. At Blanford we got popcorn from the General Store and then waited in line for a horse drawn carriage ride. Levi never had popcorn and loved that. He was pretty nervous around the horses and clung to his "papa". The carriage ride was fun with the jingle bells that the horses were wearing. After the carriage ride we went to play Snow Snakes, a native American game. Ryan did alot better than me at that. We wandered to the old cabin and looked in side and then saw the horseshoe shop. It was good to be reminded of the simplicity of life back then and how family was really important. We ended at Blandford Building to warm up and have cookies and hot cocoa. Levi saw a turtle..but was scared of that...and an owl. It was a fun little outing...when Ryan asked me what my favorite part of the afternoon was...I said just being with my family...its is the best!

Santa Claus

2009-12-08T06:28:00.000-08:00

This past Sunday the Ford Museum had a Holiday Open House. The admission to the museum was free. They had carolers, cookies and Santa and Mrs. Claus were there too. We looked at some of the exhibits at the museum and then went to find Santa. It was nice that we did not have to wait in a long line. Levi was not scared of Santa for about 10 seconds and then started screaming. Ryan went to rescue him. We kinda figured that he would be scared. It was funny to watch his reaction though. It was a good memory of his first time seeing Santa.

Bible Study

2009-11-22T11:13:00.000-08:00

I have been attending a womens Bible study at church for the past 3 months. We meet on Thursday mornings. It works great with my schedule because I have most Thursday mornings off. Levi comes too and plays in the nursery with all his church friends. It has been great learning and studying the book of Esther. I encourage you to read what amazing women Esther was. We are using Beth Moore's study and DVDS she is such a great speaker and is coming to Van Andel in the spring...maybe I will attend that conference?:) I thought I would post her blog on my links list so that you may be encouraged by her as I have.

A Few Warm Fall Days

2009-11-12T16:22:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures that I took in the last couple of weeks when it was warm enough to get outside. Usually, Levi wants to go "side" with "shoosh on" even if it cold and we do. We go for a walk or play in the park. But when it was warm out last week we spent a good hour and a half outside. He loves being outside and has since he was a newborn. He picks up sticks and rocks and looks at all the "bees" every bug now is a bee. He will dig in the "dirt" or wood chips and I will sit and watch him. How can he be so into rocks, woodchips and leaves..pretty cool. Two weeks ago on a Sunday afternoon, we went as a family to Richmond Park to feed the ducks...Levi loves "ducks" although when we got there he would not throw them any bread or stand on the ground..he was taking in all in. One morning last week, I made pumpkin bread and Levi "helped". He like crushing the egg shells, pouring the flour and banging all the measuring cups together...what a little helper he tries to be!
If you notice most of the pictures he is looking down..he is just to busy
for the camera.

Trick or Treat

2009-11-01T12:12:00.000-08:00

We had a fun Halloween. In the afternoon, we headed over to Grandpa and Grandma Roedema's house. Mom and my sisters and I made soups to freeze for the winter. We made 5 different kinds. We also made pigs in the blanket. We had fun eating dinner there too and the guys spend time watching football.Levi liked his cousin Katelyn's costume, a chick...he liked pinching her "beak". Levi was a zebra for Halloween and did not like being in his costume for more than 10 minutes or so. He did look really cute in it though. We would ask him where his tail was and he would spin around in circles. He loved eating "num nums" and even wanted candy for breakfast on Sunday morning..After dinner, we stopped by Dan and Mel's house. Grandpa and Grandma Koopmans were there. Levi had fun playing and seeing his cousin Collin, the pumpkin.

Sick Levi

2009-10-23T11:05:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of what Levi has been feeling like since Wednesday. He has had a temperature that comes and goes and a cough. So far nothing worse. Ryan took the day off on Wednesday to take care of him while I went to work. Last night he cried till about 1230 and then slept till 330 and went down till about 7. One thing is that when he is sick he sleeps alot during the day, which I am not used to but he sure needs it. On another random note..and random occassion, I am sure...Levi went poop on the toliet this afternoon. He brought his little seat to me and I put him on and he let out one fart and a turd...but we were so excited...

A Trip to the Country Basket

2009-10-11T14:48:00.000-07:00

This past weekend when Ryan was "having fun" in his class for his Masters Degree...Levi and I and Grandpa and Grandma Roedema had breakfast together and then headed out into the cold and went to explore the apple orchard with Levi. We went to this orchard last year too when Levi was only 4 months old. We had a great time. Levi loved looking at all the "balls" and picking up the apples off the ground and putting them in the crates that where lying around. He really enjoyed playing in the corn kernals in the silo and watching all the older kids. Levi did not like the animals...he got pretty nervous around them. He did sit by a kitty for a minute or so and then got scared. He did not want to get close to the goats either. After about an hour or so of playing on the farm we got donuts and appple cider..this was Levi's favorite part! He loved the cider and had a sugar crash later that afternoon from the homemade donuts...but they were so good. On Sunday, we went back to the orchard with Ryan...he did not want to feel left out. We got donuts and hot apple cider again and Ryan and Levi got to run and play together...we also picked out a few pumpkins that are Levi's size. There is one picture of last year...Levi has grown alot!

The Last Week...or so

2009-10-07T17:19:00.000-07:00

Last week Levi and I went to Dr. Salhadar's for his 16 month check up. Levi is such a funny boy with him..trying to jump, showing him his shooes, and being such a good boy during the exam. He just laid on the table without a squeak. The Dr. claimed usually he is fighting kids this age for the check up. Levi is growing like he should following the growth curve. He weighed in at 27.5 lbs and was 33.5 inches long. Dr. Salhadar mentioned that we should start introducing potty training to Levi...Yikes! Needless to say he said the best way that he will learn is by example...so for now, we have an open door policy.:) We bought the padded potty ring (with cars)that he recommended and have been trying to tell Levi when he poops or pees in his diaper and also sitting him on the toilet a few times a day. Like Dr.Salhadar said this is all an introduction and right now there is no expectations. Levi also had to go to the hospital to have his hemoglobin checked...which was less traumatic to me thanks to Grandma Roedema's help and a donut for Levi. He did great and they found the vein right away and thankfully the results all came back normal so no more iron supplements. Levi is getting more stubborn and telling Ryan and I no..this has been leading to some battles lately but I am sure that there is much more of that to come. He has been enjoying his daycare days, at Sandy's, since he can interact with kids. He seems to enjoy playing with the neighborhood kids too. The days he is home with mom we play as much as we can but sometimes I can tell he is bored with me or being inside.:) Then Ryan comes home and they play rough and outside...then he can get some of his engery out. Levi does have times where he reads or plays by himself too but he sure likes interacting with others.
Here are some snap shots of the last week!

Bath Time...16 months old!

2009-09-26T17:13:00.000-07:00

Really, bath time is not really a special occassion to blog about but it is one that Levi really enjoys. He loves the "wa wa" and says " bye bye" when the water goes down the drain and he has to push the drain to empty. He could spend hours in the bubbles and just transfering water from one container to the other. The actual cleaning part of the bath is maybe 5 minutes. He thinks he is so funny when he puts bubbles on our faces or his own. He has the best laughs in the bathtub. What excitment and joy he gets from playing in the water..it makes Ryan and I happy to watch him play.

Levi's First Hair Cut

2009-09-15T16:44:00.000-07:00

I finally did it. I have been contemplating cutting my baby's hair for awhile now. It has been looking very wild the last couple of weeks...with curls and a mullet type look in the back. I really do not know why I have been so sentimental about this.. So today, we went over to my neighbor, Angela, who cuts hair and Levi got his new big boy look. He wore a cape and sat on my lap the whole time. He did not cry he just sat there and let Angela trim away. He was so good and when it was done I could not believe how different he looked and so much older. And I did keep a few of his curls for his scrap book and no tears were shed by me either..

Love of Sweets

2009-09-10T11:33:00.000-07:00

Levi loves chocolate...anything..cookies, brownies or ice cream. Put simply, food brings Levi joy. Here he is learning how to use a spoon.He is still practicing the spoon.But he can handle the fork well and can get the pieces into his mouth too..not on the floor. I hope this picture makes you smile.

Another Camping Attempt

2009-08-29T12:14:00.000-07:00

Well, I guess it is not our luck with camping this year.Every year we go camping at Ludington State Park with the Roedema family. We took Levi when he was 3 months old last year.So as tradition we went camping to Ludington State Park this past Thursday to Friday. We had intended to go all weekend. But how much fun is rain, mud, clouds and 50-60 weather..in a tent. We did enjoy Thursday night. It was a great night for a camp fire. Again, Levi was very intent on fighting us to go to sleep. Finally, after many walks...in which every male was dada, and every campfire was "hot" and pointing at all the doggies and bikes..he collapsed..only 2 1/2 hours later than usual.This sleeping thing also could be related to him getting his molars! He was all dressed for the low night time temps and slept realitivly well in his pack n play in our tent. He loved just playing around the camp in the "dirt". Ryan and I did have time to walk on Lost Lake Trail...by ourselves! While Grandpa and Grandma Roedema spent time with Levi. Next year has got to be the year for camping and good weather..don't you think?

A Trip to the Zoo

2009-08-14T13:23:00.000-07:00

We were able to head out yesterday for another family outing. On Wednesday we went to Grand Haven for the afternoon and it was actually...relaxing. So we planned to go to John Ball Zoo yesterday. We used the tickets that Allison and Steve gave for Levi's birthday..so thank you! We wandered around the zoo and saw most of the animals. Levi was not as scared as last time and I think that he was actually able to see more of the animals than before. He loves riding on Daddy's shoulders and pointing...he did alot of that.

Calling his friends on the way to the zoo to let them know the fun to be had. He loves his candy necklace from Grandma Roedema...did not want to take it off..enjoyed munching on it and kept him content:)

Petting Area

Looking at the bears and some other animal pictures

Ryan trying to jump as high as a snow leopard...he had to do it!

A great afternoon spent as a family!

Latest Happenings

2009-08-12T17:27:00.000-07:00

Lets just say it has been an interesting couple of weeks. Last week Ryan, Levi and I ventured on our first "family" camping trip. We went camping last summer but this was the first time with our own little family. We borrowed Grandpa and Grandma Roedemas pop up and headed to Warren Dunes State Park. We got set up and took a bike ride to the beach...and then things got a little crazy. First, Levi was teething, second he was not used to sleeping in the camper and third it was kinda warm out. We had to take him on car rides with the AC on to make him fall asleep...Ryan even tells the story that he drove to Indiana one time to make him pass out...which is true. He was not eating right and just did not seem to be acting himself...all which we attributed to teething and his new surroundings. Well, during the night(the first night)Levi was sleeping by Ryan and I in the sleeping bags and was burning hot. I took his temp 103...gave Motrin and Tylenol. The next day, he was still tired acting, and not himself...again had to drive him to take any sort of nap...that really cuts in on relaxation time for mom and dad. However, we did end up going to the beach for a few hours, and having one campfire! Anyways, the next night he was burning up again and the max temp I got was 104.6!..middle of the night, dark, and camping. We stripped his clothes off, put cold washclothes on him and medicine again. I called Dr. in the morning...one of the doctors I work with and trust and he wanted Levi to be seen right away in the ER. Casey and Laura live near Warren Dunes and are familiar with the area so Laura and I went off the the ER...and the diagnosis we got there was an ear infection with an upper respiratory infection. Needless to say, this trip was neither relaxing or fun...not kidding. So we packed up and headed home. This past week I was filling in the Dr. I work with about Levi's latest...a rash on his face...and later in the day it spread to his trunk, legs and back. Dr. then explained that Levi might not have had an ear infection at all but maybe it was Roseloa. Anyways, we will follow up sometime this weekend with Levi's DR and see what he thinks about his ears vs. rash. Sorry to say no pictures to post either.
However, I do have some pictures of Levi's love...FOOD. He does have most of his appetite back...except when his teeth are bothering him. He loves to try to eat on his own and try different things...today a tuna fish sandwich...he said num num while eating that! Here are some pictures of the spagetti dinner he had the other night. He got really frustrated when he could not do it himself..and it was all down hill from there. It is fun to watch..not to clean up. Also, cookies...I think the pictures show his reaction to cookies.

Helping Out

2009-07-28T17:28:00.000-07:00

Today, Ryan was working on a few projects in the backyard. Levi loves being right next to his "dada". He wanted to try to do whatever Ryan was doing whether it was raking, moving dirt, or shoveling. Levi gets very frustrated when he can not do it himself. He really enjoyed just being "all boy"...picking up rocks, eating dirt and laughing. It was pure enjoyment to him to experience a project with dada. When I brought him inside to have lunch and clean up he screamed dadda dada till we where inside. It is such a blessing to watch Levi and see him enjoy life!

Millenium Park

2009-07-28T17:01:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Ryan,Levi and I went to Millenium Park. We spent time at the Splash Pad, playing in the sand and spending time in the water. Levi also enjoyed his treat..a snowcone he said num num to that. It was a beautiful day to spend in the sun with our family.

Levi spent time with Daddy at the Splash Pad. He liked "driving" this car the best. When he plays with cars or trucks now..he makes the vroom vroom noise. How do little boys know how to do that?

Here are some pictures of us at the beach area...Levi loves his shovel. One night a few weeks ago when coming home from Grandma Roedema's house he would not let go of it. He ended up sleeping with it in his hand till I put him in his crib.

NO! NO!

2009-07-15T18:52:00.000-07:00

Levi has started to say "no" to us when we tell him not to touch or do something. Lately, he is trying to be independant in that he wants to do things himself like with eating..he wants to use the fork and spoon and food goes everywhere. He also is doing this temper thing where if he does not like what we tell him he slams his head into the floor...or table or your head or knee or whatever. I will have to google what that is all about. He is a shot of a typical reaction to no.

Pups, Popsciles and Pigs

2009-07-15T18:17:00.000-07:00

The past couple of weeks have been fun. We are keeping busy this summer and enjoying the time we have together. Ryan has finshed his masters class for the summer and is currently not working any extra jobs so when I am off from work we have been trying to have some sort of activity planned. We headed out to Grand Haven last week and walked the boardwalk and played in the sand. We had a pinic out on the lawn to watch the boats and the many people. Levi saw alot of uoff uoffs (dogs) and babies..(in strollers)...he talked alot when he saw them. Levi also had his first pronto pup and his first baby icecream cone. Levi also has been enjoying spending time in his pool...most of the time he is out of it but loves splashing and playing on the deck with his toys. This week we went to the library together. Levi loves playing with the toy train set that is at the library and interacting with all the kids there. He is not afraid to go up to kids and say "hi". We also went to the Berlin Fair. We have been reading alot to Levi and many of his books are about farm animals. He loves the books...but was a little scared of the real things. At the fair, we touched and saw goats, cows, chickens, horses, and bunnies and pigs. Levi started bawling when a goat let out a huge sneeze in front of him. You could tell that he was trying to take in all the sights and sounds of the farm.