Birkholz4

Welcome, Owen Isaiah!

2011-01-22T20:03:00.009-05:00

We're praising God for the safe arrival of Owen Isaiah on January 14th at 6:56am. He weighed in at 6lbs 2oz and looks like his daddy. :) We're especially thankful that he made it to 36 1/2 wks - that allowed us to deliver here in town. With both our girls, my water has broken, and I've had to be induced. So with this little guy, I was expecting a very similar scenario. But of course, he's a boy, so why would things be normal??? :) On Thursday evening, I started to get contractions around 10:30. But after a few hours, they were still 10 minutes apart. And since I've never had to time contractions before, I was quite clueless about when to call my doctor. Finally around 2:00am, I called my doctor and said, "These things hurt even though they're far apart!" So she let me come in. I was only 2cm dilated, so she said if I didn't make significant progress by 5am, they'd send me home. I most certainly did NOT want to be sent home, so Nate and I walked around the floor (we were the ONLY patients!) and even did squats to get this thing moving along! (I'm sure we made quite a picture!!!!) Finally at 4:45 the nurse said that there wasn't progress with my contractions on the monitor - I begged to differ b/c they hurt really bad. So she checked me and said with huge eyes, "You're atleast an 8! Quick, let's get to the next room!" So off we went, me feeling quite justified that I wasn't delusional - I know the difference b/t a Braxton Hicks and REAL contractions. Of course it was too late for my best friend: the epidural, and I was quite disappointed. Yes, I gave birth with no meds, and no, I never want to do it again - "terrible" is the only word that comes to mind. Owen was born soon after the doctor showed up, and I was never so glad to be done with anything in my life.

Nate and I feel so incredibly blessed to be parents to this little boy. He has charmed all of us and is such a calm, sweet baby. He has jaundice, but other than that is very healthy. I feel better than I did after my other two, so I'm glad life can get back to our new "normal."

We praise God for the "good and perfect gift" he's given us in Owen!!

Baby Boy Birkholz

2010-09-25T19:07:00.003-05:00

Yes, our little "princess/pink/girly" world is about to change in 4 months! We were so thrilled to find out that God has given us a little boy to look forward to. I had it in my head that this one was a girl, so it took me a few hours to get over the shock of it. :) But as soon as I saw him yawn on the ultrasound, I was smitten. We're praising God for this amazing gift and we can't wait to meet him!

*Names are still being debated. Adrianna's choices are Ginger and Peppermint.

Natalie's Second Birthday

2010-09-18T07:17:00.007-05:00

Time has gotten away from me again! With all the fun activities of summer, I haven't posted anything in a long time. But I couldn't go longer without posting about my Natalie's 2nd birthday. Natalie keeps us on our toes and has proven to me that two girls from the same parents can be entirely different. I could focus on a few traits that I must choose to love about Natalie: like the fact that she hates meat and veggies, or that she eats candles, crayons, chalk, spices and other oddities, or that she consistently loves to get into dirty, gross things. But since it is her birthday I will focus on the things that I can't help but love about her. :)

*The adorable gap between her two front teeth (I see braces in her future)
*Her uncontrollable curly, frizzy hair
*Any time I sit down, she's on my lap ready to cuddle
*She is obsessed with brushing her teeth and washing her hands with soap
*I have to spell words like "cookie, candy, cake, brownie, sucker, gum" because Natalie goes insane at the mention of those words!
*Adrianna is her favorite person in the world
*When I am disciplining her and trying to get a point across, she frequently plugs my nose and says, "PEEEEWWWW!"
*When I play the piano, she gets her pink Bible and sings at the top of her lungs
*Her high-pitched voice saying "Hi!" to me as I open her door each morning
*The fact that she's our second child and hasn't gotten nearly the one-on-one attention that her sister did hasn't stopped us from being completely overwhelmed with love for our little girl.

Thank you, God, for such a wonderful gift!!

Summer Favorites:

2010-06-04T21:19:00.007-05:00

*no snow
*no coats
*Natalie's chubby legs in shorts :)
*sunshine and loud birds to wake me up each morning
*eating lunch on the deck
*watching the neighbor's puppies (notice my peeping-toms looking through the fence!)
*the farmer's market
*planting our garden
*sun, sun, sun
*taking Nate lunch at work and having a picnic behind the church
*our swingset
*the girls sleep so hard at night after wearing each other out in the backyard
*bare feet
*seeing family on vacations
*the beach
*garage sales!!!!!
*picking berries
*grilling
*It's only June!!!! :)

A few Easter pictures

2010-04-05T18:59:00.001-05:00

Reading Buddies

2010-02-16T19:58:00.003-05:00

I've been looking forward to this time for the last year and a half: the time when Adrianna and Natalie would really enjoy doing things together. I'm sure every parent of two or more kiddos knows what I mean. Adrianna has usually enjoyed having Natalie around the house, but in the last few weeks, Natalie has become more of a buddy to her. On the top ten of my favorite things is watching Adrianna read to Natalie (not that we haven't had a few of those sweet times erupt into war). :)

My Valentines :)

2010-02-16T19:52:00.003-05:00

Christmas Baking with my helper

2009-12-15T21:06:00.009-05:00

I woke up this morning and decided to get all my Christmas baking out of the way. So since I knew that my house was about to be destroyed, I decided to blend right in and not even get ready for the day. Nothing like staying in your pj's til noon. This was the first year I had a little shadow at my side the whole time, and I must say it was a challenge. My biggest obstacle was trying to keep her hands out of everything - I don't even want to know how much sugar she ate today. But even though she slowed me down, we had such a fun time together making memories. She informed me later that afternoon that she wanted to be a "cake baker" when she grows up. :)

*Many thanks to Natalie for playing by herself all morning and cleaning the kitchen floor for us. :)

Christmas Tradition

2009-12-15T20:50:00.004-05:00

Last year I tried this craft idea with Adrianna, and it was such a hit that we just HAD to do it again this year. We made these dough creations (mainly Veggie Tales, of course), and put magnets on the back for the refrigerator. Adrianna got a little bored with cutting them out, so I spent way too much time sculpting their faces by myself. ;) But she did enjoy painting them. Next year maybe we'll move on from Veggie Tales and Cubbie Bear to something a little more grown up. :)

Recipe:
2 Cups flour
1 Cup salt
1 Cup water

Bake at 325 oven for an hour and a half.

I found a few visitors in the Nativity Scene yesterday . . .

2009-12-02T11:15:00.000-05:00

Something's wrong with this picture . . .

2009-11-28T20:32:00.002-05:00

No, I did not put my one-year old in the bathtub in her pj's. And no, that cell phone she's holding does not work. Yes, Natalie dove head first into the bathtub to be with her sister. Yes, I was a bad mom and was not in the room. But she looks like she is quite pleased with how things turned out. :)

The Flower Girl

2009-10-19T10:05:00.010-05:00

My brother, Phil, got married this last weekend. He married a WONDERFUL girl, Alissa, and I'm so thrilled to have her in the family. For the last 4 months, I've been preparing Adrianna to be a flower girl - we even practiced in the basement with rose petals. The rehearsal went pretty well, although Adrianna would throw all the petals in the first throw, run out of petals, and leave her basket halfway down the aisle and keep walking. By the time of the wedding, I was pretty nervous. I prayed often and fervently as I waited in the front row for her to walk down the aisle!!! To my surprise, she was perfect!! It was quite a hoot to watch her walk down slowly, smiling at the audience as she went. I know we're not supposed to brag, but I was pretty proud of her. :) It was a special weekend, and we all enjoyed it.

Thought I'd include a video of the Adrianna busting a move during the reception. :)

Another funny . . .

2009-09-22T14:29:00.002-05:00

Okay, I couldn't resist another one:

Today during lunch I was faithfully practicing Adrianna's Cubbie's verse with her for tomorrow night. It is "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." I read the whole paragraph about it, and we said the verse atleast 10x together. When I could see that she had it well, I told her to say it by herself. She closed her eyes in concentration and quoted, "Cinderella, dressed in yellow, went upstairs to kiss her fellow."

Funny moment . . .

2009-09-15T19:14:00.002-05:00

Today I opened a door not knowing that Adrianna's toes were right under it. I felt awful and kept saying how sorry I was, even going so far as to kiss her toes. She took it like a champ and sweetly said, "That's okay, Mommy. Maybe sometime I could hurt your foot too." I'm so glad she understands complete forgiveness. :)

Happy Birthday, Natalie!!

2009-09-08T19:05:00.011-05:00

One year ago today our sweet Natalie was born. This year has gone faster than any other year of my life, and I look back and wonder where it all went. Natalie has been our little angel, always sweet and happy. Her smile fills any room we're in, and I can't imagine what life was like before we had her in our little family. We love her to pieces!!!!!

We celebrated on Labor Day since my parents were able to visit. Natalie enjoyed the whole event, mostly her cake. And Adrianna enjoyed "helping" her little sister with all the challenges of being the birthday girl, like blowing out the candles and opening her presents. :)

What on earth???

2009-08-14T17:11:00.004-05:00

This afternoon Adrianna put on Nate's sunglasses, and I said, "Strike a pose, Adrianna!" I expected her to stand like the little 3-year old she is, and instead she pulls this move on me. Nate and I looked at each other and said at the same time, "What on earth???" I am racking my brain trying to remember where she could have learned this blessed pose: Winnie the Pooh?? her Sunday school class?? her books?? certainly not her mother!!!! I am stumped. Perhaps all little children have a natural "spoiled model" pose in them somewhere. :)

Adrianna's 3rd Birthday!

2009-07-11T18:26:00.005-05:00

Tomorrow morning Adrianna turns three years old! Where did the time go?? I know every parent says that, but I never thought it would happen to me. This birthday is definitely more sentimental for me as opposed to last year. Last year she still seemed "baby-ish" to me. But now my baby is gone, and a little girl stands in her place. Here are just some of a million reasons I love her:

*She gets giddy with excitement at the smallest things, like seeing a ladybug or eating her vitamins.
*She sits on her bed for hours at night and reads her library books; we listen to her loudly playing the parts in each story. :)
*She loves to get her special blanket and cuddle with me on the couch or bed; she says, "Let's talk, Mom."
*She loves the familiar, just like me.
*When she sings, it always makes me smile.
*Almost every night at dinner, she says, "So how was your day, Dad??"
*When she wakes up in the morning, she decides which character she wants to be for the day. Today she was FrankenCelery all day (a little Veggie Tales for you fans). :)
*She sits and lets me read to her each morning for a half hour - I love those moments.
*When I look into her eyes, I see my own eyes - it's kind of a weird feeling.
*Nobody in the world makes Nate and I laugh as hard as she does.
*When she grows up, she wants to be a "mommy" so she can wash the dishes too. :) I'm flattered.
*Watching her interact with her Daddy makes me fall in love with him even more.
*She is my constant reminder that life goes so fast - I can't waste it.
*Her smile lights up a room and causes me to thank God for letting me be her mommy.

Happy Birthday, my sweet Adrianna! I love you!!!!

Our Porch

2009-06-23T21:14:00.021-05:00

Before:

After:

Our front porch was a sight to behold when we moved into our house in '07. That was one of the top priorities on our list of "things to re-do." We (Nate) started working on it in April of last year, and finally as of right now, it is 99% completed - we still have a coat of white paint to put on. As with all home projects, it was far more than we planned on, mostly because Nate had such little time to work on it. But with the help of a few guys in our church, he was able to finish it. And I'm very proud of his work. :)

Here's the evolution of our porch if you care:

Strawberries!!!

2009-06-22T18:40:00.002-05:00

This morning I ventured out to do some strawberry picking with Adrianna. I don't know what weighed more: the strawberries or the mud on Adrianna. She had a blast, needless to say, and now I have to go clean the bathtub. :)

Better than a doll

2009-05-24T21:16:00.002-05:00

I was washing dishes after dinner last night, and I heard Adrianna say, "Look at my doll, Mom!" I casually glanced at her pushing the stroller that she frequently pushes Elmo in. I had to look twice to see if my eyes were deceiving me. Little Natalie was happy as a clam, giggling as her big sister pushed her throughout the house. Yes, Nate was supervising the whole affair. :)

Popeye

2009-05-24T21:12:00.003-05:00

My sweet Natalie now has a new "face" that she puts on when I point the camera at her. I'm guessing she learned it from her older sister. ;)

Trip to Indy

2009-05-23T08:17:00.013-05:00

Last week Nate was out of town. I am so blessed to have my parents living only 5 hours away. And they graciously offer to let me and the girls come down and hang out with them while he's gone. I hate it when Nate's gone, so I usually take them up on their offer. ;) We had a fun, relaxing week hanging out and playing with the girls. Here are some pictures of our trip (My mom somehow evaded all my pictures this time!). It was so special to have my Grandpa Helland visit while we were there. It was his first time meeting Natalie, and she thoroughly enjoyed having him carry her around everywhere. And Adrianna was fascinated by the cool pictures he could draw for her. We enjoyed spending time with my brother Philip and his fiance Alissa. I am thrilled beyond words that I get to have Alissa as my sister-in-law - she is a perfect fit to our family and we all love her! They asked Adrianna if she would be the flower girl in their wedding. Of course Adrianna had no clue what that was, but it sounded fun. The next day I told her to tell Auntie Sue what she was going to do in Philip's wedding. She replied, "I'm going to be a flower garden!!!" :) Adrianna and my dad loved playing together. He even took her to her favorite car wash (it has all the Sesame Street characters there!) even though it wasn't cheap. :) They had their own little greeting for each other as you can see in the picture! {Sorry about the crazy lay-out of these pictures - I have no clue what I'm doing!}

Fun in the Tub!

2009-05-23T08:14:00.000-05:00

Mother's Day

2009-05-11T12:50:00.003-05:00

My sweet husband and girls gave me a great Mother's Day weekend. Nate took me out to Red Lobster on a date Saturday night - he even got me their Dream Chocolate Cake for dessert (way better than all the seafood!). On Sunday morning Adrianna ran into the kitchen yelling, "Happy Anniversary . . . happy Valentine's . . . mother's day!" And they surprised me with a full length mirror for my bedroom which I have been wanting for a few months now (I get quite a complex going out not having seen any part of my outfit below the neck!). I am thankful beyond words for my full-time job as a mommy. My two girls each bring me such joy and delight. Adrianna constantly entertains me, challenges me to be on my toes, makes me laugh and reminds me what it was like to be a little girl. She came to me a few times in the past week and asked for my forgiveness for something she had done, unprompted by anyone. I am thankful for her sensitive heart. And Natalie melts my heart each time I see her dimpled smile. She's my little peanut - I don't think I ever want her to get bigger. :) Most of all I thank God for a sweet, understanding husband who works hard so I can be home with our girls. God is good!

2009-04-30T14:28:00.003-05:00

(It doesn't look like this child has a mother, does it??)

The Ten Commandments

2009-04-30T14:25:00.002-05:00

Last night after Adrianna and I finished reading the story of Moses, I asked her if she could name one of the Ten Commandments. She replied, "Don't waste energy." :)

2009-04-30T14:13:00.003-05:00

Disclaimer: This video is not very exciting! But I've been amused with how Adrianna and Natalie get the giggles at each other already - typical girls. :)

Bedtime Habits

2009-04-18T11:53:00.004-05:00

I'm not sure how or why Adrianna learned to love her naps and bedtime, but she does. And I'm not complaining. She usually plays in her bed for about an hour and a half before her nap each afternoon. And unless she's exhausted, she usually plays for up to 2 hrs at night too. I'm waiting for the day when she says, "Enough of this!" and starts throwing fits at bedtime. But until then, we enjoy listening to her read to her animals and sing songs.

The first picture is how I found her the other day after her nap (not sure how the crate ended up in her bed!). And the next one was late the other night. :)

{Of course I couldn't leave Natalie out of this post - she loves her crib too.}

A few funnies . . .

2009-04-16T15:08:00.002-05:00

*With Easter coming up, I tried to explain to Adrianna about what Christ did for us in very simple terms. All week I'd tell her that on Sunday morning we'd say, "He is risen!" On Saturday night she was getting into bed and I said again, "Adrianna, what do we say tomorrow morning?" She yelled loudly, "He is ruined!"

*We were reading the story of the crucifixion out of AJ's little Bible. She pointed to the picture of Jesus and said, "Mom, why isn't he wearing a shirt?" I told her how men were hurting him very badly. She responded with, "That Jesus is just SO funny sometimes!" (What on earth??)

*The other day before lunch, Adrianna was having an emotional meltdown for some unknown reason. I finally put her in her booster seat for lunch, and she calmly said, "I'm really sorry, Mom. It's just been a really long day."

Easter Sunday

2009-04-16T15:01:00.003-05:00

Neither my camera nor my girls were cooperating during this photo shoot. This is the best we could come up with. But I'm sure these pictures are the ones we'll crack up at years down the road. :)

Buddies ;)

2009-03-26T19:15:00.002-05:00

Catch up!!!

2009-03-20T14:34:00.011-05:00

Okay, so I'm a few months behind AGAIN! I guess I can play the "I'm too busy" card, but I know I'm probably not. :) So here's a quick catch-up and many random pictures of the girls:

*Natalie is 6 months old already. She's our little peanut - only 13 or so pounds. Unfortunately for her people mistake her for much younger and try to cuddle her like a 3-month old - she quickly lets them know that she does NOT enjoy that! :) She had a miserable bout with RSV in February, but praise the Lord it was short-lived. Other than a trip to the ER, she handled it great. She started eating oatmeal and enjoys it - I'd forgotten how messy these little people are during those first few weeks of eating. :) Her latest antic is to squeal like a baby pig. This is very cute when she's doing it out of pure joy. But it is also used when she is upset, antsy, ready for some attention or hungry. We have decided that she is the smaller and louder of our two children (is that possible?). But she is such a joy.

*Adrianna . . . 2 1/2 going on 16. The Berenstain Bears have taught her what I wasn't able to: Manners! Yes, she now insists on being polite in every circumstance, even when manners are not necessary. For instance, when she has been rebuked by me, she asks for forgiveness and then walks away and says, "No harm done!" (I beg to differ!!). If someone forgets a manner, she quickly reminds us that manners matter (except she says, "Matters Matter!"). She is a bit confused about God and who He is. She understands that she can talk to God whenever she wants, even in bed at night (we talked about that during a thunderstorm one night!). But she is confused as to why God doesn't talk to her in return. It's so hard to explain that He does talk to her through His Word! She loves going through "My First Book of Questions and Answers." When I ask her, "What is a spirit?" She answers, "A spirit is an invisible being who does not have a body like us." And she knows that God is a spirit. It wasn't until later that I realized that she thought that a "body" was a "bottom." Oh, dear. I quickly tried to correct her wrong impression of God. :) Nate and I are still baffled that she is our daughter, mainly because she is so active, imaginative, and crazy!!! And any of you that know us well know that we are both easy-going, calm and stable (or so we think!). But we wouldn't know what to do without our AJ. :)

*This winter has passed by quickly, despite lots of snow and cold days. I see robins in the backyard now, and each day that we have sun is a reminder that spring IS coming! I had a not-so-fun allergic reaction to our live Christmas tree this year that lasted for months! That is finally gone now, thank goodness. I found out I needed glasses by casually trying on my sister's glasses one day - it was like the Claritin commercial - I had NO CLUE what I was missing! :) Nate is busy with church, but it's been such a great year to see God work. His family is coming up in April for his ordination - it will be such a treat to see them again. This was not meant to be a Christmas letter. I'll try to update more regularly in the future. :)

Sisters!!!!

2009-01-10T21:42:00.003-05:00

I keep hearing how much Adrianna and Natalie look alike. It's harder for me to see since I'm their mom. But these pictures make me smile. :) (The top picture is Adrianna)

Overdue Pictures!

2009-01-10T20:18:00.015-05:00

I have been a very bad blogger! Life has just been flying by, and I've finally settled down for a few minutes to update. We had a wonderful Christmas season with family. We were able to spend it in Indy with my side of the family. And on Christmas Eve my sister Sue gave us the best present yet, little Elyse whom I'm just DYING to meet in February! Adrianna is growing up way too fast - at times I see glimpes of my baby, but most times I see a little girl. It's kind of sad but wonderful at the same time. Natalie is our little angel baby - so sweet and good-natured. Many people told me number two would be easier, and they're right! She rarely cries and sleeps 11 hrs at night now - we're so thankful! Here are some pictures to update you all on the last two months.

November

2008-11-30T10:56:00.011-05:00

Where has the time gone??? We can't believe December is almost here. Adrianna keeps asking me when Christmas is coming so we can sing happy birthday to Jesus. Natalie is a wonderful baby. She's sleeping 8-9 hrs at night and is very happy and smiley throughout the day. Here are some pictures of the girls this month!

Adrianna tried to put her shirt on all by herself - close!

Our happy Baby Natalie!

Adrianna proudly showing off her Elmo and Veggie Tales magnets.

This picture perfectly captures Adrianna's personality - fun, fun, fun! :)

Natalie - 10 wks old

My parents were able to come for a quick visit this month. It was so fun having them here.

Adrianna loved playing in the snow with Grandpa.

2008-11-13T20:05:00.005-05:00

Family Picture (I included myself for Kelly and Sarah. :)

2008-10-22T09:46:00.002-05:00

The Girls (+ Nate)

2008-10-18T18:29:00.007-05:00

2008-10-03T20:11:00.003-05:00

Update

2008-09-28T19:10:00.004-05:00

Well we survived our first week with a new baby at home! It was much easier than expected actually. Adrianna did many wonderful things to get our attention, usually while I fed Natalie. I think she knows that it's VERY inconvenient for me to get up and discipline her during those times. :) But overall it's been a good week. Natalie had her doctor's appointment on Friday and gained a whole pound in 5 days! She's up to 6lbs. 8oz. She'll go in for one more weigh-in next Friday. She sleeps well between feedings at nights and only cries when she is hungry or has gas. :) The other day Adrianna heard Natalie cry loudly for the first time and started yelling, "Make her stop, Mommy; make her stop!!!" Nate has been SO helpful during this time. He gets up with me for each feeding during the night which is SO encouraging. I couldn't be more blessed. Here are a few pictures of our week!

Natalie's Home!

2008-09-24T18:32:00.006-05:00

Natalie was able to come home last Sunday afternoon after 12 days in the hospital. The doctors waited for her to eat on her own for 48 hrs., and Sunday at midnight was the deadline. We've just loved having our whole family together again. Natalie is doing well and eating like a champ. Adrianna is adjusting to not being the center of attention - she loves to help me burp Natalie. :) So far Natalie sleeps very well between night feedings; hopefully that will last. I'm tired, but I wouldn't trade having my baby home for all the sleep in the world. :) Thanks for all your prayers!

Natalie Grace

2008-09-16T11:37:00.012-05:00

Our sweet baby Natalie Grace was born on September 9th, a little earlier than expected! I was a few days shy of 35 wks, and actually had an appointment with my mid-wife and an ultrasound that morning. Neither one gave us any clues that we'd be in the hospital that night. After dinner my water broke, and trying not to panic, we packed our bags and got a sitter for Adrianna. Our small-town hospital will not accept babies under 35 wks, and even though I was close, they decided to send me in an ambulance to Grand Rapids (40 min. away). I was pretty disappointed that I would not be able to have my mid-wife deliver the baby, but we knew God had some reason. After getting settled into the huge hospital in Grand Rapids, they had to give me Pitosin to get my labor going. I got a wonderful epidural shortly after and was able to rest and "almost" sleep during the rest of my labor. My nurse checked me less than 4 hours later and said, "Okay, here we go!" I kept yelling across the room to my sound-asleep husband on the couch that it was time (that gives you a clue as to how easy my labor was!). Little Natalie was out in just 2 pushes and rushed to the other side of the room to be observed by all the neo-natal doctors. She weighed 5 lbs. 11 oz and was 18 inches long. Her breathing was a little uneven at first, so they decided to send her to the intermediate NICU nursery. I got to hold her for just a quick minute before they took her away. I left the hospital 2 days later feeling fantastic, but we had to leave Natalie there. Very hard to do!!!! But we're thankful she's in such great hands. She's improving every day, and they plan to send her home when she can eat independently, without the feeding tube. Last night she drank 3 whole bottles by herself, so we're optimistic that it will be in a week or so. Our schedule is a little crazy: I stay with AJ in the mornings while Nate works, then he comes home during her naps and studies while I make the drive to Grand Rapids to be with Natalie. I try to be home by the time Adrianna goes to bed. I enjoy the few hours I get to spend with Natalie, feeding her and rocking her. It makes me so anxious to have her home. Nate and I look back on how God worked out every detail of this delivery. We see now how much we needed to be in Grand Rapids, with all the neo-natal care. They've been SO great through all of this. And for weeks now we've prayed each night that God would bring Natalie to full-term. But it's exciting to see that He chose to specifically NOT answer that prayer for a sovereign reason that we don't see yet. Maybe someday we will. We feel extremely blessed!

Vacation!

2008-08-12T12:22:00.004-05:00

We're back from a great week of vacation with my side of the family. It's been a LONG-standing tradition (50+ yrs) to go to a cabin in northern MN on a beautiful lake. This year was the first year that Adrianna could really enjoy it. She kept us hopping all week and did great. I had trouble posting pictures here, so there are many more on facebook.

Now we're getting back to normal life. I am 31 wks along and feeling really good. We're naming our little girl Natalie Grace, and she's growing right on target. Adrianna slept in her big-girl bed for the first time last night and didn't make a peep all night. We are SO thankful!!! She, of course, doesn't fully understand that her little life will be drastically changed in 9 wks, but she does enjoy visiting the doctor with me and "checking on the baby." Today she heard the heartbeat and started yelling, "That's Sister!!" We're praying that the adjustment will go smoothly!

2008-06-26T20:10:00.005-05:00

A Trip to The Beach

2008-06-26T19:58:00.007-05:00

Two weeks ago, the three of us spent the morning at Lake Michigan. It was Adrianna's first time at the beach this year, and I was curious how she'd like it. I was not disappointed. She was totally fascinated with the sand and would have stayed in the freezing water all day if we let her. Unfortunately she has NO fear of the water, something we'll have to work on!!

Little Munchkin

2008-05-29T07:42:00.002-05:00

Memorial Day

2008-05-29T07:29:00.006-05:00

On Monday morning the three of us went to a park and "hiked" some trails (about as much hiking as Adrianna's little legs would allow). Then we went to a carnival that had a petting zoo - Adrianna loved it and had no fear of touching any of the animals. It was such a beautiful day and so fun to be together as a family.

A Few Adrianna Pictures

2008-05-24T19:24:00.005-05:00

It's a Girl! :)

2008-05-14T11:21:00.005-05:00

We found out last week that we're having a little girl, and we're thrilled. We didn't really have a preference either way, but I am especially excited that Adrianna will have a close sister like I did. Nate's thrilled that we can reuse Adrianna's clothes and not spend lots of money. :) I did have the ultrasound a little earlier than normal (17 wks), but as you can see from the pictures, she showed all of us that she is definitely female. :) We're so thankful that she seems very healthy! (We have NO ideas on names yet!!)

"Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints."

2008-04-26T11:18:00.003-05:00

It was a week ago last night that my sweet Grandma Helland went home to be with Jesus. It's been a full week of traveling to MN, meeting many distant relatives, and attending her funeral. Though there is sadness because we will miss her, I can't help but be so happy for her. She has struggled with health problems for as long as I can remember. In spite of them all, she never complained but always maintained the sweetest attitude. She always made us the best cinnamon rolls when we'd visit, even though her fingers were horribly bent with arthritis. She just adored Adrianna and any time she could spend with her. In fact, during the last few visits she actually got down on the floor to play with her, despite the fact that she couldn't get back up without much help. The thing I will remember most about Grandma is how much she loved me and cared about every small detail of my life. She cared about the unimportant parts of my day, like how many diapers I'd changed or how often I'd played the piano that week. It makes me so sad to think that Adrianna will not remember her. But I have plenty of stories to tell her someday. :) I love imagining her now - singing with the angels, enjoying her straight back and long beautiful fingers. And I can't wait to see her someday.

2008-04-24T13:51:00.009-05:00

Dressed up for Church

2008-04-07T10:13:00.002-05:00

Baby #2 on the way!

2008-04-01T11:23:00.002-05:00

The word is out, and Baby Birkholz #2 is due around Oct. 15th. We're excited and thankful that everything seems to be going well so far. I'm 12 wks along and anxious to start my second trimester. Overall it's been a good pregnancy. I felt a little more nauseous this time around than I did with Adrianna, but I was still able to function and do the day-to-day things. We have lots to be thankful for.

Little Artist

2008-04-01T11:19:00.002-05:00

Drawing is Adrianna's latest entertainment. As you can see, we haven't mastered the art of holding a pencil yet, so she holds it her own special way. :)

2008-03-27T11:18:00.009-05:00

Adrianna had a blast with her cousin Sam when he visited last week - she still asks for him when she wakes up in the morning.

Taking out the trash is still the highlight of AJ's week - from her reaction, it even beats Christmas.

Adrianna loves her new (used) piano - we like it because it has volume control!

Recent Pictures

2008-03-15T19:14:00.007-05:00

Trip to Florida

2008-03-08T10:07:00.003-05:00

Last week Nate and I took six of our teens on a college trip. My parents kept Adrianna, and we flew down to Clearwater, FL to visit Clearwater Christian College. It was so fun to get away and relax! I enjoyed getting a glimpse of where Nate spent four years of his life, and the teens loved the experience. Nate and I stayed in a hotel while the kids stayed on campus. The 80-degree weather was a huge plus, and we were all able to enjoy an afternoon at the beach catching some rays. It was a rude awakening to come back to COLD Michigan, but we were thankful for the opportunity to go.

In other news, the sun is starting to peek out here. Even though it's only 11 degrees outside right now, it's such a blessing to have the sun shining in the windows. Adrianna has explored every corner and crack or this house in the last few weeks - poor thing. She'll be very ready to be outside this spring. I think she's cutting her two-year molars already; that seems way too early! She's talking ALL the time - in fact she has conversations with herself in her crib. We often hear her saying, "Dolly jump? Yeah. More? Okay!" Fortunately for me, she loves her crib and will sometimes play in it for up to 2 hours. I'm hoping that will last for many more years. :-)

And winter goes on . . .

2008-02-27T14:18:00.004-05:00

I'm not counting on anything the groundhog says because we still have tons of snow. And it is snowing as I speak. I did hear a few birds outside this morning, and that gives me some hope. We are all craving spring, especially me and AJ. She has enjoyed getting to play in the snow once in awhile. And as you can see in the picture, she wears her boots around often just in case Mommy lets her go out. She has also become quite the connoisseure with taking out the trash. Trash day is quite exciting, and she enjoys carrying around the bag of dirty diapers - how gross. We're hoping this eagerness will last into her teenage years.

2008-02-20T09:56:00.005-05:00

We're back . . .

2008-02-18T14:26:00.006-05:00

We're back after a long week! Our church sent Nate and I down to Lafayette, IN to attend the NANC conference this last week. We dropped Adrianna off at my parents' house (they live in Indy) on our way. It was my first time away from Adrianna for more than a night, so I wondered how it would go. But everything went very well. AJ LOVED being with Grandpa and Grandma for the week - she didn't cry for us once. And I did well too, although I was very ready to see her again. Now we're home and "re-training" Adrianna (no offense, Mom and Dad!). :-) We were VERY thankful to know that she was in good hands. And Nate and I were able to spend lots of time together at the conference, going out to eat every night and visiting with old friends. It was a valuable experience!

Despite what these pictures say, Adrianna does not run around with spaghetti sauce on her face ALL the time. :-)

I'm not sure why the Mr. Potato Head box is on her head.

Playing before bedtime

After lasagna night!!!

Adrianna wearing Nate's hat

A little brag on my husband . . .

2008-01-29T18:53:00.000-05:00

Today was one of those days . . . Adrianna has a cold, I have a cold, and we're BOTH a little out of sorts. After a long afternoon of wiping a snotty nose, listening to whining, and picking up the same things over and over again, I began to feel a little down in the dumps. Leave it to my sweet husband to brighten my day. He brought home a dozen beautiful roses, and in each rose was a little note, each one telling me something he loved about me. He had no idea how "yuk" my day was, and his sweet gesture was VERY much appreciated. (As you can see, Adrianna enjoyed my flowers too). :-)

Adrianna in the kitchen

2008-01-29T18:47:00.000-05:00

Winter Wonderland

2008-01-24T09:18:00.001-05:00

It's such a beautiful morning! We got another 6 or 7 inches of snow in the night, and this was the view from our house this morning. AJ and I were able to go out and play in it the other day. Yes, she does have a snowsuit, but on this day I decided we would just walk around so she wouldn't need to wear it. As you can see, I was wrong. She insisted on crawling on the shoveled driveway - what a goober. So now we're surrounded with well over a foot of snow! Fun!

Snow Day!

2008-01-22T10:25:00.000-05:00

We woke up to about a foot of snow on the ground this morning. It was so beautiful! (But I'm not the one who had to shovel it) Of course Nate didn't get to enjoy a snow day at home, but AJ and I are. We wish he could spend it with us!

Random Photos

2008-01-21T12:04:00.000-05:00

This is Adrianna's "serious" face. She and I see who can go the longest without smiling - I usually win. :-)

After church

My brother Philip and his girlfriend Alissa came to stay with us for a few days

2008-01-12T15:45:00.000-05:00

We Love Winter (so far!)

2008-01-12T15:34:00.000-05:00

Our Mini Family Vacation

2008-01-02T15:43:00.000-05:00

We decided that it would be fun to get away over the two-day holiday. So Sunday night after church we hit the road for Grand Rapids. My ever-thrifty husband won a great bid on Priceline for a two-night stay at the Hilton. Yes, we took Adrianna, so it was not a second-honeymoon by any means. But we made do and had a blast. We took AJ to the zoo for the first time - yes, it was freezing, but since it was free and nearly empty of people, we didn't care. Adrianna especially enjoyed the tiger and the monkeys. She did great sleeping in the same room with us, and she was in bed each night by 7:30. We put an extra-loud fan in front of her pac 'n play so she couldn't hear the tv. :-) Here are a few pictures of our time together! (The bottom one is of AJ eating a meal on a small table - we forgot the high chair tray!)

Christmas in Michigan

2008-01-01T20:30:00.000-05:00

This year we spent our first family Christmas alone in our new home. We missed family, but it was fun to enjoy Adrianna's first real Christmas. We opened presents on Christmas Eve and then enjoyed a nice quiet Christmas Day. Adrianna loved opening all the presents. I think she expects to open something everyday now. Here are just a few pictures of our time together!

Someone looks excited for Christmas!

Adrianna saying goodnight to Elmo!

After opening presents, Nate dragged Adrianna on a blanket throughout the house. Here she is waving hello to me!

Adrianna looks quite pleased with her new Elmo chair. :-)

Her new Mr. Potato Head glasses don't quite fit.

After Adrianna went to bed, Nate and I grilled steaks and had our own QUIET Christmas Eve dinner. Then we opened our presents.

Nate helping AJ with her stocking.

She looks pleased with her stocking stuffers!

Our Christmas Picture

2008-01-01T20:20:00.000-05:00

Christmas Pictures Attempts

2007-12-21T10:40:00.000-05:00

Here are just a few of the many, many Christmas picture attempts I tried with Adrianna. In the end I just chose a family shot. Getting an 18-month old (MY 18-month old) to sit is like taming a wild lion. Hopefully we'll have better luck next year. Atleast I have a ton of pictures to look back and laugh at now. :-)

Adrianna's Emergency

2007-12-17T23:19:00.000-05:00

This afternoon:

It's Adrianna's naptime and after 20 minutes of silence I hear her screaming bloody murder. So I race down the hallway, my heart pounding, not knowing what limb she has stuck in the crib or if there will be blood. I open the door only to see Adrianna standing in her crib, holding out the sweater vest she had been wearing.

Me: "Adrianna, did you take your vest off?"
AJ: "Yeah." (sob, sob)
Me: "Do you want Mommy to put it back on for you?"
AJ: "Yeah." (hiccup, hiccup)
I put on the vest.
Me: "Is that all better?"
AJ: "Gake Goo."

Naptime continues. :-)

What we've been up to . . .

2007-12-11T13:59:00.000-05:00

Adrianna and I have been housebound for a few days due to colds and snow. We've had our moments (if you know what I mean), but overall we've had fun. Here are some pictures of what Adrianna has been up to.

Cheese!

Adrianna enjoyed cleaning out under the refrigerator - I'm glad she likes to do it because I don't!

What a smug face. :-)

This bench went all over the house many times each day. Sometimes it would end up in the oddest spots!

Almost there!

Finally where she wants it! Notice the huge mess all around the bench! Is the kitchen ever clean for more than 10 minutes?

Working with Daddy's gloves

2007-12-05T15:14:00.000-05:00

This morning Adrianna woke up with a cold - her nose is running constantly! She and I were reading on the couch, and I asked her to go wipe her nose on a kleenex. So she toddled to the bathroom, and I heard her open up the cabinet, pull out a kleenex and blow! I must have gotten distracted because a few minutes later I peeked in, and she had gone through much of the kleenex box, blowing her nose in each one. I guess I should have been more specific. :-)

Our Decorated Christmas Tree!

2007-12-04T20:40:00.000-05:00

This is the progression of a normal Christmas picture photo shoot with Adrianna (Yes, we finally got one of our family that will work!)

2007-12-04T20:27:00.000-05:00

No smiles. :-(

Cheesy Face!

Meltdown!

Time for bed!

Random pictures of Adrianna (with my NEW camera :-)

2007-11-29T13:47:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving in Illinois

2007-11-29T13:24:00.000-05:00

We drove to Forreston, IL to spend Thanksgiving with Nate's family. It was a short time and went way too fast. But we were able to squeeze alot of talking, eating and playing games in that time. I stole these pictures from Stephanie and Jodi since my camera didn't work indoors - thanks, girls!!!

Adrianna got a nasty fat lip on Thanksgiving Day!

Adrianna and her favorite (and only) cousin Sam. This picture makes me laugh. :-)

Sam looks way too cool for this picture :-)

Nate's Dad taking a walk with Adrianna

Christa, Stephanie, Jodi and myself (my awesome sister-in-laws!)

Adrianna getting some fresh, COLD air on Thanksgiving Day

Nate's Mom, Sam and Adrianna (doesn't Adrianna look amused?)

Sam loved pinching Adrianna's cheeks :-)

The Birkholz Family on Thanksgiving Day

Visit with Sue and Jordan

2007-11-21T12:59:00.000-05:00

Sue and Jordan were able to drive out and stay with us for a few days. It was so fun to spend time with them! Adrianna especially enjoyed lots of attention. Auntie Sue was wonderful at playing with AJ, keeping her from getting in trouble a few times, and also teaching her the word "poopie." Thanks, Sue. :-) Can't wait to see you guys again!!

More Outdoor Pictures

2007-11-13T21:36:00.000-05:00

Is everyone sick of outdoor pictures yet??? Still no flash on my camera. This afternoon Adrianna and I enjoyed playing out in the backyard while we waited for Nate to come home from work. It was a pretty day and not too cold. We're enjoying the outdoors while we can!!!!

Enjoying the leaves

2007-11-06T09:10:00.000-05:00

Yesterday the three of us spent time out in the yard raking the MANY leaves on our lawn (actually Nate did all the raking while Adrianna and I played in them). Today we looked out our back window and all the leaves were back. :-) How does that happen???

We Love Fall!!!

2007-11-03T13:18:00.000-05:00

Motorcycles!!

2007-10-30T19:30:00.000-05:00

Yes, Adrianna has already sat on her first motorcycle. No, she did not ride it. Our Pastor brought his bike over yesterday and let Adrianna sit on it. These pictures are a little deceiving because much of the time she was crying at the scary-looking helmets. :)

BZZZZZ. . .

2007-10-27T12:26:00.000-05:00

A Pretty Fall Day

2007-10-25T18:00:00.001-05:00

It was finally time to pull out the winter coat today! Yeah! I was especially excited because I found Adrianna's winter coat at a baby thrift store for $9. It's really thick and plush, so even if she can't move in it, she'll keep warm during our Michigan winters. :-) She actually didn't seem to mind wearing it and enjoyed playing outside, picking up the colorful leaves.

Afternoon at the Park

2007-10-18T16:32:00.001-05:00

More Hiking pictures

2007-10-17T08:35:00.001-05:00

Hiking

2007-10-16T21:10:00.000-05:00

Yesterday Nate had the afternoon off. So we went hiking in a park that had beautiful trails all the way down to Lake Michigan. The changing leaves were so pretty, and of course the beach is always beautiful. Adrianna's favorite part was the special rock she got to carry the whole time and playing in the sand. Afterwards we went to a coffee shop and had pumpkin lattes and a cinnamon roll (AJ enjoyed cheerios). It's so nice that Adrianna can enjoy these times a little more now that she's older - we don't have to be so constrained by naptimes. :-)

Our 4th Anniversary

2007-10-13T07:32:00.000-05:00

Our 4th anniversary was on Thursday, but we celebrated last night. We got a great sitter and went downtown to The Grill Room for some awesome steak. We walked around the shops and then went out for some dessert. It was so nice to be ALONE (no offense, Adrianna). We both said last night that we look forward to the next 50+ years being as special as these four have been! (If any of you are wondering why all my pictures are outside now, my flash broke! So plan on yellow indoor pictures and many outdoor ones! :-)

She's already taking out the trash!

2007-10-09T09:30:00.000-05:00

Latest Adrianna Pictures

2007-10-09T09:21:00.000-05:00

Trip to Indiana

2007-10-03T20:37:00.000-05:00

We're back from a fun week visiting my family in Indianapolis. Nate took a college trip and then went to a conference in Chicago, so instead of hanging out here, Adrianna and I went on a trip!! We had so much fun, and what a vacation it was for me! My family took care of everything, and I got to shop, read, and relax to my heart's content. :-) Adrianna immediately bonded with Grandpa, Grandma and Uncle Philip. She was spoiled rotten, so now begins my week of retraining. I'm SO grateful to have such wonderful family so close now!!!

Say "thank you!"

2007-09-25T08:43:00.000-05:00

Last night Nate and I were cleaning up the kitchen, and Adrianna walked up to me and handed me her favorite tupperware bowl and lid (that means I must put the lid on the tupperware for her). So I put the lid on, handed it back to her, and she walked away and said thank you. Now her words were more like "Gake goo," but to her Mom it was as clear as a bell. I asked Nate if he heard it, and he did too! So for the next few minutes I ran around doing things for her, and each time she'd walk away and say "gake goo." Oh the things a mother does for thrills!!! :-)

Can this be true??????

2007-09-18T15:49:00.000-05:00

Playing on the deck

2007-09-17T11:35:00.000-05:00

An Update

2007-09-11T19:18:00.001-05:00

We're getting our home back to normal after a crazy weekend. On Tuesday night Adrianna woke up screaming in the middle of the night, so we both went in, held her in the dark, and she calmed down right away and happily went right back down to sleep. Only in the morning when we got her out of bed did we realize that she had thrown-up in the night, and we had laid her back down in it! i still have this horrible picture of our little girl sweetly lying back down in her crib as we walk out of the room, probably wondering why on earth we would do that to her! Horrible parents!!!!!! Anyways, she was great by the next day. Then I got the stomach flu on Friday morning, so my sweet husband stayed home with me and played Mr. Mom. I could hardly get out of bed to walk to the bathroom, let alone run after my fast little girl. So having him there was SUCH a huge help. He did my grocery shopping, kept my supplied with popsicles and 7-Up (must-haves when I'm sick), sprayed everything in the house (including me at times) with Lysol, and even scrubbed the floors. What a man! We're all back to normal now and ready for a full week!

Here are some pictures of Adrianna helping Nate with the yard work!!

Pictures from the weekend

2007-09-04T18:43:00.001-05:00

Weekend with Philip

2007-09-04T18:32:00.000-05:00

My younger brother, Philip, came to visit us over the weekend. He and Adrianna became instant buds, and she followed him around constantly, always wanting to play. He left last night and let's just say that she misses the attention. We went to the beach, went swimming, and just hung around. It was great to have him here. And yes, he's available, Ladies. :-)

2007-08-31T09:58:00.000-05:00

On Wednesday afternoon, two of our church widows surprised us with two beautiful flower arrangements for our front porch! When we first moved in, they had gorgeous geraniums waiting for us on the porch, and in the last 3 months, those geraniums have died. So they came to replace them. What a sweet gesture from women who could be sitting at home feeling sorry for themselves. Another challenge from the Lord for us to give!!!!

Garage Sale Bargain

2007-08-31T09:55:00.000-05:00

Wednesday night after church a friend and I went to a "pre-garage sale" - someone in the church let us look through all their stuff before it went out the next day. And I found a bargain! I got TWO matching couch covers (one couch and one loveseat) from SureFit, in perfect condition, for only $45! It just happens that we have a couch and loveseat in our basement that desperately needed covers. And I had given up hope until next year b/c I did not want to spend lots of money on them. So what a blessing! :-)