Panther Preschool...Take 2

Today Caitlin started Panther Playgroup at the local high school.  It's a fun program...it's for ages 18 months (although there is a 15 month old in it...that's a whole 'nother story) through age 3.  Caitlin is only going one day a week to just have a chance to socialize and start to use her words!  :)

The differences in my two girls is like night and day.  With Abigail, I would say it took her almost a month before I didn't have to walk in with her cause she cried so much.  With Caitlin, she didn't even care I was there.  She walked right in and started playing.  I was going to stay the whole day, but I was just sitting there, so I finally left.  I said "Caitlin, Mommy is leaving but I will come back!" and she just ran up, gave me a kiss, adn went right back to playing!  I'm so happy she's so independent....I'm so proud of her, and a lil sad for myself!  :)  I should note she's not shy...at snack time after she ate her 2 cookies, apparenly she went to all the other plates and ate all their leftovers, totaling 6 cookies!  That's my girl!

I'm so proud of my big girl....but not sure where time went and what happened to my baby......

Trying so hard to just get 1 picture

Caitlin's "stinker" face

Her 1st bookbag!  :)

I love this peanut!

Playdough (she looks so small between all the high school girls)

Sensory Table

(and I would like to point out the high school girls in the background.  Oh, to be in high school again.  First, apparently everyone wears slippers in high school....as shoes!???!  Second, they are so funny cause they are like "she's so cute...she's so cute" and the this one girl pooped and they were all like "YUCK!"  The first group of girls are from a parenting class....good luck!  But the second group of girls are all seniors who have taken all the childhood classes and are going into elementery ed next year in college...those are the girls I'm trusting here!  The parenting girls...I'm just happy they are learning!)

"How was school, big girl?"

And the inevitable comparison pictures: 

Caitlin's 1st day of Playgroup

Abigail's 1st day of Playgroup

Obvious observation:  I have relaxed on how I dress my kids for school!  :)

I'm excited to watch Caitlin change and grow this year...and for all the fun she will have!  And Abigail is so excited that she gets 1 day alone with mommy...it has been annoying her that she doesn't know what Caitlin and I do when she's in preschool...so now she gets her turn.  She's excited now...until she realizes it's just errands and her ballet class!  :)

Adventures with Cuddly

This weekend was our family weekend with Cuddly, the class bear from Abigail's classroom.  Of course, this was the only weekend we really had no big plans...and were looking forward to a weekend of "catching up" and relaxing....but we headed out Sunday to take Cuddly on an adventure.  We went to the Kline Creek farm.

Cuddly had a great day.  He got to see horses, chickens, and sheep.  The farmer came out and said she needed help getting the eggs, so Abigail got to go in the chicken coop and find the eggs (she tried to get Caitlin too....Caitlin is very social, except around animals!)

It was a great morning at the farm....and when we got home we wrote our story about Cuddly's adventure (with pictures) for Cuddly's Adventure Book.  On Monday, Abigigail got to sit in the teacher's chair (apparently VERY exciting in the 3 year old world) and tell her story!  Thanks for visiting us Cuddly!

Go BEARS!  (Cuddly wore Kramer's Bear's jersey)

Check out the horse, Cuddly!

Eggs!  (We told her Grandma could take her next time and tell her how a farm really works since she grew up on one!)

Buddies!

They took the horses out to "draft"....??????  (They never moved)

Already printed and framed it!  ;)

Tomorrow is another big day here...Caitlin's 1st day of school (Panther Playgroup).  Pics to come!!!!!

Lucy's Day

On Saturday, we took Lucy to the Children's Museum for a special day.  As our Goddaughter, we want to spend special days with her.  Jules and Joe met us at Navy Pier and took our 2 girls for a special day...so everyone had a really special day!  :)  While Abigail and Caitlin were having the BEST morning riding rides, including the Ferris Wheel which Rob and I have still yet to do, and having ice cream, we were busy playing with Lucy!  It was so nice to have some time alone with her. We were able to really get to know her alone...and it was crazy to have 2 adults and only 1 kid!  It was a great morning...and we look forward to taking Lucy on a special day every year around her birthday!

Uncle Robbie was in HEAVEN with his goddaughter

Water Table!  I love this little peanut so much!!!!

Lucy loves water!

And more water!!!!!

Uncle Robbie may have forgotten for a second that 1 year olds can't go down the slide by themselves...but only for a quick second!

Souvie!  We couldn't wait to go and pick out something for Lucy!  It's big and it lights up...perfect!

After our special morning with Lucy, we met back up with Jules, Joe, and the girls and all headed back into the museum!  Lucy had TOO MUCH FUN and was ready for a nap, but the girls were able to stay and play a little more!

New climbing exhibit was fun for the girls!  Abigail getting to the top!

Caitlin busy at work!

After we left the city, we drove to our house (about an hour) and then another 30 minutes past our house to my friend Eric's house.  He had a bunch of us from high school over for a BBQ.  There were 4 familes there (Stajs, Skinners, Hackneys) and between the 4 of us, we have 9 kids, 4 of which will all start kindergarten at the same time!  So needless to say, there was less "talking" and more chasing, changing, feeding, and yelling...but it was fun to catch up!  I didn't take a bunch of pics, but no need cause Jodie was a photographer!  But I did take a few pics of the girls playing dressup!

Abigail, Caitlin, and Addison (Jodie's daughter).  Hadley (Eric's daughter)  was also involved but not into pics!

My lil Elton Jon!

Jods also got a GREAT pic of the girls, but I figured I'd better save it for a Xmas card option!  I will have to do a Xmas card option post when I pick a picture!  :)

Life has been busy as always...another normal week.  Next week becomes even crazier because Caitlin starts preschool. So on Thursday, Caitlin has preschool, Abigail has ballet, and then I still watch my other kids, and then Abigail and my other lil girl have library!  That's just Thursday!  :)  Every day is like that.  But the girls are loving all their classes...and staying busy!  I am so excited for Caitlin to start preschool...I think she is going to LOVE it!

Abigail is also LOVING preschool (I should do another post).  She has such a great teacher.  They are learning so much already.  I love her teacher too....she does a lot of the same books I did in kindergarten so when Abigail comes home, we can usually read the books again!  Yesterday was her first show and tell...she had to bring something with the letter A for her name, so she brought an angel.  She thought it was very exciting that she got to sit in  the teacher's chair to show her toy.  This week has been friendship week and they have done such fun things like friendship bracelets and a friendship salad!

Also, random note...marathon training is coming to an end!  My dad and I did our last 20 mile run last weekend (we did 2 20's).  It wasn't pretty (Barrington Hills, rain, hip injury), but we finished it.  So I only have 3 "taper" weeks (16 miles, 12 miles, 8 miles) on the weekend and then it's marathon weekend.  It's been a lot harder to train with the girls and Rob's golf...but I'm proud that I got it done!  Looking forward to our marathon in Michigain in October!

Happy Thursday!

Down...but not out!!!!

Well, it's been a rough week in the Wennerstrom house and I've been down for the count for a few days, which included an emergency trip to the doctors office on Tuesday and a trip to the emergency room on Wednesday morning at 4am.  The kids and Rob have been great and I am very grateful.  I also have had the whole week off from watching my other babes and I am very grateful for this time to rest.  I am on the road to recovery...and as we say in the world of kidney stones (cause I'm in that world now)....let's hope this all PASSES soon!  :)

Last weekend we took the kids to do some cooking at a fun place by our house.  We prepicked the meals...then we went in and put the meals together.  We had 6 meals and 6 sides to make!  It was a special day at the place because it was "Cooking with Kids" day so the kids got aprons and there was a cupcake decorating station.  Abigail LOVED helping put the meals together.  Caitlin LOVED getting up and down her stepstool!  And she LOVED the cupcakes!  :)

I have been to a couple different places like this, but this was is by far the BEST!  It is called Entree Kitchen.  It is so clean and the staff is so helpful!  We had a great Saturday morning and look forward to going back when our batch of food is gone!

The girls helping Daddy

The family that cooks together stays together!  :)

Once she learned there was a cupcake station, no matter where we moved her stepstool, she moved it right back here and just stood here!  I love her!!!!!

The big helper!  She is so much like her daddy.  Everything was perfect!!!

This random pic I found cracks me up, even though it was blurry.  She was leaving for school and I wanted to take a picture...so I told her to be a model...and she struck the funniest pose!

A model that needs a hip adjustment!  So cute!

Happy Friday!!!!!

TEN

Today marks a special day in our lives.  Ten years ago, Rob and I started dating.  We were supposed to go to a Jimmy Buffet concert with mutual friends, but due to 9/11,we all ended up at a bar by my house called Pour House.   Rob and I spent the whole night talking (and eating peanuts...that bar was the BEST)...and the rest is history!

I know most people mark their annivesaries by the years of marriage...but for Rob and I, some of the best times of our lives were before we got married.  We spent so much time learning about each other.  We traveled together, spent so many fun occasions with friends and family, and learned what true love was!!!!

From our first date of bowling and subway to our first trip to Niagara Falls....to 10 years, 3 homes, and 2 daughters later....we have been on quite a journey! 

Rob,  Thank you for all you have taught me.  Thank you for accepting me for who I am and not trying to change me (except in the cleaning department, which we all know I needed anyways).  You are the BEST thing that ever happened to me!!!  I love you!

Trip to Cabo

First thanksgiving (dating for 2 months)

Boston Trip

1 year anniversary at wineries in Niagara.

Soccer Team

Where it all began!!!!

10 years...and we've only just begun!!!!

A special birthday....and a special rememberance!

1st, and MOST important, we wanted to say...

Happy Birthday, Papa!!!!! We hope you are having a GREAT day, you deserve it!!!!

We had a great afternoon celebrating Papa's birthday yesterday!  Nana spoiled us with tons and tons of food...and homemade pizzas, yummy...while Papa treated us to great drinks!  We had a great time celebrating Papa's birthday, and hope he did to!

Pizza Makers

Football Watchers

And as a special birthday gift to Papa...the Bears WON!!!! 

Go Bears!!!

Yesterday also marked the 10th anniversary of 9-11.  I know everyone remembers where they were when they heard the terrible news.  I was "teaching a class full of innocent children " (from the country song "Where were you?").  They were 6th-8th graders in downtown Chicago and we watched the actions of that day unfold together.  The children were scared (and we were too)....it was a scary day as parents came rushing to get their kids, not sure if the terrorist attacks were coming to Chicago next.  They were at that age that we had to talk about it...and there were some rough days ahead, especially because most of the parents worked in high rises in Chicago.  But the children learned a lot about what it means to be an american that day...and that freedom isn't free!

Rob and I really wanted to pay tribute to those who lost their lives on that day, especially the 343 heroes who went into the buildings when most were running out.  Our town had a beautiful ceremony to honor those and we attended with the girls.  It was long (almost 2 hours) and there were lots of "moments of silence"...but the girls did great!  I was really impressed with all our town did. Lead by a local newsman, there were firemen, bagpipes, a high school band and choir, a teacher of one of the men on the United 93 who was from a neighboring town, and a steel beam from the World Trade Center that is going into a memorial our town is building.  It was a moving day and I am proud of our town for honoring the men, women, children, and families of 9-11.

Color Guards March

High School Band

Steel Beam

The first responders who gave their lives to help others to safety are amazing and we honor them!  We will not forget!

I came across 1 picture that touched me so much!  I think of the mom or dad and what must have been going through their heads as they picked up their child out of their stroller and ran for their lives.  I pray they are alive and healthy today!

We will always remember the men, women, and children who lost and sacrificed their lives....

A Blessing in our Backyard!

It's that time of  year again...the Eric and Kathy 36-hour radiothon to raise money for Children's Memorial.

Rob and I began donating before we had kids....with the thought that if we'd ever need it, we'd have the best hospital in our own backyard.  Never did we think that not 1, but 2 children would be touched my Children's Memorial. 

Obviously our life was shaken a little when Abigial was born 9 weeks premature.  It's not natural to see your baby having machines help her breath, and not being able to hold her for days.  We had amazing doctors and nurses from Children's Memorial (and Central Dupage Hospital) that were there for us.

And 2 years later, when Caitlin was having some scares, we were back in Children's Memorial.  They literally have her the gift of sound!  :) 

We have worked with pediatricians, neonatal specialists, neurologists, neurosurgeons, gastroentonologists, and ENT doctors and nurses from Children's...we they are all here in our backyards!  We know we are so so blessed to have them here, and will continue to support this hospital!

I have been listening to stories of parents who need Children's for serious things such as pedatric cancer, heart transplants, etc.  I know those parents' lives literallly changed in a split second.  It is something no one thinks they will need, but are grateful it is here when you do.

We hope to never need Children's Memorial again (although I'm sure stiches are in our near future with our explorer Caitlin) but are so grateful it's in our backyard if we do!  Please support Eric and Kathy's 36-hour Radiothon....do it for our girls! 

Caitlin's Stay

Our cone head....seizure free!  :)

Our 3 lb miracle

Daddy meeting his daughter for the first time!