Como Zoo

I watch my good friend’s little guy 3 days a week.  My kids love him to pieces.  I think Max even refers him to “my best friend Lukas”.  I think Lukas enjoys hanging out with them too.  They play so good together… they have their moments but it is usually short lived.

My friend decided she was taking a day off of work and we were all doing something with the kids.  She was missing us.  We took 3 weeks off from watching her little guy after I had Melanie.  We were missing them too! 

I suggested going to Como Zoo in Minneapolis.  I had never been there.  I heard that it was a great zoo.  Lets go.  Lukas had never been to Minneapolis!  I almost want to say he had never been out of Wisconsin – so he was thrilled!

Why are the monkeys being inappropriate every single time I go to the zoo with the kids!  Every!  Single!  Time!  I saw it and I start trying to distract the kids and get them to move onto the next animal.  Thank goodness it worked and we did not have to have a teachable moment right then and there!  Wow!  But I can hear behind me from other kids saying “what are they doing?”  Goodness!

We see a sign for a free sea lion show.  Awesome!  It was going to start in 30 minutes so we decided to grab a seat (because it was already filling up quickly) and have some snacks and drink.  It was crazy hot out!!

It got super packed with people!  We couldn’t see.  The kids stood and watched.  I didn’t see a thing.  I held my camera way in the area and guessed where I was aiming at the picture below.

This sea lion show lasted 8 minutes!  Yes!  8 minutes!  We sat in the beating down hot sun for 30 minutes to watch an 8 minute show… that was some what disappointing.  But maybe if I could of seen the sea lion it wouldn’t have been.  The kids thought it was great. 

Then they got to touch a tiger paw.

A shot of all three of them with the giraffes.

Max is using his shirt to wipe the sweat off his forehead.  He sweats like an old man!  And he uses his shirt to take care of business! 

We had seen all the animals.  The kids each got a souvenir.  Max picked a water balloon sling shot.  Mallory picked a cute little stuffed pink flamingo.  Lukas picked a huge long snake. 

Then we spotted the really old carousel.  It was really neat.  Everyone went for a ride except Melanie and I. 

Then I thought – hey we never documented that Melanie went on this trip too.  Snapped a picture quick while she was in my arms snoozing.

It was good little day adventure with great friends.

Summer Hay Ride

Hay rides are usually sometimes special you do in the fall.  But if you are a Frey – you do them in the summer too!  Mostly because Grandpa Dave is super proud of his tractor and any reason to drive (and lets be honest, show-off) his tractor is a good reason.

I did not realize how huge that bow was on Melanie’s head until now.

This next picture is proof for myself that I was protecting Melanie from the sun!  I continued to watch her face turn more red as the day/night went on.  I couldn’t figure it out until I got home and was getting her ready for bed.  Then it all clicked.  I sunburned her!!!

It wasn’t even a very sunny day.  It was warm.  Just one of those days where it felt like the sun was behind the clouds more.  The burn never bothered her.  I felt horrible though.  I went and bought her a bonnet (from my local Amish) and it stays in her diaper bag now.  I learned!!

Mallory and Kelly.  They needed me to tie straw around their wrists for straw bracelets while they went on the ride.  Then they had to give me one.

Proud Grandpa Dave on his precious tractor. 

He took us for a great big ride around the Frey property and proceeded to tell us stories like we were on some sort of Frey tour.  He could charge for these tours!  He even packs a cooler for you!

Babysitters

Melanie has become our centerpiece.  While we eat she is laying in the middle looking at us.  While I cook she is laying on the counter watching.  She is constantly on the counter.

Sometimes I have to leave the counter though and I need a babysitter to watch her to make sure she stays there.  Today Max was being the babysitter.

Max and Melanie.  Max constantly gets in her face and talks extremely loud!  She usually ends up yelling and arms swinging.  She has “punched” him a few times.  But he never learns.  He continues to get right in her face and talk too loud!

Irvine Park

I feel like we (Jesse and I) are not very good at doing spontaneous things with the kids.  I feel like the spontaneous moments can make some great memories for the kids.  But we rarely do them.  We are always on a mission.  We have things to do.  We have places we have to go.  Errands to run.  We are tired.  Need to get home.  Keep the schedule.  No fun.

I was feeling a little adventurous one afternoon.  We had to go to some stores and I decided that we were going to Irvine Park to see the animals when we were done.  It is free for goodness sakes!  Let the kids run and wiggle.  Change of pace. 

Mallory wants Jesse to lift her over the fence to pet the horse. 

Where Max is like forget that – I’m just going to crawl in!

The bigger animals are in safer cages.  I think they are looking at hyenas.  Which was the fascinating animal of the day.

Then they run down to the next window and and Mallory yells, “This one has a tiger and zebra in it!!”  To which I questioned her, “A tiger and a zebra?  Are you sure?  I think tigers eat zebras.”  She said, “yes.”  I finally reached her and it was a white tiger.  Too funny!

A few weeks later we had to go run errands again and it was hot out.  I had a craving for ice cream.  Usually I keep those cravings to myself… but I decided we were all going out for ice cream!  I’m not sure we have ever done this as a family!  We have gone with the grandparents.  But just us – it was a first!  The kids thought it was great!  I could really go for an ice cream outing again… the coffee ice cream was killer!

I will try to remember to let go of the schedule and to-do list a little bit more the rest of the summer.  It is good for all of us.

Melanie Mae–1 Month

She is actually almost two months old right now – but I’m going to do my best to remember back to her at one month.  The following pictures are from her at one month. 

Her personality so far is very content and relaxed.

She really likes to sleep.  I believe the first night I brought her home – I put her to bed at 10pm and she didn’t wake up until 2am.  And she has done that ever since.  Waking up once in the night and then not again until the morning.  She also sleeps great during the day.  I have actually wondered if she is sleeping too much.

I talked about how much she sleeps.  I usually wake her up during the day to make her eat and keep her awake so that she sleeps at night.  However, if we are in a car – she will most definitely, without skipping a beat, wake up when it is time for her to eat. 

We had to buy a new vehicle!  I was dragging my feet over this.  I did not want to do it… because… I swore I would never drive a mini van again.  My first vehicle was a hand-me-down mini van.  It was my parents.  And it was rough.  But apparently it was “safe” enough for a 16 year old to drive.  This van… who I called Scar… would smoke on the way to school.  I remember being so embarrassed to drive that into the school parking lot.  It left me stranded at work and I worked in a corporate office after hours.  I left the building with all the doors locking behind me.  Van didn’t start.  Didn’t have a cell phone (couldn’t get one until I left for college).  Had to walk to a store to use a pay phone!!!  To wait for my Dad to come… to have the blasted thing start when he sat in it!  It left me stranded at a gas pump with my friends!  We had to push it away from the gas pump so that other vehicles could get in and get gas.  Oh the thing was a gem!  So I had a bad taste of mini vans and I did not want another one.  Guess what?!  I’m driving a mini van again!  Jesse told me it was time to buck-up and just get one.

It was definitely not the most fun vehicle I have ever bought.  We literally drove into the dealership and parked, walked in and said, “We have to buy a mini van.”  We didn’t even drive around and look at them.  They asked if we wanted to see one, we said oh sure why not.  They took us out there.  We looked.  We drove.  We came back and Jesse went to go do the deal… while I tried to entertain 3 kids.  I found the play area and the kids are now playing and I’m nursing a baby and Jesse comes with the deal and he says, you want to take it or go to another dealership.  3 hours have passed!  No one has eaten lunch besides Melanie!  I gave him the look of… not really.  He was thinking the same thing.  We took it.  Another 2 hours later and we were finally leaving!!  The only exciting thing was I picked the color… and now I don’t even remember the name of the color I picked.  I will say – we have had it for a few weeks now – I’m liking it.  It is more practical than the truck I drove‘

I hear all the time how she looks just like Max.  All. The. Time.  She will make a face and they will say “Oh that was just Max.”  I can’t see Max when I look at her – but if I get out Max’s baby pictures she looks very much like him.  She looks like Max but has Mallory’s personality.

She is a super cuddly baby.  She snuggles right in when you hold her.

Bug Catching

Jesse’s cousin’s wife, Danielle, was up from Mississippi when Melanie was born.  She had a present for Melanie and had to get presents for Mallory & Maxwell too.  She got them bug catchers.  I tell you what – that was the best present ever!!!

We were at Jesse’s parents when they received them and they just so happen to have a yard full of tiny baby frogs.  I really mean a yard full!  Think back into Bible days and the plagues!  The tiny baby frogs were everywhere!  Which was so fun for the kids and their bug catchers.  They filled their bug catchers and then brought them home!

So now we have frogs!  And the kids love catching them still! 

I think it would even be safe to say that they are catching something every day and put it in their bug catchers…. or frog catchers.

Mallory is a bit afraid of bugs… and these have really helped her with her fear.  She is sometimes really funny about it.  She’ll set her catcher with the door open next to something she wants and wait for it to hop, walk, crawl in.  She will not touch it.  She does catch frogs now though. 

They catch their find and play with it for a bit.  Make it a home in the catcher.  Then let it go.  Keeps them entertained for hours!

Sisters and Blogging Troubles

Mallory is such a little momma to Melanie.  It is really sweet.  She will hold her for me while I’m cleaning up the kitchen or trying to look like a human one day a week (Sunday for church).  If Melanie is squawking – Mallory will run to her and see what she needs… nuk or blanket. 

Mallory is even our “backseat momma” in the vehicle.  Melanie is good in a car, but she is going to wake up when it is time to eat.  She is not going to let you forget that her time to eat is about up. 

The best part is that Melanie really likes Mallory.  She looks at Mallory and watches her intently.  Mallory can get her to calm down and she can hold her and get Melanie to fall asleep.

Having kids with older kids… easy!  They are such a huge help!

Onto my blogging troubles!  It is so hard to find the time to blog.  I am a month behind!  I don’t like it because I have gone back so many times to read what we were doing years ago and what the kids were like and what their milestones where at a certain age.  I’m slipping!  Melanie is already becoming that child where her life is not documented.  Heck the camera stayed in the truck when she was born!  Who needs those first moments of life anyways.  *kidding*

Life with three is busy at the moment.  Only because she eats so often yet.  Plus I have my girlfriends little boy with us 3 days a week.  So there are four kids here most of the time. 

Oh and then…

we decided to homeschool!!

We feel like it is the best option for our kids and for us at the moment.  We prayed.  We talked.  We researched.  We prayed again.  We decided.  We took the plunge. 

I would be totally lying if I didn’t say I was scared!  I’m scared!  Scared because my kids entire future is in my hands!  This is a huge deal!  Which means I do not take this responsibility lightly!  I am probably being totally extreme!  But I don’t want to mess this up.  So every “free” moment I’m working on getting ready for Kindergarten!  And finding materials for Max as well.  I put together my own curriculum and I bought one… remember that extreme part.  Yeah.  She will have two curriculums for Kindergarten!  : )  But I love them both and can’t decide and so I do both.  Go Big or Go Home! 

We only have two more weeks of summer break and then we start school.  And once we start I can totally see my “free” time slipping away  and my blog starting to disappear.  I hope it doesn’t.  I hope that I will have little secret moments to blog. 

Right now I have Max taking a nap (after a little Mommy vs. Maxwell battle… Mommy won!) Mallory coloring at the counter.  Melanie sleeping on me with the computer in my lap.

Mallory and I need to go have some girl time and we need to paint our toes.  Until my next free moment…