Pretty Pretty Lights Everywhere

Every year, WPS sponsors the Festival of Lights at the Botanical Gardens in Green Bay. Also, every year they pick one night where the gardens are open only to WPS employees. Given Anna's recent love and fascination for sparkly pretty lights, we decided to bundle up and headed to the Botanical Gardens tonight. It was a great event and we think Anna really enjoyed it - especially the lit up caterpillar tunnel you could walk through. We loved watching her eyes get bigger and bigger and take it all in!

On the Christmas front, we finally picked out a Christmas tree, put it up and decorated it this past weekend. It has been quite an adventure. Bob and I both love real trees and this year decided to chop one down ourselves. We picked one out from Bob's parents neighbor's (that's a mouthful!) land. When we got there, both Bob and I realized the trees weren't really our "style" but we didnt want to hurt his feelings so we did our best to pick one out we liked. By the time we got it home, we realized we were in over our heads - considering this one only cost $5.00 - we got a lot of tree for our money - it is HUGE! We decided to make the best of it and are proud of our tacky tree! While it is a little awkward, it certainly has character and we know it is a tree will never forget! Every time I look at it I can't help but laugh, and it smells amazing! We think Anna likes it as much as we do:)

Anna Rae - Four Month Update

A little about you…..
> Your official nickname is now Anna Bananas - surely you will hate that some day!
> At four months you weigh 13 lbs and 2.5 oz
> You wear 6 month clothing (you are so long!) and size 2 diapers
> Eating - Eats about 20-25 ounces of Target Up and Up brand formula each day + one serving rice cereal at night
> Sleeping – still likes to be swaddled when you sleep whether you are down for the night or taking a morning or afternoon nap. Not the best napper, an hour in the AM and an hour in the PM if that. Can and most often does sleep through the night, wakes up around 7:00 am most morning. We start the going to bed process usually around 8:00 PM - Can be tough to get you to stay down (darn acid reflux!), but once you are down you sleep like a champ. Wakes up in the morning a very happy camper….and in all different sorts of positions…upside down, sideways, how do you do it little girl?

A FEW OF YOUR FAVORITES….
-Loves to jump in your jumperoo from Papa Paul and Grandpa S – figured out how to bounce and loves to do it!
-Enthralled with the TV, especially watching football – all those colors and motion, oh my!
-Loves to play with the simplest things – a recent favorite – banging on a can of formula with a wooden spoon and singing jingle bells – bring on the holidays! Ho Ho Ho!
-Loves music, lights, and motion – especially when mom and dad dance around you!
- Puppies Belle and Oscar have really taken a liking to you – especially Belle, she has started to “cuddle” next to you when you are on the floor – so precious. Oscar watches and protects from afar (the top of the brown chair, his favorite look out spot!)

AND NOT SO FAVORITE….
-HATES your bath!!! We try so hard to make it a fun experience – doesn’t matter of the water is a little cooler or a little warmer…we do not like! Hope one day soon you will!

We love that each day you do something new - you are always keeping mom and dad on our toes!

Anna Rae - Three Month Update

> At your 3 month well check you weighed 10 lbs 12 oz and were 23 inches long – Clearly that height comes from daddy!
> Eating – you are eating anywhere from 4 – 6 ounces of Target Up and Up brand formula each feeding and you are GOOD burper. That too must come from your daddy!
> Sleeping – you are good sleeper at night – not so much during the day. You love to be swaddled and rocked to sleep (mommy’s favorite thing to do!) You go down really easy at night and are starting to sleep through the night. If you do wake up it is typically around 3:00 AM and go right back down until 6 or 7.

A FEW OF YOUR FAVORITES
> You love to flash that adorable little grin at just about anyone who talks to you in a high pitchy voice – and it amazes us what we will do to get a giggle out of you!
> Love to lay on your back and kick, especially on your play mat
> Love to go out and about – seem to get a little stir crazy when we stay home during the day (just like mommy!) – shopping seems to do the trick and you have an amazing wardrobe as a result! – Mommy just knows you will be a great shopper one day!

A FEW OF YOUR NOT SO FAVORITES...
> Your carrier, you simply just do not like to be in it. We hate when we have to strap you up so tight!
> Napping – I think you are just like your mother – you just don’t want to miss a thing, no matter how tired you get

You have stolen our hearts little girl – We love you to pieces!!!!

Happy Holidays

Thanksgiving has always been a favorite holiday for Bob and I – it officially marks the start of the holiday season and is accompanied with family, good food, football, and shopping. We were especially excited this year to celebrate our first Thanksgiving with our little Annas. Above is a picture of her all dressed up for her first Thanksgiving! We had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with the Seidel family - our Thanksgiving meal was excellent and we were very blessed to be surrounded by family. While Anna didn’t get any turkey, she was lucky enough to start eating rice cereal last week. We are pretty sure more ends up on her face, her bib, the high chair, her hair, and her hands then her mouth; but we are told she really is doing well with it and it is always an adventure to feed her some – one of my favorite nightly activities these days. We were both fortunate to take some time off of work last week and enjoyed being home with Anna, got some Christmas shopping done, and started to decorate the house for Christmas. We pretty much have everything done with the exception of picking out a Christmas tree which we look forward to doing this weekend. We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and wish you a healthy and happy start to the holiday season!

Anna Banana's Big Trip Out East!

This past weekend Bob and I took Anna out east to visit Uncle Mike and Auntie Michele. We were soooo excited (and maybe just a little nervous!) to travel with her. Turns out, Anna LOVES to travel - and what a trouper she was! We drove down to Milwaukee and flew from MKE to BOS Thursday night. Michele and Mike picked us up from the airport and we drove 45 north to their home. Anna slept for most of the trip. On Friday we hung out and had a lazy morning and did some grocery shopping. Bob and I made Stromboli for dinner, which Michele and Mike loved. Yum, one of our favorites! Traveling must have really wore out Anna - she slept for 12 hours Friday night - way to go Annas! On Saturday we took a trip to the Natick mall - so fun. Michele and I were able to get in some good shopping at Nordstroms and did our annual Christmas gift exchange - (aka lets go shopping and buy each other something together - so fun!) Saturday night before heading back we went to PF Changs for dinner - delicious! Anna did really well - she loved the mall! All the people, sights, sounds and commotion were just enough to keep her entertained. I absolutely love to watch those big blue eyes take in the world, it really is precious! Sunday we got up and drove to the lake to go to George's for breakfast. Michele and Mike often make the trip on Sundays to Georges, even when they aren't staying on the boat. Some people might think they are crazy, but I must admit, the grilled strawberry cream cheese filled muffin was well worth the trip! When we got back to Mike and Michele's we made a quick trip to the grocery store and stocked up to make some appetizers - (we made taco dip, chicken wings, and bacon tomato cups) put on some jammies and watched football all day - so fun! Unfortunately our flight left super early the next morning (6:00 AM out of BOS) so we went to bed pretty early - we had to be up at 3:30 AM to get to the airport on time - YUCH! Anna traveled home just as well as she did on the way there - had a minor meltdown in Sheboygan, but after a quick stop for breakfast we were on our way to Green Bay. All in all it was an awesome weekend - so great to hang out with Buster, Mike and Michele, and really do nothing at all but enjoy each others company. Also big thank you to mom and dad for taking our puppies for the weekend - We are so thankful and blessed to have the love and support of such wonderful family! Enjoy a few pictures from our weekend!

Happy Halloween!

Anna's First Weekend Away

This past weekend, the Seidel family traveled to Milwaukee for the weekend to celebrate my cousin Jessica's wedding. It was a big weekend for us...not only was it Anna's first weekend away from home, but also an opportunity for Anna to see Auntie Michele and to meet Uncle Mike for the first time. We were also excited to spend the weekend with Elizabeth and her boyfriend, Brett. Friday Bob had to work and I spent the morning making final packing arrangements and getting us ready for a weekend away. While it seemed like we had packed up Anna's entire nursery, I am proud to say there was only one outfit she didn't wear that we had packed, so I think I did pretty good. We drove down to Milwaukee in the afternoon. Prior to checking into our hotel, we took a detour and walked around Marquette University to show Anna were mommy went to school. It was a great visit - the weather was beautiful and the trees were gorgeous. Anna slept through most of our visit, but I was thrilled to be back and take in all the memories of being there.

Friday night was a great night - we ordered pizza and ate at the hotel with mom, dad, Liz and Brett. Michele and Mike got in around 9 and then we met up with family and had a few drinks and caught up. The wedding was on Saturday and was beautiful. Jessica looked gorgeous in her dress and the ceremony was great. Big congrats Jessica and Ben! Anna was an angel all weekend - turns out she is quite the social bug these days. After everything was said and done, she even slept through the night both nights. We weren't sure if she would sleep in the pack and play the hotel supplied for us, so we tried just putting her in the stroller, which she did great in.

We came home on Sunday and picked up the puppies at Paul and Lois's and got ready for the Packer Game. Michele and Mike had gotten tickets for the game, and Bob and I had decided we didn't want to go to the game, but didn't want to miss out on an opportunity to tailgate. Despite the rain and clouds, we went down to Lambeau to join in on the tailgating festivities - it was a great way to end the weekend! We were thrilled to catch up with Aunt Stacy and Uncle Scott as well. All in all, it was a great weekend and one I cant wait to tell Anna all about when she is older! We are looking forward to Anna's first Halloween this weekend - Anna is all set with her costume - pictures to come soon!