Keeping up with the Kants

Snow Day

2019-03-07T16:40:00.004-06:00

OK, we get it. It's Nebraska and the weather is the worst. It can stop snowing any time now. Booker hopped into bed with us before 6, and when I checked the time on my phone, I was also surprised to see a voicemail from the school. Whaaaat? I have quit even looking at forecasts because the days I think should be cancelled are never the days that are. Harper was ticked; she has chicks hatching at school people! And Booker, he had to miss swim! Then again, not having to leave the house is nice. We put up a tent where they spent most of the day playing, fight free, while I did laundry and read my book and started uploading pictures to work on photo books because I have coupons expiring at month end.

Tomorrow is a big day for Booker; we have his Kindergarten physical. Don't mind me, I'll just be over in the corner sobbing (with Booker right next to me, because, shots.) I feel like we just did this with Harper. Even found the pictures from that visit today, which of course brought more waterworks.

She was traumatized by the blood draw, which was not the expected finger prick. Pretty sure she got McDonalds for both meals that day. She got over it fairly quickly, although it still comes up every time we go to the doctor. And we've changed doctors!

And we went Miniature Golfing

Typical face, still today

So of course Booker is freaking out, and Harper is no help. So Erich and I have loads of fun stuff planned, including but not limited to: lunch of his choice, going to the library to get his library card, riding the Scheels ferris wheel, video game playing with dad, and I had zoo on the table since technically they were going to open tomorrow, but the snow has caused a delay. Which is cool, because I was not looking forward to that in our mainly outdoor zoo. Lucky for us, he's so easy going I suspect after lunch and library he'll just want to go home.

We have Spring Break next week, and not much planned other than avoiding cabin fever. Hoping for good weather or else lots of snow play and visits to the library, mall, Barnes and Noble, Runza...germs be damned, we're going to need these indoor play areas. I wish we were traveling, preferably somewhere warm and governed by a mouse. But I'm not picky...

Speaking of that, we were planning to surprise the kids with a trip after Labor Day, but then the stupid Star Wars hullabaloo is opening August 29th. I won't be able to convince Erich to go for at least another year. Going to push for early 2020 so we can go one last time before having to pay for Harper as an adult. It's a racket...but we're so addicted lol. We're those Disney people now. I'm Ok with it.

Back at it

2019-02-27T18:34:00.001-06:00

When I started this blog, I knew my number one issue was going to be consistently updating it. I didn't think I'd take a 4 year hiatus, yet here we are... I stumbled into a friend's post, which motivated me to get back into the writing vs just scrolling--i.e. Facebook and Insta etc. I make no promises to be timely with posts, but I'm hoping with Booker in preschool in the mornings (and school full time in the Fall-gulp) I may be able to make a better go of it.

After a lot of deliberation with Erich, I decided to leave my job after 14 years. It was a tough decision, because I really enjoyed the people, but the work itself had dwindled due to other circumstances, and I was bored. So bored. And the more I sat in front of the screen, the more I grew to hate the job. So it was time for something new. I had always wanted to be a stay at home mom with Harper, but financially it just didn't work. Fast forward 6 years and we found we could still be comfortable, with a few cut backs, and I did it. And it was truly the best decision for me, and ultimately our family. I'm happier, kids are happier, Erich seems to be ok with it ;) And we'll be going on 3 years in May. I can't even believe how fast the time goes.

Kids are both attending school of some form; Harper is in 3rd grade, and Booker is in his second year of preschool. They both love school (Harper had a couple rough years, but had an amazing teacher last year who really turned things around). They both love to read and be read to, and that just warms my little bookworm heart.

Booker turned 5 last week, and Harper will be 9 in June. Again, unbelievable to me. Erich and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary last July. It feels like just yesterday we were young and energetic and somewhat in shape.

We lost Abbey in May of last year. She developed a disease called Cushings, which is primarily found in people. It affects the adrenal glands, and causes symptoms such as bloating, excessive thirst/panting, and fatigue. Treatment was going to include monthly meds as well as frequent blood draws, and she was already over the last 6 months of visits to the vet for a myriad of tests. She was no longer her old self (granted, at 13, what dog is?). We knew it was her time, but it was (and still is) so hard. We've done a lot to try and keep her memory alive, but she definitely left a gigantic hole in our hearts (and lives).

That about gets anyone still out there up to speed. Here are some fun pictures of things that have gone on over the past year.

Family Picture from Fall 2018

Easter. Snow. I suspect we'll repeat this again this year.

One of our last pictures of Abbey

Joking around before Harper's crazy emoji sleepover

Typical picture

Obligatory beach shot- anniversary trip to Tampa

Sunset booze cruise

My sad attempt at self photography of these two

Booker tried a ballet camp this summer, he loved it! He's taking ballet and tap this year- he loves his tap shoes

Booker also did soccer. He did not love it.

The next 4 are from our Fall Break trip to Colorado. We had so much fun! And drove in a scary blizzard.

Casa Bonita!

Red Rocks

We took the kids to their first show at the Orpheum- Wild Kratts Live! They loved it. I in turn took Erich to his first Broadway musical, Spamalot, followed by Book of Mormon. He also loved it!

Christmas!

Booker's First Birthday

2015-06-08T18:43:00.000-05:00

While he didn't get to go to Disneyworld with us, he did get a pretty high flyin' party. I may have gone a leeetle overboard with the party. But hey, you only turn once right, and he may be my last :(

Our theme was, Time Flies, and we used my Uncle's vintage toy plane for the invites. Pretty cute kiddo. It was also pre haircut, so he still looked like a baby.

Of course I can't find that picture, so here is this one. He's still cute.

Just a small party with family, and he had a great time. He has already changed so much since this day. He was just starting to make words and now can say Mama, Dada, Harper, Abs, Dude, and a lot of signs. He also loves to dance, and is seriously the most cuddly sweet boy you will meet. We love our little Bubba!

Disneyworld!

2015-06-08T18:28:00.000-05:00

We went to Disneyworld at the beginning of the year and had so much fun! One of the best decisions we ever made, especially with Harper. She was a great age to really soak everything in and be in awe of the parks. Except Harry Potter World, which we decided was really more of an Erich/Susie/Couples trip. Any takers? I could try and detail out the trip, but I think the pictures do a much better job.

Fall

2014-10-02T21:34:00.000-05:00

How in the world is it already October? Seriously, this Summer flew by and I have no other excuses for no blogs other than we were out doing stuff and having fun and I was too lazy to go to the basement and get on the 'puter. So tonight I spent over an hour uploading and organizing photos...I'm tired.

This Summer Harper turned 4, started dance class, swim lessons and preschool. She is becoming her own little person, sassy and sweet. She loves her princesses, but also "Inja" Turtles (her favorite is the purple one). Her drawings are so adorable, and she really loves to do arts and crafts (can't wait to take her to Michaels lol). She has a love hate relationship with her Daddy, but man does she love Booker, or as she calls him, her baby. She plays with him and love to make him laugh (and boy can she get him going with those deep belly laughs!). I am so excited to watch them grow up together and develop that friendship.

We also had to get Harper's tonsils and adenoids out the week after her birthday. She did great, and was sick of ice cream by the first day. She wanted to go out and play and get to school. Then the pain hit and it was a long week. Seems to be working though, no ear infections since then, and only one cold! I'll take it.

Booker is growing like a weed! At his last appointment (6 months!) he weighed in at 18.6 lbs and 26 inches. He's our big boy! He loves to smile and laugh, and loves to eat food! So far we haven't found a thing he doesn't like, although we suspect an allergy, just not sure to what yet. He is crawling and pulling himself up on everything, and we think he'll walk before Christmas. Eeeeks! I am not ready for this. Baby proofing here we come. Oh, and sleep. He loves his sleep. I adore that!

Erich and I celebrated our anniversary with a mini trip to Sioux Falls to visit friends and attend a Jazz Festival. It was a nice, relaxing, kid-free weekend, and I can't wait to make an annual trip out of it.

Work has been crazy for both of us. Erich has a new position at work, and I have been officially retained, so no layoff for me at this point, so that's one less thing to worry about...for now :)

My sister and her family moved back shortly after Booker was born, and I don't think I realized how much I missed them. It has been so great getting to do things with them, and am excited to carve pumpkins with them this year...and the teenage babysitter is a nice perk :)

It feels like we did more, but that about sums up our Summer! I'll let the pictures do the rest of the talking...until 2015 lol!

5.20.14

2014-05-20T22:14:00.002-05:00

It feels like so much has happened since my last post. We survived going back to work and daycare, although I am fairly certain at least one of us has been sick with a cold, flu or both every day since then. Glad to see this warm weather, and hope it will sweep these germs away!

We had Booker's baptism the weekend before I returned to work. It was nice to see all the family together, and kind of relax before having to return to the real world. Booker did pretty good during the ceremony; I was nervous and it was hot...bad combination in my tan dress lol. Erich was nice enough to point out how "hot" I looked. Made me think of our wedding ceremony, and how I felt the same way.

We had a nice Easter weekend. We dyed egg with my family and had a mini egg hunt with Harper and her cousins. Then on Sunday the Easter Bunny came! He was so silly, he hid all the eggs we dyed in the living room. Harper was very concerned by this (this is a tradition in my family growing up, and I never once thought it odd...). After checking out our loot, we headed to Crete to celebrate with Erich's family at the farm. Always a nice time, lots of space to hide eggs, fly kites, and run around like crazy to work off the candy.

Booker is growing like a weed. We weighed him on Sunday for his 3 month birthday, and he was about 14 pounds! Makes me sad, he's growing just too fast. He's starting to coo and smile more, and is trying his hardest to roll. And he's a thumb sucker! I know how adorable it is now, but man, I don't think breaking that habit will be as easy as taking away the pacifier...ah well, right now it's cute. He is doing well at daycare; they do crafts once a week, so its funny to see his feet still stained with paint at night. He doesn't like to nap at daycare, which works for us I guess because then he sleeps well at night. Really, no complaints from this kiddo, he's easy!

For Mother's Day Erich treated Harper and me to pedicures (and my sister and I in turn treated my mom). It was the first time for Harper, and while she was leery at first, it was fun. And we got cute toes out of it!

Harper also started a dance class last week. I wasn't sure where to go, so we went with the Y. They had a beginners class for half hour on Saturday mornings. I was really worried about it being a full class, and how Harper kind of shuts down in crowds. I was surprised to find it was a class of 3 girls, all about the same age. Harper got into it right away, and I think that helped the other two find their groove lol. Made me relieved for the good experience, and I think we have a dancer in the making!

We ended the weekend with Booker's first visit to church and then the Children's Zoo! He slept through both, but we found a way to enjoy ourselves anyway. Harper loves this zoo, and I just fear the day when she outgrows it. I love our many visits and memories to this place. And it never fails, she's always willing to take a picture with the Otter!

Booker Lee

2014-03-27T17:31:00.000-05:00

He's here! (and while maternity leave has been great and I am feeling fantastic, I have been terrible about getting anything updated on here).

On February 18th, we welcome the newest member to our family, our son Booker. We had a c-section planned, and everything went great! No complications and he came out healthy and strong ( and peed on everyone!) It was an experience adjusting to two kids (and a dog) but I'd say now that we're 5 weeks out we've got a good groove going, and everyone is happy. It helps that Booker is such a good baby! He eats, sleeps, poops and repeats!

Here are some pictures to tide you over until my next post (hopefully not months!)

December

2013-12-20T12:20:00.002-06:00

It's so hard to believe that Christmas is seriously 5 days away. Where did this year go? Can't say that I'm ready for the big day, but luckily it's only a couple people and I can get it done this weekend, and I don't really need to go shopping to finish...yay for homemade gifts, right? Erich and I kind of just bought ourselves the things we wanted...for him, a new mandolin. For me, a new camera. For us, a new printer. Then our dishwasher broke last weekend, so add that to the list. Ahh, the joys of home ownership!!

We spent Thanksgiving with my sister and her family in Missouri, and that was a lot of fun. Got some good pictures of her with her cousins, and a lot of her with their cat. They loved each other...Erich was not a fan. I think Harper's favorite part of the trip was playing dress up with Miss Kitty. And visiting Santa! We made our kids wear ugly sweaters to go visit him before we left; it turned out pretty good. And Harper made sure to let him know she had been good, and wants a bicycle. Which luckily hasn't changed since, so Santa shouldn't have any issues on the 25th :)

December has been full of decorating and baking and playing in the snow. Luckily very little travel, although that changes this weekend when we head to Columbus on Sunday, then to York on Christmas day, and lastly Hastings on the 29th. Excited to see family though, and my sister will be back the 27th, yay! Harper had her school program last weekend, and it was pretty adorable. She really got into it this year (see the video below) and she really does love to sing and listen to Christmas music, which Erich loves and I tolerate.
Baby Kant is growing and growing...we booked our C-Section for February 18th so that means it's less than 2 months before his arrival! The nursery is about half-way done. Still need to get stuff moved out to make room for the crib, and then go through boxes of clothes. Harper is excited for him, but not for the crying after spending the night with friends and their baby...she said she didn't like all his noise :) She's in for a rude awakening I think!

Harper has been learning how to write her name at daycare and is getting pretty good at those "H"s, or as she calls them, her letter. We're still working on the other letters. She also loves to sing her ABCs and draw. And her imagination is crazy these days. We brought home a pirate ship for her Little People, and it's so fun to watch how all the different "people" interact together. At one point, she had the pirates, Santa, her nativity cast and her farmer, all hanging out on the pirate ship. Today I looked, and her nativity was featuring a pirate with his treasure, as well as Mary, a Farmer and a wise man in a boat. With an elf and some animals looking on. Love it! We got her a Little People Princess castle for Christmas, can't wait to see how they fit into the mix.

Here are some pictures from the past month or so. Enjoy your Christmas and have a safe and Happy New Year!

Miss Kitty sleeping with her

Look at the reflection in the mirror. Meow.

Fabric I picked up on black Friday for receiving blankets. Sweet!

Playing with the pirate ship

Enjoying Bass Pro Shop

I was bummed, Santa covered her ugly sweater.

Hiding under her vanity

She loves to hide behind her tree

Our first sugared batch, she was ready to go home.

Diligently decorating cookies

All the kiddos with the cookies

Before the Christmas program

Wiped out from her program

Best Friends right there.

Ready to put the star on!

Decorating her little tree

7 Months

Oh, it snowed!

Shoveling for Dad

Abbey loves the snow too!

Trying to find the most delicious piece of snow

Yum!

Telling me to stay where I was so she could bury me in snow

November

2013-11-17T17:21:00.001-06:00

So, wow. It's been a while since I last posted...this pregnancy has really run me down, between work, Harper, busy weekends and everything else in between, I have just been exhausted. Add to that I've had issues with blogger and getting photos uploaded, I've had no interest in this thing. But, feeling better, blogger is working, so here we go!

My second trimester is flying by! We did find out the sex, (Harper thought the ultrasound was pretty weird) however we're keeping it quiet out here on the interwebs. If you really want to know, you can ask me via a variety of media outlets :) We're all excited to welcome Baby K in February, and honestly, it will be here before we know it. Luckily we're not doing a ton to the nursery, and really I just need to wash a ton of clothes before the kiddo arrives. I'd also like to get Harper's baby book and scrapbooks done before then, but I'm not going to hold my breath on that!

We've had a great Fall so far; Harper finished up her soccer league in October. Can't say she is in love with it, but we saw a definite improvement in her, like actually running with the group and kicking the ball when it comes to her instead of watching it roll on by. We've also loved this Fall and warmer weather, and taking advantage of the outdoors while we still can. I still can't believe it's half way through November. We'll be visiting my sister for Thanksgiving so I'm definitely looking forward to that trip. Miss my seester!

Work is crazy for both of us, so I think we're definitely excited for the Holidays, and once the new year hits, time is going to fly!

3 Year Pictures

2013-09-06T16:40:00.000-05:00

Just a few pictures from Harper's 3 Year shoot. Turned out pretty nice if you ask us!

Coming February 2014...

2013-08-29T12:57:00.002-05:00

Erich and Susie go to Florida!

2013-08-19T10:16:00.000-05:00

Erich and I decided to celebrate our 5th anniversary in Key West. It was a very relaxing time, and if not for Harper and Abbey, I may not have come home! We stayed in a renovated mansion by the ocean, and it was nice and quiet. I could spend all my mornings reading a good book in a hammock! I would recommend it for a couple, but I don't think it's a great place to take kids. Most of the parents there looked pretty miserable lol.

Harper's 3rd Birthday

2013-08-13T21:14:00.003-05:00

Harper turned 3 in June...I really have a hard time believing it's been that long since she came into our lives! She is definitely growing into her own little person with opinions and she isn't afraid to express them. She is also very sensitive, always the first to feel bad or sad for someone or something. She loves "Abs" (Abbey) and is so sweet with her. She makes sure she has tucked her in before leaving each day, and loves to play with her outside. She is still quite the mommy's girl, but she does let dad help here and there...we're definitely working on that! She also loves books, whether looking on her own or being read to, it's definitely one of her favorite pasttimes, just like her parents :) We are so very happy to have this girl in our lives, and can't wait for what she has to bring in the future.

For her birthday, we visited the Farmer's market in the morning, then after lunch we went to a local gymnastics facility to play with friends. She had a blast! Everyone definitely wore themselves out running and jumping and just being kind of crazy! We enjoyed some cake and ice cream, then invited family and some friends over for a bbq at our place. She got to show off her new playset that dad built, and just had fun playing with cousins until way past bedtime. On her actual birthday, which was Sunday, she had her first soccer game...it was definitely interesting...pretty much what you would expect with a group of 3 year olds and a soccer ball...chaos! Then her Birthday fun ended on Monday with a family trip to the zoo...we were exhausted but man it was fun!

Here are some pictures from that weekend.

Best Day Ever (in a while)

2013-05-31T12:42:00.000-05:00

Note: I started this last week and got distracted in a big way I guess....

I just wanted to make sure I document this momentous occasion...Harper pooped...on the toilet...of her own accord! Hallelujah! We have been struggling so much with potty training (and the regression of it) that we have just been at our wits end. I hit my breaking point when she peed on the floor at Wal-Mart...after we had visited the bathroom. I'm an convinced our picture will make it onto some people of Wal-Mart website one of these days...But maybe, just maybe, things are back on track. She had an accident free weekend, so keep your fingers crossed that I didn't just jinx us. Update: I did jinx us; while she has pooped on the toilet a few times, she is having more accidents than not. Le sigh.

I think part of her problem has also been that she is now the oldest kiddo in her daycare room, and won't move into the Penguin room until she turns 3. I think when she doesn't see anyone else willingly going, she is like, what? That's an option...so hopefully when she becomes a Penguin that will help too. Maybe Penguins are better listeners than Monkeys...Yes, I realize how I sound.

Her birthday is just around the corner, so we at the Kant house have some chores to finish up before her party on the 8th. We hope to have ~~the deck completed, swing set built, and garden planted~~. Update: the deck stairs are complete, which is good enough for me, the garden is planted, and the main playset structure is up...we just need to add all the fun stuff like stairs and slide and swings...the rain is not very conducive to this work!

We are excited for her first birthday party with friends, which is being held at a gymnastics facility in town. She attended a similar place for a birthday party last weekend and had a blast, so we're definitely looking forward to it. She also wants me to make her a tiger cake...in fact if you ask her what she wants, that's all she'll say. She is really into everything right now, from Princesses to Iron Man to Dollies. She's versatile, I'll give her that!

Memorial Day weekend was a nice break. We took Friday off and visited the zoo, then Harper went to stay the night in York while we did some yard work. That night we had a fun date to see a band-Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers...never heard of them? Remember the Refreshments from the 90s? Same thing, slightly different group. Great show! Then we woke up Saturday to rain...and again on Sunday. We got a few things done and enjoyed a bbq with friends on Sunday. Monday I finally said whatever mud and hand tilled my garden and got all my tomato plants (9 cherry tomatoes!), two rows of beans, and a lot of flowers to edge it. I am still sore, and after all the rain we've gotten since everything is flooded...who knows how that garden will hold up.

In June Harper will be starting on a soccer league for ages 3-5...she is on the Hippos team and they have hour scrimmages on Sundays. She has great hand-eye coordination...definitely didn't get that from me, so it should be a fun time watching her and the other little ones "play". Her little shin guards are pretty darned cute lol.

Erich and I will be celebrating our 5 year anniversary in July, so we decided to take a vacation in July...to Key West! We found a nice little inn that is adults only (and as this is the common question I've gotten after saying that, No I don't think it's a nude beach!) Looking forward to get away and just relax for a week on the beach. Found a nice excursion that takes you snorkeling in the am and then margaritas in the pm. Sold! Hopefully we miss any storms or hurricanes that week...

Until then we will deal with the rain here and count down the days....

First trip to the zoo in 2013!

Feeding Leo the Lion all by herself (this is big people!)

Snow in April....

Reading with Papa Duane

Wet Willy!

Spring? at last?

2013-04-18T13:14:00.001-05:00

As I write up this post, I am looking out the window to see three squirrels enjoying the seed that the nasty black birds were nice enough to throw from the feeder to the ground...while it snows. Freaking snow in April? I know it's not unheard of, but come on Mother Nature. We all need a little Spring before the muggy summer kicks in...

We've been busy here at the Kant house. Harper moved into her new room complete with a new big girl bed and wall decorations and everything. She has done really well with the move, and I must say, her sleep habits are way better than before. She still fights bedtime, but she stays in bed, usually asleep, until we come in there. This past weekend she told Erich she didn't know the sun was out, at that was around 9. Woo hoo for sleeping in! It's also nice to have a twin sized bed for times when she wants us to lay with her...way more comfy than a sleeping bag next to her crib mattress. She also has a nice little reading nook (thanks pinterest) that she loves to hide in, and also sit and look at books.

The new bed!

Bedspread from Grandma Cindy

Reading in her nook

Potty training is still quite the battle. Somedays we do find, and others it's just a non stop fight. We do bribe with Peeps from time to time; the sticker chart no longer works. Last weekend we started taking things away, like tv time or a trip to the zoo on Sunday. That got her attention, but then we had a kiddo who was sad and still peeing in her pants, which is no fun. I know everyone says that eventually she'll catch on and "get it" but honestly, I think she does get it but doesn't want to do it. We ask her why she does it, she says I dunno. We ask what she should have done and she tells us, Told you or daddy I HAVE TO GO POTTY!. The kid knows what's what...she's just super stubborn like her parents. I'm just glad we only have one kiddo right now, my patience would be rather thin with two I think...

Easter was a fun time, even though my sister and her family couldn't make it. We dyed easter eggs with my mom, and then enjoyed an easter egg hunt with the Kant cousins, and again in our yard a few days later...She had a blast and found a new love of Peeps! Thank goodness the Easter Bunny loaded up on those. We had such a beautiful Easter day, it was great to be out on the farm enjoying it.

My first (and last) attempt at tattoos on eggs. This one worked great, all the rest were awful!

Patiently waiting...

Another somewhat successful tattoo egg...

My sister and I have this thing where we always take a picture putting eggs up our noses, and we've passed that on to our kids. We're weird, get over it. Harper was like, why are we doing this?

Peeps first thing Easter morning!

Before church

Flying a kite with Daddy

The kiddos with Great Grandma Leona pre hunt! (missing Anna)

Searching for eggs

Showing Grandma and Papa her haul

Trying to help Papa with his kite

Work has been nuts for both Erich and I, and so we are planning a trip to celebrate our 5 year anniversary in July. Still not sure the details, other than we both agree that no access to email at work is a requirement (and maybe some wine and a hammock). Top of my list in San Francisco, as I hear it's cooler in summer, however that is what Erich said about Denver on our honeymoon,and we ended up in a room with no air conditioning during their hottest summer in years. Well played Denver, well played...I think Erich is hoping for Vegas...

I have a few more random pictures from the past couple months. Hopefully I post before the next two months pass, but no promises folks...

Visiting her friend Emily

Hugs with Auntie Katie

Enjoying her first snowcone at the circus

She kept calling this a lightsaber.

Favorite pasttime: keep away from Abbey

Snow Angels

First trip to Amigos! She loves mexi fries and ranch...

With her BFF Izzie at the zoo

Little monkeys!

At her friend Patrick's school carnival aka dinner date

Groundhog's Day

2013-02-02T20:41:00.000-06:00

So, welcome to 2013! January was full of busy-ness in the Kant home, what with potty training in full effect, work being super busy and, well, I'm just really tired. Plus we moved out office into the basement and let's face it, out of sight, out of mind. And despite the ipad and iphone within arm's reach, I can't figure out how to post from the damned things, so there you have it.

Like I said, January went by in a blur, but luckily the groundog (and more importantly, my mom, whose birthday is also today) didn't see their shadows, so yay! 6 weeks until Spring. Harper has begun potty training (well, has been in panties full time since late December) and is doing great with the potty piece of it. The pooping? Not so much, and what sucks is that she really couldn't care less when she drops one in her panties...this mom, however, could do without shaking poop out of panties multiple times a week. Our only saving grace is that she goes to the same place each time, so we can at least try and catch it before it ends up an accident; she's a really fast pooper though!

We had a great Christmas with both sides of the family; we hosted at our house on Christmas eve with my family, something we haven't had the opportunity to do in a few years, so that was fun. We spent Christmas day in York with Erich's family, also a good time as we got to share in baby Anna's first Christmas experience. The following weekend we visited my Dad and Grandma in Hastings, and Harper had a blast there. She was definitely spoiled by all her family and friends, and she has so much fun going from room to room playing with all her new toys.

This month at work will be a doozy, so I wouldn't expect anything more from me until March. Par for the course I suppose :) Happy Groundhog Day all!

Just for the record, we had a lot of bake days with various people, so that's what these first 50 or so pictures are lol...

Bake night and wine with the girls

Our masterpieces. Don't look too closely...

Annual bake day with the Paynes

Yum!

Harper and Luke enjoying a pickle break.

Some of our finished items.

Floury hands are fun!

Harper doesn't really like to get her hands dirty lol.

Harper would frost, eat, repeat.

Tea party break with the boys

Payne cousins

November? What's that?

2012-12-13T13:57:00.000-06:00

So I kind of suck at this whole blogging thing. It's not that November was terribly busy, but we've had problems getting Harper to go to bed, and by the time that is done, I'm ready to fall into bed myself...fun times in the Kant household! So, here is what we've been up to, in no particular order, followed by some pictures :) Don't hold your breath for another post until January!

-Bye Bye Papi! That's right, the pacifier is officially gone. Erich was gone one night and we had been at my mom's all night playing with her cousins. I realized as we got into the car that I forgot the papi, so I decided to just roll with it. We got home around 8:30, and by 10 she was asleep, but she was not happy about it. The next week or so was rough, especially when she won't let Erich help at all with bedtime. But I'm happy to report we are still papi free, and while she has gone to look for it a couple times when she's really tired, she has stopped asking for it. Yay! So that leads me to our next goal...

-Potty training! After the papi was gone, it was like there was a switch and she is suddenly all about the potty chair. At daycare she goes once an hour at least, however we are still working on pooping. She's great at the potty piece of this. I've recently tried rewarding for poops, but apparently even an m&m isn't worth it. I wouldn't be so frustrated except for the fact that she waits until a diaper is on, then immediately poops in it. Little stinker. But we are well on our way!

-Vocabulary: Harper has been talking non stop lately, and it's crazy how she pieces words together into full sentences. The most common ones we hear are: I no like that, I no want to, and I want to (insert action here). She is definitely strong willed and knows what she does and does not want. Which is good and bad :) She is awesome at counting (english to 14 and spanish to 5) and does great with shapes. We go back and forth with colors and letters, but she's definitely working on them. You can tell she is picking up on a lot at daycare right now. She is always surprising us with something new!

Santa Claus--Harper is anti Santa right now; she likes the idea of Christmas and presents and whatnot, she does not like him watching her. When we use that phrase she gets this look on her face and says, No he not! I no like him watching me! I guess she figures she's already seen him twice this year, he can watch all he wants. She visited him at the zoo with her BFF Izzie, and again with Grandma last weekend; I think she is over the hype. Too bad I will make her go see him a third time at the mall this weekend! I kind of wish someone would dress as the Grinch, she loves that guy and would probably be good for him.

-DC: Erich and I are just getting back from a 6 day trip to DC (and Harper from 6 days with the Grandparents in York). We all survived! We went for a wedding that Erich was in, and then stayed on a few extra days to sightsee. It was such a good time with fun people, and we walked until we dropped. We also got to see some different areas than our last trip out there, so that was fun. If you are interested in going, I highly recommend the Hilton Doubletree suites in the Foggy Bottom area. You are close to a Metro station, which can take you to and from the airport for $5 each way, which is way cheaper than the $30 taxi ride. It's also close to a lot of food options, and within walking distance of the Lincoln Memorial. Harper also had great fun with Grandma and Papa, she got to see Santa, go to the York Children's Museum, and probably best of all, have uninterrupted attention from two of her favorite people. We were all very excited to be home. (Abbey stayed with Grandma Linda, and also had lots of undivided attention, but she was ready to be home as well).

-We are very excited for Christmas and seeing family and friends! Like I said, I won't post until January, unless something crazy happens. So Merry Christmas from The Kants!

October

2012-10-18T16:52:00.001-05:00

This post is going to be a big photo purge and I don't have a lot to tell. We've been busy and then sick, and then both! Harper is getting over a ruptured ear drum and ear infection, and I had the flu last week. Let's hope Erich stays healthy for all our sakes. Hopefully this weekendeveryone is more cooperative so we can head to the pumpkin patch in Roca. Luckily we already picked our pumpkins in York last weekend. Can't really beat free pumpkins and gourds, right?! Come on nice weather and healthy family!

Our haul...well, most of them came home with us.

Hard to believe that October is nearly half gone! It's been a busy month, and no plans to stop. Next week my sister and the kiddos are in town, boo at the zoo starts (I'll admit, I'm wearing my groovy hippie costume as I type this, I'm pretty excited about it) and then Halloween. Harper says she wants to be a monkey, and it just so happens we have a monkey costume. Problem is that she refuses to try it on, and when we're in the store she is frozen in front of the Ironman and Spiderman costumes. So, we'll see what she ends up as.

We did welcome our new niece, Anna Leigh, into the world on September 24. After a week long stay at the hospital, everyone was ready for them to be home and we are so excited she is healthy!

Not a lot more to report. Just counting down the days to December when Erich and I head to DC for a good friend's wedding, as some sightseeing...let's hope the weather isn't completely awful! And now, enjoy some pictures.

This pictures freaks me out big time.

Harper meeting Baby Anna

At Chuck E Cheese for LP's Birthday Party

LP and I getting ready for the ticket blaster!

September

2012-09-20T12:35:00.002-05:00

I really wish I could say I've been busy with this or that and unable to post, but really, I've just been lazy. We've had some nice, lazy weekends of movies and laying around and I gotta say, I enjoyed every minute. We've also been trying to finish the deck (hey, we need 12 more feet of stairs and railings, and we're done!), and now Husker season is upon us, so there's that to keep us busy.

Harper is obsessed with birthdays, "Happy Day" as she refers to them. First for my niece's birthday, she was convinced it was truly her birthday. She got pretty mad about the whole thing. We finally just told her sure, it's your Happy Day, because well, she was near tears about the whole thing. Then by the time my birthday rolled around, she was ok with it. For a day--no more week long celebrations for this girl...now everytime she sees a dessert she asks me if it's her Happy Day? And she loves if you sing Happy Birthday to her...she's definitely my kid :)

The week before my birthday I was in Chicago for work, and so I treated myself to a new purse from a Coach Outlet in WI. Happy Birthday to me! It was nice to go and visit with coworkers I normally just hear via phone call, and our offices out there are pretty nice! We need to take some tips from them. Despite the fun times, I was ready to be home with the fam by the time Thursday rolled around.

Erich has been hard at work on the deck and as I said above, the stairs are nearly complete. We are going to add railings to the sides, but most likely in early spring. The composite decking was a good choice, it looks pretty nice and Harper loves to scoot around on it on her stomach. Hey, no splinters! Abbey isn't quite used to the stairs yet, and is probably going to break something jumping from the makeshift stairs we've been using.

Last weekend my sister was in town, so we did group pictures with our kids. We wanted a nice photo for our mom, and then a Husker photo for the husbands. Well, Harper kind of hates professional shoots, and started crying in the first few frames...so no go on the nice shots. The Husker ones turned out really cute though, very impressed. She also brought Harper a train table that she got a steal on from a friend, and Harper loves it. She sits down there and is all, choo choo! All aboard! It's pretty cute.

My sister in law was due to have our new niece or nephew yesterday (on International Talk Like A Pirate Day) but no dice. We're hoping to see that baby soon though! I was pretty disappointed, I was hoping to spoil it with pirate stuff for life! I guess I still can...

Erich somehow talked me into joining a bowling league with a gal he works with (and her husband). I said OK, but said it wouldn't only be like once a month. Our first game was last Sunday...it was 3 games of bowling with people who don't mess around. Out of 12 lanes, I was by far the worst person there...Second worst? The husband of Erich's coworker. We are awesome. Even with beer, my game didn't improve much. It was fun, but a long night of bowling for this amateur. I think maybe we need t-shirts or something to make us more professional. Our team name? The Wesley Crushers...lol.

This weekend Erich and I will be heading to our first game of the season. Erich tailgated last weekend, and I paid for it...so this weekend it's my turn lol. Weather sounds perfect for a game, and I gotta admit, there's nothing better than a hotdog at a football game! Looking forward to that, and maybe clearing some shows off our dvr.

How sad is that face?

I have a dream...that someday, my mom will no longer make me get my picture taken...

Chilling with Daddy

Putting Dad to bed

Meltdown city during the penguin game at the zoo

She won a free ticket for the train!

Choo Choo! All Aboard!

New boots!

I LOVE this picture.

Everyone wants to play trains...even Abbey

Thank you Aunt Heather!

Telling Ethan his business.

Monkey hat for her Halloween costume!

Kitty hat at Target. She loves hats.

Helping Dad pull up grass

We heart Chipotle!

Side view of the deck.

Harper's 2 Year Photos

2012-08-22T16:44:00.001-05:00

Taken by our friend Megan. She owns Crow's Nest Photography and is really reasonable-located in Lincoln. If anyone is ever interested, I can give you her number. On to the pictures! These were taken in a wooded area by our house, and the backyard.

I've got the fever...

2012-08-17T20:28:00.000-05:00

and I've got it bad...and it really doesn't help that all these people around me keep having kiddos. And I'm also not helping myself when I go on pinterest and just look for cute baby stuff...le sigh.

Erich has the fever, see!

In other news, we've been kind of lazy lately, and are definitely looking forward to September where the only thing we have planned in a new baby niece or nephew around 9/19 (international talk like a pirate day mateys). Oh, and my birthday, of course. We had a "surprise" shower in York last weekend for my sister in law, and had a nice weekend with Kant family kiddos. It could have been sunnier, but really, I didn't mind the shade...it was a nice change of pace.

Harper started swimming lessons at Lifestrokes here in Lincoln last week, and she loved it. It's small groups of mom/dads and the child, and they start with small things, like getting wet, holding their breath, floating with mom/dad. I dropped the ball, (kind of, I still don't think this is my fault) this week. They changed the class time to 1/2 hour earlier, and I didn't get the voicemail. Well, I got it, but my gd phone doesn't always alert me of missed calls or messages, particualarly when the battery is low, which is always...so, long story short Wednesday night we left there in tears (Harper because she was disappointed to not get to swim, me because I was mad because my kid was not going to swim and because of the schedule change, don't judge)...so we went home and filled up her pool, and she was happy as a clam. So now we know for next week at least.

Harper also got her first official haircut. I cheated on the fantastic gal that does my hair, mainly because it was kind of last minute and I had a coupon...risky. But she did a nice job, and now she can see out from under her bangs!

This weekend we're going to bbq with some friends, then go see a baseball game in Omaha. Going to be a nice night--it's farm night, and the first 2000 people get a cow bell. Maybe that will cure my fever...

Harper and Erich on the deck...

Don't be fooled, it's not done...

Our cowgirl...Yee Haw!

August

2012-08-06T21:15:00.000-05:00

I don't have a ton to report, even if it has been a month since I posted last. We've been busy working on a new deck (and let's just say if it could go wrong, it did...which is why it currently has three posts, and I have to jump down into my yard...), we celebrated our 4 year anniversary with a child free weekend, that included hanging with some friends, seeing the new Batman movie, going to dinner, and seeing Weezer at the concert cove in Council Bluffs. It was a fun weekend, but we were ready to see Harper...who ended up with a staph infection, so I got an extra day off with her last week. It was a very small infection that we caught early, so no worries! Harper is talking more and more, and we are often surprised by the growing vocabulary. Here are some of her catch phrases:
"Ew, gross. Yuck" this can be anything from food, to a movie, to bedtime, to daddy...
"Thank You Mommy/Daddy" she has become so polite! She says it in a really quiet voice, it's so sweet. She even thanks me when she gets into trouble...kinda makes me feel bad :) You're welcome for telling you no??
"Zoo! Goats! Peacock! Penguins! Horse! Camel!Choo Choo!" basically she names off everything at the zoo in a high pitched squeal. She LOVES the zoo (children's zoo in Lincoln). It's small, and only takes about 45-60 minutes to get through. That pass was the best investment of the year! And man, she owns the place...
She is also getting really good at counting, and can get to 5, and if you prompt her she'll continue to 10. Craziness! Where did my little baby Harper go??

This past weekend we had a family fun extravaganza. We started with a trip to the Lancaster County Super Fair! She loved it. They had a petting zoo with goats, pony rides, livestock--she loved the cows and rabbits. And she even went on a couple rides. I don't think she knew what to expect, but she was determined to get on them...and I must saw, she was very brave, even though we could tell she was freaked out. Definitely not her mother's child, I don't think I rode rides until I was 10!

This weekend we have a baby shower for my sister in law, and a family pool party in York, then Sunday we're going to try and get to Hastings to visit my Dad and Grandma...this summer has gone by too fast and we've yet to visit them. Bad daughter! Who wants to drive in 100 degree heat? Not this girl...

We're looking forward to a cool month, and then in September we have birthdays galore and the birth of our new niece or nephew. Harper is sure it's a girl :)

Is Summer over yet?

2012-07-06T22:03:00.000-05:00

Not that I'm complaining...well, I guess I am complaining. But this heat is too much. I'll admit it, I'm not a summer person; growing up I went to the pool and whatnot with the kids, but other than that, I was inside reading a book. So this 100 plus heat is driving me crazy, especially during a time of year where sitting inside while at a bbq is really a non option. Although, the last two bbqs I frequented we did just that, and waited until the heat somewhat subsided to go outside. But generally speaking, it's socially unacceptable...

We had a great 4th of July. Abbey hates the fireworks, and we begin feeling her wrath as soon as the first boom hits the neighborhood, which is usually before July. Gotta love our patriotic neighbors, huh? So, we decided to go to York for the 4th, as Erich was sure it would be quieter than our neighborhood. I was sceptic, but I gotta say, during the day you didn't hear a peep. Not even one of those snappers. Now granted, we did spend the day at the pool so we wouldn't have heard Abbey going nuts either way, but still, it's nice to know we have a quiet place for her on this dreaded holiday.

Our holiday technically started on the 3rd with our traditional 4th of July taco buffet with some friends. They have a boy a year older than Harper, so they had fun in the pool, and later with a mister hose. I mean, like, screaming, running around like banshees fun. I wish I could fin something in my life as fun as that. Harper and I called it a night after the dads tried out some fireworks, and failed. Both kids ended up in tears, wrapped in their mom's arms. So, we headed home. I took a little detour so she could see the bigger stuff from afar, safely in an aircondition haven. She loved those :)

In York, as I said, we spent the day lounging at the pool. It was so hot, even the water was almost too hot. But, I'm not going to complain about a free pool and good company. Harper enjoyed the pool, and liked to pretend to jump in, which was really just her squatting down, and then I would pick her up and pop her into the pool with a splash. Loved it. I'm glad she's warming up to the water; last year it was awful. We're also going to be starting her at Life Strokes, which is a local place that provides toddler lessons. Should be interesting, or at the least, a learning experience.

Heading to the pool

The night of the 4th we had dinner with Erich's parents and friends, and then attempted to watch a fireworks show...it ended with Harper balled up on my chest, covered with a blanket. HOT. So, we decided to take our little family to a nice field to watch multiple shows. This worked better, but she was still so tired and hot, and not even paying attention at that point, so we headed back to the house. Of course, then she was wide awake, so we shot off our little supply of fireworks, and headed to bed. But not before we introduced Grandma and PopPop to Yo Gabba Gabba, or Gabby as Harper likes to call it. They play that dumb show at 11pm, and of course we found it on. It was a particuarly bad episode, and let's just say I think it may now be banned at their house. "Try it, you'll like it..." doesn't apply to everything I guess. And I am bummed, I took very few pictures this weekend. :(

We had a nice, loungy Thursday in York. We picked some green beans from the garden and acquired some delicious sweet corn. Yum. Harper had a follow up appointment for her tubes, so we headed into town around naptime,and it ended up working pretty great. She took a little bit of convincing to wake up, but once awake she was such a great kid. She did everything the doctors asked, and we got great news about the tubes. One is still in place and doing it's thing; the other has fallen out, and the ear drum is performing as it should without the tube. Woo hoo! Let's hope ear infections are a thing of the past!

That reminded me; Harper had her 2 year appointment last week. She measured in at 34 inches long, and 28 pounds. The doctor also commented on her language skills, and what a great talker she is, and how she thinks her two and three word phrases are rather advanced. So, while she does come off as rather shy and quiet at first, trust me, the kid can talk. Now, sometimes we don't always know what she's saying, but I'm sure it's all very important information.

Can you find me?

Today we took Harper to the Omaha zoo for the first time. It had been a few years for us as well; I think the last time Erich and I went it was before we were engaged. Harper has been infatuated with Finding Nemo recently. Like, screaming Nemo! until one of us caves and turns it on. We probably watch it once a day, if we're lucky. Yeah, you read that right. So, we figured she would love the aquarium. She was sort of excited when we walked in, but other than the jellyfish she was rather "ho-hum" about the experience. We were like, huh? Where is our kid. We tried pointing out various things from the movies, like anemones and starfish. Probably didn't help that the only clownfish we saw in the place were the stuffed ones in the giftshop. False advertising much lol? We also only saw one large turtle, but oh well. We got to see a lot in the 3 hot hours we were there. You could tell even the animals weren't having it, so most were just laying around looking hot, making me sad and, you guessed it, more hot. Luckily we came prepared with lots of drinks, as well as snacks and lunch. I'd say the highlight of Harper's day was eating lunch with a peacock mommy and baby. They came walking up to our table and practically grabbed the cheeto out of Harper's hand. It was cute. And then all these people were around us taking pictures of Harper feeding her cheetos. And can I just say, that beak was covered in cheese dust, so no one, not even peacocks, can eat cheetos without getting messy. We were in and out in 3 hours, and I'd say that was just the right amount of time.

Let's do this!

Checkout the new baby giraffe

Hold still for one picture!

Jellies!

Pointing out the stingrays

Little monkey

I think this might have been her favorite exhibit.

Cheese!

Gorillas!

Look, Erich came too!

She loves the goats

She didn't touch his butt, I swear

Our peacock friends

A cheeto? Don't mind if I do...

The rest of the weekend is pretty free. We're visiting the farmer's market tomorrow with my brother in law, niece and nephew, then having family over for dinner. I'm looking forward to that, and the drop in heat. Come on weatherman, don't fail me now. Hope everyone had a safe, cool and fun 4th!

Father's Day

2012-06-25T21:24:00.001-05:00

We had a nice, relaxing Father's Day weekend. We slept in on Saturday and then headed to York for some pool time. You would think because I say we slept in it was a nice, restful sleep. Uh, no. Harper is still teething, so it was fun, fitful sleep. So we all needed to sleep in. As a result, I missed out on a shower for a friend, but her gift in nearly ready for the mail. Can you hardly stand it Alison? Can you?

We got to York a little later than expected, but Harper had also napped longer than usual, so we decided to go straight into pool time. Last year Harper was not a big fan of the pool, but she warmed up to it and her own floaty pretty quick. She had fun going from person to person, playing with some pool toys, and drinking the pool water. Yes, it really is just like a big bathtub. Gross. We had a nice dinner outside, then we were all pooped. Harper got to sleep on her new big girl bed at Grandma and Papa's house, Abbey liked it too. Shh. Then we had some family time learning to play Canasta. I think it drove Erich nuts, but I liked it...very similar to Rummy, and I love me some Rummy. So now I make Erich play that in the evenings. We are cool.

So, on Father's Day we went to church, had some Chances R chicken, and then, well, more pool time of course! Harper and Grandma left a little early for a nap, but about 10 minutes later we see them come back. Harper decided she wanted to walk back to the pool, with or without Grandma; she left her getting the shower ready and out she snuck through the back door. She's a sneaky little minx sometimes. Now we have to lock all the doors! So Harper then cried through a shower, and was asleep in my arms before I even had her downstairs to bed. She had a long day! But it was fun weekend. We stayed on for dinner, then took the Highway home, since apparently I80 going East is the worst right now. We saw a llama farm and counted windmills and basically enjoyed a scenic drive home.

Harper's daycare had a field trip to the local zoo on Thursday, so I volunteered to go along (as did like 7 other moms) with 15 toddlers, plus two teachers. It was definitely an interesting experience. Harper is clearly the leader of the group; she was jabbering and motioning the whole time, and always at the front of the pack. She was totally against holding anyone's hand (including mine and her BFF's) so that caused some drama here and there. It also started getting kind of warm towards the end, so we were in and out of meltdown city. By noon we were ready to get some food and a nap. She was asleep before we were even half way home, and napped until almost 3! I'd say it was a successful trip, and it was fun to see how she interracts with other kids her age. She definitely takes after her dad!

Harper and her BFF Izzie

This past weekend we had no plans, which I think was a first (and last for a while). Saturday we planned on getting up early and heading to the Farmer's Market, but the tsunami-like weather delayed that a bit. We were back on track around 9:30. After a cupcake visit and a few other stops, we were back on the road to Home Depot for a few items, then lunched at McDonalds (we had a dirty diaper situation that was not going to make it home). Harper had been pretty sullen and quiet all morning; apparently all we needed to do was feed her apple slices and french fries and voila! She was like a completely different kid...not so great when you want nap time to happen. As a result, she didn't go down until around 2. Which worked out because Gma and Pa were in town, and a late nap worked great with the evening.

Sunday we had plans with some friends for dinner, so we cleaned house and did yard work. Harper took a nap at a normal time, and it was a really good day. It was fun to catch up with friends, and Harper liked playing with their son LP. And, she proved to LP's dad that she can both smile and talk. Suck it Bragg.

I'm taking her to Walmart!

Here are just some random shots from playing outside. Harper loves her new wagon. She also loves to pick apples, so we made apple crisp last week with them--not too bad! We'll see if they make good applesauce or not!

Harper's 2nd Birthday

2012-06-19T20:13:00.003-05:00

I suppose I ought to tell you about this special day before the details get away from me. The week leading up to Harper's birthday was rough. Erich was out of town on a man-cation in Vegas, and Harper was teething pretty hard core and I ended up with a 24 hour bug...but we powered through and had a fun time with the family.

The theme was Sesame Street, in case you don't pick up on that from the pictures. Harper loved all the decorations and snacks we picked out. The party was at 3:00, in hopes that she would be well rested from a nap. Backfire! As family arrived for the party, she was still pretty sleepy from naptime, and stayed rather quiet for the majority of the day. But, I could see her little smile peek through from time to time, so I think she enjoyed herself.

Playing with the poms!

Each flower had a picture of Harper, and then some were "factoids" about her 2nd year

Can you believe we didn't get any pictures of her in front of this thing?

Yes, I made this cake...

And this one too. The awesome cupcakes were from PJ's! (Daycare enjoyed them on Friday)

Let the festivities begin!

With Aunt Heather & Cousin Hailey

This streamer came from the clearance bin at Dollar Tree. Dealio!

We did the cake at the very end after supper...ugh, we were so tired and full!

She found a way to eat a few bites anyway!