Emme & Jack's First Frozen Yogurt Experience!

Holy WOW! This was a cool experience for all of us except Lauren who is a regular! Emme loved picking out her toppings and taste testing the flavors. Even Jack got in on the action. SO much fun and just as expensive as King Kone but better. Too bad it is so far. Thanks Lauren- it was great seeing you!

Jack's First Strawberry

Cortlandt Farm Market has delicious fresh fruit, vegetables.. (plants, Christmas trees etc) We make all our own baby food for the kids and we get almost everything fruit and vegetable here! They are super nice too. Oh yeah and another favorite thing is the delicious apple cider donuts!

Verizon Strike

Well Verizon finally did it. Paul and all the other workers are out on strike indefinitely because Verizon is being greedy and trying to strip away all the years of bargaining for rights that have been gained as well as eliminate health care plans. All the while the CEOs are making millions and have unlimited access to private planes and own multiple million dollar homes. Is it too much to ask for decent healthcare and a salary to survive???? Share the wealth Verizon. We are the ones who are making you so rich! So Emme, Jack and I will be hit the picket lines today with our signs to show our support.

A Picture Says a Thousand Words....Or does it?

If I had you guess what was going on this photo I am certain the only thing you would guess right is that Emme is eating ice cream. This is an overdramatization (is that a word? if not it should be to describe this photo!) No one was crying, no one's legs were detached, not even ice cream spilled on any clothing. It was just one of those weird unexplainable moments.

Feeding the Chickens

Emme and Natalie feeding Natalie's pet chickens corn on the cob. They are very timid around Emme as she is new to them but Natalie, Marianne and Dom all pet them and handle them. Very cool pets and they get yummy eggs too!

Swimming Fun

 Emme & Natalie playing in the sand box.

 Jackie snoozing in the sun.

 Swimming like a big girl!

 Emme & Natalie

Jackie, Aunt Jeanine and soon to be baby cousin!

 

Emme's Dental Checkup

So 24 hours after my root canal I find myself back at the dentist's office. Not for me thank goodness! Emme is having her check up and it went great. I love this dental office. It is amazing. They make the kids feel like superstars- so comfortable and they are so nice and explain everything. Emme picked out cotton candy cleaner for her teeth and got a new toothbrush and a light up ring! We did find out that the attachment of her upper lip is very low from the gum line. It is hereditary and it will mean she needs braces if we don't have it snipped. If we do have the surgery to snip it she most likely will not need braces since her teeth have nice spacing. The dentist asked which one of us- Paul or I had the low attachment and I didn't know so she checked my gums and it's not me. Sorry Emme- you have Daddy to thank for that one. But we don't have to worry about it until she is 8 or so. After Emme was done, the dentist presented Jack with his first toothbrush to celebrate his first tooth. Great now I have three mouths to brush. I must be doing a good job with Emme's since there were no cavities! YAY!

Since Emme's best bud Natalie had a dental appointment earlier that morning we decided to meet for lunch. The girls had such a nice time and Marianne and I had a good time catching up too. Jack of course slept like an angel until the end of our meal. 

Getting Big

Baby Jackie is getting big- FAST. He is really trying to sit himself up, has great control of his head and is grabbing at things and putting them into his mouth. Here he is for the first time in his high chair eating his number links.

On another note I have been back to work now for three weeks. It is so tough leaving both of them so early in the morning at their school to go teach at my school. I am finally into a good schedule at my job where I am back with my class, pumping on a good schedule and I am getting stuff done. We are very busy preparing for the dance festival that will be in two weeks. HUGE THANKS to Allison Mickelson for helping out so so so so so much choreographing our dance. My mom, Marianne, myself and all of our students cannot thank you enough. I am sure it will be great!!

Jack's First Trial

Breeze, Abbie, Smartie, Jerry, Jack, Emme, Tom, Maddie & ROO!

This was taken on the last day of my first trial back after having Jack. We didn't get any Q's but we ran a ton. It felt great getting back into the swing of things even though I know it will be a slow, long process of getting back into shape and the dogs too! Jerry has shown a lot of maturing and he follows the courses better instead of doing "his own thing." Tom is amazing- just jumped back in and all of the mistakes we made were mine so I can't complain. My mom is exhausted after now having to keep an eye on two but good thing Jack is still staioned in his stroller. Wait until both kids are up and moving. Hopefully by then Emme will be running her own dog! ( the two dogs on the right are our friend Lauren's dogs- ROO stays with us when Lauren goes away on long trips- she is so fun and Emme loves her)

Happy Mother's Day

 Today we hung out at home for Mother's Day. Paul cooked breakfast and let me nap a little which I never get to do. The kids made awesome projects at school for me with the help of their wonderful teachers of course. Paul got me a nice spa gift certificate from the kids and the dogs. Now we just have to get Paul to stay home and babysit! It was agreat day.

After dinner Ellen surprised us with a visit. We haven't seen Ellen in awhile so it was a nice surprise.

Home Depot Kids and Friendly's

working hard

I did it!

What a ham!

Nothing like cramming your Saturday with lots of fun stuff for the kids. We went to Music Together class first. Today was the beginning of a new session- Maracas! Emme and Jack both enjoyed it and Jack stayed awake for the whole thing. Then we headed off to Home Depot for the Kids project. Emme made a planter box. We avoided a meltdown by the skin of our teeth because Emme wanted poofy cheese doodles and this little boy took the last bag. I told her the crunchy ones had more doodles in the bag and she would have "extra!" and she bought it. Whew! Then we met Jeanine for lunch at Friendly's and I must say Emme LOVES her conehead sundaes. Can you tell by her expression?

Minnie's Masquerade at the Mall

Radio Disney came to our local mall to do crafts, games and giveaways for the kids with a Minnie's Masquerade theme. Minnie didn't come but the kids made masks and hats, watched a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse episode and answered questions about it and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse in general. I picked Emme up from school early and changed her into her Minnie Mouse costume and shoes. Emme had a good time with her buddy Erin. Erin answered a bunch of questions and won some magnets which she shared with Emme. After it was over the kids wanted to get their feet measured in Stride Rite and look at shoes. They rode the carousel and spun the Kidgets wheel and got prizes. Emme picked out these big red lips that ended up being a kazoo. She was hysterical every time she blew into them. She wore them almost the whole rest of the day!

Happy 3rd Birthday Natalie Grace!!!!

Today is Natalie's 3rd birthday and we went to an awesome "Backyardigans" birthday party. Emme and Jack had a great time. I am completely wiped out after two parties in two days after not doing much. Everything was so nice. We had a barbecue dinner and Marianne made two great cakes that had Backyardigans on them. There were also pails of dirt (chocolate pudding oreos and worms) and sand (vanilla pudding, graham crackers and worms) The kids loved it. Emme ate so much food and cake. I can't believe how big Natalie is getting. She is so smart too. Happy Birthday big girl!

Happy Valentine's Day

Opening her Valentines and candy from school



Getting ready to leave the hospital



Emme and Jerry checking out Jack




Sitting together in our matching seats



Today we came home from the hospital. Last night my parents went home. They were watching Emme for us all weekend and visiting with us at the hospital. So Paul had to go home and stay with Emme and I got to spend the entire night alone with Jack. Funny thing is he slept and I didn't! I don't know why but I couldn't sleep. Thank goodness for Jeanine's Ipad or I would've lost my mind. I bought a bunch of good stuff! I feel great and my incision doesn't hurt. Now I have to look forward to my staples coming out on Thursday and maybe I will be allowed to drive this weekend. I hate being cooped up in the house.

We picked Emme up from school on the way home and she was so excited to see her Baby Jackie in the car. She is having a little adjustment issue with me. She is very unsure of him, but she likes him so hopefully it will continue. As for potty training- she is in panties all day and a pull up at night. She refuses to wear pull ups for naps and said she will give all her old diapers to Jack. She has had a few accidents which is better than what we expected so far. She did pee all over the booth in Friendly's this weekend under my parents' watch! I felt bad for them. But other than that she had been good. Let's see if it continues.

Baby Jack

Baby Jack is doing great. He is so alert and a good eater. I am up and getting around as much as possible. Incision doesn't hurt too much so I am not needing too much pain medicine which is nice. Emme is having a grand old time with my parents. She is being royally spoiled with special dinner and lunches out and she gets to spend most of the day at the hospital with me. This morning Paul took her to music class which she liked a lot and my mom stayed here with me at the hospital. Big shout out to Aunt Jeanine who lent me her Ipad so I could shop online for boy clothes and keep Emme entertained with netflix on demand videos of Dora!



What do you mean he is coming home with us?

 

I don't know about this!



It's A Boy!!!

 Jack Michael Quinn

Born February 11, 2011 at 8:10am

8lbs 6oz 20inches long

Jack entered the world this morning via c-section. We knew yesterday it was going to happen today but we decided to keep it our little secret until he got here. I went to the doctor yesterday and my blood pressure was very high and I still wasn't dilated or anything so they said I could wait until Monday (Valentine's Day) but I figured who would want a birthday on Valentine's Day so we opted for today 2/11/11. I was exactly 40 weeks and one day- the same as Emme. After the c- section it was revealed that the umbilical cord was very, very short which may have been why Jack never descended. Personally I think that it must be amazingly cozy in my womb because neither one of my children wanted to exit! If my blood pressure was ok the doctors were going to let me go another week to see if I dilated and went into labor but I am glad things worked out the way they did or I might've had a ten pound baby!

Jack Michael is amazingly perfect- long fingers and a head of hair. He looks incredibly similar to Emme when she was born. We are all doing great and Emme seems to really like her "Baby Jackie!" Hopefully that continues. Aside from hot flashes and severe itchiness ( both common for c-sectioners) I am doing well.

Music Together

So I was a little hesitant taking Emme to music class just 6 days before I was due so I enlisted Paul to come along since he might be bringing her some weeks after the baby was born. Plus it is a little difficult getting up and down and moving all around with Emme to the music. So we schlepped from Home Depot to music class and like every week Emme had a blast. She and Natalie have taken a few sessions together and it is so amazing to see each of them as the other one arrives to run and hug each other like they have been apart for ages. It is so adorable. They really are such good pals.

Sunday Morning

It has been a ritual to go to the Dunkin Donuts after Church each Sunday however this week both Marianne and I were thinking the same thing after passing McD's on the way to Dunkin Donuts. We had to go there for breakfast. Unfortunately when we asked the girls if they wanted to go there instead- they were on the verge of a meltdown. How dare we ask this. They must have their donuts. So what did we do? We both drove through the drive thru at Dunkin and bought them their two munchkins and then drove to McD's to enjoy our own breakfast. End result --> happy children = happy mommies!

Emme's Birthday Party......FINALLY!!

Mickey Mouse cupcakes!

 Natalie & Emme

Sophia & Emme

Emme & her guests!

Matching Elmo slippers!

I thought this day would never come. Emme's party was supposed to be two weeks ago but we got slammed with the stomach virus. YUCK! It was awful. So far in both pregnancies I have gotten the stomach virus in my last month of pregnancy and it is the most awful experience ever! But today we were able to have Emme's party as I am 37.5 weeks pregnant and Baby Quinn did not make an appearance! WHEW!

We had a great day. The kids had a blast playing with the play kitchen and food. There were no meltdowns and no one wet their pants. (Children and adults!) Emme got lots of wonderful presents and really had a fun time playing and celebrating with her friends and family. Thank you to everyone who came and helped Emme have a great party.