midweek update

Here are just a few funny pictures from our week.
Conor loves this toy so much...maybe a little too much..daddy has had to remove the batteries more than once for his own sanity.

Conor is starting to test limits, for example:
Don't touch the buttons on the TV or DVD player, Conor!!

It is really starting to get cold here, so we have been trying to enjoy a few more days outside while we still can. Conor loves being outside and loves playing at the park.

Swings continue to be his favorite park apparatus.

Silly self portrait! Mommy, what are you doing?

Conor's babysitter made this pumpkin for him...he thinks it's pretty cool.

We are heading back to MN this weekend for another wedding, so there will be more pictures coming soon!!

Wedding #1

Last weekend, my cousin Shalena got married in Minnesota so we made a whirlwind trip for the weekend. The weather was perfect, the bride and groom looked great, and the wedding was lots of fun. It was great to see all those aunts, uncles, and cousins that we usually get to see only once a year at Christmas. Congratulations Shalena and Aaron!!

The three sisters and two brother-in-laws!

Conor checking out the newest addition to the family...2 1/2 month old baby Kelsey. He was fascinated!

Little Conor playing with big Connor between the ceremony and reception. All the kids played so well together and had so much fun.

Sisters!!

Adam and Erin...where's Conor?

...Sleeping in Grandma's arms. Amazingly, Conor was tired enough to fall asleep for about 2 hrs during the dance despite the loud music and lights. He did wake up later on to enjoy the last hour of the reception where he was right out on the dance floor with us. He even did the electric slide with mommy!! :)

We will have to do a better job of getting a nice family picture next week!! Good thing about having so many weddings this month.

Funny Things

Random funny photos of Conor:
He often sleeps in silly positions. He often has his hands behind his head like this. Sometimes he hangs his legs out the crib slats (based on a few other blogs I've seen, that tends to be a common toddler thing, I guess). He also likes to lay on his belly with his knees tucked up under him so his butt is in the air. I love to watch him sleep!

We found some Elmo slippers in a hand-me-down box and Conor LOVES them!! However, by the time I remembered they were in there (and the weather cooled down enough to wear them) they are getting too small. So we went to the store and got some Cars ones instead to change it up a little. I think he still likes the Elmo ones better but the Cars ones are "growing" on him :)

P.S. I added a new section on the right side of the blog for "followers" to put their names in so we know that people are actually reading this and who is reading it. So add your name to the list and thanks for following our story!

Wow, has it really been that long??

Gosh, how time flies. I feel like I just updated the blog yesterday. Then when Aunt Laura started begging for more pictures, I checked my camera and realized that we have been plenty busy in the last three weeks. So here are our latest adventures:

1. an autumn festival at a local farm where Conor and Madelyn got to walk through a hay maze, ride some tractors, pet the animals, and hear some music. Overall a fun time, but there will be even more activities for the kids when they are a few years older.

2. a trip to Rockford to meet Grandma and Aunt Laura who met us halfway from Madison, where Grandma came to visit Laura for Grandma's birthday weekend. We went to Texas Roadhouse and they (and we :) --he he he) made Grandma sit on a saddle while we all yelled yee haw instead of singing happy birthday in Texas Roadhouse fashion. She didn't want to be embarrassed all by herself, so Conor shared the special "throne" with her.

Happy Birthday Grandma!!

3. our local village also had an autumn festival where Conor got his first real pony ride; climbed a true haystack; and sat in an ambulance, another tractor, and a bulldozer. They also had a petting zoo where you walk within the cage among the donkey, llama, baby cow, sheep, goats, chickens, ducks, pigs, and rabbits. He is getting better at being gentle when he pets them. ;)

Happy Autumn Everyone!!

Work and football

Some days Mommy works too much, and Conor likes to "relieve me" of the burden of working too much or being on call by helping me out with the pager. (Really he just likes to push the buttons and put it in his mouth. But hey, if he eats it, I don't have to answer it right?)

Our friend Jenny was in town for a business trip so Conor and I took the train down to the city to have some Chicago-style deep dish pizza with her. Great to see you Jenny!

Conor made it to his first football game, a moment Daddy has been waiting for for years. As an official student and official son-of-a-student, Daddy and Conor were all decked out like quite a pair. Sometimes Conor found the people behind us more interesting than the game. Can't blame him. In a 48-3 win, I was a little bored with the game by the end too. And it was hot!! (Don't laugh at my sunglasses, I lost mine and had to use our shared "backup" pair.)

MN State Fair

We spent Labor Day weekend in Minnesota as has been our tradition since we got married 5 years ago. We always go to "the great Minnesota get-together", the State Fair.

This year, Conor was a little more into it than last year, when he was only three weeks old and carried around in the Baby Bjorn. He was in awe at all the surroundings and was up for all the new adventures this time. Conor had his first merry-go-round ride. He was antsy at first, but once the ride started moving around and the horse went up and down, he was hooked!

He tried new foods with us, including deep fried chocolate chip cookies, and the annual cheese curds. As you can see, another annual favorite was the dairy building milkshake, and Conor didn't really want to share. Not sure if it was the strawberries or the ice cream, but he loved it. Think he could be a poster child for the "Got Milk" slogan?


He did pretty well in the stroller, but needed to get out to stretch his legs a little bit too, so he was out walking among the crowds. He and Grandpa have gotten to be pretty good buddies! Grandpa even got Conor to take a short nap in the stroller....something no one else had managed to do.


Conor had a blast visiting the animal barns. He loved seeing all the horses and cows and wanted to pet every animal he saw. Daddy had to carry him through the cow barn to avoid stepping in any cowpies. Conor only hesitated a little bit when petting the goats and sheep, but once he got comfortable, he didn't want to leave. We are still working on his petting skills though...sometimes it is more of a pat or slap (that's putting it nicely) than a gentle pet :)


That evening, there was a football game, and not just any football game. NIU (Northern IL University, Daddy's new alma mater) played at the University of MN. How perfect was that schedule!! So, of course, Daddy had to go to the game, along with Grandpa, Andy, and Leah. NIU played a great game, but lost by only 4 points in a close match. Naturally, Daddy and Conor were decked out in the NIU gear all day in preparation for the big game. What a couple of cuties!


On Sunday, we went to my cousin's bridal shower (sorry, forgot to take pics there) where Conor was flirting with the other little girls. On the way home, we stopped in to see Great Grandpa Skala. I think he was very happy to see Conor, but Conor was tired and antsy so Grandpa didn't get much cuddle time. He was surprised by how big (and heavy) Conor had gotten. Hope to see you again soon, Great Grandpa!