Counting Blessings!

I can't believe I've let myself fall so far behind on the blog. I've felt busier than ever with really just the day to day grind and trying to keep up. The biggest update to post is that on Halloween Day Will began taking his first steps. I wouldn't classify him as a "walker" yet but depending on the day he takes several steps, usually throws in a few squats and the plops down on his hinney. He's a really happy little guy but definately knows what he wants and if he doesn't get what he wants he lets everyone know about it. At this point he seems very strong willed as is his brother. Eddie and Will are really something special if I do say so myself. I know every parent thinks their kid is smart and amazing and I'm no different. I love my boys so much and have loads of fun raising them. With Thanksgiving just around the corner I'm feeling so thankful for being a Mom and wife and getting to be so involved here on the home front. I'm forever thankful and eternaly grateful for the blessings the Lord has given me.

Has it really been 3 years?

To the boy that totally exhausts me yet I can count on to put several smiles on my face everyday without fail,
Can't believe you're turning 3! Happy Birthday, baby! As I was anticipating your arrival 3 years ago, I never could have guessed how much you'd change my world. You're so much fun, the most fun kid I've ever met. You have a personality that is larger than life and energy to go with it. I love to watch you run and play, laugh and smile and make friends everywhere you go. It's so fun for me to watch because Mommy is pretty quiet and reserved so to watch you go up to people and strike up a conversation and lead the crowd is wonderful for me to see. It also helps me to be more outgoing and for that you've caused me to grow.
I love that you love to make people laugh and smile and I love that you know that Jesus loves us. I'm anxious to see the work that God will do in your life and through you and pray that you will grow to love Jesus.
Love you to the moon! xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

HAPPY 1st YEAR, BABY WILLIAM!

In just 2 short weeks we'll be singing Happy Birthday to my sweet baby boy, William Von Reinhold, a.k.a., willy wonka, sweet-tart, stinker pete, stinky & love bug. It's amazing how fast this first year has gone by. I've fallen deeper and deeper in love with Will with each passing day. I can remember before he was born wondering, like most mom's do, if I could possibly love him as much as I do Eddie. It's confirmed, I love them both so, so much and never knew my heart was SO big! My only regret is that I cannot give him all of the one on one attention that Eddie, the first born, received because that opportunity just doesn't exist. Will loves his big brother, Eddie, and visa-versa. It's fun to see how the boy's personalities are so different yet similar in many ways. They are definately each their own person.
Will really enjoys music, eating all varieties of foods, sleeping, his walker, his door jumper, chasing Eddie around the house (by crawling), sitting in his bike trailer and going for rides there and in the stroller, splashing in the water, and getting sandy at the beach. He seems fasinated with animals, really lights up whenever he see's a new little creature to get his hands on.
Will can clap his hands (doing patty-cake), throw a ball, stand up (but not walk), wave hello and good-bye, say about 4 words, and his most amazing talent is whisteling, YES, whisteling! he does it all of the time and it's soooo funny! He can blow in the recorder instrument. Oh, and I can't forget, he's pretty talented at flashing the cutest smile at me and melting my heart!
I love you Will, you've added such joy to my life. Happy Birthday!

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Summer vacation NY 2010

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Enjoyed our annual trip to NY state to John's parents lake house. The first week the whole Reinhold clan was there (minus 1) and the second week was a relaxing time with just our family there.

Happy Birthday to Me - July 2010

This month started off great with my Mom coming down for a visit. She stayed for 10 days and we crammed the visit full of activities. The splash pad area just south of us (twice), swimming several times, roller skating, firworks, dates with John while mom watched the boys, dates with Mom while John watched the boys, shopping, and celebrating my birthday! It was a full weeks celebration so once my birthday came along I was just happy I had the time with family all week. John and the boys let me sleep in, surprised me with breakfast in bed and then just had some time at a park, etc.
Roller skating for me was the hi-light. I hadn't done it in years but way back when I used to skate every weekend for several hours on end. It was one of my favorite things to do! I felt quite rusty out there at first but after a couple loops around I was rarin' to go. I even participated in the "ladies" race in which I took first place! I won my boys a slushie. Eddie attempted to skate with John and I but was frustrated more than anything. he did okay on the carpet but once he was out on the wood rink he was all over. We'll have to keep trying because I enjoyed myself so much.
Our next event for the month is a family vacation up to NY state on Lake Ontario. Something we enjoy doing annually. This year is unique because we will have 12 grandkids, 10 adults (John's immediate family) joining us! it will be an adventure to say the least but should be lots of fun.

June 2010

For those of you who check in on our blog you can tell that 2 kids is keeping me much more busy than just the 1 was. I could keep it simple and just post the pictures but for my own record keeping I like to write something about the boys and what they are doing currently. It's hard to find the few minutes extra to do that so that's why the long lull in blogging.
Hard for me to believe that Will is nearly 10 months old and his 1 year birthday is just around the corner! He's still crawling on his tummy (not up on all fours) but he moves around the whole house very quickly and likes to follow us everywhere. He's pulling up to stand more everyday and he has 3 teeth with another pushing through. He's a happy, happy boy, loves to dance to music, squeel with delite, chase Eddie around the house, and loves to play with musical toys or have someone sing to him. He's weighing in around 21 pounds (only about 9 lbs. behind Eddie) and he's not much shorter than Eddie either! He's my "chunker-munk".
Eddie is still talking so much, he's very inquisitive, his vocabulary is pretty huge. he's our social butterfly and isn't shy most of the time. He's loving Will more and more and even verbalizes that now. he's also very protective over him (unless he's doing the torturing, of course). He still has his moments of being rough around the edges. I attribute part of this to being a boy and more to not being sure how to interact all of the time. If someone doesn't want to play with him he thinks he can hit them and that may change their mind....not working too well for him. He's also rough at times with Will I think because Will can't communicate with him and he wants Will to be able to keep up with him, etc. So, it's a work in progress and we continue to pray for guidance in this situation.
Last month John left us for 6 days to head to beautiful Hawaii for his brother, Baron's change of command ceremony for the Navy. The boys and I were left to fend for ourselves here and let me just tell you....the crud hit the fan! In those 6 days Will ran a fever (from teething), He fell out of his crib onto the floor, I had a flat tire in the van, the toilet was clogged most of the time, and I managed to wrip the entire front bumper off our van when backing out of a parking spot! Couldn't have been happier for John's return and pray he never leaves us again! :)

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Springing Forward!

Some random pictures from this month's activities!





April is nearly half over and I'm shocked at how time is flying by. It's much more difficult to find free time to blog let alone do much of anything else.
A week or so ago my brother and his girlfriend, Whitney, traveled down to visit for a week which was fun for the kids as well as us. It was great to celebrate Easter with them. This past weekend John and I were able to take a much needed weekend getaway to Ft. Lauderdale & Miami without the kids, which we left behind with John's parents. It was so refreshing and nice to reconnect with John without interruptions from kids. I missed the kids terribly but it was worth it to get away and the kids had a blast with the grandparents.
In the midst of this month Will has been sitting up on his own, acting like he's ready to crawl...he's actually belly crawling already, and his first tooth emerged last weekend. His personality is so sweet and fun. He loves Eddie so much, it's so fun to watch them interact together. Eddie knows just how to make Will laugh by goofing off!
Will is a solid 20 lbs., which is breaking my back, and he continues to love to eat!
Eddie's imagination continues to grow and I'm always amazed at what he says and does and also the way he remembers things is so neat! I'm so blessed with my family!