Barnum and Bailey have nothing on us

It's official, as of yesterday we became a full fledge three ring circus!!  We have added another little addition to our family...........Dino the 9 week old standard poodle.  This is all daddies doing, but I have to admit I'm a little excited (well, I will be once house broken status has been reached).  We've had quite the exciting week, we packed up the family (two week old Finn and all) and headed to Nashville for a home hunting trip.  As most of you know we are taking a transfer with TJ's new company to the Nashville are.  We are super excited for the new adventure and to have a house with a yard so the boys and dogs can run and play (and I can actually regain some of the sanity I'm bound to loose in the next few weeks).  So, for now we have in our two bed two bath condo located in the South Loop of Chicago, 1 new born, 1 toddler, 1 neurotic miniature poodle, 1 Standard poodle puppy, one happy husband and one delirious mama (visit at your own risk).   Life is an advenutre to say the least and we wouldn't have it any other way.  

Finn is growing like a weed, a really really fast growing weed, like the kind we had in our yard as a kid, the ones that always grew 10x faster than the grass.  Will is the best big brother, he went through a little rough patch (may or may not had to do anything with the arrival of Finn) but now he is back to his angel self.  TJ is working a lot, still working this territory and starting his new territory which consists of Tenessee, North Carolina, Kentucky and Indiana.  I'm adjusting to the three hour feeding schedule of our little Finn and learning how to run on an empty tank.  I wouldn't have it any other way, I love my boys!  We still have our condo on the market and are hoping it sales by the end of the month (keep your fingers crossed).  We have showings with sometimes a few hours notice, you can add that to one of the more entertaining circus acts we pull.   If prospective home buyers knew what we had to go through to get our house cleaned and out of it(on time) I'm convinced they'd make an offer out of pity.  

                                    meet Dino Dunham

                                   Will in Grandpa's boots
                                One of Will's circus acts
                            Balancing act (peanut butter anyone?)

         Waiting out a showing in the back of our Pilot

Ginger

Happy Easter!!

Saturday we attended a neighborhood easter egg hunt.  We'd been having our own practice hunts around the house to prepare Will for the "Big Hunt".  I must stay the practice paid off, he did great!  Will went off on his own, collected eggs then came to show us his lute.  We don't let Will have much sugar..........that translates to an unhappy kid which translates to unhappy parents.........so, we brought him gum and a cliff bar to swop out for the candy ( I think he's beginning to catch on to our sly ways), he got ahold of a now and later and thought he'd died and gone to heaven.  He was eating paper and all.  They had a little petting zoo filled with baby animals, that was Will's favorite part.  

This morning was nice, TJ got up with will at 6:30am and let me sleep till Finn woke up (and needed breakfast) at 8:30.  WoW what a treat!!  Once I was awake we let Will find his easter basket and spread easter grass all over the house (uhhhh) then we made green drinks for breakfast (pictures to follow).

                                    Daddy and Will getting ready to hunt eggs

                                    

                                   Opening eggs with Daddy to find surprises 



                                    Easter morning, Finn has no clue (poor fella)
                                    Will sampling his green drink creation
                                    Must be good!!!

Ginger

Blissful Days

Heaven.......................

Ginger

I love this life!!

What an exciting last couple days here at the Dunham house hold.  As most of you know we have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of our second baby.  He has finally arrived!!!  Though a bit past due (which made the waiting game that much worse) Finn Harper Dunham was born Monday March 30th at 3:58am weighing in at a whopping 8lbs 14oz and 21 inches in length.  I actually went into labor at church, during the last hour contractions started up and by the time we arrived home they were 5 min apart and coming on strong.  TJ and I grabbed some dinner then headed out the door.  My mom is in town and stayed behind to be with Will (what a great help she has been, thank you , thank you, thank you).  I was at 5 cm when we arrived and ready to go.  Once admitted we settled in for an exciting night.  The birth was amazing!!  Will came through a c-section but we were blessed to have Finn vaginally, something TJ and I really wanted.  Hands down the coolest experience, we loved it!  It seems there was allot of baby hiding in my belly, even the Dr. was shocked when we saw him come out.  He has the thickest black hair and cheeks to die for.  Will loves this little bundle already and oh boy...........so do we!!

                              a few minutes old, first kiss

                                   Life is grand                            

                                           Safe in Daddy's arms
             

                                             My three boys

                               arriving home, less than two days old
Ginger

playing catchup

Ok, so I have a little confession, I've been reading the Twilight Series in all my free time so that's why I haven't blogged in a while.  Well between reading, napping with Will and going to bed at 8:30 or 9:00.  Things are good at our house, TJ's been busy with work (still waiting to see when and where we are going to relocate ) and Young Mens (he's the YM president at church).  There are about 15 boys between the age of 12 and 18 that keep him pretty busy.  Will has been changing everyday, not so much in looks but in his personality and words.  He is supper funny, has a huge love for life and is starting to mimic every word we say.  He is in nursery at church now and loves all the new songs.  We've gone to a couple of museums lately, the museum of Science and Industry was not his favorite but he seemed to like the aquarium, since one of his favorite words to say is "Fish" it was nice for him to finally get to see some in action.  I'm just over 35 weeks now!!!  We are so excited to meet our second baby, TJ still thinks the baby is a girl and I am not sure.  I used to think the baby was a boy but...........who knows.  A couple of my dear friends are throwing a shower for Dicy and I this Saturday.  Dicy is one of my close friends jut three weeks behind me.  I'm excited to have some girl time and just hang out.  It's not going to be a traditional shower in that we are going to a restaurant (in China town) kind of a girls night out.  Valentines was great!!  Dicy came over to watch Will so TJ and I could go to lunch in peace, we had Korean Bar-B-Q, one of our favorite foods (other than sushi), then we came home to spend the day with Will.  TJ had a sweet scavenger hunt for me and the flowers were beautiful.  Will made me my first drawing and helped daddy decorate.  There are plenty of pictures to document the occasions................. 

                                    Will in his tumbling class

                                     Will likes to travel in his PJ's
                                     Playing hide and go seek                                
                                     Everybody loves Daddy!!
                                     Where's Will??
                                 35 Weeks and Counting!!!
                                         Flowers from my boys
                                        Picture for momma 
                                    Life is Good!!
                                                                        

Ginger

It's been a while

Ok, so it's been a while since I've gotten around to posting a blog or two.  There is no real news to report except that we are so so so so so excited to leave this Thursday the 18th for our Christmas trip.  We hit both families each year, instead of splitting Thanksgiving and Christmas between the two, we celebrate Thanksgiving with friends and see both families for Christmas.  We head to Utah first this year, stay there till the day after Christmas then meet my family in Colorado for a ski trip.   We are getting one big cabin for all four families!!  Steve, my younger brother will not be able to make it with his family, he has to work.  We will miss him.  I know Will is going to have so much fun playing with family and getting out of the condo.  It's been really cold here so we've been stuck inside for the most part.  Last Sunday we found Will sitting in a shoe box with his "man" and dog.  Look real close and you'll see what he thinks of the pamphlet "For the strength of the youth".  Oh dear!   When we were at my parents a few weeks back mom had will helping her with the dishes, it wasn't long before he was in the sink up close and personal with each dish!   I've also posted a pic of the growing belly.

                                    Helping Grammy wash dishes


                                                 27 weeks

Ginger                                

                               

Lawn Mowers, Tractors, Halloween and "The baby"

Will, TJ and I took off for Texas Halloween weekend.  TJ flew home on Sunday but Will and I got to stay a few extra days.  Oh, the fun we had!!  My parents live a bit out of town on 5 acres so Will had allot of room to run, play, fish etc.  Will was literally outside from sun up to sun down, he had lots of play mates with grand parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.  Around those parts Will is know as "the baby", Where's the baby? shhhhhh, the baby's asleep, what does the baby want to eat? etc etc.... I thought it was cute and Will had no idea they were talking about him.  There were allot of firsts... first time to ride on a lawnmower, first time to ride on a tractor, first time in a boat,first time to fish, firs time touching a fish, lizard and frog, first time to trick or treat, first time to kick a foot ball.  Will didn't sleep so well in my mom's pack and play (especially at nap time) so in order to put him to sleep we rode him around on the lawn mower, before he was 1/2 way around the yard he'd be out every time.  Halloween was a blast, we went over to my sisters to celebrate with her kids and take part in there neighborhood festivities which included a hay ride from house to house for trick or treating.  My sister had a back up trailer to pull incase there were to many kids for the other 4 they already had.  It ended up Laura had to use the trailer but didn't have any hay to put on it so technically we didn't go on a hay ride, it was more like.........well, a trailer ride, but fun just the same.  below are quite a few pictures of the time in Texas.  Oh, notice the BIG FISH TJ caught, we were so proud!

                                   

                                    Our sweet puppy

                   
                                     

                                    Trick or treat!!

                                    Family fun
                                     Will's cousin Kobe 

                                    Grandpa and Will
                                    Grammy and Will taking a ride

                                     TJ's big catch
                                    Grandma O' and Will playing with bobbers 
                                     Who knew bobbers could be so fun?
                                     first time touching a fish, not his favorite thing