I hear ya Dad

Quinn now responds to simple requests. He gets NO! Maybe because of our tone. But assuredly he gets, "Are you hungry Quinn? Go to your seat.". Not missing a beat he gets to that chair and bangs away.

Two things never to do with a child woken from a nap.

We had an appointment to get a Quinn a haircut, his second of his lifetime, and then a to take his one year old pictures and a brother and sister shot as well. Then the two kids decided to sack out on the car ride to Oakbrook, luckily Marsha was a little behind us so the naps were lengthened past a half hour long. She shows up, we load Paige into the stroller and I tote the lug upstairs to the Kidsnips. Same little car and hairstylist as the first haircut, TOTALLY, different Quinn. He was not having it. None of it. After, many tears, we had a short haired blonde guy that really made Dad and Grandpa work! We then compounded the blunder by going immediately to the PicturePeople for pictures. Yeah, sounds like a rookie parent make but we did it anyway. Dad tried lying so the little guys would be calm, Grandpa and Mom jumped around and for all the effort we did get some good pictures. No outfit changes. No brother and sister, Paige slept through it all. The best pictures happened when we rolled out the ball. No it was not a volleyball, Mom and Dad failed to bring the appropriate props. A few dollars later and we rolled away with pictures, a sleeping todlder and the need for food. All in all, not the easiest trip to the mall, all missions accomplished but a hungry group was the final result, good thing for decent restaurants!

Look Ma no hands!!

We took a family trip to Ravinia to see the BoDeans perform and picnic on the lawn. The beginning of the day was stormy and rainy but the skies cleared and we had a great time. The plethora of kids and balloons led to Quinn putting his parents assistance behind and walking all on his own. He chased kids and went to all the balloons in a 100 feet radius. Paige had a friend set-up next to us and they spent the evening together playing which gave her P's a chance to sit down and hear and a few songs by the BoDeans. overall, we ate, listened to music, played and walked around the entire park and basically had a good time. Oh yeah, cannot forget to mention, because my wife would, that Dad left the tickets behind and so we were slightly delayed, having had to return to get the tickets, whoops!

I'm a one year old

We hosted a small birthday party for the one year old on June 14th at Grandma and Grandpa's. The Torsberg blondes and the Medendorp brood descended on the new play set and the jumpy house to have a great time. In typical fashion, the one year old Quinn really had nothing do with the frenzy that was the playtime. Dad and Quinn chilled on the steps for most of the day. He had a great times as did all the other cousins and big sister. Check out the shutterfly page for detailed pictures and the video below for a quick glimpse.

I'm gonna trick you.

Paige and Grandpa are like two kids. Grandpa is totally down to the level of Paige when he comes over and he loves to engage her in mind games. While wolfing down yogurt coverded raisins, they BOTH had decided to put them away, so of course they both had to have just one more. Paige was trying to keep them from Grandpa but he was not going to be dissuaded. Paige them thought she would ply the missing raisin with Grandpa but had run out of raisins so she opted to use grapes, I know a far cry from raisins! She ran back to Grandpa claiming, "I'm going to trick you." She held out her hands and asked Grandpa where the grape was and Grandpa immediately knew it was in her left hand because . . . she held out her left hand folded t hold the grape and her right hand out with it open, palm up! We all had a great laugh at that move, by Paige!

Wanna wrestle??

Paige was so trainable. She did her sign language, she walked before 10 months, she loved to follow directions. This little guys however has been some work. He finally has picked up the sign language, he walks when you hold his one hand and gives the cutest little pout when you scold him. Today, he made some great strides in upholding a family tradition. I asked him a simple question . . . "Wanna wrestle?" Away he toddled after me with his hands held ready!
Gotta love traditions! Paige was a wrestler before him and now, in this corner . . .the Big Q, Quinn Martin !!!!

The babysitters are going to out of a job

We have become the parents who rely on the TV to hold thier three olds attention long enough to get some quite time. However, every once in a while, besides the vacant stare look that you witness, another clue to the amount of time the TV babysits is evident. Mommy went in search of Paige who had been washing her hands for dinner and found her in front of the TV. When Paige was asked what happened she just shrugged and then Mommy told her that she could finish this one cartoon then it was time for dinner. That is when it happened, Paige said, "Mommy can you turn off the TV then so I don't come running back to it?"
Ah, they are so wise.

His odometer reads 365 days!!!

The little dude turned one today!!! Dad had to run off to his internship so he left out some neon balloons and a BIG blue ball for the little guys to have on his birthday!! Paige woke up just before I left the house and did not even think about cartoons, because she saw the balloons! The power of latex! Back off boys, not what I'm talking about!

When Quinn finally stirred, sister brought him the ball right away. He proceeded to pound away at it and say, "bah, bah." Mom let the kids lounge in PJ's playing with balloons and the big blue ball. She was wise enough to turn of the ceiling fan, unlike Dad who learns by trial and error, whoops!

I made it home early from grad class, the rest of the family ate while Quinn slept. He only took one short nap all day so he was tired. Like a champ though he woke before we finished dinner and reluctantly sat to eat. Once he started, he plowed right through some leftovers and fruit.

Mom and sister broke out the cake, we adorned it with the #1 candle and sang for him.

Not sure if truly understood but he kept reaching for the candle. We helped him blow out the candles and then we got to eating that cake. Mom tried to jazz his up with a strawberry, one of his favorites, but one taste and he realized . . .that ain't cake, ptuuy!

Mom tried a whip cream shooter but he really didn't go for that but he did put down his cake.

After, bathing in cake it was time for a real bath so Dad threw in some balloons for a party like atmosphere for the birthday boy