Growing Max

Our little Max is growing like a weed! We are still in the honeymoon stage and I am doing my best to keep him away from all of my shoes! Such a cutie.....

Roller Derby

Okay, maybe roller derby isn't exactly the most accurate depiction of this post. Sophie received a pair of roller skates for her birthday and she is decked out in enough protective gear to certainly participate in the serious contact sport, but really the accident-prone little girl needs it when she's just on the grass!

She's standing up! So far, so good....I'm no longer holding her up as she slides across the deck.

One of many falls. At least she's still laughing here!

Learning something new can be very frustrating. Don't give up, Sophie! You can do it!

On another note.....Sophie also got her ears pierced for her birthday....as you can see in the photo! Where did my baby girl go?

Tired Boy

Noah fell asleep on the couch, slithered off the couch and onto the ground....still sleeping with blankie in tact. Football Saturdays can be so tiring!

Sophie's 6th Birthday Party

We celebrated Sophie's birthday this year at a place called Cafe Art. She had a fabulous time with her girlfriends and she loved being able to do one of her favorite activities! Here are a few pictures from her day.

Happy 6th Birthday Sophia!

Sometimes I wish I could stop time. And then I have moments when I wish I could turn back time. Kinda like the picture above....when Sophie was just 2 and Noah was a newborn cuddling in my arms. I always rolled my eyes when my parents couldn't believe how quickly I was growing up. And now....here I am, amazed that my daughter turns 6 today and wondering where the time went. Knowing there are days that seem sooooo long and in the same breath wondering how 6 years could feel sooooo fast.

Sophie reminds me everyday how important it is to love life. She has an increasing thirst for knowledge and always seems to make me slow down in my own thought process, reminding me of her big, innocent eyes seeing the world around her for the first time. She stumps me regularly with her inquisitive mind and reminds me that learning is a lifelong journey. I can only smile when I think of all the wonderful new experiences she will have in her 6th year.

Happy Birthday Sophia Hope! We love you!

Meet Max!

Welcome Max! He is the newest addition to our family, a Havanese - Poodle mix. He is so cuddly right now and we absolutely love him!

Sophie refuses to put him down and he doesn't seem to mind!

Putt Putt

It was beautiful this past Friday afternoon, so we decided to go out and enjoy a competitive game of putt-putt. We quickly realized keeping score was not realistic for any of us, especially since Sophie and Noah like to kick our balls and they could easily take 26 putts at one hole. We had a great time, but I think we are going to stick with real golf courses!

Here's Sophie with a decent follow-through.

Arguing over something, I'm sure.

Speed Racer

Noah decided his Radio Flyer scooter was way too slow. He couldn't stand the fact that he couldn't speed down the sidewalk on it. So, he has moved on to the Razor about two years too early. The kid has a serious need for speed. 

Still figuring out his balance, but I'm certain he'll be flying by us in no time!

Noah's First Day of Preschool!!

It's been a busy week in the Youngberg family. I had my first day of school on Monday, followed by Sophie's on Wednesday, and now Noah's today! Add that to Tim's playoffs, Sophie's Back-to-School night, and two weddings in the next two days and we are exhausted with a capital E! But, today was Noah's day and he could not contain his excitement. You could see it in his eyes, in the extra hop in his step, and the permanent smile he had on his face. Emotions hit me hard this time when I left the classroom. Between the fact that he's my baby and the fact that I am physically spent, I had a nice cry on the way in to work this morning. Everything was all well when I picked him up and shared in his excitement as he told me all about his day. I treated him to a Happy Meal for lunch and we shared how exciting all the new experiences of preschool will be! We are so proud of you Noah! We love you!

All ready to go! Cars backpack and a nice big smile!

Sophie being the supportive sister!

Look at my name tag! I'm a big boy!

One proud Mommy

Daddy and his mini-me

1st Grade!

Sophie had her first day of 1st grade today! She was a little nervous in the morning and was not so sure about being in a new class with a new teacher and lots of new kids. She even saw her friends on the playground when we got there and they ran up to her and asked her to put her bag down and come play. She politely declined and then tried to disappear behind me. We had a good talk about her nerves and butterflies, and I let her know it was okay to feel that way. She was trying so hard to be a brave little girl and kept telling me that she was fine and that we could go on our way. It was probably the longest ten minutes of my life as we were waiting for the bell to ring so she could get started with her day! The anxiety was spilling over onto Tim as he kept whispering to me, "What's going on? Is everything okay? Is there something I need to know?" I'm certain he asked about 20 more questions, but I pretty much zoned him out by then. Finally, the bell rang and Sophie's teacher came out to greet her new class. Ms. Crawford had a huge smile on her face and I knew instantly Sophie would soak in her warmth. She lined up, marched inside, took her seat and was ready to start her day.

I was fully prepared to cry like a baby and be overwhelmed with sadness. But, the moment I sensed Sophie's worry and apprehension, I quickly remembered it wasn't about me. We try so hard to make these moments perfect and do everything we can to minimize hurt, sadness, and fear in our kids. We assume it's okay that we take it on for them and try to make the fear about us. Today, my fears went out the window and my sadness about letting go and watching my baby enter first grade disappeared instantly. I took in the precious moments with my daughter and realized that these experiences are hers. Not mine. Not Daddy's. But Sophie's. And today, she needed my reassurance and hugs, and understanding and compassion. She needed to work through her fear and deal in her own way. She needed to express worry and take her time before jumping in. And she did. She did it all and owned it all. And I couldn't be prouder.

The end of the school day arrived and Sophie shared with us that she had the BEST day. She said her butterflies went away really fast. She had so much fun, made a new friend named Andrea who she ate lunch with and played with at recess. She fell in love with her teacher and can't wait to do it all again tomorrow. I'm keeping the faith that 1st grade will be a year to remember.

Sophie and Noah

Here is her confident sassy pose, before the butterflies arrived.

Outside her classroom! 

Daddy and the crew

Whew! One of her friends, Lauren, is in the class too. Butterflies are easing up on her!

Here she goes....the first day of 1st grade! Congratulations, Sophie!