Halloween Fun!

Last Friday for Halloween Marty was busy catching up on things on the farm so I took my troops to Christy's house by Mankato to go trick-n-treating with her 4 kids and their neighbor friends. It was a beautiful evening and the kids had a blast. I don't think Gracie really understood the concept of going up to people's houses but she loved wearing her FROG costume and of course she loved the candy. It is funny how kids develop a liking for chocolate so young!

We started the afternoon going to the nursing home to visit the

kid's Great-Grandma Summers.
Then we ate pizza with Christy's neighbor friends and then off to the streets of Eagle Lake to collect that candy. Oftentimes Gracie would get candy in her bucket and then, the nice girl she is, would offer it to everyone else. She didn't understand it was for her! She also would start sucking on the wrapper of the candy until she got a hole in the wrapper and then chocolate would leak out for her to eat. Finally we got smart and gave her a sucker.
Carter was the fearless Cowboy who willingly pulled his sister Paige and Gracie around in the red wagon. Thanks Carter!

This is Zach's outfit for the evening.
His shirt says "I Luv My Mummy"Then Saturday night the Daly's had a birthday party for 3 of their kids. Costumes were required. We again had lots of fun with the cousins. They are all so cute.
I say Spenser wins the prize for best costume. He was a Pirate.
Me and my troops. I was a surgeon and I recruited Shelly to be part of my OR crew. We had a tough case that night, we hit a couple of bleeders, but I think the patient will make it. It will be critical for the next 24 hours. I let you know.

MN First Snow Fall of the Year

I woke up this morning and Marty says... "It snowed outside, like 2 inches." I look out and it is one of those beautiful picture perfect snowfalls, with the snow clinging to the trees. Of, course early November may be a little early for snow, but if you look past that and see the beauty of the snow... then it is very enjoyable. I thought some of you ex-MN people would enjoy seeing this too, so I have posted a few pictures that I took this morning... some before the sun was fully up.

When Gracie woke up this morning I took her to the patio door to look out at the snow and the first thing she says is "oh, oh" ... as in "what happened out there?" I don't think she remembers snow from last year and I don't think we ever really even played in it since she was still small and not even walking yet. So after the day got going and I rounded up Grandma Betty to watch Zach for me I took Gracie out to play in that pretty snow. She wasn't to sure what I was going to do with that sled at first, but once I started pulling her around I think she decided she liked it. It was a fun time for both of us.

Photo Shoot

Last Friday we had pictures taken at Sears. They are 18 month pictures for Gracie and 9 days old pictures of Zach. We had a little trouble with getting Gracie to sit still and smile, but the pictures still turned out pretty cute.

The new Malecek family of Four!

Our first week home

Zachariah is one week and one day old already. We came home from the hospital last Friday, so we have been home almost one week already. We are quickly adjusting to having two kids to take care of. Seeing the difference between Gracie and Zach is amazing, what they all learn in 1 1/2 years is incredible. To our surprise Gracie is actually being a very good big sister. She tries to be so helpful. She is constantly grabbing me a diaper or 2 or 3..., bringing me the burp cloth, she tries to put the Nuk in Zach's mouth, pushes him on the baby swing (most of the time with a little to much force), and the latest she is coming up to me and lifting my shirt so I can feed Zach. These actions just go to show what she all is absorbing and then replicating. As for Zach, for the most part, is a very good baby and very similar to Gracie, except for the eating. He is definitely a boy! The first few days he was eating every 1 1/2 hrs around the clock and since I breastfeed... it is all me doing the feeding and getting up at night. The last 2 nights he had a 3 hour stretch from 2am to 5 am so I am hoping this will continue on (cross-my-fingers!).

Daddy and his kids.

Gracie reading Grandma Betty and Zach a book.

Gracie checking out her new brother in the pack-in-play.

Such little toes and fingers.
I think Gracie likes her new brother... she gives him lots of kisses.


Zach and his 5 week old cousin Joe.

It's A Boy!!!

Zachariah Martin Malecek was born today, October 1, 2008, at 10:21am.

He measured in at 8# 7oz and 21 1/2 in long.

We of course are still at the hospital and kinda tuckered out, but my sisters are already asking for pictures so I wanted to post this ASAP, and luckily I brought the laptop and we have internet connection in our hospital room. I'll write more when we get home and settled. Everything went well and our little Zach is a delight already.

Over Due!

Well, my last posting was last Sunday I think, with intentions that by this Sunday I could be putting up pictures and bragging about our new little Malecek, but it looks like it wants to stay inside it's Mommy. We keep telling it that Daddy and Gracie want to be able to hold it too... but it doesn't seem to work. So here we are 6 days past the due date. I have been trying to stay active in hopes that this will bring on labor. Gracie and I go for a walk every evening, in which I push her in the stroller down our gravel road. You would think that would work... but so far, nothing! So I guess we wait some more. My doctor appt is Tuesday, so if I am still pregnant at that time I assume we will come up with a plan to make this baby arrive. The only saving grace about the whole situation is that the weather is cooler and as the baby has moved down into my pelvis a little the backaches I was getting a couple of weeks ago have sort-of gone away. So I guess I should be thank-ful for that.

Gracie was dressed today to help cheer on those Vikings with her Daddy. She looked so cute in her jersey I had to show her off.

These are pictures of the fall arrangement I put out on our porch and of course Gracie. She sure likes the scarecrow doll. She even gave him a kiss!