Ready for summer

We've been lucky to have had a really nice spring so far in Minnesota...we had no snow at all in March (which is pretty much unheard of) and just a couple weekends ago it almost felt like summer, it was so warm! Caleb loves to be outside and had a blast playing in the nice weather. We took a walk to the park (well he scootered to the park, I walked) and even had a 'picnic' out on the deck for dinner one night. He thought that was pretty cool. He is a little wary of the bugs outside, especially bees (could he have gotten this fear from me? I hope not!) but Marshall gave him a squirt gun and that's been helpful in fending off insects. He was also a little afraid of the loud noises made by the lawn mower, leaf blower, etc. but after helping Marshall with yard work he is proudly exclaiming that he is no longer afraid of things like that, even the dinosaurs at the museum! Watching Caleb follow Marshall around with his bubble mower, when Marshall is mowing the lawn, is one of the most adorable things. He just loves to help with stuff like that.
I've said this many times before, but I really love this age that Caleb is at. It's funny how I've felt that way so many different times during the span of his little life so far. He is just so sweet, caring and emotional and having conversations with him is truly one of the greatest joys in my life! We talk about everything and anything and he is ALWAYS talking. He's really excited for summer and is planning all of the things he wants to do...play outside of course, go to 'his park' (why are other people at MY park...we hear that whenever we drive by), go to the farm in Osakis, hang out with Auntie Dua (he wants to go to Chuck E Cheese, the toy store, the duck pond, have sleepovers...) and the list goes on.

Easter overload

We had a busy Easter weekend this year. Daycare was closed on Good Friday, so the kids spent a fun day with Grandma and Auntie Dua. Caleb even spent the night, one of his favorite things is a sleepover at Grandma and Grandpa's! That night, we dyed eggs with the family. Caleb really enjoyed that too, it's been the first year he could really participate in this family tradition.

Easter morning the kids woke up to Easter baskets at our house (we had to remind Caleb about this...he got up just like it was any other morning!) and then we headed over to Grandma and Grandpa's to spend most of the day with my family. We had more Easter baskets there, dinner with the family, and an egg hunt for Caleb and my cousin's son, Nicholas. After that we headed over to Marshall's mom's house for another Easter celebration. We had dinner there, Caleb looked for more eggs...and Marshall's stepdad's parents got to see Ella for the first time (they were in town from North Dakota).

2 months old!

At the end of March, Ella was 2 months old! She went back to the doctor for another routine check up. She's growing... 11 lbs 6 oz and 22 1/2 inches long (so tiny compared to Caleb at 2 months...13lbs 14 oz and 24 1/2 inches long!). She had several vaccines but she did great with those. Overall everything looked fine, she'll go back again at 4 months.
Also at the end of March, I went with the kids and my parents up to Osakis to see Great-Grandma; she hadn't met Ella yet. Caleb had a fun time up there and my Grandma just loved holding the baby. It was a nice visit.

As you can see in one of the pictures below, Caleb's had a phase of wanting to be Spiderman (his Halloween costume)...we sure are lucky to have a superhero protecting our family! I'm sure Ella is baffled by that...
Ella is full of smiles and coos these days, it's so funny to hear her 'talking' up a storm! She's really paying attention to things around her, including her big brother. You can just tell she's going to want to follow him around as soon as she's able to! She is starting to laugh as well...usually only for her Daddy, though. She's already Daddy's little princess and he is sure wrapped around her finger! It makes me so happy, words cannot even describe it...to see my little family seem so complete now.

Grandma and Grandpa from North Dakota!

In early March, Marshall's dad and stepmom and nephew Alex came down from North Dakota for a visit and to meet Ella for the first time. We spent a lot of time at their hotel and Caleb just LOVED swimming this time. In the past he's been a little wary of it and for awhile wouldn't even get in the water. This time he swam by himself (with floaties on his arm) and would've stayed in the pool for hours if we let him.

Ella- 1 month old

Ella reached 1 month old at the end of February...the time really flew by! Finally she was back up to her birth weight...at her 1 month check up she was 9lbs 3 oz, so just barely over the 9lbs she started at. The doctor was happy with her progress at this point and he told me I didn't have to come back until she was 2 months old! That was great news...we had become a fixture at the clinic, I think. Ella is much more alert at this age, always looking around with her big 'little professor' eyes (Marshall's nickname when he was a baby!). Everyone comments on how much she looks like Caleb as a baby.

In other Dean family news...Marshall had his gall bladder removed on February 25th. It seems like he had to follow in the tradition of having some major medical issue after the birth of a child! When Caleb was 6 weeks old, Marshall broke his ankle playing softball and ended up needing surgery to repair it. This time around, a couple days after Ella's birth, Marshall started having extremely painful episodes. We had no idea what was causing it and after a few days he went to see his doctor. The doctor suspected maybe an ulcer and ordered a scope procedure to check his stomach and also an ultrasound. The scope showed everything to be pretty normal (there is a small growth that is going to be removed on May 10th) but the ultrasound showed a lot of gall stones...the culprit of the pain! So we scheduled the surgery and it all went pretty well...Marshall is back to normal now and pretty much pain free. What a relief it wasn't something more serious...but we better not have any more kids, who knows what else could happen!!

Ella's first Holiday

Ella had some cute Valentine's Day outfits to wear...the little doll she matches was her 'welcome' present from big brother Caleb. He picked it out himself at Target before she was born. He wants her to play with it!