Five Question Friday

1. If you could buy any car, money not an option, what would it be?
Red Mini Cooper with a black hard top. I love this car and would love to have one someday. I'll have to wait until the kids are all grown.

2. What was your worst first date ever?
I've only had one first date and it wasn't bad at all. My worst date ever had to be the time Michael and I went canoeing down the Wisconsin River with his family. Our canoe had a leak and I had to spend half the trip bailing the water out. We were then caught in a thunderstorm and had to take refuge in a bar. This was the first time I met his extended family.

3. How old were you when you fell in love for the first time?
28, that is when I met my husband Michael, the only man I've ever loved. But my first crush was at like 10.

4. When was the last time you reconciled your checkbook?
I had to pull it out and check but it was April 20th and I need to pay the bills.

5. If you were going to fashion a "Wanted" Ad for a best friend, how would you word it?
Seeking a confidant who enjoys reading, pedicures, and relaxing. Must like to play games, tell stories, listen to stories, and laugh. Cute children and pets a plus.

Mobile??

I've put Patrick on the floor the past couple days and come back later to find that he has moved. He never does this while I'm watching him, so I decide to check every 5 minutes to see what he has done. So to night at 6:45 here was here:

Then here at 6:50,

At 6:55 he was here:

And finally here at 7:00,

Pretty soon he will be moving that far in just seconds instead of 15 minutes. He's growing so fast!

Wordless Wednesday

Work and Being a Mom

It's been a busy week with working and coming home to be a mom. I knew it would be a lot busier, but I didn't realize how much more. By the time I get home, make dinner, clean up dinner, feed Patrick, play a little and then put Patrick to bed I'm exhausted. Patrick goes to bed around 8 and by 9, I'm ready for bed as well. This only leaves me an hour to do some housework or just relax. Thankfully this week was a short week of only 4 days. The day at school goes fast but I still can't wait for the bell to ring so I can pick up Patrick. Summer is only 7 weeks away! Can't wait to have Patrick all to my-self again.

Five Question Friday

1. What is your favorite Easter tradition?

My mother use to make us girls a new Easter dress each year. One Easter she spent hours sewing ruffles on my dress just to have me wear it while riding my big wheel down the hill with the dress flapping behind. Needless to say, by the fifth run the ruffles and dress were tattered.

2. Are you a "shower" or a "long, hot bath" kind of person?

Shower. I like the feel of the dirt running off me and down the drain.

3. Can you parallel park and if so when is the last time you did it?

Yes, I can but I haven't done it in a long time. I don't even remember the last time. Probably while in downtown Madison during the farmers market.

4. What is your favorite Easter candy?

Reese's pieces or the Reese's peanut butter eggs.

5. Easter: do you go all out with the Easter Bunny or focus on the religious part of the holiday?

We focus on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ the sinless Son of God. That is the whole reason for Easter. Growing up we did do the Easter Baskets and Easter Egg Hunt, but that was not our focus. I plan to do those things with Patrick.

Wordless Wednesday

First Time Swimming

Took Patrick to Mount Olympus for his first swim today. My sister-in-law is part of a Mother Of Preschoolers group (MOPS) and their group was able to get tickets for $6, so all the Bohlman's took a day trip to the Dells. I wasn't sure how Patrick would take to all the water and noise at the in-door water park. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, here's his first swim in pictures.

Five Question Friday

1. What is your favorite sign of spring?
Robins. Once I see a robin it is officially spring.

2. What was your best birthday ever?
I would have to go with this year. I turned 30 (oh, my!) and I got to spend my day snuggling with my newborn son. What more could you want on a cold snowy January day. Here he is at just a few days old, close to my birthday.

3. What is your favorite dessert?
Anything with chocolate and . . . peanut butter or carmel.

4. What is the best excuse you've ever used to get out of a ticket?
This is terrible but "I wasn't paying attention". I've only been pulled over a four times and I have used the same excuse. I've always known why I was pulled over, speeding. I tend to have a lead foot when I'm signing along to music.

5. Do you wake up before your alarm, with your alarm, or after hitting snooze several times?
I use to wake up after hitting snooze several times, but now it's to the cry of my 3 month old and then again to the alarm at 6. I'm hoping he will soon be sleeping through the night so I'll wake up to only the alarm. Although, Patrick is very good at waking me up around 4 every morning; he only needs to sleep another 2 hours at night. One more picture of Patrick.

Daycare Practice

Patrick and I did a dry run for daycare today. Since I have to go back to work next week, I wanted to practice dropping him off and trying to leave him there for a while without me. The other times we visited I stayed with him the whole time. Normally I let Patrick sleep as late as he wanted, usually around 7. Today I go up at 6, dressed, packed his things and then woke him up to eat. I was worried he would be tired and not eat or cry when I woke him up. He did great, no fussing and he eat well. We were over at Beth's by 7:10. I stayed and talked a while with Beth before leaving for a couple hours. Having only left Patrick alone with Michael for 3 hours I wasn't sure how he would do being left with Beth. Beth said he did very well and didn't fuss at all. I'm glad Patrick did well with our daycare practice today. I think I'll be the one cry on Monday when I go back to work.

Wordless Wednesday (Almost)

Cousins!

Wonderful Routines

It is amazing what a routine does for a baby. His is happy and sleeps well when we follow the same routine each day. The days the routine is thrown completely off are day that Patrick seems to be the most fussy. I am flexible with the routine, time wise. I want Patrick to be easy to take places and do things with, so I try to keep things the same no matter where we are. He does very well with just about anything we do. Our routine is very simple: eat, play, and then nap time. Lately his play time has gotten longer. He babbles, tries to roll over, studies his hands, and watches his hanging toys and mobil.

The hardest thing for him is to sleep when we are on the go. I think there is so much going on that he is staying awake to take it all in. I get him to sleep when driving, but once we get there, he wakes up. Even at church we will sleep for about 30 minutes during the sermon and then wake up. At home he will sleep for an hour or more. Maybe it's being in his crib that does it, but I like to think it is the routine that helps him so much. When I put him down for his naps I put a blanket over him, give him a pacifier (if he takes it) and turn on his music. 5 minutes later, he is asleep. Very simple, but it works each time.

Five Question Friday

1. If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?

Call me superficial but my chest, especially now that I'm breast feeding. It's very hard to find bras and shirts that fit.

2. Write about a time when you got lost.

I remember getting lost while at Adventure Land with my dad. I stopped to watch of the carnival games and let go of his hand. It was one were you shoot a stream of water into a target. Then you hit the target a aluminum horse would race across the back and the first horse over the line would win. Think Kentucky Derby. When the game ended I looked over and he was gone. The security there found him. I remember crying and thinking I would have to stay at Adventure Land forever.

3. Camping or 5 star hotel?

5 star hotel because most of the places I want to go are large cities (New York, Boston, Dublin, Berlin, ext) and I don't think it would be wise to camp there. Could you imagine setting up a tent in Central Park. I'm pretty sure I'd be dead in the morning. I would camp though if going to a national park like Yellow Stone.

4. Have you donated blood?

Yes, when they will take it. My hemoglobin is always borderline for being able to give. It has to be 12 and I'm always either 11 or 13. Once I start to give though I keep giving. It takes a while to get my blood to clot after filling the bag. I've donated 1 gallon so far.

5. Do you have a budget or do you 'fly by' most months?

Mostly a budget, but there are a few moths we have had to "fly by". Mostly now that I'm on maternity leave and my pay check is less.

Wordless Wednesday

Two Weeks Left

Only two weeks left of my maternity leave. I go back to work on Monday April 18th. While I'm looking forward to going back and seeing my students and co-workers, I'm also dreading it. I'm not too thrilled about having to leave Patrick for most of the day, but at least he is going to a friends house and it will only before 2 months. I'm going over to her house this week to start getting Patrick introduced to the idea of my leaving him. I'd much rather stay at home with him, but we can't afford it right now.
I'm also thinking of giving Patrick a bottle once a day this week and one or two a day next to help with the transition. He's taken a bottle a couple of times before, so I don't think it will be a problem. It will be more work for me since I'll have to pump and then feed him. I'm also a little concerned about being able to pump while at work. I don't have any prep time right now and in the afternoon, I have back to back classes. Most other teachers have two preps. I'm going to need to pump at least twice during the day (midmorning/early afternoon) and then either right after school or nurse Patrick as soon as I get home. I'm going in on Wednesday to pick up letters of reference and will have to talk with my principal about it while I'm there. I think I have a plan of when to pump that will not cause too much trouble.

Five Question Friday

1. Have you ever had surgery?
Never, thankfully I've been very healthy all my life.

2. Ever ride in an ambulance?
No, but I've had to call for an ambulance twice. Once the neighbor boy was hit by a car when riding his bike down the hill. He rode through the stop sign at the bottom and the car was not able to stop. He was fine. The other time the women I was baby-sitting for fell and hit her head on the icy steps.

3. How are you in a medical emergency? Panicked? Calm?
I think I tend to be calm. I haven't had many medical emergencies, but with a baby I'm sure I'll have some at one point or another.

4. Do you have a garden? Flowers or veggies?
No, but I would like to have both someday. We live in an apartment right now and are not allowed to have a garden. I did try to raise tomatoes last year, didn't go so well.

5. When did you move out of your parents house?
The last time was when I got married at age 28. I would move out shortly during college and then for a year when I worked over seas but all/most of my stuff stayed there since I knew I would be back.