Matt's First Day of Kindergarten

Lots of new happenings in the Stutelberg's home! Matt had his first day of Kindergarten on Monday. Tom and Andra were still visisting so they stayed with Micah and Melea and Karl and I took Matt to school. I know Matt was very nervous but he tried to be brave! It has been a tough week...Matt comes home from school excited and talking non stop about his day but as the evening progresses his anxiety increases. He has been having night terrors each night this week. I think it will take awhile for him to adjust but I'm confident he will eventually do well. I know I sometimes feel overwhelmed with the changes that just occured in our family so I can only imagine how a sensitive 5 year old is interpreting it all. Matt has such a good heart and I would do ANYTHING to minimize his stress...I think only time will help. When I picked him up today he was excited and said, "I decided I really like Kindergarten. I had the best day yet!" Of course it is Friday...so we'll see what he is saying on Sunday evening!

Melea is doing great! She is officialy one week old today!

Micah seems to be adjusting well. He is loving the one on one "mommy time" he gets when Melea is sleeping!

Welcome Melea Jean Stutelberg

Melea was born on Friday, Aug 5 at 3:01pm. I was induced one week after my due date. Labor went pretty quick. Pitocin was started around 12:00 and Melea was born 3 hours later! The fast labor is good but feels like being hit by a truck!

Melea was 7lb 7oz. She is just perfect and we are so blessed to have her.

We didn't know her gender until delivery and the nurses had fun predicting the sex before she was born. They predicted boy! Karl, Louise and I were in disbelief when the doctor and nurses said "it's a girl."

Our family is complete...I can't believe how blessed we are.

Melea and I came home on Saturday. I wanted to come home as soon as possible and we were dischared 24 hours after Melea was born.

The boys are adjusting well. A little more fighting than tyical but overall not bad. It helps that Grandma and Grandpa are visiting. They are such a HUGE help! Matt starts his first day of Kindergarten tomorrow so check back for pictures of that event and more Melea photos!

July Wrap-up

Still no baby...my due date was July 29 and that day has come and gone...
If nothing happens this week I am scheduled to be induced on Friday Aug 5th. At least there is an end in sight!
The Schneider's annual slip and slide party was a few weeks ago. This year each family dressed up. I stayed home but the boys (aka pirates) had a blast! Karl came in a close second and slid over 60 feet!

After Church today...Jeanette and Erin came on Tues last week. The plan was to have them help with the boys while I cared for baby and rested...so much for that plan!! Unfortunatly Jeanette had to leave today but will hopefully be able to come back in a few weeks to meet the baby. Erin will be here until next Saturday. It has been great having them here. Life with two little boys gets difficult when you are over 40 weeks pregnant and their help is amazing!

Matt and Micah participated in Soccer Camp this past week. The boys seemed to enjoy it and and really learned a lot. The coaches for the camp were from England and had come over to the US to run week long camps all around the western states. The camp was very oganized and well run.

Matt really learned a lot during the week. He has not had any exposure to soccer prior to this camp and by the end of the week had made great progress with some skills. It was obvious the difference between a 5 year old and a 3 year old when it comes to soccer! Micah spent most of the time sitting on his ball but loved running over for water breaks! He said he had fun though and that is what counts.

Karate Camp

The boys participated in Karate Camp this week. It was one hour a day this week. The boys LOVED it!! I have never seen kids be so active for a full 60 minutes! They learned some basic kicks, punches and grappling maneuvers. Most important the boys had blast and got VERY tired! They have been in bed asleep at 7pm each night this week!! There is another camp the first week in Aug. I may have the boys do it again, we will see.
I'm now 38 weeks prego and no baby! AHHH I have been reading on natural ways to induce labor and a mom at karate was telling me about acupressure points on the feet and legs that she said worked for her. So I looked it up last night and put Karl to work...I"m still very pregnant...It didn't work. Karl said, "I can't do this very long it hurts my fingers." Really Karl, your fingers may hurt but look at me!! The good news is we should have a big healthy baby that is ready to come out eating, crying, sleeping and pooping just like he/she should! I can't stay prego for ever... but the wait is so hard!

Backyard Play!

We have had a relaxing long weekend! Karl's birthday was on Sunday. After church we went out to lunch. In the evening we went to my parents house for a bbq. I think he had a pretty good day!

We had a lazy 4th of July and hung at home. I had been keeping my eye on some material I liked for window valences. I took advantage of the the weekend sales and got it! I started them yesterday and am very excited about it! I plan to put them in the living/play room. As long as I stay pregnant I can hopefully finish them but if a baby comes soon the project will be put on hold!

Saturday, Karl's boss had a work bbq at his house. The kids, including Karl, had a blast in the bouncer, riding scooters, water squirter fights, and basketball. Good times!

Karl's new website is up and running! Check out http://www.cuttingedgerunning.com/ Pass it along to your friends who maybe interested in running training programs, personal coaching, and general core exercises. He is offering 20% off in July as an introductory special! Spread the word...he has great knowledge and experience with running physiology and coaching and I know can help runners achieve their goals!

Father's Day Weekend

Karl and the boys had a Father's Day camping night at the Schneider's home. The kids and dads had a great time eating hotdogs and smores, glow sticks, a snipe hunt, looking at the stars and of course sleeping in tents! The moms went out to dinner for a little "shower" for me. We had a really great time! I stayed the night at my sisters house and we went over to meet up with the boys in the morning for a big breakfast cooked over the fire! Karl, my dad, brother, and the boys went to a baseball game in the afternoon. In the evening we had my dad over for fish tacos. I think Karl had a great Father's Day!! How can you top camping, hotdogs, beer, baseball, fish tacos, and time with two really great little boys?

The boys set up "Cars City" on the patio with the left over firewood this weekend. They worked hard on this project and were very proud of themselves!

Karl had a track meet on the TV this afternoon. The boys thought the long jump was cool so after the meet Karl took them outside to practice long jumping. These pictures remind me of my Grandpa Crane. He was a world class track athlete. He mostly did sprints and long jump. I remember as a kid having long jump compititions with him in the backyard and down the hallway. I know Grandpa was looking from heaven and smiling watching his great-grandchildren long jump in the backyard!!

Another Beach Day

Last Tuesday we spent a family day at Will Rogers State Beach. It was still cold but we made the best of it and had a great time. Karl wanted to get some fish tacos so we drove down the PCH and spotted a great little fresh fish dive that was having Tuesday Tacos!! They were the BEST fish tacos! I tried to recreate them for Father's Day...but didn't come close!
Since Karl has Tuesday's off now it is great family time. We played last week so this week was a "house work" day! Kall and I washed ALL the windows in the house! What a great guy...he knows how to keep his crazy prego wife happy!! My house is smiling and shinning now!! At least the windows are!!

Last Day of Preschool

Last week was the last day of preschool for the summer! Micah's last day was Wed and Matt's "graduation" was on Thursday. It was bitter sweet. I know I am super emotional due to being prego but I couldn't help but be a little sad. I turned in Matt's kindergarten registration paperwork on Tues and went back to the car and cried for 20 minutes. How is it possible I am registering my little 5lb preemie for kindergarten?
Micah had a fantastic year at Noah's Ark Preschool and we will miss it next year...but we are trying something new. He will attend a different local preschool with Luke that will allow us to save on some costs and just try something different.
Matt's "graduation" was very cute. I have never been a fan of preschool graduation with caps and gowns...but it turned out to be special. Matt felt very dressed up in his "gold gown." The class did a little program and sang "Shake Your Sillies Out" and "Jump Jump Jump." Following those two songs very few kids still had their hats on!! Then the kids got cake and a balloon. It wasn't over the top and ended up being very cute. Of course, I cried!

Matt and his school buddy Jaiden. Matt and Jaiden became friends at the start of the year and were still good buddies at the end. That doesn't happen often in preschool!
Micah in front of the playground on his last day of preschool

I am now 33 weeks pregnant...so far so good! I'm a little concerned this could be another "Micah" and I'll go past my due date! Yikes...I really want this to be over in 4 weeks!!

Our Day at Ventura Beach

Karl's brother, Jack, and family visited for the weekend. We ventured out to Ventura for a beach day on Saturday. The weather wasn't ideal but we had a great day. It was Brayden's first time at the beach and after a snack and brief warm up time he loved it! All three boys had a blast digging in the sand and playing in the water. The dads, Jack and Karl, win the Dad of the Year award for playing in the COLD water with the boys who didn't seem to notice the cold at all!! We thought we would only be there a short time but ended up chasing waves and digging for over 3 hours! We then went to the marina and got ice cream and played on the grass. Today we plan to pick cherries...stay tuned for pictures.

Piano Recital

Matt had his first piano recital this afternoon. He did awesome! We are so proud of him! He was the youngest student to perform. Matt played "The Paratrooper" and "Mary Had a Little Lamb."