The Start of Christmas

So my mom was a lil slow in getting her pictures uploaded to the computer for me.  Before I get into our Christmas fun so far, I'd like to share some pics of my Shay cousins from Turkey Day.  We are a split family, and by split family I mean a little over half are Packer fans and a lil under half are Viking Fans (that's right, the cheese heads do outnumber slightly)..... make for interesting Sunday get togethers at times :)  We had a great meal at my Uncle Jeremy's house and my Uncle Andy, as always, was right in there playin with us kids.

 

 Now Christmas with my Shay relatives, this year was at our house1!! My dad was so excited about cookin and cleanin that he did a lil happy dance with Maggie.  We had fun, got some great presents, and I heard the food was yummy!  

We have our Servais Family Christmas still to come and of course Christmas morning when we get to see what Santa brings for us, but I also wanted to give props to my stellar nanny, Hannah.  She got me an awesome keyboard toy that lights up and she even remembered Maggie loves sparkles and princess' and boots, so she got her all 3 things in one. I am missin her as she has the week off.





And last, but definitely not least, my parents came to school today with me.  They helped me make a sweet ginger bread house and met some of my friends.  Dad read me a book and mom sat with me during circle time when we sang our Christmas songs.  I loved it - we sang Jingle Bells, Rudolph, and Wish you a Merry Christmas (my personal fav!)  My ma even snapped a quick pic of me and Tora (Victoria) my paraprofessional at school.  My folks even got a early Christmas gift from me today - we made ornaments as a class project, used our finger prints to make snowmen - turned out pretty "cool".  That was my mom's joke.

Fall into Winter...

Busy, busy, busy...... this is a long one folks, get comfy

You wouldn't think we would be so busy, with my mom having a bum foot and all, but even with her not being able to use her left leg since the middle of September, we have been one busy fam.  My ma tore her Achille's Tendon back in September playing kickball (but she likes to say it happened during a crazy skydiving story).  She has been using a little scooter and her crutches (or as Maggie calls them, her "crunches") to get around.  Even with her leg is a cast, we managed to take a family trip to the Dells to celebrate my Grandma and Grandpa's birthdays and anniversary.

We made our yearly visit to the Apple Orchard.  Grandma and Grandpa joined us since my mom can't help with us kids when she is on crutches.  The apples were good.

Halloween came and went - we had a swell time as Mickey and Princess Minnie.  Even though it was cold out, we spent a good hour out and about.  Good thing we used some of my black compression suits to help us stay warm - they worked well because those Mouse Folks have black arms and legs. And it was doubly good that my mom still couldn't walk and had her scooter to help with Maggie, when she hit a wall, she was able to hop on with mom and ride home :)

Then we had Thanksgiving at our house in La Crescent..... my dad did most of the cooking (ok all of the cooking).  The day after, I think I heard it referred to as Black Friday, we went to the Children's Museum instead of shopping - it was pretty fun.  I think my dad and my Uncle Kurt had more fun than us kids at times. Then my folks went down to the Badger game the weekend after Thanksgiving and had some pretty sweet seats (again, due to my mom not being able to walk up the stairs - she used her scooter).  They also ran into my buddy from the NICU, Levi's, parents there - they are Gopher fans, but we don't hold that against them.

This past weekend, me and Maggie went to our first play.  My dad got us tickets to see Charlie Brown Christmas in La Crosse - his work gave out tickets, so thank you LHI.  It had a lot of music so I liked it.  Maggie was so excited she sat at the edge of her seat the whole time and would yell out anytime she saw Snoopy or Charlie or when the lights would go off, or on, well just about at anything really..

And, the big news.......

WE FINALLY GOT OUR NEW VAN!!!  After months of working out all the kinks, we are ready to roll (so to speak).  It has a rear entry ramp so I can ride in the car in my wheelchair - boy does that save time.... and my parent's backs ;)   Maggie is excited, the side doors open/close automatically so she calls them "magic doors".  We got the van just in time for my mom's doctor to clear her to start to put a little weight on her foot.  This is when I would normally put a pick of me rockin out in the new van, but my mom has been busy (or lazy) and hasn't uploaded the picture yet, so please stay tuned....

Been Awhile...

Hey Everyone, things have been non stop in good ol' La Crescent the past couple months - so I haven't had time to write anything for awhile. Not sure where to start, so I am just going to share a few pics with you and we'll see where this takes us.

Let's start with summer school.  I got to go hang out with my favorite school people and friends 2x a week in July.  It was HOT, and I'm not always a happy smiley boy when I get too warm, but I still had a good time.  This is a pic of me, my teacher, and 2 of my helpers - all great people!

 My parents finally got me a big boy bed.  They had been dragging their feet (who knows why).  I was pretty pumped that's all I have to say.  The first night, I was a little confused.  I knew I was in my room but it was different.  Once I realized what was going on I was pumped.  I had soo much fun kicking my legs and swinging my arms.  I may have even squealed in excitement a few times.  I have slept pretty good ever since the switch and on those rare nights that I don't, my folks just hop in bed with me till I calm down.  Let's just say its a win-win situation!

 At the end of Aug my parents took me and Maggie to see Sesame Street Live.  It. Was. Awesome!!!  We all had so much fun.  I loved the lights and the singing and the dancing (yes my parents took turns dancing with me so I didn't spend much time in my wheelchair).  Maggie was so excited that she probably sat for a total of 14 seconds the whole show.  She even made a friends with the little girl sitting in front of us.  They danced the night away.

 My dad was also in a softball league this summer.  To wrap up the season they had a weekend tourney - I heard my dad call it that.  But it turns out that a tourney just means a lot of games in a row.  Both me and Maggie like watching softball games - but Maggie really gets into it.  She runs into the dugout, she gives high fives, she yells "go daddy" when we see him on the field, and she even tried to run the score board.  Even when the rain started falling and we got a little wet, it was still fun. I opted out of any pictures this time, I was just chillin in the stroller, takin in the sights and sounds.

 And speaking of my dad.  He finally got brave enough to try out the UpSee with me.  We had fun moving around the backyard while Maggie ran wild, she likes to run just as much (if not more) than she likes to dance.  She even tried to get me dancing - have I mentioned that Maggie loves to dance!

      

We continued to enjoy our pool after our big birthday bash.  I may have even given Maggie a few pointers and now she is actually swimming!

My Aunt Kristi came home for a Big Servais Wedding - my great cuz Rachel got married up in the cities.  Us kids didn't get to tag along this time, but from what I overheard from my parents talking, it was a good time and a Beautiful wedding.

 

And last but not least, I started school again.  This year I am in the afternoon class - which did force my mom to plan a little harder in terms of her work schedule and figure out who was going to watch me when. I get a lil over 4.5 hrs at school this year - which I am lovin.  And my awesome nanny Hannah plays with me when I'm not at school.  She makes me work hard, but I also laugh just as hard.  We have a great time together.  My mom thinks I may have a lil crush but then I remind her, hey I'm only 4..... This is a pic of me and Hannah while we waited for the bus on the first day back to school.  We didn't even try to match, I swear.  And if you notice I don't have glasses on - yeah its cause Maggie broke them and I was waiting on the new pair.  I had 2 full weeks of bliss without them on, but rest assured I am now back to wearing them.  It was nice while it lasted.

 

*More updates and pictures to come, as my mom will be laid up for awhile.  She tore her AchillesTendon and is having surgery.  So I gave her permission to post more pics if she feels like it.

2 and 4, who could ask more?

After our fun filled day in Rochester at the Little Miracles 5K and Family Fun Fest, we headed home for our birthday bash.  My parents are just too busy, and this is the first weekend we had a day open to celebrate our birthdays.  Thank you to everyone who joined in all the fun.  It was a brilliant day!  My dad even decided to cut/trim his beard... but I don't know if it was an improvement??  Enjoy the pics :)

loves the water!

best Servais cousin shot?

conner says enough pictures already...

she had to try on her princess sophia
shoes right away!

Maggie showing Conner the book she
helped him open - gotta love it!

Thank you Grandma and Grandpa Servais, Grandpa Shay, Kurt, Ashley, Zoey, Andy, Jeremy, Bell, Carter, Gracie, Rosie, Mom and Dad for a great day!!  Thanks to the people that couldn't make it but kept us in their thoughts - we understand summers are busy (I sure know ours is).  And finally, thanks to all the swell people who sent us birthday cards.  Maggie reads them like books to me, and we both love it!