Rub-a-Dub!

Bath Time!

(her bottom is much more chubbier than Max's, hence the wrinkles.)

Don't miss the quick smile at the beginning...

Anna LOVES bathtime. She could sit in there forever...

Getting out of the bath is another story.

Still owns her BLUE eyes.

Its hard to believe they haven't faded into brown yet.

As you can see, she is unbelievably chunkier than Max was...

and still is.

Friends think she looks EXACTLY like Max...

but I don't see it all the time.

Compare bath photos...

I have to say, she does looks like the chunkier version of Max.

They are exactly the same age in these photos!

I need to do this more often. So fun!

What is it with Sundays?!?

So, I have to admit I am not into the "I should sit down and blog" concept yet. Our camera has not had batteries in it for two weeks now - and I always seem to forget to pick them up at the store. We have had MANY photo opportunities lately...all that I have missed.

Last weekend we went to the first Cyclone game I have been to since I graduated. Actually, we never even made it to the game...or tailgating...BUT Anna was sporting her adorable new red crochet hat with bright yellow flower and Max had his ISOooo Foofball outfit on the entire day.
No pictures.

Max had his second birthday party two weeks ago. With an adorable train cake made by Grandma Renea. And so many favorite presents from friends and family.
No pictures. (at least not from me...I still need the Grandma's pics)

Yesterday, Grandma Jean and Grandpa Ron brought Max an amazing "just-his-size" piano. Max LOVES playing. Plus, its hilarious how he maneuvers himself to sit on the bench.
No pictures.

Also yesterday we got to show both sets of Grandparents Max's infatuation with his Sesame Street DVD and letters/numbers. He sings the alphabet song along with the movie. Then counts with Count to 18. It's his new favorite number.
No video.

So, is anyone going to yell at me about this?!? I feel like I'm an awful mother. Who does this?


Anyway, getting back to my post title. Max has always taken amazing naps. They are usually 2-3 hours in length and no matter the time of day, he'll still go to bed by 9:00pm. That is...until SUNDAY comes.

I've always enjoyed by Sunday afternoon naps. Nick can tell you that in our four years of marriage, on Sundays you can expect to find me on the couch with an IPTV home improvement show on mute. For some reason, I love it. I cherish it. Sunday naps are something I do.

Once again today...and the last SEVERAL months...Max decided to not take a nap. If Max were here, he'd tell you that we try to take naps on Sundays. Boy, do we try!

Picture a normal nap time ritual: I rock him with his sippy cup of milk (yes, I still do this to my two year old) singing his favorite songs. Max listens and when he is ready, hands his sippy cup over to me and flips over on my chest, head on shoulder. That's my signal, he's ready for nap time. Into his bed, close the door. Whoo!

Picture a Sunday nap time ritual: I rock him with his sippy cup of milk, singing his favorite songs. Max listens and when he seems to be ready, hands me his sippy cup and flips over on my chest, head on shoulder.

Then I hear it. Him whispering in my ear ever so lightly, "Mommy...mommy....mommy." Then I feel it. His hips start wiggling side to side. His head moves from my shoulder to in front of my face. I feel him bring his toddler fingers closer to my face. He starts playing with my lips. If I am still singing at this time, he tries the risky move of touching my teeth. He plays with my hair. He pinches my cheeks. He touches his nose to my nose. All the while, I am holding him close with my eyes closed (trying to imitate sleep) and thinking...

WHY MAX? WHY SUNDAYS?

By this time, my grip has lessened a bit so now he is touching the curtains behind the chair. He starts arching his back over and over again while giggling. He starts listing of numbers 1-12. I start telling him in my ultra-calm voice "Max...Daddy's sleeping. Anna's sleeping...Grandma's sleeping." To which he replies in his excited voice, "Grandpa's sleeping!! Baby's Sleeping!! MAX IS SLEEPING!!"

Seriously, this is exactly what happens every Sunday. And again happened today. This is when I give up. I put him in his bed with the light off so he can at least have a somewhat "calm time." Who am I kidding...I put him in his bed so I can have a "calm time." For a good hour, I can hear him numbering off numbers or rambling through parts of the alphabet or shouting "mommy...train...big truck...baby...cow-moo..."

So, no pictures. No video of this quite comical Sunday afternoon ritual. But I do have a blog now so that I can read it years from now and laugh at how frustrated I was on Sunday afternoons with NO NAP.

Happy Sunday Sleeping,
Liz

To Blog or not to Blog...

*** An adorable shot of "my two most favorite guys." ***

Hello friends and family,

As you can see, I've considered the act of blogging for awhile. Now that Max and Anna take pretty consistent naps together at the same time each day, I feel this is the time. It is important for me to tell you why I have chosen to "give in" to the desire of blogging...

Reason #1. I have enjoyed looking at friend's blogs!! ...which resulted in finding acquaintance's blogs (mostly long-lost friends from college)...then I found myself wandering into people's blogs whom I have not even met. It is a crazy world we live in! I find blogging to be yet another way of keeping in touch with ones we love. A huge plus is that Grandma Butcher can easily access this to see current pictures! Although, she already has a facebook account. :)

Reason #2. The idea of this blog being somewhat of a "keepsake" for Max and Anna is difficult for me to really understand...by the time they are old enough to care about this blog, I'm sure the current technology will be out of date. BUT I do admit that I am terrible at writing down anything or organizing any baby photos so it will be wonderful to look back and laugh at my attempt at a "blog baby book."

Reason #3: The desire to be REAL. Real with my faith, real with my relationships, and real to myself. This means The Koenig Connection is more than a cheesy name. It serves a deeper purpose. I want my life to be a testimony of God's love and grace to those around me, including this blog. I'm not afraid to tell you that cute homemade crafts and amazingly beautiful recipes are just not in my day-to-day habits. Nick hopes this will change as I grow into a more purposeful mom and wife. As of today, we ate grilled cheese for lunch.

Reason #4: I have found myself encouraged through other's blogs. It is always astounding to me how close friends of mine (who are pretty much amazing women) struggle with the same things I struggle with in life. Being a disciple of Christ is tough work...being a wife is tough work...being a mom is tough work. We need to support one another!

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." Romans 5:1-5