Welcome Home Uncle Billy!

Dear Amelia -

The day we've been waiting for for the last 8 months has FINALLY ARRIVED!!! 

We woke up this morning and sent Uncle Billy a note via Facebook. 

His ship was scheduled to dock at 830am CST. I cried from 822am - 859am until I had to pull myself together for a meeting.

Once I was done with my meeting, this picture of Billy had just been posted by Pam. I'm so happy that Billy, Pam and Jackson are all back together! Pam did an exceptional job doing EVERYTHING for the last 8 months!

Pam sent me this picture later in the morning of Billy and Jaxy. It just warms my heart.

 I can't wait for them to come home next weekend!!! YAY!!!

Andddd...I realized I haven't posted a picture of the belly lately, so here you go. 31 weeks + 1 day

 Love,
Mom

New room!

Dear Amelia -

With your new brother on the way, we had to come up with a plan quick of where he was going to sleep. Our house is technically a 4 bedroom house - 2 upstairs, 2 downstairs. The rooms upstairs are used for other things - your play room and a dining room. I wasn't comfortable with having you guys downstairs and us upstairs SO the Dirks' Family Suite was invented!!!

For Christmas, we asked for Home Depot gift cards to get new carpet. Glamma and Cookie came over last Saturday to paint before the carpet was installed. 

On Monday, the awesome carpet guy came to install the carpet - IT LOOKS SO AMAZING!!!

When you walk down the stairs, your room is the the right. Our new 'suite' is to the left. Our bed faces the fireplace (we've used it maybe twice)

 After a couple final touches...the room is ready!!!

 We all LOVE IT!! Its an easy sacrifice for you guys!

Next up - Baby boys room!

Love,
Mom

27 hours in Milwaukee

Dear Amelia -

Lydia's Mom passed away suddenly in the middle of December. They opted to have her service later...this gave us the chance to buy plane tickets at a decent price to go to Milwaukee for the funeral.

Lydia's Mom - Peggy. She was a RIOT!

We woke up nice and early to head to the airport. You were sassy from the get-go. 

 We landed in Milwaukee at 830am (nice 45 minute flight!) and Mr Stephens' picked us up.

 Our first stop was O'Lydia's so Mr Stephens could finish up some stuff around the bar.

 Then we went to the house for a bit before heading to the wake and funeral. You were acting up a little during the service so I took you out to the waiting room where you took off your shirt and ran around like a wild woman.
After the service, we traveled to the lunch. The mixture of no nap and waking up at 430am was bad, really bad. You threw a huge (embarrassing) temper tantrum. I quickly got you out of there and went back to the house for a nap!
When you woke up, Robbie found some paints for you to try out. You painted for over an hour. I've never seen you do something for an hour straight!

After painting, you and Mr Stephens (or just Stephens' as you call him) played and laughed until Lydia came home. Then you played with baby Brenda and hid from Mr Stephens before bed. 

We woke up early on Sunday and headed over to O'Lydias for a nummy brunch and then it was on to the airport. You screamed on the airplane "POOPY!" about 100 times until the seatbelt sign was turned off so we could head to the bathroom...where you didn't even have to go #2. Silly girl.

We were both excited to see Daddy and Norman when we arrived home!!

Love,
Mom

Norman Dirks

Dear Amelia -

Sometimes I forget how special our little Norman is. Daddy and I picked him out months after we got married as he was a gift from the Millers (still our favorite gift!) He was born October 6th, 2005. Before you were born, he was like a child to us. When I was pregnant with you, I cried all the time thinking about how his feelings were going to be hurt once you arrived. I quickly forgot about that since you were (are) so precious. 

Nerm (our nickname for him) up at the cabin a few years ago

 He is everyone's favorite dog. Uncle Aldo and Uncle Billy would have a fist fight to keep him. They would have to share custody.

Anyway, A few years ago...Norman started growing a big growth on his side. He lost some weight (go Nerm!) and the bump kept getting bigger and bigger. Last year when he went to the vet, we had a test done to make sure it wasn't cancerous. It wasn't, PHEW!

Uncle Aldo sent this picture to his step dad - Jim who is a vet to see if he could remove it. GENIUS IDEA!! The plan happened today. Aldo took Norman down to Spring Valley (birth place of the Stapler) to have the growth removed.

 He did really well (per Jim and Alex) and is currently resting at the vet office. He is going come home on Saturday.
Aldo sent this picture and when I showed it to you, you said "That's my Morman!" He sure is :)

You and I are heading to Milwaukee on Saturday so we will see him on Sunday when we get back!!

WE LOVE NORMAN!

Love,
Mom

2012!

Dear Amelia -
To say we had fun at the Newfield's wedding would be an understatement. We even had fun in the day before and a few days after!


On Thursday, Jaxy and Pam went the wedding rehearsal and we picked up Jackson before the dinner started for a sleepover. In the morning, you guys dressed up in your new dress up clothes!
Jackson looks like Elton John...

 Mr Stephens' came over in the afternoon and you guys played for a bit before we headed to the wedding.

I'm waiting for Cookie to post pictures of the actual wedding so I will follow up with those. You were a champ and stayed up until midnight!

Mr Stephens' left the Newfields reception to head to your Great Uncle Johnny's wedding reception. 

 The next day, we slept until 10am!!! We all obviously needed some sleep. You and I both took a nice nap as well. Jaxy came over around 5 for another sleepover so aunty Pam could go out for NYE.

 On Sunday (Happy 2012,) Daddy, Cookie, Uncle Aldo, Sondre, Knut, Kristopher and Torstein went to the Vikings game! 3 of the Norwegian's scored tickets to sit ON THE FIELD!!! Torstein (or Shorestein as you call him) suffers from Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA.) He has to be one of the most amazing people I have ever met. You forget quickly that he is disabled. He is smart, funny and extremely nice. We played a trivia game with him after the game on Sunday and he came in 2nd place (behind his little brother - Dre.) I will consider him my first famous friend...this year in Norway they had a documentary about him traveling in the US. He has promised that when he makes it big, he will introduce me to our fav - Kelly Clarkson :)

Unfortunately, the Norwegians departed America tonight; Pam and Jackson left yesterday. It was so fun to have them around over the Holidays!

Love,
Mom