Party Down!

We had a party for Eve's 40th birthday and Axel's actual "birth" day. As Reynald says, it was the biggest party we ever had. There were about 40 adults and 13 kids under 6 or so (and a few teenagers). It was in our back yard and the weather cooperated. It was catered by Word of Mouth catering - who had awesome BBQ and salads. We had a special French cake (if you can call it a cake) like we had at the second day of our wedding: cream puffs filled with vanilla or chocolate cream, then covered in hardened sugar, decorated with candied almonds and nougatine. Yum! It was fun to show off Axel and to have lots of nice people to celebrate two big events with us. My mom was in town too, to help with Axel, so she was able to be here for the big party too. She had a good idea to rent a bouncy castle for the kids and that was a big success. Thanks, Mom! We also received thoughtful presents for Axel and/or me. What nice friends we have.

The day after the party (Sunday), Mom, Luka, Axel and I hustled off to church for the 9:30 service, so Luka did not have a chance to check out the back yard before taking off. When he got back home in the afternoon, he asked me if the "trampoline" (the bouncy dog) was still there. I said it wasn't, but he asked if he could check and see. I think it is not that he did not trust me, but that he was hopeful. He checked out the back yard and saw it really was gone - which he accepted resignedly (no tantrum). :)

Some other pics from the event:

Luka and buddies: Megan and Kristin

Eve, Axel, Elizabeth, Randy

Fauchère Family and Richardson Family

Bouncy Dog!

Reynald pouring French champagne

Paul W’s Blueberry Pudding Recipe

(from Eve Lindemuth Bodeux)

½ cup sugar
2 TBS butter, softened
2 eggs
½ cup molasses
½ cup milk plus 2 TBS (See note 1)
3 cup flour (See note 2)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp cloves
½ tsp nutmeg
2 – 3 cups wild blueberries (See mpte 3)

Preheat oven to 350°. Cream sugar and butter. Add eggs. Beat. Add molasses. Beat. Add milk. Beat. In separate bowl, mix together flour, soda and spices. Add flour mixture to molasses mixture. Mix well. Add blueberries. Mix well – some berries will break and the batter will have a nice purple hue in parts. Turn into greased 8 x 11.5 or 9 x 13-inch. Bake 20 – 45 minutes till done, depending on pan. Serve as a cake or in a bowl with milk and sugar sprinkled on top.

Notes:
1 Original recipe calls for ½ cup milk only, but the batter is much too thick. Add additional milk carefully – it should still be fairly thick and a bit difficult to spread in the pan.

2 I use whole wheat pastry flour – it goes well with the rustic style. However, white flour is fine.
3 The original recipe calls for 1 quart berries and that the berries be rolled/coated in flour before adding to batter. (To prevent from sinking to the bottom of the pudding). However, I have never found this to be necessary. Berries should be wild – fresh picked or frozen (such as Cascadian Farm brand). I have also made the pudding with raspberries before as a variation and it is good too.

Axel Update

We can't believe that Axel is now over 2 weeks old! Before we know it, he will be three like Luka! No ... it goes too fast! Axel is eating (nursing) very well and gaining weight like a little champ. He had gained his birth weight back anda bit more by August 11 when he weighed 7 lbs and 14.5 oz. Then, on August 19, he weighed 8 lbs 4 oz!

Grandma is here to help us with our two little guys and Axel likes having her hold him and Luka likes his playmate. He will be sad when she goes!

Axel is an easy baby so far. In the evenings, he usually goes down to sleep from about 10 p.m. to about 2 a.m. or so. So, a good long stretch before he wants to be fed. Then, he eats or wakes (for diaper change or whatever) every hour or so after that. But, he usually snoozes pretty quickly after getting a middle-of-the-night snack and then wakes up again periodically.

During the day, he still sleeps a lot - especially when we go in the car to do errands - but he is getting more and more alert. He looks so cute with his little eyes open and looking around. I am thinking soon he will be able to go in the little bouncy seat I bought him at the mother-of-twins sale.

With Luka we used a cloth diaper service till he was about 7 months old (when we went to AK to visit), but Axel is using disposable diapers. They are much less bulky, though they leak too unless you fan out the leg part inside. When we first started using them, they leaked every time!

Axel is also good about the Baby Bjorn front carrier. He likes it more than Luka ever did. Axel did it for the first time when he was maybe 10 days old and now has done it 3 or 4 times.

Last weekend, we went hiking in Rocky Mt. National Park around Bear Lake - Grandma, me and Axel in carrier and Luka walking, and then started up the trail to Nymph Lake, but Luka then said, "Maman, je veux dormir dans le sac à dos," so we had to turn around. We didn't have the kid-carrying back pack with us! I was impressed he remembered that since we have not done it in several months (but he did use it a lot in the winter with us).

Then, Sunday, we hiked one of the trails in Boulder at Chataqua and Luka did awesome - we hiked about 2.5 hours over big rocks. Luka was a real champ and so was Axel, doing the whole trail in the Baby Bjorn on Papa's tummy. My little mountain climbers!

Luka Gets Promoted to Preschool

On Monday, August 22, Luka started in a new class at his school. They mark August 22 as the beginning of the new school year and Luka moved to a new class with some of his other buddies. His friend Kristin was already in the same preschool class so that is good that they are in the same one. There are several preschool classes because that is a popular program. This was an easier transition than when he moved from the little kids class (1 - 2 year olds, called Toddler 1) to the Toddler 3 class (2 - 3 year olds) last year. The first day after preschool, Luka said, "Mommy, I had a good day!"

He has also, on the suggestion of Grandma, been riding his bike (trike) to school every morning. Go, Luka!

His new teachers are Debbie, Jamie and Cory (who was also a Toddler 1 teacher). In a few weeks, Rachel will replace Cory in the later afternoon. His teachers in Toddler 3 were Majel and Rhandine for a long time. He really liked Rhandine and she was wonderful. She was due with her first child a few weeks before I was due with Axel, so in July, she was replaced with Sophie. Sophie was awesome too and seemed to really like Luka. He liked her a lot. Then, Majel was replaced with Danielle. Luka just had her for a few weeks before moving to preschool, but she seemed really good and interested in the kids and organized too. She was the new head teacher.

Luka loves school and it was time to move up to preschool where they are a little more independent. He is now going in the big kids potty in the main hallway too (as opposed to having a potty just for his room).

Luka's class makes us a congratulations card

When I went to drop off Luka this a.m. at school, his teacher Sophie told me to wait a second and she went to get something for us (we were in the creative movement room). Then, all the kids, including Luka, helped her hand it to me. It was a big red card that said "Congratulations" on it in glitter and inside, each kid's name was there with a glitter signature, and the teachers had signed too (Miss Danielle, Miss Sophie and Miss Mandi). Sophie said that Luka (and all the kids) was very excited when they were making the card on Wednesday. :)

Luka can ride his bike!

Luka has loved to "ride" his tricycle since he got it for his birthday (I think it was his first birthday...?) - "Je veux faire du vélo !" but he didn't get the idea of pedaling...until tonight! Reynald and he just back from a quick evening ride with Luka in the trailer and Reynald called me outside to see Luka pedaling for the first time! He wanted to ride his own bike after getting back from the ride with Papa. He is doing awesome! He is very proud and wants no pushing now from us - he wants to do it all himself. We will have to get this on video. Go, Luka!

WELCOME AXEL WILLIAM BODDEUX!

Baby Bodeux #2 made his big appearance on his due date! More info to come. For now, here are the important details:

Axel William Bodeux
Born August 6 at 9:56 p.m.
7 lbs 13 oz.
20.5 inches long

See http://co54.home.comcast.net/ for photos!

Update 08/10/5 - Axel's umbilical cord fell off this a.m. Mommy's milk came in at noon yesterday.

Luka took this photo-montage to school today to show his teachers and friends how proud he is to be the big brother.

Reynald and baby:

Eve and baby:

Baby #2 Update - Due Date -1

Today is the day before the baby's "official" due date - Saturday, Aug 6th. At my now weekly appointment, the doctor said I am 3 cm dilated, 50% effaced and that he is at station -2. So, he could come anytime... The weekend would be perfect, so maybe tonight? Luka obliged us by arriving on a Saturday morning, so perhaps his brother will just as accommodating! I love being pregnant and am somewhat sad it will be over soon as this will likely be my last time, but it is time for him to come now.

Luka is doing well, but must sense something - he is particularly attached to both Reynald and me lately. "I want you, Mama!" "Papa - je veux aller au travail avec toi !" I feel bad that he will be without us for a few days while we are at the hospital, but he is resilient and I am sure he will do fine.

Little man #2 could come any time, so watch this space!