2 Months Old

Gunnar Sage is 2 months old! All decked out in his John Deere gear from Grannie Annie, Grampy JD, and Uncle Evan. This month flew by and he has had so many changes! The first of course being his smiles. No matter how frustrated and tired I am, it takes one little smile from him to cheer me up for awhile! The second new thing would be his cooes and the talking that he is doing, oh the many conversations we have had already! :) I started putting the onesies in a box that no longer fit our little guy. I can't believe how fast he's grown out of them!

Our 2 month checkup is a week from tomorrow in Spearfish. Since Nathan will be working, my good friend Jamie will be going with me. I know I need some sort of support, since Gunnar has figured out how to put his bottom lip out and pout, which leads to my heart melting!

Today was a fun day for me. Jamie Swan, soon to be Brown, came over to our house to scrapbook and hangout with Gunnar and I. We have so much in common, and with her wedding coming up in August, we always have plenty to talk about! I'll add a picture of the first scrapbook page for Gunnar's book. About time I get something done-HA! It turned out really cute, with the letters sparkling that read his birth date, weight and length.

Tomorrow Gunnar and I will be going into town for the Youth Rodeo, depending on the weather! Nathan has been putting in some big days haying, so this will be a nice break from Gunnar and I being at home alone without Nathan, and for us to socialize a bit! Then on Thursday, my friend Shawna from town, and her kids, will be coming out to the ranch to help me spruce up our front yard area. I didn't get my flowers planted this year, but the weeds need to be controlled! We aren't sure what the 4th of July holds for us quite yet. I know we both have a picnic in our plans, but as far as where our picnic will take place at, we're not sure! The community has fireworks out at the lake that is West of town a few miles, and most people go to the lake to watch them, but we can go to the top of the highest hill on the Painter Ranch and see them from a ways away! Last year Mom and Dad got in on watching the fireworks from the hill, nothing but watching fireworks out in the middle of the prairie! Whatever your plans are, we wish you a very Happy Fourth of July enjoyed with your family and friends!

A New Chapter...

Well, a new chapter of our lives is opening up before our eyes. Nathan put in his two week notice for his game warden job, and took a job with Joe & Cindy Painter, working full time on the Painter Ranch, the ranch we live on. Between having a new baby, and not getting as much sleep as I'm used to, there has been some stressful times in the Wagner household. Nathan and I have always been on the same page, understood the same ideas, and dreams, until now. I am in hopes of moving closer to family and friends, and while I love Harding County, I miss Iowa and Pierre. Nathan on the other hand is the one working outside of the house, and he needs to be the one who is happy. So there we sit, going through pros and cons, praying, crying, and arguing. It finally came down to what will be best for our family, our new family of 3, and that would be staying put and working on the ranch. As much as I've wanted this my whole life, I want to be closer to my family more. Babies change your life, in so many ways, a lesson I am still trying to wrap my head around.

On Thursday, June 25th Nathan checked all of his GF&P gear into his department, shook hands with his boss, and left on good terms. The next day on Friday, he started work for Painters.

We are also trying a new route of going to church. We are worshiping in Spearfish, at the Missouri Synod Lutheran Church, at 10:30 on Sunday. We know that we want Gunnar to have the same beliefs and love for God as we've been taught and believe in, and this is the church it is going to happen in. Today, Sunday, is the first day we've taken Gunnar, and we were welcomed with open arms. What a wonderful community, and Pastor. We're making Sunday our family day, and we know that going every Sunday is a goal we'd love to achieve, but with the distance, and gas prices, we are thinking every other Sunday for right now. Spearfish is 110 miles from our house, so on the week we go to church, we will be doing grocery shopping and other errands on that day as well as spending time with each other and Gunnar.

Lots of changes, which if you know me at all, I am not to fond of. I am learning to go with the flow of life, and that we aren't in charge, no matter how bad we want to be! We just ask that you say a quick prayer for us, as the next few weeks of getting into a new routine with Nathan's job, Gunnar, and traveling for weddings, will be challenging.

Speaking of Gunnar, he is full of smiles these days. The smiles and cooes he gives me at our 2 a.m. feeding makes up for all the lost sleep, that's for sure! He is starting to bat at his toys on his bouncy chair, and follows us so well with his eyes! I took this picture of how long he's getting! He's almost 25 inches, and by me weighing him 4 times, I came up 12 lbs. He is long and skinny! His 2 month checkup is on July 8th, so we'll know the true measurements then.

Here's Gunnar in his Johnny Poppers from Uncle Evan! They are a little bit big, but he'll be in them in no time! Two of a kind...Nathan & Gunnar just hanging out! :)

Old Stompin' Grounds

Friday morning, June 19th we got up, got everyone, including the girls, packed to go to Pierre and then on to Brookings for the weekend. We got to Pierre around 3, and stayed out at Tom's new home! What a great job he has done building, painting, and eventually making it a home! Gunnar got to see Uncle Cullen, and Nathan's cousin, wife, and their kids! It was a fun, but fast time together. We got up on Saturday to get a good start to Brookings. The girls, Libby and Jade, stayed at Tom's in Pierre, which made the trip a little easier! We love our girls to death, but it's funny how Gunnar is the most important person in our lives now! We made it to Brookings around noonish and met Mom and Dad for lunch at Pizza Ranch! It's the best one in the state, according to us-ha-so we had been looking forward to that meal for awhile! After eating, we got checked into our hotel, left Gunnar with Mom and Dad, and then headed to Flandreau where the wedding was in a huge Catholic church! Chet and Stephanie had a beautiful day to get married, and what a fun celebration it was!

After we stayed at the reception, and shared a few dances together, we decided to take a drive around campus, which is after all, where we met almost 7 years ago! Of course, this girl had tears as we drove past our Hansen Hall which is where we met, and started reminiscing about the good ol' days together. I was 18 when we met, and Nathan was 19. After that first couple days together, we both knew that some day we'd get married and have kids. We went past where we lived, the barn that spent SO many hours at riding, roping, and drinking with friends. We went past the park we had lunch and breakfast at a few times, ALL the places we ate at, the halls we had class at, the sidewalks we walked together, and all the other places that we spent time at together. Oh the memories! The campus is growing and changing just like everything else in life, so it was crazy to see how much money has gone into the campus in the last 3 years we've been gone! Here is where we met! I took pictures our dorm rooms, we both lived on the 3rd floor when we met in October of 2002. There was usually a sign reading Hansen Hall, but the letters were taken down, we were bummed!

We got back to the hotel room where Gunnar wasn't getting spoiled at, at all! HA! We had some yummy Casey's pizza ordered, and finally around 11 or so, we all went to bed. Thank goodness Gunnar slept good there, and I ended up getting a good nights sleep since he only got up once to eat!

Here is Grandpa Jerry with Gunnar! They had a lot of fun together!

Here's Gunnar with Grannie Annie, all snuggled in on Sunday morning! They look so cozy!

Father's Day was yesterday, and after getting everything packed up from the hotel room, we went to Perkins with my parents to eat! Gunnar slept, which usually doesn't happen when we go out to eat, so it was so wonderful getting to have a yummy breakfast with my parents! We said our sad goodbyes and went our separate ways. We had a long trip ahead of us, but had to stop at Pierre to get the girls and tell Nathan's parents Hi, so it was a nice break once we got to Pierre. We got home around 8:30 last night, and still feel like we've been hit by a train!

Our newest update with Gunnar is in the picture...Smiles for Mom & Dad!! :) On Thursday he will be 8 weeks old already! We love our little guy! I'll end with this, and if you are having a rough day, hopefully this will put a smile on your face!

Special Visitors

What a wonderful weekend! On Friday we headed down to the Hills for my 6 week checkup, and to meet Evan & Julie who were coming to stay for the weekend! My checkup, besides taking forever in the waiting room, went great! Evan and Julie met us around noon, we ate lunch at the yummy Pizza Ranch, ran to Walmart where two weird women kept saying "baby covered up" in a retarded way and followed me around while I was trying to get down any aisle to get away from them, but that is another story! After Walmart, we headed to the Clinic, Safeway, and DQ for an ice cream treat, and then HOME! Yesterday flew by, and after getting Derby, our horse, caught, we got her and Rex saddled for Evan and Julie to ride. Gunnar and I stayed in the house and watched out the window. I love love love having a newborn, it's just hard for me to adjust sitting in the house watching all the action. So for that reason alone, I can't wait until he's old enough to follow his daddy around outside! :) I know I know, it will come soon enough! After Nathan rode Derby for a ways in the pasture, Evan and Julie went on a ride. After they went on their ride, Evan took Julie out to the pasture to see the buffalo! She had never been that close to buffalo, and they are a bit intimidating! After a long, hot, and buggy day outside, we had supper and started a movie. They took off this morning with Derby in the two horse trailer which Evan pulled behind his pickup. Derby has been a part of Nathan and I for 6 years. She has been shipped around every place we've lived at from Summer 2003 until now, so it was a bitter sweet goodbye. I know Evan will get to ride her, where here she just sits in the pasture, and I know my Dad will spoil her! So, as weird as it is to look out the window and not see her, I know she'll be loved in Iowa.

After Evan and Julie took off this morning at 8:15, Nathan and I relaxed for a bit, and then he went out to mow. I was inside getting things done with Gunnar, and got a small 45 minute nap in. After Nathan ran out of gas, he came in for lunch. While we were finishing up, Gunnar was sleeping in his swing, and we were reading newspapers, some more visitors showed up! We weren't expecting anyone, and couldn't see the plates on the pickup. I couldn't believe when I looked out the window and saw Don & Linda Friedrichsen walking up our sidewalk! They are friends of the family, and live down in Iowa! What a wonderful surprise, but how in the world did they find us?? After hearing the road trip they had been on to Canada to get a tractor, they were staying in Bowman, ND which is 45 minutes North of Buffalo, and had time to come visit us! They stopped in town to ask where the Painter Ranch was located and where we lived on it! What a fun visit we had and we Thank You both for making our day! It's been 3 hours since they left, and I still can't believe they were here filling up our afternoon with wonderful times! Thanks again to you two!!
Once again, what a wonderful weekend spent with family & friends! Next weekend we are headed to Brookings for a wedding, and Mom & Dad are coming to see us and babysit Gunnar for us, and I can't wait to see them!

Lazy Weekend

What a lazy weekend! The temps outside were very cold, with some snow flying in the Hills and East of us, of course no accumulation, but the fact that there were snowflakes in the air in the month of JUNE is just nuts! We wanted to go into the rodeo that was in town, but with it raining over an inch and the temps so cold, we stayed home in our jammies all weekend with Gunnar!

Tomorrow night I am going to try to get to town for my friends' bridal shower! It all depends on how the day goes tomorrow with Gunnar, we take it day by day around here! Then on Thursday night we have a potluck in the community to go to, which is for a bunch of couples who are getting married in Harding County, a BIG shower for all of them at once! It will be fun to see people in the community all come together. Then, on Friday, June 12th I have my 6 week checkup in Spearfish. Evan and his girlfriend Julie, will be coming from Iowa to visit and take Derby the big ol' sorrel horse back home to Iowa, for Evan to ride! We're hoping the weather straightens out so some riding can be done before they head home on Sunday.

We hope this finds everyone enjoying their summer, and if anyone is taking a vacation to the Black Hills, let us know!

Quick Update

We went to the Hills today and got good news! Gunnar HAS grown-ha-I think since I'm with him 24/7 I only notice the onesies getting smaller and him fitting more snug in his car seat, but doubt myself when it comes to him getting enough from me. SO, I got reassured today from our lactation consultant. He is now, at 5 weeks tomorrow, weighing in at 9 lbs. 12 oz and 23 inches long! Call me crazy, my husband always does, but he just seemed so long and skinny, so this proves that he has gained weight, from ME feeding him! Anyway, just wanted to do a Gunnar update! This picture is a Grannie Annie picture that she took with his first teddy! Enjoy!

One Month

So I'm a little behind posting Gunnar's One month picture! Mom was here since Nathan was gone to Shadehill for the fishing tournament, so she dressed Gunnar in different outfits and somehow he enjoys it when Grannie Annie does that, but when Mom wants to change him, he's not a fan! Anyway, we got tons of pictures but this is him with his One month sign and he's a little ropin' steer! :) His blanket was made by an amazing woman who ranches SE of Buffalo, she does great work on the ranch and is talented with a sewing machine! We LOVE this blanket Connie!

The month went fast in some ways, but in another way it's like, "oh my gosh, it's ONLY been a month?" Ha! I know we need to enjoy all the moments, since he's growing like crazy already! Gunnar hasn't been the happiest baby lately, and it's frustrating to me why he's crabby part of the time. We're heading down to Spearfish today at noon for an appointment with the lactation consultant. I just need to be assured that he is getting enough milk, which I don't know how he wouldn't be, but just to hear them say everything is okay will be enough to perk me up again! I think the Iowa road trip took a toll on him too. 10 hours in a car seat wouldn't be a fun time to me either, so we're chalking it up to getting back on schedule.

Well, I have much more to blog about, but for now I wanted to get a One month picture up of our precious little guy! We are learning something new with him every day, and I'm sure that will continue for the rest of his life! Our next checkup isn't until 2 months, so we measured him the other night. He went from 21 inches at birth, to 23 inches to date! Long and lean, that's for sure!