I feel like it’s been a while since I’ve written an update about the family, not just posting photos of the girls (although that’s the best anyway). So here it is.
Audrey Elise turned one last month and is now a full blown walker. She will crawl occasionally but really gets going on two feet, legs spread far apart, almost like a sumo wrestler would. It’s pretty cute. And although she was still off the charts large at her last doctor’s appointment I can tell just from seeing her every day and from her clothes that her size is starting to slow down. She isn’t outgrowing clothes in a matter of days or weeks anymore, she’s staying steady and just getting taller it seems. I’ll be curious to see how tall she ends up. She isn’t much for talking yet, but will occasionally spit out a word here and there, catching us by surprise, but then she rarely repeats them. She wants to show us she can say things, but chooses not to. She has said, dada (the most) mamma (a couple times out of pity I think), kitty, Audrey/Audey, Bubble (yes, bubble), hi, and often times words that we’re sure are what they sound like, but you never really know if we’re just hearing them with our parent ears and thinking she’s a genius, lol. She is a big time daddy’s girl. She is ok for me when it’s just her and I, but if she knows dad is somewhere in the house and she just can’t see him, all hell breaks loose. If her sister is home, she prefers her to me as well, and the cat! Oh well. She sleeps great at night, and went through a phase of not napping well at all during the day (she’s been on one nap since about 8 months old by sheer refusal to take more) but since she’s been more mobile she’s been napping better, thankfully. She still loves food, but it starting to show her preferences more. She still loves fruit and loves tomato. She loves meat probably more than anything else, and actually turns away bread more than anything else. She had ice cream for the first time and loved it, but still doesn’t care for cupcake tastes. She started throwing tantrums around the time she turned one, and they are big ones for sure. She’s not messing around when she is mad about something she either throws something (she’s got a good arm) or drops to the floor flailing around on her backside screaming. New territory for us. Sam had her moments, but nothing like this. Overall she is growing up so fast, loves being outside, loves the water, loves her sister, and loves to meet new people. New faces are her favorite.
Samantha Kelly is now 3 ½ years old, and I almost can’t believe it. She is getting taller as well, but seems to have mom’s genes there so will likely not sprout to dad’s level anytime soon. She is at the age where she notices everything. She skipped over (or we haven’t gotten there yet) the stage of “Why?” and instead we’re on “What?” She wants to know what everything is, every sound, everything she sees, wants to know if she can touch it, you name it. She is the most sensitive little kid ever. She hates water in her face, and freaks out if someone else splashes water on her face. She talks a big game and has a great imagination, and will say she wants to go swimming tomorrow, or to ride a horse tomorrow, or eat a certain food tomorrow… when really if we were to do any of those things she would cry with fear. She does not like to try new things, activities, foods, anything. It’s a struggle, but it’s something we work on every day and will continue to for a long time to come. I’m hoping as Audrey gets older and Samantha sees all the things her “little” sister does she might take note and join in, since so far Audrey has shown no signs of fear. Samantha is still a salty taste lover. She could eat crackers or chips forever if we let her (we don’t), and does like cupcakes, but refuses anything with frosting, whip cream, anything foreign looking to her. She also still hates ice cream. She tried a popsicle just last week and liked liking it, but the moment we told her to take a bit she burst into tears. I told her she could take a bite, or go to bed and she chose bed. We tried again, and she said it was time to put on jammies. Sometimes it works in our favor. Haha. Sam is a good sleeper, and sleeps through the night, but is a night owl like her mother, going to bed at 8 and often not falling asleep until 10. When we let her sleep she will get up usually around 7 or so, and is to the point where naps are not really happening anymore. She goes to her room for quiet time and sometimes she falls asleep but more often than not she doesn’t. Either way it’s a mental break for us all. It’s also nice that we can plan things during the day and know that she can function fine without a nap, if she does break down it’s around dinner time and it’s usually only for mom and dad. She is potty trained, although still needs help getting on and off and with her clothes, but hasn’t had an accident in many months, and even is dry through the night. She still wears pull ups at night, mostly because we still have them, but it’s been months since she woke up wet, and even then it was maybe 10% of the time. She finally has all her teeth, no more molar fun for her, yay, and had her first dentist appointment recently. She didn’t mind the brushing, and loved the toys she got, but of course hated the water being squirt into her mouth. This September she will also be starting part time preschool. We wanted to get her used to going to school and being around other kids her age regularly, even with me home, she will go in the mornings two days a week. It will be weird to just have Audrey for 4 hours a day. I’m excited to hear all about her school adventures. She’s our sweet, sensitive, sassy, smart, Samantha.
Josh started his new job in March, and is really liking it. For almost 8 years he was practically tied down to a desk talking on the phone with customers while never really having room to grow into much more. After an 18 month process (long story) he finally started his new sales job where he has room to breathe, can get up from his desk, and goes out to see customers. He does a lot more driving, and his schedule isn’t his 6:30-3:30, but he’s happier! Some days he may have meetings with customers at 4:30 in NE Portland, while others he may be close to home and be home earlier. He drives his car and has gas reimbursement as well as phone since he uses his personal phone as well. It’s nice to see (or hear about) him engaging with people, getting excited about what he’s doing, and really liking where this can take him. This is a job he can have for a very long time, and for once doesn’t feel like just a job to have for now, he could potentially retire there one day. Besides enjoying his new job, Josh of course spends tons of time with his family, and taking care of Audrey, since she is so clingy to him. We’ve had such a busy year it seems, and Josh has not been out to play golf (also another part of the job hours changing, not being able to go play 9 after work with co-workers) but I know we’ll get him out there before the summer is over!
And for myself. I also started a new job, in the beginning of June. I got the job from an old co-worker, a friend, who one of her old co-workers husbands owns a company and was possibly looking to add some part time help. My resume got forwarded from me to my friend, to her friend, to her husband, and into the hands of the business manager. The company is called PlanB Consultancy International, LLC. It was actually started by the dad of a West Linn family, one daughter the class ahead of me, son a year behind me growing up. The company is hard for me to explain, it’s an independent consulting firm that supports businesses that invest in, own, and operate large capital assets. Our guys in the field work on projects through every phase, forecasting, and working on feasibility studies, cost management, and project closeout. In short, you hire us to help save you tons of money. Right now the biggest client we have is Intel and we have saved them tons of money, it’s ridiculous. This cost consulting practice is funny because it’s not something that the US even trains people on, and is all UK based. We are partnered with a firm in Scotland and get most of our guys from there. I’m constantly surrounded with Scottish accents, and Ian, the owner is from South Africa. You never know what you’ll hear around the office. As for what I do… that’s almost harder to explain, only because I don’t really have a specific job. I just do any random tasks that need done. I assist the engineering manager a lot and do paperwork and internet research for company ideas, projects we might be bidding on, etc. The best part about the job is the schedule. I work in office Wednesdays and Thursdays and at times when there’s enough to do I may work at home for a few hours on Fridays. It’s great to not have to find a daycare for the girls, as my mom and step mom split the days and take on that task. Besides getting a new job, I also got a new (used) car! Both my car and Josh’s car have been great for us, but his car is small (silly we weren’t thinking about that when he got it in 2005) and the family just doesn’t fit. We never take it anywhere with all 4 of us. My escape was great but a 2002 and even that was tight with two car seats and if we tried to put the stroller or something big in the trunk there goes all space. We are done having kids but wanted more room. We ended up finding a Chevy Traverse and I love it! It’s a 2011, no leather or sunroof (although the sunroof in my escape had been broken for 3 years) so it’s a base model, but has more than enough function. It has 3 rows of seats and the back isn’t even too small. I did a lot of research on 3rd row seating to make sure we didn’t get something that was completely pointless as no one could fit in the back. I climbed in and was able to sit (with my short legs) just with enough room with the 2nd row seat all the way back. Once we have kids out of car seats you could pull the 2nd row up a little and easily fit more people in the 3rd row. We know the kids will love climbing into the back in the years to come. Sam already loves that there is rear air she can feel. Wait until she realizes she can control it too, lol. With the backseats folded down there is a ton of room! It’s incredible. It’s almost 2 ½ feet longer than my escape was, but I think I’m already used to it. I think my favorite is just being able to connect my phone to listen to my playlists (we’re excited for that on our road trip coming up). Other than that I’m just trying to spend time with the family, still trying to take photos as much as I can, saving up for a new camera lens (or two), and am still trying to sell photos on my Etsy site. I’ve sold a handful and have only had positive feedback, so that’s kind of exciting. It’s not going to give me a retirement, but it’s fun to share some of my favorite photos with people. I’d really love to find some time to really learn more and practice different photography techniques… whenever I find the time.
I think that about sums up the Berger home at this point in time. We hope you are having a great year/summer so far, and are really looking forward to seeing several of you (Berger side) at the family reunion!
It had been a long time since we've been to Eugene, especially without it being for a football game where we only really visit the stadium, and the girls had never been there. So the first weekend in August we headed down for the day to go to a Eugene Emeralds baseball game, my dad and Kaye came, and my dad's friend and his wife went down for the weekend as well to see their girls who live there. Josh and I went early so we could let the girls get some energy out and walk around campus. There are so many renovations happening, but it will of course be great when it's done. The weather was great, although it got a big hazier and muggy later in the day. Sam liked walking on the Duck feet in the sidewalk, and Audrey just liked walking period, although she tended to veer towards the bike racks or parking meters. After walking campus for an hour we all met up at Hop Valley Tasting Room and enjoyed lunch and great company catching up. We got to meet Oliver (8 months old) and they got to meet the girls. From there it was time for the baseball game. Audrey did surprisingly well for a one year old with only a 20 minute nap in the car in her. She didn't spend a ton of time in her seat (in dad's arms) but liked walking around the concourse. Sam liked Slugo, the mascot the best, and both girls came home with their very own Slugo stuffed bears. My dad and I each enjoyed some ice cream in a mini helmet, something we did almost 20 years ago in North Carolina at a Bull Durham game. Very cool. Plus, Prince Puckler's ice cream loaded up in a mini helmet for the girls to take home, yes please! It was a good day, traffic on the way home, but fun none the less. Is it too early to sign the girls up for early admission?
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