Maxwell Luis Rivera

Mom went in for one of her biweekly non-stress tests today to check on Baby Bronco, and he decided to be a bit sassy during the test. His heart decelerated a few times when Mom's tummy contracted which caused the doctor to be a bit concerned. The decision was made to send Mommy over to labor and delivery to be monitored to make sure Bronco didn't get really sassy, and then Mommy was put on the schedule for an 8:00PM Cesarean section. At least he behaved well enough that Grandma was able to make it down in time to watch us while Daddy headed over to the hospital to be with Mommy.  At a few minuted after 9:00PM, our new baby brother made his grand entrance into the world, and officially became known as Maxwell (Max) Luis Rivera. He was born 12 days early, but that didn't hinder him from being a big boy at 7 pounds 12 ounces. He was only 18.5 inches long, but Daddy thinks they could have stretched him a bit more prior to recording his height. Everything else was perfect with Bronco having ten tiny fingers and ten long toes. His hair was curly and dark brown, and his eyes were still blue. Mom's holding out hope that she's going to get her blue eyed baby, but we're not holding our breath quite yet. Whatever happens there is one thing that will not change, and that is how much we love our baby brother! Welcome to our world Max!

More Visitors

Next up...Elizabeth. Uncle Steve and Elizabeth came and spent the night with us. We filled our time with shopping, Mario Kart, and of course swimming! 

Devil Dog

Harley is nearly 16 weeks old and he is growing like a weed. He had his last puppy check up this past week and is up to a whopping 33 pounds. He has basically tripled in size since we got him back in June. We still affectionately refer to him as Devil Dog due to the one or two hours per day he goes crazy. He still loves to eat and rawhide bones have become his favorite obsession. I'm sure this will continue now that he is losing his puppy teeth and it is only a matter of time before the permanent ones come in. He has finally learned to go down stairs, but it is neither graceful or on his own accord. He has now figured out that he is big enough to jump up onto the furniture, but he jumps down quickly when either Mom or Dad give him the evil eye. He kennels well and on command, and will sleep through the night which has been a skill he has had since almost day 1. He still dislikes loud noises, especially lawnmowers, and he cannot figure out his own reflection. He also dislikes deer and acts all tough when he spots them in our backyard. He is definitely progressing well, and making himself right at home...now let's just see how he does when we add a baby to the mix!?!?

Lily the Baker

Today, I, along with two of my friends, took a cooking class at The Secret Oven called Ladybug Popsicles and Cookie Pops. It was an amazing two hours and the picture above only shows half of what I came home with.

Just Keep Swimming

AJ spent the last few days with us and we did what else but SWIM!!!

Showering Bronco

Today we celebrated the upcoming arrival of Bronco up in Green Bay. Aunt Claire threw a Pinterest perfect baby shower and lots of family members were on hand to celebrate with us. I was designated the official big sister, and was responsible for reading all of the cards. We played a few games, and guess who won the "how big is mommy's belly" contest...ME!!! It was lots of fun and now the countdown begins to the arrival of Bronco!!!

Water Rats

This summer Mom and Dad decided to join a local country club since we were going to be a bit restricted with a puppy and a growing Bronco. The biggest perk for us (besides the treats) is most definitely the swimming pools that we take advantage of nearly every day. We even get to take swim lessons, and can play tennis or golf if our hearts desire. We've definitely enjoyed the last month or so, and sometimes forget that we haven't really left home.

Water Dog

While Harley has limited us a bit this summer, he has also made summer a lot of fun. He constantly keeps us on our toes, and he is growing so fast that he is now over 22 pounds. He is learning to love water which gets him so excited he tears around the yard in excitement! His absolute favorite thing to do is eat, particularly his dog food, but also everything else he can get his little teeth on. He has learned to go up stairs, but going down is another story. He kennels well and sleeps until the minute the sun comes up. He now knows three tricks - sit, down, and shake and will do them instantly anytime he gets in trouble. We think there are a few more that he knows, but only when he wants to do them. He is definitely working his way into all of our hearts and making our lives whole.

Old Friends

We caught up with some old friends as they swung through town today. When the Riveros and Riveras get together it always adds up to fun!

Camp Rokilio

Four days in the wilderness with Dad and some other members of my Cub Scout pack added up to an awesome Camp Rokilio. Dad and I perfected our skills in swimming, archery, shooting, knot tying, fire building, whittling, and obstacle courses. We even made time to complete some community service by shoveling wood chips. I earned lots of patches and had so much fun I can't wait to go back next year!

July 4

We headed up to the cottage for the 4th of July. This would be Harley's first trip north and he handled himself like a pro. He slept through the packing experience which was probably a good thing since he likes to steal shoes and he may have prolonged it until the end of time. Once we arrived, he enjoyed his time on the dock chasing dragonflies and watching us paddle board. He didn't quite realize the dock ended, but Mom stayed close by to make sure he didn't fall in the water. He survived fireworks without getting too scared, and upon arriving home he CRASHED! My big news for the weekend - I lost my 8th tooth so I am now officially tied with Lily. She was so upset about it that Mom didn't even get a picture. Dad did inform us that the race was going to end in a tie anyway since we each have the same number of teeth, but we're still in this for the long haul to see who can get there first!

Life of Harley

In between the 18+ hours that Harley sleeps every day we've manage to get little glimpses into his giant personality. We've discovered he loves his reflection, eating (everything), tug-o'-war, playing chase, water, and being outside. His dislikes include anything loud like garbage trucks and pianos, but he is quickly getting used to the fact that we are not a very quiet family. All of the excitement must tucker him out because more often than not you'll find him sleeping just about anywhere.