The Pavelka Family: Back From My Writing Hiatus!

Hello everyone! It's been a LONG time since I've posted last. It's been a very, very hectic couple of months: we sold our home, Sam went back to work part-time, we moved in with my parents, we hired a nanny, and we started building a home in Shorewood. Forgive me if I haven't had enough down time to keep the blog going! It is going to be my new summer project, though!

Here is a brief overview of what's been going on with our kids:

Taylor
Taylor is 4 1/2 years old now. She finished her first year of preschool and loved every minute! She is taking gymnastics every Saturday morning, and just started taking piano lessons on Fridays. Even though she still likes dress-up and princesses, her favorite movies now include "Despicable Me", "The Croods", and "Lilo and Stitch". She even requested to watch "Hannah Montana" the other day... she really is growing up! She is also really into drawing lately. She draws pictures all day long, and has decorated the walls of the house with her works of art. She recently got an iPhone - an old iPhone 3 that my dad didn't use anymore. We loaded it with music and pictures, and she spends a lot of time in her room listening to music. We have gotten a glimpse into her pre-teen years!

Madelyn
Maddy is 21 months old now. It's hard to believe that, soon, we will be celebrating her 2nd birthday! She is still easygoing, but with a little bit of that "Terrible 2" sass peppered in! She is quite talkative. Here are some of the phrases that she says well, and often:
"Where did mama/dada/Bapa/Mar/etc. go?"
"I hungry! Tay-Tay hungry too!"
"Are you ok?" (after anyone gets hurt, cries, coughs, etc.)
"It's mine!"
She loves watching dogs on YouTube, playing in the water, blowing bubbles, reading stories, playing the "Fishy" game on the iPad, playing dress-up with her sister, going for walks in the stroller or wagon, building with blocks or Legos, trying on mommy's shoes, and exploring anything she can get her hands on. Here are a few of her stats:
Height (as of her 18 month checkup): 31 inches
Weight: 26 pounds
Shoe Size: 5
Diaper Size: 4
Clothing Size: 24 month/ 2T

Sam & Cheryl
Sam went back to work part time, and transitioned really well! He has been getting stronger and stronger every day. He is also still in remission, so he has been clear for one full year, which is a huge milestone in the cancer world!
We had a nice, relaxing time in Punta Cana recently, with our dear friends Anthony and Sarah. It was the most relaxing weekend that we've ever had!
We also purchased a plot of land in Shorewood, which was bank-owned and dirt cheap. We've been working with a wonderful builder, who has helped us design a family-friendly ranch home that will make Sam's life much easier. We should break ground soon (really, we will!). We will be living in the Kipling Estates Subdivision soon!

Overall, we are thoroughly enjoying our summer together. Living in Lemont has been great, being close to our family, friends, and suburban life! We've had a lot of fun so far going to parks, play dates, splash pads, picnics, and museums. This is a fun age for both girls to be at, and we can't wait for the rest of the summer to enjoy with them!

Here are a few of our favorite pictures from the last couple of months: