It's a Girl!

We just found out we are having a baby girl! The due date is June 19, and she looks healthy. I am definitely excited that there will be some gender balance around here! I had a feeling it was girl b/c of the differences in the pregnancy symptoms.

To prepare this time around, the focus is not on baby gear, but on Scott finishing up school and getting a job! Not knowing where we will be living and/or what the situation will be in June is a little unsettling, but it will all work itself out.

South Padre Island, Tx

This was our first family trip alone to South Padre Island! In fact, it is the first time Scott and I have gone on a week-long trip together since we were married almost 10 years ago.
It was an extremely relaxing and fun week for everyone. Ramsey especially loved the beach. As soon as he saw the ocean he started "talking" to it and pointing "ocean" and "beach". The temps were around 70, and the water a bit cold, but it didn't bother Ramsey. All the old folks walking up and down the beach got a kick out of seeing Ramsey run into the water and chase the birds.
We went to the bird sanctuary and saw a pretty nice variety of egrets, pelicans, and herons. There was also an alligator. We went to the Brownsville zoo, where they had a crocodile statue that Ramsey say on for a half hour shouting out "crocky-DILE" at the top of his lungs.
The favorite restaurant was Daddy's, a Cajun restaurant where we tried frog legs, craw fish, and alligator. We found a pier to watch the sunset. Overall, the island is not too built up and not too touristy. It has the longest stretch of undeveloped beach in the U.S.
Some other funny sayings from Ramsey this week were: "Don't worry Mommy", "Treatchery Treat" (for Sesame Street), "Sunglasses" (very into putting them on his face).

Big Cousin!

Here is Ramsey showing off his happy meal burger....a rare treat, but he ate the whole thing! He is doing really great and providing us with tons of fun and laughs!
He has been talking up a storm. Very close to speaking in sentences; he often repeats whole phrases. He's been using his potty almost once a day, but not quite ready for the full experience. He biggest loves right now are watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and reading his Whiney the Pooh and Mickey Mouse books. He will still watch/read the same thing over and over.
Ramsey's first Hoffmann cousin arrived a couple days ago to Ben and Lacey. They named him Alexander, and we are all so excited to meet him!

Visit from Ashley and Jake

Ashley and Jake came to spend some time with us over the holidays. They brought Ramsey some awesome gifts....a wooden train and a giant Mickey Mouse pillow. They both were a big hit. He still won't go to bed without his Mickey Mouse.
We spent New Year's Eve together with the traditional Hoffmann pigs in a blanket recipe. And they even got to go skiing at Beaver Mountain, too.

Merry Christmas!

Ramsey was a very lucky boy this Christmas. He got a big choo choo train set in the beginning of the month b/c his Dad couldn't wait to give it to him. It his hard to watch a boy beg for a choo choo train every day for a month! Another early gift was the Mickey Mouse stuffed animal. He has been obsessed with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and will not let this toy leave his sight!
From Santa: He got some play food and dishes for his kitchen. The food has a knife and can be cut in half, to keep him away from the real knives. Glow in the dark stars and moon for his ceiling, a hammer and marble toy, colored bath bubbles, the biggest container of honey you can buy, and some gummy bears.
From Grandma and Grandpa Browning 2 basketball hoops (one for the bath and one for the kitchen), some pictures and lots of clothes
From Grandma and Grandpa Hoffmann a potty and a potty book
From Sammy and Justin, a Xavier sweatshirt
From Ben and Lacey, a wooden tool box and 2 Mickey mouse books
Thanks everyone for all the gifts! He wasn't into unwrapping them, but is definitely into playing with them! And we just spent the last hour going on and off the potty until the first pee appeared in it! Ramsey earned his first potty sticker the first day having the potty!

Little Hoff #2

We're very excited to announce the expected arrival of the second Little Hoff on June 19!

20 month update

Ramsey is still a pretty good eater and loves to feed himself. He has gotten pretty good with just about anything. He likes to throw food to Stanley (which he knows he's not supposed to do) and say, "I'm funny."

He is now able to count to 12 on his own, knows colors, shapes, and knows all the letters in the alphabet very well. He is starting to learn how to count objects, too. He has also learned the difference between big and little, in and out, off and on, etc. He favorite thing right now is watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. This has recently replaced Elmo. He is also very fond of Thomas the Train and Whinney the Pooh. He asks for a "cho cho train" just about every day, so we are hoping he can hold out til Christmas.

One very exciting thing happened last week while Ramsey was home with Scott. He asked to go the "potty". So, Scott held him over the potty and he went! That was very much a one-time thing for now. He has mentioned the potty several times since, but won't get back on it. So, we'll have to get a Ramsey sized one to encourage him more.