Snappy Days

Cruel and Unusual Photography

2011-11-26T10:15:00.000-08:00

That's what Andrew calls it, but I just think Max the Elf is cute!

Happy "White Bread Rolls" Day!

2011-11-24T10:41:00.000-08:00

Some people think Thanksgiving is about turkey or being grateful or some other such nonsense. My kids have it all figured it. It's the rolls! Fluffy white bread with butter: mmm, mmm, mmm!

First Food

2011-11-15T22:33:00.000-08:00

Smax is joining the ranks of big kids everywhere. He's sitting in a high chair and eating food. His meals was rice cereal mixed with sweet potatoes plus some banana chunks scattered in front of him so he could chase them around instead of trying to steal the spoon.

Jumperoo

2011-11-14T10:32:00.000-08:00

Max has finally figured out that you can jump in the jumperoo, and boy does that kid jump! It's by far his favorite thing to do these days.

It's Snowing!

2011-11-07T22:28:00.000-08:00

So of course you should wear a short sleeved princess dress and sandals. Ask Claire; she'll tell you it's appropriate for all social situations.

Claire ran outside and spun around in the two minutes of very light snowflakes we got today, but she had a great time celebrating the arrival of winter.

Food Friends

2011-11-05T10:20:00.000-07:00

Some days I'm amazed at how easy it is to entertain my children. We picked up our Bountiful Basket this morning, and as usual there were some questions over just what the food was. Fennel was the mystery object this time. Owen was so excited about the watermelon, and claimed it as his so I drew his face on it. Then of course, all the other fruits and veggies wanted to join in.

Six Months Old

2011-11-02T19:47:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe the Sugar Smax has been around that long! He's becoming a lot happier as he figures out how to make the world work for him. New things this month are tripod sitting, two bottom teeth (Oct 29 and 31), reaching and successfully grabbing things including his beloved feet, and gargling. Yup, I really said gargling. For some reason, Max loves to make that noise. He still loves chewing on his hands and rolling whenever you try to put him in one place and he's working hard on crawling motions, but he can only get the back half or the front half moving at one time.

It's Halloween!!

2011-10-31T15:23:00.000-07:00

Halloween is always such a busy day. Between partying, pumpkins and ToT, it's hard to do anything else.

Ella and Owen on their way to school.

Baby in a pumpkin. Everybody say, "awwww." He was so not happy to be put in there, but his face is hysterical. I think this will be a classic that we pull out every Halloween. He eventually got fascinated and was having a great time checking out his pumpkin and the leaves.

Princess, Dragon and Knight

All five kids on their way to trick or treat.

Sunday: A Day of Rest?

2011-10-30T15:14:00.000-07:00

My Sundays have been a whole lot busier since I started working in YW, but also a whole lot more fulfilling. I've been occupied by projects like this lately.

Grown Up Halloween

2011-10-29T15:01:00.000-07:00

For the first time in years, I got to go to a Halloween party that wasn't just for littles. It was a lot of fun seeing everyone in costume. Andrew and I just stole the big girls' costumes for the night, but now I'm trying to think of good ideas for future years.

Cousins and Shelly

2011-10-28T19:06:00.000-07:00

We were so excited to have Shelly and Kevin in town with the twinsies this week. Bryn was head over heels about these little girls and couldn't believe how much they'd grown up since we last saw them.

Crazy Hair Day

2011-10-26T14:32:00.000-07:00

Did you know that it's crazy to do drugs? Owen and Ella got in on the drug education with their Halloween styled hair. Owen was a ghost and Ella wore a spider. These were super quick hairdos, because as usual I had great aspirations and then forgot about crazy hair day until the morning and had to go with what worked in 15 minutes. Colored hair glue and googly eyes can do wonders.

Claire did not want to be left out of the action and also wanted a spider on her head. Hers was a teeny little bun with only two legs, but she was happy with it. Poor bald Max didn't even get a chance to participate.

Halloween Carnival

2011-10-24T20:26:00.000-07:00

We went to the 4H Halloween Carnival tonight. The kids had a great time, and I liked have one more chance to take Halloween pictures and see the kids dressed up. Max was a party pooper and wore his Halloween clothes instead of a costume.

Smudges and Nursery Teachers

2011-10-24T14:20:00.000-07:00

Claire got to visit her nursery teacher today. She had the best time since there was a kitten named Smudges, chickens, raspberries, tomatoes to pick, and eggs to gather. She was really confused by the end since the Smudge's mom is named Amy and her mom is Amie. Then her teacher is Hanna's mom, and her mom is Hanna's teacher. It's a lot to wrap a three year old head around!

Hairdo

2011-10-23T11:56:00.000-07:00

Bryn has hated having her hair done since she was a little tiny thing. I have to talk her into it even now, and then take pictures to show her the torture was really worthwhile. I'm guessing teenage-y-ness will take over soon and there will no shortage of time spent on her hair, but it's still a rare thing right now. (And I am not one to talk since I look exactly the same all the time. Pot: kettle.)

Reach for It

2011-10-22T11:49:00.000-07:00

My baby is so dang talented. He can reach for things and actually get them! It's probably at least as exciting for me as it is for him because it means he can be entertained all by himself now. And that means I can get something done. Score one for Mom; score one for Max! Actually, score two for Max, since he gets cuteness points while doing it as well.

N, n, n , n , n ,n n nuh....BatBaby!

2011-10-21T11:47:00.000-07:00

Something like that. Smax is pretty cool stuff, rocking the Batman onesie covered in drool.

Grampa and Smax

2011-10-19T11:43:00.000-07:00

I love this picture. That's all.

Silly Face

2011-10-18T11:34:00.000-07:00

Owen is trying hard to be the funny man lately. I think it's working for him.

The Cuteness is Too Much!

2011-10-17T11:32:00.000-07:00

Halloween-y!

2011-10-14T11:28:00.000-07:00

I love Halloween. It's my favorite holiday. There's no pressure and stress, no major meals to prepare. You just have fun and get candy! My new plan is to become a Halloween decorating fool, and skip Christmas (though the kids just might object to that one).

Soccer Mom

2011-10-13T21:26:00.000-07:00

Today I fit the stereotype, except there was no soccer. Instead there were three drop off and three pick up times for school, baptisms for Bryn, violin for Ella, wedding brunch for me and the little kids, activity days for Ella, volleyball for Bryn, dance for Ella, and then the regular homework and other things. Poor Max got fifteen minute catnaps in the car. It turns out I forgot to feed Owen any lunch. And then dinner was microwavable frozen foods. And Claire, well, she was found eating whipped cream off her hands. Oops!

New Toys!

2011-10-12T20:48:00.000-07:00

Max found some entertaining new toys, and best of all, they're permanently attached! He can play with them anytime he wants to. Turns out that means ALL the time right now. I guess feet are a pretty exciting discovery when you're a baby. I love this age and seeing him learn new things all the time.

Great Wide Wonderful World

2011-10-11T11:26:00.000-07:00

I love it when my kids are happy. Big O had a tough day at school and came home a serious grumpy pants. A hot shower, Wii time, pizza and some time outdoors made him a much happier boy!

And a few more shots of the day: weedy flowers, Claire in the ripped out hostas and the view. Life is good.

Feels Like Fall

2011-10-10T21:18:00.000-07:00

Somehow decorating for the season makes it real. That makes no sense, but it works and now it feels like fall to me.

Max thinks so, too.

Last Minute Homework

2011-10-09T21:24:00.000-07:00

In an attempt to turn Owen into my clone and teach him how to procrastinate until the last minute, I had him do all his homework for the previous week on Sunday night at 8 pm. That's practically midnight in five year old time. It's probably bad that I find this method more practical and easier on all of us. Guess it's time to Mom up and teach proper study habits and obedience to teachers. (Eyeroll, eyeroll, crabbiness, etc from me.)

In Which I Wax Poetic Over Vacuum Cleaners

2011-10-08T09:32:00.000-07:00

Or not, because I like to spare the world from reading too much about it, but I do so love, love, love my new vacuum. And I don't just love it because I really needed one. It works and has all these snazzy features, so go watch a Shark infomercial in the middle of the night and buy one! And if that doesn't convince you, my children are ASKING to please vacuum (even the stairs!) See, it really is wonderful :-)

King of Kindergarten

2011-10-05T09:38:00.000-07:00

Today was my first day volunteering in Owen's Kindergarten class, and he was chosen as King for the day, and the letter of the day was O. You wouldn't think the day could get any better, but then Nana and Grampa picked him up after school and he got to spend the afternoon at their house. While there he got to pick giant pumpkins from the garden to bring home. Then Ella let him wrestle and win. Practically a perfect day for the big O.

Sugar Smax Vs the Exersaucer

2011-10-03T09:43:00.000-07:00

So far the saucer is winning. Max just stares, then drools, then cries to get out. Someday......

Five Months Old

2011-10-02T19:47:00.000-07:00

How did this happen? My little baby is trying to grow up. (*big giant momma sigh*)

Kindergarten Kid

2011-09-28T15:11:00.000-07:00

Owen comes home from school with the best kindergarten stories. There was the bad guy who came into his class and threw pans at his teacher. O caught the pan, rescued the teacher and chased the bad guy away. He got paid a dime for this service. His class also has half time outs. That's where you put your hand in a box and it magically opens up and sucks you in down a hole. Then you stay in the bottom of the hole for half an hour. Half an hour--that's why it's half a time out. Clearly, we can't quite trust his version of events, so I never know exactly what happened at school. I love the imagination and how interesting he makes things, but I can't wait for volunteer time to start next week so I can get the real scoop on K.

Today was the first treasure box day where they traded in tokens for prizes. Here's O with his haul, his apple glasses and a pose ("Mom, did you get my elbow in the picture? Make sure you have my elbow.")

Gee-gee, Softie, Fuzzy and Pinky

2011-09-27T15:11:00.000-07:00

It turns out I didn't take any picture today, but Owen did. Pretty impressive subject, composition and lighting, right?

This is Owen's blanket named Fuzzy. Owen's name comes from the Kevin Henkes book, and that Owen has a fuzzy yellow blanket he takes everywhere. Bryn just had to find Owen a yellow blanket when he was born so he could be like the Owen of the book. It seems to have worked since he does love his Fuzzy.

The big girls also have their loveys. Bryn's is a striped fleece blanket my mom gave her as a baby called Gee-gee. Ella has her Softie which took her at least a year or so to fall in love with it. Claire has always slept with a soft blanket, but doesn't have a favorite. She's recently decided it's not fair that everyone else has a named blanket in their lives, so she's taken to calling her blankets Pinky. It works well for all of them since they all have pink. "Pinky is really special to me, so I need to hold it," or, "Pinky is really special so don't let Max drool on it." I wonder if Max will claim a favorite and name it?

Mini Golf

2011-09-26T20:36:00.000-07:00

I totally won even though I had a wiggling 17 pound handicap on the first eight holes and a sleeping-so-don't wiggle-too-much handicap on the back eight. Owen was a little disappointed, but he did beat Bryn. (Shhh! Bryn doesn't want that one broadcast to the world.)

The School Carnival

2011-09-23T16:43:00.000-07:00

My kids love these things. I have to admit it's good cheap entertainment and goes toward a great cause. The popular items of the day were hair dos, candy, bounce houses and pizza. And Max even behaved, which made all the difference for me. It's so weird to think that last year I didn't know I was pregnant.

Double Take, Take Two

2011-09-22T21:13:00.000-07:00

So after yesterday's double cuteness, I guess Owen and I decided to take it to a new level. We wore matching shirts today. I have to laugh since it was not at all purposeful, but it totally made Owen's day. Sadly, I did not have a little bear on my pocket, but Owen still thought it was close enough for us to be twins for the day. He's even talking about saving up his money so he can buy me some shorts just like his.

In keeping with a double, double, here's Mr Max doing a drool and stare routine on Ella during dinner. Drool is one of his major talents these days, and it looks like dinner might be next on his list of accomplishments.

Twice as Cute

2011-09-21T20:29:00.000-07:00

Owen walked up to me today while holding his two stuffed giraffes and said, "Look, Mom, when I do this I get twice as cute! We should take a picture."

While I do think Owen is adorably cute, my version of twice as cute means seeing both my boys. Max is having some super cutie-pants moments these days. His giant screaming fits are getting further apart, he smiles more easily and is just generally more fun as we watch him figure out the world.

Something to Smile About

2011-09-20T22:46:00.000-07:00

My new camera lens arrived today, so I'm happy.

And Ella's happy, just because she's Ella and that's the kind of kid she is. When Ella was little tiny, she'd take the blame for anything to keep Bryn from getting in trouble. She'd look at me and ask if I was sad, just because I wasn't grinning and smiling like crazy. She thanks her teachers and parents constantly (and we don't tell her to!) She just seems to have been born kind and with the ability to express and share it. What a lovely gift to have.

A Singular Harvest

2011-09-19T15:17:00.000-07:00

This year's garden was a joint project by the grandparents. My mom planted at Easter. Then it froze. Goodbye garden. Andrew's parents added a few things. Then some of the frozen things started to grow again. Then we went to California and left Andrew in charge. More things died.

In the end, we have a single cabbage, single ear of corn, and single red pepper.

(And lots of tomatoes, but we're just ignoring them since they don't fit the theme.) The cabbage was Ella's pet project. They sent the kids home with cabbage plants near the end of third grade. Ella planted it with Grandma and has faithfully watered, fertilized and weeded all around her cabbage all summer. She's pretty excited that it got so big.

Take My Picture

2011-09-18T22:17:00.000-07:00

Andrew wanted a new FB profile picture, so Max got in on the action of course. It only occurred to me much later that it was my birthday, and maybe the pictures should have been of me. That's okay. I really don't like pictures of me.

Lego Mania

2011-09-16T15:19:00.000-07:00

I love Legos. I only love them because all of the kids love them. Then they all play together and are quiet and nice. Life is peaceful for me. Lego should pay attention to this and start marketing with this in mind. I'm pretty sure their sales would skyrocket.

The day Max gains a pincer grasp will be a sad day for me indeed.

Cute Little Sleeping Baby

2011-09-14T15:23:00.000-07:00

The Sugar Smax sleeps in some slightly odd positions, but oh is he ever so cute in all of them. I just love it when he sleeps. And I love him.

9/11

2011-09-11T23:03:00.000-07:00

Sleeping babies give you faith in the world, faith in possibilities and faith in good things which are yet to come.

2011-09-10T23:17:00.000-07:00

Max is not the most content baby on the planet. We have to bounce and jiggle and sing and talk and shush and sway and so on in order to keep him happy. Thank goodness he's the fifth kid and other kids are such good helpers. Ella is doing deep knee bends and walking in circles around the living room while baby talking Max. And it was working, even in the super fussy just before bed time. Aaah, thank you, Ella!

Smacky the Pants and Me

2011-09-08T23:29:00.000-07:00

I have a habit of creating nicknames for my kids completely at random. Owen walks by doing something and suddenly he's "O-zee Bozen, the Singy Head" or whatever comes out of my mouth. It drives Andrew a little crazy, especially when the cat sometimes shares names with the kids. And sometimes the names stick. I've been calling Max a few different things: Sugar Smax, Maxer, Maxman, Smacky, and Smacky the Pants. And if I need it to roll off the tongue just a little bit more than that, he sometimes turns into Smacky the Smackypants. Try it, it's fun to say, and then maybe you won't judge me quite so harshly. Besides, it sure beats Fathead the Flathead, which has also been known to come out of my mouth.

Nana/Grampa/Nerd Day

2011-09-07T23:21:00.000-07:00

Wednesdays have a long tradition of being Nana and Grampa day. It's kind of strange right now to just be sending Claire off with them. When they bring Claire back, we have to try and get all the visiting in since the kids are used to seeing them all day during the summer. It's crazy, but a good kind of crazy.

Today was also nerd day at the Jr High. Check out Bryn's nerdalicious specs.

Why NOT to have 5 Kids

2011-08-18T15:58:00.000-07:00

Grocery shopping is so not fun. Neither is unloading the car. Nuff said.

Pudding Pops

2011-08-17T13:13:00.000-07:00

Do you remember the good ole days of Bill Cosby and Jello Pudding Pops commercials? I do, and I miss them. My favorite were the vanilla and chocolate swirled, but I loved the plain chocolate, too. I've seen some recipes floating around the web and decided to give them a try in hopes of recreating a much missed childhood treat. Basically, you make pudding and when it's not too hot (but still liquidy) you add in some cool whip. Not too complicated, so definitely worth a shot. The kids had a great time making them and the swirly ones looked cute in their little cups. Taste? Well, not like a real Jello Pupping Pop, but the kids enjoyed them. I still wish they'd bring the real ones back.

The Dentist

2011-08-16T15:43:00.000-07:00

It's a big bad word around here. I think my children are crazy as I loved going to the dentist when I was a kid. Of course, the dentist and his family were our friends. We swam in their pool and went to their house on Christmas Eve and did art projects together and all sorts of stuff. And then there's the convenient fact that I never once had a cavity. Bryn has had cavities. Lots of cavities, with sleepy medicine, and crowns and all the anxiety that goes with it. Ella hasn't had a cavity, but Bryn makes her nervous. Owen's only been a few times, and never had an issue, but he still worries.

Silly children! None of them had any cavities and they all did really well. Owen did raise his hand in the middle to tell the hygienist, "I don't think I'm very comfortable with what you're doing. Maybe you should stop." It made me laugh, but then we still made him finish.

The giant toothbrush was the coolest part. Just ask Owen.

On the Bench

2011-08-14T23:42:00.000-07:00

This picture totally strikes my funny bone. My baby in a Bumbo on a bench with a .....cat. I know it should have been a b word so it could fit my theme, but no bears came wandering by.

Here's the cuteness up close:

It's hard for me to believe surgery was only four days ago. I don't think I'd be smiling yet.

Baby on the Beach

2011-08-08T21:36:00.000-07:00

(Preferably sung to the Wiggles "Barbie on the Beach" tune.) Max was pretty funny at the beach because he was his usual cranky self, until he suddenly enjoyed being dipped in freezing cold ocean water. Confusing? Yup. I don't think we'll try that at home.

I hope you just said, "Awwww," because that is the appropriate response to such cuteness.

It sure is good to have a Grandma at the beach. One mom and five kids is not the best ratio,

especially with a newborn. One Grandma and five kids seems to work just fine. How does that happen?

People I love, place I love, equals picture I love.

Twins!

2011-08-04T12:41:00.000-07:00

I love this picture almost as much as I am grossed out by this picture. Some of the cousins found a clam (ish type thing) on the beach that was still sealed. It then got put in a bucket with water and sand and lived on the front porch during beach week. Today we found it had opened and was sticking its clammy self out. The kids thought it was pretty cool. I think maybe it's dying--chowder anyone?

Max Meets Grammy

2011-07-31T13:03:00.000-07:00

And Grandpa Joe and lots of other relatives, but the pics are all with Grammy. Max is a fussy little guy, and generally isn't the kind of baby people ooh and aah over and want to keep holding. He yells and cries and needs constant bouncing in order to stay happy, which makes people nervous (at least when I'm there watching). But Max was so sweet with Grammy. His very first meeting he laughed and smiled and laughed while Grammy held him. One night he sat on Grammy's lap and laughed harder than I've ever seen him laugh. He was super cute and so was Grammy. Grandma's Alzheimer's is taking over and she doesn't remember who Max is from one time to the next. She also is a little bit lost in social situations as it seems hard for her to follow everything that's happening. So even though she doesn't remember these moments with Max, I was thrilled for her to have them. They brought each other joy and were happy and content, even if it only lasted for a few minutes at a time. I'll hold onto the memory for them since they can't.

Very first meeting.

Snuggle time.

Pro-Max

2011-07-30T15:57:00.000-07:00

With surgery up and coming, I thought we should officially document Max's face. I think we'll miss his sweet little face. And of course, we haven't taken a single photo of our own, so without these, there'd be nothing to remember him by. Ha ha.

Like a Frog on the Wall

2011-07-28T22:27:00.000-07:00

Wait, not LIKE a frog on the wall, but an actual frog on the wall. Frogs aren't really common finds, so we were surprised to see one hanging out on the wall of Grandma's house. Owen and Claire were particularly excited and played an unspoken game of who can get closest to the frog. It was really funny to see Claire, who's typically more likely to freak out, sitting with her nose two inches from a frog and trying to block O from getting in there.

Smiley Smack

2011-07-18T14:35:00.000-07:00

Max has the most adorable smile ever. It's this whole body experience where you can just see the happy hit him and spread until he breaks into a giant smile. Pictures don't do his smile justice, because by the time you get to taking the picture his whole face is practically smushed in on itself from smiling so big. I think we need a video to get the full effect, but in any case we love his smile and especially love making him smile. He's laughing at Daddy in these pictures.

La Petite Artiste

2011-07-16T15:26:00.000-07:00

My father will probably cringe because I made one thing disagree with another or swapped some genders around. Too bad, Dad! Claire was an adorable little artist today and took her work quite seriously. So seriously that she swiped some extra canvas to create additional masterpieces.

So seriously that she crashed and burned afterward.

Family Swim

2011-07-15T13:06:00.000-07:00

Tonight was 4H night at the water park. Owen is a fearless guy in the water and just goes, goes, goes, so with him, Claire and a baby, it's definitely a two adult event, so the kids have been waiting and waiting for a night when daddy could come. The kids had so much fun, Max only cried when splashed, and I got a photo with all five of my kids pretty much looking at the camera. It only took 50 tries and I'll just have to ignore the part about it being crooked, but you can't have everything in life ;-)

Fireworks--because we can

2011-07-14T23:19:00.000-07:00

How often do you get to...

have three heads?

grow wings, or have a really big heart?

look like a demon from the other side?

or just get the chance to play with fire and light?

Picture Perfect

2011-07-13T21:16:00.000-07:00

The kids were just messing around tonight, asking to take pics, doing goofy poses, etc. I love this shot.

Tell me how you feel, Max.

2011-07-10T14:57:00.000-07:00

Max's feelings on going to church were more than clear today. Thank goodness he's so cute, because the little boy packs a big attitude.

Perfectly Average

2011-07-09T15:06:00.000-07:00

This is just a snapshot of a random moment in our day, but it's perfect since it's my kids so everything they do is cute and adorable and photo worthy. (I am in no way a biased parent, FYI.)

Hair

2011-07-07T15:56:00.000-07:00

PB and Pretzels

2011-07-06T14:59:00.000-07:00

I read about this great idea. Give kids pretzel sticks and peanut butter and let them build. It's great for fine motor skills, it's a fairly healthy snack, it's fun because you're playing with your food. Too bad the PB wouldn't hold the pretzels in place. The girls got over it and just played for fun. But for Owen it was the end of fun and beginning of mad.

Eventually he lightened up, with a little help from Ella and Mom.

So Easily Amused

2011-07-05T14:53:00.000-07:00

No, this post is not about Max. Max is not easily amused and though he does have a great smile, it takes a lot of work to keep him happy. I'm the easily amused one in the family. All I have to do is put Max in his bouncy seat and it makes me giggle on the inside. "Look, my baby has giraffe ears! Ha, ha, ha, ha!" Yup, very easily amused.

Happy 4th of July

2011-07-04T23:36:00.000-07:00

Except that it wasn't. We tried to go to our traditional Freedom Festival event, but it was super crowded, hot and humid, and then windy Max fussed the whole time. The kids were grumpy. Andrew was grumpy. And then I was grumpy. The proof is in the picture.

So then we took the kids to McDonalds and let them play in the air-conditioned playland. Sadly, I think that probably qualifies us as super American after all.

There were still some good parts, like the excitement of starting out on an adventure.

And the beebs is cute just for being the beebs. He's 2 months and 2 days old.

And Claire can turn on the cheese when she wants to.

And you get to watch "the boys" set off firecrackers.

And eating pizza on the front porch while watching the newly legalized aerial fireworks is fun, even in the rain, and especially when you have your own sparklers to use.

All's well that ends well. Happy Independence Day!

Blessing Day

2011-07-03T14:15:00.000-07:00

Sweet Max had his baby blessing today.

Hadley and Sterling's Wedding

2011-07-01T14:24:00.000-07:00

Max with Aunt LuSz.

Locker Up

2011-06-27T13:33:00.000-07:00

Owen is taking swimming lessons right now, but somehow the best part of the entire thing is playing in the locker room. It's kind of like when kids play with the box instead of the present. So confusing. I just love Owen's expression in this pic. That kid cracks me up!

Happy Birthday to Bryn

2011-05-29T16:22:00.000-07:00

I can't believe my baby is twelve. It just seems wrong. She's old and I'm old. Jr High is around the corner for her, and what-death-for me? Ha! She really is growing up, and she's smart and kind and funny. Happy Birthday, Bryn!

Junk in the Trunk

2011-05-24T16:09:00.000-07:00

Claire loves this little plastic car, but rarely does she ever sit in it and drive. She likes putting things in and out of the trunk. I think she thinks of it as an oversized purse you just push around instead of carry.

Batman and Sidekick

2011-05-22T16:15:00.000-07:00

I love my boys! And I love that Max is wearing a Pooh Bear outfit we got for Ella. It's been used as baby doll clothes for the last nine years, with a brief couple of weeks on Owen and Claire. It's kind of fun to have something passed through most of the kids.

Daddy Love

2011-05-17T16:08:00.000-07:00

Max looks like he's contemplating something deep in this picture. Hey everyone, my baby is brilliant! He's solving world hunger and cancer! I just hope he remembers it by the time he grows up enough to tell us.

What I really love is Andrew's expression. That husband of mine has some serious baby love going on. When Bryn was first born, he and my mom would jokingly fight over who got to change the diaper. I've never quite understood that, but whatever it is sure makes him a good dad. I think I'm the one missing the newborn gene, because while I do adore my children, I'd happily skip a few months into the future. Maybe I should go to Hawaii and let Andrew be the mom.

Not an Award Winning Photo & Some Pirate Booty

2011-05-16T15:31:00.000-07:00

But it does show just how dang blond this little boy's hair is. We're still wondering how he got it. We don't have a milkman and the mail carrier is a lady?! I figured we'd better get a picture before it falls out or turns brown. Of course, since I took the picture, he'll probably stay blond forever and grow up thinking I'm crazy for taking pictures of his head instead of his face.

And here's the pirate booty. It's a cute booty, but also not an award winning photo. I think I'm kinda smitten, since every piece of him seems photo worthy and perfect to me.

Awww, it's a baby!

2011-05-14T15:28:00.000-07:00

Shocking how many photos a mom can take of a little person who doesn't actually do anything. It doesn't matter since he's cute and I love him!

King of the (Dung) Hill

2011-05-13T15:00:00.000-07:00

Oops, since that kid's parents clearly didn't ask the neighbors what kind of pile they were letting their child jump in. Owen had fun (WHICH IS THE IMPORTANT PART), and we didn't tell him what it actually was (which is the unimportant part).

Brothers are Cool!

2011-05-12T14:47:00.000-07:00

I left Max alone for a few minutes and came back to find Owen keeping him company.

Introducing...

2011-05-10T16:29:00.000-07:00

Officially, he's Maxwell Race, but we're calling him Max.

Seriously Proud Big Brother

2011-05-06T23:06:00.000-07:00

Claire Bear and her Babies

2011-05-05T23:06:00.000-07:00

Claire has been taking great care of Alyssa for the last few weeks. Now she's excited to have her baby meet my baby. Kind of entertaining, and definitely cute.

Squishy Baby

2011-05-04T23:20:00.000-07:00

It's the obligatory going home from the hospital and looking super tiny in a carseat shot. Everybody needs one of those :-)

What? 5 kids!!!

2011-05-03T23:15:00.000-07:00

And even more impressive is that they're all great. They're so excited to have baby brother here, especially Owen who has been outnumbered for too long. They've done a great job accepting his lip and are really just taking everything in stride. Makes me a proud mama.

He's here!

2011-05-02T23:10:00.000-07:00

Sweet little baby nameless was born at 2:43 pm, weighing 9 lbs 10 ounces and 21 inches long. He has a cleft lip and alveolar ridge, but the palate is intact. I just want to know where the blond hair came from?!

Twas the Night Before Baby...

2011-05-01T23:08:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter

2011-04-24T23:25:00.000-07:00

Grandma's Here!

2011-04-16T15:16:00.000-07:00

Life is so much better when Grandma's here :-)

Photos for Claire Bear

2011-04-11T19:09:00.000-07:00

Claire had her pictures taken today by an aspiring photographer. She was a really good sport and cooperated nicely.

And then one I took on the way home. This pic cracks me up because it's such a classic Claire face.

Oh my!

2011-04-10T14:25:00.000-07:00

We may need to have a little talk with O and when and where to remove his clothes.

Cats Are Not Cooperative

2011-04-09T14:19:00.000-07:00

Andrew would say, "Duh!" to that statement, but I really think a little cattitude is a good thing, except when it comes to pictures. I just don't understand why my cat doesn't want to pose with my two year old? This was as good as it got, even with Bryn acting as the cat whisperer.

Berry Naughty, Berry Cute

2011-04-06T20:14:00.000-07:00

Claire has turned into a little berry thief the last few weeks. She's learned to open the fridge and pilfer the strawberries. The funny part is that's the only thing she ever takes out.

Bed Bug

2011-04-05T20:16:00.000-07:00

Claire hasn't ever really slept with us before, so I think it must be her little subconscious letting her know life will be changing when baby arrives. Now, to just not let this turn into a habit...

Bat-erella?

2011-04-04T20:23:00.000-07:00

Owen went upstairs to put on his pajamas and came back downstairs to find his sister had taken over the Bat ensemble. We thought the Cinderella/Batman combo was cute, but O was not quite so amused. He is long suffering and agreed to a pained-looking photo with her before demanding she give it back, RIGHT NOW!

Snow Day

2011-04-03T18:33:00.000-07:00

I am not so fond of the snow continuing to pop up in APRIL for goodness sake! But the kids are. They all had a great time playing in the backyard today and were especially thrilled when Andrew showed up to throw a few snowballs with them.

"That feels me better."

2011-04-02T18:24:00.000-07:00

The first few hours of today were pretty normal. Then Claire asked, "Where are those things you clean your ears with? I can't find them in your bathroom."

"Do you mean q-tips? Do you want me to clean your ears?"

"Yes, I can't find them."

We walk in the bathroom, get a few q-tips and I pull Claire's hair behind her ear, only to find giant crusty, ear puss goobers all down the side of her head and in her ear.

"Claire, does your ear hurt?"

"Yeah, it's an owie ear."

So, yup, major double ear infection with one side possibly ruptured, but too much goo in there to tell. I should be grateful for no whining and crying, but a little advance warning would be nice.

We went to Target to pick up her prescription and dosed her right there. Her reply, "Thanks, Mom. That feels me better now."

Packing for Grandma's

2011-03-31T15:34:00.000-07:00

I went upstairs today to find O like this. He's packing to go to Grandma's house.

I applaud his initiative and the fact that he had all the right categories of clothes (plus two piggy banks) ready to go. Unfortunately, no one is going anywhere, and especially not 800 miles away to Grandma's house until after this baby is born and then some. After that explanation, he told me it was fine to wait, but he wanted to leave his things packed until we do go. Sadly, his mean mother crushed his dreams and made him put it all back.

At least I still let him jump on the couch. That should count for something, right?

Biography Day

2011-03-30T15:48:00.000-07:00

Can you guess who Ella is? All month the third graders have been reading biographies. Then they each picked a character to study in depth. Today was the day to dress as your character, tell other students about "yourself", and see if they could guess who you're supposed to be.

Jane Goodall and her apes

If you guessed Jane Goodall, you're right! If you also guessed we don't own a lot of khaki clothes or any fishing vests, you're right about that, too. I thought my paper bag safari vest wasn't too bad. Ella liked it, though she did tell me no one else wore a bag for a costume. Hmmm, guess a little more advance planning would have been a good thing.

My favorite part about Ella's costume is her hair. She told me when getting ready in the morning, that she had written about Jane Goodall's hair in her report because Jane Goodall only wears her hair in scraggly ponytails and messy buns. Totally takes a girl to notice that in all the photos and then include such info in her report.

O man builds a snOwman

2011-03-25T12:00:00.000-07:00

This isn't my idea of spring, but Owen was thrilled. "Mom, I saw little white things falling from the sky, and you know what that means? It's snowing, it's snowing, it's SNOWING!" There was even some jumping up and down to accompany his statement.

Not too many minutes later he and Claire were out in the backyard. Claire licked some snow off her mittens for a few minutes and then came back inside for a movie and cantaloupe.

Owen built a snowman all by himself. He's always had big sister help before. I think the little guy's pretty cute. Yes, I'm talking about the snowman. We already know I think Owen's cute.

After the little one, Owen decided he should go big. There's definitely a certain point of too big, and while I think Owen has reached it, he's still out there trying.

What's wrong with this picture?

2011-03-23T20:38:00.000-07:00

Besides having a face made out of food, of course. Have you ever seen strawberries so huge and clementine's so small? The strawberries are some of the best I've had in years. (Oh, tiny little fraise de bois--our week together those many years ago was so good, but why do you live overseas?) Get thee to a Costco and buy some of these gigantically good berries now! And the asparagus was so yummy, too. I ate it all and didn't share. I can't wait for summer produce and gardens and fruit stands. Yum!

Reality Check

2011-03-22T14:55:00.000-07:00

Today we went to the children's hospital and met the cleft coordinator nurse. I really thought I had a lot of information and had kind of processed everything up to this point, but nope. Now I'm all freaked out again. Hands on training for feeding a cleft baby and pictures of actual kids someone knows are somehow much different than reading about it on the internet. I know these are things parents learn to deal with every day and that this is a fixable and temporary problem, but it still makes me sad to think of my little guy going through all of it.

And also in the reality-based-news-that-I-don't-like category, it snowed today. I like the daffodils better without the snow. Owen and Claire just thought the horse was exciting. You'll also notice O wearing his straw hat on top of his sweatshirt. He needed to wear it, "so all the people in the hospital that will fix my baby brother know how cool I am, and they will be nice to my brother." And here I thought Claire was the fashionista!

Dog, Dog Hat, Doorbell

2011-03-21T14:04:00.000-07:00

Ella loves her dog hat, her stuffed puppies and anything even remotely related to animals. That is, unless they're real. Then suddenly they become scary and are all out to get her. I think it comes from the dog that jumped on her and knocked her down in the park when she was little. In any case, this is Ella confronting her fears. She rang the doorbell to get Bryn, even though Harley the dog was outside at the same time. Go Ella!

POISON!

2011-03-19T15:04:00.000-07:00

We got our fruits and veggies from the co-op today, and while I was unpacking them Owen kept asking for bits and pieces. He arranged them all nicely on a plate. I was getting kind of excited that Mr. Picky might actually want to try something new. Nope.

"Mom, this is poison. We have to leave it here for a long time, then we'll take it camping and burn it in the fire and then we'll put on people to be poison!" Oh well.