5 months...

And loving this baby girl more each and every day. She's such a very good baby. People say she has to be because she's the third child and wouldn't get any attention even if she did fuss. But I don't think that's it. Her disposition is just very mellow and sweet.

She's still refluxing up a storm. So we get to change outfits 4 times while trying to take a few pictures. But even though I get frustrated when she ruins and outfit I've just pulled over her head, I really think that makes her an even better baby. Would you be sweet and happy if you were throwing up 20-30 times a day? She just grins through it all.

I think she's teething. I'm hesitant to say that, because I think I though each of the boys were teething for about two months before any teeth actually appeared. But she has her hands in her mouth constantly and has a nice rash around her mouth from the fire hydrant-like drooling. You won't see the rash in pictures, thanks to Photoshop, just like you missed her baby acne as a newborn.

In other news, Hayden will finish preschool next week. I'm just now starting to think about it. They have a little graduation ceremony where they pass their apple to someone in the younger class (the younger kids are Acorns, the older ones are Apples). I'm hoping to take pictures if I'm not too busy bawling my eyes out.

Anyway, here's a slideshow of pictures from today...

The Police

On my way home from my second Police concert in the last 12 months. Who gets to fulfill their lifelong dream twice in one year? Concert was great, I think better than the last mostly because it was outdoors on a lovely evening.

Two observations...1) My head has a lot of useless information buried deep down. Like the words to "Demolition Man". I can't remember my office phone number, but I know the words to a song I probably last heard almost 20 yrs ago? 2) I've said that seeing the Police was my lifelong concert dream. I really got into them when I was a little too young for concert-going. Once I had a driver's license, they had broken up. But I had every song they ever made, even some obscure movie soundtrack ("Brimstone and Treacle" if I recall). And a few were on 8-track. But after having said all this and fulfilled this dream, I must say I would pay almost anything to go see Wham! Live if they reunited. It's socially acceptable to love the Police still, but does anyone other than me long for George Michael and Andrew Ridgely to get back together?

Well, I've probably said too much, but there it is. Maybe this post won't work since I'm typing in the car on my Blackberry.

Tired...

Can't muster the energy to type. Must go to bed earlier.

Trevor was sick today. Crawled into bed with me as usual when he woke up this morning. Then proceeded to throw up on me. Nice.

The past week was comprised of replacing 3 toilets (managed 2 on our own, had to call in the plumber on the last one), a t-ball party (our little man was named MVP, but I'm more annoyed with the coach than anything), t-ball game, and a birthday party. Tomorrow night we're seeing The Police and Elvis Costello. Here's hoping I stay awake...

A video from the backyard the other day. Might want to turn your sound down or off, since there I couldn't get the song inserted that I was trying to use and you'll have to listen to an annoying barking contest between Malik and the dogs next door...

Mother's Day, Rounds 1 & 2:

The last few years, we've gone to Lake Charles, LA (Sean's hometown) to visit with his mother for Mother's Day. It's always a nice visit, but the local cuisine really leaves something to be desired if you're a vegetarian like me. All I want for Mother's Day is a big luxurious brunch. Which is hard to come by in Lake Charles. So we decided to visit Grandma Carole on Saturday this year. We had a nice visit and the boys got soaking wet at the new Prien Lake Park. Note to the couple getting married in the little pavillion there: Sorry you had to see my naked children getting dried off in the minivan just next to your ceremony. We parked there long before we saw any signs of a wedding party. But I did wrap Trevor in a blanket and take him into the bathroom rather than letting him pee on the lawn like he wanted too. So I kept you from having that precious memory.

Anyways, here's our L.C. pic from this year:
Back in Houston, Sean tried to accomodate my desire for the big brunch. Unfortunately, they mislead him a little at the Hilton Americas in downtown Houston and pretty much had the regular old low-key breakfast buffet instead of the desired luxurious brunch. I thought I could just suck it up, but after I threw an omlette on the table (Hey omlette guy, when I say lots of melted cheese inside, don't forget the cheese altogether. And when I point out that it has no cheese, don't just throw some grated cheese on top of the now cold omlette), Sean decided that we'd better go Plan B. So we left the Hilton in a huff and walked over to the Four Seasons where all my wildest dreams for the decadent brunch were fulfilled. The children behaved (mostly) and I gorged on yummy salads, fantastic cheeses, grilled vegetables, proper omlettes, and a dessert selection which defies description. And Sean was polite enough not to fall over when the check came. So here's me and my crew doing some Mother's Day bonding.

Hope your day was as lovely as ours...I'll leave you with a quote shared by my brother, the true sentimentalist in the family:

"Whatever else is unsure in this stinking dunghill of a world a mother's love is not."
-- James Joyce

Home Stretch...

We're in what has to be the home stretch of Sean's turnaround work schedule. I say has to be, because either they start that plant up or I'm telling him to quit because the kids and I are really missing his presence at the casa McLaughlin.

His absence for the past month has helped me discover a higher degree of competence juggling all three kiddos at once. Erika was sick with the stomach flu this week and I actually handled four at once, since I had arranged a playdate for Hayden before she got sick. Picture me, all alone, with Hayden, Trevor, Juliette, and another 5-year old at the bowling alley. I was remarkably calm. I've found they function much better when I actually take them somewhere fun instead of telling them to entertain themselves while I do laundry, feed the baby, etc.

Today, they said they wanted to go to the fire engine park. No problem, says SuperMom. So I proceeded to dress them all, pack up our lunches, pack up the diaper bag, redress Juliette (there's at least one spitting up episode before any outing). Then the boys tell me they want to ride their bikes to the park. SuperMom says "SURE!". We get the bikes, helmets, stroller, lather up with sunscreen, and head out. It's only 6 blocks, how bad could it be? We get to the house 2 doors down from us, and the sidewalk is all chewed up from the street construction. So Trevor is off his trike, asking me to push it. Juliette is SCREAMING, red face, big tears. And all of a sudden, 6 blocks (each way) is looking like a marathon. SuperMom becomes SurvivalMom and we turn around, head home, load our gear in the minivan and head to the park. We still had our picnic and played, but really, you know me and the outdoors, there's only so much I can handle.

Sean got home around 7 pm. He said the towers are up, reactors running, and they should be in the good tanks tomorrow morning. For those of you who haven't spent any time in a chemical plant, this means there's a light at then end of the tunnel. Yay!

Preschool Politics...

Hayden's preschool uses a storytelling program teach early literacy skills to the kids. Each morning, one child dictates a story to the teacher who writes it down. Later in the day, a cast of the children act out the story. I'm in the process of compiling (typing) an anthology of stories from the year to send home with each "graduating" student. Most of the stories are about princesses and knights, but this one was too funny not to share. From the lips of W.T., age 4:

"Once upon a time George Bush sent some soldiers to do a war. Obama won and he stopped the war. John McCain said the war would still go on. Obama stopped the war again. Hillary called the police and put John McCain in jail because he put the war still on.
A giant dragon came and it ate the jail and it ate John McCain who was in the jail. The End."

Every time I read it, I want to fall on the floor laughing. I think it's the jail-eating dragon that's really the icing on the cake.

Worth the wait...

Juliette is 4 months old today. It seems like forever ago that I spent 65 days in bed waiting for her to be ready to be born. Then again, I think I waited my whole lifetime for this baby girl. And if I had to wait forever, it would have been worth it for this sweet bottom in ruffled panties...
These perfect toes...

And perfect little fingers...

And the sweet angel face that I love more every minute...

Happy 4-month birthday baby girl! More pictures here.

Attached Garage...

This house has an attached garage (only one-car, sorry Sean). At the old house, I thought the attached garage was handy for when I was in pajamas or half undressed and needed to retrieve something. Now I like it for another reason. When your sweet-looking, but horrid-acting 2 1/2 year old chucks a really hard toy at your head in the car, you can just leave him strapped in his car seat in the garage until he calms down and decides to behave himself and join the rest of us inside. Don't worry, it isn't hot in there and I leave the van doors and the door between the garage and the house open. So if you're selling a house with an attached garage, you might want to list that as a bonus feature for parents of toddlers.

Impish Charm...

Trevor has this impish grin he uses when he wants to proceed with something he knows he's not supposed to be doing. I know I'm supposed to be firm and consistent, but this look usually just doubles me over in laughter. Oh, and the sing-songy voice he uses doesn't help me stand firm either. He plays me like a puppet.
In other news, we got a bubble machine at Target today and had loads of fun with it. Why did I go to Target for a bubble machine? Because the kids got bubble guns as the give-away at a birthday party today. They wanted to play with them right away, but I said they could only play with them after naps and only if they went to bed quietly and immediately. They were so great about the naps and then when they woke up we discovered that we couldn't open up the f&(*@&ing bubble guns to put batteries in. So off I went with all 3 kids in tow to buy a bubble thing at Target.

You can't blame the party mom. Don't we all give away useless crap at our kids' parties? Who started this tradition anyways? When I was getting stuff for Hayden's birthday, I was grumbling about spending $100 on junk that would be 99% in trash cans within 24-hours. But who can break with tradition? Anyways, here are the boys and their bubbles:

Delicious...

Don't you just want to eat these up?


These are my new gallery wrapped canvas prints of the kids that I bought with my birthday money (Thanks Art!!!!!) I'm just in heaven and can't wait to hang them. They're larger than life. I inserted Juliette so you could compare the size.
I've been told that I've been delinquent in my blogging (there was some exaggeration, it hasn't been 3 weeks). I have about a thousand legitimate reasons, but mostly I've been trying to go to bed before 2 or 3 am. It's great to have a baby who sleeps through the night, but if I don't get her down till midnight and then try to catch up on laundry, photos, e-mail, then I'm not in bed till 2:30. Which makes me a little cranky when Trevor wakes me in the morning.

Sean's plant has a maintenance turnaround that started on Monday. So he's gone 14 hours a day including weekends. I'm trying to be disciplined about getting things done while the boys are napping so our evenings aren't a total nightmare. But I think the next three days will be challenging with Sean working and Hayden having t-ball, 2 bday parties, and me shooting a wedding on Saturday. Yikes! Only another 3 weeks or so of this.

I went to a parent social for Hayden's school last weekend. Sean stayed home with the kids, too much hassle to find a sitter. I was talking to two of the other moms who I only know casually from the playground and they were remarking about how mellow I am. I could only laugh. They actually think I seem very calm and cool all the time. That I seem to be able to juggle all 3 kids and everything else with ease. How far from the truth is that? Vito has to be laughing at the thought. Me? Mellow? Ha! Oh well, it's nice that I can come across that way. Not everyone has to see the dark side.

Trevor and I went to a book signing last weekend. Mo Willems was in town to sign the brand new pigeon book. Here's Trevor with the new book while we waited to meet the author:

And here's the pigeon-man in the flesh, signing Trevor's copy of the book:

Very exciting stuff for an almost 3-year-old. Can you believe? Almost THREE? I made his 3-year doctor's appointment yesterday and it was a wake-up call. Even with Juliette here, he's still my baby in so many ways. But in 4 months he'll be in preschool. Time flies...

Switching gears, our friend Ben is in our thoughts much these days since we heard news of his stroke. Very shocking for an active, healthy, brilliant 37-year-old. You can keep up with him on Mama T's blog, but please remember him in your prayers as we wish him a full recovery.


I'll try to post more frequently. A comment or two once in a while wouldn't hurt as a means of encouragement!

Happy...not so happy...

Here's a happy Juliette, enjoying some time on the faux fur, all smiles in her cute outfit.
Here's Juliette thirty seconds later, looking more than a little pissed off to now be sharing her faux fur with two stinky dogs. Isn't it nice how quickly they're able to make themselves comfortable and how they're completely oblivious to the presence of the baby?

Twins?

I used to think that Juliette looked more like me, but now she's taken on a striking resemblance to Sean. I don't know what it is. I just can't put my finger on it...

Am I blue?

Only in the best possible sense of the word. There isn't much that I really like about Texas or the outdoors. I'm a Northerner at heart and the summer heat here really kills me. But Spring? And Bluebonnets? This I LOVE...

More pictures on the KodakGallery site if you're interested.

Thanks Mrs. LeRose...

71 words

Speedtest

Please note, I had to go back and do this again because Mama T threw down the gauntlet with a little challenge.

Happy 3-month birthday Miss J...

It is just shocking to me how fast the past 3 months have gone by. But here she is, my baby girl, getting bigger every day. At least I've finally put her in a proper dress like a regular girl. And she's a big fan of faux fur. Nothing makes her happier than to lay on a soft sheet of furry fabric.

I neglected to mention that we had a nice visit from our friends Anne, Chris, and Olivia this week. Olivia has grown so much since the last time we saw her. She's soon to be a big sister herself, and although she looks up to the task, I think she really has no idea what's about to hit her. Good luck to all of them on the new adventure.

I've always thought the kids are especially sweet and/or funny when they're sleeping. I'm secretly lusting after a new camera with better low-light performance so I can shoot the kids in their rooms at night. But here are a few recent pics of Trevor that I had to share...He often toddles into my room at around 7 am and catches an extra half hour of sleep in the big bed. Who could turn this sweet guy away?
And this is him at about 8 pm on a day where he didn't have a nap. Pretty pitiful...

Substantial Improvement...

Last year, Trevor was deathly afraid of the Easter Bunny, which didn't work out well for the pictures at the mall. Actually, he seemed fine until showtime and freaked out at the last minute. Miraculously, he loved the big rabbit this year. He was all smiles and hugs. So here is my crew in their Easter finery...

Juliette was asleep before we left the house, so we don't have a picture of her in her pretty dress by herself. Later this weekend, hopefully, if I'm on my feet.

And one last thing to mention...

Juliette was cute today and is starting to grace me with her smiles.

Never trust the silence...

The boys got up from their naps today while I was trying to make some spaghetti sauce. I already had Juliette in the Baby Bjorn, so entertaining them wasn't high on my list. But miraculously, Hayden just sat down to read a book and Trevor was quiet.

After about 15 minutes, Trevor comes be-bopping into the kitchen with the St. Patrick's day card Grandma Carole sent him today. "Mommy, is it OK if I color on this?" he asks. "Sure baby," I say, noticing he's already been at it with the blue magic marker. Then I notice that the marker goes all the way to the edges of the card. "Where were you sitting when you colored this sweetie?" I ask. "In my room," Trevor replies. UH-OH, THIS CAN'T BE GOOD.

As I try to make my way down the hall to his room, he's physically trying to block me and push me backwards, saying "No Mommy, No". So I know it's really bad, yet am somehow unprepared for what I see, which is blue magic marker all over his bedsheet, desk, cloth runner on the desk, and the CARPET.

Was it washable marker you ask? Shut up already Vito. Of course, my child ignores the 200 washable and "Color Magic" markers in the house and chooses the permanent "Mr. Sketch" scented markers I bought for him.

I will say this, Folex carpet cleaner rocks. The marker actually came out of the carpet pretty well. Second thing I must say is that Trevor is pretty sweet despite making me want to kill him about 10 times a day. I went back to my spaghetti sauce and noticed he was silent again. Turns out, he had taken the Folex and a rag and tried to get the marker off of his sheets. Which actually worked pretty well too.

But seriously, don't think that because your 2-year old isn't tugging at your shirt that you've caught a break somehow. He's just creating some larger nightmare for you to discover later.

Perfect(ly Bad) Timing...

After Juliette, Trevor, and I picked Hayden up from preschool today, I said we could stop to pick up lunch. At this point, there were clouds in the sky, and it was very slightly misting. We get to the Chik-Fil-A parking lot and it's now actually raining. So I drive around a few times trying to wait for a spot to open up right by the door. No luck.

I ask the kids "Do you just want to go through the drive-thru and eat at home?". Screams of "NOOOO!" are heard from the back seat. "WE WANT TO PLAY!". Honestly, I want them to play too. Because it's raining, so we're definitely not going to the park, and I'd like them to burn some energy instead of coming home and bouncing off the walls.

While I'm driving in circles, the rain is getting worse. So I tell the kids, "If we go inside, we're going to have to go through the rain and we're going to get wet" They confirm that they're good with this plan. Juliette doesn't get a vote. So I get out to get out the stroller. Now it has started a torrential downpour, coupled with gale-force winds. I get out the stroller and am already soaked, despite the umbrella. I open the door on Juliette's side of the van and she is immediately soaked from the blowing rain. The wind blows the umbrella inside out. Now I notice hail also. Nice little ice beads pelting my precious baby girl.

This is when I give up. I get further soaked trying to put the stroller back in the car. The boys are silent when I tell them we're going through the drive thru. I think it's clear to them that getting out of the car isn't open for further discussion. The rain is blowing so hard that I get soaked again just ordering the food, even with the awning over the order box.

Five minutes later, when we're driving home...nothing but a mist. Yep. That's me and my perfect timing.

Hat Baby

Well, Juliette has made it to two months old without being a bow-head-baby. But she might just be a hat baby.

One of my favorite childrens' photographers had a post a few weeks ago with hat babies. Given the inspiration, I ordered Juliette a new hat from Etsy and we tried it out today. Pretty sweet, don't you think? Both the baby girl and the hat. Thankfully it was warm out today, because we didn't have any clothes to go with the hat so we wore our birthday suit.