Outside

Sitting Up

Now that Leo can sit up we are trying to spend as much time outdoors while the weather is great. Before the sitting up he was wanting to be held nearly all the time, he definitely hated to recline, he wanted to be a part of the action and conversation. He contorts to reach toys near his toes too, but he prefers newspapers and computers within reach.

Lulu Painting
I found some of Ally's old finger paints that were probably from when Z was a baby. Put them into yogurt cups and away she was painting one sheet of paper after the next. She's prefers paining with brushes... but not opposed to painting on or with body parts! Fortunately I picked up a $5 inflatable pool in town so she would paint her leg and then go wash up in the pool. Unfortunately, she's been coloring a lot of things as of late. First it was chalk on the screen porch floor, then chalk on my treadmill. Then it was crayon on our front screen door, on my bamboo rug (not a biggie), and on my curtain! Eek. I took her crayons away. Walked her around to the colorings she's done and told her they were naughty and if she wanted to color she had to ask so I can watch her or color with her. She likes when I color with her so it's a win-win for both of us. I didn't tell Strict Daddy* of all her naughtiness. She just doesn't respond to confrontation the way he presents it.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

I Love YOU

First Haircut

Lulu's 1st haircut at Gabriele Zanutto's Hair Studio

She wasn't particularly good or particularly bad. She wasn't very still, and yet she wasn't jumping out of the chair. As usual she wouldn't lift her head so someone (in this case Gabriele) could see her face either. So I had her only cut bangs... now she can see!

Sunny Days

Another swell day outside. The house got painted a little more, the kids hung out in the pool and Lulu had her first experience running through her sprinkler... and I weeded the front flower beds for the first time this summer (scary).

An Afternoon at the Lake

Bouncing Babies

LOVIN' EVERY MINUTE OF IT

Caring for B

Clean Diapers

and food

After 5 1/2 months of watching me nurse Leo she's finally decided that B should also get fed from her chest.

She's a clever little girl. Although in this photo she's using my Boppi, she found a baby neck pillow about 4 months ago and excitedly hollered "my Boppi." So for months now she gets out the baby Boppi and puts it around her waist and either rests B or Elmo on top then gives them a bottle.

Inspection Day

Nana & Tata's House

On the day of the inspection Leo, Lulu and I sat around and watched shows while getting results on the house my parents are going to buy to retire to. They should be here in about 30 days!

I never in a million years would have thought my family would relocate to where I am at.

A Random Sunay Evening

Leo's First Peas.

He's eating bananas, rice cereal, peas and carrots.

Lulu's First Potty Training Book

Grandma gave Lulu her first Potty Book. It's about a little girl named Hannah. She likes it read to her at least 2x's in a row. When Hannah has an accident, Lulu says, "Poopoo on the floor" and "Poopoo in her pants." So although our bathroom is small, I bought a small potty for the floor. She prefers her seat that fits on the big potty, but she has gone in the little potty one time. She's on her way to potty training, but not willing to take the time out of her activities yet.

Mid-Summer Celebration

Parade watching, jumping castle & fireworks baby! The first time she's ever picked candy out of the street at the parade. She was a little hesitant and wanted me to hold her hand while she did it... but she watched my friends kiddos do it and caught on by the end of the parade.

"Jumping High" with her friend Matthew.

"Jumping High" with her friend Aiden

Holding on to the corner wall when the big kids come in jumping and doing flips. There really should be one jumping castle for just the little kids!

Afterwards we all enjoyed the fireworks. Leo stopped eating to watch the colors in the sky, and surprisingly he wasn't bothered by the noise at all, pretty good for a first firework viewing. Lulu loved the fireworks! She had a sample of what fireworks were the weekend before when we were at the Lake for the 4th of July. She sat on her Daddy's lap putting sand on his legs saying "Oh yeah BABY!"

What a Difference a Year Makes

Eighty Degrees & 100 Percent Humidity

Only My Daughter As I was saying only my daughter could be as subborn as I am! In extreem heat and she wants to wear her favorite hat and a 'coat'.

Sesame Street Farm

Lulu resting on her Jump-High with her Sesame Street Gang plus Bear & Car Kitty (who almost never get left out).

4th of July Weekend

Leo is going bananas for bananas! His silly sister thought it was funny to give him her water from her sippy cup too, and he loved it crying when she took it away. So we're moving past the bottles I guess.


Lulu canoes with The Eagle Scout*...

...and finds it a calm environment to take her afternoon nap.

Leo watches out the window...

...while his sister plays in the sand.

While Leo naps... but just a short one, as all his naps these days are 20

Lulu takes her first spin in a canoe with Uncle John.

We blew bubbles with the bubble wand... where's the bubble? Lulu is looking and jumping in circles.

End of June

Leo is starting to hold his own bottle... kind of?!
Lulu gets a big girl swing.

Momma gets her ultimate facial/manicure/pedicure chair at the spa/salon.

Lulu amuses brother while riding the dogs like a maniac.

Bear gets a bath while the adults pay no attention to the hand washing gone astray.

Welcome Lyric Love

7 lbs 3.5 oz & 19 inches tall

Father's Day at the Farm

This year's chickies are getting so big. Lulu loves to check in on them and watch them wander around the yard. Lulu driving the golf cart around with myself and Leo as passengers.

A new place I can set Leo while I do things in the kitchen! His legs are getting a little beefy for the Bumbo.

A little Father's Day relaxing on the hammock with his children.

Ending our afternoon with a boat ride on Blueberry lake. This lake is not a lake to fish with children in a boat, too many weeds.

Oh What A Day!

So today The Father of my Children* comes to me and says, "for Father's Day I want a day to myself so I can get some chores done." To which my immediate response was something like, "Oh nice, so you're saying for Father's Day you don't want to be with your family!"

We came to an agreement that Saturday (this day) I would take the kids out and go to the doctor and then to Fargo for some new shoes. On the way to Dr. M.'s we past the Shell station where Lulu wants a ball from the vending machine, so I told her we'd stop at Walmart for a vending machine ball. So off we go for Lulu's adjustment, then leaving and passing Walmart I hear screams from the back seat "BALL, BALL!" So I change lanes and head into the Walmart parking lot. First of all when do kids get smart enough to notice where we are when Walmart isn't even seen from the highway! Second, darn her for having the memory of an elephant! So in order to not be one of those Mother's who makes promises and doesn't keep them I say, "Ok, stop screaming we're going to Walmart." So we pull in and I park by a cart return (which all Mom's should do when toting 2+ kids) and get the kids inside and proceed to pick up a few things I don't NEED as all Walmart shoppers do! After checking out I pass the balls forgetting of course that I said we'd get one, to which an exclamation for my failing memory was revived by Lulu's sheer determination to have a new ball for here excessive collection. So I go to the cashier for change, he says he can't open his drawer, so I go to customer service where she says she needs a CS to open the drawer. This things are irrelevant to me the customer, why don't they just tell me to buy gum or something!!! So I finally figure this out, and buy something to break a bill for the .50 cent ball machine. I take my $1 bill to the coin exchanger and... the damn thing spits out 2 quarters, a dime and a nickle!!! So off to customer services again... yes, to wait for a CS to open a drawer so I can get some F'in change for the ball machine! Stupid Mom, I give Lulu .50 cents (the 2 quarters) to hang on to... then after the exchange of proper money is done I head to the ball machine and ask Lulu for her money. As you've guessed she's dropped it and not mentioned it to me! So back to find the money, and then back to the ball machine to finally get her BALLS! I am pushing the cart to the cart return with kids who are getting cranky from hunger and heat.

Meanwhile, I have been texting my friend back and forth to let her know I am on my way to pick her up to go to Fargo.

So I am loading the kids and fixing them up with water and a snack... when during my 2nd to last trip from the cart return I snag my shorts on the cart return bumper and rip a huge hole in my shorts so that 1/4 of my a*s sticks out... and well that's just not a cute part of my body these days! I say to myself some profanity and think to myself I will just get myself some new shorts in Fargo, so no big deal.

I look out the aisle and decide to go out the wrong way (Walmart is one way parking)... just a moment later CRASH! GRRRRR!!!! I can not believe it! For a .50 ball I have spent money I didn't need to, ripped my only pair of shorts and now wrecked my car all in efforts to stay away from home so Daddy* can do chores!

Well, the trip to Fargo was a success, if you don't include the much crying we endured from Lulu... she's just not a good car trip kiddo! She was able to jump on Hailey's Jump-High and eat Cold Stone Ice Cream.