I scream, you scream

Okay... nobody actually screamed. lol.

We grabbed an ice cream cone on the way home from dinner tonight (what can I say, I was a very good girl today), and Babygirl asked if they could eat them on the bench in the front yard.
That was too much cuteness for Daddy to bear, so he grabbed the camera and got after them.



Mmmmmm.... (Cotton made me stick the baby in the shot, hehe- I think I'm rubbing off on him)(please excuse my daughter. We are learning to sit nicely in a skirt, but what can I say? She's 4!)


you don't even want to know what I was doing in the front yard to get the kids to smile!

I was sitting in the backseat with Sam, as is my normal spot when Cotton drives. (I may or may not have mentioned this, but the wee one HATES the car. If he can play with mommy, he handles it slightly better)
Anyway- I was in the backseat eating MY ice cream, and Sam was watching me very intently. Then he starts smacking his lips at me.
Before I know it, he is making little noises that I am certain meant "Gimme some of that!"
HA! At the ripe old age of 3 months, he's figuring out food.
Cute as that may be- he is in for a wait. I fully intend to hold off on solids until he's 6 months. Now, if he shows every sign of being ready, and he gets more persistent in really wanting them- I will give in. But he's not ready yet. So we wait.

A couple more shots, courtesy of Daddy's photography ;-)

the outfit Sam has one was worn many many many times by Jacob. It was one of our favorites.

chunky monkey baby love

Went for a couple of shots today.

Babyman weighed 16lbs, 14oz.

No wonder he's so squishy-squeezy-cuddly-snuggly perfect!

Up exactly 2 lbs in a month.
Is that a lot? I really don't know.

He cried for about 15 seconds after the second shot, then he was fine until after dinner.
About the time we walked in from the restaurant, he started feeling yucky.
After a long, looooooong evening with lots of nursing, dancing, swaying, ssshhhhhing, pleading, a dose of tylenol- and still lots of


He finally looks like this

sigh. If it hadn't been nearly impossible to put him down- I'd be tempted to pick him up and smooch on him a bit...

Home birthing in the news

Decent story on ABC news!

Okay, it isn't perfection. But it's a start. Thought provoking.
It doesn't JUST portray homebirth as reckless and dangerous. It shows that there is, in fact, another side.
That was all it took to sway me... that smidgen of "maybe this would be better..." and I researched, and I learned...
and we all know how that turned out!

it's quite obvious

that I have a problem.
I take way too many pictures of my children.
Especially the newest addition.
This will be the last time I make excuses for myself, so from now on just remember:
I am obsessed. I am infatuated. I find them all 3 to be breathtakingly gorgeous. I like to look at them, and expect everyone else does too.
If you come here to this little blog- I will overwhelm you with many, many pictures of my offspring.

That is all.
Enjoy.

I love her.
and him.
Tummy time.
Seriously- could he be ANY cuter? I just don't see how!
my boys... what can I say...
a genuine Jacob smile!
Oh, and I love him, too.
more tummy cuteness
is that a smirk?
squeaky clean baby
yummy fingers
When I took Sam out of the bath, Jacob was sitting on the bed. I walked in and put the baby down, and Jacob said "They wrapped him up in that towel when he came out of you."
I had just been thinking the exact same thing... and how sweet that a towel can make me smile and think about the wonderful night he came into our home...
he's changed a little bit since then!

here's something interesting

I love food blogs. I can sit and read them and drool over the pictures for hours.

But... I really don't cook.

I won't even give you lame excuses like "I have 3 kids," or "I can't cook." Because I could.
True, the clingy baby and wild children would make it a long, stressful process some days.
I am just not motivated to cook. Not like that.
That kind of thing requires #1- planning (I kind of fly by the seat of my pants). #2- shopping carefully (with a 4yo, 6yo, and 3mo in tow- likely 2 of the 3 will be crying at any given moment). #3- energy (sigh). #4- time (sigh). #5- an attention span (yawn). Oh, and also researching recipes in there somewhere.

Sometimes I cook. And I am pretty darned okay at it when I make an effort.
I can satisfy the bellies of all the men in my life. ;-) And I take great pleasure in doing so. (Lucy is slightly difficult right now, but I call that "being 4")

I have a little fantasy of me in the kitchen (let's make it a gleaming kitchen- this is my fantasy after all, lol) chopping fresh herbs from my little garden... delicious things simmering on the stove, the baby beating a wooden spoon on his high chair, the children playing sweetly in the next room...
and oh the things I could make.

Maybe I should start cooking (really cooking) a little more.
There are certainly plenty of arguments for it...
Not too many reasons NOT to...

Hmmm....

overheard today

as Abby and Lucy were watching The Little Mermaid.

Lucy: "She's getting married."
Abby: "I know. To a boy."
Lucy: "I'm never getting married to a boy."
Abby: "If I got married to a boy, my mom would be so mad at me."

And I think Cotton and I are in agreement that 5 kids is just way too many. Lol.
Not so bad every other weekend, but doing it full time... oh no....

little funnies

I was grocery shopping with my biggest boy the other day.
The baby was fussing, and I was trying to make a quick exit, when Jacob asks if we can go over and get some bananas.
"Not today, honey." replies his frazzled, rushed, irritable mom.
"But Mooooommmaaa... we're fresh out of bananas!"
Well who can argue with logic like that?
Thankful for the smile, I buy the boy some bananas.

Lucy was lying on the couch next to Aunt G the other day, when the front door opens. Cotton is coming in from work.
Geri asks Lucy "who could that be?"
Lucy replies in a hushed, urgent voice "It's the police!"

not exactly what we were going for...

Aunt G and I were trying to get a video of Sam's eardrum piercing squeal.
Instead, we got something so much more meaningful... his very first laugh.
Listen closely!

the family goes for a swim

I didn't get a lot of pictures of the big kids. They were all over the place, and I mainly let Cotton chase them while I tended to the baby.




These kids behind me were in SO MANY of our pictures!
The best part about swimming is how tired it makes kids. Lol.
The itty bitty was completely exhausted after a while, and Daddy rocked him to sleep. Awww...

I am so mature.
I didn't pose him like this, I swear. But I did laugh my head off and grab the camera!
(and how sweet are those lips?)
All together now... Awwwwwwww..........

My curls

I've had impossibly straight hair my entire life.
They say that pregnancy can chagne things like hair, eyesight, etc...
Well- I was pregnant a few times and that didn't happen to me!

But then, a few weeks after Sam was born- I was sitting and watching Jacob's soccer practice. Afterwards Cotton told me how he saw a beautiful girl with curly hair and wondered who she was. Then he got closer and was all "OMG that's my WIFE!"
I laughed it off as a fluke.
But then a couple of times, when i would quickly brush my hair after a shower and then rush about my business- I noticed something different.
After swimming the other day, my friend Stacey said "I really like your hair that way!" and I laughed. I had just been swimming, and there was not a brush around for miles.
But I made Cotton snap a picture of my curls- for the record. And here they are, in all their weirdness!

I give you ME. WITH CURLS! eek...


They really are kinda cute. I have no idea what to do with them (aside from the straightening iron, hehe). And I wonder how long they'll stick around...

a few more pics of the big 3 month old!

I'm not sure where she learned the "peace sign," but she does it a lot in pictures. Heehee.

Wearing Jacob's "Harry Potter glasses"

My boys...
Dressed just alike.

Tubby time!

Mmmm... towel...

With the teddy bear Lucy got him
Mmmm... teddy bear...
Check out the 'do

I love to stick his hair up all crazy! Why? Umm... because I CAN!

Stuck together like glue...

Baby Sam is 3 months old!!!

Happy 3 month birthday, chubbalove!
At 3 months old:
You Smile a LOT.
You Coo and squeal- squealing loudly is your new favorite thing.
You have rolled over a few times, back to front.
You are batting at toys with your hands, and love to rub my hands with yours.
You grasp your own hands and rub them, concentrating hard. lol.
You hate riding in the car.
You adore Lucy, and smile just at the sound of her voice.
You are mesmerized by Jacob, and really want to figure him out.
You love to be held by your brother and sister, and demand to be held by mommy most of the day.
Daddy is the most fun, of course.
You drool a lot, and my be teething. I'm not convinced, though.
You think "this little piggy" is funny!
You've had lots of mommy milk, and a couple of ice chips. One bottle.
You love to be worn in a wrap. It calms you and puts you to sleep quickly.
You like your swing, it's the next best thing to being held.
You talk while you're nursing, and when I giggle, you grin and let all the milk run out of your mouth.
Youarethisclose to laughing. You've half giggled many times, but just won't let loose!
You smile when mommy kisses your chubby cheeks, and melt my heart every time.
You have already brought so much joy into our lives, and I already can't imagine life without you in it...

Mommy loves you!
My happy boy

He celebrated with a few of his cute little friends (okay, we were at a playgroup- whatever. same difference :-P )

Pretty little Mackenzie- who also turned 3 months old today! Isn't she sweet?
And Michelle's Jaxson, who thought it was prime napping time, what with all the noise and kids running wild. lol.
Sam was wide awake. Obviously. Hahaha!

all of these pictures were taken by Mac's mommy, Chrystyna. I have a few more in my camera- so I'll add those soon. :-)

can there ever be too many?

I know, I know. I post a lot of pictures of the baby...
But he is so dadgum adorable!!! And he changes every day!

So here is Samuel Beau, doing some of the things he does best.
Sitting on his mommy and drooling (his newest talent), and being as cute as any one person can be. Enjoy.