Meet Lucy

This is Lucy.

She is my new baby.
Not only is she orange, but she will be the reason for me completing so much housework, chores, and maybe doing it all with a little pep in my step.

She's perfect becuz she's small, and won't take up too much room.

Unlike everything else in this house.

She's also perfect because she's a gift from Hot Hubby.

Who I've convinced to name his iPod 'Linus'.

An Interview With My Mom

1. Was I as energetically obnoxious in utero as I am today?
You were very active, especially in my 8th and 9th month of pregnancy. I didn't mind though. I came close to losing you when I was 2 months pregnant; so, it was reassuring to have you kicking around.

2. What were you doing 34 years ago today?
At my last Dr appointment, he decided that I should be induced. So, on August 29th, I was getting ready for my trip to the hospital and getting loose ends tied up for your older siblings while I would be gone. I left very early for the hospital on August 30th. I was to be induced starting at 7:00 AM. Everyone was so excited that you were coming soon. All I had to do was wait for the labor pains to do their job and wonder if I was going to get a boy or a girl.

3. What name would I have, had I been a boy?
It was Christopher Daniel. Everyone in the delivery room thought you were going to be a boy because the heart beat was slower than a girl. As soon as they put you in my arms, you peed all over me. Loren rode through town on his bike telling everyone that.

4. What was the most memorable thing I said or did as a toddler?
Gee I can't remember specifics about one thing you said or did as a toddler. I wish I had kept a journal of you. Just like you are doing with your blog. You and I had such fun everyday with the little record player and your favorite tunes. You would put on something silly to wear and we would dance and have so much fun. We didn't know in addition to the fun it was also good exercise.

5. What makes me different from my sibs?
If a mom had a dozen kids each one would be different. One thing that makes you different than your brother or sister is you are honest with everyone and you speak your mind.

6. When I was 5, what did you think I would be as an adult?
At 5 years of age I don't think I wondered what you would be as an adult. I was concentrating on getting you through kindergarten. I was so concerned about the long bus ride (about 15 or 20 miles each way) to the temporary school that you had to attend all year because of Eureka Elementary burning down. Especially since you had motion sickness everyday on the bus.

7. Did you think I'd be a good mom?
I always knew my children would be great parents. You were shown so much love by all of us. You had the advantage of your dad and I being older and more mature when you came along. I remember the evening I came home from the doctor and we sat down with Loren and Angie at the kitchen table. We told them we had a surprise and would they like to guess what it was. Loren guessed a new car and Angie guessed a washing machine. They were so excited to know they were getting a new baby. They competed constantly for any opportunity to help take care of or play with you. The first thing they did when they got home from school everyday was run to greet you. It was always my prayer that you would be a nurturing and Godly mother.

8. How is my life different from how you'd expected it would be?
Your life is sort of what I expected it to be. Especially what I was hoping it would be. You do an amazing job with your family.

Thanks Mom, for your hard 'work' 34 years ago!

Big Cousin

This is the first time Flynn's a big cousin (or Gabe too for that matter).


And she is so good at it!


Here she holds the new cousin, Jack:

She makes a pretty good big cousin...and will make a great sitter!

A Trip to Build-A-Bear, compliments of Aunt G

When Gabe was born, Flynn was freshly 21 mos. & along with that &
her new title as BIG Sister, she was ready for a field trip without us.

And so, Aunt G & cousins picked up Flynn in true date fashion

(she was sporting braids & her strawberry shortcake backpack).

And off they all headed to the mall to build Flynn's Happy Tappy Elmo

(complete with tuxedo & patten leather shoes).

So, when this same milestone hit with Gabe (not the being a big sib part thank goodness),

G decided a trip to BaB was in order for him as well.

Here he is pressing the peddle for the fluff.

(check out his flip flops)

And choosing a heart.

Bubby built a cute turtle, complete with turtle shell back pack.

He is named, "Trek".

G also bought Trek a birthday ensemble (party hat, sash, blower, you know -- everything a birthday turtle wears for a birthday celebration).

Before we went, Flynn was all, "I'm going to build a bear too."

And I was all, "No you aren't...this is Gabe's special day."

And then, Miss Renee gave Flynn her bear bucks.

And Flynn built a bear too (Reed, the cute curly-haired bear with reading glasses and Cat in the Hat boxers).

Two Things...

Two things I like about Flynn...

ONE is:

and the other is:

Scary Hairy

THIS

(check out the knots)

Is why I decided to cut about 3 inches off Flynn's hair tonight.
May many easy brushings be in the days to come.

Because I Never Claimed to be a Computer Guru

Hence my header.... I'm working on it tho & if I didn't need to go & make dinner for two new moms, I would work on it some more.
For now, you'll just have to contend with it.

And speaking of computer gurus,

I Couldn't Have Planned It Any Better...

Shortly after returning from vacaysh (hence the lack of upkeep on the pool & its mossy water),

Jeff yelled at me from his bathroom.

In an excited tone, he beckoned for me to look out his window.

And THIS is what we saw:

We laughed in glee & high-fived & cheered for the little rodent's death.

My only sadness?

That I didn't see the squirrel fall into the pool, then, well, you know what follows...

But, last Sunday, our wish came through.

Again, from his bathroom (are you starting to follow that he spends a great deal of time in there), Jeff yells for me to look! out the window!

And to my delight, there the pesky, nasty rodent, was doggy-paddling (do you call it doggy paddle when it's a squirrel?), the perimeter of the pool.

Apparently these little guys have been scaling the side of the pool, then plummeting to their death. But this one we got to watch, swimming, then attempting to scale the side, and treading some more.

The really sick thing is that we laughed from the window, giggling, videoing it with the camera phone, giggling some more, high fiving, evil laughter (mm'wa ah ah), & high fiving some more.

All on the Sabbath, nonetheless.

Paul Bunyon

Gabe still sports the olive on a toothpick look....

His stats are a whopping 25 lbs & 36 inches tall.
Putting him at the 95th % for his height, but only the 15th for his weight.

And going by the formula at projecting adult height,
Dr says he'll be at least 6 feet tall.

This makes momma happy....finally, passing on the height gene.

How Can My Baby Be Two?

Dear Gabe,

Where have these last two years gone?

I remember the day you were born. . . I was hanging the letters of your name on the wall, and my water broke. You were stubborn back then, and you took 18 hours to arrive.
The night after you were born, you made noises all night long, and I never slept. I just kept getting up to see you.
And I did that for the next 3 months.

We loved you then, your sensitivity, your presence.
And now you're two.

And you definitely know what you want. And you aren't afraid to let everyone know what you like & what you dislike.
You love to play. You love your sissy. But you really love Momma, and everytime I walk out the door, it breaks your heart.
And it breaks my heart when your heart is broken.

I wonder about what the years hold for you. Will you be good at sports? Will you love to read? Will I cry when I take you to kindergarten or when you ask your wife to marry you?
One thing is for sure. I love being your Momma. And I must've done something pretty great to deserve you as my boy.
Happy 2nd Birthday Gabe.

Love,

Momma

Happy Campers

The Perrys recently went on a camping trip.

Bubs was all too thrilled to be getting to eat fig newtons for breakfast.

It even made him do the chicken dance.



THIS picture reminds me what a baby he still is (even tho he TURNS TWO TOMORROW!!)

This is what I saw when I opened my eyes that morning.



Everybody's happy to sleep in a tent.



Even when you don't get to ever sleep becuz there are about

3 coyotes howling outside of the tent.

The great thing about camping is getting to wade in creeks.

and throw sand.

And swing.

Yep, More Pics from the Fourth

With the busyness, and the computer issues,
I didn't have time to post these fab pics (see flags in window above)...
Okay, so I'm a little behind.
Speaking of behinds.

SuperStar

Jr Stars is a competition here in St. Louis, a little like American Idol (minus the other states & all the drama). It takes place at Six Flags.

There were hundreds & hundreds of kids who auditioned.
Mattie was selected to be a finalist.
She competed a month ago.
And it aired on the 11th, the day after she turned 13.

Here we are enjoying watching the tivo'ed episode.
Crowded around the tube with the star herself.

She's #1 in my book!

Chronicles of Flynn

There are some things that she's said the last couple of months that I want to remember & document here.. of course, I've forgotten most of them, but here's what is in my small mind....

"Mom, what's a soul?"

"Hey Mom, why do you & Dad kiss?"

"Bubby's going to be TWO on his birthday. TWO is not big but THREE is big."

"I want to build a birdhouse!" (out of the clear blue)

"G's birthday (Oct.) is right next to my birthday." (with giggles)

Something else cute that she did the other day...
Every night, when we take her to bed, she lets us know how she'd like to be carried to her bed. For a while the two choices were "tree frog" (where she'd bring her legs up, soles of feet together, arms straight down) or "baby" (where she'd lay back in our arms like a baby).
Well, when we got back from FL, apparently she was in a sea creature mode. She told Jeff, "Carry me to bed like a crab", then she proceeded to take her "pinchers" up into the air & pinch repeatedly & fast. She was also picking up her legs really high.
She did this over & over (in response to our uncontrollable laughter).

I'm a bit of a germ-phobic (I don't mind OUR germs, but can't handle public germs). Flynn knows that when we walk into a public restroom that she's not to touch ANYTHING...the walls...the sink....the toilet paper dispenser, that only Mommy touches things & assists her. Apparently, that's really gotten to her. The other day, Jeff motioned for me to go look in the bathroom. There our toilet seat was COMPLETELY lined with toilet paper (something I do to a small degree for the public toilets).

She never fails to make me laugh...and she's at the phase where our laughter spurs her to entertain.

MudCakes

A typical day at Nana's....

THIS is what the kids did while Jeff & I were rocking out with Jeremy Camp.

I have a secret, we were having as much fun as them.

Even without mud running down our legs.