abc gum

Yesterday we enjoyed the beautiful, warm sunshine at the park downtown.  Brandon met us there after he got done driving for the day.  Both kids were loving the nasty drinking fountain, naturally.  I was helping Carson get a drink, lecturing him like a good mom so he didn't put his mouth on the metal part.  Then, I carried this Norah back to where Brandon was.

Brandon:  "Norah, what's in your mouth?"

Norah:  "Gum."  It was then I just about vomited in my mouth.

Brandon:  "Spit it out, spit it out." 

Brandon:  "Norah, where did you get that gum?"  (Although we both knew where it had come from...)

Norah:  "On.The.Floor."

Ewww.

And Brandon said it still smelled fruity.  

A Little Getaway...

A few weeks ago, Brandon and I had the crazy idea to take a trip...sans two of the three kids.  Somehow, all the pieces fit together, and we headed to Palm Springs for the week.  Just Brandon, our little Claire, and I.  It was a much needed, mostly relaxing trip.  Carson and Norah split the week between Wayne and Treva, and my parents.  I'm not sure which of them was more excited!

We stayed at Palm Springs Tennis Club, where my parents have a timeshare.  It was simply beautiful. And ridiculously quiet.  Just us and all the old folks.  We were the youngest guests there by at least 30 years, I'm sure! 

Brandon got up early each morning to trail run and bike in the mountains behind the hotel. I dutifully stayed behind so Claire could get a few hours of sleep.  We laid out by the pool.  And walked downtown for dinner every night.  We shopped at the largest outlet mall I have ever seen.  I got to watch a lot of TLC and HGTV which was a treat since we don't have cable.  It was a wonderful, relaxing week. 

Our flight didn't leave until Monday, so we had to find a hotel for the last night there.  Brandon used priceline, and found us this for a reasonable price.  It was quite exquisite.  The nice lady at the front desk got us a room right off the pool so Claire could sleep while we laid out in the sun.

Claire was a great little traveler.  She sure was a magnet to all the "snowbirds" there, and they even got a smile or two from her.  We missed our other two terrible, but we knew they were in good hands!

All that nice weather sure made us ready for spring!

**Of course it's not complete without the poor girl's daddy posing her for an inappropriate picture.  He borrowed the bottle from the mini bar in the room.  Upon check out (which I was in charge of) I was asked by the lady at the front desk if we had used anything from the mini bar.  I said no, but she was telling me we had an $11.75 charge.  Apparently, at this fancy hotel, the items in the bar in the room are "weight sensored" so they know if something is taken.  I then had to try to explain that my husband had borrowed the $11.75 bottle of liquor to photograph my 4 month old with.  Awesome.

Almost there...

I am getting so anxious to meet my niece and nephew! (Although probably not near as anxious as my sister and Todd...)  Last weekend, we had a lovely baby shower for her...I'm pretty sure my sister-in-law Lauren and I had been planning in our heads for entirely too long!  Tara posted some of the pictures here.  But I do love this picture. It totally captures how I'm sure she's feeling now.  Only about a month to go until we can meet those little bundles! 

Black Butte Weekend

A few weekends ago we went with (most of) our small group from church to Black Butte.  A relative of a friend of ours owns the most beautiful,  HUGE home there.  There were a total of seven adults and nine children under the age of 5!  We slept well, ate well, and had fun hanging out with friends!

Swimming...

Lots of wrestling...

and more wrestling...

Watching movies in their jammies...

Where's Claire you ask?  Sleeping again... : ) 

All nine of them...

All sixteen of us!

 

mama told me there'd be days like this...

ok, maybe she didn't...but she should have!!!!

i left the kids in the car for literally 5 minutes while i ran into the post office to mail a package for our new little venture (before you call cps..i could clearly see the car the whole time...).  maybe that was my first mistake.  when i came back in, this is what i found:

  yes, two whole books ripped to shreds, laying all over the floor of the car.  one of them being a BRAND NEW hardback book i just bought them.  who does that?!?!  apparently, my kids.

AND...

as i was putting norah to bed at naptime, i found this:

bite marks on the headboard of the new "big girl" bed brandon just finished making for her.  took the paint off and left huge gouges in the wood.  really?  really?!?!  well, maybe this "big girl" needs to go back to her crib!

hmm...i might have some words to say the next time BOTH sets of grandparents decide to go on an extended vacation at the same time!  (just kidding, grandparents, if you're reading this...)
 

Norah is Two!

We had just a small party with the family (minus Kip & Lindsay, Toni & Adam)...with a rainbow theme.  Norah was so excited, and woke up every morning for a few days before asking if it was her "birday" yet.  So fun.  The girl loves balloons, and probably would have been happy with just that.  She sure is a bundle of fun! (Wonderful pictures courtesy of Tara and Todd)

Two months...

and we are falling into a good little routine.  Claire is just the best baby.  She's laid back, patient, easy-going, and a hard sleeper.  She was the easiest pregnancy, easiest labor and delivery, and has been the easiest newborn of the three (not that Carson and Norah were that hard either!)  Literally, the first 2 months of her life she spent sleeping.  All day, all night.  It made for a nice transition. She's a very serious baby, but just recently, we've started to get the little wobbly smiles while she's looking you right in the eye.  So fun.  And it doesn't hurt that Claire sleeps ten solid hours at night.  Sure makes her all the more sweeter in the morning!  Carson and Norah love her, of course.  Carson is a very sweet big brother--always wanting to help out with holding her, watching her, and giving her a bath.  I just love listening to him talk to her when he thinks I'm not listening.  Norah, I think, could take her or leave her...she's so very interested in her, but it's definitely on HER terms!  It will be fun to watch their relationship grow as sisters.  As for now, we are truly enjoying being a family of five.  Yes, life is more chaotic, there's more noise, and more work...but our hearts are that much more full!