Didn't We Just Start Dating?

All My Kids :)

2010-04-25T20:20:00.002+08:00

Last night the kids had a sleepover with their closest mates, W & J :) Dada watched all of them, while Mama had a chance to go out to dinner and a movie with K - woo hoo! He said they were great and the fun continued into the morning . . .

Of course, with five kids in a picture, you're never going to get all of them to look at the camera!

Friday Afternoon

2010-04-23T23:07:00.004+08:00

After school, especially on Friday's, the kids are exhausted and just need to veg out!

Mama's Boy!

2008-06-29T11:25:00.001+08:00

Smiling & Being Silly Just For Mama, originally uploaded by Didn't We Just Start Dating?.

This isn't the best picture (a little blurry), but it is from a fun bonding experience with Loco. Since Lei has been born, I have been trying really hard to spend individual alone time with all of the kids . . . hard to do with three :)

One day after lunch, we shared a custard pastry and had a huge laugh b/c he was being such a piggy. I kept saying, "Who's mama's boy?!?" And he would giggle, cram more cake in his mouth, and then replay, "Loco is!" We had so much fun, doing almost nothing . . . that is what the best part of parenting is about!

I just wanted to eat him, instead of the pastry! I love this boy!

BTW - Dada doesn't want to leave here b/c the local bakeries are soooooo good! We get fresh bread, scones, etc. weekly, so I will be lucky to loose any of the pregnancy weight - LOL!

Just posted a bunch of pics (2 pages) on Flickr - please visit.

It's Here . . .

2008-04-16T01:21:00.002+08:00

And I have no clue where we are going to fit it all!!!

What is the "it"?!??! EVERYTHING!

We had two containers delivered today with all of our possessions from the USA. It is a lot of stuff, too much stuff. I am up past 1 a.m. thinking about where we are going to put all this stuff! As of right now, we have one bedroom suite extra, one breakfast table and chairs extra, a hundred toys extra, more clothes than we have space for in the master robes, etc.

In the end, we will have several choices: pay for storage here or store in the garage (leaving no room for anything else), list it in the trade post (classifieds), or have a garage sale . . . too much to think about with five weeks until the baby. Please someone wave a magic wand and make it all be put away nicely :)

Pics to follow soon on Flickr. Later, mates!

Finally . . . The First Australia Photos Are Up On Flickr!

2008-04-04T20:36:00.004+08:00

www.flickr.com

Didn't We Just Start Dating?'s Australian Arrival - First Two Weeks photoset

They Like Us :)

2008-04-03T20:20:00.000+08:00

This week, we received two invites: one for a Mum's Morning Tea and another for a "play" after school! VERY EXCITING :)

They came just in time, since Mama was getting tired of most of her conversations being with the kids or bombarding Dada when he walks through the door. Or, worse yet, over-conversing with random strangers, just because they are someone new - LOL!

The rest of the week has been really busy, too:

+ I made another major purchase on Monday with a new vacuum. The funny part is that I was excited about getting it and have been researching for the last few weeks . . . sad, really!

+ Tuesday Mama volunteered in Loo's class for "roster duty". It was wonderful spending the day with her in school - we both really enjoyed the experience. The letter of the week is A, so Loo brought in an American flag. I helped her talk about where she was from and the teacher had a map to show the kids Texas, plus we mapped the trip we flew over!

Then, I cut up the fruit for "morning tea" (snack time) and divied it up between three containers (in term 1, each student brings one piece and they all share it). I shared a cup of tea and a hot cross bun with all of the teachers during the morning play. And was invited by Loo's friend to eat lunch with them on the playground - thankfully, I planned for a full day and packed myself a lunch, too.

The best part of the day was the My Favorite Apple taste test that I was in charge of. All the kids sat with me and tried one of four apples: Granny Smith, Royal Gala, Golden Delicious, & Hi Early. They selected their favorite, colored an apple to match, and placed it on a bar graph chart - a wonderful concept for them to be learning at this age - I was impressed! Plus, I was able to meet all of the children in the class and visit with them for a few minutes. Now, when Loo talks about one of them, I know the face :)

+ Mama & Loco went to the Petroleum Women of Perth's Mum & Tots Play Group on Wednesday morning and met lots of other expiate women. The "parent group" (I am learning a lot) is comprised of lots of women from all walks of life that are related to the oil field. It was interesting to talk with other Mom's that have been in the same situation and finding out how they adjusted. All of them really wanted their cargo shipments, too!

+ Loo went to the dentist today for the first time b/c one of her bottom baby teeth is a little loose, but won't come out and the new tooth is growing in behind it! (Sound familiar Grandma Jacki?) So, they took an x-ray of it and the root is really long. We have an appointment on the 21st to have it extracted; however, I was advised to not speak of it much and barely tell her what they are going to do. Hopefully, if we wiggle it enough, it might fall out before hand . . . we're not holding our breathe, though. She was a perfect patient today and had her first cleaning/fluoride treatment.

+ This afternoon we went to the doctor, again, for Mama and the baby. I took the kids with me, so they could meet him for the first time (before they get sick). Unfortunately, he was really busy, so he didn't get much a chance to visit with them, but they didn't care or notice and were too busy checking out the room! I have gained 1.5 kilograms (3.3 lbs.) in two weeks . . . finally, since I am still below my pre-pregnancy weight. The baby is already in position for delivery and growing right on target.

+ And tomorrow night, Dada is going to his first rugby game in Perth. Needless to say, he is very excited!

That's it for now. Still waiting on the wireless router to get the pics off my laptop. Hopefully, soon . . .

Hugs to all :)

Another Week - Argh!

2008-04-01T18:30:00.003+08:00

It seems like forever ago that we were packing up the house in the Houston-area for our Australian move. The movers arrived on Tuesday, January 22nd at 9 a.m. to begin the lengthy process and finished around lunch time on Friday with a fully loaded 40 foot cargo container.

During our stay in the hotel suite in Houston, I didn't miss the material goods of our home (much); however, I missed the space and routine of our home. When we first arrived in Perth, we were so busy adjusting that I didn't think about it. Then, thankfully, we received our air shipment boxes (after a week and a half) and everyone was happy to have some "new" things! Dada got his new work and play clothes and the new shoes he bought before we left. I got a few things from Bath & Body Works! The kids got their bath toys to tide them over. And, most importantly, there was a case of diapers and wipes - yippee!

On this Friday, we will have been in our rental home for four weeks. And I have been dreaming of our king-size bed, toys for the kids, the filing cabinets to clean up all the paperwork, etc. Knowing that our items have been less than 15 minutes away for the last two weeks at the Fremantle Port is killing me! Originally, based on our update emails that we receive (like below), our delivery was fore casted to be on April 8th. Now, it looks like it is going to be a week later! When I talked to Dada today at work, after he forwarded me the new timeline, he tried to be positive, saying, "What's another week?!?!"

I'll tell you . . . ARGH!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shipment Status Report

Agent: The MI Group-USA
Agent Coordinator: D.B.
Agent Reference: 485897
Mode of Transport: FCL
Shipper: DADA
Wridgways Reference: P31193

Activity Date Status
Arrival at Port / Airport 20 Mar 08 Completed
Arrival at WW Warehouse 02 Apr 08 Forecast
Customs Bond Charges Commence 11 Apr 08
Quarantine Examination 08 Apr 08 Forecast
Customs Clearance 17 Mar 08 Completed
Delivery to Residence 14 Apr 08 Forecast

Notes:
Please note forecast dates are provided as an estimate only and are highly likely to change without notice.

Please DO NOT rely on forecast dates when making travel or accommodation commitments.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

At this rate, I just hope to have our delivery before the end of April :)

Have I mentioned how much fun this is!?!?!? LOL!

Things That Are Different Here - Part 1

2008-03-31T08:06:00.001+08:00

I think that it will be fun to remember all the things that are different here (both good and bad), so I figured that I will write a running series of blogs about this. I will insert pictures soon . . .

+ Everything is really expensive - LOL - Dada has been laughing at me and now is to the point of annoyed that I notice the price differences. I find it difficult to not notice the difference at the grocery store, Target (Yes, we have Target!), Kmart, etc.

+ There is a definite lack of "sit down" restaurants (especially chains) and they are not easy to find. However, McDonald's, Burger King (called Hungry Jacks), and Subways are easy to find. Though the quantities are very small here without the "super size" option!

+ All the electric wall plugs have an on/off switch and Loco loves to play with them! So, you can be in the middle of vacuuming and suddenly you have no power b/c the kid is 10 feet away laughing when he flipped the switch off at the wall - argh!

More later . . . Loo is calling for help getting ready for school!

Forced Outtings @ The Wrong Times!

2008-03-29T16:29:00.003+09:00

One of the strangest things about Western Australia is that they are the only state left in Australia that has heavily restricted "trading hours" (when the stores are open). Most of the stores are open from 9 or 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. M0nday through Saturday with late night trading hours on Thursday until 9 .m. and closed on Sundays and all public holidays.

Yes - closed on Sundays - it sucks!

This forces people to plan ahead or else. For example, over Easter weekend, the stores were closed on Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and had limited trading hours on "Easter Monday" (a public holiday). So, I went grocery shopping with Loco on Thursday for the long weekend. Needless to say, we were not the only people shopping and it was a mad house! Parking was horrible and we waited in line for twenty minutes to check-out. We survived and learned an important lesson about what days to NOT shop on - LOL!

Today, we decided to try comparison shopping for a new television and other small appliances as a family. We didn't get on the road until almost noon, after a relaxing/lazy morning, and picked a bad time for the kids to be good. I swear they are not always crazy, but it seems like it lately!

What ends up happening is everyone gets crabbier (if possible) and we return home with nothing accomplished! It is frustrating . . .

Welcome To Our Family Blog (a.k.a. online journal)

2008-03-28T11:41:00.002+09:00

I just sent out an email to family, friends, neighbors, & colleagues with this link, so I thought that I would do a quick "shout out" to any new visitors!

G'day, Mates :) I can't actually bring myself to say it, yet, but it looks authentic in writing - LOL! Plus, I prefer to say, "Thank You" over their, "No Worries".

This blog is the journey of our family . . . in the past, I did not update as frequently as I would like; however, with our recent move across the world to Australia it will be updated more. Please visit often and comment or email us to keep in touch.

We miss our everyone already and welcome anyone that would like to make the loooooong trip to visit. Take care! - A

Thank God . . . We FINALLY Have Internet & A Home Phone!

2008-03-26T12:36:00.001+09:00

Just in time, before Mama lost her sanity . . .

the internet problem was fixed!

One thing that we have noticed is that customer service is not the same here as it is back in the USA. Everything is slower, there is no consistent follow-up, etc. We didn't even know that the internet was fixed and by luck Dada has been trying to modem daily to see if we had a signal.

So, let's see . . . where to start! We officially arrived in Perth, Western Australia on Thursday, February 21 at 8-something in the morning. So many things have happened since then that it is hard to keep up!

Here is a quick list of the things we have accomplished:
+ We rented a house (4 br, 2 bath w/pool) that is right across from a park
+ We bought a 2002 Mitsubishi Pajero . . . majorly expensive for used . . . ouch!
+ Loo is going to our neighborhood Primary School and is in Pre-Primary (like Kindergarten in the USA). Here it is approximately Kindy @4, Pre-Primary @5, Year 1 @6, etc. at the local government schools.
+ Loco is going to an "Occasional Care Center" that is hourly and has a flexible schedule a couple of times a week.
+ We finally have a doctor to deliver L3 after calling over 15 Ob/Gyn's and being told that they are all "booked" for May. Needless to say, Mama was getting very stress out and a little hormonal, but all is well now!
+ Dada has almost mastered the use of public transportation and rides a bus/train combination to and from work daily.
+ We are still waiting on our sea shipment to arrive at the port and then process its 2-3 weeks in customs! We want our stuff and the kids really want their toys :)

Well, that is all for now . . . I will add pictures later and try to keep up with more frequent posts. Hugs & kisses to all of our beloved family and friends! You are truly missed!!!!

Until next time, "Good Day, Mates!"

Summer Is Here . . . Happy Days :)

2007-06-23T22:07:00.000+08:00

The kids are rarely wearing shoes and barely dressed . . . two good signs that summer is officially here! Things are going good in the house and when the weather is good, we are outside all the time. Unfortunately, it has been storming almost every day since Dada left for this rotation. So, as you see pictured above, I have resorted to letting the kids play in the rain! They love it :)

What are you doing to enjoy summer?
More to come - DWJSDating?!

Oh, How He's Grown . . .

2007-03-25T02:19:00.000+09:00

LOCO BOY

18 months

1. I Changed My Mind!

2. It's "Popsicle Weather", Again

3. 1st Time He's Said "Cheese" For Me!

4. Mama's Helper - He Loves To Cook!

Instead of . . .

2007-03-16T01:22:00.000+09:00

"Pimp My Ride", today I am playing "Pimp My Friend"!

Stewbie has finally started giving Flickr a chance and posted some pics on a regular basis . . . please visit her to show some love and encouragement. There are even a few pics of Loo up from when she spent the night :) Thanks!

Should I Be Proud?

2007-03-05T02:16:00.000+09:00

Loo just walked in the study and announced that she pooped a "face & a foot" . . . hhhhhmmmm . . . I don't know if I should be proud or scared! Maybe she has been watching too many Dirty Jobs with Dada & Papa. "She knows poo!"

Loo's Princess Birthday Party

2006-11-05T12:09:00.000+08:00

We celebrated Loo's fourth birthday today with a big princess party!

It was a huge success :) You can see two videos from the party at YouTube.

"Rocky"

2006-10-29T07:00:00.000+08:00

"Rocky"
Originally uploaded by Didn't We Just Start Dating?.

Oh . . . the joys of learning to walk! In one day, Loco managed to scratch his nose falling in the playroom on top of the Dora house and bust his lip walking in the breakfast nook by falling on one of the chairs. OUCH!

He looks rough, but is in good spirits and having a lot of fun walking :)

Look Mama - No Hands!!!! Loco's Walking :)

2006-10-27T10:36:00.000+08:00

We are trying something new . . . "YouTube" . . . hopefully, all of you will be able to access our first video of Loco walking by clicking here!

Thank you Dada for replacing our little camera, so we can make more videos.

Unique Names

2006-10-22T12:19:00.000+08:00

Dada & Mama thought long & hard about Loo & Loco's names. Hopefully, they like them! One cool thing is that they will not get mixed up with other people a lot . . .

LOO's Real Full Name - had 0 with her first and last name (the spelling has just become common):

HowManyOfMe.com

There are:
0
people with my name
in the U.S.A.

How many have your name?

LOCO's Real Full Name - 26,997 with his first name, but the last name kept him unique! Now, many of you reading this have the same last name . . . so, you may wonder how there are zero _ _ _ _ _ _'s out there? According to the census bureau the list of names isn't complete - duh!!!

Still it was fun to complete :)

Don't forget to visit our Flickr site to keep up-to-date on their pictures! Loco is starting to walk and looks like a drunken sailor - it is so funny!

Morning At The Zoo

2006-09-06T22:57:00.000+08:00

The Kids At Eagle Exhibit
Originally uploaded by Didn't We Just Start Dating?.

We had a great Labor Day weekend (except for being sick) and tried to pass the time until Dada gets home. On Saturday morning, we went to the zoo with Stewbie and the chicks. Everyone had a great time!

Click on this picture and you can see more pics on Flickr with the "Houston Zoo" set.

Head First In Bubbles

2006-09-06T22:53:00.000+08:00

Head First In Bubbles
Originally uploaded by Didn't We Just Start Dating?.

Loco is getting big enough to almost get into the bath tub by himself. Everynight, he lifts his leg up and tries to get in - it is sooooo funny to watch! Usually when Loo is bathing, he just plays with the water or bubbles, but Monday night he tried to get in with her . . .

And feel head first into the bath tub! Papa D was with them and pulled him out. I heard him yell, "Get the camera, you have to see this!" I couldn't help laughing - how funny! As you can tell, Loco didn't think it was very funny.

I don't know if he was more upset about falling in head first or that he was taken out of the tub! We'll never know :-)

He Eats (Almost) Everything She Eats

2006-08-24T09:41:00.000+08:00

Happy Big Sis & Lil' Bro @ Breakfast
Originally uploaded by Didn't We Just Start Dating?.

This was taken last weekend at breakfast. Loco LOVES to eat :)

It's funny how with the second child you are much less guarded with what you feed him/her compared to the first born. I remember with Loo, we did everything "by the book" and started each stage at the perfect month, etc. She was just barely eating table food by her first birthday. On the other hand, Loco will grab a piece of pizza off your plate and go to town, then follow it up later with a piece of Brutie's vegetarian dog food! LOL!

Everyone Benefits . . .

2006-07-04T23:18:00.000+08:00

Except Mama from her clumsiness! This morning, after we finished enjoying a feast on Walmart donuts (I splurged - LOL), I was cleaning them up. I had all the boxes stacked on top of each other and the powered sugar mini-donut box slipped off the top, crashing to the floor! OH, NO!

I think in years past this would have upset me . . . instead of getting mad at myself, I ran to get the camera to document the mess! All of the kids dashed for the donuts, especially Brutus :) They were cramming them in their mouths and laughing - it was a blast!

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!

He's Got Some Strong Legs

2006-07-03T20:45:00.000+08:00

Loco This Is Fun!
Originally uploaded by Didn't We Just Start Dating?.

Yesterday, out of the blue . . . Loo jumped up on the back of Loco's walker for a free ride. He didn't even notice at first and was just cruising around the kitchen area totting her along! It was really funny.

Of course, Loo was having a blast and once Loco found out he was doing it, he didn't stop! It is so great for them to be at the age were they can really play with each other and enjoy it!

Pretty In Pink, Isn't She?

2006-06-22T11:00:00.000+08:00

Today Loo's room got the first step in the royal princess make-over . . . PINK PAINT!

Boy, was she happy :) All week long, she has been telling everyone that her Mama was going to paint her room pink with purple stairs! It has been soooooo cute! She was really excited to see the color and wanted to be surprised, so our good friend (and painter helper) H covered her eyes before she came around the corner to see . . .

She LOVED it and that made us very happy . . . b/c we were very tired, after a long day of work - LOL!

He Likes It!

2006-06-20T05:30:00.000+08:00

He Likes It!
Originally uploaded by Didn't We Just Start Dating?.

Yesterday we had all of Mama's sisters over for Father's Day with Papa D. It was a great time and lots of fun. Loco has become the "real food" eating fool . . . at dinner he had (and loved) boiled potatoes for the first time and for desert Papa insisted that he try a bite of vanilla bean ice cream!

He love it! Anyone that knows Dada would say that this in not a surprise :) Loco got upset when I quit feeding it to him and throw a fit when I put him on the floor to finish the bowl!!!!!

Good Morning - 6:40 a.m.

2006-06-14T04:58:00.000+08:00

Good Morning
Originally uploaded by Didn't We Just Start Dating?.

This morning, I heard Loco stirring over the monitor. When I turned it up to listen and see if he was really waking up, I heard Loo's voice asking him if he had a good night sleep! They were up there talking and playing with each other . . .

When I walked in, both their faces lit up :)

It was a great morning!

So Sweet!

2006-06-13T01:56:00.000+08:00

Yesterday, Loo & I were snuggling (as best you can with an eight month old) with Loco and she was telling him how much she loves him. It was so sweet! Then she looked at me and asked if she can "have him forever & ever" b/c she loves him so very much and he is the best boy. Things like that just make my eyes well up!
Loco has been teething really bad - really, really bad! In this picture, he is teething on a medicine dispenser out of desperation! This past week, he chomped on anything that was close to him, including us. Dada & I both had marks from where he bit us all over. For some reason, Loco always goes for the shoulders!

Don't forget to visit Mama's Flickr page for lots more pictures.

Grandma Jacki Is Here!!!!!!

2006-05-28T10:36:00.000+08:00

I am showing her how easy and cool it is to use Blogger :)

You can insert pictures, too!

Happy Prisoner of the Study!

2006-05-17T11:39:00.000+08:00

Mother's Day 2006

2006-05-17T11:00:00.000+08:00

We had a great Mother's Day!

Most of the day we just lazed around and spent time together. Mama was able to get a 45 minute nap, while Loco slept. Here is the very (what I assume to be) uncomfortable position he fell asleep in! I straighted him out, so he didn't wake up crabby :)

We were invite over to our friend's house for a BBQ dinner. It was wonderful b/c Mama didn't have to cook or clean! Before we left, Loo got dolled up with pink lip gloss.

At the end of the evening we posed for a picture together. This was my first Mother's Day with two kids (and the best pic with both of them looking - even if it isn't straight at the camera)!

Sibling Fun!

2006-05-12T13:02:00.000+08:00

First, we would like to say "Hi" to Grandma & Grandpa C and Aunt Gin! They are looking at our DWJSDating Blog in Ohio for the first time this week b/c Aunt G brought the laptop to show them. That is so cool - thanks!!!!

Here are some pictures from this week of the kids having fun!

Crawling everywhere together - what a team!

Acting silly in the bedroom with Mama! Loco is teething away on a bucket and Loo is playing "Can you find me?" under the blanket.

Dada's Rig in Bangladesh

2006-05-10T19:24:00.000+08:00

Hot off the press and sent to Mama this morning . . .

More pictures are available at my Flickr page.

New House Tour

2006-05-08T06:15:00.000+08:00

If you want to see a "room-by-room" tour of the new house, click on any of the pictures below to see the full set. Some areas are missing . . . I will add them soon!

www.flickr.com

Didn't We Just Start Dating?'s New House: Room-By-Room Tour photoset

Gotta LOVE Those Smiles . . .

2006-05-08T05:35:00.000+08:00

Happy Loo Loo with her beautiful hair cut! She just got it cut last night. I will post a few pictures of that later (they are on the other camera).
Smiley boy Loco with his orange nose from Chicken Vegetable baby food! For the most part, he sits up on his own; though you would never know it, b/c he is so anxious to get back to crawling that he is only still for a few seconds!
These pictures were taken this afternoon, right after lunch. Everyone is always in a good mood with a full belly :-)

Scary!!!!

2006-05-07T11:00:00.000+08:00

What's wrong with this picture?
Take a closer look . . .Loo loves to put her baby on the dog leash that came with one of her puppies. I think Mama might need to throw that thing away when she is not looking . . . Thank God that is only a doll!!!! I have visions of scary things happening in the future between Loo and Loco. Give him some time, I bet he will be hanging G.I. Joes (or something like that) by a noose, too!

HELP ME :) LOL!

Hurry To Houston Grandma Jacki!!!

2006-05-07T02:44:00.000+08:00

I know Grandma Jacki is excited that her and Uncle Bob are coming to visit soon! We can't wait to see you, too!

Loco is three times that size now and crawling every where!

I still look the same and many days have more bags under my eyes - LOL!

CD - these pics are for you - now you know what Grandma Jacki looks like!

First Friday Flashback

2006-05-06T09:51:00.000+08:00

One Month Ago . . .
Six Months Ago . . .

One Year Ago . . .

Pregnant with Loco

Two Years Ago . . .

Playing at our neighborhood park

Three Years Ago . . .

Snack time at Miss Dot's

Our First Mother's Day with Loo

Two Peas In A Pod!

2006-05-03T11:00:00.000+08:00

Here is Loo & Loco having fun together from this past weekend! It is great to see them at the point where they play together - they are both hams! Click on any of the pictures to see them all at Flickr.

www.flickr.com

Loo's Pictures from April

www.flickr.com

Loco's Pictures from April

www.flickr.com

Getting Settled In!

2006-05-03T10:07:00.000+08:00

As most of you know by now, we moved in during the month of April. That has left little time for blogging and taking pictures (oh, no)! Here are a few shots of the kids in the new house:

Loo acting like a baby in Loco's infant carrier. Do you think she fits?

Loco & Brutus playing in the living room. Some day we will have furniture in there, too! Loo the dancin' queen having fun in the living room! Loco is learning to pose for the camera already!

Howdy!

2006-04-25T03:51:00.000+08:00

We will have internet up and running soon (Sat. 4/29)!!!!

The new house is great, unpacking sucks, and we miss Dada!

More pictures soon . . .

Loco & E from Saturday night at their house - he likes the hog!

It's Been Awhile :)

2006-04-18T02:11:00.000+08:00

Okay, okay, okay . . . I know that we have not posted in a long time!

It's because we have some good news . . .

We bought a new house, moved, and have a contract out on the old house! So, we have been just a little busy. Really, we have been a LOT busy!

Hopefully, we will have our new internet up and running by the end of this week and I will be able to post pictures of the new places. Things have been fast-paced and crazy the last few weeks. I will try to give a timeline soon :)

Afternoon with "Logo Boy"

2006-04-02T05:55:00.000+08:00

While Dada & Loo cat napped this afternoon, Mama & Loco spent time playing in his room. It was a lot of fun and I got tons of great pictures :)

Check out those teeth! They are really coming up now and he has a mean bite!

Click on any of the pictures below to see more of the fun!

www.flickr.com

Working Mama's Competitive Muscle!

2006-03-31T14:00:00.000+08:00

I Almost Forgot . . .

Here are my entries for my new blog friend's (CameraDawktor) Photo Contest:

"Serious Moment", Loo, 3 1/2 years

I have so many pictures of this girl that I love - it was hard to narrow it down to one shot! This picture was taken on 3/17/2006 after Loo had been messing around making a tons of silly faces for me to test on my new camera. It was like she had a moment of seriousness take over her. The look on her face, the color of her eyes, the glimse of her new earring, the scratch on her cheek . . . all of these things I want to remember forever. Simply my little girl, nothing fancy needed.

"Innocent Smile", Loco, 5 1/2 months

This smile, in all it's gummy glory, was for me! As his proud Mama, I couldn't love him more. Taken on the same day as Loo's picture above, this shot is one from a series while he rolled around on our bed. Of course, testing out the new camera! LOL!

I took both of these photos with a Nikon D50. Did you participate? Let me know, so I can pay you a visit!

It's Been Fun & Busy . . .

2006-03-29T21:58:00.000+08:00

. . . since Dada came home! Loo & Loco are having a blast with him. Here are a few pictures, I'll write more soon (I promise!):

Loo & Dada snuggling on the gameroom couch

Dada bought Loo a glow-in-the-dark baseball bat and ball. Here she is trying to get a good hit off of it. Right now, she only tries one or two times and gets frustrated when she misses it! It is so cute to see her competitiveness come out, just like Dada & Mama :)

This picture of Loo in her Dora Jeep has a funny story! First, Mama keeps the battery out of it, so she can't drive it unmonitored b/c this is how she drives . . . she guns it and lets go of the wheel screaming with delight like a madwoman! It is so funny to watch. Originally, she did this b/c she didn't know how to steer, now she does it for amusement. Nothing stands a chance with her and she crashes into everything! Then, she gets out of the jeep and physically moves it to point it in the direction she wants to go next (it is cool how strong she is).
Here's the happy boy relaxing in his bouncy. This past week, he has been pretty miserable b/c his teeth are coming up. One of his favorite things to teeth on is Mama or Dada's face, more specifically our chins - ouch!

Cookie Monsters

2006-03-25T14:38:00.000+08:00

Dada came home today, safe and sound! Everyone is very happy, especially Loo. She is definitely becoming an official Daddy's Girl :)Tonight after dinner, we had some cookies. The sprinkle ones were decorated by Loo and Dada. She taught him how to push it and roll it in the sprinkles . . . she's a professional, having done it once herself before - LOL!

Dada was amazed at how big Loco is getting! Tonight Loco was laughing and "talking" to Dada. It only took him a few minutes to warm-up and then there was no stopping him.

Hopefully, later today, I will be able to find some time to post some more pictures of them from Friday. Miss D took a vacation day, so Mama was home with them all day. We had a lot of fun and have pictures to prove it :) HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

Mama's Trick For Teething . . . Spoons!

2006-03-23T12:47:00.000+08:00

Do you know how hard it is to feed a baby that is teething?Loco has a habit of stealing the spoon, so he can chew on it and is already trying to feed himself - little overachiever! In order to feed him dinner, I need to bring at least three infant spoons to the table. However, I have a trick that I made-up with Loo that is working for him, too:

- Take a large glass and fill it with ice cubes and water (makes a good drink to go with your dinner)
- Put 3 or more large soup spoons in the glass to get cold
- Give one to the baby for teething purposes
- He/she will eventually drop it on the floor - no big deal
- When the fussing begins (again) or the baby tries to steal the feeding spoon, give them another cold spoon
- Repeat as necessary :)
NOTE: It helps to have another small glass with ice/water holding a spoon or two for any big brothers/sisters. Though Loo is not teething, she wants in on the "fun" and loves to eat crushed ice!There you have it! Mama's unique trick for dealing with teething at the dinner table. If you want to see some pictures of Loco demonstrating how easy it is, click on the Flickr badge below to view them.

www.flickr.com

All of Loo's Faces . . .

2006-03-20T11:48:00.000+08:00

Click on any picture below to see them all at Flickr:

www.flickr.com

Green Beauties!

2006-03-18T12:00:00.000+08:00

Before dinner on Friday night, I was trying on the new camera to see how it did with action. Try getting these two to sit still for a picture and you will definitely get an "action shot"! Here are the green monsters - oh, I meant green beauties!The pictures always start out calm enough and then Loco starts to wiggle like crazy! When this happens, Loo tried to hold him still or pick him up - this is funny to watch. Below, when she was trying to sit him back up, Loco decided to take a bite out of her arm - OUCH!In the shot below, Loo discovered the strap for the camera and was trying to pull on it while I was taking a shot. This taught me too things: 1) Put the strap around my neck with them, b/c you never know what they are going to do. You can see that Loco was really amused and eyeing it to teeth on, too. 2) The camera takes great shots even when I am wrestling away from a toddler! I love how they are still in focus and her hand is all blurry!

Mama's New Camera!

2006-03-18T07:30:00.000+08:00

It arrived on Wednesday! Can you tell I am happy?
Notice where it was made? Dada must have overseen its production . . . wow, he really loves Mama - LOL!
I had a blast taking pictures of lots of things around our house, but had the most fun with the kids! Here are a few of my favorite shots:
I don't know why this picture rotated when I uploaded it; however, he looks so cute, I decided to keep it! Please lean your head to the right a little, there you go . . .Loo wanted in on the action, too, and requested that I take her picture! Of course, I had no problem agreeing b/c I love to take her picture :) When I told her that Daddy got me this new camera, she informed me (and Dada, since we were chatting online) that she wanted him to buy her a princess camera! I have been teaching her how to take pictures and she seems to be enjoying herself.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2006-03-18T06:11:00.000+08:00

KISS ME! I'M IRISH!

Zoo Madness!

2006-03-15T12:30:00.000+08:00

Today, we made our big trip downtown to the Houston Zoo. It was a mad house! Every year we do the same thing, go to the zoo on one of the busiest days of the year. Note to self - do not do this next year - LOL! Hopefully, that will not be a problem b/c we purchased the family membership today and can go anytime and anyday; therefore, not leaving us to be tempted to go during the busiest times. We can only stay for an hour or two and feel like we aren't wasting the admission price. Plus, they let you take cooler and food in the park (rare these days - I was surprised), so we can picnic and not blow money on the junk food there. Today I paid $5.25 for a small amount of fries and two (yes, 2) chicken tenders - rip off!

These shots are a few of my favorites. You can see all the fun here on Snapfish.

First stop - the carousel. I figured putting this shot up would make Sher laugh b/c she was so proud to catch me making a face at her!

Here we are in the Children's Zoo area. I had just got done successfully nursing and feeding Loco fruit and squash in public (Aunt S was his "high chair" and we remained pretty clean) - a difficult task to complete with that many distractions!

Loco had a great time watching everything in the Snugli. Here Loo is trying to kiss him all over with her cold, blue lips from a huge popsicle.

Aaaahhhh . . . time for a nap! How can that be comfortable?

Loo made it really hard for me to give her a piggy back ride b/c she pushed all my hair over my eyes!

Houston, We Have A Tooth!

2006-03-14T11:00:00.000+08:00

Someone is happy . . . I know it's hard to see, but I promise it's there! Loco's first tooth officially "showed" itself today and broke through the gums.

Finally!

He has been teething on everything (including Brutus). Click on the images below to enlarge.

Let The Negotiations Begin!

2006-03-14T10:10:00.000+08:00

What do these cookies represent?Loo's first successful attempt at negotiations. After already receiving a three cookie snack, she asked for more cookies . . .

Mama: "You can have one more cookie."

Loo: "Two. How about two cookies?"

Mama: "You can have one and a half."

Loo: "Ooooookay. Let's go downstairs!"

While downstairs, after she receive her rations, she looked over at the cookie that I was eating, "Mama, can I have a bite of yours?" as she leaned over and chopped one!

Smart girl, real smart. So, she got one and a half, plus one large bite - LOL!

Loo's Yogurt Drinks!

2006-03-13T11:00:00.000+08:00

Tonight, Loo requested that I take pictures of her drinking her yogurt drink . . . Why?
I don't know! but, she was having a good time "modeling" the drink. The funny thing is that she never says (unless corrected) the Y in yogurt. It is always "Mama, can I have a OOOOgurt drink" - too cute! So, since she wanted this and I tell about the every-day, average-joe things here . . . I blogged it!The picture to the left is of the shirt she was wearing tonight (click on picture to enlarge). I love shirts that have cute sayings on it like these, so does Dada - he bought her this one! Since she has grown so much, this is the last time she will wear this shirt. I am sad to see a lot of her 4T stuff go b/c it is so cute and has a lot of memories. Some of her favorites that will disappear, when she is not looking, include her Super Girl shirt, all of her tank tops from last summer, and a few other shirts like this. I think if I kept them for Loco to pass down, he might get a lot of strange looks wearing them in a few years . . . LOL!

Underdog - Up, Up, & Away!

2006-03-13T07:30:00.000+08:00

Funny how kids and parents don't always agree on things. . .

For example, Loo thinks that I don't spend enough time giving her underdogs, even though she is outside screaming at the top of her lungs for them every hour. And Mama thinks that if Loo asks for one more that she is going to go crazy! I found myself cursing the new playset a few times this weekend - LOL!

This morning, immediately after breakfast, she went outside and probably woke up the whole neighborhood calling to me to come and give her underdogs. The request went something like this . . .

From outside on the swing, "UNDERDOG!" "Mama, I want Underdog!"

Then when she realizes after a minute or two of repeating those, she comes up the sliding glass door and yells from outside, "Mama, please, por favor, I want an underdog. Will you come outside?"

Her timing is never good, this morning I was feeding Loco breakfast and she wanted me outside. Needless to say, Loco got to swing a lot outside today. This way we could feed Loo's underdog addiction.

Why did I ever show her what those are?

Teething On Brutus

2006-03-13T00:00:00.000+08:00

BUSTED! This little wiggle worm worked his way across the gameroom to Brutus. When I turned around, I caught him teething (more like attempting to) on Brutus' foot. Gross! Loco was really enjoying himself and kept trying to sneak in another bite or two when I wasn't looking! (I see his sense-of-humor starting to come out! Look how funny he thinks he is!)

The funny thing is that I remember catching Loo doing the same thing when she was his age - it must be a right of passage in our house - LOL!

From what I can tell, his bottom teeth are getting ready to break through. It shouldn't be long now! And I hope for Brutus' sake that they come soon :)

Silly Saturday

2006-03-12T11:43:00.000+08:00

What a great day! It started off with everyone sleeping in a little 7 a.m. versus 6 a.m. and the kids snuggling on the couch. I just had to post the series of pictures I took from their snuggle. The second one with Loco making a face is so funny! I just wonder what was going through his head?

"Stop smashing my head, Loo!"
"Oh, gosh - please don't leave me here with her!"
"Loo - don't drop me!"

"Mama - help me! I am afraid she is going to do that high-pitch squeel in my ear, again!"

"Do you smell something? It wasn't me!"

It is funny, look at Loo's face in that picture she is so happy just snuggling him, obvious to the fact that he is having a freaked out moment!

Loo decided that she wanted to be a princess today and that this hat made her one.

Being the comedian that she is, here she is showing off her silly faces. If Papaw J thought her mouth was open wide when she got her ears pierced, he will really be laughing now!

Loo has a blast trying to get Loco to laugh. The thing that is her favorite to do is fake sneeze with a big, high pitched "Ah, Ah, Ah, Choooooooo". He cracks up almost everytime :) Now that he is getting older and reacts to her, she is really enjoying playing with him (hence the peek-a-boo pose on the right)! Today we all played hide-and-seek together, Loco and I worked together with him on my hip.

More Sleeping Pics!

2006-03-10T19:44:00.000+08:00

It is amazing what positions children can manipulate their body into while they sleep. For example, look at Loo from this morning: That does not look very comfortable to me, but if she is sleeping - I am happy! The last few nights she has been showing her true "night owl" colors and is going to drive me insane. I keep asking her why she doesn't want to sleep, her response, "I don't want to" or "I want to play" or "I am hungry" or "I want to watch a movie"! "GIRL - it is 10:30 p.m. - go to sleep!" is Mama's usual response after she has done all the other things for the past three hours.

Does anyone have any advice?

Then, there is the King of Sleep, Loco! After nursing this morning, I laid him down for a few minutes to take a shower. Right before I jumped in, I came into our bedroom to see this:Anyone in Dada's family or that is a past roommate should be laughing right now! This is exactly how he sleeps with one leg over a blanket on his side (minus the carrots on his socks and shirt) - how funny! Loco is becoming more and more like his Dada everyday - it is so sweet to watch :)

Sometimes I Just Want To Eat Him . . .

2006-03-10T19:28:00.000+08:00

Last night, Loco must have been really tired! I laid him down to give Loo a bath, since she was really grungy and needed to be first. He was fussy, so I throw a blanket beside him (and half way over his face) and he was in heaven. Immediately he started to suckle like Loo use to do with her thumb and passed out. As you can see from the picture, he didn't even make it into pajamas - LOL!He was supposed to take a bath next, but I thought I would let him sleep and he did until 4:30 a.m. like a good baby! I couldn't resist getting some shots of his little hands and feet while he was unconscious. They are so cute - I just want to eat him up! If you notice the details, he even has some carrots by his nails and cute, but deadly little nails. I feel sorry for him . . . we know he has no chance of avoiding getting our big feet! Unfortunately, all of those shots came out blurry. The good news is that Dada is getting Mama a new camera with his frequent flyer miles - a professional-level camera - yipee! Look out kiddos, if you think I take a lot of pictures of you now . . . just wait! Those close-ups will not be a problem soon :) Thanks, honey!

Family Visit

2006-03-09T11:28:00.000+08:00

Tonight Papa D, Aunt S, Cousin D, & Cousin M came over to visit. Aunt S finally had a night off from work and wanted to see Loco boy! Really the whole thing started b/c Papa D was craving Krystals (like White Castle) burgers and I work right next to one. So, I picked up two "steamer packs" of sliders on the way home for everyone. Papa D was in heaven (he better be appreciate b/c now Mama's mini-van stinks like them - LOL)!!!!!

S and I really need to stop reproducing b/c it is getting harder and harder to pose for a picture with more children! There never seemed to be a time when everyone was looking at the camera, so these pictures are the best we got . . . Can you say distracted? We can't get them to look all at once, even with Papa dancing around holding the camera! In the top pic S is physically turning D's head to look at the camera :)Our princess was very happy to have her cousins visit (& to show off her playset to M) and cried when they left. Hopefully, we will see then all again soon!

Early Exposure To The Arts!

2006-03-08T12:08:00.000+08:00

Mama had to go up to work last night (Monday) for an Open House with her department. Since she was away from the kids all day and had no major responsibilities at the event, Loo & Loco got to come along. It never ceases to amaze me how much people L.O.V.E our kids, especially their big blue eyes! Loo looked very pretty and wanted to dress up "like a princess" for the occasion. She is posing for Dada below with her new necklace and bracelet and freshly painted purple nails.In the cafeteria (where all the booths were located), she had a blast - clapping with the choir, dancing to the band video, hanging out with the Lariettes (dancers), petting rabbits, and eating free apples, cookies, and candy . . . a three-year-old's dream! Loco was a hit with everyone, too! He was pasted from person-to-person and barely fussed. Most of the time, he was laughing and smiling. Many of the students told me they were going to steal him and take him home b/c he was so cute (not necessarily funny). Since half of Mama's staff (she is the department chair) was there, they were happy to have a chance to see both kids. Most were, of course, amazed at how big Loco was already and couldn't believe what a performer Loo is already!
We had a great time and I was really happy for them to be around so many different arts. Loo really loved to look at the paintings and was invited to dance camp with the Lariettes (even though she is younger than the age group - "membership has its privileges")!The Theatre Director even volunteered for Loo to try on costume wigs, too. I thought Loo might have been afraid b/c it covered half her face, but she loved it! You can see more pics here.

Before & After

2006-03-06T09:43:00.000+08:00

This weekend, Loo went over to Stewbie's house while I was cleaning and getting ready for my Pampered Chef party. She went over with barely combed hair, the usual first thing in the morning with it curling and sticking up everywhere and came home with two beautiful french braids. Mama is going to have to learn how to do that again! It looked great :)
She wouldn't let me get a shot of the full back! But, as you can tell below . . . had no problems letting me take pictures of it after I took them out tonight. Her hair was very kinky after having braids for a day and a half! She thought it looked funny in the mirror and was "shakin' her curls" with force (look at her hold the door frame)!

Weekend Fun - Arts & Crafts Time!

2006-03-06T03:00:00.000+08:00

Mama tries to be good and do at least one artist thing a day with Loo. Sometime is just color or paint (one of her new favorite things), other times we make necklaces, and today we decorated Brutie's new treat jar. It was a lot of fun and Mama had to help Loo understand that it was okay to spread the stickers out! She has a habit of wanting to put them all right by or on top of each other - LOL!Brutie is a vegetarian, not by choice, and is hard to find treats for. Hopefully, these new ones don't make him itch b/c Loo is having fun giving them to him after he performs "tricks" for her!A job well done with patience deserves a Tootsie Roll Pop!

Morning Fun in PJ's

2006-03-05T22:30:00.000+08:00

These are two really happy kids and love each other's company!

T.G.I.F. - We love Fridays!

2006-03-04T12:08:00.000+08:00

Yes, there have been some changes to the template (Loo seems to like them - see above - ha!). I wanted something simple and bold, so we are giving this one a try. Tomorrow I will work on changing the colors to something that represents us more . . . a.k.a. blue or some shade of it!This week has been so busy for us and the kids are doing great! Loco has not been sleeping as well as usual and has been waking up a little bit after I put him down fussing. Teething - I know I have said this before, but that must be the answer :) Loo has been stubborn (what a surprise) and uncooperative about going to bed. This always happens after Dada leaves!

Tonight, I went a little crazy on the pictures - we were having fun. Enjoy!

Loco was trying to eat the camera and kept pulling my hand with the camera in it closer! He is getting better at maneuvering and manipulating to get what he wants. Smart little boy, already!

Loco relaxing and watching Loo dance around to entertain him before dinner. We have another male in the house that likes to relax in that same position watching television! Any guesses on who it is? I'll give you a hint, it is not this guy:

By the way, dinner was good. Loco really, really, really loves green beans!

Can you tell?

We Miss Dada!

2006-03-02T13:13:00.000+08:00

Your "cookie face, junior" misses you a lot! Boo Boo Bear does, too! Of, course . . . Mama does, three!

Loo's Earrings - It's Gonna Hurt!

2006-02-27T00:32:00.000+08:00

Yesterday (Saturday) we took a family "field trip" to the mall for Loo. She has been requesting for several days to get her ears pierced like her friend C and Mama! It is so sweet :<) For the last several days, we have been preparing her for the process. Dada kept telling her that it was going to hurt and she kept denying it saying, "No, Dada, it won't hurt." Well, I think now she knows that her Dada tells the truth - LOL! Enjoy the picture show . . . it wasn't as bad as it looks, but the crying was loud for a minute or so. After we were done getting them pierced, we treated her to playing in new play area and some pretzel bites. The pain and suffering of getting them done was a distant memory! Here she is trying to show them to me for a picture, but it is hard to get them both in the shot!As soon as we got home, she wanted her hair in pigtail and showed them off to all our neighborhood friends!

Here 'R' Loo's Favorite Letters

2006-02-24T12:02:00.000+08:00

Coming to you live from her happy, little three-year-old fingers with her comments as she types (even though she should be in bed!):

LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL - "For Loo (insert real name)!"
DDDDDDDDDDD - "For my Dada."
GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG - "Grrrrr. I'm strong!"

EEEEEEEEEEEEEE - "For a cow" - ummm...that's interesting Loo.

YYYYYYYYYY - "Mama, I want to push Y, I want to push Y."

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ - from Mama, "This is what you should be doing!"
BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB - "I want to push B for my Brutus."
PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP - "That one goes pop, pop, pop. For my Loco boy."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO - "O for you, Mom." Maybe it should be for Oreo's? See top picture!
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM - "M for you, Mom! That letter is for you!"

Oh, yeah . . . I must report that Dada and Loo survived a trip to Walmart together to get her some blue fingernail polish at her request. Dada bought it and Mama painted her fingers and toes. She is so happy and proud of them :)

Playset Fun! It's Officially Finished . . .

2006-02-24T11:44:00.000+08:00

The playset is officially done (as of 2/15)! Loo is very happy and has invited everyone she knows over to play :) Here are some pictures of the finished product:

Loo with Dada and PP (our biggest helper)!

The swings are so fun! Loo loves underdogs - remember those?

There are a lot of cool things on it!
I see tons of laughter and fun in our future.

What's Happening With The Kids?

2006-02-16T02:28:00.000+08:00

Well, since Dada has been home, we haven't been writing as much or posting pictures! Today, I fill you in on how the kiddos are doing via pictures . . .

LOO LOO

Still loves being a big sister and sometimes loves on Loco too much! We caught her the other day grabbing his hand to turn towards him and he got upset. They are both independent and I can tell already he is not going to let her push him around - LOL!

She loves to dress-up in the outfits she got for Christmas from Papaw & Gma B (above she is pictured in her wedding dress minus the vail that she fondly refers to as her princess dress). Recently, she discovered the fun of painting and loves to create beautiful pictures for us.

For Valentine's Day, Dada bought Loo & Mama new aprons. This was inspired by the aprons that Aunt G sent from Atlanta for Christmas. She loves to wear them and wants to cook. Loo is a professional at making scrambled eggs (even adds milk to them) and pre-mixed cookies (our time is limited)! Loo's apron has hearts, spatulas, muffin pans, oven mits, etc. on it and Mama's says, "Kiss the Chef". I think this might be the first picture of me on the blog and I am not looking my best :)

BABY BOY LOCO

He is loving cereal and has been eyeing other food, too! Now that he has entered the grab everything stage, he is helping himself to anything he can reach. I was laughing at him in this picture, b/c he was just being a mess eating and getting it all over him. He grabs the spoon and tries to feed himself - it ends up everywhere!

This week, he was put on an antibiotic to help clear up his cold; unfortunately, he has been sick for over two weeks with little improvement. I was talking the other day with Miss D and we both agreed that he is laughing and smiling more b/c he is just getting used to being sick and dealing with it - how sad! Is seems that the ammoxicillin is working and he should be better soon. As shown above, when he passed out in his activity center, he has been sleeping a lot to fight it off!

Playset Update

2006-02-15T12:10:00.000+08:00

It is almost officially done! Really, it is done, but the shade material needs to be put on it for it to be declared official! Loo loves it and has been inviting everyone she knows over to play. Today on the way home from Miss D's, she informed me that she invited one of her friends from daycare over to play and that she said yes - LOL! Talk about taking charge :) She is so proud of her new swing set that her Daddy built for her. She keeps talking about them and wanted to play on Monday morning outside at 6:30 - that is definitely a happy girl . . .

When she first went up on it, she kept saying, "Whoa! This is high!" and wouldn't stand up!

A big thank you goes out to PP for helping Saturday and Sunday. We (I mean Dada) could never have gotten it done in a timely fashion without his help. Also, C & Stewbie came over on Sunday evening to assist with the monkey bar section. At one point Dada & Mama were going to try and put it up by themselves with the help of a latter and two wooden horses, but then we got smart and had a reality check! I think exhaustion temporarily took over our better judgment . . . HA!

Before the project began . . .

During the fun . . .

Loo's first trial run playing . . .

More pictures in a day or two when it is "officially" complete!

Time Slipped Away!

2006-02-14T03:41:00.000+08:00

I realized, oops, I haven't posted on the family blog lately! If we have a regular audience (Hi Mom!) then I need to write and post some pictures to keep you coming back for more :)

Time has flewn by since Thursday! Dada came home that night and we are all having a blast together. This weekend, we broke down and finally bought a playset for the backyard! All last year we "window shopped" and priced the different types and ways to build one. While at Costco on Saturday we saw a great one there! It was hard to not buy it on the spot and to force ourselves to go home and think it through. I think it took us only five minutes to confirm that it was a good buy and that we wanted it!

Loo loves it already! She played on it several times yesterday, even though it wasn't 100% complete, and had a blast! I will merge/post some pictures to go with when I get home . . . check back tonight or tomorrow morning!

She Likes To Move It!

2006-02-08T09:43:00.000+08:00

Today at the doctor's office (to be sure that Loco was okay), Loo would not be quiet! She loves talking to Dr. K when he is in the room and is very hyper. One of her favorite parts from Madagscar is when they are dancing in the forest singing, "I like to move it, move it - I like to . . . move it!" She is a hoot when she starts dancing and singing this. So, she decided that Dr. K needed to hear this song and kept singing (yelling) it! I finally got her to calm down and quit yelling . . . it was funny!

Aren't children's memories amazing? In early December, we took Loo shopping with the camera to pick out things she would like from Santa. Then Dada took a picture of it to, "send to Santa". One of this things Loo picked out was a Doctor Care Bear that came with a stethoscope and other doctoral items. Well, Mama never bought this specific present for her and she didn't miss it or notice b/c she had tons of stuff from Christmas that stretched over three weeks . . .

I did however, in the spirit of this gift, buy her a doctor kit. However, I hid it on top of our closet and forgot about it! Go figure :) So, the other day, I accidentally knocked it down when getting something off the shelf and left it lying on the floor (always in a rush to get to work)! Tonight was Loo's special day - it was like Christmas all over, b/c she found the doctor kit on the floor (that is what she is saying in the audioBlog) and was very excited.

Since she remembered the one with the Care Bear and has plenty Care Bears of her own, she ran and got a few to use as patients. Could this be sign of her future? Who knows! All I know is that she loves her pediatrician and is a very caring person. Now, if she could just prescribe Mama some good drugs to clear up her sinus infection, we would be good!

I know I mentioned before that we think Loco is teething. Well, you should see him go to town on his activity center's butterfly. (I know, very manly!) He is very serious when it comes to eating it and gets upset when he can't nibble on it just right.

Dr. K said that he just has a really bad cold, but to call later in the week if I am still worried. Hopefully, it will continue to get better and not turn into something worse. Two of the girls at day care are really sick, one with bronchitis and the other with phenomenon. Plus, the several others are on prescription medicine to clear-up what they have. This is a really nasty virus . . .

The Smile Is Back!

2006-02-06T08:57:00.000+08:00

After several rough days and a lot of crying yesterday (which is not normal) - Loco has found his smile, again :) Today, he was smiling up a storm . . . Thank God!Mama was getting really worried about him. I think last night was the worst of it, b/c every time I laid him down to sleep he got upset. So, he spent a peaceful night sleeping upright in the swing. Today, he has already taken two naps laying down and had no difficulties. We had an incredibly low-key and lazy weekend - of course, it's not really lazy when all three of you are sick! The only time we left the house was to go visit Papa D & Cousin D forty minutes away and a couple of times across the street to Stewbie's house. Papa really needed a haircut and Mama is his barber :) Loo and D played, but not together - they are not quite at the age where they enjoy each other's company! She wants to do one thing and he wants to do another - two years makes a big difference for them!

Four days until Dada comes home . . . we love you and can't wait until you are here!

Friday's Pictures . . .

2006-02-05T05:47:00.000+08:00

For some reason, the post I put up yesterday is now gone. I should have guessed this would happen b/c I was having so many problems with Blogger last night. Oh, well! I am not rewriting it . . . here's the summary:

We're still sick, but trying a new medicine and went to the mall yesterday for pretzels and playing.

Before it got too busy, Loco sat in the boat with Loo at the play area.

While playing Loo stood at the top of the waterfall slide and yelled, "People, I'm the Queen of the waterfall!" If was so funny :) The weird part was that no one else was paying attention; if they were , they didn't even crack a smile at this show of confidence!

When it was time to go, she tried to hide and kept asking for, "Ten more minutes!" She knows how to get what she wants, but it didn't work this time - LOL!

Before we left the mall (after only shopping at Old Navy - dangerous), Loo asked to ride one of the roller coaster simulators with rides from Cedar Point! Dada really wants to take her up to ride the real thing one day . . . She is a big-time thrill seeker and you would think she was on the real thing the way she screamed yesterday!

We're All Sick!

2006-02-02T09:27:00.000+08:00

Both kiddos have been sick all week and now Mama is sick, too! I was hoping to avoid it. Oh, well. Here are a few pictures of them. Hopefully, I will feel like writing more soon :)

ABC's Loo Style . . .

2006-01-31T11:14:00.000+08:00

Well, she doesn't sing the ABC's perfect, but sounds really cute doing it! Here is our first try using the audioBLOGGER. Click the link below to hear Mama & Loo over the internet - it is really cool! We'll work on the volume level when Loo talks and the "prank-caller", heavy breathing in the future - LOL!

Tonight, was a good night! Both kiddos are fighting a cold and have been pretty miserable. Loco's nose has never run so much and he is drooling like a maniac! I know he is a little congested, but I swear a majority of this is teething! He was a trooper for a few pictures. How can the little guy look so sick and cute in the same shot?

Loo still was covered with band-aids, after an active day at Miss D's house. I was able to convince her to take a bath by promising if any of them fell off that we would get new ones. Where did this obsession come from?!!?

These pictures might be blackmailing material later in life! I can just imagine her in high school when she brings a boyfriend over to meet us . . . hahaha! That would be cruel, but fun :)
We would like to take a moment to welcome the newest addition to our family: Elisabeth Gabriella was born on Friday at 12:43 p.m., now Ame has her long-awaited baby sister! Loo & Loco can't wait to meet her soon :) Aunt Lauren did a great job and everyone is doing well (we hear from Gma Jacki) . . . we can't wait to see pictures up on your website soon! Congrats to Uncle Maury, too!

Also, we would like to thank those of you that have left comments! Please keep coming back and sharing your thoughts with us. We chose this format, b/c it is interactive and want to hear what you think!

True Love!

2006-01-30T12:10:00.000+08:00

They really love each other . . . It is so sweet to watch!

Band-Aid Queen

2006-01-30T12:03:00.000+08:00

It all started with just one . . .

Loo is not physically hurt, but obsessed with band-aids. In order to break herself from sucking her thumb, she put a band-aid on it regularly for a month. To help the process, Mama put several boxes of band-aids around the house.

This weekend, she felt the need to "put a band-aid on it" for everything. I could have sneezed on her and she would have run for one. After I took these pictures, I saw two or three new ones within ten minutes - I think her elbow had five on it by the end of the day. Last night, I had to force her to take a bath, b/c she didn't want all her band-aids to come off!

Oh, my goodness :)

I guess we should by stock in Johnson & Johnson, Inc. in hopes of earning some of our money back! LOL!

In the end the total pictured is nine. I don't want to count them now, it would make me sad to see so much waste!

Healthy & Strong!

2006-01-28T10:30:00.000+08:00

Today was Loco's Four Month "Well Baby" Check-up. Time is flying!

He is doing great:
17 lbs. 6.5 oz. (90th Percentile)
25 inches long (50th Percentile)

He received four shots and has not been able to stay awake! I guess he is like Mama & Dada and sleeps it off when feeling yucky. Dr. K said he looks great and told me he wasn't teething, yet. Yeah, right! We know better - he is working on something down there :) Three years ago when we went for Loo's four month, he said the same thing and two weeks later she popped out her first tooth...we'll just wait and see if history repeats itself!

Notice the blanket by his face? Loco loves to sleep with something over his face. Sometimes I worry, but he is so peaceful and happy! Here are a few other pictures of his favorite way to sleep:

This picture (above) is from a few nights ago. Mama laid him down to go draw a bath for him and came back three minutes later to this - passed out cold - LOL!

These pictures were taken after Christmas in Kansas City. He loves this bear! Especially to sleep with . . .

. . . obviously, he doesn't want to be bothered!

Breakfast For Dinner - Isn't It Great!?!?

2006-01-26T10:37:00.000+08:00

Tonight we went across to Stewbie's house to have dinner with her and the chicks. Two Mama's can whip up one mighty, good breakfast. The girls were in heaven and ate like champs!

Afterwards they played, while we chatted. I tried to line them up for a picture, since we will be talking about them a lot b/c they are Loo's Best Friends. Also, it is funny to see the size comparison between the three of them. The "mug shot line-up" is: C - 2, Loo - 3, & J - 4! Notice the size difference between C & Loo! Stew and I were cracking up b/c Loo is only ten months older than her . . . you can say we produce large children and those two girls are petite :)

This one is the best . . .

Loco relaxed and had a good time watching them run around. Him & J had some one-on-one time b/c she was being really crabby and playing with him really cheered her up. I tell you - Loco is already a "Ladies' Man" and a charmer! Watch out girls . . . this one's gonna be a heart-breaker like his big sister!!!!

Conversations With Loo

2006-01-25T11:33:00.000+08:00

Having a three-year-old in the house lends itself to interesting conversation topics! Whenever we are in the "new car" (as Loo calls Mama's mini-van), we always have some of the most entertaining conversations. Here are a few for your entertainment:

L: Mama, I have to go to Miss D's tomorrow.
Ma: Yes, baby, Mama has to work, again.
L: C chases me and I have to go to timeout b/c I cry
(Note: C is one year younger & half her size)
Ma: Loo, you need to get over that! You are bigger than her, shouldn't be afraid, and can tell her what to do. Look at her and tell her to stop!
(Some day I will regret this conversation)
L: Ohhhhh, that's a good idea!

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L: We're going home to see my Daddy!
Ma: No, sorry, Daddy is still at work.
L: [whining] No, I want my Daddy home. I have been to Miss D's house two days and Daddy should be home. We need to go to the airport to pick him up.
Ma: Sorry, baby. Two more weeks...
L: (As we drive past the corner w/Sonic) Can we get some "slushy juice"?
Note: I guess a drink from Sonic solves all problems!

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L: (Looking in the sliding glass door at herself) I am sweet, beautiful, and smart!

Gotta LOVE that self-confidence :)

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L: Baby Loco - I love you! Do you love me?

She loves being a big sister and is really enjoying him now that he is interacting with her, too!

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One of Loo's favorite games to play is "Make A ______ Face" - here are a few of her face out to the side. In the bottom one, she is crossing her eye - that is a new thing she does. I have no clue where she got it from, but she thinks it is really funny. Do you think she would understand the Mommy threat, "Don't do that or your eyes will get stuck that way?"?!!? LOL!

Tonight we went up to Mama's school for "Teacher Appreciation Night" with the boy's basketball program. Our children draw so much attention at school events :) Everyone always comments on Loo's big blue eyes and her personality. She was hamming it up tonight and dancing with the cheerleaders. Loco was a ladies' man, being passed from cheerleader-to-cheerleader for googling - someday he will enjoy this story!

Open Up & Say Aaahhh...

2006-01-24T09:23:00.000+08:00

This past weekend, Loco tried cereal for the first time! Even though his four-month "Well Baby" visit isn't until Friday, we wanted Daddy to be home for the first spoon full. It was a family event: Mama feeding, Dada taking pictures, Loo by his side (showing him how to chew), and Brutus pacing the room!

He was cautious at first and didn't know what to do, since he has only known "boobie milk" up to this point. Once the first few spoonfuls were done, he was grabbing my hand and shoveling more in. Without a doubt, he is a very happy baby :)

Saturday morning Loo and Mama went to Cool Cuts 4 Kids to get her hair cut. She had a great time playing with the trains and was a good girl getting her hair cut! Of course, having a princess video playing in front of her helped. After we were done, we walked to Starbuck's and she "worked it" shaking her curls and fishing for compliments. It was a lot of fun :)

Oh, yeah . . . Loco loves to watch football - go figure! Him & Dada had a good time watching the play-offs this weekend. "My boys" are so cute together :)

How To Comment

2006-01-24T08:30:00.000+08:00

Hello Family & Friends...

For many of you, this will be the first time that you have seen a "blog". This is a growing trend and a quick, easy way for our family to communicate with all of you. Please comment when you visit, so we know you are here (please don't use our real names in the message)! When you click on the #_comments link at the bottom of each post, it will take you to a page with a box to record your message and three identity options:

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Welcome To Our Family Blog!

2006-01-24T05:27:00.000+08:00

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Blogs We Are Related To . . .

2005-12-31T14:00:00.000+08:00

Grandma Jacki in Chicago
Aunt Sher in Houston