Category: News

When we went to Dr. Hutson for Paige’s 4 month check-up we ended up deciding to (try to) start feeding her oatmeal and bananas (solely in an attempt to help quell the major digestive issues caused by both her formula and her acid).  Read:  I change her clothes multiple times daily and we can’t really take her out of the house to go anywhere that doesn’t have a changing station (which basically means other people’s houses and church) because things are so out of control in her bowels.

The point is?  We started trying to feed her oatmeal a couple of days ago.  You can see for yourself how it went…

Before:

Anticipation:

First bite:

Realization:

Further realization:

One:

Two:

Three:

Alright–let’s see if Gran has better luck:

“Oh, Mama!  I’m sure this will taste much better when Gran feeds it to me!”

“Oh, dear.”

I think this is my favorite shot:

“Oh, Mama!  Why did you let her do that to me?”

“Gran!  I trusted you!”

“I can’t believe you would betray me in such an egregious manner.”

“This tastes much better than that other stuff.”

“Gran!”

“Seriously!”

Gran tries the maybe-a-huge-smile-will-make-it-all-better approach:

Oh well…

“Oh Mama.  Stick a fork (or a spoon, as the case may be) in me, I’m done.”

Next up:  bananas!

In all fairness, I don’t really get to leave the house between Tuesday and Friday on a regular week but Matt does and Liam goes to preschool and with neither of those things happening things around here are starting to get a little nuttier than usual.  At least there were some fantastic photo ops in all of this…

Paige is unaffected by the craziness outside:

Liam’s all ready:

Obligatory measuring tape picture:

Let’s get this party started:

Step 1:

Step 2:

Step 3:

Step 4:

Step 5:

Step 6:

Step 7:

Final Product:

Monkey see, monkey snow angel:

Snowballs:

Bull’s Eye:

More snowballs:

More snow angels:

Wash, rinse, repeat:

Off to explore:

Once more for good measure:

Stripping down:

Me and my monkeys:

Preparing the path:

Liam takes his turn:

Things are a lot sunnier inside the house:

Liam’s new favorite game…

Take a chunk of ice:

Crack it over your head:

Fall to the ground:

Play dead:

Laugh hysterically:

Find another sheet of ice…

Start the process over again.  And again.  And again.

Liam’s first hot chocolate:

This is what happened when Matt asked Liam to smile with his mouth open:

Fingers crossed that we get out of the house before the weekend.  My food hoarding tendencies have helped us tremendously but even we won’t be in great shape by Saturday if this keeps up…

On the 8th, Liam and Matt and I headed to Athens to celebrate Lou/Granddad/GGDad’s 90th birthday.  Paige (and the camera) stayed at home with Gran and Granddaddy.  Here are some pictures I found on the camera when I got home:

Thanks for getting these, Gran!

On the 27th, Liam turned 3.  His birthday is always at the end of a marathon of gatherings and celebrations, but his birthday only comes once per year and we’re going to celebrate, dagnabbit!  It’s simultaneously hard to believe that it’s only been 3 years since we became parents and that there was ever a time when Liam wasn’t a part of our lives.  I guess that’s just how it works with these things.

It was Liam’s day and he wanted to start it with a little Chutes and Ladders:

This picture was taken just before an epic exchange that nearly resulted in Liam’s presents being given away to children who don’t have any presents.

I won’t go into the particulars but suffice it to say that it’s more than a little difficult to feel anything but frustration when you’re 3 years old and you’re given loads of fun things to play with and then asked to put them all aside in order to open more fun things to play with.  We eventually got past this bump in the road and Liam decided he’d like to open his birthday presents.

“It’s a car, Mama!”

“Thomas!”

Arches and columns and stairs, oh my!

Mama’s little monkey:

Apparently all we needed to get Liam to voluntarily take a bath was to give him new bath toys.

Shooting hoops:

Tub flutes:

When we asked Liam what he wanted for his birthday he told us “chocolate cake and pizza.”  That’s exactly what he got.  Thank goodness his Gran loves to bake!

“There’s a ‘3’ in the M&Ms!”

Firefighting birthday boy:

Firefighting Aunt G:

Dynamic duo:

When the birthday boy wants pizza, the birthday boy gets pizza.  Even if no one else is quite ready…

Liam gets down to business:

‘Mote control firetruck!

Velveteen Rabbit:

He’s still just as fascinated with this as he was when he first opened it:

Thomas stickers!

Pete the Cat (which he had memorized after 3 readings — the unmistakable mark of a fast favorite):

“Pete the Cat animal” (which is how he refers to this when he’s getting ready to go to bed…which he no longer does without Pete):

Cake!

Yay!

And so begins the saga of the blowing out of the candles…

Consternation:

Effort and anticipation:

If at first you don’t succeed…

Try…

…and try…

…and try…

…and try…

…but when in doubt?

Get a little help from Dad!

Hooray!

And now?  Let’s eat!

And the cake didn’t stop on Liam’s birthday.  The next week when he went back to school Gran came through again with cupcakes to share with his friends.

Liam wasn’t at all disappointed that there were some leftovers…

If deliciousness of a cupcake can be measured by the amount of mess a toddler can make with it…

(and I’m pretty sure that it can)

Then I think we can count this cupcake (and this birthday) a smashing success!

Okay, so these pictures are completely underwhelming in light of our recent snowfall, but it was the first White Christmas since sometime in the late 1800s so we took pictures.  Well, we actually didn’t take pictures until the 26th since the snow didn’t start falling until late on the 25th.  And to answer your question:  Yes, my children’s sleep is FAR more important than the first White Christmas in over 100 years.  So I took pictures on the morning of the 26th.  In our defense, we weren’t finished celebrating Christmas quite yet, so there’s that…

Getting geared up to go outside:

Braving the storm:

When fathers attack:

Determining the snowball createability index:

“Is the index too low, Dad?”

This might just be the cutest boy ever born.  I’m just sayin’.

I mean, come on.  Check out the face on this one!

Liam measures the snowfall success based on the amount of accumulation on top of the walkway lights:

And his conclusion?  Roaring success!

I have (literally) thousands of pictures to weed through over the next several days but for now I must sign off.  I know that tomorrow is a snow day and that that means I can sleep in.  Unfortunately, my children didn’t get the memo…

I’m obviously a little late on this one…

Our annual Christmas marathon was filled with lots of fun and family.  Here are the pictures we got from 4 of the 5 celebrations we were a part of (by the 5th we were so tired that we completely forgot to pull out the camera…oops).

Christmas #1 (12.24.10)

We must have been very, very good this year:

Apparently Santa left a stocking for Liam at Gran and Granddaddy’s house.  On the 24th.

The free Bob The Builder coloring book was a HUGE hit:

Matt sees it as his parental duty to take full advantage of this…

Liam finally realizes that there is a reindeer on his head:

Look Gran, it’s my footprint!

Gran love:

Liam begins on his path to fulfill Matt’s dream that he become a GP:

Giving Granddaddy a check-up:

Checking his own teeth:

Helping Greatdaddy:

“Whatchoo lookin’ at, Mama?”

Helping Greatmama:

Liam cracks open the dress-up box:

Trying on his spoils:

Connolly Firemen:

Three thumbs up:

Bob The Batman:

Matt’s not enjoying this at all…

“Oh, Wow!”

“I love GGMom’s bag!”

Bob and his Dad:

Liam The Builder:

He doesn’t look excited, does he?

Paige helps Gran open her present:

Bob works on the trolley track:

One of my favorite gifts:

What can I say?  The girl loves a good ribbon:

Bob works on the tree:

Greatmama and Greatdaddy open the biggest Shutterfly album ever:

Paige and Granddaddy:

Paige loves her present…but she loves her Gran more!

Liam introduces Paige to Sophie:

After three years of making do, I finally got a rain jacket!

The Cat In The Hat:

Christmas #2 (12.25.10):

More important than breakfast?  More important than stockings?  More important than eyes that are completely open?  That’s right: The Cat In The Hat.

Baby’s first Christmas (you can tell she’s psyched)!

Liam refused to check out his stocking until he was fully outfitted as Bob The Builder:

Bob helps Mama open her present:

“Hey, Mama!  You got a guitar!”

I’ll soon be dismayed to learn what it takes to properly play Indigo Girls songs, but at this moment I’m blissfully unaware:

Bob carefully inspects his gift tag:

Hot Wheels!

Christmas #3:

“Hey Ben!  Will you help me with this?”

“What’s up, Mama?”

Teapot!

The adorable factor here is kind of unbelievable…

Toe warmers!

Paige Bug:

Album unveiling #2:

Christmas #4:

Began with brie (as good things often do…):

And ended with cake (as great things must do…):

Funny footprints:

Paige and Pop:

Priceless:

Paige and Grammie:

Aunt G., Paige, and her Namibian twin:

Cutie Pie:

“I don’t know what this is yet, but I know I’m gonna like it!”

Superhero Chutes & Ladders (well played, Grammie & Pop, well played…):

The origin of Liam’s dance skills has long been a mystery.  No longer.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.