Fourteen Months (Oliver's Monthly Photo)

This little munchkin is fourteen months, but he thinks he's two or three.  He is everywhere his siblings are, doing everything he sees them do. 



He helps transfer clothes from the washer to the dryer.  He helps unload the dishwasher (by handing you the silverware, one piece at a time, with a sing-songy "duhhhh-DAH!" as if to say, "here ya GO!")  If there is trash to be taken out, he insists on dragging it (or trying to) himself.  And if you are trying to sweep or vacuum, just forget about it.  If you don't hand the broom over to him as soon as he sees it, you get to behold a truly moving display of furor and despair.  He is a toddler ahead of his time. 




That said, he is still our little cuddle bug.  Of the three kids, he is--by far--the most cuddly.  He will happily lie still and quiet if you are willing to rock him to sleep.  I think the other two got bored at this age.  They may not have wanted to go to bed, but they weren't willing (or able) to be still and quiet long enough to fall asleep in my arms. 



I think he has some molars growing in.  He does okay if he's dosed with Advil, but otherwise he wakes up screaming.  It's not the nicest way to wake up (for him or for us). 

He still loves water.  He's "meh" on milk.  But he adores water.  We use it as bait to get him to come to us sometimes. 




He is signing please, thank you, help, and all done very consistently now.  It's adorable.  Today he signed thank you without being prompted.  It was a happy, proud moment for me and for Daniel.  Bravo, Oliver!!




We love you, sweet boy.  I'm glad Elliot will have some company in the middle when Charlie is born, but Oliver, you sure make a cute youngest.  Live it up for the next 3 months! 
 

We love you. 

Playing in the Rain

This week we had a truly a nature-filled day. 




We started with a walk in the cool of the morning, cooled off with a swim in the heat of the day, and then enjoyed a splash-fest in a thunderstorm! 



In fact, the thunder began while we were still swimming, and the goggle lines hadn't fully faded from their faces when they began splashing in the rain. 




Elliot was not a fan of the thunder.  Nobody was, actually -- but Elliot is our ear-plugger. 



If he gets a little scared, the hands go over the ears right away.  Oliver did it for the first time the other day in a public restroom.  It was so cute.  I thought he was too young, but I guess not. 



"Watch me jump, mom!"





Oliver took a little spill in the puddle and got mud all over him.  Oops.



Elliot has turned into a screaming terrorist everyday at about 1pm.  It is absolutely miserable. 



This has to be what people meant when they (whoever they is) coined the term, "terrible twos".  It is truly just awful. 



It lasts until he's allowed up from his "rest time..." or sometimes just a bit longer.  Sometimes all day.  I am hoping that whatever has rocked his world soon settles down inside him and allows him to be a little more emotionally steady. 



He must feel like he's on a roller coaster.  It sure seems that way from the outside.  He vacilates between giving sweet kisses and saying I love you to looking us full in the face and screaming that he wanted to (fill in the blank here).  It's so draining.  I hope 3 is better.


Oliver has been much more communicative, which has been helpful. 


 He is still our little screech-owl and still screams shrilly sometimes when he is unhappy or wants attention. 
 

But he is eager to sign, if he can, to get what he wants. 
 

And if I ask him--for example--"What?  Do you want a drink?"  He'll immediately sign please.  That is a huge improvement.     



Lucy and I are plugging away at reading. 
 

She enjoys her little reading lessons, though I'm struggling to find a time to do them, now that Elliot made nap time more difficult.



I love her freckles.



"Mommy, now me!  Lemme see my boo eyes!" (said Elliot)



 Guess we need to get Oliver some rain boots. 



Although he did fine, barefoot with no rain coat.  It was actually in the 80's... so not cold, at all. 


 But we still enjoyed some hot cocoa after coming in and getting bathed, dried off, and dressed.

First Day of School. But Not For Us.

Most of our friends are starting school today.  I'm reading through Facebook posts full of emotional moms who have shared cute pictures of their pigtailed darlings, holding signs announcing their new grade level. 

And although I know God's grace will be sufficient when that scary day comes, I am mostly just so darn glad it's not me today. 

We started the day in the triple stroller with a 3.4 mile walk, admiring the ducks along the creek, the fire trucks, and the garbage truck turning into people's alleys.  Elliot kept remarking on the "terrible smell" from the garbage truck.  Lucy enjoyed commanding the cars to Stop! as they approached stop signs and we crossed in front of them.  Oliver kicked his feet lazily in the air, somehow fully reclined in his upright seat.   

If these days really pass as quickly as everyone tells me, I'm glad I'm still in them. Even though the why-questions sometimes drive me bananas, and the screaming tantrums over insignificant things make me wish for a sound-proof, padded "play room"with a lock.  Today has been nice.  And I'm glad they're all still home with me. 

But to everyone who is past these years, whose kids are sitting in new classrooms today, nervous about friends and homework and all the year's unknowns--I hope your kids have a wonderful first day.  And if you are emotional, I hope it's in the presence of good friends who know just what you're going through and have tissues to share. 

28 Weeks Self Portrait

Yesterday there were a few precious moments while the kids were occupied, when the inspiration hit to get a self portrait.  I sneaked into the studio, set up the tripod, and after about 4 attempts got this self portrait. 

28 weeks means we are headed into the third trimester with baby Charlie.  After an emotional second trimester, I am finally beginning to feel more positive and more excited to meet our third baby boy!  This photo is, in the words of a friend, a celebration of beautiful me (and Charlie). 

Beaumont

The final part of the Galveston-Houston-Beaumont trip was, of course, Beaumont. 


After dropping Daniel off at the Houston airport (for his business trip to Mexico), the kids and I drove the 2 hours to Beaumont to visit Sadie and Pop. 



The most "interesting" part of our short road trip was a stop at a disgusting (falsely advertised "clean restroom stop") gas station where the water out of the faucets was actually yellow.  I've never seen that before. 
 

Elliot kept asking why the water was yellow, and--determined not to think about it--I replied that I didn't know. 
 

Lucy helpfully offered, "maybe someone peed in it." 



Because the in-stall experience was hygienically deficient by every conceivable metric, skipping the hand-washing was out of the question. 
 

So we washed our hands quickly with yellow water and rushed back to the car.  Ugh.  We had JUST pottied at a nice, clean restaurant 30 minutes ago. 
 

Unplanned gas station bathroom stops with three kids under age 5... they are the worst.



Anyways, we did safely make it to Sadie and Pop's  house and quickly settled in. 
 

Lucy was delighted to be able to sleep in "her bed" again, and all the kids were excited to re-discover the various toys in the playroom and guest rooms.



On one of our days in Beaumont, we tried out the new Beaumont Children's Museum, which was awesome! 
 

There were SO many exhibits that captured the kids' attention. 
 

We could have spent a whole day there. 
 

While the aesthetics were less impressive than, say, the Perot Museum in Dallas--the exhibits were far more numerous and more interesting to my kids.








 








On our last full day, Sadie treated the kids to Build-A-Bear. 

 

Lucy remembered her experience from last time and didn't even have to be told how to give her new friend a "bath" in the little "sink" at the back wall.
 

We learned our lesson after the last experience and insisted that our new furry friends be left "floppy" so they'd be extra cuddly. 



Elliot went home with an "Eee-eee" named "Serious George," whom he seems to be in the process of re-naming "Ivan." 



Lucy went home with a puppy named "Woof-woof," and Oliver went home with a sweet, soft little bear whom he loves but who remains nameless.


 The kids had a marvelous time visiting with Sadie and Pop, enjoying treats here and there, and being doted upon.  It really is a special thing, to get to visit Sadie and Pop. 

They are already looking forward to their next visit and wondering when that will be.