11 Months

Lucy is officially a little walker!  With her new found mobility comes a curious nature.  She is in to EVERYTHING.  She opens cabinets, empties drawers, rips up papers, climbs everything, and on and on all day long.

She has brought so much joy to so many.  Her role in our family has been especially important at this very sad time for us.  My brother, Ben, passed away very unexpectedly two days before Thanksgiving.  Lucy's smiles, tender snuggles, and happiness have helped our hearts.  Our entire family has been together a lot over these last two weeks.  The night of Ben's funeral we had a sleepover at my parents, even though we just live one block up the street from Mom and Dad, and my sister's family lives about three blocks away.  All sixteen of us brought pillows and sleeping bags, just to be a little closer to one another.  As we all gathered for bedtime prayers in the living room, Lucy entertained the crowd.  She climbed all over the pallets, clapped, giggled, and put on a show.  Everyone was laughing and cheering her on.  I had the distinct impression that those ten minutes of pure joy she was bringing to our wounded family were the reason she was sent to our family.  I think back nineteen months ago and remember the shock upon learning a baby would be joining our already large family.  How grateful I am that our Father knew we would need her so much at this specific time in our lives.

They're On To Me

After twelve years of parenting I've figured out why I have naughty little children.  Much too often I CAN'T  HELP LAUGHING WHEN I SHOULD BE DISCIPLINING!

Case in point:  Mallory got in trouble and we had to make good on a threat to send her to bed early.  An hour after she was sent to bed, I walked around the corner to find her sitting on the stairs playing with her doll.  I stopped in my tracks and gave her The Look.  She immediately replied with a straight face, "I can explain it all."  She proceeded to concentrate really hard and was deep in thought for about ten seconds.  She then responded, "Actually I can't.  It's too hard to explain."  I had to stifle my giggles behind Lucy's little head, but Mallory was on to me and broke out in a laugh herself.

My kids are smart!  They've figured out that all they need to do is say something witty or clever and I lose it.

Crazy Things I've Heard This Week

*Do poor people use socks instead of napkins?  (Drew)

*I'm gonna name one of my kids Cute Face if they have a cute face.  (Mallory)

*Mom, you look like a penguin with swagger!  (Elizabeth, embarrassed as I showed her some of my dance moves)

*Lizzie!  You're getting into my darkness!  (Mallory, said as Elizabeth blocked the light as she was crafting)

*Me:  Mallory, why are you wearing two pair of underwear?
Mallory:  In case we have a fire and the other ones fall off.

~Everything I've ever posted from Mallory, she has said seriously.  She has never said any of these things to try to get a laugh, unlike some of the other kids.  That makes what she says even funnier to me!

I Want To Remember

It's these little things I want to always remember.

Lucy always perches her tiny little foot on the handle of her high chair tray.  Always.  And it makes me smile.  Always.  I want to remember this.  Just like I want to remember when Ross was her age he always kicked off his right shoe and pulled off his sock every time he got in his car seat.  And I want to remember how Elizabeth held a section of her hair and rubbed it against her mouth and nose when she was a sleepy toddler.  And I want to remember how Drew loved earlobes.  He liked to feel them.  He loved to feel a newborn baby's earlobes the best.  And his cousin Sterling's.  If he loved you, he rubbed your earlobes.  And I want to remember how Mallory said "squirrel."  When she said it, it sounded like "squeal."

It's the small things that make a mommy smile.

Halloween 2011

I'm a bit behind these days!  Halloween 2011 is in the books.  This was the first year Ross didn't dress up.  Sniff, sniff.  He hung out with my nephew, Grant, and some friends while we took the other kids trick-or-treating.

 The above photos were taken by my talented friend, Kacey.  The backdrop was painted by her mother.  Talent obviously runs in their family!

 Elizabeth was inspired by a friend and chose to be a mime.  She won a costume contest with this cute little number.  And of course she had an act which she gladly performed upon request.

 Drew (not so happy to have his photo taken) wanted to be Mario.  More specifically he wanted to be this Mario riding Yoshi.  I always feel a little bit of pressure with the confidence the kids have in my costume-making abilities!  I made an attempt, and it was utterly ridiculous.  I really wish I would have taken pictures, but just imagine Squidward instead of Yoshi.  Epic fail.

 Mallory's cute little owl came from recycled sweaters from the thrift store as I said in a previous post.

And Lucy's little sock monkey costume also came from a thrift store sweater.  She, too, won a costume contest for "Most Original."  She was the cutest little sock monkey around!

10 Months Old

Oops!  I forgot to post this one.  I'd better do it before she is officially 11 months old.

Our smiley girl now has six teeth.  And she uses them.  She's a bit of a biter.  And for that very reason she is no longer nursing.

She is a busy little baby that loves to explore.  She is FAST!  She has made us baby-proof lickity-split!

She loves to play peek-a-boo.  She can say Mama, Daddy, Baby, Hi, and I think Grammy.

 She stands alone and is starting to take a few steps.  It's fun to watch the other kids as they are so excited for her when she does.

She remains the family toy!

Crazy Things I've Heard (From Mallory) This Week

*I wish Daddy had a beard that looked like this leaf.  (Mallory)

*Edward:  Mallory, what is one of the 10 Commandments?
Mallory:  Always brush your teeth?

*I look evil.  (Mallory, wearing a shirt with a collar that was sticking up)

*This stain on my shirt looks pretty, doesn't it Mommy?  (Mallory)

Giving Credit Where It Is Due

     I posted a few pictures on Facebook today of Mallory and Lucy in their costumes.  While I did make their costumes, the ideas are NOT mine so I cannot take one bit of credit.  I am one of those nerdy moms that enjoys making her kids' costumes.  The kids and I have a lot of fun deciding on costumes each year.  We peruse the Internet looking for inspiration.  What would I do without the Internet?!  My life's motto is, "There is no need to reinvent the wheel."  Pretty much anything I do in life revolves around this motto!  My secret is out.

     Last month as the kids and I were coming up with this year's costume ideas, I had a hard time nailing Mallory down to something reasonable.  I am not exaggerating when I say two of her suggestions were hair and a digital clock.  I think when I asked her what she wanted to be, she would just look around the room and tell me the first thing she saw.  When I saw this cute little owl costume created by the genius Alphamom, I talked her into it. 

(The inspiration)

     I raided my closet and found a few sweaters I wasn't using anymore and cut them up.  I didn't want her to have to mess with a mask, so I bought a regular sock cap from the dollar store and cut it up and refashioned it.  I love all the cute knitted hats, but sadly, I don't know how to knit.  I stitched the shapes on the hat and sewed it back into this creation.  I must say it looks darling on her.

     Grosgrain Fabulous created the inspiration for Lucy's costume.  It's so soft and warm and thrifty!

(The inspiration)

It turned out really cute.  The material came from a Goodwill sweater that worked perfectly.  Again, I took an existing hat and hand sewed the pieces on.  I'm not crazy about the mouth, but not annoyed enough to redo it.  :)  And Lucy is not crazy about the hat.  It just has to stay tied on at all times.  Sorry, Lucy!

     Our favorite costume that we've done in the past was inspired by this costume from my go-to website, coolest-homemade-costumes.com

(The Inspiration)

     Here is our adaptation.  It was so cool!  Obviously the head and legs belong to Ross.  We built a torso and arms for the mad scientist.  It was a lot of fun.

     Family Fun is another great resource for costumes.  This cute little mermaid was the inspiration for Mallory when she was two.  Any costume that incorporates a stroller is great in my book.

(The inspiration)

Mallory - age 2

;

     Another idea from coolest-homemade-costumes.com.

(The inspiration)

Drew - age 4

     We don't do blood and gore at Halloween at our house.  It gets kind of hard for bigger boys to look cool at Halloween with those rules, so we have to get creative.  When Ross was ten he was inspired by this man-eating shark costume listed on ebay.  I was a little daunted at his faith in me!

(The inspiration)

     Here is our take on the idea.

   

    When Mallory was a baby, I fell in love with the baby chicken costume published on Martha Stewart's website.

 (The inspiration)

     Six-month old Mallory in all of her feathery sweetness.

     Another Family Fun inspiration.

 (The inspiration)

Elizabeth - age6

     The kids and I have a lot of fun with Halloween, but I am no where near creative enough to come up with our ideas on my own!  Thank goodness for the Internet!

Origami

(The inspiration)

"Hey, Mom.  Here's my origami Yoda.  Nailed it."

This kid is a riot.

Crazy Things I Heard This Week

*I'm a vampire, and toilet paper is unbreakable to vampires.  (Mallory)

*These shoes look like potatoes.  (Elizabeth)

*I think there's a toenail in my eyeball!  (Mallory, crying because her eye hurt)

*I'm going to be the first pianist to play with his chin!  (Ross, after getting in trouble for jacking around during piano practice)

*Mom, that would be offensive to hobos.  (Elizabeth)

Crazy Things I Heard This Week

*I'm 60 years old.  They say I have dementia, but I don't think I'm demented.  (Random woman that struck up a conversation with me at a thrift store)

*Mexicans make good hamburgers.  (Elizabeth - eating at a Mexican restaurant)

*This candle doesn't taste good.  (Mallory)

*Elizabeth (talking a little baseball thanks to the excitement of the Cards making it to the playoffs):  They could put Pujols in Yadier's position
Me:  Pujols as the catcher?!?!
Elizabeth:  If it's the Lord's will.

9 Months

Lucy is 9 months old and as sweet as ever!  She is 19 lbs. and 14 oz.  Her top two teeth have made it through, but it was ROUGH!  I suspect her next two top teeth will emerge any day.

She loves to wave! 

 And eat- whether or not something is edible!  She's not too picky!

 She has the most beautiful, long and thick eyelashes.

 And it's getting harder and harder to get her to sit still!

 She doesn't stay in one place for too long.  She has places to go and people to see!