Bathing Beauty

A few weeks ago, Greg went to Paris and London for work. The boys and I loaded up and visited Poppy and MiMi and then Grandma. While we were at Grandma's, we went to Kansas City one morning to visit one of Greg's brother's family. We went swimming in their pool. As usual, it took Noah a bit to warm up to the pool. He sat on the step nearly the entire time.

Then when it was time to get out and go, he was not ready to go... Figures!

Bringing Back the 80s

The boys and I have been vacationing in Columbia and Pilot Grove. On Sunday night, we went to an 80s party with my parents.

Noah wearing Poppy's mullet

John with his legwarmers

The heat has been unreal! We've not been playing outside much. I think the heat index has been over 100 for the past several days. Today, there was at least a little breeze.

It's so hot!!!

Did I mention it was hot? (Check out the sweat on the nose.)

Noah helping Grandma clean the swing set

We Love Daddy!

We love our daddy!!

Watching a little movie together.

Too cute!

It's Been a Long Time Coming

Our very, very hairy cats went to see the groomer today (they've never been).

Jinx and Truman before

Jinx after

Truman after

Four Months

Hard to believe John is 4 months old already!

Greg and I recently had a friendly disagreement as to whether or not Noah was as chubby as John is when he was 4 months. I said Noah was not. He said he was. That debate was quickly stopped once John had his 4 month check. He weighed in at 17 pounds, 3 ounces (Noah was 14 pounds, 14 ounces). They were nearly the same length; John was a quarter inch longer.

June in Review

I've always heard you're more relaxed with your second child. I'm finding it to be true. We never took Noah to a Cardinals game when he was little because we were afraid he'd miss a nap or be up too late. He went to his first game this year (he was 2). We took John to his first game this year also (he was 3 months). Noah went to some friend's house to play, but he dressed for the game. John did great for a while. It's funny you don't notice how loud things are until to have a baby with you... I finally had to just walk around with him.

The boys all ready for the big game

At the game

A few weeks ago, my aunt and cousin from Texas were at my mom's for a visit. The boys and I met them in Columbia. My aunt was knitting. Noah thought he needed to too. He sat on the sofa, covered up with the blanket she was making and then fidgeted with the yard...and made a rats nest out of it. I'm not sure how long it took her to untangle the yarn mess. We were about to leave when it happened... Sorry, Auntie Judy!

Noah knitting

MiMi and John

When we started bringing up all the baby stuff for John, Noah wanted to play with them. Which was fine! He wanted in the exersaucer, or the gym... So, no surprise, he loves to sit in John's seat.

All baby equipment, toys, etc. say to strap your baby in... They aren't kidding.

You'd think I'd learn after the first time. Not so. This is how he "rides" in his swing now.

John had his first trip to the pool a few weeks ago. He couldn't get in the water though because of his surgery. But he sure looked cute!!!

Pooped out at the pool

He since has been to the pool and actually got in the water. He has some super sensitive skin. When we got home from the pool, he had on just a diaper and I changed so I could feed him. I had on a black shirt and was carrying him over my shoulder. When I sat down, I looked and had John's dry skin all over my shoulder. The chlorine did a number on him. Poor little guy. (Noah had trouble when he was little too. His is so much better now. I hope John grows out of it too!)

I bought Noah a little pillow for his bed. MiMi made him a pillow case. Of course, Noah helped. He used the scissors out of his doctor's kit. (We're not quite sure why there are scissors in a doctor's kit. Perhaps that is why it was $5 at TJ Maxx.)

"Cutting" the fabric

The rainy day walk

You Never Know What He'll Say (or Do)

I went to get my new glasses adjusted. I had both boys with me. I handed the lady my glasses and she walked over to the little machine. Noah said, "Is she wearing underwear?" She looked my direction as he said that, but I couldn't see the expression on her face because she had my glasses. I thought if she did hear it, that was going to require some explaining. I asked if she heard. She said no. (I should have just left it at that, but I didn't.) I told her what he said and she got this look of horror on her face. I then had to explain he's been potty training and underwear is a hot topic of conversation at our house.

Noah is always worried about John going out "in his piggies" (translation: with no shoes on). We got ready to run errands the other day and he was talking about John needing shoes. I said John doesn't have any shoes. I put John in his car seat (which was on the floor) and told Noah to go get his shoes. I went to the bathroom and when I was headed back, I could tell Noah wasn't getting his shoes, but I couldn't tell what he was doing. He found some shoes in John's closet (which didn't fit) and he was trying to put them on John.

The Big Hitter

Captain Underpants: The Sequel

Day 29:
At least my floors are really clean...

Day 31:
He gets his "wantereen" back.

Day 35:
Three days with no accidents! Way to go, Noah!!! We're claiming victory!

Speed Racer

Matching Scars

Sweet little John had to have his surgery for his hernia. We were praying and hoping the Lord would heal him and he wouldn't have to have the surgery. But, that was not His plan.

I certainly had the peace of the Lord the day of the surgery. I'm generally a bit of a worrier. We had to be at St. Louis Children's Hospital at 5:45am. (Yikes!) I was up multiple times in the night waking John up to feed him and give him Pedialyte while he could have it.

Greg, John, and I got in the car at 5:00am to head to the hospital. (When we were determining departure time, I failed to realize there would be no traffic at that hour... We were a tad bit early. Just long enough to change a poopy diaper.)

When we got to the surgery waiting area, there was a little cube with a sofa and some chairs with our name on it. It was nice to have our own little space.

He has no idea what's coming

By the time they called us back, John had fallen asleep in my arms. (Afterall, I kept waking the poor boy up!) I laid him down on the scales, they took his blood pressure, heart rate, etc. and he slept through it all. It was a little shocking really. He was tired! Everyone who came in during the prep said he was pretty big for a 3 month old. (Turns out 90th percentile...)

John's hippo got to go into the OR with him. (I slept with it the night before so it would smell like me.) They put a little hospital band on his neck so he wouldn't get lost.

When the time came to turn our sweet little baby over, they let us carry him down the hall. Then we had to hand him off. By this time, he was starting to get hungry and a little fussy. I wish I would have taken a picture of him as they carried him away. (I had other things on my mind.) I could see his sweet little face over the nurses shoulder as they took him. It was so sweet.

Once we got back to our little cube, I asked Greg if he could go down and find me a coffee. I was expecting him to find something in the building, but he came back wet and with Starbucks. (It was pouring!) It was so sweet.

The surgery took about an hour. I was never anxious, until Dr. Dillon, our surgeon, came around the corner. For a split second, I was very fearful. But the first thing out of his mouth was, "Everything went well." Those were sweet words! He said John was just starting to wake up and they'd call us back in just a few minutes to see him.

He was very out of sort when we got to him. Starving, tired, disoriented... He sort of nursed, but mostly slept. I carried him from recovery to our room. (He was admitted because of his young age.) He nursed and slept in my arms for several hours.

Resting peacefully

Starting to feel more like himself

We were able to go home at 3:00 that afternoon. By that time, John was mostly acting as if nothing had happened. He was still pretty groggy.

Needless to say, everything went well. We're glad it's over!!! Thank you, Jesus, for protecting our sweet little baby.

Day 1

Day 5

Day 10

Now John and mommy have matching scars...

Captain Underpants, A Potty Training Diary

Day 1:

I got out a chart and stickers to use with each success. We put on some new underwear. Noah and I go to the basement to do laundry and some other random tasks. I hear a little voice behind me: "Mommy, my underwear is leaking." I then hear "slosh, slosh, slosh" as he walks towards me with Crocs full of pee-pee.

By noon, we're running out of underwear, so we decide to just go bottomless.

At 3:00, I'm wondering if I can pay someone to potty train him and wondering why I didn't do this when John was sleeping more during the day.

Day 2:

Off to a better start. Everyone is glad when bedtime comes and we can just put a diaper on.

Day 3:

We buy more underwear. We now have 14 pairs.

Day 5:

Power struggle. We go for a walk. When we get home, Noah throws a fit when I tell him we need to take off the diaper and put on some underwear. I finally get his diaper off. When I come back with his underwear, he's standing over my tennis shoes, carefully aiming and letting it all out. Spanking...

Day 7:

We go to MiMi's house... This could be interesting. While at MiMi's house, he's does great! Very few accidents. I think to myself, "this isn't so bad after all."

Day 10:

We're home and things seem to be going downhill. Seriously, can I pay someone to do this?

Day 12:

Noah wants to wear his underwear to a graduation party. So, we try it. He does great.

Day 14:

We're going to Vacation Bible Camp. I decided perhaps he does better when we're not at home. (Peer pressure can be a wonderful thing!) He has an accident right before I pick him up.

Day 18:

I tell Noah he can get a lantern (or wantereen as he calls it) if he can learn to use the potty.

Day 22:

We've turned a corner. I told him if he doesn't have any accidents today, we'll get a 50/50 from It's a Grind. Close, but no cigar.

Day 23:

Still no 50/50.

Day 25:

We get a 50/50.

Day 26:

We go buy the wantereen. Noah can play with it under the condition he does not start having accidents again.

Day 28:

I have to take the wantereen away. Have I declared victory too soon, or is he just looking for some attention?

You Never Know What He'll Say (or Do)

Noah sees me feeding John all the time. He has started feeding his froggy "on his tummy" when I feed John. He snuggles up to me as close as he can. It's very sweet.

And, then he burps him too.

A few days ago, we were going to Qdoba to eat. Noah kept saying we were going to Cuba.

My mom and my aunt were recently having a conversation in front of Noah that went a little like this:

Auntie Judy: I forget my Head to Toe wash.

MiMi: There are small bottles of shampoo and conditioner upstairs.

Auntie Judy: I'll pick some up so I can use it to wash my hair and my body while we're in Wisconsin.

MiMi: I have small bottles of shampoo and conditioner.

Auntie Judy: I just want to take one bottle for everything.

Noah: Der.

May Days

On Mother's Day, we dedicated John to the Lord. It was a very sweet time. As luck would have it, John had a major blowout right in the middle of the dedication...

Who would have ever thought I would let someone ride a motorcycle in the house? When they're this cute, how can you say no?

One Sunday, when Greg dropped Noah off at the nursery, Noah said he was going to play fight with Rowan. This was the nursery scene that day...at least long enough for the paparazzi to snap this shot. (He's all talk.)

Greg has been traveling a lot. A few weeks ago, he was gone for 4 days. So, the boys and I packed up and headed to Columbia. Here's John having lunch with MiMi. He had so much fun he just couldn't take it anymore. (On an unrelated note: His hair is filling in and it's very blond.)

MiMi "checked" Noah's teeth. He opened right up for her. I suppose it helps when your hygienist is also your MiMi.

MiMi counted his teeth. He has 18...only 2 more to go.

Noah helped MiMi check John. Not much to see yet...

While we were in Columbia, we went to a graduation party with MiMi. Our sweet friend Mary had popsicles. She handed each of the kids a popsicle with a paper towel around the "stick." It's hard to see in the picture, but look closely... Who still had the paper towel neatly in place? The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Kissable checks. You can never kiss them too much!

Poppy and Noah checking for something.

Believe it or not, John is now 3 months old... This is his 3 month picture. He smiles all the time now. But, of course, not for the camera. When the flash goes off, he gets a deer in the headlights look on his face. We'll catch it eventually.

Noah loves to kiss John too.

Greg recently taught Noah how to "honk a truck," as he calls it. Greg rolled the back window down since they're tinted so the truck drivers could see what he was doing. He did it once. Greg kept asking him if he wanted to do it again... He always says no. I guess this isn't as much fun when you're little.


Here we caught the smile!

Periodically, Greg will ask Noah if he wants to take a shower. Usually he says no. Last week, he said he did. It was not his favorite, but he did squeegee the shower door when he was done.



Noah loves his brother. I keep telling him when John gets a little bigger, he'll be his best friend. John loves to watch Noah. Here's Noah reading to John. It's so sweet to watch them together!