Look what comes out of their mouths!

Noah showing off his first missing tooth. If you could will a tooth to come out, Noah has been attempting that since he was four. He was disappointed by the Tooth Fairy's quarter, until we explained that a gold dollar is four quarters.

My new favorite quote from Noah was when he angrily told me, "Ian kissed me on purpose!", meaning that Ian smacked him on the cheek just to make him mad (probably pretty accurate insight from big brother).

Ian, with his unique attire, checking out Colton's

I also enjoy when we're reading a book and Ian needs to take a potty break and he says, "Will you press pause, please?". It makes me feel like he has too much knowledge on the workings of a DVD player.

Connor's 7-Month Smile

Connor's greatest quote right now is "da da dadadadada da da da", which if you're maternal, you understand is almost the greatest thing he could say next to "ma ma mamamamama". And for those of you who don't already know, we are in the process of adopting Connor. That might sound a bit low-key of an announcement, but I feel as most of you already know this, or you already assumed it from previous posts. But as he is the MOST amazing gift our family will ever receive, I still feel a bit overwhelmed in how to adequately write about it. I will be giving a larger proclamation when everything is final and done with.

I also delight in hearing the insights from school that Noah brings home. An example from this morning:

Noah: There is definitely no kissing at school

Me: Is someone kissing someone in your class?

Noah: Yes, Beula* kissed Cecil* (names changed to protect the affectionate)

Me: Yeah, kissing is best done at home

Noah then gives me a big kiss which makes my heart do a little flip.

Also, Seth and I just celebrated our 13th anniversary, whereas Grandma Dita and Grandma Dawn gave us the gift of time alone by taking our little sweeties all weekend. Seth and I did a little "It's just us!" dance to Miley Cyrus's "Party in the USA" which makes me slightly embarrassed that I know the words to the chorus, but gleeful that Seth does too. In fact, next time you see him please start singing, "I'm noddin' my head like 'Yeah!', Movin' my hips like 'Yeah'" and watch what happens. Wow, I completely adore that man.

Sandy Beginnings

We recently visited the Amelia Island Plantation Resort (just 30 minutes north of Jacksonville, Florida) which Parents magazine ranked #13 in their article, "The 10 Best Beach Resorts for Families" (so it was in the runner-up category).

Ian preferred the pool over the ocean, as well as this very hip look consisting of "Float-Ts" and "goggews" (Ian's pronunciation)
Noah adored the ocean and was quite obsessed with finding ocean life. Last year, Noah refused to enter Table Rock Lake for fear of sharks. This year, he was incredibly disappointed to find out that sharks don't typically hang out near the sand castles.


Even though Connor would not have enjoyed the beach so much at five-month old, we missed that precious, roll-filled sweetheart and hope he gets to search for sharks with us on the next trip.

It's what I do.

A few days after sand, ocean and smores, Noah began kindergarten. Seth and I teared-up (Seth assures me it was quite dusty in the school halls) as we watched him walk down the hall to his class, and I was able to hold it together until after we dropped him off. I then headed to the "Boo Hoo Breakfast" which I was overqualified to be attending. Fortunately, Noah had no tears and was SO excited to go to school.

Since his first day of school, Noah has been talking about the "graders" which are the 1st-5th grade kids. His specific quote yesterday was that after he completed some projects that he "would be ready to roll on up to 1st grade" whereby he would then officially be a grader.

My prayer was specifically answered when Noah told me he made a friend yesterday and that they had the same color popsicle (my prayer involved a friend, not the color of his snack). He couldn't remember his name, but "it starts with a 'P' and ends with an 'e'", which then Ian confidently piped in, "COLTON?". It turns out that his name is Pierce and that Ian and I need to work harder on phonics.

Later in the week, Ian helped me drop off Noah to his class and I had prepared Ian that he would NOT be staying with Noah. As we told Noah goodbye at his classroom door, Ian turned to me and said, "Bye mom, have a great day, see you later". He was bitterly disappointed that I fulfilled my commitment to bring him home.

Yes, I Blubber

After Noah was born, watching this commercial was my first realization that my emotions would never be the same as pre-motherhood. You may have thought this a sweet clip or you might have even teared up. But raise your hand if you bawled like I did the first ten times this came on your tube. I'm talking full-on ugly cry. This coming from the girl that did NOT cry during E.T. and wore that as a badge of honor around elementary school. The same teen-ager who was inexplicably mortified walking out of the theatre with her blotchy-faced mom after every semi-sap-filled flick. No longer are the days that I can tease my since-college BFFs, Christy and Adi for their overflowing, overactive tear ducts (I betcha an entire box of kleenex that they would have wept over this clip in their pre-mommy years). I now, too, possess the ability to cry desperately over a child's illness or the viewing of an Arby's ad.

Just peeking at these photos makes me search for my aloe-vera soaked tissue:

Connor's 5-month pic:


Two-part pride: The "put 'im on a cracker and eat 'im face" AND Noah's photography skills:



In this portrait, just the pure shininess of my face makes me weep (also the wedding we were attending of Karen & Kevin, former youth groupers, now full-fledged marrying age, in-love adults):

Sesame Street Nightmares

Three birthday celebrations, one Father's Day, seven t-ball games, zero days of preschool, one July 4th, one Wichita visit, two houseguest visits, 450 swims in our big metal cow trough, one ladies' weekend, one wedding shower, 59,459 games of Sorry, and one dead computer later, I post.

Ian had a nightmare. Our conversation discussing Ian's vivid dream went something like this:

Concerned Mommy: What happened in your dream?

Scared Ian: Coowkie Monstew came into my bed and twied to fight me.

Appropriately frightened Mommy: Oh, my, what did you do?

Brave Ian: I had to get out my sword and fight him.

Laughing-under-her breath Mommy: Who won?

Proud, but Honest Ian: Well, I did. But the dweam still scawed me.

Sympathizing Noah: Yeah, one time I had a dream that Bert, you know the one that's friends with Ernie, came into my bed and it really scared me, too.

Here's Ian's trademark for-the-camera grin:

Here's our stab at mirroring his winning smile:

Transformingly Awesome

This clip is solely to make Stephen the proudest uncle in all the land:

This version is a bit nuttier, due to Noah's recent testing out of humor. It turns out that if you are five and add the words "Tinker Bell" to ANYTHING, you become the preschool version of Chris Rock:

Manipulation, Mother's Day, Moshing, & Mighty Firsts & Lasts

So I manipulate. Now, in this situation, I find it completely justified. Before notifying Seth that there was an obstruction in our gutter (for all of you mortified men, it is at the BEGINNING of the gutter and shouldn't present any real problems for water flow), I made sure that the boys were fully attached to the obstruction. I explained to my young ones that the Mommy & Daddy doves and the developing baby birds are part of our family. And since Seth is a to-the-bone softy for little boys and animals, we have permanent residents.

This has been a week of lasts...last day of preschool, last swim lessons, last soccer game, last piece of chocolate cake ever (okay that's just ridiculous):

Noah's last day of preschool (EVER) involved some ugly, heavy mascara smudging


This doesn't technically show you their last day of swimming, but it makes my heart leap nevertheless.


The Mighty Mighty Jaguars!

The boys got to enjoy a first...FIRE. It was a thrilling Mom's Day afternoon at Dita's house that included an inaugural fire pit usage. Ian discovered that campfires include a delicacy titled smores, so he believes these will now be provided during each visit at Gma's house. Noah was fascinated with the makings of the fire and when the flame got too small, he requested that Jer Jer "turn it back on."


Ian's first trip to the dentist (they didn't have TVs on the ceiling when I was a youngin'):


And precious Connor continues to endure the heaps of love the boys place upon him:


Connor's 2nd month picture (he'll be three months on Saturday so perhaps that one will be posted sooner):

Check out more of Connor's smiles at Ian's form of affection: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfZ_WqGA0h0


If you are a Third Day fan, you'll appreciate that we recently scooped center, front row and had an incredible time during our favorite band's concert. We no longer will accept going to any concert that does not include the words center and first row. We also had our second opportunity to meet the band, which was fast and furious, but here a couple of pics of our fan-dom anyhow. I'm sure someday they will enjoy an entire dinner with us.


Our front row Joe view of Mac:

Seth's proof of his great catch of Mark's pick:

Waiting to meet the band:

Seth's manly shaking arm:

Our pals Brad & Christy with our BFFs (B & C had to bring binoculars for their first row, LEFT seats):

For more Third Day concert footage (please note exactly who Mac is looking at in the first frame): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inGVb_audt0

The Chicken Lady's Grandma

On April 20, 2009, my Grandma went Home. I was able to hop on a plane to Washington and be with her in the hospital during her last few hours. Sitting there, watching her precious face and small, but strong body, so many moments surrounded me. The dresses she made my cousin and I to wear in a parade; the summer weeks I spent at her country house while she let me play the part of "Chicken Lady" (my CB name), as I gathered up the chicken eggs and came screeching to her for help because the chickens were following me (those big, bad frightening fowl); her hearty hugs which could cause Hulk Hogan to beg for mercy. A life well lived and a life loving well.

Nothing EVER compares with the feeling you get when you walk into Grandma's house. Here are my Grandparents with Seth and 16-month old Noah in 2005 (my Grandpa passed away in 2006)

On her wedding day

Yes, they actually did used to make them that classy. She could whip up a dinner for 20, end up with a spotless kitchen, and still look like she just jumped off the May 1957 Glamour cover.

Grandma, your talent for macaroni salad eludes me, but I pray your ability to make your family feel embraced, even from hundreds of miles away, makes its way to me. Until your next hug...