Four months of Gooey Goodness.

Oh Evan Gooey, why do you have to do it. Just listen to me when I beg and plead for you to stay my teeny tiny newborn. I might be upset at the fact that you've outgrown that innocent newborn stage and have moved in to that wide awake baby stage. However, your just so sweet and seeing you grow is just too much fun.

So, I forgive you.

How could I hold anything against a boy with a face this sweet?


At four months old, your awake. Wide awake. Your favorite activity is getting those fingers of yours in to your mouth. And that's how you spend most of your day.

Unless your on your tummy. Then, your usually making this face because tummy time is not your favorite time.



Your two favorite toys are your ladybug and your Exersaucer, where your bounce around, spin the rolling thing and watch the world around you.


And you do a lot of watching - watching your brother that is. I'd like to give you more tummy time and time to lie on the floor and play with your swat toys, but that's hard to do when you've got Lane as an older brother.

He seems to always find his way over to you whenever your left alone.

He loves to pull away the hang down parts of your swat toy and steal your lady bug from you.

He'd much rather you watch him play with his Monster Jams.

And you do.

By now, your used to him stealing the spotlight. It happens a lot around here.

Occasionally, he will make you cry but it takes a lot. You've got plenty of patience with your brother, mama and papa.

We are awful sorry you caught that nasty cold bug AGAIN. Only four months old and you've spent more than three weeks of your life feeling quite crummy.

But, even when your sick, you are a joy to be around.

For that we are grateful.

You seem to understand that we've got a lot going on. Your personality proves so.



Your still that same laid back babe you've been since we brought home.

You wake up with a smile. Easily take your morning nap in the car while I shuffle your brother around and run errands. Your up for just about anything. And will hang with just about any one.

However, you like to have your mama close by - and I like being there.

We take our alone time together at night, when I put you to bed. Your still sleeping in your crib, and will give me a good six hours of sleep before waking up to nurse. When your done with your 3 am snack, you'll fall back to sleep for at least four more hours.

Even though I need the sleep, sometimes I hold you for a few minutes and stare at your face.

Papa was correct. All that time I spent worrying about how I would love two boys was time spent wasted.

It seems I've fallen madly in love with you.





Your now weighing in at 15 pounds, 11 ounces - proving our theory that your gaining in girth what you lack in age.

You need it to protect yourself from your brother.

Daily, I hear things coming from your brother's mouth, such as, "I tip Bro Bro over," or "I hurt Evan."

And I've already mentioned the toy snatching.


Lane makes you cry but I know you love him. You just can't keep your eyes off of him. Although I don't want you to grow up, I am looking forward to the day the two of you can play together.

Even if that means you won't be my baby any more.

Meet girl.

Have I introduced everyone to Lane's new best friend? Oh, I have not. Well, let me take a few minutes to do so today.

See that Minnie Mouse in Lane's lap? That's Girl. Well, her full name is Chucky Cheese Girl.

We call her Girl, for short.

Let me tell you a little about Girl. She came to live with us a little more than a month ago. After an over night growth spurt, I needed some size six month pajamas for Evan, so off we headed to Wally World on a Friday night.

Now, remember yesterday when I told you Lane thought a little plastic bunny was the Easter Bunny? There's a reason for that. Papa and I just aren't big into characters and cartoons. It's not that we have anything against those types of things, they just aren't our type of things. So, we don't have much of that type of stuff in our house.

We keep our cartoon watching to Curious George, Sesame Street and The Berenstain Bears. We keep our toy purchases to cars, monster trucks and tools. Lane's never known any differently - and he's never asked.

Until he went to Chucky Cheese. He loves Chucky Cheese. And, we happily send him there with his grandparents about once a month. He comes home with tales of Chucky. Chucky cups. Chucky balloons.

It was only a matter of time until he wanted a Chucky toy. And, last month, it happened. There, in the infant section of Wal-Mart, Lane saw that Chucky Cheese Girl.

It was love at first sight.

He carried that Chucky Cheese Girl all through the store. He touched her hair bow. Pointed out her pink shoes. Talked about her circles on her dress.

When we went through the check out line, Papa asked Lane to put his girl back.

Not a chance. Girl was coming home with us.

It was late. We were tired. I suggested Papa just pay for Girl, and I would return her at a later date.

All the way home, Lane talked to Girl. He even told Papa she was his best friend.

That night, I tucked Minnie back into the Wal-Mart bag and placed her in a safe place so she could return home.

The next day, Lane asked, "Where's my Chucky Cheese girl."

Her tags stayed on for a few days until I realized Girl wasn't going any where. She'd found herself a new home.

And so, Girl has become Lane's new best friend. He sleeps with her at night. He carries her to the store. He asks for her when he's tired. He'll tell you she's his best friend.

He has no idea her name is Minnie Mouse.

We have no desire to tell him otherwise.

As for me, Girl's starting to grow on me. I'm not thrilled with the fact that Lane's pushed his old blue owl aside for Girl.

But, as Papa reminded me one afternoon when Lane insisted both Girl and I rest in his bed with him, she might be the first girl he brings home that I don't like but she definitely won't be the last.

Breakfast with the Bunny.

Lane's school hosted breakfast with the Easter bunny this morning. Here's how little my child knows about the commercialization of holidays: when we walked into breakfast, he exclaimed, "I see dat Easter bunny."

Meaning the little plastic bunny centerpieces situated on each table.

Lane was so excited to "touch dat bunny," he almost missed out on the "real" Easter bunny.

Well, actually, he was more excited about the sprinkle donuts offered for breakfast. He watched the Easter bunny enter the room, got a big smile on his face, went right back to eating his donut (as the other kids either ran to him with delight or grabbed onto their moms' legs), and then when he finished every bite of his first donut, he bounced his way over to the bunny.

After giving the Easter bunny a high-five and posing for a few pictures, he went right back to the table to talk to "dat bunny" and eat another donut.

That's my boy.

Sophisticated palette.

A dill pickle

followed up with a strawberry muffin

sounds like a delicious after school snack to Lane.

And the shorthair too.

Monsieur Gooey.

They must not make babies as big in France.

Evan's barely four months old and weighs a little more than 15 pounds. I know I've got a chunky one on my hands, but I didn't expect this shirt, which my mom picked up in Paris four years ago when both Lane and Evan were just a dream I thought impossible, would fit so soon.

Because the tag inside reads 12 mois.

I guess its time for Gooey to lay off the croissants and macaroons.

Grey skies are gonna clear up.

Lane brought home a bit of the preschool ick, which irritated the cough that's been hanging around since November. It then found its way to Lane's right ear and manifested itself into an ear infection.

Meaning a boy who doesn't sleep well at night, whines most of the day, carries around a hacking cough every where he goes, refuses to agree on anything and clings to his mama or papa constantly.

And when the preschool ick finds its way to the baby in the house, it transforms into RSV.

Meaning a baby who wants to nurse all day long, has coughing attacks followed by projectile vomiting, cries because he just doesn't feel well and clings to his mama constantly.

And when the mama is the only one feeling well because papa picked up the preschool ick as well it means a lot of things.

There hasn't been a home cooked meal in almost two weeks. I haven't exercised in just as long. Time to myself is limited. I'm exhausted - mentally and physically.

Most of all I feel sad for my babes.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that spring brings a lot of sunshine to our home and two boys who finally feel better.

And reminding myself that before you can see a rainbow, you must endure the rain.

Scream Break 2011.

It is Spring Break around here. But, really, isn't every day of my kids' life Spring Break. What's different - eating, sleeping, playing, having someone take care of you.

Back to the point. It is Spring Break. No school for Lane this week, and my friend Laura has her stepson for the whole week.

So, why not take a trip to the zoo, right. We love the zoo.

All weekend, Papa and I were coming up with names for this year's Spring Break.

Spring Break 2 Oh by gosh 11 - because Oh by gosh is Andrea's signature saying.

Or, Hell Yeah Spring Break 2011 - because Hell Yeah is Lane's signature saying thanks to a YouTube video of some monster trucks and my husband's encouragement.

Oh by gosh, Evan is so stinkin' cute or
Isn't Evan cute? Hell Yeah!

So, we, along with every other family on Spring Break, went to the zoo yesterday.

Five moms, one grandmother and 11 freakin' kids. Hell Yeah.




See Jackie's face? That sums up our trip to the zoo.

From the minute we walked in to the minute we walked out - at least one of the 11 kids in our group was screaming. No joke.

My mom called at one point, and my first words to her were, "We are liking that freaking Duggar family."

Not that anyone else there noticed because the place was packed. Others did notice, however, when half the kids in our group screamed POO POO when the elephant did his business.

And Lane told everyone how it smelled eh whee.

So, after the elephant house, we noticed Giang and Lily were missing. Gone. Could not find them any where. We left her in line for a Coca-Cola and just like that she was gone. Only her stroller, phone and Lorelei were with us.

Paola searched up and down for her. Couldn't find her anywhere. And that's when Paola and Andrea's trip to the zoo crashed.

See Paola's face? That pretty much sums up her trip to the zoo. Over it. Andrea was way tired and nothing made her happy. Nothing.

See Teddy in the back of my stroller behind Lane? That made him happy. For about 15 minutes. Then, he was back in Laura's arms. Not happy.

Teddy's after lunch melt down pretty much ended Laura's trip to the zoo.

See my kid eating chips and drinking what he thought was Coca-Cola out of his zoo cup. That made him happy. And for once, both of my kids kept their cool all day long. No running away. No overly tired break downs. No frustrated mama.

A Spring Break miracle.

Lane got a new Monster Jam when we got home because he was so good. Hell Yeah!

Here's my other kid. This is how he escaped from the madness of the day. Just put him in the Bjorn, cover his head with his hat and he's out like a light.

This picture cracks me up because it looks like AnnaBella is looking at Andrea, who is in the lion's den. Really, she wasn't. But, what is so funny is that Paola just got done telling Andrea she was going to put her in the lion's den if she didn't stop throwing a tantrum over which stroller she rode in.

You probably don't think that's funny. You had to be there. Spring Break 2011 - Hell Yeah!

Back to the zoo. Like I said, the place was packed. Seeing our usual animals took for freakin' ever. Take the fact that we had so many kids and add that up with the fact there were so many other people there and it equals disaster.

Lane, Evan and I just skipped right over the parakeet house. Good thing we did because while we were waiting outside, we found Giang and Lily. Giang had carried a screaming Lily throughout the zoo - going to all our usual places - looking for us.

That's when Giang's trip to the zoo was pretty much over.


Want to know the secret behind my child not screaming all day long? AnnaBella.

Lane has it hard core for her. Crushing bad. Every time he sees her, he follows her around like her shadow.

Lucky for me, she doesn't seem to mind. Made my job a lot easier yesterday.




Oh, I can't leave out Conner. This kid was so good yesterday. The oldest of the bunch, he had so much patience and even pushed John Oscar in the stroller most of the time. All that boy wanted was to go to the reptile house.

He even put that hat on and posed for this picture for me. I'm telling you - little angel wings we can't see. The kid was golden.



Right here, this was the best part of the day. The besties - minus Lily who refused at this point to leave her stroller, can you blame her - chilled for a few minutes.



And then, I felt a meltdown coming on from all directions and declared my trip to the zoo was over. Me, Laura, Giang and Paola packed it up and we were out.

Scream Break 2011.
Hell Yeah!