Happy Mother's Day...

We I decided this year for the mothers in our family a nice picture of all three boys would be perfect (and oh so do-able).  So Mike busted out the new camera.  I threw the boys in matching shirts...disregard the stains (natural detergent DOES NOT WORK) and I don't have the spiritual gift of "bright whiteness" like my mother in law.  All the Oxy Clean in the world can not make me good at stain removal.  Maybe if I tried harder, but who has that kind of time.

 

Any who, we started with this pose.  I am bribing the whole time with organic fruit snacks - hence why they are looking up.

 

Moved to everyone in one chair for the choke hold pose.

 

Then the everyone is frustrated pose.

 

Then a decent pic, but some eyes are on the prize (fruit snacks) and others on the camera.

 

To laying on a blanket.  Someone didn't want to get too close. 

 

Kozy Koop pic..."EVERYONE LOOK AT COOPER" - some raised voices at this point.

 

Rocking chair pose (after some editing) was our winner.

 

 Mom is out of fruit snacks and everyone is losing it!

 

Profesh photographers have their work cut out for them!  Getting three young souls to cooperate...Mike and I needed a nap and the boys needed us to STOP and smell the roses.

 

My oldest...

 

My sweet middle...

 

and my little...

 

 

Let's Hear it for Graham, Track and Coop

BFF's

My sweet Trackers has had the most difficult time adjusting to not being the baby.  Included in his antics are night waking, wanting to be held CONSTANTLY, fussing, some screaming and a refusal to share the baby equipment with anyone other than the baby (see sad Graham). 

 

However, with all the hardship of becoming the middle child he is desperately in love with Coop.  Wants to climb on him, jam his paci in his mouth, wake him up constantly, crawl up on the boppy whilst I nurse...he can. not. get. enough.

 

Track hoarding the activity mat.

 

Giving Coop a kiss (aka. not quite a bite)

 

Waking Coop at all times...the swing is WAY to much temptation for Track.  He is over there on him and all in his business every 10 minutes or so.  Putting blankies on his face, shoving pacis in his mouth, making sure it swings fast enough (aka. shoving it).  He has received a few spanks for this behavior and is conforming to my way, but really HE. CAN. NOT. STOP.  Look at how cute he is...

 

This day I asked him to sit by Coop so I could go get Graham out of bed.  Instant obedience...where if I had asked Graham to do this when Track was a baby he might have done (because he wants to please mom) and then proceeded to gently nudge him off the couch. 

 

What's funny is Graham really loves Coop too.  Is it Coop or is it G's age or is it that he isn't going from being an only?

 

These dOOds are endless joy and fun and WORK...I LOVE this job.  When is my pay check coming?

 

Let's Hear it for Brothers That are Friends

Mom of the Year...

Today I overheard Mike tell Graham to put this paint brush he found in a very special place, so they could paint rocks when the little babies were asleep (shout out to Christine Bailey - who I steal most good ideas from - thank you).  Any who - I went to get Coop and noticed the "special place" Graham had found.  Props to G - next to Coop is super special.  Also, hopefully no authorities are reading this.  I am fairly certain "they" tell you not to let the baby sleep with ANYTHING in their crib.  Please count with me the amount of stuff in Coops crib...

 

1.  burp cloths and bulb syringe (reasonable really)

2.  rolled up blankie (I am not one to worry about suffocation - special needs yes/ suffocation no) - I also have regular bumper pads - no mesh here!

3.  paint brush (credit to G for a very special place that Track will NEVER find)

4.  Ergo infant insert (lazy much?)

5.  Tupperware tub and lid (hmm...no excuse here)

 

 

Poor third child.  Well in reality this was not uncommon for the other babies minus the amazing paint brush.  I mean you go to get a baby and have stuff in your hands, no better place to put it then the crib.  My others boys are still alive and thriving...

 

I actually do think my pedi visits my blog every now and then. Good thing he is unconventional, reasonable and likely thinks we are his favorite patients (not a pain at all... ever)- shout out Dr. Chartrand!

 

Let's Hear it for Special Hiding Places

Second Hand Saturday...

Mike was out of town today so I loaded up the boys for a Starbucks morning and noticed all the great garage sales going on (who knew?).  We drove around and kept adding stuff (aka -other peoples kind of crappy  junk) to the back of my truck.  By the time I was driving home the buyers remorse was setting in.  So I called my BFF Jodi, who knows all things about 2nd hand value (see bar stools from 2003)..and she seemed to think that I scored big - maybe even saving Mike approximately $90.00.  He will likely thank me for the extra thriftiness when he gets home.  Ill make sure to report back on how happy he is about the extra "plastics" in the back yard. :)

 

 

Purchase #1 - $5.00 - Police Cozy Coupe (aka: totally boss)

 

Purchase #2 - $15.00 - Half Sand Half Water Table

I may have over paid for this gem, but for some really strange reason I got nervous when it came time to negotiate and just paid full price.  The guy selling it was no more than 8 years old.  What's wrong with me? 

 

 

Purchase #3 - $5.00 - Push Car Thing

 

So, $25.00 for an afternoon of new things to play with - SUCCESS.

 

So successful my big guy even did some "dance moves - dance moves".

  

 

Be still my heart. 

 

 

Money can't buy happiness or love or anything, blah blah - but today money bought us some joy, good pictures and fun memories.

 

Let's Hear it for Cold Hard Cash.

Swinging Boogs...

We are in our new house and life is good (like the t-shirt - pppfffttt), but the unpacking, the decorating, the sleeping, well really everything is slow going.  So to delay the process even more we have been playing outside a TON.

 

 

 

 

 Fact: Coop has giant man hands.

 

Our new house came with this swing set which, has been hours of entertainment for the boyz.

 

I mean how cute is Trackers... 

 

(PS. this is not at the new house - I just like his face in this pic)

 

In other news, this guy picked a booger out of his nose right before nap time and handed it to me (common practice).  He then asked me what I was going to do with it.  To which, I promptly responded "throw it away, what would you do with it?".  He responded, very honestly, with "I put it on the wall mama".  I turn around and find a booger from another day already dried on the wall.  This is awesome!  So we had a lesson about where boogers go and where they don't today - this is by far the BEST job I have ever had!  To his credit...what is he supposed to do?...no tissue in sight and he is not allowed off his bed.  It's a dilemma...I think I would have picked my sheets, but to each his own.  Love. This. Child.

 

Let's Hear it for the Boogers and Swings.