See More Seymours

The Menace

2012-01-27T13:36:00.009-05:00

It's sometimes funny how nicknames come about, or how they stick. Clare Bear is fairly obvious. So is Danny Boy, but his more recent nickname - and one that makes him mad - is Captain Random, given his proclivity for making sports-related comments regardless of what we're discussing. Laura is often known as Baby Girl, in fact often enough that Danny once accused Tim of not knowing her name. I confess I stumble over her name sometimes, but since I distinctly remember my mom calling me the cat's name more than once, I think that's par for the mommy course.

Once Laura got mobile, she assumed a new name: The Menace. I'm pretty sure this arose when Tim and I first speculated as to what she would be like when she began to crawl and came near the kids' toys. "Oooooh, she's going to be a menace." Not surprisingly, Danny picked up on this rather quickly. Also not surprisingly, she has lived up to this prediction. She regularly wreaks havoc in the playroom, but does not limit herself to those quarters.

The fireplace guard? Please.

The baby gate at the bottom of the stairs? Amateur hour (and I bet the fact that this led to her toppling down a few stairs will not deter her).

That darling quilt that hung above her crib? History (now replaced by these very cute wall decals).

Those lovingly framed book covers mounted above the changing table? A few flicks of her foot made short work of those (which never ONCE came down during Clare's babyhood). I replaced them with more decals. Which I'm sure she'll figure out how to remove before her second birthday.

As I mentioned, Danny is the most prolific user of this nickname, so much so that it inspired him while making her birthday card. He was very intent, and very quiet, while working on his card, so we all cracked up when we beheld this:

(Translation: "In the meadow we can build a menace")

On the reverse side, though, he wrote this, which sums up how we all feel about our sweet little rascal:

The Life and Loves of Danny

2012-01-20T09:42:00.004-05:00

While unpacking Danny's backpack yesterday, I found the pictured writing assignment. It highlighted for me how passionate he gets about his interests. First there was golf. Then, cowboys, knights, and Playmobil. Then Star Wars. As we learned early on with Danny, when he gets into something, he goes deep. Now, since the fall football season began, he has turned his attention completely to sports. He has even gone so far as to say, "Sports are cooler than Star Wars," and chooses to watch You Tube videos of sports rather than new episodes of The Clone Wars. Let me specify: Notre Dame sports. The Irish may have had yet another disappointing season, but that has not deterred Danny from being an avid fan!

What is perhaps most fascinating about his passionate pursuits is how little can trigger them. While he was all football, all the time (literally - it was brutal trying to get him to discuss anything else at the dinner table, or in the car - our carpool suggested that he is already ready for a career on ESPN) just a week ago, he has now decided that hockey is his calling in life. The only thing I can point to is that trailer for the Notre Dame hockey arena dedication that I found via Facebook and decided to show him while I showered. Seriously, after a three-minute trailer he has been nonstop hockey. He made signs that he taped to the walls downstairs, replicating the arena, brought a hockey stick upstairs, and now regularly runs around with it and his 'puck,' which is fortunately a small nerf ball.

He did don his football jersey again yesterday afternoon, after a round of hockey, so I guess he's not ready to let that interest fall away entirely. Either way, Tim has decided he needs to steer him towards hoops. 'Tis the season, after all, not to mention it's a heck of a lot cheaper than hockey and less dangerous than football. Mostly, though, I think Tim is relieved to have a break from the incessant light saber fights. I fear, though, that if he is successful in winning Danny's interest in basketball, Clare and I will be outnumbered when it comes to dinnertime conversation.

One-Year Portraits

2012-01-16T15:53:00.007-05:00

Before I discovered the world of quality, candid photography, I made several visits to the chain portrait studios, starting when Clare was three months old. In fact, when she was three months old I got some really darling shots - enough to motivate me to keep trying. With Danny I wasn't quite as diligent, although when I did go I still got some cute ones. With Laura, the three-month portrait was such a flop that I didn't try again until her one-year. I mean, you have to have the one-year portrait, right? If for no other reason than to provide material for another comparative blog post.

Clare's one-year portrait mostly serves to remind me that I waited far too long for her first haircut. She also cried a lot at this sitting, which she had never done before.

Danny's was adorable. Still hangs on our wall to this day, and I love the second one, too.

Laura's is fair to mediocre. She didn't cry, but wouldn't smile and at times went on a bit of a rant to the photographer. But, they chronicle her personality at this point!

The Third Time's The Challenge

2012-01-15T11:10:00.002-05:00

When my niece, Nicole, turned one, I sent her a book. I remember clearly my sister's thank-you note saying how cute the book was, and that she was sure Nicki would love it if she would sit still long enough to listen. Later, when I had Clare and then Danny, both of whom always loved to sit and be read to, I sort of scoffed at this memory of Nicki. Sara obviously just didn't try enough with her. Well, as has nearly always happened to me when I have made the mistake of judging other parents and found myself superior, I have been humbled.

As with Clare and Danny, we started reading to Laura very early on in her infancy. Perhaps we didn't do it quite as frequently, but I have visual proof of us doing so. It seems, however, that her patience for reading was the result of her physical inability to move. Because ever since she's been able to move independently, she has had no interest in sitting for stories. Instead, as soon as we sit on the couch with a book (and I try this almost daily), she dive bombs for the cushions in the corner, with a semi-maniacal giggle. This is obviously a game to her. I persevere with the story, and occasionally she will glance over her shoulder at the book before turning back to the lamp, or the cat, or the coaster. Sigh. Invariably Tim and I shake our heads and lament that it's a good thing she's cute.

Fortunately she tolerates a story at bedtime, and usually at naptime, too, so I don't completely despair that she is doomed to illiteracy. (And by the way, Nicki loves to read now.) I think it is pretty clear, however, that any comfort we felt in our parenting prowess will continue to be provoked by this one. Little does she know how much both Tim and I dislike to lose.

Culinary Contests

2012-01-10T12:18:00.000-05:00

Food really is glorious to we Seymours, but as many of you know it's been a rocky, finicky path to mealtime that continues to have a few bumps along the way. I am finally reveling in the freedom of preparing what I want to eat and not taking into (too much) account what Clare and Danny will think of it. Very liberating indeed. And I choose to believe that I am armed with lessons learned as we go down this road with Laura. I am quickly realizing, though, that it's not really going to be any less challenging.

We have enjoyed about four months of an easy feeding routine with her, once we got past the nursing/bottle refusal crisis. She did so well with her jars of food mixed with formula or yogurt. But she's a growing girl, and it's time to really amp up the table food offerings. The girl loves her cheese (comes by that honestly), and pasta and bread and crackers. What small child - or any human - doesn't? Offer her a piece of real fruit, though, or vegetable, and she pokes it, inspects it, and more often than not throws it on the floor. Forcefully. With a look on her face that more or less says, "Bring it." Laura is no shrinking violet. She may not have any identifiable words yet, but she'll read you a riot act nonetheless - just ask Tim, or the photographer at Sears Portrait Studio.

I've been doing this long enough to know that I simply need to keep offering things, that it can take 30-50 times before a child will choose to accept a food. But...UGH. It's so much easier to give her that cheese stick I know she loves, that she receives with applause and a darling smile.

I still cite potty training as the most distasteful part of parenting to date (haven't dealt with puberty yet), but feeding is not far behind it. Then again, I recall agonizing over whether or not Laura would ever learn to sleep in her crib, or through the night, and of course now take these things for granted. This one may take longer, but we'll get there. I might have to break down and buy that mop my mom was nagging me about, though.

Laura's #1!

2012-01-03T15:15:00.007-05:00

Insert any and all expressions of disbelief, but Laura's first birthday has passed us by nevertheless. You can chalk it up to third child syndrome if you like, but we opted to celebrate her big day in a pretty spontaneous manner. As she gets older (and more aware), we'll use the occasion as a nice diversion from the post-holiday blues. But this time around, when I knew full well that she would be clueless, we just decided to make it one of the things we did while gathered with the family for the holidays. Particularly since she's so iffy when it comes to large gatherings of people, I didn't want to plan a major event and be frustrated when she didn't perform to expectations.

So with that disclaimer aside, we had a great, 45-minute celebration! We used the supplies-gathering trip to the Dollar Store and grocery as entertainment for the birthday girl in the morning, and then used her afternoon nap and lengthy walk with Daddy to bake the cake and decorate the house. The siblings and cousins did a stellar job with a birthday banner and elephant poster (it was going to be a rousing game of "Pin the Tail on the Elephant," but that just never transpired) - both of which now hang proudly in the playroom.

I will admit she disappointed me a bit with her reaction to the cake, which was lackadaisical at best. Then again, she had 10 of us staring at her, so I'll cut her some slack. She did really enjoy the balloons, though, and didn't mind one bit that she was tangled up in them as she crawled around the house and explored the pantry. You'll notice that she even humored us by wearing the silly hat headband for a portion of the proceedings.

Of course, we spent her actual birthday on the airplane, flying home from CA. Let's just say it's a good thing it was her birthday, or we might have tossed her. She has now secured herself her own seat from now on. But she has also secured a soft spot with every one of us!

Christmas 2011 Recap

2011-12-31T19:18:00.000-05:00

Another Christmas has come and now gone, and it was another marvelous holiday. The slideshow below includes Christmas Eve, the big day itself, and then our trip to CA. What a spectacular time we all had!

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Last-Minute Snippets

2011-12-22T14:15:00.006-05:00

With Christmas vacation in full gear, we're cramming in all the holiday traditions and activities that we can. Including the above visit to Santa, which was very last-minute. Once again, I didn't plan on visiting the big guy, and once again Danny asked when we'd be going. Fortunately, we timed the line right again (5 minutes before the jolly elf went on a one-hour break, no less) - and even managed to get Laura to sit on his lap! Sure, they all look like they're posing for a mug shot, but you can't have everything.

Leading up to vacation we had Clare's lovely composition on the season:

Danny's charming performance at the CKS Christmas mass, which the Kindergarten/Pre-1st classes lead:

And even some neighborhood caroling, which sounds like will become an annual event:

Still to come are the Lights of Life, 'Rudolph' at the Center for Puppetry Arts, dinner and a sleepover with the Francos, and then Christmas Eve and Christmas! And then California! Maybe I should get a jump start on that long winter's nap. Or at least hope that Laura does.

Two Front Teeth: Check

2011-12-20T18:20:00.001-05:00

Think that's all she wanted?

In Her Christmas Bonnet

2011-12-18T10:46:00.002-05:00

This is a girl who was born to wear hats. She's all decked out, ready for our outing to see The Sound of Music on stage this afternoon!

That's Comforting

2011-12-12T10:11:00.003-05:00

Three kids, and each had/s a different way to comfort themselves.

Clare went with her index finger, a derivation of what Tim used to do:

Danny opted for his thumb, as did his mommy before him:

While Laura chooses the entire forearm. This really makes me laugh, but my mom says she used to do the same thing. It strikes me as more dramatic, which is so far in keeping with Laura's personality. At least, as a baby - Danny's not exactly deficient in the drama department.

Our Best Tree Yet

2011-12-07T08:30:00.004-05:00

We picked a beauty this year. With our soaring ceilings, I'm always in favor of taller trees, and Tim usually scales us back to something he thinks we might actually be able to hoist ourselves. This year we managed to satisfy both criteria (all courtesy of The Home Depot, of course).

While there are plenty of milestones throughout the year that highlight the passage of time, there is something poignant about putting up our tree every year that really makes me reflect on how swiftly the years fly. It just doesn't seem that long ago that I was an eight-year-old eagerly pointing out my favorite ornaments and savoring the delights of our tree-trimming buffet. Both Clare and Danny really pulled their weight this year as far as decorating went, although Danny did take several moments to pause and read the ND board book we recently rediscovered on Laura's bookshelf. (To say he is obsessed is a big understatement.)

As far as our feast this year went, we added something that I suspect will be requested again next year: chocolate fondue for dessert. De-lish! Afterwards, Clare once again played Christmas carols for us on the piano, and then we all sat and admired our work.

Laura was fairly intrigued by the tree, which was completed after she went to bed. The next day she put her newly improved crawling skills to use by grabbing an ornament and then making a break for it across the room. She's such a cute little bandit that I really didn't do much about it. Third child!

The kids are naturally looking forward to seeing a mound of presents under the tree, but for now I am enjoying its tall splendor and the fabulous aroma, which is my favorite smell in the world. Worth every single pine needle.

Danny the Groom

2011-12-04T08:49:00.004-05:00

It would seem that Danny's "big personality" (that phrase showed up again on Danny's latest progress report) may lead him down a theatrical path. Last week he was chosen to be the groom (a.k.a. U) in the annual, Kindergarten-wide Q & U Wedding. When I first mentioned this to him, he burst into tears, fearful that this would mean he had to kiss. Horrors! But he quickly adjusted his attitude and assumed the role with pride. And this was before he knew there would be cake!

Parents were not invited to attend the affair, but the school has a terrific photographer, so I have poached the photos from her. This really looks like such a cute event, complete with Fr. Frank presiding and a reception that included dancing "The Twist" and "YMCA." It just doesn't get much more fun than Kindergarten, does it?

I do hope that this is my last stint as mother of the groom for several years, however.

Santa Hat Season

2011-12-01T08:46:00.002-05:00

Thanksgiving in D.C.

2011-11-27T19:48:00.004-05:00

I confess I was dreading this trip. Not the destination, mind you, but the traveling. We had decided it would be most economical to drive, despite the 10-hour (11? 9?) duration. The kids spend so much in the car as it is, I really figured it would be torturous. But, it was going to be a means to an end.

Fortunately, the drive itself was downright pleasant. Sure, the kids would cop to some boredom and restlessness, but overall I think our travel days went far more smoothly than I dared to dream. I attribute a big part of this to the fact that the five of us don't really get much quality time together, so the sheer pleasure of each other's company kept things bearable. (So did the abundance of electronics, of course.)

I will say that, in retrospect, Clare and Danny are still a bit too young to fully appreciate the wonders of D.C. While I couldn't wait to get to the Mall to view the memorials and explore museums, I think they were most happy when we wandered down the block from Karen and Brian's place to enjoy playgrounds and cafes. And that's fine, too. We had glorious weather that made all of it (plus a Thanksgiving morning run with Terri and Mike!) possible.

So, I am thankful for a family that it was well worth driving so far to see. I am thankful for my kids with whom it was not a chore to drive 20+ hours in five days. And I am thankful for my country, because while it certainly struggles to agree on how best to function, it is still the greatest place in the world to live.

Making Waves & Scoring Goals

2011-11-13T13:49:00.005-05:00

It's been a busy season of sporting activity around here. Buoyed by her enthusiasm for the summer swim team experience, Clare opted to drop Irish dancing in favor of year-round swimming - and she continues to love it. We found a program that practices at Georgia Tech, i.e. the very pools in which the 1996 Olympic swimming and diving competitions occurred. So cool. She regularly swims 2-3 times a week, usually with Abby and sometimes Ava. This past weekend she had a swim meet, the Turkey Trot. She didn't walk away with any ribbons, but had a blast and is more than ready to return to the pool!

Meanwhile, Danny played another season of soccer - and it was his best, by far. No longer among the youngest players on the field, he seemed to start putting it all together, scoring goals, defending and passing. More importantly, his interest and energy lasted throughout the entire season. He has decided he wants to try football next fall (flag, fortunately), but this coming spring he'll take to the soccer fields again. Gooooooal!

All About Danny: Kindergarten Edition

2011-11-12T18:24:00.002-05:00

The tradition continues. This year, some of Danny's answers have evolved, and some haven't (see his PreK edition, his three-year-old poster, and his first-ever All About Me poster as a two-year-old). Take a look:

Favorite animal: horse

Favorite color: blue and green

Favorite food: lamb (as in rack of lamb, a.k.a. 'lamb on a stick' - and boy, does he love this food)

Favorite place: California (and specifically, with the cousins)

My favorite thing to do is: Legos

When I grow up, I want to be: a football player (Mama would really prefer to let her baby grow up to a cowboy, but I think we have time for him to change his mind again.)

If I had one wish, I would wish for: a horse (He recently informed me that he would be asking Santa for a horse, and I quickly informed him that Santa knows we do not need a horse. Danny's having a rough time in this department, as we have also informed him that Santa will not be allowed to bring him a Wii. The other day, Danny asked if he'd be allowed to ask for a Wii for Christmas when he dies and goes to heaven. Ouch.)

Location:Highland Preserve Dr,Mableton,United States

Hand-Me-Downs

2011-11-11T13:46:00.004-05:00

The weather is cooler around here, such that when Laura and I went for a walk this morning, her fleece footy pajamas and a hat seemed the best attire. This darling hat is one of the few pieces from Clare's wardrobe that have survived to this date. It was put to the test in a Chicago winter but still looks almost new.

Since we also had music class today, I actually got Laura dressed. This is a rare occurrence, particularly on cold days, because a) I'm lazy, and b) what's cozier than jammies?? So, I opted for this precious purple ensemble, which happens to be one of Laura's best colors. It also happens to be one of my favorite outfits from Clare's babyhood, but alas I couldn't find any photos of her wearing it. (The invention of the iPhone means Laura is bucking the tradition of the third child getting short shrift on the photography front.) Interestingly, Clare wore it when she was six and seven months old, whereas it fits ten-month-old Laura perfectly. Despite being the biggest at birth, Laura is definitely the smallest of the three so far. Except for her eyes!

Mountain Escape

2011-11-08T09:46:00.001-05:00

After a half-hearted attempt two years ago, this past year at the CKS auction we got serious and made a successful bid on a weekend in the mountains. We dragged the Francos into this experience with us, and we're so glad that we did (and pretty sure they agree)!

We had been warned by the home's gracious owners that the dirt road leading up to the house is best traversed by a vehicle with four-wheel drive. Well, none of us had that, so we put our Odysseys to the test. The Francos made it up fine. The Seymours got stuck, twice. In the end, though, with a little nudge by Luis and I, the Vanimal made it to the top. From here we thought we were home free, only to discover that the housekeeper had left the alarm on, when we had been told by the hostess it would not be on and thus had not been given a code. It seemed like forever, but probably only took about 30 minutes until we eventually made contact with the owners and got the alarm shut off for good. Now we were home free!

The house was truly spectacular, high atop a mountain with glorious views (including the above photo) and lots of privacy. It had plenty of space for all of us, and an A-frame layout with a loft that reminded me of the cabin we used to rent in the mountains when I was a kid (except this was about four times bigger). Glorious.

Bolstered by the light of a new day, we even ventured back down the mountain for an outing. (We did decide to all pile into one of the vans, thinking it would be best to have a car at the top just in case.) Tim did some quick research and found a kid-friendly one-mile trail for us to explore, with a lake-side playground across the street and then a waterfront restaurant for lunch just down the road. Perfection all around, especially since Laura was so agreeable in the hiking backpack.

After a successful run back up the dirt road, we settled in for the rest of the afternoon and night, which culminated in a long-anticipated Euchre match between the four adults. The kids spent a lot of time inventing various games with glow sticks, drawing pictures and making books, some video games and a couple of movies - and above all, staying out of our hair! As we exclaimed many times, we were a very compatible match of families for a weekend excursion and hope to make it a repeat event.

Halloween in a Galaxy Far, Far Away

2011-11-01T09:56:00.005-04:00

Once Danny set the Star Wars tone for Halloween this year, with Clare quickly (if surprisingly) hopping on board, Tim and I knew it had to be a full-family affair. Primarily inspired by the opportunity to dress Laura as Yoda. Unfortunately, she didn't last much past the family photo, but the rest of us had a lovely time trick-or-treating with the Francos while Donna and Larry manned the house. It was picture-perfect Halloween weather, with sunny skies and pleasant temps that weren't too much for, say, a furry Chewbacca costume...

Here's sweet, sad Yoda who just wants to be able to move independently:

Princess Leia and Hermione:

Princess Leia and Chewy:

The whole gang (Gabrielle was Jessie, from Toy Story) on a candy break before heading up the big hill. Note that Danny has lost the mask by this point, after multiple incidents involving his impaired vision:

We're so happy that our Halloween tradition with the Francos is now three years strong. Next year it's their turn for costumes.

Now I See It

2011-10-28T13:45:00.002-04:00

A LOT of people comment that Laura looks like Danny. I've had a hard time seeing the resemblance. However, put her in a ridiculous, headpiece-oriented costume, and voila!

Danny Has Been Replaced

2011-10-26T08:03:00.007-04:00

OK, not really. After all, as his kindergarten teacher phrased it yesterday during my conference, Danny is 'larger than life.' He's also larger than the jogging stroller can handle, not to mention a bit busier during the day than he used to be. So I have a new running companion. So far Laura's been pretty patient and generally seems to enjoy the ride. Given that her overall disposition of late has been a bit more unpredictable, however, I choose to take it one workout at a time. With views like this, though, surely she'll stay enthused?

A Great-Grand Visit

2011-10-24T11:32:00.007-04:00

Laura and I jetted down to Texas this past weekend to visit with my maternal grandparents. While Clare and Danny have visited with them, they had yet to meet Laura. I have been blessed to meet/know four of my own great-grandparents, so I am happy that my own kids have been able to do the same. I am also happy to report that my two sets of grandparents each celebrated 68 years of marriage this year! That's pretty great.

As you can detect, Laura was definitely in mommy mode, so essentially no one else got their hands on her - not even Grammy, who was her very best friend about a month ago while I was recovering! Fickle, thy name is baby. Anyway, she did give them plenty of smiles and cuteness, so I believe she left a favorable impression.

An added bonus was that my cousin Laura (so many fun memories from my childhood!) and her two little boys were able to pop over from Austin, making it a bit of a family reunion. I wasn't smart enough to get a picture of us, so we'll just have to make a repeat visit. I don't think anyone will mind.

S'more QT

2011-10-10T08:38:00.008-04:00

With Clare off on her Brownies Camporee weekend, I decided to take Danny and join the neighbors on their annual trip to Cagle's Dairy Farm. We have to work harder these days to get one-on-one time with the big kids, so this was an opportunity I couldn't resist. (It also helped that Tim was more than happy to stay home to watch football, er babysit Laura.) Given that the highlight of this trip is a hayride that leads to a big campfire and s'mores, it was pretty much a no-brainer.

Danny's equine radar kicked into overdrive when we emerged from the parking lot and saw pony rides. He kept explaining to me that he's a 'trained rider,' having taking three whole horseback riding lessons this summer. Since we still had plenty of time until the hayride, I willingly parted with my $5 in order for him to ride around in a circle for a few minutes. After all, I had determined to let him follow his whimsy on this trip (within reason, of course), since we didn't have any other siblings to please.

Although we had already selected fine pumpkins from Burt's last weekend, we strolled through the patch with Amy and Anna, soaking up the fall atmosphere. Danny bounced around, reuniting with neighbors that we hadn't seen in a while due to the hectic pace of day-to-day life. He and Kylie were particularly excited to see each other, and raced around the campfire together for much of the evening. There was also some questionable activity up along the fence line, but we choose to believe they were just telling ghost stories...

It really is a gorgeous setting for a campfire, and with the addition of some wine we were content to sit and let the kids run around for a long time. I briefly wondered if an open field was going to be enough to amuse them, but two-and-a-half hours later they were still going. The stellar weather helped. I'm thinking next year we'll invite Tim and Clare. If they're good.

Plentiful Pumpkins

2011-10-04T09:24:00.009-04:00

So it would seem that the more things stay the same, the more they change when it comes to adding a baby to the family. As I mentioned last year, the pumpkin patch outing is something we do not ever skip. Not since Clare was 18 months old, anyway. It's also something that we all look forward to in equal amounts.

Sometimes anticipation is the most fun element. I think that might have been the case this year. It's not as though our trip wasn't fun, but somehow it didn't amount to the epic family excursion that Tim and I expected. While we have all adjusted our family routine to accommodate Laura's presence, I'm thinking that it still might affect our overall outlook. Or maybe I'm just seeking a scapegoat, when the more accurate explanation is that we were just in B+ mode. And hey, B+ really isn't too bad!

Looking back at the pictures from last year, I am a bit startled by how much younger the kids look - especially Clare. I will admit to some amount of autopilot parenting with her of late, because she is so reliable. I've been so busy documenting Laura's weekly developments, when it turns out my other baby girl is changing right before my eyes, too!

Danny is just as enthusiastic about Halloween this year as last. He was chomping at the bit to get out the books and decorations, which for his money cannot be too elaborate. In fact, I think it was his zeal for the outing (we had several days of "I can't wait for Sunday!") and the holiday in general that may have left us feeling a bit let down on Sunday. Did we fail him? Was he sick? Has Burt's Farm lost its touch? Who knows. That guessing game of parenthood will continue to plague me, so I should just leave well enough alone. As the pictures will attest (and Tim has a lot more pictures, but he's so swamped with work that my impatient self can't wait around), a good (enough) time really was had by all.

Nine Months

2011-10-02T06:49:00.002-04:00

For reasons I can't really articulate well, nine months always seems like a big milestone to me. Laura is clearly on the cusp of some major developments, namely crawling (she's consistently getting up on all fours and rocking a bit) and getting herself to a sitting position. As we have already mentioned, she is quite the determined little baby who is, as Donna has put it, not really that fond of being a baby. She wants to be independent, and she wants to be like her big brother and sister. She loves to grab the spoon from me and try to feed herself; she loves to do the sippy cup herself until she gets frustrated at her inability to satisfy her thirst; and she loves any and all table food I will give her that she can deal with on her own.

Her striking blue eyes continue to garner comments from passersby on a seemingly hourly basis. Between those and her very blonde hair, it's sometimes tough for me to see similarities between her and Clare and Danny. But then she'll make an expression that looks very familiar. So, I've posted pictures of nine-months-old Clare and ten-months-old Danny:

Even if she bears resemblance to them, she is developing a personality that is all her own - and, of course, we wouldn't have it any other way.

Playground Panacea

2011-09-30T16:14:00.001-04:00

We had today all planned. Clare and Danny were off school, the forecast was spectacular, and neighbors were up for an outing. So, we were going to venture to the zoo. I refuse to go there when it's hot, or on a busy weekend, so this was going to be a rare opportunity.

Laura woke up cranky - but I figured a nap would straighten her out. Danny woke up with a song in his heart, so that was great. But then Clare sat down to breakfast, and within moments was in a rare breakdown. Ostensibly, it was due to her sore teeth owing to getting her wires changed on Wednesday (a pain I remember all too well). But I also think the exhaustion of our generally busy lives caught up to her. So, we had the opportunity to slow it down today, which is exactly what we did.

A visit to the playground went over like gangbusters with all three. Really, how can you not be carefree and happy on a swing? It was Laura's first time, and most certainly not her last!

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Clare's Ode to Annie Bear

2011-09-23T08:50:00.003-04:00

Clare's class was recently asked to write about something special to them. Here is Clare's offering:

My Special Annie Bear
When I was very little, about my baby sister Laura's age my Grandma and Grampa gave me my Annie Bear. She is sort of like a rag doll. She is a stuffed animal bear. Annie Bear is pink. Her pink is very light and faded. She has a pink and white checked bow on her neck. I sleep with her almost every night. When I was little I took [her] every where with me. One day on summer vacation I went to a teddy bear picnic. But I did not take Annie Bear because I was afraid I would lose her. Sometimes we wash her. When she comes out she is dry, warm and cozy. She is the most special stuffed animal to me! I love Annie Bear so much!

By: Clare Seymour

Here's a picture of 18-month-old Clare (approximately) and me visiting my dorm. Annie Bear has traveled extensively!

And Now Back To Our Regularly Scheduled Lack of Schedule

2011-09-19T14:12:00.005-04:00

After 19 days of live-in help ably provided by our generous and loving parents, I am once again walking upright and captain of the family helm. Overall, it went just fine, particularly considering that we feared disaster from Laura. By the end, though, it was obvious that everyone needed to resume normalcy, such as it is.

A normal schedule is something I have sought for Laura since day one, and I'm afraid it still eludes me. While we have developed a rhythm of after-school activities, there are still multiple exceptions that get in the way of a regular afternoon nap. When possible, I stay home to accommodate morning naps, only to have her poop herself awake each and every time, and far earlier than a standard nap would dictate. She also continues to need about three naps most days, especially since she is usually bright-eyed and bushy-tailed by 6 a.m. Who would have thought that those first few weeks of her life, when all she did was sleep, would seem so precious now.

As I write this, she is sound asleep. Naturally, because we have to leave momentarily to pick up the kids from school. Oh well, there's always tomorrow.

Baby of Steel

2011-08-26T07:11:00.002-04:00

I think Laura may have secured herself a future tenure in boarding school this week. Most of you are aware that I attempted to wean her to prepare for my upcoming hernia repair. For three days, I withheld nursing as an evening, once-a-day event. I fed her solids, and offered her bottles of formula. For three days, she refused to take a single sip from a bottle. Even if that meant she slept for 12-13 hours and then went another four before she ate solids. She could give Ghandi a run for his money in the hunger strike department.

So I caved. Thanks to the extremely helpful advice and coaching Allyson gave me all along the way, we've got ways to get around the nursing hiatus. In the meantime, it's Laura 1, Mommy and Daddy 0. As just about everyone commented to me this week, I shudder to think what this steel will of hers will imply during her teenage years.

Because I Like to Tempt Fate

2011-08-24T09:41:00.002-04:00

Now that school has begun, I feel like I need a follow-up to my last post about Danny. Partially because I think I was over-reacting at the time, and partially because he's doing so well right now.

Sure, he's only attended school now for two weeks. For lots of kids, though, those first few days of kindergarten are the toughest. Fortunately, Danny seems to have found his groove. No, he doesn't really like being awoken so early on school days. But by the time he is dressed and downstairs for breakfast, he's a chipper chicken. Many times Clare has stopped him en route to breakfast in order to help adjust his uniform, an act that speaks volumes about their relationship and its effect on his time at school. I think much of the reason he's so comfortable is because his big sister is there, and happy to engage with him. This is on top of him loving his teachers and making new friends. Not to mention that he really is an outgoing little chap.

In fact, he was even comfortable enough to make a bit of a splash in the first school mass. I had not alerted Danny to the fact that mass was going to take place last Monday, because frankly I didn't feel like listening to him gripe about it. Imagine my surprise when I picked the kids up from school later that day, and Danny strutted into the car, waving a dollar bill at me while saying, "Guess who answered one of Fr. Frank's questions in mass?" (Fr. Frank is known for asking questions during his homily and rewarding correct answers with $$.) Proud as a peacock he was! I still love picturing my little guy raising his hand and then answering a question in the big cathedral, in front of 560 students and dozens of teachers and parents. May he always be so confident. (For inquiring minds, the question was, "Who will you meet in heaven?" Danny said that he answered, "God!" and then Fr. Frank asked him if he thought that was worth a dollar, to which Danny said, "YES!")

I take his comment to me this morning as a sign of continued success. "Mommy, I have to say..." (there was a long pause here, so I really didn't know where this was going) "I'm not that interested in vacation anymore. I mean, I still like vacation and stuff, but it's just that school is more interesting to me right now." Perhaps he and Clare aren't so different after all.

Feline Fascination

2011-08-18T08:25:00.003-04:00

Among the many things distinguishing Laura's babyhood from Clare's and Danny's is the presence of the cats. Quincy and Duncan didn't join us until Danny was two. While the cats were aware of Laura from the moment she arrived, she didn't really take notice of them until very recently, post-summer travels. But now she's making up for lost time. When they are in the vicinity, she is mesmerized, and definitely looking for ways to get closer and get her hands on them. Woe to them when she starts crawling! (And I suspect they just might be her motivation to get moving.)

Note that Duncan (white and black cat) is willing to get close to Laura. This will infuriate Clare if she catches wind of it, because after three years she has still barely touched him. We always suspected him to be the smarter of the two cats, but now I'm not so sure. Yes, Laura is cute, but she has potential to inflict some serious damange, kitty!

P.S. I had to add this photo my mom sent of two-year-old me with our cat at the time, Peaches. Looks like it's genetic.

Braced for the Future

2011-08-16T14:33:00.001-04:00

When Clare emerged into the waiting room today with her braces on, I did a double-take. I expected the metal, of course, but what caught me by surprise is how much older they make her look! Ack! She did us all proud, too, by being perfectly poised throughout the appointment. Not that this surprised me.

Meanwhile, Laura passed the time the way any self-respecting person would do in a doctor's waiting room:

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Just You and Me, Kid

2011-08-15T09:31:00.005-04:00

It has been a blissful morning. Clare and Danny headed off to school, picked up by our new carpool from our very front door. The weather was cool enough for me to do some yardwork and then take Laura for a walk. Now she's down for her nap, and I am free to shower, putz around on the computer, and enjoy the peace and quiet. Ahhhh!

While every day won't be this calm, I look forward to many more walks, time for Laura to practice sitting, and other such simple pleasures that I previously took for granted. Back-to-school season suits me well.

First Day: The Sequel

2011-08-10T13:24:00.005-04:00

Show me a mom who isn't nostalgic on her child's first day of kindergarten! I don't claim to be the most sentimental of women, but this is a big one. I couldn't help reflecting back to Clare's first day, and as I reviewed the picture I noticed two-year-old Danny in the background in his ubiquitous green Crocs. Just look at him now!

He didn't jump out of bed as Clare did at his age. In fact, he moaned that he was tired, and then got a little weepy about being nervous. But as he got dressed, he snapped out of it. And while I thought he'd be totally irritated regarding the belt, he seemed to think that was the coolest part.

At school itself he went back and forth between confidence and nervousness. He was happy to see Luke, kept tabs on Clare's whereabouts, and in the end marched off to his class with nary a backward glance.

(cue music) Sunrise, sunset...

Circle of (G.I. Joe's) Life

2011-08-09T09:26:00.003-04:00

Among the many appealing elements of Grandma and Grandpa's house in Buffalo is the fact that they hung on to Tim's and Karen's old toys. Sure, Star Wars figures, Playmobil, Strawberry Shortcake and the like are still available in stores, but there's something pretty darn cool about playing with the originals. Especially knowing that your daddy played with those very same toys in his near-mythical childhood.

This summer, Danny was particularly smitten with the bin of Tim's old G.I. Joe action figures and attack vehicles. And when the man himself arrived in town, Danny couldn't wait to lure him into the basement for an extended playdate. It looked something like the above, though the photo doesn't completely capture the happiness radiating from the two of them.

Fort Niagara State Park

2011-08-06T08:43:00.003-04:00

I always used to wonder why Niagara Falls was the cliched honeymoon spot of old. It seemed sort of random, and limited. That was before I was introduced to the area, and to how expansive it really is.

We opted to have a family outing today and returned to Fort Niagara, inside Fort Niagara State Park. Of course Danny was smitten as soon as he heard the word 'fort,' and Clare was thrilled at the thought of an 'old-fashioned' destination. I remembered spectacular views if Lake Ontario and the Niagara River. None of us was disappointed.

After exploring the fort, we took a picnic lunch over to a beautiful waterside spot. As always, I marveled at how much the Great Lakes can be mistaken for the ocean.

After some eating and plenty of fresh air, we decided to make one more stop on our way home: Whirlpool State Park. We got a great look at the Whirlpool Rapids, described as "a dangerously turbulent stretch of the Niagara River downstream from Niagara Falls."

I was the only member of the family interested in the cable car that floats over and above the rapids, and the only one who thought the jet boat tour looked fun. Still, I'd say this is a part of the world we were all quite taken with. I could definitely envision a romantic getaway in these parts...or another family excursion.
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Seven Months

2011-08-03T15:50:00.001-04:00

Still crazy about her after all these months.

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Halfway Highlights

2011-08-01T09:38:00.001-04:00

With one week down (already?) and one to go here in Buffalo, we've already got a lot to report on. Such as a pirate cruise for Danny and Larry, which was followed by a tour of the Navy ships:

Tea for Clare, Donna and Kathy V.:

the TR Site's Teddy Bear Picnic:

We've also gone to the zoo, swimming and dinner at Park Club, and Donna and Larry took Clare and Danny to a nearby wildlife park, Hidden Valley Animal Adventure. Lucky us!

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Idle Ideals

2011-07-30T09:56:00.000-04:00

While we are fortunate to visit with each other multiple times throughout the year, I definitely look to the annual summer trips to the grandparents' homes as important sources for memories. I imagine my children recalling their summer excursions with the same fondness that I do my own childhood trips. Similarly, I hope that the grandparents form happy memories of their charming grandchildren.

Of course, not every moment goes smoothly, and one of the many reasons I am so game for these extensive travels is because I know that both sets of grandparents truly understand that kids are not always perfect. Logically, I also recognize that the good memories outlast the bad.

That being said, my inner perfectionist still squirms over each misstep, and my notorious lack of patience is clearly not the right equipment for coping with repeated days of whining and moping. Which, sadly, is what I feel that I have had from Danny this summer. As I lamented previously regarding Laura, it's a bit of a guessing game when it comes to Danny's emotional state. Is it his age, and the impending move to kindergarten? Is it he overtired? Does he miss his dad? Is it the dreaded Middle Child Syndrome? Have I ruined him with too much exposure to electronics?

If I'm being honest, I suspect the answer is yes to all of these. When I'm being hopeful, I suspect that I might be overreacting a bit, too. After all, we're having a great time. We've made a lot of wonderful memories, with more to come. As a parent, I know there are always ways in which I can improve. And there are also always going to be days, even weeks, when kids are not perfect. With any luck, I'll have this concept truly cemented in my mind by the time I'm a grandparent.

More Family Resemblance

2011-07-27T22:17:00.001-04:00

Guess which one is Danny's grandfather? Pretty uncanny resemblance between his paternal grandfather, Lawrence, and Dan the Man!

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Location:Grimsby Rd W,Buffalo,United States

Babies: The Original Agony & Ecstasy

2011-07-24T12:50:00.001-04:00

My feelings towards Laura's age these days are best described as vacillating, or perhaps more along the lines of whiplash-inducing. Just a few days ago I waxed poetic about how this is the ideal age, because she's still such a great size to hold, stays put, and is just so deliciously babyish. 'If she could only stay this way!' I lamented to myself.

But then comes a spell such as the last couple of days, when we are constantly wondering if it's teething (that ever-present threat), or her shots, or just plain boredom that's behind her fussiness. The guessing game is my biggest frustration in parenting babies, and why in the end it's okay that they grow up.

I don't know if it's her age, or our traveling and lack of schedule, or just her individual nature, but it seems that Laura's days are more inconsistent than were Clare's or Danny's. I suppose I am partially recalling their infancies through rose-colored glasses. As a matter of fact, now that I think about it I distinctly remember Danny's afternoon nap being repeatedly interrupted by his, er, bio breaks. The uncertainty of a day's progression is difficult to accept, given how much I really, really like routine. Why does she nap beautifully one day and horrifically the next? And why is she sometimes still cranky after a good nap, and other days Miss Peppy Sunshine despite virtually no naps at all? I guess it's just the nature of the beast. Or baby.

Above all is the pure joy derived from one of her sweet, sincerely delighted smiles - which more than makes up for the agonizing moments.

Laura's Resemblance

2011-07-19T20:26:00.000-04:00

Ever since she was born, friends and family alike have been playing the "who does she look like?" game. A lot of people comment that they can see Danny in her, but there also seems to be some of my mom, a.k.a. Grammy, in her. Ultimately, of course, time will tell!

La Jolla

2011-07-18T20:09:00.006-04:00

Translated from Spanish, La Jolla (spelled properly: La Joya) means "the jewel," and a more aptly named spot is hard to imagine. Ever since his first visit to San Diego, Tim and I have been especially fond of La Jolla, not least because that's where he proposed. We also had a marvelous time when celebrating a good friend's wedding there a couple of years ago. This was the first time we took the kids, though, and it proved to be a terrific way for Tim to spend his first day on vacation in California. The weather was glorious, the views spectacular, and the company delightful, even if they didn't really appreciate the romance or significance of the location. Though she doesn't appear in any of these pictures, Laura was along for the ride and seemed very content here - as were we all.

While I strolled Laura around and eventually found a convenient place to nurse her, Tim, Clare and Danny walked down to Shell Beach and enjoyed the waves, rocks, and sea lions nearby:

This was the view I enjoyed while giving Laura a snack:

Sea lions:

Clare and Danny with one of the many beautiful backdrops:

A sign of a great day:

Everything Old is New Again

2011-07-16T13:03:00.002-04:00

As I've mentioned before, Jennifer (Lyons) and I go way back. Since we became inseparable in second grade, when I was seven, we experienced a lot of life together. Including my first sleepover, which was at her house. So it was extra special for me when Jen, Kelsey and Colleen invited Clare for a sleepover - the perfect antidote to Katy and Nicki's departure, too.

Clare had a marvelous time. She won't be able to see Kelsey and Colleen nearly as frequently as Jen and I did as kids, but I'm nevertheless confident that their friendship will be a lasting one, too.

Cousins Club

2011-07-12T19:39:00.004-04:00

It's a little bit mournful around here, as Katy and Nicki are on an airplane home and the 2011 Summer Cousins Encounter has come to an end. As always, it was magical, full of moments that are tricky to describe but definitely memorable. The addition of Laura, and her dependence on me, meant we had to cut back on any major outings this year. Fortunately, the cousins really just need each other to have a good time. We're hoping for a holiday visit, the prospect of which made parting just a wee bit easier. There was still some last-minute plotting to squeeze Clare and Danny into some suitcases, but that's just another indication that a good time was had by all!

Baby Boogie

2011-07-10T06:24:00.001-04:00

A couple of weeks ago when I put Laura on the floor to stretch out, I noticed she would do this little wiggly dance move. She grew increasingly exuberant about it, so we decided we better capture it on video before she outgrows this phase and is - gasp! - crawling.

Horsing Around

2011-07-09T07:17:00.006-04:00

After years of looking longingly at the many horses that live near my parents' house, Sara and I decided this was the summer to indulge the kids in horseback riding lessons. Deputy Dan was not the only one excited about this, either! (He was, however, the one who enjoyed his helmet the most, as it made him look like "an army man!")

Clare and Danny were assigned to PJ, a medium pony with a very laid-back disposition. They learned how to curry, brush, and clean out his hooves before going for a ride. While on their individual rides, they were each treated to a few moments of trotting, and both found it to be thrilling. We head back for another lesson on Monday. Perhaps by then Danny will have made a decision on his future: cowboy or jockey?

Generations

2011-07-08T18:11:00.007-04:00

While we have chosen to center our annual pilgrimage to Topeka around the Fourth of July, the real reason we go is to visit with my grandparents. Grandma Eddie couldn't wait to get her hands on Laura, who I am pleased to say did not disappoint. Every interaction between Grandma Eddie, Grandpa Bob and their great-grandchildren is a treasure, and I'm so happy we made so many memories to add to those from years past. We are so blessed.

An All-American Fourth

2011-07-08T18:02:00.005-04:00

It's become an annual ritual for the kids and I (and occasionally Tim) to spend the Fourth of July in Topeka, Kansas with my dad's side of the family. For me this is coming full circle, as I spent many fourths visiting Kansas when I was a kid. Clare and Danny love it every bit as much as I did, especially because it provides the perfect reunion with Katy and Nicki. My dad said he has already burned in his mind the wonderful memory of Danny, pulling his suitcase across the street and then throwing it down and racing into Nicki's arms the moment he saw her come out of the house.

In addition to do-it-yourself fireworks, swimming, and barbecuing, we added to the festivities this year by heading over to Jon and Brittney's neighborhood for a charming Fourth of July parade. We didn't know what to expect but figured any sort of outing would be fun. It turned out to be perfect. Different groups would drive or even walk by, frequently tossing candy to the children waiting along the street. Lots of dogs were in attendance, not to mention funny or cute vehicles. It was exactly the Americana-esque image you would expect from a Midwest neighborhood parade, and we're already planning how we can participate next year!

Six Months

2011-07-02T07:00:00.001-04:00

Dear Laura,

You are six months old today, proof that time is truly flying by. You have changed in so many ways, and each one of us is wrapped around your sweet little finger. Most recently you have mastered the art of rolling over both ways. You are developing a sense of humor that is especially triggered by your siblings. You fit right in to our family with your growing love of solids, and so far you've tasted rice cereal, oatmeal, squash, sweet potatoes, and carrots. You are unbelievably stubborn and refuse to take a bottle. You've only officially slept through the night three times, so feel free to work on that. Your blue eyes garner comments from almost every person who sees you, and just looking at them now makes me forgive the sleeping thing. You are sweet, if not overly cuddly (Miss Jennifer calls your favorite position the "your breath stinks" pose). We are crazy about you, and so grateful for these past six months.

Love,
Mommy

Copycat

2011-06-29T11:50:00.000-04:00

Laura is starting to hone her conversation skills. Her content could still use some work, but she's getting the idea!

Clare the Swimmer

2011-06-28T13:40:00.000-04:00

Four years ago, Tim and I would have chuckled if someone predicted that Clare would one day swim on a swim team and absolutely love it. Four years ago, you would have found her sitting on the side of the pool at the YMCA, refusing to participate in the swimming lesson and crying if anyone made her get in. Fortunately, a lot can happen in four years.

Last night we were the proud observers of Clare swimming in her first swim meet. She has attended daily swim practice for the past several weeks, but this was the first meet we were able to attend that Mother Nature didn't wreck. Swim practice itself has been such a joy - Clare has eagerly looked forward to it each morning, and I have found it a peaceful way to begin my day, with Danny usually reading a book or playing with his lightsaber, Laura chilling in her carseat, and me sipping my coffee while I watch the swimmers.

The meet was much more exciting, and even a bit stressful for we rookies. But it was all worth it! I am admittedly a bit surprised, but very, very proud to say that Clare swam four events and placed first in three of them (the fourth was a relay)!

Her first event was a 50 meter freestyle, which she won by a solid 1/3 length of the pool, as you can see from the picture. When Tim congratulated her after the first race, she was surprised to learn that she'd won. She was even more surprised when he told her that not only did she beat the girl in the next lane, but in fact all the girls.

Her second event was the backstroke leg of the medley relay, which she was leading until the very end when she slowed to get her bearings. She used this experience later, for her last event, the 25 meter backstroke. I had noticed that morning at practice that her backstroke looked swift, straight and strong, a significant improvement over just a couple of weeks ago. That winning touch proved it, too!

She was pretty nervous for her third event, the 25 meter backstroke. Typical of Clare, she was nervous not because of the competitive pressure but because of the looming threat of disqualification due to an illegal touch. Just that morning she had been one of many swimmers to get pulled out of the pool and forced to do pushups because she had only done a one-handed touch. Fortunately she managed to keep it legal as well as fast!

Not surprisingly, she was flying high last night. She was so excited to swim in the meet at all. I really don't think she had even thought as far ahead as placing, let alone winning any races. The best kind of attitude, and one that I think speaks volumes about her character. Way to go, sweetie!

Book Club, Junior Edition

2011-06-27T07:46:00.005-04:00

For the past year or so, Clare has attempted to engage me in a book club, wherein we each read a book of her choosing and then discuss it. Sounded great in theory, but we really only got around to it once. We had several books on the To Read list, though! Evidently Clare mentioned our club to her friend Abby, who in turn mentioned it to her mom. They thought it sounded fun and wanted to do it, too, so she emailed me with some questions about it. This inspired me to take the whole thing a step further and suggest that we join forces, thereby formalizing it a bit for us. And yesterday was our inaugural meeting!

We let the girls select the book, which was an American Girl mystery: The Stolen Sapphire (A Samantha Mystery). The four of us met for brunch, and I was impressed when the girls immediately wanted to launch into a discussion of the book. I was also impressed that they continued the discussion for quite a while, growing rather impatient when Mrs. T. and I would digress into conversations of our own. Let's just say my own book club probably wouldn't meet their conversational standards.

After a good chat, the girls also made a thoughtful deliberation on our next choice, having each brought three books to choose from. There were several contenders which may pop up in later months, but for now we're going with the Judy Blume classic, Otherwise Known As Sheila the Great. And I am very much looking forward to the next meeting with these delightfully literary ladies!

Story Time with Danny

2011-06-26T09:13:00.000-04:00

A snippet of Danny as both emerging reader and sweet big brother:

Blue Eyes Smiling At Me

2011-06-20T10:47:00.008-04:00

Nothing but blue eyes will I see? Hard to say. Laura gets a lot of comments on her beautiful blue eyes. However, both Clare and Danny had bright blue eyes well into their first year, as the following photos will attest. Clare's are now very much green, while Danny's have morphed into more of a hazel (Edward eyes, for those Twilight fans).

Clare at 9 months:

Clare at 12 months:

Danny at 4 months:

Danny at 13 months (why yes, that IS a beer can):

Laura the Foodie

2011-06-16T11:07:00.007-04:00

(Dad, this seems a most appropriate post for your birthday!)
Yesterday was a big day for Laura: her first experience with food! For a family of food lovers, this was a major milestone. As I recall being the case with Clare and Danny, the first few bites were definitely of the "what on earth??" variety, but she soon got the idea. I gave her perhaps the first two bites, and then Clare asked if she could take over. She loved feeding her, and has asked to do so every day. Since Laura refuses to take a bottle and I am therefore on the hook for every other meal, this arrangement is fine with me!

Danny wasn't quite as charmed. While Clare was feeding Laura, I noticed Danny had his hands over his eyes. Concerned, I asked him what was wrong. "It's just gross! I don't want to watch." Since in most other respects he's a very good big brother, we'll give him a pass on this one.

Here's Clare at work:

Laura the Jet-Setter

2011-06-15T07:29:00.001-04:00

Laura and I jetted off to Boston for a weekend with Mallie and Breen (Lisa and Erin to the uninitiated). It was Laura's first plane ride, which came later for her than the other two - Clare took her first trip at three months, Danny at three weeks. Traveling solo with her brought back a lot of fond memories of gallivanting around the country with Clare. It was such a treat to focus exclusively on her, especially since I knew Clare and Danny were in great hands back at home.

Mals took us to Cape Cod on Saturday, which was my first visit. For this Hotlanta resident, the weather was glorious: cool and rainy. I think Laura loved it, too. Or perhaps she just loved having three moms, plus two little girls, fighting over her. Whatever the case, she was a jolly little pumpkin all weekend! She even managed to finally roll over...right after I left the room to get some water. Breen will never let me forget it, either. (Breen also proudly walked around Cape Cod with Laura in her arms, graciously thanking people when they complimented her baby and never once correcting them. Hmph!)

Mallie's darling daughters, Abby and Sarah, repeatedly wished that Laura lived next door or was their baby sister. They have their own sibling on the way soon, though, so I suspect Laura will soon be a distant memory. I will remember this trip for a while, though!

Fourth Year at the Lake (but hopefully not final)

2011-06-13T17:29:00.012-04:00

The kids and I essentially unpacked our suitcases from Florida and repacked them again, this time stocked for an always-coveted trip to Lake Martin. As I was in this packing process, I realized this would be our fourth summer heading to the Pryors' awesome aquatic abode. Obviously it was Laura's first, and Jennifer had also added her own baby, Kobe the Shiba Inu.

I was very apprehensive about how it would be to take an infant to the lake. Since it's a relatively short drive, I entered into the excursion knowing that we could always just turn around and return home. Fortunately, I need not have worried. Between two other moms more than happy to take a turn with her, and her happy disposition to hang out in the portable swing or just laying on the couch, she did just fine. (The boat was another story, but hey - you win some, you lose some.)

I'm so relieved that she enabled us to stay, because it allowed for some special time between the "Three Amigas" as well as for the kids. Which we all needed, with the Pryors moving to New Jersey :-( As usual, the kids had an absolute blast, and also exhausted themselves such that they were both sound asleep 15 minutes into our drive home.

It's hard to say what next summer will bring, but I refuse to believe we won't eventually return to Eden!

Vacation, Baby!

2011-06-05T14:51:00.001-04:00

One look at our calendar for the next few months, and there's not a whole lot about it that screams "vacation." There is something listed every single day, to the point that I have had to schedule playdates 6 weeks in advance, just to make sure we work them in before school begins. This is primarily owing to the amount of travel we undertake during the season. Something I wouldn't trade for anything, but something I have also learned is quite exhausting by the end.

True to form, we started the off-school-season with a bang by heading to Sarasota, FL for our family vacation. Just the five of us. (A phrase I'm still learning to say.) Having Tim to ourselves for a whole week is a treat in and of itself, and the grandparents' condo in a tropical location is the icing on the cake. Travel with an infant, though, isn't quite so sweet. Which we knew, and which I remember from doing this same trip with a four-month-old Danny.

We mixed it up with a fair amount of divide-and-conquer tactics as well as determined gatherings of the whole family. Clare, Danny and Tim went to the beach one day, the next I took them to the local YMCA's awesome aquatic park. Tim and the big kids ventured to Adventure Island one day, while Laura and I enjoyed a very peaceful day at home (with a jaunt to Target). The next day I took Clare and Danny on a boat tour of the bay area, complete with dolphin sightings and marine life encounters. We all managed to get to the Mote Aquarium; the pool for Laura's first swim; Big Olaf's for their deliciously creamy ice cream; and the beach.

In fact, we celebrated Laura's five-month birthday with her inaugural visit to the beach. It was a picture-perfect afternoon on what was ranked yet again as America's #1 beach: Siesta Key. The kids were in heaven, the water felt fabulous. Sadly, Laura did not cooperate, so we had to pack it in much earlier than the rest of us would have liked. I think Tim and I were both much more resentful of the baby than either Clare or Danny. Babies: so cute, so frustrating! Given that this was following her refusal to take a bottle, and four days' worth of refusing to nap in the afternoon (despite perfect napping in the morning), I suspect our irritation was more cumulative than anything else.

Since the beach was the most distinctive aspect of this trip - we can hit the pool every day here at home - we decided that was where we needed to spend the last day. This time, though, we took two cars (yahoo for Donna and Larry keeping a vehicle at the condo!). Laura and I arrived late and left early, and everyone was happier.

And so it appears it will go this summer. We'll find ways to do the things we love to do, but it's going to require more planning, more compromise, and more patience!

Catch as Catch Can

2011-05-28T07:48:00.000-04:00

Such is the story of sweet Laura and our attempts to work her naps into the rest of our busy lives. While enjoying a fun lunch at Sherry and Sebe's house to celebrate the end of preschool, Laura just couldn't take it any more.

Who needs a crib?!

Danny's Last Day of Preschool

2011-05-27T08:21:00.001-04:00

Three years ago, when Danny started preschool, I remember thinking that three years sounded so long. It would be three whole years before he and Clare would be in school together. As usual, time had a good laugh at my expense.

I remember how tearfully Danny began his school career, reluctantly guided by Parker into the building. As I knew he would, but was still relieved to observe, Danny blossomed as a student, developing great "buddies" (according to Danny, girls are "friends," boys are "buddies") and falling head over heels for his teacher.

You will have to forgive me for his extreme casual attire on this last day. Danny has a deep loathing for "getting fancy," as he refers to wearing a collared shirt. I guess this isn't that surprising, considering his slippers in the above photo. Knowing that he will soon get fancy every single day come August 11, I decided to let him wear whatever pleased him. Enjoy your summer, buddy! And stop growing up so fast.

Showstoppers

2011-05-24T14:48:00.000-04:00

These last weeks of school are always filled with exciting events. Last week was Danny's final Spring Fling at VCLC, which included his graduation from preschool and, in my admittedly biased opinion, the best class performance of the night. I didn't get it on camera myself, but refer you to this link to observe (you have to wait until the 1:15 minute mark for them to start; he's at the far left of the screen). As you can see, he was proudly strutting his stuff and mentioned the next morning that he wanted to do it again. A star is born.

This morning it was Clare's turn to take the stage for the Second Grade Variety Show. From the moment the teachers announced this event, she knew she wanted to perform some Irish dancing. While originally a couple of her friends were going to do it with her, they eventually bowed out - but that didn't deter Clare in the slightest. Better yet, she opted to do the slip jig, a dance she has only recently mastered. I was present for the performance, of which I only recorded a snippet (we can blame Laura for my camera malfunction, as I was holding her with one hand and the camera in the other). She was very serious and focused!

She later performed again, this time with her Junior Jazzercise group. This was an after-school class she took, and this performance was an encore of the one they did at the halftime show for the Atlanta Hawks (along with several other Junior Jazzercise groups). MTV, here she comes!

Geared Up

2011-05-23T21:54:00.007-04:00

We are in the height of putting various baby items to use these days for Miss Laura. Such a little person takes up a considerable amount of real estate with her various accoutrements, but it's hard to imagine surviving without them.

Here she is in the Bumbo seat, holding court at dinner time. She really seems to enjoy watching us eat our dinners from this perch.

Just last week we dusted off the exersaucer, a.k.a. Baby Command Central:

While I am valiantly working on establishing a nap schedule within her crib, the swing is still our go-to spot for her. Today she discovered the mirror that is suspended above her seat, and was quite enamored with what she saw:

And then there's head gear, this one provided by Susana who also took the photo:

Headed to the Pool

2011-05-15T13:35:00.007-04:00

This is the message that will be texted or emailed on a near-daily basis amongst we neighbors starting now. The pool technically opened last weekend, but we didn't get a chance to visit it until Friday. In so many ways, it felt like we had never left. All but one, that is: the presence of, and responsibility for, an infant! Generally speaking, life with three children really hasn't been too earth-shattering a shift in our day-to-day lives. Or perhaps my short-term memory is just shot. But this trip to the pool was a big reminder of how our family has changed.

Deciding I was willing to brave the 3 kids: 1 adult ratio, we gamely headed over to the pool. With Laura in the carseat, all was fine. However, when she grew fussy and I opted to hold her, while Danny simultaneously decided to challenge his jumping and swimming skills, I realized I was in a dicey position. Fortunately, I was soon able to put her back in the carseat and keep her happy in the stroller (and of course, Danny was fine and never did need a rescue from me). Even better: the lifeguards return Memorial Day weekend. Until then, I might just wait until a neighbor, or Tim, can accompany me.

Stay tuned for more swimming adventures, as both Clare and Danny begin their careers on the Vinings Estates Dolphins Swim Team tomorrow!

Winey Clare

2011-05-14T10:12:00.000-04:00

During the days leading up to Clare's First Communion, she spent a fair amount of time agonizing over whether or not to take the wine. Her biggest concern was that she would dislike the taste so much that she would make a face that would hurt God's feelings. We assured her that it was perfectly acceptable to pass on the wine. She went through this conversation with me at least three times, Tim several times, and each of her grandmothers at least once. Finally, as the morning of First Communion dawned, she seemed at peace with her plan to not take the wine.

Lo and behold, when the time for communion arrived, I noticed that her beloved teacher was one of the people administering the wine. Clare noticed this, too, because she turned to me and said, "I might take the wine after all." And she did, with great poise...until we rounded the corner and she turned around to tell me, in a very loud whisper, "That wasn't so bad!"

I chose the above photo for this post because Clare looks particularly relaxed and happy...possibly because she had mistakenly swigged from her Grammy's wine glass a short moment before. Ah, the power of vino.

Laura's Baptism

2011-05-13T13:12:00.001-04:00

With so many loved ones coming in for the weekend for Clare's First Communion, we were thrilled to be able to schedule Laura's baptism for the same visit. It made for a bit of a whirlwind schedule, but also very special. We were lucky to have a private baptism, and Laura was an absolute angel: wide awake, but didn't make a peep. With my oldest and dearest friend, Jen, as godmother, and (almost) all of our closest family members with us, it was a perfect moment.

Getting dressed in the gown that Clare wore for her baptism:

With Jen, ready to go:

Danny making the sign of the cross on her forehead. One of the best parts of having a private baptism was that Clare and Danny both got to participate in the ceremony:

The moment of baptism:

Clare wiping Laura's brow:

And a slew of group shots:

Mother's Day Luncheon

2011-05-10T15:27:00.005-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, I was cordially invited to a Mother's Day Luncheon, hosted by Danny's Tigers class. Remembering Clare's PreK luncheon, I gladly accepted the invitation! As I expected, it was darling. Danny stood by the door, eagerly awaiting my arrival, and greeted me so enthusiastically. He sat me down, showered me with cards and gifts, and promptly served me a delicious lunch. While in line to fill my plate, he announced to his teacher, "My mom wants a lot of everything!" He was likely relieved by the menu, having tearfully fretted the night before, "What if Ms. Kerlik doesn't know that you don't like mushrooms?" Fortunately, not an ounce of fungus to be seen.

The Tigers recited a darling poem, and mostly loved on the moms. With my parents still in town and available to keep Laura, it was a terrific opportunity for some one-on-one time with my Danny Boy. Who, might I add, had not been too thrilled with me earlier in the day when I insisted that he wear a collared shirt, also known to him as "getting fancy." He was particularly put out by this when I proceeded to drive him to school in some ratty shorts and a t-shirt. As promised, however, when I arrived to the luncheon I was much more presentable. And, might I add, it was definitely worth the effort!

Clare's First Communion

2011-05-09T17:27:00.010-04:00

I've had a hard time figuring out what to say about this exceptional weekend. We have all anticipated Clare's First Communion with a lot of excitement, both for the occasion itself as well as the opportunity to get both the Seymours and the Morlans together again. None of us, however, was as thrilled as Clare. Fortunately, I believe the day lived up to her high expectations. It was a beautiful ceremony, during which she had the high honor of greeting the church assembly. Afterwards, we gathered at the house and spent the day enjoying one another's company - including that of the Lyons Family, who had flown in on the red eye that morning to celebrate this as well as Laura's baptism!

It was such a spectacularly beautiful weekend, with happy family and friends, that it is obvious God was smiling down on all of us. God bless you, sweet Clare.

Four Months Old

2011-05-04T12:56:00.002-04:00

With all the hubbub of birthdays, kindergarten orientation and incoming visitors, Laura's four-month birthday nearly passed without a blog post. Heaven forbid!

While it's easy to label the things that have kept us busy of late, in reality Laura is the victim of a generally hectic overall lifestyle. Translation: no nap schedule. First I told myself she needed to hit the four month mark. Now I'm saying we'll get there after the First Communion/Baptism weekend. Or maybe when summer vacation starts, and there aren't as many activities or school pick-ups to get in the way. Ultimately, though, I know it's up to me to make her schedule a priority. The true challenge of the third child!

She is such a sweet baby, and she really does go with the flow most of the time. But every once in a while she hits a wall, and lets everyone around her know it. The biggest motivation for me to get her on a schedule, though, is that I think this is what has thus far prevented her from sleeping through the night. While I find that my recollections on infants from my Clare and Danny experiences are hazy, I'm fairly certain they were both sleeping through the night by now. And I want the trifecta!

Until then, though, cuteness really does go a long way toward tolerating those nighttime wakings.

Guardian Angel II

2011-05-03T13:41:00.005-04:00

As if we're not reminded often enough, today offered another of those "time is really flying by" moments. Just as we did three years ago, this morning we set off to CKS to meet a kindergarten teacher and Guardian Angel - this time for Danny.

When I chatted with Danny yesterday about attending this event, he mentioned that he was "a little bit nervous about a new school." I assured him that this is normal, but also reminded him that it's not really new for him. Between several visits to Clare, and the fact that he attends Sunday School in the very room where he will attend kindergarten, he's really an old pro. He even has the same kindergarten teacher that Clare had! However, given that he was just two years old at the time, I'm not surprised that he didn't really remember her. Nor I am too shocked that the big impression was made, once again, by the Guardian Angel.

Danny's GA is Max, and Danny has already decided that he's his "best friend." In fact, when we returned to preschool, Danny couldn't wait to show his class the picture of him with Max. He also quickly told his classmates that he "even saw Clare" at the end. Yes, we had a serendipitous encounter with Clare and her buddies who happened to be at recess when we were leaving. It was so cute to see how excited Clare was to see Danny and introduce him (for the umpteenth time) to her second grade teacher. She really is thrilled about the prospect of having him at school with her next year. And I am happy to report that once we arrived this morning, and Danny's Sunday School buddy Luke came over to say hi, Danny's nerves were long forgotten. (The reunion with a certain redhead didn't hurt, either.)

A Farewell to Four (But Definitely Not Arms)

2011-05-02T09:10:00.000-04:00

As Allyson, my beleaguered preschool carpool partner, will tell you, Danny has been counting down to his fifth birthday for a really long time. While he was certainly motivated by a desire for new toys, he was also bothered by the fact that all but one of his buddies had turned five before him. Considering the number of morning carpool conversations Danny and Jack have had regarding age, this is a big deal. We've tried to explain that eventually, he'll want to be the younger among his friends, but for now that argument holds no weight.

So at last he has hit the magical age! It was not a party year (hooray, hooray), but the festivities are extensive thanks to the upcoming influx of family and friends for Clare's First Communion and Laura's baptism. For the big day itself, we had been planning a trip to Medieval Times for approximately nine months. Danny was allowed to bring one friend, and as far as he was concerned it was no contest: Parker. More on that later.

Amusingly, for some nine months or so Danny had also been fretting about the fact that his fifth birthday was going to fall on a Sunday. Danny does not care for Sundays, as I have a no TV rule for those mornings, and because he'd rather play than attend church. He enjoys Sunday school, but there are some Sundays when there isn't any Sunday school and so he is forced to attend mass with us. A while back, I had suggested that we could attend Saturday evening mass on this particular weekend, thus preserving his special day. This was agreeable to him until a recent trip to mass, when he was reminded yet again how much he prefers Sunday school. After determining that there was, indeed, Sunday school scheduled for May 1, he decided he would prefer to attend church on that day. He then proceeded to remind us of this plan several times over the next few weeks. (This reminds me that I need to be sure to give his Sunday school teachers a nice gift at the end of the year!)

And so May 1 finally, blessedly arrived. It started off on an interesting note, too. Typically Danny will begin singing (either the theme from Star Wars, Indiana Jones, or LEGO Hero Factory) when he is ready for someone to come release him from his room. He grows increasingly louder the longer is takes us to wake up and hear him. On this day, however, I awoke to voices, both his and Clare's. The next thing we knew, Danny was prancing around the hallway, and when we groggily greeted him from our bed, he proudly announced, "Clare got me up!" Frankly, this was win-win, because the two of them were off playing the indoor-outdoor game that kept them busy all weekend, and Tim and I got to stay in bed until Laura awoke. Parenting really teaches you an appreciation for the little things.

After a feast of cinnamon rolls, the kids went back outside. Barefoot, I later learned, as Danny returned to the house with a splinter. My attempts to extract it were akin to a limb amputation as far as Danny was concerned, so I left it for Tim to deal with after church. This was most certainly the blot on his day, as Danny dramatically and vociferously moaned over and over before and during the removal. Which took about 60 seconds, might I add. Tim and I found this particularly ironic given that Danny is self-proclaimed "obsessed" with the Civil War, and the Magic Tree House book we just finished is all about the grim and gory realities of war. The soldiers' gruesome wounds went right over his head as he pretended to fight with rifles and swords...but the splinter was just. too. much.

We wisely opted to remove the splinter before presents, so his tears quickly dried as we headed downstairs. Given that we are having a separate party with grandparents and Aunt Karen and Uncle Brian on Friday evening, his stash of presents was also separated into two, and this turned out to be fantastic. He opened just the right amount to be thrilled but not overwhelmed, enabling him to happily play for the rest of the afternoon with his Egypt Playmobil items. At this point, splinter momentarily forgotten, he already made his first "best birthday ever" pronouncement - and we hadn't even had cake yet!

Speaking of the cake. Let's just say that his request was tough: Mace Windu. Or, Samuel L. Jackson for those familiar with Star Wars: Episode I. Yeah. Tim's reaction was such that he had to leave the room, he was laughing so hard. Definitely not my best work of art...but may I remind you of last year's cake?? Ever the more chivalrous Seymour male, Danny solemnly told me that I did a "good job" and was very appreciative. I did have a pretty cute helper.

After the cake, the babysitter arrived to keep Laura and we were off to Medieval Times. I don't really need to describe this much, because Danny responded to this exactly as you would imagine he would. He had a blast. He has since professed his love for it multiple times, has requested to return, and has reenacted the joust over and over. Clare loved it, too, and has already asked me if I think it would be an okay place for a girl to have a birthday. Tim is a little less smitten with this idea, but then again he didn't get to sit right next to Danny. That was my privilege, and truly the best seat in the house.

As Danny said this morning, "I can't believe I'm five!" I can't, either, sweet boy.

A Happy Easter

2011-04-24T19:59:00.004-04:00

The Easter Bunny brought bountiful baskets to Clare and Danny, and a family photo for Tim and me (via our visiting photographer, Cat, a.k.a. Aunt Cat). It was a lovely day that started with church, followed by our traditional feast of waffles, and then on to an egg hunt and potluck at the Kings' abode.

A few other snapshots from the day:

Girl Talk

2011-04-21T12:29:00.001-04:00

With a guest appearance from Danny at the end. Laura has been cooing up a storm lately, and it's SO CUTE, but it's very hard to capture on camera. This is maybe 1/10 as darling as she's capable of, but better than nothing (again, according to grandparents).

Denim Debut

2011-04-20T14:57:00.004-04:00

Jeans: a girl's best (or worst) friend. Here's Laura's first pair, courtesy of the Bergstroms. Man, I love hand-me-downs.

A Banner Day

2011-04-17T15:53:00.004-04:00

We are less than three weeks from Clare's First Communion, about which she is very excited. With Danny and Tim out of the house for "Daddy and Me Day" at Danny's preschool, it seemed like a good time to create the traditional banner. This will hang at the end of our pew during the mass. It's also designed to be used again for Danny and Laura, so hope they like our handiwork!

Thought I'd also post a picture of Clare's finery, purchased back in November on our Black Friday shopping excursion. Won't she look sweet in this?

Signs of Spring

2011-04-10T15:49:00.007-04:00

As our spring break winds to a close, the weather has really warmed up. Some signs that spring has definitely arrived here in the South:

A baby in a onesie.

Azaleas in bloom.

Easter decorations.

Sidewalk chalk masterpieces.

Spring Break Snippets

2011-04-06T10:53:00.007-04:00

For the first time in a long while, we are home for Spring Break. I wasn't looking forward to this staycation very much, considering we had a whole week of togetherness in January thanks to the ice storm. But with an attitude adjustment on my part and a back-to-basics mentality, it's turning out to be okay. Indulging in leisurely mornings has been a welcome treat for all of us (especially Tim). The weather has cooperated, affording lots of outside playtime which is also a refreshing way to spend the day. Trips to the library, going out to lunch, and most importantly playdates are all contributing to a very pleasant week.

I decided that this week was as good a time as any to return a sleepover that Clare enjoyed with one of her best friends from school, Abby. Danny fluctuated between feeling left out and being right in the thick of things, which is about what I expected. To soften the blow, I invited his friend Brennan over for a playdate the following morning. Tim and I have discovered that importing friends is really a sanity saver.

What will really make my spring break, or at least my day, is if we all take a nap this afternoon. A mom can dream, right?

The Triple Threat

2011-04-04T13:21:00.001-04:00

...or Terrific Trio, as their Grammy prefers to call them.

Three Months Old

2011-04-02T13:43:00.000-04:00

Eight Is Enough, Part IV: The Party

2011-03-28T11:44:00.009-04:00

The birthday festivities extended into a two-day affair, thanks to Clare's party on Saturday afternoon. We held it at the Purple Hippo Art Studio. The project was a "My Favorite Things" collage, and they really were cute and individualized.

It was a gray, rainy afternoon, but that definitely did not dampen Clare's or the other eleven attendees' spirits! Suffice to say there was a lot of laughter and good-natured silliness, and the pictures of Clare show what a good time she had. (Note also that Tim got in on the artistic action.) I'm disappointed that I didn't think to take a picture of the whole group of girls, or even of the butterfly-shaped ice cream cake (crafted by Carvel, not me). Fortunately, I don't believe Clare had any disappointment on her part!

Eight is Enough, Part III: The Evening

2011-03-26T10:03:00.006-04:00

At last it was time for the goods! Clare made out very well, and she was so gracious about each one. Donna and Larry gave her these beautiful youth atlases that I think we will all love perusing - Clare had a hard time putting them down, but Danny was eager for her to continue opening the Egyptian Playmobil sets. She was delighted to get a couple of sewing projects (an interest she does not get from me), clothes for her American Girl, clothes for herself, and some sticky mosaics that the cats thoughtfully gave her. In short, everything on her list - and we haven't even had her party yet!

As always, the cake was a big hit, too, though Clare had been so engrossed with her presents that she had forgotten about cake. If you know Clare and her sweet tooth, this is really saying something!

Clare proclaimed it "the best birthday ever" several times, so that pretty much sums it up.

Next up: a party with 12 8-year-olds.

Eight is Enough, Part II: The Afternoon

2011-03-26T09:47:00.008-04:00

Thanks to the older infrastructure supporting Christ the King, Clare got an unexpected half day of school on her birthday due to a broken water pipe. Fortunately Danny was fine with her joining him on his lunch date with Grandma, so the three of them went off to McDonald's. This gave me a chance to decorate her cake in peace, too, so it was truly win-win.

When they returned, Donna whisked Clare off for the surprise treat of getting her nails done. Clare was beaming over this, and it sounds as though they had a lovely time. When the ladies at the salon learned that it was Clare's birthday, they treated her to flowers on her thumbs and big toes, too.

The last couple of hours before Tim came home with dinner and it was time for presents were surprisingly peaceful, with lots of reading and relaxing. Donna had kindly brought Danny some new books, which Clare had fun reading aloud to him. This gave Donna and I the opportunity to play 'pass the baby!' (She did eventually settle down, just in time for dinner and gifts.) It was also time to field a phone call from Aunt Karen, which you can see Danny took fairly seriously.

Eight is Enough, Part I: The Morning

2011-03-25T08:20:00.008-04:00

Despite our repeated pleas for Clare to remain seven, she woke up bright and early and eight years old this morning. To mark the occasion, Tim spent a good amount of time last night crafting a card that really expresses some special time they've shared together the past couple of months: morning drive time.

From the first time Tim drove Clare in the morning, she was introduced to the wonders of NPR news. And loved it. When she would get home from school, she started sharing tidbits of current events with me. A little slow on the uptake, I finally understood that she was telling me what she heard on the radio while in Tim's car. It was typically very global in nature, especially since she began listening right when things started to heat up in Egypt. Her favorite tidbits were anything taking place in China or Japan.

Being a first-hand witness to her enthusiasm, Tim was inspired to create a card showing Clare as an NPR correspondent around the world. I think it is so sweet how much love he poured into this card, and she was very excited about receiving it this morning while enjoying her breakfast (Fasnacht kuechles, imported directly from Buffalo via Grandma's suitcase!).

Shortly thereafter, the two were off to school, ready to turn on the news. Normally Fridays are a movie day, but earlier in the week Clare had already decided that she would prefer to listen to NPR. She really is her daddy's girl, and I'm wild about them both!

East Gate's Newest Generation

2011-03-22T12:00:00.005-04:00

The people in our neighborhood love to observe that we are single-handedly repopulating the earth. Given that most of the families moved in as young married couples and now have multiple kids, it does seem that way. Especially for those of us producing our third children.

It's a terrific support system that has really cemented friendships. There's nothing like the trenches of parenthood to bond people together! Above is a picture of Laura with her first boyfriend, sweet baby James. They are almost exactly nine weeks apart, which seems like a big age difference right now but won't within a few months. His mom, Amy, was one of the first neighbors I met when I dared to attend the inaugural neighborhood book club meeting that she dared to host. Danny was eight weeks old at the time, and it was one of my first social events since his birth! I look forward to lots of bonding time over walks and playdates - and soon we'll have the newest member of the King family to join our posse!

Laura digs it.

Irish Dance Fever

2011-03-17T14:18:00.004-04:00

Much to Clare's delight, her Irish dance teacher is on close terms with Fr. Frank, who requested dancers to perform at a St. Patrick's Day reception at the church. As with the feishes, she couldn't wait to get out there and strut her stuff. I suspect we'll be upgrading to a real co$tume at the rate her enthusiasm is growing.

Laura, meanwhile, provided a little sideshow with her holiday garb. In fact, a woman came up and more or less insisted that I take Laura's picture with the above glasses. I later learned that this woman's name is Patty, and her birthday is none other than St. Patrick's Day. I think the sight of Laura might have made her day, too. Not just hers, either, given that I witnessed at least two people taking Laura's picture. Can you blame them?

Wee Laura Wishes You a Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2011-03-17T06:37:00.001-04:00

As do the other two!

The Wider Angle: Guilty As Charged

2011-03-16T09:04:00.001-04:00

More from ME! The Wider Angle: Guilty as Charged.

Tim's Birthday + Selection Sunday = Happiness

2011-03-14T19:13:00.007-04:00

These days, the celebrations are pretty tame, although Tim and I did enjoy our first date night post-Laura on Friday night! His actual birthday was Sunday, and the NCAA was kind enough to plan Selection Sunday for the evening. Tim loves March Madness, and the fact that ND is not only in the tournament, but a #2 seed, was the icing on the cake (ha - almost literally).

The kids took a break from re-enacting the Jack & Annie epic "Ghost Town at Sundown" to shower Tim with cards, gifts and love. Well, Clare and Danny did, while Laura did what she often does. Which was fine by us!

Happy 37th to Tim - we love you! And as Danny pointed out, you're not old because your hair is still (mostly) black.

Clare's First Sonatina

2011-03-12T14:05:00.003-05:00

Clare's piano lessons are progressing well. She has moved on to her first multi-movement, classical piece! (Two movements = two videos.)

Rub a Dub Dub

2011-03-09T08:46:00.000-05:00

At 9 weeks, we're not at a complete bedtime routine yet. However, most evenings Laura gets a bath. This is not only to signal to her that it's time for bed (as opposed to that other sleeping she does throughout the day), but also to clean up our adorable but frequently 'spewed upon' little chunk. ('Spewage' has become our adopted phrase instead of 'spit-up.' Danny is particularly fond of this word.)

While she hasn't really smiled at me in the bath yet, she is definitely tolerant and seems to find it a calming experience. I guess sometimes even she gets tired of smelling bad?

He's Complicated

2011-03-06T21:46:00.001-05:00

Experiencing it for the second time now, I think four is a very interesting age. And Danny is nothing if not interesting these days. It would be easy to cast him simply as a Star Wars-obsessed little boy who runs around the house with his pool noodle light saber, a coveted item he received at Parker's Jedi training-themed birthday party. He really does do this a lot. And builds fighter ships with Legos and sets up battles with Playmobil knights.

With every passing day, though, Danny grows more nuanced. I can see him grappling with his budding maturity, particularly as it dovetails with learning to be a big brother. Since the beginning of the year he has had to start studying and taking spelling tests, has endured a screening for a new school and with it the looming prospect of kindergarten, and most importantly has been asked to be patient and sometimes take a back seat to his new sister.

For the most part, he has done this very well, and we are really proud of him. I have noticed over the past few days, though, as we inch closer to a bedtime routine with Laura that unfortunately often collides with his own (and often involves a lot of fussiness on her part), that Danny's patience is wearing a tad thin. And I get it. It's hard to hear multiple times a day, "Maybe later. After I nurse the baby." He used to be my baby, after all. I knew I would feel guilt in this regard, too. In fact I used to say several times, as a reason to not have a third child, that Danny would not be a good middle child.

But he is. Maybe because he's the only boy, but I think it has more to do with his just being a genuinely good kid. One who has received much praise lately from moms who have hosted him for playdates, and from his teachers who observe his developing academic skills as well as a healthy respect for others. He speaks sweetly to Laura, craves opportunities to hold her, and is quickly by her side when she begins to fuss.

Most importantly, he's learning to talk through his own fussy moments rather than simply melt down. Tonight while I was in the nursery, attempting to get Laura asleep, Danny quietly crept in and crawled up onto his new favorite spot on her window seat. From there we had a good conversation that involved a lot of questions centered around the theme of "why does everything have to change with a baby?" He calmly told me that he sometimes gets frustrated, and sometimes sad, that I can't put him to bed or am otherwise occupied with Laura. I told him that I sometimes get frustrated and sad, too. But, as he has reminded us on previous occasions, "that's just the way it is with babies." I sent him off to find Tim and the photo album featuring Danny as an infant, which he naturally found fascinating. It wasn't a panacea, and he was still a tad mournful at bedtime - even though I did put him to bed - but I can tell that on most levels, he understands. I can also tell that he's still my baby boy who still needs lots of snuggles, a simple act that goes a long way for both of us.

The Wider Angle

2011-03-03T08:13:00.000-05:00

Life with Laura is going so well that I decided I had some time to spare. Check out Tiny Heart Studios, my dear and talented friend Crystal James' photography site, for my ruminations on...well, just about anything. "The Wider Angle" debuted this week! I think we've settled on an every-other-week format, but you'll just have to check back regularly to be sure.

Two Months Old

2011-03-02T17:14:00.000-05:00

Ah, the life of a two-month-old. Laura is spending more time awake and alert, though she still spends a significant amount of time sleeping and loves her cradle swing. So much so that she doesn't do that endearing thing where she effortlessly falls asleep on our chests anymore. Oh well. Tim has persevered with the bottle, an experience which improves each time he offers it. And although it's not quite the popular spot it was with Danny and Clare, the bouncy seat has come into play as a place for her to spend some time, in addition to the playmat and her crib for mobile viewing. I've started taking her for walks, too, which is essentially exercise for me and naptime for her.

She is also spending a lot more time in the car, which was inevitable for her as baby number three. So far she's not an enormous fan, but then again so many of these trips involve timing that inevitably awakens her from a deep sleep or conflicts with what she considers mealtime. So we hear her scream a fair amount. Other than that, though, she's a pretty happy baby who is gracing us with her smiles more and more often. These make it all the more appealing for Clare and Danny to hold her.

Changing Table Chatter

2011-02-26T12:08:00.002-05:00

Another potentially boring tidbit for starving grandparents.

A Room of Her Own

2011-02-26T08:23:00.000-05:00

I always wished my parents had a picture of my nursery, which I know they worked really hard to decorate. I have pictures of Clare's nursery, but never did get around to photographing Danny's. Oops. So here is what Laura's room looks like. She just started sleeping in it this week, albeit not in the crib - she's still in the carseat. And since she slept 6 hours in it a couple of nights ago, who am I to complain?

She does really enjoy watching her mobile in her crib, as seen below. The photo isn't great, but it does show her wearing the famous 'safari jammies,' which for some reason Tim and I have always loved. It's the rare item that now all three babies have worn.

SMILE

2011-02-19T16:07:00.004-05:00

This week has been filled with frequent, but fleeting, smiles from Laura. The real ones, not gas-induced. Of course, I haven't had my camera handy for most of them, but I finally managed to snap one. I must say they're even sweeter in person!

She's also spending longer amounts of time awake, which means hanging out on the playmat, watching her mobile, or even listening to a story. The weeks are flying!

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T12:39:00.005-05:00

From our tiny sweetheart!

A Tale of Two Valentines II

2011-02-12T15:33:00.000-05:00

Similar to last year, Valentine's Day presents me with the opportunity to illustrate differences between Clare and Danny's tastes and personalities. They were once again pretty diverse in their choice of valentines, with Clare hand-crafting each of hers (all 26 of them) while Danny swooned over the Star Wars Clone Wars cards he found at Target.

My choice of valentines for them is further proof. I was fairly confident that each one would be thrilled with my selections, too, so I was very excited to give them. Danny's is Star Wars: The Clone Wars Character Encyclopedia. His obsession with Star Wars (particularly The Clone Wars) continues, so no surprise with this choice. I nearly caved and gave Danny his book a week earlier, on one of our interminable Fridays, but I'm happy I held out.

Clare's stems from her recent, intense interest in international things, including language and French in particular. So for her I purchased Everything Kids' Learning French Book along with a French picture dictionary. This is a bit self-serving, as I am a little weary of her asking me if a certain word is French. Never having studied French, I don't have a clue - so please stop asking! (I really need to be more supportive of her insatiable curiosity where words are concerned. Add this to the list of my parenting faults.)

I suppose my dream of these books occupying them for hours on end this weekend is a bit optimistic, but I do think they were a success. (No, I did not get anything for Laura. But I did purchase a new wine bottle opener for Tim, as the old one succumbed to the ravages of overuse. Why yes, I will enjoy this gift as well!)

Live-Action Laura

2011-02-11T10:34:00.001-05:00

*Warning: The below video contains content that is likely very boring to anyone who is not a grandparent to Laura. Actually, for all I know they might find it boring, too! But she was awake and making a few noises, so I thought I'd capture it.