Mid-Week Recap

Yes he is a big boy but really, both of these little ones are babies to me. Logan is only 15 1/2 months old and Cora is exactly 3 weeks in the next 5 pictures. The cutest babies around! Both with their blankets - he's sucking his thumb and she hangs on to his little finger. Can you say adorable? And no I did not pose these two... Logan just loves to hold on to her and we are teaching him that the best place to touch/hold her is her hand.

Below is a close up of Cora!

Eyes wide open and reaching for Big Brother's hand.
Logan either wants to be the star of this photo and is trying to block Cora out with his big head or the truth is that it's so close to his nap time and he was trying to lay his head down... on top of Cora. Hmmm... that won't work!?!
Is there a better wake call than doughnuts. Logan peps right up for me, at least so long as I keep up with his little tummy. I hand him the doughnut pieces and he smiles back.

There he goes again. Reaching out to grab Cora!

So on Tuesday, we decided to go out to our GSpoon in Lake Forest. We had a yogurt than browsed the shops in the center. I just love my double stroller. So do the kids but it was time for Logan to get out and stretch his legs. The next two pictures are of him, showing that cement curb just who is boss. He spent about 10 solid minutes attempting to get his little foot on top of that curb and when he did... boy was there a huge smile/smerk on his face. It's like he wanted to say, "I am King of this hill, alright. Mom do you see me?!"

Monday we hung out in our sandbox. Woohooo. This was a fabulous addition to our patio. Thanks to Grandma J for the fabulous idea. Logan sure loves to dig with his shovel and smash the castles mommy builds for him. Next step is to fill up the other half of this amazing outdoor piece. The lid to the sandbox opens up and becomes a mini pool! So cool!

Lastly, it wouldn't be a mid week recap if I didn't mention our many, many naps.

For Cora the exception is still awake time rather than nap time. Hehe.

Isn't she adorable here?

An Unhappy Adventure with Insects

What a beautiful morning, or so I thought it was going to be a beautiful morning as I packed up the kids, some sidewalk chalk, and Logan's bubble gun. Off we went to go play in the morning sun. I love mornings and my kids do too as they all refuse to sleep any later than about 6:15 in the morning. Luckily we are all in agreement that the morning is the best part of today.

However, this morning did not play out as well as most. So stroller is packed and we are off on our walk to the perfect destination for all of our fun toys. Pool side. That's where we were heading. We arrive with big huge smiles on our faces, plop down on the warm cement and get out our chalk. Logan's scribbling away and wandering... you know how boys and little ones in general love to investigate the great outdoors. Well here I am chatting away to him about the chalk, when Logan decides to reach out and show a little buzzing bee who's boss. Not! As Logan tries to squish the daylights out of this bumblebee, the bugger stings him. OUCH!! And Logan eyes begin to tear. Needless to say it was mommy to the rescue...

React poorly with a huge "Oh My Gosh" when I finally realize what just happened.
Flick the bee off Logan's hand.
Pull out the stinger.
Give Logan a huge bear hug.
Distract him with a very yummy ritz cracker.
And hurry home for ice and a cozy couch to cuddle on.

Moms really are heros.

A Handful of Good Stories

(1) Logan's can reach the door knob. Yep, that's right on the very tips of his toes and stretching out his arms, hand, and fingers as far as he can, Logan can definitely reach the door knobs. He has been closing doors for quite some time and just thinks that is a hoot. He will slam his door shut, laugh histarically and then wait ever so patiently right by the door for you to open it again. Now he will open the door himself. I forsee many trouble making days ahead of us as he opens doors to rooms he does not belong in. Hmmm... what shall I do??

(2) Cora is a comedian. She can make Logan laugh like crazy. Well, we do help her out a bit. The point is that when Reed or I am holding Cora, if we take her feet and karate chop Logan with her feet he just thinks that is hilarious. See, Logan loves to poke and jab Cora but the fact that she might engage with him is still a novelty. So when we take her little bitsy feet and karate chop Logan with them he loves it. So much fun!

(3) Logan has found a new hiding spot. And I am not so sure if it is a good thing. Whenever he gets an opportunity to get his little mischevious fingers on one of our grown up electronic toys (you know what I mean, our cell phones, ipods, etc) he loves to run off with it. He really hasn't tried to hide it from us yet and I am not sure if he intentionally tried to hide it this time either but today after lunch he managed to run off with my ipod and I watched him very sneakly dump my ipod cover right into our kitchen trash can. Ahh... that is a HORRIBLE hiding place. Under the couch was such a better option but now that he has discovered the trash can and more importantly dumping things in the trash can I am going to have to keep an extra eye out for missing valueables. Uh...oh....

(4) Bad mom alert. The other day I took the truck in to the Toyota dealership to get an oil change and was feeling extra confident because I had my double stroller. Woohoo. It has made getting to and from so much easier. Well we roll on into the waiting room. Park ourselves comfortable with lunch in hand to munch on while we wait. It was perfect. Then I thought, might as well let Logan get out some energy and stretch his legs. So I unbuckle my monkey and encourage him to follow me out the double automatic sliding glass doors in the front of the dealership. I am leading the way and all SEEMS well until I glance back and about five steps behind me Logan has decided to plop his bum down right in the middle of the automatic sliding doors. I try to call him and tell him to get up so we can play.... pretending to be calm, I really wasn't very far away, just a little more than an arms reach. But then the doors started to close, I tried to reach for the stroller wheel lock fast enough but couldn't and right as Logan was starting to get up off the floor the doors came in and squished him on his sides. Luckily the doors can't really hurt you since they open right back up. But it was a hilarious sight and Logan stopped and looked up at me with the most puzzled "mommy!!" face. There were no tears just shock and laughter. I wish I could have taken a picture of this sight fast enough but then again I couldn't even get to the wheel lock fast enough... who am I kidding???

Mommy's Precious Girl!

May 13, 2010

Cora Addison Barnes is only 8 days old.

Irrisistable of course.

And just like her onsie says... she is Mommy's Precious Girl!

It's pretty amazing how you can love all your children so.......... much.

Logan and Cora. What would I do without my babies??

Logan's Discovered Bubbles

This was taken one week day evening. Dad came home from work a early and we stepped out to have a little fun. Oh the joy of bubbles. A little one can really teach us 'grown ups' how to have fun again. And yes no need to be proper... Logan doesn't see a problem with his shorts being unbuttoned and diaper exposed to the world at all! :o)

March 24, 2010

The Three Loves of my Life

Do I need to say more??

Friday, May 7 2010

Grandma "J" and Uncle Brandon Come to Visit... Boy oh Boy did We Love the Park!

Pictures taken Saturday May 8th 2010.

Just three days after Cora's arrival.

She was too tired to take any photos! Hehe.

Sometimes, well most of the time, these candid shots are the best pictures ever!

Look at both of their reactions. Clearly this is the best slide around.

Wheh... they made it to the bottom in one piece with smiles on their faces.

Grandma J and Logan on the swing.
Grandma can't get enough of Logan and Logan... well, he's to busy staring off at some other kids at the park. Logan's a people watcher even as young as he is.

This was our attempted pose, more formal shot playing in the sand.

Grandma J and Uncle Brandon are smiling away and again Logan couldn't be bothered. The sand is so much more entertaining.

Logan couldn't help but demolish every last sand castle his uncle or grandma tried to build for him. Oh man... destruction is so... much fun.

Fun at the Pool...Cora's Just 1 Week Old

Miss Cora Addison Barnes Joins the Family

Just Some Cute Pictures... It's Going by Soooo... Fast

Well I have been the ultimate slacker and now my new strategy is to make a single simple post a day... no more slacker mom!

As I look through all the photos I have from CHRISTMAS TIME until now MAY... how ridiculous of me... I feel like I am letting those precious moments slip right by. Ahh... Good news is that we are taking the photos, we just need to document them... you know right little blurbs about what was going on: blog, facebook, scrapbook or simply put them in an album.

So to battle my sadness over time past and guilt for not being better about highlighting all the good times our family has experienced, especially with our TWO little ones, I begin my new strategy... One (1) simple post a day!

Park Days are the BEST especially when we play in the sand!

Logan loves to smash Mommy's sand castles

and

look for rocks to try to eat while Mom isn't watching.

Just posing for the camera! The cutest couple around. Mommy and Logan bear!

Disneyland, well just downton Disney, with Dad.
Is this a light saber? A sword? I don't know... moms are out of the loop I guess.

We attempt to get Logan psyched up to try on a goofy hat. Not!! No success.

Minnie hat on Mom. So fun!

Well Mom and Logan might be a darn cute couple, but this handsome man is my 'one and only'.

Date night for Mom and Dad!

Logan isn't exactly into smiling for the camera... but this is one of our many meal times. Really, meal times are some of my favorite moments, eat yummy things - make babies smile - tummies are full so now we make a mess - and yes there's a tantrum or two - then time to clean up but that's never fun - in the end though we always have a treat! Mmmm... a mom's work might be endless and grueling at times but it is ALWAYS worth it!

Have the time of our lives with our birthday toy... Legos and a Lego Wagon. Woohoo!

One of Mommy's favorite poses. I don't even know what you would call this but it is to die for cute!

Like I said before, meal times are some of the best times of the day. Look at that smile. I just can't help it... my camera loves to snap away while this monkey is eating. He's just do darn happy!