Blinkin Blog

My Birthday

2012-02-23T16:01:00.005-08:00

My birthday came and went like any other day. The only differences were a bouquet of flowers and dinner out on a Wednesday. The above is a photo I had been coveting at my Mom's house of my Great Grandmother, Roxy. I loved everything about it. The couch she is knitting on, the expression on her face, the women in the mirror and their expressions, the lighting....it is just the perfect photo. My mom gave me the photo for my birthday.Mezmur's absolutely favorite thing to do with me is cook. She asks regularly, "Mom, can we cook?" Yesterday, I said yes! We made my favorite chocolate/salt shortbread cookies. The best part of making these cookies is that we can eat as much dough as we want without worry of e coli.These two made a good team...Mavis was happily under Mezmur eating all the chocolate crumbs she dropped. I love my girls.

Rhett Gives Us The Finger All The Time

2012-02-18T17:02:00.000-08:00

I had to post about this before he realizes it's bad and I forget that he used to do this.

When Rhett is really excited and telling us a story or pointing at something really excitedly...he uses his middle finger to point or show us. It is hilarious.

It's A Poop Party!

2012-02-17T12:02:00.001-08:00

Rhett was the easiest potty trained kid. One day he said he was done with diapers and he never went back. So, obviously, I thought it was my stellar parenting skills that helped Rhett be such an easy potty trainer. I heard of stories of cutting holes in diapers to get their kids to go in the potty and stories of 5-year-olds still pooping in a pull-up. Yikes. That will not be my kid! Until...it was.

We made lots of promises and gave her many bribes. When m&ms weren't enough to get her to go in the potty...we bought a princess doll. An accidental poop drop in the kiddie potty and the princess was useless. We tried stickers and tried REALLY HARD not to shame her at all. Months later I offered a cupcake party. I told her she could have some friends over and I would make her the best tasting cupcakes she had ever had. Finally, one day...she was ready to pee in the potty! Success, but not cupcake party worthy. No. She had to poop in the potty too. A hole in the diaper...and we have poop in the potty. Unfortunately, that ended up being a one time event. A couple weeks later and an hour of Dan and I taking shifts trying to reason with her...she finally did it. POOP!

Today, she got her cupcake party. She chose a few of her closest friends and I made poopcakes. We sang, "Happy Poop Day To You." She was pretty proud. Don't forget the pee lemonade. Ivan wouldn't eat a poopcake, but he did partake in some pee.

Mezmur is so proud of herself. She tells EVERYONE about her success. She tells the cashier at the grocery store...EVERYONE. We are so proud of her and so happy to have only one kid in diapers!

I made the girls name banners for Valentine's day. I hung Mezmur's up to celebrate her success. I'll do a post about them soon...

Raise a poopcake and glass of pee to one less child in diapers at our house!

Our Valentine's Day

2012-02-15T08:37:00.000-08:00

Our Valentine's Day: Heart shaped cinnamon rolls with hot pink frosting...served with pink eggs, an afternoon steamer, leftovers for dinner, taking dessert away from a hitting child, putting that hitting child to bed early, watching as the other child starts a new coveted book, reflecting on Valentine's past (Tony and Tina's Wedding, Vagina Monologue...), and watching an exciting show with a glass of wine.

What were the leftovers for dinner? Pork carnitas. Why did Mezmur hit me? Lots of sugar and no nap. What book was Rhett begging for? Mr. Popper's Penguins. What was for dessert? M&M's...very fancy. What show did we watch? The last episode of the last (!) season of Big Love. What was I thinking serving pink eggs for breakfast? No sure, but I hope they remember that one Valentine's Day when their Mom served disgusting looking pink eggs.

Life As Usual

2012-02-10T17:20:00.000-08:00

Blueberries and snot...a perfect breakfast.

Found..."Mavis you are cute."

Only in Portland would a preschool use beer boxes for Valentine boxes...Portlandia.

Heart For Pre-Valentine's Day

2012-02-08T09:57:00.000-08:00

Mezmur's pre-Valentine's hair.

I took this photo, so she could see her heart. She was very sad not be able to see it herself in the mirror. I LOVE doing Mezmur's hair and only wish this baby would let me do it more often...and by baby, I mean Mavis! Mezmur has her moments at hair time too, but throw a lollipop her way or turn on a show and she is fine. Maybe I need to throw a lollipop at the baby too...

Valentines Day

2012-02-06T14:09:00.000-08:00

Kaj Franck heart pitcher

The way to my heart...by way of vintage Finnish enamelware.

Mavis is 10 Months

2012-02-05T13:18:00.000-08:00

Wow. This baby is keeping us (and the cats) on our toes...

Except for when she is asleep...and what a sweet sleeping baby she is.
Notice those nice new teeth? The other shoe dropped and we had another week from hell. The world got to see a zombie version of me and it wasn't pretty. I was one crabby mom.

The new teeth are pretty cute though...so are these sisters together.

First Quilt Finished

2012-02-05T12:16:00.000-08:00

I have wanted to make Rhett a quilt for years...like, 7 years. I was inspired first by this fabric, then I saw this master quilters quilt, and I see those post-it space invaders every time we pick up Dan from work. I thought a space invader quilt would be a great "big boy" quilt. Something he could even take to college! He said in college he might like the back of the quilt a little more...ok.

For the back I used a little bit of his Pac-Man sheets. I got these sheets when he was 2 and they have been the sheets of choice ever since. They are too stretched out and getting pilly, but I couldn't just get rid of them. Rhett is happy he will still see a bit of his Pac-Man sheets in his new quilt.

The Pac-Man sheets might even make an appearance in next years Christmas pajamas.

Now I bring to you...the front.

Rhett's favorite colors are red, black, and silver. I loved the mustard with that color combo. As you see...the space invader fabric wasn't even used in the quilt! It was great inspiration though.
I did the quilting with my Janome at home...wow, that took a lot of time. As I said, "It's not done until the quilt is stained with the maker's blood." A lot of blood, sweat, and tears went into this quilt. I was reminded (at times) why I don't make quilts.

A little love note for Rhett.

He loves it. He better.

Two quilts in one month! I'm also helping with a quilt for Rhett's school auction. This is what 62 hands or 310 fingers machine appliqued look like...yowza that was a big job. This isn't the end of my quilt making adventures. Remember, I still have this quilt to finish.

Eight Is Great But Seven Is Heaven

2012-02-05T08:13:00.000-08:00

For an "off" year (the kids get a birthday party every other year) Rhett was sure celebrated big this year. Rhett turned 7 yesterday and the post title was written on a friends birthday card to Rhett. It was a 3 day event for Rhett. It started with me bringing cupcakes to his class. Rhett was sure stumped when his teacher brought him to the front and asked him what he wanted to do better when he was 7. Like, stand there in silence...stumped. But when asked what his favorite thing he did when he was 6 he knew the answer right away...LegoLand.

Then, the next day was a no school day, so I planned a mini party/knitting play date. Two of Rhett's best friends wanted to learn how to knit and Rhett really wanted to teach them.

Molly.

Luke.

Rhett was a great teacher...In the front door, around the back, out through the window, and off jumps Jack.

The next day was his birthday. Months ago we said he could invite one friend to play video games at GroundKontrol. First was a trip to Old Town Pizza.

The friend he chose was Jonah.

They are great together!

Since I forgot the treat...we had to go home for a cupcake before the boys went video gaming and the girls stayed home for nap time.

This is how the little sister was feeling yesterday watching her brother open presents and blowing out candles. Her own candle just wasn't good enough.

Lastly was the big family gathering with a request of shrimp, crab, and brownies with ice cream. We didn't do the crab, but I think all of his other wishes came true.

Wishes of a new bike with gears, Star Wars sheets, and Ninjago.

It's always fun to re-visit the birth of the birthday child. This year I learned that I was really mean in the delivery room with Rhett...thanks, Mom.

Mezmur The Ballerina

2012-02-03T18:23:00.000-08:00

Mezmur wrapped up her ballet classes last weekend with a "recital." It was the first time she actually did what her teacher was telling her to do. It was really cute. Too bad my phone was full and I couldn't video tape it! I'll have to track down a copy. Dang the cute kids I have who fill my phone memory with all their cute antics. At least I brought my real camera too...

Coming up...the birthday boy and his new quilt I've been working on for the last month.

No Batteries Please

2012-01-27T14:46:00.000-08:00

They just don't make them the way they used to...

I love vintage Fisher Price. No batteries needed.

Mavis loves her new chime ball that I found at a thrift store this week. My kids are plenty cultured on the changes of the time...computer games, Iphone games...I mean, who would've thought your 3-year-old could watch an episode of Dragon Tails on a phone. I know, the times are-a-changin', but I've always been anti battery operated toys. Babies don't need all the bells and whistles and toys that are programed to say your baby's name. Mavis hears her name plenty from us.

Not to mention, the battery toys drive me UP THE WALL. This house if FULL of noise as it is...I don't need a creepy bear to tell me what time it is.

We Dug Our Own Hole

2012-01-19T15:56:00.000-08:00

When I was pregnant I used to say things like, "Well, this baby is the third baby, so she won't get the same amount of attention Rhett got when he was the only child." I would say, "I won't be able to sit on the couch and nurse all day or nurse this baby to sleep the way I did for Rhett." All bets were off the second she was born. She became "the baby" of the family. The last baby. I didn't even want to let other people hold her in the hospital. I was very protective. I remember having the feeling of emptiness and wanting Rhett back when other people would hold him when he was newborn. When Mavis was born I didn't want to feel that emptiness, so I just kept her to myself.

Now, Mavis loves to nurse all day and gets nursed to sleep. She still loves to take her morning nap on me or Dan and in the evening when we are trying to watch one of our shows she nurses, falls asleep on me, and if I'm lucky (I haven't been lucky these days) I can pass her to Dan and she will sleep on Dan for an hour or so, so I can knit while we watch a show. She still sleeps in our bed (Rhett did until he was 2 and we tried with Mezmur), so when our show is over we will take her to bed and hope she goes back to sleep easily. She doesn't love to be put down and some days this is really tough...uh, maybe because I have two other children! I have to remind her of this when I'm trying to read Mezmur a story or when I'm helping Rhett with his homework. "Mavis, you have a brother and sister too...give me a break." Some days...I need that extra glass of wine and angry mom comes out a lot, because it's stressful having three high need children!

This brings me to why we do what we do. The other day, Dan came to me and said, "When Mavis is all grown up, we will look back and want just one more day with our baby Mavis. I'm going to pretend that today is that day and enjoy my baby." It sounds cheesy, but he said it in a serious way. Now that I have an almost 7-year-old and a 3 and a half-year-old I know how fleeting this time is. Before we know it, Mavis will be independent and not need us as much. One day she will tell us she wants to sleep in her "big girl" bed and one day I will sleep through the night again. Soon I will never nurse another baby again. The thought of this is both very sad and a relief that this is just a season in life. A very short season. There will come a day that I will look back on Mavis as a baby and I'll be very thankful that I took the time to fully appreciate the baby months. I love sleeping next to my sleeping baby and I love the way she touches me and looks at me while she is nursing and I hope I never forget how magical it is to have a baby in the house. Magical, exhausting, stressful, hectic, and I might just loose my mind. Some days I'm beating myself in the head with craziness, but most days I hold my sleeping baby (while the other two are in bed) and think, how did I get so lucky? Note: there are always happy thoughts when all the kids are asleep at the same time...always.

With that said...THIS article has been circulating and it is DEAD on!

Also, Rhett's Pac-Man party was mentioned on THIS blog...fun.

Diarrhea Of A Wimpy Kid

2012-01-15T08:04:00.000-08:00

Last summer was the summer that Rhett declared, "I hate reading!" It made me really sad. I so wanted him to curl up under a tree and read! I never forced him to read to us...we just kept reading to him and hoped that one day his mind would change. We knew he could read well, so we didn't feel the need to force it. I bought the game Bananagrams (a game that is a cross between Scrabble and crossword puzzles) and presented it to him as a new game. Little did he know...it was my way to "force" reading. He is really good at that game. One day he asked, "Mom, isn't 'sex' a word?" Why, yes my boy, it is.

Until one day...a week before Christmas, he says, "Mom, I really want to read Diary Of A Wimpy Kid. ALL my friends read it and I really want to read it." Yes, I could have gotten the book as a Christmas gift and he would have been excited, but he wanted to read! We rushed out and got that book for him! He is reading the second book now. He says he loves reading group at school now, because he can read Diary Of A Wimpy Kid. Now he begs us to stay up a little later, so he can read "just one more day!"

Why Diarrhea Of A Wimpy Kid? That is what Mezmur calls it.

Genna Date And New Things

2012-01-07T16:21:00.000-08:00

Mezmur's has started Ballet! That's my girl...with her hand on her hip.

Mezmur and I got to go out BY OURSELVES on a date. We both had the best time. She got extra attention from me being held and getting special treats. First was her very first ballet class. She has been wanting to take ballet for a while. She was really excited. Mezmur was very cute and made sure I was watching every little plie. She kept waving and running over for a quick hug.

I just loved this eclectic group of ballerinas! Most of the girls were preschool friends from The Peanut Gallery...Mezmur's old school.

Next stop was a steamer. Her request was a chocolate cookie, muffin, and a steamer with whipped cream.

She settled on a pumpkin and dark chocolate muffin with her steamer.

Next stop was the toy store to find a present she could give Rhett for his birthday.

We found the perfect gift and she promptly told Rhett what it was the second she saw him.

Juggling balls.

Rhett has a new hobby. Needle felting.

He is working on a new tapestry in this photo and he is also working on a red felted ball.

Just in case you are jealous of my cultured and talented children...their favorite things to do are play computer games and watch tv and they do these activities way more than ballet and needle felting.

Mavis Turned Nine Months

2012-01-02T14:49:00.000-08:00

Notice the bags under Mavis' eyes? I have the same bags. Mavis turned nine months on New Year's Eve and gave us a week and a half of hell. Sure, maybe she had the brunt of it (damn teething), but I wrapped up the week and a half with bags under my eyes and possibly less hair.

Mavis is cute now with one more tooth. Looks like she will have "fangs" on top like Rhett did.
I'm really scared that with every tooth she will have a fever for three days, not sleep (night or day), and cry all day long. Really scared. Scared, like when I was told that I had kidney stones in there that will pass "one day." One day, any day, the shoe will drop and Mavis will give us another week and a half of hell.
Here is what happens when the above happy baby hits herself in the head with the magic wand and sort of what she looked like for that week and a half.

It's a good thing she is cute and we love her.

Happy 2012

2012-01-02T14:41:00.000-08:00

Party poppers at midnight...err, I mean, 8:00.

It's Christmas Time...Well, It's Over Now

2011-12-29T13:14:00.000-08:00

We had a fun Christmas. A laid back, low key Christmas...besides the crazies we live with, but how boring would Christmas be without kids? So boring.

Mavis only likes four people...Mom, Dad, Rhett, and Mezmur. She didn't like Santa at all. Notice Mezmur's face also...she wasn't too sure of Santa either.
I had it together enough to make a skirt for Mezmur and a matching dress for Mavis. My girls were pretty cute together.
These two were pretty excited for Santa to come. Santa went to bed too late waiting for a certain 6 1/2 year old to go to sleep and Santa realized too late that he didn't have the right batteries for Rhett's gift. You never know with Rhett...it could go one of two ways. Total drama or not even notice...it's a good thing he didn't notice or even care. We went to the store in the morning and got the batteries.

Here is Mavis and Daddy before church.

When we got home from church the kids put on their special Christmas Eve pajamas...made by me. Notice Rhett's "man pajamas?" Also known as Ralph pajamas (A Christmas Story). He is really cute in them.

The love you see here was a Christmas miracle. It was the magic of Christmas that brought these two together. Today is December 29th...back to normal.

Mezmur's pajamas are the super cute Oliver and S. kimono pajama pattern. I love how they turned out and she loves them and calls them her "cozy pajamas."

Santa came. He left a balance bike for Mezmur and a metal detector for Rhett. They were hits, but Mezmur wasn't too sure of her bike at first. She asked Santa for a princess bike and when she first saw it she said, "THIS is not a princess bike." Sorry, princess. Santa is not ready for princesses.

My...um, I mean Mavis' gifts were the vintage Fisher Price ferris wheel and 'A' frame house and some guys. Well, it was for Mezmur too, but she isn't so into them yet. Challenge: To have Mezmur forget about princesses and realize the incredible coolness of a little people Susan and Gordan from Sesame Street and a tiny plastic sewing machine.

Christmas morning. The excitement grows while the big kids wait to come out to see what Santa brought. Behind them...a sleeping baby.

Mezmur, "Mommy, take a picture of our feet!" OK.

I got the big reveal on video. I'm glad too, because I have the whole, "This isn't a princess bike" disappointment on tape. It is funny to hear us convince her that it IS a princess bike, because it is pink and has flowers on it.

No questions were asked when Mavis got NOTHING from Santa. She didn't care one bit.

Later we had dinner at my mom's. Mezmur cuddled up to Grandad and said, "I love him Mom."

Once again. I was feeling very blessed to have Mavis with us...her first Christmas. I never could have guessed I would be blessed with such a beautiful family and Mavis adds so much to our family. Apparently she loves herself a lot too...she loves kissing her reflection.

I hope your Christmas or whatever you celebrate was filled with as much craziness as ours was.

Second Annual Gingerbread House Decorating

2011-12-17T21:24:00.000-08:00

When Did This Infant Become A Baby?

2011-12-17T14:44:00.000-08:00

Christmas Tree Hunt

2011-12-12T13:42:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we "finally" got our tree. According to Rhett, we are the last people on earth to get their Christmas tree. It was a cold frosty day on Sauvie Island...

Not photographed...hot chocolate, friends we ran into by surprise at the same farm at the same time, candy canes, a cold baby and her Mama, and a tantruming three-year-old...oh, wait...

Mezmur's From Opia

2011-12-12T13:38:00.000-08:00

My girl who when asked on the airplane on our way home from Florida where she was from, proudly said, "I'm from 'Opia!' Are you from 'Opia' too?"

Mavis Is Eight Months

2011-12-06T12:56:00.000-08:00

Mavis is eight months now! We are already making plans for her first birthday party. Let me know if you want to come...it's going to be a rager. We figure...she is our last baby, therefore, our last first birthday to celebrate. That and she is already spoiled and this family wants a good excuse to hire a balloon man. Now I bring to you the many faces of Mavis...

This is the face she makes when she is eating Cheerios.

This is how she looks first thing in the morning.

The look she makes when she is looking at Billy (the cat).

The look she makes when she is getting to play with something she knows she isn't allowed to play with.

The look she makes when she is getting away with something.

The look she makes when she is looking at the doll I was making dance...trying to make her smile.

A face full of cheeks.

The face she makes when she is going to attack. This blanket got a mighty bite after this shot was taken.

We love our Mavis and she it totally going to remember the balloon man at her first birthday party!

A Girl And Her Doll

2011-12-02T15:33:00.000-08:00

I'm busy working on a few more "traditional" Ethiopian dolls for the shop. I'll let you know when they are posted. I hope to have them posted before Christmas and Genna.

Thankful

2011-11-30T18:16:00.000-08:00

Thankful.

I'm still sewing. Not as much as I would like to be. There are days that I find myself feeling down at the end of the day. I quickly realize that it is because I haven't done a single creative thing. Wiping poopy butts (That's right...plural butts. Mezmur is still in diapers, much to my anguish.) all day isn't too inspiring.

I've posted this gnome on ETSY.

I'm doing a few orders around here and hopefully some Christmas sewing this week. I have Christmas pjs to sew and a gift or two for the little girls in my life to finish. If all goes as planned there will be a mermaid and a tiny Waldorf doll under the tree. As I've been learning...with three kids...not all goes as planned.

Reminder: BUY HEADPHONES TO WEAR WHILE WRITING BLOG POSTS WHEN THE CHILDREN ARE ALL AWAKE AND RUNNING CIRCLES AROUND ME.

Our Un-Vacation To Florida

2011-11-16T13:00:00.000-08:00

Why un-vacation, you ask? Well, taking three kids on a vacation...isn't really a vacation. At least we had our un-vacation in sunny warm Florida. There was lots of beautiful weather, sandy beaches, naked babies at the pool (I wish I could show you those photos!), good food, and great times with my dad and his wife. What is it about going on vacation that makes you tired and hungry all the time? I call it "vacation mode." Here is a photo diary of what we did on our un-vacation in Florida...

7 Months

2011-11-03T12:54:00.000-07:00

Mavis turned 7 months and I still like putting her in cute hats.

She cut her very first tooth a few days ago, so, that means...still no sleep for me. I'm ok. I really like coffee, so that's one really good thing. In case you miss seeing my other two kids or haven't seen the November cover of NW Kids magazine...check them out!

One More From Halloween

2011-11-03T12:47:00.000-07:00

A Lion, Princess Leia, and Luke Skywalker

2011-10-31T20:50:00.000-07:00

Our first order of Halloween business was getting our annual photo on the bench outside of Embers downtown.

Halloween 2011. Halloween is getting more exciting for the kids. Rhett loved dressing up as his hero and wielding his light saber, Mezmur loved getting candy and squealed every time I said, "Yes, there will be more candy at the next desk/house," and Mavis was the third little lion in the Lapour family and possibly the cutest.

First there was a short walk in the city. Two friendly street people gave the kids candy.

Mavis posed happily.

There were a few battles to be had. First it was Luke against Princess Leia.

Next it was Luke against Darth.

Then it was Luke against Luke...hmmmm...a 7th Star Wars Episode

Princess Leia and her wand.

We had a fun party with neighbors at our house and then we were off for more trick-or-treating.

Here is Mezmur checking out her loot.

Tonight, Rhett sold his candy to us for 10 cents each. It was tough for him to sort through his candy, but now we owe him $8.80. 100% worth it to me, because the talking, fighting, and negotiating about candy could drive me crazy.

Obligatory Trip To The Pumpkin Patch and Other Halloween Fun

2011-10-16T21:13:00.000-07:00

This has been an October of traditions and an October of firsts. Our traditional photo by our favorite creepy couple...

We went to Fantasy Trail again with the Rices. We love that place!
Mavis' first pumpkin photo...

...and Mezmur's third.

This year marked Rhett's first viewing of the "Thriller" video. He's a big Zombie fan, but not such a Micheal Jackson fan.

Mavis' first hayride.

We have been blessed with beautiful October weather. Making the trips to the pumpkin patches that much more enjoyable.

The other things that make the pumpkin patch enjoyable is wood cooked pizza, beer, and caramel apples.

This year for Halloween we will have one in the traditional Lapour family costume, another will be a Star Wars character, and the other will be Princess Leia...but it's not what you might think.

Stay tuned for the three-year-old version of Princess Leia and our annual rainbow bench Halloween photo.

Rhett Plays Soccer

2011-10-09T10:02:00.000-07:00

Yes, Rhett is on a soccer team. I started taking pictures of my boy doing what he does best at soccer games. We don't care what he does or how he plays...as long as he is having fun, but sometimes it can get comical to watch our boy out there...not listening to his coach,...

...finding worms on the field,...

...flipping off the opponent (not really),...
...and picking his nose.

Go Strikers!

The game started.

Something got into Rhett. He wasn't afraid to get in there. He was more aggressive than we had seen and was really going after the ball.

Then, he made his first goal!

The look on his face when he made his first goal and looked at us...literally brought tears to our eyes.

We are proud parents, but we were always proud. Even though he wasn't always the one to get in there after the ball, he was always the first one to cheer for is friend and offer support to his team. That's our boy and we are very proud of him.

Our Hipstamatic Friday

2011-10-08T13:03:00.000-07:00

Since the day started off fun and cute and I took 2 photos before breakfast was done...I thought it might be fun to chronicle our day.

No, she did not eat her waffle, but she sure had fun putting blueberries in each waffle hole.

Diaper changing time.

This hat will be lost before the day is done.

Dropping brother off at school.

The "ramp" that drives me crazy sometimes.

This cute boy combed his hair all by himself before we left. He doesn't like me to gush when he does things like this, so I just say, "Nice hair," in a really monotone voice.

This is my girl, who says to me, "Mom can we please go to the fabric store?" Music to my ears. She got to pick out yarn for the sweater I started before this day was over. What color did she pick...purple, duh.

This is just to gross Gramps out...

We picked up Dan's birthday present.

Chew beads.

I noticed our first red leaf. Soon this tree will glow red. It is the best tree on the block.

The sink at lunch time.

Sure, this looks sweet, but deep down, I'm thinking about all the things I need to be doing while this baby won't sleep on her own. I'm working really hard just to soak up everything about having a baby though, so it wasn't really so bad. Not too long from now, I'll look at this photo and miss the days Mavis would sleep on my chest.

A short 45 minutes later...just enough time for me to watch an episode of Project Runway...it's time to play.

Pick up time. Rhett with his friends.

Mezmur with her friend.

Rhett's experiment, which might require it's own blog post. It included glitter, vinegar, and a $200 wager.

Mavis' first time in the high chair.

Pj sisters.

I thought I should add this one too for good measure.

Now, we settle in for a short show with Mezmur in bed (it was a big kid show) and Dad on his way home.

That wraps up a day in the life of a stay-at-home mom and her three kids. Now, for a video of Mavis.

If She Was Yours...How Could You Resist Posting These Photos?

2011-10-07T12:47:00.000-07:00

I mean, seriously...look at that baby.

I made the hat for Mezmur when she was a baby. I LOVE it.

I love this one...even though it is blurry. This is what she does when she is super excited. She clasps her hands and makes a really cute "eeee" sound.

This baby is such a joy. I can say that now, because she is sleeping on her own for the first time since Tuesday morning. Joy.

Our Mezmur Mimi added content

2011-10-01T12:33:00.000-07:00

I wrote most of this post shortly after our road trip. We were around a lot of strangers and we saw first hand the magic that is Mezmur and it drove us nuts! It is all still very much true, but we don't see it as much when we stick around home and our community of Rhett's school and her school. Maybe the way she has with the people we know doesn't drive me as crazy, but what we saw with strangers on our trip...ugh.

Our sweet little girl sure has a way with people. It drives us crazy. It could be an attachment issue, it could be a coping trait from the orphanage, or it could just be her personality. She walks into a room and gets attention from anyone she can. Let me tell you...she gets attention everywhere we go. Every mother wants her child to play with Mezmur, every woman wants to give her gifts, every man has a smile for her. She calls strangers "friends." A woman at a restaurant took her bracelet off her wrist to give to Mezmur. She didn't listen to my pleads for her not to give it to her. Another Aunt took the ball she just bought her niece and insisted she give it to Mezmur. A group of ladies at the ice cream shop had to give Mezmur something, so they gave her napkins. Moms at the park give Mezmur their snacks. Rhett will be standing right next to Mezmur and he isn't given the time of day...except for when he gets disciplined by strangers for treating Mezmur like his sister (wrestling her, picking her up, yelling at her...). I'm always there and step in when needed, but it's as if these strangers think Mezmur needs "saving." Mezmur also "gives" to strangers. She will sit in their laps, she will brush the hair out of other women's eyes, she will hold a stranger's hand. She tells women she doesn't know very well that they are beautiful and that their hair and jewelry are beautiful. She told a stranger at the park while she sat in her lap, "Your earrings are beautiful. Can I take them home now?" I'm told often that Mezmur has an aura or something about her that can't be explained. People are drawn to her. I understand that. We are biased. We think she is beautiful and perfect...she is our daughter.

One day this might get her somewhere in life, but right now...it just drives me crazy. Some days she won't hold my hand to cross the street, but she will turn around and tell a woman she doesn't know, "You are beautiful." I know she loves me and she tells me I'm beautiful, but seeing her do all of this and seeing how others respond to her can be very bothersome.

We love our Mezmur and just want to tell the world...she is our baby girl and she is very much loved.

* I wanted to add a couple of things to this post in response to the comments I've gotten. First of all...these strangers think they are acting appropriately, but they are not acting in the best interest of Mezmur. When Mezmur was very young I took her to a library story time. She wanted to sit in every other mom's lap, but mine. I actually took her from a mom's lap kicking and screaming and all the while these moms are saying, "It's ok." No it isn't. I am her mom and her needs need to be met by me. Secondly, the reaction I get from many when I talk about this issue is that it is normal and I should be happy she is outgoing and not shy. Basically, "pooh poohing" my instincts. It is absolutely not ok for Mezmur to walk into a room of strangers and find out who will give her attention. Once at a party we told her she couldn't eat any more berries off the fruit platter. Shortly after we told her no, we saw her with a plate piled high with berries. She found someone to give her what she wanted and this person didn't even think in necessary to ask us...we were the ones who were going to have to change that berry filled diaper, after all.

Mavis Is Six Months

2011-09-30T14:18:00.000-07:00

Mavis is six months! Still the best baby ever...even though she is still awake up the six times a night. She is sitting up by herself and getting more busy. I see crawling in the very near future. Right after Mavis gets a bath and her hair washed, her hair does the cute little Kewpie Doll thing. It only lasts a day and it is so cute! I sort of love it...

As I tell Mavis daily...this is your life and you are stuck with all of us whether you like it or not.

Rhett Had a First Day Too

2011-09-25T11:44:00.000-07:00

Before I get to Rhett's first day I wanted to tell a story about Rhett from the summer. Rhett is maturing quick! All of a sudden he takes showers all by himself and wipes his butt by himself (everytime!), but he is still so innocent. Over the summer he had some play time with a little girl friend of his. They bonded over a treasure hunt. They spent 2 hours searching for clues for a treasure. A trashed straw pointed in a direction was a clue, a gum wrapper was a clue, a piece of old gum on the blacktop was a clue...this went on and on. When it was time to leave they made plans to search for the treasure next week. Both Molly and Rhett couldn't wait. They were sure they would find a treasure. So, Molly's mom gathered a treasure and on the day of the playdate she hid a clue and the treasure. The treasure was a brown bag of foreign coins with the word "treasure" on it. Oh, the look on their faces when they found the treasure. Absolutely priceless. I wish I could have videotaped it. They were sure the treasure was left by pirates. They never suspected us. So sweet and innocent. Now, Molly and Rhett made plans to ask Santa for a metal detector for Christmas. We can't wait to see these two searching for "treasures" at the park together with their metal detectors.

First day of first grade! He heard it was "the best grade," so he was super excited to start. Thanks to whoever told him that...

Rhett is loving first grade. He is such a good boy at school. A substitute recently said to me, "I hardly even remember Rhett, because he was always sitting and doing what he was supposed to be doing." Rhett told us, "Well, I would be good at home too if WE had a principal like at school." Apparently, the threat of going to the principal's office is enough to scare him straight. If only we had a threat that powerful...

Mezmur's First Day of Preschool

2011-09-15T17:20:00.000-07:00

Mezmur's first day of school!

I might have the smartest preschooler...the evidence...

Just in case you aren't schooled in the area of the snack sign. The idea is for the children to look at the sign and know how many of each snack they get. Obviously, my sign makes the idea very clear...but check out Mezmur's sign. Notice the number 10 and the 10 orange lines? Those are the lines for the pretzels. I didn't even know she did this until Teacher Sam pointed it out to me later. Oh, she is so bright.

Mezmur had a great time with her friends. When I ask her who she liked playing with she said, "Teacher Sam." She is her "favorite girl" after all.

Mezmur had a great time at preschool today and I got to parent help on the first day of school! Sure, I am the parent scheduler, so it may have been planned.

This is Mavis' "ooops" face. While finishing up the cleaning, I heard a loud bang. Mavis pulled down a potted plant. I didn't even know she was capable of such a thing. But, who could be mad at such a cute face...

Sure, it was another mess for me to clean, but at least no baby was hurt. That would be a very sad cartoon episode when the potted plant lands on the baby's head.

Here's to a great preschool year!

Summers End

2011-09-12T09:37:00.000-07:00

This was the summer of survival. We didn't get out too much. We didn't even have one trip to "the farm." Crazy for us. A 7:30 bedtime, avoiding melt downs, and just keeping the peace was our survival this summer. A few weeks of summer camp for Rhett and one day a week school for Mezmur was also survival. This gave me some "one on one" time with the big kid and the baby.

All of these photos I found on my phone. I figured they told a good story of our summer of survival.

Smoothie date with the big kid and baby. When Mezmur is away...Rhett can be a real pleasure to be around...and the same goes for Mezmur. I remember this was a real peaceful moment. Rhett holding the baby while I sipped on coffee after playing at the park and a long walk.

Mezmur and Adi. I love this photo...it just says "summer" to me.

Happy hour play date! This was my favorite day of the week. Us moms would indulge in a delicious beverage and the children would run wild around the street going from house to house to tree house. The kids thought it was a play date for them and the moms thought it was the perfect way to get rid of the kids for a couple hours. Even though I still have two little girls stuck to my hip, it was all about the adult conversation and cocktails...survival.

Snow cone Friday. We had four weeks of swimming lessons. On Friday we got snow cones. While I thought maybe I was being a strict parent by not letting my children indulge everyday after lessons...I had to set a boundary, otherwise this would be all they would talk about all week! Snow cone Friday was a great thing for us to look forward to all week. What possessed me to sign the kids up for four weeks of swim lessons five days a week? Survival. It was a great way to separate the big kids from the fighting and give me a "break" in the afternoon, which is the toughest time of the day with the fighting...and they thought it was all about them. They loved it!

Summer finally came two weeks before school started. Although, I must say I'm more of a spring and fall kinda gal. The kids know when mommy gets grumpy she is either too hot or too cold. We spent a lot of time at parks this summer. Although, it was tough. I would go to big parks with water features with Dan and the low key parks I could handle by myself. I never wanted to be the mom who was afraid of how her own kids would act when it was time to go, but alas...this summer, that was me. We would usually go to the park with friends and make a deal to leave together to make my life a little easier...survival.

Luckily, our "third wheel" was mostly enjoyable company on our eleventh anniversary date. Dessert was her favorite, because at the "adult" restaurant she was so bored. We were wishing there was a doorway with a Johnny Jump Up while we were trying to enjoy our focaccia with butternut squash butter and Pinot Noir.

I'm sure a teacher or two would say...this punishment might instill a dislike for writing, but this is the new discipline in our house. Not only does it teach an important lesson about how we treat people, but he also practices his writing skills. Oh, and gives me a 30 minute break from the drama that is Rhett...survival.

I'm proud to say that I survived the summer. Who is with me to bring full year school to the Portland school district?

P.S. I love my kids and love to be with them, but sometimes they are very hard to live with.

Mavis Is Five Months!

2011-09-01T08:33:00.000-07:00

I mean, seriously, isn't Mavis the cutest baby on Earth? We love Mavis so much and she is starting to let her personality show. She is quick to laugh and smile, adaptable, easy going...no, she isn't sleeping through the night, but I can deal with that. A couple weeks ago at her 4 1/2 month appointment she weighed in at almost 19 pounds. She is a big, fat, squishy baby. Even Mezmur loves the squish, because she loves to bite and pinch Mavis. That's another story...

Sorry for the wind in the beginning, but here is our happy, easy going, sweet baby Mavis.

Rhett Hates Piano Lessons

2011-08-28T14:14:00.000-07:00

Ask Rhett if he likes the piano, he will say, "No, I hate piano." I struggle weekly to get him to lessons. Other parents ask me why I go through it and why I don't just take him out of piano.

My boy has talent (I'm his mom, I can say that.). He can hear a song or hum a new song and go to the piano and play it. The newest song is the Star Wars Theme song. I'll have to get that on tape. He plays the piano daily at home without us asking him to. Sometimes it is the required piano practice and mostly it is him just playing a new song he had in his head (like the video). During lessons he is quiet, attentive, respectful of his teacher, and he is learning a ton! He is starting to read music, which is farther than I got in 6 years of piano. We have invested too much time and money and he is learning too much to take him out of piano. Please, someone tell me he will get over the "hate" he has for piano.

Mavis and Lucy...(i think that sounds like an awesome children's book title)

2011-08-28T13:54:00.000-07:00

When I found out my sister-in-law was having a little girl, due just three weeks after us...I secretly hoped we would have a girl too. The thoughts of cousins who were best friends just got me all excited. As luck would have it, we had a girl! Here are Mavis and Lucy at their first ever meeting. Lucy is one week old and Mavis is 5 weeks.

Lucy is our very first cousin. We waited a long time for a cousin and we are so excited Lucy was born. Not only do we finally have a cousin, but we also have a niece!

Here is cousin Lucy today!
Mavis and Lucy today.

Cousin gazing and toe playing.

Dads and brothers...

Just wait until you see Mavis' five month photos! Cutest baby ever!!!

Mavis Meets Mavis

2011-08-08T18:37:00.000-07:00

Mavis went to her second big-time concert in her short four months of life. The first was Fleet Foxes and she loved it. The second was Mavis Staples at the Pickathon. Obviously, she loved seeing her namesake perform. So, I'm going to take this opportunity to talk about Mavis' name and how we chose it. While I'm at it...I'll also talk about our big kids names.

Her name...Mavis Miriam. While I was pregnant we went through a lot of names for a girl that we both agreed on. The only name we agreed on for a boys middle name was Neil, because we found out I was pregnant the day of the Neil Young concert and it is Dan's Dad's middle name. We knew if we had a girl her middle name would be Miriam, because I wear Dan's Grandma Miriam's wedding ring.

The criteria for a first name for a boy and girl was that if the name was shortened...we would still like it. For a long time our girl name was Penelope and she would go by Penny. When we were pregnant with Rhett we were listening to a lot of Old 97's, so Dan asked..."How about Rhett." Rhett Miller is the lead singer in Old 97's. Rhett was on my short list already, so that was that. When I was pregnant with Mavis, Mavis Staples came out with a new album...produced by Dan's man hero...Jeff Tweedy of Wilco.
So, we were listening to a lot of Mavis Staples. One day while listening to We Are Not Alone, I said, "How about Mavis?" We loved all the ways it might be shortened...especially Maeve. So, Mavis it was and Mavis she is.

At the Pickathon someone asked if all our kids names were music inspired. Actually, yes. Even Mezmur. Her name means Gospel song in Amaharic. Below is a photo of how Mavis feels when we protect her ears from the music.

Long story short...we love our kids names and we like Mavis Staples.

Mezmur's Dress

2011-08-05T14:23:00.000-07:00

Mezmur's three-year birthday dress was the Oliver and S Popover dress pattern. I've wanted to make this super simple dress forever. I loved this yellow lawn fabric I found at Bolt. Once I got it home I noticed it was a bit see through, so I thought of adding a little ruffled slip. I also had to add a ruffle on the top to balance out the ruffle on the bottom. I also made the straps thinner than the pattern. I love how it turned out!I have plans to make another one with elastic around the middle and another with pockets. The possibilities are endless! The best part...Mezmur thought she was dressed like a princess in her popover dress and the red snow cone she ate washed out of her dress without leaving a stain.

Yes People, Our Baby is Fat

2011-08-04T15:21:00.000-07:00

The Big Birthday Weekend...Picture Overload

2011-08-01T14:35:00.000-07:00

This is Mezmur's "off" year for a birthday party, so we decided to combine our yearly trip to Enchanted Forest with her birthday. We invited a couple special people and had a fun day celebrating Mezmur Mimi.

This is Rhett's face while he watches the silly Little Red Riding Hood show.

Mezmur and Nana watching the show.

Mezmur's three year birthday dress. Having two girls I have decided to create a new tradition to make a new birthday dress every year. Here is Mezmur's third birthday dress (well, second dress...technically). I'll share more about this dress on another post...

Mezmur got tired at the end of the day and curled up in the stroller for a little rest.

Trying on Nana's old dance outfit...a gift from Nana.

On her real birthday we had a great dinner with friends and a pink, purple, and chocolate cake for the birthday girl...Mezmur's request.

Welcome to your fourth year around the sun baby girl.

Cute Baby Alert

2011-07-29T20:21:00.001-07:00

On Sunday we will have a three-year-old and a four-month-old. Photos of the big three-year-old to come after the weekend festivities. Now, let me share photos of our sweet four-month-old, Mavis Miriam. I mean, seriously, isn't she the cutest baby ever?

Seriously, this baby kills me. She is cuddly, sleeps well during the day, she is chubby, smiles when you look at her, and smells so good. She loves getting "womb hugs", where I fold her up and hug her tightly. She lets her mama smother her and she likes it. She holds my hand and plays with my fingers while nursing and it is my favorite thing. She is so chubby that I have to push her fat legs into the Bumbo slots to get her in...getting her out is another challenge. I'm not sure what her weight is now, but I'm sure it is well over 16 pounds. I can't get enough of my sweet baby during the day. I'm starting to mourn the loss of my baby and she is still a baby!

The Best Cherry Picking Party Ever

2011-07-24T13:03:00.000-07:00

Declared by Rhett, "This is the best party ever." For obvious reasons...

The best slip 'n' slide ever! Made more awesome by a tarp and soap. Rhett had some serious war wounds, but it was so worth it.

A stop under a tree for some cherries.

The rule of the house...only go up as many rungs as you are old.

Thanks for the fun day Jana, Paul, and Anne.

Previews

2011-07-21T17:35:00.000-07:00

Here is a little preview of what I've been working on...

...and a preview of my daughter at thirteen.
More on the doll soon and ten more years to see this face at thirteen years of age.

Photos By Jillian

2011-07-08T22:10:00.001-07:00

I just wanted to share these photos. They were taken by the very talented Jillian Doughty at a good friend's birthday party. Mavis slept in the Moby for a good 2 1/2 hours. Having her sleeping in the Moby is the best feeling. She is wrapped so tight against me. I can feel her breath. I can feel her tiny hands moving in her sleep. It is something I will miss the most. Mavis is already getting older and not sleeping on me on the go as much as she used to. The Moby was so perfect for me when she was newborn. I put it on in the morning and she went in and out of it all day...drop off Rhett, grocery store, pick up Rhett, playground, and walk home. She would fall asleep as soon as she was cozy in the Moby. It's funny, she is only a little over 3 months and I'm already mourning her not being a newborn anymore. Just what will I think when she is 6 like Rhett?!

It was a Peter Pan party. Rhett was the only pirate with the hook, so he was declared Captain Hook and was brutally chased and hit by swords by the other party goers. Poor Captain Hook.

Here is the mustached mermaid. I tried to convince her that mermaids don't have mustaches, but the fit she had told me that this mermaid needed a mustache.

Thanks Jillian for the great photos.

My Girls BFF

2011-07-08T15:37:00.000-07:00

Strawberry Picking '11

2011-07-08T07:13:00.000-07:00

This sums up our strawberry picking day. Mezmur ate about 4 pints and Rhett picked about 4 pints. Seriously, Rhett picked as much as Dan. Finally! We can put one of our kids to work in the berry fields! Just wait until we have three little workers!

Just in case you think picking strawberries is all work and no play...

Coming up...strawberry rhubarb pie.

Second Annual Fourth of July Yurt Trip

2011-07-07T07:57:00.000-07:00

We had another great yurt trip this Fourth of July with the Rices. First order of business was making ice cream. Rhett asked for this ice cream "ball" for his birthday. The kids had fun kicking it around making the ice cream.

It was great ice cream!

The three big kids.

The bundled up baby.

I love these photos of Rhett at the tide pools at Lincoln City. I must give credit for the following photos to Sarah Rice, who was our photographer for the weekend after my camera batteries died.

It doesn't look like it, but it was FREEZING on the beach. So freezing, I took the baby back to the car. I was sad to miss out on the tide pools, but I heard all about it later and loved seeing these pictures of Rhett jumping around the rocks.

It's not the Fourth of July until you go to a small beach town parade.

I love this photo. Imagine them as high schoolers. Hanging out at the picnic table on campus, talking about the big game or the awesome show they saw at La Luna the night before...oh, wait La Luna was when I was in high school.

Thanks for joining us you guys. Sorry for all the times you had to wait for us. It takes us a long time to do anything these days. No one ever said having three kids was going to be easy, but there is never a dull moment...that's for sure.

Love And Loss

2011-07-01T06:48:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting hear with my now three month old. Overwhelmed by the love I have for her. Overwhelmed. I have a hard time putting her down to sleep, leaving her to go to the grocery store, or listening to her cry. When I look down at her sitting in her chair and she gives me the biggest smile...I think the feeling is mutual. She relies on me (and Dan of coarse) for so much.

This realization brings us to our older daughter, Mezmur. Our strong and sassy girl. She was a little over two months old when she was separated from her primary caregiver. She never saw that person again. It may have been the one who fed her all her meals, let her sleep on their chest, and picked her up when she cried. It may have been the one she gave her first smiles to.

I could not imagine being separated from Mavis, knowing I would never see her again. I couldn't imagine what trauma Mavis would go through losing her family forever.

Adoption is beautiful, but it is also tragic. We hold Mezmur closer to us these days thinking about the loss she had at such a young age. We also think of the loss the one who loved Mezmur the most had the day they had to let her go.

Road Trippin'

2011-06-27T14:01:00.000-07:00

Road Trip Lego Land 2011! It was the best of times...it was the worst of times. We had many stops along the way and a DVD player for the car. We survived and we think the kids are now up for anything we throw at them...travel wise. And if I could survive 18 hours there and back in the car and clean poop off an almost 3 year old in a sink at Lego Land, than I too am up for anything these kids throw at me.

First stop...Wildlife Safari in Southern Oregon.

Blowing a kiss good-bye at Pixie Woods in Stockton, CA.

Our very own pixie.

Lego Land, Carlsbad, CA. Just look at that look Rhett is giving Chewbacca...true love.

Lego Land...70% waiting in lines and 30% of blissful rides.

Where else can you see a miniature Las Vegas?

Hotel life is pretty great.

Bubblegum Alley, San Luis Obispo, CA.

That's right, over 50 years worth of other people's gum. This is Mezmur saying, "Sooo gross!"

Beach time, Santa Barbara, CA.

Visiting the amazing Redwoods.

Cute little afro in the Redwoods.

Coming home and having the feeling, "We should do that again," means the trip was a success.

The Lapours On The Go

2011-06-16T11:12:00.000-07:00

First Farmer's Market.

We were lucky enough to spend the afternoon with these three young women (!).

For The Grandparents

2011-06-08T12:26:00.000-07:00

Bidding Wars

2011-06-07T14:42:00.000-07:00

This year we had two very important auctions to attend. The first auction was for Rhett's school to help bring art and music to his school and the second auction was the annual Ethiopian Orphan Relief auction.

Every year we bid little bits and never win anything. At Rhett's school auction we really wanted to win this beautiful Decemberist print. I loved it. In the last few seconds it was down to a man with a baby attached to him and a pregnant teacher. The pregnant teacher won at the last second. A little bummed, but happy we helped a little to bring that price up for the school.

With our loss still fresh in our mind we went to our second auction less than a week later. I saw the item that I HAD TO GO HOME WITH. I told Dan...it was worth our whole budget. It was a beautiful Ethiopian doll made by a single mother in Ethiopia. It was the only doll there that wasn't made by me.

At the last couple seconds it was down to a man with a baby attached to him and a kind hearted woman. The man with the baby attached to him won.

We are the proud owners of this beautiful doll. You better watch out future auction guests. We are now not afraid to bid HIGH. To put it in perspective...we also won a 40$ onesie at the EOR auction. Watch out, next year we won't have a baby attached, so we will be much quicker.

The Lapours On The Go

2011-06-06T10:50:00.000-07:00

Mezmur's scariest monster face on Alberta.

Rhett's Second Piano Recital

2011-06-06T07:11:00.000-07:00

Rhett had his second recital yesterday. He did a great job. He loves recital day, but ask him to go to lessons or practice and you would think I was asking him to clean out the cat box. He begged for lessons for years and now he is done, but he has learned so much, so this mom isn't ready for him to quit. Don't get me wrong...he still loves the piano...just not the organized part of piano. He still loves to compose his own songs. He is going to compose songs for movies when he grows up. Right now, he likes to play the storm trouper march song from Star Wars that he figured out how to play on his own. Here is the video from his first recital. The video isn't up yet for yesterdays recital. He is first in the video and it is worth the watch. I'll post yesterdays performance when it is up.

Just in case you think Rhett is all sweet and charm...

To celebrate we went to the pizza restaurant with the pump organ Rhett loves. He declared, "The pump organ is my favorite exercise." Too bad that don't offer "pump organ" in PE.

Summer!

2011-06-05T13:30:00.000-07:00

Finally summer in Portland! This weekend at least. Slip-n-slide rules...It can only come out when it is over 80 degrees. This rule came about when this Oregonian boy thought it was summer at 62 degrees and wanted to slip-n-slide.

This baby loves to smile! She loved watching the leaves move on this warm summer day.

We went on a little nature walk this morning. Rhett had the best idea. Take one of his books and draw the things he sees along the way. We use the Bare Books for some of Rhett's writing. He draws pictures and writes a story. They are so great! Today, it was a nature diary.

Can you spy the artist's subject?

Mezmur Sings Rebecca Black

2011-06-03T16:47:00.000-07:00

Mavis is 2 Months

2011-06-01T10:55:00.000-07:00

My baby is 2 months old! Weighing in at 13 pounds and 10 ounces. She is in the ninetieth percentile for length, head, and weight.

Oh, and no one got my reference from the Fat Baby In A Little Hat post...Chris Farley.

The Lapours On The Go

2011-05-31T17:38:00.000-07:00

I'm calling my iphone posts...The Lapours On The Go. Photos I take around town when I feel I should have brought my camera, but with two kids running around and one attached to me...it's a little hard to carry a camera too. This was taken in the courtyard between Barista and the Salt and Straw cart on Alberta. We are so very excited about Salt and Straw, due to open late this Summer, but in the meantime they have a cart open that we will be visiting often.

Dan gave me an iphone for Mother's Day. My technology life is forever changed. Not only can I check my email before I get out of bed, but I can take decent photos all over the city of Portland with a camera I keep in my back pocket.

The Good And Bad Of Friday

2011-05-27T12:58:00.000-07:00

A Friday tradition. One of our children loves the Rebecca Black version. The other child loves Steven Colbert's version and likes to pretend he is Taylor Hicks. Dan insists we listen to this pop sensation every Friday morning and the song remains in our head the rest of the day. I have a video of Mez singing the Friday song too...maybe I'll post it next Friday. Until then...it is your American duty to know just how bad and just how great the Friday song can be...

A Bedtime Routine

2011-05-23T20:19:00.000-07:00

Just one more thing to delay bedtime...

Rhett and Mavis get cozy in bed after we have said good-night to Mezmur and they have some brother and baby sister cuddle time.

Good-night brother.

Fat Baby In A Little Hat

2011-05-09T16:18:00.000-07:00

I went into Close Knit on Mother's Day to show off Mavis and left with yarn for a very cute hat. Simple and so cute, which is just my style...good job Leah with the pattern! The only problem is that I knit a little tight, so I should have knit the hat on bigger needles. Mavis will be able to wear this hat for about a week...if I'm lucky! I think I'll knit a bigger one and give this hat to another sweet little girl who was just born into the family.

I'm trying really hard not to type a cheesy caption with this photo...like something about the hat cutting off her circulation.

What I learned knitting this hat...I can knit and nurse at the same time!

One Month And All Is Well

2011-05-02T17:30:00.000-07:00

Let the monthly photos of our third child commence...Month One. She is gaining wait like a champ! I can't wait to find out what she weighs at her 2 month appointment. I know she is over 10 pounds!

The first month has been full of ups and downs. The downs consist of a few health issues of mine making recovery slow. One of those issues...another kidney stone! The ups have been spent soaking up everything we can about this little baby girl...not taking any moment for granted.

Built In Cheek Support

2011-04-27T12:53:00.000-07:00

Easter 2011

2011-04-25T13:44:00.000-07:00

The Easter festivities started with the neighborhood Easter egg hunt. It is a great tradition and always so fun to see so many friends and neighbors. The weather was beautiful too!

My three.

Easter morning was a lovely family morning with waffles, strawberries, and whipped cream. For lunch we went to our favorite family friend's house. We had the most delicious lunch, the kids were entertained, and we had great adult conversation.

Also, the kids found their weight in candy hidden inside plastic eggs.

Then...

...Rhett finally lost that tooth! It was an Easter highlight!

We stopped by a Peet's for a little coffee treat. Mezmur acted as Dan and Rhett's hairdresser. This is her new favorite "game." She says, "Like Mommy does!" I love that.

Rhett sort of likes the hairdresser game too. And is he so cute with that missing tooth...or what?

Next we went to my Mom's for Easter dinner. The kids enjoyed a gift from my mom...colored bubbles in a "spill proof" container. Hmmm...who thought of this idea? Mezmur was blue from head to toe. Her tongue was blue. Yes, it was surprisingly washable and came out of her dress and shoes.

I never would have guessed last Easter that we would be celebrating this Easter with a new daughter. We are so blessed.

Love And Tantrums

2011-04-16T11:26:00.000-07:00

The love and sweetness when they are in the presence of Mavis is overwhelming.

The holy terror and tantrums when they are away from Mavis is exhausting. Apparently they love their baby sister and live to give their parents hell. I can't blame it all on Mavis. They were this way before Mavis was born...way before she was born. It is just more challenging to discipline and curb the attitudes when I'm on the couch healing and nursing. They better watch out...I am almost back to normal and I'm learning how to nurse while I walk around the house and I've even been seen jumping up from the couch to give a time-out with babe attached. They better watch out...Mama is back.

A Bath, Quilt, And Booties

2011-04-12T09:54:00.000-07:00

Life with three is pretty great.

Mavis on her quilt.

Oh, Mezmur. So sweet, yet challenging since your baby sister came home. Is it terrible twos or just the big sister blues? One thing is for sure...I have two of the most beautiful girls living in my home.

Here are the booties I made for Mavis. I love this pattern! I wish I made a few more pairs! They are the best and they really do stay on.

Um, I know I'm not supposed to put this out into the universe...in fear that I will be jinxed, but Mavis is an easy baby. Yes, she wants to be held a lot, but we are ok with that. She eats like a champ. She has gained 1lb in a week! She doesn't cry too much. She puts up with her brother and sisters tantrums and fits. Best thing? She sleeps awesome at night. Yes, she wakes up to nurse a couple times a night, but she sleeps better than both Rhett and Mezmur did. Mezmur and Rhett were not sleeping this good until they were almost two!

Please be kind, universe.

The Birth Of Mavis

2011-04-06T12:17:00.000-07:00

Here is the last photo of Mavis on the inside. It is crazy that she is over a week old. Two weeks ago I didn't know who my baby was. Now, we are getting to know her and we are at such peace with our new baby on the outside.

Giving birth is a very personal thing. I debated writing at all about it here, but for the sake of journaling and the hope to empower other pregnant women I decided to write about the birth. A little back story...my only other birth ended with a Cesarean and being put under general. I was asleep when my baby cried for the first time, I was asleep when a room full of strangers (Dan couldn't be in the room) found out what the sex of my baby was, I was asleep the first time I held my baby, and I was asleep the first time I nursed him. I knew I wanted a different experience this time. Not only did I want to deliver vaginally, but I wanted to do it drug-free. I had a lot of anxiety about the birth. Could I do it drug-free? Is the baby in the right position and not too big this time? I did a lot of reading and research and got empowered more and more with each story. I feel like I had an awesome advantage regarding giving birth. I experienced a lot about birth with Rhett's, where I labored for hours, got pitocin, epidural, and pushed for 3 1/2 hours before the Cesarean. Then, I had Mavis'. All I relied on was my body, which was made for giving birth. It was made for it. The differences between an epidural birth and drug-free birth are huge. HUGE. Yes, one of the differences as lovingly described by Dan is, "You acted like you were possessed by a different person." I even thought that a few times during the delivery...who is that person screaming and cussing? It was like I had no control over how I reacted to the pain. I think it is funny I told my (extremely awesome) doula that I thought I would "go into myself" when I was in pain...completely the opposite happened...and man was my throat soar the next day. The other very noticeable difference was the urge to push. "Urge" is the wrong word to use. It isn't an urge, it is an uncontrollable reaction your body has with every contraction. With an epidural I was able to "sit out" from pushing with some contractions to let my body rest. Without an epidural...there is no stopping the pushing. This absolutely fascinates me. This was proof that a woman's body was made to give birth. Proof. I also know I couldn't push that hard with the epidural. The pushing is so strong without drugs. I strongly believe that if I did it drug free with Rhett I could have pushed him out. I mean, he was crowning...we were so close, but because of the pitocin Rhett's heart was erratic, which is what lead to the Cesarean. I wanted a vbac (vaginal birth after Cesarean). There are many doctors (I hear) that will not support a vbac. I got lucky with my doctor. She was supportive from day one and never forced me to set up a Cesarean date. I heard from many nurses, midwifes, and doctors that the risk is uterine rupture. What do you picture with that description? An explosion. Well, one really great midwife said to me, "It's less of a rupture and more of a split of the scar from your Cesarean." I thought the choice of words is very interesting. When we went on our hospital tour we visited a delivery room. In this room they told us what would happen after you give birth...I started crying. I wanted that birth experience so bad. What I looked forward to the most was the moment I met my baby. I heard about the surge of oxytocin in a drug-free birth when the baby comes out. I wanted to feel that hormone rush. At that moment Dan announced, "We have a Mavis!" Her floppy body was given to me. Every time I think about that moment of holding Mavis for the first time I cry. It was the best feeling I've EVER had. I think I repeated, "My baby!" 100 times. It was such an incredible feeling. I know I got a warm all over feeling when I held Rhett and Mezmur for the first time...I'm sure I cried out, "My baby!" But, it was different with Mavis. The oxytocin did it's job. I was instantly in love with my baby Mavis.

The two main points from this post:

1. Our bodies were made to give birth. Don't let anything get in the way.

2. Vbacs are possible. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

ps. blogger was being weird about my paragraphs...hence the weird bold to separate the paragraphs.

Our First Moments With Mavis

2011-04-03T18:15:00.000-07:00

Here are a few of our first moments with our baby Mavis.

Oh, did you know I had a successful drug-free vbac?! Well, there will be more on that later. Let me just say...my life has been changed forever from the experience.

Introducing...Our Daughter

2011-04-02T16:45:00.000-07:00

Introducing...

Mavis Miriam

Mavis was born March 31st weighing in at 8lb. 7oz. She is healthy and beautiful and we are so blessed to have her in our family.

I Won!

2011-03-30T12:35:00.000-07:00

I won and I'm so glad I did. I finished the quilt top!!! It's too bad it will probably take me another year to finish the quilt, but at least all those tiny squares are sewn into our queen size quilt. I must say...I love how it came out and I know I will love it even more when it is totally finished.

It has a very mid-century modern look to it with the solid colors and it's rings. I love that.

Now, all that is left is to make a quilt back, quilt it together with some batting, and bind it. Advice from any sewers...do I have to sew the binding on my hand to "do it right?" That alone will take me a year...

With the finish of this project I bid my sewing machine...adieu. It is safe to say I won't be needing to do any more sewing until after the baby is born, home, and settled a bit. But, as I've said before, my number one rule for myself is...to find time for myself doing what I like and make sure my kids see me enjoying these things, so tiny baby Lapour will soon see that it's Mommy has many interests.

Very soon I won't be calling it an it...according to the midwife today, "You will be having this baby tonight or tomorrow night." Well, ok.

Ethos

2011-03-28T21:48:00.000-07:00

Piano lessons at Ethos.

Rhett is doing so great. He still says he "hates" piano sometimes, but then he plays a new piece and learns something new and I can see it on his face...piano isn't so bad. A little something about Rhett, he doesn't always like to admit it when he likes something.

A Special Delivery!

2011-03-28T14:32:00.000-07:00

Cupcake delivery...

I won a dozen of the best looking cupcakes and they were hand delivered today! I won them from Posy and they were baked by Frost.

My choice...Dark chocolate, with caramel filling, and dark chocolate frosting with sea salt.

It was the best cupcake ever. Soon...we hope...there will be a different kind of delivery.

We Love the World Forestry Center

2011-03-25T15:50:00.000-07:00

I'll stop talking about it...I swear, but I took the lens out for it's first outing today. It was fantastic. We love the World Forestry Center and when Groupon had a half off membership...we jumped on it.

For journal sake...as of yesterday, I was 31/2 centimeters dilated and 70% effaced. This baby is well on it's way. Any day now. The quilt top is coming along too, but I think the baby will win the race.

Pillowcases and Rhett's Doppelganger

2011-03-23T13:46:00.000-07:00

I've collected some flannel along the way to make pillowcases for us. I intended on Christmas pj's and Christmas pillowcases, but the pillowcases didn't happen. So, I finally finished them. I love this fabric. I love the colors and I will love seeing it on our bed and sleeping on it at night. There is something about seeing pretty things daily that I can't get enough of.

Here is Rhett with his doppelganger friend...which one is Rhett?

The last order of business before the baby is born is finishing the quilt top. I think it will be a race...who will win? Baby or Mama? I'm sort of hoping the baby beats me...

The New Magic Lens

2011-03-21T22:20:00.001-07:00

Spring break and an enormously pregnant Mama means a little more video games and tv than usual. Dan bought me Tetris for our Nintendo. I always loved Tetris and boy, does Rhett think his Mama is super cool that she can get 106 rows! Now, on to the lens...

I don't know if it is any big secret or a magical lens, but it is to me. Christi simply said I needed a low light lens for good indoor photos. That made sense. I didn't even know there was such a thing. After a little research and a trip to the Pentax camera store...I ordered my low light lens. The big secret...a 50mm lens. You can read about it here... Why did I want this lens? I hate indoor flash photos and we live in Portland, so we are inside a lot 8 months out of the year.

Big Belly and Big Hair

2011-03-20T16:00:00.000-07:00

There isn't much lap room here anymore...

Mezmur on hair washing day.

The Last Supper

2011-03-19T08:51:00.000-07:00

Dan and I went out to eat last night...and I brought my camera with the new lens! Never before have I been able to get good photos at a dark restaurant.

Delicious grilled romaine salad.

Handsome husband.

Oh, sparkling water...the "fancy" drink of choice this whole pregnancy. I will be welcoming red wine back into my diet very soon. Don't worry, only a little...I'll be nursing this baby around the clock, I'm sure.

I'll refrain from calling myself Jaba the Hut here...

...but after all the food I felt like Jaba.

Thanks to some great family friends for making this meal possible! It was like my birthday all over again. We love you!

I Bribed Him

2011-03-19T08:49:00.000-07:00

My Birthday Present

2011-03-18T12:52:00.000-07:00

I got a new lens for my camera for my birthday! Thanks to some tips from the ever talented Christi! It makes the lighting look so much better for indoor photos. Which will be great for the first photos of tiny baby lapour while we are in the hospital and for other indoor fun. I took a photo in our dark hallway and it looked like there was a light on! Amazing. I first practiced on my little ham...who loves her photo to be taken. Rhett said, "You may never take my picture again!" That's what he thinks. He is just ornery like that lately.

See the difference? New lens...

...old lens.

Get ready for some great photos of the baby!

Another Satisfying Project Finished

2011-03-17T18:37:00.000-07:00

This is our computer chair. It is in our family room...the room we spend most of our time in. Here are the cushions that we have used on this chair for at least 2 years. They are the cushions I made for our old rocking chair before Rhett was born.

I never finished them...

Here is our new cushion! In the sunlight!

Here is a close up of the fabric and piping.

Here is the underside and the little opening to slide the foam in.

So happy to have another project down before the baby comes. Oh...there are more to come...if this baby can wait.

A Simple Flannel Blanket

2011-03-16T12:00:00.000-07:00

I bought this very cute flannel when I had just found out I was pregnant. I think it is the cutest pattern. I was thinking of all sorts of fancy things I could do with it for the baby, but I settled on a cute and simple blanket. I simply serged around the edges and added the ric-rac on the underside for an extra bit of cuteness. I can't wait to see our pink little baby wrapped in this blanket!

37 Weeks

2011-03-13T16:12:00.000-07:00

37 weeks. I'm going to dedicate a whole post to all the comments I've been getting from strangers, but one that I get ALL the time is, "Oh, it looks like the baby has dropped." I just say, "Maybe, but I think it is more likely just gravity dropping my belly lower." Then, I proceed to lift my belly up and drop it down, so they can see for themselves how gravity works.

Patience is tough when you are pregnant and so close to the end. You are tired, tired of not being able to stand longer than 10 minutes, tired of not being able to run around the park with the kids, tired of being too tired to make dinner...also, the excitement of meeting your baby is reaching an absolute peak. Will it be a baby M (girl) or baby ? (we can't decide on a boy name!)? Will it be chubby like Rhett was? The thought of Rhett (and Mezmur, but she is young and probably won't care as much) meeting his new sibling for the first time gives me butterflies.

But...I DON'T want to wish this time away. THIS is one of the best times of my life. The last time I'll feel hiccups coming from my baby on the inside! The last time I'll ever see a knee sweep across my belly. I'll miss Rhett kissing my belly hello and good-bye, because it is at kissing level. I'll miss Mezmur ramming her head into my belly when she runs to give me a hug. I'll miss Dan and I sitting on the couch at night while we watch our shows (we just finished Big Love on DVD and now we are watching 24) and feeling the baby move around. Even the contractions I continue to have (about 5 an hour)...I'll miss. I also know I'll miss the time I have to finish up some projects around the house and the extra time to just plop on the couch with Rhett and read a quick chapter of our book (The Mouse and the Motorcycle).

For now, I'm so calm about everything. I won't say again, "I'm due April 1st, but I hope it comes sooner!" I'm enjoying this time so much...but I CAN'T wait to meet my new baby!

I am loving all the baby name guesses! Bring them on. What do you think M stands for? The boy name initials are A and T, but we aren't even sure about those names, but feel free to guess.

2 Year Anniversary

2011-03-11T11:18:00.000-08:00

This week we celebrated this moment...two years ago.

We DO NOT call it "gotcha day." We don't give gifts and other fancy things, but we do give Mezmur an extra hug and thank God that she is here.

This Took Me About 3 Years To Finish

2011-03-10T15:50:00.000-08:00

Soon after we moved in I took down all the closet doors, because they were those awful doors that never got shut. The plan was to make curtains for all the closets. I finished one of those curtains and all the rest either have no curtain or in Rhett's case...was never finished. I looked at this every time I went into his room. I bought the blue curtain, but it wasn't long enough, so I planned on adding a panel. I got the perfect fabric and just pinned it on until I had time to finish it...well, it took about 3 years.

See...safety pinned together.

Now, it is finished!!! It took me less than an hour.

One more project down!

The next project is as equally exciting as this one! A project that is simple and has been mocking me too! This project will take me a little longer, but will be equally satisfying.

Another Overdue Project FINISHED

2011-03-09T14:17:00.000-08:00

This is our ironing board. The ironing board that Dan and I use everyday. I would do my best to avoid the ripped area, but if a hot iron got on that cheap Ikea batting it would melt and get on my fabric...or Dan's shirt.

We have been living with the ironing board looking like this for at least a year.

Here is the finished product. It isn't perfect, but it is WAY better than what we were ironing on. Because the ironing board is made of metal I needed to add a good amount of batting, because sometimes when I would iron something you could see the metal pattern on the fabric. I had to add a bath towel under the old cover to help with this...making the ironing board a bit lumpy.

I first used some FOE (fold over elastic) for the underside, but it wasn't tight enough, so I added a second layer of elastic to make it tighter.

The squares for our quilt are coming along. I'm almost done with half of the squares!!!! Wouldn't it be great to finish the quilt top before the baby gets here?

Tomorrow, I'm working on another project that has been mocking me for YEARS!

Miracle

2011-03-05T13:55:00.000-08:00

Having Mezmur home is nothing short of a miracle. For her to come home...everything had to be just right. Our "family plan" had to fail when it did...in order for us to adopt our second baby and not our third, like our original plan.

The most important part of adoption is choosing an ethical agency. We had faith in our agency. An ethical adoption is the most important part of adoption. It's a shame that agencies/orphanages who are acting unethically can harm the chance of the children who are ethically being adopted.

Something has happened that I feared while we were waiting to bring home our baby girl. Mowa (Ministry of women affair) has cut down adoptions by 90%. Thankfully adoptions haven't stopped completely, but what about the 90% of children who will have to wait for months/years? What about allllll those families waiting for a referral or court date? I'm talking about several very close friends in this position. It is heartbreaking.

Having Mezmur home is a miracle.

This And That

2011-03-03T16:24:00.001-08:00

This is my boy. My moody boy. See that tear? He goes from crying fits to peaceful love from minute to minute. We recently instated a reward system in the house. We will see how it works. The reward system consists of a set schedule, marbles in a jar, a timer, and Chuck E. Cheese. I'm afraid it is already starting to loose it's appeal, but we will see. Oh, he is having a huge fit right now...ugh.

What did you do yesterday on Dr. Seuss' birthday?

I've done all the tiny cutting and sewing of the color pieces and I'm starting to put together the squares of the quilt I'm making for Dan and I. Dan didn't want it to look like a "granny quilt" and he isn't a huge fan of a ton of florals, so we decided to just use solids. The background is a natural linen. I have mixed feelings about the solids for this quilt. I hope I like it when it is done!

I finished tiny baby Lapour's quilt last night. I love the finished product. That is the thing I'm learning about quilting...the piecing doesn't always look the way I hoped, but once the quilting is done and the binding is on it takes on a whole new look. I hope this is how I feel once the above quilt is done.

The back is pretty great too.

Just a little cuteness.

What I learned this week. Kidney stones hurt like hell, but labor pains are worse. Although, I learned that I would rather be in labor than pass a kidney stone, because at least there would be breaks between contractions. I learned I could pass a kidney stone without pain medicine. I learned the way to make Dan feel better about his kidney stone experience is to tell him, "Mine was probably smaller than yours." I learned that I have more in my other kidney, so kidney stones are now a new fear of mine. I learned that passing a kidney stone and being pregnant is not fun, because the contractions are 5 times worse than the ones I've been having and combined with the pain of the kidney stone...OMG.

The Evolving Dress

2011-02-28T16:59:00.000-08:00

I find it interesting how the dress that was once my holiday party mini dress...

is now one of the only "shirts" that fit over my belly.

A New Oven Mitt

2011-02-26T11:28:00.000-08:00

I don't love the term "nesting"...really, I hate it, but what else would you call it?

I have stopped taking orders, so I have more time to finish up some projects around the house. The problem...I have a lot of projects I want to finish. We will see how much I can get done. First off...a new oven mitt. We have had one oven mitt for almost 11 years...this yellow one...

As you can see, it has seen better days. I have to use it left handed, because it was burned through on one side.

Sure, I could have just bought a new one...or a second one, but that would be way too easy. It's just not my style to make things easy on myself.

This oven mitt was born from a failed attempt at a table runner. I just didn't like how it looked, so I chopped it up and turned it into an oven mitt.

Here is the other side. I like it so much more as an oven mitt than a table runner.

I might even have two new oven mitts before this "nesting" is done...please help me think of a new name for the term "nesting."

Another On The Belly Shot

2011-02-24T12:09:00.000-08:00

Our February...Rhett sick...Rhett gets better. Dan sick...Dan gets better. Now, Mezmur is sick...I hope I'm not next. Mezmur is not my cuddler, but since she has been sick all she wants is to cuddle with me on the couch. I sort of love it. Mez had just gotten out of the bath and she laid her head down and 2 seconds later...she was asleep. Rhett took this photo for us...pretty great photo I think.

A Final Getaway Before Tiny Lapour Gets Here

2011-02-21T13:27:00.000-08:00

Thanks to my mom and Groupon, Dan and I were able to have a luxury getaway last weekend. It was 23 hours full of eating, sleeping, driving, and talking...yes, talking has been a luxury that we have missed. We stayed at the Columbia Gorge Hotel. It was a beautiful hotel and full of history.

It was a nice time away. Just long enough for us to start missing our kids and realize that our life would be so boring if we didn't have kids. There is only so much eating, resting, and drinking beer you can do before you realize that without kids...that is all there really is and doing that all day would get old. Don't get me wrong, we enjoyed every second of our time away. My favorite was sitting in the window at the coffee shop in the sun. We ate our breakfast and drank our coffee and we didn't want to leave. We soaked up the sun, people watched, talked, and just enjoyed a quiet moment...without the kids.

34 Weeks

2011-02-17T15:49:00.000-08:00

Surprise, surprise...this baby is in the 67th percentile according to my ultrasound today. It isn't huge...just my belly is huge.

I've been doing my best to "take it easy." It isn't easy.

If only Dan got my face in this photo! You would see I'm making fun of these photos. You know...the photos that are either too cute or weird or sexy or psycho all centered around a pregnant belly. Don't know what I'm talking about? GO HERE. My favorites are the watermelon and gun photo and the beach ball photos that an awesome adoptive family took.

Here is another "on my belly shot." The baby's quilt. Now, all that is left, is the peaceful hand stitching of the binding.

This baby is threatening to come early. The short story is...12 contractions an hour, short hospital stay, dilating to 2/3, and some medicine to stop the contractions. Rest assure...all is well with tiny baby Lapour and it's Mama. I'll just be taking advantage of the situation. I'll accept all food offers (thank you to Lori for saving the day and my sanity) and all other offers that will let me just sit on the couch and finish that quilt.

I Call This...Things That Have Been Seen On The Belly

2011-02-16T13:44:00.000-08:00

Almost 34 weeks...coming up next...a real belly shot.

Some Happenings

2011-02-10T17:21:00.000-08:00

Mezmur loves a good book.

Soft McSoft resting next to one of Rhett's birthday gifts...a poster found at Goodwill for my future astronaut.
This...tiny baby Lapour's quilt. I just have the binding to finish! This quilt may be finished BEFORE the baby is born!

I forgot to share the banner made special for the Pac-Man party.

Rhett was very proud of his "I have a dream" ribbon, which he picked out at the school store. This ribbon cost 3 compliments to "buy."

A new scene at our house...Rhett story time.

A new Valentine decoration finished.

I Live In Portlandia And It's All True

2011-02-09T12:33:00.000-08:00

This is for all of you who are living under a rock or in Florida. This is from the new show Portlandia.

Blinkin Blog

My Birthday

Rhett Gives Us The Finger All The Time

It's A Poop Party!

Our Valentine's Day

Life As Usual

Heart For Pre-Valentine's Day

Valentines Day

Mavis is 10 Months

First Quilt Finished

Eight Is Great But Seven Is Heaven

Mezmur The Ballerina

No Batteries Please

We Dug Our Own Hole

Diarrhea Of A Wimpy Kid

Genna Date And New Things

Mavis Turned Nine Months

Happy 2012

It's Christmas Time...Well, It's Over Now

Second Annual Gingerbread House Decorating

When Did This Infant Become A Baby?

Christmas Tree Hunt

Mezmur's From Opia

Mavis Is Eight Months

A Girl And Her Doll

Thankful

Our Un-Vacation To Florida

7 Months

One More From Halloween

A Lion, Princess Leia, and Luke Skywalker

Obligatory Trip To The Pumpkin Patch and Other Halloween Fun

Rhett Plays Soccer

Our Hipstamatic Friday

If She Was Yours...How Could You Resist Posting These Photos?

Our Mezmur Mimi *added content*

Mavis Is Six Months

Rhett Had a First Day Too

Mezmur's First Day of Preschool

Summers End

Mavis Is Five Months!

Rhett Hates Piano Lessons

Mavis and Lucy...(i think that sounds like an awesome children's book title)

Mavis Meets Mavis

Mezmur's Dress

Yes People, Our Baby is Fat

The Big Birthday Weekend...Picture Overload

Cute Baby Alert

The Best Cherry Picking Party Ever

Previews

Photos By Jillian

My Girls BFF

Strawberry Picking '11

Second Annual Fourth of July Yurt Trip

Love And Loss

Road Trippin'

The Lapours On The Go

For The Grandparents

Bidding Wars

The Lapours On The Go

Rhett's Second Piano Recital

Summer!

Mezmur Sings Rebecca Black

Mavis is 2 Months

The Lapours On The Go

The Good And Bad Of Friday

A Bedtime Routine

Fat Baby In A Little Hat

One Month And All Is Well

Built In Cheek Support

Easter 2011

Love And Tantrums

A Bath, Quilt, And Booties

The Birth Of Mavis

Our First Moments With Mavis

Introducing...Our Daughter

I Won!

Ethos

A Special Delivery!

We Love the World Forestry Center

Pillowcases and Rhett's Doppelganger

Our Mezmur Mimi added content