Grins & Giggles

Today Joseph has been drowning us in smiles. He's turned out to be quite the little charmer. And I think he's realized that he can totally work that smile to get whatever he wants from whoever he wants.

We met Greg and some of his work buddies for lunch today before hitting the outlet mall for halloween costume shopping. Lauren fell under his spell as soon as he cracked that big, flirty grin across his face. She's in love.

Another one bites the dust.

A new trick he's also learned - mimicking mommy's giggles. I. Could. Die! He was standing in my lap, flashing me his pearly... gums and gurgling to me. I, of course, was smiling back so big my face could crack in half and laughing. He was really intensely studying my face, and suddenly he busts out with these adorable little giggles just like mommy! They were a bit forced, but honestly to see him work it out and find a way to copy what I was doing felt pretty amazing. So, so cute!

I wish I could catch it on video, but when it's happening, I'm much too busy soaking it all up to think about grabbing the camcorder.

In other news, look at how freaking adorable my boys look in real clothes! Why, oh, why have I just been dressing them in onesies this entire time when real clothes are so stinking cute!?

Luke's concentrating & Joseph's sucking his bottom lip

Want to know how I got them both looking at me? Beer!
No, really.
They were staring at daddy's can of Tecate so I grabbed it, flashed it in their faces and then held it above my head. Mommy's learning new tricks every day too!

The boys are 3 months & 3 weeks old.

Reporting back. As promised.

I'm sitting here feeding Luke but can hear the odd wail from the bedroom. As I'm wondering how long it will take for this situation to play itself out, in walks Greg carrying Joseph in his arms. Response time: good, possibly even better than average. Looks promising.

Greg walks over to the couch, sets Joseph down, and stands up to take a few deep, exaggerated breathes while holding his stomach. Ok, not so good.

Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.

I just look over and say Greg. Whatever you do. Do NOT yack on our son.

Flying Solo Tonight

I gave Greg a free pass to go out tonight because I'm awesome like that his friend Stuart is in town for a few days before flying back to England after his "business conference". I say "business conference" because Stuart always implies entirely too much boozing for any real business to take place. Whatev.

The important thing is that this is Greg's first night out on the town since the boys were born. That's over 3 and a half months of relative celibacy from Lady Liquor. THIS IS A BIG DEAL for Greg. Yes, over the years married life has slowly driven into dormancy that desire to go out and get stinking-heaving-stumbling-drunk, but it's still very much alive.

My only question is how bad is this going to be? I made him promise that he won't be completely useless to me tomorrow, but who am I kidding. When has he ever not been useless after a night out on the town? Or how about not even useless. I'll take simply NOT disruptive. But I'm not holding my breath on that one either.

No matter how many times I'd tell him before he went out DO NOT WAKE ME UP WHEN YOU GET HOME! He always, always, always did. He can't help it really. Greg is a very lovey drunk. Get him a little tanked up and suddenly he loves everybody. And everything. And he wants to be your friend. And he wants to give you a hug and tell you how fabulous you are. This is one of the many reasons I love him. (I firmly believe that a person's REAL personality comes out of hiding after they've had a few too many. If you're a morose drunk, I know you're an inherently negative person no matter how much sunshine you try to blow up my skirt when you're sober. If you're a mean drunk, chances are good that you have a nasty streak in your everyday life too. If you're a lovey drunk, well, then we can be friends. Anyway...)

So every time he would come home after a boys' night out, he'd crawl into bed, get right in my face with his beer breath, proceed to poke and prod me until I cracked open my eyes in a confused daze, and then I'd get slobbery kisses and adamant, earnest declarations of love and devotion. And he tried to not wake me up, but he just had to tell me how much he truly, truly, TRULY loves me. Are you listening, Larisa? Don't look at me like that. I just LOOOOVE YOU! I love you sooo much! I just need to squeeze you to show you how much I love you. ::squeeze, squeeze, slobbery kiss, kiss::

Who can be mad after a demonstration like that? Not me.

Maybe that's why I am still awake at 1 a.m. I've already written this night off as one of little to no sleep so might as well catch up on my blog posts.

Ohmygawd! 1 a.m.! I really do need to get to sleep. I will be sure to report back in the morning or afternoon or whenever I'm awoken by screaming babies. Oy.

This is going to be pretty for no one tomorrow.

Night Owls and Early Birds

We have one of each. Ugh.

Luke, refusing his 7:30 p.m. bedtime only to pass out over an hour later

Joseph, up at 3 a.m. and all WHUZZZZ UPPPPPP, PARTY PEOPLE!

It hurts. It hurts so bad.


The boys are 3 months and 2 weeks old.

The C Word. Again.

A little over a month ago Debra, my dad's wife, found out she had breast cancer. Potentially inflammatory breast cancer, a particularly evil & nasty form of the disease. Two weeks later she was undergoing chemo. After three rounds, she'll have a double mastectomy and then three more rounds of chemo and possibly radiation. And if that's all she has to contend with, we'll consider her lucky. It's hard to imagine praying please, let it only be breast cancer.

The doctors are treating this aggressively. They told her she will be losing all her hair. So in a show of solidarity, everyone got a shave.

Debra & my dad

My little bro & dad

She is dealing with her new reality with such a can-do, cancer-kicking positivity that if it weren't for the bald head, you would never know the battle going on inside her.

We wish you the very best, Debra. I am in awe of your spirit.

Handsome

My boyz.
My boyz.
My beautiful baby boyz.


Check 'em out!

(sung to Black Eyed Peas' My Humps - frequently heard around our house)


The boyz are 3 months & 11 days old.

Love Us Some Dr. Seuss

This is how we read every day. All 3 of us on the floor, looking up at all the bright colors and rhyme-y words...





...until our attention spans demand we scream & kick & flail & scream some more. Good times.


The boys are 3 months & 9 days old. And they love short, colorful books. And screaming.

Pacifier FAIL

The boys aren't too keen on their pacifiers. They'll take them. But only on the 3rd Tuesday of every month and only if there is an auspicious breeze heading in the north-westerly direction and only if the stars are aligned juuuuust right. And then only for a few minutes before spitting them out.

Our friend Katie (hi, Katie!) gifted us these fun, textured, raspberry-like paci's at my baby shower. And since the boys are starting to suck on their fingers and hands, I thought I'd give them a shot.

Joseph is unconvinced.

Luke is willing to give them a shot.

But rejection...

Luke says patooey! and Joseph whines Mo-oooooommm!

Better luck next time, sucka!


The boys are 3 months and 8 days old.

Hello, 85. We've Missed You!

Sub-triple-digit temperatures
+ Break in the rain
+ 2 Grouchy babies
Hour and a half walk through the hood

The peace was so worth it, but now I'm tired & sure to be sore tomorrow. I feel miles & miles away from my marathon training days...

One day I'll be back there though.


The boys are 3 months & 1 week old.

So Cute It Hurts

It's all about these little moments.



Sometimes I just look at them and tears well up in my eyes and I think my whole being might crumble from this overwhelming love.

I never knew I could be this happy.



Luke is 3 months & 6 days old.
Joseph (taken a few days ago) was 3 months & 2 days.