Time to Carve the Jack'O'Lantern!

We continued our autumn traditions by carving our Jack'O'Lantern tonight. While Daddy cut the pumpkin open and scooped out the "glue" (Tater's word for the slimy, gooey stuff!), Tater and Bruiser "designed" our pumpkin's face. Tater wanted a happy face and Bruiser wanted a sad, Bruiser "pumpin".

Tater's Work!

Mommy's drawing from Bruiser's directions

Watching Daddy cut into the pumpkin

As Daddy was finishing up the carving, Miss Wiggles had a bit of a tumble - just in time for all those first birthday party pictures! It swelled and bruised immediately...just lovely!

So sad!

Daddy finished the pumpkin alone! Bruiser ended up on time out ... in the high chair because I couldn't think of another spot where he'd stay put!..., Tater was playing kitchen, and Miss Wiggles was cuddling with me and recovering from her bump.

Bruiser needed an up closer and personal look at the "pumpin"!

Eyes closed!

I think Tater's look was for the pumpkin but it looks like she really loves her brother, doesn't it!

...and My Peaceful World Has Come to An End!

This is what I woke up to this morning! Miss Wiggles was all wiggles!

So proud of herself for standing up in her crib!

(Of course, this is a posed picture...which is why she is naked. She does sleep in cute little jammies! Did you really think I sleep with the camera next to my bed so I can snap pictures the second I open my eyes? I'm not that kind of mom!)

She getting adventurous in her "army crawling"!

Nothing's safe!

Even the dog food!
Bruiser was almost 2 before he would venture down the step into the mud room...Miss Wiggles just shimmies her way down and tries to snack away!

We are really in for it now!

Introducing...Miss Wiggles!

G-Baby was named G-Baby for lack of a better name! Now as she has grown and we have gotten to know her a bit better, it's time to change her bloggy name! She has become the queen of wiggles, so she will now be known as "Miss Wiggles"!

Here is a video of her wiggling away for Daddy!

Look For a Bit of Humor...

A couple of months ago, I posted about the "good-byes" we had pending at the end of our summer. At the time, I never thought they would get here so quickly! We have spent the last three Sundays saying goodbye to our minister and her family. Not only has she led us spiritually, supported us through the births of all three children, and provided us prayer through all their many health problems, but she (and her family!) has been our friend. We have shared good books, glasses of wine, scrapbooking, parenting trials and tribulations, and our growing and evolving faith. It has always been her that has made me feel better about the crazy things my children do - because hers are equally (if not more!) wild and crazy!

So even though we have another few days of them close by and we already have a "moms' weekend" in Chicago planned for the spring, saying goodbye has been so hard! I have shed enough tears to last me for the year...and there are more to come! We wish them well on their new adventure, which we can't wait to hear about thanks to the wonders of technology! Now, if only they start a blog...

So in light of these good-byes and the ones that are pending, we have been trying to catch little rays of sunshine as they sneak through! Here's a Bruiser moment (and I know you are all anticipating a good laugh!).

This evening Bruiser and G-Baby were playing (aka arguing over toys) on the floor. Bruiser has a bit of an obsession with Taggie blankets. He thinks he owns then all, even the pink princess ones that Tater and G-Baby claim. He grabs a tag and puts his thumb in and settles down wherever he is for a quiet moment. It actually can be really sweet!

Well, tonight, he decided that G-Baby's Taggie book was his and she was not too pleased about it! When I insisted he return it to her, he laughed his evil (but cute), "the devil's in me" laugh and began to run. Usually he runs circles through the entry way, down the hall, into the kitchen, through the dining room and back to the laundry room. Well, tonight he ventured off the typical path and ran into the mud room. When I caught up with him (he's fast!), he was hiding behind the curtains on the door and giggling. All I could see were his little legs and chunky feet poking out the bottom! And then I did what no Mom should do when they are trying to punish a child ... I laughed! I laughed so hard I cried (for about the 100th time today!). But these were good tears! I laughed so hard, Daddy came to see what was happening...and he laughed too! So much for a teachable moment! Now we just have to figure out where he learned that trick...

That's the Life!

Papa and the kids watching "Een" and having breakfast!

Life...as always!...has been crazy around here! We got back from visiting Papa and Mimi, sent them and Tater home from their week with us, Bruiser got a fever, and I headed off on a mom-cation to sunny (and HOT) Florida! Nothing stops around here!

All seemed to be going well as I prepared to leave Daddy, Bruiser, and G-Baby and trek off to Florida for a few days of kid-free relaxation. But who was I kidding? That's not how things work in The House of Sprout! We woke Sunday morning to Bruiser with a temperature of 102. Daddy opted to stay home from church and let me go. It was our minister's almost-last Sunday and the celebration of her family's commitment to our ministry. So G-Baby and I headed off for a tear-soaked service and skipped the picnic celebration to come home and check on Bruiser.

By 4pm, his temp reached 104. Motrin, a luke-warm bath, and Popsicles helped a bit, but I began to worry if I should even be leaving. Daddy reassured me that he could handle it and I reluctantly packed my bags and headed off early the next morning after a short night of sleep. Daddy woke to Bruiser still sporting a high temp and quickly made an appointment with the pediatrician. Diagnosis? It was a virus with a high fever that lasts for five days and is still contagious for 24 hours after the fever ends. Poor Bruiser and poor Daddy.

Oh, and it gets worse! But Tuesday, G-Baby had the fever! And where was Mommy? A 4-hour plane ride away! I did feel terrible - no Mommy wants to be away from her sick little ones! But Daddy did great! The kids were medicated, entertained, and fed. He even spent most of one night up with G-Baby - something he hasn't done since Tater was an infant!

I arrived home to two almost-healthy children, a tired Daddy, and an amazingly straightened-up house. Hmmm...maybe I should go away more often!

So, as I return to bloggy world, here are a few shots of G-Baby to bring smiles to your faces! Enjoy as I venture into attempting to bring normalcy back to our house...just in time to head to Mimi and Papa's again next week!

G-Baby snacking and sporting her first hair bow!
Legs propped up!

Can't even stand that smile!

We're Baaack!

Well, we took a bit of a break from blogging and enjoyed a ton of family time. I know you all weren't happy about not getting your daily updates from The House Of Sprout...and obviously, G-Baby wasn't either!

I have lots to share and only a few days to post. I'm leaving Monday for a girls' week and don't know how my Internet access will be. Daddy will be home with the kids (well, G-Baby and Bruiser...Tater's going to Papa and Mimi's)...any bets on whether he will post or not? LOL!

A Week With the Family!

We have had a crazy-busy week at Mimi and Papa's - hence the reason for no posts! We head home Sunday but are taking Mimi and Papa with us, so I might be a bit slack on blogging still...but I do plan to upload some pics to catch you all up!

We arrived on Sunday after crazy Mommy flew with all three children by herself. Daddy took us to the gate and Papa met us on the other end - a real life-saver! All three did great on the flight. Tater watched a video, Bruiser played cars and G-Baby just observed. The only problem we had was when Bruiser had to put up the tray for landing and he wasn't done playing - we had a bit of screaming. He also worried every time the plane would dip a bit "We fall, Momma?"

We also struggled a bit getting off the plane. I never received as many dirty looks as I did flying with three children - but we fooled them all! My kids were better behaved than the grown-ups! One woman actually tried to put her carry-on out in the aisle between Tater and me as we were unboarding. What did she think? Was I really going to let her get off before me, and in between Tater and me? Not so much! Crazy people!

So we visited with aunts and uncles on Sunday, went to the playground on Monday (Note to self: A playground with no other children means "no fun" to Tater!), played at Mimi's school on Tuesday, stayed home on Wednesday, went to Target and visited Nana and Pap on Thursday, and spent the day with Aunt C and cousins on Friday (pool, ice cream, yard sales, and Pop-Pop!). Tomorrow we are off to meet Uncle J's new kitten, Griffin. Pics to follow soon!

Wordless Wednesday

Our Little Helper!

We're starting them young at The House of Sprout! Even G-Baby pitches in with the laundry!

Or was she trying to climb IN the laundry?

Summer Swim!

We had our first chance to fill the pool and splash away in our backyard today. Everyone, and I mean everyone enjoyed the summer weather! Bruiser actually melted when it was time to come in - he enjoyed the pool so much!

This was before G-Baby found the leaves to chew on!

Love that smile!

I think there might have been a leaf behind that toy!

Tater making a bridge

Even Shadow joined us out side.

And this is where I got to sit and read a WHOLE magazine!

Lunch Time!

Hiking the Trail...Sort Of!

Tater has been asking Daddy to take her on a hike since last summer - more like begging him! So, Sunday we headed to a local state park to check out the trails and see what we could explore. Admission to the park is free and it was a nice weekend (finally!), so it was a bit crowded - not a good place for three busy toddlers! Then we couldn't find any trails...maybe there weren't any! So we walked through the picnic areas and explored the lake a bit. There were enough trees and rocks for Tater and Bruiser to think they were hiking! So it all worked out!

Gotta love the glasses!

Daddy and the kids

Daddy and Bruiser

G-Baby!

Tater Tot!

Walking the path - see how far ahead Bruiser was?