lite ranch

So, I'm almost six weeks post-partum and 25 pounds heavier than I was pre-pregnancy. That means it's diet time! I'm also home for the summer, which gives me more time to break bad habits the kids have developed at school. The following conversation probably occurred because a) Logan has overheard me talking about how fat I am and how I shouldn't eat this or that, and b) snack time at school looks a lot different than snack time at home (think Chips Ahoy vs. apples and cheese).

(we're at Nana's house and the kids are eating ranch dip with veggies)

LOGAN: Mama, is ranch good for you or bad for you?

ME: Sorta bad for you (I'm not sure where he's going with this).

LOGAN: Well, we are eating ranch dip!

ME: Yes, but that's Lite Ranch, which is a little better for you.

LOGAN: Yeah, but dark ranch isn't! Dark ranch is bad!

mini-workers

"We are working, Mama!"

Prickly Heat

Keegan has had a nasty heat rash for six long days now. It has succeeded in making him miserable AN freaking me out (What if it was meningitis? And why do I always look to the internet for medical advice?). Poor little guy. His scalp, ears, face, and neck are covered in teeny-tiny red bumps that are now starting too ooze and crust over.

So, I finally took him to the pediatrician. I swear I feel like my family is single-handedly paying the guy's salary this summer. Thank God for good medical insurance!

The verdict? Unless the rash is fungal, which it may or may not be, it's probably something called "prickly heat".

Wikipedia says:

"Miliaria (miliaria rubra, sweat rash or prickly heat) is a skin disease marked by small and itchy rashes. Miliaria is a common ailment in hot and humid conditions, such as in the tropics and during the summer season. Although it affects people of all ages, it is especially common in children and infants due to their underdeveloped sweat glands. Symptoms of miliaria include small red rashes, called papules, which may itch or more often cause an intense 'pins-and-needles' prickling sensation."

Hmmm.....infants living in hot, humid climates? Sound like anyone you know?

So there we have it.

In other Keegan news:

1. He now weighs 12 lbs, 6 oz. (what a big boy!) and has outgrown most of his 0-3 month clothes allowing me to pack up yet another box of crap I'll never need again to send to Jenna. Special thanks to Jenna for helping me purge my unwanted items and find them new homes!

2. He really, really, really wants to smile. I can see it in his eyes, but not quite on his lips.

3. He can, if he wants to, sleep for 5.5 hour stretches at night. Usually he doesn't want to.

4. He sleeps right through the boys running through the house playing "Kung Fu Panda". I think he finds it soothing.

Lots of work to do

Gray earned the boys a trip with Nana and Papa to Universal Studios this week! On Sunday he was wearing diapers exclusively. On Monday, he was completely potty-trained. That's the power of bribes on a two-year old (more about their trip in another post).

So, here's my conversation with Logan a couple of days before they left. He had just gotten up from his nap, which is always when he's the sweetest.

LOGAN: Is it Wednesday yet?

ME: No, it's Monday.

LOGAN: Because when it's Wednesday, we're going to just JUMP into the car with Nana and Papa, drive to Universal Studios, go to the hotel, go swimming, and go to the biggest McDonald's in the world!

ME: Ok. Well, it's Monday.

LOGAN: And then I'm going to miss you SO much...when it's Wednesday, you know.

ME: Well, I'll miss you too!

LOGAN: But I won't miss you TOO much because we are going to be VERY busy. We have a LOT of work to do! (this sounds familiar -- right down to the tone of his voice. It's me, on any given weekend, trying to get the laundry or cleaning done with two little boys at my feet wanting to go "somewhere fun")

ME: Work?

LOGAN: Yeah! We have to go to work. You know, like we have to go swimming, go on all the rides, go to the world's biggest McDonalds...

If only work were really like that! By the way, I think their perception of "work" is kind of skewed. Pretty much on a daily basis, we drive by an elementary school near our house which is also "Mama's work". From the road, you can only really see the playground, so the boys must think I work at a playground all day. If only...

The Mad Face -- 1980

This is what my dad sent me in response to this post from last week. A couple people had also commented on how much Logan resembles his Mommy, so I thought I'd post this as a comparison. I think I still make this face when I have to do the dishes!

A t-shirt never lies

And this one fits him to a T.

My new pet Keegan

Did you know we have a new pet at our house? His name is Keegan. It's so much fun to pet him, kiss him, and try to feed him chocolate chips.

Sweet Dreams

Have you ever seen anything quite as precious as a sleeping baby?

The Mad Face

This is Logan's mad face.

It's the face I get when I say "no", as in: "No, you cannot have pudding for breakfast", "No, we cannot call our friends and invite ourselves over to swim at 7am", and "No, we cannot go to Wild Adventures today. Mommy has to do the laundry".

Mommy is always ruining all the fun (which means I get this face often -- which means it was not difficult to get a picture of it)!

Daddy Dearest

Thanks for always being there for me to lean on.

Happy Father's Day, Dad! I love you!

Squeaky Clean

The cord stump finally fell off, much to Logan's dismay, and it was time to give Stinky his first bath. I have better pictures of him, but these are the only ones where he's "decent", if you know what I mean!

Brotherly Love

Having a baby brother is such a blast!

Yesterday, I took the older ones to Publix and left Keegan at home with Daddy. Whoo-hoo! Big day out for Mommy (since I couldn't remember the last time I had left the house). The boys told everyone in the store (who would listen) that they had a new baby brother, but we left him at home. After the initial quizzical, judgemental look, the customer would realize that Keegan was probably just home with Daddy...not home alone.

Logan calls him "my baby Keeg" and Gavin still treats him like he's a new pet. Overall, they try to be a big help. They actually fight over who can be "Mommy's Big Helper" when I need a burp cloth or diaper. Of course, the intentions are there, but it doesn't end up being much of a help when I need something and they decide to wrestle each other to be the first to get it to me. Someone always gets hurt...usually it's Gray, the child that is prone to accidents and has about 8 bruises and 4 band-aids on at any given time.

Looking for paradise?

This post is for those of you looking for a new home in Florida and to our northern family and friends who have always wanted to live in paradise:

Check out this link to my Aunt and cousin's development, Via Mare. We're so proud of them and we were fortunate enough to take a tour not too long ago. The view of the beach is breathtaking, no expense was spared on the interior, and I can only imagine what it would be like to sip wine from the roof terrace and call it my home.

Viewer discretion advised

Sorry, I just couldn't resist this post. He's so proud of himself. He even wrote a song about it. It goes, "I did it! I did it! I poo-poo! In the potty! All. By. My. SELF!" I'm just happy not to have two in diapers!!!!

Nana's another year older

Happy Birthday, Mom!

How he got his nickname

When I was pregnant with him, I wanted to name him Grayson. Jay accused me of making up names to stick my sons with for life (nevermind the fact that it was #211 on the SSA list of names last year).

When he was born, we compromised and named him Gavin Roy Allison (or GRAy). Logan was unable to say Gavin at the time, so Gray stuck with him as a nickname.

When he started school, everyone called him Gavin. I know my little baby is growing up, but it hurts to hear him say, "I'm not Gray, I'm GAVIN!" when to me he's still my "Baby Gray".

A few weeks ago, he fell and hit his tooth. It recently turned Gray, so he continues to live up to his name whether he likes it or not. You can see it in the photo if you look carefully -- it's his top right front tooth. So until those permanent teeth come in, he continues to be my Baby Gray.

What are YOU lookin' at?

well-trained

He got these out of the fridge in the garage, brought them inside, and clanked them together ("cheers") before handing them over.

Tea for three

We received the cutest mugs in the mail from "Grandma" Cathy. The boys are really into not sharing things (go figure), so they were ecstatic to get these mugs with their names on them. I have steal them away just to wash them. Logan thinks they look like Daddy's tea mugs, so we had to have a tea party, of course. Daddy had green tea, which Logan says is "usually just for big people", and the boys had yellow gatorade. Cheers!

Still crazy after all these years...

(35, to be exact)

Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad!

1975

2008

Ahoy, Matey

All dressed up for his pirates and princesses party at school

The penguin on his shoulder in named Penny. Penny is the class pet and she loves to read. She takes turns spending the weekends with families. As luck would have it, Penny came home with us the weekend after we had Keegan. Needless to say, Penny was largely neglected by everyone except for Logan (although I did manage to read one story to her while nursing!) and didn't make it back to school until Wednesday. Logan says she still had a fun time at our house and went back to school covered in various sizes of Spiderman bandaids.