Swing Lover

The swing is by far the best baby invention EVER! She's just so darn happy in that thing. When she's not tired it makes her coo and smile. When she's fussy it calms her down. When she's tired it puts her to sleep. What more can a parent want in a baby gadget?

And in case you can't see the pure delight in those pictures, here's a few close-ups

Ten on Tuesday

1. This is how we found Kelsea Friday night before we went to bed. She's practicing for her first sleepover.
2. I started reading Between Parent and Child this week. Hopefully by the time I'm done I'll be a better parent (or at least a more knowledgeable one) .

3. Kelsea's future wife (see previous post) turned 4 on Sunday. Happy Birthday Alla! We love and miss you!

4. Someone else also had a party this weekend. We celebrated my Mom's Birthday on Saturday.

Kelsea being her usual helpful self

Looks like it was a good wish!Grandma with her granddaughters
Stevie and Jennie (aka the babystitters)
Grandpa with his littlest granddaughter

Not pictured, Wallis & Katie

5. Thanks to last months Real Simple, I've become addicted to browsing this site, and this one, and this one.

6. On Sunday we went and saw Earth with some of Kelsea's classmates. It was much more traumatizing for me than her. She's been asking to go see it again since we came home from the movie. But what about the polar bear, hon!? What about the poor polar bear! (Don't worry I was only shouting this in my head.) That's the problem with the circle of life...someone always loses.

7. And in case you could not tell from the photo above, I am no longer a blonde, but a reddish brown. If you are wondering why, it has to do with the red roots that started to show up sometime after Lorelei was born. Strange that my hair started to come in the color I was born with, but it probably has to do with those fantastic pregnancy hormones! Better red than gray, right? I'll be interested to see what my natural hair color turns into these next few months.

8. So I went on my first run on Sunday, and I'm pretty sure an alien has stolen my legs and replaced them with much heavier ones. I kept telling myself that it will get easier, but when I went on another run yesterdayI did not find it any easier. It was pretty much like the run on Sunday only my legs hurt before I started running. And I'm not sure why I keep referring to it as running, since I'm pretty sure I could have walked faster at the speed my legs were moving. Oh well, maybe the next will be better, or the one after that...

9. Lorelei turned 10 weeks old yesterday. Here's a close-up of my beautiful baby girl!
10. Tomorrow we're meeting up with this family at Disneyland! Kelsea earned a trip to Disneyland for her transition to her big girl bed so we decided to join in on Cathy's Birthday trip to Disneyland. Since it's also my Mom's Birthday tomorrow she's coming along and getting in FREE!

Flashback Friday

I know it's not really Friday, but I had intended on posting this Friday, but life got in the way. Besides someday when I blurb this into a scrapbook no one will ever know.
Here's what Kelsea looked like at two months. Some similarities and some differences between the girls. Kelsea looks much more like her Daddy and Lorelei looks a lot more like me, yet they definitely look like sisters!

Two Months

11 pounds, 3 0unces & 23.5 inches

In two months you have gained 4 1/2 pounds and 5 inches. You now coo & smile at us. You are only waking up once at night to eat, and you still take lots of naps during the day. You rolled over for the first time from your belly to your back (at the doctors office)-show off! :-)

The weeks at home with you are flying by. Time is precious. I wish I had more of it. But since I don't, I will spend these last 6 weeks holding, kissing, playing, singing & dancing with you more. I will spend less time worrying about what is not getting done on my endless list and spend more time just being with you.

Ten on Tuesday

1. Lorelei and Jimmy got to hang out together last Thursday. I guess the bear mobile is too much excitement for Jimmy.
I think Lorelei must have thought Jimmy was on to something...got to first get the arm in the right place.
And then maybe I'll be ready for a little snooze2. On Lorelei's 8 week birthday she went home from the doctor in one of these. It doesn't seem to phase her (thank goodness). Orthopedic surgeon #2 said if he went off just an external examination of her hips he would not have treated her, but since the ultrasound was borderline he wants to be cautious and treat her anyway. So she's strapped in this Pavlik harness for a minimum of 4 weeks and potentially up to 12 weeks.
3. Speaking of Miss Lorelei, her 2 month birthday is in two days! Anyone have any brilliant ideas for photos?

4. We are going with Kelsea's school next weekend to see Earth at the El Capitan Theatre. We have to be in Hollywood by 9:30 am. Wish us luck!

5. It's suppose to be 80 degrees this weekend. We might have to have our first beach day as a family of four on Sunday! Really wish I had gone ahead and bought this at Target the other day.

6. Kelsea on the hunt for her basket. She did really well with the clues and was so excited to find the next egg with a clue in it. And I should have taken a picture of her hair so you could have seen it in it's full glory.
7. Lorelei just hung out and made her sister do all the work.
8. And a horrible picture of the actual baskets. Note to self, take a picture in advance and not when your 3 year old is running and screaming towards the prize, only leaving you two seconds to snap a picture. But there's the proof that the Easter Bunny did visit the Laughrey home.
9. My Aunt Cathy got these adorable dresses for the girls. Even Kelsea's American Girl doll "Chrissa" got a matching dress. (She was feeling too shy for the photo shoot)
10. We had a lovely Easter dinner at my parents house. Thanks Mom for cooking and thanks Stevie for taking our first "family of four" photo!

Who Can I Marry?

After reading books, and enjoying some snuggle time with Kelsea we had the following conversation about marriage. Kelsea's questions/responses are in italics.

Mommy I want you to sleep here with me.

I can't honey this is your room. My room is upstairs with Daddy.

Why can't you sleep here with me?

Because Daddy is my husband and we sleep in the same room.

When can I have a husband?

When you get married.

Who can I marry?

Whoever you want to sweetie. Whoever you love and want to spend the rest of your life with. You could marry Nate, Adam, Jake, Joey, Jimmy, Landon. (Never to early to plant the seed of her marrying one of my friends kids, right?).

How about Anabelle or Alla?

Hmmm...giggling, sure Kels you can marry whoever you would like.

I want to marry Alla.

Okay Kels someday you can marry Alla.

And that seemed to satisfy her enough to want to go to sleep without Mommy. So watch out Killins family, Kelsea has an eye on your daughter. LOL!

Ten on Tuesday

1. After calling a few places it looks like those special wilderness schools do not in fact take toddlers. (Just FYI in case you Moms out there were holding on to that worse case scenario.) So instead we are trying the "act like a princess" chart. Earn 4 stars in one day (morning, school, dinner/bath, & bedtime) and you get to pick a surprise (read c-r-a-p) from the princess box. If this does not work I may have tell those special schools that my 3 year old really does have a drug and alcohol problem.

2. We are getting a second opinion on Lorelei's hips on Friday per her pediatrician's suggestion. It will either be hello splint or goodbye triple diapers.

3. Lorelei has been sleeping until 4:00 am this week. We have been getting SIX straight hours of sleep. I feel like I could conquer the world (unless of course that world is made up of toddlers).

4. Jake had his 2nd Birthday on Saturday. It was a beautiful sunny day! Kelsea was all dressed for the party at 7:00 am. For three hours all we heard was is it time to go to Jake's party yet? I think she must have know she was going to get one of these...
Happy Birthday Jake! Thanks for another fun party Vuoso Family!5. I was a little nervous when Wallis came home with brown eggs to dye, but come to find out they work just as well as the white ones. And yes dying eggs is much more fun when you are a princess.
6. Someone turned 7 weeks old yesterday! Her lashes are starting to look like Kelsea's--yea!
7. Lorelei either loves her bear mobile above her pack-n-play or is completely terrified of it. I was trying to capture the faces she makes when she stares at them but the camera distracted her. I need to video her watching them so that I don't forget those crazy noises she makes when she looks at them.
8. After four beautiful sunny days, rain is in the forecast. I know we need it but I could use the nice walking weather to help with these last few pounds...

9. This is my friend Alissa's last week of maternity leave before she goes back to work. Yoga will be lonely without her. )-:

10. This will be our first year of doing clues for Kelsea's Easter Bunny surprise. I'm actually very excited about it. My Mom did this for my brother and I all the way through high school.

Happy Anniversary

Congratulations on your first year of marriage Steve & Jennie!
Wow, what a difference a year makes. Was Kelsea really that young just one year ago?