These days, I never know how to open a blog post without sounding pedantic. So without further adieu, this is what we've been up to in the past month...

After the wind took down our glass patio table and our chair seats were beginning to bust through when people sat on them, we knew that a new patio set purchase was in our future.  I had been casually looking on Craigslist for months, and when a nearly-new 7-piece wrought iron set popped up for $200, I had to jump on it.  I bartered with the owner and got him down to $175, plus a free firepit.  I was pretty happy with the deal I had scored, and Anthony was pretty happy that, even though we had no firewood, we still had a nice evening warmed by a fire.  I knew that old Christmas tree that we hadn't taken to the dump yet was sticking around for some reason! :)


Anthony's parents went out of town to visit their families, and with the resident chef gone for the weekend, Ray stepped up to the plate.  He slaved away all day making delicious stuffed chicken and a myriad of lovely side dishes.  Who knew he had it in him?


I love happy camera accidents like this one.


After giving him a good chance to smear a fine layer of avocado all over every toy in his activity chair, we bit the bullet and bought Harrison a highchair.  I'd done my research 1000 times, and I just couldn't find the one I wanted in any consignment shop or online listing.  I promised myself years ago that I'd never buy baby gear new again, but I couldn't bring myself to settle for one with a fabric pad and I didn't want to compromise on my checklist of needs.  As hard as it was to pay retail, I love the highchair.  Too bad he's got to sit in it until he's five so I can feel like I got my money's worth! :)  I bought him a couple of toys that suction cup to the tray to keep him entertained while I make dinner, but they kind of backfired on me.  He wants them in his mouth so badly, that he pulls with all his might (and this baby is STRONG) until the suction cup gives, then ends up smacking himself in the face with it.


(After crying about it smacking his face)  And speaking of food! My last blog post was made a few days before our appointment with a lactation consultant.  I was so nervous about it, because Harrison is just too interested in everything BUT eating and refuses to nurse anywhere but in his bedroom with a sound machine on to drown out the sounds of his siblings.  I feel him - nursing is boring!  Of course, at the appointment, his feeding was super distracted and he only sort-of nursed for 10 crazy minutes, all while I wrestled with him to keep in on my lap.  I was dreading his post-feeding weight check, but the lactation consultant told me that despite the terrible feed, he transferred 3 ounces!  She told us to keep doing what we are doing (nursing on demand, one meal of solids with coconut oil and cereal mixed in per day) and that we didn't need to supplement with formula!  Hooray!  Right around this time, Harrison also stopped barfing up everything he ate, so that was nice!  I took him back in for a weight check a week and a half later, and he had gained a pound!  He gained what they wanted him to, and more, bumping him up to his original growth curve!  We are elated, relieved, and grateful.  Thank you for the thoughts and prayers for him; I have no doubt that they played a part!


Alaina lost her second tooth!  The Tooth Fairy brought her 5 dollars, and I took her to her favorite place (Dollar Tree) to spend her spoils, plus a couple of dollars she had previously saved.  Easter is her favorite holiday, and for the past two years, she's been talking about hosting her own Easter Party.  Conveniently, we had a playdate planned for the next day, so she spent her money on a few things for her "party" and a few things for herself.


This little baby is so smiley most of the time.  I just love this age (5.5 months).  I kind of wish they'd come out this way and stay so sweet (and relatively immobile) for the entire first year!




Instead of puke everywhere, we are now in drool territory.  Definite upgrade, but that can only mean one thing...


Teefies!  This picture was taken right when his gums began to swell.  He's working on his two bottom teeth at the same time, and they're sooo close to breaking through that you can see the white of the teeth under a thin layer of gums.


On the day of Alaina's Easter party, she was beside herself with excitement.  Those three hours in the afternoon where she had to wait for Connor and Mady were some of the longest of her life.


At least she had this little bunny to hang out with!


Beware the claw (his right hand)!  That tiny little hand knows how to pack a mean pinch.  It's especially lovely in the middle of the night when I haven't realized he's got his arm around my back and just squeezes a chunk of my skin with all his might.  Have I mentioned that this baby is strong?


So excited for the Easter Egg hunt she planned for her friend!


The cover of this book caught my eye.  As shown in the center of the flower, Alaina truly is all about unicorns, My Little Ponys, and rainbows.


Curse you, EZ Bake Oven!  Alaina and I baked together a ton before the acquisition of this wretched joke for a toy.  Even though I have to do 99% of the work (regular baking is easier!), I still managed to turn around to this, after handing her the dough that she was supposed to roll into little balls.  Ugh.  Hate this toy.


Harrison is really feeling like a part of our family now, and not just "the baby".  It's fun.


We enjoyed some perfect weather last weekend, and the kids had a ball washing cars for $1.


Alaina has learned so much in Kindergarten this year!  She just recently picked up on the fact that she sits at the highest level table.  She came home one day, totally confused and said, "Mommy, there are people in my class who don't know the things I know, and don't do the things I do.  Why is that?"  Sometimes she whollops me with those questions.  Anyway, she has recently begun to be independent in writing out words as they make sense to her.  It's adorable.  In a grand gesture of love, she made Connor a coupon book.


Harrison got into his first mischief the other day!  Alaina had left out her coloring pages, and I put him down on his mat to make Connor something for lunch.  I rounded the corner and saw her papers even more scattered, lots of them crumpled up, and paper pulp in Harrison's mouth!  He's trying so hard to crawl, and though he hasn't made that leap, he is most definitely mobile!  Time for a baby jail!


An example of what it's like to hold this kid...he's constantly trying to escape your arms, but if you put him down, he cries.  He wants to be able to GO.


We put the trampoline back up!  We do need to order a few replacement poles that got bent when it was toppled, and this time, we anchored it down!


Connor's grade has been studying Native American culture all year and they put on a show for the school during the day and their families at night.  Here is Connor's cheering section:


He was pretty excited to see us!  Of course, he's standing next to Hope (the girl to the left of him), a neighborhood friend and constant crush of his.
I love that Hope has absolutely no time to entertain any shenanigans from Connor.  That's probably part of her appeal; we even found that he'd written her name on the backside of his pillow.  Ah, young love. :)




Connor performed a Native American hoop dance with his class.  We all went out for ice cream afterward!


If you made it all the way through this entry, BRAVO!  I'd love to wrap up by saying that I'll be better with blog posts, and I'll certainly try, but no promises!  Looking forward to July - we're going to have so much fun with everyone!