At the Grown-up Table

The kids and I went to Grandma and Papa's house for dinner tonight. Instead of hanging out in her carseat on the floor like she usually does, Sylvie joined us at the table. What fun seeing her cute little face up there with us!

Sleeping In

Daddy usually leaves for work in the morning before we're all up. Today he captured that moment. ha! The family bed happens when both kids get up too early for me. I bring them in to bed with me and we rest a little bit more. For Sylvie that began @ 5 this morning and for Brady (and Elephant) that began a little after 6...but we slept in until about 8. I love it! Sylvie is a sweet cuddler. Brady is a combination of cuddler and kicker. This morning was mostly cuddles...and I LOVED every minute!

When we finally got up, we joined Mimi, Aiyee, and Josiah for breakfast. Brady let his cuz borrow his booster seat...but not without instruction first. Just look at him imparting his wisdom on the littler man.

'Siah Stopover Part 2

On their return trip from NY to SC, Mimi, Aiyee, and Josiah stopped in again. This time we got a few shots of the three cousins all together. Of course it was after a full day at daycare for my kids and a full day in the car for Josiah. Nonetheless, they are all together! Sylvie just sat there wedged in to the corner of the couch. Josiah explored and pet her and also stared at Brady. The eldest cousin insisted on giving the photographers advice on how to take a picture of his sister. (To get Sylvie to look and smile, I say "Sylvie! Weeeeeee!" So Brady said to Papa and Aiyee, "You have to say 'weeee!' Papa! You have to say 'weeee!' for Sylvie!") Thanks for the tip little man. Now, mind your business, get back in the picture, and smile! :)

good morning

This was the cute scene here this morning. Brady's chillin' watching tv and Sylvie's sitting with Boppy support so she doesn't roll off the bed. ;p

Going Bananas

Sylvie tried a banana for the first time today...and could not get Enough of it! After several minutes of us all cracking up as our little monkey demanded the banana and pulled my hand to her mouth to get it, Daddy grabbed the camera and caught it on video. Here it is live in HD! Okay, so it's not live...it's pre-recorded, but still in HD. (b/c Brett uses the Rebel. I'm still not sure I'm a fan of it yet.)

It was a last minute decision to have her try a banana. Brady ate half of one this morning and I gave her the other half at dinner. I thought I was just going to have her sample a small piece. So I just smooshed some between my fingers instead of mashing it in a bowl. She ate the Entire half of the banana!

Some other picts from today...more SLR practice for Daddy-

Here are a few cute ones from Papa's camera. Even though it looks like Brady's strangling Monkey here, he's just loving him with all his toddler mite!

The Papa-razzi also captured this moment and I like this picture b/c it's so "real life." We were watching blog videos of Brady at Sylvie's age. :)

The amateur photographer (Brady) took this picture, along with about 30 others. I liked this one. The other 29 were of feet, the floor, the cabinets, the ceiling, and other unfocused random items. Good thing for digital! :)

Going to the Pool

In our continual attempts to get the Vaseline out Brady's hair, we headed to the pool for the first time this afternoon! I'm kidding, sort of. We went to the pool b/c it's fun and b/c it's hot outside and b/c Brett's home to help me manage the 2 little people safely. But being in the chlorinated water is bound to have an effect on the oily head, right? Bonus!

It did not disappoint...we had fun; we cooled off; 2 little people were safe; and I'm pretty sure there's no more Vaseline in Brady's hair. :p

What are you a dog?! eww.

I was feeding Sylvie and Daddy is "watching" Brady...umm, through the camera lens. lol! Shampooing with Vaseline, drinking pool water...all in day's work! :)

Brunch Bunch

Well we were just a little bit late to brunch @ Ollie's house today. Not bad, given our morning. I was cracking up b/c before I told them the story, Danisa, Coco, and Jenny were saying, "Brady's hair looks cute." Evidently, Vaseline has the effect of hair gel. Our family meal was @ the O'Shaughnessys' this month. Like last time, it was yummy And fun for us all! Coco and Bryan really did make quiches. Mmm, eggs are much better in the belly than on the head! ;p The picture on the right is the result of me saying, "Playing with Vaseline makes us sad!" lol!

The four toddler boys had a blast with Ollie's toys!

Sylvie and Henry, who are one month apart in age, visited with each other for a little bit. Lounging in their car seats; pacis (and tethers) in place. :)

Jenny and Coco are still incubating the remaining two that will round out generation 2 #2. Jenny is having her boy on Thursday (!) and Coco is due on August 10.

Sylvie got to be in the ladies' photo and hung out with us girls upstairs while the boys played downstairs (thanks for the picts Danisa!). Maybe baby O will be pink too (Coco and Bryan didn't find out what they were having this time around) and Sylvie will have her own pint-sized partner in crime in this crew!

"The BL Oil Spill"

BP's trouble in the Gulf is nothing compared to the havoc that little BL caused in Sylvie's room this morning. Brett, Sylvie, and I were asleep in our bed this morning trying to catch a few more zzz's. Normally Brady joins us, but sometimes he plays quietly. Today he was playing quietly...Very quietly (and you KNOW that's bad news when a 2.5 year old is quiet).

We were all sleeping pretty soundly, but I woke up to the creak of a door and bolted awake thinking it was our back door and that Brady was going outside. (Don't know why I thought that since the outside doors are locked.) Brett and I jumped up and searched the house for him.

Brett found him in Sylvie's room behind the rocking chair with an empty jar of Vaseline. I had a 99.5% full jar of it sitting next to the rocking chair. I put it on the eczema on Sylvie's cheeks when she is nursing. Brady put it on his jammies, his hair, the rocking chair, the rug, the dresser, the door- and pretty much everything else he touched before we found him. OMG! It was crazy. and funny. and maddening! Brett put him in the bathtub to clean him up, but I asked him to take pictures first.

It was comical. We're both annoyed...but amused, and trying to discipline him...while snapping photos. I was cleaning Sylvie's room when Brett reports that the Vaseline is not coming out of his hair despite three washings already. I googled to see what we could do to get it out of his hair, his clothes, and the carpet...and man, that's a popular search! Apparently many parents of toddlers share this experience.

I went with the egg+shampoo combo for his hair. Hmm, are you having omelets this morning Luhrings? Well, actually we are going to Coco's house for quiche in a little bit, but no this is for Brady's HEAD not his belly. :p

We were trying to make the clean-up experience a "not fun" one so that Brady would remember and Never do this again.

I distinctly remember saying, "No smiling...this is not fun! Are we supposed to play with Vaseline?!" at this point.

See the egg dripping down the side of his face? LOL!

Elephant, being Brady's constant companion, was a victim of the "spill." This was Brady's harshest punishment. He was unable to sleep with Elephant for 2 naps and 1 nighttime sleep while I first figured out how and then actually did clean him up. When I googled remedies for getting Vaseline out, many suggested using Dawn dish detergent and cited it as the solution to cleaning wildlife after an oil spill. I took pictures of Elephant and it totally reminded me of the pelican clean-up photos I'd previously seen (the first picture, for example). I was cracking up!