Max's First Haircut

It was time. I love Max's hair, but it was time to get it a little cleaned up. It was getting too hard to keep under control. More often than not, his hair was a frizzy mess of yogurt and sweat, so it was time.

He did so well! He nervously held my hand the whole time, but he sat still and even tried catching the hair as it was falling.

I wanted to keep his same look, so I just asked for a trim. What a handsome haircut!

Sweet Summertime

This is how I want to remember our summer with two toddlers.

Water Spout

"Yeah, Max, it's a spider spout."

Apparently our "Itsy Bitsy Spider" lyrics could use some work.

And here she is looking for the spider:

Recovering

We have spent the last two weeks battling hand, foot, and mouth disease. Max only had a very mild version, but poor Natalie had it pretty bad. We're starting to recover from blisters, fevers, and lack of sleep, so to the blog I run because it's been far too long since I've posted a grainy cellphone picture update!

Even though Natalie was feeling better, she was still pretty spotty and too contagious to go to Grandma Beth's retirement party last weekend. Instead, she and I stayed home and had a girls' date with a picnic on the front porch followed by Sonic ice cream cones.

The turtles at the arboretum don't care that she's contagious.

This box, or "boat", was our favorite toy this week.

And trash day is always a fun day.

We're hoping to be back at it next week!

Morning hugs

Max almost always wakes up before Natalie does, and he is always eager to greet her with a hug when she comes out for breakfast.

Chipotle

Chris and I have an unhealthy obsession with Chipotle. We ate out a lot in college. We tried most of the restaurants in Manhattan, but Chipotle was one of our favorites. Finish a big project? Reward yourself with Chipotle. Up all night studying? Push through with Chipotle. Finals week? Chipotle, Chipotle, Chipotle.

We lament the fact that we now live 40 minutes from the nearest Chipotle and can no longer eat there on a whim. Now it usually takes some planning, but so does everything else in our lives these days. Last night we took a quick trip to Wichita to do some furniture shopping (still no couch) and ate supper at Chipotle. We ate on the patio, and the kids had a blast.

As we were leaving, Natalie hopped up on this rail and said, "There's no telling how high I can go!" It's a line from a really sweet, inspirational children's book called The Crown on Your Head, and my heart melted a little when she said it.

A Week of Change

It's been a big week around here! Both of the kids seem drastically older now. Last week we had babies, and this week we have kids.

What changed?

Natalie is mostly potty trained

and Max almost prefers walking to crawling.

I'm so proud of them I could burst, but it's all a little bittersweet. Where is the slow down button??

Max is Walking!

"I'll hold your hand, Max..."

"... so the trucks don't scare you."

Natalie's protective side made an appearance on our afternoon walk yesterday.

Fingerprints

"If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will - to your surprise - miss them profoundly." --Thomas S Monson

I wash (or at least intend to wash) these windows every day, and then they're usually marked by curious, pudgy hands again within the hour. Even so, washing them is probably my favorite chore. It's a quick and easy reminder of how great this season of life really is.

"Nap Time"

This is how Natalie spent her "nap time" today. I couldn't help but smile... and take pictures.

Instagram Reruns

I'm new to Instagram, and I don't quite know how I want to do it yet. Do I post certain pictures only to Instagram since that's what Instagram is all about? Do I share them on Facebook as well? But then what about the blog? It's all much more confusing than it should be.

Since the blog serves as somewhat of a baby book, I've decided that of course the cute Instagram pictures of my babies belong here. I apologize now to the few of you who read the blog and also follow me on Instagram and Facebook.... Some of them are new though!

Post-nap ice cream. Good to the last drop.

Pretty in pink.

The swing is only one of many pink hand-me-downs that Max graciously puts up with. He asked to take a selfie while Natalie was napping.

The rolls. The faces. I can hardly stand the cuteness.

She is a country girl at heart. It's hard to keep her inside when we visit my parents.

My Purpose on My Lap

I've been looking through pictures lately, and this one has caught my attention more than once. This wasn't the first time Natalie and Max met, but it was the first time that I held both of my babies on my lap at the same time. It doesn't seem odd now because holding both kids is a daily thing for me these days (Natalie likes to say "two babies" when I'm holding one on one hip and one on the other), but it was such a strange and scary experience for me when this picture was taken.

So many thoughts were running through my head. I was so happy to get to hold Natalie again especially without a big tummy in the way. I was excited for her to learn about her new brother, but I was also sort of a mama bear protecting my new little guy. I felt a little in over my head as it was my first experience at mothering two at once.

Now when I look back at this picture I see what I was too preoccupied to see that day. I see my purpose on my lap.

Max's Baptism

Max is officially Catholic now! He joined the church this morning in a beautiful baptism ceremony. He slept through the whole thing - even when Father poured water over his head. We had a great party with our family at our house after the ceremony. Max is so blessed to have so many loving and supportive people in his life.

Meet Max

He's here! Max Christopher O'Halloran was born at 8:50 am on April 16. I was beginning to think he'd never come, but he made a perfectly timed entrance on his due date. After less than five hours of labor our big boy was here - all 9 pounds 10 ounces and 21 inches of him. I'm fairly certain there has never been a more loved little boy. I have so much I want to say about him and our new life as a family of four, but while I gather my thoughts here are some pictures from his first days.