Andrew is 5!!!

Happy Birthday Andrew! I can't believe he is 5 years old! He's a whole hand! Andrew has really matured in the past couple of months. He is an amazing big brother. He is so sweet to Molly and loves playing with her and "taking care of her". He and Matthew are typical brothers but most of the time Andrew is very sweet...only pushing Matthew's buttons occasionally. It's rough tolerating a 2 year old all of the time. Andrew still continues to have an amazing imagination and sometimes seems mature beyond his years. But then we have a reality check when he is tired or hungry:)

We had a great day yesterday on his actual birthday. The day started off by going to his favorite bakery by our old house, Breadsmith. He wanted a cinnamon claw with icing. Then we met the Bormann's who were visiting from Tulsa at the Magic House. After the Magic House we met dad at Daily Bread for lunch. Then it was home for naps. Since it was his birthday I didn't push the nap so he hung out with me during that time. Then my mom and dad brought Chick fil A for dinner and he got a bike from them and a couple of Playmobil trucks from us. It was a special day and we were exhausted by the end! He also got lots of phone calls which he thought was so cool. Thanks to everyone who called.







We will be having his friend party on Saturday. The theme is Phineas and Ferb...stay tuned:)

Molly 8 Months

While we were on vacation, Molly turned 8 months old. She continues to be the sweetest baby. She did start a trend on our trip of waking up around 4 and then going back down until about 7. Not what I was expecting on vacation but I'm hoping she'll get out of this funk quickly! She is now a speed crawler, has mastered the stairs, and pulls up on everything. Last week she stood on her own for about 5 seconds before falling. She is still a very picky eater and will not drink out of a bottle or sippy cup. I keep telling myself I'll miss the days of being her source of nutrition. Trying to stay positive:) The only solids she will eat are carbs that she can feed herself. She'll eat Puffs, Mum Mums, pretzels, bread...yep, not a very balanced diet. She waved for the first time at the beach and is still pretty hit or miss but boy is it cute when she does it. She is also starting to do "So BIG". She has her two bottom teeth, little chicklets, so cute. I can't believe she is already 8 months old. I was holding her tonight looking in the mirror and am amazed at how big and grown up she is. Sometimes I wish I could just hit a pause button!

The Beach

Wow, I am so behind, where do I begin? Last week we were on vacation. My mom's side of the family met at the Indiana Dunes (right on Lake Michigan) for a family reunion. This is the first time we had seen everyone since my grandmother passed away. Here are some highlights:

*We stopped at the Lego store on the way up, to break up the trip and for a birthday treat for Andrew

*We had a nice little house all to ourselves with 3 bedrooms. The boys each had a room and Molly slept in our room. The house was the perfect beach house. Decorated very 70s but we really didn't have to worry about he kids ruining anything. It had a nice sun room and a huge deck off the back. It was on the beach side which was a huge added bonus.

*Saturday night was our first night there. We went to Doey and Susy's place for dinner. My mom had shirts made for everyone which was awesome. We had dinner and then headed down to the beach. The boys were in heaven...making sand angels. Quite a change for Matthew from last year. He was not a fan of the sand for the first couple of days but this year was awesome.

*Sunday morning we went to an outdoor mass. It was a great concept but the fact that there was no music made it virtually impossible for the McLaughlin's to go under the radar:) Drew had to leave mass with Matthew because he was AWFUL. Everyone was exhausted from staying up super late and not sleeping well our first night of vacation. I decided to let Drew go back to the house and nap with Molly while the boys and I visited some family.

*Sunday night we had dinner at my parent's beach house, "Richie's Retreat". I think "Richie" did his fair share of 70s style partying...if you know what I mean. We had some good laughs and played a few rounds of 25 words or less.

*Monday Drew played golf so I took the boys to my dad's sister Missy's house since my mom's family didn't get started until a few hours after the McLaughlins. Then we met the family at the beach for a little bit before lunch and naps.

*Tuesday we went on a LONG family walk where Matthew fell asleep in Drew's arms and Molly fell asleep in my arms. Talk about the waves putting you to sleep...it was 8am:) Andrew was a trooper because he HAD to walk. Then we did a little outlet shopping. I had some beach time with Andrew and Molly then we had Mexican night at Andy's house.

*Wednesday Drew played golf again. I took the boys to hang with my mom while Molly and I shopped for Andrew's birthday party at our place that night. We made LEGO birthday cakes once Drew got home from golf and I made a few more trips to the store but it was a really fun party. Pete's family joined us for their first night there. Some great memories of Andrew and Kiersten on the beach that night. Everyone was very generous giving Andrew great LEGO gifts. Since it was our dinner night, we ordered pizza...delicious and easy

*Thursday Molly continued her "vacation routine" of getting up at 4 and then again at 6 or 7. I was able to sneak away for an hour and do some shopping on my own...oh how nice it was! Then we met Pete's family at the beach with a very crabby Matthew but it was fun. THEN Drew planned a surprise party for me that night for my 30th since a lot of the family wouldn't be able to be with me on my big day in September...WHAT A SWEET HUSBAND!!

*Friday...our last day...TEAR. We had donuts at Missy's house then hit a few more stores at the mall. I went down to the beach while the kids napped and it was so windy that the sand was painful when it hit my body. I'm so glad we didn't plan on taking the kids there because they would have been miserable. Our last dinner was at Pete and Jill's beach house and a great storm rolled in. It was a wonderful way to end a great vacation.

*It poured all Friday night into Saturday so it was the perfect way to leave the beach. ALL 3 kids were sound asleep once we were on the road for 30 minutes at 10am!!! Talk about worn out! The ride home went well and then it was back to reality.

Day one Pictures:

http://www2.snapfish.com/snapfish/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=4515873007/a=28308882_28308882/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/

Beach Pictures:
http://www2.snapfish.com/snapfish/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=4528729007/a=28308882_28308882/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/

Days 2,3,4
http://www2.snapfish.com/snapfish/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=4536245007/a=28308882_28308882/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/

Birthdays and Last Day:
http://www2.snapfish.com/snapfish/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=4567327007/a=28308882_28308882/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/

Catch Up

I feel like that's all I do these days, try to catch up. I like being busy though so I'm not complaining. I do need to backtrack a few weeks since it's been a while. The week before the 4th we had the Pacifico's over for a play date. It was tons of fun. We played in the basement in the bounce house and with the trains. Then we went outside and played in the garbage truck and I attempted to do a 4th of July art project with the boys. I'd say it went ok. Then Andrew and Blake got a game of t-ball going with Allison while Matthew, Chase, and Molly played with some trucks (Mia was being a good girl and taking a nap). Then we came in and had a nice PBJ lunch. Unfortunately I hadn't made it to the store yet and we were pretty low on food but we managed and no one seemed to care.

Friday we went to John and Christina's for Dewey's! We were so excited to have Dewey's pizza. We haven't had it since we moved. The kids played in Josie's baby pool while she had a little nap then we had pizza and played soccer with John, the superstar. We all had a blast!




Saturday, I got up early and met Allison for a run. The weather was beautiful and we ran at a good pace. Then I went home and got the fam ready for some swimming. Drew helped me get the kids settled and then he went to play golf. After golf, we had the Pacificos over to my parent's for dinner (Nacho Mamma's) and lots of playing. We all headed home early in anticipation of the 4th the next day.



After church on the 4th we laid low and had naps. Then we headed out to Lake St. Louis to Allison's dad's house for some lake fun and fireworks. The kids did awesome and had so much fun. Drew's dream of being in the lake with his boys came true. The only thing missing was the wakeboarding boat and wakeboard....one day dear. Molly and Mia went down at their normal bedtime and the boys got to stay up for the fireworks over the lake. They did awesome and LOVED every second of it. Allison thought of every last detail so putting Molly down and keeping the boys happy was a breeze.








Unfortunately, Matthew woke up in the middle of the night with a fever. Poor guy. Since Monday was a holiday I couldn't get Matthew into the doctor so we just laid low and recovered from our busy weekend. I was SO thankful that Drew didn't have work because Molly and Matthew were VERY needy and I'm not sure I would have been in one piece had I been alone with all 3.

Tuesday, I was convinced that Matthew had hand, foot, and mouth after my online research. I called the doctor and told them my diagnosis and they basically laughed at me (rightfully so). They told me to bring him in so they could check him out. The doctor looked at his throat and was pretty sure he had strep b/c of the types of sores in his mouth. The test ended up being negative so once again, it was a virus that he had to get over. He was a trooper. Note to self: Don't pretend like I'm a pediatrician and try to diagnose my children.

Thursday Drew had to work late so I took the boys to see a great construction site in Blake and Chase's neighborhood. It was heaven for them! We ended up staying for dinner and it made my long day much more bearable. Thanks Allison and John for adding 4 more to your already full house for dinner.



Friday was an interesting day for my little Matthew. Being a 2 year old got the best of him and all I can say is WOW! Everything led to a tantrum. At one point I was trying to feed Molly and he was kicking me and crying so hysterically that he couldn't catch his breath. I finally decided to try calling Drew to see if he could calm him down but he didn't answer so I called my mom. She finally got him to stop crying and asked him what she could do to help. He said, "Come to my house grandma," In his most pathetic voice possible. Of course she was on her way immediately...what a good grandma! Thanks for the distraction mom!

If you are still reading, wow, I'm impressed:) Today we decided to have a garage sale in hopes of clearing out our garage and having a better organized basement. I'd say it was a success. We didn't really have any BIG ticket items but we had enough that we didn't just want to take it all to Goodwill. We ended up only taking a small load to Goodwill and it felt so good to purge! The kids were great and Andrew loved being left "in charge";)

Father's Day/ Anniversary

I know it's been a while but Molly is officially crawling and my life just got a whole lot crazier, didn't think that was possible. She is crawling everywhere and pulling herself up using couches and chairs. The other day she pulled herself up and turned around and tried to take a step. Of course she fell but seriously, she's 7 months! I'm looking for baby ankle weights.

We had a very nice Father's Day. It was also our 7th Anniversary but we decided to make it a special day for Drew. Drew played golf with my dad and brothers in the morning. I took the kids to get donuts and then we came home and started making all kinds of gifts for dad. We painted a big sign, made a picture frame and card, and painted rocks that said "Dad Rocks". On the way home from getting donuts as we were talking about things we could do to make dad's day special, Andrew came up with the idea to save some of his donut for dad so you'll see in the picture there is a little bag with a piece of each boy's donut. So sweet!


Drew got home from golf during nap time so he was able to relax and cool down from his HOT match. Then we went to mass since we were busy the night before and Sunday morning. We had Andrew take a picture of us when we got home so we could remember our 7th Anniversary.

Tuesday we met our old neighbor's the Fitzpatricks at their grandma's pool for a swim. It was so good to see them again and hang out. The kids had a great time. I didn't manage to keep Matthew or Molly awake on the way home but luckily Matthew transferred...that is huge!


Wednesday Andrew had a great day! We have been using a "penny" system of discipline for him for several months. He starts the day off with 25 pennies, however many pennies he ends up with at the end of the day equals the number of minutes he can watch TV before bed. Each time he does something he knows is wrong, he loses a penny. Well, Wednesday was the first day since we started this system that he had 25 pennies at the end of the day. We have always told him if he keeps ALL of his pennies he'll get a special reward. Here he is on his big day!


Thursday I did my favorite thing in the whole world and went to get some work done at the dentist;) Of course every time I go to the dentist it is worse than the dentist expects. He was working on three teeth and one of them ended up needing a root canal. So he scheduled an appointment for me to get that done as I was leaving. Then I went back to my parent's to get the kids with a very numb mouth.

Friday we had a fun birthday party for Andrew's buddy Dylan. It was at Rainbow Recreation (the place that sells really nice play sets). The boys had a blast running from one set to the next. Andrew and his buddies pretended they were pirates and Matthew couldn't get enough of the "tunnel" slide. Then Friday night my parents came over to watch the kids so we could go out for our anniversary. I realized I didn't have my camera as we were leaving but didn't dare go back in so we don't have any pictures of our date night. We met John and Allison at Villa Farroto and then went to Fox and Hound after for a few drinks. It was a ton of fun but we got home a little late...Sorry mom and dad! I think we were just really excited to be having adult conversation...we got carried away. Our gift to each other for our anniversary was a new digital camera. It's a bigger/improved camera that takes great pictures. We still have our little digital to keep in my purse for snapshots.

Saturday Drew took the boys to Lowes for a Build and Grow activity. They come home with some really cool monster trucks that they constructed. I think Drew had fun too considering his favorite store in the whole world is Lowes.



Sunday Drew's friend Sam and his wife Candice stopped by since they were in town for a wedding. It was so good to see Sam again and meet Candice for the first time. Sam was also a huge help in moving a few pieces of furniture with Drew that needed rearranging. Thanks Sam. Then Sunday evening we had a photographer come over and take pictures of the kids. He did an amazing job. He was so good with the kids. I'll be sure to post a link as soon as the pictures are available.

Monday and Tuesday were character building days for me. I had my root canal on Monday and then more work done on Tuesday. I was not blessed with good teeth and it's a pain but trust me, things could be worse.

AND FINALLY, today we went and visited Christina and Josie for a little play date. It was so fun to play in their basement which they converted into a play area for Josie. Of course the boys got a little rowdy towards the end so I knew it was time to go. We had so much fun AND an added bonus: I was able to keep Matthew awake on the ride home!

7 Months...oops!

We were at a birthday party this weekend and I was telling everyone that Molly was 6 months old. Apparently I'm losing my mind because she turned seven months on Friday and I didn't even realize it! Oops!

Well here is a picture of her at the party, the day after she turned 7 months:)



She is growing up so fast. She now has one tooth that has popped through and another one almost there. Both on the front bottom. She still isn't a fan of baby food but is getting more adventurous with the textures. I have started pouring it right on her tray and basically letting her figure paint with it. A little bit always ends up in her mouth so little by little she's tasting it. Baby steps. She can get wherever she wants to go, which is usually for Andrew's tiny legos that he forgets to pick up. She has loved our trips to the pool this summer. She stands in her bed now and isn't afraid to get down. She'll just fall face first on her mattress when she's had enough. Lately Molly has been waking up between 5:30 and 6 for the day. This sounds horrible but it's the same time Andrew wakes up so it's not a big deal. She then has been taking an early morning nap which is kind of nice b/c I can still put her down and go somewhere if we need to before lunch and naps for the boys. I can't believe she is growing up so fast. She is at such a fun stage but I'm a little sad she is becoming so independent and not so cuddly. Happy 7 months Molly! You are such a good baby!

HERE'S MY 1ST TOOTH

Strong Willed Matthew

So the past couple of weeks Matthew has decided to make nap time and bed time a challenge for mom and dad. This week he decided to make it impossible. Before we even go to his room he says, "will you lay with me for one song"? I tell him I will and then after the one song, everything starts to go down hill. The crying, begging, and pleading begins. Wednesday night he woke up at 11 and was up and down the rest of the night. Drew and I took turns laying on his floor and I'm not sure he ever fell soundly asleep until about 5:30. Until yesterday, I have been able to leave his door open and he has stayed quiet but not napped. I know he needs a nap because if go anywhere in the car, he's sound asleep. Yesterday I had had enough and decided it was time to "re-ferberize" him. I laid with him for one song told him I loved him and it was time to go to sleep. He SCREAMED for about 5 minutes and then he was relatively quiet. The next thing I know, Molly is screaming! What in the world? I go upstairs and somehow, Matthew has managed to quietly climb out of his crib and go into Molly's room. Oh man! I calm Molly down and lay her back down then put Matthew in his room kicking and screaming because his genius plan did not go as planned. I sat outside his door for 35 minutes while he wailed and finally he was quiet and asleep! The poor kid woke up very hoarse and not happy with me. I tried to warn him not to mess with me. It continues to amaze me how irrational 2 year olds are. I promised him a new truck, his obsession, if he went right to sleep without crying. Bribery? Yes, but I was desperate. Last night the crying lasted 25 minutes and he slept through the night! I feel like I have a 4 month old again.

Despite Matthew's sleep issues we have had a fun week. Tuesday we had Allison and her kids over to play. The kids played inside for a while and then we took a trip to the pond to feed the ducks.

Tuesday night I had a great dinner with my friend Annie. It was so nice to catch up with her!

Wednesday, we took a trip to the library and then I had another girls dinner that night. Lucky me! I went to Sugo's with my bible study girls to celebrate my mom's birthday. It was a great restaurant and reasonable.

Thursday I dropped Molly off with my mom and then the boys and I met Allison and her boys at the zoo. We got there as soon as the rain stopped and it was a great zoo day. My boys are always obsessed with the train. We had a talk on the way down that the zoo is to see animals so that is the main focus. I told them we could ride the train but once it was over we would not talk about the train again. Luckily, the train was the first thing we did and they were pretty good about focusing on the animals after that. We rode the carousel and looked at lots of animals. It was so nice to be there with just the boys and not have to worry about Molly getting to hot or bored. Thanks mom and Allison for a great day. Of course the boys fell asleep before we even left the parking lot and woke up when we got to my mom's to get Molly...oh well.




Friday we had a really fun playdate with a bunch of Andrew's Little School friends. One of the mom's invited everyone over to play. (How brave is she?) Of course we always cause a scene. As soon as we got there the boys wanted to play in the basement. I took them down, then brought Molly back up to chat with the other moms. As soon as my foot hit the top step, I heard Matthew start screaming. He wasn't so sure about being left down there with the other kids. I tried to calm him down while holding Molly so one of the moms offered to hold her, at which point we discovered he had pooped. So I changed Molly with my big helper Matthew and then we were all good. Matthew warmed up and ventured away from me a few times to find trucks. Andrew of course was no where to be seen except to eat lunch. Then when I went to find him to leave, I discovered Superman instead!