My Birthday Trifecta

Today is my birthday! Yippee!  33 years old…I’m happy with my life.  I don’t wish to be any other age.  Not 21, in college or 24, a new grad or 27, and still single….I’ll take 33.  A happy Wife and Mommy and established in my career.  It is a happy birthday!
To celebrate my birthday my in-laws, Ray and Ruth, wanted to take us out to dinner…my choice.  I love the Cheesecake Factory.  Since scheduling is always an issue we ended up going out last Sunday night.   All was going well, we were seated fairly quick and they brought Liam a ”baby plate” that had bread and bananas.  We chatted while Liam busily ate his bread (which I still tear into tiny bites) and bananas and drank his apple juice.  I guess he swallowed wrong or got a tickle in his throat because he started coughing.  Now, Liam had reflux as a baby and has always been an…how should I say it….an easy barfer.  I saw the signs…barf was eminent.  He happened to be wearing a bibster and had a napkin across his lap (one of his new favorite things to do at meal time).  I quickly leaned over, trying to get him to stop coughing long enough to get a drink.  But, it was not to be.  There in the middle of Cheesecake Factory my sweet son emptied his stomach into his lap.  Gross!  I managed to catch most of it in the bib and 3 linen napkins.  Poor Frank had to take the napkin bundle out to the trash.  Ok, so count with me now.  Birthday dinner bodily fluid number 1. 
Thankfully the rest of the meal went well.  We ate, chatted and had a good time.  As we got ready to go I took Liam out of the highchair and sure enough….bodily fluid (or function, in this case) number 2.  Really?!  Sure enough, poopy diaper.  Sorry to those with sensitive stomachs!  Being so close to my in-laws house we decided to make a break for it and change him there.  So off we go with the the barf coated poop monster.
We make it to Grandma and Grandpa's, strip Liam down and lay him on the couch to change his messy diaper.  Luckily we put a towel down.  I guess as I was changing him, the cold air got to him and…..pssst.  Yep, he whizzed all over.  On himself, the towel and the couch!  Again, really!?!  Ok, to keep count,  bodily fluid number 3.
By this point, all I could do was laugh.  We had hit all bodily fluids that can come from one small boy in the same night.  And so, to Cheesecake Factory and other guest, we are sorry.  You not only had to witness (and I’ll admit) smell, my son during our eventful dinner but you lost 3 linen napkins to the dumpster out back.  To Ray and Ruth, thanks for dinner and sorry about the couch.  To Frank, sorry I made you carry the bundle of barf through the restaurant.  And to all of you, sorry to write a post that involve bodily fluids!  It was just too funny not to share. 
Happy Birthday to me!

Night at the Rodeo

Tonight we went to the Norco Rodeo. Liam had never seen horses up close. We love to point and look at the horses as we drive to church, so we figured he would have a good time. He had a blast! It was so fun to watch him. He would point and then frantically clap his hands! He was so excited. When we pulled up to the rodeo they had standard or premium parking. We decided to pay the extra $2 and get the premium parking. It was the best investment. We were parked very close to the arena and in the middle of all the horse trailers. Just imagine our minivan parked between a big pickup with a trailer and a semi-truck with a humongous horse trailer. Quite a sight! We got to walk around and see all the horses and cowboys as they were getting ready. Liam was in awe. As we left, we walked past a trailer where a very nice lady and her daughter were sitting. We asked if they would mind if we took a picture of Liam with their beautiful horse (hoping that they would let him pet it too!) They were so nice and not only let him get close to their horse but also said he could sit in the saddle. He was a little timid at first….those horsies are really, really big up close. The daughter was a barrel racer and was waiting for her event. I hope she did well, she was sure nice to a curious little guy!

My sleeping handsomes…..

I had to work last weekend.  Yuck!  But, I woke up Sunday afternoon to my two favorite boys napping in the recliner.  Frank is such a good Daddy….he manages Liam at church all by himself on the days that I work.  It was such a sweet sight to see the two of them all cuddled up, I had to break out the camera and snap a few pictures.

  

Just another day…

Some days our house is bustling with activities.  Some days, like today, are just spent hanging out, playing and doing housework.  It is always fun to have some great, fun activity to do, but it’s the days when I’m at home just doing those  “Mommy” things that really bring reality home.  I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful family.  I love the time that the three of us (four counting our faithful Finny) get to spend together.  Today we took a few minutes to play upstairs on our bed.  Liam is so funny.  He is so full of character.  What a wonderful boy!  I love watching him grow and change, even though I get nostalgic for the days of baby Liam!  When they say, Home is where your heart is, they are not kidding.  My heart is fully, joyfully, at home.

 

  

I was trying to get a picture of all Liam’s teeth…the only way to do that is to turn him upside down!  He just looked so cute I had to include the picture.

      Bottoms Up!  What’s better that somersaults?….waving to Mommy while you do one!

Easter Fun…

Easter was very fun this year since Liam was old enough to enjoy some of the festivities.  We had a busy day… finding our Easter basket… cooking yummy food… coloring eggs and then finding were the Bunny had hid them… and then ending it all with a run through the sprinkler!  What a fun, family day.

The Loot

 

  

Last year I promised Frank that I wouldn’t make Liam wear the ears again…

I lied!  He just looks so cute!

 

Liam’s “Incredible Hulk” fingers after dying eggs.

 

We ended up with a few broken eggs before the hunt and even more after.  Uncle Mike encouraged Liam to throw eggs…

 

The boys.

  

 

 

Only in Southern California can you play in the sprinkler after Easter dinner.

A true Southern California Boy

Liam got some USC gear for Christmas and I promised Uncle Michael that I would take his picture.  I finally managed to get a few snapshots of Liam is his cute jersey.  Thanks Uncle Mike!

 

Go Trojans!

Visit with Grandma and Grandpa Part II

Well, I finally got a second to update the blog…it’s only been a few weeks now!  I’ve got Liam strapped in the highchair with a plate of food (most of which he will feed to Finnegan) so I’m going to take advantage of this time to get the rest of the pictures up.  We had so much fun visiting with my parents.  We miss you guys already!

My parents.

 

This picture cracks me up.  Another example of Liam doing some “free style walking”  Thanks for the help Grandma!

  Just chillin’ with some milk.  

 

The flowers are beautiful in Disneyland during the springtime.  So beautiful, that Liam decided to go through the fence to get some of his own!

 

 

 

Here’s my proof that photography is in my genes!

 

   Liam going for the flowers again!

We set Liam on this statue of the White Rabbit and he decided

he should kiss it!  Such a silly, lovey boy!

Frank’s Dad, Grandpa Ray met us in the evening so we sent all the big boys on Thunder Mountain Railroad.  If you look closely you can see Grandpa Ray next to Frank.  Such a fun ride!

Well, my time on the computer is done.  Liam is screaming to be let down, his food is all over and there is bananas in his hair.  Time to run!