Big Baby

Remember Big Baby from Toy Story 3?

I have got one of my own. The kid turns 17 months this week. He doesn't talk (not a single word!), he doesn't walk, or hold his own bottle. Yes, he still takes a bottle every morning and evening and wants to be held in his glider like a newborn while he drinks it.



Yet, he can climb like a monkey:







He is off the charts for height and weight:

And gives the world's best smooches.





The last few times I have gone to the gym, I have found him back in the newborn room in a bassinet. The ladies tell me that is where he wants to be....big baby.

You can't tell he's my last can you?

I'm Smitten

When Sam and I were trying to decide whether to have a fourth child, I just kept imagining a darling baby girl. I really really wanted Sammie to have a little sister and I had plans to dress them alike and even bought matching outfits for both of them. We decided to have another baby because I just knew there was another little girl for our family. Well, I got pregnant and found out I was having another boy.

I cried off and on for a week. Yeah, I know. I shouldn't even admit that publicly when every child is a gift and he was healthy, etc.

Fast forward until now. Buster is 9 months old and the absolute love of my life. This little koala bear that rides around on my hip and smiles at me all day long has saved me. I'm getting emotional as I type this because obviously, Someone Else knew I needed this little boy.

I just got his pictures taken over at Foto Fly. I did start crying when the girl showed them to me. I know. It was totally embarrassing. But I think they are perfect and really capture his adorable personality. Drum roll please:




I want this torquise velvet love seat (it is from Target!):





The money shot:


I love the rolls:


Who me?


Notice the dimple:

The Ugly Phase

It's official. Buster has entered the ugly phase. The next couple months ain't gonna be pretty. His hair is receding and patchy, he's fatter than ever and he is just generally unsightly. Please don't comment and tell me he isn't--we all know it's true and I'm okay with it.

My other three all went through it. Since Luke was my first baby, when he was in the trenches of it, I had no idea. I tried to look past it and I honestly believed he was still cute. I even had 3 month photos taken of him at JC Penney of all places. Sam calls them the "Jehovah's Witness pictures" because they look like the photos you see in the JW brochures. At any rate, they capture the ugly--the cradle cap, the chub, the receding hairline:




Even Sammie wasn't spared. She avoided the male pattern baldness that my boys went through but she still got extra chubby:



Ryan was the worst. Check out his terrible hair. Bald in front, full hair in back:


In a stroke of bad luck, my little brother Cam decided to move his wedding up and got married when Ryan was in the thick of the ugly phase. My mom decided to get a HUGE picture made of the entire family from the wedding so not only did we memorialize how fat I was at the time, I get to always remember Ryan in the ugly phase.

Here is one of the few decent photos of me and Sam yet we have the world's ugliest baby in it (notice the tuft of hair at the crown of his head):


Now Buster has joined them. I'm not worried. I know the only way out is through. He'll come out on the other side and be cuter than ever. Trust me. Look at Sammie at 7 months:


And Ryan:



And Luke:



So for now, we just bear down and ride out the storm.

Blessing Day

We blessed baby Mitchell today:


It was a really nice, relaxing day. Unfortunately, Mitchell has gotten completely fat. Luckily, he still has his hair, but when that goes, it's all over. The funny thing is, he put on all this weight in the last two weeks. I took this picture of him in his outfit two weeks ago:


Here he was yesterday!


We attempted to get a family picture. We took about 45 shots and this one was the best we could get. They were all horrible. I don't even know why I try:


My cute parents (notice how I did them a solid and took the picture from above):


The blessing was nice. We named him Mitchell Harold after my Grandpa Poole. I loved that we blessed him on the Fourth of July because my grandpa was a war hero and he loved this country so much.

The funny thing was, I had a really awkward moment with our stake president on the way out of the chapel. He congratulated me and I wasn't sure if we were going to hug or shake hands (I've known him for a long time.) I was holding the baby and sort of leaned in and he put his arm out and I ended up patting his stomach. Very embarrassing for me!

My mom flew home from helping Ashley with her collapsed lung in order to be here for the blessing. She is flying out again tonight to go back to help Ashley again. My mom has a tradition of buying the babies their blessing outfits and getting the babies dressed in them on their blessing day:


Sam talked me out of having anyone over after the blessing. I have to admit, I felt guilty not doing it but Sam just convinced me that new moms shouldn't have to go to all that work when they are not even sleeping through the night and no one cares anyway. So we didn't and it was such a relief to just sit and enjoy the blessing and not rush home to put out the spread!


This is my favorite picture of the day--Ryan insisted on holding the baby--very funny:

Better After

When I did my big reveal of my kitchen about 6 weeks ago, I forgot to include the before photos...as if anyone cares. But I figured now that we have our furniture back in place, I will show you the before and afters of the kitchen, family room and living room.

Kitchen Before:


Kitchen After:




Family room before:


Family room after: (floors and mantle)


Living room before:


Living room after: (floors)


Tomorrow I'm going to post what I learned from doing a home renovation project. Get excited!

ps. Today is Baby Mitchell's due date. He is almost 6 weeks old. Hello little chubby:



Doesn't he look like Ryan's twin? This is Ryan at the same age:

Buster's Photo Shoot

Are you tired of looking at photos of Mitchell? Good, neither am I!

My friend Jen took these photos. Not only is she a great photographer, she has the most beautiful home. I begged her to come to my home and consult me on all things cute. She came yesterday and brought Kneaders and we talked drapes, furniture, accessories, etc. Like a good designer, she listened to what I liked and helped me form a coherent vision for my home. It will take time and money but at least I know exactly what I want to do!

So back to the photos. Without further ado, here are a few pictures of Buster:




















And I thought I wanted a girl...little did I know.