hard headed

Grant is supposed to be taking a nap. He just got up screaming because he wanted to go outside and look at the worms. I thought we had an agreement that when he got up from his nap he could go outside, wear his rainboots and look for worms. Apparently, our definition of nap differs. He was under the assumption that laying down for 12 seconds would count for a nap. I prefer the sleep for 2-3 hours definition. When I told him to lay back down he screamed and turned to run back to his room. Upon doing so, he smacked his head either on the door frame or the wall. I didn't witness the event; I just heard the thump. He came back out crying... again. The bump and bruise were immediately evident on his forehead so I told him I'd get him some medicine to make his head feel better. I gave him 2 tylenol meltaway tablets. Instead of eating them he held them up to his bump. Poor little guy. I think he's bumped his head one too many times.

All things bright and beautiful...

Here are the bright and bold McGooden boys and their not so brightly dressed mom/wife. Will our entire family ever be able to look at the camera at the same time? Many pictures were taken. This is as close as we came...

Sweet Boy

It's hard to believe that in just a short time this sweet little thing will be getting in as much, if not more, trouble than his older brothers. Let's all cherish this fleeting moment. Oh wait, Jack's screaming. There goes the moment.

Easter

Easter Sunday we went to Nate's parents after church. We ate some great ham, the kids hunted Easter eggs, played on the slip-n-slide... you know, normal Easter activities when it is 90 degrees outside. Nate took a little nap in the middle of the living room floor before being awaken to help his dad move something down at the shop. When he got back I fed our piglet, aka Jack, and we (the piglet and I) fell asleep on the couch. Let me preface the rest of the story with the fact that Nate, Nikki, his mom and dad were all at the house with Max and Grant. When I woke up later there was a pile of smashed Easter eggs in the middle of the floor. Apparently, Grant had helped himself to the majority of the hard-boiled, dyed eggs and just smashed them. There was just a heap of colored, smelly eggs. You can imagine the fun he must have had squeezing, throwing, dancing on, or whatever other ways he employed to destroy the eggs.

Also, Nate found Max playing in the front yard completely naked. We're not talking "Tarzan" with his underwear on. He was naked.

Jack Attack, Jack-O, Jack Mac, Jack Jack

Nap time

Wednesday we decided that Max and Grant were in desperate need of a nap... either that or Nate and I were in desperate need of a break from them. We put the boys down around 2:00.

During that time...
* lots of screaming, laughing, loud clanks on the walls
* lots of crying and blaming
* Max ran out and "tattled" on Grant because he was spitting. Nate went back and realized that Grant had found a cup of milk... really old milk... that he drank then immediately began spitting out.
* Nate and I start looking for the keys to his car that Max was playing with earlier that day. Nate thinks we aren't going to be able to find them so he goes and gets the boys and brings them out to the van thinking we are all going to have to take him to work. I found the keys at that moment.
* The boys are sent back to take a nap. Screaming incurs.

-----Nate went to work-----

* Max ran out and said that Grant got something in his eyes. Grant is screaming. I found him sitting on the changing table with antibiotic hand cleaner covering his face. I put Jack down on his blanket on the floor, grabbed Grant and put him in the shower to "flush the eye", clothes and all.
* Max calls out from his room that Jack is on his pillow. I look to see what he is talking about and realize he has picked Jack up, carried him into his room and placed him on his bed. I reminded Max he is not supposed to carry Jack. He said, "Well, Jack's not supposed to lay on the floor."
* Grant and Max are sent back to lay down (again) and threatened with something (I can't remember all the great things I threatened them with) if they get out of their beds.
* Much laughter is heard. I go back to their room to find a winter wonderland... created by baby powder that Grant is pouring out on everything.
* More threats (they are really productive).
* I hear Max in the bathroom again (it's about his 7th time to "pee" during nap time). I go to tell him to go back to bed because no normal human being that is not pregnant should have to pee that much... I notice he is washing something green off his hands. He immediately says, "My brother did it." Reluctantly, I look into their room and see Grant smearing green paint all over their little table. He has a huge glob of green paint in his hair, there are hand prints on the wall, paint on his sheets and on the floor. Grant gets another bath. (In case you were wondering, the paint came out of one of those paint brushes that you squeeze and the paint comes out. I keep them in the cabinet in the kitchen. No clue as to where they found the green one.)
* The floor is lost under blankets and every toy they own.
* It's 5:00 and time to go to soccer practice. Neither of them came close to taking a nap.

On the way to soccer, they both fell asleep.

my life

"IS THERE SUCH A THING AS A FULL-BODY, POST-PARTUM EPIDURAL?"

Is it bad when your life can be summed up in a comic strip?

The Crazy Cat People

No, I'm not talking about Dan and Carol.... :)



This house is around the corner from us. Apparently, the man who lives there is somewhat psychotic. In case you can't clearly read the sign, it says: Who ran over my little buddy Harley? Then sped away a coward. May your soul burn in hell forever.

Nice. To make it even better he outlined the dead bodies of squirrels in the street with white paint as if they were homicide victims. Then, he created his own Cat Crosswalk. He painted a cat on the street with white paint, then painted lines and hash marks down the street. Is that even legal? We drove up on him while he was painting. He just looked at us and didn't move at all. Here he is on all fours in the middle of the street with his bucket of white paint. When we drove home later that day he was sitting on the porch just staring at his crosswalk. Of course, his paint had been driven over and smeared all over the street.

His house if for sale. They have a playground out back for their cats as well as an indoor activity center positioned in the living room window. Dan and Carol?

Jack at Home

Here is Jack at home in some real clothes. Not much fits him yet since he is still such a scrawny little guy. It's only a matter of time until he's up to Grant's body mass.

My sister Rebekah, her husband Dave and all the boys. They came and entertained my kids and helped out this weekend. We all hope they come back soon!

Jack had his first sponge bath at home to fluff up his hair and get rid of the spit up smell. He didn't mind at all.

Jack Hudson

The wait is over and my 3 sons is complete!






Max was really excited to meet Jack. Grant liked to admire from a distance.


The proud Papa
and relieved to not be pregnant anymore Mama!

Fresh out and really mad.






Jack Hudson McGooden was born at 1:58 pm on March 28th. He weighed 6 pounds, 14 ounces and was 19 3/4 inches long. So far my favorite thing about the new little guy is that he is a great sleeper. He doesn't cry very much and sleep all the time... day and night. Those are great attributes in a baby.

Max gets excited and tells people, "Baby Jack finally popped out of Mommy's tummy!" Grant isn't so excited. He seems to take him or leave him. Sometimes he wants to hold him... which only lasts approximately 1/2 second.

We are all doing well. Thanks for the prayers and all the help!