While it may not seem like it, and certainly doesn't feel like it as I agonize over the best possible time to hit the grocery store in my two-day-old pj's, life - albeit busier - does continue, now just with a little-er man in tow. So in the rare moments I don't feel like a completely incapable human being, here is what we've been up to:
The weather has since turned to fall but it stayed rather nice and summerish for quite some time. Although I had intense anxiety about leaving the house, the backyard was always an option.
Zoey had a good few days in her water park before a hole was gouged in the bottom as a result of her throwing bricks into it.
Got to have some cousin-time before that happened, though.
Always preparing for our road show!
Already a captive audience in Louis.
Don't hate the player, hate the game.
Baby-lovers by day, kitty-killers by later that day. On one such day, while everyone was peacefully napping, I head some strange noises. I looked out the window into the backyard and see both dogs really going to town with something behind a tree. That, coupled with shrieks from my behind-neighbor, and I knew Louis had claimed another kitty. I briefly contemplated my chances of just pretending I wasn't home but ultimately decided to go outside and make a futile, this-is-really-just-for-show attempt at stopping the massacre. As Louis dragged the moments-from-death cat around the backyard, I repeatedly hit him over the head with a plastic racket from Zoey's badminton set. Well, I might as well have been beating him with a feather for all the good it did. The neighbor, in hysterics, came over to collect her cat, served up a hearty, "DAMN YOU!" to Louis, gave him a swift kick, and we haven't seen or spoken to them since. We always intend on saying something to them - perhaps even bringing them cookies - but whenever we're on their side of the neighborhood we're with the dogs and, well, we didn't think they'd appreciate that too much.
Otherwise, we seem to be making friends ok.
Olaf loves warm hugs and won't get them any warmer than from this guy! (As long as he doesn't mind that it might be drool, pee, or poop that is the warm part.)
The re-emergence of baby toys has made being inside that much more interesting. So this isn't regression so much as I-haven't-seen-this-toy-before fascination.
Well, guess we don't have to go hunting for baby toys.
Mainly, *I* haven't felt like going anywhere so I've been making everyone stay inside with me.
Zoey and Durbin mapping their escape.
Somewhere his Daddy of the Year trophy is being polished.
This will be worth millions one day, I swear.
Theoretically, he's too young for this toy but that doesn't seem to detour him. Each day, it just gets more fun!
At 12 weeks, 2 days old, that has to be the record for obsession with Frozen. The first time he noticed it (the day before this picture was taken), he couldn't take his saucer-wide eyes off of it. Like crack, I tell ya.
Ok, so there's a chance I might have been/am being a bit dramatic over this whole having-two-kids-thing. There are people out there handling so much more than me. But whether you have one kid or are the Duggars, if you make an active effort in your children, parenting them is hard and should come with complimentary booze. So as we slowly settled into this-isn't-going-to-change-so-deal-with-it, we started leaving the house, gradually increasing the radius from our home.
But first - a new big girl car seat!
Cup-holder for a giant milkshake? I'll take it!
So *that's* why we leave the house.
On one such venture, we took the kids - Holden's first visit - to Barnes and Noble.
(Throwback side note: This was Zoey's first trip to Barnes and Noble. The excitement they exhibited is unparalleled.)
It all started with, "Um, guys. Durbin is standing on the baby."
Rollin' with his homies.
Finally at my wits end with having zero company throughout the day, and my mom about to be left for a couple of weeks for a Bolivian motorcycle trip, we invited her to spend a week being my extra set of arms and resident Zoey Occupier. Since it had been awhile since Jacob and I's parents had seen each other (and - most importantly - Jacob was selling one of his/his father's cars that doesn't run), we went up to Columbus for a day. In all of my growing-up years, my two grandmothers (or grandfathers) were never in the same room together so I like that I can give that to my children.
Continuing our Tour-of-Other-People's-Houses-as-a-Way-of-Getting-Out, we went to Meredith's house to celebrate her birthday with fondue and great company.
With my mom visiting, leaving the house didn't seem like such a scary thing, much less the nightmare than can be restaurant-dining with small children, so we did lunch and shopping the afternoon before she went back to Arizona. I don't recommend doing it without the fishbowl of alcohol. Fishbowls of alcohol make everything better.
Admittedly, Holden was a bit taken aback by my secret to being a good mommy. It's rough when you discover your parents are real people.
But he gets it; happy mommy, happy baby!
With grandma visiting, staying home was a lot more bearable too.
She got all sorts of grins!
Yup! Guess they're related!
Belly up, beer, tablet, must be break time!
Practicing our cookie skills with Play-Doh.
No matter what we do - inside or outside - we're always pooped. And, no, I guess it really isn't all bad...
Meet the newest member of the McIntyre family - BLUE SUIT!
(Throwback side note: Zoey in her first
Sleepsuit.)
