Happy Birthday, Gracie!

Our sweet girl turned TWO today.

Here are a few of her quotes from the day:

"Need Joshy's bink." -actually a daily comment made

the moment the bink slips out of his mouth

"Mama-Mia, Quesadilla!" -in a cheesy Italian accent during our pizza dinner

"POOP on my fingers!" -relaying why she was up

from her nap so soon...gross, but true

"I love you, Mommy. Sooooooo much." -as I snuggled

with her for the 2nd nap attempt

We love you, Sweet Gracie Caroline!

Neighboring Hoodlums

The following is an actual note that we found abandoned on our doorstep after our doorbell was pressed:

The following are questions that ran through our head as we examined the note:

a) Did trick-or-treating in May finally get boring to our neighborhood pack? (yes, 5-9 year olds were seen trick-or-treating last week in dress-up clothes...very creative!)

b) Have we been recognized as the only family on our street that doesn't have a dog?

c) Did they somehow find out that we really don't WANT a dog? Who ratted us out?

d) Is this because we didn't buy a nickel-sized glass of lemonade at their last stand? (We sent the neighbor girl up with money for Gracie...wasn't that good enough?)

e) What methods is their elementary teacher using in spelling? Only an apostrophe missing! Nice work, Teach!

f) When do they learn what a run-on sentence is?

g) Do you think they realize that if they slipped a "please" somewhere into this imperative sentence that it may be a little more effective?

h) Can the Humane Society hire so young?

I...) ...or rather, WE can only IMAGINE the fun Gracie and Josh are going to have with these kids when they get bigger! :)

We are loving the neighborhood kids on our block! (And we found out that everyone on our street got a "puppy-love" note--we aren't THAT special!) Gracie helps us meet them, as she insists on "seeing the kids, Mom." They're a bit older than her, but are so gracious to come push her in her swing and let her try out their doll strollers and soccer balls. She also knows the names of our neighboring dogs: Joey, Maverick, and Tucker. I think we get enough love from them...we can ward off getting a family addition from the local shelter for now.

Too Much Cheese

So, with camera in hand I request, "Say Cheese!" and THIS is what I get:

No more cheese for the Lochheads. I think this family is lactose intolerant.

(...and you thought this was going to be a potty post...)

Retirement.

Yep, it's time. This purse and I have seen many seasons together--fresh out of college days, young career days, dating days, newlywed days, lady-with-her-first-baby-but-she-refuses-to-give-in-and-carry-the-huge-purse days...

But now I've come to terms with the fact that this little red purse has lived a good life and is now ready to relax (?) in the hands of my almost-two year old daughter who loves to slap it over her shoulder and push her stroller across the living room to Fred Meyer.

Enjoy your retirement years, Little Red Purse. We've had a good run.

Surprise! It's Your Birthday!

This lovely lady has been a friend in my life for over ten years. (I can't believe that!) She has given so much to me and now to my family ("Auntie Debbie coming?") that it was the LEAST we could do to help celebrate her milestone birthday. It's hard to surprise this lady, so her party was planned for two weeks before her birthday. It worked! She was surprised!

We love you, Auntie Debbie!

Happy __th Birthday!

(I'll never reveal a lady's age...well, except in the last post...)

Happy 80th, G.G.!

Just think: You were responsible for all of this. :)

Dandelion Girls

Alea helped Grace find the only good thing to do with Dandelions:

(We won't tell them that the leaves are edible...)

The Proclaimers

"I would BIKE 100 miles...

...and I would BIKE 100 more,

It's the beat of man who BIKES 100 miles,

then FALLS DOWN ON THE FLOOOOOOOOR."

He did it! 100 miles on this beautiful bike on the 25th of April. The Lilac Century Bike Ride weaved along the West Spokane River, around the Long Lake Area, and through the West Plains of Spokane. It took the better part of a day and Jeff enjoyed MOST of it. :)

Will he do it again?

Probably.

Can you listen to this Proclaimers song just once?

Definitely not.

Play it again, Sam.

(PS-We cannot listen to this song anymore without seeing "How I Met Your Mother" scenes in our heads...anyone else?)

The Observer

Nothing gets by this girl.

Not an airplane...

Not a bird...

Not even the light moon in the early afternoon.

Joshy sleeping. Spitting up. Hungry. Crying...he's mad! Needs his binky. Fussing. Poopy.

Good luck getting anything by her, Josh. :)

To The One I Love...

I am blessed beyond measure. Happy Mother's Day, Ellie!!

A Week of G'ma Joan Spoiling

On Josh's fourth week of life Jeff went back to work, and G'ma Joan came to spoil us for a WHOLE WEEK! It was better than Christmas! :) Ellie was relieved to have the companionship and help with Lochhead I and Lochhead II.

Josh was spoiled...

...his first bath at home (yes, his mother waited until G'ma came to clean the sink!), endless kisses and snuggles, many a changed diaper, naps in the rocker with G'ma, and constant affirmation that he is the most handsome little man...

Gracie was spoiled...

...30-minute backyard swing sessions (G'ma is the best pusher!), snuggling with G'ma in her bed each morning after waking, new songs and rhymes to memorize (Good Morning, Merry Sunshine!), endless hugs and kisses, time outside in the garden, and constant affirmation that she is the best big sister...

Jeff and Ellie were spoiled...

... great food for dinner, loads and LOADS of laundry, floors vacuumed and swept, clothes closets cleaned out, rose garden trimmed back, kids' clothes organized and Josh's room closer to done, and constant affirmation that we were doing a great job adjusting to parenting two...

...and the funny thing is, G'ma Joan thinks this was a week where SHE was spoiled! She did receive constant affirmation that Grace and Joshy (and Jeff and Ellie!) love her very much.

(We won't talk about the week that Papa Greg had fending for himself--although I am pretty certain that two buckets of Kentucky Fried Chicken got him through--but he got spoiled when G'ma came home!)

What a treasured week! We love you, G'ma Joan! Thanks for sharing her, Papa! :)

Baby's First Tattoo

Aunt Cassie has marked a very important time in her life by getting this tattoo on her foot. It is really cool--and Grace is mesmerized by it! When she saw it, she ran to my foot to see if I had one and I tried to tell her that Cassie's tattoo is kind of like a sticker. Well, she immediately wanted one too. So here she is with her giraffe "tattoo" just like Aunt Cassie's...

Papa's Stool

Thank you, Papa LeRoy, for this fabulous wooden stool. Gracie is thrilled that her world has expanded vertically by a whole foot! She totes this thing from room to room, making bathroom sinks, kitchen counters, and Josh's changing table easily accessible!