Crazy Busy Halloween

I know this post is late (even though I am putting the post date as Halloween) but I had to hurry and throw these few pictures I have up just so I feel better about the whole Halloween situation - long story (I will sum it up after the pictures!)

Our little family spent Halloween this year in Neola, Utah with Aaron's family. I was able to set up a little photo booth at their carnival while the family enjoyed the food and fun activities.

I was able to sneek away for a minute to take a few pictures of Austin enjoying the Cake Walk.

Grandma and Austin on the Cake Walk

Austin won...he was pretty excited

He like the game so much that he and daddy did it again but he didn't win

I am so embarassed to be posting these pictures

but to avoid feeling like the worst mom ever I had to post them.

Basically in a nut shell the studio lights (or light since Austin broke one)

are cheap and HORRIBLE! But I am happy to say that they are

retired and I am finally getting nice studio lights! :)

Austin and Ryan

- Aaron's family helped me out a lot by watching Austin while I did the photo booth.

Here is little Mylee she was wonderful she sleeped most of the time.
(once again I am not proud of these pictures but the subjects are sweet!)

Ok so here goes my Halloween story...

I officially deserve the worst mother award for Halloween this year. For one I don't think I will ever do a photo booth on Halloween night again! I felt guilty the whole time that I wasn't spending time with my kids...I didn't even see Austin all night except the Cake Walk. Halloween is my favorite holiday and I feel like I didn't even get to enjoy it with my kids. And to top it off I forgot Mylee's costume at home...that made me feel terrible. Austin and Mylee were going to be matching monkeys. I had cute bows on Mylee's and a little tutu. Yeah it was so cute and she didn't even get to use it. And I didn't even get any pictures of them together or any pictures really period - the pictures above are the only ones I took of them all night.
Yeap that's right I was a crappy mommy this year on Halloween. And the photo booth didn't turn out to well either as you can tell with my crappy light. Half of them turned out cute and the other half have a funky glow to them....maybe that's because half way through as I was posing a kid a little girl knocked a pumpkin over and it hit my camera and the camera hit the floor - yeah not to good for the camera! My heart sank...$1500 camera hitting the floor doesn't add to your already crappy night! It seems to be fine I've done a few sessions since and they have turned out just fine. So hopefully the camera is fine - that's the last thing I need right now is a broken camera!

So that is my Crazy Busy Halloween. I guess it's a Halloween I will never forget!

But you can guarantee next year I will be going all out for my kids! And no Photography on Halloween night...except the thousands of cute adorable pictures of my kiddos I will be taking. I already know what we are all going to be for next year, it's going to be so cute and even Aaron and I will be dressing up with the kids! Can't wait!

Pumpkins, Pumpkins, and more Pumpkins!

I have been slacking on my posts lately – which has been easy to do since I’ve got two kiddos to play with and work to catch up on! But I thought I’d hurry and post what we’ve been up to the past two weeks!

Fall is my most favorite time of the year – I love Halloween! But this year I haven’t been able to really celebrate it; I haven’t even decorated the house! Just been to darn busy! It has really bummed me out a little bit! The only thing we have done that is festive is the Pumpkins:

Saturday the 17th we went to the pumpkin patch here in town and it was pretty sad…all the pumpkins were tiny or green. And I just can’t have a green pumpkin…that’s not a pumpkin at all! So after searching for a while we just found 4 cute tiny ones to take home!

Here are some pics:

Our Little Family at the Patch

Mylee in her cute Halloween outfit
(of course way to big on her - even Newborns are still big on her)
Check out the cute bow, I made that!

Austin and Aunt Danee lookin for the perfect pumpkin

Once they found one Austin wanted nothing to do with it.

He was scared of them, wouldn't go near one!

Here are our pumpkins we picked.

And as I stated above we have been getting together with the Gillins family to carve pumpkins for the past two years and it has become a very fun tradition!

Here are some pics:

He even smiled by a pumpkin

But he still hates them!

So he just watched Randee and Mason

He is such a goofball but I love him!

Everyone's pumpkins...can you guess which one is Aarons?

A "Crappy" Day

Here is a warning in advance...do not read this post if you don't want to here a story with a lot of "crap".

Yesterday started out like any normal day -
and I had no idea that it would be one of the "crappiest" days for my little buddy and the smelliest for me!

Austin loves to take bath in our big jetted tub and it's easy for me to just let him play in the tub while I get the baby get ready for the day.

So as usual Austin was in the tub playing with his toys while talking about Grandpa (that's all he talks about). And I was changing Mylee on our bed. After I got Mylee all ready I went into the bathroom to get Austin out of the tub...and low and behold Austin had pooped in the tub (I was a little shocked because he hasn't done this is a long time). I hurried and turned off the jets and pulled him out and put him in the shower - where he of course cried the whole time because he hates the shower! So I started to clean out the tub...I threw all of his toys in both of the sinks with bleach. It took me an hour to clean the tub and I needed to clean the jets so I filled the tub up with water, but when I pushed the button for the jets to turn on it wouldn't work (Yay now I’m thinking all the crap clogged to jets).

Austin had a couple more crappy experiences that he actually kept in his diaper (I was thankful for that - I can handle a poopy diaper but not when it escapes the diaper). I figured he was done for the day.

Nope!

Aaron and the kids came with me to do a photo session in Pocatello last night he watched the kids while I worked. After the session we decided to go to dinner at IHOP. We got to IHOP and Aaron went to put Austin in the highchair and he asked me what was on Austin's shoe. I looked down and there was "crap" all over his shoe. So we quickly and quietly packed up the kids and walked out. We had to change Austin in the parking lot...we must of looked pretty silly because it was talking both of us to clean all of the crap up - it was EVERYWHERE! Aaron held his legs straight up and I distributed wipes (about 20 of them) Funny thing is when we finally got to the diaper (where you expect the worst) there was hardly any! It was so bad that we just threw his clothes away - even his very cute DC shoes. It was horrible!

Note: Don't buy $30 shoes for your 20-month-old he will just poop in them!

I am guessing that if you read through our crappy day that you must be a mother...because only a mother can relate to and find the humor in a poop story! :)

But my poor kid has been battling diarrhea for almost 2 months now...everyone says that I shouldn't worry about the diarrhea because he is probably teething. Is that normal for 2 months? I asked the doctor 2 weeks ago and he said that it could be the reason. I just feel so bad for my little buddy! Is there something I can give him to help? Should I be worried it's been almost 2 months? Should I take him into the doctor and demand him to check him out?

I love being a mother, crappy day and all, but I hate the times where I feel so helpless. I don't like the fact that there is nothing I can do for my boy. I want to be able to make him feel better and it frustrates me that I can't!

I had to throw in a picture - and I know you don't want to see a picture of our "crappy" day so I decided to throw this one in from last week. Austin wanted to hold Mylee and I finally let him - he is such a proud big brother!

Mylee's Firts Photo Session

We finally had some time to try and do a mini photo session for Mylee's Newborn Portraits...and let me tell you - it's IMPOSSIBLE to do with a 20-month-old little boy (yes I am talking about my little buddy Austin). Well honestly we have been trying to get this session done for 3 days now and today was the first day we actually got some pictures taken! It is so much harder to work with your own kids...it's amazing how your patience just disappears! But enough complaining because I actually LOVE how they turned out. I didn't get to do any of the vintage look like I had planned but I love these simple portraits so much! Here is a little peek you can check out some more on my photography website here: Mystic Memories Photography

Aaron took the cutest picture of these two but the flash went off (and I had shadows) and by the time I grabbed the camera Austin was laying down cuddling her - I still love this picture though, just because it's my kiddos!

I think she will have daddy wrapped around her finger!!

WE LOVE YOU MYLEE

Adjusting to two

I can not express enough how much I love my kiddos! And it is fun having two kids at home with me! I LOVE IT!

But I must say it helps that Mylee sleeps so much...I am afraid that will stop shortly. And my little buddy is always on the go (as usual) but he has warmed up to his sis and loves to be around her (for the most part). I love how he always says "baby" or "Mylee" with a smile when he is around her. He wants to help out by giving her a binky or bottle ... and she has only been hit by one of his flying sippy cups.

I must share this picture - I was getting Mylee ready for the day and Austin fell asleep on the bed so I put Mylee in his arms and snapped a picture...it was so precious! (no worries I didn't leave her there).

This just melts my heart and makes me so happy. I love being able to capture these moments, thanks to a wonderful supporting husband who lets me stay home and be with my kids. Thanks babe!

All-in-all I think we are adjusting just fine...I was afraid I wouldn't love Mylee as much as I did Austin - no worries I love them just the same. And who ever said you love your first kid more than the rest must not have a sweet little baby girl like I do! I do believe there is no greater love than a mother's love!

So no need to worry about me, I am loving my kiddos and I couldn't be happier!

I also wanted to throw in a few pictures from the annual Brendle Family trip to Jackson:

Kaidence holding Mylee

Austin playing with Steve's shoes

Bowen eating dinner

Mylee and her cousin Khloee - they are 2 months apart

Our Baby Girl is Here...

This is a little late but when I finally had some time to blog about our new addition I found out that our computer had broke down and so I have been without a computer for the past week - very hard for me!

But good news is I've been to busy to really miss the computer.

I just wanted to do a quick post to show off our new baby girl-

Here she is:

Mylee Marie McLaughlan

born September 25th, 2009
@ 6:57 a.m.
6 lbs. 15 Oz.
19 1/2 inches

We love her to death and she is a wonderful addition to our little family! I feel so blessed to be able to have such a precious baby girl, she is perfect and she brings such a sweet spirit to our home.

Mylee's birth didn't go as planned by the doctor...which made me very happy! I was scheduled to go in at midnight for induction since she was overdue. As I have expressed before, being induced scared me...so I went home from the doctors office and cooked 3 meals, cleaned my house, and did laundry all day by the time Aaron got home from work I decided that I was having contractions every 20 mins. This made me so happy. I asked Aaron for blessing (which my father and father-in-law helped out) for comfort. Finally at about 2:30 in the morning the contractions slowed down from every 10 mins back to 45 mins...this worried me, Aaron and I decided that we should just go in for induction.

I got to the hospital and the contractions started to come every 5 mins ( I only knew this because of the machine telling me...I guess I have a high threshold for pain because I can only feel the big contractions) and I was dilated to a "6 maybe 7" - I was so ecstatic to hear those numbers!! So I got an epidural and they told me to rest. An hour later I was completely dilated and the doctor broke my water...when he did this he proceeded to tell me that we have to be careful because the baby had already had a bowel movement. He reassured me that it is very common and the baby should be just fine. He said he'd just let my body naturally push the baby out...I think he asked me to pushed twice and she was here. And the doctor was right she was perfectly fine, they cleared her lungs before she took a breath so there was no complications.

The labor went smoother than I had hoped for. 4 hours in the hospital and I was able to hold my baby girl! One of the best feelings in the world...the 9 months of morning sickness, weight gain, and all the wonderful things that come with being pregnant and giving birth are SO WORTH IT!

here are some pictures from the hospital:

I was so happy to have my baby girl finally here!

long fingers

She has long skinny feet like her dad

Austin didn't have to much interest in Mylee.

This was Mylee's going home outfit

Grandma Jan got it for her

It is so stinkin cute with little monkey's all over it!

I have to send out a huge thank you to my in-laws that helped me out so much with Austin and taking care of us when we came home from the hospital. You guys are the best and we appreciate all you do for our little family. We love you so much...thanks for being a part of our lives. And also thanks to my sister who kept me company and for all of the newborn clothes she handed down from Khloee - they are so cute and have come in handy! Also thank you to everyone who visited us in the hospital we appreciate you all!