5 months old...TIME FLIES!

I just received my friendly email from babycenter.com informing me Lauren is now 5 months and 3 weeks old.  Good thing I JUST took her 5 month old pictures yesterday.  Um...yeah....well...I tried to take them about two weeks ago but she just wasn't cooperating.  I also tried to take Isaac's 2 year pictures the same day and he just wasn't cooperating.  Looking back...they had not been cooperating for the past week.  During errands last Friday Isaac throws his head back in a screaming fit and I see the back of his little throat is RED!  Agghhh!  So I leave screaming kids in car and dial the pediatrician from outside the car.  Yeah, I wonder what the bystanders thought as both kids are sitting in the back seat strapped into carseats with tears streaming down their faces as I non-chalantly chat away on my cell phone OUTSIDE of the car.  Fortunately the pediatrician had an opening and I was only 5 minutes away.  Verdict: virus.  Both kids.  Whew...having a diagnosis was a relief!  I thought I was going crazy the whole week.  No, it was legit - the kids were sick but didn't have any obvious side effects.  They were just cranky and not acting like themselves all week.  Funny how much more patience you have once you realize something is wrong with them.  Guilt trip. 

Anyhoo - the kids aren't the only ones with a virus - my computer was attacked and thus bedridden for about two weeks.  Things still weren't running right so we just put in a new hard drive and things are working like a well oiled machine.  However....I have not had time to make my way through the towers of boxes in my parents' basement to find the one labeled, 'software' which includes my photoshop and other plug-ins. 

For those of you just tuning in...or if I didn't divulge our where-abouts in my last post - we are now houseless (not homeless, just houseless).  We sold our previous homes in 3 weeks, couldn't find another home before closing on our previous home....thus didn't leave enough time to find a rental so we are squatting at my last permanent residence: with mom and dad.  We are here until our rental is ready...or unless we find a home.  So all of our 'need to live' stuff is in PODS ready to be delivered if we need a rental and all of our stuff we can live without is in boxes lining the walls of my parents' basement.  Let's just say Baesler Climate Control Storage has a really good rate...and so does their monthly lease.  ;) 

Ok...so as you can see...sick kids (and now the 4 of us are passing around a cold)...house hunting...living in limbo as regards to finding rental or a home has left our lives pretty stressful.  The baby weight I was losing has found its place back on my midsection.  A friend of ours jokingly pointed out that 'stressed' spelled backwards is 'desserts.'  Thanks Jay!  I think I'll slice another piece of birthday cake!  ;)  And speaking of birthday cake...for my birthday present I bought myself a double jogging stroller...so let the pound shedding begin (yet again). 

Sorry if this post seems random, jumping around and an English teacher's worst nightmare (oh yes, I see you with your red pen making my post bleed with comments about run-on sentences, better transitions and more details for clarification)....but that's how my brain has been for almost 2 months.  So back to photoshop...since I haven't dug it out from the depths of the home...all my images for the time being are UNEDITED.  Do you know how often photographers post their UNEDITED work?  I almost hate to post them, but hey - that's how life is right now. 

I had Daddy's help with getting him to smile! 

I love this picture with Nate in the background!

Too bad I couldn't get her to smile like this when I had the real background up.  Oh well...it will be a story to tell when she gets old.  "When you were an infant mommy was too busy to take your pictures because we were always searching for a home or trying to keep your brother out of nana's potted indoor plants."

Totally unplanned, impromptu 5 month old session.  I had been crocheting a cute peach colored ruffled diaper cover and flower headband.  I wasn't done yet but decided I need not waste yet another day without getting her 5 month pictures done. 

Attempt #2 at 2 year old pics...sick and I didn't know it.  I should've known something was up when he wanted to take beloved 'Blue' outside. 

This was the best pic of the day....and Blue is still in tow.

Not even smiling.  "Mommy, my throat feels as if its on fire.  why do you insist om torturing me with a fancy diaper cover and headband?!'

Out for the count as big  bro and his 5 year old girlfriend (aka: cougar) write words of wisdom with colored chalk on the driveway.