Happy 7th Birthday Lauren

Ok, if this post doesn't indicate how busy we have been in the past 3 months, nothing will! I started this post on Nov 8th, 2 days after Lauren's 7th birthday. And am now just finishing it. So bare with me as I try to catch up on the past 3 months of our lives one post at a time!

Going back 3 months....here is what I started!

Nov 5th, 2003:

A young, naive young couple walk into the doctor's office ready to get induced with their first baby. If it's a boy, Blake David. If it's a girl, Lauren Marie.

• 10 am: Admitted into the hospital
• 1 pm: 1st round of pitosin
• 5 pm: Broke my water
• 1 am: I married my anesthesiologist
• 6 am: Time to push
• 6:25 am, Nov 6th, 2003: Lauren Marie Osterhaus was born weighing 7 lbs, 8 oz. Measuring in at a whopping 23 inches long!

Apparently I didn't start using online photo albums until Lauren was 3 months old, because I can't seem to find any digital pictures from when she was born. So her 3 month & 6 month pics will have to do:

Unbelievable to me that those pictures were taken 7 years ago already!

Fast forward 2 years.....the terrible two's!!! As a toddler, Lauren was into everything. She never sat still. Troy and I thought we'd never be able to eat out in public again. She was a spitfire w/ an attitude and we were scared to death of her teenage years already!

But 2 years into Lauren's life, she was thrust into the life of the older sibling, and forced to grow up way to quickly! Now, I don't have alot of experience, or any for that matter, in being the older sibling, but I do know one thing, Lauren is one of the best big sisters in the world!

And although their relationship can be described as a love/hate relationship most of the time, deep down, they truly are best friend!

Some of my all time favorite Lauren pics:

For Lauren's 7th birthday, we celebrated w/ the traditional visit to Happy Joes. Lauren got make up from Grandma and Grandpa, and FINALLY got a DS from mom and dad! She was very excited.

The birthday ended w/ a bowling trip w/ the old neighborhood girls!

Happy 7th birthday Lauren! I feel so blessed that God decided to give you to me! You are an amazing daughter and big sister. We love you w/ all our hearts! Happy birthday Lo Lo!!!

Tubby Time

First time in her big girl tub....and she loved it! I have a feeling she's going to be like her big sister Lauren and not have a fear of the water! Pretty sure we have another little fish on our hands!!

How precious are those blue eyes? After two brown eyed girls, those baby blues melt my heart!

A Pig, A Princess & A Pirate.....Oh My!!!

What do a pirate, a princess and a pig all have in common??? Not much really, except for the fact that these were the costumes my children picked out for Halloween this year!!! Lauren is getting to that fun age where she wants to be something fun and different. Reese still makes me spend countless money on another stupid princess outfit, even tho we already have $387 dollars worth of princess outfits in the basement. And Paige, well, in keeping w/ tradition, didn't really have a choice but to be the most adorable pig this side of the Mississippi!

Every year I have high aspirations that my pumpkin is going to be one of those pumpkins people are amazed at. But, every year the disappointment seems to get bigger when I realize Reese probably could have done as good of a job if I let her carve the thing herself!

Lauren's costume turned out great. She was very much into this pirate thing, practicing her pirate growl for weeks in advance. I was tempted to let her attach a bottle of Captain to her belt buckle but decided that, even tho VERY entertaining, probably wouldn't be very responsible of me.

A very rehearsed, posed picture of my princess in purple. If any of you happen to run into Reese over the course of the next couple weeks, please inform her that wearing white sweat pants under a purple princess costume does NOT in fact make you look like a dork!!! (I'll let your imagination determine how THAT conversation went!) (Also, if any of you were to run into me over the course of the next couple weeks, please remind me that praying for patience on a daily basis when dealing w/ this child does not make me a bad mother.)

Ok, so flashback to 2004. Lauren was almost 1 year old and this was her first Halloween. What costume does a first time mom buy for her daughter? An adorable princess costume? Heck no! We buy PIGS in this family!!! And every child from that moment on was doomed w/ the most adorable pig costume this side of the Mississippi!

Lauren Marie, 11 months old:

Reese Olivia, 9 months old:

And last but definitely not least, Paige Abigail, 6 months old:

The girls and I walked around the neighborhood w/ the Hillebrand girls. While the girls went trick or treating, we went trick or drinking. Aside from the fact that the moms almost ruined the evening by a slight run in w/ the police, while carrying an open container of beer on a public street, everything went very smoothly!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Fall Is Here

With the forest in Mom and Dad's backyard, the leaves are my children's newest playground! Between the "trampoline" and "birds nest" made out of leaves, this free playground provided me about 2 hours worth of free time! I love it when that happens!!!

On a different note, we had a big accomplishment in the world of baby this past week. Paige is sitting up! And boy oh boy, is she proud of herself!

Paige....you couldn't have asked for a better big sister. Lauren spoils you rotten! Sometimes, I think she's worse than Grandma!

Finally, I wanted to post this video as proof of why I drink. All I wanted to do was get a simple video of Lauren and Paige playing on the floor. For about 5 minutes prior to this video Lauren had Paige laughing like crazy.

In my attempt to capture this moment in time, I instead, captured a crying baby, a 6 year old carrying a child she KNOWS she's not suppose to carry, and one ANNOYING 4 year old.

I know people say we will look back on these days and laugh, but seriously, it's hard to see that far into the future after watching something like this!