Laraway Family

What a great company... I went to HR to ask a question about family leave that I hadn't taken back when Starks was born (because I started the day before!). The next day the gentleman I spoke to in HR sent me a package with a Google onesie, a Google bib (shown) and a Google beanie (shown) - ALL THE RIGHT SIZE!

We are counting our blessings.

Try to guess who made each cookie!

"I wish I was a grown up. Then I could be a man and sell ice-cream to people."

Chas, Anthony, and Russ were winding down the day on the floor in Anthony's room. We were saying prayers and identifying the people that should be blessed. We rattled off our list and must have missed one. Chas was quick to fill in the blank. Totally sure of himself, he said this less as a question and much more as a statement.

"What about your cousin, Uncle Randy."

Where on earth?

Starks' 6 month birthday was on Wednesday the 14th! He's SO big! At his appt. today, he weighed in at 12 pounds 1 ounce- that was in a diaper and onesie! He sits with his arms out or manipulating toys, "swims" on his belly, laughs, growls, and loves to explore! There's no more eating with him on my lap. He grabs at everything. He has eaten yellow, acorn, butternut, and spaghetti squash, apples, pears, apricots, pumpkin and broccoli. He loves it all. He is still so loved and the boys look forward to his every expression and noise.
Anthony and Chas are awesome and still reading/spelling everything. They are eager for Christmas, but I think we are more so than they!
9 DAYS LEFT!!!! We will be having Christmas Eve dinner at a friend's house, and Christmas Day dinner at another friend's house. We are truly blessed over and over each day.

Anthony was deep in thought this morning at breakfast, which generally means good blog material. I was wearing one of my old USMC sweatshirts, and he was staring... thinking...

I asked him what he was thinking about, but no answer... too deep in thought. I asked him again, "Anthony, what are you thinking about?"

Anthony: "I was just thinking that the 'U' is for 'United'
Me: "Mmmm Hmmmm"
Anthony: "The 'S' is for 'States'
Me: "Mmmm Hmmmm"
Anthony: "The 'M' is for 'Mare'
Me: ?
Anthony: "The 'C' is for 'Ca'... The United States of America!"

Once again, we all crack up.

# posted by Russ, Verlana, Anthony, Chas, and Starks : 10:00  1 Comments

Friday night is pizza night. We bring in Domino's pizza and have a picnic on the living room floor. Anthony was day dreaming and lolly-gagging during his dinner. We've been spelling everything with them lately, so Russ says to Anthony, "Spell 'EAT'."

Anthony: "E-A-T."
Russ: "Very good, now spell, 'EAT PIZZA'"
Anthony (concentrating): "E-A-T P-I-Z-Z-A."
Russ: "Very good... I'm impressed. Now spell, 'EAT PIZZA OR GET HINEY SPANKED.'

Everyone cracks up.

Russ: "Go ahead, Anthony, spell, 'EAT PIZZA OR GET HINEY SPANKED."
Anthony: "I actually know you want me to eat my pizza."

Everyone cracks up... nothing gets by you, buddy.

When I grow up, I'm going to be a Mommy... eat salads... and "ongyions," too.

Then, in the bathtub, he was cleaning his body and saying "I'm bathtizing my penis... I'm bathtizing my hiney..." That child cracks me up!

Starks weighed in today at 11# 10 ounces today- 8 days shy of his 6 month birthday! His liver enzymes were almost back to normal and he'll have them repeated in 2 weeks. Thanks for the prayers. The PNP didn't even mention the other crazy tests... glad I didn't have them done. So, after all of that drama two weeks ago, the visit was easy and stress-free!

After the appt., we went to a play place called Bamboola's with our friends, Mrs. Pamela and Kevin. Chas was playing in the water area, and we suggested heading to the rocks for climbing before we left. Chas said, "But I can't go over there. I'm soapy wet!"

Then, Chas went down for his nap after playing, and I JUST woke him for 2 minutes to change his diaper! He'll wake up starving tomorrow at 5:30am! I should really get to bed, but I have Christmas cards to address and a blog to update. ;) Anyway, Anthony and I carried on with the plan to watch Charlie Brown's Christmas even without Chas. While getting dressed for bed in our room before the show, Anthony hiked his pants up to his chest and said, "Look. I'm a Mommy!" I'm really hoping that was in relation to maternity pants!

Chas:
Mommy, look! I have a pencil behind my ear. That's what the mans do.