Laraway Family

Can it be true? Starks is really 10 months old? The beachball would seem to indicate yes.

10 months and he is eating well, but still not quite consistently gaining enough weight.

He has discovered his voice - in a big way; in fact, his first word, like Anthony, was DaDa.

He has also discovered that he can spit things out he does not like. On occasion, he finds humor in the fact that he can spray his food all over the place.

Chas is his super-hero, but he thoroughly enjoys watching both of his brothers. Great kid.

Kevin, Chas, Anthony, and Lisa prepare to transform their helmets into egg-gathering equipment as the Stapleton Easter Egg Hunt's launch approaches.

The Hunt was a resounding success with each kid pulling in between $5 and $11 and mouthfuls of Jelly Bellys.

Well done! 

TSG Mug Shot: Bill Gates

We had a fun time at Paramount's Great America with Elena, Monica, Liliana, Brianna, and Christina! (Brianna and Christina featured here).

We hit all the kiddie rides, had some pizza, chicken fingers, funnel cake, lollipops and some other kind of tooth-eroding sugar candy. Mommy even managed to get on the Survivor ride with Monica and Liliana.

In other news: Our taxes are filed and just in time, as we'll need the check to pay for our food bill at Paramount's Great America. 

Happy Easter! We had a great day at Pamela's with all of our friends to hunt eggs, play, eat, and just be surrounded by all of the little 2-4 feet reminders of our blessings! What a great day, and everyone had a wonderful time. Thanks to Pamela for inviting us over to wreck her house! :)

Happy Easter!
 

Which of the three looks the craziest to you?

It's a trick question of course... each is equally crazy.

Starks just happens to look REALLY crazy with the widest cantelope grin. Chas looks devilishly crazy finishing lunch. Anthony looks innocently crazy- looking for some trick to play.

Life is good, but we miss Daddy- the craziest of all.

Well, today is Palm Sunday. Upon getting to church, we were given palms, and they were blessed outside before Mass. I let Anthony hold them, but I told both boys that needed to respect them- not tear, rip or twist. So, the boys did well during church, but as usual at the end, they were a little stir crazy. So, after the eucharist, I took Chas to pee, and I couldn't get back to my seat without bothering too many people (it was packed). Therefore, I sat in the row behind Anthony. I noticed him twisting and tying the palms, and I mouthed "NO" very plainly. I told him a second time. Then, after he noticed a little girl beside me ripping hers, he decided he'd do the same. It wasn't until 5" later when Mass ended that I saw what he had done- torn one piece off. Since he didn't listen to what I told him, I took away his coveted "Cow Milk" (Verizon Vanilla Milk) at Starbucks.

We did some grocery shopping, and suddenly when we were leaving, Chas had it in his mind we were getting Starbucks. I thought about it and decided that was OK, and Chas proceeded to say, "Anthony's not getting cow milk" repeatedly. Now, I stopped Chas and asked him if he was trying to make Anthony feel bad or good. He understood and admitted it was to make Anthony feel bad and stopped. When we walked in, they BOTH picked up milk. There was that split second that I thought I'd ignore my previous consequence since they behaved well in the grocery store, but I then realized I shouldn't. I explained to Anthony that he couldn't have any and his reply was "But I REALLY want some." I said no and paid for 1 cow milk. Chas went potty while I was waiting on my Cinnamon Dulce Decaf Latte (I LOVE THOSE!), and Anthony comes over to say the following:

"You know what, Mommy? I learned in Bible School that when you want something really, really, bad and someone else has it that you should be happy for them and not jealous. SO, I'm going to be happy for Chas."

Isn't he great? I could not praise him enough for his thinking. I love it.

Starks woke up with this Swoopty Doo in the front of his hair. It was WAY cute, and we had to take a picture. This is at breakfast eating banana and "reggy ol'" pancakes. He was enjoying himself but had finished and moved on to blueberry pancakes. What follows is the progression of his blueberry pancake experience!
What is THAT? (that drunk face) I just happened to catch that face while trying to get a picture of him styling his hair with blueberries. He looks so pitiful, but this really was a good time!
Then, the finale- no more swoopty. He had completely restyled his hair into some sort of "Flock Of Seagulls" do. He was still enjoying the blueberry part of the pancakes. What a great way to start the day!

We were eating dinner at the island- Chas and Anthony on stools, Starks in his seat on the island itself, and me sitting indian style on top of the island. This is the usual scene at all meals without Daddy. So, Starks had grabbed Anthony's grape juice and spilled it all over the tile on the island, and I cleaned up enough to eat dinner. However, there was just enough left on the island to allow his seat to slip around everytime he did his normal rocking. He enjoyed this quite a bit, but after a good slide forward into my plate, I said firmly but not loudly, "Stop, Starks." To this, he put his head down, thrust his bottom lip out, and made sad eyes. No tears but a look of total sadness. Of course, with his head still down, he looked up with those sweet eyes, and I lost it! It was so funny to see him with that adorable face, and I laughed harder realizing that it has begun. He will weasel his way out of many situations with that face and those lips just like the other two. I love it!

One of the boys' friends, George, has a great-grandfather who is dying. So, we added him to our prayer list last night. I was trying to explain what a great-grandfather is since they have none living. I explained that Mommy and Daddy are married, and their GG (great-grandmother) was married to Starks- and he would've been their-great grandfather. I said, "Pop is your grandfather and his dad, Starks, would have been your great-grandfather. You know how MomMom and Grandma Anderson are your grandmothers and GG's your great-grandmother?"
Anthony thought on it, and it was about 10 minutes later that he said, "You know, Mommy, you're right. GG IS my great grandmother because she gives me YooHoo..."