Lucy's New Shoes

While on vacation, I bought Lucy some new flip-flops. This picture makes me smile :) Wrong feet, wrong toes, but she doesn't mind one bit!

My Big Fat Mid-Summer Blog

Summer is passing by so quickly! For the most part, I stay home during the week with Joe, Lucy and Max, keeping up on laundry and chores, feedings and naps... and poor Joe is getting a bit bored, but vacation is SOON, so we are hanging on until we can relax in California :) So, here is a photo-recap of our summer activities so far.

The Great Closet Massacre

Remember my messy closet from months and months ago? Well, the mess had gotten so much worse! We truly could not walk into our closet. One day I just took every item out of my closet, piled it all on my bed and my floor (Lucy asked me why I was building a tower), and decided to examine each item before deciding whether to keep or donate. Joe suggested that I just try on every item and only keep what fits. The problem, of course, is that nothing fits :)





This experience of cleaning out my closet was therapeutic for me. I found that most of the clothes taking up so much space did not match my life anymore. How many pairs of black pants do I need now that my "professional" days are temporarily over? How many "great for a day at the beach" skirts do I need now that I don't live in Santa Barbara anymore? How many sparkly halter tops do I need now that I am a married mama rather than a single lady on a dance floor?




10 grocery bags of donations later... job well done!

If you are curious, the Mrs. Timberlake tank-top did not make the cut. Turns out that my name is Mrs. Rantz!


Here is my cheering squad, playing video games and offering opinions on whether to keep the dress that I've had since 1998 or donate (I kept it!).

4th of July/Softball Tournament

I have a love/hate relationship with Devon's softball tournaments. I love the people on his team, I love that he has an athletic outlet, and I love watching him play, but I hate that the only shade is in the dugout, I hate nursing in the dugout, I hate not being able to get lunch all day, I hate being dirty, I hate having to watch the kids like a hawk so that they don't get hit by a foul ball. All that being said, we spent 4th of July weekend at Devon's softball tournament in Everett. Devon's sister Merry came and rescued me and the kids on Saturday and took us to her house for food and swimming, but on Sunday while Devon did this,

Joseph and Lucy did this,

Max did this, and I did this,

This next picture makes me smile. Our kids were sitting in the sliver of shade in the dugout, and they were so bored, hungry and tired, and this picture shows it! Oh, if you can't find Lucy, she is behind sunglasses, band-aids and Max's binky :)

The team took 2nd place!

Lucy Update

There is never a dull moment with Lucy. Actually, there is never a moment without Lucy, since this child rarely sleeps!

I tease that she is having an identity crisis because one minute she will be in Max's swing sucking on a binky,

and the very next minute she will be asking for her "hole glasses" (sunglasses without the shades in them) so that she can be like Joe (Joe just started wearing prescription glasses).She is becoming a great big sis', and she loves it when Max smiles at her.

Lover Boy

Could you say no to this face?

Me neither!

Could you kiss all over this face?

Me too!

Date Night

Devon and I went to a Mariner's game a couple of weeks ago, and I was super excited because

1) Devon had been out of town all week and I was really looking forward to spending time with him.

2) It was a Friday night and I was feeling pretty frisky getting out of the house on a Friday night!

3) There was a really cool give-away at the ball-park.

4) Grandma stayed with Joe and Lucy so we only had Max, and it is fun to be out with only the baby (he is so easy to please!).

The date was a bust because Devon was tired and had a sore throat, and he barely spoke, and Max slept most of the game, so it was kind of like I was there by myself. And the give-aways were all gone long before we even arrived. But at least I got out of the house, the M's won, we had great seats, and we got some cute pics of Max at the game!

Class of '89!

Devon and I just went to his 20 year high school reunion, and it was quite an experience! Remember Devon's high school photo? The rock star hair? Well, I lost count of how many times I heard, "OH MY GOSH! DEVON RANTZ! YOUR HAIR IS GONE!"

The reunion was basically like a wedding reception. It was nice to be out with Devon, to leave Max with Grandma, and to meet some of Dev's high school peers.

At the end of the night, Devon asked me if I had learned anything new about him. I had learned that his hair was SUPER important to him. He took pride in his hair style and vowed to many that he would never, ever cut off his long locks. I also learned that he was nice to everyone and had friends in nearly every clique, not just the rockers :) But I guess that I already knew that he was nice!

Fun in the Sun

It was warm here last weekend, so we spent a day at my friend Mary Beth's pool.

Lucy is a girl who knows how to chill-out!

Joe couldn't resist taking a picture of Dev while he napped in the sun

Breast feeding in public- it is inevitable.
I love this pic of the brothers :)

Joe took this of Max's feet while I was nursing him

He laughs at all of my jokes! I think he is my biggest fan :)

Okay, that just about brings the blog up to date! Hopefully it won't be so long before my next update!

I Wish

I know that I am completely blessed, and I certainly try not to take anything for granted, but I have a wish list, and here are some wishes on that list:



I wish that I got a paycheck. I sure work hard, and we could really use the money.

I wish that Lucy took regular naps every day and that she went to bed every night around 8:30.

I wish that my house looked like it was out of a Pottery Barn catalog. And the areas in my house with toys could look like a Pottery Barn Kids catalog.

I wish that I had a hobby/talent, such as sewing, or singing, or running marathons, or cooking.

I wish that it wasn't unhealthy to be tan, because I look much better with a tan.

I wish that during my occasional "me time" I wasn't thinking and worrying about my kids.

I wish that I had more time alone with my husband.

I wish that I had fascinating things to talk about with my husband.

I wish that I had at least one item in my closet that was in style.

I wish that Max would forever love me as much as he loves me right now :)

I wish that my mom lived within driving distance :(

I wish that garlic didn't make me stinky.

I wish that my house didn't have so many stairs.

I wish that Joe didn't insist on wearing socks 24 hours/day.

I wish that The Bachelorette didn't eliminate Reid!

I wish that I didn't have to finish this blog with only the use of my left hand since I am now feeding Max!



What's on your wish list?

Max-aroo, Month #2!

Max turned 2 months old last Saturday!

Max is healthy and happy. At his doctor visit last week, he weighed in at 12 lbs. 6 oz., and he measures 24 1/2 inches long. I have officially moved him into 3-6 month clothes, and I am SO grateful to my friends Jacqui and Katie for their hand-me-downs! I shouldn't have to buy Max clothes for a long time!

Max smiles and "talks," and he still snorts when he fusses. His snorts sound like a little piglet!

I was able to return to Stroller Strides after my 6 week post-partum check-up, and though the workouts are totally kicking my post-partum booty, it does help that this is my view-

I brought Lucy's play-mat out of storage to see if Max was ready for it yet, and he loves it! He looks at the hanging toys and hits them. It can keep him entertained for 20 minutes if his mood is right (and if Lucy doesn't insist on being on the mat with him).

Last night I brought Lucy's old swing out, and he likes the swing too, when Lucy doesn't insist on pushing the swing or stacking her fake food on his tray as if he is a hostage--I mean customer--at her restaurant!

Now that the weather is getting warmer (70s-80s all week!), I love that Max can hang out in just a diaper (he has dark fuzz on his shoulders!), or just a onesie (his thighs are getting chunky!).

The little bit of hair that he was born with is beginning to fall out, and I suspect that he will be bald just like Lucy was when she was tiny.

The general consensus is that Max resembles Devon, and Grandma Donna says that looking at Max is like looking at baby Devon. Here is a picture of baby Dev-- what do you think?

Max's nicknames so far are Max-aroo, Max-apoo, Maxy (I know, I know, this one has to stop!), Little Buddy, and I am trying to get Lover Boy to catch on, but so far no one supports me on this one :)

Nursing is much easier for me this time around, and Max eats like a champ. He is sleeping well too-- he typically gives me a 6-7 hour stretch at night (THANK YOU GOD!).

Well, I think that is a complete update on little Lover Boy! Now it is time to change his poopy diaper!