Daniel and Lauren

Piddoes. They're funny.

2010-05-12T08:24:00.007-04:00

I often express my exasperation about my kids. Actually, any exasperation I have is typically with the older one, Quinn. He's a pretty high maintenance and very intense little boy. If you've ever been around him for a few days, you'll start to pick up on it. Short visits or public situations ALWAYS present a different Quinn (which is normal, I hear)...but, nonetheless, at home and with me and Daniel...it's typically a lot of frustration.

Anyway...what does this have to do with this post? Well, today I've been reminded of all the funny things Quinn (and Jack) do...the things that make me laugh. And, no, this isn't my attempt to ply you with a bunch of guilt about being frustrated with your own children by saying, "Remember the funny things!" Rather, I just felt motivated to share the funny things since I often share the frustrating things...you know, give one a more "well-rounded" picture of my piddoes...because high-intensity aside, they can be funny...very funny. Here are a few instances where I'm laughing and not going crazy.

1. Quinn is a picky eater. VERY PICKY. So, when I decided that I would introduce Cod Liver Oil into his daily diet, I thought: Great, I'm gonna have to pin him down to the ground and force him to take it. One might ask, why in the WORLD would you give your kids Cod Liver Oil? To which I respond: go research it; it's good for them and anyone, really. Anyway, the first day I did this I started with: Who wants some fish oil? And the boys looked at me oddly. I then added: Whoever takes the fish oil can have their gummy vitamins! And then they were fighting over who goes first. Naturally, I wanted to get Q out of the way (Jack will try ANYTHING at least once). I squirted some in mouth and he gave me a look like: what the hell are you feeding me...Gross! I told him: it does taste bad, but it's good for your brains, and eyes, and joints, and your entire body! He endured the rest of the tsp, and then I gave him his vitamins. The next day I thought, there is no way he's gonna go for it again. I announced, they fought (once again) and I gave Q his first. He gave me the same look; then said: It tastes gross! But it's good for my brain, my eyes, my joints, and my whole body! Everyday...this same thing happens. But he takes it, and then gets his vitamins. No fight. No fuss. No battle. I can't get him to eat meat of any kind, but I can get him to take Cod Liver Oil, and happily, too.

I find that funny.

2. Quinn has gotten into asking "Why?" To which I typically respond to the best of my ability...trying my best not to say "Just Because!" Anyway, Jack (20 months) has decided to add to his rapidly growing vocabulary the words: why and mine. "mine" I expect...he's almost two. The "why" is funny. He's picked it up from Quinn. What's odd is that we know developmentally that he doesn't know why he's saying "why"...but he uses it correctly (most of the time). I'll say, Jack, it's time to clean up your toys. And with some cry in his voice, he'll say "Whyyyyy?" which makes me laugh...But the best is when it's inappropriately placed: jack, do you like peanut butter and honey? jack: Why. It's great.

I find that funny.

3. Quinn when he's naked can use the potty like a champ...no accidents. Also, he can seem to use the potty great during nap and when we've put him down for nap. But, typically, during the day he becomes oddly absent minded and often "forgets" to go, thus, going straight in his pants. Often, he's wearing something where it's hard to tell at first glance if he's wet. But one day he was wearing this light blue sweat pants. He came in to my bedroom, and I looked at him...and there was a huge dark blue ring on the front of his pants. I chuckled. Quinn, did you pee your pants. Quinn: NO!!!! I DIDN'T PEE MY PANTS!!! I laughed. "Quinn...there is a dark blue circle of pee...I can see it. Quinn: "It's water." Me: "In a perfect circle? And not anywhere else?" Quinn: "Yes." Me: "Take them off and bring them down to the laundry." Quinn complies. It's just comical that he denies it...every other time he admits it, but the day he's wearing light blue sweatpants, he denies it.

I find that funny.

4. Going to Toys-R-Them one day and we heard a bird. Quinn: "What was that?" Me: "A bird." Quinn: "What type of bird?" Me: "Uh, a Crow" (i typically guess...I have no idea about bird calls). Quinn: "No, mama. It was an Eagle." An eagle, in western PA? Me: "Quinn, I highly doubt that was an Eagle." Quinn getting a bit more worked up: "It WAS an Eagle." Me: "Uh, I don't think Eagles live here...they live out west, typically." Quinn, as we walk to the store through the parking lot: "IT WAS AN EAGLE...IT WAS!!! I KNOW EAGLES!" Me: "Fine, it was an Eagle." I cannot believe I had an argument with my 3.5 year old about Eagles in the middle of the parking lot. And, it wasn't like I just couldn't let it go (though, I was close to driving to the closest book store to prove him wrong)...he couldn't let it go. According to Quinn, Eagles live not only in Western PA, but the Toys-R-Them parking lot.

I find that funny.

5. Quinn refers to things in the past in either two ways: "Yesterday" or "Last year". He uses them correctly because he is in fact referring to things historical. But, typically, they're used incorrectly, or, I should say, where one should be used the other typically is. Quinn: "I went to school last year." Actually, he went to school yesterday, Tuesday. Quinn: "We went to Grammie's yesterday"...actually, last year. It becomes funny when he says things like: "The mailman came last year" and I, knowing he's referring to yesterday, still admit the truth in his statement: "Yes, Quinn, the mailman did in fact come almost everyday last year." Or: Quinn: "Chick-Fil-A was locked last year." Me: "Well, I think it was open some of the time last year." Quinn: "NO IT WAS LOCKED LAST YEAR!" Me: "Okay, fine, it was locked all last year...(pause) Quinn? Do you mean last Sunday it was locked?" Quinn: "Yes. Last year." Me: *give up*.

I find that funny.

Piddoes, they're funny.

Christmas Letter 2009

2010-01-05T09:20:00.003-05:00

Merry Christmas! December 15, 2009

It’s been an eventful year in the Larkin household! All of us traveled to weddings in South Carolina (apparently, South Carolinians can really throw a wedding--go if you are ever fortunate enough to get an invite); all of us went on vacation in Elk County, PA with Grandpa and Grandma (“Taffy”) Larkin; all of us witnessed our God Son’s baptism in Darien, CT; all of us said good bye to some super awesome friends who traveled away from Ambridge, PA to pursue further studies in ENGLAND (you know who you are…), all of us visited with Uncle Colin and Aunt Julie Larkin over Thanksgiving (they came to us); two of us started school in the fall; and one of us consistently got up in the morning and went to work to make sure all this fun was even possible!

Quinn is doing great. He is such an amazing little guy. Every time we look we notice that some new skill, new words and phrases, new song, or new way to play with a toy. He’s a very brave little boy (he had to go to the ER this past fall because of a split lip). He’s very imaginative and a huge “goof-ball”. Over the summer, we decided to enroll him in pre-school starting in this past fall. We were a little nervous because he is the youngest kid in his class (having just turned 3 in December), which makes him socially younger and smaller than the other kids. (Some kids are turning four in a couple of weeks!) From what we hear from his teachers; however, we have nothing to be concerned about. According to his two teachers, Quinn is gentle and kind; he listens to instructions (apparently, just not to his parents’); he is active; loves to make the other kids laugh; and, although he’s the youngest, has demonstrated that he can keep up, “academically” J, with the older kids. We are really proud of him (as you can tell).

Jack (“Jack Jack” or the more descriptive and appropriate, “Jack ATTACK!”) is a Jack on the MOVE! He is very active and determined to keep up with Quinn (not a good mix!). He is funny and goofy. He says about 10 words: Down, Eat, Shoe, Boob, Whoa, Wow, Bear, Bottle, Bye, Hi, and Fish. He is a very direct communicator; he doesn’t babble a lot, just says what he wants. He loves to do “beat-box”, but it’s more like he wiggles around and says the words, “beat-box”. It’s super cute. He’s a super snuggler, which is nice for Mama. We are so blessed by Jack-Jack. He is tons of fun and an amazing little boy to watch grow up!

Daniel is doing well. His job is going well and he is busy, which is good! He loves playing--“daddy play”--with his two boys and they LOVE playing with him. He is such a great father (and husband!). There is no doubt: Daniel consistently puts his family before himself. He has truly laid down his life for us, and we are grateful.

Lauren is also doing well. This past summer, we decided to enroll her in school in the fall and had the same social concerns as we did with Quinn…HA! LOL! Actually, Lauren did start her second masters degree this past fall: Masters of Sacred Theology (STM). Her focus is Systematic Theology, and with in that discipline, she is focusing on Ethics. She successfully finished her first semester (yesterday). This degree is the next step towards a doctorate. She is tracked to start her thesis next semester, and should graduate in May 2011. She loves being a mom to two of the most amazing little boys! She considers herself to be the luckiest woman to be a full-time mom and wife, while also being able to take a couple of classes.

As always, we are extremely blessed to have you, our friends and family in our lives. We think of you and pray for you often. We hope that this season and the New Year bring each of you joy, blessings, and peace!

Love in Christ,

Daniel, Lauren, Quinn, and Jack-Jack!

In Honor of Daniel's Birthday

2009-09-11T16:05:00.001-04:00

This is my favorite poem by my favorite author: Anne Bradstreet (a woman before her time).

To My Dear and Loving Husband

If ever two were one, then surely we.
If ever man were lov’d by wife, then thee.
If ever wife was happy in a man,
Compare with me, ye women, if you can.
I prize thy love more than whole Mines of gold
Or all the riches that the East doth hold.
My love is such that Rivers cannot quench,
Nor ought but love from thee give recompense.
Thy love is such I can no way repay.
The heavens reward thee manifold, I pray.
Then while we live, in love let’s so persever’
That when we live no more, we may live ever.

Anne Bradstreet © 1678

Jack Jack at 12 Months

2009-09-08T14:24:00.000-04:00

Well....He's finally ONE! Who can believe it!

Jack is such a blast. He's fun. He's charming. He's brilliant. I mean really...I'm completely unbiased!

For real: he's a gem of a kid! We are so very blessed. He's grown so much (he's 30 inches long and 21 lbs and 6 oz); though he's WAY under where Quinn was at the same age...but HE EATS. This boy...loves all food (tomatoes, rice, cantaloupe, ALL MEATS etc)...everything. Quinn better watch out because with the way Jack eats, he'll sprout past Quinn in no time!

He walks everywhere...EVERYWHERE. He prefers it. He started walking at 11 1/2 months (early than mom wanted...but who consults her anyway). He says "Wow" and "Hey" and "Yeah" and "Ball" and "Hi" and then has a handful of noises to indicate other things "K" noise: kitty. "T" noise: truck. "C" noise (close to "K"): car. He loves to play with shapes and shape sorters. He loves balls...all types from small to large. He loves to play with Quinn (and they play really well together...most of the time). He loves to clap and wave. and say "Whoa" to trucks and cars that drive past our house while we are on the front porch. He loves to color (draw lines and scribbles) with chalk and play with the magnetic letters on the fridge (though, not in a way mommy enjoys...). And, he LOVES bath time!

Quinn is such a great big brother. He watches out for Jack and protects him. He also loves to play with him. Jack is really fortunate to have such a good big brother! If there is any jealousy, it's never taken out on Jack. What a blessing!

Well...I'm sure there's more for me to ooze about, but, alas, I'll leave you with pictures instead. It's been a great year. Thanks for walking along side us and praying for us and our little men.

All our love,

Lauren, Daniel, Quinn, and The Amazing Jack Jack!

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12 Months

Aug 22, 2009
by lauren

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Jack Jack at 11 mos.

2009-09-08T14:23:00.000-04:00

Here's a VERY SMALL update on Jack Jack's 11th month.

He's superb in every way--but, we're biased.

And, he LOVES black beans and, in particular, getting them all over his face.

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JHL Larkin 11 Months

Jul 15, 2009
by lauren

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Fourth of July Cupcakes

2009-07-10T14:34:00.005-04:00

Okay, for real...this was easy. Just icing and candy and cupcakes...and then: assemble. Took probably an hour to ice and decorate and assemble. Maybe an hour to bake all the cupcakes.

This picture (above) displays the whole creation: the Ahmellican flag (when I was a little girl, I didn't say "American" I said "Ahmellican"...I know...brilliant). 48 Large cupcakes and 48 small cupcakes. FUN!

Here is a close up of the "stars" portion: mmmm....jelly beans and gumdrops and good and plenties....mmmmm

Here is my "artsy-fartsy" shot.

The "Angled" Shot. You can kind get a feel for the size of this creation.

It was fun. And, if you have kids who are actually old enough to really participate, this is a great thing to do with them...it's super easy.

JHL Larkin 10 Months

2009-07-02T08:22:00.000-04:00

Hey Y'all!

Here is Jack Jack! He's 10 months old! We know...we cannot believe it either! He's almost a year. Time has certainly flown by with this little guy!

Jack Jack is a handful. He's SUPER active, he loves dancing (we think Liam Linebaugh taught him how!), jumping, crawling (fast, too), wiggling, and trying to keep up with Quinny! He's super vocal...he hoots and hollers and loves to babble. He says, "Ma Ma", "Da Da", and "Keeee" (kitty). He also says, "Hey, Dada!" and "Hi, Dada!"--at least that is what is sounds like! He follows Quinn around EVERYWHERE and nothing holds him back (not even stairs (up or down!!)). He loves every type of ball and all trucks and cars. He also LOVES to stick his tongue out...all the time...he just sticks it out...it's cute...for now. He also loves to eat...everything...and I mean everything. He's fast with putting stuff in his mouth, too...so, you have to be on your toes. Common sentence around the house, "Jack-Jack, stop eating our house!"

Physically, he's FINALLY 20 lbs--VERY different from Quinn (23lb and 3oz). However, he's the exact same height as Quinn was at the same age (29 1/2 inches). He's, as his pediatrician says, tall and thin. He's perfectly healthy--for which we are tremendously grateful.

He's such a joy. I wish all of you who are far could enjoy him like we (and those of use who are close) do! He's got a great personality and is super happy (except when we are fishing stuff out of his mouth...then he's not so happy)!

Below, there are some pictures for you to catch a glimpse of this love muffin. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Love,

Lauren, Daniel, Quinn and Jack-Jack

PS: the "bean" photos are courtesy of our friend's sister, Rachel Regina.

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10 Month

Jun 20, 2009
by lauren

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JHL Larkin 9 Months

2009-05-28T12:56:00.000-04:00

Well...Here's the luscious Jack Jack during his ninth month!

He's done so much in the past couple of months. In the beginning of his 8th month (that means right after he turned seven months) he transitioned to full blown crawling (he had been scooting around, pushing himself with his legs since 5/6 months). So, yes, now he is into EVERYTHING. He also started using MaMa and DaDa discriminately. At the beginning of his 9th month, he started to pull himself up (there's pictures included)...and this makes him even more dangerous. Also, he has started to climb (climbed his first stair while on vacation in Elk County with Grandma and Grandpa Larkin)...so...Mama has her work cut out for her. He is really fast and agile. He's also super fast with the grab and snatch, and has a fierce grip...so, he's a menace around table tops, jewelry, hair, and whatever else!

Over the past couple of months we've noticed that he knows who Joe Joe/The Kitty is, who Quinn is (no surprise there), and what pick up and drop mean. He also knows what a ball is and LOVES LOVES LOVES them...when he can actually play with one without Quinn interferring or claiming said ball as his (**sigh** 2 year olds). He eats like a champ (with all that energy out put, not surprised there needs to be so much energy in-put!). He is taller than Quinn was at the same age, but not as, shall we say, fat. But that makes sense since Quinn didn't start crawling until 9 months! However, Quinn had already said his first word by 9 months (kitty) and we are still waiting for Jack Jack's first (though I thought I heard him say "kitty" the other day...but he hasn't said it again and I now am certain I was hearing things).

All in all, things are very good. Both boys LOVE each other and have a lot of fun together (unfortunately, A LOT of this fun happens right after we put them to bed...and we hear giggles, laughter, and little toddler feet running around the room with thuds from Jack Jack jumping up and down in his crib). They are great little pals right now. We pray it stays this way (with it's ups and downs of course).

Well...Enjoy the pictures of Jack Jack in his 9th month. He's growing so fast and changing all the time. Thank you for letting us share with you these pictures of our youngest.

--Lauren, Daniel, Quinn, and Jack Jack

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9 Months

May 3, 2009
by lauren

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JHL Larkin 8 Months

2009-05-28T12:54:00.000-04:00

I know... a bit late. But!! Here are some really cute pics of our baby boy (he's not so much of a baby any more!).

I'll follow with more "words" of Jack Jack's development, etc. in the 9 month update.

So...enjoy these pics as you wait for more juicy photos of Jack Jack!

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8 Months

Apr 17, 2009
by lauren

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Easter CupCakes!

2009-04-15T09:03:00.006-04:00

Okay...here is my FIRST attempt at these fun cupcakes from the book: Hello Cupcake!, by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson.

Here's the "group" photo...if you will...

You know, I wasn't totally impressed with the way things turned out...I mean, they were tasty and cute (when they weren't falling apart), but the grass looks more like crab grass and I really did a number on the bunny butts. Instead of just "rolling" the iced cupcake in the crushed 'Nilla wafer (colored or not), I PACKED it on...this made it difficult to keep the bunny feet and tail on. So, we had to PUSH them in real far, or they would just fall off. Ugh. Also, I used the "Almost Homemade Vanilla Icing" recipe in the book, which wasn't as sturdy as store-bought...the author, Karen, recommends that you use the store bought icing, because it's thicker and easier to mold...after this experience, I say...DO IT!

Here is a close up of our feet. You can see the grass looks very similar to FLORIDA GRASS...which, in my opinion, really isn't grass.

Here is my "artsy" photo, if you will. The other thing that I goofed was the grass; it was supposed to be two shades (a green-yellow with dark green). When I made the "lighter" icing, which was supposed to be a green-yellow, I put the GREEN in FIRST and then tried to lighten it...I don't recommend this...do yellow and THEN green.

I also HIGHLY recommend using SMALLER CANDY EGGS...these ones just seemed to dominate the cupcake.

All-in-all, this was a great learning experience! To see these same cupcakes made by someone who knows what she is doing, check out: my friend, Amelia's awesome cupcakes. She also made these AWESOME shark attack cupcakes from the same book for her eldest son's birthday...AWESOME!

Here's a parting shot of our little family, dressed in our Easter finest!

Yeah, it's hard to get a good shot of the fam with a Toddler and a Baby...those peeps just don't cooperate!

JHL Larkin 7 Months

2009-03-28T12:58:00.000-04:00

Here's Jack Jack!

This is a bit late (since he's almost 8 mos). Oh well!

But here are some photos of our youngest boy! He was weighed and measured about a month ago and came in at 29 inches long and 18.2 lbs (he's a bit bigger now...you know how piddoes grow). He's tons of fun for the whole family--yes, I think Quinn would agree! He's a ball of energy (no joke) and loves "talkin'".

He's really coming into his own personality almost every day. We are so blessed.

We hope you enjoy the pictures!

--Lauren, Daniel, Quinn, and Jack Jack.

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7 Months

Mar 6, 2009
by lauren

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Christmas 2008

2009-03-11T17:07:00.002-04:00

Here are some photos from Christmas this past year...my favorite is the cover picture...It doesn't matter how old one is...they can always be reduced to two year of age when dealing with a two year old.

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Christmas 2008

Dec 25, 2008
by Daniel

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JHL Larkin 5 & 6 Months

2009-03-11T17:06:00.001-04:00

Well...

Here is Jack Jack at six months! The first picture, below, is him at 5 months...apparently what people tell you about taking pictures of any child that isn't the first child is true...we've really slacked!

Don't you worry though...I've been diligent for month 7 (already have 114 pics! nice!).

Jack Jack is big and happy! He yells, talks, and does his raspberries...he is just a lump of joy. 6 months seems to be the key month in development, it's when they, as I like to say, walk through the "CUTE" door...and Jack is that: SUPER CUTE!

He's eating like a champ (not spitting it out but swallowing ALL OF IT). He's also moving around...and, yes, I do mean on the ground. He's not crawling, per se, but he's getting places by rolling or pushing himself along with his toes. He attempts to get up on all fours...I tend to think crawling is close at hand...ugh. With that said, it makes sense why he LOVES being on the ground...he likes his excer-saucer, but LOVES his gymni and toys on the ground. If you put him down and turn away and then look back, he'll be out of view, playing with something...or stuck under the living room table. He's sturdy and strong. He loves standing and "dancing"--he dances right before you give him his first bite of food, it's pretty darn cute!

And, he LOVES his big brother, Quinn. Every look from Jack to Quinn is the definition of love. Quinn is the funniest, coolest, fastest, ablest (etc) person he knows...

Quinn is still an awesome big brother...though, he's starting to realize that Jack can and will play with his toys. So, often I hear, "NO! MY TOY, JACK!" come from the living room and then, on cue, I hear Jack cry. Now, I know how to handle it and it's by not making a big deal about it...I, as a baby, used to get my big brother in trouble by just crying...I'm trying not to encourage Jack to learn this...They'll learn to share or to fight...which ever comes first and probably both.

Well, our family is well and is happy. We are, in this chaotic time, very stable and on very solid ground.

Please enjoy the pictures below!

All our love,

Lauren, Daniel, Quinn, and Jack Jack.

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6 Months

Feb 6, 2009
by Daniel

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Thanksgiving 2008 Pics

2009-02-24T20:28:00.003-05:00

This past thanksgiving we spent some time at my parent's house in Park City, Utah. Here are some pics of the trip, especially of the boys with their cousins, Erin Kate and Harry Ellis.

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2008-11 Thanksgiving

Nov 25, 2008
by Daniel

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JHLL 4 Months

2009-01-20T15:57:00.000-05:00

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JHLL 4 Months

Dec 20, 2008
by Daniel

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JHLL 3 Months

2009-01-20T15:55:00.000-05:00

Hey Y'all!!

Here's a look at Jack Jack during his 3rd month. Month 4 will be following. Month 5 will come sometime after his check up tomorrow!

He's a big boy with a big personality--to rival his big brother, no doubt. He laughs, rolls-over (front to back and working on back to front with vim and vigor), plays with toys, chews everything, drools, inspects and studies everything, and hoots-and-hollers--we think he's constantly yelling, "HEY! HEEEYYY!!" He's such a joy and such a blessing to us and the other members of his extended family and friends.

That's the brief of it...More later at the 5 month update!

So...Check out our not-so-little baby boy, Jack Jack. We hope you enjoy the pictures as much as we do!

Love,

Lauren, Daniel, Quinn, and Jack Jack

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You are invited to view Daniel's photo album: JHLL 3 Months

JHLL 3 Months

Dec 6, 2008
by Daniel

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Christmas Letter 2008

2008-12-23T14:06:00.003-05:00

Christmas 2008

Warm and heartfelt Christmas greetings to you!

We pray that this letter finds you embraced by the manifold blessings and all sufficient grace of God.

2008 has been quite the ride! We have been greatly blessed at many turns, and have come to know, in even more sincerity, the Grace and Peace of Jesus

Well, we welcomed the New Year (2008) by finding out that we were pregnant. This brought us great joy as we had experienced a loss of a pregnancy during November of 2007. The pregnancy was great and healthy, and in August (2008), Jackson Harris Liberius Larkin burst into our life and made it much more full! As I write this letter, Jack is four months old and is such a joy. He loves to smile, chew his fingers, stand up (holding on to us, of course), examine things, play games, and cuddle! Jack’s (or Jack Jack’s) name is in honor of Lauren’s maternal and paternal grandfathers. The “Jack[son]” and the “Liberius” honor Grandpa Jack Liberius Alimisis, and the “Harris” honors Grandpa Harris Ellis. It’s a long name, but it’s a strong name; and, we know that Jack will grow into it and that his namesakes would be proud of him.

Daniel V is a riot! He is two and full of life and...TALKING! He goes about his day describing nearly everything he is doing and making jokes. It’s only when he’s silent that we go and check on him—silence, with a talker, indicates “up-to-no-good” (as Lauren found out with dry-erase markers the other day)! He is deeply inquisitive and quick, VERY quick, to pick up words and phrases—also, how to apply those words and phrases correctly, like when you drop something, you say, “Oh, Crap” [mommy blushes…whoops!]. We have realized that we have to be very careful about WHAT we say around him. He has also learned all of his letters and numbers—not in order, but he’s figuring that out, too! He loves drawing letters, kitties, fishes, effitents (elephants), cars, trucks, and tractors (it all looks like a series of “w”s) or getting you to do draw these things for him. All in all, Quinn defines the words “Vibrant” and “Intense”—we wouldn’t have it any other way!

Daniel’s job is going well and steady. He is very busy with old and new projects. He is, also, a glowing father of two boys, and you can see how proud he is of both of them as they grow. As soon as he gets home from work, he pours out love and fellowship with both of his sons in such a way that warms the heart. He’s encouraging and challenging and loves to teach them new things. Lauren is confident that her two boys will grow to be mature, strong, and capable men after their father’s lead.

Lauren was honored to be a Teacher’s Assistant for one of the professors at Trinity (where she obtained her Masters) during the Spring semester. But, since the birth of Jack, is a stay-at-home-mom. She really wouldn’t have it any other way! She has also been blessed to have some opportunities to teach, and remains active in Theology by writing and blogg-ing for herself and for an organized ministry outreach called Mockingbird, based in NYC. This keeps her teaching, writing, and researching skills honed as she waits to continue her schooling in Theology.

As a family we are growing together and experiencing new things at many turns! We traveled to NYC in the early part of the year. We traveled to NH and to CT to vacation, visit friends, and attend the wedding of a very dear friend of Lauren’s. In August, Grammie and Grumpy Ellis came to visit us in Ambridge as we waited, PATIENTLY (or not so patiently) for Jack’s arrival, which was late! Grammie stayed longer than planned--this was a HUGE gift to us. We have been able to spend quality time with some of our family; especially, Nana and Papa Morris, Uncle Luke Morris, Grammie and Grumpy Ellis, Uncle Greg and Aunt Lisa Ellis, and Jack and Quinn’s cousins, Erin Kate and Harry Ellis. Quinn is fascinated with all of his relatives and loves them all deeply (and talks about them by name often). We will spend time with Uncle Colin and Aunt Julie Larkin over Christmas and hope to see Grandma and Grandpa Larkin soon!

“To You they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame” (Psalm 22:5).

God’s Peace and Blessings to you during this wonderful Season!

Love,

Daniel, Lauren, Quinn, and Jack!

To our visitors...if there are any left...

2008-12-19T16:36:00.003-05:00

I would like to apologize for being delinquent.

As of today, I will try to double post or post family things here...on our family blog.

I've been too remiss. So, here are some more postcards from the glam life in Ambridge, PA!

Early Morning Marker Fun!

2008-12-19T16:36:00.001-05:00

Okay...I'm a relatively "NEW" mom, in the sense that my eldest is only 2. This morning, a few minutes ago, Quinn came out of his room to get me. This is what I saw:

So, I investigated...I wanted to see if "marker fun!" had occurred elsewhere in the room...I was relieved to find ONLY this other spot...

So, here is the proud "artist" by his "masterpiece", which includes his forehead and hand...

He's all clean...now. Well...most of him...I still have to change his diaper...

Completely Edible!

2007-09-28T09:40:00.001-04:00

Okay, for real...this kid is totally edible! We've started trying to let Quinn feed himself (SOMETIMES...i'm not stupid...if we let him do it all the time... he'd waste away to nothin' 'cause nothin' would get into his belly!). Now, this image is the result of letting Quinn feed himself...too cute not to capture in a picture!

Now, this doesn't look very edible does it? No. It sure doesn't look edible. HOWEVER...it was! And tasty, too. This is Daniel's birthday cake (yes, from 9.11.07)...it's taken me awhile to post it. Anyway, this is the first time i've played with fondant (the green layer on the bottom tier of the cake and the purple hearts) and the first time i've done a tiered cake. Anyway...we made our own fondant...i don't recommend this...it's way too difficult, especially if you don't know what fondant is supposed to feel like or look like when it's ready to use! Anyway, it's fun to work with fondant (though hard, too). Making this cake was GOOD practice. Usually I just wait to do something for the first time when it really counts and then it goes--pretty much--kablooey! Well...anyway, I'm really proud of this cake. It doesn't look like much, but for my first one...i'll take it.

DJLV Month 9 - A Movin' and A Groovin'

2007-09-19T15:08:00.000-04:00

WHAT A MONTH!

Whew...Quinn quickly went from "nah, I'll just sit here..." to "Uhhh...I'm gonna crawl here and here and here and open this door and close this door and put this cat-hairball in my mouth and go there and then here and then climb up on this thing and eat this cheerio from breakfast and go here and then there and then pull this cat's tail and then put this in my mouth..." etc. And, every day, it goes like that. Quinn has Muh-muh on her TOES! She's removed now two, yes TWO, hairballs from Quinn's ever so welcoming mouth. I know it's gross, but it's sorta funny...yes?

Anyway, Dah-dah and Muh-muh have been having so much fun with this very mobile Quinn. And, it was on Dah-dah's birthday (9/11) that Quinn did his very first crawling for him; now, that's a great birthday present! Muh-muh is starting to understand why more experienced mothers say, "Uh, you REALLY don't want to encourage him to crawl...really...you don't" Well, as of now, he's a movin' and a groovin'! The only members of this household who AREN'T excited about this new development are Joe and Lucy the "iddies" (see below). Oh well, I guess they'll just have to learn to keep their tails tucked under them.

As well as new adventures in movement, Quinn has worked on some words, Kkkeeee is now a more appropriate "Iddy" or "k" and then later "iddy". He also likes to say "Hi" to the cats...so, "Hi, iddy". This past month he met two nice Standard Poodles at a house where we were house-sitting and Quinn learned the word "dog" but he says "duh". By the end of the first 24 hours, as he was sitting in the kitchen one of the dogs walked by and he appropriately said, "Hi, duh". Good for you Quinn. However, there is one draw back...the "iddies" are now "duhs"...I think he thinks they're the same thing. I don't blame him.

Well, today we had our 9mo appt and Quinn measured in at 23 lbs 4oz, 29 1/2 inches and carrying a 48 cm cranium--which is 97th % for the head which means that at any given moment, Quinn's head is the biggest amongst his peers, you go Quinn! Or better yet, you go Dah-dah.

Well, below we have pictures for you to see. Hope you enjoy them as much as we do. Quinn is one of the brightest parts of our lives and we are blessed that you are a part of these moments.

Blessings,

Lauren, Daniel and the Mighty, Mighty Quinn

DJLV Month 9

Aug 18, 2007
by Lauren R. E.

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Yeah, You Can Call Me Crazy!

2007-08-18T22:26:00.002-04:00

I just finished reading the newest scare about the plastic in most baby-bottles which contains the chemical bisphenol A.

(A good article can be found at this website: http://www.southbendtribune.com
/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070425/Lives08/704250488/-1/LIVES/CAT=Lives08; and, a good counter article can be found here: http://www.quackwatch.com/04ConsumerEducation/babybottle.html--i believe the counter article relieves any worries for those of us who don't rely on plastic baby bottles as the primary medium for feeding).

Typically, I drink from glass jars and store left-overs in Pyrex containers. When I had my son, Quinn, I was a bit troubled because I had to use plastic baby bottles--I had no idea that there was such a thing as Glass Baby Bottles (which I found tonight, online, after reading the articles mentioned above). My general problem with plastic isn't necessarily one time use or infrequent use, it's the frequent use of a single plastic container and the heating of the plastic container that bothers me. I think frequent use breaks down the plastic, and heating plastic causes some form of "melting" and weakens the plastic and allows it to release chemicals into the food (or whatever) is in the container. Plastic, well, it just doesn't sit well with my soul.

Therefore, you could imagine my reaction to the newest scare about the chemical, bisphenol A, which is being reported to leach into the milk (or other liquid) from the baby bottle. I was affirmed with my neurotic tendency toward glass drinking/storage containers over plastic ones. But then, as quickly as I felt affirmed, I felt just as convicted...because at least three times a week, I gave Quinn a bottle (how horrible of me!). I searched and searched the web to see if the baby-bottles I used with Quinn were some how exempt from the scare...to say the least, I did not find anything that relieved my conviction. My heart pounded and I prayed, "Oh, Lord, please help Quinn...please help me to see that I did not doom him to having some sort of Cancer, ADHD, or reproductive problems!" Grief overwhelmed me, what a horrible mother I am.

And then a voice muttered something inside my head. And I sat for minute, "Excuse me, can you repeat that?" I asked. And then there was silence and then a sigh. "You, my dear Lauren, were STRICTLY bottle fed...where is your ADHD? Where is your guaranteed Cancer? And, please oh please tell me, WHERE IS YOUR REPRODUCTIVE PROBLEM?" "Ahhh....I see where Yer goin' with this..." I replied.

I breathed a sigh of relief. Sanity returned. I wasn't a horrible mom...well, at least not because I gave my son a plastic baby bottle :) . Everyday we are exposed to toxic things-- sometimes in small doses and sometimes in larger doses. But, if we live everyday with the fear of being exposed to even the smallest amount, we will lose out on a lot of what life has to offer. I am not advocating being reckless, but I am advocating living in a somewhat anti-anti-bacterial world. It's okay to be exposed to a little germ here and there. We, as Christians, live not in a state of Fear but in a state of Life. We, as Christians, cannot save our lives or the lives of our loved ones by doing everything perfectly and avoiding all potentially "bad-for-us" things; we are fully dependent on Christ, in whom we live and move and have our being...It is by Him and in Him and through Him that our lives are saved and we live. Through faith and trust in Jesus Christ, we live unbound by the cares and concerns and obsessions of this world and especially of our culture; and, we live unbound by our fears that can overwhelm us to the point of immobility. In Christ, a little plastic is just that: A little plastic.

With that said, I confess that I did just order two glass baby bottles and two Sippy cups that don't contain bisphenol A. I just don't like plastic!

Yeah, go ahead, you can call me crazy!

So Hard to Start and So Easy to Turn it Off!

2007-08-15T16:06:00.000-04:00

I sat starring at this blinking cursor for a long time...what do i write? How do I write it? Will anyone read what I write? Should I care what anyone else thinks? Where are those incessant, rhythmical bird chirps coming from?...Then it hit me, just start writing!

But then, as soon as I began, the incessant, rhythmical bird chirps turned into incessant requests from my child, Quinn, to come get him out of his crib. "Da da de da dooo da de da da DA DA DA wah wah bah da DA!" [trans: Yoohoo, mummy, I'm awake....aren't you super psyched!?"]. I mean, really, haven't I been sitting here during his whole nap just waiting [eagerly, mind you] for him to awake and call me to his room to come get him? Of course I have, I'm a good mom.

**click**

**silence**

Or maybe not so good of a mom after all. When I can hear him without the monitor, then it's time to get him.

I mean it takes a pretty steel heart not to go running to fetch this kid from his solitary confinment:

"DE DE DE DAH DAH DAH....EHHHHH-WHAAAA!"

Well, I can officially hear him without the monitor.

Ugh, it's just so hard to start writing!

Sometimes, a look just says it all!

2007-06-01T10:57:00.001-04:00

Quinn has apparently mastered the fine art of changing his feelings and the corresponding expressions in the span of 5 minutes...This he certainly gets from his mother.
Go me!

2007-01-12T14:09:00.000-05:00

Ah...nothin' like a good cup of Jo from The Vault (brewed by the famous Matt Haberman) after a hard day of work.

2006-12-14T08:20:00.000-05:00

Hey, here's our son! His name is Daniel Joseph Larkin V (Quinn for short) and he was born on Dec. 6 at 9:42 PM.

Smoked Spareribs

2006-05-13T23:32:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone. I thought I'd make a post about the delicious ribs that I made today.

First I made a rub out of brown sugar and spices and salt and stuff. Then I trimmed all of the excess fat off of the ribs and removed the "membrane" from the bone side. That part was gross, but worth the effort in the end.

Then I rubbed the ribs and let them sit for a while. ...

I heated up the grill and got some mesquite chips smoking away. Then I put the ribs on and turned off all of the burners but one, maintaining the temp. at just over 200 degrees. Here's what they looked like:

Then I flipped them every 30 minutes. Here's a picture of the first flip:

After that I flipped every 30 minutes or so for six hours... You can see from the next photo that Lauren and Luci were a big help in this process:

When the ribs were done they were delicious, and they looked like this:

Alex and Jennifer Ielase came over to eat them with us. Alex brought homebrewed beer, so it was a very manly evening indeed!

My Mental Essence

2006-04-24T16:54:00.000-04:00

I'm sitting here writing a paper for a New Testament class (number of the class left off to protect the innocent). It's only supposed to be 20 pages, which is really cool because right now I have a scant 14 single-spaced pages, and i still have a ways to go.

ahhh....suh-weet academia!

So, to let you in as to what I'm mentally feeling right now (and possibly physically, emotionally, and spiritually), I've posted this picture.

I know....so pretty...it's truly one of my best!

This is my mental essence.

The Macintosh

2006-04-23T21:42:00.000-04:00

Boy people sure love their Macintosh computers. Who wouldn't love a computer that makes it fun and easy to do something like this? ...

Our first post

2006-04-22T14:58:00.000-04:00

This is our first blog post. We've decided to start this blog together. Hopefully it will be as fun to read as claytonandteresa.com, but we can only hope.

At any rate, for now we'll just post this fun picture from our wedding. Lauren is giving me a huge bite of cake.

Now you will notice two things... One, that my mouth is huge, and Two, that I am indicating my approval by the "thumbs up" symbol.

...mmm...cake.