My sweet Lulu is in a Moh Moh phase...

and I love it! Lulu (a.k.a. Claire) is all about her Aunt Moh Moh right now. Every time we are together she has to sit right next to me and talk to me and be touching me with at least a finger.

She had surgery on her leg last Friday to have a cyst removed and really wanted me to be there but we were going camping so I wasn't able to be, she told Erin that she she "wished Moh Moh could go and give pointers" (she may be under the misimpression that I am some sort of expert at either needles or surgeries). I guess as soon as the doctor stuck her with the needle to numb her up she freaked out and started crying for me.

Erin immediately got me on the phone and Lulu was in hysterics saying she needed me there. I explained that I wasn't able to come but that I would talk to her on the phone until the procedure was done.

It took about 5 minutes for her to regain her composure and I had her laughing a little while later. She said the shot hurt "real, real bad" but she knew that it wasn't going to hurt nearly as bad as my new tattoo was going to hurt. After she was all done, she told me she loved me and we hung up.

It was such a nice interaction and really made me feel good that she loves me so much and that I was able to help her feel better.

...so about that tatto, I was telling the triplets that I was going to get a tattoo with a star for me and a big moon and small moon for Oscar and Luis. The boys were asking why but Claire only cared about where they were in the tattoo. I had to do a slight modification after than conversation because she was just so sweet about it, so I added 3 little red stars (the color of their birthstone) to the design.

Here is the initial design, it might have to be modified a little depending on what the tattoo artist says, but I'm so excited to get it done tomorrow!

I finally graduated!!

So it only took 12 years (on and off), but I finally graduated with my Bachelors in Human Services on June 20th! I was so excited to get to walk and have my family in the audience...it kind of makes the student loan debt I have feel more worth it.

I was in such a great mood the entire week leading up to graduation and woke up obviously silly with excitement on Saturday morning


Here is the big moment, look at that smile...it says, OMG I can't believe I'm finally done!


Me and my boys


Donny, Luis, me and my mom



Me and the triplets


I'm not sure what Luis was doing here...but I think it's a nice picture of Erin and I



Me and my sweet sweet baby who was a huge inspiration to finish my degree (how am I going to nag him about college in 17 years if I don't have my degree?)


Lets get out of here before they realize there was some sort of mistake!

I had such a nice day and really appreciate my family for supporting me (and giving me a hard time) during these years.

Summer Fun

Luis has been mostly obsessed with water for about 6 months now and since it was so warm a couple of weeks ago I let him play with the hose in the backyard. He had so much fun watering the grass, filling the dog bowl and attempting to spray Momma. That last little gem was because he got me on accident and I screamed, he thought it was so funny that he tried to chase me into the house with the hose. I had to close the backdoor at that point, didn't want my carpet and couches getting watered too.

He also thinks it is so funny to get really close to the camera when I'm trying to take a picture, he doesn't understand how weird it makes him look but whatever. And after every picture I take he insists and seeing it on the camera and then says, "bebe?" (baby).

He has also recently figured out how to place his feet just right and pull himself up on the front door so that he can ring the doorbell. Then he yells into the house, "hello?!" He did this for about 2 hours a couple of Sundays ago.

We went to watch a couple of my co-workers practice with their Irish pipe and drum band, it was so fun. They are going to practice every couple of weeks at Wash Park when the weather is nice. The music was fun to listen to and Luis kept himself occupied by throwing his balls all over the place. He likes to "pitch" them to me (from about a foot from my face) and then I have to throw them back.

He likes to carry them all at once, which thankfully usually results in a good picture opportunity. Luis wore his pajamas to the park since it was going to be past bedtime by the time we got done, he looked a little dorky but oh well...