The Mouse Family Blog

More Halloween pics of Lauren in her costume (added on 11/5) ...see below!


Lauren celebrated her first Halloween with her little buddies Charlie and Ethan. Charlie's parents threw a party...It's the great pumpkin Charlie Bischoff! And we all got together with friends to snack on spooky food (loved the ghostly shepherds pie and spiderweb cake!) and greet trick-or-treaters. Lauren was a butterfly. Her Grandma Ann and Grandpa Clark bought the outfit when they were in Chicago. Charlie was dressed as a pumpkin and Ethan was a purple dinosaur. Lauren's mom can't resist an opportunity to don her cowgirl duds and even Jace was persuaded to put on a costume for a few minutes (Daddy Diaper Duty - thanks Hills for the loan). He might argue that his costume was pretty close to reality...Lauren had a big poop in the car on the way there and the tongs and face mask would have come in handy! Luckily she wasn't wearing her costume yet, so it stayed clean. Ah, life with a baby.

The below picture is Lauren at home on Halloween in her Baby's First Boo onsie and the Baby Legs knock-off's that I made for her.

We're so glad you wrote a comment! I have completely lost your contact information. Can you send it to me?

jace ==at== jacemouse.com

Friends of ours just welcomed their third child into the world! Thaddeus Michael
Born: 2:49pm on Sunday, October 28, 2007. Stats: 8lbs, 19 3/4 inches
Congrats to the proud parents Mike and Paige!

Liz and Jace's Family News Blog is also happy to welcome links to the blogs of Windy City Westy's and The Campins. See their sites by clicking the links on the right side of this page.

The much anticipated sequel to Rolling Over the Movie. The critics have much to say...

"Lauren is the hottest new eater on the block."
--Bucktown Mom's Group

"Mom's hand should be up for an Oscar nod for best supporting actress."
--Hand Actors Guild of America

"The part where Lauren gagged herself with the spoon almost made me cry."
--Indy The Greyhound

"The Mouse family keeps turning out hits."
--Rush Hospital

Labels: Movies

We can't believe how many milestones are passing this month. Lauren rolling over, Lauren with teeth, Lauren sitting up, Lauren sitting in a highchair, Lauren eating solids. Babies are amazing. Here are some pictures that document her highchair at home, some sitting up and eating (in one case, eating her shoe)! The sitting up picture below also shows those bottom teeth.

While in Indiana, we went out for lunch with Lauren's Great Grandma Marsh. Lauren had her first experience sitting up at the table like a big girl in a highchair. She has just mastered sitting and decided to knock that milestone out of the park. She was entertained by the ceiling fans in the restaurant. I took a video that apparently none of us were aware of, since we continued on with our conversation. Even Lauren just kept right on talking.

While Andy's family was here, we took a drive (oops rush hour) out to Naperville for a visit with Liz and Andy's Uncle Paul and Aunt Pat. We ate at Ted's Montana Grill. Lauren didn't remember it, but she was there before, in utero just a few days before she was born. At first we weren't sure if it would be a good place for kids, but it turns out Ted's is a hotbed for child dining. Sophie had a blast tearing up the paper tablecloth and Lauren enjoyed flinging toys from her highchair. The waitstaff is super nice and even brought out a roll of heavyduty tape to try and prevent Sophie from pulling off pieces of tablecloth... no such luck. We had yummy dessert at Paul and Pat's house and all the girls got clean diapers for the drive back to Chicago. Lauren even needed a clean outfit. Good thing we were traveling with a spare. All three girls were out past their bedtime and after an "all cry" in the van, they slept most of the way home.

Lauren visited the Shedd in Chicago for the first time this week. She went with her Arizona cousins. Andy, Mara, Sophie and Zoe came up to Chicago for a few days. It was probably the coldest weather any of the little girls had been out in. We liked seeing the dolphin show and the baby beluga that was just born. I bought Lauren the board book Baby Beluga based on the song by Raffi. Mara had been singing it, and I really thought it was too cute.

While in Indiana, Lauren got to visit an apple orchard. Grandma Ann, Aunt Mara and cousins Sophie and Zoe went with Lauren and Mommy to the orchard. We saw bees in a Plexiglas hive, a tower of pumpkins and gourds, a lama (Tina, come get some ham!) and some baby goats. It was cold!

We took another trip back to the Indiana house. Liz's brother Andy, and his wife Mara and daughters Sophie and Zoe were in town from Arizona.

Grandma Marsh (Liz's Grandma) holding Lauren and Sophie.











Lauren and Zoe playing together on the floor.







All three cousins in their matching Pooh outfits.








Andy with Zoe and Lauren.

This posting is a little after the fact, but Jace and I didn't get any photos taken with our camera, so I'm just going to have to improvise until we can get some photos of the event from our friends. On Sunday, October 14, Lauren was dedicated in front of our church family, at Park Community Church in Chicago. Lauren and about 23 other babies, including Josie and Everett (babies from my mom's group) were presented during the service by their parents who shared a Bible verse to commemorate the occasion.

Lauren's verse is Micah 6:8 He has showed you what is good...and what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Then our prayer partners, Ben and Colleen prayed for Lauren. It was really special. Lauren looked darling in a pretty white dress. Afterward, we had brunch at the Mouse House to celebrate!

Labels: Movies

Lauren and Mommy went out for a fall weather stroll. Really, I just needed an excuse to dress her in some items from her Fall/Winter 07 wardrobe. I fell in love with this mouse hat and brown hoodie. Lauren is pretty good at sucking her lower lip and thumbs/fingers these days.

Look out world, Lauren has teeth! Maybe it should be look out mommy ;)
This past Friday (10/12), I was hanging out with Lauren and I decided to stick my finger in her mouth to check for any progress there, and I was amazed to feel two sharp little front teeth sticking through her bottom gums. I called Jace at work and gave him the good news.

Both of her teeth seem to be sticking through about the same amount, so I will assume they came in at the same time. We think the teething went pretty well for Lauren. Especially since her behavior wasn't changed enough for us to have noticed. She had been having a slightly more difficult time falling asleep for naps and bedtime, but I had been attributing this to her recent skill at turning over from her back to her tummy. She does it in the crib, and so she had to get used to falling asleep on her tummy. The teeth just crept in amidst all the rolling over fuss. They are hard to get a look at, much less snap a picture of, so we'll have to wait to get them documented by photo.

Photo added 10/18! There are two little white teeth poking up from (what looks like in this picture) the top of her lower lip. We figured out the best way to get a look at them was by letting her gum a glass!

On occasion, Lauren is dressed in a gender neutral color... or she is dressed in pink and people just know know any better... but she gets mistaken for a boy. It happens to all baby girls at least once. Some friends suggested a hair bow. She doesn't have enough hair in the front for a bow, but she does have a round enough head for a headband... and a big flower!

The last of the summer weather left Chicago this week. I can't say how grateful I am to God that Lauren was born in the spring. We've had the longest window of time to enjoy the outdoors. I loved going for walks with the stroller through our neighborhood. Usually we'd walk at least 2 hours a day or more! On our last walk, we went to Wicker Park and actually went into the children's playground. Lauren seems to enjoy when I swing her up and down in my arms, so I figured I'd give the infant swing a try. I buckled her in and gave it a gentle push - no reaction. I gave it a bigger push - no reaction. So I kept pushing and she finally cracked a grin. I had to crouch down and act excited before she let her emotions show on her face. The video will give you an idea of how blase' Lauren found the swing. I hope as she gets older that she will have her mommy's love of heights and roller coasters. I hope she'll let me teach her to rock climb.

Labels: Movies

This past weekend, we took Lauren to Liz's hometown of Greenfield, IN to meet some family she hadn't been introduced to yet. We had a nice brunch with Lauren's Great Grandparents, Uncle Mike and Liz's cousins and their families. From left to right: Max, Lauren, Vivian (Max and Vivian are Liz's cousin Shauta's kids) and Ashton (daughter to Liz's cousin Scott's girlfriend).



Lauren with Uncle Mike.






Lauren with her Great-Grandma Marsh (and Grandpa in the background!)










Lauren with Vivian and Vivian's dad Jim Walker.

Lauren visited baby Charlie today. Heather, Amanda and I had a girls lunch. It was a beautiful day to sit outside and stroller the girls around. Then Lauren and Charlie both had tummy time. Lauren was having a good time looking at baby Charlie.

We love Lauren's big smile!

Indy makes a great pillow! I sat Lauren on the couch by Indy and she leaned over to give him a hug.

Born September 27, 4:43 a.m. to Lauren and Chris.
8 lbs. 5 oz. and measured 21.5 inches


More info at -- The Hill's Photo Site

Look out world! Lauren has figured out how to roll over. Last week we had a rolling over fluke. I was playing with Lauren on the floor in her room. She was on her tummy and was looking at a stuffed sled dog that her Grandma Ann and Grandpa Clark got for her in Alaska. I had been making the dog bark, which attracted Indy. While I was petting Indy, Lauren rolled over from her front to her back. I didn't actually see it happen (bad Indy). But she wasn't able to repeat the trick.

But yesterday, as if to usher in her 5 month birthday with gusto, she rolled over several times. The first was from her back to her front while lying on the carpet in the hallway (helping me do laundry). I think she had a push off from daddy's suitcase. Then I put her down for a nap. She was fussing her way off to dreamland and I was talking on the phone with my brother Andy. Her fussing turned to crying and I got off the phone. But by the time I got to her room, all was quiet. I figured I'd peek in just to make sure she was ok. There she was, sleeping on her stomach! She had never fallen asleep on her stomach before, not even during tummy time as an infant. I took this picture to document. I think she had some help with leverage against the side of the crib based on the position of her feet.

This morning I placed her on her back on her play gym. She rolled over again while reaching for and grasping a toy that her daddy smartly placed at the farthest corner. We're excited that she has reached this milestone, but will have to step up surveillance when changing and playing with her on the bed or couch.

Here is our Lauren. Five Months old. She is amazing every day. Lately we've been enjoying all the new sounds she is making. She is also very inquisitive about everything around her. She loves to see Indy and looks for him every morning after we get her out of her crib. She will follow us around the room with her eyes. She reaches out for everything, especially her toys and mom's coffee mugs. She has found her feet, but can't get them in her mouth yet. Estimated weight on the home scale is 18.5 pounds. She sleeps 12 hours at night with one (and sometimes 2) wakings to eat. She is still a 30 minute cat napper, but her disposition during the day is cheery, so we've stopped worrying about that.

Daddy got her this onesie with cute trick-or-treat ghosties and "Baby's 1st Boo" on the sleeve. We think the orange sets off her beautiful black heifer for this lovely fall picture. She was talking to her heifer during the photo shoot so I took some video too. The last two days her voice has sounded a bit hoarse.



Liz has a growth chart that shows the weights of her and her brothers, Andy and Mike. Lauren is currently 22 weeks old and weighs 18.5lbs. At 22 weeks Liz weighed 16lbs; Andy weighed 17.5lbs and Mike weighed 15.5lbs.

Click the Monthly Photos link below to compare all five monthly pictures of Lauren.

Labels: Monthly Photos, Movies

We laugh each time we try to get Lauren out of her Bumbo baby sitter. Her plump thighs always get trapped in the leg openings and we have to stand her up first to 'pop' her out of it. She doesn't seem to mind... of course she can't see herself from the back.