The Mouse Family Blog

This past Saturday we headed to nearby Dean Park for an Easter Egg hunt. When we got there, we were met by the Chicago Park District guy on his way out of the park with a cardboard box full of plastic eggs. He told us that the turn out was too low for an actual hunt and that he'd just let the kids take the eggs they wanted out of the box. How romantic. Lauren grabbed a few for her basket and while we stood there on the sidewalk outside the park we saw the Easter bunny guy drive up. Let's just say we felt like he looked like he did not relish the job and that being and Easter bunny is not a profitable enough job to own a car from the most recent 2 decades. I'm being judgmental and I know it, but we thought it was pretty funny to imagine this guy as more of a movie character that disgruntledly pulls on the bunny head and tromps over to a waiting pack of kids with a disposition akin to the department store Santa in A Christmas Story. Here's a few more pics of Lauren and her daddy with her Eater basket, and of the "egg hunt"!

I think Lauren is going to love rollercoasters as much her mommy and
Grandma Saundra. In the swings, she simply yells "Higher, higher,
higher!" and "Can you go under?"

These days I don't always get to my email in a timely manner, so it was almost a missed opportunity when I finally saw an email from Amanda about a kids clothing resale event that we had been to last year. The challenge was that the event was the day after I opened the email. Thinking quickly (this is an event where you don't want to have your child with you), I hatched a plan to drag our poor friend Heather in to babysit. We promised free lunch and full tank of gas (yes I asked her to babysit and drive us to Wheaton)! Heather was a good sport, Amanda and I have developed some keen skills and were the first ones in the door, and had our shopping done in 30 minutes flat. Among other things, I scored a pair of Stride Rite shoes for Lauren for $5. We then had a filling meal of all-you-can-eat soup, salad and breadsticks at Olive Garden. On the ride home, Lauren and Charlie (who may never be allowed to sit next to each other again) had a rare moment of beauty when they decide to hold hands and Lauren declared "You're my friend."

Five of us grown up ladies went out to eat with our five little ladies. It was Amanda's birthday last week, hence the official reason for the luncheon, but Megan and Lindsay were also celebrating birthdays this month, so a festive atmosphere was abounding. We hit Wishbone on Lincoln Ave. What a brilliant place for a weekday lunch. We could make a reservation so that our table (with it's five highchairs) was all set up and ready to go when we arrived. There are some open street parking spots (not metered) on School street for an easy <2 block walk. And they have grits.

Daddy, said "Uh, oh. Daddy has you trapped between his legs."

Lauren replied, "I want out."

Daddy asks, "What's the magic word?"

Lauren replied, "Help, Grandma!"

Well...let's just say it's not a pony!
"Umm what?" you might be thinking. During our last visit with Mouse family in Oklahoma, Lauren was asked if she wanted the new baby to be a boy or a girl. She responded "a pony!"

It's a GIRL!

We're thrilled to have found out today that the new baby (20 wks along) is a girl. She was being very coy during the ultrasound and kept that bit of information private for as long as possible. The nurse had to ask me to get off the table and walk around for a few minutes to get the baby to move into a favorable position. Hopefully she'll carry her modesty with her for life :)

Lauren has such a great love for the beach this trip. We've gone every day. Here are a few shots of one of her favorite activities, bucket supervisor. She takes them down and fills them with water, dumps them into each other, scoops sand into them, puts shells in them, you name it. The most amusing is how she carries them draped up each arm like hand bags. Papa calls them her 'beach bling'! And don't let the pictures fool you, there are usually tons of people on the beach, but today we visited one of Grandma Ann's distant cousins who has a condo with private beach access in an area with far fewer crowds than the public beach. We enjoyed a dip in their pool too.

If pictures of Lauren watering plants almost makes daddy cry, he should steady himself for these cute pics from the last few days at the beach. I think pictures of sand and sun might make most of our Chicago friends mist up. It's been really nice weather here.

We have...
Thomas the Train's first time at the beach. He swam very well.

Lauren trying mommy's ice cream cone.

Lauren taking mommy's ice cream cone.

Lauren taking a dip in her bucket to wash off the ice cream.

Hooray for Florida! Lauren and mommy are visiting Grandma Ann and Papa Clark in sunny Sarasota this week. We have been to the aquarium already and the beach twice. Lauren surprised us by being fearless about the water despite it's chilly temperature. She loves to stamp her feet as the waves come in and tries to go out as far as you'll let her. She also loves to demolish sand castles.

This morning she helped Papa water the plants. The result was way more water on Lauren.

Liz here. Lauren and I are enjoying Florida right now and I wanted to post some pics from our trip so far, but first some old business from the camera we hadn't posted yet...

Here are Lauren and Charlie having a play date the Friday before we left.

Also pictured is Lauren's latest passion, 'cooking' at the sink.


We also have a picture of the darling Princess Anna on the occasion of her first birthday party. Happy first birthday Anna. After we get back from Florida and have access to photo editing software, we'll try to post some better pics from the event. Lauren wanted me to tell you she had a blast and a) enjoyed the attention from Ben's mom b) is really fond of the cake Colleen's mom makes c) is sorry for driving the 4 wheeler into the coat rack.