Friends

While in Rapid City, I got to spend almost every day with my friend Bridget, and I got super spoiled. I may have mentioned this before, but we decided that we probably weren't meant to be neighbors because if we were, we would never get anything done. We would just sit on the porch drinking coffee all day while the boys would build their imaginary worlds in the yard.

But would that be all bad? Who really needs to do laundry anyway?

The four boys had a great time together, and as long as Patrick was around, we knew they wouldn't get into too much trouble. The quintessential oldest child, he made sure that the other kids were following the rules and staying out of trouble. As soon as he was busy elsewhere, Max and Joey did what they do best: wander away. We decided that the two of them are two peas in a pod. They don't deliberately break rules, but they get so engrossed in their games that they forget to stay inside the fence... they forget to not cross the alley... they forget to not try to pet the neighbor's dog... (oh man, oh man.) But Patrick usually reins them back in before too much harm is done. I could sure use him around our place!

I also got to meet beautiful Baby Veronica! She looks just like a tiny version of her big brother Patrick. She's such a sweet baby, and her brothers just dote on her. Not bad to have those two as protectors!

Bridget and I renewed our pact to never go more than three months without seeing each other. We try, but with sick kids and pregnancies and life in general, it doesn't always pan out. But we will continue to try, until they move to Minnesota. (Kidding, guys, I just had to say it)

I'm looking forward to the next Patrick-Max-Joey-Louie adventure. Will they sail in a pirate ship? Swing through trees in the jungle? Explore uncharted territories? Whatever they decide to do, I know I will be content with a cup of coffee and a good friend.

Magoo and Baloo

Max has had the nickname "Mr. Magoo" since he was tiny. There may have been a combination of factors that led to this name: his first babbling sound was "goo", his name started with 'M', he was little, bald and wrinkly. But you know how nicknames are, they really choose themselves. I have no memory of consciously choosing this name for Max, it just happened.

When Lucian was born, I made the mistake of referring to him as Mr. Magoo on a few occasions, and Max responded as if I had been talking to him. Oops! He knows it's HIS nickname, and he's not planning on sharing it with his brother. So I started trying to think of a nickname for Lucian. Besides 'Louie', none of them stuck... because they didn't feel natural.

One day, out of the blue, I picked up Baby Lucian and said, "Hi, Louie-Baloo!" "Oh!" I thought, "That feels right!" And it stuck. It has taken various forms (i.e. Louie-Balouie, Balouie, and just plain Baloo) but in all forms, it fits him perfectly!

So now we have a Mr. Magoo and a Louie-Baloo, but more often they are simply our Magoo and Baloo.