The lost rule of organizing

I am an organizer...sometimes to a fault. And this lost rule of organizing is something for me to heed. Know when to stop.

Big Boy Underwear

We're working on potty-training again around here. It's slow going for two reasons: 1) I (Miriam) do not have the time or desire to devote large amounts of effort to asking Lukie if he has to go potty every three minutes. And if he answers yes, that means I must rush him to the bathroom, unsnap a onesie (if he's wearing one), take down his pants and take off his diaper and get him on the toilet in time...often it just seems easier to let him go in his diaper. Isn't that terrible?

2) Lukie seems determined to poop in his diaper. Even when I catch him trying to poop, and I ask him if he wants to go on the potty, he responds frantically, "No! Go away! I need privacy. Leave. Go. I'm not pooping." He says all of this while earnestly waving his hand at me, showing me where he wants me to go, and quickly!

So, as I mentioned, we're working on potty-training! However, Lukie does love his big boy underpants that happen to have Thomas the train on them. Exciting stuff!

Raking Now

Be sure to check the post below this one!
Abby and Corey raking in November 2009, 2.5 years later. Corey has Isaiah, who is sound asleep, on his front.















The kids had a great time running and jumping into this pile of leaves. Luke, 2; Abby, 4; and
Isaiah, 3 months; all "helping" Corey with the leaves.

Raking then...

These pictures were taken in March of 2007, before Luke was born. We raked all the dead grass out of the yard, with Abby's help. Abby was almost 2 at the time and still in that chubby stage, very cute!

















I was also in the chubby stage, but it wasn't quite as adorable. :-)















Little girl all tired out after raking the yard. No better place to recuperate than in Daddy's arms.

Darth Miriam

My awesome wife got me tickets to the Star Wars: In Concert show playing at the Sprint Center in Kansas City on December 9. Pumped doesn't even begin to describe how I feel about this. My wife is not a fan of Star Wars (i don't even think she has made it through one of the movies yet...and i think she only tried once). On the other hand, I am a huge Star Wars fan (my firstborn son's name is Luke). I read the books (there really is a lot more that goes on than the movies can convey). I even got to watch Star Wars Episode II during its opening week at the Odeon Cinema at Leicester Square in London (there are 1,683 seats...just huge).

This is going to be great. A huge thanks to my wife for such a creative and sacrificial (remember she hates star wars) gift. I wonder if she will let me dress up in costume and take my lightsaber? Probably not, but this ... is ... sweet!

Abby and Izay!

Isaiah is getting so big! He's over 12 pounds now and two months old! Abigail and Luke continue to enjoy being big brother and sister to him. Isaiah ("Izay" as the kids call him) is smiling and cooing frequently which is so much fun!





Abby dressed up like a kitty cat (courtesy of my mom, Mima, who whipped this outfit together). She looked adorable and thought it would be great fun to claw and lick all of her family. She's a great girl!

He's Getting Bigger

Isaiah is 5 weeks old. We had him weighed last week (4 weeks of age) and he was already 9lbs 5 ounces! He had gained 2 lbs since birth, which is a lot in four weeks! We were very grateful for his good weight gain, because that means he's getting enough milk and nursing is going far better than we had hoped for!

Isaiah is a sweet little guy who loves to be held and is a cuddle-bug. He is still not sleeping well at night, getting up to nurse about every 2-3 hours, so I am tired, but I'm getting used to it. Abby's in preschool now and so we have a routine at least 3 out of 5 days.

Baby swap

Our dear friends Jesse and Shanee just had a baby three weeks ago.
Miriam and Shanee playing baby swap.

Mima puts the kids to bed

Miriam and I were reunited to the rest of our family today (Abby and
Luke) in saint Louis. They were excited to see us and isaiah.

Poppio and Isaiah

We are waiting to go court to gain legal custody. This is a picture of
pop (miriam's dad) with Isaiah.

Taking a walk with isaiah

We have been discharged from the hospital and are enjoying it by
taking a nice walk with our new son.

Discharged from hospital and at a park

some isaiah newborn pictures

Here are some more pictures of Isaiah (be sure to scroll down some and see his announcement post).

Adorable (although as with all newborn baby hands, a little non-human looking).

welcome to the family isaiah

The last picture of the family as a foursome. The Corey and Miriam Crandall family...Miriam, Abby, Luke, Corey. This picture was taken in the morning and later that day...

The proud parents of a new baby boy. The miracle of adoption.

Isaiah Matthew Crandall

more PA trip

Pop, Miriam, and the kids going for a canoe ride!

Will, Hallie, Abby, Tristan, Luke

Abby and Hallie went to a day camp together and made these shirts. Abby's artistic style tends to be a little on the wild side. She may have inherited her Dad's artistic ability.

Miriam and kids' trip to PA

Miriam and the kids were able to go to Pennsylvania for the first two weeks in August and visit family. Corey had the opportunity to stay home and work at work and work at home (finishing the retaining wall).


Abby is a little nervous but had a great time once mom got behind her.

Luke is afraid of nothing. What an adorable little face! That's my boy!

Luke and Cousin Tristan (6 months apart) exploring in the woods.

6 year anniversary

Miriam and I had our 6 year anniversary on August 2 of 2009. We celebrated it last weekend on the Kansas City Plaza. We had a great time and enjoyed some time just for the two of us. We ate at Cafe Trio and walked around the plaza (why does everything close so early?) and shopped. That weekend was quite a bit different than what we are doing this weekend with our new son.

6 fingers, 6 years. Awesome!

Isaiah Matthew Crandall arrives

At 8:45pm on Thursday 8/20/2009 in the green corner weighing in at a
lean mean 7 lbs 6 oz and 19 inches long...the master of sleep, Isaiah
Matthew crandall.
Welcome to the family son!

Abby the flower girl

Abby was the flower girl in my cousin's (Eric and Carrie) wedding yesterday. Abby looked so beautiful (just like her mom).
My nephew (my brother's boy Brycen) was the ring bearer. They make quite the pair. It was a fun wedding.