You know, three kids really hasn't been so bad so far.

Now, there have been moments... like the week after we came home from the hospital and went to pick up Ethan at school... I had a horrible migraine-like headache, so my MIL (that'd be mother-in-law) was driving. About five minutes from school, Sam started crying... which made my head start ripping apart at the seams... and then Laney started crying... which made the skin peel off my face... and then Laney threw up because she got so upset -- about nothing serious, may I point out, because she just didn't want to put her drink in her cupholder... WHAT?!?! -- which made my gag reflex kick into super-turbo-overdrive.

On top of all of that, we still had to sit in line for 20 minutes with two screaming kids (one which reeked of barely digested Chick-Fil-A).

That was possibly one of the worst moments of my life.

Anyway, so far it has been relatively peaceful. Sam is growing so fast -- I can hardly believe he'll be five weeks old tomorrow!

Thankfully, he hasn't lost his sweet, laid back temperament yet... unlike his sister, who is, at this moment, flipping out -- full-on screaming and crying -- because it's not time for Dora yet.

Like I can help that.

Anyway, Laney and Ethan have been in rare form lately, and I'm beginning to wonder if, somehow, their bizarre behavior is not because we're their parents.

Now, some behavior, I will not take responsibility for. This morning, for example, at 7:45 a.m., Laney and I were driving back from dropping E off at school, and Laney starts chanting like Rainman that she wants to moo.

This is all my dad.

It seems that when my dad took Ethan to school, they would drive by the big cow fields (like there aren't fifty of those around our house). Toad would roll down the windows, so Ethan could hang his head out and yell, "MOOOOO!!!" at the cows.

When we'd pass the big fields on our way to or from anywhere, E would clamor about wanting to moo, and so finally, I caved... and it was hilarious!

Cows make me laugh anyway because they're kind of wall-eyed and bumbly... but their reaction to this big-headed kid hanging out the window of my MV yelling "MMMOOOOO!!!!" at the top of his lungs was so funny. They definitely didn't know what to think and were extremely concerned.

I imagine those cows on the California cheese commercials talking...

Since then, the kids -- both Ethan and Laney -- are obsessed with mooing... so much so that every time we get in the car, one of them mentions going to moo.

Now, we've probably single-handedly reduced the milk production around here by 50% -- the cows look absolutely disturbed and probably don't give any milk.

Anyway, here we are @ 7:45 a.m., and Laney is hanging out the window like a happy dog, hair unbrushed and wearing only a summer pajama shirt and pull-up because she changed her clothes in the middle of the night, yelling "MOOOOOO! MMMOOOOO!!!" at the top of her lungs.

I take no responsibility for teaching them that.

On the other hand, some things are my fault, like their incredible silliness, which I encourage because it makes me laugh.

Take a gander at these pictures:

These are Ethan & Laney's sketch-o Halloween costumes. This year, they are going as Velma and Freddy of Scooby Doo fame while Emma and Reece, their beloved cousins are dressing up as Daphne and Scooby. Sam, because no one makes Scrappy Doo or Shaggy costumes for babies, is going as the proverbial monster that must be apprehended.

Now, I knew it would be funny, but I had no idea how funny. Laney (aside from the dirty face) actually kind of looks like Velma, and while Ethan doesn't look anything like Freddy, the wig in itself is enough to crack me up for days.

I can't wait to see the whole gang together!

(And yes -- the MV is going to be the Mystery Machine... well, at least a modern version without the crazy paint job BUT including a nice ding on the side from the mailbox that I hit this summer. :-))

When I dress them up like this and laugh, I can't help but think they may be the way they are because of my distorted sense of humor...