uh oh, Monson is now the age of accountability

It's Monson's turn...

Wow...we have a new Scout in the house. And he's already done all the requirements for his bobcat...he WILL be an Eagle Scout. Isn't he handsome? Even IF I put is hankie on weird...



Monson loves strumming the guitar. Look at those blue eyes!

He'll never pass up a nice treat....and then proceed to wear it all over his face. This was his 7th bday last year.

Bray & Mons have to stay together with all the estrogen in this house--they're showing their BYU spirit with these great wigs. Monson never passes up a photo-op.

Bray & Mons love to hang out...and Mons adores his baby sis.



You've read all about Mr. Helpful...I took this picture because I found him helping out once again by doing someone else's job. What a good deed do-er!

Spring/Summer is VERY busy in our house with birthday celebrations!

While I was in the hospital gazing into McKenzie's bright blue eyes, an overwhelming feeling came over me that another baby was on his way very soon, and to prepare myself. I knew it would be a boy, and how overwhelming that feeling was that I was allowed this 'revelation' in a perfect moment.... It was like I was being told, 'Okay...don't get too comfortable with two...you can do this!'

I just had two babies 18 months apart...how SOON is soon? By the time McKenzie was 6 months old, I was pregnant again. People thought I was nuts and quite frankly, I can't contest that. I was a baby factory. But the great thing about this, was that I KNEW. I had one of those 'mother intuition' experiences; I knew this special little boy was on his way and I was just fine with that. It got me closer, faster, to my six that I have always known were mine, ours....waiting to join our family.

Monson was born in the same hospital, by the same doctor, in the exact same room as McKenzie...just 15 months later. He weighed in at 6 lbs. 7 oz. Those McLaughlin kids just don't like to bake longer than they have to! I swear they all have this grave determination that is going to get us all in trouble! We never secured a name for this third child before delivery, but another 'mommie moment' came to me after he was born while I was still recovering in the hospital.

I felt strongly that he needed an amazing name...he needed to be named after someone who he could always look up to and follow unceasingly. We thought about William (his paternal g'pa none of us ever knew), Niels (his maternal gpa x 2), Reddin (pat gpa x4), I thought about using 'Menzie' my maiden name...Curt would NEVER go for that, as well as all the unique turned trendy names back in the day...and then it came to me. 'Monson.' He had to be named Monson. I don't think it's a coincidence that exactly eight years later, the year Monson is to be baptized, that President Monson is sustained our latter-day Prophet. Chills.

Anyone who held baby Monson can attest to the special spirit he had...very different than other babies. And I'm not saying that because he's mine. He has a unique spirit that is just different than the rest of my babies. Not better, not worse, not more special, just unique.

It is no secret that hands down, Monson was the hardest toddler. We breezed through 'babyhood' with three kids under three years old, but when he hit 14 months old, something snapped inside and his inner monster came out...really. We saw specialist after specialist trying to be sure we gave him the best care and quality of life we could...we were certain something was wrong and needed to be fixed. We did sleep studies at Primary Children's, we saw a psychologist, we saw neurologists...

He was going to drive us to the nut house! It took until he was about 4 years old to snap out of it, and he only showed that crazy side to his family...everyone else thought WE were the nutty ones because Monson was so sweet to everyone else. Like Izzie, everybody loves Monson. It's the magnetic personality...they are two peas in a pod. But Monson was a LOT harder, hands down. We are just grateful his inner monster went away and that he only has his fits when he's beyond tired.

• Monson is a super friendly kid

• He has a hard shell on the outside

• soft candy shell on the inside..Mr. Sensitive

• He is our cuddly kid

• loves getting hugs

• He has an electrifying smile...and a twinkle in his eye
  

• He gravitates towards older kids...his best friends are always at least a year older

• He has talent! ...he can play piano 'by ear' and it's his way of decompressing

• He has a uniquely wonderful singing voice
  

• Monson's middle name is mischief

• He is a VERY active boy

• Teases the girls relentlessly

• He's mr. fun fun

• He can be Oscar the grouch

• Loves to skateboard

• He's happiest when he's outside playing

• He needs his decompress time

• Feed him, or the inner monsters come alive

• He can be oh, so helpful and take great initiative...and he can be quite the polar opposite too.

I think the 'gist' of Monson's personality comes out in all these pictures.

Happy, Happy Birthday, Monson Man! Wow, I truly cannot believe you are EIGHT!

He's so darn cute...and he wears his food most the time.

That bright smile I was talking about

Mons loved the snow more than anyone...shoveling the driveway
AND loving his sis Izzie when she was a baby.

preschool graduation with his best friend, Seth...
And the sleep study we did with him when he was 4...crazy times.

"Lexie, look at the camera!"

Bob or Monson the Builder and who? He wanted to be just like Kenz. No, he doesn't make a habit of dressing like this, I promise.

"Put up your dukes" And of course he wasn't supposed to wear these in the house...

Huntington Beach with my three...we've doubled our fam since then
And Mons didn't need his training wheels too long...he was riding solo by 3 years old.

Today, on his actual bday, Monson had a party. We decided LONG ago that the kids could only have friend-parties when they turn 5, 8, 12, and 16. No real rhyme or reason, other than that 5 (go into K), 8 (baptized), 12 (ym/yw, priesthood), and 16 (freedom, woohoo!) are pretty special years...and this momma is NOT going to throw bashes every year for every child--overwhelming thought. So, it doesn't come around too often. Monson chose to go to Boomers and had a blast with four of his great friends and all his siblings. We miniature golfed, road bumper boats, played laser tag, ate pizza, popcorn and ice cream cupcakes, played arcade games...what more could an 8 year old want?! My friend calls herself Princess Birthday because she celebrates, and celebrates, and goes on and on for a week...sometimes longer. So this year, Monson is our Birthday King. Really, this will be a week-long birthday celebration as we head to Utah tomorrow and he sees his friends, cousins, aunts, uncles and is baptized in Paradise Lake on the 29th...should be a truly unique and memorable experience for him!
Stay tuned...