We demonstrate an approach for the complete characterization of temporally identical ultrashort pulses at the focal point in a pump-probe experiment for potential use of pump-probe data deconvolution. Our approach uses three envelope measurements, autocorrelation, fundamental, and second harmonic spectra, combined with an error minimization pulse retrieval scheme. The three envelope approach is suitable when the measured envelopes have low noise and minimal systematic errors. (c) 2008 American Institute of Physics.