I cannot believe my sweet Emily is almost six months old. She is such a happy baby and we are having lots of fun with her. She has just started trying her first foods. So far she has had bananas, pears, carrots, sweet potatoes, and peas. She seems to like all of the foods about the same. She is still learning how to eat from a spoon and makes lots of funny faces when we feed her. And she still does the gag, shiver, gag response to most foods. But then she smiles and kicks her feet and lunges for more :) And she is definitely working on a few teeth. She usually has two fingers in her mouth at all times, biting and chewing and lots and lots of drool. She is going this week for her six month appointment with the pediatrician so I will update with her stats then.
Luke was so proud of the little Indian hat and vest that he made at school. They had special Thanksgiving stations last week and he couldn't wait to show me what all he made. And, of course, he is still pretty proud of the tooth that he lost and the "big" tooth that is slowly taking it's place. I love this little guy so much...wish I could just bottle him up and keep him just like this forever :)
Last week at MOPs we talked about the importance of capturing "the everyday" of our lives. Not just for us but for our children. I admit, as a photographer, it is difficult to let go sometimes and not worry about the technical aspect of a photo and just be in the moment and capture that memory for my children. My kids do things every day that I find myself thinking, "oh how I wish I could just freeze time and keep you this way forever..." And these moments don't always take place in the beautiful, yummy light (as I call it)...sometimes these moments are during dinner when the only light source is the chandelier overhead (yuck!). But what I realized, is that first off, I've become a photography snob. That's right, I'm picky about what and when I will shoot...even when it comes to "the everyday". And, second, I am missing lots of moments because of this.
So, I am breaking free. I am vowing to post only SOOC (straight out of camera) images of my kids. I am letting go. I will focus on capturing our everyday life, the kids just as they are, doing what they love...where they want to do it. :)
I love Emily's big, squishy tummy! Her legs and arms are still pretty skinny, but she's got this big tummy and I just love it!
Olivia made this little turkey hand print at school last week. She was so proud of herself and I love it!
More crafts that Olivia made...a lion (they learned the story of Daniel and the Lion's Den)...and a picture from the petting zoo that came to their school. :)
Our refrigerator...and a close up of the turkey that Olivia decorated all by herself. Luke had to decorate one for school, so we made a copy and let Olivia do one too. She loves doing homework with Bub :)
I love this! Luke wrote this all by himself!
Emily loves her play mat. She loves grabbing at the toys that hang down, playing with her feet and rolling around. One day she rolled all the way off the play mat and across the floor!
So, I am breaking free. I am vowing to post only SOOC (straight out of camera) images of my kids. I am letting go. I will focus on capturing our everyday life, the kids just as they are, doing what they love...where they want to do it. :)
I love Emily's big, squishy tummy! Her legs and arms are still pretty skinny, but she's got this big tummy and I just love it!
Olivia made this little turkey hand print at school last week. She was so proud of herself and I love it!
More crafts that Olivia made...a lion (they learned the story of Daniel and the Lion's Den)...and a picture from the petting zoo that came to their school. :)
Our refrigerator...and a close up of the turkey that Olivia decorated all by herself. Luke had to decorate one for school, so we made a copy and let Olivia do one too. She loves doing homework with Bub :)
I love this! Luke wrote this all by himself!
Emily loves her play mat. She loves grabbing at the toys that hang down, playing with her feet and rolling around. One day she rolled all the way off the play mat and across the floor!
Does it get any cuter? Baby bumblebee, tiny baby blue bird scooting across my floor, papa smurf, strawberry shortcake, snow white, and, of course, my own little SUPER GIRL... I wish I would have been able to take more pictures of the cuteness, but a certain little somebody kept the milk bar busy. We had such a fun time and we loved seeing all the little kiddies dressed up in their costumes. Now, after a sugar crash meltdown and a much needed nap, we are gearing up for our second Halloween party of the day! So fun!
Luke gets to play catcher (his favorite position), pitcher, and hits a double! He played a great game!
Make sure you are watching at 720p to view in HD!
So tonight we are hurrying up to the ball fields for Luke's t-ball game and I notice the kids packing all 157 of these tiny army guys into a back pack. I tell Luke that he cannot bring them in the car, there are way too many pieces and they will get lost in the car. He says "okay" and we proceed out the door. As we are driving down the road, Luke pulls out a huge freezer bag stuffed with all 157 tiny army guys and says, "look what we brought, Mommy!" Obvious blatant disobedience, right? So I tell him he is in trouble and will not be able to play with the army guys all day tomorrow. He starts whining about how unfair that is and I just tune him out and go back into my happy place. Then Olivia chimes in with, "why you sad at Bubba?" I tell her that he is in trouble because I told him not to bring the army guys and he did it anyway. Then she says "so you sad at me, too?" I said, "no you are not in trouble, Bubba is the one who disobeyed". She gets this confused look on her face and then said "Bubba not know". I said, "what do you mean, Bubba not know?" Then Luke yells out, "Sister is the one who packed them up in her back pack and brought them into the car!" I asked Sister if that was true. She shakes her head no while saying yes. It's obvious she cannot decide if she wants to tell the truth and get in trouble or tell a fib. Then she puts her little hands up in the air and says "whaaaat? we not s'posed to bring army guys? whaaat?"
I start laughing because she's just so darn cute. And, because she seriously had no idea that she was disobeying by bringing them. And, here I am getting onto Bub when he did actually listen to me. The baby is crying at this point and I begin to laugh even more, as a defense mechanism, I'm sure. Then Olivia says "ooooh, you just jokin', Mommy?...we not in trouble??...you just teasin' us?..." I say "no you are not in trouble, neither one of you is in trouble." She gets a confused look again and says "well then, whobody in trouble?" I laugh even more and then I get to where I cannot stop laughing. The baby is in total freak out mode and here I am still laughing, uncontrollably.
I start laughing because she's just so darn cute. And, because she seriously had no idea that she was disobeying by bringing them. And, here I am getting onto Bub when he did actually listen to me. The baby is crying at this point and I begin to laugh even more, as a defense mechanism, I'm sure. Then Olivia says "ooooh, you just jokin', Mommy?...we not in trouble??...you just teasin' us?..." I say "no you are not in trouble, neither one of you is in trouble." She gets a confused look again and says "well then, whobody in trouble?" I laugh even more and then I get to where I cannot stop laughing. The baby is in total freak out mode and here I am still laughing, uncontrollably.
Emily will be 3 months old on Thursday and I cannot believe how fast time is flying by these days! She is such a happy, easy-going, calm, smiley, sweet little girl. She smiles at everyone! She is just like Luke was as a baby...so, so smiley and happy. And she laughs and giggles now too! She is very, very ticklish. When we went in for her last doctor appointment, she belly laughed during the entire exam. The doctor and I couldn't stop laughing because every time she would touch her, Emily would start up again. It was so cute. And she is very communicative in her expressions and her little coos. And even her cries. When she is hungry her cry sounds like "neee-neee...neee", almost like she is saying "need". ;) And her cries for sleepy, wet/dirty, and hurt are so distinct that I immediately know what she needs.
She weighs 10 pounds, 14.6 ounces (25%), is 24 inches long (82%), and her head circumference is 15 inches (11%). She has had the DTaP, Hib, Hep B, Polio, Pneumococcal, and Rotavirus vaccines. She is starting to use her hands more and even tries to put her own paci back in her mouth. She reaches for toys and is now grabbing my hair, my shirt, my face...basically anything close enough to grab. She goes to sleep for the night around 6-7pm, wakes to eat at 10pm and then usually sleeps until about 4:30am. I usually let her lay in bed with me and nurse off and on until we get up for the day at about 6:30-7am. She wakes up happy and full and likes to hang out in her bouncer while I get the kids ready for school.
I just love this little girl so much and couldn't imagine life without her. She completes our family so perfectly and I'm so blessed to be her mommy. :)
The kids found this cute little frog on our front porch last night. They had so much fun "playing" with him and named him "froggie"...my kids are so original. ;) A little later they found his "brother" and named him "poggie". They enjoyed holding and talking too little "froggie" and "poggie". They asked them questions like "are you lost?"..."where did you come from?"..."are you looking for your mommy and daddy?"...
It was so cute, I just had to run and grab the camera. We were all a little sad when we had to let little "froggie" and "poggie" go back to their home...
It was so cute, I just had to run and grab the camera. We were all a little sad when we had to let little "froggie" and "poggie" go back to their home...
Baby girl started preschool today and boy was she excited! We packed her polka dot backpack and lunch box, gave her a special "first day of school" hairdo, gathered her nap mat and blankie, and off we went! She skipped on in to the church with the biggest grin on her face. She was so proud of herself and felt like such a big girl. She walked right into her new classroom with Ms. Terry and Ms. Terry and didn't even look back. I don't think I even got a goodbye kiss. Little miss independent... Love her!
Dear Sissy,
I hope your first day of preschool is fabulous! I hope you meet lots of new friends and get to play outside in this beautiful weather. You are such a sweet girl, I know you're teachers are already in love with you. Mommy misses your sweet face today, but I'll be there waiting when school is over to hear all about your day.
Love,
Mom
P.S. - Please stop growing up so fast...stay just like this forever. ;)
A Mom's Prayer On the First Day of School
from the Rocks in My Dryer Blog
Here we are again, Lord. Their backpacks are loaded and their faces are scrubbed and their lunch accounts are full.
And I know you'll walk with them, Lord. You always do. But a mom still has to ask.
Will You walk with them? Will You whisper to them what they need to hear, when I'm not there to whisper it?
Will You please, oh please, cover their school with the protection only You can give, and will You keep harm far away?
Will You make their minds strong and ready to learn? Will You help them understand that hard work honors the One who created them?
Will You guide their teachers, giving them patience and wisdom and creativity and more patience? Will You bless them for their efforts?
Will You love all those children there, the ones whose lunch accounts aren't full, the ones who feel alone? Will You teach my children to be kind and unselfish and to love those who are different from them?
Will You point them back toward home just as soon as you can?
Lord, I give them to You today and everyday, trusting them to Your care.
Amen.