The Forgotten Christmas Pictures

I just found all these Christmas time pictures on my computer from mom's camera. Just adding them so I'll have them when I make my book.

My Man

There have been some days that three kids under three kicks my butt. Acutally it is the two two year olds kicking my butt. The days start out good and go pretty well until about 5 pm. This is because the girls have pretty much given up napping. Every few days I can get them to take one and those days aren't as hard. On these hard days I feel like I am a broken record that no one listens too me so by the end of the day I feel like they are out of control and running the house. The other night was one of those days. One of the days that I wanted to cry and felt like I must be doing something totally wrong with our kids because no one elses act like this. Now to the point of this post. When these kind of days come I am even more grateful than usual to have such a good man by my side helping pull me through. He is great at reassuring me that I am doing a great job, they are just two year olds, and it will change soon. When the rough days come and you feel defeated there is no greater weapon against the defeat as a partner, a strong partner that can build you up and strenghten you when your down. Eric has been so great at encouraging me and reassuring me in my abilities as a mom. He always tells me I am doing a great job and helps change the mood with humor. It always helps me see how wonderful these kids are and how happy I am to have them even on the rough days. He's great at staying cool when I'm not and has a special way with the girls. The girls adore him and he is just flat out a great dad. I just wanted to tell him how much I love him and how much I appreciate him and all he does for us as a family and for me as his wife. Thanks for helping me through the crazy days and the sane ones too. I love you and I am so grateful you're my hubby forever.

On our 5th anniversary (2009).

Daddy and daughters.

A new chapter, Colt arrives.

I love how happy she is to run to him.

Dad's little man.

V-day and Hannah

Last week Tisha had us over for a little Valentine's Day party. It was so much fun with all the little girls (and boys too)! There was lots of pink, red, and heart shaped food. They all had fun handing out valentines, playing and decorating cookies! Thanks so much Tisha for a fun day! Another fun holiday to celebrate with your kiddos!

Livy did lots of frosting! Look at those piles of frosting!

Which one to eat? Tough choice.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Breakfast Valentine's Day morning. Hannie is here visiting us for the week. Rachel was still sleeping so these two got their heart pancakes and V-day treats first.

Colt in his Bumbo chair. Yes it's purple. Yes all the little boys have used the purple one, it has been passed strait from one to the next (Ashton, Blake, McKay, Colt).

Aunt Hannie entertaining Colt.

Pizza night. The girls all had fun making the pizza but it didn't taste so great!.Oh well, it was fun!

Hannie has been here with us this week without my parents. It's been lots of fun having her around and a big help too! She does all the car seat buckling and kid stuff that I ask her to! We'll miss her when she's gone!

Hair Cuts

The girls got their hair cut at a kids hair place for the first time the other day. I have always just trimmed it but we needed a change so I didn't want to mess it up.

Rachel getting her curls trimmed up.

Livy getting a bob. Her hair was always in knots and tangles and there was crying when it was time to brush it so we chopped it.

Curly-Q

Short and Sweet! We love the no fuss do. It's great for her and me. And it looks cute on her too!

A little candy reward for being so good! There were no tears or problems. Just sat right down and got it cut. Couldn't have went better.

Got One!

Finally got a smile from Mr. Colt! It's not even a full big smile but it's something. This was about two weeks ago and I have been kind of slacking on the photos since. He's two months now and getting big. We have his 2 month appointment this weeks so I am excited to see how much he weighs!

 

Mr. Serious again

   

Livy and Rachel enjoying their tutus from Aunt Cass!

Little things that make me smile

• Things Rachel said lately:
• You know you eat out too often when your two year old asks "Which resturant do you want to eat at tonight?"
• On a discussion about not opening the door for strangers, I said they might take you to which Rachel replies, "Yeah, they will trap us in their nets."
• Crying after a small boo boo she said "Can you wipe these sad things from my eyes." Good description of tears. I guess I hadn't taught her that word yet!
• "You can count on us mom!" In response to almost anything.
• Sistee=sister
• Rachel definately talks more and has the dramamtic creative mind and it shows with some of the funny things that come out of her mouth!
• Livy is still the more serious and straight forward thinker. She is logical, as much as a two year old can be, and still listens to her mommy, for the most part. (except when it comes to duck and pas) 
• She can take stuff from Rae to torture her but mostly is just a sweetie who caters to Rachels demands and whims. "Livy will do it, I want the purple one Livy, Go get my cat for me Livy, etc."
• If she has to leave her plate or duck or paci she make sure to tell me and daddy "Don't eat my food daddy", "Don't suck my pas mommy." So concerned about it it made Eric ask me I had eaten her food or something!
• Words of hers: pas=pacifier, peep=pee
• They love the Book of Mormon videos about Nephi. Lately they have incorporated Laban into their playing. They yell "Guards, guards" while running around. Usually they are running away from him, or can't go in the tub because Laban is in there, or my least favorite from the movie, "Laban is going to kill us." Lovely. Sometimes they choose the other characters to play, but mostly it is Laban. They used to pretend they were on the boat to the Promised Land but now we just get the violent side of the videos.
• I think that Livy has gotten pooping on the potty!!! The past week she has taken off her pants and gone and sat on the potty all by herself to do her business. I'm so proud of her and finally see that there could possibly be an end to this long journey. Still pees in her pants so we have a ways but the gross part is in the pot, yea!

There goes January

I can't believe January is over already. Time is flying around here. Here are some of the latest picture from the past two weeks. I haven't been able to capture Colt's smile on camera yet because everytime I bring it out he gives it a strange look and ceases smiling. One of these days. This week he has been smiling a lot more so hopefully soon I''ll get one.

This picture was at the end of a very long day. Eric went with his brothers and parents up to Austin for the day and didn't get back until 10:30 at night so it was a long day and my first all alone from morning until bed time. It went relatively well except for a few too many pooping incidents: Rachel 2x in her pants, Livy 1x in her pants, 1x in the tub ("Mom come and put this away please" holding the poop in her hand), and Pebbles in the house too, which Rachel decided to pick up, lovely. So these pictures (above and below) describe how I felt at the end of that day too!

Kind of a smile.

Livy sharing ducky.

6 weeks old!

Pictures of their dresses from Tina that they love. They wore them to church and then Rachel had to wear hers on Monday too. Livy was sad here because she had to put ducky down for the picrture, Rachel was consoling her.

Smiles all around!

Livy attempting to console Colt while he was crying on the floor. She lays on top of him basically. It's pretty funny and so sweet.

Using the mat in his room to measure him against. I am gonna try and take a picture each month to see how much he grows. He is about 12 lbs. now at 7 weeks and rolled over in his crib once. Hasn't done it again yet but has gotten close, front to back.

He is a really good baby. He has his days where he likes to cry all day but they are not many. I can't complain. I love this little man! The girls love him too and are alway still kissing him and wanting to hold him. Occasionally we get the "put him down" from Livy or the "can we put him back in your belly" from Rachel.  But then they are loving him the next minute! The other night Rachel said "I don't like that boy." Eric and I tried not to laugh at her but the way it came out was quite funny. They are doing awesome with a new baby taking so much of my time. I love those girls and am amazed everyday at how much they learn and know and understand and can correct me and hold me to what I say now. It is so cool listening to them and all that they say. Their imaginations are taking off and they have full conversations between their animals or dolls or whatever they are pretending with. Still quiet entertaining they are!