just e

My growing girl. Today you passed over something glittery for the elegant choice.  I couldn't decide whether I should be proud or horrified. And look at you humoring me while I tried out a new lens ... I am most impressed with your skills. Oh how far we've come!

water babe

So for some reason, whenever I bath the babies I sing "rub a dub dub, thanks for the grub. amen.".  I don't even know if that's a ready diddy or something I made up. Random, right?  Anyway, this little guy lurves the water... see how he'll sit back into the corner and just chill.. Pretty darn adorable.

finger painting with a toddler?

Never gets old!

foraging

Better guard your plate because somebody has discovered real food. He can pick up most anything and feed himself... he swiped some salsa off a chip last night and didn't even disturb the upward swing of the chip into Nate's mouth.  He particularly enjoys whatever he finds on the ground, he was supremely mad at me for taking away an unshelled peanut he had been sucking on.

meow

I remember the bigger girls going through this phase... annoying but funny at the same time. She's pretty lucky that she has experienced artists to help her out... I knew right away that she was a cat. I'm sure if she had drawn her whiskers on herself they would not have been quite so recognizable.

Number 7 for my Rosie Posie

We partied like rock stars. Well, we had some funky glasses anyway. She got some presents and got her ears pierced. She was mostly excited to decorate her own cake because she wants to be like Auntie Sara when she grows up. She declared it "almost as good".  My little social butterfly was pretty sad to spend the day without all her beloved people, she was upset Daddy had to work and she was dissapointed Mama doesn't know how to mind read. We had a bit of drama and tears on what should have been just a joyful day.  I do hope she either outgrows it or that we can teach her to accept what is. Where is  Grandma Francis when you need her? I dearly hope she remembers the positives and how the next day we took her to a water park. But that deserves its own post.

yes, yes I did.

Fletchervision needed a western show.

so talented

His new tricks: blowing bubbles, making bridges and trying so, so very hard to crawl.

Charleston in the spring?

It should have cold and kinda gross but instead it was warm and sunny. We love our Charleston fam and wish we could put our toes in the sand more often!

camping

ohmygoodness!

Can you handle that amount of sweetness?

3

I didn't realize the effect  having two older sisters would have on her independent 3 stage - it's "I do it" multiplied since she has so many " mamas". She was already a stubborn little thing so this is um, interesting?. I just keep reminding myself .... it doesn't last, it doesn't last, it doesn't last .....
Good thing she's so cute!

Fletchervision

Can't help it, it's my new favorite hobby. Funny boy was trying so hard to crawl today that he was pitching himself sideways from the rocking. Makes me glad I spent the better part of this weekend getting shots of him sitting!

finally!

Fletcher says "they're finally giving me some food" .... this boy has been begging for weeks.  I've never seen a little one want food quite so bad.  He'll now eat two jars at once... yep, he's a big boy.

1st Communion

Big day for our oldest! We had a jam packed weekend but I just wanted to share these really quick!

maybe I should have said pout 1 and pout 2

One of the benefits of having 4? You know how fast those sweet baby faces go. And you hopefully remember to enjoy them more.

should be illegal

We can only hope he stops before the toddlers years. How could we ever be expected not to give in to that pout. Luckily, it's a very fleeting pout and hardly ever seen but you'd better believe it causes all 5 of us to stop and attend to his needs.

no words

Seriously. I have no words that could possibly convey my delight in his squishiness, my love of his chub.He's outgrown both the swing and that awesome onesie. I don't think those cheeks are going anywhere anytime soon though.

so, so late. number 9!

Nine! Geesh. Traditional birthday breakfast. Opened presents( outfit for her doll, lego set and the wrong Mario Game) then to Target to get the right game(she apparently meant Mario not Mario Kart, silly Mama, even if she specifically said KART) then out to lunch for shrimp, then to the cupcake store and then to a dance with her Daddy and sister. It was a good day.

light!

Nate works long hours, he's out of the house before we're up and sometimes he doesn't get home till 7:00. The worst part of winter is not getting to be outside when Daddy pulls in the driveway. So the time change made us very happy!

little?

she had a beaver

true story. and that's not a typo. she's demonstrating her temperature taking abilities quite well, yes?

little brother

 

Just a little bit loved.

another toothless wonder

just a sunday picnic

But a picnic in our yard. Yep that's our yard. Pretty rockin, huh?

3(ish) months

Had a check up this week. 15 and a half pounds! He's 90th for weight, 70th for height and 97th for his head.
So he's a chunk with a big head. He's very happy and easy. Sleeping through the night and loves his mobile and bouncer.

the handsome men in my life

move on over

 

So we moved. Again. Yes, we moved twice in 6 months. And yes, I was pregnant and then had a newborn. And yes, one of those moves happened to be on December 23. See what I mean about our choices? Are we crazy? Maybe. But in our defense, the move here to take a new job was a very, very beneficial one. And moving again had to do with our lemon of a rental house. Everything was breaking on it and we had a landord that didn't exactly seem to care. I don't know about you, but I'd rather not have my walls and ceiling come down from  a roof leak. And I suspect you too might be alarmed to plug your iron in the dining room outlet and have sparks come shooting out an entirely different outlet in a whole other room. Said landlords solution to said problem:buy a new iron and throw up some drywall compound. Just paint over those scorch marks and never mind that the compound just stays wet. Sooooo. Yeah. We just happened to find a lovely farmhouse on two acres rented out by a wonderful people. And did I mention it's surrounded by horse farms?  Of course we moved on Christmas Eve Eve. So anyway, this is how the girls entertained themselves on moving day. It was and still continues to be madness but at least we feel safe in our new lovely space.

Why yes, yes I am.

Or rather, I was. Things seem to have mellowed. He's sleeping all night and so am I. I still have way too many things I'm trying to juggle. But you are not supposed to complain about the choices you voluntarily make, right? And having Nate take a job that he works 10 hours a day with a 40 minute commute was a choice we made and moving again with a newborn was a choice we made and so was homeschooling the girls. The only thing I regret about all of it is not being able to just sit and gaze at his awesomeness all day long. Thanks Auntie K for the onsie, I needed the laugh!

Out.

This little man loves to be outside.  He'll stretch his face towards the sun and smile at the wind.

Ah, the power of Fletcher.

Love that they clamor over the job of reading to the baby. Now if I could just convince Evie that he needs to learn his math facts.

mama chicken

Juju and the famed mama chicken. Mama chicken lives across the road but she doesn't ever cross it. Pity.