the holidays

Eloise.  First tooth.  First Thanksgiving.  Just in time for turkey.


Later that weekend, we took advantage of free time and beautiful weather to go cut down our tree.  (Last time we went to get a tree, it was FREEZING! The girls were only two years old and they kept tripping in the ice, falling, crying...)  This was a much better day.

And then we got our first real snow fall.  Our backyard is all hill, which is perfect for sledding.  It was awfully cold, but that didn't stop them from dragging their dad out to give the "slopes" a try.  (I had to stay in with the baby, of course).


Here are my Christmas cuties, minus the sleeping baby that you do NOT wake!


They wanted to pose for you all.  (Seriously.  They think they are models.  I don't care.  They let me take their picture.  We're all happy.)

Funny thing about this dress.  I tied the bow off-center on it.  But I was wearing a dress that tied in the center, so that is where she moved her bow.  :)  Love her.



And here's that baby.  Sporting a little something handmade by her Auntie Alicia.



Aw, a little tear.  Someone must have gotten whacked in the head by her mother's swinging camera.  Whoops.





Um, yes.  I let her chew on a q-tip.  It was the only thing I could do to keep her still.

Cute, right?  (the sweater AND the baby)

And a little about Miss Eloise, because sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas, this crazy girl turned 9 months old.  Little thing likes to eat.  (finally making up for all that slow weight gain in the beginning) She's crawling.  She knows where we sweep up the crumbs on the kitchen floor.   This only makes her crawl faster.  She has joined us at the table for meals now, one leg up in her high chair, kicking - kinda independently from her body.  She shakes her head "no" but has no idea what it means.  She waved goodbye for the first time as her grandma, sisters and mommy stood by the front door sending her Auntie off.  She's sleeping better at night, most of the time.  She has a strong personality.  She knows what she wants.  She doesn't know why we don't give her exactly what she wants.  Like when she wants it.  Even still, I think she's a little charmer, and I'm pretty sure we're gonna keep her.  ;)

it's referral day

that means three years ago we got a call about a little girl.


a little someone we had been waiting on.  a little someone we knew nothing about.  a little someone whom we would have to wait five more loooooooooong months to meet.


and here we are, three years later.


time flies.

the reality of having three kids who could care less about having their picture taken

at least Eloise isn't staring at her feet

are you kidding me?

six months already???



which means she's halfway to celebrating her first birthday.  I can't even believe how fast these baby months have passed by.

She's figured out how to roll over and is SO proud of herself.  She's a tummy sleeper now; there's no stopping her - she loves to flip!  She can sit on her own for a brief moment or two.  She has rolls on her thighs and she finally made it to the 20th percentile for her weight (and for that we've come a long way!!!)  She's not even close to sleeping through the night (rotten, little thing...)  She's determined and oh can she scream!  But that smile of hers can still light up a room...  and all is forgiven.



Eloise... please stop growing up so quickly!!!  (but feel free to start sleeping through the night any time now...  tonight would be great.)

so. soccer......

The girls had their first soccer game today.

Um, they didn't love it.

Me - "Olivia, did you have fun today?"
Olivia - "Well, I was running with the ball, but someone taked it away from me."
(I'm typing this word-for-word.)

Me - "Cora, how much fun did you have today?"
Cora - "Not fun."

Don't believe me?



She is not posing for the camera.  She is "playing."  And next to her in the goal is her sister.



Two happy campers for you.

my joys

how could you not smile?

a little more summer fun...

oh it's Olivia, being a buster...


thinking she's the funniest thing ever...


and Cora spinning...  (both girls have been kinda obsessed with this recently)


just loving this time of year...

sweet summertime

So it did warm up this year!  We sure are enjoying our summer, playing with our friends, exploring the neighborhood, riding our bikes and our scooters, and doing a little swimming, too.


One girl is all about bubbles...


and the other can't pick enough flowers (while she's singing, of course)


Just soaking up all the sun that we can.  We've waited a long time for it this year!

eloise - two months

We made it another month!  ;)  At two months old, Eloise is finally filling out, somewhat.  Last check (Tuesday) she had not yet hit her momma's birth weight, but was getting close!


She's a bit of an angry bird.  Oh yes, this one can scream.  Loud.


But when she's not screaming, or eating, or sleeping, this girl can smile!!!  From ear to ear and with those bright eyes - her whole face lights up!  (Nothing better to wake up to!)  Of course she wouldn't show me for the camera, but I promise you, she can!


Her sisters have yet to grow tired of her.  She's the first thing they want to see when they wake up, and they never go to bed without kissing her goodnight.  They beg to hold her and can't wait for her to wake up from her naps.  (They always let me know when her eyes have opened.  And most of the time, it's because they woke her up.)  They love to talk to her and put her paci back in her mouth and help her stop crying. (Olivia thinks it helps to scream back at her.  Seriously.)

Her eyes are so big.  You can't tell in these pictures, but when she opens them wide, they are huge!  She loves to stretch and stand, and she is tallllllll.  She likes to "fly" (with mommy or daddy holding her high), and she is a little more alert to what's going on around her.


And we still love her to pieces.  :)

eloise - one month

A little someone turned one month old today!  It seems like we brought her home just days ago, although it's hard to remember the days before her (which were full of much more sleep)!  So after one month, this is what we know...  She's a sleepy eater.  She likes to cuddle.  She's tiny (at least for now).  And she's changing so quickly - every day I notice a difference in her face.  (just a bit).  So here she is today - and all her crazy faces...




















Crazy about this little girl!

happy easter!

Just a few pics of the big girls on Easter Sunday...  Outside enjoying the weather that is finally starting to warm up!  (And no, I didn't take any of Eloise.  She was inside meeting the neighbors while I stole a moment  away outside with Cora and Olivia.  But at least I got that!)

eloise maelle

She's here!  (Well, she's been here for almost two weeks now.  I'm just bad at getting pictures loaded onto my computer.  That's what photographers are for, right?)  Born March 10, 8:36am, 7lb 4oz, 21inches.

Wanna see her?


Pretty cute, don't you think?


Olivia is in love.  She thinks we had this baby just for her.  Such a little mommy.  Cora... depends on the day.  She's adjusting.  She does like to hold Eloise, but she lets us know as soon as she's "all done with da baby."


We're pretty smitten.  Such a beautiful blessing - we couldn't be more excited!!!

the zoo (yes - it's January!!!)

One of our "local" zoos held a winter day over the weekend, and the weather was perfect for it (at least for January here in the midwest)!  I heard the temperature reached almost 60 degrees - wow!  And we took full advantage of having a new place to explore, outside in the fresh air, in the middle of winter!






exploring!


What's she thinking...


There she goes!




cuddling with daddy...


and mommy... ;)


She told us she didn't have any fun.  I don't know.  What do you think?


And Olivia's favorite part of the day... snacking on Cracker Jacks.  Seriously.








doesn't get much cuter than this!