just one shot

I just needed one sweet picture of all three girls together...

One of these three is not yet old enough to understand a bribe.

The other two totally get it.

And then I got lucky a couple times and caught her looking up.  Oh she's tough!  (but oh-so-cute)

Check out these sweet girls... instant buddies!  Tonight we got to meet up with friends for dinner.  It was the first time we've been able to get our families together, but it was actually a little reunion for Cora and the cutie in the middle with piggies... Oh, they wouldn't have known any better, but I did get a pretty big smile out of Cora when I told her the two girls lived together as babies.  (Yeah, I thought it was pretty neat, too)!

Just look at them now!  How GREAT is this!!!

summer sun

3% battery left and she refused to look at me...  But I still love this.

And here's big sis...  (Middle sis fell asleep, so we let her be).

Pretty girls  :)

fair 2014

So I got this crazy idea to take the girls to the fair this year!  (My mother-in-law agreed to join us for the fun, too).  We went on a few rides, checked out some baby chicks and ducks, walked through the horse barn, and grabbed a funnel cake and cotton candy.  They loved it. I, unfortunately, was sick (boo).  Wish I would have had a little more spunk, but here are the girls enjoying themselves...

Little E was so gentle with the babies.  I didn't take her on any rides, but she sure enjoyed meeting the chicks and ducklings!  She even tried to give them kisses.  Here she is petting a chick's little head - pure delight!

first haircut

Little E's hair had been looking a little crazy, and it was time for a trim.  (And yes, the crazy hair did suit that crazy, little personality of hers, but it was kinda driving her mother nuts..  Her father - not so much.  He liked the mini mullet).

Moms overrule dads when it comes to hair, so off we went and tagged along during her big sisters' hair appointments.  Little Miss was a little unsure about it all when I sat her down in the chair, but we gave her a sucker, and she sat as quiet and as content as could be for the entire appointment!

Suckers are awesome.

And here she is after the cape was removed.  Looking pretty pleased with herself.  Guess she liked the new do.  (And I do, too.)

we went on a "bay-cation"

and boy, did we have fun!

and happy birthday

to me!

And she's now 5.  Such a little girl.  She's obsessed with all thing princess, and her go-to-girl is Sleeping Beauty.  She LOVES dress-up.  Her favorite color is pink.  Hot pink.  She loves to do her own hair, and I often find her in the morning in front of the mirror, with a big smile on her face as she adds bow after bow after bow...  (And that hairstyle will change many more times during the day.) She's sweet as can be.  She loves being a big sister (and she's a pretty good one at that!)   She's a sharp cookie and loves to "do school."  She's my little helper.  (Is there anything more fun than fetching diapers, putting away laundry, wiping the table or dusting the furniture?  Not in this girl's world!)  She loves to cuddle and her heart is HUGE.  She has the BEST giggle.  Her smile lights up my world.  I couldn't be any prouder of her - we. adore. this. girl!!!

hey there, cupcake

So since a little someone turned one year old, she got a cupcake.

And one would think that this would make her happy, although I'm not sure.

She didn't smile, not even once. 

But she cleaned her plate...

Every last crumb.

So I'd say it was a success.

She seems happier than ever.  Can't blame her!

happy birthday

to me!

it's that look in her eye... that's our girl.

another pj day

I think this is the coldest January ever...  (that I've experienced, at least!) Church was cancelled again this morning, due to extreme weather conditions.  I don't even know how many school days have been cancelled or delayed.  Not that we're affected by them, but it's been a rough month!  So we do a lot in our pj's (and coordinating hair accessories)

little E likes to "craft", too. 

if you hold your mouth just right....

our crazy kid

crawling

Here's little E a couple months ago.  Her many faces - she is so funny.

rub-a-dub-dub

It's a baby in the tub...

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?