The Girls Too

Cute pictures of the girls in my life. I've been playing around with my portrait lens today. The blog has been over run with Sam lately. But these two beauties are copy cats of me, and one another. Kate even likes to take a cup of ice to eat when she gets in the car.... that is totally a me thing. Sometimes I can't get Kate to even look at me when I am trying to take her picture. Today not only did I get a smile, I got posed hands for my strong willed daughter.

Three year old pictures.

This big boy is officially big.

The tooth fairy came and took his pacifiers away last night. Because they break your teeth and all. That is what three year olds do we tolk him. It took some convincing and a few tears but Sam set them out on the porch for her to come and get. I thought we might have to tear them from his hands. But we didn't. he braved up and placed them himself. He found a McQueen Pillow and a Thomas blanket. He set them out on his bed. It took several trips out and back to bed. A bit of crying about wanting to be little again, and wanting to still be funny- that didn't make any sense. And lots of cuddling from his mommy. But he did go to sleep without it.

Horray for a pacifier free family.

Birthday Boy at Camping House

Sam helped me make this birthday cake. He has been talking about his birthday and making his birthday for weeks. McQueen was his choice for weeks as well.

For the birthday we decided to make a special trip with Grandma and Grandpa to their cabin. The kids call cabins "camping houses"

We started the trip with a silly string fight. Kate was really into it. Sam thought it was fun but had trouble.

Getting mom

This turned out as the only picutre of me on the whole trip.

I look forward to this moment for the whole year. Sam was so anxious for his birthday to come. But he was pleased. so pleased. His face showed it.

Then he opened presents. A rock star guitar for him from Kate. He mentioned he wanted to be a rock star when he grows up some time ago, and of course Kate remembered. He loved it and had the rock star stance down right away.A train from grandma and grandpa. It has been attatched to him since he opened it.

Sleeding on the pine needles. There was no snow at the cabin. But the sleds slid well just on the needles alone.

Early morning hikes. Sam was such a trooped and hiked the whole way. It was a fairly long hike p and down a hill, over rocks and he just hiked happy as could be.

The trip was a fun little retreat. And I felt Sam's day was special and he was happy. I get so anxious in hopes for just that. But the trip was a success and so much fun.

Samuel is 3.

Normally I would add and exclamation point to my title about birthdays. But that is not how I feel. I'm happy for him of course. But my heart is broken as always. I don't want him to be three. I want him to be my little guy forever.

This morning I really forgot it was his birthday. We are not saying a word about it because he is kind of obsessed about it and we are not celebrating until tomorrow. His dad did dress him in a shirt this morning with a "3" on the back though. And he came knocking on shower door just to show me.

And we had a fun day together running errands getting party stuff and food and playing outside.

He can't wait for his birthday though.

He is still my tender hearted boy. He cries a lot.

He cries about his clothes, his food, cartoons, his toys, his pacifiers, thinking he got left, that there are monsters in his room and lots more about his clothes. Have I mentioned he cries about his clothes? when Sam is upset big fat tears roll down his cheeks within seconds. And he talks as he cries and I can't understand a word.

Then the next minute he is bursting with excitement about anything big or small.

That he gets to run errands, that I made him an egg sandwich, that he saw something in the store with buzz on it, or spiderman, or mcqueen. It is easy to convince him to be excited about anything. His excitement usually comes with high pitched talking and jumping up and down.

clenched teeth, hands clasped, big smiles "eeeeeeee" sounds.

He kisses me more than anyone. More than the girls and more than my husband. He is always offering kisses and hugs. It means a lot to this mommy. He is the cuddliest person in the house too. And I like cuddling.

He likes all the standard three year old boys stuff.

Trains, trucks, tactors, fire engines, blocks, basketball, bad guys, super heros, swords, guns, tools, playing outside, going places and sandwiches. I think he thinks sandwiches are great because we call them "sam-whiches" like they are special for him.

And they are.

He also really likes coloring and music and dancing.and both his sisters oh so much.

and he is the best at saying prayers, always remembering to say "thank you for Jesus" and sometimes if I am lucky "thank you for mommy" comes next.

He is always saying things are special. "I'm special mommy", "this is my special car mommy" "marianne is special huh mommy"

I call him "my sammy", "my guy" and "my sweetheart"

I'm so proud of my sweet son. He is charming and adorable and awesome.

Lots more birthday stuff to come soon.

Doctor stats

Weight 30.6 lbs- 35%

Height 15%

Spring in Full Swing

zoo keeping
oh the sun!
little guys hidden in the yard.
pile of chalk as bright and cheery as the day
the zoo
Today it is hot. 70 degrees.

Tomorrow it is suppose to be 77.

????

Yes it is February.

While Marianne was taking her afternoon nap the kids went on an "adventure" around the front yard. They have learned to ask to go on "adventures" now, since the last "adventure" they went on was breaking into our neighbors backyard through their broken fence slat and I couldn't find them until I saw a hot pink blur between the fence slats next door. Lesson learned for me and them.

They like the front yard. The little landscaped area with palms and rocks they call the zoo or the jungle and pretend to be lions. The looked for bugs too. one bee and one worm.

I'm loving this spring. I was out in jeans and a long t-shirt. And sweating. Looks like I will have to get a new wardrobe. Darn it :)

6 months old.

documenting the rolls above.

My Marianne is 6 months old.

My baby.

How did this happen?

I have shed actual tears over it. More than once.

I love her so much.

It certainly doesn't seem like just 6 short months ago we didn't even know how wonderful she was yet. It seems like we have known her for ever.

She has literally consumed my heart.

She has brought me smiles during some harder than usual months.

She always has smiles for me.

I call her "my beauty" and "my angel baby"

At six months she smiles and jabbers around. Saying "hi" "mom" "mama" "dada" of course just randomly and in no way aware of what she is saying. The kids love when they catch a word she says and always tell me "Marianne said..." I can't wait until she actually says words.

She usually falls asleep without too much of a fight.

She rolls over and over and over until she get stuck under the furniture.

She sits up. She reaches for toys. She scoots to reach things she wants.

She laughs at everything.

She loves to eat, and eat, and eat. She has only turned away food or a feeding a handful of times in her lifetime.

She still sleeps beside me from around 3:00 am until 7. And I love it. I wish I could cuddle her more. Take a nap together a few times a week like I was able to with my other babies.

My Marianne. I am so glad you are mine.

Grandma Came To Town... and brought her IPAD

Grandma Anderson came to town.

She spent almost 4 days with us.

Taking us out for treats, and to the park, and babysitting, and buying me vintage suitcases and general helping with kids.

It was a nice little vacation for me.

Although I hardly feel rested because we always stayed up way to late chatting.

She brought her IPAD. We don't have one. We have considered getting one but now know it will not be a purchase in the near future. Because our kids were obsessed with it. Obsessed. Grandma helped them download funny apps and stories. It was a special treat.
She also brought Sam his birthday present early. And he was in love.

"I'm a basketball player" he would say.

My two year old boy saying "basketball" is hard to beat on a cuteness scale.
She attempted to take a family picture of us all together on our way to church.

Of course it was mostly a hilarious fail.
We loved having her stay and can't wait for her to return with my lil sis for Spring Break.

Day of Love

Valentines Day should be a big deal around here.

It is basically the day Jake and I decided to get married

We had been broken up for almost four months.

Jake asked me to go out with him and his friends for the night (to see if we could be friends again)

They had a fun little party for the evening.

I'm not sure if it was because it was Valentines Day and love was in the air,

or his huge muscles and sweet smile,

but we ended up totally making out.

We had been the on again off again sort.

We had said we were not going to date anymore unless we were going to get married.

I think that unspokenly mean we weren't allowed to make out unless we had agreed to get married either.

So that night kind of sealed the deal.

We've rarely been apart since.

I attempted a photo shoot for Valentine's Day last week.

It didn't go well.

There are no picture of Kate because she was literally running naked through the house screaming because she didn't want to wear something red. I gave up on her.

Sam wasn't so cooperative either. As you can see.

But Marianne.

She never fails to give me the smile I want.

That smiling pile of chubbiness.

When I was attempting to take Sam's picture he pulled a decoration off the mantel. It crashed down on to my head, splitting it open. Blood gushing from my head I called for Jake to help me. I think it resulted in a concussion because I've had a headache for a week now.

Oh the silly things I do.

Funny enough the picture Jake took of my head, so I could see the damage, looks like a blood red heart.

Oh Valentine's Day.