Since it's been a while

There have been some big changes in the Ava department. Big like rolling all over the place, trying to scoot, doing some mad crunches in an attempt to sit up and play with her brother and sister. I feel so bad for her, just propped up on her elbows watching them play. I know she wishes she could join in and she is working at it pretty hard. Today the doctor said that she seems more like a six-month-old than a four-month-old. She is just so determined to grow up faster than I'd like.

I turned 28. Getting up there, old gal. I wanted Mexican food after about three weeks into the Paleo Diet. Spent the night nauseated and puking. But really it was a really good birthday and I got to hang out with just Tim for a couple of hours, which is always a treat. I also got lunch and a pedicure and gifts from my mom and sibs and I'm not going to lie, I like having a day (two days, really) that are all about me.

When Mason turned two I thought that people who spoke of the terrible twos were weak-sauce. Two years old was a dream. A delight! Then I got myself a girl two-year-old and have mercy on my soul. She is something else.  It is especially hard to keep up with her because she saves the really bad deeds (toothpaste on EVERYTHING, flour EVERYWHERE) for when she knows I am hopelessly tied to a chair in another room with a nursing baby. I nurse walking around more often than I would like. :) Sometimes I feel like I spend a lot of my day taking pictures of all her naughty deeds with hopes that one day I will look back fondly on these days. Really, I look back fondly on them once all three kids are tucked quietly into bed and I know the reign of terror has ended for the day. She is so hilarious, though. Just funny and adorable and terrible.

This guy is pretty cute, too.

I am sure glad I am these babies mother.

Easter Bunny visit number two

We went to Tim's parents house for big family potluck after church on Easter Sunday. The kids got to go on another Easter egg hunt, which Mason loved....

Brielle, not as much...

(it's a miracle she made it through the night without a parent selling her to the gypsies)

There were lots of cousins, candy, fun and food. Even a pinata! Doesn't get much better than that. Also, the rest of Tim's family started having kids while he was still in high school, so my kids are the youngest of the bunch. That means they have a bunch of older cousins to follow them around and dote on them. They kind of love it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Minus 4 grandkids, plus 1 uncle)

 

Easter Bunny Visit Number One

To start things off, I finally took some pictures of my kids together. All three of them! And their dad!

 

It is my personal opinion that our baby girl looks like Tim. Others agree.

Saturday morning we had our first Easter party. The bunny will be visiting these kiddos three times this year, so there will be another post, very similar to this one, soon. My mama always plans some pretty fun parties. The kids started out by planting magic jelly beans. They grew into lollipop flowers while egg hunting.

 

 

Then off to find what the Easter Bunny hid.

 

 

 

Then the annual rocket launch contest which, of course, I won.

 

This morning Mason and Brielle woke up to find even more junk food and a few little toys from that old rabbit. I didn't get any pictures of that because I was busy staying in bed for ten more minutes. :) Happy Easter everyone!

Ava's blessing day

Yesterday Ava was blessed at our home with most of our family around. We'd been trying to get a few projects finished up before everyone came (before and after pictures to come soon!) so it was kind of a crazy week. The first half of the week we worked so hard and stayed up so late that I thought I might murder a person. The second half of the week we worked so hard and stayed up so late, but then my 8 week old darling decided to start sleeping though the night and...glory hallelujah. Eight hours of relatively uninterrupted sleep will save your soul, or something like that.

So back to the blessing, Ava looked totally adorable. Since she's the third child I had to follow suit and get practically no pictures of her. (I still have not taken a single picture of my three kids together since we brought her home from the hospital.) She was a trooper and let everyone hold her and just smiled a cooed and then fell asleep in their arms, only to repeat when she got passed to the next person. She has turned from a sad, fussy newborn into a happy, wonderful infant. Her dad gave her a beautiful blessing. It was so nice to have so much family together to join us while we swoon over our perfect little addition.

And some recent pics...

We've been staying inside, mostly

Our Valentine's Day celebration was pretty simple and quiet yesterday. Just some homemade cards and treats and a toy for each kid. Well, not Ava. All she needs is a ride in daddy's arms.

Since this has been the worst flu season since before I was born we haven't gone out much. Trips for take-out or visits to grandparents are about the extent of our adventures. We did build a snow fort the other day when the temperature got above 30 degrees. And even took a walk to the park! That didn't last too long since the kids kept sinking to their waists in the snow. And has anyone ever told you how long your walk will take if you have three kids but a double stroller? Three-year-old boys like to take their precious (it really was precious) time exploring as you walk.

Mostly we hang out playing with cars and Legos and taking pictures and working on finishing the basement. We're on the home stretch now, thank goodness, I am done with projects for a while. And I didn't even really do a lot because I was so ridiculously pregnant and all. Good thing my husband is so handy and determined. And good looking. And the perfect Valentine. The cards we wrote to each other said nearly the exact same thing which I'm taking to mean we were meant to be!