Moving

In the last week Lillian has learned how to scoot.  I doubt very much that she will be motivated to crawl because she can scoot so fast that she can get just about anywhere that she wants as quickly as she wants.  I had forgotten how the busy factor is multiplied exponentially once they start to move.  No matter how well baby-proofed a home is, with two older siblings, there is ALWAYS something on the floor that she shouldn't have.  I feel like I spend all day picking small objects off of the floor and trying to keep dog hair out of her mouth.

 

I have to take a quick second to endorse my new favorite baby invention EVER!!!  It is a mesh sucker of sorts that you can put fruit or ice or any such thing in it.  Since Lillian has started crawling it is virtually impossible for me to sit and eat unless she is asleep.  Today after leaving my lunch approximately 15 times I finally stuck Lillian in her swing and put some banana in her little mesh sucker thingy.  She was sold and so am I!!

Big Babies

After spending a lovely day at the spa and a wonderful date night with Allan (thanks to my mom and dad) we spent our Saturday hanging out at home and visiting with Shane, Susan and sweet baby Jimmer.  He is such a content little thing and it was so fun to see he and Lillian interact with one another.

Emma and Walker had a sleepover at Grandma and Grandpa's house last night and as it always goes the day after a sleepover they were both a little tired and weepy, Emma especially.  She was wearing her favorite pair of polka dot tights, she wears them as often as possible and the holes and thinning fabric at the knees is an indication of that.  When I pointed it out to Allan today he stuck his finger in one of the small holes and unintentionally ripped a huge hole in the tights.  She was completely devastated.

It took us a full 10 minutes to get her to calm down but luckily she forgave her Dad and was willing to cuddle up with him.  It didn't take long before they were both fast asleep.

While she was asleep I quickly turned her beloved polka dot tights into cute polka dot shorts that she will hopefully love just as much.

Being on my sewing machine today made me anxious to start on one of the other projects I have planned.  I got a whole bunch of beautiful fabric a couple of weeks ago and I can't decide what to do with my favorite one.  Blanket for Lillian's room or curtains for the front door??



Art

I love displaying the pictures and crafts that my kids make on our fridge.  What I don't love is how often those pictures and crafts end up strewn all over the floor of the kitchen.  To fix the problem I found this cute idea on Pinterest and after some help from the kiddies and hubby made our very own art wall.  I love it!!  And my fridge is now free to cover with countless notices and newsletters from the school.

And speaking of art, Emma has developed an interest in "photography" lately.  She loves to take my iphone and take pictures of anything and everything.  Sometimes I'm actually very impressed with them.



My Funny Valentines

Allan and I have never really been a couple that celebrates Valentine's Day, however, since having children each holiday is more fun and exciting and that includes the silly ones like this one.  Today we got back from picking Emma up from school and found this on our front door.

A Heart Attack!!

My mom snuck by while we were picking Emma up and left it for us and the kids were thrilled.  Walker was pretty certain that the mailman left them for us though.

I took the kids to the grocery store this morning and couldn't help chuckling to myself as I watched countless men scan the candy and floral sections pacing back and forth scratching their heads.  Several groups of men/boys were there together debating over what an appropriate Valentine's Day gift would be and I saw one lucky girl with a white and red teddy bear as big as she was.  Maybe that is why this holiday makes me so crazy.  How unfair that we have a holiday where men are held to a much higher standard in terms of the gifts they will bestow upon their mate.  But like I said this holiday is far much more fun now that I have three little valentines, so here is what they were up to today.

At the last Fifth Avenue party that I went to I found a sweet little necklace that I couldn't resist getting for Emma for Valentine's day. 

She is such a little diva and loves all things bling.  We gave it to her tonight and it's almost as pretty as she is. 

 

I made a goal this week to spend my one on one time with Walker, when Emma is at school and Lillian is asleep, being more productive.  He loves to help me cook and bake, mostly because he loves sampling EVERYTHING.  So today we made a strawberry cake with strawberry cream cheese icing in the shape of a heart.  This recipe is so delicious but it ended up looking similar to the cake that Flora and Fauna made without their magic in Sleeping Beauty.  You know, this one...

But we had fun making it just the same and it tasted way better than it looked.

Lillian cut her first tooth today which probably explains why she only let me get two hours of sleep last night.  She was still as happy as ever all day today though.

And finally a little tribute to my first Valentine.  I found this quote a long time ago and saved it because I loved it. 

Falling in love is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake and then subsides. And when it subsides you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the promulgation of promises of eternal passion. That is just being "in love" which any of us can convince ourselves we are.

Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away, and this is both an art and a fortunate accident. Your mother and I had it, we had roots that grew towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossom had fallen from our branches we found that we were one tree and not two.

Louis De Bernieres

I feel so grateful to have found this kind of love with a man who can still leave me breathless regardless of how long we've been married.  The same man who surprised me with a day at the spa this coming Friday!!  I am SOOO excited!!

Happy Valentine's Day

3+3=6

Penny and Mike were in Vegas this week so we had the Dahl girls from Monday to Thursday.  Apart from an escaped dog the first day and a puking Kendall the second day, things went relatively smoothly.  Kyla and Mikaela were very helpful and Walker was thrilled with having Kendall as a playmate while Emma was at school.  Here are some pictures from my week as the mother to six.

(playing train while Emma was at school)

(playing Disney Princess on the Wii)

 

(unsure what they were playing but whatever it was they enjoyed it)

(this shopping trip was interesting, particularily given the number of disbelieving looks I got from people who thought I had 4 children under the age of 5.)

You may have noticed an extra little critter in the above picture.  That is Billy Bob Bear.  Each of the kids in Emma's kindergarten class got to bring him home for a visit.  This bear came complete with an entire wardrobe, cell phone, bedtime story, toothbrush and bedding. 

It took me at least 15 minutes the next morning to track everything down and get it into his "overnight bag".  Regardless, the kids had a good time with him.

And just a couple of pictures of the other two little girls in the house.

Sunny Saturdays

Remember, as a kid, how exciting it was when your parents took you to wash the car?  Everytime the water would spray the car you'd scream and laugh and hide.  That was the highlight of our day today.  The weather has been so beautiful that the snow is melting quickly and making a mess of the roads and vehicles. 

Even though I can't see their sweet faces I love pictures like this because they don't know I'm taking it and they are in their element and completely engrossed in something they love so much.

Our clean van won't last long but the trip to the car wash was well worth it!

 

  

Our bedroom during the day is my favorite room in the house.  The sun shines in our room all day and makes the bed warm and cozy.  I have so many fond memories of curling up with Emma and Walker when they were just little and napping or reading or just watching them play.  If by some miracle Walker and Lillian are asleep at the same time while Emma is at school this is exactly where you will find me, probably asleep.  That is if Bridgett is willing to give up her spot.

Today I had a few minutes with Lillian in said spot and decided to do a little photo shoot with her.

I am so in love with this little baby!!