Cute hair!

Valentine's Day Hearts

Lacing

So a few of you have asked me how I do Gracie's hair. I learned everything I know from She Does Hair and other blogs like hers. Only her hair-dos are a thousand times better than any of mine ever turn out. But she has tutorials for different hair-do's (including baby hair) and what products she uses to make them stay. Gracie doesn't love to have her hair done, and sometimes we both end up frustrated by the time we are done, but she does request some of these hairstyles again many times after I have done them. And it is some fun mommy-daughter time while it is getting done.

A, E, I, O, U, and sometimes Y, and sometimes R

We put Sammy in the tub a few days ago. He had been dragging his "ay-ee" around all morning and he dragged it into the bathroom when we told him he had to take a bath. David took the blanket and set it on the floor, but as soon as we turned our backs Sammy reached out and snatched up his blanket and pulled it into the tub with him. We heard him saying "Ay-ee, Ay-ee" and raced back to him. He just looked up at us and smiled. When we got out the camera to take a picture he smiled even bigger and said without promting, "Cheese!" I have said before how he is learning new words every day, but the funny thing about it is that when he asks for almost all of his favorite things he doesn't use any consonants. He almost always wants an "aa-er" (cracker), "ii-er" (sticker), "oo-ie" (cookie), or his "ay-ee" (blankie). And we can understand him just fine. Who knew consonants were optional in the English language?
I have to say this age is one of my favorites, when little kids are discovering so much about the world around them and yes getting into a lot of trouble in the process. In a couple of weeks Sammy will turn TWO!

I was teasing Sammy a couple of days ago. He carries a couple of Lightening McQeen cars around with him at ALL times. I took one of them and put it in my mouth. He seriously was about to cry. He pretty much has his mom figured out. All he has to do is stick out this big ol' lip and I just melt.
I am sorry Sammy. You can have Lightening McQueen back.

I love my children, I love my children... I just keep repeating this to myself...

Words cannot express how much I love my children, but sometimes this would just be SO TEMPTING!!!!! I wonder if this would work on husbands too.

Summer's almost here....

Summer's almost here, we can now see the deer moving around. Yep, won't be long.

My friend sent me this picture in an email. It pretty much sums up the weather we have been having lately. The snow is deep enough to cover up mailboxes! It is as tall as buildings even in small parking lots where it has been snow plowed. Two of my friends have gotten stuck in our driveway (sorry gals). I am seriously ready for the snow to GO AWAY! But I guess there are a few good things that come with snow. How about sledding!

Some friends invited us to go out sledding with them this afternoon. We went last year and only made one trip down the hill before we had to come home because the kids were screaming bloody murder. They really really really didn't like it! This is the first time we have gone this year because we have been a little afraid of a similar reaction. But they LOVED it!






Poor Sammy biffed it on this run. I think that was pretty much the last run down the hill for us. But it was fun while it lasted. We even took Ben to the park. I dressed him in 3 layers of clothing and then tucked him down the front of my coat. He didn't like the cold at all. He and I just stood at the top of the hill and took pictures.

Our next snow venture is going to be ice cream made out of snow. I will let you know how it turns out. :)

Sammy having a ball...

...for breakfast!?!?!?

Kids LOVE Sprinkles!

So knowing how much my kids LOVE sprinkles I bought a big container for Valentine's Day, but knowing how much my kids LOVE sprinkles I should have known to lock them up!

Tummy Time!

Our friends Bob and Lizzy gave us this fun tummy time toy. Benson is the only baby I have had who doesn't like tummy time (unless it is while he is sleeping on me). But he will actually lay on this handy little gadget for a few minutes before he starts to holler. What a little cutie!

Fun with friends.

We took a little road trip on Saturday to visit some of David's family as well as some of our good friends. Our kids had a GREAT time playing with Bob and Lizzy's kids. Gracie loved Owen and wanted him to sit on her lap while she rocked him.

Sammy loved this little green frog and ran up to everyone saying "Riddit....Riddit!" We have tried to ask him, "What does the frog say?" in the past, but he had never actually said ribbit until he saw this little green frog. Now we can't get him to stop!

Sammy loved little baby Anna!

Sammy loved little baby Ben!

Ben is trying to reach his hand out to Anna. Only 3 months old and already making the moves on all the little girls. Just like his daddy!

Thanks for letting us come and visit everyone!!

Benson- almost 3 months

Benson will be 3 months old on Friday. He is getting so big and his cute little personality is so fun. I just wanted all of you to see his beautiful smile this morning!

(Sorry about the orange ring around his face... we had the camera a little too close.)

One of these things is not like the other...

UPDATE

Congrats to those of you who guessed that the baby on the left is Sammy and the baby on the right is Ben! They are both just about 2 months old in these pictures and they are SO cute! I just love them! If you want a prize for getting the answer right come on over to my house and I will let you play with them! :)

So many of you have said that you think that Sammy and Ben look alike that I decided to do a little comparison. Can you tell which baby is which?

Smile!

Ben is such a big and happy boy. He went to the doctors on Monday and had to get 4 shots! He was so brave and only just barely cried. He weighs 15 lbs 13 oz. He is so big! He is in the 95% for his weight and is 26 inches tall and in the 99% for height! He is happiest early in the morning (which is why all of these smiling pictures are taken while he is in his pj's), but is a very happy boy most of the time. He doesn't like poopy pants or his car seat very much, but he loves milk, his baby swing and his family! Isn't that smile just the sweetest?

A Magical Christmas!

We had a wonderful Christmas! We were very spoiled. We have lots of good friends and an amazing family! David and I stayed up late watching for Santa Claus so we were pretty tired Christmas morning. Our kids gave us a pretty great present and slept until 7:30!

Here is Gracie first waking up. At first she didn't see the Pinky Pie Pony with the white dress which was all she wanted for Christmas (well, that and a pink chapstick) but when she did see it her face just lit up!

Santa had to pick Sammy's presents this year and he did a great job. Sammy loved his race track and his new Cars cars so much that he wouldn't even open the rest of his presents. Gracie generously opened them for him!

Here is my cute David. All I want for Christmas is you babe! David and I had such a great time watching our children's excitement and real joy on Christmas morning. I think this may have been my favorite Christmas since we got married! It was such a fun and special day!

Benson and I aren't in the pictures because I was holding Ben and taking the pictures of everyone else (Ben was asleep on my lap and pretty much oblivious to the festivities going on around him). But don't worry, I have lots of new pictures of Ben to post (hopefully tomorrow). Until then Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

David's Birthday

Sorry I have been absent from the blogging world lately... But I do have pictures and things to blog about. Here are some pictures from David's big B-day. His birthday kind of got lost in all the Christmas preparation this year (sorry honey, I promise to do better next year...) but he claims to have had a great birthday anyway.

David made sugar cookies with the kids for his birthday. I didn't even help (how lame am I that I don't like sugar cookies...?), I did make other Christmas candies though. They had the time of their lives making and eating the cookies. We had plans to put the kids to bed early and I was going to make a candle lit dinner for David, and we were both so tired after a busy day of Christmas preparations that we didn't even do that. We ordered take-out from Moe's and ate it in front of the fire and then went to bed. I owe you David! Love you!

Wishing you and yours a very merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from all of us to all of you! We love you and wish we could be together this holiday season! Love, David, Julie, Gracie, Sammy, and Benson

Nerdy, nerdy, look who's 30!

Happy Birthday David! I just want to tell you how much I love sharing this life with you. I love this adventure that you have brought us on during medical school. I love being the mother to your children. I love being your wife. I love you. I wouldn't trade a day of my life with you for a million dollars. I am so proud of you. You are the best husband and father a girl could ask for. Gracie, Sammy, Ben and I are the luckiest people in the world!

Quick update.

Benson is getting so so big. He is going to be two months old on Tuesday. I can't believe how fast the time flies. We are still adjusting to having three kids in our house. The occasions where I am brave enough to go out with all three of them by myself are rare. It seems like when we do go out Gracie runs one way and Sammy runs the other and neither one of them will listen to me and there is no way I can carry Benson in his car seat and Sammy and hold Gracie's hand, so for now we are content to stay home when David isn't around. David has been so good to us. He studies from home sometimes and lets me get out with one or two of the kids or even by myself when I need to. Benson has started to smile but of all of my children he seems to be the most shy. He doesn't really like to be held by other people and cries for almost everyone except his mommy and daddy. Out of all of my children he is the best sleeper too. I nursed him at midnight right before I went to bed last night and he didn't wake up until 6:00 when his siblings woke up. He loves to sleep in his cradle, his swing, and his mother's arms. I worry that he sleeps too much sometimes actually. Don't we always find something to worry about as mothers? I think it comes with the job description.

Sammy is the biggest tease and loves to toment his sister, brother, mother, and father on a regular basis. Can't you tell it by the smile on his face?

I tricked Gracie into taking a nap today. Those of you who know her know she doesn't take naps except by accident. She is so sweet when she is sleeping (and when she is awake too).

Benson loves this swing. I bought it at a second hand store and David tells me it was worth every single penny that we spent on it. Look at his perfect round head! There is just something so peaceful about a sleeping baby. Just looking at this picture makes me need to go give him a hug and a kiss!

He speaks!

Sammy has all of a sudden started talking. He seriously says like 5 new words every day! This has been so fun and amazing. Gracie didn't start talking until after she turned 3 so this is so new and fun for me. One of my favorite things that he says is "Ha!" For some reason this means yes. When I ask him what he is doing he answers, "Nothing." He calls every drink "wawer" and it is up to us to figure out what he really wants to drink. He says sentences too. "I wanna bite" or "it's a ball." I just love to hear his gruff little voice! Of course with the good comes the bad too. He has a sassy "NO" when he doesn't want to do something! Sammy is so sweet though that I can't stay mad at him for long. He has been sick this last week and he has really been adorable (is that terrible that I think my kids are cute when they are sick?). He has only wanted to sit by his mom and dad and cuddle. He is the cutest little stinker around.

I want to share...

Gracie got a piece of candy today as a reward. Sammy went up to her and started crying because he wanted it (even though he already had one). Gracie went right up to her dad and said, "Can you cut my candy in half? I want to share it with Sammy." Can I just tell you my heart melted! It has been an extremely difficult couple of weeks with her. I think she has probably gone to time-out at least half a dozen times every day this week! Then out of the blue she says something so sweet that I just wanted to get all of the reward candies out and shower them both with treats!