This picture cracks me up. Remember when I said Ellie doesn't let anyone else hold her? Here is the proof. We threw a little first birthday party for my cousin's baby and my mom wanted me to take a couple pictures of him. I needed two hands to do that. The second Ellie left my arms, she began crying. I was literally done taking pictures in five minutes and ran over to her to take this picture. She's not wailing here, but she's very upset. If you click on the picture you can see it better.

Anyway, I love this picture because Emma is beyond thrilled and Ellie is the opposite. Emma would swing on this swing all day if we let her

Please just go ahead and pretend like I posted this a month ago. I'm late, as usual with going through my pictures and posting. Three kids keep me pretty busy!

So, my baby is 8 months old. That year mark keeps getting closer and closer and my heart breaks a bit more. I love seeing how my babies grow up, but how how I wish I could just bottle them up as babies.

This month has been a hard one. We found out Ellie has Infantile Esotropia, which I keep telling myself is not the end of the world. You just hate to hear that something is "wrong" with your baby. She is wearing a patch for an hour a day and the dr wants her in glasses all day--which I might add is pretty difficult with a 8 month old. She does look very cute in them, though, and we bought Emma's favorite color--pink! We will go back in May to decide on surgery. :(

Ellie is seriously such a happy baby. She still doesn't let anyone else hold her AT ALL. People think I am exagerating when I say that, but I swear I'm not! Garett can't even hold her, not for a second. I am trying to soak it all up because I know that there will be one day that she won't want me to hold her, hopefully that won't be for many, many years, though!

She is a pro at sitting up and and at army crawling. She hasn't quite mastered the up on all 4's thing yet, but she can army crawl anywhere she wants and very fast! It is cute to watch. With mobility comes to other very frustrated kiddos. She can now get into all of their toys and boy does she!

We started her on Puffs, Yogurt bites, and Crunchies this month. She thinks they are delicious! She's great at her little pincher grasp and always wants to have something in her fingers during meal time. The girl loves her Crunchies!

The weather has been beautiful and so we have been spending a lot of time outside. Ellie LOVES being outside. We spend hours outside every evening and she eats it up. Our neighbor has a little boy that is two months younger that Ellie and they just chill on a blanket watching their brothers and sisters. She also loves to swing. At first she was pretty unsure, but then she realized how fun it is and hates to get out.

It's that time of year again and we couldn't be more excited! Nathan's first T ball game was Saturday and he did so good. This is his third year to play and most of the team has stayed together. He's had the same coach and assistant coach for all three years. They are both just really great with the kids. This year, two of the boys in N's class are plaing with him, so he is loving it!

Yesterday, he started out in the pitching position and it was just so cute. So many of the balls were hit his way and everytime he'd catch it and throw it to first, his smile would go ear to ear. He'd look over to us and give us a huge thumbs up. I love this kid so much!

Can this child please just stop growing? He is getting so big and turning into such a little man. He is my rule follower, my sensitive one, my oldest baby...

So, the number one reason that I keep this blog is to document my kids' lives. Its my little online scrapbook and one of the main ways that I remember things. I can look back and see the first time N pottied in the big boy potty, the first time Emma stood, the first Ellie sat up...

Baby girl is 7 months old already! Ellie is such a happy baby. She gives the biggest, gummiest, dimplest smiles in the world--as long as she is in my arms. I think I have said that every month, but it really is true.

Boy oh boy does she want to be in on the action though! She watches Nathan and Emma like a hawk, turning her head quickly if she loses sight of them. She's soaking it all in, and I keep telling them that when sshe is mobile they had better watch out!

She's a great eater and I think has tried every flavor of baby food now. It is so funny though because she grabs the spoon with every bite, eats the food off, then lets go whrn it is empty and waits patiently for the next spoonful. Emma and Nathan used to grab the spoon, but then never let go!

She can sit up now without toppling over and is beginning to scoot a bit to reach for things. I think crawling may be in the near future!

Love you to the moon and back baby girl!

The kids had their annual Christmas program that their little pre k puts on back in December. These are always so much fun to go to because the kids up on stage are just so darn cute! There are always a couple of hams that steal the show.

Of course, I think, my two were the best ones up there!

Emma's class sung Jingle Bells and Jesus Loves Me. Emma was seriously the only one who sang all the words. She is my little perfectionist! Love her to pieces. She wanted her hair fixed like Princess Lea. I sort of told a fib and told her it looked just like Lea's. She went straight to her teacher and asked her how she liked her Princess Lea hair.

Nathan's class did a Bible verse and then sang Baby Jesus is Born, a pretty rock and rollish song. It was hilarious! Loved it!

I didn't take any pictures during the program because I sort of had my hands full with a babe, but here are ones pre program. Don't they look beautiful?!