From my phone

Sprucing up the tree!

Spiderman!  First ornament on the tree!I just love the look on his face!Second ornament!The boys were such helpers putting the ornaments on the tree, but yep, I rearranged! I really, really love that they want to help, and I hope they always do, but I think our tree would’ve fallen forward if I left them all clumped in the front. And they didn’t even mind the rearranging!This year it was Sam’s turn to put the angel on top of the tree.  Didn’t actually fit, but Mark fixed it!Oh, I love our tree!!

Finding our tree!

Love, love this part, and so do the kids!We found it!  And it’s one of the prettiest ones we’ve ever had!

Thanksgiving Day

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day celebrating with our family.  Not sure why I didn’t take any pictures of our feast and the beautiful table Jack helped me set last night, but suffice it to say it was all quite yummy.  Thankful for all the helping hands!  Even more thankful for all the happy hearts and smiling faces!  Thank you, LORD!SO thankful for these and all our many blessings!!!

The best little helper

After putting everyone to bed, I came downstairs to set the table for Thanksgiving dinner-and turned on Christmas music, of course!  About fifteen minutes later, Jack walks down.  “Mom, Sam’s asleep.  I was wondering if there was anything I could help you with?”  Oh, goodness!  Melt my heart!  So he so kindly, and with such a loving heart, helped set the table.  Loved working on that together!  Hopefully we just started a tradition!

When we were done with that, we moved on to a few Christmas decorations!  So thankful to have him with me-even if there were a ton of questions and “Mommy, look a this” requests that are usually in bed by now.  I hope these are moments he’ll never forget.  I know I won’t!  Thank you, Father, for these surprise treats of one on one time.  Help me to be in the moment when they come.

Christmas lights!

So, yes, this is Margaret’s second Christmas, but let’s be honest, her eyes were closed for the majority of it!  When she saw the lights for the first time, she was in aww!  Loved it!

Nineteen Weeks!

So, we are just flying along with this pregnancy!  I’m still getting sick a lot, but I know this will pass and it’s a great reminder of a healthy, growing baby!  I’m feeling kicks and movement now, so that’s amazing!  Thankful for this blessing!  So thankful!

Bed-time scenes

Bed-time scenes like this.  Pretty much pure gold.  Of course they argue and fight and get the lamp turned off, but all of that doesn’t matter when you see moments like these.I’m so thankful they share a room.  We hear so many arguments, but we hear way, way more sweet conversations and funny chats.  They use their imaginations to come up with some really great stuff.  They get to be each others best friend.  Oooh, so thankful for a front seat to watch their brotherly bond grow and strengthen!

Twelve Month Well Visit

She is super healthy and we are super grateful!  Thank you, LORD, for this baby girl who was so worth the wait!  Your plans are perfect!

Height:  30 inches (75th percentile)
Weight:  19 pounds, 8 ounces (45th percentile)

12 Months Old!

One!!  Happy FIRST birthday baby girl!  You’re ONE!  Oh my goodness-I can’t believe it!  We woke you up with the birthday song, and you gave us the, “One, one, one, one” with your sweet little finger!  You learned that a few days ago in preparation of this day!You have a handful of super sweet tricks that I love!  You wave-and it’s not so much back and forth, but more up and down.  You hold your sweet hand up high and then move it like you’re patting your highchair.  Love!  You also clap your hands, LOVE to play peek-a-boo (sometimes by covering your forehead instead of your eyes!), and are starting to blow kisses!  And I LOVE the big open mouth kisses that you give!You stand, no problem, and will take a step or two-sometimes three or four if you’re not paying attention!  I love this part of walking, the watching you learn part!  You get so brave and have no fear.  Proud of you, doll baby!You still nap twice a day but are just fine if we skip your morning nap.  You’ll still nap on the go in your carrier, too, and I’m so thankful for that!  Such a laid back, easy going, sweet thing!We still nurse in the morning and before bed, but I can tell you’re almost finished with that.  Oh, I’ll miss it!  You’ve already had milk in a sippy cup, and you do great with it.You’re so happy and silly and fun, and we’re so, so grateful that you’re ours!  You’re such a delight!  We love you more than words can say, sweet girl, and we’re so excited to be celebrating your very first birthday!  Happy, happy birthday to you!!

Margaret’s first birthday party

What a great afternoon with so many great friends!  We celebrated our girl with a party at home, and boy did I have fun getting it together!  Flowers and glitter and ruffles and pink-love the girly things!  It was a great, great afternoon-I’ll let the amazing pictures (from Casey Edwards!) do the talking.

Turns out she did NOT like her smash cake!  She didn’t want her hands in it, and she didn’t even want to taste it!  I couldn’t believe it!Everyone was done with the smash cake playing, most especially the birthday girl,but give her some fruit, and she’s good!  She preferred her blueberries to her cake!  Goodness!  I thought she’d dig in!So thankful for her amazing godmother and godfather!Such a blessing, this growing family of ours!  Praise you, LORD!

So thankful for the beautiful day we had, for a while it was calling for really, really cold temps!, and for all our dear family and friends that came to celebrate our sweet one-year-old birthday girl!!!  A day we’ll always remember!