catch!

starbucks

Annie is always a bit sluggish before her morning mocha.

one more for Mr. Max

Sometimes, when a roomful of people are singing Happy Birthday to you, it's hard to know what to do with your face. I completely feel his pain!

great expectations

Soon after this picture was taken, Carrie gave birth to a John Deere themed birthday balloon. We're all so proud.

wynne

I've never seen Miss Wynne as sweet and expressive as she was yesterday. Little does she know, she's about to be a big sister.....20 bucks says she is before mine are! (Cortney, this is to see if you still check the blog....)

Miss Viv

Our niece, Vivi. Sometimes even though your mom puts you in a really cute dress and forces you to wear really cute tights, it's more fun just to wear your new Dora pj's at your brother's birthday party.

Happy Birthday, Max!

We trekked over to Madison yesterday to help our nephew Max celebrate his 5th birthday. I have to say....surrounded by grandparents and friends and cousins, this boy didn't need much help! He was a happy birthday boy. Five years old---wow! We love you, Max!

just the girls

I am lucky, lucky, lucky enough to be friends with someone who just happens to have discovered that she is a really good photographer. She caught this shot yesterday....we had intended to take a belly shot, but I am so happy with this.....you have to trust that a 33 week belly is indeed in that picture! Thank-you, Tracy....amazing!

lesson learned (Christmas card reject pictures 2009)

1. One year olds cannot be bribed. 2. The number of children you have is in direct correlation with the amount of difficulty required to get the perfect Christmas card picture. 3. I will forget to wipe the bribe-chocolate from the two year old's face. 4. Sun flare is not good right in the middle of the baby-face. 5. The minute I concede, and decide to get an indoor shot the next day, watch out...because the one year old will then fall onto the driveway and get a huge goose egg in the middle of her forehead.

Next year, I'm hiring a professional.

mini-mama

It took Kate about 5 seconds to get Ian out of my arms and into hers. She was a girl in love. It's so funny....I was exactly the same way with babies when I was a little kid!

Ian

Ian Mateo: small and sweet and wrinkly and absolutely perfect. We were so very happy to meet you!

Ian Mateo

(just a sneak peak for the mama!)

(backtracking)

These were taken the day of Kate's trip to the pumpkin farm. That morning I said good-bye, put her on a huge school bus, and walked away.....sobbing. Call it what you want---pregnancy hormones, overprotective mother, or maybe just me....but I was miserable. A 40 minute bus ride, there and back, a field trip with no parent, and lunch without me? Impossible! Well, she had fun. She walked off that bus smiling. And that afternoon, I let her have anything she wanted. Lollipop? Yep. Mama's shoes? You bet! Anything! I was just so happy to have her back home! And next year, when I put Erin on that huge school bus, I imagine I'll be crying again....

lollipop, lollipop

Some days, against my better judgement, everybody gets a lollipop.

scoot

Kate got a new scooter for her birthday from Grandma and Grandpa. She is a crazy scooting girl...it took her about a week to get a feel for it and now there is no stopping her. Yesterday, at our local park, I witnessed her go down a rather large incline, one leg straight out and almost sitting on the scooter. All I have to say is that I am calmer than I used to be---she has learned how to fall, and most times does it rather gracefully! Scoot on, little girl!

kiss kiss