Christmas pictures

We took Averi, Sofie, Reiter and their cousin Addison to get their pictures done at portrait innovations for Christmas gifts. It was a great experience, they are super inexpensive and try so hard to work with the kids and make it a quick, easy experience! Sofie was being Sofie and hated every minute of it, it was difficult to get any shots of her not on the verge of tears, such is a 2 year old I suppose, it was a memory for sure! Averi and Addison did GREAT and Reiter did surprisingly incredible! Over all the pictures turned out pretty good, when you are dealing with 4 kids if you get all 4 looking you have done well, even if they aren't smiling!

cookie making...

My friend Kim and her Kids came over to bake cookies and have lunch! It was a blast, we ate pizza and apples. Listened to Christmas music, baked sugar cookies, let the kids cookie cut them and decorate them! The kids were a mess, the kitchen was a mess and yet it was a GREAT day!

cousinly love!

What a blessing for these kids to grow up with their cousin Addison near by, they love him!

thanksgiving 2011

We spent thanksgiving with Kevs family, it was a GREAT day! It is so fun to watch the girls really play with their cousins as they get older, and I love being close enough to family for them to spend time with each other! After we ate and spent time with family we went to Bass Pro to shop a little and let the kids see Santa! Averi loved Santa, Sofie was willing to sit on his lap long anough for a picture since she was promised a candy cane, and Rei just rolls with whatever! It was a great day! We are so thankful for our family and the many blessings God has given us!

Dear Rei Rei,
on November 29th you turned 4 months old! WOW! I can't believe it you are growing up so fast! You continue to remain mellow and sweet, you grin easily at everyone and have the sweetest little giggle! You can roll both from your back to your belly and your belly to your back, you weighed in at a whopping 15.9 lbs and are 25 and a 1/2 inches long, you are quickly coming out of 3 to 6 months clothes and rapidly approaching 6 to 9, lets just say you are a BIG BOY! You love your sisters, you are especially fond of Averi right now, she loves sitting on the floor talking with you and you "talk" right back!
You have just started bouncing in your "johnny jumper" and you LOVE it! You want to be up where you can see whats going on so the jumper is a great solution. You have slept 12 hours a few nights but more typically go an 8 hour stretch then 3 to 4 more after you eat.
I was talking with friends the other day about loving each additional child you add to your family the same way you do your first and I was explaining the feelings I had about you and your sisters from the moment you were born and laid on my chest. Sweet baby boy it is an incredible feeling, to feel you develop and grow in my belly for 9 months and then to labor for hours to finally hold you is a miracle, it is an amazing God given miracle that God has allowed me to experience 3 times (with your sisters then with you)... when I hold each of you I feel like my heart may explode with the love I feel for you all. I pray you and your sisters always know how much I love you and that I show you that daily in both my words and actions because you are a precious gift! I love you sweet baby boy! Happy 4 months!