Last week the kids and I ventured out to the dollar store...that is a dangerous place... especially when you bring a 3 year old with a wild imagination with you! The moment we walked in the door Elsie spotted this Christmas headband and fell in love...she begged to "please get it!" She assured me she would wear it all the time so everyone knew it was Christmas time...
Elsie really does wear that Santa headband everywhere...and she looks so darn cute wearing it...especially when she has her funky clothing get-up on ...there is something so adorable and innocent about this three-year old girl!
A few days ago James went on a little shopping spree with Mommy and Daddy...because of Jon's work schedule it is a rare thing for Jon and I go shopping together...but Jon needed some new clothes so we had to go. Elsie chose to go play with her aunties rather than go shopping...smart girl to avoid the crowds! James, however got to go with...and he was a perfect little man! He slept for a while and was quite happy to play in his stroller while awake.
James has recently discovered his reflection in the mirror and gets so excited to see a baby looking back at him...so he was completely beside himself when Jon stood in the big 3 sided mirror...he excitedly looked around at all the reflections and even did a little screaming! Good thing we were all alone in the fitting room...
We had a fun little shopping day with just the three of us...and sadly enough Elsie did not miss us at all while we were gone...
Last week I down loaded a retro camera app on my Droid...and I am having so much fun with it! While looking through the photos it appeared that Elsie has also been having fun with the app...the photo below is one of Elsie's photos...love the angle and the lighting...I think she is one good little photographer...
We are back and almost fully recovered from the injection a week ago in my back...so far so good...cross your fingers it continues to work! Surgery is not something I am ready to think about! We spent most of the "recovery" time resting at my parents house...I don't know what I would do without them! It is amazing to have such great parents who never tire of us and who are there for everything, always...
One day my mom had the backdrop up doing a photo shoot...and when she was done the kids were having fun playing on the backdrop...and because I had nothing better to do but lay on the couch I took the opportunity to get a little snap-happy! All these photos were simply the kids playing...never once did I pose them...and I was laying on the couch the entire time! These are some of my favorites...love the way they all look so natural, funky hair and clothes (mainly my child!) having so much fun with each other...
Elsie fondly refers to her aunties as her sisters...she loves those girls with all her heart and tells me constantly that she needs her own sister that never has to go home! If these girls have to go more than 2 days apart Elsie has serious "auntie/sister withdrawals"! I am so happy they are all best friends...Family is #1 and Elsie is very aware of that already!
Kisses for the little man...the kids truly fight over James...who is going to hold him first, who gets to hold him for longer...some would think it is pathetic! I think James is one lucky little guy...and he loves every minute of it! We have recently discovered that James does have a favorite...and it is Grammie! He gazes at her and even reaches out his arms to her...so special...now if only he would do that to me...for reasons other than nursing that it!
The baby hogs with James...you would think they would tire of him...but they never do...we are a baby loving family around here...the more the merrier!
Elsie and her best bud...they do everything together...including what they should not! Maybe I have even caught these girls teaching Elsie how to swear! Imagine my shock when my 3 year old called me a "bitch" today! I have a funny feeling she might have learned that from a little auntie...who probably learned that from an older sister...one of the joys of a big family, I guess!
These 2 get a little crazy and get into more than fair share of mischief...but I guess that is being a kid is all about. I am constantly reminding myself of that...kids are only kids once and time moves far to fast...cherish all those annoying, terrible, hectic, crazy things...all to soon they will be over...just laugh and have a good time with them...it puts life in perspective...
Yes, I think we are lucky, maybe even spoiled, to have such an amazing family...
I will be taking a little break from blogging...hopefully just a week...tomorrow I am going to a specialist to have an epidural shot of cortisone in my back in hopes of getting some relief caused from a bulged disk. I have heard this is very painful...and pain and I do not mix well! I have my fingers crossed that this will help... So...while I recover and let the medicine do it's thing I will be taking a break from blogging...but I will be back soon...my photo accounts are overloaded in photos still to blog!
Since doing Embrace the camera every week I have gotten in the habit of using the self timer throughout the week...and Elsie has caught on and wanted to do her own little photo shoot using the self timer...
I thought it was cute...she plopped the camera down on the foot stool and pulled up her little chair...
Smile...
My little guy is growing up...and he now has baby rice twice a day...I am going to wait a while before giving him pears or applesauce...just rice for now! He loved the rice right from the start...no silly faces or spitting anything out for this guy...
After gobbling a couple of spoonfuls down he just wanted that spoon to play with...
As I came into the kitchen the other day this is what I found...Elsie standing on the counter looking for something in the cupbord...
When I asked her what she was doing on the counter she said..." I am looking for a sippy cup!" I was thinking, "if you are big enough to climb on the stool, get on the counter and search the cupbord for a sippy cup, you probably don't need a sippy cup!"
But like any good mother, I didn't say what I was thinking...I just reached for the camera and let her finish looking...ya see around here sippy cups a special and rarely used thing!
I love, love, love the outfit James is wearing...I bought those little levi's with holes in the knees at a garage sale last summer with a photo shoot in mind...they look so boyish! The tie was a long one I bought at Goodwill for around $1...I just cut the end off and used some fabric glue to glue the edges together. Cute out fit and a good price!
Such a happy and contented boy...and oh so busy!
Just like his daddy in this picture...trying to pull the tie off...
Every boy needs a good pair of Levi's with a few holes in the knees...
He loves this noisy Cookie Monster toy...I cannot stand that darn toy...but it makes him happy every time he sees it...I guess it is worth it...
No photo shoot is complete with plenty of photos of the toes...
His perfect little baby hair...he had quite a bit of black hair when he was first born...then he lost most of it and new fuzzy hair was growing in. Now he is losing most of it on the top again...he is keeping the hair on the back and sides...pretty soon he will look like an old man! But a very cute old man...
Sleeping so peacefully...so angelic...
Nap time...love the bright orange cloth diaper sticking out...
