Easter 2010

So... pretend I actually took these pictures ON Easter instead of dressing the girls up a week later to take the shots I should have taken the day they were actually wearing them!!!

Favorite Spring Shots

Funny how much time I spend wishing I had more time... There are so many things I want to catch up on, so many things I want to write down before I forget they ever happened. I daydream throughout the chaos of baby books that are all caught up, photos that are enlarged and proudly displayed on the walls, emails and cards I finally sent off, and housekeeping that continuously stays in order. Perhaps if I spent less time dreaming of these things...

Well... life in our home is flying by. My oldest is just about to turn 2... my youngest now 7 months.

Such a big girl now sitting in a real high chair!!

Ella and Bogey - the horse - I mean DOG, that lives down the street! This kid LOVES dogs!!

Walkin' down to see some ducks. (Elmo in tow of course)

Eric began his new job at Medco nearly a month ago. We couldn't be happier about the whole situation... a 5 minute commute... 8am-5pm M-F... more time with the family... lower stress... less pressure (for now)... He is definitely a happier man. We are just so thankful that God provided this change for him after a very challenging 10 months at Kroger. 13 hour shifts on your feet without breaks should just not be...

Can you say braces?

Apparently they didn't enjoy the Home and Patio show as much as we did.

Ella will be 2 at the end of this month. I call her my parrot... as she likes to repeat every single thing I say. We are amazed every single day by her vocabulary - and are contemplating home school since I'm not really sure what she'll have left to learn by the time Kindergarten rolls around! She is a Mommy's girl... very sweet and so much fun. I think having the opportunity to view life through the eyes of your child has to be one of the greatest gifts ever. Every flower, bird, airplane, and bubble are simply amazing. Sidewalk chalk is the greatest invention ever, and any ailment is cured by a handful of grapes.

A new deluxe kitchen. (Score 1 again for Craigslist - can you tell I'm an addict??)

Cutest picture EVER (even with the puke on the chin)!

I don't know about everyone else out there but we are LOVING the fact that spring has finally arrived!!! Don't remember the winter ever lasting so long before I had kids!! It's amazing what a few flowers and some warm temperatures can do for the soul!! Even a 2 year old's!!!! We purchased a fabulous bike trailer (thank you Craigs List), and had a fence installed just last week - so we're officially SET for summer! I really can't get over what freedom a fence brings when you have a small dog and some kids... Now - we just open the door and who or whatever spills out onto the patio is of absolutely no concern!!! It's a giant play-pen, and I'm SO grateful we were finally able to get it done!

The trouble-makers. No doubt planning their escape.

Claire is proving herself to be the firecracker that I suspected she would be. At 7 months she is crawling like a pro and couldn't be happier with her new found freedom. (Wish I could share in the enthusiasm). She has wasted no time in exploring the things that she's only been able to stare at for the last several months... and I fear we will be stepping up on the baby-proofing this time around. This child knows what she wants - and it's usually paper. :) It's pretty obvious who the "go-getter" will be between these two girls... and as scary as that is - I really can't wait to see how they grow in their relationship. I'd be willing to bet $$ that Claire will be crawling out of her crib long before the idea ever crosses Ella's mind... and I can also tell you who will be ratting the other out on an hourly basis. :) So fun to see their personalities emerge.

Apparently the Elmo obsession does not extend to self-imitation.

An introduction to grass.

Digging her new "ride".

I am managing to keep my head above water while finding myself significantly outnumbered at home most days. We have said over and over since Miss Claire joined the family that 2 is so much more than even twice the work. I had prepared myself for quite the challenge - but still underestimated how difficult it would be to manage the daily tasks at home, with 2 small ones. Lately, I'm coming to accept that if I want time for myself to read, work-out, or just hear myself think - it must happen early in the morning. THAT discipline is a work in progress... but I think I'm getting there. In spite of even the toughest moments... it's more than obvious that these two are worth it.

Finally found a good use for this baby sister thing...

Ella's Medley

What? You wanna see more of them???

Happy Valentine's Day!

"Sure wish IIIII had a Valentine's Doggie from Grandma..."

"Thanks Claire! Don't mind if I do!!"

Claire: "Oh NO you DON'T!"

Their first fight...

Trouble in the making...

Look alike?? Not so much...

Whoever said cats and mice were supposed to be enemies?

Gotta love those prunes...

And allow me one moment to brag on my brilliant child... MIT here she comes!!

Winter

The sun finally came out and the wind stopped blowing for a couple days so we ventured out of hibernation! My not-so-adventurous little girl surprised us with quite a bit of enthusiasm for sledding and snowballs.... so much fun!

Claire... chillin' indoors. Playing in the snow will have to wait until next year!!

Here's a little video sample of our outdoor fun. Note her inability to differentiate between a slushy footprint and Chick-fil-A waffle fries... Probably not something we should be proud of. And you gotta love the effort to maneuver despite being dressed up like the Stay Puff Marshmallow Man!

Ella's Snow Slide from Meghan Johnson on Vimeo.

Claire Elise - 5 Months

5 months have come and gone since this sweet baby entered our lives... she's laughing, rolling, eating, and puking just like a real baby now. We're entering what is one of my many favorite ages - where the newborn suddenly becomes a cute roly poly human being - complete with personality and charm. Claire has a sweet temperament, and has been quite the chatter box for some time now. I'm guessing she will be a little more outgoing - and although we are praying against it - possibly more of a dare devil than her big sister. She loves watching her big sister - hates being alone - jumps so much in her Jumperoo we're sure she's going to break it - and rarely fails to give you a smile when you need one.

This past Sunday we had Claire dedicated at church.

My pretty French dress. Thanks Aunt Susie!

Tired of Dedication Day...

And because I love to see how much they look (or don't look) alike... here's a 5 month comparison shot!

Claire

Ella

Jumping Naps

2010 So Far...

We are having so much fun watching the relationship between Ella and Claire develop. Ella really adores her little sister - for now. She now asks to "have her" on a regular basis... and Claire seems to tolerate the awkward attempt her sister makes at holding her. This morning Ella heard Claire cry out on the monitor and immediately headed for the stairs announcing, "I'll get her"! And last week, when I brought Claire downstairs to where Ella was playing with Daddy... she happily greeted her with, "Good Morning Sister"!! I have no doubt one day there will be much screaming and yelling over toys and maybe even boyfriends... but for now... they are simply adorable.

Bonding over Baby Einstein... already. (I'm not ashamed).

Pooped herself out on the jumperoo! Poor thing!

Too cute.

Whasssthat???

Ewwwww... GROSS!!!

No WAY are you touching me after that display!!

It's Time

I've been debating for quite some time now about whether or not Ricky's website should remain up and running. I'll be honest, even though my posts and updates on it have grown fewer and farther between, I just haven't been able to bring myself to stop payments and let it go. Just last week however, I found out that they now can convert your website into book form...

...and that was all I needed to hear.

Every journal entry I made... every comment left... every picture posted... I can have in print - to keep forever. And now I'm very much at peace with taking it all down. My thoughts and memories of him will inevitably be strewn all over this blog from time to time, so it in no way means that I am ending my ability to reflect "out loud". I'm simply accepting the reality that a chapter has closed. I'm going to leave it up for one last week - so if you would like to leave a final comment or maybe just click through one last time, feel free. What a treasure it was, and will always be to me...

You can click on the website link underneath his picture to the right, or just below here. The "littlemanricky" domain no longer exists.

http://www.babyjellybeans.com/web/do/site/home?ID=40560

Christmas - 2009