Stolen Camera

I was going through my camera, cleaning out all of the pictures.
I didn't realize how often my kids got a hold of the camera and all of the 100's of pictures they took.
As I was going through deleting all of them, I decided that I would keep the...

 "best of what's left".

already learning how to take 'selfies'...

bedroom...

it's what's important.

yep.  that's real.  

or maybe i'm the only one in shock by the color of her arubian tan.

i'm pretty sure this was taken because of the cat in the box...

i cracked up at this picture...

it appears that mia is gagging on my rotten breath. 

  brushing our teeth in the bedroom?  i don't think so...

funny, the things i learn by looking through my camera.

messy hair much, mia? 

 fish!

like is said - i guess it's what's important.

 aww, those lips.
*smooch*

What I like about photographs is that they 

capture a moment that's gone forever, 

impossible to reproduce.

- Kari Lagerfeld

Thanks, kids, for the fun pictures!!

Happy First Birthday, Mia Grace

Miss Mia Grace,

From birth...

 to ONE -

and all the weeks and months in between...

My, how you have grown over the past year!

Happy First Birthday, Mia Grace!!

We had so much fun yesterday celebrating you.

The weather was beautiful, the sun was shining, and we got to sing "Happy Birthday" to you with some of our favorite people!

This has been the quickest year of my life, because it feels like this

just happened yesterday.

With you turning a year old, I have been quite sentimental.
Knowing that you are my last of everything, I've been clinging on to these days with you that seem so fleeting.
Yesterday, was my last 1st Birthday Party...and while that makes me want to cry sad tears, I choose to cry happy tears - to rejoice that you are ONE!!  

Turning ONE comes with so many accomplishments -

Waving bye-bye,

Blowing kisses,

Giving high fives,

Devouring baked beans like you haven't eaten in weeks,

Getting so.very.close. to walking,

Climbing on mommy and daddy like we're your mountain,

Wrestling with your brother and sister like you're a big kid,

Doing puzzles,

Coloring,

Clapping when appropriate,

Standing on your tip-toes to play the piano with your sissy,

giving real hugs and open mouthed kisses,

and growing more teeth.

You've done nothing but amaze me every single day and I just can't get enough of you!
Watching you flirt with anybody who makes eye contact with you,

Seeing you concentrate so hard on picking up the tiniest pieces of fuzz or lint from the floor and giving it to me,

Reaching out your tiny arm to share a piece of your snack with the person sitting next to you,

Filling up and emptying out (over and over again) any container near you - your toy basket, bowl of cheerios, bucket of crayons...,

Beaming with pride as you finish climbing the stairs to your bedroom,

hearing your fake coughs to get our attention,

and most of all, making my heart thump as I witness the way you nurture that special bond between you, your brother, and your sister.

I am mesmerized by you, baby girl.

Your tiny little hands, your long toes, your sweet soft cheeks, your baby blonde hair that sweeps across your forehead, your big blue eyes and long eye lashes, your giggles...

You truly are fearfully and wonderfully made.

(your little newborn foot)

You are a precious gift to us and I am so blessed to be your mommy.

Thank you for this amazing and beautiful year.

Thank you for bringing so much joy to our lives.

Thank you for making me a better person.

Love,

Mommy

Halloween 2013

Happy Halloween, 2013!!

Makayla - a 5 year old Cupcake Princess
Mason - a 3 year old Dinosaur (who is too "busy" to get his picture taken.  he's really into crafting and cutting right now)

Mia - an 11 month old Indian