Little Ballerinas

It's time for ballerinas and tutus once again!

The girls are taking the class together this time and couldn't be happier about it.

Avery couldn't take a serious picture. She spent the entire photo shoot trying to pull Sophie down to the ground with her. Do you love the incongruity between the pretty clothes and the scraped up nose on Avery? She's a tomboy in a tutu.

This is Avery's first dance class but Sophie's second. Avery couldn't wait to be old enough to dance like Sophie did last year.

Here they all are on their first day. Is that Sophie picking her nose? Why yes, I think it is. (sigh) Oh well, they had a blast and Avery is spending less and less time sprawled out on the floor goofing off each time, so mommy's happy.

I'm In Love with a Boy

While I am first and foremost in love with this boy and so glad this Valentine's Day to be his sweetheart...

...there is another boy who has captured my heart this year:

I LOVE THIS BOY!!!

What a smile! I finally had a chance to get his baby pictures taken and I love how they turned out. He was smiling up a storm.

And even when he played coy and shy, he was still adorable!

This little guy has the cutest smile and laugh! It melts my heart.

The first 6 weeks of my babies' lives for me are tough, but the first time they smile at me, it makes all the fatigue and sacrifice so worth it!

I love the connection that I get to have with my baby. William looks at me with the most adoring, I-love-you-more-than-anyone-in-the-world look that reminds me how I would absolutely do anything for him.

He has become such a big boy (he's a good eater, can ya tell?) and is really long. The doc says he'll be tall--ya think? ;)

William, you are my joy and love, and I thank God every day for sending you to us.

You good-naturedly put up with your sisters' attentions (read: mauling) and love it when they talk to you. You chat it up with them, too! I don't know if you'll talk as quickly or as much as they did from an early age, but I love to hear you coo and talk to me right now!

You epitomize this word "Love" to me and I'm so blessed to be your mother! I love you, William Badilliam!

At Our House Lately

I haven't blogged in a really long time, I know. We haven't been especially busy or anything, it's just that life is crazier with 3 and with a baby, plain and simple. But we've been having fun.

Joseph is such a creative dad. Every Tuesday night he gets to figure out something fun to do with the girls while I go to Mutual with William. One week he decided to bring up some boxes for the girls to decorate and after they had turned them into cars, they sat in them and watched a movie. It was their first drive-in and they loved it.

The girls just love to love on their brother. Whether William likes it or not is yet to be determined, but I think he usually leans toward "Please get out of my face."

And this look here says: "Yellow ducks? Really? How am I supposed to be a man with yellow ducks?" Joseph says he's got until 6 months old and then no more ducks. Ever.

The kids' cousin Austin turned 4 recently so we got to celebrate with swimming, pizza, and donuts. They had a blast, as always.

It's really rough living in a place where this is what it looks like outside at the end of January. :)

Me and my bro, Petey-Poo. (Hey, at least I didn't call you your old nickname, the Pooer. :D)

The girls love getting dressed up fancy which is why all the Fancy Nancy books are their favorites.

And sitting in this princess chair was the cherry on top.

I just love Sophie in purple, and she knows it.

The best part about these dresses is how they twirl. Sophie judges a dress's worth by its twirling radius, so this got a 10.

Sophie likes to try her hand at photography every now and then. This is one of the better shots she snapped recently.

Joseph got to go to preschool with Sophie a couple weeks ago for Donuts with Dad day. You can see what color donut Sophie had by looking at her face! She loooooved having daddy there for the morning.

We recently acquired a new member to our family, the softest and definitely biggest member: a love sac. We're just keeping it for my brother for a little while, but the girls love having it here.

The whole family can easily curl up on it, even if you inevitably end up sinking into the center together. That's what makes it so fun.

So that's some of what we've been up to lately. How did it already become February?