bedtime snacks

This is because I had...to....have....Krispy Kremes the other night on the way home from my parents' house. I thought it would be as simple as just running through the drive-thru, but when I pulled up to it, I realized that it was closed. Um, Krispy Kreme is never closed...that's their thing, you know. They are the one 24-hour doughnut joint that's reliable. Well, the Bowles Avenue one is apparently under reconstruction. But since the idea was in my head, I just knew I couldn't get over it until I had a "HOT NOW" one melting in my mouth. My obsession took me all the way to the ends of the earth in South County somewhere and I took like five wrong turns and drove through a red light to get to it. What is it with 270/255? I hate that interstate. It runs every direction at some point in time. Who knew you had to drive west to go east? Josh, I would not have made you proud. It was well past Huntleigh's bedtime by the time we got home. And was it worth it? Let's just say they didn't taste as good as I remember them from college. But this picture made it all worth it.

babes in hats

6 1/2 weeks old

admiration

tomboy

just another Tuesday night

This was one of those nights where I decided to take pictures as we were being silly as a family. I know Josh has to tell me to put the camera down sometimes, but he didn't tell me on this night. And I'm glad, because these are just fun photos. (I love not having to feel guilty about "wasting" film. The SLR is one of the best things that ever happened to me.) That hour that Josh gets home is one of our favorites. There is nothing like daddy walking through the front door and he is very good about being willing to "love on us" as his girls. Everyone gets kisses and then Huntleigh gets to rough house with daddy. It's one of the best things to watch and the laughter is contagious. Tonight, though, we spent a lot of time jumping and flipping. Fun stuff.

same, same...but different

in color and black & white

heirlooms

My mother-in-law, Debbie, smocked this beautiful baptism gown for Huntleigh. I still remember when she gave it to me on Thanksgiving of 2005, just a couple weeks after Hunts was born. It was such a delicate labor of love and I am so glad that Lucy was able to wear it for her baptism, as well. There is a slip that goes underneath the dress, one that all the grandchildren will wear, once they are born into the family. Their names and birthdays have been and will be monogrammed onto the slip. I'm excited to discover how many more names will follow Huntleigh's and Lucy's!

peeking through

sweet uncle zach

Pop and B

a family in progress

Covenant Child

My little babe was baptized this past week. Huntleigh was baptized when she was about six weeks old, and it was important to me that Lucy be baptized at about the same age. There is nothing magical about the age at which a child is baptized, or nothing magical about baptism itself, but since Josh and I are in alignment with infant baptism, I put it on the calendar for February 17th, which made Lucy just shy of six weeks old. I think there are few things more beautiful than to watch your helpless child be ushered into the Covenant of such a loving Heavenly Father. And, to make it even more special and beautiful, to watch your own father hold that child in his arms and baptize her himself. Lucy's baptism was such a picture of God's covenantal faithfulness to our family. My father-in-law prayed such a tender and honest prayer for Josh and me and then my dad held Lucy and she cried for him as the water drenched her sweet little head. I cried too, but only out of thankfulness. Lord, please be faithful to the covenant you have made with us and our children. And may we be faithful to raise our children to know and love you as their Lord and Savior.

my little bird

big and little

Happy Balentime's Day!

This necklace was one of my "Balentime's" gifts to Huntleigh and she was so sweet to share it with Lucy. I guess Lucy got a kick out of it, because it made her smile really big! Huntleigh has been very thoughtful to want to "include" Lucy in everything...which means that I always have to keep a constant eye on the both of them, since I have found L, on occasion, smothered with a pillow in the living room or squealing as Huntleigh hugs her too tightly. And then there was the time that I walked into the room just as Hunts was trying to pick Lucy up. That would have been a flop. Quite literally.

the makings of a smile

Lucy's most content time of day is right after she wakes up in the morning. She seems to be less needy for that first hour of the day and it is also the time when I catch her smiling and beginning to coo. She is such a sweet babe.

features

growing up

I just look at her and am amazed at how old she looks.

adjectives and adverbs

Being an English major and somewhat of a grammar nerd, I find it fascinating to listen to my child use language. She is really quite clever and funny. She is known to use words like "totally" and "probably" in many sentences...most times properly, but sometimes the adverbs are just thrown into the sentence in a random way. She'll say things like, "I go downstairs and have milk and then watch a show." And I'll say, "We'll see about the show." And she'll respond with a "Maybe watch show? Probably watch show," while continuing to nod her head, saying "Probably watch show," as though this will turn the maybe into a probably.

Other ways Huntleigh has used adverbs and adjectives this week:

"Mommy, that shirt is beautiful."

"Lucy is totally cute."

"Whoa! That's really brown!" (regarding her poop, which is her newest thing....identifying the color of her poop. sorry for that.)

"This is complicated." (where on earth did you learn that one, child?!)

And more, I'm sure, that I am just not remembering. My brain doesn't work as well, anymore, now that I am existing on less sleep. I am far less articulate and I can say that I honestly don't complete thoughts a lot of the time. Maybe someday in the future I'll get my brain back. Maybe. Probably. Until then, I can say that I am totally in love with my daughters. That I know for certain.

little puppy, big love.

This is Abby's new puppy. I think Huntleigh fell in love almost instantly, because she realized that this puppy had no ability to knock her over. It was obvious to Huntleigh that she could boss this puppy around and it would "obey" her. It was so cute to see her play with Olive, the puggle. But being gentle was something else. It's amazing Hunts didn't squash Olive by the end of the night.

snowplowing

Hunts and Frosty

Josh and Huntleigh's awesome snowman. Huntleigh did the supervising while Josh did all the work.

hot chocolate. yea!

snow bunny

snow skeptic

This was our little snow skeptic last week, after it had snowed eight or so inches in Saint Louis. I guess it is difficult to remember seeing snow and playing in it for the first time, but I suppose the concept might be a bit complicated for children. Huntleigh seemed apprehensive and so we thought it important to all go and play in the snow. We found an excellent mid-range hill on which to take her sledding and there were only a few other people around....which was probably less threatening than Art Hill (although, much less exciting as far as sledding goes). We kind of "bribed" Hunts to get on the sled with the reward of hot chocolate at the end of our playtime, and I think that was more exciting for her than anything. She ended up having fun enough, and Josh and I had tons of fun. I never thought I'd be on a sled four weeks after a c-section, but it was like I'd never even had surgery. Crazy.