November Wrap Up

It's happened again!  I plug my phone into my computer and realize I have 100+ photos to blog about.  So here's to the monthly catch up.  You're welcome, Heather.  :)

mid-swing face:

 nightly story time consists of all three girls trying to find room on my lap.  I LOVE this time of day.  Partly because of how much I love them all over me, and partly because they are seconds away from sleep.

 my sleeping baby.  STILL a horrible cat-napper and doing so awful at nights.  But more on that later.

 no more sink baths!  She's finally outgrown the sink and had quite the audience for her first bath in the baby tub.

 this kid.  wow.

 Ivy with cousin Reese, four weeks apart

 little DIVA!

 Emery can be so so sweet and loving to Ivy.  But there are moments when she starts off sweet and ends up clawing poor Ivy across the face.  It's AWFUL.

 my attempts at taking a bath to relieve sore muscles was thwarted by these two monsters:

 the kindle.  our necessary evil.  starting Ivy out young apparently. 

 my first post-baby competition!  My partner Cori and I didn't do that fantastic, but oh well.  We had a blast.

 I catch this kid who drives me bananas all throughout the day doing these wonderful things that make my heart just explode with love for her.

 I love the bond these two share

 this kid LOVES pumpkin bread!!!  She was my little helper making some for friends.

 her eyes.  her cheeks.  her lips.  I can't stand it!

 For Thanksgiving this year, we opted out of our yearly tradition to run in the turkey trot.  We both LOVE this tradition, but when we weighed the 

PROS:

we love it

it's one of our only traditions

versus the 

CONS:

it's an hour drive

we would have to leave at 6AM

it would have cost us $60 plus gas money

the girls would have been cranky the rest of the day

they wouldn't have wanted to run

not enough strollers

we decided it just didn't make sense this year.  Instead, we drove three minutes up the road and took a little "hike" in the San Tan mountains.  They lasted about 30 minutes.  And it ended up being perfect for our crew.  After our hike, we had lunch, naps, and then dinner at my moms.  It was so nice and relaxing!  We had another yummy meal at the Overton's the next day.  Having fam so close REEEAAAALLLLYYY has its benefits!!!  

I am sure thankful for this beautiful family of mine.  For this free country we live in.  For my testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  For the atonement.  For my health and the health of my family.  For my hard working husband.  For my home.  For all of the wonderful blessings I enjoy every single day.  I am thankful.

Birthday Parties!

I absolutely LOVE sharing my birthday with this feisty two year old!!!

She is the naughtiest little gal you ever did see.  

And I love her so so  much.  

For her 2nd-and my 31st-birthday, we kept it low key.  We went to the gym, did chores, she took a good nap, etc.  That evening we went to the Overton's for dinner and cake.  We were both spoiled rotten and had a nice relaxing time with family.  Emery decided she didn't want to get dirty and ate her cupcake like a dog.  She also did a wee bit of screaming anytime she didn't get her way.  But, you know.  It's her party and she can cry if she wants to. 

Random

 I realize I have four kids.  

But this one is so yummy right now, the only thing I do when I'm not snuggling on her, is take pictures of her.

 

 My brown eyed-girl.  

Makes me swear like a sailor AND melts my heart every day.

 These two are best friends and worst enemies.  

Either clawing at each other and tattling non-stop, or playing princess and barbies together for hours at a time. 

 My little Charlotte has really had some major mood swings lately.  Not normal mood swings, but serious up and down, every five minutes, going from one end of the spectrum to the complete opposite within seconds type mood swings.  It's pretty crazy.  The tiniest things set her off and she will scream so loud.  She loves to tell me that she is not my best friend and that she is mad at me.  It's so frustrating.  When she is happy?  Oh  man.  She's the sweetest little thing.  But I feel like we are walking on egg shells with her a lot of the time.  She also loves to scowl at people.  For example; she will be super excited to go to school and see her teacher and friends.  But when we get there and her teacher is welcoming her, she scowls and gives such a mean face, but is hiding a smile at the same time.  It's so weird.  I'm hoping this is just a phase, and I'm sure it is.  I just love this gal so much. 

Two Months!

Little Ivy is TWO months!  She is...

sleeping between 10-12 hours at night

cat napping during the day (annoying!)

eating like a champ

addicted to her pacifier

loves baths and showers

throws up quite a bit but nothing like her two oldest sisters

weighs 9 lbs 6 oz (18th%)

smiling non stop

so PERFECT.

October Wrap Up

these two.

 trampoline sleepover attempt:

 YUMMY:

 Sage helping with dishes after dinner!  She is the BEST helper.

 

I moan and complain about keeping up with my blog books.  But they are worth every second I put into them.  My girls will sit for hours and just scour them.  Every day.  I love it.

 It's no secret that this two year old has been giving me a run for my money lately.  She likes to tear things apart and run into the streets and beat up her sisters and jump in baths fully dressed.  But, she also loves to play peek-a-boo and give kisses and talk to Ivy in the sweetest voice.  I love her so fiercely it hurts.

 

No, I didn't send out birth announcement for Ivy.  Poor #4.  They are just so darn expensive!  I did order ten.  Just enough for her baby book, myself and immediate family

 

I am one lucky mom.

 and a slightly obsessed mom.

 The fact that she's got her baby and jewelry clutched tightly in both hands to watch a show just melts me.  And that lone tear.  She had been screaming her head off about .2 seconds before I took this.  She's a hot mess, just like me!

 the look of pure terror in her eyes makes me smile so big.

Halloween

Phew!  Halloween is over.  Here's a re-cap:

no new costumes this year.  Score!  I told the girls to pick an outfit out of their dress up clothes and they were quite content.  Sage and Charlotte chose to be mermaids again this year for the trunk or treat and then fairies for Halloween night, Em was a ballerina and Ivy was a cowgirl.  Kind of.  She was more just a bundled up baby with a semi-looking cowgirl onesie on.  Clint was Elder Kent.  Get it?  I was too tired from chasing after four kids to have time to come up with my costume.  Plus I'm a little lame.

Oh.  We also failed to go to a pumpkin patch or any fun farm activity this year.  Again, I'm lame.  Clint managed to run them down the the corner lot to grab a pumpkin while I was home sick, but we never even carved them.  Shhhh.

Ward Trunk or Treat:

 Charlotte's pre-school party, dressed as a um....ballerina?  I'm not totally sure what kind of outfit that is.  Her little pal Gracie was a darling little princess.

 this might be the only shot I got of little Ivy.  Oh well.  And Em put a major dent in her candy before I knew what was going on.