Presidents Day and Valentines

Here are a few pictures of our President's Day Weekend that we spent in Idaho Falls. We were feeling pretty brave and missing family we hadn't seen in a long time and so we took four-week old Charlie, Anna and Max up for the weekend in our new van. It was a surprisingly relaxing trip, even with a newborn, and it was so nice to have a change of pace for a few days and lots of people to entertain our kids and hold and hold the baby.

We were there for Valentines Day so we brought along some very attractive cupcakes to celebrate. . .
Anna also made a valentine hat for herself and one for Max. Nice sister.


I forgot to pack my camera and even though I realized it just a few minutes after we left we were NOT about to go back for anything. So here are a few pictures from Taylor's iPhone of us hanging out at grandma and grandpa's house. (Praise the iPhone!)

Max goes straight for the puzzles at grandma and grandpa's. He is a puzzle maniac. Not to brag, but he is pretty amazing at them actually. I am thankful that there is some activity that he will sit still for.

Charlie made some good buddies while we were there. Here he is with Great Grandpa Hal (Davis).
And another buddy--Uncle Casey.

Anna organized a complicated game of catch and was in heaven with how many fun grown ups there were who were willing to play with her.

As I've said before--we are very, very thankful for our families and think that being together is the best fun!

My Special Place

It's just been one of those days (especially the last part of it). The kind of day that ends with multiple children in their beds crying loudly or mournfully calling my name.

Tonight we fought a little battle with Max called "We don't pour water out of the bathtub, ever."

And one with Anna called, "I mean what I say even if you are really cute, and then I still mean what I say even if you are crying the biggest tears I've ever seen."

And one with Charlie called "Have a pacifier. You cannot nurse every hour for an hour because it throws a major wrench in the workings of this family."

I felt like a really mean mom, and I fought a little battle inside myself, actually several. One of them was called, "Should I stay or should I go away from here?"

Luckily I have developed a coping strategy for when I can't go away from here, which is usually. If you are curious, I just take a little mental vacation to a dark, quiet, cathedral, yes, where monks are singing. And as I write that, it doesn't sound very normal, but it works. And while I am there, I take some deep, deep breaths and maybe eat some chocolate chips, and then I say goodbye to the monks and come back.

Charlie Robert

Me and Max took some pictures of the baby today while Anna was at preschool. Charlie is a whole month old and getting so big. I adore his chubbiness. Sweet boy!






And another sweet boy hamming it up. . .

Anna Leita

Max

Goodbye My Love

Feeling the love

Grandma Mary Ellen and Grandpa Guy came by last week to see Baby Charlie and all the rest of us. I love this picture of Grandma looking at Charlie. I always feel so blessed when we have a new baby to have so many remarkable people loving our family and making our job a whole lot easier.
This little guy is so sleepy and cuddly! He loves to be held while he sleeps and sleeps and also while he is awake until he falls asleep again a few minutes later. Such is the life of a newborn.


And here is where the title of this post really becomes relevant. See, as long as Anna and Max are awake, it is a Charlie Party. He just really doesn't get much of a break from all the loving. Kiss Kiss!

Item of Importance

Here is Max sitting on his big boy bed--it was high time for this step in his life since it's been a while since the crib rails really kept him in or out of his bed. He had a special way of climbing into his crib all by himself that involved some serious upper body strength and the strategic placement of his red chair at the end of the bed. He sometimes still gets in that way, just for old times sake.

This picture is also important because Max is wearing his owl shirt with the googly eyes.

Sister and Brother

Big sister and big brother, to be more accurate. What a lucky (and patient ) baby Charlie is. His big brother and sister love to hold him, love to sing to him, love to touch his hair and kiss his feet, love to tell him jokes, love to be very near him, always.