Sunday, December 15, 2013

One Year Later!!??

Well...it's been almost a year! We have some catching up to do!


Maggie (5) Ben (2 1/2) Kathryn (18 mo) Mary (7 weeks)

One year later, Maggie is 5, Ben is turning 3 in less than a month, Kathyrn is just under 19  months, and our Mary Jean has just turned 3 months.

 Maggie - 5 years old

Mary Jean- at 7 weeks old

 
 
 

I'm feeling overly sentimental tonight. Maybe it's because Kathryn requested I sing "Sunshine" as I laid her down to bed - or because I watched Ben drift off to sleep while holding his favorite rubber hammer (that's been taped together twice because he can not be "Fix-it-Felix" without it) -or maybe because Maggie is wearing her two favorite prince nightgowns and a princess Santa hat to bed tonight - or because I am sitting here next to Mary as she rolls over onto her belly at just 3 months old. The fact is, I love these little moments. I just want to bottle them up and keep them forever - and if I can get myself to keep up on this blog, maybe I can hold a piece of my babies with me for a little while longer.

Maggie turned 5 in September. She had a double birthday party with Lawrence who happened to turn 3 on Septmeber 12th - the day Mary Jean was born. Aunt Katie was in town and put the whole party together. It was a princess/super hero themed party, celebreated at the Emack&Bolio's on the river front. Friends and family were all there to celebrate.

Maggie is attending afternoon Pre-K everyday at St. Phil's this year. Her teachers are Mrs. Emerson and Mrs. Lewis. She absolutely loves school and really enjoys all her new friends.
She is an amazing big sister to Ben, Kathryn and Mary - and has a wonderul connection with each of them. Maggie and Ben are the best of friends. They play so well together (most of the time) - and really enjoy being together. They love to role play and pretend to be differnet characters - Maggie is usually some sort of princess and Ben is her prince - or lately - Ben has been "Captain Hook" or "Peter Pan" and Maggie is "Wendy" or "Tinkerbell".
Maggie plays the mother role to Kathryn and Mary - she tends to Kathryn's needs and tries to keep her out of trouble and is very affectionate to Mary. She loves to hold her and help care for her.

Ben is getting ready to turn 3 in just a month. He is such a joy and so full of life. The moment Ben wakes, he is bouncing out of his bed and out the door, ready to start his day. Every morning he runs into our room to say good morning and will cuddle with us until it's time to head down stairs. He is always ready to play and is usually wanting to pretend to be some character. Lately, he is into "Captian Hook", Peter Pan", "Fix it Felix" or "Woody" and "Buzz Lightyear" - and Benny always has to have some sort of prop to be the part - a hammer, hat, hook, sword - or anything he can come up with. He is such a sweet boy and always up for a fun time.

Miss Kathryn - or Tunes, as we like to call her - is our sweet and sassy little one. She is full of personality and has us laughing all day long. She loves mischief and is busy creating it every moment of the day. You can find her in the fridge, climbing on tables and chairs, and stealing everyone's food any chance she gets. Kathryn loves to dance and play, read books, sing sillly songs, and play with her sisters and brothers. She is talking more and more each day and is even showing interest in the potty too! We adore her to pieces :)

Our sweet Mary Jean is absolutely precious in every way. She is the most easy-going and well tempered baby. She loves her siblings and enjoys the constant entertainment that surrounds her throughout the day. Ben is after her piggy toes every chance he gets, and Kathryn is constantly at her side, taking her pacifier and giving it back, cuddling with her, or sharing toys with her - and Maggie is like another mother to Mary - always looking out for her needs and showing love and affection to her. Just yesterday, we all celebrated as Mary rolled over from her back to her belly for the first time - we love watching her grow . She is just a joy!

Wild imaginations!

Maggie and Ben's imaginations amaze us everyday. Maggie is really into telling elaborate stories about witches and princesses and a prince coming to her rescue. Ben let's his imagination run wild with pirates and alligators. This mornning I went to get him out of bed and he had created a whole world of fun. A blue blanket was bundled in his lap and "Bear" and "Floppy Dog" were laying on top. He was telling me that Bear and Floppy were in a boat - he pointed to a little bump in the blanket and said it was an alligator!! He preceeded to say that Bear and Floppy were pirates and the alligator was going to get them!

Everyday the couch cusions become trucks and tractors, boats and high climbing towers. The winter months are weighing on us as we wait for warmer weather, but Mags and Benny's creative imaginations help to make for exciting adventures during the day.

Kathryn keeps herself very busy. She is pulling up and climbing anything her little legs allow. We catch her standing alone quite a bit now. She is all smiles and loves the constant entertainment that surrounds her from her big brother and sister. Foods are so fun now. This morning she had french toast sticks with her baby food and she thought that was pretty great.

Love these moments!


Saturday, November 17, 2012

It's Been Awhile!




It's been awhile since my last post. October went by way too fast for me!  Here are a few pictures of the little ones and what they have been up to lately.


Maggie is keeping very busy these days - she has school 3 days a week and a ballet/tap class on Tuesday nights. She is also very busy being the big sister and she plays the role so well. Maggie adores Ben and Kathryn - if she is not dancing or wrestling with Ben, she is cuddled up with Kathryn, singing or reading to her. We recently moved Kathryn and Maggie into the same bedroom and Maggie loves sharing her room :) Maggie's favorite things lately include dancing and singing, drawing and creating art projects, doing puzzles, playing with the neighbor kids, helping mommy in the kitchen, and learning to read. She is just a doll and we love watching her grow into a little girl :)


My Benny . He is the sweetest boy I know. He is always up to something. His favorite things lately are his books (especially the Very Hungry Caterpillar), his cars and trucks, his Toy Story boots, any type of ball, Daddy's guitar and anything that can resemble a guitar, and his yellow, plastic construction hat (we never leave home without it). Ben is a HUGE fan of the Wiggles lately and he knows every word to every song and the dance moves too :) He is talking all the time now - full sentences and everything . He is quite the singer too - ABC's, Twinkle Twinkle, Doe A Deer, and Itsy Bitsy Spider are a few of his faves. The boy does not sit still - he has way too many things to do in his day and just too little time. Dan and I enjoy him so much and can not say enough about how much we love our boy!
Miss Kathryn is getting so big. She scoots all around the house on her knees and belly and she does not let anything stop her. She adores Mags and Ben and is not afraid to get right in the middle of them playing. Kathryn is a tough little girl with more spunk and personality everyday. She has 2 teeth on the bottom now,  she is trying new foods and loving everything, and she is babbling/yelling all the time. She loves to cuddle and  has the most kissable cheeks. Her favorite toys are her bunny, anything that rattles, and her feet - she is always eating her feet. We love her to pieces :)


playing 'Benny's guitar'




getting ready for school!
he even sleeps in his yellow hat! such a goof!
our chunkiest monkey - kathryn jane!




potty training and toy story boots!

chuck-e-cheese!







Thursday, October 4, 2012

Happy 4th Birthday Maggie!!

         


 
                                         
OUR BABY IS 4!!




Good Morning Birthday Girl! Maggie woke up on her birthday, put on her NEW dancing outfit from Great Grandma Myers, and came down the stairs with this darling smile! She remembered it was her birthday the moment she woke up and was so excited to start her day :)  Maggie often wakes up and changes out of her jammies right in to her outfit of choice.




Usually it is a dance outfit or tights and a tutu, some sort of dress - or in the summer, always a swim suit. She is a character :) I am feeling a little sentimental about her turning 4. I teared up as I uploaded these pictures.  We have been talking about her turning 4 since the day she turned 3 - and now it's here. Maggie literally had the never-ending birthday this year. We celebrated with friends and family on Saturday the 22nd at Rainbow Play Systems, than had another mini birthday with Pop and Great Grandma Myers before they headed back to Florida - and celebrated her actual birthday on the 25th at our house with Gaga, Nonnie and Poppo, Uncle Brian, Aunt Julia, Daddy, Mommy, Ben and Kathryn. Maggie loved every second and was so sweet and genuinely grateful to everyone.


Maggie poured her own milk and cereal - ate breakfast with her brother, cuddled with her sister, and sang and danced to the "Birthday" song by the Beatles. She had a great morning!



Maggie celebrated with friends and family at Rainbow Play Systems in Peoria :) Such a fun day!

Solo dance party before friends arrived! Daddy made a special mix of all her favorite songs!
                                         

Quinn and  Maggie :)
Celebrating with ALL her friends! 

Licking the frosting from the candles :)

Gaga and Katie Jane :)
Poppo and Aunt Amy!
Ben was a very busy boy! It was tough to get a picture!! 
Sweet Kevin and his new shoes!! :)


Party Time with Family...



Yay for another  party!!!

Make a Wish!


Finger puppets from the Thompsons :)


Cinderella card and crown from Nana!




Wacky Wednesday!

Wacky Wednesday!

Hello Kitty never had a chance!

 



Family is THE BEST! 



Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Mini Moments are the Best!

Tuesday. September 18. 2012


Monkey and Frog from Gaga and Pop!  :)

I am that mom who snaps a picture of my children every chance I get. I'm sentimental about everything - and the mini moments in our days absolutely melt my heart. To me, it is the simple, things that I want to capture forever. They are the moments that stop me in my tracks and help me to remember how blessed we are.

This morning I stopped to listen to Ben sing his ABC's to himself as he ate his breakfast - and tonight he sang "Twinkle Twinkle" to Maggie as I tucked her into bed - too sweet! 

When I leave for work, Maggie stands at the back door and signs "I love you" as I pull away. I adore those moments. 

And teeny tiny Kathryn - she lights up my world with her huge smile and dalring dimples. I just can not get enough of her sweet and fiesty little personality. 

Dan and I love our babies dearly and thank God for every day we have with them <3

Here are just a few mini moments from our week... 

Play day at Nonnie and Poppos :)

Maggie's first visit to the dentist!

No cavities!



They've mastered the art of eating ice cream all too well!
  

Emack's best customers!  Now that is love!

She's always after that caterpillar!


"I mowin' mama!  Benny moooowin' "

Mowin' and waiting for Maggie

All done! Maggie loves her new dance class!

Cuddle time with my Kathryn Jane <3