P52 - Things that Grow

Alternate Title...."Better Late Than Never"




For this last week's theme, I wanted to highlight some of the things that are growing around my house.

While we were at Disney two weeks ago, Micah was walking down the path after leaving an animal trail. He just announced in his surprised voice, "Hey...5 plus 5 is 10!" Curt and I looked at each other with a little bit of shock. He was holding up his two hands with five fingers each, and it was clear that he was thinking through the total number of fingers showing. Curt asked him about some other doubles, like four plus four. He would hold up one hand with four fingers and another with four fingers, count them, and then tell us the answer. We were in total shock that he was just coming up with this with absolutely no prompting from us. We decided to ask him about a non-double and see what his little overdrive brain did with that one. We asked him what two plus three was. He did his two hand finger routine and announced that it was five. This next thing is what made my jaw really drop. He said, in total and complete shock, "Hey...there are two ways to make five! There is this way (holding up one hand with five fingers) and this way (holding up two hands, one with two fingers and one with three fingers.)" I about fell over. I decided to press my luck and ask him about one plus four. The same routine. Once announcing that it was also five, he said "Hey...there are three ways to make five!" I love that his brain loves figuring things like this out, and that learning can totally happen by just being with his family and exploring the world.



Mackenna showed her growth this week in her fine motor, creative, arts and crafts abilities. Nana sent us these super cool sticker mosaic craft kits. They had got them in the mail and were really excited about them. I thought they were neat, but wasn't up for tackling a project that day. A little later, I was in a different room, and I heard Mackenna talking about completing one of the pictures. I was panicked about the mess she was making and the way she had probably ruined the craft kit and had done it all "wrong" since I hadn't explained to her ANYTHING about what she was supposed to do with it. I came into the room to see that she had nearly completed the high heel mosaic picture, and it looked just like the picture on the box. She had figured it out, got it out, and done it all on her own. It made me smile...a proud and surprised smile.

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They really are growing up - and I'm loving most every minute of it.

P52 - Sacrifice

This photo theme seemed to be the perfect time to jump back in. Although the idea of what I needed to capture didn't immediately jump out at me, my husband said something that quickly caused it to click. We were talking about what "sacrifice" looks like, trying to brainstorm, and he mentioned I should take a picture of me feeding Jocelyn at three in the morning. I appreciated his sentiment, but that seemed a little self glorifying in my book. I quickly thought about what he was going to do the next day - come home early, give up time at work, stay home with the kids, put off naptime for as long as possible to hopefully still give me a break later, so that I could go and take newborn photos for a friend. He is such a sacrificing daddy.







The photos were taken in less than desirable light, but they are a great reminder of the amazing, tangible, sacrificial love he shows our three children every day.



We love you, daddy!

Be Still

This week's p52 theme was "Be Still." These images from this week immediately came to mind. Sometime in the last year, our older kids started getting into bed with us in the morning. They usually make their way individually into our room sometime after 7, and we can usually keep them with us until around 8:00. Sometimes they are restless and chatty, but many times they fall back asleep as we slowly start our morning together. I was debating changing up this routine, but the day I heard this conversation between Micah and Mackenna, I ended that debate in a hurry.
Micah: "Mackenna, Mackenna, wake up. It's light outside."
Mackenna: "Oh."
Micah: "Do you know what that means? Do you know what time it is? .... It's SNUGGLE TIME!"
And then all I heard was two pairs of feet running into my bed. Pure Sweetness.

On this particular day, they must have been really tired, because Curt and I both had gotten up and taken showers before they even moved. My sleeping babes. Still. Sweet.







And, yes, that is a boy holding his twin sister's hand. I'm so glad they have each other.

Great Leap

I was so proud of my big boy on our first beach trip of the year. It is so neat to see so clearly how they grow up in the few months that we are away from the beach (about five months this year). The water was still a little chilly, which would usually send him running for the sand. Instead, this time he happily splashed the water on his head, jumped in with both feet, and danced around.





He was proud of himself too.

Cabin Fever

Well, I didn't quite make it in time for last week's challenge. In the spirit of following through, here are my cabin fever images. There is no better way to celebrate a beautiful February day (and help our visiting Maine friends burn off their cabin fever) than by going to the beach. It does the heart good. (Maybe this won't feel like quite as much gloating since I'm not able to link up to the rest of the group.)

Project 52 - Love!

I'm jumping in 6 weeks late to a Project 52 with My 3 Boybarians. This week's theme was "True Love." I took some photos of my favorite trio of Valentines on Tuesday that scream love to me.

I mean, what says "love" more than a little one being totally bored out of her mind by her siblings' kisses?!



I'm pretty sure the look that little one is giving her big sister in this photo is a five month old's definition of love.



Likewise, my older daughter's face is beaming with love for her little "doll" sister in this shot.



And, maybe this photo doesn't sum up their love for each other, but it is definitely a gigantic "Love" image for me. Love Love Love these three kiddos.