the honor of my life {pinewood derby}

The highlight of the weekend, well Kieran's weekend anyway, was the Pinewood Derby.

This is his second year in Adventure Guides with Erik, and the Derby is one of the signature events of the year. I loved Friday night because Erik and I were actually able to break away from all four kids and go to a dinner party with all the Adventure Guide moms and dads! Even though it wasn't a date all by ourselves, it was still with adult company and it made me realize how important it is to have that time, we need to go out more often!

As for the Pinewood Derby, we had to prepare Kieran that even when you don't win a trophy, participating is still memorable and a lot of fun! I think it's great the kids get a participant ribbon, and equally great that not all the kids get a trophy. Last year, Kieran cried and I was determined to have it sink in with him that no matter what, it was about having fun with his daddy.

Well, he definitely had fun as evidenced by the smile on his face...

 oh, and the fact that he won not one,

but two trophies!

Second place out of 35 or so cars for speed, and sixth place for design. I was a proud mama and wife of my two boys! 

He pouted just a little before receiving them because he wanted to win first. For a moment I thought, "Here we go again!" We talked about the Olympics and how winning silver is an amazing accomplishment, even just being in the Olympics is an amazing accomplishment!

Then after receiving the trophies, I had to laugh just a little when Kieran announced, "Winning these trophies is the honor of my life!"

Obviously we're still working on it, but for now, I'll let him bask in his trophy glory.

He's asleep with them in bed.

to be little

Oh, to be little!

Not a care in the world, except the next approach you'll take...

to how you'll roll down a hill.

Though I make it a point to live in the moment with them, there are times like these where I cannot help but capture them as they are. It is a time like this where there is nothing more beautiful than to grab my camera and watch through the glass. They giggle uncontrollably and the click of the image that is emblazoned in my mind and in my heart will be printed onto paper, forever leaving a memory that represents everything it is-

to be little.

3 months, chunka-monka {liam}

Dear Liam,

I am behind again on writing about the fact that you have turned 3 months old.

3 months old and you have a personality that is larger than life. 

I must say, you might not like this later, but little dude?

There's nothing little about you.
It's not just your personality that is large...

you are one big baby!
You and your cousin Noah are just four days apart. At your baptism, a friend of your uncle's thought you were a year apart! Granted, his wife is due with their first baby so he doesn't have a whole lot to go on, but have I said that you are one big baby?
I think that you are nearly, if not already, 17 pounds. Your cousin Noah is 12.
Your big sister Anna refers to you as "chunka-monka" and how could she not?
Look at these legs!
Look closely, because it's likely that when you are a year old, you will have 10 toes. Are you confused? That's because you have eleven, or as I like to tell your daddy, 10 and a half since it's only partially formed. 5 toes on your right, 6 on your left.

 

It's your second toe and from the bottom, it's shaped like a heart. We kinda like it, but we think it will probably have to be removed so it doesn't impede your gait when it comes time to walking. The funny part about it all is that the first person to discover it was your daddy-not the nurse's in the hospital, not Dr. N, not Mommy. I think your daddy is proud of himself for catching this small yet significant detail. Thanks, honey.

You are an incredibly happy baby. You've been sleeping through the night on an almost regular basis since two months and it's no secret that you eat like a champ.

 I've gotten you to giggle just a tad when I tickle you under your chin and I'm excited for the day when you belly laugh like your brother and sisters did at this age.
You love to chat up a storm and smile at anyone who will chat with you.

You are constantly kissed and hugged by all of us. Chunka-Monka, you are loved!
Love,
Mommy

it's bittersweet {my sweet jennifer}

My sister, my sweet Jennifer, she may not love this picture, but I do.

It's bittersweet as the tear streams down her face.

It's just before our goodbye, before she travels 8 hours away.

This may be close to many and when you think about it, it's not actually that bad. Some families live states away, countries away.

With the advancement of technology we are able to chat with each other on our computers and for that, I am truly grateful. 

It doesn't and will never replace the human touch, but when you can't be right there with someone, it sure is nice.

I am proud to call my sister my very best friend.

We've gotten in our fair share of arguments, some of them not very becoming, but at the end of the day, she's my only sibling and she means the world to me.

We won't see each other until the summer, our youngest babies just four days apart will be that much bigger.

In the meantime,

I have this...

and even though it makes me a little sad, it makes me a little happy at the same time as I am one lucky girl to call her mine.