Please take your binkie!

Someone sure seems determined to be a finger sucker. 

Lioness

A couple of years ago Ella painted me this picture of a beautiful lioness.  I love it and it hangs in my office/craft room. 

BUMBO!

Family Dinners.

I love Sunday family dinners.
 

Tonight at dinner uncle Chase totally got Sam laughing.

C and Sam bonded.

It's happening!!!

Buds.

This gives me hope for an early spring.

Fruit tarts are my favorite!

These little individual fruit tarts are my guilty pleasure whenever I go to Harmon's.

SO DELICIOUS!

Splish-splash!

So lovely.

So sweet.

This picture makes me smile for many reasons (such as his grandpa waistline.)

Mustaches are hilarious!

Especially on children...

He he he he...

James and his buddy.

James's best buddy "W" moved about 45 minutes away in early December.  James has missed him SO much.  Today James and W were able to play together ALL day.  It was good to see them together again.  I think they were both in heaven.  Hopefully W's mom and I can get them together again soon.   

True Love

Today my little sister married the man of her dreams.

♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥

♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥

I am so happy for them both!

Sweet siblings

They love their baby brother so much and he LOVES them!

Little ladies man.

This is Sam and his future girlfriend sweet little "M".

Babies are so cute!

Happy Day of LOVE celebrating!

We started our day off with pink heart shaped blueberry muffins.

Delish!

Festive!

Dave took me and the boys to our local Mexican restaurant for lunch today.  This was their one lone Valentines decoration on the wall.  I don't know why but it totally cracked me up. 

Toothless baby smiles...

ARE

 THE

 BEST

A moment of magic.

Today Sam nursed!

Sam doesn't nurse.  There were complications when he was born that required bottle feeding.  Then when his doctor gave us the go a head to nurse Sam wanted NOTHING to do with it.  I still made a valiant effort and many, many tears were shed by us both.  When we finally threw in the towel I grieved.  I was pretty devastated but I decided that if I couldn't nurse then I would exclusively pump for him.  It is a sacrifice but he is oh so worth it.  My goal is to pump for him for at least 3 months.  With older children the logistics are very difficult when I have to be so many places so I think 3 months is a reasonable goal.  

Today I traveled to my Grandma's house for a baby shower for my cute cousin.  I knew I would be gone many hours so I brought my pump.  When it came time to feed Sam I realized that I was missing key parts to my pump.  I had left them home.  I panicked and thought I would have to go to the store in search of parts.  I knew Sam could take formula but my biggest problem was I was in pain!  I was not going to make it till we got home.  Suddenly a light bulb went off in my head.  I realized that although he HATED it, he could nurse.  So I went to my grandma's room and we fought for a good 45 minutes.  He screamed like I have never heard him scream before or since.  In the end he did get fed and I got relief.  Somewhere in the middle of the fight he settled down and calmly nursed for a minute.  He looked up at me sweetly as if to say... "This moment is a gift for you Mom." 

It was a moment of magic for me. 

Little Blue Bear.

Babies dressed as fluffy animals... awwwwww.

Little piggys.

Sam has bulbous froggy toes just like his Mama's... only his are WAY cuter. 

BFF's

This is Sam and "W".

Ella and James are BFF's with W's older siblings so Sam and W have no choice but to be best friends too.

I went to book club tonight with W's Mom and we both started laughing because the boys were dressed practically the same. 

Good to see that sparkle.

Our sweet Ella has been struggling lately with some anxiety.  The sparkle had left her eyes most days.  As a mother it was heartbreaking.  We were able to get her some help with the anxiety and suddenly the sparkle was back.  I love that silly, silly girl. 

My sweet game-addicted boy.

He likes to find random places to hunker down and play his 3DS.  Sometime it is on the stairs, sometimes in a closet, sometimes tucked in a corner behind furniture.  It cracks me up.

Such a sweet girl.

I am so proud of this girl.

She got up in church and the Bishop introduced her as the newest member of the ward.  Her hair was super cute and curly because of her braids yesterday. 

A beautiful day.

Today was a great day for our family.  Ella was baptised and Sam was given a blessing.  Both were done by my sweet husband.  I was one proud lady.  I am so lucky.

Ella's first "real" flowers.

Ella is being baptised tomorrow.  She is so excited and feeling quit grown up.  This evening the doorbell rang and a local florist had a delivery for a "Miss Ella".  Her Aunt "Shesha" had sent her these beauties since she couldn't be there in person.  Ella was THRILLED!

Extra arms.

It is so nice to have big kids to help hold the baby sometimes.  She loves her baby brother and always wants him to be happy.  Look how sweet and happy he looks hugging her. 

LOVE

Mamaroo.

I have wanted a Mamaroo since I first got pregnant.  Dave's business partner gave us one yesterday as a baby gift.  I was so excited I squealed. 

James kisses Sam an average of 100 times a day. 

I love that he is such a sweet loving big brother. 

Sam LOVES his Mamaroo!