Pictures for Friends

Some of my best friends asked me if I could take some photos of them the day they found out the gender of their baby. I jumped at the opportunity. It just so happened that the grandparents were in town and I could sneak away for a couple of hours and head up to the most beautiful place in Charlottesville, Carter's Mountain. I had such a lovely time celebrating this miracle they have been entrusted with.

And then they thanked me with these puppies below!!! Amazing! I tried to horde them all to myself, but wasn't successful. I caved and shared due to a major sugar overload. That special cupcake in the back right is the famous lemon drop cupcake, which is supposedly responsible for putting around 200 women into labor. Me being one of them!

I could definitely get use to this... taking pictures for cupcakes? Yes, please!

One of the Joys of Home Educating!

Getting to see this each and every day!

Ebba LOVES Ballet

She finished up her first 6 week session through the city parks and recs program and loved it. We signed her right up for the next one. Look at this face!

Mid October Happenings

The more I learn about photography the more appalled I am at some of my photos, but I am just too tired to edit a single one... so here they will go down in the books like they are. Hopefully they don't take away from the cuteness.

All of the kids earned their first "best behavior cards" from our new accountability program. Huge hit!

And in case anyone was wondering why in the world we have triangles as our new decor, it was for a math project. It took us so long to do, we wanted to keep them up for awhile. Our Cotters Ten Fractional.

A precious picture of our Pappy Lee Lau from the South.

Our Indian hiding in the tree.

Annabelle helped me completely put together the boys toy bin for me. She was incedible.

Rosemary - 10 Months Old

When we found out we were pregnant with Rosemary I had a very hard time accepting how good God was to us. How could he have yet again blessed us with another gift when so many around us were losing children or struggling to conceive. After all these years of submitting my will to his, I have yet to understand why he chose to write my story the way he did. But, I'm learning to praise no matter what. These children point me to Him!

Rosemary is a complete angel. I keep telling Andy "this has been my most favorite month with her" but only then to repeat myself the next month. But, this age is perfection. I cannot soak enough up of her. I feel like she sleeps too much. I never feel like I have enough time with her. Between her eating her brains out, sleeping and diaper changes, she has so little time left in her day to really play. I've resorted to waking her up just to see her. The second anyone in the home hears a peep out of her we descend on her like ravenous animals.

Call me crazy, but if this was your kid, you wouldn't get much accomplished in life either!

A picture of Rosemary next to a picture of Annabelle when she was exactly the same age.

My Wild Ones

These were taken after Annabelle and I took our pictures of our haircuts... I have no words.

Annabelle's First Haircut

Annabelle and Mommy went on a special date to get our hair cut. This was her first professional cut. I fought bangs for so long, but finally caved. She doesn't keep clips or headbands in, and even though her hair is long enough to fit behind her ears, it doesn't stay.

Her hair stylist's name was Hannah. She was so excited because that's the name of her ballet instructor. She did phenomenal. The wait was quite long and we had such a good time walking around, getting some french fries and just enjoying being together.

While we were sitting in the waiting area she leans over to me and says loudly, "Mommy, after we get our hair cut we are going to look so pretty! We are going to look like NINJAS!" Oh my gracious my heart just burst right then and there. I cannot handle her cutness.

Apparently ninjas are pretty in her world and she thinks they all have long hair for some reason.. still haven't gotten to the bottom of that comment.

Mama got one too, but it's not styled or anything because it was late and I just wanted to leave. :)

This face!!!

Early October Happenings

One last visit with Miss Rachie before she heads up to Canada for a few months.

Samuel is now addicted to climbing trees. Thankful we have a good one he can do this in:

After we do our math lesson for the day I let them play with any manipulatives they would like. So in light of his recent obsession, Samuel made this:

 

My very helpful bakers. I think Joseph is just about to the point where he could bake bread for us w/o help. Very exciting for me!