My favorite photo EVER!!!

This one!

Pretty much she is the cutest, right? This was really the first time EVER that I have pictures of her smiling and looking at the camera. She hates having her picture taken and usually yells, "I CAN'T WANT MY PICTURE TAKEN!!!" any time she sees my camera. Most of my photos of her she is sporting a very somber expression - Zach compares my little photo sessions with Miss A to child torture. So what was the big secret to success this time? I told her in a really serious meanest mom ever voice "Do NOT smile! Stop it! No smiling. Stop looking at me!" And BAM, just like that, beautiful smiles and eye contact.






Some photos from my previous attempt to get some cute clover pictures of her. This did not go so well and I gave her the boot and sent her to pick flowers after a couple minutes. But I had brought along a friend's daughter because I knew I couldn't count on Miss A to be a good little model. Miss J's pics are over here.

Spreading the word....

A week ago or so a friend of mine here sent an email asking for help getting the word out that she and her husband are trying to adopt. Because I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, it didn't occur to me that a good way to pass their message on would be through blogging until I saw that another one of our friends posted the adoption message on her blog. And you know how fast word can travel in the blogging world, so maybe, just maybe.....Below is the message from our friends, Carl and Starla and links to their adoption site and blog. It probably goes without saying that I think the world of them as parents and their two girls. One thing that has really impressed me is how kind their daughters are to my little girl, even though they are several years older then her. I've seen them holding her hand, reading her books, helping her safely off trampolines, doing puzzles with her, etc. A baby would not only be placed with loving parents, but with wonderful caring siblings as well!

Hi Family & Friends,

As some of you know, our family is trying to adopt. We were told that the best way to having a baby placed with us is by word of mouth...so we are giving you the chance to be apart of our adoption story. Please pass this message on to all your contacts in your email address book and ask them to pass it on to all their contacts, etc. You never know who may know someone who is considering placing a baby for adoption.

Our Adoption Link:
https://www.itsaboutlove.org/ial/profiles/22156129/ourMessage.jsf

Our Adoption Blog:
http://carlandstarla.blogspot.com

Thank you all so much for your support!

Love Always,
Carl & Starla

Memphis LDS Temple on a gorgeous day last week.

Spring Events, 2010

Just a glimpse of the day to day of each member of our family of four.

ZACH

This month was his birthday. Not just any birthday, the big 30. Have I mentioned how lame we are at celebrating holidays and birthdays? But since it was his 30th, I tried to celebrate this one as the big 30 should be celebrated. First of all, I got him a present. A present that was actually wrapped and presented to him on his actual birthday, not a week or so later. And secondly, I made him cupcakes. But not just my usual cake mix and can of frosting cupcakes. I made completely from scratch salted caramel cupcakes. Because somehow I had concluded in my head that spending several frazzled hours in the kitchen baking (that he wasn't even around to witness) showed my love far better then presenting him with equally as tasty quick cupcakes from a mix? I will admit though, the tops of the cupcakes were AMAZING. So we just ate the tops off all of them. And threw the dry bottoms away.

MELANIE

I have managed to lose only 5 pounds since having my baby. Five pounds over FOUR months. So my update will be sans any actual pictures of me. On a positive note, I finally got tired of feeling bone-numbing exhausted by 5 pm everyday and starting consistently taking an iron supplement like I've been told more then several times to do by various doctors. And you know what, I have SOOO much more energy! I can't believe it took me so long to do something so simple and I only have myself to blame. So ladies, take those vitamins!

I miss sewing and crafting. I've pretty much decided that Miss A will have to be in preschool before I get any big projects done again. But I have done little things for the many many babies born here! There's only 2 women at church having babies in June and that is an extremely slow month! Some things I've made for showers this past month....

BABY T

She's starting to occasionally sleep through the night. I'm sure she would sleep more consistently at night if I kept her days more consistent, but it's hard! I really am trying to move toward a more scheduled planned life in general, but it's so not my nature. In fact it's so opposite my nature in every way. But I know it'll be better for the kids. More on that later!

Again, she's so beautiful to me. She's started to giggle and it's the sweetest sound. She is still happy and easy going. She makes me excited for a third! In fact, if I didn't have to be pregnant to get that third one, I'd be ready for the next right now. But that whole pregnancy thing....

Hanging out on dad's shoulder.

MISS A

This past month has mostly been all about her. But isn't every day all about her? You don't know how many times strangers have said to me, "You can see who runs the show!" Is it that obvious?! We hit a really rough patch with her behavior a month or so ago, which is why I'm really wanting to move towards a more scheduled life, I think it'll help her. But keeping her busy with activities also helps her, at least to wear her out some!

Soccer. I've been dreaming of her first soccer game since she was born. I want to be a soccer mom. No, I WILL be a soccer mom. It's non-negotiable. I know these pictures make her look like a good participant, but I think pretty much this is as much as she's touched the ball all season. Oh well. She's not even 3 yet and the only one on the field in diapers I might add. We have time still. Notice in the bottom picture there is no goal or field lines or cones of any sort. She finally got her feet on the ball and took off! And kept going and going and going forrest gump-like. Which is why that ref is chasing her. She was no where near the field at that point.

The best part of soccer for kids. The snacks and drinks after.

I also take her to gymnastics to get some of her bugs out. I think it wears me out more then her since it's parent assisted and I'm assisting while feeding, carrying Baby T at the same time. But she loves it and is one brave little monkey!

And library time. She refuses to read anything but Clifford books and feels the need to hoard all of them. Which scares me because the librarians here are MEAN! Like I might have yelled at several of them once because I couldn't take it anymore....it was 2 days before Baby T was born so hopefully they don't recognize me anymore not pregnant. But they deserved it. At the exact time Miss A was stacking her Clifford books oh so high, I heard a librarian tell a little girl she couldn't get anymore books because she had too many on her table already. (she had six). My pulse went through the roof but luckily she did not look our way. Seriously, library time is the stress high of my week.

And this is what happens when she skips naptime. If I'm lucky. If I'm not lucky skipping naptime means loud screaming erratic craziness. So yes, when she's bad, it's BAD. But when she's fun and cute, she's the CUTEST! She makes me laugh all the time. I think 3 is going to be her year. It's going to be good. I'm pretty sure I said the same thing when she turned 2, but for real, this time I mean it!?

Anyways, that's our life! Nothing too crazy but we are enjoying it.