Portraits

Finally getting to the portraits of the kids for Easter!

Another task crossed off the "before baby" list...yay!

The countdown has begun.
I've never yet made it past the next two weeks.

I set up a little studio in front of the french doors where the lighting is so beautiful.
That way I can sit the kids just inside, pop open the doors, and stand outside while I snap away. The light floods in perfectly on their eyes, even bounces up off the metal thresh-hold, kinda like a little reflector...pretty sweet.

Let me know what you think about the color, etc. on these. They look just perfect in photoshop and almost as good when I post them, but when viewing from any other program they look yuck...like WAY yuck! Irritating!

A few of Mommy's favorites...

A little "Jude Law" for ya....does anyone else see it?
I was just telling Lyle how much he resembles him and not 2 days later Kaylee walked in and said, "He looks so much like Jude Law to me." Pretty funny, given his brother's name.
























Always the dashing little gentleman...he still opens my door, even takes my keys and unlocks everything. And he's always sure to tell Sissy and I when we "look pretty." Jude is sure to disagree in most cases. (:
























Speaking of...
You may as well just shoot me now, 'cause these eyes will be the death of me.
Perhaps it's because they look just like Daddy's.

Could you resist?























No one's allowed to tell him that this look will get him anything his little heart desires...























When did he grow up? Can't believe how big he looks...







































My hardest subject.

She hates every minute of it and her coloring is extremely difficult to photograph. She is so beautiful, though. I always feel guilty that I can't capture her quite like I should.


No, she's not saying an angelic prayer...
she's begging, and I do mean begging, for more marshmallows!
























I think she looks like she belongs to Amber and Levi in this shot...
















Typical "Gwyneth"
And I adore it!























One of the three...
It'll take some major photoshop hours getting "one" of them all looking.
Stink bugs.

Sleepover

Last night our very big girl got to experience her very first sleepover.
It was the first time any of our kids have spent the night away from us and the house felt so empty without her in it. Mama had a very long night, complete with bad dreams...Not out of worry for her, just simply missing her.

When Aunt Crystal first asked if she would like to stay the night her eyes got as big as saucers as she animatedly bobbed her head up and down, up and down. She never said a word, but ran to get ready for bed and then came dashing out as we left to hug us all good-bye.

I'm told that two very excited girls giggled until at least 10:00, sharing lip gloss and sneaking out of bed to try on new headbands...and after finally falling asleep, slept like babies all night long.

I could hardly wait to see her today. I arrived to find a pink ballerina, complete with striped knee socks, bun and headband...a very grumpy ballerina indeed! She did not want to come home!

Thank you Aunt Crystal and Ava for being so much fun!
Next time it's our turn!

The Masked Ball

Well, we finally got to the "princess" party!
Mama wanted to cancel in the worst way,
only because I'm so exhausted.
But Gwyneth would've never gotten over it.
She has been looking forward to this day for at least 6 months now.
Jude just went along with it all and humored us that he'd actually dress up like a knight... until the day of the party, of course, when he would have none of it.
Oh well, at least he liked the food. (;
Didn't get any photos during the actual celebration.
Think C.R.A.Z.Y.
We had 13 kids, all but one 7 and under in age.
No time for anything but chaos.
The only ones not able to make it were Uncle Lance and Uncle Beaux.
Better be careful boys, or you won't hold the title of "favorite uncle" for long! (:

The Royal Princess, in all her finery.





















At least we had one willing knight, and plenty more showed up!

































Jude is all about food these days.
It's all he thinks about!
Good thing we had plenty of yummies to fill that tummy!








































Thank you to all who came!
We had a ball!

June Bugs and Sleeping Beauties

Had my weekly visit to the Dr. today.

June bug is head down and ready to go!

They have tentatively scheduled my c-section for Friday, June 5.

She just laughed and said I'll never make it, though.

I didn't realize that they stop giving the injections at 35-36 weeks.

Now I'm certain I won't make it to June.

I'm guessing Lost in the 50's week.

Please no! What a nightmare.

But, it's getting close!

And I'm so excited!

Just a few from a couple of months ago.

Sissy doing her "Sleeping Beauty".

I loves these 'cause it shows a side of her that not many know of.

The Aftermath...

Sugar, anyone?























The leftovers from yesterday's Easter egg hunt at Grandma's.
Arneth brought bubble tape.
My kids have never before enjoyed the novelty of gum.
Each of them tears off a piece and chews on it for about 3.4 seconds before taking it out and throwing it in the trash.

Could be worse.

So far I've not found any wads anywhere else,
besides in Gwyneth's container...

She spent all of Toy Story chewing and stashing.
I came upon the scene thinking she must've swallowed it all and was very relieved when she finally fessed up and showed Mama her stash.

And the candy!

Wanna feel like a bad Mama?
Just allow your son free rein over his loot after the hunt.

You know, the one who's allergic.
To nuts!

Commonly found in Snickers and Peanut Butter Cups.
Commonly loaded in plastic Easter eggs.

Ya. I know.

Thankfully it seems to be only tree nuts and not legumes (peanuts) that effect him.
Still, I felt pretty aweful when I realized this morning.
Thank you, God, for taking care of the boy you entrusted to me when I space out!

This week included for us:

Jude and Gwyneth's Birthday
Sarina's Birthday
Dad's birthday
My birthday
and Easter.

Like Lyle said, it's been like Christmas all over again.
Now that it's over we're going into full baby mode.
Only 4-5 weeks until I usually burst and not a thing ready!

It's time for nesting...

Happy Birthday to my babies!

Three years ago today.

I'm still alive!

Although at the moment I'm not sure that's such a good thing.

Tomorrow marks the last day of meds for me and "recovered" is not a word that describes how I'm feeling. I'm terrified that this thing is gonna come back even stronger and finish me off for sure and certain this time.

Not that I'm complaining. Five days of being bed ridden sure puts things into perspective for a person...I thought a lot about how guilty I should feel when I have a healthy body while there are those who never get one, and about what a baby I'm going to be if I have to suffer long on my true death bed. But, for now, gone is the Tylenol bottle that I became addicted to, gone are the hot baths, averaging 4 a day in an effort to keep the aches at bay (yes, even my teeth hurt), gone is the diet of nothing but ice-cream. While on it I managed to lose 1-2 pounds a day, all while being pregnant. Not bad, hu? And most importantly, gone are the white blisters that lined my throat and produced fire in my chest. Ya. Those are the guys that would burst and drain down my throat while I tried to sleep. The same guys that made me want to throw up because it hurt so badly just to breathe.

And my husband. My wonderful, beautiful husband.

Here are 10 things that made me fall in love with him all over again last weekend.

1) He took not 1. Not 2. But 3 sick days off to stay home and help me. And that's not including the weekend. I was unable to get out of bed for five days. He says his sick days are the only ones I'll ever get and he's happy to share.

2) He took care of and loved on our sick babies all five days. Making all their meals, giving them medicine, snuggling them, playing with them and putting them to bed.

3)He cleaned the kitchen...more than once! Amazing. I never knew he had those capabilities.

4)He packed up all the kids and went to town just to get me some ice-cream.....twice.

5)He left me the entire bed while he slept on the couch, and not just to escape my germs!(: but so that he could hear the kids should they wake up and need a drink or more medicine.

6)On the nights I couldn't sleep because of the pain or because I couldn't breath if I laid down he would make me a little nest on the couch where I could perch all night and rest while sitting up.

7)He took me to the doctor and waited in the car with all the kids for 2 hours while I waited to be seen and get treated.

8)He never once made fun of me for taking up to 4 baths a day.

9)He never once complained...about anything. (except the snow!)

10)He didn't take a photo of Mama for his Plague post. (;

Who wouldn't love him after all that?! (:


And thank you, thank you, thank you!!! to Emily, Sally, Debbie, Haylee (and whoever else helped) who left a beautiful dinner of chicken soup, rolls and brownies on our doorstep the other day while I was at the doctor! And to everyone else for your prayers. I feel so blessed!

I'm still not feeling up to much so, sadly, we're cancelling Jude and Gwyneth's party this weekend. That makes me so sad! Maybe we'll be able to get to it after Easter. And I, for one, am praying that no one else has to experience the things I've been through in the last week! Stay healthy everyone!


And here's a pic of my Camden, because I love him, too, even though he never got a list);