The Birth Announcement

So we were going to send some of these out, and still might, but overall we are kinda broke. To save you the trouble of opening and then admiring and throwing out the announcement of someone else's child, here is his birth announcement in all its glory, with good ol' Chunky Monkey himself on it. Feel free to download, print and then throw out one of your very own.

Post (but before the photo) Script: If you, like us, decorate your children's walls with these things, then I apologize. We really just can't afford to send them out this go around. And I was so proud of those ribbons, too.

Click for significantly larger.

Hand Me Over From Cousin Nathan

Your feet don't have to reach the pedals to have fun. Unless we are talking about cars, then yes, Yes they do.

Thanks to Aunt Lori, Uncle Brent and Cousin Nathan for the fun new ride.

Lilly Story: Little Adult

Lilly channels a teenager

Mommy and Daddy were chatting in James' room. Mommy was rocking James to sleep, and Lilly was running all over the place, and playing with one of her favorite toys, the bedroom door.

Suddenly Lilly ran up to Mommy.

"Bye," Lilly said in her sweetest 'adore me' voice, as she waved to Mommy. "Kiss?" she dropped her waving arm and turned her head up to mommy expectantly.

Lilly received her bequest, then ran over to Daddy. "Kiss?"

Daddy kissed Lilly as well.

Lilly walked over to the door, grabbing it with her right hand. She began to walk it closed as she walked out of the room. Looking over her right shoulder, she waved with her left hand.

"Bye! Love You, Bye!"

The Door closed.

Mommy nearly cried.

She may be only two, but we are not ready for her to leave for college yet.

Lilly Story: I Did It My Way

Picture unrelated

I was holding Lillly on my lap, and my laptop was nearby. She reached her arm out, hand clenched, pointer finger extended downward and said "Keybo!"

I said, "No keyboard."

She looked up at me sweetly and said "Kiss?"

I gave her a kiss and she reached out her hand again.

"Keybo."

"No keyboard Lilly". She pulled her hand back and looked sweetly up at me a gain. "Kiss?"

I gave her the kiss and she reached out again.

"No Keyboard."

This time the look was less sweet. "Eh. Kiss."

I gave her a kiss and said "No keyboard."

"Now she was annoyed. "KISS."

I gave her another kiss. "No keyboard Lilly."

*huff*  she looked around, angrily. "Mommy?"

Apparently Daddy does not know how to play the game.

James' Travel Log

Planet Earth, Day Ten: 

Still feeling tired and listless. Finding it extremely difficult to move. This was definitely not in the travel brochure.

Must remember to call my travel agent and complain. When I can use my arms.

Untitled

These are some of the unused images from my last school assignment.

Rain Play

Lilly has officially discovered the joy of a nice warm summer rain. With her rocks. These are the rocks that we make her keep outside, but she looks for them every time she goes out back, and would throw a fit if they were not there. At least they are clean now.

School Assignments

I have a photography class this year, and I have completed my first assignments this week. Have some pictures of Lilly that I took and filtered for class.

Paige likes this one.

I think I like this one better. The skin and eyes make me think of the dust bowl photos from he depression era.

Doing Their Thing

Lilly doing her thing:

And James, doing his thing:

Lilly Watching

Sparkly

Toes

Nose

Ears

Hair

Belly

Being Shy

Laughing at Nathan

Lessons Learned

Things I have learned this week:

• waiting for a call to go to the hospital is so much worse than wondering when you will go into labor
• if you think your pushing is ineffectual, you may just have a really big baby
• heavenly father loves us like a parent
  loves unconditionally
  love does not mean you get everything you ask for
• my worth is not defined by what I can and cannot do
• acceptance of things I cannot change brings peace

What's swaddling Mommy?

I love my son for so many ways, not including the lack of obsessive need to be swaddled (unlike his sister). This is what I walked into this morning...

(The girly perfectionist in me can't help but ask you to ignore the conflicting patterns and girly crib sheet...he is secure in his manhood.)

VISITS!

James had his first round of visitors at home. Among them were uncle Caleb and Aunt Shell, with cousin Abbie.

That couch they are sitting on is for sale, by the way. Just saying.

Aunt Lori came with Nathan

And Mommies Aunt Joyce came to visit as well.

Home with James

Lilly was way more excited about bringing home new brother James than I thought she would be. WAY more excited.

James, The First Day

First thing yesterday morning we had a visit from Mom Barlow and Big Sister Lilly. Check this perfect moment photo I stole off of Mom Barlow's Camera:

Lilly lost no time informing everyone that that thing right there is a baby

She missed her Mommy. A lot.

And she was very careful around Baby, she tried to be very gentle

Uncle Matt and Aunt Chris came for a visit.

Before visiting they stopped by the house to Drop off some food for us and visit with Gramma Barlow and Lilly. Lilly has been so overwhelmed by the changes these last 2 days. She misses Daddy as well and clung to Uncle Matt for the sake of soemthing more like Daddy. Check this photo Stolen from Aunt Chris:

Following her Daddy's bad example of stealing peoples Photos, Lilly stole Aunt Chris's sunglasses, but she did look FABULOUS!!!

Grampa and Gramma Olson came over yesterday too.

We also got a visit from a longtime friend of Paige's.