just as big as "ali"

we have probably 2 dozen babies at our house - i don't know, maybe more? most have been given to us or they were handed down or they were mine as a kid. they just add up. well below is a picture of "big baby" and julia





anyways, julia is about the same size as "ali" (aka "big baby") in this picture :) the first couple of months, i would always put julia on her tummy in the morning after her first feeding and she would generally end up falling asleep on her own. this particular day i walked in to see 2 of the other babies asleep on their play mat just like julia :)

pure fun

nothing is quite as fun as some dress up clothes for little girls
cute as can be

i had to get a shot of their little feet

poor anna kate, doesn't matter what shoes she puts on, they are always on the wrong feet :) bless her

coos and giggles

julia is growing like crazy. it is hard to wrap my mind around the fact that she is 12 weeks old, technically 3 months old next wednesday. she is talking and smiling and just a complete joy. :) my baby is growing up too fast! i was able to capture some of her talking today. i don't know about you, but nothing warms the heart more than hearing some cooing from a little baby. thought i would share :)

caroline turns 4....sniff sniff

my 1st born has just turned 4...well she did on November 8. :) where has the time gone, literally? i look at my julia and can remember so vividly when caroline was that little, my very 1st child. the time is ticking away so fast for me....

i decided to do a last minute playdate birthday party for caroline. sweet julia was only almost 3 weeks old so it was pretty low key, but also so much fun with our friends! we did it on monday, the 7th, and it was literally the most perfect fall day. i could not have asked for a more beautiful day. most of our friends were able to come or stop by, and the kiddos had a blast doing what they do best...playing!

gracyn, caroline, cooper, and natalie playing in the big leaf pile by the slide

the little things that make kids so excited and happy :) a big pile of leaves

caroline taking a ride with mitchell or parker and hollis

caroline with the boys, like usual

caroline and mitchell or parker...you take your guess :) it drives me crazy not being able to look at them quick and say their name

anna kate, gracyn, and lauren tire swingin

mimi and the granddaughters

picnic break

and now for the fun....

as i was trying to come up with some kind of theme or fun thing to do at the party, i decided to just make a handful of cupcakes and let the kids ice them and decorate them! it was a sure hit!

anna kate stuffing her face :) it was hilarious, she would put 1 candy on the cupcake and then eat it off the top, and so on... and so on...

mmm mmm good!

yum :)

leave it to the girls to still be eating away at the sweets :)

here are some of the finished products!

kennedy and i believe her 2nd cupcake....

lauren and her pretty cupcake....looks too pretty to eat!

aunt stacy and baby julia

my sweet caroline, here are a few things i would like to add about you for the scrapbook:

you have always been my joy, my light, my little energizer bunny

you have the most precious and tender heart. you have a heart of gold and i pray for you everyday.

you amaze me with how creative you are with your art- your coloring, cutting and gluing things and coming up with kites and cards, i love it

i love to see how excited you get to make someone a picture and send it in the mail - your heart melts mine

you are a lot like your daddy in so many ways - you will always be "his boy" :)

you are very responsible and by the book on everything

you are such a big helper and i know you will always be - you love to wash dishes, fold laundry, wash the table, clean up and put things in their place

you have a song in your heart and i love it- you are always singing. you make up songs to different tunes of songs and also sing worship songs to Jesus by heart and it melts mine

you are a wonderful big sister and take such good care of your lil sis's

i love the way you sporadically tell me that you love me and that i am the best mommy in the whole world

i love to hear you talk to God - telling him how thankful you are for Jesus, your family and friends, for the stars in the sky, for your bed, for your light, for your baby doll, for your school, for the people who are sick. just the other night at bedtime, you told me that you "heard God talking in heaven." when i asked you what he was saying, you said "he told me that he loves me." i was thinking in my head, where did you learn that or hear that, but realized that you were just speaking from your heart and it made me want to cry. i am so happy you love Jesus with all your heart.

i love your humor - this story is one not to forget - as i was dropping the girls off at school one day sometime after julia was born, the teacher that got them out of the car was asking about the baby and she said, "now what is her name again?" and as caroline was getting out of the car she said "her name is julia...(long pause)...but in a couple of years, we are going to call her catherine." the teacher just kind of looked with this confused happy face like...ok. i just started dying laughing, thinking...where did you learn that???!! .....uh, daddy! (most of us know that daddy wanted to name baby catherine as the first name. well catherine is the middle name. and i believe he had told caroline before that when julia got older we may start calling her catherine - if she wanted us too) - sweet daddy... always trying to give me a hard time :)

oh caroline i pray you don't get the road rage like myself and mimi and everyone else in the lawrence family :) lol.....awhile back while driving happily down the road, i was stopped at a red light. out of nowhere i hear my 3 year old yell, "step on it dude!" oh i just started laughing again, thinking, i need to watch my mouth :)

caroline, you are so special and such a precious gift from God. mommy and daddy love you so much! happy 4th birthday to you!!