Photography: Hannah, 3 Years

I've been waiting to post these 'til Hannah was ACTUALLY 3.  We took them just a couple days after her party while the balloons were still looking nice.  Who knew more than a week later and they'd STILL be floating high?!

 

And if you're wondering about the backdrop... Indeed, it's wrapping paper again!  From Walmart, about the only print to choose unless I wanted princesses.  This time I used the dining room and lined it right up with the white trim.  Love how it looks!  BUT it's best to take it down right away or else...

the 1 yr old might get at it!  =)

Happy 3rd birthday, Hannah!

3 years ago today I was delivered the very best surprise Valentine EVER--the surprise home birth of my sweet Hannah!  She has the best story, and I love that it's hers.  And I love that she's mine.  {in earthly terms anyway}  Oh I adore having a daughter.  A daughter that loves everything pink, tea parties, dress up, heals, pretty hair clips, and pajama gowns.  She's so precious, I squeeze her every morning when she comes downstairs.  And she gives me the tiniest little kiss at bedtime and then asks me to lay my head on her.  I absolutely love her.

She's growing up so fast.  Learning colors, shapes, and counting, how to dress herself and use the potty, make her bed and load the dishwasher.  She's ready to go off to school, though I'm not sure Mommy's quite ready for that!  She loves her brothers and wants always to be with them.  She's got a soft, gentle heart and I love her to bits!!  Happy birthday, sweet pea!!

Quite a beauty...

Yes??

A necessary part of our day.

Besides Bible time and being filled with God's peace of course. This is a new routine I started last week, and I gotta say, I'm really loving it! Hannah recently started just taking an afternoon nap. Before that I'd do "school" with Eli while she napped. Then when we quit morning nap, I'd set up blanket time for Hannah and I'd do "school" with Eli while Hannah played on the blanket. Well, I've kind of been skipping school time lately (why pressure myself? Eli's still a little kid!) and instead I've been having the kids do a sort of blanket time at the same time. So for about 30-40 minutes Hannah does blanket time in our sitting room and Eli does room time in the play room. They're doing it right now as I type this, and the quiet, peaceful playing is glorious! I see how it's very good for them to have some time to play apart from each other, because they're otherwise inseparable! To be able to play without the constant struggle over who has what toy, or having to be gentle, etc. It's just a really nice break in the day. And while they do that, I have time to do whatever's most needed--housework, read the Bible, or a little of both. It's amazing.It was really hot yesterday so Eli was just in his diaper.Hannah's on the right and Eli's in the back room on the left.

A frozen moment of time.

There are some moments in life that are so beautiful, so sweet that it briefly makes time stop. Looking at this picture does that for me.

And yes, I say looking at this picture, rather than the moment itself because it actually lasted only a second, just a blip in the rest of Hannah's day. But so sweet nonetheless. And that is why I love photos. Because they have the ability to freeze time, to allow you to savor something for longer than you had in the actual moment, and to see the beauty in everyday things.

Simple Fun

We used some cardboard pieces when we were painting Hannah's room, and before I finally put them away a few days ago I decided to draw a little road on it for Eli to drive his cars.  Easy entertainment and a cheap new "toy".  I gotta say, being a parent sure has brought some creativity back to life!  haha

Another box project.

Remember a couple months ago I made the kids a cardboard kitchen? It's still holding up, by the way, and Eli and Hannah both love playing with it. Well, last week I made Eli a boxcar train, literally! This was definitely MUCH easier to make than the kitchen, since it's basically just four diaper boxes connected with rope and a little creativity to make something that resembles an engine. Watch out for the strangle dangle with the pull cord though! He's loving it though, and we've found a good route to take it through the house so it doesn't have to make tight turns or get stuck on rugs and floor boards. Take a look...

here she is in all its glory! haha

tugging the train through the house

helping the train through a tight turn

our beary friendly passengersEli likes to pretend that the train is stopping to get more corn. Then he pulls out his toy corn cob, and he must remember shucking corn last summer because he picks at the corn like he's pulling off those tiny strings that corn cobs have.

Hannah's helping too!We found it works best to load the "engine" box with heavy things so it doesn't pull up or tip so much as you pull it along. It's pretty big and it definitely requires some parental help as he plays, but we sure do have fun, and that's the important part!

A steal deal!

I found this crib bumper at Goodwill for $4 yesterday! It's brand-new condition and a perfect design for Hannah, I just couldn't resist! What do ya think??

Now I can't wait to move so I can start putting together a room for my sweet baby girl!

5 Months Photo Shoot

Hannah turns 5 MONTHS tomorrow! I cannot believe how fast the time is flying! Hannah is such the sweetest little baby--so content and so happy. She loves her toes. She rolls over all the time now, but only from back to front. She gets up on her tummy right away and then gets stuck. She still requires about 4 or 5 naps a day--three long ones and one or two cat naps, plus sleeping through the night. She loves to babble and will really get going sometimes. And she loves when she can play in her friends' exersaucers! She'll probably be starting rice cereal soon, but I don't want her to grow up too fast so I keep avoiding it. =) I try to get a good picture of the kids each month, for the first year at least, so here are the photos I took today for her 5-month photo shoot!

(click image to enlarge)

Some baby love...

Just a recent picture of my little sweetie!

Little girls...

One of the best things about having a little girl: SUN HATS!! Soooo cute!