52 weeks: playing some catch-up

{week 22: june 13, 2011 * a visit with our east coast cousins!}

{week 22 bonus: june 20, 2011 * swimming off the dock}

i need a few extra to actually get to 52 weeks of photos so thought this was a perfect one to add in.  

{week 23: june 23, 2011 * at the park}

father's day

a bit late, but happy father's day to my wonderful husband.  we spent father's day at the lake and there is no other place i can think of where lance would like to be.


our life is crazy with three little kids, but i couldn't ask for a better person to try to figure it out with.

mollie kat at 12 months

{stats}
27.5 inches, 17 pounds

you are such a happy little baby!  you love to smile and laugh.  you still love your brothers so much, though i bet when they start taking your toys things will change...but for now, you get the BIGGEST smile on your face when they come and greet you in the morning.


you are the best eater in the house.  i think you can eat more than the boys combined.  so far we haven't found much that you don't like to eat.  graham crackers and fruity cheerios are about it right now.  and you are the first to love pasta.  it is exciting to finally have another italian girl in the family.  you drink all milk, still from a bottle.  you do love to use a sippy cup, especially when you find one that is your brothers.


you can crawl so quickly and don't stay in one place long.  you've stood on your own for a few seconds, but once you realize you aren't holding on, down you go.  i am sure you'll be walking soon, but for now i am enjoying the calmness of just crawling.  


you sleep through the night almost every night and you have been for quite some time now...i think since about 5 months.  you wake up happy most mornings and go to sleep without making a sound.  you take 1-2 naps/day...it is hard to keep you on a specific schedule for your naps since we are often running around with the boys, but you do need your sleep and if you take one nap it can get really long...3+ hours.


we are excited to see you grow and change.  i am sure by the end of this summer you will seem more like a little girl than my baby.  

our summer in pictures: 18

18 * make lemonade

last day of school

school came to an end almost a month ago but i am just now getting around to posting his last day of school picture.

so much changed since we took this first picture.  even though ethan loved school from the first day, he was timid to start off.  we walked him in to his classroom every day for two weeks.  and then slowly started easing off.  it was too hard to keep that up every day with two other kids in tow, especially one particular one who wanted to go to school too...

by the end of the year, ethan was jumping out of the car at the front porch of the school and walking right to his classroom.  he was talking in front of the entire school at the monday morning assemblies without any problem.  he was writing his whole name correctly.   he was calling out to his friends when he saw them at his soccer games or around town.  he was telling miles that he would be going there next year and he would hold his hand when they walked down the hall.

it has been a good year. 

a birthday party!

mollie kat had a hello kitty party this weekend at the lake.

she was quite the party girl and especially loved everyone singing to her (most unlike her mother).  and she enjoyed her cake too (that was just like her mother though).

i really enjoyed planning my first girly party.  so many decorations to choose from!  i had found all sorts of fun ideas on pinterest.  so in an effort to keep the craziness to a minimum i decided to not do absolutely everything myself....it was definitely worth it!  the food came from a local restaurant, picked up about an hour before the party completely ready to serve.  i purchased the hello kitty fondant toppers off of etsy.  sooo easy and cute!  my friend made the most beautiful cookies for the favors.  and i picked up some fresh flower arrangements the day before and combined with the martha stewart tissue paper pom made for easy decorations.  and even though you can't see it that well, another friend made mollie the most perfect little party onesie.

the lake was the perfect setting for a summer party.  we were able to take a cruise on the boat and there was lots of water time for everyone.

it ended up being a perfect day and a great way to celebrate mollie's first year with friends and family.  

52 weeks: week 21

{june 7, 2011 * ethan's first official t-ball game}

just a little tea party

then and now...

on the houseboat...
august 2010

june 2011

i think i will try to take a picture (or two!) like this every year as the kids grow up.  how fun to compare over the years...i get excited when i think of these things before too much time has gone by to start them :)

52 weeks: week 20

{celebrating mollie's 1st birthday * june 3, 2011}

one year ago

our sweet little girl was born.

she is so cheerful and loving.

she has completed our family and brings us so much happiness.

we love you mollie katherine.