Happy Halloween!

I love getting photos done... it's exhausting, but they are so fun to look at!

It was very nice not worrying about taking photos of my kids this year! Thanks Kim!

Dallas and me.

Let's face it. We are starving for attention... the kids get it all. So what do we do? We leave on a date, take random pictures of ourselves, and then post them all over the blog :) 

On Saturday we went to see Brian Regan. It was the best date ever. An hour and a half in the car alone, a FUNNY show and then another hour and a half in the car alone. Ahhh. We sure needed a night out and it was great. Over 5 hours of being kid free... we love the kids, but it's sure nice to get some Dallas and me time. Brian Regan is HILARIOUS. We just about died laughing that night, it was great. We have been wanting to see one of his shows for a few years now and it was totally worth it. Loved it. 

It's about time... update on Daphne...

I have been taking photos of Daphne each month... but I am not sure if they will ever make it to the blog :( I am behind and I don't like playing the catch up game. But I thought I would at least try to go back and remember some of the things that she did at each month... before I forget!

8 months:

• She could crawl like a pro
• She started cruising on furniture
• She could reach for someone when she wanted held
• She was a little stranger-shy but our trip to Utah fixed that...
• She started baby food once a day (it was about time!)
• She would take two naps a day
• She loved grandpa's dog, Carly, and would say "dada" every time she saw her
• Got her first two bottom teeth

9 months:

• Plays peek-a-boo with a blanket
• She tries to say Dad (Dat) and Dog (DaDa)
• She could stand on her own (no steps yet)
• She would eat baby food 2-3 times a day
• Learned to eat finger foods
• Got her first two top teeth and later two more on top (she got her "fangs" first and then her two front teeth)

10 months:

• She took her first step at about 10 1/2 months
• She went from taking two long naps to just one nap by the end of the month
• She thought it was fun to hand me things and every time I would say thank you. She started trying to say something that sounded like thank you... but she can't quite say it yet
• She loves to eat pears, go gurts, black beans, and corn. She eats other things too... but these seem to be her favorites
• She likes people, she will go up to my friends and reach for them... she doesn't seem to be shy
• Although she isn't too shy, she is a mamma's girl :)

11 months:

• Pretends to talk on phone
• Plays peek-a-boo with her hand on her forehead
• Walking almost exclusively, she still crawls from time to time
• She throws a fit if someone takes something away from her. But she loves to give things to people 
• She gets into everything!! Drawers, cabinets, garbage (if I am not paying attention), the bookshelf... anything she can get her little hands on. 
• She can sign "more" and "all done"
• She is learning to turn pages in a book
• She loves to play with dolls and stuffed animals
• She likes pushing dolls and toys in the stroller

If I remember anything I will just add it to the list later :) If you by chance remember anything about Daphne comment and remind me! I don't want to forget these things :)

All I wanted was one photo on my phone, but then I pulled out my camera and did a mini photo shoot...  

I was aiming for a toe shot in this one, but I wish I got her whole face. She was doing peek-a-boo with her hand on her head instead of covering her eyes...

Here's a better shot but her face is out of focus. I can't win.

And here is her surprised "Here I am!" look...

She really does throw tantrums... here is the proof:

And she's done.

She is certainly getting an expressive personality. She isn't as quiet and mellow as she was when she was a baby, but she still has a pleasant temperament. We love our baby girl!

I made those leggings yesterday in about 5 minutes. I used this tutorial. I might make these as well. All I needed was a pair of adult socks and a sewing machine. I love pinterest and everyone's brilliant ideas :) 

My next update on Daphne will be when she is ONE. Holy cow. Last year at this time I was ready to pop and hoping she would come early. CRAZY.

2-9

Dallas and I usually keep our birthday's pretty low key... stay at home with the kids, eat dessert together, watch a movie. This year at the last minute we decided to invite some neighbors over to roast marshmallows and just hang out. It ended up being so much fun, I am so glad we did it! It might have to be a new tradition for Dallas' birthday. 

Dallas thought he was so tough being the only one not wearing a jacket... crazy. 

It was such a fun night! The weather was perfect for a fire, we got rained on at the end but it turned out great.  (Excuse the blurry photos... I was being a stubborn photographer and didn't want to use the flash.) 

Dallas now has one year left to enjoy his 20's. We are going to start it off by going to see Brian Regan at the end of the month. Dallas was pretty surprised to see that he got tickets and not just some boring socks that he needed (I am so sneaky!)...

First steps

I am having flash backs. Can Makiah really be 4? Because really, she should look like this....


Daphne Walking from Jessica Bateman on Vimeo.

Here and here are the videos of Makiah doing the same thing way back when. Now it's Daphne's turn. I LOVE it when babies learn to walk. They are such cute little people walking around, it's just adorable.

This morning Daphne took 7 steps at a time and then 10. She seems pretty proud of herself too. I am excited for her, this is so fun!

Candid.

The other night I took my kids to a field to get their photos taken. End result... a handful of good shots, massive mosquito bites on all of us (especially Makiah and Dallas), unhappy kids and everyone begging to go home. It was quick, not so fun and... well...  fine I guess.

Then tonight we were outside and the kids were having fun playing around. Surprisingly they weren't fighting and just enjoying themselves. The weather has been perfect lately, September is the best month :) I am so glad I thought to get my camera out. Lately I make excuses not to get my camera out and I haven't been taking the time to take snapshots of my kids. I have to say, even though this was unplanned it was soooo much more enjoyable than the other shoot with them the other night. And I love the photos so much.

Evan ran inside and got the toy doctor kit and band aids when Makiah scrapped her toe...

Look how tall Evan looks in this picture, he is growing up on me...

I can't get enough of this photo. Makiah's cute little pose just makes it so perfect. This one might just win a spot on my wall. I know I will especially love it in a few years when they are all grown up and things are different. They are so little. Oh I love this one...

Daphne isn't walking yet, but she can stand and push things around. She took 3 steps the other day, but hasn't since. She is so close! I really can't wait till she figures it out. Tonight she wanted to be right there beside the kids, but she couldn't keep up and it must hurt to crawl on the cement! She is a busy little baby, I really love it. 

Evan is getting used to his new schedule at school. He loves going and he is getting better at coming home happy. Some days are better than others. Makiah misses him so much while he is gone, but she is enjoying her time alone as well. It seem like she is getting along so well with Daphne, it really is cute. She talks to her with a sweet little voice (you know the voice girls use when they talk to babies? That voice) and she takes such good care of her.

Right now our battle is bed time. The kids all share a room and it's been hard. They are getting into a routine though, and they are learning to do what they need to... so they don't wake up the baby. Dallas and I find that they do so much better if we go in their room with them at bed time and just lay down with each of them for one minute. Then we can usually leave without them throwing a fit (and waking up the baby). It's a work in progress. One day we'll have a house... with more than two bedrooms :)

Life is good. I especially want this fall to just go slow... I love this time of year and I am not ready for a long cold winter. I am loving every minute I can get outside right now.

This is where it gets hard.

There is a reason why I haven't blogged. Or caught up with everything that has been happening this summer.

Taking care of 3 kids is hard.

They all have their own needs, they are all in very different stages in life.

Daphne eats, naps, crawls around and gets into everything. I can't take my eye off of her. She needs to be carried, rocked and cared for every second of the day.

Makiah needs entertainment. She needs to talk, play.... she needs interaction. She is still dependent on me, she needs help at meal time, doing her hair, matching her clothes, bathing, cleaning up, etc.

Evan is in school. He comes home tired. He doesn't know how to handle all these new things coming at him. He needs guidance and help so he doesn't fall to pieces (though he does, every single day).

So... even though 9-11 am and 2-4 pm is easy (Daphne naps and it's just me and Makiah), 4-8 pm is HARD. Those 4 hours of nap time are not spent catching up, they are spent staying sane. Preparing for the 4 hours of craziness that happen every single night.

After school, dinner time, and bed time need some work... or I will fall to pieces (Oh wait. I do. Every single night).

He's growin' up on me

I am quite proud of myself. I did very well today... I didn't even cry or think of crying... until I loaded these photos to the blog. Then I cried. Oh dear. My boy is in Kindergarten, and today was his first day. 

Last night we went to back to school night and met his teacher Mrs. Schmidt. We looked around his class room, Evan is pretty excited...

Then today he got ready to catch the school bus...

He didn't look back, he didn't hesitate... he didn't even give me a hug goodbye (tear). 

And he was gone :( I smiled then, but now I am crying. It's one of those bitter sweet kinda days.