Today was an exciting day!  Rory started pre-kindergarten.  We were thinking that she wouldn’t be able to go to preschool this year just because of the feasibility of me getting her picked up, dropped off, taken to daycare, all of that.  The timing wasn’t working with my work schedule, and I was a little bit disappointed.  But last week, there was a last minute cancellation at the one school that would work for us, and we got the spot! 

Last night, she had picked out her outfit and told me a million times what she wanted to bring in her lunch.  When we got to the school, I was getting her out of the car, and when she saw me grab my camera, I could tell she was a bit annoyed.  “We JUST need my backpack, mom,” she said.  LOL!  I had grabbed a photo at home just in case, but she did let me get a couple more when we got there.  I have to admit that I laughed at her reaction as we walked into the school and saw the halls filled with kids.  I think she was a bit intimidated by all of the kids she saw there.  But as soon as we got to the room, she was off, and didn’t really care if I stayed or left.

And the best part of it all…when I got there to pick her up, she said she wasn’t ready; she wanted to play some more.  I reminded her that she had to go to daycare, and immediately her face lit up.  “And see Cohen?!”  It made me smile to hear her say that.  I guess she missed the little stinker.

Just a few snapshots of what’s going on in the life of this one year old!

A new big boy carseat.  I’d like to report that he loves it, but alas, not much has changed.  He still hates being strapped in 99% of the time.  I’m not sure what I did to deserve the 20 minutes of quiet time when he passed out back there the first time he rode in it.  And I’m not convinced it will ever happen again.

And today, his first hair cut!  It was long over due, but I refused to get it done until after he turned one.  He just looks way too grown up for this mama’s heart.  After looking at these, I will go right back to the one of him sleeping in the carseat.  Because when he’s sleeping, he still looks just like he did as a newborn.  I hope it stays that way forever.

Not sure about this…

Before & After

He’s pretty much been called Cohen Monster by the whole family since he came home with us, so a monster party was only fitting.  The poor guy is dealing with a cold, and a nose that has been running like a faucet, so he was a little out of it for part of the day, especially after not much of a morning nap, but I think he had a great birthday.  It was so nice to have all of our family and friends there, so thank you all for helping us celebrate!  I was worried it was going to be unbearably hot, but we had plenty of shade, and it seemed the weather was perfect!

I hardly saw Rory the entire time.  She was having so much fun at the playground with all of her friends.  She came out for the pinata and treats, though!

I loved how the invites turned out…

Lots of little monsters and polka dots!  Cohen LOVED the big balloons!

It was a great way to end a great year!

You’re sweet, snuggly, funny, mischevious, smart, busy, and best of all…mine.  Here’s to one of the fastest years of my life.  I feel like there is no way it was already a year ago that I met you, and even though you’ve grown and changed so much, when I’m rocking you to sleep and I look at you, to me, you are the same tiny baby we brought home.  I love you! 

It’s late, and I don’t have much else to say but that I LOVE these babies.  So, so much.  Looking through these as I post them, I get tears in my eyes because I am just so grateful to be their mother and so grateful for our family.  Sometimes stress and sleep deprivation get the best of me, and I have a hard time keeping it all in perspective, but at the end of the day, I love them more than I did the day before.  How that’s even possible, I don’t know.

Well, last July was booming with babies in our family.  I just really don’t believe it has been a year, and the past few weeks I have gone from denial, to an emotional mess at the thought of it, back to denial.  First Blake, then Cohen, then Emma.  Oh, Emma.

I just love this girl to death.  I always know that when I see her, she will have a smile waiting for me, and I had so much fun last Saturday during our little session because she is just the sweetest thing.  She is definitely a girl, which is a bit of a change compared to those two boys!  And I love it.  She will always hold a special place in my heart, and I love her as if she is my own.  How could I not?  Just look at her!

Oh boy.  I am so behind on my blogging.  These photos were actually taken on Father’s Day, so right around the time Cohen turned 11 months.  In the last month he has reached two huge milestone.  Four teeth have FINALLY made their way through.  I never thought this would happen, I really didn’t.  The poor guy has been struggling with those teeth for so long.  For over three months, his gums have been white, puffy, and swollen.  Practically every day, one of us has said, “Any day now!” and that day never seemed to come.  Just this past Sunday night, before I put him to bed, that forth tooth was not yet through.  That night, he was up at 11:00, 12:00, 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, and 4:00 when he finally was able to sleep until 7:00 when I had to wake the poor kid up, but the next morning…the tooth was there!

The next big piece of news is that he is walking!  The kid was holding out on us for this one, too.  For several weeks, he could stand in the middle of the room.  Play around, almost fall, catch his balance, squat down, stand back up.  He could do it all, but he would not take a step.  Finally, one night I bribed him with the suncreen bottle that he is so attached to, and he did it.  Rory and I both let out a simultaneous “YAY COHEN!”  We were both so excited, and I was so happy that I was home this time around.  When Rory took her first steps, of course, I was gone.

So, here we are in the eleventh month, gearing up for a big first birthday party, and wondering where in the world the time has gone.  I love rocking him to sleep and looking at his little profile.  He still looks exactly the same as the day he was born.  And looking back on photos and videos of Rory at this age, I see a ton of similarities that I don’t see every day. Mostly in their expressions.

He’s much too busy to pay much attention to me these days.  But I love those sweet little lips.  The purple eye lids that are a sure sign that he’s tired.  The slightest red tint to his hair that only shows up in certain light.  And that middle finger. 

This girl loves playing outside and loves the water.  No doubt about that.

the most beautiful children you’ve ever seen?  I know I certainly think so!

Courtney & David got married this past weekend, and as I had mentioned before, Rory got to be the flowergirl.  I think she did a great job, and of course, she was beautiful!  Cohen was looking pretty handsome, too.  Rory had waited all day for the dance to start, and when it was finally time, and she was able to get out there, I put my camera down and went out to the dance floor with her.  The pure excitement and happiness on her face…I will never forget that!  Oh, to be four again.

It was such a nice day, and I am just getting to sorting through the tons of photos I took that day.  I can’t wait to share.  Courtney was such a beautiful bride!

Beware!  This post contains photos that are far from wonderful and technically correct, but they are of three little people I love, so that makes them perfect to me.  This past weekend was amazing.  The weather was finally all I could have hoped for in May, and we spent a ton of time outside.  Saturday morning, we joined KaCee and Emma at the zoo.  It was great to get out and spend some time with them.  The last time I was at the zoo, I was hugely pregnant, and even then taking photos was a much easier task, considering I only had one child to worry about.  (Side note:  I dare you to click that link and see how little my almost four year old looks in those photos!)  Now, it’s a whole other story!  I will probably need to hire an assistant to help me keep track of Rory, keep Cohen’s nose wiped, pick up the tipped over stroller and the water bottle that is leaking all over the place…yeah, wrangling the camera with two kids in tow is not so easy at a place like the zoo.  LOL!

Aren’t these two of the happiest and sweetest babies you’ve ever seen?

Trust me, she was not trying to give him a hug.  She loves to climb on him (or anything for that matter), and he’s just like, “whatever!”

Oh yeah, she was there, too!  I got all of five pictures of her, none of which were in focus.  She was much to busy to be bothered by her mother and her camera. 

These photos have nothing to do with Mother’s Day other than, since it’s Mother’s Day, I took the time to finish editing some of them.  Cohen really doesn’t sit still anymore.  At all.  That is, unless you put him in the grass.  He wasn’t too sure what to think of it, and when I walked out and saw him sitting so nicely, I knew I needed to take advantage of that.  In fact, I am now thinking of bringing a piece of sod, just large enough for his little hiney, into the house.  Things would be so much easier if I could find a way to keep him in one place for longer than two seconds!

He is constantly crawling on something, falling and hurting himself.  And no matter where she is in the house, if you hear Cohen crying, you will immediately hear, “I didn’t do anything!” from Rory.  And I actually believe her.  If Cohen is crying, you can bet that 99% of the time it is self-induced.

He thinks I’m pretty funny!

I don’t know why, but he is always doing everything with that middle finger stuck out.

That or, his hand is in his mouth, creating an even bigger puddle of drool beneath him.