playing catch up

Ok, here we go.....pictures are loaded and I have MAYBE a half hour before I need to get to bed!! My bathtime helper! Cash loves to help bathe Clara. He is in charge of her tummy and feet. And he does a dang good job!

This was taken last week, so before she actually learned to fully roll over from back to belly. She was sooo close, I thought I could actually get her in action rolling for the first time....

Maybe if I look up, I will roll??

So I am totally biased BUT....she is the CUTEST BABY GIRL EVER!!!

The other day....the clouds of winter parted....and the sunshine came peeking out to greet us! So nauturally, we got on our shoes and coats and headed out to soak it up. It was almost time for pre-school but we didn't let it stop us from floating a toy sailboat in a big toy bucket! We are fancy like that....

Push the kid to get a nice pic...and the silly face comes out...

I loaded Sissy up in her carseat since we were heading to school soon anyway. I think she enjoyed the sunshine too!

This happy girl had a total melt down minutes after I snapped this picture. Go figure!

Hanging out with Dad...

Someone bought a lion at Wal-Mart with his own money

All bundled up to pick Cashy up from school

Dug out this toy when one of our friends with a one year old was over. Apparently someone still likes it, just doesn't like his pic taken on it.

And....I have found the silver lining to having to wake up EARLY with my babes....beautiful sunrises!

Happy Half Birthday Party

[Clara 6 months]

Happy Half Birthday to my baby girl!!! Six whole months since she joined our family, but it seems like she has always been here. I remember when Cash turned 6 months it seemed kinda sad, that he was on the down slope of being One, and for some reason it made me feel sad. However, with Clara, I (rather Cash and I) decided to celebrate it! We threw her a half birthday party, cake and all! Dressed her up in a fancy dress that my good friend Cassie made for her and snapped some picks of my real life dolly! We had her 6 month well baby check on the 16th. Yes, I know I am horribly behind with uploading this post. I also have a camera full of pics that need to be downloaded and put up....in time. Her stats are.... *16 lbs (50 percentile!) so right where she needs to be! *25.5 inches long (40 percentile) Her head has jumped from the 55% to the 93%! They measured it twice because the nurse thought she read the numbers wrong. At first I was worried that it wasn't growing properly, but when they told me it was actually growing lots I was shocked!! Cash always had a big noggin, but Clara's just didn't seem that big to me. I am thinking that they mis-measured last time perhaps, making for such a big jump? So a round-up of what Clara is up to these days..... *She STILL isn't sleeping through the night.....Come on baby girl!!! I love you dearly, but do we really need to visit 3-4 times a night?!?! *Goes to bed at 6pm (I don't need emails recommending her go to sleep later....she is physically unable to stay up any later!) *Eating solids like a champ! My good little eater has tried and NEVER rejected.....carrots, green beans, peas, butternut squash, cauliflower, avacado, pears, apples, bananas, mangoes, peaches (current fav!)and yogurt. She has 3 meals daily now. Ususally a fruit or yogurt mixed with her rice cereal for breakfast. *She has finally mastered rolling over both ways! She now rolls in her sleep too, which confuses her when she wakes up on her tummy! *Her favorite thing is blowing raspberries at everyone! Strangers, Cash...you name it! She actually just started blowing spit at me when I try to clean her face or wipe her nose! It has become her defense I believe! *Happy to report that she naps twice daily IN HER CRIB!! Wahoo!!! She still prefers to lie down awake, I am happy to oblige! *When she is sleepy or upset she has taken a liking to sucking her middle and ring fingers on her right hand only. It has been nice that she is able to self soothe and suck her fingies when she is tired. I know she is fully asleep when those fingers come outta her mouth! *She is starting to "play" more with Cash. She lights up when he is around and when she is in her bouncer I often find Cash kneeling right next to her! Clara is a super good baby for us! Cash still thanks me daily for picking out the "best baby in the whole world" and "thanks for picking her out at the hospital for us"....I couldn't agree more, Cash :)

{adorable kids}

Sweetest kids anyone could ask for!

cuteness from the last week-ish

pretty sure this book was written for me...

X-Country Skiing

Cash and I got x-country skis for Christmas from my parents. BJ got jealous and went out and bought some for himself too.... ;) Since winter has decided to pass over Montana this year, we haven't gotten to go out and break in all our new gear. We decided that we would go out on Saturday to MT.Haggin. It's not far from us towards Anaconda. It took about an hour to get us all ready and pack up lunches, but we made it out the door ready to be adventurous!

We have a Kelty backpack from when Cash was little that we were planning on loading Clara up in. We tested it out earlier in the day and she loved it! Kicking and laughing the entire time. We figured she would love it even more being able to get outside and check everything out....WRONG! This pic was taken before we loaded the girl up....she was happy as can be....then BJ put her in the pack and all hell broke loose! She screamed her pretty little head off then entire time! Needless to say, BJ stayed in the car with her while I took Cash out for a little bit.

Cash did such a great job skiing!!! He was smiling and had an awesome time! We talked about all the polar bears that live in the forest and checked out their "tracks"! He only fell once, and thought it was hilarious when I fell trying to get him back upright.

ramblings

It's only take 5 1/2 months but I *sorta* feel like I am getting this two kid business down. I have just put that out into the universe....undoubtedly it will come back around to slap me in the face...I just know it! We have a schedule that seems to work for us. Clara has been morning napping in her swing and I am working on getting her to sleep elsewhere for her afternoon naps. And by elsewhere, I mean on our bed, wedged between pillows with HGTV on to serve as background noise. Cash rarely naps, but we use the Clara napping time to play dinos, or whatever strikes his fancy that day. Yesterday morning he made me a Lego salad. He is so super creative!

We got the jumper out and now....we have two kids that can play together!! Cash loves to help her play with the toys attached to the contraption, and Clara is pretty much a happy camper whenever her big bro is around.

Sissy is pretty fond of her tootsies lately. Stick the girl on the floor and she instantly folds her feet up to her mouth! Socks are a lost cause around here. We lost one at the dollar store yesterday. We spent 10 minutes looking for the sucker and then gave up, only to find it perched in a cart near the front of the store. I only went back since it was a Gap sockie...otherwise I wouldn't have bothered!

I have a slight obsession with headbands for her....I made this one. I have been actually making quite a few. This is the latest one. I think she knows how adorable she is :)

Finished up her photo session and settled right in for her morning nappy.

4 pack of cousins::

Saralyn and the boys came over on Tuesday to hang out with us. Since we aren't living close by anymore, we haven't gotten many chances to take all four kids pics together. I have a bagillion of Cash and Ryan together at this age. Hopefully SOON we will be moving back to Bozeman and we can have chances for pictures like this much more often!

This one may be my favorite! The babies are looking at the big boys wondering what the heck is going on, not too sure what ride Ryan may be on, and Cash is staight thuggin' it....apparently!