Eden's 3 month pictures are here!

With a busy weekend, one sick kiddo and getting ready for a big party this weekend, I've fallen SO behind! I have a few posts about Fiesta stuff and Abbey's birthday but I'll have to get to those later. Claire is still sick today but I think feeling better. Thank God my bug was just a 24 hour one. Mommies can't call in sick but thank God I have a Daddy in the house who takes such good care of us!

I couldn't wait to get this link up to share some BEAUTIFUL pictures of Eden! We got these taken back at the beginning of March and got the link this week. Jennifer Denton did a great job and I don't know how we are going to choose! It's amazing how much larger I can look from one angle to another so that will help. I really love the ones of the three of us at the end. Check them out (use the arrows at the bottom because the thumbnails aren't working)

http://www.portraitsbyjenniferdenton.com/clients/eden2_web/

5 months old

Eden turned 5 months old this past Saturday! She is such a big girl these days and I captured some great pictures for her 5 month post:

All Smiles!
Eden LOVES being sung to - Especially from Daddy "Movin' about, Kickin around, that's what it's all about!"
Eden is so interested in everything now! Grabbing and touching whatever she can
I love this sweet bonnet outfit

After I changed her clothes and too cute not to post!
Things to remember about our baby this month:

-We've really seen your personality shine through this month

-You are such an angel! You smile at just about anything mom, dad or Claire does for you. The best is when we go into your room in the morning and you smile your sweet gummy smile when you see us there to get you =)

-You LOVE to be sung to!

-You rolled over for the first time this month from your tummy to your back. Mommy's still waiting to see it

-You love to "eat" your hands and drool all over yourself - especially when you're telling me you're hungry!

-You still love your baths and your changing table is your happy spot just like Claire

-You are babbling so much these days! I think you are going to have a lot to say and we're hear to listen.

Challenges these days....

Well, life with two is finally feeling a little bit more normal around here. I had a tough time transitioning but can't even imagine my life without my girls!! There were days that I told Neil I didn't think I was cut out for this stay-at-home thing.... oh my emotions were flying! We're so blessed with our jobs and the security that Neil's job holds during these tough economic times. I would be so sad if I had to go back to work outside the home full-time but so thankful that I do get to work part-time to refresh me. OK - that was my tangent!

The girls are getting so cute and sweet together. Eden's getting more used to having Claire in her face, Claire is learning that Eden pulls hair or anything within her grasp and Eden is starting to smile and giggle at her crazy, silly sister!


Here are some of the challenges we are working through right now:

- Claire has certainly regressed with staying in her bed when we tuck her in. I know it's because of Eden and it's been going on for quite some time now. We tried rewarding, ignoring, taking away bed time stuff, etc. We are back to the ice cream sticker chart that we used when she first got her bed in September and it seems to be working! A lot less frustration the past 2 weeks

- Eden does not like her bottles! She has to take a bottle when I'm at work and knows what she prefers =) Poor Neil and Stefany have to try convincing her every week. We are working on getting her more used to it so that I feel ok leaving her for even longer periods of time. May 9th I judge all day in Spring Branch and June 19th we hope to have a night away for our anniversary. Hoping it gets better

- Eden has started getting really distracted when I'm nursing which is pretty uncomfortable! I have to be in a quiet room (with a 3 year old in the house!) and I can't have a TV on - not even on mute! I know this is what happens around this time so more than anything, I'm glad she seems curious and interested. She doesn't want to miss a thing

- There are so many more but these are the ones I want to remember at this stage in life

Sisters

So many people ask me if Eden looks like Claire when she was a baby and that's a big ole YES!! It's amazing how much they are looking even more alike as Eden gets older. There are definite differences like Eden has more hair, Claire's ears were a little more pronounced, Eden has more my mouth and nose and Claire has more of Neil's mouth and nose. Well, there is no mistaking that these two are sisters!

Eden on Easter

The next few photos are of Claire - they grow up so fast!

Easter Day

OK - one of the longest days but one of the best!! We started with our celebration at church but we were, of course, 15 minutes late - trying to get girls all dressed up and take pictures before church is a little tricky to time! After church, it was off to Neil's parent's house for a cook out and egg hunt with the cousins. Then it was quickly off to the house for Claire and Neil to take naps while Eden and I headed over to my parent's house to help with dinner and visit. We had a great time catching up with Mike and Heather and spending some more quality time with Great Grandma Ann. One more egg hunt, a table full of china, tummies full of ham, many photos later and it was back home to crash!

Everything was wonderful but my favorite memory from this year was having Claire tell me the pieces of the Easter story.... without being prompted!! She told us on the way back from church: "tomb was empty and the ladies were surprised" and in the morning she told me "Jesus is alive again!" I really love seeing God work in my little girl's heart! It is such a blessing to see her learn about Him and our prayer is that she will love Him with all her soul and mind showing others God's love through her.

I had a TON of pictures to put on here but tried to choose my favorites.... here goes a picture frenzy!

Trying to get a good one of both girls is tricky!




At church after class

Claire and Mimi after the egg hunt
Cousins - Kyle, Justin and Claire (Eden was sleeping intside but will be there next year!)

Success!! A Chocolate smile
Mimi and Poppa laughing with Eden


Mike and Heather
The annual holiday table picture
Four generations
And yet another egg hunt!
I love you Grandma!


Proud Great Grandma with her girls!

Rolling over

We interrupt the massive string of Easter posts to bring you a very important message...

EDEN ROLLED OVER!!

It's her first time unassisted and we are so excited! Daddy was there for the entire thing and unfortunately mommy missed it =( When we tried to do it again and get it on video, she was too tired and got fussy after awhile. I'm so glad Neil got to see her but I'm kind of sad I missed it and most likely won't see it again right away. Our little girl it growing up! Here is what I caught when we were waiting for it to happen again....

"Oh mom, don't worry.... I'll do it again someday soon!"

Isn't she the cutest?!

Easter Traditions

I love traditions of any kind and especially holiday traditions! Neil and I have created our own traditions but they definitely stem from our own childhood and family experiences. One of the biggest memories I have of Easter every year is dying Easter eggs. We would dye a couple dozen and each of us had one egg with our name on it with drawings of things that represented us. Neil and I have done this the past 2 years and Claire loves it too!! Claire got to tell me what to put on the eggs so she got a cat, a ball and a heart. I got a music note, cat and heart. Eden got a horse (I have no idea?!), a ball and I chose to draw a fan - her favorite! Neil got Big Bird - her feathery friend. It was a little messier this year which surprised us but it was worth it to watch her take part in something I remember so fondly as a kid. Eden seemed to enjoy herself too in her bumbo! She watched intently and gave us some smiles!

I already posted this but couldn't resist to post again! I love it when she smiles with her whole body! She's starting to stick her tongue out in pictures just like Claire did at about 5 months - silly girls!

Such care and concentration

Showing me her egg - well, kind of!

The crew

Pretty eggs ready for Easter!

We both did Easter baskets growing up and this is the first year I did one for Claire so of course I had to do one for Eden too. Claire's basket is 61 years old - it was my mom's basket and she gave it to Claire on her first Easter. How cool is that?! Anyway, we got them a few books and fun toys along with their special dyed egg. Claire got her Chicken egg with 3 Reeses' pieces in it and it just melted our hearts to watch her open it up and hand them out to us so we each got one! How sweet is that?! She gave us each a fingernail polish as well - that gift was a bit of a mistake but I now have them well hidden so they can't be used without supervision! What was I thinking?

We hid Claire's basket so that she had to find it when she woke up. When she gets a little older, we might do the egg hunt inside the house after you find your basket. That's what we always did at our house. Neil really loved Easter as a kid. As a matter of fact, when asked what he wanted to be when he grows up, he'd say "The Easter Bunny!" We didn't talk about the Easter bunny much because we've been really trying to teach her the real reason for Easter and we got her on video saying "Jesus is alive again!!" Music to my ears and a swell in my heart....

Playgroup Egg Hunt

Jenny, Ayden and Colby had us over for playgroup the Wednesday before Easter and Jenny was so sweet to plan an egg hunt for the kids. They had a great time and really enjoyed finding the rubber duckies with their names on them. Claire is starting to read her name so she knew what duck was hers right away! Well, if she sees a word with a "C" in it then it's her name but she's learning =) Thanks Jenny for such a special time for everyone and the wonderful lunch!

Eden sleeping while the others played in the sand box. I love this picture! Thanks Tara for the sling - it's been great when I need my hands!

Twins! Lezlee bought Claire this sweet outfit for her birthday and we had to get a pic of the girls together.
Such sweet friends!

Claire finding her duck on the deck

Hunting for treasure

That's a candy smile!!

The girls checking it out!

The best group shot I think we've ever gotten!! 12 kiddos and 2 infants not in the picture!

What do you eat when you just got a basket full of candy? A cupcake of course!!