Four Years

Mark and I have been married four years. We celebrated our anniversary on St. Patrick's Day. Before we got married, so many people asked me if I was Irish...was that the reason we had chosen St. Patrick's Day? No, I was teaching and it was Spring Break. And that was that! No honeymoons or get-aways this year. But we did get to go out to eat! Mark sister Jody came to town just so we could go to dinner. What a blessing! So nice to eat a meal and actually chew our food....and talk to each other. Four years doesn't sound very long...but both Mark and I agree that, in a good way, it seems like we've been together much longer. I just can't imagine not being married to him!

And now updates on the kids. James is two and a half. Some days we think he is getting to be such a big boy. But other days I'm reminded that he's still so little. I'm thankful for those days because it's almost heart-breaking to realize how fast it's going! We love this phase of him talking more and more all the time. He really says the funniest things....at least we think so. Along with the age comes a good dose of independence and tantrums, too. So hard to know how to deal with irrational toddler behavior sometimes!

James loves the new (used) van we got last weekend. Every time we go somewhere he shouts, 'oh YEAH! Let's go on AVENTURE!' (aventure = an adventure) After we took these pictures, we decided to put an end to him sitting in the front seats. Too many buttons for a little boy to push!
Mark was 'stowing' one of the seats into the floor of the car and James exclaimed, 'Oh, FANCY!' What a hoot!!

Miss Clara Marie is turning into the sweetest little girl. Ever. She smiles at everybody and everything. She's not very interested in rolling over (yikes) and is really content being held. James was always a little more squirmy, wanted to be down on the ground movin' around. Clara is a cuddler...so far, anyway. I know, those could be 'famous last words' and next thing you know she's as active as her brother....but for the time being, we're enjoying her relaxed personality.

I took these on her 5 month 'birthday'. Little peanut.
(Thanks to Andrea and Lauren for loaning us clothes! Clara is wearing 6 month clothes now)

Clara has been chewing and drooling quite a bit. She prefers a finger....or two...or her whole fist...or teething rings. But she's not as wild about the pacifier as James was (and is still, sadly).

I'll never get over pictures of tiny toes. Too sweet for words.

29 and 4

Just checking in for my monthly update....James is 29 months (he'll be two and a HALF on the 19th) and Clara is 4 months. Before I get started, I wanted to share a link to the pictures our photographer friend Sarah Sorell took of Clara at three months. I've had the link a while, just hadn't gotten around to sharing! I love them ALL and will never be able to pick some to have prints of. Can't believe how much she's already changed since then! Click on the following link to enjoy: http://www.sorellimages.com/clara3months/

I'm kicking off this set of pictures with a few of just James. I realize it appears that I only spend time taking pictures of Clara. Well, she doesn't move yet. And that's really what it comes down to. And she's fun to dress and accessorize. :) These are the type of pictures I take of James these days. Pictures of cool towers we've built together (note: ambulance balancing and teetering on top of tower). Above is James' 'holding still' face. Below is his 'crashing the tower' excited face. Boys ARE fun!

I took these of Clara on her 4-month birthday. I've been obsessing over this idea of her inside of this bucket I found in the garage last summer. So the following is what resulted.

I am a little sad to note that her signature 'bouffant' hair-do has tamed a good deal in the past week. I think her hair is finally long enough that it is laying down. I kinda miss it sticking up!

Clara has a few new tricks. When she's sitting in her bouncy seat she arches her back to stick her tummy out (like above) when we look at her because she's dying to be picked up!

And she's sitting in the Bumbo chair, too! She doesn't last too long and it nearly always makes her spit up but she's lookin' pretty big there!

We were having a really tough day yesterday (cranky toddler, cloudy rainy day). Thank goodness for homemade playdough. We have plenty of the store-bought stuff, but the homemade kind took a little extra time...so I was all about that! James played with it for an hour!! He still loves the 'hammer' (meat mallet) and mini cookie cutters.

Now this may not look like much, but Clara on her tummy NOT crying about it is a big deal around here. Her little octopus toy is Chiming Charlie and she's always loved him! Look at her grinning at him! Very sweet.

In other news, Clara is also tolerating her car seat a little better. For about two months she had a crying fit every time we drove anywhere! It's so nice to be beyond that stage!
James is still showing little interest in potty training, although I think he's fully capable. He's loving songs, especially ones with actions. There are some GREAT You*Tube resources out there for that, too, but that's an entirely separate post.
I'm ready for spring and warmer weather, but who isn't? Can't wait to go one week without somebody being sick and to get out of the house a little more!!