Cute Baby Alert

On Sunday we will have a three-year-old and a four-month-old. Photos of the big three-year-old to come after the weekend festivities. Now, let me share photos of our sweet four-month-old, Mavis Miriam. I mean, seriously, isn't she the cutest baby ever?

Seriously, this baby kills me. She is cuddly, sleeps well during the day, she is chubby, smiles when you look at her, and smells so good. She loves getting "womb hugs", where I fold her up and hug her tightly. She lets her mama smother her and she likes it. She holds my hand and plays with my fingers while nursing and it is my favorite thing. She is so chubby that I have to push her fat legs into the Bumbo slots to get her in...getting her out is another challenge. I'm not sure what her weight is now, but I'm sure it is well over 16 pounds. I can't get enough of my sweet baby during the day. I'm starting to mourn the loss of my baby and she is still a baby!

The Best Cherry Picking Party Ever

Declared by Rhett, "This is the best party ever." For obvious reasons...

The best slip 'n' slide ever! Made more awesome by a tarp and soap. Rhett had some serious war wounds, but it was so worth it.

A stop under a tree for some cherries.

The rule of the house...only go up as many rungs as you are old.

Thanks for the fun day Jana, Paul, and Anne.

Previews

Here is a little preview of what I've been working on...

...and a preview of my daughter at thirteen.
More on the doll soon and ten more years to see this face at thirteen years of age.

Photos By Jillian

I just wanted to share these photos. They were taken by the very talented Jillian Doughty at a good friend's birthday party. Mavis slept in the Moby for a good 2 1/2 hours. Having her sleeping in the Moby is the best feeling. She is wrapped so tight against me. I can feel her breath. I can feel her tiny hands moving in her sleep. It is something I will miss the most. Mavis is already getting older and not sleeping on me on the go as much as she used to. The Moby was so perfect for me when she was newborn. I put it on in the morning and she went in and out of it all day...drop off Rhett, grocery store, pick up Rhett, playground, and walk home. She would fall asleep as soon as she was cozy in the Moby. It's funny, she is only a little over 3 months and I'm already mourning her not being a newborn anymore. Just what will I think when she is 6 like Rhett?!

It was a Peter Pan party. Rhett was the only pirate with the hook, so he was declared Captain Hook and was brutally chased and hit by swords by the other party goers. Poor Captain Hook.

Here is the mustached mermaid. I tried to convince her that mermaids don't have mustaches, but the fit she had told me that this mermaid needed a mustache.

Thanks Jillian for the great photos.

My Girls BFF

Strawberry Picking '11

This sums up our strawberry picking day. Mezmur ate about 4 pints and Rhett picked about 4 pints. Seriously, Rhett picked as much as Dan. Finally! We can put one of our kids to work in the berry fields! Just wait until we have three little workers!

Just in case you think picking strawberries is all work and no play...

Coming up...strawberry rhubarb pie.

Second Annual Fourth of July Yurt Trip

We had another great yurt trip this Fourth of July with the Rices. First order of business was making ice cream. Rhett asked for this ice cream "ball" for his birthday. The kids had fun kicking it around making the ice cream.

It was great ice cream!

The three big kids.

The bundled up baby.

I love these photos of Rhett at the tide pools at Lincoln City. I must give credit for the following photos to Sarah Rice, who was our photographer for the weekend after my camera batteries died.

It doesn't look like it, but it was FREEZING on the beach. So freezing, I took the baby back to the car. I was sad to miss out on the tide pools, but I heard all about it later and loved seeing these pictures of Rhett jumping around the rocks.

It's not the Fourth of July until you go to a small beach town parade.

I love this photo. Imagine them as high schoolers. Hanging out at the picnic table on campus, talking about the big game or the awesome show they saw at La Luna the night before...oh, wait La Luna was when I was in high school.

Thanks for joining us you guys. Sorry for all the times you had to wait for us. It takes us a long time to do anything these days. No one ever said having three kids was going to be easy, but there is never a dull moment...that's for sure.

Love And Loss

I'm sitting hear with my now three month old. Overwhelmed by the love I have for her. Overwhelmed. I have a hard time putting her down to sleep, leaving her to go to the grocery store, or listening to her cry. When I look down at her sitting in her chair and she gives me the biggest smile...I think the feeling is mutual. She relies on me (and Dan of coarse) for so much.

This realization brings us to our older daughter, Mezmur. Our strong and sassy girl. She was a little over two months old when she was separated from her primary caregiver. She never saw that person again. It may have been the one who fed her all her meals, let her sleep on their chest, and picked her up when she cried. It may have been the one she gave her first smiles to.

I could not imagine being separated from Mavis, knowing I would never see her again. I couldn't imagine what trauma Mavis would go through losing her family forever.

Adoption is beautiful, but it is also tragic. We hold Mezmur closer to us these days thinking about the loss she had at such a young age. We also think of the loss the one who loved Mezmur the most had the day they had to let her go.