The Photo Shoot Where No One Cried.

This one has to go down in the history books.  We set up a little no stress, one stop session for my mom's Christmas cards.  At the last minute (no joke) I told the hubby to put on something that went with the kids outfits, and I took my hair out of a ponytail and put on matching gear.  We literally jumped in ten pics with our kids, and I think we got some good ones!!  They were happy and smiley, and no one needed a spanking.  It's ironic that the shoots where I stress for weeks about what to wear, and how they'll behave end up turning out HORRIBLE, but the one where I throw on a brown cardigan six minutes before go time end up being my favorite.

We keep telling Livi she has "Justin Bieber Hair" or as Sissy puts it:  Justin Beaver.  She needs a hair clip, but won't hardly last four minutes with one on. 

This girl.  Sigh.....we're just at the sweetest phase with her right now.  She's the best sister to Livi, and so sweet to me.  Lately, it's been nothing but "Okay Mommy."  She's been so agreeable and fun, and I have loved every second of being with my four and a half year old girl!!  She is my mini me....she does so many things exactly the way I do them, and makes faces all the time that are like looking in a mirror.  Plus, she over reacts, and Mommy knows all about that. :)  She's wearing her first piece of big girl jewelry now...a necklace with three charms on it.  She's so proud of it, and has been really careful not to break it or hurt it....just another way she's growing up, and becoming my big girl.  She acts like mommy, but looks like Daddy (with a tiny bit of me mixed in).  

These eyes!!  Where did that color come from?  I'm not sure, but I love it!

To be honest, we're not at the easiest phase with Bub.  Luckily, he's adorable and hilarious, so even when he's being a toot, I can't help but laugh at him.  He does things that are SO Shawn....he is stubborn just like his daddy, focused, and particular.  Today he was picking tiny pieces of black grilled spots off his chicken, and my mom said, "Who does that??"  I had to ask her if she remembered who Cale's father was!  This kid is all Shawn!!!  He blows us away with his drawing, coloring and writing lately.  He's going to be an overachiever at school, this one.  If my blog readers could be a fly on the wall in a "day in the life" of this kid, your side would hurt from laughing.  He comes up with thoughts and phrases that you wouldn't believe.  

And then there's my baby.....talking up a storm, not that interested in the potty, still wants a paci when she's in the car seat or tired. (or falls down and hurts herself)

Loves her sissy and bubby, and tries to show her momma who's boss.  She remembers everything, and has the sweetest, kindest little heart.  She's getting too big, and it's happening too fast.  I guess that's why I'm not in a big rush to potty train, or get rid of the last five bottles in my house.  She doesn't ask for one every day, but when she asks for one, she generally gets it.  It's one of the last "baby things" she does....just today, I was thinking how big she seemed...getting her own snack out of the fridge, throwing her trash away, putting her cup in the sink.  

And this is what I really love about pictures.  

The fact that they capture these fleeting moments in time with such perfection, and with no words.  

What they looked like with their baby teeth, or before their hair grew in.

When they still had "baby fat".

Before they were embarrassed to snuggle up close to their mommy and daddy in a picture and smile with no reservation.

I'm so thankful for these people....five years ago, these babies didn't even exist, and now they're my world.  Each of them is SO half me/half Shawn....I can see us both in all three.  Even though they're only four and two, I am so proud of the tiny people they are becoming.  I can already see glimpses of the kind of big people they are going to become....they are the same characteristics they had when we brought them home from the hospital.  It's funny how you parent the best you can, and teach them the things you think are important, but their core personality, who they really ARE on the inside, is just who they are.  

From day one, Sissy was sweet, loved to sleep, and so smart.

Cale was particular, and unsatisfied with sitting still.  He was silly, but hard to entertain....you'd have to be really ridiculous to get him to crack a smile.

Livi was content and happy, and knew when she was making us laugh.  

I couldn't be happier about these babies, these blessings, this LIFE.