And Grandma Came.

Grandma finally made it to Dallas to meet Atticus and Ingird.  And this is the only picture I got.  Oops.

Thanks for coming, Mom!  Can't wait for the next time!

The Little Man is 3 Months!

I still cannot believe our little guy is already three months!  We sure must be having lots of fun in our house, because time is flying.  Either that or days get lost in the chaos.  I'll go with the former since, honestly, Atticus has been our easiest baby to date--in spite of the dairy allergy and whatever else it is.

Yikes!  (With the remains of his sad, sad eczema.)

He found his hands!

And thinks they're seriously cool.  (He's right.)

Little chunk.

What dairy allergy?

Wide eyed.

Ok, enough.

I've been a bit of a blog slacker since I got my new phone and Instagram doesn't take an act of God to give me the patience to use it.  Maybe I'll find a way to incorporate some of that on here.  Or I'll just recommit to using real cameras sometimes.

And just like that...

...my biggest baby is 4.  :(

I'm not sure where is came from, but all she wanted for her birthday was a bike...oh, and a jump rope.  Opposite ends of the spectrum, no?  I was a little wary (of the bike), thinking she was a bit of a ninny and wouldn't like it...I was right.  After bursting into tears the few times she tried to get on on her birthday (and no she didn't get hurt) and every time thereafter, we should have waited a year.  But who knows, maybe once we lower the training wheels and make it more like a tricycle and she masters breaking it'll be a hit.

She was pretty happy with her Sleeping Beauty cake...which she was very specific about...had to be laying in bed.

And Uncle Joe and Aunt Mara came to celebrate.

How did these past four years fly by quicker than any of the years before?  And how I am supposed to handle them just getting faster and faster?  How can it be that this little gem is only going to be home with me for one more year?  Who the heck invented a school calendar anyway, and why?  I am NOT going to be able to handle it.

So for now I'll try and live in denial and enjoy this next wonderful year with all of my babies at home.

Playing Church

The other day I overhead Fiona giving very detailed instructions to Evie about how she was supposed to hold a book.  When I went in to make sure Fiona wasn't just bossing her sister around (again!) this is what I saw.

Followed by this explanation.  "We're playing church!  Evie's Annie (their babysitter who also happens to be the alter server.)"  

With so much buzz floating around lately about whether or not small children should be brought to mass and proper etiquette if they are, this just solidifies my belief that they pick up on more during mass than you think they do...this and the million other questions Fiona asks during mass about the readings, songs, homily, etc. ("Hey, Mom, it says Isaiah!")  Isn't it our job as parents to instill the value of our Faith as early as possible?  Regardless, I think it's pretty darn cute.  

Two months...and a little more.

I'm 2 months old today!

And now I'm a little over two months old, but I don't have any clothes on.

Enough already!

Stop getting big so fast, little man!!!

Another Photo Dump

I'm not gonna lie, this past week has been rough:  snotty noses, wheezy coughs, fevers, streaky bug bites,  feared ear infections, shiners...you name it.  So it sure is nice to do this post and look back on what a wonderful month we've had:  the arrival of Ingrid Frances Brown, a stay from the Burches, pool time with the McHales, and the beginning of summer.  It's nice to remember in the midst of a crummy week that we really are so, so blessed!

Napping on Dad.

"Doing some business."

Loving his "spaceship."

Showing off his hernia.  Loving bath time.

He really does love baths--until he gets out.

Enjoying a movie with some Burches.

I love these folks.

And I love how much Dot loves little babies.

Quality time.

Finn patiently letting the animals play soccer.

He was SO sweet with the girls.

Enjoying the splash park.

Being brave at the end

Getting cozy together

Swimming with the McHales (how did I forget pictures of those cute kiddos?!)  I guess  a trip to Phoenix is in order...

Practicing for Scituate

Really, really loving the spaceship.

Trying a sibling picture--not sure how the dog qualified.

Already gettin' picked on.

Oh, Evie.

Starting smiles.

He's just so darn cute!

"Can I hold Ingrid?"

In case you didn't know, Evie is funny...seriously funny.  Even Atticus thinks so.

SO tiny!

Just some cousins sharing a bed.