Happy Birthday...

Caroline would have been five years old today.  Happy Birthday sweet girl.  You are so loved...

Mondays with Crosby and Jane Claire

At 11:24 am, Crosby Fox turned 4 years 8 weeks old!!!  At 1:03 pm, Jane Claire turned 47 weeks old!!! That last number is about to do me in.  I don't know how numbers that high are possible.  This has been the fastest year of my life.  Something tells me I will be saying the very same thing at this time next year.  It seems to be a trend...

We rearranged the car this week!!  Why?  Because Crosby's booster came in...

He was pretty excited about it!  I had been talking it up for days.  He asked every day, "Is my new car seat here????"  Unfortunately it was on back order.  Only like a week but that is an eternity to a child.  (clearly the same is not true for the mother that has had the fastest year of her life...)

So, new car seat for Crosby means Jane Claire got his hand-me down...

And she was pretty happy about it!  She has kind of gotten used to getting Crosby's hand-me-downs.  Cribs, carseats, PJs.  :-/

So it is that time of year again!!!!  Consigmnment season!!!  Yay for consignment season!!!  That means I volunteer at the sales so I can shop early and get first dibs at all of the good stuff.  I failed to mention even Blake (love that man) works the "man shift" for me!!  What a sacrifice for the sake of shopping!! So fun for the momma with expensive taste and small budget.  It is like the new vs used car theory.  As soon as you drive the new car off the lot, it loses it's value.  By a lot.  I will gladly let someone gently wear the new out of clothes, allowing me to pay less than half price for them when they are done.  Gladly!  It works great with the little ones.  Getting harder with my bigger boy.  They are just rough on clothes!! But I still managed to find a few things for him.

On Friday, we stopped by the clinic.  My sweet little dog lover was thrilled to see Bethel...

Bethel is so sweet to oblige her...

Jane Claire could not get enough of her.  She was completely taken with her...

On Saturday, Animalia had a Treat Tasting!  Treats for pets AND treats for the adults!  I worked the consignment sale and then headed over to play.  Dr. Malone and his little love...

This couch was sitting next to a trunk full of dress up clothes just to the left of the picture.  Kiddos could dress up and sit at little tables that were set up for tea parties.  Too cute.  A photographer was there to snap pictures of people and pets on the couch.  Cutest idea ever.  Charlotte even dressed her horse for the occasion...

Jane Claire wasn't feeling the blue hat...

At least we got a picture with her in it!

 The photographer snapped this one of my precious boy.  Is he adorable or what?!?

I just love this series of pictures that Sarah captured.  I can hear these two in my head...

CFM: "Hey Charlotte.  Have you see this new game?"

 CCC: "Ummmm.  Yeah.  I've seen that before.  I can play it too."

CCC: "Here.  Let me show you."

CFM: "Charlotte!!!!  You can't play this game!!!  You don't know how!!!"

 CCC: "Give it to me.  I will prove it"

 CFM: "Whatever!  You can try all you want but there is no way you know how to play that game."

 CFM: Thinking to himself. "I guess she does know how..."

These two are a riot when they are together.  They are more like brother and sister.  They know how to push each others buttons and get great joy in pushing them!  It only happens every now and then.  It is pretty cute when it does! ;-)

Today we headed to the park with the Graves crew.  This was the first time Jane Claire really got to see the animals...

And oh my goodness she loved them...

Once she saw the leopards move, she grinned from ear to ear...

Trying to lure them closer...

Such a sweet little thing...

Loves, loves, loves animals!

The zebras were right up next to the fence today.  Lucas and Crosby looked too cute, standing side by side watching them...

Sweet friends...

Jane Claire was a big fan of the foam play area...

I wonder what she and Finn were chatting about.  I hope there was no flirting going on!! ;-)  Who am I kidding, if I could arrange these two it would be a done deal!!!

My little doll baby...

I could just eat her UP!!!

Oh how I love this baby girl...

Sweet smiles in the swing...

And these two.  I love to watch them together.  Such sweet friends.  They are so quick to give each other hugs for pictures...

Maybe because they end like this...

With lots of laughter!!!  I mean, could they be any cuter??? I know, right!!  No bias here...

And here is my 47 week old Jane Claire...

Oh how I love this baby.  Who happens to be sporting her new-to-us outfit from a consignment sale.  Baby Lulu.  $8.  GREAT condition.  Probably one of my favorite outfits now!!!

It helps that is is a doll.  Nope.  No bias here... ;-)

Mondays with Crosby and Jane Claire

At 11:24 am, Crosby Fox turned 4 years and 7 weeks old!!!  At 1:03 pm, Jane Claire turned 46 weeks old!!!  The week of LOVE!!  Valentine's Day was Thursday and I was one of the party mom's for Crosby's class.  On Thursday.  Not Wednesday... (see last week if that makes no sense!! ;-) )  We had a great time preparing for Valentine's Day festivities!

Crosby absolutely loves it when Jane Claire wakes up in the morning.  He is usually up before she is.  When he hears her voice over the monitor, he jumps up and asks to get her out of bed.  "But Mommy, I just need to touch her!!!" I let him come in her room for a few minutes before I shoo him away.  I have to keep him occupied with a TV show just so I can feed her in peace.  Otherwise, he is in Jane Claire's face, hugging and kissing all over her, making it difficult for Jane Claire to keep her mind on the task at hand!  I managed to snap these pictures when he was getting his Jane Claire fix one morning...     

I love her little sleepy, face!  And her "I have a cold puffiness".  He cannot keep his hands off her cheeks...

Giving her lovie some love!

Clearly she thinks he is great, flashing a smile so he will come back...

Which he gladly does!!!

Then she realizes he is crazy...

It made for a cute little sibling love collage anyway!

On Wednesday, Crosby and I started getting ready for the Valentine's party.  I decided to face my baking fears and volunteered to make homemade red velvet chocolate chip cupcakes with white chocolate cream cheese icing.  I had a little helper...

Valentine's cupcake holders!  See...

Then he broke the white chocolate into chunks for me...

I am surprised he didn't eat them!  I know I had a few bites...

That was about all my little helper was interested in!  That was fine by me.  I felt like we had to wash his hands 100 times because he kept touching his face or feet or something.  The recipe called for none of those things!!  I failed to take a picture of the finished product. Crosby held his up for me the next morning though...

They were pretty delish, if I do say so myself.  And I managed to build a little baking confidence!  I guess that is good news.  Although the last thing I need sitting around this house is cupcakes!!  They would not "sit" for long.  :-)  I had a great time at school with my sweet valentine...

Class picture...

The kiddos talking with Mrs. Fisher...

Valentine hugs from my precious boy...

When I got home, I had a little surprise from my Valentine...

Forget flowers that die in a few days!!!  Blake knows the way to my heart!  Sugar will get win me over every time!!! ;-)

Apparently Blake and my Dad listen to the same radio station because they my mom got some of these too!!  Pretty funny!

I had to take more pictures of the babes, in their Valentine's shirts, ON Valentine's Day!!!

Jane Claire was a little preoccupied with something else...

She was far more interested in getting to Alley than she was in posing for Valentine's pictures...

I managed to snap a few pictures of my big boy too...

Of course he had to be silly...

And then he really tired to offer up a good smile.  Too bad he doesn't really get where he is supposed to look when I say "look AT the camera!!!"  It doesn't matter how many times I tell him to look at the lens, he can't keep his eyeballs still.  Or anything else for that matter...

I have lots of reasons to feel lots of love on Valentine's.  I have to amazing children and the best husband in the world!  What a fun day!

On Sunday, Otter Creek had it's annual Baby Dedication.  I was so very excited to participate again this year.  The last time we were on that stage dedicating a baby, Crosby was a tiny thing!!!  My how quickly time has passed.  I can remember going to the Baby Dedication luncheon last year when Harper and Malone were dedicated.  Thankfully I was doing well enough in my pregnancy to get off the couch for a few hours to celebrate with family.   They were there to celebrate with us this year!

I just love seeing the pictures of all the babes and their families on the big screens.  Jane Claire looked like a little doll...

Our family of four!

It was up to each family to decide who would come up on stage.  We mentioned having Crosby go up with us and he was all about it!  Anything to get on stage... ;-)

After a sweet service, we headed downstairs to the fellowship all for the luncheon.  Katie and Anne Claire helped prepare this year.  They used the book Pat the Bunny as their inspiration.  It was A.DOR.ABLE...

Jane Claire's name was beautifully written as part of the table's centerpiece...

The full effect.  Too cute...

So blessed to have this precious baby girl in our lives...

SO BLESSED!!!

I just had to share this one.  Notice anything disturbing???

Yea.  That would be Crosby's shark coming at Jane Claire's head!!!  Oh dear, that Cros is a mess!  She made a pretty cute centerpiece herself...

Sweet baby girl...

We attempted a few family pictures.  The lighting is a mess downstairs and I had to doctor these as best I could... :-/

Oh well.  We try...

Jane Claire with the Malone crew...

Jane Claire with the Lipscomb crew...

What a wonderful Otter Creek Tradition!  We had a great day with family and friends, dedicating to do all we can to help Jane Claire grow to know Christ as her Lord and Savior.  Oh how I pray that my children will love the Lord with all of their heart, soul, mind and strength...

And here is my sweet girl today at 46 weeks!

She is getting so big!!!

I was hoping for an illness free stretch.  Things were looking good until Jane Claire's nose started running on Saturday.  And it still is.  Here is to hoping it makes a quick exit!!!  Please...