I did it.

i updated the picture site.  gasp.  it's only been over a year since i've done it.  so parents...enjoy :) click HERE for the link in case you lost it.

AND...
i started posting old videos again.  the uploading process has gotten a lot easier since i was last doing it, which is great! ...there's a lot to do to catch up on but as of today i posted 60.  Click HERE for the link.  Enjoy :)

2013 Flipagram

cause everyone else is doing it of course :)

The Cake Smash

you saw the other pictures we had taken, but i saved all the cake smash pics for a different post.  

We did a cake smash with the twins when they turned one and i loved those pictures (click here to see one), so of course we wanted to do it again with Davis.  Nora and Holden had never eaten cake before and honestly didn't know what to do with it.  With Davis being our second time around, things are a bit different.  He knows what cake is, and ice cream, and cookies...haha.  I would honestly prefer not to sugar him up so much, but with his siblings eating it all around him, there really isn't much to be done...and lets be honest, its not hurting the kid. 

Anyway, the main story that goes with this day really happened the day before.  I had the cake made and picked it up on Friday afternoon because our photo session was at 9am the next morning.  Holden went with me to get it while Nora and Davis stayed with our friend Hillary.  Upon getting home everyone went straight down for nap and Nora never did know anything about the cake.  Fast forward to later that evening,  i was running around like a crazy person trying to get us all fed, dressed and out of the house for a women's event at church that evening.  I had the twins ready and supposedly standing at the front door (as they always do) waiting for me.  The front door is right near the kitchen--and the counter with the cake.  I am in the master bedroom, just down the hallway from them when i hear "hey sister,  wanna see Davis' cake?"  In a split second, one high-heeled shoe on and one off, i raced to the kitchen just in time to see Holden standing the cake box on it's side--you know the kind, flimsy cardboard with cellophane on top so you can see the cake -- teetering on the edge of the counter.  I have no idea how that 2 layered cake did not slide apart and crash all over the floor--but thank the good Lord it didn't.  Still the shock of the situation caused for a few tense minutes between me and my children as i checked the cake and eventually my attitude.  I totally realize Holden was just being a child, trying to show Nora the cool cake--but of course all i was thinking at the time was how would i have replaced a cake before the morning? Thankfully it was in one piece--quite a bit lopsided, but it's not like Davis wasn't going to decimate it the next day anyway. 

Below is a picture, before Davis touched it.  While no one else would probably ever have noticed, the lopsided cake will always be the first thing i see...a funny memory now, and hopefully a reminder to watch out for my "unglued moments"--kids will be kids, and lopsided cakes should never be a reason for me to compromise my integrity with my children. 

So anyway, there's the story...and now to the cute pictures.  

This child LOVED his cake--and he definitely knew what to do with it!

 and i just love this one...

how he felt when we took the cake away!

Little D is ONE

Just look at this big boy.

So my littlest turned one this week. As every mother says, " i can't believe it".  Yet the proof is above--he's not a little baby anymore--moving all over the place and into everything my little guy is growing up. 

It's been a challenging year in some ways--but when i think back there's so many sweet memories and good times that we've all shared as a family.  I'm so thankful for this little boy and how he has changed our lives. 

Davis is a funny baby.  Except for those big, bright eyes, he is different in almost every way from my twins.  From the womb this guy has been on the move. I've said it before, and i fear i will say it many times from now--but this child is ALWAYS moving.  I would've guessed he'd have been walking way before now, but i've decided the fact that he won't be still has a lot to do with the delay now.  He's been pulling up and crusing for 4 months now, but to walk he has to learn to stand still and balance--and this kid doesn't have time for that.  Although--as of 2 days ago, i have witnessed him taking some steps between things--he just doesn't do it for audiences. 

Food has always been an obsession for this little one. Although his birth weight was a whopping 10.8 he has been riding the 0-10% in weight for the past 6 months. (okay, there's one more way he is like his siblings).  From his long and lean body, you would never guess he eats like a football player, but boy does he ever.  Until about a week ago, i could probably count on my two hands how many times Davis had stopped eating on his own.  I usually cut him off when he'd eaten a portion a little smaller than what i would eat.  I many times would worry that he would go to bed sick with a tummy ache.  Feeding times have also always been a bit frantic--he wanted the food and he wanted it right then--it was this way when he was nursing and then again the same when he started eating solids.  Just in the past week or two things have calmed down.  He's calmer at the table and a bit more patient for his food--also with that he's started showing his preferences and turning away some things.  I honestly didn't think i'd ever see this day.

Right now it seems he is having a lactose intolerance problem, so we give him small amounts of cheese everyday to help introduce it, but when it comes to milk he drinks both almond and coconut milk.  Yogurt is a definite no go. He loves all fruit, his favorite veggies are broccoli and sweet potatoes and he really likes meat--chicken, beef, fish, etc. 

He has slept like a champ pretty much from the beginning.  We are so blessed for this.  He still prefers his room and crib to sleep in--and a white noise machine. Maybe he won't be such a Princess Prince and a Pea forever. :)

Davis loves loves loves his brother and sister.  He wants to be doing everything they are doing and be everywhere they are.  When they are playing upstairs, he stands at the bottom of the stairs at the gate and calls out for them.  He could care less for most of his toys and instead loves to play cars and trains like his big bro.  

He understands everything--and talks only when he wants to.  But i do promise he talks!  Besides the basics--mama and dada--he says bye, nana, ball, pop, no, and all done.  His catch phrase right now is "whoa".  he says it ALL THE TIME.  He also just started waving.  He LOVES to growl and make other noises.  He's much more likely to mimic noises.  He likes to make kissing sounds and click his tongue and whenever he hears a kid squealing he does it back in response with a big smile on his face. 

He's still got the biggest smile ever and it just lights up his whole face.  Although there are definitely days where i feel like i hardly get to see it, the days i do make it all worth it.  We just love our Little D--and i can't wait to see what the next year with him will hold. 

here's a few more pics of his 1 Year photo shoot:

these are mike's trucks from when he was little

Little BIT

You may remember the baby shower and maternity pics for my friend Megan a few months ago...if not, it's here.  

Here are a few pics that i wasn't able to post because his name/initials was a secret :)

A few weeks ago Megan and her little one came to hang out with us for the day.  

Meet Benjamin Isaac Tetter

He's a cutie, yes?

 meeting his newest friend

 momma meg and her little one

the kids... 

Bump Ahead

here's the rest of the pictures, and maybe they'll answer a few questions for you.  they were taken last week by my friend Rina on the North Shore.    

Nora wasn't really in a picture taking mood.  of course.  we can never get them both to be in a good mood on picture day.  still, holden did a nice job--totally rocking his purple shirt and new haircut!

 

she says "baby brodder"....we think its a boy, haha.  not that we know anything

she especially likes to carry the ultrasound pic around.  we gave her one that she takes pretty good care of actually. 

my fav :)

yep. it's correct.

**BREAKING NEWS ALERT**

We Are Moving

and coming to a state near you!

We just received orders this week that state that we will be receiving REAL orders in Feb to move to Ft. Bragg on July 16, 2012---oh the ARMY, we even need orders to get orders...a little ridiculous! all the same, we are coming home for the next 3 years and we are definitely looking forward to spending some quality time with the people we love!

so let the countdown in HI begin...

~Family Pictures Part Two~

Here's the rest of the photos from our shoot last weekend. We're so happy with them.

www.simplyblissfulphotography.com

~Family Pictures~

Remember a few months ago when i kept bugging everyone to vote for Nora's picture so we could win a contest??? of course you do. well our half-off photo session was Saturday and we are so pleased with our pictures--these are just a few sneak peeks! thanks to all of you who helped us win these and thanks to Chantelle Drumeller at Simply Blissful Photography for these great photos!