New Pic

Thought I should point out for those of you who just read my blog through Google Reader - I put this new picture of the girls as the header on my blog.

Notice a few things. First - Norah is totally into posing right now and usually she has to ask if her hair looks okay. Isn't she a little young for that?

Second - After you look at Norah's pose, look at Daphne. She totally did that all on her own. It was all we could do to get her to sit for 5 seconds and when she did (and we looked back at the picture later), she was sitting just like Norah!

Third - I don't know what is up with Lucy, but that is how she smiles for a picture unless you tell her to smile nicely. We were so focused on getting Daphne to sit that I didn't notice Lucy's smile - in every picture!!

Cakes

Over the last couple of years I have been inspired by Heather M. and her cakes. We decided to make an attempt at a fondant cake for Daphne's birthday and since it went fairly well, we made one for Norah and Lucy's birthday's as well.

Here they are:

As much as I would like to take ALL the credit for the cakes, I can't. Kevin actually helped a lot! He did the hardest part - covering the cakes with one piece of fondant. I decorated the top of the cakes. After this weekend, Kevin said he is glad the girls birthdays are over for the year - no more fondant for a while!!

When Did This Happen?

Seriously. I don't know where the last 4 years go? It feels like Lucy was just born. I posted about her rough start here. Also, for more picture of Lucy, check out this post.

I am so incredibly thankful that God gave her life. I am so thankful that despite the rough beginning Lucy is perfect. Perfect. I remember imagining all the problems that could arise when a child is not breathing at birth and yet, Lucy is more than fine. Feisty - but perfect!

Maybe years go by more quickly with the middle child, but it is really hard to believe that she is 4. She is a loving, snuggly, happy child. She adores her sisters - both of them. She adores her daddy. She is dramatic and ornery, but she is so easily distracted. She doesn't really mind being in trouble - actually loves being sent to her room. She plays with dolls and stuffed animals and dresses up all the time. She likes kicking the soccer ball around with Norah and she has officially learned how to pump her legs on the swing. She could swing for HOURS.

She has learned most of her letters all on her own and is learning to write just by observing Norah. She loves her "school" time and loves sitting with us as we read our chapter books.

She is a "sweet-aholic." Not kidding you, she can smell sweet stuff a mile away. If we have chocolate in the house - Lucy smells it. She is always hungry, but if you offer something healthy, she changes her mind.

She is so sweet and polite and is more than willing to share or give up something for those around her. She is compassionate and empathetic. She often cries when she sees others crying. The last 2 years I mentioned that Lucy loves to talk - and here we are at 4 and she STILL loves to talk. On the way home from Norah's soccer game today, she talked the whole way. She rarely takes a breath.

We love watching Lucy grow and are excited to see what the Lord has in store for her!!!

15 Months

Daphne was 15 months last weekend! A lot has happened since last month! Daphne is changing and growing at record pace! She definitely has a spunky personality. She keeps us laughing.

1. She is talking a little more and trying to repeat things constantly. She barks regularly - at any animal really. Cracks us up. At the Morrison's she goes straight to the playroom, finds the frogs, and says, "Ru, ru, ru" and then she runs away with the thermometer. She barks at bunnies and birds in the backyard. Tonight Norah and Lucy were watching 101 Dalmations and Daphne was barking constantly! *as of today - Daphne says "nana" for banana. I was eating a banana this morning and she was shouting "nana" over and over until it I gave her some of my banana.

2. She can climb the steps with ease now - however, she has NO idea how to come back down. She still turns around and wants to dive straight down the steps. When the big girls are upstairs, Daphne stands at the gate, shaking it and screaming because she wants to join them.

3. Her favorite meal time activity is throwing her sippy cup. She takes a drink and throws it. This happens over and over and OVER. If I take put her cup on the table instead of her tray, she screeches. It is a fun game. . . really.

4. She loves to swing. She could swing for hours! Norah and Lucy take turns pushing her or tickling her toes and Daphne giggles and giggles.

5. She is using baby sign quite a bit now. It just sort of clicked about 2 weeks ago. She signs please, more, eat, and sort of signs cracker. We are making on banana and drink.

6. Daphne screeches all the time! She seems to get really frustrated that she can't communicate so she screeches instead.

7. Daphne is officially taking one nap a day. It was actually a smooth transition although sooner that I had hoped. She goes to bed by 7 and usually sleeps until 7. Thankfully - as busy as she is - she is a good sleeper.

8. Daphne loves to wear headbands, hats, necklaces, and bracelets. She is a girly girl - just like her sisters.

9. Daphne loves to snuggle with baby dolls and stuffed animals. She also likes to pretend to feed them and makes a slurping sound while she does.

Funny little story - last week we were at Morrison's. Daphne saw Sawyer's helmet and brought it to me - screeching at me. Not knowing exactly what she was saying - since I don't speak "screech" - I put it on her head. She took it off and screeched at me some more so I put it back on and buckled it. She smiled at me, turned around, walked over to Sawyer's scooter and tried to climb on it.

Daphne has her 15 month check up on Friday - so I will be back with stats at the end of the week.

Random Stuff

The girls are often dressed like this for school.

My almost 4 year old!!!!

Our little soccer player

We have had a million things going on here so this post is going to be totally random.

1. Norah is playing Upward soccer again this year and I am coaching. It has been fun so far. We have a sweet group of girls with a good mix of ability. All but one played last year, so they all know a little about what is going on. We had a first game today and the girls did great!!

2. I am teaching the homeschool class that meets on Wednesday mornings at our church during the women's Bible study. I teach the Bible class and my friend, Jenny, is teaching an art class. Norah's art projects have been great! They have done everything from watercolor to oil pastel to clay. She is loving art!! After 10 weeks of art, Norah now says she wants to be an artist/art teacher!!

3. Max and Denise were here for about a week and the girls had a blast playing with Alex and Contessa. Then they were back again for the weekend. The girls spent HOURS dressing up and pretending!!

4. Kevin and I went to the St. Louis Homeschool Expo. It is a great convention. If you are contemplating homeschooling and you are somewhere near St. Louis, you should totally go next year!!

5. Trying to make decisions about our curriculum for school next year. I am doing Sonlight Core 1 and LA (supplementing with First Language Lessons), Singapore Math 1B, Christian Kids Explore Biology, and Rod and Staff Penmanship Grade 2. Hopefully, the girls will be attending this school in the fall for art and Spanish. I still need to decide on our Bible curriculum - I am considering using Raising Rockstars curriculum created by Carissa from 1+1+1=1. I am really excited about our school year next year. The further we get into homeschooling the more I love it. Sure, we have our bad days, but it is such the right fit for our family and I am so thankful to have listened to God's call to teach the girls from home. The individualized attention is great and moving at Norah's pace (as opposed to the pace of the average of a classroom full of kids) has been so beneficial to her learning.

(By the way, if you have considered homeschooling, but don't think you are cut out for it - talk to me. I was a HUGE public school advocate before having kids and always said I would NEVER homeschool. However, through the experience of a friend and her girls, God changed my heart and then changed Kevin's and I have no doubts that this is what God wants for our girls right now. If I can do it, you can do it.)

6. Kevin is getting our garden going again this year. He built 3 garden boxes - and the girls helped him plant our tomato and pepper plants and seeds for various vegetables.

7. Daphne is 15 months - so I need to work on a 15 month post. She is changing and growing at record pace!!

8. I am working on a project for Lucy's birthday. I am making some alphabet bean bags similar to the ones in this post. I have less than a week until her birthday and I still have a lot to do!! I have all the letters ironed on, but I am outlining them in fabric paint and then I have to sew them and stuff them.

9. Several of the children on the Reece's Rainbow website we have been praying for have families who have committed to adopting them!! The girls are so excited!! They still pray regularly for the children and are constantly wanting to look on the website to find more children to pray for. Norah wants to have a lemonade stand to try and raise some money to donate. We are planning on a day in May - more on that later.

10. We are making a big change with our homeschool schedule this week. Now that Daphne is not napping in the morning, school has been incredibly chaotic!! I am so distracted by Daphne as she goes through the girls workboxes and steals stuff or gets into other things she shouldn't. She begs for attention while we are trying to read - leaving our reading time really disrupted!! Starting tomorrow we are going to do school right after lunch while Daphne takes her afternoon nap. I don't love the idea of giving up the girls rest time, but I just don't think I have a choice. We'll see how it goes!! Lucy will be zapped at the end of the day - but rest time is such a struggle for her anyway. I am going to try to have the big girls have some independent play time maybe while I am working on dinner. They usually need a break from each other at the end of the day anyway.

11. Lucy's birthday is Saturday! What!?! She is going to 4!!! Oh my!!

Giveaway Flop

My giveaway, posted here, so far has been a flop. If I don't have more than 8 entries by Thursday, I am just going to cancel the giveaway.

So, enter, enter, enter and post about this giveaway on your blog so your friends and family can enter, too!!!

Happy Easter!

Forever, Author of salvation,

He rose and conquered the grave,
Jesus conquered the grave.

Saviour, He can move the mountains,
My God is Mighty to save,
He is Mighty to save.
Forever, Author of salvation,
He rose and conquered the grave,
Jesus conquered the grave.

Daphne's Easter dress is a tad on the big side, but it should fit her all summer!! She was more interested in Daddy's peeps than in her own Easter basket. She wouldn't sit for a picture with the big girls. She was after those peeps!!

Norah - posing for pictures

We had a crazy night/day this year, but the highlight of our Easter this year is that Lucy asked Jesus to come into her heart tonight at bedtime. She has been asking a lot of questions lately about Jesus dying on the cross, what Heaven is like, is she going to Heaven, are the rest of us going to Heaven, etc. Tonight she told me she wanted Jesus in her heart. I told her all she had to do was ask and, in complete Lucy style, she stood up on the bed, threw her arms in the air and shouted "Jesus, come into my heart!" We did have a quieter prayer time after that when she thanked God for dying on the cross and asked him to forgive her for doing wrong things.

Norah and Daphne enjoying Easter baskets together.