Our Family

From Left to Right: Leah, Mommy, and Daddy (all holding hands). Poor Jelly Boo wasn't represented. I love bath pictures of the kids, but I decided that I don't want pictures of them in the tub on the internet (even just faces or shoulders up). Too many weirdos. 

Round Here

Jelly Boo loves chalk. She loves to get it, carry it around, use it to draw on the van, and, occasionally, try to eat it. When she gets outside, she immediately starts to reach for the ground (if she's being held), then toddles right over to the chalk. 

 Leah modeling. Leah hasn't wanted her picture taken much lately, and we've sometimes had to have some conversations about being a team player, and following directions. However. when she is in the mood, she's all about it!

 Leah sleeping with Brain. Her favorite thing. 

 Juliet loves hummus. She is offically ours! 

 These girls will only travel in the wagon now. They play, tickle, and argue throughout all of our walks. 

 Leah and her "boy Brain" 

 Juliet loves the sand table. 

 Leah found a Princess chair at Costco. We had to buy it. Juliet got the old Kitty chair. She wasn't impressed. 

 Leah dancing 

Coordinating Chairs and Dresses

These girls both love their pink and purple. They are always admiring each others clothes, and chairs. They can't get enough of each other. I am so thankful and so, so blessed to watch them grow! 

Birthday Chair

 Juliet was so excited to get her new chair. She has been climbing into Leah's often lately, which leads to some arguments. Of course, the second the Leah saw Juliet's chair she tried to claim it as her own, and when that didn't work, tried telling me that Jelly Boo told her that it was okay to jump on it. Juliet didn't really mind because then she took over Leah's chair. Oh well. Leah was disappointed in Juliet's chair saying that it wasn't as "squishy" and "jumpy" as her own. Give it time, I said. 

 Juliet loves her new chair. The anywhere chair is the traditional 1st birthday present in this house. Juliet was so smart, she pointed to her name. In her head, she probably read it as "J. Boo". Last week, for the life of her, Leah couldn't tell us Juliet's name. She kept emphatically repeating "JELLY BOO!" when we asked for her sister's real name. Chris and I are making a concerted effort to call her Juliet more often. He's doing a better job than I am. She is just such a Jelly Boo, J. Boo, or Boo. It's fitting. 

Of course, I had flashbacks of Leah getting her first chair. And of course I got a little misty eyed wondering how she is now almost 4. Leah looks so much blonder than I remembered. I think it was because we had just got back from a week in the Outer Banks with this picture was taken. Maybe. 

 I'm so thankful to have these 2 happy, healthy girls! 

Jelly Boo's Cupcakes

 It's not everyday a little girl turns 1. The day deserves more than a Holiday Market cupcake (even a super size cookies and cream cupcake). So Sassy and I made pink cupcakes for her on her  "real" birthday.  

 Juliet was excited. 

 Naturally, she devoured it. 

 And, so her birthday day concluded. And I'll leave the day with this quote, from one of our families favorite books.

So here's to a child who is joyful and clever,

Happy day, happy year, happy always and ever. 

Happy Birthday, Jelly Boo!

We love you SO much! 

Happy Birthday, Jelly Boo!

 Juliet Renee,

You are one year old! What a ride this year has been. Having 2 kids is so much harder than I ever thought, but I would not trade one thing about this past year. You are such a delight! You are so smart, independent, happy, and such a joy. You are small but mighty. You are also one of the cutest babies I know. 

 You have the most mischievous giggle. You love to play peek-a-boo and chase. You love everything your sister loves: Dora, princesses, pink, and dresses. You get very excited when you watch a Sesame Street and go into the same trance like expression that Leah used to. You are smart: you can listen to directions, you can go find your sissy, doggy, or Brain when we ask you to. You love to go and get your own shoes. You LOVE to play outside. You love to eat: blueberries, raspberries, cottage cheese and any type of meat rank among your favorite items. 

 Your hair is getting so long. You have your Mommy's hair (sorry) and I just don't think bangs are going to suit you. You have been wearing a lot of headband and barrettes to keep your hair out of your face. You are usually pretty good about leaving them alone. 

 You love to play and to play hard. You get right into what ever activity you are into. You get many more outfit changes than your sister did at this age. You HATE when we tell you no. You cry and cry and cry. You still don't really care for the carseat, but you tolerate it much better than you used to. 

 I tried to get you to show me the number 1 with your finger. You weren't really into it. 

 You are such a joy, Jelly Bean! Even though you are active, you are still a great cuddler. You wake up every morning with a huge smile. I always wake you up 20 minutes before you actually need to be up so we can cuddle. You also cuddle before and after all naps. You give the best little hugs, and LOVE to give open mouth kisses. How can we resist? 

We love everything about you, Jelly Boo.

We wouldn't know what to do without you.

We love you!

J Boo's Party

 Look at these two! I LOVE this picture! 

 Juliet wielding a knife as she plays. 

 Leah pushing Juliet around in the shopping cart. 

 Juliet really liked her present from the Z's. 

 Juliet liked the cake until she tried to touch the candle and I had to tell her no. Then she was not so happy. She recovered when she got to try to cake. 

 Anna really liked the cupcake. It was really cute to watch her eat it. 

 Leah and Lukey liked their cupcakes, too. 

I am looking slightly cross eyed in the picture. 

 Juliet loved her cupcake. She ate almost the entire thing, and it was huge! 

Silly Girl.

For the record, her "party" consisted of the Z's coming over. No one should have any hurt feeling about not being invited. We just wanted to give her a little low key celebration. 

Birthday Eve

Juliet was so excited by her birthday eve! We played outside--by far one of her favorite activities for a while. She loves to pretend that she is a big girl and try to write with chalk. When that doesn't work to her satisfaction, she then tries to eat the chalk. 

She was also wearing a "Birthday Girl" shirt--the same one Leah wore on her first birthday, but you can't see it in any of the pictures. 

 Juliet wasn't in the mood for a sister picture. 

 We went to Old Navy with Aunt Nicole and Leah picked out a soccer ball for Juliet for her birthday, since her chair is STILL backordered. However, Leah cries at the mere idea of Juliet touching the ball. Sigh. 

 The girls play in the house together now. It is so cute to watch! 

 I love her smolder look. 

 And a smile...always a smile with J. Boo unless you tell her no. She loved her last day as an 11 month old.