Slow Down...You're only 5 months old!!!

In a matter of 24 hours my baby has rolled over on her own and I felt her first tooth....It's there people, she's growing up and I can't do anything to stop it.  She is such a sweet baby and I admit there is a part of me that doesn't want her to grow up.  She is (probably) my last baby and there's just a little part of me that is so sad that she is hitting these milestones so quickly.  Don't get me wrong - I celebrated, full of love and pride, clapping hands and showing her sisters.  And then I got tears in my eyes.  There are so many things that I am thankful for - three healthy girls, sisters that love each other so much, my ability to be home with these girls and to experience all of her "firsts"...the list goes on and on.  I guess my next investment should be three bricks - one for each girl when I've decided they're "big enough"!!!!

Spring Break 2010

Last week was Spring Break for the girls and so I decided it was a great opportunity to get down to Atlanta and visit the cousins.  The kids are all so close in age I knew they would have great fun!!  Russ and my dad stayed in STL to work so Grandma and I drove down with the girls - stayed a couple of days - and drove back.  All in all it was a wonderful experience.  I couldn't have asked the girls to be any better on the way down, everyone stayed happy and healthy during our whole stay, and the drive back - well we could have ended an hour earlier but not too bad :) 

Our first morning in Atlanta!

Emmy loved her cousin - kept giving her hugs and more hugs :)

Everyone going for a ride

Ansley had a quick auto repair to perform

The girls had quiet time watching Barbie and the Three Musketeers...Bennett watched too but stayed by Grandma :)

Our second day in ATL enjoyed some park time after breakfast at Chick Fil A

Grandma brought everything for an Easter Egg Hunt

Bennett loved his chocolate

The girls play dress up - J was the photographer

C tried to keep up... :)

Is it a preschool???  Nope...just the cousins on a walk

Emmy saying good bye to her buddy

The Three Musketeers - "One for all and all for one!!!"

Just a little side note - Bennett was such a trooper.  The only boy in the house, he played great with the girls until he had enough and then he just went to play by himself.  What a great little guy.  Someday he will make a fantastic boyfriend/husband!!!!

Too Busy for Pics...

Why were we too busy for pictures???  Because if was absolutely BEAUTIFUL weather this entire weekend!!  As quoted by stltoday.com, "For persistent cold, this winter has been one for the record books.  Friday marked the 94th straight day that temperatures did not climb higher than 55 degrees here."  Say what??? This winter has been brutally cold.  Not huge amounts of snow, but constant, bone-chilling cold.  This weekend, Mother Nature gave us a beautiful present and presented us with 60-70 degree weather...aawwww, the beauty.  We couldn't get the girls inside and it was great.

We spent almost the entire day Saturday at the zoo with good friends of ours.  I am somewhat positive C was confused by this thing we kept calling "the sun" shining on us.  She has not seen much of it in the 4 months of her life :)  Grandma and Grandpa came for dinner and barbecued.  Completely rejuvenating...

We spent Sunday morning in a block of ice (otherwise known as the Chesterfield Ice Rink) to watch Jimmy play in the state championship game for hockey.  They played a great game but came away with 2nd place.  Once we got out of the cold, we spent the rest of the day taking walks, playing garden, etc.

It's gone back to cooler weather and some rain but I will take it versus the gross cold we have lived with for months on end.

Our Chunky Monkey

I'm determined to get pics of C in all her chubby glory, but until then I am going to leave the rolls to your imagination.  She had her 4 month checkup a couple of weeks ago and weighed in at a whopping 17 lbs. 1 oz.  In the past, we have waited until both the big girls were 6 months before starting them on any type of cereal but new studies have come out and I guess the good news is there's no "wrong way" of doing it.  She's had cereal just a couple of times and, while she's eaten it, is not too sure what's happening.  Gives a little shiver when she gets a big bite :)

She has been a great baby - so easy going and is almost guaranteed to giggle when you blow raspberries on her belly. 

Here are just a couple of sweet pics to enjoy this beautiful baby. 

Look at those big, beautiful eyes

Baby C is Baptized

Four years ago, Grandma Sandy knit a beautiful baptism gown for little Miss J who fit into it perfectly on the day she and Mickey were baptized.  Two years ago, I squeezed E's chubby body into that same gown and  we celebrated her baptism.  Last Sunday, we were blessed with a beautiful day in which we celebrated C's baptism and the fact that she still fit that gown :) 

The Church service and baptism was wonderful - we had all the Barrett boys in attendance and between the six kids involved - everyone handled the service great!  Once the sermon started I had to take C out, but everyone else was on their best behavior.  We would love to get a video of the service - when it was time to go up to the alter for the baptism J realized she was on stage and had a captive audience.  She struck a couple of fancy poses and once Pastor Carl congratulated us and little C she let out a great big squeal in celebration.  Really too cute :)

After Church we had everyone back to the house for brunch and enjoyed a really nice day.   We count our blessings that both Great Grandparents, all the Grandparents and the Barrett's were able to be part of the day.  Grandma L gave C an embroidered handkerchief that was her namesake's.  It was so special to me now and I know that someday will be very special to our Clara Lillian.

(Doesn't that look like an unruly group of cousins?!?!)

E has a big couple of days...

My 2 year old has offically hit a milestone - she's 2 1/2 years old!!!  A lot of "first" things have happened over the past couple of weeks. 

What made her the happiest?  Her first day of school!!!  E has been dying to go to school since J started.  She goes once a week for just 2 hours but she thinks it's totally cool....She has absolutely loved it and has been going for the past two weeks - no tears, loves her teacher and classmates.  Russ and I were talking about how different she has been from J.  When it comes time for C to start school she will just ask me to drop her off in the parking lot :) 

On the other hand, she was not so fond of her first haircut.  Once again, totally different from J who totally dug her getting her hair cut the first time - having adult attention focused on her, getting to watch a movie, sit in a fun "car chair"...E, well, not so much.  I finally talked her into sitting on my lap.  She did it - no tears, but no fun either...we finally got a smile out of her when it was all over.

J took the pic for us - our budding photographer.  C slept through the whole ordeal.  Sweet baby.

Valentine's Day 2010

We have discovered that Valentine's Day is a GREAT holiday for the girls. There is no Santa to spook E, no Bunny that J is "allergic" to, you get the picture.  The first two weeks of February were great fun for all of us!  It started with a great day at the Magic House for members only.  Yes, Clifford the Big Red Dog made an appearance but we did our best to focus on the other aspects of the day :) 

We also got to have a great "party" at Grandma's with Miss Susie and Natalie.  I don't have any pics (I'm hoping some day Miss Susie will send me some) but it was great fun having breakfast for lunch and making Valentine's for all our friends.  We had heart waffles, fruit kabobs, and heart donuts!  J made special Valentine's for Caitlyn, Megan and Anna (which she and daddy personally delivered) and E made a special Valentine for daddy.

Finally, we had a great day on V-day itself.  The girls loved their fingerpaints (and I love Color Wonder products) and then we got to have a super fun birthday party for Kole at Bounce U.  You gotta love the bouncies :)

Summer in the Winter

I can officially say my girls are finished with Winter.  J had a rough time coming to the realization that long sleeves and something on her legs were necessary when it's 20 degrees outside.  So we've compromised all winter long but now we are sick and tired of this season. 

So....the other day we decided to pretend it was summertime!  We grabbed our swimsuits and went swimming in the tub - the girls loved it and thought it was a riot that no wash and rinse was necessary.  Swimming was followed by a "picnic" lunch and watching The Little Mermaid...good times for all.

Even Baby C decided to play along,  BTW - is this the first pic posted of C awake???  Doesn't she have beautiful eyes?!?!

The Myers Come for a Visit

This winter we were lucky enough to have the Myers come visit on a spur of the moment trip to STL.  It was a great time and we are so thankful that good friends were able to spend some good quality time together. 

Friday night was full of pizza and baths, Saturday was spent at the Magic House and Sunday was basically a quick breakfast and sad farewell.  All the girls got along really well and E is still talking about her buddy Catherine and the good time they had playing house together.

One of my personal highlights of the weekend - Saturday night, after a 2 hour dinner at Dooley's, the kids are downstairs playing and E decides to get sick all over the basement floor.  Absolutely lovely.  Got her all cleaned up and she was never sick again, but I am SURE it was enough to make the Myers think about packing their bags and hitting the road :)