All smiles

Hadley looks like this 99% of the time. She is such a happy happy girl. I wouldnt say baby because she is growing up so fast. She is very close to walking and if she would just drop her fear she would be good to go! She walks along anything in reach and can now go from one thing to the next. She loves her daddy. Her eyes just light up when he walks in the door. She still only says dada and hi! Although she can sign dog and eat.

Her eyes light up when she smiles and her giggle is infectious! She loves food and could drink water/juice all day long. She has learned to scream and she lets you know if she isnt happy. She is leary around strangers but loves her cousins and close family. She is so much fun and I look forward to all the fun times to come!

A says ah, b says buh

This is what our world revolves around. Ellie is obsessed with the alphbet and the sounds they make. She now knows all her uppercase letters and most of the lower (she sometimes gets caught up on few but other times remembers them) and she knows all the sounds each letter makes. You can give her a random letter and she can tell you what it sounds like and some words that start with that letter.

Our new task is to start on the sight word list. I plan on making go fish/memory card games with the sight words to make it fun. I have always said I want her to know how to read before going to kindergarten and I really see that happening. She loves books and is so smart that I think she will pick it up very quickly! It is amazing how fast she learns. I am hoping her love of books continues throughout her life. I love reading and find such joy in a good book.

Happy 3rd Birthday to Charlotte Jo

Last week May 18 was my niece Charlotte Jo's Birthday. She was born sleeping and we miss her dearly. We go out every year on her birthday to visit her grave and take pictures. I dont understand why God took her all too soon, but I sure wish she was here playing with Ellie and Jayce.

Happy 3rd birthday Charlotte! We love you and miss you!

Pretty girls

My beautiful Goddaughter Scarlett Stevie Schaffer. We had her baptism on sat. night and it was so much fun. It is always such a blessing to see these tiny babies getting their very first sacrament and joining our church. And it is even more fun getting to be her Godmother.

Since I had the girls all dressed up I decided to take advantage and get some pics. Like usually Ellie broke out her smile. I cannot wait until she gets over this. I hate it. she has the most beautiful blue eyes and she squints so you cant even see them. We are going to a wedding in a few weeks so we will try again :) Since Jess was at his game he wasnt there but we took some photos of all us pretty ladies anyway. Ellie and that stinkin smile. she is lucky shes cute :)

I squatted down so ellie thought she needed to also. Turned out it was the best pic!

Rain Rain Go Away

It has been raining in good old Iowa and the wind has been blowing! We are all feeling it. We were stuck inside all winter long with 7,000 ft of snow on the ground and now it has been raining so bad that I feel like we could open up a pool in our backyard.
But with rainy days comes time to get stuff done inside. Although my house could use a good spring cleaning I have been scanning pictures. My scanner program is acting up so it si taking a lot longer than I planned and I have gotten frustrated and anxious so many times. It has however made me aware of how very thankful I am to have a digital camera! Not only that but to have one the entire lives of my kiddos. Now to make sure I tackle that humongus picture file so when Ellie is a senior I know exactly where they all are :)

Today is a hard day for me. Five years ago today I lost my first baby. It hurts as much today as it did five years ago.
But God is good and I am blessed. Although I do not understand why it happened I have come to terms with it but it does not make the pain go away.
But I am forever greatful for her

and her.
They are my life and they are definately worth all the rough days.