Easter 2014

This year Easter fell the day before Quinny's 2nd birthday. It made for a busy time, but one with many memories. Ben had to work most of the weekend so we squeezed in dying eggs Saturday morning and then the girls and I made Easter cookies that afternoon. On Sunday I did Easter baskets with the girls and then we met Ben at church, which was followed by an Easter egg hunt, which Quinny did not enjoy, and then after naps we squeezed in our family Easter egg hunt before Ben headed back to work. It was extra special this year because Ellie is of an age to really begin to understand the reasons behind Easter and why we celebrate it so we had great conversations with her throughout the weekend about why we were celebrating and on the way home from church she told me the Easter story. She is so bright and I love to watch her think and process as she talks to me about what she is learning.

 Dyeing Eggs

 Mommy Making Cookies...

 While the Girls Eat Dough!

 What Quinny does while I decorate!

 What Ellie does while I decorate!

 Easter Baskets! Daddy got one too, but not one for Mommy this year since she is growing a baby!

 Easter Baskets! There was so much excitement, so most of the pictures had blurs. We gave them minimal candy, but they did not mind at all!

 My Easter Girls!

 Hunting Eggs at Home and Church (At church Quinn did not like the eggs in her basket and would make Ben take them out and put them back on the ground, but at home she could not stop picking them up!)

 You have to wear caterpillar rain boots when you hunt eggs, right?

 Our Easter Pictures with the Girls

Tulips 2014

With this crazy weather we almost missed our yearly visit to the tulip garden. We got there when they were at the end of their run, but still managed to see some beautiful ones. Ellie loves to explore and Quinn is happy to follow right along behind her.

 What you get from Ellie when she is over the smiling! It doesn't help that I am always laughing at these girls, which Ben reminds me shakes the camera and makes the picture wiggly.

 Two peas in a pod!

 Me and all my girls!

Great Family Shot! Thanks to the nice ladies at the garden that offered to take our picture!

17 Weeks or Less

When this picture was taken I was 22 1/2 weeks pregnant. (We are now 23 as of yesterday and down to 16 weeks or less.) We will be induced by 39 weeks. I feel like in my mind I have plenty of time to get ready and with life events in our family taking my time right now I can be focused on all my prep items in June and really in July. However, when I told Ben the other day we were at 17 weeks or less he felt a little pressured. :) He seems to think we have a lot to do and not much time to do it. It is a little funny as usually he is feeling like me and I am feeling like him, I guess that is what a third pregnancy does to a Mom. Overall, we are doing well. I had a low lying placenta, which resolved itself by 18 weeks and my diet seems to be going well. This little girl moves all the time, which the doctors were impressed with. At 28 weeks I will have another ultrasound to check her size as is common with gestational diabetes and will have one or two more by the end. I know the routine, so it is no big deal to me, just more pictures of our little one!

I feel like I am pretty much just growing straight out! ;)

Family Outing to the Ballpark

Ben LOVES sports!! I am happy to go with him to watch sports and the girls are happy to go to! They just opened the new minor league baseball stadium right downtown and we went to watch a game. Ben went the week before for opening night with some friends and they had standing tickets so the girls and I waited a week to sit in seats. It was a little cold but we had a great time and had great seats and the best part was that it is right downtown with all the buildings around it. It was a lot of fun and we are already looking forward to going to another game when it is a little warmer!

 Love this sweet face!!

Family Shot!!

Ellie's First Trip to the Dentist

Now that Ellie is 4 we have begun going to the dentist. We waited until the spring so that I could get acquainted with the dentist through my own appointments as I just started going to him as well. They are really friendly and very accommodating. They told me they would do what she allowed and it was just about getting to know the dentist and his tools. She did AWESOME!! She let them to do everything. She had a thorough cleaning and check from the dentist. She had no cavities and she got a toothbrush, mouthwash and dental floss for kids and got to visit the treasure box. They were very impressed with how well she did. Quinn stayed home with Daddy and when we got home Ellie was the dentist and Quinn was the patient and Ellie did a whole exam and cleaning of Quinn's teeth, which Quinn completely allowed! Ellie is all set to go in another 6 months and she is already talking about her next appointment!

 Waiting to Go In

 All Ready For A Cleaning

 Talking to the Dentist

Giving Quinny a Teeth Cleaning

A Swingin' Good Time

These two love the swings!!! Ellie even enjoys pushing her sister, which gives a Mommy a quick break! ;)

 Sportin' Her Melmo Shirt!

Ellie says she will hold the baby in the middle so she can swing too!