Miss May's Birthday

Happy birthday to this girl…(last month)…..

This is Laney. This is her face in photos 90% of the time.

Doggie photo bomb. It happens regularly.

Laney had a bird themed party because she is not only our Boo Bear, but our Laney Bird.
I had most of the decorations left over from Millie's previous birthdays and random tidbits from around the house, but I did buy the birdhouses and a couple spools of ribbon. Oh, and I had to make her a birthday hat. Don't you know me by now?

We have used the same #1 candle for each of the kids' first birthdays. I think that little blue candle will live in our junk drawer forever. 

Whew! What a year. And I know our little Laney gets a bad rap (half of it deservedly), but I wouldn't give up a single second of her screaming in my ear. And to her credit, she was our happiest baby on her first birthday. Jack was grumpy and Millie was sick and grumpy. So yeah, you go girl! 

She may be our loudest, most convicted, and by far hungriest one of the bunch, but she is STRONG inside and out. Happy day sweetness. Mom and Dad love you.

Oh, and just for fun. And because I like to make myself cry.

 (And she's our happiest child!)

(He's seven by the way)

Office Sneak Peak (and two cute girls)

The office is slloooowwwwllllyyyy getting finished. There is still a few things to finish up, but it is FUNCTIONAL again. The built-ins are complete and housing books, storage, and a couple of keepsakes. Here is a pic of the sample I ordered from Spoonflower. Loved it and am now waiting for my order to arrive! 

And I can't get enough of this picture. It is rare that I get not one, but two kids smiling in a picture.

And, this one is doing the stairs. We are so ready for her to walk! She may only be nine months, but the past two months of crawling give me the willies thinking about what she has eaten off the floor. I finally mopped last night after the kids were in bed, I guess that is one good thing to come of it.

Laney May

Look at her. Just look at her. She may just be the greatest reason to ever want to have another child. We always thought we'd have four. Then three started sounding so good. 

You know how people always say, "You'll know when you're done having kids." Well, this little one has baffled me. We had pretty much decided that three was great. A great number. We will still be able to travel. Not feel like we will have to be here, take this kid there. Not lose one in the crowd. Not have to find a babysitter for this one while we go do this with that one. Yeah, that is what we thought. Then this game changer came along. And we all know what happened to thought, don't we?

When you pop one of these out and the thought of never having one like this again comes along, it is a thought you just don't like having in your mind. Who knows, three may be it for us. That is why I am holding on to every moment. Seems like everyone around you is so quick to say how "in for it you are,""Now you're out numbered,""You are going to have your hands full." But there is this part of me that thinks sometimes people have it backwards. 

Instead of feeling a rush to go nurse, or do dishes or dare I say blog, I feel like this past couple of weeks has been a reason to take a step back and focus on our family. We have had such a great past two weeks together. No hurry to fold laundry or go swimming or meet up with friends. (Even though I love and miss them) It has been good. 

(And side note: For me, I felt outnumbered after number two came along, so hopefully we won't be pulling our hair out anytime soon.)

And since I am on this baby high, I might as well let you know ten things about our little Laney Loo:

1. She is a great eater.

2. She is a great sleeper (knock on a big, fat redwood tree).

3. She has no control over it and no idea she is doing it, but she smiles for days. Smiliest baby I have ever seen.

4. She is our loudest baby. She eats loud, cries loud, poops loud.

5. She looks more like a Shupe everyday. By Shupe, I mean daddy.

6. She is a very physical baby. She moved and kicked, especially with her left leg, in the belly and does the same out.

7. She has the best hair ever. Both Jack and Millie had dark hair when they were born, which was great, but she has this soft, blond, peach fuzz that you just want to constantly stroke your cheek across.

8. She has crazy toes. They are like fingers that she keeps separated. And her little toe is totally skeewompus.

9. She has a spot on her belly that is most likely going to turn into a hemangioma. Don't google it. Just click here and thank me later.

10. She is cute and yummy and super snuggly. Like, loves to snuggle. Pray for me the days go by slow.