The Children's Museum

Mia was invited to go to the Children's museum with her friend MJ. We had a great time and there were lots of areas for them to explore!

Librian Mia

Nurse Mia

whatcha going to do with the hammer Mia?

News Anchor Mia

Camera woman MJ!

News caster Mia

summer playdates

While on stay-cation, we have had quite a few playdates! We went to the park in edwardsville with our friend MJ, we went to play at Maddy's house, we went to see lexi and brianna's new house and we went to the zoo! I also went to a BBQ at my nana's house and got to see my cousin Payton! I really enjoy playing with all of my friends! It is funny how with each friend it becomes her "best friend"!!

Mia and Lexi, St Louis Zoo

Mia and MJ

Mia and Payton

Mia and Madison

St. Louis Zoo

For Luca's birthday, we were given a family membership to the zoo! We have been several times this summer already. Here are some highlights from on of our trips! Poor Luca was suffering from impetigo and dairy intolerance. We made sure to go pet the stingrays while we were there! We saw the lions and tigers, the hippos and giraffes. The hippos seem to be Mia's fovorite right now. We let her pick which animal we go see first and she always picks the hippo's!

what a big girl!

this is one of those pics that gives me a glimpse of what the future Princess Mia Rose N Tinkerbell-Mermaid will look like. what a beauty.

almost three

My little girl is almost three! three! With each passing birthday I think she gets more beautiful! she has an independent streak 6 miles wide, the best giggle and the most beautiful brown eyes, that I'm sure she will wish blue or green when she is older! She loves her brother most of the time and they are just now starting to play together. Her favorite things are: mcdonalds cheeseburgers, stella (her doll), anything my little pony and strawberry shortcake. She loves to color and draw too. She will be starting pre-school soon. I am happy she is going and sad in a way. School will have her for the next 17+ years, i'd like to keep her to myself now. But i also know how important education is and how benifical early education can be. And it will give Lucas and I some mommy and me time too!

rain, rain, go away!

love this and

there are a ton more to come!

Mrs potato head pics

as promised!

adorable!

10 months

father and son

I love these pics of Darrin and Lucas. They make me excited to think about the future when we can take the kids to their first baseball game at Wrigley field! As a dedicated Cubs family, we love that idea!! Go Cubs!!

a job well done

I had vacation time coming and i had one goal in mind. potty training. It was time for Mia to move out of the diapers and into big girl panties. I was given great advice by my friend andrea to use the pull up as a cover over the panties. i had already tried the old fashioned plastic ones and once they were wet, the smelled. I talked and talked to mia about using the potty and how we would no longer need messy diapers. We woke up friday morning and put on the panties. and we waited, and waited and waited. nothing. mia then announced she couldn't use the potty because she didn't know how. So we talked about it again. how to sit, what to do, etc. at noon, we tried one more time to go potty. Success!! and she hasn't looked back. She got a special reward for staying dry all day too - it was a mrs. potatoe head! Mia loved her friend madison's and wanted one of her own! (look for picture of her soon) I couldn't be more proud of her! And her friend Pinkie Pie was also very proud of her! So proud she bought her a special gift and sent her a letter!**Amelia was so excited! she carried the letter around with her for days!

**this idea was completly borrowed from my friend cassie. i think tinkerbell stopped at her house with a special gift for chloe! stop by her blog to see the story and 2 really cute girls!

summer fun

can you see it?

can you see it? luke has the exact same hair pattern as his poppa! i have heard many times that kids get their hair from their moms - but that must be an old wives tale!! and where did all the light brown hair come from? i totally thought our kids would have dark brown hair!

in full bloom

My magnolia tree has bloomed! too bad you can't smell the wonderful fragrance from these beauties - we
missed the blooms last year since we moved her in late July! they are so pretty and smell so good!

triple the cuteness!