for the Miller Family

Right before my computer stopped cooperating with blogger, we had gone to my hometown Shelby. It was great to introduce Benjamin to these two great women of my life!

Benjamin learning what a comfortable place it is to be with Grandma Miller.  4 generations of Millers!

 Benjamin, meet your great Aunt Dot!  This woman is so generous and one of the spunkiest woman I know!

 Aunt Amanda, introductions already made, love hanging out with you!

 After this weekend, Anna-Kate was in love with tea parties and dance parties!

 When Benjamin was only hours old, he looked so much like his Gramps!  What do you think?

for the Simmons Family

 What a blast it was to introduce Benjamin to his great-grandparents!  Hey Mama Ruth and Papa Joe!

 Papa Joe is great with the kids!

Because I love cousins....

Okay, fans of Camden Brown, I think I just might be bursting with pride for that boy!  (Why did I not get his picture that day?!)  He is the kindest and most fun cousin for Anna-Kate; she thinks he does no wrong!  After watching him with AK during our weekend with Mama Ruth and Papa Joe, I was ready to buy him every toy Target has to offer!  (just don't tell him 'cuz I can't make good on that whim!)

Back in Business

Well friends, I am back.  Blogger didn't like my Internet Explorer.  With Google Chrome now on my side, it looks like we are ready to blog again.  Watch out friends, I have lots of posts up my sleeve.  Funny, right, that the week you feel creative is the week your blog is out of commission!  Maybe over the weekend, probably first of next week, be ready to overdose on Simmons!

Enjoy this teaser until the posts start coming!

Looking Too Big

More Fun

"Mom, is this my very own?!" It is. "I love it! I love it!.....Mrs. Rebekah [asst teacher at school] has one of these.....Thank you Momma!"

Thank you Target dollar spot for making my girl smile! and thank you AK for having such an infectious smile that makes me want to spoil you!

Practicing for Summer

Come June, I will have a 4 month old, a 3 year old, and I'll be watching a 10 month old. I don't know if I am brave enough to take the three of them to the pool; my two yes, but the three of them probably not. After getting thumbs up from other moms, I decided a water table was a must for our house. After buying it this weekend, Anna-Kate was more than ready to play with it. I told her today was the day. She woke up this morning, first words to me, "I am going to play water table and my friend is coming over. Want to play water table with me?"

This picture was taken before breakfast at 7:45am!
In our heavy-for-winter but favorite owl pajamas playing with the water table. If my child wants to do something before 8:30 in the morning, then you know she is excited!

Summer, my bedazzled sunglasses and I are ready for you!

I can not get enough of the vanity of a toddler, or enough of this pink, ruffle-bottomed girl!!

a great "mamarazzi" shot of my supercute daughter in her new swimsuit; every season I get a little over-excited about outside, natural-lighting pictures of my girl in her new swimsuits

Mom, I am busy! and loving it!

Thank you for joining us John-David! Anna-Kate loved playing with you! (and you too Kailyn)

I also get a little obsessed with these sweet painted toes coming out!

Summer, the Simmons's house is ready for you!

This Week

Here are a few random thoughts from this week:
I am obsessed with this sleeping face! He still naps in the room with me all the time. I am already thinking through how next week or the next I need to start sleep training during the day. I will be so sad when this is not my view on the couch next to me!! Look at those sweet pouty lips!

Anna-Kate's quote of the day yesterday would have been while she was "on the phone." I overheard her phone conversations:
"Hey Jonah, how are you? Okay. Have a great day in the whale!.......Hey David! Okay. Have fun with Go-li-lith. See you later."
I had to work hard to not laugh out loud!!

I think Anna-Kate is starting to develop her own sense of style. Nice hat AK! "Mom, we can buy this," she says after dancing to the music playing in the store!

I am loving dressing this handsome guy in clothes that make him look like a little man! Love this polo and plaid shorts! But........that yawn is for me. I am not loving how tired I am. He is still "doing the dance." One night he will sleep 'til 5:15, then 4:30, then 6:09 (yes, I know the exact minute), then 3:45, .... I have actually thought about writing a humbling post about what adjusting to a second has been like for me. Easy in many ways, but hard and humbling in other ways. We'll see if I can get that one written. For now, suffice it to say, I am tired. I can be a bit weepy when I am tired. I can also be extra clumsy.

Insert funny story: this morning in the last minutes before Will left for work, we were enjoying coffee and about 10 minutes of Good Morning America. I was hearing the story and not realizing that my eyes were closing. Before I knew it, I did the classic arm-spasm as I spring back away....with my coffee cup in my hand. Yes, I arm-spasm-ed my coffee all over me, the couch, and my husband who was dressed for work in a white shirt. My sweet, slow-to-anger husband....

Anna-Kate, why do we celebrate Easter?
God made Jesus live again.
Jesus is the reason!

But, the Easter Bunny did visit our house. (Toddler meltdown after a busy Saturday meant the world's fastest bath Easter morning.)
Benjamin is excited about his Pluto and most happy to see his sister.
Attempt at the family shot before church

There should be a picture of my church or a video of the special music; I love church!! and Easter is no different!

And then Easter lunch followed by icecream sundaes with the cousins!

family shots, round 2
Love this shot!
Random picture but have loved these shots of AK running around at egg hunts

Twins or Cousins?

Easter afternoon with the family
a caterpillar joined the crowd

and these pictures happened

How fun and cute are these two?!

My Princess

My brother and sister-in-law were in Orlando a week or so ago. They asked if AK has a favorite character. I quickly answered, "right now we are getting in to everything princess." They were so sweet and generous to bring Benjamin a Goofy for babies, and they brought this sweet princess a tiara and a princess book. Can you tell that she thinks these were a great idea?!
"Mom, I have fun like this."

"Mom my baby is crying."

Nap time the last couple of days has included the tiara along with the princess book!

Anna-Kate, who is your favorite princess? "My favorite is Prince Daddy." Melt my heart and his. (Do these men know how much their kids adore and look up to them?!)

A very tired girl enjoying time with our Prince Charming.

at the park

Just thought these were cute (of course notice the crown :)....

Egg Hunts

Anna-Kate has had so much fun this year having egg hunts! Last year she needed prodding; this year she has got it! Her preschool class had an egg hunt and they invited us mommas to come watch and help out. I loved getting to see Anna-Kate with her classmates!
Found one!

Anna-Kate and her church buddy and preschool friend John-David show off their eggs!

So sweet!

Anna-Kate's classmates, my stubborn girl decided she did not need to be in the picture

Maybe running toward the road was not a great idea, but I did love seeing AK running with her classmates, playing with them!

And now we switch to the Easter egg hunt put on by our Sunday School class. My and Will's Sunday School class has gone out of their way the last couple years to bless the parents in the class: offering to babysit for us, providing meals after the little ones are born, planning events like this egg hunt,... Thank you class!

Dad! I got this!

Just love this picture. It's another one of those that I feel like I can picture my 10 year old Anna-Kate.

Anna-Kate loved the egg-decorating station! Instead of quickly dunking her egg, she liked painting the dye on with a q-tip! My child, with her long attention span and love of crafts!

Benjamin has enjoyed his egg hunts this year as well!