do you see it???

do you see those bite marks??? I took this photo back in May, Zoey was hot & heavy in her "biting phase" (she'd been a biter for a couple months) and I decided to "document" the "evidence" she leaves behind! you know, so that some day I can show her ... of course, nearly two months later, she still loves to bite! I hope we'll be able to remedy the biting, thankfully she mostly only bites if one: a) puts their finger in her mouth or b) pokes their finger out toward her (she'll lean in and get ya - beware)!

Independence Day 2011

we basically did a repeat of last year for "4th of July" ... we started off by driving to Solvang for the parade -parades are sort of sentimental/reminiscent for me, so I like taking the kids to them- after the parade we grabbed some lunch and then headed home for a lazy afternoon!

getting ready ...

waiting for the parade ...

Zoey was having fun with this cup!

love this pic

I think Liam enjoyed the parade most, but
Jericho seemed to really like it too ... Annicka was
there for the candy, which there wasn't much of!

Liam thought the motorcycles were loud!

someone's been eating a tootsie roll!!!

I love the way he pushes up his glasses -
my sweet little boy! this may sound weird, but
I also love the funny little faces he's been
making lately, it's actually like he has "a tick"
or something, but I get a kick out of it!

quotes of the week ...

so, Annicka and I are watching Twilight and she's asking how old the actors are now ... it's a common question since I've pointed out that shows like "Family Ties" and "The Wonder Years" are shows I watched as a kid! anyway, I told her I thought that they (Jacob, Bella, Edward - but, the actors) were something like 19, 21, and 25 ... she goes, "I'm guessing Edward is 25?". I tell her, yes, he's the oldest, and she goes "25, he's old!" ... (me) "Annicka!!!" ... "what? ... he even looks old in this movie". wow. so, I guess that means that I'm ancient, right?! LOL!
... and, I have to mention, she then said "and don't put that I said that on facebook ... and you say I'm a blabber mouth" ... oh, my dear young one, how sassy you are!

party in Annicka's room!

last Saturday night I found this ...they're watching a movie (well, Annicka's drawing too, she is quite the artist) ... I thought it was too cute to not take a photo, despite the filth that we call "Annicka's room"! lol ... the girl just can't seem to remember that we should be able to see the floor, that it's not where anything belongs! oh my! anyway, I snapped a couple pics and caught this one of Liam:
I really wish I had photos of my hubby as a kid on hand, we only have a few and I have no desire to go find the photo box that they're in, and scan them, etc. ... but, if my memory serves me, I think that pic may take Grandma back a few decades! the kid looks a lot like his daddy!!!

and then there's my little goofball, who "reminds" me of my dad! not only does Jericho look so much like me as a kid, and I looked like my dad, but I sometimes imagine that my dad probably acted a lot like Jericho does too, ha ha ha!

a Sunday evening ...

this was back in May - apparently I had forgotten a few photos from May! I bought a new ball for Annicka's hamster, Ohna, and she really enjoyed it - it's neat too because it doesn't have to roll all over the floor - it can function like a "wheel" too!

of course, the boys had to get in on the photo taking! lol

beyond adorable!

this was one month ago ...

Zoey was all ready for church, sporting
some of her new bows I had made!

oh my word - how I love that girl!

(signing "baby")

sweetness ...

oh, how I wish I could remember every detail of the past fifteen minutes.
from Liam's request for me to cuddle, to laying down and cuddling
up to him - only for him to say "cuddle me".
"I am", I say, and he replies "your eyes aren't closed"!
oh, ok. hee hee.

I want to remember how his adorable face looked, as -even
with his eyes closed- he kept smiling. it would start
with that little smirk, or lips pinched up like they were trying
to not smile ... but it kept leading up to those
gorgeous teeth and his sweet little smile!

I want to remember how when he thought I was going to
leave, he said "I wanna big cuddle" ... so, I put my
arm around him (he's sometimes picky about the arm
being around him) and just enjoyed laying there
next to him. playing with his hair, caressing his face, kissing
his cheek. moments of absolute sweetness.

but, most of all, I want to remember how the love I
have for my precious little boy welled all up
inside me and it was as though nothing else existed
for just a few moments. it was just him and me.

and that, my dear friends, is probably the biggest reason I
am so addicted to blogging. a week from now I won't
remember tonight and how sweet it was ... sure, there will
be more cuddles - and they may be just as memory
worthy - but if I never wrote them down, I might eventually
forget them. I never want to forget these moments.
when my children are grown, I want to have something written
down that can take me back, that can ignite that memory
and give me a mental photograph of a time long past.

I'm really enjoying the "phase" that Liam has fallen into
this week! he is all about cuddles and hugs and
kisses ... it's a complete one-eighty from the little boy who
was making growl faces and wanting to kick and punch
everyone a week ago. I absolutely love this
change! he comes to me several times a day and wants
a hug or wants to kiss me or have me kiss him ...
and the cuddles, he is just loving them - and I love it!!!

Liam, tonight - it was just me and you.
laying on your bed, right underneath bubba, cuddling.
your sweet little "cookie cut" hair, your big blue
eyes, your sheriff Woody pajamas, your adorable little grin,
your soft baby cheeks.my arm around you, your arm around me.
pure sweetness.