Bountiful Baskets

Easter morning the kids woke us up around 8:30. It was an Easter Miracle.

We told them they could go out to the living room. When I came out I found 3 backsides facing me checking out the stash. It was too cute.

I was also greeted by this face (above). I know she has snot running down her nose, but it was still too cute a face not to document. 

The Easter bunny left piper her very own egg hunt in the living room.

she was a pro at finding them...

and loved the puffs inside!

The Easter bunny always leaves one toy at our house. This year the Easter bunny felt bad that Cole had been uprooted half way through a school year and spoiled him with two. Luckily Ali seemed oblivious to this injustice.

she was too busy with her chicken.

"Mom! it barfs eggs!"

"It's not throwing up honey"

"oh, I mean, its pooping eggs mom!"

then Cole and Ali found their egg hunt!

whilst piper read her knew books.

and hunted through her spoils.

...and Coles' spoils.

He didn't mind.

It was a fabulous Easter. That night we watched "He is Risen". The kids sat silently. Ali cried and Cole asked to watch it again. It was a tender moment as we all took the time to reflect on the priceless gift that our Savior gave us.

Dye Hard...boiled eggs

After piper headed to bed one night we got our dye on.

  

ali looks less than enthused in the picture above, the one below is a more accurate tale.

It was great fun...and here's the finished product!

Hair raising happenings

Those who know how truly challenged I am in the little girl hair department, will know what a true marvel these pictures are!

With two girls, I figured I had better get a little better than a pony tail before the second one starts growing a full head of hair!

pipe-sicle

just look at that face up there...we are completely hooked.

Piper turned 8 months this month and lately she has been...

loving puffs and other snacks.

(which she feeds to herself)

playing with her brother. 

mimicking what others do.

(here Cole was patting the ground and she was copying his every move)

having tea parties with her sister.

(as well as surviving being dragged to said tea party like a rag doll by her sister, who set up this whole thing using the shoe racks from her room.)

crawling everywhere.

(she is on the MOVE. she has been crawling for months now but she has become a pro. it's so cute to see her go from sitting to crawling all over as she chases her big brother and sister.)

she has also been...

 pulling herself up to stand next to the furniture and then walking along it. she is still working to get the dismount under control. she either plops on her tush, or just keels over to get back down.

she continues to babble on about "dada" and tries to mimic sounds that we make.

Dad's favorite is how she gets up on all fours and rocks back and forth like crazy, getting super excited while sniffing in and out her her nose, making the stank face. Its hilarious. 

When she is really excited she waves one arm like a mad woman.

she takes two really good naps a day. and goes down for them super easily.

Her SMILE is the most infectious thing you have ever seen, it lights up her whole face.

three teeth have made their way in and another is just breaking through. two bottom.soon to be two top.

she does a really deep giggle when you tickle her tummy.

 She is pretty independent and loves to people watch, explore, and do her own thing when nothing else is entertaining enough. She is great at entertaining herself. 

One of our favorite things about piper is what a happy baby she is. She gets so happy when you are smiling and talking to her that she just can't handle it anymore and has to look away and bury her head. She has done it as long as we can remember and it makes us melt.

in fact so much about this girl makes us melted piles of baby talk and giggles. 

we love you pipes!

shot through the heart

oh no mom's got that blasted camera out again.

alright, I will just smile adorably for a few sister pictures and then I can get back to my normal routine.

oh, not just sister pictures, we are doing the whole clan huh?

 alright we can bust out some adorable quickly, right guys?

yeah, not too shabby, let's give more of that people.

Wait, ali! You're killin' me here, I have a bottle with my name on it and a nap to take sometime today!

ok, that's a little better.

ok, good work people, I think we are good here.

oh wait, she's taking pictures of the shoes. really mom, the shoes...

wait, mmmmm shoes.

op! she found me again.

yes! money shot! I gave total cuteness there! oh great. really cole? Your underwear had to come out now?

oh yes! She has the other two cornered!

now for the get away...you have to do this slowly or she will notice.

yes! It's working!

keep moving!

oh ali is posing now! I am home free!

free to walk along furniture, bury my face in it, and kiss sweet freedom!

busted.

Avast Ye Lovers!!!

We tend to get into Valentine's day around here.

This year we went for a pirate theme!

(since I knew we already had a ton we could use around the house)

So we costumed up!

 and got into character

 even mommy pirated up...or looked like a gypsy...close enough.

and ali was perhaps the most into it of all.

you should have heard her pirate songs and pirate voice. perfection.

then it was time to put a sign on the door to warn daddy, and hang up the finishing touches.

Piper was kind enough to take a nap through all of this!

 all that was left was to wait for the sound of daddy's key jingling in the door.

(at this point ali was running around frantically! I need to get my pirate stuff on! My hat! Oh my patch, my patch, where is my patch!!!!)

then ATTACK!

after we properly adorned daddy in pirate garb, we sat down to feast on the finest pirate grub from the Captains table!

Yo Ho! Yo Ho! Happy Valentines Day to Ye!