Big Boy

I know I missed the 18 month shot!
You are just getting too big too quick!

For example...

We moved you to the booster seat and now put your food on the table (in hopes that you can start learning better table manners).  I have also started giving you a cup with a straw at meal times (suggestion from Nolan's speech therapist).   

It breaks my heart to see my baby acting like such a big boy!  

You also think you don't need to hold my hand anymore when we are walking (hate to break it to you...that's not happening yet).  I know how you work...you just want to dart off in another direction when you get the chance.  

(Deep sigh)....you crazy big boy...Momma loves you!

My Little Ramona

I think she got this idea from Ramona (from the movie Ramona & Beezus).

This is the second time this week she has done this. 

She wanted to do it Saturday because it was really windy.

She wanted to fly!

She was so funny.  HK thought this was the greatest thing ever.  

Of course she also loved that I was taking tons of pictures of her while she was doing this.  

Her landing...we had to roll up her white leggings (she still had her pjs on...my old Bob the tomato shirt) so they wouldn't get grass stain.  

This was such entertainment...as I am sure it was for anyone driving by as well!  

I love me some  HK!

Two Peas in a Pod

That's what these two are!

Saturday morning it was just the three of us because Daddy and Nolan had a special day together (went to Nolan's first Cubs game).  

These two had a blast together! 

 Liam wanted to help HK empty the dishwasher.  He knew where the silverware went, but he just threw them in the drawer.  I tried to get him to hand them to HK, but he wanted to put them in the drawer.  So HK let him, and then she placed them in the right spot.  She then taught him were other things belonged (and he helped her again yesterday...he remembered). 

Shutting the drawer after putting the spatula away.  

What Mommy...I not to wittle for dis!

These two are an adorable mess!

We were dancing in the kitchen.  Liam goes to get HK and grabs her hands so she will dance with him. He is always grabbing her hand when we are getting ready to leave. He always wants to hold her hand when we pick HK up from school.  

HK is trying to get him to make their signature faces, but...

He wanted to play...

Peek-A-Boo

Ahhh...and finally their face 

And their pouty face...but we couldn't get Liam to make it.  He was too busy playing peek-a-boo.  

This is what HK and I did most of the morning between cooking, dancing, and being crazy with Liam.

We have been working on this book that HK wanted to make.  It's a story about how the princesses helped a little girl that got lost from her parents.  We have been working here and there since February (we kind of forgot about it for awhile).  She printed out a bunch of princess pictures (all by herself).  Then she glued them on some pink paper.  She dictated the story to me and I wrote most of it.  She wrote a few of the pages at the end.  Then we tied them all together.  Now I have promised to get the pages laminated.  

 It was a fun project!  This girl is always coming up with stuff for us to do together!  It wears me out!  I don't need pinterest...I have Hallie-Kate!  

So much more fun than a website!

New Life

Easter 2012

As a mother of three very active children, I am actually very pleased with this picture!

Now for the funny part!  

To get that we first had to get all of this...

Daddy:  Do we really have to do this now?

(Daddy worked a 24 hour shift Saturday...so it's about 12:30 Sunday and he is going on an hour of sleep maybe)

Hmmm...Nolan....camera is over here.

Liam is lovin' life and Nolan is feelin' a little unsure about all of this!

Liam is cheesing it up big and wanting his sister's attention!

Ahhh...finally...Nolan is faking but at least he's not frowning or looking away.

Liam decides to engage in peek-a-boo and I think Nolan is done.  

One last cheese it from Nolan first.

Mommy caves and plays peek-a-boo.

HK just thinks that is adorable.

And were are officially done...

I also don't think Nate moved the whole time...lol!

He may have been sleeping with his eyes open.

Hmmm...think they look alike?

Thank you Nolan for joining them.

Stacking instead of eating...

Late afternoon a helicopter from Children's Hospital in STL landed on the parking lot.  

We sat on Greatie's sidewalk and watched.  

The pilot called for the kids to come over while the others went inside.

He let them sit inside.  

We were very saddened to see the helicopter from Children's.  I will have to say the helicopter pilots are always so friendly.  You would think the kids would get tired of this,  but it is so exciting every time.  HK however has learned why it's coming and is very concerned for the "sick person".  She usually prays for the person.  

Later that afternoon Nana  & Grampy started a new tradition.

An Easter Egg Hunt...the contents of the eggs being money!

Each child could find so many eggs.  

 HK found hers first and quickly.  

She then made it her point to help Liam.  He really didn't need her help.  

I think he was letting her know that right here.  

The kids loved this.

Before you think I forgot that Easter isn't about eggs, eating, taking pictures, etc...I have not.  

I love that HK has kept referring to Easter as a celebration of new life.  I know this is something Mrs Vickery has taught her.  On the morning of Good Friday, I was the only one up and in the kitchen (Nate was gone to work).   I had been enjoying the beauty and quiet of the morning before things turned crazy with everyone up and at 'em.  I had eaten a bowl of cereal and read a devotion.  Then HK came into the kitchen and crawled up in my lap.  She said, "Mommy I gave my heart to Jesus."  

At first I wasn't sure what to say.  I guess because I had always thought of my children coming and telling me they wanted to make that decision or asking for guidance.  Nope...bam...she said she did it.   I'm not sure why I was so surprised?  to  So I just asked her to tell me about it.  We then continued to have a good discussion about what it meant to choose Jesus...to love and serve Him.  For the next 4-5 days she told everyone she that she saw.  

I know that she has lots of knowledge in her heart, but I'm not sure if she truly connects all of the dots. So we will continue talking about these things each day, as we have been leading up to this day.  Sometimes it's hard to grasp that a child so young could comprehend and make such a decision.  As my brother-in-law pointed out to us...why should we be surprised that she is.  She has been prayed for since the day that she was born that she would come to know the Lord at a young age.  We pray daily with her that He would call the hearts of our children to Him to love, follow, and serve Him.  So why do we doubt and question that at almost six years old He is doing that very thing for which we have been asking?  So instead of doubting this call on her life because of her age, we continue praying for her journey with the Lord and that He will equip us daily to continue leading and guiding her in this most awesome decision.  Praying that He will help us live out our relationships with Him so that she has up close and personal examples of what it looks like to love and follow Jesus with her life.  

So this Easter season is not one I will soon forget.  My daughter has helped me remember through young eyes, innocent eyes that Jesus came so that we might have new life.  We are not given that new life to basque in and feel safe, but rather share it so others may also know that new life.  We can be new creations because of Jesus!  The old is gone, the new has come!  How thankful I am for new life!