Is it really...

February 17th? Happy anniversary Rog. I'll hardly talk to you today, but hopefully you'll read this. I'm thinking about you, I miss you and I love you. Thanks for nine great years.

Ugh

So I'm tired of looking at my top five, but can't really think of a good theme for a new one. Here's what's up anyway:

1. My only goal for the year is to not get any fatter. I'm not going to set myself up for failure by saying I'm going to lose the 50 pounds I need to, I'm aiming low this time...
2. Is it March yet? Can't wait for Roger to be done with all these crazy hours so we can see what he looks like in daylight again.
3. Why oh why did they cancel Pushing Daisies? Yep I know I should have better things to do than watch TV, but it was my favorite show ok?
4. I wish I had an unlimited craft budget. I see so many things on the internets that I wanna make, but I don't always have the funds to do so.
5. I'm so happy and grateful to be able to spend my days with my three beautiful little ones. I've been asked a couple of times in the last week if I work and I'm so happy to say no. Yes sometimes I think it would be so nice to have a second income, but then I remember how I would completely fall apart at the seams if I had to drop the kids at daycare everyday, that's not for me.

Mr. 4 month old happy pants

I took Luke in for his four month check up today. He's the size of a six month old. I don't need to worry that he's not eating enough I guess. We have been really worried about the shape of his head. It's really flat on the rear right side which was making it all misshapen every where else. We thought for sure he would need a correctional helmet. Well the good news ( I guess) is that the doctor was not all concerned and said it will round out when he's five months to two years old. I hope that's true and I always wonder if we should get a second opinion. I hate things like this when I never know what to do. We'll see how things go over the next few months. Hopefully when he starts to get more mobile, it will round out. Luke was 15 pounds and 26 inches long. He's a big kid and he's so darn cute.

Are we or are we not?

You may wonder whether or not we are true Pittsburghers because of our lack of public support for the Steelers. Well I'm pretty sure it's written in Pittsburgh law that if you live within a 50 mile radius of Heinz Field that you have to love the Steelers. We definitely do so we are definitely Pittsburghers! This town has been crazy this week, I love it. Ashby said that only two kids in her class of 24 were not wearing Steelers garb on Friday. They had better win tomorrow because I can't bear a month long city wide depression. I'm actually optimistic saying it would only be a month long, really it would probably last until NFL season starts again next fall. We have many a good snack planned for our party tomorrow. Maybe I'll post a picture if there's anything worth taking a picture of. And, oh yes, GO STEELERS!

The baby

I finally got some good pictures of the baby. He always looks like a deer in headlights when I try to take a picture, but these are pretty good. I really don't like my kids to suck their fingers, but at the same time I hate being a slave to the binky. I'm not sure what will happen with Luke yet, I still try the binky, but occasionally I catch him sucking the index and middle finger of his left hand. I know he thinks he's sneaky, but he's not fooling me.

Roger took this the other night and I love his sweet little face.

The Christmas Crafts

I don't know that this interests anyone, but I thought I would share anyway. These are a few of the things I made this year. I didn't get as many things made as I would have liked, but it was fun all the same.

My sister Katie had a baby in June and my mom made my nephew a blanket with this fabric. I asked for the leftovers so I could make these soft blocks. That's a lion on the bottom left.

Trying to learn some embroidery + being really cheap when it comes to Christmas gifts= this gift for my mom.

Instructions for these have been floating around the internets and I thought Avery should have one for dance class. I think it turned out cute.

All the changes

I can't help but feel inspired today. Yes I voted for Obama, but I sat on the fence about it up until the morning of the election. However, as I watched the inauguration today, there seemed to be a tangible excitement about it all. It's been fun to talk about the election and the new president with Ashby. They've been learning about it at school and then we talk about it at home. It makes me want to become more informed and up to speed with what's going on.

There were some changes here on Atlantic Avenue as well. I cut the girls' hair this week and it's a big change; I love it.

Ashby before.

Ashby after. She wanted it really short but wanted it "to hang down a little bit." I hope we achieved that. The saddest part is that I seemed to cut all the curls off. It breaks my heart. She also lost two more teeth. She really lost one though, I think she swallowed it in the middle of the night. Is the tooth fairy still responsible for really lost teeth?

Avery before.

Avery after. Not quite as dramatic as Ashby's but I like it a lot.

The weather also changed and finally gave us some good snow. Roger has been working Saturday's so I sent the girls out by themselves the other day and they made this little snowman all by themselves. I think it's so cute.

And yes Luke does still live here. He's changing everyday too. He can roll over now, about two weeks ago he did for the first time and I was completely shocked. He refuses to roll over anymore, but I know he can do it. He has found his toes and pulls his socks off every minute. He can laugh now too. It's almost a full blown belly laugh and I can't get enough of it. I haven't gotten any good pictures of him lately but that's my mission this week.