The Haul

Sunday kicked off the week of celebration in our home.  Remember, birthday, V-Day and anniversary in 4 days.  WHEW!

It was the fourth anniversary of my 29th!  This photo was taken over Christmas break in California.



To the victor, goes the spoils....

Roses from my sweetie



Stamped jewelry for our completed family


Cuddly minky blankie.

Major Renovations on Memory Lane

This is the bookshelf of scrapbooks from my pre-digi days. Tomes that weigh about 13 pounds each. Some of the holes on the sheet protectors have torn so they swivel and fly around. My sister-in-law, Joy, gave me the idea of scanning each page and printing them into a hard bound book like my digi-scrapped books.

So I employed Ava to do my scanning. She is trying to earn some money, so I promised her $5 per whole book scanned (about 100-115 images). She was a little miffed that this took about 2 hours and she could not play on Barbie.com simultaneously.

She did a great job, although I keep finding files like this.

Some of the images will be left in their original state.  Not fancy, but the memory is there.  Like these.

Others will get redone.   Digi allows me to add the flair I could not do with paper since I had a hard time spending hundreds of dollars on ribbons, flowers, expensive stickers, and many, many sheets of paper.  I can also easily resize photos or blow up small details that I could not do with the standard 4 by 6 photos.

So these

become

I can consolidate pages and add some much-needed journaling.  I also add names in the off chance that say, Carrie D becomes famous for something other than her amazing transformation from all-American girl  to high school tartlet.  


Hindsight has given me an interesting perspective on these events and I can also write down things that I think my posterity will enjoy.  For example, my mom and I went the rounds about sleeves on the dress shown above.  I am glad she won!

This

becomes

This little ditty

becomes

And the coolest part?  This becomes

this!

Boy Wonder

I employ a monitor to help me hear Milo when he is in his room. I just don't want him to get worked up trying to get my attention. I was in my room on my computer when I heard him cooing on the monitor. He seemed content so I just let him go. Then I heard him say, "Dada." I thought is was a coincidence until I heard it again! My baby can say "Dada" at three months! Boy genius!

Then I heard a female voice and a child's voice that didn't belong since Milo and I were the only ones home. Turns out, we are picking up the neighbor's monitor.

By the way, she is a screamin' mom. She really scared Ava.

Thrice as Nice!

Our sweet Layla turned 3 years old!  This is a bittersweet birthday for me, as it marks the beginning of being a big girl.  Being three means preschool, moving into Sunbeams at church and a host of other big girl things!

Mark and Mia went and got her some balloons.  For some reason, she is wearing her Santa Claus dress.  Hey, it's your day sister!  Do what you want!



In true Layla fashion, we had a wardrobe change into her blue denim dress.

Opening Grandma Penny's present.  Two outfits and a Blue Ginger dress.  Our favorite.  Also a mermaid doll.  Layla has been nursing all her dolls lately (gee, I wonder why?)  We will find out if mermaids are breastfed too.


The big present from Mom and Dad.  A PINK Razor scooter.  When we purchased this, I told Mark, "Mia is going to be SOOOOOOOOOO jealous!"  Sure enough.  I explained to Mia, "Layla is the third girl.  She will never get anything new."  That seemed to help.  Mia now wants to buy pink spray paint for her scooter.

The woman knows what she is doing!  I should add that Layla has a fever of about 100 deg through all these and was doing the croup thing the night before.  Turns out, an ear infection.

'Nother wardrobe change.  She is wearing the aforementioned outfit and holding the mermaid.  Notice the clippie in the hair!  We are now able to "do" her hair!  Yay!

Manual labor with dad.


Oh yeah, this guy is three months.  Mia wants to know why he can't walk yet...

Updated Family Photos

Had to take some photos when we went to the coast for Christmas.

Multi-tasking blogging

Here you go. What we have been doing.

Yummy

4 weeks down. Sleeping only 2 hours at a time during the night still beats being pregnant! I just love this guy!

The Hill

My beloved is over the hill. To mark the momentous occasion, I surprised him with a birthday dinner with 5 couple friends, his PHX siblings and his mother. I had it at our house and had been planning it for a few months, knowing that I would have a newborn.

I assembled lasagnas at my neighbor's house, dropped off ingredients for salad and appetizers for other friends to prepare for me, and stashed paper products, centerpieces, rolls and other party items in various hiding places throughout the house.

His mother came to "babysit our kids" so I could take him to dinner. I was still in my sweats so he agreed to take his mom to Michael's on an errand while I got ready. In the 30 minutes he was gone, I hurriedly set tables, laid out food, lit candles, and greeted guests. I put Ava at the window on lookout and when he walked in the door, we were all in the foyer waiting for him.

It was a fun evening and I can't believe I pulled it off!






You should know that in the discussions on adding a fourth child to our family, Mark told me he didn't want to have any past 40. I slid Milo in with 25 days to spare!

Mine

A Family Affair

The girls looked forward to this event as much as I did. They asked a lot of questions and prayed for Milo during the entire pregnancy. My insurance company sent me a little booklet about pregnancy and Ava read it cover to cover. When I came home and announced to Mark that I was 2 cm dilated, she asked, "And how much effissed?" (Tried to recreate her pronunciation of "effaced.")



When Layla came to the hospital, she inspected the baby then was a little concerned that I still had a big belly to go with it. She kept asking, "Is Milo out of your belly?" Yes, Layla, he is. Now she thinks I am fat. They were most excited to check out his "unit" if you know what I mean. I don't think they were impressed.

This is what happens when you celebrate 10 years of marriage!

Milo Tappen Merrill, born Friday, November 5, 9:03 am.  8-12, 21 inches.  Blondie (eventually).  We are happy!