Splash Park

We don't know this girl, but she sure was cute! I just had to take a picture of their joint chubbiness.

Mariah spent most of her time collecting broken water balloons from the ground.

Leftover Sally

Both Mariah and Elaine kind of have a thing with my leftover-Sally belly. The other day, I was rocking Mariah. She had her hand on my belly, and she was kind of kneading it a little. She looked at me and asked, "Is there water in there?"

When I served Mariah breakfast this morning, I was wearing my yoga clothes. Mariah looked at my exposed belly and said, "Woah! Your belly is kind of big!" I agreed and said, "That's because there was a baby inside of it." Mariah thought for a second and then said, "Maybe at my next birthday it won't be so big anymore. We'll see."

I guess I have until December to reduce. At least she sees my potential?

I felt a little bit better a few minutes later: While I was doing yoga, Elaine came up to me, poked my belly and told me, "Yike bewwy!" (As I wrote that, she came up, poked my belly again (I'm still in my yoga garb), and said again that she likes it. Then she lifted her shirt and told me she also likes her belly. Oh, to have such a healthy self image!)

Summer Fun

We ventured out to the pool on Friday! It was lovely. I felt bad the girls aren't more comfortable in the water, though. By the end, they were doing a little better, but we need to get out more often!

Sally slept in the stroller the whole time. Love my Phil&Ted's!

Working Hard!

(Check out those thighs!)

"Reading Gooks by Gelf!"

This is a very common sight at our house. She announces often that she's "reading gooks by gelf!" (reading books by herself).

Out and About

Sally went to church yesterday. She was a gem and slept almost the whole time.

Not happy about the photo shoot.

Ladies' Man

Mike and his girls during Family Home Evening.

A River Runs Through It

This was our backyard this morning. You can't really tell from the picture, but there was actually quite a current.

There's been flooding everywhere; the governor has declared a "state of emergency" in 59 counties in Oklahoma. We've gotten over 7 inches of rain just today! Lake Arcadia is 14 1/2 feet above where it was at 5am this morning. I didn't realize we were moving to such a happening place. Crazy weather! It's raining again now . . . .

Here are a few pictures. There were some other amazing shots, but my internet was being too slow, and I need to go to bed . . . .

That's a mailbox.

Frog or Toad?

What's the difference? This dude was by our front porch a few weeks ago.

3 Weeks Old

Hard to believe Sarah has been here for 3 weeks. I'm determined not to have her little life pass by without some documentation. So, here are a few things about our little Sally:

• She loves to be held.
• I think we could burp her forever, and she would always have one more.
• She likes to be on a 3 1/2 to 4-hour nursing schedule. No complaints from Mom.
• Her fingernails grow like crazy! I've cut them 5 times in her short little life.
• She sometimes has a fussy time from 7-9pm. No fun. She's also sometimes a bit high maintenance in the morning, but then she usually sleeps like crazy in the afternoon, and I have to wake her at 4 hours to feed her.
• Many nights, she sleeps from 8-1 (after nursing at 7), and then from 1:45ish to 5 or 6ish.
• She has a fuzzy mohawk and alfalfa tuft that stick straight up no matter what I do. I see a summer buzz in our future.
• She is way strong! She holds her head up off my shoulder for a long time, just looking around. She has also flipped from her tummy to her back 3 times! (all when she's mad.)
• She makes all sorts of goofy faces just as she falls asleep. She uses her eyebrows a lot.
• She loves the love sac.

"Talking" to Daddy. Not really. I just caught the middle of one of her goofy faces.

Fuzzy Mohawk

Mohawk & Alfalfa Tuft

Comic Relief - Elaine Style

This girl sure knows how to make me smile! She has definitely had her middle-child-almost-two-not-the-baby-any-more moments since Sally's arrival. The first few days, she spent a lot of time taking care of her "babies." The next couple days, she spent a lot of time roughly carrying her babies around and throwing them across the room. Tell us how you really feel . . . .

One time, I had said something to Sally, calling her "Baby." Elaine pointed to herself and said, "Laney baby too." Okay.

Grandma Orva and Grandpa Paul

A week and a half after Sally was born, my parents, my brothers, Vic and David, and their dog, Yankee, came to town. They drove to Marian's first and spent the night. Dad and Mom drove down the next day, bringing Mariah and Elaine home with them. They all went to church, and then Dad drove back up to Marian's that night after dinner.

Mom stayed here for a few days. I loved having her here; so did the girls. Elaine still says, when she hears the garage door open, "Grandma home!" (While Mom was here, Elaine insisted on having her do most things for her instead of me: "Grandma do it!" I think it was her little post-Sally rebellion.)

Dad, the boys, and Yankee came down Thursday to pick up Mom. They went back up to Marian's for one more night, and then home to Utah.

Mom took all three girls on a walk each day, so I could have some time to myself.

Three Princesses

Elaine decided Sally needed in on the fun: