First off...I apologize for announcing the giveaway winner so late in the day...it's been a busy day...and I had to take Grace to violin this evening, and after we got home and finished an hour of violin practice, I am finally at the computer! Without further adue...
CONGRATS TO ...
Sorry about your slump. Hopefully Monday will get you back in the mood. You are so creative and make the awesomest (is that even a word) things, i.e. this cookbook.
I had to download my camera card because I have been taking some fun photos. I have resolved to take better photos this year. I think photography is like anything else, and you need to constantly learn and improve. I honestly have a lot to learn. My problem is that I just learn by trial and error...so it takes lots of practice (which I LOVE). And you know me...I like to share...
I know...there are always a million photos of Kate. I just can't help it. She is just a beautiful little girl, and she can't take a bad picture.
Oh...and guess what we've been up too...POTTY TRAINING! I can't tell you what a relief these last couple of days have been. If you didn't know, Miss Kate (who is 2 years and 3 months old), was still ADDICTED to her bottle. You might remember me posting photos of her with her bottle in her mouth and her little hand over her nose. She had that bottle in her mouth and her hand over her nose constantly. David and I tried about 3 months ago to take away her bottle, and after she cried in bed that night for 5 hours (seriously...I am not exagerating), we finally gave it back to her. I have been dreading taking it away, because she is my last baby, and I just babied her. Finally, after her waking up 2-3 times in the middle of the night asking for a refill, I took it away. We woke up the other morning, and I had her stand on the cupboard and take all of the bottles out of the cupboard. She did it all by herself...and then she threw them all in the garbage. We didn't even save one "just in case"...we went cold turkey. And guess what...it broke her heart just a little, but she made it through the first night so much easier than I expected. I just tried to praise her a ton, and made it seem like something exciting, and not a punishment. I decided that since she would be peeing a lot less, we would go ahead and tackle potty training. She is mostly trained...in just three days. We made a trip into town today and ran errands/grocery shopped, and she even did great away from home. I have been putting a diaper on her at night, and she hasn't peed in it once! I am so thrilled! If you might recall, I had four kids in five years, so I really can't imagine having freedom from bottles and diapers...this feels amazing!
Miss Lily...things haven't changed much here. She is still in the dress-up/Barbie movie mode. She has been hauling a wand around the house and yelling at Windlock (the bad guy from Barbie Pegasus) to get out of our house or she will destroy him. This girl has an imagination...she is funny to watch. I'm just thrilled she is keeping herself busy and happy. She goes through little phases where she is super obsessed with certain toys...and this week, it is mousey. If you look at the photos below, it is not really a mouse at all, but a fox that she got when we went on a family vacation to Glacier National Park. I tried to explain that it is a fox, but she just gets angry with me, so I just go along and we all call it "mousey"...
Grace has been busy with homework, reading and playing the fiddle. She has been practicing twice as much lately, because she really wants to do good at a fiddle contest coming up next month. She is working on a new waltz that is really hard, and she is trying to get it down perfect. She is such a good girl...I don't even have to ask her to practice...she just does it (along with her homework and chores)...(no photos to share...she hasn't been around much with school and dance and violin)
Russell...he is a gaming freak. I love that he enjoys video games, but we're having to tone it down a notch. He is getting restricted a little on his Wii and Nintendo DS time. He loves the games though. He is busy back at school, and he and Grace are starting basketball tomorrow...so that should be fun! He has also found a new obsession with his hair. Besides a very rare spike, he has never been a boy to "fix" his hair. He always wants it buzzed off...but lately, I have caught him in front of the mirror with a brush and spray gel before heading off to school...silly kid!
Wow! Awesome pictures, Sherelle! It sounds like all the kids are setting into their own little routines after the holiday rush. I so totally hear you about boys and their video games, we have really had to limit Brendan's playing , my hubbie even negotiated a little tonight at hockey practice, giving him a little more time on his game if he tried really hard at practice which he did.
Oh and yay for Kate and the potty training, I can bet you're excited to have her out of diapers, wooo hoooo!!
Well, have a good night, I'm off to sort some pictures, printed from Christmas.
Kathy F
Posted by: Kathy F | January 08, 2009 at 12:06 AM
congrats sherelle to Katie and just love the photos on the toilet to cute, we too have had a break though over the new year break my little Levi - 19mths has given up his dummy, yay. He was asked by Keith(Dad) to thow it away on the 1st, and to are suprise he did and didn't look back, now when asked where is dummy he says GONE.. Oh and also have to tell you that my DD Briannon had her beautiful hair cut off today to just past her shoulders it was at her bum. Well that enough from me have a great day.
Leanne D
Posted by: Leanne (Australia) | January 08, 2009 at 01:29 AM
wii time and ds time had to be restricted in our house too....basketball started here also! love that katie is out of the diapers and moving off the bottle..what a busy time. no wonder you were slumping! sometimes i just hate when everyday life gets in the way of my creative one. all the price we pay to be a mom!
xoxo
ronee
Posted by: ronee | January 08, 2009 at 09:41 AM
I love all the pictures of Kate....she is so adorable! If you've got a cute subject to photograph you might as well take advantage of that! Yeah to no more bottles and diapers.
Posted by: Janeal | January 08, 2009 at 11:36 AM
Kate's shirt says it all ~ CUTIE! Congrats on the bottle and potty. That's great! Lilly is just so fun! She is defiantly her own person. Zaine does the same thing with his hair. He has to have it done a certain way ~ it varies most days but it has to be just the way he envisions it. And Grace is just priceless. She is such a fantastic girl.
Posted by: Tammy D | January 08, 2009 at 02:18 PM
Great pics!
I felt the same way when our twins arrived when our oldest was 2 1/2.
I barely got her potty-trained in time for the twins to arrive.
No bottle or diapers was a great feeling, of course back in the 70's cloth diapers were still being used.
Posted by: Margee" (Grandmom) | January 08, 2009 at 04:08 PM
The pictures are awesome as always. You need to work on your photography???? Work on what, you do so well! Kate's eyes just pop in those pictures. You're going to be in HEAVEN without diapers and a bottle, talk about FREEDOM!!!
Posted by: Colette | January 08, 2009 at 05:40 PM
I dont know what your talkin' about when you say you want to take better pics in the new year...good gravy your pictures are already AMAZING! Congrats on the bottles and potty training. Its always so hard on both mom and kid!
Posted by: Janiel | January 08, 2009 at 05:51 PM
Your are pictures always look great. I was wondering if you could tell me what kind of camera you use and what program you use to change the backgrounds and all that jazz. Thanks
Posted by: Melis | January 08, 2009 at 08:06 PM
Seriously Sherelle, your little Kate has got to be the most adorable little girl ever! Congrats on the potty training!
Loved reading about your kids and what they're up to. It's good Russell is into sports, that'll help limit the video time. As a mom of 3 boys who are pretty much grown up now, I know all about these things!
Thanks so much for your fun posts, and as always, your photos are totally inspiring me to want to finally figure out what on earth to do with my photoshop program! I MUST learn it!
Posted by: lisa | January 08, 2009 at 08:13 PM
The photos of Kate and Lilly are beautiful. You're right Kate is beautiful...all of your girls are beautiful. I love watching them grow through this blog.
Posted by: Maria | January 08, 2009 at 08:40 PM
Lovely pictures as always! Something I always wonder but have not asked is about the ribbons you use in your girls' hair. Where do you get them? Love the colors and variety! Thanks in advance!
Lisa
Posted by: Lisa | January 08, 2009 at 08:54 PM
Awesome pics Sherelle! Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Deb Wisker | January 09, 2009 at 12:17 AM
FABULOUS pictures!! What a treat it will be when your kids are all grown up....and they can go back and look at this blog to see how they have changed over the years! You don't have to keep practicing your photography....I think you ROCK! All of your kids are so cute...the pictures really are priceless!
Posted by: JeanneP | January 09, 2009 at 12:18 AM
Gaming is such and issue here. Over the break I let things slack, now it's hard to be back in the strict ville.
Cute pics of your girl. Love the bows.
Posted by: MGF | January 09, 2009 at 04:21 PM
She really is just gorgeous! What fun pictures! I wish I could be a fly on the wall while you edit and shoot!
Posted by: Hilary | January 10, 2009 at 11:48 PM
Beautiful pics...but I am pretty sure your little one will want to burn those potty training ones when she is a little older.
Posted by: Lynette | January 12, 2009 at 09:45 AM
I just love your blog! It's a must-visit for me every single week! I left you a little award on my blog. HUGS!!!
Posted by: Jana Eubank | January 12, 2009 at 10:35 AM
Those pictures of Kate are just adorable. I have 3 boys so I love looking at all your girl pictures, they are so precious!
Posted by: Karen | January 12, 2009 at 10:56 PM