Sodapop

Sugar and spice and everything nice, that's what little Sodapop is made of! Heavy on the spice! Sodapop is my mini-me.  She looks exactly like I did at that age. Her nickname is a combination of her first and middle name abbreviations and it fits her perfectly. She's sweet and bubbly. 

Sodapop is 3 and I call it a flaming 3 because she can be silly and super sweet one second and a screaming banshee the next. She is a total goofball one second and an absolute terror the next. She'll be laughing her head off one second and pouting the next. She'll share so nicely one second and grab every toy in front of her the next. She'll be talking so sweetly to me one second and then shouting NO at me the next. Sodapop loves her ballet class and her favorite show is The Fresh Beat Band. She loves food and is such a great eater (she'll eat anything under the sun!) but is so tiny. She and her little sister are two years apart but only three pounds different. Sodapop loves playing with her Snap-on dolls, swinging, laughing, helping me with my chores, going for walks, taking baths, playing with her siblings, and especially helping me in the kitchen. She's my little sous chef!

The other day she was playing in her room and as I walked by I heard her singing "Pump up the JAM!" as loud as she possibly could. She cracks me up!

Newborn Sodapop

Hello world!

Smiley girl on a picnic

Her first pigtails

playing in the rain

Huh?!

messy goofy face

Silly

At the zoo and loving it!

Pretty blue eyes

My little princess

She picked out her own clothes this day

So gentle and innocent

Meeting little sister for the first time

Little ballerina - love the leg warmers!

Wearing her favorite color - purple

Snuggling with her new puppy

Having a hard time keeping her Minnie Mouse ears up

Eating her favorite food - cheese!

Sweet lil cowgirl

My pretty girl

Winnie-the-pooh

I'm pleased to introduce to you my lovely oldest daughter Winnie-the-pooh.  She is a ball of crazy emotions rolled up into the most beautiful little girl inside and out.  When we started having kids I admitted to my husband that I was obsessed with Winnie-the-pooh as a child.  The very first toy I received was a stuffed Pooh Bear from Disneyland.  I knew all the songs, loved watching the movies, and absolutely adored having my mom read me all the books.  They were sweet and funny.  I had wanted to name our son Christopher Robin but Nick said no.  I had wanted to decorate the nursery in a Classic Pooh theme but Nick wanted something more masculine.  So when we found out we were having a girl I begged him to let me call her Winnie-the-pooh and he agreed.  I realize that the real Winnie is a male bear but it's still a cute name plus it's a play on her real name which helps.

My Winnie-the-pooh is absolutely nothing like the slow-talking, round, cuddly bear.  She is spunky, runs everywhere (even down the hallway and has smacked into each of us many a time), skinny as a rail, and not much for cuddles but appreciates a well-timed hug and loves having her back scratched at bedtime.  She is 6 and likes Hello Kitty, riding her bike without training wheels, swimming, gymnastics, dancing, eating anything but fruits and vegetables, and just being goofy.  

When Winnie-the-pooh was born I have to admit that I was shocked by her beauty.  She was super tan with blue-green eyes and blonde hair.  I am still in awe of her beauty.  She is just stunning.  Her silly, goofy personality is beautiful too.  She can be insanely emotional and we're working on learning how to express those emotions in healthy ways.  Maybe it's because we are both so emotional and loud people but sometimes we butt heads.  Thankfully she is very forgiving.  My big girl wears me out but I love her all the more for it!

Winnie-the-pooh has a contagious laugh - it just bubbles up and spills out of her.  It never ceases to make me and everyone around her giggle too. 

Love those giant newborn cheeks and rosebud lips

Lavahead wasn't quite sure what to do with her but loved being near her.
Notice my pink bathrobed self hiding in the background.

Our little Pooh Bear on her first birthday

Winnie-the-pooh on Winnie-the-pooh!

That is a lot of pink on one tan little girl

Sweetie 

Stinker

I just love each of her little features

Goofing off at preschool graduation

Love the tousled hair look

Goofball

All bundled up at 4th of July this summer at the beach

She adores her kittens

My pretty ballerina

She loves being outside

All dressed up for the Daddy Daughter dance in her Narnia coat

Looks like this pretty cowgirl lost some teeth getting bucked off her bronco!

    

Lavahead

I'd like to introduce you to my sweet oldest child and only son. When he was in kindergarten he told me in the car one day after school, "Mom, did you know that lava is red? Red like my hair! I told Mrs. W. that from now on I want everyone to call me Lavahead!" The name stuck and he's been Lavahead ever since. 

He is 8 and loves playing flag football, grilled chicken with rice a roni and corn, Batman, Star Wars, Transformers, Legos, playing games inside and outside, checking his traps in the yard (he's caught the same dimwit possum 4 times now), making people laugh, and snuggling with his mommy no matter how big he gets.

There's nothing he hates more than hearing one of his little sisters cry.

His big blue eyes melt my heart and his jokes genuinely crack me up.

The first day I was home alone with him I remember laying next to this tiny bundle in my bed just staring at him. He had a cone-on-a-cone head (long birth story that I'll share another time) but was still the most beautiful baby I'd ever laid eyes on. I suddenly felt closer to God than ever before. I had been blessed with the ability to take part in the miracle of life. I felt so humble. I realized the enormity of God's sacrifice of His son on the cross. I knew I would never be able to do something like that. I thanked the Lord for this precious little boy and I've thanked the Lord for him every day since.

I don't just love Lavahead, I like him. A lot.

Our giant bundle of giggles

Check out that those rolls and the cone head!

This Mousketeer's flashing gang signs

Lavahair glowing in the sun

First steps

Goofball

He was like a Vegas showgirl, couldn't keep the Tigger head up

A sick little Superman Davey Crockett

Always has loved the outdoors

Loves sports!

The eyes that melt my heart

Getting so big

Disneyland this summer

First day of 3rd grade complete with faux hawk