first birthday

Happy Birthday to my sweet Lillian!  The past year has been the best year of my life, for she has brought us more joy and happiness than we could ever have imagined.  And that calls for a celebration.

Her party would not have been complete without her own Lillian-sized cake, and a candle as big as she.

2 of Lillian's favorite things at once: grandma and cake.

That's my girl- getting her next bite of cake ready before the first one is even swallowed.  

And don't lose that tight grip when you've got something good.

The party was a huge success- pizza, cake, presents, and lots and lots of love.  This girl is our heart, our joy, our everything.

Easter 2012

Easter Sunday was the first time Josie ever went to church, and our first experience at church as a family of 4. After a 4 hour drive home from St. George and with church being in the middle of nap time, the girls (especially Lillian) were a little restless...

But we couldn't resist taking pictures in their Easter dresses, even if the sun was right in their eyes.  

The Easter bunny came, bringing treats to all. 

Mr. Bunny was even thoughtful enough to give Josie a Tide-to-go pen, for her many spit-up episodes.

At this point, we weren't quite sure if Lillian was headed for Josie's head or her Easter basket.

Already so good at sharing!

I love Easter and all it represents- new life, new birth, Jesus Christ, and the promise of the Resurrection.  I am so grateful for the knowledge I have that after this life I can be reunited with not only the family members I shared time with here on Earth, but also our babies that left this world all too soon.  I look forward to that wonderful day and will continue to celebrate our Savior for making it all possible.

st. george weekend

Such a happy day, and such a happy girl.

What better way to welcome springtime than with a good, old-fashioned st. george weekend? Sunny days, breezy nights, swimming, and even an Easter egg hunt... sounds good to me.

There was no way anyone was going to take these suckers from her. No messing around.  She was holding on with all the strength she had, and would take turns sucking on both of them.  

the hunt is on

everyone getting their loot... owen is about to take off running.

is Dave in the Hunger Games?  He is dead serious about this egg hunt.

Lillian is content with 2 eggs, and doesn't even know there might be something inside. If only she could stay this content and happy forever.  But I have a feeling she might figure it out one of these years.

jackpot!!

Josie's first Easter egg hunt, and her first gigantic Reese's.

getting a bit more serious about finding some eggs.

Yes, apparently we all dressed like easter eggs too.

3 months old

Josie is such a sweetheart!  I love everything about her- her big eyes, her skinny arms, and her fists held so tight, especially when she is in the bath or eating.  Recently she has started smiling, which just melts my heart.  I love feeling like she recognizes me and loves me... if she only could know how much I love her.

I can't believe it's been 3 months already!  She's getting bigger, but I love that she is still little and cuddly.  When she is asleep on my chest, all is right in the world.

And with a little Prevacid, she can even crack a smile while spitting up. 

11 months

At 11 months, Lillian is so much fun.  She loves exploring everything, and I often find her in her closet. Typical girl...

Her little feet are always busy- crawling, trying to walk, and she loves to cross her ankles when she's sitting.  These feet bring a smile to my face every day.

At 11 months, you can find Lillian laughing: at herself, at us, at the cat, at Josie.  

You can find her reading books: Hooray for Fish, Everywhere Babies, and The Going to Bed Book are her favorite.

You can find her eating: avocados, yogurt, and cheese.
You can find her sleeping: she takes 2 good naps each day and sleeps for 12 hours at night!
You can find her playing: stuffed animals, toys, magazines, the dishwasher... 

And you can find us happy: Lillian continues to bring us more joy and love than ever thought possible. Making us smile and laugh all day.

family photo shoot

Oh how we love our two little girls.  Lillian loves books, Josie loves binkies.  Lillian is moving non-stop, Josie could hang out in her bouncer all day.  Lillian can sleep for 15 hours straight, Josie can sleep for 3.  It's hard to believe that one day they might look the same age, for right now they are incredibly different.  But both of them bring us more joy than we could ever imagine. 

All pictures credited to Peg Watkins Photography.  Check her out here.