And my 2 most favorite

I've got no words to describe what these pictures do to my heart.

A few MORE of my favorites

Watching her enjoying the cake, the mess and the attention from her family was so sweet. 

Fun and Messy!

My last one year old....

A few of my favorites

Blogger does nothing to display how great these pictures really are...

She really started getting into it...

a whole fistful!

Mmm!

I love that little smirk!

'Can we do this tomorrow too mommy?'

The Aftermath

I cant help but love the color in all these photos. 

My multi-color cake against her white dress did exactly what I wanted it to do. 

Tomorrow I will post my favorite pics...for now, enjoy these!

I love that their is just a small pice of purple cake in her bangs.

You want me to clap?

(I love her blue eyes)

Love it. 

LOVE it.

I'm outta here! 

Getting started

Here are the beginning pictures. 

I can tell by her eyes that she was not feeling too hot at this point. 

We dressed her in this crisp white dress and surrounded her with pumpkins and I think she thought we were out of our minds when we set the cake in front of her. 

Oh sweet sweet chubby baby hands...

Really not sure about what we are trying to make her do!

Squishy!

Now what?

Ok, I'll give it a little taste...

Again, these pictures are a little sad because you can tell she is just not well. 

But thankfully she pushed through and discovered we were giving her something really fun!

sneak peak

A little over 4 months ago we had an event in our house...someone turned one. 

And I planned the cake and how we would present it to her and the way we would sing and the pictures I would take and the outfit she would wear and how I would feel for weeks and weeks before the date.

Then...our entire family got the flu. 

And the birthday girl was very sick...ended up with pnemonia. 

And the combination of her sickness, my sickness and my emotions had me beyond worked up.

We still gave her the cake but I delayed looking at the pictures. 

Honestly, I downloaded them, glanced quickly through and never went back. 

Until tonight...and they are just I'd hoped and just as hard for me to deal with as I thought they would be. 

But they are way too adorable and sweet and perfect to not share. 

So be prepared...picture overload is coming. 

But for now...a sneak peak...of completely precious baby toes covered in pink and purple cake.

Love her

Contessa: 'Mommy, why am I two people?'
Mommy: 'uh what?'
Contessa: 'Well, Im Tess, you know me. Then I'm Contessa Caroline...do you know her?'

Please stay 3.

hmmmm?

So we've established that Torrance does not sit still. 

Or really stop moving for large periods of time unless forced. 

So imagine my surprise to walk into the living room to find her completely

entranced by this on the tv screen.  

I'm talking completely glued...why? 

I said her name. 

Waved my hand in front of her face.

nothing. 

Wait, now I get it...

Jordan was pretty happy his team won too! 

But for very different reasons. 

Family Update

Its been quite awhile since I gave a family update...let me see...what is everyone up to???

Lauren is all about school. She loves being one of the 'upper classmen' - helping in the lunch room with the kindergartners, being elected to student sentate, playing in the basketball league. Just about daily she reminds me that I need to try harder and give more...because she never stops. We dont deserve Lauren...but everyone needs one! She's even stretching her wings a little and doing some 'babysitting' in short increments for us. Can I tell you the freedom Im starting to feel in that!!! Wow. Words cant really express it. Next year Lauren will really have to step it up because it looks like our 5th grade is moving to our middle school due to large class sizes in the elementary. While this is a great 'problem' for our district to have...it makes me ill. Our middle school is in our high school. So my 10 year old Lauren will be in the same halls as 18 year olds? Yeah, this mom is so not ready. Lauren however thinks it will be 'cool'. Breathe mom, breathe. 

(tie dye project)

Avery is all about her friends! She has constant stories for me at the end of every day. She is learning a lot about letting things go, not holding grudges and how to be a real friend. At least I hope she is truly learning these lessons. Avery is full of smiles and sweetness. She is such a great big sister to Tess and Tori. Constant patience. I have no idea where this comes from. Definetly not me. She loves to read and I find her quietly laying in her bed reading. Sometimes I find her just quietly sitting in her room. She says she is 'thinking'. This tells me I have neglected some things with her and we need to reconnect...that is a big priority for me over the next month - get to know my Avery again. She is also very excited for soccer to start back up and for warm days to go swimming! 

Sullivan is almost 6! And man is he excited for his first 'friend' birthday party! He's been planning it for months. So cute. He recently completed the entire 'rainbow wall' of sight words in Kindergarten. He was literally incapable of standing still or telling me without jumping up and down. I was so happy for him I cried. He is quick to tell me that only one other kid in kindergarten has accomplished this. I am quick to remind him that everyone learns at their own speed and other kids might concentrate on other parts of school. :) His other favorite things are playing RISK with Daddy - seriously, he'd play every day - all day, letting daddy quiz him in math problems - even I will admit - the kid is a whiz, and playing the Wii. Sometimes I swear I hate that thing and sometimes I swear I could not live without it in my house!

(we finally got real snow!)

Contessa has all of a sudden become so old. She talks differently, plays differently...she's not a toddler anymore she is a preschooler. Speaking of school she enjoys our little 'homeschool preschool' in very short doses....we were working on numbers the other day and she refused to say them in order. She finally said to me 'but I like them MY way'. Yep...that defines Contessa. And explains me beating my head against the wall. She's also the sweetest thing...telling me she loves me out of the blue several times per day, asking to call her grandma's or Adele to tell them she loves them...waiting with her face pressed against the window each day for her siblings to receive her hugs. She also loves Awana, Sunday School and Play n Share. Every time we go out for our weekly shopping trip someone stops and comments on her killer eyes..and then they quickly follow that with, 'wow, she's trouble isnt she?' yep. 

Torrance probably gets the most face time right now on the blog...its just so fun to blog about a baby! She seems to be learning so much right now. She doesnt talk much - at least in real words - but she is always babbling and it might be the sweetest noise in the world to me. I love this age of babies. LOVE. She plays so independently and is just fun. And our clown...she is always making us laugh. Her climbing is not funny but I cant help but love to see her love for adventure! 

(watching the big kids in the snow...Contessa went out and lasted literally, 22 seconds)

Jordan is in the middle of his busy time at work which translates into me not seeing him much. I hate that. duh. And Ive realized this year that I am not easy on him about it. I know he'd rather be at home. I know he'd rather not have to make phone calls and check his blackberry when he is at home...I know that trying to balance it all is hard. Im going to try to be much easier on him! He is also so excited for our vacation to Michigan is always planning it in his head! It will really be a wonderful trip for the kids - they have such a fun dad! I cant wait to show them the fun things he's helping me prepare for a Valentine's Day surprise for them. And I get to call him mine!

Me. Hm? I'm really excited that Im getting busier with real estate again. The break over the holidays was nice but I'm ready. I also have the best friends...I am so thankful for them and the laughter and encouragement they bring to my life! I'm learning a lot right now about how God talks to me through His word. It is so simple, yet so hard. I am so stubborn. 

These two verses have stuck out to me:

Job 23:12b 'I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.'

1 Samuel 3:21 'for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel through his word'

Those are my prayer - that His word be more precious to me than food and that He would reveal Himself to me through it. 

And I guess that's us for now! 

my youngest

It would make sense and only be fair if your children became easier with each one that you have. 

That has not been the case for us. 

Each child has in fact become progressively crazier than the one before. 

Which of course, makes Torrance...the craziest. 

I had to babyproof a little with Tess...but not much. 

I thought she was a climber...I had no idea. 

Torrance. Oh Torrance. 

If it can be climbed...she is on top of it. 

This is EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. I turn around. 

She can get on the kitchen table too. But if we keep the chairs and benches pushed in she does this instead. See those darling little eyes smiling at you? 

Mommy! Now, I'm stuck! 

And this one is my least favorite and the most dangerous. 

She REALLY wants that light switch. 

And so she climbs up on the chair and onto the arm rest. 

Are you kidding? 

She climbs onto step stools and toys. 

She has learned to push step stools to help her climb onto higher things. 

She can NOT sit still. 

Does NOT cuddle. 

And her obsession with the toilet. 

Oh my oh my. 

Really is there a support group for babies with toilet obsessions? 

I wont even tell you what I caught her WALKING AROUND with today. 

(side note - Contessa...FLUSH THE TOILET!)

Against all hope

I lead a pretty simple, easy life. 

My biggest trials and questions are relatively little compared to most.

And yet, I struggle with really, really trusting that my Savior can and will do what He promises.

I 'found' this verse this morning and it stopped me in my tracks. 

Romans 4:18a

'Against all hope, Abraham, in hope, believed...'

I simply LOVE that. LOVE.

Abraham did not lead a simple, easy life. 

The things he was asked to do were hard, backwards in his human mind and caused pain. 

And yet, even thought it didn't make sense to him, even though his 

mind had to have been telling him to do the opposite...he believed. 

Today I am choosing to have the faith of Abraham. 

Jeff Visits!!

My oldest brother Jeff and his family visited this weekend. 

We get to see Amy and the kids every few months but we havent seen Jeff in over a year!

The kids settled right in to what they love most with their cousins...

Lauren acting big with Christina, age 19. 

Avery, Sully and Tess acting like kids with Ryan, age 15

  

My kids are so lucky that their older cousins are willing to play with them constantly when they are here. 

We even celebrated Christmas in January! 

Amy sassing me over something...!

Jeff is exactly 10 years older than me. 

So when I was 8...he was a senior in high school. 

And I worshipped him. 

I got to cheer with his girl friends at his sporting events, and I basically followed him around everywhere he would allow. He was so protective and he's still looking out for me. 

And I'm pretty sure he still sees me as an 8 year old. 

Thanks for the visit all of you!!

Clothes

'Hi, I'm Torrance. Could I BE wearing anymore clothes?'

Torrance frequently brings me articles of clothing to help her put on. 

The clothing seldom belongs to her. 

Last night it was Avery's sweatshirt. 

She wore it for a long time...and played with toys even though she had no hands.

She never complained and I finally took it off her because I was tired of watching her struggle!

She also refuses to leave her pajamas on at night. 

This poses 2 problems:

1. our house is an ice box

2. she can have free access to itching her poor itchy skin till it bleeds. 

So this is my solution: 

Long sleeved onsie over short sleeved onsie, then footie pajamas, then pants.

Obviously, matching does not matter.

And whoever can tell me the name of the show I stole the above quote from is the WINNER!

Winter is HERE!

Winter arrived in Iowa.

On January 12th

I guess we were due.

On Tuesday we went on a walk and didn't need winter coats...in January, in Iowa.

That is unheard of. 

Contessa waited all day for Lauren to get home because she promised to take her outside to play.

She kept her promise. 

And it was freezing!

But Tess loved it.

a letter of confession

Dear Jordan and kids,

I did NOT knock over your NEVER ENDING game of RISK, that you started 2 weeks ago, and that has been sitting on my desk ever since.

I swear I did not.

I do however confess that I cheered when I saw it happen.

I realize you 'were going to finish it'. I realize it was an 'epic struggle between the most fierce and mighty forces known on this earth'.

I really do.

However, I also know that my desk is so nice and clean now and my OCD is back in check.

Very Truly Yours,

Mom

More from Robert's visit

Everyone headed for home Tuesday and so now our house is boring!

At least that is what the kids will tell you. 

Its kind of hard to argue with them. 

They were totally spoiled with playmates.

Jen and Avery playing Wii.

Lauren and Jordan on the computer...they were actually looking at Pinterest! 

Hilarious. 

Sunday afternoon we headed outside to try out Robert's gift for Sully.

This little peanut is experiencing a whole new world outside now that she can walk!

And the gift...

who wouldn't bring a kindergartner a real bow and arrow?

The tutorial

Even I got a turn.

Avery wasn't quite strong enough...it really was not as easy as it looked. 

So then they played football!
And Robert lost his wedding ring...again.
They've been married less than a year and he's gone through 2.
I told him a tattoo made a lot more sense at this point. 

Thanks for the visit everyone! 

Live for today!

My living room.

I worry about tomorrow, next week, and 'what might be' way too much. 

I'm kind of a master at it. 

Someone reminded me of this verse...and I'm going to plaster it to my brain. 

And I AM going to live for today.

Matthew 6:34

'Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.

Each day has enough of its own trouble.'

And its kind of humuors to me. 

Like God, through Matthew is trying to say, 

'Hey! Becky! Focus on what's now, what's real, what's true! 

Tomorrow may or may not come...your worry may or not come true...but I AM HERE...I am constant...and one thing is for sure...if you worry about tomorrow...you will ruin today.

Get over yourself Becky, there are enough problems...dont make up ones that dont exist.'

I like it when God talks to me like that. 

He gets me. 

Robert and Jen visit!

Robert and Jen arrived in Iowa from New York on Thursday. 

Which brings the added benefit of some of my other brothers coming to town at the same time. 

Some reasons why we love him...

reading to Lauren and Avery last night before bed. 

(please note Jen's leg in a brace - Robert tore her mcl playing tennis...yes, you read it right)

Today they traveled to Ames so that Jen could interview at Iowa State for their veterinary program.

She has already been accepted at 6 other programs...including Cornell. 

But to say that we are hopeful that they choose to become Cyclones would be an understatement!