Threeeeeeee!

Being a mom of a three year old at her birthday party doesnt permit many birthday photos. Thanks to Nana Janne, I can post a few today. The party was fun and simple and we invited her school friends over. The balloons seemed to be the most important aspect of the party and I'll never forget to have them. Frannie has loved being three and being able to do "everything" on her own. Thanks to all of you for making her birthday special and sending all that love through the mail. We just wish we could be with everyone to share in this magical age.

Three is where its at!

Trying really hard with help from Sadie



Blow-Blow-Blow those candles out!



Satisfaction-Three is here!



School Friends

opening presents in the fancy dress



Weekend weather



no more winter?

This morning when I opened the door to walk to work, it was snowing. It was more like the start of Winter than the start of Spring. Spring is that way here. We enjoyed winter-the cold, the long nights, the holidays-and are a little sad to see it go. With the change, comes new opportunities to play, to feel light in the spirit and to not feel so cold! Spring is promising this year. We have hopes of painting the house, playing outside, and feeling some nice sun on our bodies. Lou will be fishing more and we will have some visitors. Who wants to come to Montana in the wintertime? Frannie, Lou and I will all be growing a year older this season-Frannie and I will have a birthday this week. I always wondered what it would be like to "almost share" a birthday with her. So far, it has been the best thing ever! I love having this time to share with her, I hope shei will too, and the celebration has been a lot more meaningful to me. We made her cake-Gateau au Citron- this weekend b/c I will be busy this week and needed to get it out of the way. We will put it together on tuesday night before the party and have friend over. It will have a raspberry curd filling and pink, yes she wanted pink, cream cheese frosting with a hint of rapberry. She is very excited to be three...

We celebrated the start of Spring with a trip to the park-frannie wanted to ride her bike there. No snow on the ground, the day was overcast but warm, and we headed off on the long trip to the park. She didnt make the trip home on the bike, I carried it, but walked the home way. She said her hips were tired and she needed to pick up pine cones.

Baby brother is doing well as he starts week 24 in utero and will soon be running out of room to squirm, kick, and twist as he is starting to bulk up, put on fat, and grow into what we will soon be holding.

Pie in the Sky

A lot of things seem to be up in the air for us lately, and others too.  Spring time is a big time of transition in Montana and we adjust as best as we can. So far we are trying to prepare for the big adjustment "baby brother" by ending our happy existence with frannies thumb. She is a thumb sucker and it brings her great comfort but its time to find a new comfort. Since she is a "big sister" we worked on doing everything a big sister would do, including no thumb sucking. I have to say the weekend boycott on the thumb was a success (at my loss and exhaustion) and we got to have big sister treats everytime a nap or sleep went by without it. We read Pie in the Sky that Uncle Adam and Aunt Sallie gave frannie yesterday at nap and she said, "Mama, what does cherry pie taste like?" I answered, "Well, Frannie, if you can take a big sister nap we'll make some." She was so excited that when she woke up she said, "is it pie time?" We made little pies-

1- Cut the dough

2.-put the dough in the mold

3.- Add the filling

4.- fold the dough and crimp the edges

5. Now it is time to bake!

Little pies...oh my!

She also enjoys playing soccer now that we have grass in the yard again. We looked into pee-wee soccer for her and it costs $65.00. We will most likely wait until next year, b/c of the cost, and play at home as much as possible until she is really comfortable with it. She has the shoes, what more does a girl need?

Dribble, Dribble, Dribble

"I'm gonna kick over there to Daddy"

The competitor

Just Kick It! Look at those cute shoes-

Just stuff it

It seems to be the craze these days to take something perfectly good by itself and put it into a chocolate chip cookie.

Behold, the Cake Ball Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookie

Here is the link to the recipe: http://www.sugarderby.com/blog/2011/2/27/cake-ball-stuffed-chocolate-chip-cookies.html . I first had to find out what a cake ball is and now that I am aware of the possibilities of combining frosting and cake and squeezing it into a ball, I know how to sugar up someone elses kids or fellow co-workers. Man, do these look like trouble-

21 Weeks

This is late, but it is how my life was last week. I did get a picture taken during week 21 (last night before bed). here goes-dont be in too much shock. I look like I did at week 29 from my first pregnancy.



#1



#2

We did have snow this weekend and are enjoying a cooler start to March. It is hard to believe that I have a little girl ready for another birthday (3/23/2008). She is excited about her party and having balloons. Things are simple and good. She has also been having fun with all her 'friends'/stuffed animals at home and taking care of their various needs. Here, Carlo the fox is in need of some mommy time and she put them in the baby carrier. It was sunny that day so she needed the glasses in case they went for a hike. Then, she took him for a ride on her pony.




March is Here!!



March, from the Tres riches heures du duc de berry



Some places, the month of March is seen as the beginning of spring (in the Northern hemisphere, the beginning of the meteorological spring is 1 March. In the Southern hemisphere, the beginning of the meteorological autumn is 1 March) or when things awake and start to grow. We never know what spring will bring us in Montana.  This morning walking into work I was so excited that it is finally March. It wasnt dark as I walked in and I felt like summer will be approaching soon. When I got into work, legs numb from the chilling temperature, I spoke with a coworker about how yesterday seemed a little warmer. She said, "when I left my house it was 3 degrees". Well, I guess summer is no where to be seen and I was just daydreaming about better times. I also feel like summer is right around the corner and I'll be having my baby soon. So delusional...I have months before that happens even though I feel huge enough to have it happen next week. It is good that we get to enjoy winter some more, Frannie can get a few more trips to the ski hill in, three birthdays are left to celebrate (one to come), Legislature will finish and I can have some stability at work, and Luna and Murf can enjoy some more rolling in the snow and cool hikes. There is something to be said for having a true winter.

The floral emblem of March

Tomorrow I will post another alarming picture of the expanding belly - week 21