Acheive

Jared started this morning with a spectacular run in a kid's 2K race, and then went on to win the "game ball" for his fantastic hitting and feilding at his little league game this afternoon. It was a pretty good day all around.

Poor Timing

Bathed,
lotioned,
jammied,
swaddled,
rocked to sleep
.............pooped.

Let's take it from the top.

Add an "-ie" and get anything you want...

Thomas has taken up the habit of adding an "-ie" to the end of his words, resulting in WAY more "sure you can" answers than he has ever been accustomed to. A simple "juice" request is now an adorable, "Wanna drinkie Juicie! Pleeeease?" Who can tell a fella, "no" or "wait a minute" after a request like that? And since everyone knows that putting on shoes means we're going outside, when he runs up with sandals in hand and chants, "Shoesies, Shoesies, goes to parkie" we slip those hush puppies on and grin all the way to the door.

Disney Days

With four small children running around "the Happiest Place on Earth" we snapped surprisingly few photos. I suppose we were too occupied with living in the moment to actually capture many moments on camera. The few attempts I did make came out blurry at best. The highlights of our days at Disney didn't get any film time at all. But if a picture is worth a thousand words, then perhaps a few hundred words can sketch out a memory. So without further ado, here are the 2007 Sprague Family Disney World Highlights:

*First of all, an honorable mention to our littlests Lady, who spent her first trip to the Magic Kingdom napping in the stroller. Finley was kind enough to go long stretches between nursing, and just hunker right back down to sleep for all of our first day.

*We rode the ferry over the first day and everyone huddled at the window to keep warm in the cool wind while we eagerly awaited the first glimpse.

*A few moments after we walked into the park, Cinderella's castle came into view and Emma was all of a dither. I scooped her up and we hurried to the castle gates right away. She kept asking, "Where are the princesses, Mom? Where are they?" Thomas, Emma and I rode the Carousel in Cinderella's court.

*Jared took Aaron and I on the Big Kid Rides: Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain. We all screamed like little girls.

*On day two I got to take Thomas on the Buzz Lightyear Ride. Twice.

*Thanks to Grandma's persistence, we got to eat lunch with our friends from the Hundred Acre Woods. When Pooh and Tigger came by our table to see the kids Jared tried his best to duck out of the photo, but Pooh Bear just wouldn't have it! Thomas was obviously in love with the fluffy fellas. He was so excited he could hardly eat his mac-n-cheese.

I love having small children, who want to ride rides with me and show me all the wonder the Disney crew can contrive. Later in life it'll be thrill rides and music concerts, but right now it's Pooh and Princesses and Log Rides, and I hope these years pass very slowly.

My Blue Heaven

My Finley Gracie...

Three Months Old

Big Blue Eyes

Long Lush Lashes

Pink Ribbon Lips

So Photogenic

and Ample Kissing Opportunities.

Are you jealous?

I may never have the luxury of manicured hands, but Emma will always make sure that these rough hands are full of flowers. I think that more than compensates.

Ahh-laav-ooh

As much as I love nap time, it's the few minutes right before I put Thomas down that I love the most. Those minutes are usually filled with a few renditions of "Balls Balls Game" (more commonly known as "Take Me Out to the Ball Game") and Tommy always sings along, making my heart just want to squeal. I bury my face in his silky hair and kiss his little head just behind his ear while he snuggles my shoulder. When he's calm and still, I ask him, "Ready for bed, or you want more snuggles?" He'll sit up and look at me saying, "Awan 'nuggle." Today, as I kissed his head for the 37Th time and whispered, "I love you", he sat up and said, "Ahh-laav-ooh." Every other problem, demand or detail in life just melts away, and I'm left with this little moment of genuine happiness. I tapped his nose, gave him butterfly kisses and mugga-muggas (Eskimo kisses), and by the time I laid him in bed with a "nigh-nigh mom" my love bucket was full. I'm amazed that no matter how much the demands of the day will tap out of me, these little ones have a way of making sure I don't run dry.