Lily and her little Buddy

With Mia away at school every day, Lily and Piper get lots of time together. And Lily is proving to be an incredibly sweet, caring big sister. Piper just adores her. Here are the latest photos of the two buddies!!




Lily told me the other day that she didn't want to go to jail (she is obsessed with policeman and questions about jail lately - I have no idea why) or to heaven because she would miss Piper too much. She has to give her lots of hugs and kisses when I drop her off at preschool, and again as soon as we pick her up. I can tell Piper is looking around and missing her, too, when Lily is gone to school. When Piper is napping Lily cannot wait to hear the first peep in the monitor so she can run up and see her in her crib.

I need to get more pictures of Mia with Piper, but she also spends lots of time entertaining her. She loves to sing her songs and to give her a bottle. At night before bed Mia and Lily each want a turn holding Piper and loving on her before they drift off to sleep. Most nights Piper will cooperate! :)

Piper Update

So, Piper has past her 3 month birthday and will be 4 months next week. She is growing and changing so much. The best way to describe her - fat and happy!! Check out the photos below and you will see.





She has started sleeping in her own bed upstairs - a hard transition for mom. :) And she wants you to sit and talk to her and make her laugh all day long. Luckily she has 2 sisters that fight over who can make her laugh more, so she always has someone giving her attention. She has also started to grab hair (not so fun for her sisters) and play with toys. She is so fun!!

Winter in Utah

We went to Utah for some skiing and time with family the first week of February. While we were there we had Piper's baby blessing - it was the first time everyone from both of our families were together in one place. It was such a special family event to have everyone there for Piper's big day. She looked adorable wearing the same dress that both Mia and Lily wore for their baby blessings.

We had a wonderful week of skiing and snow fun. The girls were in ski school on Monday to remember what to do from last year, and it didn't take them long! Jason and I skied and then picked them up a little early from class so we could take them to ski with us. They did amazing!! it was so fun to watch them. By the end of the day on Wednesday Mia informed me that she was bored with the green runs and was ready for more. We took the big lift up and she attempted a blue, and loved it! What a great day riding up the lift with my big girl and skiing down the hills together. I kept thinking of how fast she is growing up and how glad I am that we are friends and enjoy doing things together. Lily and Jason kept each other company, and by the end she could do the lift all alone and wanted to go down the hill with no one close to her. She is all about going fast and straight down the hill. Being up on the slopes as a family is the best! We even had Piper up there with us on the last day - thanks to my parents that came and kept her company in the lodge. :)

It was a great trip full of memories. We had lots of time to spend with Jason's siblings and their kids that we don't see very often. The girls were busy and tired, but were so good. And Piper got to meet all of her family members, since most had not yet seen her, and was constantly loved on and held. My sister kept her one day while we skied, and she held her all day long, she didn't even put her down for naps. Piper came home more spoiled than when we left. She survived the first of many plane rides and trips to Utah.

Here are some photos from our trip!

Happy New Year!

2011 is off to a great start for our family! We are busy watching Piper get bigger each day and now she is smiling and trying to talk to us. Those coos are my favorite sound to hear each day. The girls love to see if they can get her to smile at them. She loves them both! But I will say my heart melts each time I change her diaper in the family room and she looks over at a picture of Lily that just happens to be at her eye level right now - she will totally smile and coo at her picture. It is so amazing that she already knows and recognizes her big sisters.

We had a great New Years Eve with our friends at their annual bash - the girls rang in the new year dancing and playing until after 1 am. The highlight would have to be watching Jason and a few other dads dancing to "It's Raining Men" on the Wii dance game - we laughed so hard. But I think my man got the highest score for his dancing - I was so proud. Piper was there with us, but she crashed and slept through most of the fun. And only in Texas can you spend the first weekend of the New Year swimming!!




This week Piper turns 2 months! The time has gone so fast. She is still trying to master the pacifier, but is too lazy to keep it in all by herself. She prefers for me to rock her and hold it in for her. I have to admit she is quite spoiled!! She is not a fan of being put down - she wants to be held and carried around. Tonight I figured out that putting her in the baby bjorn is the best way to get dinner on the table. She was so happy hanging out with me as I prepared dinner for the girls. Piper already knows she is the baby of the family and plans to take full advantage of the attention. :)

Christmas Time

It is a magical time of year when we you have a new baby in the house for Christmas. We have had so much fun getting to know Piper and making her part of the family. I love to sit and watch Lily as she talks her own version of baby talk to Piper. She runs in the house any time she leaves to give her hugs and kisses and tell her how much she missed her. Mia has become my big helper, and loves to give Piper her bottle and burp her. She is quite handy to have around when I am trying to make dinner and Piper wants to eat. I am amazed how big Lily and Mia seem to me now...they are growing up so fast. I want to slow time down because I want Piper to stay small forever. But since she started at 9 lbs, she is getting big super fast!!

We had a nice quiet family Christmas Eve - we went to a Nativity production at a local church. The girls were excited to see the camels, sheep, donkey and elephants that come onto the stage during the show. The music is wonderful, and it sets the stage for a great Christmas spirit in our home. Christmas morning there was lots of presents to open from Santa. Piper was awake to see her stocking and a few presents, but then slept through the rest of it. Mia and Lily spent the day going from one gift to another...and mom and dad spent the day opening boxes, putting together toys and hunting down batteries. Next year Santa needs to make a note of all the batteries needed so we don't have to call neighbors looking for the right sizes. :) Finally, around 5pm we finally got dressed and went to our neighbors for dessert. We missed our family, and having a white Christmas in UT, but it was peaceful just being with the five of us. And even with all the new toys, I think the girls were still the most interested in playing with Piper - she is still like a fun little doll for them and is the best Christmas present of all.

Getting ready for the Nativity program.

Putting out cookies for Santa, and carrots for the reindeer.


Piper and her stocking.


Christmas morning. :)


Our Christmas girls!!

Having Piper Home and Giving Thanks!!

So this is a late post, but I wanted to share some of the having Piper home, and our wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. My mom was still in town helping with the kids, grocery shopping and cooking a delicious meal. I was busy feeding, sleeping and adjusting to being a mom of an infant again. Our holiday wasn't quite complete because my dad couldn't make it into town -he discovered a few days before he was supposed to come to TX that he has shingles, so he couldn't come and be near the baby. So sad!! We missed him so much, and Thanksgiving wasn't the same without him. But he promised to be on a flight as soon as he could. (And we was - he came last weekend to see his newest granddaughter.)

The girls have been so good with the baby! And Piper is a great baby. I hate to say it because I know that can change at any moment, but all she does it eat and sleep (and poop)!! She typically only gets up once a night to eat, so I am able to get some rest at night. I am a believer in those big, cuddly babies - they are cute and content. Mia and Lily can't stand that she sleeps so much, they are just ready for her to play.

Here are some photos:

PIPER SOPHIA RAY

Well, she is finally here!! Precious little Piper joined our family on November 18th at 7:18 am, weighing in at 9.2 lbs and 20 inches long!! She is beautiful. We were all shocked at how big she was, but she is perfect and we love every pound of her. I was in the hospital Thursday - Sunday, so the girls came up each day to check in on their new little sister. My mom was home keeping things going at the house, and Jason was with me at the hospital most of the time. I just enjoyed the quiet time alone in the hospital holding and bonding with Piper, knowing that when I got home the quiet, peaceful time was over. We are so blessed to have added another wonderful baby girl to our family!







Mia and Lily just adore her, but are ready for her to do more than just eat, sleep and poop. Lily loves to help change her diapers (even the poopy ones) and gives her lots of hugs and kisses. Mia just wants to hold her all the time. They are being so kind and sweet with her - they will be the best big sisters ever!!