My big baseball hat wearing Nora Ileigh

Joli stands up on everything! And Nora thinks it's super funny and wants to be right up on her at all times.

Joliana has made a lot of friends in her short little 8 months. Here is a super picture of her and Lydia Mae in their matching puppy jams!

Joliana and her cousin Alysia Victoria Kate

Joli Isabel and Selah Isabella ~ Ses thinks it's a really big deal that they have the "same" middle name

Joli and Eva ~ it seemed like just yesterday Eva was the baby in our family. Where did the last ten years go?!

Joli's shirt says it all :)


So it's been quite a week. Or has it been two? Who even knows?! My house is a disaster! On top of the everyday cleaning - which I do like three times a day, after each meal and at naptime. We have a lot of projects to do. We are moving from our bedroom into the guest room - this means painting the guest room, cleaning out our drawers, switching closets! YUCK!! We have to go through our basement and make three piles - save (and organize later), throw and Goodwill. This WILL happen before the holidays. My Christmas stuff is everywhere!!

Nora has started testing us. She's been so naughty lately. The scariest thing she does is sit on top of Joli when Jol is laying on her tummy. I am nervous she's gonna squash her! She's also throwing things ~ blocks, books, baby dolls, and BIG tantrums! ~ screeching, screaming, she even colored on the floor! Time outs in her crib are definitely the best form of discipline for her - she doesn't like that consequence at all. She laughs at any other type of consequence. But when she is sweet, she is the sweetest. Loves to give hugs, kisses and pat-pats!

Joliana decided it was time to be a big girl. She pulls herself up on everything. Like in the photo above - even on the door jams. Then she stands there, holding on with one hand, looking like she might just take off and start walking! She falls down quite a bit, cries until she gets a kiss and then pulls herself up again. She eats puffs, bananas, baked potatoes, steamed carrots, noodles, and has even tried some chicken! Nursing is almost impossible because she needs to see everything that is going on and in her position that isn't quite possible.

Allen started school a few weeks ago. He's going back to get his bachelor's in nursing. Viterbo University started a satelite program at WITC - the community college he got his associate degree from and that is practically in our back yard. He is Superman! Working full time so I can be the mom I want to be, picking up extra shifts so I can buy Gymboree clearance outfits for my babies, going back to school full time (all day Thursdays for the next two years) to be a better nurse to his patients. He spends a good part of each day chasing, tickling, reading to, and dancing with our girlies. I am so blessed by this man. I love him so much!!

Anyways, enough of this rambling. I am tired and off to bed!