Isn't it funny? I spent my childhood thinking of all of the ways that I could be a better parent than my folks. Now, I have spent the last 4 1/2 years hoping I am half as good as they are. It is 9:15pm and my spaghetti faced baby girl is sitting next to me playing the guitar serenading me with Feliz Navidad while I proof photos. No she hasn't had a bath yet and yes she is about to get in the tub. No she isn't in the bed but she is going there as soon as she gets her bath and does a breathing treatment for her asthma. There just isn't enough hours in the day. Can we get a couple of extra hours between 9pm-midnight? Or just an extra day between Sunday and Monday? Possible names: Smonday, Tonday, or Smensday.

Friday, my sister and I went shopping on Black Friday. I pulled Reagan out of bed at 7am to go with us. This 4.5 year old little girl, rode in the buggy and watched us pick out and buy a lot of the toys she wants for Christmas. We alluded to the idea that these toys were for other kids. Did she cry because they weren't for her or did she beg me to buy her something? No. She was simply *very* excited that these other kids were getting these toys and maybe they would let her take a turn. I am 28 years old and it would be hard for ME to watch someone load up a buggy with MY *i-can't-live-without-this* faves.

I don't know about you but I think the world needs more sixth babies.

And he peeks. Funny kid already. In the middle of me taking photos, he seems to fancy cracking one eye to check out what I am doing. It is kind of like looking out of the blinds when you think someone is outside. No matter how quiet you are, and no matter how very little you lift the blinds, it is obvious. :)

i love being a mommy the best. but a close second, i love being an aunt. today, we welcomed joseph brice into the world a wee bit early. i bought a bag of potatoes last night that weighed more than his 5 and some change pounds. i wanted to capture his little milk bumps and his little hairy face so i had to use my macro lens for a lot of the shots so i could get super close. it is a little noisy. he was in and out of sleep and i was getting *really* close to his face and my noisy lens would zoom in on him. in one of his pictures, he was peeping out of one eye looking at me like i was a jive turkey for waking him up. :) he just doesn't know what i have in store for him for the next 3 dozen plus years.

welcome, joseph brice. you were born for such a time as this. . .