Our {3} Kids

Seriously, our kids are the best. Really, would you expect us to think any less? This spring break has been so fun. The best part for me has just been seeing how much the girls love Tate. He is by far the most entertaining person in our home, and they would hang out with him every single second if we would give them greater autonomy with him.

We had Tate's blessing scheduled for the first weekend of Ellie's spring break so that she would be here when it happened. Most of our family came out and it felt like half of sacrament meeting was filled with our friends. I'm not going to lie, I stressed about it like nobody's business and had an anxious pit in my stomach all morning the day of. I felt like I had pared my goals down to the bare minimum and I still couldn't keep it organized. That is a story for another day (I'm still a bit tense about it), but the one thing that I most regret is not getting a family picture outside the church. As soon as we were home people started changing clothes and scattering so it wasn't just that we didn't get a pic at church, we didn't get any pictures at all. I don't have a picture from Aeryn's blessing day either and it's one of the things I have always regretted. As it is, I have more pictures of myself on my blessing day than either of my babies. Considering the advances in photography since my infancy that just seems wrong.

To make up for this I declared that today would be a make-up picture day. I instructed everyone to wear the same clothes they did for his blessing and we were going to get a pic after church and all would be well. It was a grand plan, until Tate had a little hunger prompted meltdown five minutes before church was out, I forgot his tie and shoes (because the point was to recreate it exactly), and as soon as we were home the comfy clothes came out before I even realized it and there was no hope of getting a family picture - at church or not. In consolation I took a few pictures of the kids all together. It isn't all of us, but it's the three of them and that is at least something.

It was surprising how cooperative the girls were. Usually one of them is cooperative while the other is distracted, but I think having Tate there made it easier for them. This kid better get used to smooches - the girls are constantly trying to kiss him.

I'm a pretty sappy parent and I'm constantly thinking about how I will never be able to get any moment back. I take way too many pics with my phone and try to memorize every little thing. It may be a sickness. I want to remember the girls with this little baby as he is now because I know all too well that this phase will pass extremely quickly. Before Ellie comes back for the summer he will change so much. He rolled over a few days ago and it was extremely challenging for him, but then today he rolled twice in succession and it looked almost effortless. That's quite a good accomplishment for 2 months old, who knows what he'll figure out next.

These little people make our lives quite fantastic. I want to keep them forever.