Our Little Pork Chop

JOEY IS THE SWEETEST LITTLE BOY! I COULDN'T RESIST POSTING THESE FEW PICTURES OF HIM HANGING OUT BY THE COMPUTER. THIS IS WHERE BIG SISTER CHARLOTTE ROLLED OVER THE FIRST TIME. WE ARE TRYING TO PROVIDE HIM THE SAME OPPORTUNITY...NO SUCH LUCK YET. WHILE HE IS NOT ROLLING OVER YET, HE IS GIVING US PLENTY OF SMILES AND AN ABUNDANCE OF ADORABLE GIGGLES. OH, HOW WE LOVE THIS BOY!

"MAY I HELP YOU, MOMMY?"

"OH, MOMMY ARE WE DONE YET? I NEED A LITTLE REST."

Spring is in the Air

IT IS HARD TO PASS UP TEMPERATURES IN THE SIXTIES! WE TOOK FULL ADVANTAGE OF THE WEATHER LAST WEEK AND SPENT OUR MORNINGS AT PARKS AND OUR AFTERNOONS IN OUR "FRONT YARD" OVERLOOKING THE CORN FIELD. CHARLOTTE WAS THRILLED TO RUN UP AND DOWN THE SIDEWALKS, PLAY WITH CHALK, CHASE BALLS AND INTRODUCE JOEY TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. I CANNOT WAIT FOR THE SPRING-LIKE TEMPS TO STICK AROUND, SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO ENJOY HOW BEAUTIFUL WISCONSIN IS IN THE SPRING AND SUMMER.

AFTER KEEPING BUSY, CHAR TAKES A MOMENT TO CHECK IN ON HER BROTHER.

"I TOLD YOU THAT YOU WOULD LIKE IT OUTSIDE."

"MOMMY, AREN'T I LOOKING BIG THESE DAYS?!"

JEFF ARRIVES HOME TO FIND HIS LITTLE FAMILY ENJOYING THE WEATHER.

"HIGHER DADDY!!!"

ON A STROLL. IT IS PRETTY CUTE TO SEE THEIR LITTLE FACES LOOKING OUT FROM THEIR STROLLER.
MISCHIEVOUS RED BALL

"NOW HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO GET THAT?"

MY LITTLE EXPLORER

KEEPING AN EYE ON THE RED BALL.

OH, WHAT A SWEET FACE.

"MOMMY, DID YOU KNOW JOEY IS MY BEST FRIEND?"

TAKING A BREATHER.

OFF TO THE PARK.

"PEEK-A-BOO!"

FREE FALLING.

MY LITTLE ROCK-LOVER. SHE OFTEN SPENDS ALL OF HER TIME AT PARKS PLAYING IN AND THROWING LITTLE STONES.

Little Discoveries

I LOVE WATCHING MY CHILDREN MAKE NEW DISCOVERIES EACH DAY; IT IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT STAYING HOME WITH THEM. ON THE VERGE OF TURNING TWO, CHARLOTTE CANNOT ABSORB ENOUGH NEW INFORMATION EACH DAY. CHARLOTTE'S STORIES ARE BECOMING LONGER AND MORE ANIMATED, AND WE ARE NOW ABLE TO UNDERSTAND OH, ABOUT 75% OF WHAT SHE IS TRYING TO COMMUNICATE DURING ONE OF HER LENGTHY DIALOGUES. IT IS PRECIOUS TO SEE HER RETELL FAMILIAR STORY BOOKS, SHARE INTERESTING TALES AT THE DINNER TABLE, AND PASS ON ALL OF HER WORLDLY WISDOM TO JOEY.

AT FOUR MONTHS, JOEY IS BECOMING MORE INTERESTED IN THE WORLD AROUND HIM AND WITH HIS STRONG NECK, TAKES ADVANTAGE OF LOOKING AT THINGS ALL DAY LONG. HE LOVES TO HEAR HIS SISTER ENTER A ROOM AND LOOKS UP AT HER WITH SUCH AFFECTION. HE IS VERY GENEROUS WITH HIS SMILES AND LOVES TO EXPERIMENT WITH DIFFERENT SOUNDS. HE LOVES TO SHOVE THINGS INTO HIS MOUTH, AND RECENTLY HAS STARTED SUCKING TWO FINGERS AT A TIME OR THIS THUMB.

WITH THE SPRING-LIKE TEMPS CHARLOTTE AND I ARE INTRODUCING JOEY TO THE OUTSIDE. CHARLOTTE COULD NOT BE MORE THRILLED TO EXPLORE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, AND JOEY SEEMS TO ENJOY BEING ALONG FOR THE RIDE!

REDISCOVERING FAVORITE BOOKS BEFORE BED TIME.

DISCOVERING THE JOYS OF PLAYING DRESS-UP WITH MOMMY'S CLOTHES!
FINDING OUT THAT COLORED BATH WATER IS MUCH MORE FUN THAN COLORLESS.


CHARLOTTE LOVES ANNOUNCING HER COLOR OF CHOICE BEFORE BATHS. "BLUE WATER" IS OFTEN THE FIRST THING OUT OF HER MOUTH AFTER DINNER.

DISCOVERING NEW PLACES TO RELAX WITH HER BELOVED MILK, WHILE MOM CHANGES THE BED SHEETS.
(I HAD NO IDEA SHE SETTLED DOWN HERE, AND WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED TO FIND HER SO RELAXED AND COMFY!)

DISCOVERING NEW AND EXCITING PLACES TO READ BOOKS.

SWEET JOE DISCOVERS NEW TOYS (THANKS TO HIS SISTER, WHO SO LOVINGLY PLACES THEM ALL AROUND HIS HEAD.)

DISCOVERING THAT IT IS STILL LIGHT OUT AFTER BATH TIME DUE TO DAY LIGHT SAVINGS TIME.

FINDING THE PERFECT PAIR OF SHADES.

DISCOVERING YOUR SWEET CHILDREN ALREADY SHARING SECRETS AND AFFECTION FOR EACH OTHER...PRICELESS!

4 months

HAPPY FOUR MONTHS, JOSEPH!

IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE JOEY HAS ALREADY BEEN WITH US FOUR MONTHS; HE IS GROWING SO FAST. HIS PRECIOUS SMILE AND BIG, BRIGHT EYES LIGHT UP OUR DAY. HE CONTINUES TO HAVE A VERY GENTLE DISPOSITION AND THE SWEETEST OF GIGGLES. HE HAS BEGUN TO SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT EVERY OTHER NIGHT (OR SO) AND IS OBVIOUSLY A VERY GOOD EATER. HE AND CHARLOTTE ARE BEST BUDS!

Catching Up

WE HAVE BEEN SO BUSY LATELY, AND I MISSED THE OPPORTUNITY TO UPLOAD NEW PICTURES ON OUR BLOG! SO, HERE ARE MY EVER CHANGING CHILDREN AND JOE'S "THREE MONTH" PICS, THAT I REALLY ONLY SHOT THIS WEEK. STAY TUNED FOR HIS FOUR MONTH PICS, WHICH WILL BE RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER (HOPEFULLY)!

HAPPY THREE MONTHS, SWEET JOEY!

NEW TRICKS:

~ALMOST ROLLING OVER

~ ENJOYING BOTTLES IN ADDITION TO MOMMY - THE BOY LOVES TO EAT!

~ FINDING NEW SOUNDS WITH HIS VOICE

~ GRASPING TOYS

~ PUTTING HIS FINGERS AND FIST INTO HIS MOUTH

CHARLOTTE JUST MIGHT BE HIS BIGGEST FAN.

RESTING WITH DADDY AFTER A LONG DAY.

CHARLOTTE ON "FIER"(PACIFIER) DUTY.

SPORTING A NEW LOOK.

HANDSOME, INDEED!

NOT TO BE OUTDONE... OUR VERY GLAMOROUS DAUGHTER.

OUR NEW RIDE!

JOE ENJOYS HIS NEW CHAIR - THE BUMBO - OR POTTY CHAIR (AS BIG SISTER CALLS IT.)

"JOE, SORRY FOR THE PINK CHAIR. MOM AND DAD DID NOT FEEL IT NECESSARY TO BUY YOU A NEW ONE IN BLUE." ~ CHAR

CHARLOTTE READS A MEDICAL JOURNAL FOR THE FAMILY.

LA

THIS MONTH JEFF AND I TOOK AN UNEXPECTED TRIP OUT TO LA TO BE GUESTS AT OUR FRIENDS JASON AND MOLLY'S WEDDING. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO FOLLOW ABC'S THE BACHELOR, YES, IT IS THAT COUPLE. :)

IT WAS A SPECTACULAR WEEKEND FILLED WITH GOOD FOOD, FUN CONVERSATION, WONDERFUL AMENITIES, A LOVELY WEDDING, AND MUCH NEEDED RELAXATION. WE CAME OUT OF THE WEEKEND WITH MANY FUN AND SPECIAL MEMORIES.

MANY, MANY THANKS TO NANY AND PAPA WHO TOOK SUCH GOOD CARE OF OUR PRECIOUS LITTLE ONES IN OUR ABSENCE. WE COULD NOT HAVE ENJOYED THE WEEKEND, IF IT WAS NOT FOR THEM. WHILE LA WAS MEMORABLE, IT WAS SUCH A WONDERFUL FEELING TO RETURN TO OUR SWEET FAMILY AND OUR LITTLE LIFE IN MADISON!

AS GUESTS OF THE WEDDING WE WERE NOT ABLE TO TAKE IN PERSONAL CAMERAS, SO YOU WILL FIND MANY PICTURES OF SCENERY BELOW.

THE SPECTACULAR COAST LINE

LOOKIN' GOOD

ROOM WITH A VIEW

LEAVING LA

ANXIOUS TO RETURN TO CHARLOTTE AND LITTLE JOE.