the monthly S photos

If you're reading this blog, you've probably already seen this on Facebook every month, but I'm recapping it here. I've taken her photo with the same S on the 29th of each month for comparison purposes. (exceptions: November--the 11-month photos were taken the 26th; and 0 months--taken after we were home from the hospital, December 31) It's been fun to take these every month. Maybe I'll keep doing it every year on her birthday. 

Of course it didn't always go smoothly.... 

she seriously just stopped crying after 3 months...she's recently taken it back up

celebrating ONE!

 Today we got to celebrate this exceptional human being's first birthday. Has it been a year?! We love her to pieces, and we loved watching her destroy this cake.

pre-cake destruction

looking at a year-old photo of herself

 Now for the cake. She was a bit hesitant at first,but then she really loved playing with that frosting.

notice it in her hair and everything

Just a reminder of how Sophie looked BEFORE she dove into the cake/frosting: 

Happy birthday, Sweet Sophie!

Sophie's first year

1 year old!

She's a year old today! Here are some of my favorite photos from her first year. What a wonderful, sweet person she is! We're so glad she was born!!

11 months

10 months

9 months

8 months

6 months

5 months

3 months

2 months

1 month

1 day old

Christmas season 2014

Christmas morning

 This post includes photos from the whole Christmas season. The kids very much loved the tree and all the festive decorations. Here they are the day we put the tree up, helping decorate it.

Columbus Zoo lights

festive shirts

dressed like Santa...

...to meet Santa

He's 4!

Has it really only been 4 years since this dynamo joined our family? I can't seem to remember ever NOT knowing him.
Currently Gavin loves: anything transformers, swimming, watching Netflix on the iPad or Kindle, chocolate, his sister, the color blue, trying to make jokes, Wendy's and using his imagination.

This summer Gavin played soccer...

...and started swim classes (which have been
infinitely more successful than soccer)...

...and played tee-ball.

And now, in no particular order, the best photos of Gavin from the last 6 months. 

11 months

Sophie is only a month from turning 1! She's getting even more delightful every day. We love the crazy teeth formation she's got going on (5 teeth), and we love her wave. Some of Sophie's favorite things are key lime Chobani, dancing, her brother, talking to Daddy on Skype (but SO GLAD he's home now), chewing, swimming, people, waving and smiling.

oblivious to the cereal on her face

not a fan of snow