Just Thursday Morning and Valentines glimpse

New skill for the Fordman.  I'd say we're kinda excited about it.  

 Pensive girl.

 Spacey girl.

 My sweet girl.

 My handsome guy (that's right pjs match Ford's...guilty pleasure :))

Oh, this is what our Valentine looked like.  They were really into the gumball machine.

 And finally, my fix it man.  He's prepared.

Nothing ground breaking here, folks.  Just a peek into our goings on.  

Our New One-Year-Old!

 Opening presents! (this pic is out of order, but I'm too lazy to fix it.  He's sans clothing because of how much he enjoyed his cake.

 This cake, actually.  Yummy burnt sugar cake with maple cream cheese frosting.  The candles were supposed to be in the shape of a one....

 I blew out all the candles for him and then realized he was trying to blow (and doing a great job!) too. So I lit one candle again (ok maybe 6 more times.....) so he could blow it out himself. 

Enjoying some cake.

Fordie got a new pirate boy with fun buttons and zippers.   Its his very own little baby to love and tuck in :).  

 "Opening presents is so great......ahhhh....."

 Mommy and Daddy with the birthday boy.

 Sneaking cake and strawberries after everyone had gone.

 Ford doing what he does best; organizing our cupboards.

Ford turned one today.  Crazy, I know.  To coin a cliche, where does the time go?  It seems like he was just born.  He is such a joy.  He's happy and smiley and very loving.  I get lots of his kisses, which are super cute now that he makes the kiss noise. He's getting really close to walking by himself but until then his days are spent walking behind anything he can get to move: mini grocery cart, chairs, baskets, bowls, a play kitchen.... He is very easy going and a great communicator.  He points at everything he wants with open palms.  So sweet.  His favorite foods are chocolate chips, cabbage and gogurts--he'd probably take 'em together, too. He loves to play with his mini piano, cars, dollies, and put brother's legos in his mouth.  Acutally, if we're being honest, his main past time is putting everything in his mouth he can find.   Oh, the stickers, pins, dried peas from past dinners, sidewalk salt, etc. I have pulled out of his mouth......Gross.

To mark the day, we took Ford birthday shopping at Toys R Us  and ended the day with a little party with our dear friends the Crosbys and the Knudsons. We made Old Vermont Burnt Sugar Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting from the book Vintage Cakes with homemade chocolate ice cream.   Oooooh. Yeaaaaah.  And the kiddos, 9 in total, ran around and were crazy together.  Ford loved it.

A great day.

My little man's latest project

We sometimes have a hard time finding things to do.   (Note:  We have a house OVERFLOWING with toys...:) And when I say we meaning more the kiddos and not the mom who seems to have an unending supply of laundry at all times).  Today Judd found the little embroidery hoops I bought for the kiddos.  He took it upon himself to learn to sew.  Sew (hahaha, I just reread this and realized I meant to write 'So' and not 'Sew" but that's just too funny not to leave) I drew a tree outline on the fabric he picked (pink!)  and he worked on it for a half an hour before school and even more time after school.

What do your kiddos do to keep busy?

A tale of one stitch

Monday night the Platt Family was just clearing the dinner table when Stevo (aka Daddy) paused while passing Wren.

"What's that in her hair?" he asked.

Because Wren likes to suck her thumb and hold her ear while eating dinner I just figured it was some bit of residual squash or something.

Steve leaned in a little closer and said, "That is dried blood!"

Being that Stevo is a doctor, I believed him.  And so, my friends, we begin our story of the one stitch.

While I had been making dinner Wren, all dressed up in princess dress and high heels, was running laps around the kitchen and living room.  She slipped and bumped her head.  I gave her good kisses and sent her on her way.  What I hadn't realized was she had actually popped open a little cut on her head.

Steve gave it a good look-over and decided it needed a stitch.  Judd went into hysterics at this point ("Wren is not going to the doctor!  I'm going to kill you!"  --  Shockingly violent, I know.  What can I say?  When a guys upset....)  Meanwhile, Wren ran excitedly to get her coat on.   And that is both of them in a nutshell.

So, Stevo ended up putting one stitch in Wren's little head (we kept Judd at home for the actual procedure :)).  With all the excitement of the evening you can imagine what I thought bedtime would be like.  I tucked those two in and went down to do the dishes (all of you out there with dishwashers, just give it a little hug.  It totally deserves it.)  Halfway through the pile I realized things had gotten quiet.  Quiet means only one thing for my bunk bed duo so up the stairs I ran, ready to do some regulating.  

This was what I found instead.

A sweet brother who had crawled down from his bed to help his sister feel better.   And feeling comforted they both fell fast asleep, fast :).  

These little moments make my mom heart swell.  He may want to kill people but he is also a tenderhearted guy.  And his sister loves him the best.  

So,  for the end of our tale, Wren's stitch has already been taken out and her cut is almost healed. 

And all is well.  

Rub a Dub Dub

Two men in a tub.  Ford and his best bud Leo crawled together, ate together, played together, and splashed together at Mom and Dad L's house over the holidays. They had the best of times together.  Yesterday, I was showing Ford some pictures of Leo and asked him, "Where's Leo?"  He looked and looked around the house.  So cute.  We love our Leo!  

Dec 16 Platt Family Christmas Eve

Before we left for Utah our little Platt Family had our own Christmas eve.  A few presents for the kiddos, most of Steve and I's presents and, of course, new pjs.  

 Let the wild rumpus begin!

 A little rumpus break for some handsome Platt boys.

 More rumpussing.

 Rumpussing disguised as a hug.

 Ear hold break.

 Rumpus.

 Wild Rumpus.

 Happy family.

Lots of love.  

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas and renewed desire

So these are late.  We took these pictures the sunday before we left for Utah for the Holidays.  My three were all spiffed up for Church.  Lots of love between these brothers and sister.  

Man, I loved LOVED our trip to Utah.  I so miss all my family there.  And, it turns out there are people out there who read this humble little blog.  I want them to know my kiddos and be a part of our life so here's to a new year with regular posts, lots of pictures and, hopefully, a better peek into our crazy life.