Happy Valentine Days...

On February 14, 2012, Jake and I had been emailing each other for less than a month and hadn't met yet.

On February 14, 2013, I spent the day working and deciding how to tell Jake we were expecting a baby!

Wearing my wedding sandals, all ready for the dessert announcement (roses Jake sent while still at work)

The hidden message under Jake's plate...

February 14, 2014, was spent quite differently, keeping up with the four new additions to the family!

Mama with the baby who made our first Valentine's Day together so special!

This picture always makes me laugh. Sophia was crying through most of the photo session, so Samuel is trying to coax a smile out of her...

Brothers & Baby

Four month picture, Feb. 13 (and the bib says it all!)

First Valentine's Day card ever, from brother Joel! It's still on our fridge. :)

Fast forward to this year...

First chocolate cupcake. She has a sixth sense to know what to ask for the in the kitchen, ha!

The boys had a blast planning for a little "Valentine's Day" party with three siblings from church! We had a babysitter for the evening because Jake and I (and the parents of the three) were going to a birthday party.

Cupcake decorating area - ready!

I have no pictures of decorated cupcakes. I left the camera with the kids to take pictures, but I'll assume my always-on-the-move Michael was the photographer because they are all blurry. :)


And February 13, 2015, with my four little valentines (and getting ready for another)...

 Saying "flower", a new word in her vocabulary. I think Jake taught her that one.

In fact, I have a video!

I love how she carefully pronounces the "w" sound.

 

Dad says this dress looks like a curtain that blew up, but Sophia exclaimed "PRETTY!!!" when she first saw it. :)

Waiting anxiously for pancakes in her heart pjs

 Reading her new Bible, in her new red jacket from Nana

Today Jake did some things around the house in lieu of flowers and chocolate, because he knows what floats my boat!! (AND took care of almost all the diaper changes and Sophia's bath today!!!)

We now have family pictures in the hallway and one in our visitor bedroom, yeah!

Happy Valentine's Day, Family & Friends!!!

Addendum:

Our little "romantic dinner" for 6 1/2! :) 

Broccoli and Three Cheese Lasagna, Italian Salad, and Garlic Bread...

 

The boys were singing "happy birthday" to Sophia because of the candles, and she was wanting to blow them out. 

Sibling Fun!

I don't know WHAT I would do with Sophia without her big brothers!! They have saved me many a day when I'm at my wit's end to entertain her, or she is cranky because of refusing to sleep or eat well (common), or when she's doing something she ought not to and I didn't realize...but a brother caught her! (Recent escapades include getting into the refrigerator and eating chocolate chips straight out of the bag.)

Enjoying a recent hot summer day with their favorite thing - WATER!!

There are always cute pictures of things they do together, although now as she's so active and talkative, a video would do better justice to their games! (They have recently taught her the word "lego", and since two days ago she can say "Michael" and reportedly also "Joel", although I haven't heard her do it yet. The brothers are her biggest fans and what they claim she can say or do has to be proven, ha.)

These are pictures from the last two months or so...

Samuel and Michael push Sophia around endlessly in different items...

...and Sophia LOVES it!

The neighbor boy's bike

Another loan from the neighbor boys now that they've traveled

Throughout the day Sophia asks for "vroom vroom" as she swings her arm to show movement, and unless it's raining or dark, a brother takes her out to give her a ride

Wearing the brothers' headphones for the piano

Also playing one of the boy's electronic games from Christmas

Attending Boy Scouts in our living room!

Everyone had lots of fun while the new tent was set up in the living room!
(the extra two are neighbor boys)

She stays busy for a long time loading and unloading a nerf gun!

She pretty much thinks that anything the boys eat for a snack MUST be good, and has discovered that suckers are worth stealing from the brothers and not giving back!

I'm afraid she gets too much with each of the three giving her "just a taste", ha!

Samuel gave put these glasses on her one day, from a doll, and she decided she liked them!

Jake said she was moving so much it was hard to get a good picture.

 That would be carrots on her face...