Red, White, and...Cute?

I have blogged many times before

about how there are so many times

in motherhood that you have something fabulous

planned in your head...and when it plays out...

well, let's just say it is less than fabulous. :)

Today I experienced one of those.

There is a cute little building in Downtown Clovis

that has a giant American flag painted on the side.

So...I got the munchkins in their festive wear,

loaded them in the car, along with a cute little wagon prop,

patriotic sunglasses (thank you Target $ Spot), bribed the

oldest munchkin with frozen yogurt, headed out, to find...

Yup.

A car. Parked in front of said flag wall!

Really?

Yup.

And no...that isn't some "fancy" camera filter...

just a VERY dirty windshield. :)

So, being the mom/person that I am,

I was NOT going to let this Honda Civic ruin my plan.

The above mentioned building also has a

red, white, and blue rustic door.

New plan.

Cue the cute munchkins.

Hmmm...my "vision" did not include a

hunched over darling and a cheesy smiling...

if we will call it that...

five year old.

Take two... 

Even more hunched baby...

and even less of a natural smiling five year old.

Could it have been the fact that it felt like we were standing on the sun?

But remember...

I bribed him with frozen yogurt...

so there wasn't a single complaint. :)

Then there was this...

I mean...really?

Since the wagon didn't work,

I thought...let's try them just sitting...

Well...I got one child looking at me...

with freakishly long looking legs...

scrunched up face...

 (but not a complaint...remember the yogurt)

and a super cute baby...

trying to eat her thumb.

But I wouldn't give up...

I kept trying...

with no success...

And then this guy...

He really does kill me!

I was calling it a wrap and decided that

I wanted to try and get a shot of just him.

Here's his pose!

Love him!!!

He is always up for my shenanigans...

especially when frozen yogurt is involved. :)

So...I tried.

As you can see...I will NOT be giving up 

teaching for photography anytime soon...

but I will continue to bribe my children for the chance at getting

some super cute, over the top, festive, thematic pictures. ;)

Lexie - 4 months

4 months.

 Lexie Ann is 4 months old today.

1/3 of the first year is already gone.

Ugghh...slow down little girl!

This month was filled with a lot of

firsts for Lexie.

Her 1st NBA Finals...

which as you can see...

she found quite interesting and 

seemed to love watching it with Chad.

She had her first experience in the elephant barn

during Zoobilation.

You can tell that she was thrilled. :)

Then she seemed a bit worried that one of the 

elephants was going to get her.

Love my sweet girl!

She attended her first graduation ceremony...

preschool graduation that is. ;)

She went in a pool for the first time...

and didn't even seem to know she was in the water.

A deep love formed this month.

The love of her thumb!!!!

I got her a new little seat for the floor...

and she immediately eyed something to put in her mouth!

Oh if I could only know what was going

on in her mind!

I also "pimped" out her car seat...

complete with a fan.

She seems to love it!

(Just to clarify...she is in her carrier in 

her stroller at the zoo

in these two pictures...not in the car...

that is why she isn't buckled.)

As I shared on Facebook...

yup, her shirt says it all!

If you were wondering about Landry...

and how he feels about her...

he still completely ADORES her!!!

One of the biggest "firsts" of the month is that

she figured out how to roll over!

On Tuesday

I had laid her on her playmate on her back,

walked out of the room for a minute,

came back in, and found her like this!

So...after MANY attempts at trying to get it on film...

here is my best shot...

She has it down now and has even rolled from 

her tummy back on to her back...once.

You know what's next...

monthly photo shoot! :)

As you can see...

she wasn't exactly feeling it at first.

Then she found her thumb...but wouldn't look at me.

Then she tried to really let me know that

she was not interested in taking pictures

by hiding behind LionBear...while sucking her thumb of course.

So...like any good mom...

I fed her...and then...

tried again!

She gave me a great shot...

and then was determined to get her thumb...

score!!!

In case you need a smile...

here is a video of the greeting I get every morning

when I go in to get Lexie.

Yup...I am one lucky mama!!!!