Leah at 4 and 9 months

1- Look at this picture. Oh what a funny girl she is. The things she says are just downright hilarious. She is confident and definitely can hold her own. Her primary teacher was worried because the naughty boy next to her kept poking her. Leah just turned to him and poked him back. Then folded her arms and looked straight ahead.

2 - She is obsessed with playing with friends. Playing whenever possible with various neighbors. Thankfully they all live within a few doors and run back and forth to each others houses. This one is of her pretending to be married to her friend Connor. Don't worry Logan she still wants to marry you in the temple. Actually her and Eva got in a fight today because Eva thought she should marry Logan.

3- She is so affectionate and loving. To everyone including her family and friends. She takes care of Ronan and is best friends with Eva. I am the recipient of many random declarations of love throughout the day. "Mom you are the best mom ever." This has become a problem with wanting kiss her boyfriends. She told my neighbor Kim, " my mom wont let me kiss boys, but I cant help it I just love them so much."

4 - Leah has a real imagination. You can turn to Leah and say "tell us a story" and she immediately goes into "Once upon a time...." These stories of hers' get really detailed and it's funny to see her mix fact and fiction. She was telling me the other day about Tir-Na-Nog the land of eternal youth in Ireland. She knows that there is a white horse by that name that runs around Ireland picking kids up and taking them to a place where they never get old. She loves to tell Knock-Knock jokes and can charm you into agreeing with her on most things. When she constructs an argument for something she is quite convincing and has a point that is hard to ignore.

Garreth, by Davy

It's 2:09 in the morning as I write this. I couldn't sleep. My mind was being recalled to happier days when my older brother and I shared so many memories, so many adventures and so many ways of styling his mullet. In response to your comments about my emotional and heartfelt declaration to Rachel, I wish to explore my own feelings to you, Garreth my brother. These photos will lead me as I reminisce on your many qualities. Here you are at St.Mungos hospital. Yes, that same hospital from the Harry Potter books. It was a glorious day. The nurses let you go outside for your 10 minutes of sunlight. Do you remember Garreth? It had been so long since they had last let you out. They were still struggling with your last "episode" when you tore of your clothes, ran excitedly around the other "sick"kids and spit on everything that was the color blue. They had just replaced your old glasses with these new, state-of-the-art ones your wearing. They were worried that you would use these new one's as a magnifying weapon like you had against the young Murphy girl in bed 7 of ward 19. She never really did recover from the burns.
Ah yes, your headshot for your modeling portfolio. I remember taking this for you. Your hair, always your best feature you know, was not cooperating that day. It may have been that your precious blue brush had been snapped in half and tossed in the dumpster outside of A&W. Oh, that's right, you went in after it and still used it...I digress. I know how much it hurt you when "Phillips all Man" modeling agency never got back to you.
Here you are after killing Fergal O' Hagan in that knife fight outside of Killarney. He had it coming.
Here you are after final being accepted by "Phillips all Man."It was your big break. This photo, which graced the pages of "Big Bikes, Big Men" from their fall 2006 edition, is what really got you to where you are today. Just look at you cheek position and color! Your smile, tight and strong only serves to compliment your soft, Ray Liotta like eyes.
And finally, your winning routine on the rings when you participated in the 2007 Special Olympics in Sweden. The capstone of an illustrious career and example. I love you Garreth.

Rachel, by Davy

Maybe it's because I'm sitting here listening to the soundtrack to "Once" and feeling very romantic or that we just tied our home opener against Chicago and I'm feeling very introspective..., but I wanted to take a moment and talk to you Rachel. We talk everyday on everyday topics, but I don't often get a chance to declare to the world (and this blog is viewed by the world you know) that you are not only the love of my life and that when your minds made up, there's no point trying to change it....ooh Glen Hansard, you know man, you know. Go get the album to "Once" and you'll know what I'm saying.

Anyway, so you know Rachel. You know what you mean to me and our family. You are the glue that keeps it together. So before I grab you as you sit on the couch right behind me and kiss your passionately and longingly let me tell you why you still and always will make my heart flutter...curse you Glen Hansard!

You can make any experience easy. Here you are 10 minutes before Leah popped out and changed everything. Not the best photo, but I think it captures the fact that you and I had no clue what we were doing. I think about this time of our lives often. So much more simple and so much more empty. Bringing our unbelievable children into this world has given us common purpose and reason. Thank you.

Wow. I forgot about this one. After nearly 8 years and 3 1/2 months, you still amaze me that if I say something like "Rach, jump on that horse" that you'll do it. I think I take advantage of this unique gift of yours more than I should. You make me so comfortable and that is my love language. You speak it fluently.

Dude, you can surf! Remember on our honeymoon in Hawaii and I tried to boogie board with you and the waves took me out instead of in and I screamed like a 7 year old little girl in terror. You were just paddling away like it was nothing. Your so bleedin talented. The kids take after you in this matter. They are much more adventurous than I am. They are just like you.

Dude, you sell houses! After teaching for a couple of years, bearing 3 kids and keeping our house "in order" you start your own little business. Unbelievable...I am overwhelmed and can't keep up. Being impressed by you is too trivial of words. You are freaking amazing. Thank you for sticking around with this ole' lump...is it the free Soccer tickets?

Are you really here or am I dreaming?...curse you again Glen Hansard. You are so beautiful. I am the luckiest guy around. You know that's true after your first visit to where I grew up. I was destined for knackerdom, but you saved me. I always wonder why you chose me. Maybe it was a little luck and we're allowed that sometimes. I love you...

For you people listening in on this, go get the soundtrack to "Once" and maybe you'll sit down and write.

Ronan Turns 1

I cannot believe that my little baby has turned one. It seems like just yesterday we were bringing him home from the hospital. He is into everything, always happy, and very adventurous. He even ate his birthday cake differently from the girls. They were worried about the cake and barely touched it at first. Ronan picked the whole piece up in his hand and started to gobble it down. He kept looking at Dave and I with our cameras and saying, "cheeeese." A new word, he surprises us every day with new things he can do.

Easter

Here are my beautiful kids in their Easter outfits this morning. I didn't get as good of shots as I would have liked to because well we have 9:00 church, need I say more.

California Trip

Dave and I just got back Saturday night from a quick 3 day California trip. Thanks to my parents who watched the 3 kids for us. I about cried when we got off the plane in SLC and I felt the cold air. It was beautiful weather 70's. My top 4 highlights of the trip.
1. Top highlight of the trip had to be the beach. The weather was perfect, the sun on my white arms, sand in my toes. We rented beach cruisers and rode along Newport beach. I thought I think I am meant to live in one of these million dollar beach houses and do this every morning.
2. Wicked - I dont enjoy many things more than a Broadway show. I was amazed and on the edge of my seat. Dave looked over... you really love this sort of things don't you. Yahh I said. He really liked it too.
3. Buying a star map from some bum on Hollywood Blvd. It said these addresses may be where stars lived at one time or they could live there or maybe they will be moving there. We could barely follow the stupid thing but enjoyed driving around some really ritzy beautiful homes.
4. Superman ride at 6 Flags. We were standing in line for 20 minutes just to buy tickets to Disneyland. What are we doing we thought. We went to 6 Flags instead. My very favorite ride shot you from 0-100 in 6 secs. We went straight up to find Superman looking at us. And then flew back down backwards. It was amazing I was shaking when we got off. What fun.

St. Patricks Day

On Sunday the girls got to dress in their Irish outfits or I-lish as Eva says it. Dave and I bought these while I was pregnant with Leah and we were on vacation to Ireland. I get excited for them to wear these every year. On Monday the girls got all dressed up for preschool and playgroup. Sorry again to their teachers who had to deal with the 1$ feather Boas completely falling apart all love their houses. That night we had some friends come over for an Irish meal and my attempt at making everyone sing Irish drinking songs. Everyone left shortly after I made them start to sing. Note to self other people don't enjoy making complete fools of themselves singing songs that they don't know.

Eva Turns 3

Eva turned three on the 4th of March. The poor thing got the fever type of flu for 5 days including her birthday. We still had her party anyway. You can see how sick she was in the pictures. Her only request for her birthday is that she got to ride horses. We went the next Saturday when she was feeling better.

Looking so Big

yada yada yada for some reason the formating is off

I put Ronan on this push bike the other day. We went back and forth in the kitchen and he loved it. Then he tried so hard to get on by himself and finally got on but backwards. I just loved how these pictures turned out. I am in love with baby feet. They are the sweetest soft and those tiny toes. Oh I could just eat them. Alright maybe I took that too far. I always hold my babies feet instead of their hands. But Ronans feet looked so cute touching the ground as though he was pushing himself along the floor.

Ronan Walking

yada yada yada yada yada yada yada yada yada yada yada yada yada yada. About two weeks ago Ronan took his first steps. They were actually to Leah who had her arms open to catch him. After that Eva wanted a turn to catch him. He knocked her over and then both hit the floor. I am starting to think their is a hint of liking him in her behaviors now that he is more fun. Once walking happened then all sorts of trouble has followed. I look over the other day and he is on top of the kids table in the kitchen. I left him there to get the camera hoping that he wouldn't tumble off. But I had to have a picture to prove that one. Learning how to get all the cabinets open came next. And climbing into the pantry on top of my file box was yesterdays trouble. One of his favorite pastimes is to get put up on the couch and crawl back and forth, hang over the edge wrestling with Leah. Luckily he knows how to get off backwards so I dont have to worry about him diving off head first. Althought if he thought it looked fun he probably would