Our Week in Photos: Sneaker cuteness, Star wars on the tramp and Dandelion love

Hadley turned two on Sunday. She is all sorts of cute (As I type this, she is screaming NOOOOOO! over and over again beside me on the bed, after refusing my many and varied attempts at offering comfort) 

But whens she's not being crazyily, inextricably, intensely emotional, she's seriously adorable. 

There's so many things I want to remember about my sweet girl (I've thought of them a lot  in a loving birthday post I keep composing in my head, but never get to) so I guess I get to quickly write things on here instead. 

Her little (slightly... raspy? it's hard to describe) voice is my favourite. She talks soooo much more than any of my boys did at this age (and is so much smaller), She's constantly surprising me by the words she knows. Her little "oh-tay" when she's in a nice compliant mood (she's still crying on my bed right now) ..... 

Okay! okay! I took a break, cuddled her, while she fought me off and finally started to calm down (watching videos of herself), went and picked up kids from school, and taught a couple piano lessons and have a little window of time before I dish out leftovers to my family for dinner:)

What was I saying? Oh yay. Hadley's cute. 

When you ask her where something is, she does this little hand gesture and says, "I doun know!" But if she spots it, get a huge grin "Dare it is!!!!" So pleased with herself (she already keeps better track of and remembers where she puts her things, 1000 times better than my boys ever have/probably will. #girlskills

 This little photo shoot really was prompted less by here upcoming birthday and more by these adorable sneakers. I was sorting through her clothes, trying to see what she needed for summer, when I came across these shoes, which I remember buying "sooooo big" and they barely fit?!?!? the rest of her wardrobe might be quite flexible size wise (she's wearing a 3-6 month dress today as a shirt and the romper in theis picture is probably 6-12 months) but shoes? nope, once yo miss the chance to wear em, too bad!

 Anyways, I love this girl. With all sorts of deep, ooey gooey feelings, I don't quite feel focused enough to express at the moment. I love that she keeps up to her brothers, while also being protected by them (see? already she's so smart and balanced.... girl powered and feminine, strong and soft, tender and fun).  She's my little buddy. My pal amidst all these lego building boys, who like to answer questions in one word answers. She's the only one who will belt out "Let it Go!" in the van, and who insists on kisses and "real" hugs...she doesn't call then that, but they just have the feeling behind the squeeze, ya know?

I'm just thrilled to see who she'll become.

Cuz I think she's gonna be lots of fun.

 Love you Hadley Girl.

Well. If I get to indulge some of my girliness on Hadley, Ben definitely gets to let his inner0 little boy come out and play with the boys. Which often means buying them things he would have loved to have as a kid, hence all the lego in our house.
Ben's always buyng the boys toys they love...so when Levi showed me a cheap set of lightsabers, I decied it was MY turn. 
The were a hit.

They even connected into one big lightsaber!

 Only caused a few fights....

 Good thing Levi knows how to get right back in there:)

And finally. My kids all know I love dandelions. What I really love, is how easy it is for them to practice showing love, how they get to experience what giving and thinking of another person's happiness feels like. What's not to love about that? Plus they're bright yellow and the only thing I can "grow" and I don't have to feel bad about throwing them out  (very soon after they are so lovingly given to me)

 I was so impressed with Levi's flower arranging focus. He had a vision it was clear.