11 months

Quinn,
Today you are eleven months old. Which means, that in one month, you will have been here for one year.  Which means you need to slow it down a bit.
I know, I know, you can't help it. You see these big kids around you doing such fun, big kid stuff, and it inspires you even more to go faster, climb higher, squirm more....
Eleven months and I hope to never forget-
The way your hair curls around your little ears.

The way it feels when you're tired and you wrap your arms tight around my neck so you can play with my hair.
The muddy color of your eyes as you gaze up at me when you are nursing.
Your screaching squeal.  Actually, you can stop that whenever you'd like. I'm cool with that.
Your little gap-toothed smile when you first see your sister and brother in the morning. 
The way you crawl after your daddy when he gets home from work and then refuse to come back to me.
The weight of your soft body when I rock you to sleep.
I know I won't remember all of the details that I want to remember. But most importantly, I won't forget how you have changed us in less than one year.  Less than one year, and we couldn't live without you.  One day, a long time from now, you'll tell me how much you love your baby and you'll describe the feelings, and I'll nod and tell you, "yes, Quinn, that's exactly how I feel about you."

You are one amazing baby. About to be one amazing toddler. 

I love summer evenings.  Time goes a little slower because night seems to stay away a little longer.  The kids play outside after dinner and bedtime doesn't seem imminent.  Then as the sun goes down, baths are drawn, sunscreen and cholorine are washed away and sweet smelling babies climb into line dried sheets.  Everything's better in the summertime...

 Like late afternoon naps that stretch across hours because after a long swim, it is nearly impossible to peel eyelids open.  (and, for the record, nothing is cuter than little boy underwear. just saying.)

Except maybe little boy feet.

 Two (of many) things that Isabella loves right now: riding the Dora four wheeler that Grandma brought over. And collecting honeysuckle.

 Even the chickens love the summer. So much so, that if you walk out of the garage, you may just run in to one.  We have a little escapee on our hands.

 Watering the garden and learning about pole beans...all at the same time.

Ryan is still trying to figure out how to attach mower blades to that little John Deere.

She doesn't need my help anymore. She is the honeysuckle queen.

 Insert thought bubble: "It feels like bedtime....it doesn't look like bedtime....why am I so tired?"

Little goofball. He posed this himself.  "Mommy, take a picture of me resting on my steering wheel!"

And this led to late night firefly hunting at Mia's house.  Until 10pm.  Some kids took 3 hour naps, apparently I should have as well.  Lightening bugs are flickering away in glass jars in their bedrooms, and they are sleeping soundly tonight.  Happy summer.