Then and Now

We've taken a picture around the same time every year since 2010 when I was pregnant with Violet. I was worried that it might not happen this year because either we were busy during the daylight hours, Kevin was working, or it was rainy. We almost missed the blooms of our weeping cherry tree, but we squeezed the photo in in the nick of time.

Violet wasn't interested in cooperating as usual - it's funny, sometimes she can be such a camera ham - even asking me to take a photo or video of her, but if she can tell that I really want to take a photo of her she likes to be stubborn. Usually I'll just drop it if she's not into having her picture taken, but in this case it's really important to me. I told her she could keep making mud pies in her bucket of dirt for the photo if she liked or play with Lucy under the tree, but she mostly either turned her face away from the camera or played behind me, little devil.

I try not to get too worked up about it and figure it just helps to illustrate her personality all the more. She's a strong willed and opinionated little girl, and that's just the way we like her, because, well - it's her. I think she gets it from Kevin's side of the family ;)

And then there's our sweet little Lucy - she's so happy-go-lucky I probably could've dumped a bucket of cold water over her head and she'd still be smiling. She loves to be outside and is usually very content to pick dandelions, eat dirt, and ride around in the wagon. I hope that she starts walking soon so that she isn't so filthy dirty all of the time and so that I can put shorts on her. The poor kid still has to wear pants even on very warm days because otherwise her wee little knees would be torn to shreds.

Five years worth of April photos in my trusty green hand-me-down maternity dress:

Five years of growing and raising babies. Five years of being a mama. I love both of my girls so much and I can't wait to see how much they'll have grown by next year. Don't grow up too fast, my girls. xo, Lauren

1. April 2010 - 36 weeks, 2 days pregnant with Violet
2. April 2011 - Violet is 11 months old
3. March 2012 - Violet is 1 year, 10 months old.
4. April 2013 - Violet is 2 years, 11 months old. I am 39 weeks, 6 days pregnant with Lucy
5. April 2014 - Violet is 3 years, 11 months old and Lucy is 1 year old.