The Making of M.O.M.

Some Moms do the Christmas Eve photo in front of the Christmas tree with all the kids in their Christmas pajamas. I'm not one of those Moms. In fact, despite that I really enjoy taking photos, it's rare that ask my own children to sit and take a photo all together. And getting myself in the picture is even more rare.

For whatever reason, Easter is the one time a year I hand off the camera and ~~force~~ ~~beg~~ ~~coerce~~ bribe my kids (and husband) into taking a yearly family photo. It rarely ends well (and by well, I mean that we are all perfectly posed and I've not issued threats or made unreasonable promises), but it always makes me laugh. At least, afterwards. Many years afterwards.

It also appears to be the one thing that Lucas hates most on the earth. Olivia, on the other hand, has always rocked the Easter photo. I'm guessing it's her favorite holiday, ever. Besides her birthday and Christmas and whatever holiday is exactly next.

Easter 2010 can be found here on my blog. It's hilarious. But for comparisons purposes, here's a quick picture.

That would be itty bitty Ella on my lap next to Olivia. Goodness

Easter 2011 was apparently not blogged about and this is probably why:

The best one we got that year features our dog's back. Again, LUCAS. He's probably mad because he's wearing the exact same sweater vest that he wore the previous year. Fashion is clearly his thing. Or not. Seeing as how he's worn the same pair of jorts for the last week.

Easter 2012 things seemed to go a big more smoothly.

That's teeny, tiny Abigail on my lap.

You know, except for Lucas. At least Olivia is rocking it out. And Aaron. Clearly they were being bribed with excessive amounts of candy. Momma had a newborn. Momma was tired.

Easter 2013 apparently did not exist because I have no photographic documentation of it. Not even looking back through all the pics from my phone. So weird.

Which brings us to this year. Easter 2014. I knew I wanted a pic of all of us. My parents, my two grandmas and all the kids. Please note Lucas' over sarcastic smile because it took several photos of him not doing pointy, happy fingers at the camera, or throwing up some sort of gang symbol or staring off into the yard in the opposite direction.

23 photos later, grandparent photo: check. I mean, one kid out of 8 isn't looking but LOOK AT ABIGAIL. The cute. I can't even handle it.

And then, I politely asked Abigail to remove herself from my Mom's lap and sit with me for a nice family photo. She also loved that idea. Or not.

Okay, Abs, please just stop before you upset your baby sister.

Well, at least Lucas is happy for once.

I hope your Easter was a scream.

Somehow it happened.

This baby girl grew into a big, beautiful three year old.

And girl, is she a mess. Independent, determined, full of know-how (or so she thinks), nothing stands in her way if she's decided to do something. And as much as that drives me crazy, on some level, I totally understand. After all, she's the 6th of 7 kids ages 8 years and younger, she needs some fight in her!

Luke and Grace both say I let her get away with may more than anyone else has. It's true. Not because she's my favorite. Or even because because of her incredibly cute self (okay, maybe that is true just a bit). But I think I've learned some things over the years of motherhood. Yes, it's important to win the big battles with your kids. It's important for them to know who is in charge. But you know what? I don't have to prove that with EVERY battle. And with my determined little girl, I'd be fighting A LOT of battles if I did.

She's lively. Hilarious. Energetic. Full of personality. Affectionate. Head strong.

And now. She's THREE. That's so hard for me to wrap my head around. I think somewhere in my mind I have frozen her at about the same age as Abigail. That'll be healthy when she has her own kids, I'm sure. (That's a joke. Laugh people.)

The girl loves animals. So for her birthday we went to an animal park where you can drive through and feed animals. She was beside herself with joy.

But don't be fooled by those stunning blue eyes and gorgeous blond locks of hair. This girl was born to live in the country (despite the fact that we live well within city limits). On Sunday, God provided a miracle and we had all the children up and dressed well before it was time to load up for church. So we sent them outside for a few minutes. Ella is notorious for peeing in the yard. I saw her squatting from the window and I flew outside to tell her sternly that we DO NOT PEE IN THE YARD! (Especially since our yard is visible from a pretty major roadway through town - particularly driven by many members of our church on Sunday morning - Ahem).

With equal determination she said right back to me, "I DID NOT PEE! I pooped!"

Yes. In the yard. And she executed well, I might add. Not a trace of evidence of her, um, performance was on her or her clothes.

Crazy determined and Olivia's "bes fran." She's one of a kind. A total comedian and always in the mix of whatever is going on (which was exactly what she wanted to do when she was just a baby too).

At three years old, Ella loves her morning sippy of coffee juice, to watch Go Diego Go! or Dora the Explorer. Recently, she's be on a Team Umizoomi kick, too.

She loves to dress up, ride her stick horse "Pepper" and she can swing like a crazy lady. She loves sweets and just this morning I had to stop her from squeezing (another) helping of chocolate syrup into her gaped open mouth.

She can sort of spell her name outloud "E-L-A. Ella!" and she can count to ten with ease. She and Olivia share a room and Ella sleeps on the bottom bunk. Well, sometimes. Okay, really they switch about every night.

She LOVES shoes and just recently retired a pair of "flashlights boots" (the ones that light up on the toes when she walks) for a brand new pair of PINK cowgirl boots that MeMe and PawPaw got her for her birthday. She adores pink and every.single.meal she wants a pink cup, pink fork, pink plate. OR ELSE.

I have no doubt that God will use this daughter of ours to teach us a thing or thousand about patience, grace, mercy and perseverance. In fact, he already has.

Happy Belated Birthday my sweet Ella Joy! I love you so very much.

Click here to read about Ella's birth

To see Ella's first birthday

To see Ella's second birthday