way too many pictures

i've been trying to capture cute little moments using the good camera rather than my phone

so i've kept our camera out the last few days and it helps remind me to grab it when the moment arises

i am having a really hard time narrowing them

but i suppose i'd rather post a million pictures than forget the cute moments

i love the stages our kids are in

 hazel and eleanor have a really special relationship

hazel is like a little mommy and eleanor loves her

they sat this way for at least 20 minutes 

 eleanor thinks she's so awesome when she makes her way into the doll stroller

 noah loves to be in the front yard

olive wore this (too-big) dress up dress all day a few days ago

i love these pictures of her holding her dress up so she can move

 mid-air

 spinning

 glowing in the sun

 this bouncy ball was a prize noah got at school

 hazel was busy coloring inside but she came out long enough for me to take her picture

 eleanor has turned in to such a daddy's girl lately

and she loves to greet him when he gets home

it is the absolute cutest to watch her little arms flap as she runs all the way to him!

 the girls did some leaf art this morning

and then needed to paint

 it's their favorite

 this was right before we loaded in the car for ballet

and eleanor insisted on bringing my shoe

and olive brought like 3 blankets

(aren't eleanor's new moccasins the cutest?!)

 just hanging out in an empty toy bin

 the pig pile on dad got a little crazy

 ahhh, he's getting so big! he'll outgrow me before i know it

this doesn't have much to do with anything

but my sister sent me a link to an article written by a woman who's pregnant with her 5th also

and it was supposed to be uplifting for mothers but it felt really negative and defensive to me

i'm lucky that i don't get negative reactions to our pregnancy/family size

and i love, love, love being a mom

it's literally what i've wanted since i was tiny

and it makes me so happy

eleanor loves to snuggle in the crook of my neck lately and it's the best feeling in the world

olive spends as much time with/on me as possible and i'm sure one day she won't

hazel and i are like best friends. i talk with her like i would a girl friend and she loves to be just like me

noah isn't embarrassed to kiss me goodnight or hold my hand. he still thinks michael and i are the coolest, smartest people

i already love this baby just like the rest

i am sooo grateful to be a mom to these children and i hope it's known that i love this

i don't see it as negative or a burden

it's what i'm supposed to be doing