Fluttering through the days

I don't know if any other moms have this problem, but it's like pulling teeth to get someone (Lee) to take my picture. There is seriously 1 picture of me with the kids for every 50,000 without. Not that I love getting my picture taken, but I'm worried that when they look back at their childhood photos, they are going to think that I was never there. I'm ALWAYS here, with my little nose behind the camera. I have been thinking about enrolling both Lee and I in a photography class so we can both take better pics, plus it would be so fun to be in a class with him! This one WAS taken by Lee. He saw me trying to balance kids in my lap with one hand and hold the camera far enough away with the other hand to get us all in the picture, it wasn't working out so well. Luckily he came to the rescue. Thanks Lee, smooch!

Here is little "Belly" having some lovely outdoor discovery time. I found 2 whole leaves from our Ash tree in her diaper the other day. She puts EVERYTHING in her mouth. I heard Isaac say "baby no flufflie" last week, and for a moment I wondered what he was talking about. I soon discovered moth wings stuck to her chin. Flufflie = Butterfly in Isaacese, which apparently also means moth. It reminded me of when my mom found my brother Andrew eating dead flies from the window sill thinking they were raisins. Sorry, I hope none of you are eating while you read this! Itty Bitty is trying to be a good sport, though she did claw Belly's face a couple days ago.
This little monster has been driving me batty. How can someone so stinkin' adorable be so stinkin' stinky? He locked me out of the house today as I had my arms full of groceries, purse, Belly, and car clutter. I knocked and yelled and knocked and yelled, and finally peeked in the front window where he was playing with my handmade dolls and laughing at me. The angrier I got, the harder he laughed. Luckily the back door was open, which it usually is locked with a shower curtain rod wedged in the sliding door to prevent late night Isaac escapes. I have no clue how to discipline this kid! What do you do with a naughty boy who is laughing at you hysterically, and doesn't understand English or any other language? We have been raising Monarch butterflies so I thought I'd share some pics.

It is so fun and maybe a little sad to watch them flutter away. I hope they make it to a warmer place before the snow flies! As I watch the caterpillars grow and make their chrysalis, then transform into beautiful butterflies, it reminds me that my children are growing and changing so quickly right before my eyes. I treasure each moment with them because I know they will someday flutter away from me. I just hope that when they do, they will flutter back often!