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Ivy is three! Ivy's birthday fell on Easter this year. So did cousin Simon's. (My mom tells me Easter won't fall on this date again for well over 200 years!) My littlest one is three now. I can't believe that! How does this keep happening? Birthday after birthday after birthday they all keep getting older!

Because her birthday was on Easter, my brother Warren and his family were here as well as Nathan's family. They stayed with my mom and when our family joined them, there were 10 of the 11+ grandkids together! (there are two more "in the works") Our boys had a great time with their cousins, who are all boys. Uncle Warren got them Nerf guns to join the Nerf guns his boys had brought and the boys ran around shooting everything and everyone in sight. That is, when they weren't jumping on the trampoline!

Aunt Elise found the perfect gift for Ivy: pretty, fancy dress up clothes.
Ivy put those on first thing this morning and took a while deciding whether or not it would be worth it to change her outfit to play in the surprise snow we got today! (Eventually, the snow won) She has them back on again now, though! Nathan, Elise and Simon are staying on a bit longer because Nathan is going to do some work in my mom and Dad's house. In fact, he should be here any time now to borrow some of the power tools he will be needing.

Warren and Lynn and the boys have already headed home. I already am missing their new baby, Lincoln. Besides being such a little doll, he is just the perfect cuddling baby! Squishy and soft and weighted just right... Hmmm..... :-) I am sure Lynn and Warren are glad to get home, though, because the normally happy Lincoln was feeling a little out of sorts while they were here. Maybe he's just a home-body.

The boys loved the baby too. Particularly Max and Vitali. ( I wish I had a picture of them with him...Lynn?) I wonder how much, if any, contact they have ever had with babies? Max would hold him so gently and sweetly and say, "Baby. Be nice." While petting Lincoln's baby soft hair. Vitali would hold him and when Lincoln started crying, I asked him if the baby liked him. He answered confidently, "Da!" I didn't ask Lincoln...
Posted by Melissa E. at 3:01 PM 
Everyone looks so nice. I'm sorry that we missed Easter with you all this year. It was good to see our friends, but it would have been nice to see all of you too. I guess I need to work on that being in two places at once thing:) Happy Birthday Ivy and Simon. I can't believe Ivy is 3, or that Simon is 2. Everyone grows up so fast. I'm jealous that you got to hold baby Lincoln. I haven't gotten to see him since he was only a few days old.

March 24, 2008 at 5:16 PM 
Nice pictures, Melissa. I downloaded them and might use them on my site too. The one of all the kids looks so good! I just think I should have let Lincoln stand on the grass with me holding his arms...but still it's cute!

We got home last night at about 11:00. Lincoln went right to sleep and slept for 7 hours straight. He has been in the best mood ALL day! I think he knows he is home where everything is familiar. I didn't think it would bother him to be away at such a young age, but it's pretty obvious that he knows he's home. I wish he had been less fussy over the weekend, but I am glad you got to see him. I do have a great picture of Vitali holding Lincoln, but I don't have one with Max. My camera wasn't handy when Max held him. Max did love Lincoln. I forgot to tell you Melissa that yesterday he picked Lincoln up off the floor and started to walk with him...I ran over and grabbed Lincoln (because he was kind of dangling as if he might be dropped any second) and I said, Thank you, Max!" :)

We really enjoyed your boys, Melissa! They are all so sweet and charming. Vitali is everyone's friend and wins you over with his adorable giggle and voice when he talks. Max is just a sweetheart! I felt so sad for him when his ears were bothering him. I'm glad he has a good Mommy and Daddy to cuddle him when he is sick. Misha is always up to something. He looks at you with this half smile and sneaky look in his eyes, I love it! He kept bringing me the gun every time it jammed. He would come to me and say "Jam." He did that about 10 times and then he would just come holding the gun with that smile on his face and I knew he needed help getting it unjammed.

I can't wait to get together again and let the kids play!

March 24, 2008 at 7:01 PM 
What a delight to see the family together...well...almost all of you...
And to think...when I first met your family, it was just your mom and dad, you and Warren. He was about the age of Simon, I think.
What a change!
Kathy and Charlie: God has blessed you abundantly!

I just love Ivy's winky eye!
Such a sweetheart.

March 24, 2008 at 10:20 PM 
Happy Birthday Ivy! :) You're right, they grow up too quickly. Once again, I loved the photos. Especially the ones of the kids lined up like stair steps with Lincoln at the end...too precious! :)

March 25, 2008 at 7:12 PM Nataliya said...

Happy Birthday Ivy! She looks like a little princess!

You have a great looking family! The big family picture is very nice, and the kids picture is just precious!

March 26, 2008 at 1:57 PM Stange Family said...

Ivy is SO cute! :)

March 29, 2008 at 2:28 PM 
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