What'a you lookin' at?

Tough guy.

Happy 2nd Birthday, Genevieve!

Genevieve is 2! She has been patiently waiting for her birthday for weeks now...well, someone's birthday, at least. This girl looooves birthdays...Loves singing about them, loves blowing out pretend-candles, loves birthday cakes. And I, as any doting mother would, wanted to make her birthday special while still keeping things simple, as she is just 2!

Enjoying her birthday breakfast of:

Baked Oatmeal Brulee. This was an AMAZING birthday-cake subsitute, since we were celebrating in the morning before Philip left for work. It had sliced bananas (Genevieve's favorite), with a sprinkling of brown sugar put under the broiler (hence, the Brulee), and a Peanut-Butter "Icing" on top, made of plain yogurt, maple sugar and peanut butter. Boy, was it gooood. And quite a hit with the girlies.

Showing off her new jewelry to dad. Yes, I broke down and bought her silly bands and kid's necklaces and bracelets so she would stop putting tiny hair-bands around her wrists and cutting off the circulation! All that to say, when she opened this gift she gleefully shouted "Rubber Bands!".

Enjoying her new wooden birthday-cake set, complete with candles and toppings. The girls have already had countless birthday-parties all over the house since this little gift came along. :-)

The birthday girl in her birthday-hat, with her sweet cousin Isabelle who came over later in the day to wish her a happy birthday and bring a present. Thanks, Isabelle!

And to conclude: some sweet and true words about little Eve that her father wrote in a letter to her to commemorate her 2nd birthday:

"Yesterday was your birthday. You turned two - a girl with a proper head of yellow hair, now, and opinions of your own, even if, to me, you still feel like a little bag of apples when I pick you up. I remember when you were born. You were a month early, and I think I got used to thinking of you in those first days as so fragile and delicate that I’ve never quite been able to shake that image, even as you tear around the house, now, climbing any and everything, and fearlessly thwarting whatever plans your sister has for you at a

particular moment."

Yes, you are our dear, opinionated, social, extroverted, joyful little girl. You find friends everywhere you go and are always eager to charm strangers, family, and friends alike. Rather than play with toys, you are much more interested in chatting with me, telling me everything that comes into your little mind (of which there is much!). You know how to make people laugh, and even at 2, you know you can, and relish it. We are so grateful that God gave you to our family, and your sweet and cheerful disposition is a daily blessing to all of us.

All my love,

Mommy

3 months old!

August is now officially out of the sleepy-all-the-time newborn stage, and has assumed his role as dear brother and resident-baby of the family. He continues to be an incredibly laid-back, content and cuddly little boy. We are so thankful for this! Serene, is another word, that fits him quite well. Dream-baby is another that comes to mind. :-) God apparently knew my limitations, and thus mercifully gave me an EASY third child.

At three months old, August enjoys the following:


*rolling over
















































































*smiling and cooing






















*playing on his "activity" mat



















*gazing at his sisters





























*sleeping---you have no idea how much he enjoys this one in particular! He pretty much keeps himself on a three hour routine: he wakes up to eat, stays awake for about an hour, and then conks out for the next two hours, only to start the routine over again, and again. Like I said, he is an easy-peasy baby. Hallelujah!



















We thank God for you, August. You bring sweetness, simplicity, cuddles, and great joy to our lives everyday!

"What have the girls been up to?", you may ask....

for these past two months since baby August came on the scene, and their lives are now forever changed by a sweet baby brother??

Well then, here's a few snapshots to give it to you in a nutshell (since I do have two months to catch you up on).

playing in the rain....


holding baby August...alot

tromping around (alot) in new, authentically-French rain boots

(thank you to jess and joel!)

playing dress-up while watching (probably too much!) tv....yikes.

and, going to church! This is often the big outing of the week, since its still pretty crazy taking all three kiddos out together.

I think we've finally finding our groove these past two weeks, and we're learning how to live life well with three. (The answer is: Doing anything takes a shockingly-long amount of time!) I am definitely reminding myself, "My hands are full - full of blessings." . . . And they are. :-)

Thomas August Sasser

born September 21st, 2010

7 lbs. 7 oz. 19 1/2 inches

Melts my heart!

Bed-time stories

Philip enjoys telling Marielle bedtime stories. Marielle enjoys hearing these stories, especially because the heroine of the story is always...Marielle!...not to mention Genevieve as her trusty side-kick, of course. I usually hear about these stories the next day while Marielle is playing in her room and re-enacting the events of said-stories, and even while we're driving in the car. I usually hear things like, "But, Mom, I want to go into the forest with Robin Hood and climb the trees with him." Or, "Look, Mom, there's a clock-tower, just like the one I fixed for Mr. Eugene!"

Here's our enraptured student, and her sage:

Casino Night at the Sasser's