Oops I left Mike out of November

Well gosh, I almost forgot that Mike also had a birthday in November. I'm sure we did something super fun to celebrate, it's just that it's now March 30th  and I can't remember.

But Mr. Mike Balle is #1 dad and spouse. 

There are lots of #1 dads and husbands out there and I'm so glad, because the world needs them. Just today Mike and I watched a little video clip showing a dad putting his baby to bed. While the video played the words across the bottom told different statistics about girls and boys who grow up without a dad. This dad in the video laid his baby in the crib, she cried and stood up, he laid her down, she cried and stood up and soon enough he crawled right into the crib with his baby girl. I'm not saying dads have to do that, but it was just making a strong point. He got in there and that baby laid right on his chest and fell asleep. The struggle of him getting out from under her to get out was funny, but it was an awesome depiction of a dad really being there in his child's life. 

Mike is definitely the better parent. He is willing to play house with Emery, football with Ivan, Power Rangers with Jack and whatever else with baby Kate. He works harder than I ever want to in his profession. He is good to his mom. He is good to me. He is true to his beliefs. He helps take care of the house. 

He creates a very good life for us all. 

We love him

  You would think that since we love him so much we would have a thousand fun pictures of him..... and I can't find a single one. (execpt these two). 

Shoot. 

Note to self- take more pictures of the man we love

Happy Birthday Mike

Kate's spotlight

Kate LaVer Balle
Our big two year old is STILL so much fun. You think you'll never forget how cute your kids are at each stage, but I'm so sad as I look back on my other kids and I can't really remember them so little. I wish I could video every move she makes.

She loves to draw and I love it how she lays down on her belly to do so...

She likes her books

and to copy the older kids

She loves her baby dolls

and real babies

She likes to get into Emery's toys

She gives the best hugs and kisses. She cleans up her messes, she loves to dance, she's started to want friends, so lately (i'm writing this in march) she'll come out in the morning and say, "mom, you text my friend come over." For a while she would repeat the things I say in a question. So if I said, "ok lets get you dressed." She'd say, "lets get me dressed?"  She says, "thank you mom" when I do things for her and "excuse me." when she burps or gets in the way. I don't know if it's from Christmas or her bday, but she wants to know who gave her what. So if I pull a shirt out of the closet she gets excited and says, "who buyed me this?" or "did grandma get this for me?" When we are headed out the door she says, "I need to nurse real quick." I could go on and on. 

Mainly everyone just wants to be snuggled in with this girl.

She is our little doll face!!

NOVEMBER

More football

Ivan's team took 1st in the playoffs

Mike had Lasik

Kate turned two

my side

 Mikes side

 Thanksgiving at Jamie's. 

I had to take pictures because it looked so nice and her house is so pretty. I must figure the decorations are more important than the people, see how I have no people in the pictures.

We got the tree up before December

Kate is cute