I'm a budding amateur photographer! (VERY amateur.)

I have been practicing more with our "big" (professional) camera because it's really fun to see how my pictures of the kids turn out. I even got out the flash today and tried it out (pretty unsuccessfully - but Gigi, aren't you proud for the effort??) :) All you photo gurus out there are probably cringing at my pictures, but I've been enjoying myself!

Anyway, Caroline woke up in a good mood today. I gave her probiotics yesterday and special yeast cream, and her horrible diaper rash that she had seems much better. She slept for 13 straight hours last night without a peep!! What an awesome baby. 

I had to go have more cavities filled this morning (numb! UGH!) so Justin watched her. He snapped a few pictures and then I came home and he got a few of me and baby girl. She's a very good subject!

Melt me.

Gotta work on getting the shadows off her face...but still LOVE that smile!

Whoa there, maybe you should wear a camisole, Caroline ;)

Ruffle butts!!

She is SO adorable!!

Justin's picture of our yellow jacket infestation. Irony? I think yes.

Walked in the bathroom today and found this. Really, Jack? IN the sink??!

 We've been trying a few "solids" with Caroline, although I don't think that any have actually made them into her tummy yet. She still has the push-out reflex with her tongue so everything comes back out. Today, I let Jack help me with sweet potatoes. Poor girl tried so hard! We will keep at it :)

Focused.

Trying to get them in...most coming out.

 After trying to eat, we went to play with Jack in his room. The kids get along amazingly well. They laugh and giggle at each other. Jack shows her his toys and how to use them, and she grabs at them as best she can. She laughs the whole time at how silly her big brother is. I love to hear nothing but giggles coming from his room!!

Playing with the Elmo driving game. It's LOUD and she loves it!

Look at how big she is!

 I was trying to work with the flash, so I snapped a few pictures at bathtime. Not the best, but I tried!

Jack loves helping wash her. She's not quite such a fan of that process.

I will continue my efforts and hope to get something better soon!

Summer afternoons.

I've spent a lot of afternoons trying to escape the summer heat (and find ways to wear Jack out.) Our friends Sara, Riley (almost 3), and baby Bailey (2 months old) often do the same, so we all meet up now regularly at the Cupertino library to relax in the shade with the babies and let the big boys run through the fountains. We all have a great time, and most importantly, it wears all the kiddos out for a great night's sleep!

Today was no exception, and I decided to throw our camera and a few cute props into our bag for a mini photo shoot. I had a ton of fun trying to pose Caroline (even though I didn't do a great job) and taking pictures of the kids. The weather was beautiful (as always!) and made for good photos.

The obligatory butt shot.

Sara gave Caroline these awesome glasses. They velcro at the
back of her head and she loves them! (And they look super intimidating.
I mean really, she looks like she's about to take someone out!)

Isn't Mr. Riley man so ADORABLE?!

He's also a very good poser for the camera :)

Sweet baby Bailey.

Jack and Riley running off some energy.

First try...

He's awake!! Adorable!

One of my better shots. Thanks, SuSu, for the outfit. LOVE LOVE LOVE!

Flowers and pearls, what more does a classy girl need?

Jack loves the fountains.

Riley also loves the fountains!

"They are THIIISSSSS HIGH!"

Running boy!

Baby Bailey trying to nurse on Caroline's arm. HAHA.

All the kiddos loving on each other. So adorable.

They are SUCH good big brothers!

We love hanging out with our new "east coast" friends (that we met completely randomly last fall at this very same library. They had just moved from DC.) They live less than a mile away from us and their Dad works at Apple too (as an Attorney)...how weird!? More pictures to come, I am sure!

Another pool day!

We got baby Caroline in the water today. She loved it!

Two kids in the pool at once!

Caroline swimming...sort of.

He's a jumping fool.

Happy girl!

Diving board time!

More diving board.

Just chillin'

A little smile :) 18 weeks old!

"Twisty dive!"

He's a regular diving champ.

Absolutely fearless.

Thank goodness he can swim!

Phew. Hard work for a just-turned-3-year-old.

iPhone Photo Bomb!!!

I just got a chance to clean off my phone of all pictures, so here are a bunch of never-before-seen (or maybe not) pictures of life in the Crosby house over the past 8 months or so. I have captioned some, but it may take me too long to caption all 64...so this is the best I can do until baby girl wakes up from her nap :) 

Jack lost his left ear tube. His right one is still holding on!

"Borrowing" the baby's bed before she was born.

What is this look???

Before he ate his weight in crab and shrimp - at the pier at Fisherman's Wharf, SF.

Giving a sermon at church after music class.

One of the first pictures of baby girl in the recovery room!

Having her hearing test at 2 days old. Jack failed this,
but she passed with flying colors!

One of the first times I got them both to sleep at once!!

Sucking her thumb, about 10 days old.

Sleepytime smiles. Look at how skinny she was then!!

Yes, even my sweet baby girl gets mad sometimes.

First time in the Bumbo!

Sometimes this summer it's been so hot that
she's had to sleep in her skivvies. :)

Jack dumped an entire bag of mashmallows in the heat grate. Sigh.

Playing doctor :)

Enjoying lunch at Cheesecake Factory.

First shots @ 2 months :(

On the airplane to ATL!

Airplane sleepers :)

Being a walrus :)

Beach @ SSI!

Beach @ Seagrove!

G-doc getting a good workout.

Pop-Pop getting some QT with the kiddies.

All the Farrells / Crosbys in one photo! Phew!

Poor Jack had a long day - he didn't get to enjoy one
of the last dinners at Shorty's!

Rescue Jack.

Sesame Street Live at Sea World! (AKA Escaping the heat.)

Watching Olympic swimming :)

At the airport in Brunswick (Sniff Sniff.)

She loves the fish at Petco!

Jack and Spencer enjoying pirate swords. :)

Hand puppets (later discovered these are permanent markers.)

Crying it out. :(

Fountains at the library - he loves!

First taste of rice cereal...

ummm....

Much more interested in her bib than
in the rice cereal. We will try again in a few weeks.