Just There

We gave the kids each a disposable camera for Christmas so that they could take pictures of Disneyland.

Yep.

I am just getting around to developing them now. A lot of the pictures are pre-disneyland because (of course) the kids were so excited to use their cameras.

There are several pictures of Joy just in the background. Just hanging out, doing her thing. The adults are all playing settlers. She is wandering around keeping herself entertained.


Just there.

These pictures are from photo booth. (If you don't have an imac, it's a program that you can take pictures of yourself on the computer. It has a bunch of funny ways to twist the picture so it provides many hours of entertainment for children.)

The kids are dancing and singing to some music. She joins in. She just fit right in with all the craziness.






























Joy shakes her booty.
She copies them as they shake and shimmy.

This is a typical event in the life of Joy.

#3 is playing around on the computer.
Joy notices that #3's face is filling the computer screen.
Joy wants to join in on the action.
Joy's sweet siblings always allowed her to play around too.



Love that smile.











The craziness is still here. The kids still sing and dance to the music blasting from the computer. She's just not there.

A Comb Through Memory Lane

So I'm feeling a little nostalgic lately if you can't tell...


Joy's favorite aunt found these pictures from when they were babysitting back in October.

Julianne's favorite way to do Joy's hair.

When Julianne was around, Joy's hair was neatly done usually with ribbons.



I was into the side pony because it was quick and easy.



Then one day her hair was long enough for these braids.



























and we'll never forget her ponies.




But who are we kidding, most of the time she looked like this!


You gotta love that she is clutching that chapstick especially considering that this is only breakfast.

We would play hide and seek and when I opened the cupboard she would say, "Found you!"

The Empty Swing

Last year at this time I gave my husband a much needed birthday gift. Okay so it was a little bit lame but I got him a baby swing. Joy was just learning the wonders of being outside and she had so many willing sibling pushers. Last summer, she spent hours out there. The rest of the time she was sneaking into the raspberry patch or the strawberries.














Now I stand at my kitchen sink and I look out and see the swing blowing in the breeze. Empty. I can't bear to take it down. Besides, it occasionally gets some use when I have visitors. I longingly look out my window and sigh. I wish the swing was filled with Joy this summer. I long to see her sneaking into the berries and playing outside with the kids. I wish she was here to throw a fit when it's time to come inside and I even wish that I was spending the summer potty training. (A wish I thought I'd never have!) It's so hard to think that time marches on. Yet here we are doing summer without her.