Marshmallow-ey Delicious

About once a week, we let one of the big kids stay up a little after the others go to bed and that one gets "special time" with Mommy and Daddy. Last night, it was Ashlee's turn.

Ashlee's #1 favorite thing is anything involving a baby, but since all the babies were asleep (well, sorta...Baby Girl horned in on special time) we opted for Ashlee's #2 favorite thing, EATING.

Yes, my little 26 pound Drama Queen can pack away some food. She almost eats as much as Elizabeth and Lucas combined. It's a sight to behold.

So, last night we decided to roast marshmallows. (I just got spell checked for marshmallows...why is there an "a" in mallow? Don't we pronounce it "mellow"?)

Ashlee LOVED the 1 on 1 attention, or rather 2 on 1 attention, and even more the candle and the 'mallows.

This first one hardly made it through the roasting process. You can see full cheeks and another ready to be roasted.

We are all coming down with a cold and at one point Ashlee coughed and blew the candle out. Luke and I got a good laugh, but Ashlee didn't think it was quite as funny. She wanted us to relight the candle immediately and insisted,

"No guys! Don't waf. Dat not funny!"

Which of course, made us laugh harder.

I thoroughly enjoy our special time with each of our kids. With so much going on during the day, I often feel as though we don't get to adequately give them our undivided attention. Having "special time" helps tremendously. And before you think we stole this idea from Jon and Kate Plus 8, just know that we did this LONG before I was ever addicted to that show!

Here are some pics from our "special time" with Ashlee. Hope you have a 'mallow-ey day!

Dad showing Ash the proper roasting techniques. He was a boyscout after all, and last night I heard about a mystery "roasting badge." I'm gonna have to google that for verification.

Blowing out Daddy's 'mallow. We only did this 17,356 times. Each time she'd blow it out, she'd immediately say,
"Do dat again Dad!"


Perfecting her technique.

Baby Girl's New Case Plan

I just got an email from one of our social workers. Praise God! They are recommending Termination of Parental Rights (TPR) and Adoption for our sweet Baby Girl!

We return to court this coming Monday, January 12th and at that time they will make the recommendation to the judge.

I can hardly believe this is happening so quickly. Still yet, the judge could rule that it be a concurrent plan (that means still reunification and the beginnings of TPR) but the fact that DSS is moving her case along so quickly is amazing.

We WILL have to face birth mom in court on Monday, it's a sure thing. So please be in prayer that I won't cry right there in front of her.

On another note, guess who's 7 months old today?

When we got him he looked like this:

(I can show you this now because he looks NOTHING like this)

But now he's a big, fat, happy (and currently sleeping..thank God) baby boy who is desperate to sit up and now holds his own bottle!

This 7 months has flown by so fast.