Cherishing Aly

This is a self portrait. Why, you ask? Because as I sit here rocking my sleeping baby I keep thinking I never want this to end and yet I know it must. Aly is 7 months tomorrow and I am sad it is going by so fast. She'll be crawling any day and I am sad that this baby stage is coming to a close. I love the next stage of walking and taking and her little personality emerging but right now I just want to freeze this moment. It's so real to me how fast it all goes-after all the house is quiet because Dylan and Kate are in school all day and Madi is at preschool. How did that happen? I remember thinking the days of Dylan as a challenging 3 year old would never end but now I sit with baby #4 thinking this could be the last. So when I saw my iPhone and thought maybe if I snap a picture it will help solidify this motherhood moment. Aly, I want you to know I love you and adore this time we get together. You have been pure joy to me since you arrived. I love you.

Aly & Poppa

Poppa Roger and Aly are pals! Poppa adores Aly and Aly thinks he's pretty funny. I am grateful that Nana Sandy and Poppa Roger are so close and so involved with the kids. 

True to BYU!

Dylan shared his BYU hat with Aly and it was too cute to pass up. Ben and I took Dylan and Kate to the BYU v. U of WA game. It was a great time. Kate says she wants to go to BYU and be a courgarette. Watch out boys!

Chillin' in the tub.

Chillin' in the tub.

There is nothing sweeter...

Nothing sweeter than a sleeping baby.

Cute, clean baby

Aly loves her bathtime. She especially loves seeing herself in the mirror. What a sweetie she is!

How do I love thee...

Let me count the ways! I could kiss this face all day. What a sweet girl Aly is. We are so in love with her!

Just darling!

Aly is such a happy baby. This is her general disposition. Ben doesn't like when I put bows on her but I think she is adorable.

Aly's first modeling session

Of course, it is no surprise that Kimberly (www.tiltphotography.com/blog) captured many darling images of our new little Aly. She is so talented. Here are just a few of the adorable pictures that Kimberly took of Aly on her one week birthday! THANK YOU KIMBERLY!

First Pictures of Alyson Rose

When we started this blog a few years ago we guessed that the day would come that the blog's address, http://www.benandkimplus3.blogspot.com/, would need to be changed, and it has indeed come. With the arrival of Alyson Rose, or Aly, as we call her, we've changed the blog to BenandKimPlus4. While we are not 100% sure that we are done, we are pretty confident that this blog address will last us some time.

Here are some snapshots of Aly from the hospital. There will be more to come when I have more of the following--time, sleep, energy, motivation, uninterrupted creativity, etc., . . . you get the idea.

We are all doing well as we adjust to our "new normal." Aly is beautiful and sweet. Dylan adores her. Kate is glad to have another sister and Madi occasionally gives her kisses and not-so-gentle pats on the heads. It is great to have Ben home to help out. I am getting spoiled having him around.