Sweet Pea (Strained, that is)

So, this is Boston at 6 months.
She's graduated from her cry/scream/eat/sleep/scream/scream/scream routine and moved on to developing some personality.
Sean and I just love her smile. It actually begins somewhere in her forehead region as the entire area lifts upward, which pulls up her little eyebrows, then gives a little sparkle to her big round eyes, wrinkles up her nose, then finally pulls the corner of her mouth up into a little smirk that pushes up the apples of her cheeks. But the smile hasn't finished it's work until it stretches into a full gummy grin (which is sometimes accompanied by a cute little gurgle).
Ah, it's good to see her smile...especially since the more she's smiling, the less she's screaming. And if you've been around Boston much, you know what I'm talking about.

Check out some more pictures of Boston, Berkeley, and Brighton in our new surroundings this Spring (which is much nicer and less north pole-like than it was in the winter):
https://picasaweb.google.com/seanjuliesmith/WebAlbumSpring2011?authkey=Gv1sRgCMy5s8q6hoi94QE

Berkeley's Progress!

With 3 physical therapy sessions under her belt, Berkeley is ready to tackle new challenges! Her therapist told me that during her session today she stood up, with no support, for 12 seconds! We are thrilled. You can tell she's proud of herself. She hasn't started speech therapy yet, but she is making all sorts of new sounds, trying out new words, and doing more sign language. Her favorite sign at the moment is "cracker." She's getting so good at it that I sometimes have to tell her "no more crackers!"  or else she would be signing and eating and signing and eating all day long. :)
Here are some pictures of our family from February (maybe a few January in there, too):
February photo album

Snowiest Snow Day EVER!!!

This has been a record-setting snowfall! We've been in awe of the massive pileup of snow around us! I ventured out in the snow...up to my knees at some points...and got a few pictures of the house and neighborhood.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=326609&id=745472353&l=3b42134dc8

If the video works, it is of Berkeley eating snow off her mitten, "bear"ing an uncanny resemblance to Pooh Bear eating honey off his paw. Oh, and Brighton is in the background speaking in her own made up language. Could this be a sign of genius, or just another way to confuse her mama?

Saturday Night Transplants

The Smiths are officially relocated. It has been a pretty wild ride, and it's not really over yet, but we're functionally settled in our new house and getting the hang of living in Fayetteville. 

Here are a few things that have changed for us:

1.Church on Sunday morning...that's weird! It turns out that doing something consistently for 8 years can be habit forming. We felt a little restless on our first Saturday night here...missing Restoration Community Church...we loaded up the whole family and went to the mall, of all places! The next day it just didn't feel natural to wake up early for church. The 9:30 service at potential church #1 slipped by with us still in bed...followed by the 10:15 service at potential church #2...but we finally rallied the troops and made it [30 minutes late] to an 11:00 service. After all that effort, we thought we'd try out a local restaurant (Fayetteville has some really great local places). After driving to four different places, and finding them all closed because it was Sunday, we ended up at a little place called Chili's. Anyone heard of it?  ;)

2.Berkeley switched to sleeping in the toddler bed. The first night, she slept in the bed the whole night. Hooray for Berkeley! The second night, she slept in...the hallway. No one quite knows what happened there.

3. 1° Fahrenheit...nuf said.

Here are some pictures from the last couple of months...some from Texas, and some from Arkansas, including a few of the new house (yet to be properly decorated, you understand!):

http://picasaweb.google.com/seanjuliesmith/WebAlbumJanuary2011?authkey=Gv1sRgCMvRsqnfuYvsAQ

The Smiths Big News...

Some people think this is good news, and some people think it is bad news...what you think about it will depend on two things:
1) where you live   
2)whether or not you like us. ;)

As some of you already know, Sean and the girls and I have decided to make a big family move. We were not looking to move or for Sean to change jobs, but an opportunity came out of the blue. We didn't have much time to make the decision, but after praying, talking, making a zillion pros/cons list, getting advice from others, etc, we decided it was the right thing to do. It was a very hard decision, since we have developed close relationships with people here, and since this is the place that we've started raising our little family of princesses.

Sean is taking a job in Fayetteville, Arkansas, which is where I grew up and all my family is. It's very exciting to think about being around my parents, siblings, friends, etc...but believe it or not, I did not arrange this! Sean will be working with Sport Personality, LLC. He will be doing project management (and other things) for a sports media company. If you are familiar with Sean's sports affiliations, this might be a shock to his system to move to "Razorback Country!"

Sean starts next Monday, and we might be completely moved by Christmas. I wish I had time to see and talk to each of my Dallas area friends and family before we move, but it looks like it might not happen. I just want to thank all of you for loving us, encouraging us, and helping us out countless times. We will miss everyone very much.

To my Fayetteville people...I'm really looking forward to being around you all on a regular basis!

God bless you!
Julie

P.S.

Below is a conversation that Brighton and I had in the car the other day, while trying to encourage her to pray about the everyday things going on in our lives.

Mommy: Brighton, we should pray about some of these things that are happening. Would you like to start?
Brighton: yes...
God, can you help my head feel better?... because I fell off my bed yesterday and hit my head.
...and one more thing...
Do you like Christmas?

Priceless!

(I called Sean to tell him what she said, and he pointed out that God does, indeed, like Christmas...after all, it WAS His idea!)

BOO!

Boston is starting to be more expressive. She's always made funny faces while trying to fill a diaper, but now she is starting to focus in on people a little and sometimes smile! We had a fun halloween and enjoyed getting to take all 3 girls to a church festival. Check out our pictures using the link here (you may have already seen the first half of this batch, but there are lots of new ones, too!): http://picasaweb.google.com/seanjuliesmith/WebAlbum2010October?authkey=Gv1sRgCNvB5YyTg5OEnQE