Jack's first smile.

While we were in Flagstaff over Christmas this year we managed to catch another leprechaun. A leprechaun is (official Mead definition): a child's first smile caught on film

It was the day after Christmas and Lily was having some fun with Jackie boy. She was playing peek a boo with him, some tickling and hand holding.

Then, it came. He was bubbling over with giggles, little noises, smiles. It ROCKED our world. He was grinning from ear to ear. Everyone in that room was grinning from ear to ear.

Just look at how he is looking at her, makes this mama's heart melt. This boy is SO loved. Everyone is taken in with his charms; relegated to become just another one of his followers. He's like the Bachelor round these parts. Everyone clamoring to be by him, hoping for that time to spend with him. Once they get that precious one on one time, they only have flattering things to say of him. Secretly or sometimes not so secretly praying/hoping for a kiss.

And, lucky them; this boy loves to give some open mouth ones!

Some gentle hand holding.

Notice the boots or should I say boot. While I was packing up our hud (a Chad term that has somehow through osmosis streamed it's way into my vocabulary) Lily took offense to her boots. They were red after all and not her precious pink or purple.

So, unbeknownst to me she flung one of them out of the suitcase. Only to be discovered once we were preparing for our first sledding adventure. It's a good thing I'm so at home with white trash antics. I didn't even flinch an eye at slapping an extra sock on, sticking a glove found in the parking lot over that, some Ziploc gallon bags and topped it off with some duck tape. Bam. Ready to go.

I know I know, I go on and on about how important it is to me that my children love each other and value those relationships. But it is! So, capturing this moment on camera is precious. Seeing Lily get to play the older sibling role and loving on her precious Jackie (pretty much the only thing she calls him)is amazing.

. . .Jackie no wlove youd Jaackie wlove wiLily.

She sings it loud and proud almost daily around these parts, but now without the accompaniment of a guitar--that's already broken.