Look who's growing up!

My sweet Sophie is growing up so fast! Today we took her to the doctor for a check up and she was 13.15 pounds and in the 33%. At 4 1/2 months she started rolling from her tummy to her back. A little late, because I never put her down when she's awake!

She just started rice cereal this week. So far she really doesn't seem to like it at all, but her big brother and sister love to watch her try to eat it.

Sophie Julieann is the sweetest baby ever! She rarely cries, even when she's sick, and has been sleeping really well at night. Last night she slept from 6:30 P.M. until 4;30 A.M. She is a super giggly baby! We all love her so much!

Sophie is so lucky that she has such a great big brother! He always tries to make her giggle. He stands close to her face singing her name in a high pitched voice over and over again. She loves it.
Tonight Gracie insisted on helping me feed Sophie. Gracie was very gentle and it was very sweet. She would even wipe the drool off for her. Gracie is also really warming up to Sophie. She loves her litte "sitter."

Max had to get in on the action too. They are all so cute. I love their stinky little faces.
I also had to post this cute picture of Gracie with my crown on. She looks so sweet in this picture. She absolutely loves princess dresses and refuses to wear anything else. The crown is perfect for her. Lately she has been trying to use the big girl potty and has been pretty successful the last 3 days. I'm not sure that she's completely ready yet, but we'll keep trying.

Max has been doing super well in school and is really taking off with his reading. It's almost like a little light bulb went off in his brain. He is in the sight word club; which means he knows at least 25 sight words. He knows way more, but who's counting! He is in the ABC club and should be in the numbers club any day.

I am lucky because I get to volunteer at his school and, every time I come, he blows me a kiss and runs to give me a squeeze. He is a very sensitive and sweet boy and he also loves to be the center of attention.

It was bound to happen some time!

Here's a cute picture of the kids playing pirate and pirate princess tonight. They are so cute even when they do this....

Yesterday, while I was working with Max on his homework, Gracie was quietly playing upstairs. I was so proud that she was able to play happily by herself for a minute, until I went upstairs. She took one look at herself and said, "Wow! I look crazy!"

It didn't ruin my makeup and it didn't take much effort to get it off, so I just giggled. Notice the fabulous eye shadow, along with the painted fingernails and hands. She actually got it on her eyelashes and they looked fabulous!

She is definitely my most mischievous child so far. She has caused about 5 disasters this month. I'm just glad this one didn't include bodily fluids.

Ulrich family update!

My little sweet Gracie! The eyes are looking much better since her surgery! We are hoping she won't need another. She refuses to wear her new glasses, which is too bad since she looks so adorable in them!
Dog pile:) Max thought it was hilarious! Sophie didn't love it so much!
Tonight Max asked me, "Mom, what is your favorite thing about me?" He is such a nice boy and I could think about a million things I love about him. He is such a great boy. He always tells me about his friends and everything he likes about them. He likes a girl named Sadie in his class. He thinks she is really sweet and cute. He made her a valentine tonight with a picture of them holding hands. I think we're really going to need to watch him!
OOOH! I love this face! Dirty and all! She is such a sweet heart. Gracie absolutely loves to dress up. I don't know why I bought her normal clothes. She refuses to wear anything but princess dresses. She loves to be Sleeping Beauty right now. For 2 months she would only wear Snow White. She is so sweet. She loves playing make-believe! She will turn anything into a prince or a princess. Gracie is always asking for her prince, which is usually her daddy, but I can also be called into that role. She loves dancing with us in the kitchen, and we have to sing the right song for the right princess or she gets ticked.

Last week she was baking gooseberry pies for us and singing Someday My Prince Will Come, word for word. She is a smart little cookie. I could squeeze her cheeks all day if she would let me.

She loves her daddy and brother so much. Every morning she literally cries if she wakes up and they're already gone for the day. "Where is my 'pince'? Where is my broder Max? Oh no! I want my pince! Max where are you?'" I always feel bad for her. Sometimes though, I can convince that I'm fun too.

Gracie is very girly and loves getting her nails painted. Anytime she puts on a dress she loves she says, "Oh mommy, I'm so bootiful! I'm so pitty mommy! I'm a pincess!"

She loves brushing my hair and calling me the Little Mermaid or 'Punzel'.

Sophie is getting so big! Today she had her 4 month checkup. She was 12 pounds and 9 oz. She is in the 27th percentile for weight and the 52nd percentile for height at 24 inches. She is the happiest, easiest baby! All of my babies have been good, but Sophie is so smiley all of the time! She is so beautiful. Her skin is a smooth olive color and her hair looks like it's going to be dark. She has rubbed most of it off, but when she was born it was pretty long in the back and very dark!

The doctor said we could start her on cereal today, but I'm not quite ready for her to grow up yet so I think I'll wait a week or so! She isn't rolling over yet, but she doesn't mind lying on her stomach. She is a great baby and has been sleeping well for weeks now! She sleeps from about 8:30 to 5:30 in the morning. I couldn't ask for more!
My kids are so fun! Things have been really fun since Sophie arrived. Just the last month Gracie has decided she really loves Sophie, and anytime Max tries to get Sophie's attention, Gracie gets mad and says, "Hey! That's my sister!"

Max is the best big brother ever! Just last week we took Gracie to a gymnastics class and Gracie was having a hard time concentrating so I had to help her. Max just took over with Sophie and entertained her for a half hour! He didn't complain at all. I was so proud of him. He is very helpful around the house. He will grab anything for me, entertain Sophie or Gracie, and keep us laughing the whole time.

Life is great! Mike is working a lot and traveling a lot. Like always, but last year he was the top first year agent in the NATION! I am so proud of him and how hard he is working for our family. In a few years all his hard work will pay off. s the kid of the

I am loving YW's. I love being busy with the kids and the young women. My house isn't always as clean as I would like it, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I spend a lot of time snuggling my kids while they watch their favorite shows, or while we read books. Luckily, things have been working pretty smoothly while Max is at school so I can spend one on one time with each girl. I feel so blessed!

Max is the kid of the week this week! It's so fun to see him get so excited. I will post pictures of his poster later!

DISNEYLAND for Christmas? Yes please:)

The day after Christmas we headed out to Las Vegas! We stayed in the South Point and played at the arcade and ate and steak n' shake. Max loves Las Vegas and wishes we lived there, because they have a hotel with a movie theater and a bowling alley!
Gracie and Sophie were asleep for most of our vacation. I'm just glad they were so good. Gracie had a few moments, but for the most part they were both angels! The last day of our vacation we went to Mission Beach. It was fabulous! Max loved the beach! He was in heaven! It was freezing cold, but he didn't seem to mind at all! We had to pull him away when he was shivering!
Pure heaven!!
The kids loved the beach so much. Sophie also enjoyed watching them splash in the waves!
Gracie loved all the attention she got from my brothers and sisters! She definitely didn't have a shortage of attention while we were vacationing!

These are the only pictures I got at Disneyland. On the bus after our long day! It was absolutely PACKED! It was fun and we were exhausted at the end of the day! Sophie was safely bundled all day in the front pack and Gracie loved the Little Mermaid ride!
The kids passed out when we got home. Nothing is cuter than sleeping children after a day of fun!


Our second night in San Diego we walked around the Gas Lamp District and ate some yummy Chinese food. Overall, it was a really fun trip and the kids were fabulous!

Christmas Time!

Let me just say our children are extremely spoiled! They got so many presents from Grandma's and Grandpa's, mom and dad and Santa! Max got a Shark Attack boat that he had been asking for for months.
Sophie just got a few fun things. She is such a sweetie!

Gracie got a play princess kitchen and lots of Disney figurines.





They were so cute waiting for the cookies to finish baking. I love these kids!

Decorating was more about eating the frosting!
Gracie couldn't pull a normal smile. She was loving every moment!
Every toy she opened had to be opened immediately!
The shark attack boat. The moment he opened this I knew it was worth every penny. His reaction was priceless!
Too dang cute! They were so excited about their p.j.'s. I think they were their favorite presents of all. They have already worn them a million times. We are so very blessed to have beautiful children that are sweet! They are so much fun!