EPL - TWO Years Old

Two years ago today we were bringing our sweet girl home for the first time. Wide eyed and having no idea what to expect, we braved parenthood, learning as we went. Now our sweet girl is TWO and we have had an amazing weekend celebrating her. So much has changed over the last year. Our sweet girl went from being a babbling baby to a full blown, world exploring toddler. The way that she takes on the world never ceases to amaze me. She is strong and adventurous. She is loving, sweet and so beautiful and since the day she was born I can't help but look at her with pride.

1. She's got one heck of a personality.
She is one energy filled, passionate little girl. Everything she does, good and not so good, is done with 100% effort. Whether she's testing her limits and climbing into her brother's bassinet for the 20th time, creating masterpieces on our walls and wood floors or singing and dancing to her own beat, she's got the entertainment department in our family under control.

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Because why not wear a swim suit and practice walking in wedges during winter?

 2. She's loving.
She shows this most in the way that she loves the people around her. She has a fondness for her family and loves when she is able to spend time with them. If she has a visitor one day, the next day she wakes up asking for them, wanting to play with them just like she did the day before. There is one special little guy, that I feel like she has had to learn to love over the last few months, her baby brother. He rocked her world, but slowly she has gotten used to the little guy and I love that she wakes up wondering where he is and wanting to give him kisses. Some of the sweetest things I have seen her do involve her brother. Like when we are driving and he starts to fuss and she says things like, "Don't cry brother," "It's OK brother," and of course telling me that he needs his binky.

3. She's so smart.

The way that her vocabulary and comprehension has shaped over the last year amazes me. I love that I can communicate to her and at times have a full blown conversation. She knows when someone is happy, sad or scared and loves to give hugs and kisses when she feels like she has hurt someone or that someone is hurting. She loves reading books and there are few books that she pretends to, "read." She doesn't get the words quite in the right order, but she knows which words go to which pictures and I think that is just awesome. She mimics Mommy's actions in the kitchen, telling me when things are too hot and to wait, "two minutes," when she is cooking and if her baby is crying, she feeds her baby just like Mommy feeds baby brother. It's the sweetest.

Pondering life.

4. She's strong.
I mean this quite literally. She falls and gets right back up and knocks her head on the table like it's nothing. Although at night she does ask for booboo cream [lotion] for her knees. I think this is because Mommy has been putting auqaphor on brother's eczema at night. At swim class she always shows off her muscles when she is holding onto the side of the pool by herself and pulling herself up out of the water. In gym class she is working so hard to hold onto the bars and braving the balance beam all alone.

She may have cried a bit when she got this booboo face, but you should have seen the sidewalk!

5. She's my girl.

Although I have two little ones in my life now, she's my girl. She's my shopping buddy and snuggle buddy. She's Mommy's little helper and I hope, at least for right now, that I'm her best friend. Raising her has been one of the most exciting challenges in my life. She has taught me to be more patient, kind and loving, because how can I expect her to show others those qualities if I don't teach them to her. She makes me want to be a better me and to slow down and embrace all that these moments have to offer. She [and her brother] are my highest calling right now. To teach and love and to nurture their souls. That is what is important. Showing them the love of their Heavenly Father is my job and it's one that I don't take lightly. She's my girl and I'm her Momma and I love having that title.

Happy Birthday Sweet Girl.

Soy Bean - THREE Months

Our sweet baby boy turned three months old last Thursday. The last few weeks have been a whirlwind of activity. Between trips home, me starting back work and Shawn busy as ever, we have been on the go almost constantly. I feel like the holidays are funny that way. It's the one time of the that everyone really wants to be able to slow down and savor, but instead it's nothing, but hustling and bustling about. Throw in a December birthday and it's a recipe for one of the most magical times of the year to just fly by. With that in mind I am working on really being present in the moment and soaking in every detail of my little ones. Enjoying the day to day and finding and doing the things that bring me joy. And since we are talking about joy, I think it's time to pause in order to brag about my little man, so here goes!

Our boy is SO happy. He may be the happiest baby I have ever met, and lets face it, I've met a lot of babies. Of course, now that I say that he is probably going to start showing himself while out in public, so I'll cover myself, by saying that he does have his fussy moments. Honestly though, I could probably count them all on one hand. He really is such a sweet boy. He loves to smile, coo and blow spit bubbles. He is starting to chuckle a bit, but we haven't had that full blown belly laugh just yet. He is getting stronger and holds his head up pretty well and I think we are getting closer to rolling over. Maybe in the next few weeks or so. He's a big boy, but I wouldn't call him chunky. He's long, so he carries his weight pretty evenly. I'd say he is passing the 15 pound mark and he is wearing 3-6 or 6 month clothing and size 2 diapers. He nurses every 3 hours during the day, although most days I have been doing more of an "on demand" style of nursing, and only wakes up once to eat during the night. Little man started swim lessons just like his sister and so far has been a prize pupil. He seems to love being in the water and last week he looked like he was going to fall asleep just floating in the pool. Swimming, along with bath time, talking to big sister and laying on his play mat are some of his favorite activities. He doesn't like being put down, this boy loves to cuddle and when he is in a "hold me" mood he makes THE saddest face when you try to lay him down, and he's not a big fan of being burped. That's probably because he almost always has a wet burn, although he doesn't spit up much at all. {He literally spit up as I was typing those words.}

So, with 3 months under my belt as a Mom of two I think things are going pretty well. I told myself I wanted to "have it together" by 3 months although I am not sure exactly what I meant by that. For me personally I still have some baby weight to loose and there are definitely days that I feel like I am winning at being a Mom and others that I am just making it to bed time. I'm working on showing grace to my kids and grace to myself. I don't have to have it all together all the time and I certainly can't expect a nearly 2 year old and a 3 month old to be in perfect harmony all the time. We're figuring this family of four thing out one day at a time and I can only hope that with each day that passes that I am not just a better Mom, but a better wife and person. At the end of the day, I just want my family to feel safe and to feel loved, but most importantly to feel the love of their heavenly Father in all that I do.

{His first Thanksgiving, swim class with Daddy and big sister and a family trip to Christmas town.}

Happy Monday Friends.