Closer to 30 than 20

And I’m okay with that!

I feel like this picture really represents where I am in my life — the bathroom is the only place I find a moment’s peace. 🙂

3rd Birthday Letter

 
Ella, in her self designed birthday dress. of yellow, green, stripes, pockets and number threes

Dear Ella,

Today you turn three! You’re running around, insisting you’re one so that you and brother can match. Then a little grin creeps across your face and you say that you were “just being silly”.

You are fiercely independent yet still rely so heavily on Daddy and I, for which we are both so grateful. Running ahead down the sidewalk on walks, yet stopping to look for us and wait when you come to a corner. Every item on your body must be approved by you but you are content to pick from the choices I offer. The only thing you won’t be swayed from are the names you pick for your babies. The most recent additions to your menagerie are Glinda and Sushi, both teddy bears. What makes me chuckle is how appropriate Sushi’s name is –he’s a panda bear!

The transition you’ve made from toddler to preschooler has been one so gradual, I didn’t notice until yesterday as we were taking pictures of your birthday dress. Only the last vestiges of babyness remain in your face. Your body is long, lanky and knobby. Three quarters of the big couch are taken up when you lay out full length. There is less falling and more twirling.

I hope you keep on twirling. Twirl through your entire life, always seeing the sunny side of things with a smile on your face. Your optimism as a three year old will carry you far through hard grown up times down the road and  I am going to do everything possible to help you maintain this outlook on life.

So much love, my birthday girl.

Mama

My (Almost) Birthday Boy

Exactly one week before his first birthday, we threw Miles a party.

Today was a success and a hit. I’m exhausted, worn out, and over heated but it was all worth it. A local highschool gal took photos of the party and I’ll have them to share sometime next week. It was *so* nice to be able to simply enjoy the moment without having to worry about getting photos to document this milestone.

For those of you on google reader, sashay your virtual self over to my blog and watch Miles enjoy his first cupcake.

25 Again

I hope you all will forgive me while I brag on my husband for a moment. Today is his birthday and I thought I’d take a moment to share different things I love about him.

I couldn’t have asked for a better man to be my husband or daddy for my babies. The look of happiness and joy on his face while he interacted with our daughter confirms that for me.

Even though he hates mornings, he cooks me breakfast without fail every day he doesn’t work.

He’s strong enough to carry both kids.

And strong enough to hold a hand.

He genuinely likes spending time with my family

And is an amazing support when we add to our’s.

He drives me everywhere just because I hate driving.

His multi tasking skills are legendary.

As are his date night planning skills.

He LOVES to clean and tidy up and does it with style, too.

Even after working hard all day, he still has the energy to get down on the floor and play.

And will take time out of his day to snuggle.

Nighttime parenting is a skill he has mastered.

And he has the magic touch with babies during church services.

Really, I could go on and on. He’s a pretty awesome guy and I am truly fortunate that he wants to spend the rest of his life with me.

Happy birthday, dear. I hope this year is even better than the last.

xoxo

25

Taken this morning while Miles napped on my back.

Hello there, 25. Nice to meet you. Today, I’ve been marveling over what I have at such a relatively young age. A spouse who works with me to maintain and improve our relationship. A flourishing marriage. A wonderful circle of friends who I can call any time of day or night. Two (two!) beautiful young children. A son. A daughter. Rich life experiences. A house we feel at home in. Loving family.

Things that really matter, that enrich my existence and will continue to do so for the rest of my life, are at my fingertips. There isn’t an overabundance of much in my life, with the exception of love. My life is a surplus of love. I couldn’t ask for anything better.

Yesterday, a friend kept the kids for an hour or so while Aaron treated me to brunch at a little restaurant. Everything I ate was literally bliss on a fork.

My meal was a savory crepe smothered in hollandaise sauce, rustic potatoes, and a rich hot bread roll. I can still taste it all right now and my mouth is watering!

This was the divine cinnamon roll Aaron and I shared. We couldn’t eat it all. Simply amazingly fantastic.

Then this morning, the kids and I ran to the grocery store to pick up supplies for cake baking and ice cream making. Yes, I said ice cream! Aaron gifted me with the ice cream maker attachment for my kitchenaid mixer!!! Now I can make my own dairy free ice cream and sorbet for the entire family to enjoy! I can’t even begin express my excitement!!!

After gathering coconut milk, chocolate, and raspberries, we came across this nest of geese eggs hatching. We all watched the baby geese work their way out of their eggs and fluff up their feathers! Thankfully, their nest is relatively safe in a grassy median in the grocery store parking lot. Hopefully all motorists will drive slowly until the family moves on.

(so sorry for photo quality. I took it with my cell phone)

Tonight, we will enjoy this:

A delicious, moist vegan chocolate cake smothered in ganache and topped with fresh red and yellow raspberries. I’m not sure I want birthday candles to spoil the frosting but I think Ella will be super sad if we don’t let her blow out candles tonight.

We’ll be adding a side of coconut milk vanilla ice cream as well.

Today has been a wonderful start to a new year! I can’t wait to see what is in store for me. 🙂

11 years ago tonight…

… it was snowing and my poor mother was THIRTEEN days past her duedate.

Things are rather blurry in my mind from that cold night but some very specific images stand out CLEARLY in my mind.

The apprentice midwife’s parents picked up my brother and I to come to the hospital to meet our new baby brother or sister. Dad couldn’t come because Mom’s labor was three hours from start to finish and he was told that if he left to get us, he’d miss the birth of his child. I remember the anticipation, excitement and thrill surging through me as I sat in their car, waiting to see if I had another brother or something brand new — a sister!

I remember sitting outside the room in the hallway with Grandma and Austin, bouncing my feet and generally being unable to be still. Then I noticed the door was opened a crack, so I crept forward and pushed it open a hair more. I could see through the sink mirror’s reflection a rolly polly new baby, pink and with a precious face. Then a nurse turned around, SAW ME, and quickly shut the door.

Then I was sitting in the recliner in Mom’s room, holding my NEW SISTER for the first time. The excitement and happiness threatened to overwhelm me and I thought that my grin was going to crack my face in two.

Having a sister is such an amazing relationship. She is so near and dear to my heart and she means the world to me. I love her to the moon and back. I am thrilled beyond words that my children have such an amazing person to be their “Aunt Nanny”. Savannah is such a caring, loving, funny, attentive, compassionate, spunky, and genuinely nice person. I can’t believe that she is no longer a little kid. She is rapidly becoming a young lady and such a pleasure to spend time with.

I wish we lived closer. Sometimes I cry because I miss her so much.

Happy birthday, Savannah Lou. I am honored to call you my sister.

Two Years

This letter will be going in her special box, where I put little things like her yearly letters and hair from her first hair cut.

Dear Ella,

It simply amazes me that you are two years old today. I felt this way on your first birthday and I’m sure I’ll feel like this on your third. Even though some days in toddlerhood seem to drag on forever, when it’s all said and done the days are literally gone in a blink of an eye.

A few weeks before your birthday, you suddenly started identifying colors. Out of nowhere, you pointed to our house numbers and correctly named them all. Your four word sentences are giving me a run for my money.

The things you love: Elmo, playing outside, Blues Clues, bumble bees, The Wiggles, sweeping, washing dishes, going on walks, rough housing with Daddy, juice, loving on your baby brother Miles.

You imitate everything your Daddy and I do. You fold your clothes with your teeth like Daddy does. You mimic my soothing techniques I use with your brother when you tend to your Baby Emily. I think in just a few short weeks, you’re going to decide that you are DONE with the high chair because you want to sit in a big girl chair like Mama and Daddy.

You have a very nurturing and sensitive heart. When a baby cries in the grocery store, you immediately want to run to the baby and take care of it. Sometimes, if the baby keeps on crying, it’s all I can do to convince you the mama is taking care of her baby.

Once you form an opinion, you are hard to budge. I nearly died inside the day at the park where you informed a friend of mine that daddies are suppose to use bottles, not mamas. You were never told that mamas couldn’t use bottles! Daddy just explained to you how daddies feed their babies the night before and you formed your own conclusions.

This past year has brought so much change to your life. You are now climbing, shouting, talking, singing, dancing, counting, and coloring. You have a new little brother as well! The adjustment to a sibling has gone so peacefully. I’m so incredibly proud of you!

With love,

Mama

I’m Speechless

She’s two. When did this happen?

24

So, this is what 24 looks like.

I’m pretty happy with what I see, though I’m in a bit of a brain fog this morning. When I was 16, I would have never dreamed that I would be married, a SAHM, with a toddler and another on the way. I was pretty convinced that I’d be a few years out of college and either pursuing a graduate degree or amazingly successful in a career of my choosing. But you know what? Even though I am further away than ever from getting that graduate degree, I am amazingly successful at my chosen career. Being a mom. Being a wife. Yes, I screw up a lot but I learn from my mistakes and become better at my job. Isn’t that what makes a person a success? Doing their best, learning from their mistakes and striving to be better?

This morning, Aaron gave me the most touching card. I don’t know when he had the opportunity to stop and get one, but I truly think that his gift is giving gifts, cards, whatever. It doesn’t matter how big or small it is, he always knows exactly what to do. We’re not exchanging birthday gifts this year (his is on the 11th) but a heartfelt card and meaningful sentiments mean a lot to me. More so than my desired Kitchen Aid mixer that I lust after year after year. Words and emotions are what make the world go ’round. Kitchen Aid mixers only make cookie dough turn.

Speaking of cookie dough, Ella and I started off our day making chocolate chip cookies. We were licking the spoons by 8:30 and enjoying our first cookie at 8:45. Between the two of us, I think we’ve consumed enough cookies and cookie dough this morning to equal Miles’s (the child I’m pregnant with) current weight. A pretty good way to start off a birthday, if you ask me.  🙂