7 months

Eat your heart out... this is how cute 7 months looks :)  This little sweetie is just growing and thriving and we couldn't be more blessed.  Loves blueberries and apples and oddly peas and green beans (positive that won't last) Favorite book is Where's Baby's Bellybutton or something like that... too many books!!  Oh don't want to leave out Marlow's latest reads... children's bible stories and a Child's Calendar.  Babbles dada a whole lot with a little mamm in there. 

My sweet little gem.

An Awesome October

I kinda can't believe just how filled October was!!  Hubby's birthday, our anniversary, Lila sits, Lila rolls, Lila says goodbye to the swaddle and hello to some teeny little bottom teeth, Marlow belts out about how she gives her heart to Jesus... goodness amidst all the fall ball we've been having I finally sat to download some photos.  Pumpkin patch, pumpkin painting, dinosaur hunting and more...

Firsts...

We survived!  Marlow had a great first day.  We started with a hearty breakfast of banana and chocolate chip bread.  It was our attempt to actually get her to eat something.  Thank goodness for that because she none of her lunch...zero!  Lila and I strolled through a local outdoor mall and sat for lunch and played in the sunshine.  I missed Marlow so much... I thought of her every minute.  I thought of what she would've been saying and what she would've been doing. But I was so proud of her.  She walked in like a big girl and went straight to the puzzles.  No accidents too!

Lila also got her first haircut!  It was a whim and I was so bummed I didn't get a photo.  Her hair was well past her shoulders. 

She's 5 months now and grabbing on to everything she can manage.  She also loves to try and eat my hair.  I remember Marlow doing that.

The day before the first day

I'm not sure where I picked this up or what it is about me that makes me this way.... I am big on milestones and traditions.  I have definitely calmed down a whole lot with Lila but every thing is still a first for Marlow and there's just no stopping me.  My husband and I were recently discussing this because he often thinks I'm being absolutely ridiculous when I pout that I missed a photo of a first or when I freak if  he attempts to throw away that first lock of hair we cut from Lila this weekend.... in fact he saved it for me :)  I told him, "I LIVE for these moments!" It's so very true.  It's why I stopped working to take on the hardest job in my life... because I can't get these moments back and poof they are gone in a flash... I completely live for these moments.

In true momma tradition Marlow's first day of school has been a plan set in motion for some time.  I had to think about what would be our "first morning tradition", our "day before tradition," our "after the first day of school" tradition... okay, I see I go over board.  Teacher gifts are prepped, outfits have been selected, bags have been triple checked and lunch carefully packed.  This is for real -- my baby starts school tomorrow.

It's only a part time thing but I admit I'm have some serious difficulty settling on this decision.  I hope it's the right one.  I've lost lots of sleep and said so many prayers.  It's the day before the first day.

We've made the most of the weekend with lot of fun activities, met all our teachers and we are ready!!

First a little tie dye fun :)

Then Marlow helped daddy finish up the paint on the shed.

Time to cool off!

 

Don't worry, Lila doesn't miss out... although she slept through most of the day :)

This week's funny - Marlow was eating pretzels at lunch and bit one in half.  She paused and looked at it.  Then she said, "Momma, look... it looks kinda like an M!"  Then she turned it upside down and said, "Look now it's a W."  oh that girl

Lila's little funny is her adorable habit of patting you on the back.  I noticed how much I do it to her, and my Marlow and even my husband.  Every time you pick her up she'll give you a few pats on the back and for a hardworking momma....it just means so much :)

More days like this please

Really, why can't they all be days like this?  I'll never understand how each day can be so drastically different with these girls.  After some rough ones, I'm happy to be feeling that blissful parenting moment.  I know it's fleeting but wow... those bright eyes, giggles, sister kisses, and helpful hugs make every moment worth it. I still struggle with when to return to work.  Lord knows I'd love to jump right in... but for now... for today... I'm right where God wants me to be.  Those nights when I'm sitting rocking Lila back to sleep, I tell myself, "I'm right where God wants me to be."  I only wish I realized that sooner.

Woke up bright and early and checked everything off my list including extra snuggles, potty training, book reading, grocery shopping, gym and even some gardening.  I really do love when everything falls into place.

Woo hoo Lila's rolling front to back now!  Still cooing and saying, "Mmmm."  I'm really hoping for "momma" to come out soon. Marlow is just the biggest help.  Changing laundry, bringing diapers and wipes, bringing blankets and changes of clothes, picking up toys... even washing dishes!  Everyday daddy walks in from work she asks him, "Daddy, how was your meeting?"-- love her

Though I'll never get caught up...

I must keep up with this!!  Oh it's just not fair how fast the time goes.  Today I cleaned out some of Lila's things and thought, "Wow, we haven't even used this?!?!"  I really do feel like a second child is just such a blessing.  I'll admit that in those first few weeks I wondered if I could really do this and I questioned what the heck we were thinking.  I struggled with a lot of mommy guilt missing out on time with Marlow and trying to give Lila just as much as Marlow had.  Now we are turning 4 months tomorrow and dang I could kick myself for not enjoying more of the teeny tiny baby stage.  You bet that I won't miss out on any more fun moments... schedules have been tossed... rules (though they were my own) are being broken and we all certainly smile a lot more.

Today was a lazy Sunday where we ALL ran through sprinklers and played with bubbles outside :)

Last Sunday the girls made some yummy lemonade with Daddy!

Little Miss Lila showing her personality at 3 months!

 Can you tell she's doing crunches because she's trying so hard to sit up?

Oh the fun times Marlow has... this was a swim playdate

And 4th of July including a local parade and picnic with Nana followed by sprinklers, a game of loteria and Marlow's first fireworks experience!

Summer Fun

I'm not sure I even remember how to use blogger but I really don't want to miss out on all the memories of these wonderful girls!

Today we hosted a park playdate... "Pops in the Park."  We brought popscicles and water bottles to share with our friends.  Truly was a treat to have daddy in tow to help :).

Favorite new tidbits : no new favorite books at the time... she chooses 2 to read every nap and bed time and so far she really like variety.

Funniest moment of the day: David was tickling her and she said stop Daddy, but when he didn't let up she told him, "Seriously Dad...Stop!"  oh my little Marlow just talks so much and has really become her own individual.

Happy Birthday Marlow!

Oh how sweet it is to be 2!!  Well not really.... it's as if a switch was flipped and she knew that turning two meant turning terrible. :)  Yesterday we celebrated with family and friends over a Pancakes, Parfaits and Panda Breakfast Party.  It was a challenge at 35.5 weeks pregnant...at least in the prep work, but oh it was so fun to share it with people we love. 

This morning we sang Happy Birthday and I gazed at my big little girl feeding herself breakfast, requesting juice please and asking me to come sit with her.  I sat and watched her, thinking to myself...."Wow, how did we get here?  How did we get this lucky?  How is she so big?!?!  I recalled those first moments of her resting on my chest right out of the womb and her soft cries... our nursing sessions... our first tooth... our first haircut.... our first boo boo.... our first words...  our first steps.  I began to feel emotional and a teeny tear about to creep out and then she looked up and me and said, "What?"... as in, "what are you looking at?"  All of a sudden I was fast forwarding to her 15 year old self and I just couldn't stop laughing at how much she is her own person.

We had a regular Sunday morning of worship and after nap she enjoyed dinner with family at Rainforest Cafe and a stroll downtown for ice cream.  I think it was a hit!

Pictures to come!

I'm not sure how I feel like there's never enough time but also like the days are soooo long!!  I think I could go to bed at 5 on most days. This pregnancy is definitely very very different.  I might be crazy, but I actually feel like dealing with a newborn might be easier than chasing a toddler while pregnant!

It's such a busy time... new babies, a wedding, Marlow's birthday, auntie's birthday... showers in between and then BOOM... Lila will be here!!  I have no free weekends at all until she's here :/

I really love how receptive Marlow has been to a new baby. She's so helpful with me sorting out her old newborn clothes and saying Lila's going to borrow them.  I catch her sneaking into Lila's nursery to tell me, "that's Lila's room."  She's finally caught on to why I can't keep carrying her.  She's been saying "Lila's in there" and "momma's back hurts"...obviously I complain a bit too much.

Favorite moments from this week include watching her try to splash water at me in the shower while she gets a bath... I love watching her face as she throws up her arms hoping to get tons of water at momma but she hasn't quite grasped the exact motion.  She tries with all her might and teeny splash comes up... it's sooo adorable.  This week her daddy bought her an extra swiffer...shortened it... and now she can sweep the floor! She's definitely more like her daddy.  He was so proud of her as she helped put together Lila's crib :)

Tonight she helped me make Valentine's for all her friends... she got the craft punches down and I can almost trust her with the glue.

This week we also got to take some photos for her birthday and some belly pics too!

Me and Lila 32 weeks

Me and Marlow and Lila

Marlow 23 months

Great day

What a wonderful day...

It was cloudy, playdate got cancelled and we decided to take it easy.  I didn't realize how much we both love these days.  We danced around the house today, threw cotton balls at each other for an impromptu snow ball fight and Marlow snapped the green beans for dinner.

Her new phrase for the day was "sounds like a plan."  I told her we would be having a boiled egg, canteloupe, cheese sticks and crackers for lunch and she replied, "sounds like a plan!"  Her other new phrase today was "have a good day!"  She heard me say that to a cashier at the dry cleaning place today and must have noted it because she told everyone at the gym goodbye and to have a good day :)

We recently bought her a learning tower and I'm sooo happy with the purchase.  She can climb on up by herself and watch what I'm doing or help me get things done... I love it!  Especially with the idea of carrying around a newborn in a few more weeks!

Lila's nursery

Working on Lila's nursery...

Some lovely inspiration :)  Her colors originally were bright pink and yellow but the paint color turned out a bit more purpleish gray... almost exactly like the first color shown below.  Looks like we're going with a bright sunny yellow, magenta, and lilac.  I'm thinking of adding subtle hints of soft green in the mix but still not sure.

Definitely looking for the perfect spot for these words :)

Love this girl

I'm loving this new stage of toddlerhood!  I will say that we are inching into the terrible twos and I've had some tough days getting used to her new independence but lately when I just give into letting her do more on her own, we are both much happier. 

My daily amazement includes remembering the grocery list for me, singing happy birthday regularly, tattling on momma to daddy, using a screwdriver to help daddy put Lila's crib together, mastering the please and thank you, and regular counting. 

I'm loving our daily rituals of shake your sillies out before bed and regular prayer.  I love hearing her start off the night time prayers with what she's thankful for.  Lately it's been babies and Bella :)

Lila continues the gymnastics in my belly and I'm at the stage where there is no comfortable spot in the house.  I remember wishing we owned a recliner or something!

We took these photos after music/storytime at the library.  She was loving running up hills and back down to momma's arms :).