Cuties and the start of summer.

My three babies in this bed make me happy.  

So happy.

So, soooooo happy.

This is what Logan does while Leah and I do school.  Busy box, to the rescue!

This is my happy place. 

The joys of fall

What's great about fall? 

Well... I could tell you, but I'll just let the pictures do the talking...

Oh, these two.  Most everything's an adventure when they're around!

Things I loved the month you were born

Cheese, cucumber and avocado sandwiches.  Toasted, not melted.

Afternoon rain, bringing our 21 days of 90+ temperatures (that's nearly record setting, 'cause my timing is awesome) into the 70's by evening time.  Tolerable?  Totally.

A black nightie.  I've never, ever worn nighties in my life - I'm a dedicated pants and tank top gal - but this one is awe-some.  Like, most comfortable thing I own awesome.  I'd wear it everywhere if it weren't slightly see-through on top.  Come to think of it, it might even be worth it to show my ta-tas if it means I get to be that comfortable.

Pink lemonade.  Gotta be pink.

Your sweet big sister, who is so excited to meet you.  And who fills me with joy, makes me laugh and feel infinitely grateful (again) to be doing this whole thing a second time.

Naps.  Oh, and also?  Naps.

Your big, belly-rumbling log rolls, and the moments I think you're going to break out through my stomach.  Someday, we'll watch Alien and you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.

Icecream.  Any size.  Almost any flavor.  From anywhere.  Tonight's fav?  One scoop pralines and cream, one scoop cookies and cream.  Go 31 flavors all the way.

The fact that I'm packing my hospital bag this week.  And washing your diapers, and all the clothes from Auntie Jessica.  And setting up the pack and play.  Oh, how I can't wait to hold, diaper and clothe you!

Your absolutely awesome, mind-blowingly cool daddy.  I don't know where we'd all be without him.  For the record, he has been so ridiculously good to us this last month.  We've been a little worthless as we've gotten bigger, and he has reminded me every day why I love him so much.  I have two emotions when it comes to Daddy: the days I'm glad I picked him to be your daddy, and the days I'm really, really glad. 

(Plus, how do you think we're getting all that icecream I talked about before??)

Happy birthday month, my baby boy.

We'll see you soon.

A piece of my bliss

I vividly remember the magic of the fall seasons throughout my childhood.

I remember the crunch of the leaves underneath my shoes.  The sweet smell of the air.  The rustling of wind down our street.  I remember coming home to hot coccoa and apples after school on a chilly fall day.  The anticipation of trick-or-treating, and what a special occassion it was to get a Happy Meal in those Frankenstein head buckets.  Spooky decorations. 

Silly little things that made the Octobers of my childhood seem special.  Things that are carved into my memory even all these years later.

Memories I look forward to recreating for my children.

And maybe a little free labor thrown in, too.  You know, because it builds character.

Loves

1-2.  This pool I bought on sale for $5 at Target.  Last weekend, it got up to 85.  I'm so glad we used it, because it may be our last chance time this season (Yaaaaaaay!)

3. Par-um-pum-pum-pum!  Our one-lady marching band

4-6. How hard she worked to put this silly jacket on, and how happy she was when I finally put it on her.  Even though it totally doesn't fit.

7.  Our girl, eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich - all by herself! 

It's finally fall! (If only it would stay that way)

It was the hottest August on record in Colorado. 

And at the risk of offending our friends who recently moved to Arizona (where it was 116), it was awful.  I felt like my body was melting, Wicked Witch at the end of Wizard of Oz-style.  Yesterday - the first of September - it hit 99 degrees.  Anyone else care to move to Alaska?

Tonight, though, it's a totally different story.  This view from our back yard is priceless, because it feels like fall.  The air has that crispness to it that I always eagerly await come September.  And oh the smell of that fall air.  The promise of so much of what I look forward to throughou the year.  The rustle of leaves whispers, it's coming.  It's there tonight. 

I'll sleep with my window open, snuggled happily under a blanket as the temperature begins to drop.

It makes me 101 shades of tickled (not just pink!).  If it never hit above 70 for the rest of the year, I would be one happy camper.

Things I Love: Spring Break Edition

Things I love: Spring Break Edition

1. Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt.  How have I been missing out on this until now?  It's a shame when I buy the good stuff for Leah instead of myself.  At least she's expanding my horizons!  The best part?  Leah loves it as much as I do!  Especially with fresh strawberries.  Which leads us to...

2. Fresh strawberries!  For me, strawberries will forever be associated with summer.  Imagine my delight, then, that these are back.  Another of our lunch staples.

3. Planning, planning, planning for a best friend's baby shower.  I get to use my in-my-next-life event planner skills.  I am sooooooo excited!!!!!!!

4. Brightly colored, adorable springtime clothes!



LOVE pink and white!



5. Baby's first steps.  Yep.  She's not walking yet, but we've seen a few, sporatic solo-steps sprinkled in here and there.  She is so cautious, and she absolutely hates to fall, so she isn't really "in" to practicing her steps.  But, in the mean time, there is always her dino-walker, which is almost as fun. 

6. An entire week off - with my husband!  That's practically unprecedented since Leah's birth, and I couldn't be more excited!!!

Snapshot

Things I love: 2011 Edition

1. Our awesome car, which gets us safely through the snow and weather of Colorado. (Just because we haven't actually had any snow and typical Colorado weather doesn't mean I'm any less grateful for the car!)

2. Happy Puffs - organic, yummy (for babies and daddies), and pure Big Girl food.  And they're organic.  I mentioned that, right? 

3. Veggie Tales.  Who can resist signing, dancing, lesson-teaching vegetables?  Plus, it's a nice break from The Wiggles (seriously - I've listened to "Fruit Salad, Yummy, Yummy" more times than I can possibly count).

4. Music, Together!  Leah began taking this class this week, and I can't wait to see where she goes with it.  We love to sing and dance at home, and she is has become such a little music lover.  I think it will be a perfect fit!

5. My job.  I love my job.  I have great co-workers, I can't say enough good things about my wonderful school, and the kiddos are absolutely awesome.  I adore teaching; it is without doubt the thing I was meant to do... after being a mommy, that is.  In some ways, it's almost a shame I work at this great school at this point in my life, because it would be the perfect job for me if I didn't have something that eclipses anything else waiting at home. 

6. Baby BOY Churnside!  Yes, Jessica and Andrew are having a boy, God bless them.  I can't wait for May to meet the Churnsides' newest addition!

7.  Planning, planning, planning for a little girl's first birthday, and a best friend's baby shower.  Blessed?  Yep.

The good life

I am so lucky to have...



- My job; I couldn't ask for a better place to work -

- The cozy feeling of our Christmasy house -

- Stretchy black maternity/yoga pants -

- Leah's kisses -

- Starbucks Eggnog lattes -

- A husband who braved the cold to put our lights up, as he does every year -

- A daughter who is ridiculously excited to see me after work -

- Left-over pumpkin pie -

- How the Grinch Stole Christmas - 

-  The Parade of Lights on Saturday! -

- Leah's ornament, complete with LMS 2010, hanging next to my Santa ornament, MM '86 -

- Family photos coming in the mail -

- Snuggles (albeit at 4am - still worth it!) from a cuddly baby -

- A beautiful, blessed life -

Welcome, Fall!

Welcome, welcome, my favorite season!

I know it seems silly, but I have literally been waiting for this time of year since last fall!

Usually, I love the fall.  Last year, though, we just had too much going on.  We found out the gender of our baby the day before Halloween, and of course that eclipsed the holiday far and away.  I spent Halloween day last year buying girls' clothes and creating a wishlist of baby gear... somehow, I just couldn't get into the spirit.  Last year, I dreamt of what it would be like to spend my favorite time of year with our daughter.

And now...

That time has finally come!!!  This year is Leah's first year to experience all of our wonderful fall traditions, and the magic that is the season between now and New Years.     

To celebrate, I had to kick off the season with another of my favorites: a pumpkin spice latte from Starbucks.

That was the official start of the many traditions we so enjoy during this wonderful, joyful time of year. 

On the docket for tomorrow: the CU v. CSU game.  I don't know if I could be any more excited!

Welcome, Fall!

Lammie Jammies

Everybody's got 'em.  A favorite, cute, most comfortable pair of something that they just love to wear. 

Since Leah is too young still to get a vote, I'll throw in my two cents for her:

I absolutely adore these pajamas, which we have affectionately dubbed her "Lamby Jammies." 

Striped pink and white with a fuzzy little lamb near the top, she's been wearing these jammies since the first day she fit into them.  Although "fit" is overstating things a bit, since she used to just swim in them.  They're 0-3 month, but somehow she miraculously still fits into them - now her legs and arms actually come out where they are supposed to!

I've looked for these jammies in larger sizes and unfortunately can't find them anywhere.  If it was up to me, I'd buy enough to keep her in Lamby Jammies until she's 30!  Since I can't, I'll just sit back and enjoy the show.

Don't forget to remember me

One of my most favorite things...


I love wearing this around my neck each day! As I walk through my day, it's just a little reminder that I still carry her with me, even if that means something different than it did at this time last year.

Guilty Pleasure

One of my favorite events of the summer:

Christmas in July!

Yes, I am aware that it was 98 degrees outside today.

The Home Shopping Network is my guilty pleasure.

I love to have this channel on, not because I like to buy things, but because I like to hear the voices while I'm doing whatever it is that I'm doing during my day. It's completely mindless, like music in the background, except that I can look up and see all the truly tacky...ahem... terrific odds and ends that wind up on HSN.

Odds and ends like these:

Who could possibly live without them?! AND, if you buy today, you also get free batteries! (That's right, they take batteries!) What's not to love?

It's kind of like window shopping at an old lady's estate sale, and I can vacuum at the same time.

Am I weird? I like to think I'm eccentric.

Gratitude

Thank you, God for:

*Tiny fingers that brush my face

*A baby who sleeps on her side with her head tilted back

*Laughter when I clean under her chin in the bath

*My brand new baby carrier - the Moby Wrap (awesome!)

*Bright eyes that smile lovingly up at me

*A wiggly, squirmy, wormy girl

*Her big, bald head, which has less hair now than the day she was born

*The amazing, vivacious energy with which she approaches each day

*Her love of all things physical, from rolling over, to trying to sit up, to standing and even trying to crawl

Thank you, God, for our beautiful, funny, curious, delightful, 4 month old baby girl.

Have I mentioned?

Have I mentioned how much I love...

- this picture -

- when Casey grills our lunch -

- watching The Wiggles -

- grass -

- shorts -

(even when they look like pants!)

- family fun in the summer time! -