Um, guys what happened to September? HOW CAN IT POSSIBLY BE OCTOBER? I'd say we're reveling in the the crisp morning air and the sounds and colors of fall, but we're not ... we're just barely starting to swim out from under our puddles of triple digit induced sweat and blazing hot sunshine enough to even think about getting out of the house and exploring our new neighborhood and city.Welcome to the desert, land of two seasons, sunny/hot, sunny/not as hot. Happy Fall, warm up with a short sleeve shirt with your shorts instead of a tank top.
Jonathan and I are in Mexico this weekend having a baby moon in Puerto PeƱasco, it is wonderful to get away and enjoy a little R&R before baby girl number three arrives in January.... It's about three and a half hour drive from Phoenix and after heading down yesterday, stopping for lunch on the way in, taking a nap, walking down and jumping in the water for a bit.. we sat by the resort pool and said, WOW, it's already felt like a vacation, and then we laughed at how absurd that seemed to both of us... perhaps we needed this weekend even more than we realized, these party animals even went to bed at 9:30 last night, hahaha. At any rate, we're pleased and blessed to have the family nearby to grab a weekend away in the sand and sun before getting away will be extra challenging times three.
Let's see, the girls aren't walking YET, but man are they close.... I'm sure they are going to do it while we're gone.. cause seriously in fourteen months of waiting to see this with my own eyes it would seem like when I finally give myself permission to do something else for a weekend.. they'll walk. They are both standing, and "thinking" about taking those tentative first steps... the hands are up in the air or out at the sides for balance.. and then, for now, they think better of it.. and drop to their knees and start bolting across the room. Soon enough, they'll be off and toddling though.
They are eating like truck drivers, seriously, they eat more than I do! It's hilarious, and expensive. People, stop complaining about the price of formula, feeding two growing humans is expensive. I'm happy their eating though, they will give almost anything a shot so we've been venturing out a little more with them at lunch and letting them eat exotic things like... pinto beans, quesadillas, and french fries! Ha! But seriously, they are doing great on the food front. I've taken this month to start focusing more on utensils, and the concept of plates. So we practice using a fork, and having more than just a bite size portion of food on the tray, but having almost their entire meal on one plate and then giving them the option to eat it in whatever order they desire... They almost always go for the fruit first, as you'd expect.. but then they really give most everything a good chance, it's a really nice change from the days of meal times being about food throwing, spitting, and actively delivering horrified looks disgust as they tried anything I served to them.
It's interesting as you raise kids for the first time, there are all these things you buy when you know you're going to have them and then you never really think about what that will mean when you go to use it. For example, a plate, the simplest thing ever, but seriously when you're a child, you don't understand plates, forks, spoons, bowls... these things are completely foreign and a concept you have to try to figure out how to teach to someone who doesn't understand language and can't ask you questions. Perhaps, I've thought about this too much, but things like this just happen all day long to me, and living your life in one sided communication where you're responsible for creating functional humans with the ability to do basic tasks is just overwhelming sometimes. There is a serious volume of things you do everyday without thinking, but someone had to teach you how to do it.
Summer, is FINALLY getting her first front tooth! Poor girl loves to eat, and I can hardly wait to see the damage she'll do when she can actually bite through something and primally tear off a shred of meat, or get through that tortilla without gumming it to death, or her normal tactic, chew-chew, BIG swallow. Sam, is also getting more teeth, she has a ridiculous number of teeth to many I think perhaps she's just gotten used to feeling of teething.. since half of the time I have no idea she's even cutting any. She's a teeth cutting champ! Go SAM!
The girls officially said their first real word this month. where I was sure they knew exactly what they were saying and even pointed to the item as they said it. So here we have it, Samantha's first word "BALL" and Summer, "Baby", not what I would have expected, but for some reason they both really really like those things.. enough to learn to say it.
Clearly it's been a big month, plates, spoons, mini steps, words, baby moon vacations, gestating babies, and saying goodbye to my 2nd trimester and rolling right into the last third of my pregnancy. This baby girl number three, is almost here... fifteen weeks to go or less, I am excited and I am absolutely and utterly terrified. I'm always up for a challenge but even this is pretty insane, but I'm pretty sure at some point, it's going to be insanely great too. So for now I'll hang my hat on that. After a lot of soul searching and doctor interviewing we've decided to switch to a home birth with a fantastic certified nurse midwife and keep co-care with our OB in the event of an emergency or if we need additional assistance later on. It's been a long journey to this decision but after meeting this midwife, we feel like we're in good hands, our hearts are telling us this is the right decision for us and we're excited and hopeful everything will go smoothly and we'll get to have this amazing baby girl at home. So I kindly ask you to bring on all the positive energy, prayers, love, and good spirits to our home birth journey.
Until next month, lots of love from all of us.
Friday, October 2, 2015
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
Thirteen crazy months old
It's a short post this month! I have to be honest I haven't really thought a lot about the post this month... It's been busy, I'm pregnant, tired and the girls have been insanely active all month! They've been eating like truck drivers, and sprouting teeth left and right, they survived another cold, and they even had a nice long weekend with grandma and grandpa in Flagstaff!
Summer is standing on her own now, and I feel like those first steps are just days away... Sam is crazy fast at crawling and pretty much views everything as a climbing challenge, she loves sitting in her rocking chair, and reading books, ALL THE TIME. She's book crazy, she will just sit in your lap forever if you keep reading books to her... some of her favorites she'd prefer for you to read over and over and over again. It's adorable, and now I have at least five children's books completely memorized. Something to add to my selection of mind numbing toy jingles which sing me silently to sleep at night and wake me in so graciously in the morning!
Jonathan and I had a chance to work on the girls room while they were with their grandparents and I have to say we're pretty proud of the final product. The whole weekend I was sure they wouldn't care at all about their room... so imagine my joy when I took them upstairs to see it for the first time and they stopped for a minute, looked at each other raised their hands up in the air and then gleefully screeched, as they simultaneously crawled to their cribs and bounced up and down exploring their new digs. Made all the work so worth it.. They have throughly enjoyed the room and I'm so glad!
We're getting ready to start focusing on baby girl #3, due in January. I have all the parts and pieces for her room and now I just need the energy and time to work on it. Soon, we'll get it together and then she'll be here before we know it. I can't even believe I'm over halfway through this pregnancy? It's felt like forever, and insanely fast all at the same time. We've decided after much thought that we're switching to a midwife in hopes of having a home birth with this little one. We're hopeful all the stars will align and everything will go smoothly and we'll get to welcome this little one in our own home, surrounded by the people we love.
As for the coming months, wish me luck! I hate to admit how much this pregnancy has really knocked me on my butt.... I am just so dang tired all the time! Add in trying to keep up with two, one year old turbo-crawlers with a pregnant belly, it continues to be a "growing" challenge. Recently I actually had someone tell me I shouldn't try to carry both of the girls at once right now.. UH, yea, right.... I LOL'd right in their face..... It's probably not optimal, but you do what you gotta do.
Here's to another month, we made it! They are another month older and mom and dad feel another year older in the bargain. ;)
Summer is standing on her own now, and I feel like those first steps are just days away... Sam is crazy fast at crawling and pretty much views everything as a climbing challenge, she loves sitting in her rocking chair, and reading books, ALL THE TIME. She's book crazy, she will just sit in your lap forever if you keep reading books to her... some of her favorites she'd prefer for you to read over and over and over again. It's adorable, and now I have at least five children's books completely memorized. Something to add to my selection of mind numbing toy jingles which sing me silently to sleep at night and wake me in so graciously in the morning!
Jonathan and I had a chance to work on the girls room while they were with their grandparents and I have to say we're pretty proud of the final product. The whole weekend I was sure they wouldn't care at all about their room... so imagine my joy when I took them upstairs to see it for the first time and they stopped for a minute, looked at each other raised their hands up in the air and then gleefully screeched, as they simultaneously crawled to their cribs and bounced up and down exploring their new digs. Made all the work so worth it.. They have throughly enjoyed the room and I'm so glad!
We're getting ready to start focusing on baby girl #3, due in January. I have all the parts and pieces for her room and now I just need the energy and time to work on it. Soon, we'll get it together and then she'll be here before we know it. I can't even believe I'm over halfway through this pregnancy? It's felt like forever, and insanely fast all at the same time. We've decided after much thought that we're switching to a midwife in hopes of having a home birth with this little one. We're hopeful all the stars will align and everything will go smoothly and we'll get to welcome this little one in our own home, surrounded by the people we love.
As for the coming months, wish me luck! I hate to admit how much this pregnancy has really knocked me on my butt.... I am just so dang tired all the time! Add in trying to keep up with two, one year old turbo-crawlers with a pregnant belly, it continues to be a "growing" challenge. Recently I actually had someone tell me I shouldn't try to carry both of the girls at once right now.. UH, yea, right.... I LOL'd right in their face..... It's probably not optimal, but you do what you gotta do.
Here's to another month, we made it! They are another month older and mom and dad feel another year older in the bargain. ;)
Thursday, July 30, 2015
And just like that, they're a year old
I could write an entire post about what it's been like to be a mother for a year, but I'm not going to. Instead I am going to say: this year has been the most momentous year of my life, and I am not the same person I was 365 days ago. I will never be the same. Becoming a parent is all encompassing and changes you, your values, your priorities, your relationships with others. It's the most important journey I have ever had the courage to embark on. It has been the hardest, most exhausting thing I have ever experienced. Becoming a mother has been empowering: I grew people, I gave birth to them, I love, care, and nourish them, and daily I am reminded of what an incredible gift it is to be a woman, to be a part of such a beautiful unbroken chain of human experience. Every single day is joyful and humbling: I uncover something new in my daughters, discover something amazing about my husband, and learn deeply about myself. I can't believe it's been a year already, how is it possible to love so completely, and to feel as though they've always been here... was there even a time before this? On August 1st 2014, at 8pm I heard Summer and Samantha cry and as Jonathan held Summer and the doctor held Sam I felt their cheeks against mine. For a moment time just stopped... then we all took a breath and began our lives together.
Baby girls, HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY!
Summer,
You are a perpetual state of light in every single day. You are the definition of joyful, you laugh so hard you turn red and invite laughter from everyone around you. Everything is funny to you! It is fantastic to be privy to such a great audience. I hope this piece of you never ever goes away; I hope you're always this happy and joyful to be alive. You smile with your whole face and your still full cheeks stick out past the sides of your face and it's the most adorable thing I think I've ever seen. Everything about you is perfect, you are beautiful and just looking at you makes me overwhelmed with love for what an incredible gift you are.
You've been crawling for a couple of months now and you are ridiculously fast and have begun tackling newer and more challenging obstacles to make movement more entertaining... it's frightening and impressive all at the same time. The world is quite literally your jungle gym, BE CAREFUL my sweet baby girl! I hate seeing you get hurt!
You've started really making strides in your sounds and say things that resemble words but I'm still not quite sure if they have meaning yet or not. "baby, buh bye, mama, mommy, dada, baba" I can't wait to figure out what it is you are saying, cause goodness you are talking all the time.
You LOVE music, not really the kinda music I like, mostly the jingles from your toys but when something starts playing your get up on your knees and start bouncing up and down, and moving your arms around to get your dancing groove on!
A year ago I met you for the first time, I got a chance to look into your beautiful eyes, touch your soft head of hair and we started our journey together. All six pounds of you fit in the crook of my arm and I looked down at your dark brown head for the last year watching you grow into this strong, spirited, happy, and loving little girl. You still crawl into my lap and let me hold you, when you're upset you are soothed by my touch, and the sound of my voice, and I try to take in every last breath of your baby self... knowing that someday you'll be too big for me to pick up and carry around with me, and you probably won't want me to either. I am grateful for every single moment we've shared together this year. You are incredible and I love you.
Samantha,
Baby girls, HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY!

You are a perpetual state of light in every single day. You are the definition of joyful, you laugh so hard you turn red and invite laughter from everyone around you. Everything is funny to you! It is fantastic to be privy to such a great audience. I hope this piece of you never ever goes away; I hope you're always this happy and joyful to be alive. You smile with your whole face and your still full cheeks stick out past the sides of your face and it's the most adorable thing I think I've ever seen. Everything about you is perfect, you are beautiful and just looking at you makes me overwhelmed with love for what an incredible gift you are.
You've been crawling for a couple of months now and you are ridiculously fast and have begun tackling newer and more challenging obstacles to make movement more entertaining... it's frightening and impressive all at the same time. The world is quite literally your jungle gym, BE CAREFUL my sweet baby girl! I hate seeing you get hurt!
You've started really making strides in your sounds and say things that resemble words but I'm still not quite sure if they have meaning yet or not. "baby, buh bye, mama, mommy, dada, baba" I can't wait to figure out what it is you are saying, cause goodness you are talking all the time.
You LOVE music, not really the kinda music I like, mostly the jingles from your toys but when something starts playing your get up on your knees and start bouncing up and down, and moving your arms around to get your dancing groove on!
A year ago I met you for the first time, I got a chance to look into your beautiful eyes, touch your soft head of hair and we started our journey together. All six pounds of you fit in the crook of my arm and I looked down at your dark brown head for the last year watching you grow into this strong, spirited, happy, and loving little girl. You still crawl into my lap and let me hold you, when you're upset you are soothed by my touch, and the sound of my voice, and I try to take in every last breath of your baby self... knowing that someday you'll be too big for me to pick up and carry around with me, and you probably won't want me to either. I am grateful for every single moment we've shared together this year. You are incredible and I love you.
Samantha,
You are such an animated little character. Full of funny faces and noises you are hilarious in your own fantastic way. You see the world differently than your sister, you, are interested in exploring but you are also interested in understanding every possible thing there is to know about something. You love your sister, so much. When you wake from a nap the first thing you do is climb up on the side of your crib and check to see what sister is doing, when you're playing you love to just rub the side of cheeks and forehead against hers so you can be close, it is genuinely tender and sweet.
You are extremely specific, you know exactly what toy you want and when crawling towards something you keep your eye on the prize and you do not accept substitutions. It's something you come by quite honestly I'm afraid, your mom likes to things to be just so.. it's hard to just go with the flow when you're so invested in something. You just started crawling a couple of weeks ago and you are FAST! It's a good thing we have baby gates or who knows where you'd end up? Your new found freedom of the moment has left you with a curious heart and you are determined to explore this fascinating world.
You were my baby A, I felt your swift and strong kick first, when you were born your voice was the first thing I heard, it's a sound I will never forget. You are fierce, strong, smart, complicated and when I look at you my heart practically explodes with love for you. I love your beautiful green eyes, long eyelashes, your sweet soft reddish blond hair, the cowlick that sits squarely in the middle of your perfect little head. Your softness and love for being close is something I've loved to share with you, you are perfectly happy sitting in my lap and playing with a toy, or being worn for a long walk around the neighborhood, you are my little snuggle bear. I wish we could snuggle forever. I feel like it's taken me the entire year to get to know you really well, you are special and wonderful in the most unexpected ways, you continue to surprise me with your depth and love..you are a one of kind gem, precious and completely unique. Words cannot do you justice, so know this, I love you from the deepest part of me, you make my soul shine with love.
What an amazing year it's been.
What an amazing year it's been.
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