Happy Easter!

For My Little Sister

This one is for my sister and her beautiful family...

We love you all so much, and we are basking in your happiness.  Dylan is beautiful - we're so proud to have him in our family.  My auntie heart is so very grateful!  Thank you for the wonderful opportunity to be there as he was born and to photograph this most beautiful time in your lives.  It's something I'll never forget...

Another Spring Chick

My new nephew, Dylan, isn't the only one that was born on the first day of spring.

Grandma's birthday is that same day, and we knew going in that the chances of them sharing a birthday would be high.  Grandma was so gracious in sharing her day, and while I was busy with my sister on Wednesday, she and Grandpa helped me with the little lovelies.  As it turned out, Brad had to travel for work, and so we needed someone that could help me pick up the kids from school and take care of them that evening until I got home, and, of course, we had no idea what time that would be!

Grandma and Grandpa jumped at the opportunity to spend her birthday with Jack and Hannah, and my little lovelies were spoiled as usual.  Aunt Jess joined in the fun, and after everyone picked the kids up from school (along with their 476 items I had to list to be picked up with them!), they went back to their house and played.  After that, they took the kids to Chuck E. Cheese's, and finally, brought them back to our house to help get them settled and into bed.

Turns out, I ended up getting home right as Jack was going down, and he ended up staying up later than usual, but it was a special day.  Hannah Bear had already gone to bed, and we visited and shared pictures and tried on my bridesmaid's dress until almost 10:30.

I'm sure that Grandma and Grandpa were exhausted.

And Jack?  Jack was not exhausted at all, but he was a little disappointed that we didn't have a birthday party for Grandma like we usually do.  Usually, I'd put up a birthday banner, bring down our birthday bear, and have cake or cupcakes.  But our week was a crazy one, and I didn't have time to prepare all of that Tuesday night.

Jack did make Grandma a special card, and we had birthday cards and a birthday present ready for her at school pick-up, along with the birthday bear (which both kids needed lots of reassurance that he was, in fact, coming back home with them!).

But it wasn't the same.  And Jack knew it.

So tonight, we made last-minute plans for an impromptu birthday party for Grandma.  We pulled out our birthday banner, and set up a dessert place for cupcakes.  Hannah helped me bake, and then Grandma and Grandpa came over, and so did Aunt Jess, and we made homemade pizza.  We had dinner, and then we sang Happy Birthday and ate cupcakes!

And all was right with the world:)

Grandma, We hope your birthday was extra special!  We love you!

Wordless Wednesday

{this is love}

Just Jack

So the other night, Brad asked Jack whether Hannah was more like me or more like Daddy.  And I'm not kidding when I tell you that this is exactly what he said:

I think she's more like Mama because she's crazy like Hannah.

My jaw literally dropped.  I have no idea where this came from.

Brad thought it was the greatest thing in the world, and now Jack repeats it all the time.

Lovely.

*****

After spending such a good day together, we were lying in bed snuggling when Jack said to me, "I had such a good day today.  I'd rather spend the day with you, Mama."

Be still my little heart.  That's for sure.

The Post In Which I Tell You That I Birthed a (Second) Genius

It's true.


I know that I'm biased because I'm her mom.  But seriously?  I think she may be a baby genius.  She's definitely the smartest girl I know.

Our sweet Hannah Bear is approaching 20 months, and I'm not lying when I tell you this, but this tiny girl has gone pee pee in the potty SIX TIMES.  Six times she has said she has to go potty, she points to down below, she waddles/runs to the potty, and THEN SHE GOES.  SIX TIMES!!!  We are speechless at this achievement.

That's a lie.  We are not remotely speechless.  Nearly every time it happens we call everyone we know.  We shout into the phone that Hannah went pee pee in the potty.  We dance and sing.  We have not called the last two times - it seems that once you've had four phone conversations with family members where they are expected to be just as excited about potty business as you are, it might be enough.  But not for Hannah Bear:)  She gives me a "Yay!" and a double high-five each time.  She runs to tell Daddy and Jack.  She tells her teachers the next day.  Girlfriend is proud of herself.

That's just my first piece of evidence.

The second piece - when she plays in the playroom and notices the monkey on our alphabet rug she says, "Monkey," and then consequently makes the monkey sound.

We have a favorite book that we read before bed, and it happens to have different colored balloons in the story.  Miss Hannah points to the blue balloon and says, "Jack," but then she points to the pink and purple balloons and says, "Hannah."  We didn't teach her this, but clearly she has observed that Jack likes blue and she often gets the girly colors of things.

When she colors with Jack (and she can now say "color"), she says, "H."  Because she's noticed that when I write her name I say, "H for Hannah."  When I ask her if she wrote her name, she smiles sheepishly and says, "Yep."

She walks around in the evenings and on the weekends and she sings songs.  Granted, I cannot make out all of the words, but I recognize the melodies from songs that Jack learned in the toddler room or songs that he sings in music.  Her favorites:  "Na, na, na, na, Elmo's World..." and "Hello, Hello, It's Music Time," which sounds like "Huwoah, Huwoah, It's Moosic Time."

Also, she knows how to get exactly what she wants.  She hates to be told no or to be sternly talked to.  She freezes, opens her mouth, squeezes her eyes shut, pretends to cry, and lets out the most fake, saddest cry you've ever heard.  You actually feel bad that you scolded her.  You wonder why it matters if there are tootsies on the table.  Does it really matter that she eats crayons?  Maybe not.  How could you scold someone so absolutely adorable?  She's really, really good.

Genius baby.

And she's ours.

Not So Wordless Wednesday

{in less than eight days, this little nephew of mine will be in his momma's arms}

{we're all waiting on you, Little Man...you're momma especially so}

{come quick - your cousins can't wait to meet you}

{auntie can't sleep at night - she's so excited}

{tonight would be fine}

An Artist Among Us

On most days, at one point in the day or another, you can find Jack like this.

Sometimes with coloring books, but often just with blank paper...

Mostly, he draws one Spider-man masterpiece after another, but sometimes it's animals.  I bet you can spot Spider-man (and Green Goblin - throwing pumpkin bombs!) in the picture above:)

I'm not sure where his fascination with art came from, but I'm adoring this stage.  He is so proud of his work and spends so much time adding one detail after another to each paper that he draws.  Sometimes he even adds words, and it just makes me smile.  

{his interpretation of the class pets we'd previously read about}

 {a drawing of a zoo ~ see the word zoo at the top right?}

{The Avengers - I spy the Hulk, Captain America, Hawkeye (also adorably referred to as Hawk Guy), Thor, and Iron Man)

I'm not sure where he got his drawing skills...certainly not from his mother.  Maybe from his cousins?  I do have two very talented artists in the family!

But these little masterpieces?  They make my heart swell with glee.  And I love watching him work.  

Now...what to do with all of these giant pieces of paper?

Almost Anything

As everyone already knows...Hannah is not a picky eater.  But the other night, we found something she does not like to eat!

And then just like that?  We turned it around:)

For the record - Jack eats neither of these things.

Wordless Wednesday - Winter Wonderland Edition

{thank you, snow day}

this is why

Sometimes they fight and steal toys from one another, it's true...

but most of the time?

They are super-sweet to one another.

She follows him around, gets excited to see him every morning, and watches him swim.

He waves to her from the side of the pool, soothes her when she's upset, and kisses her goodnight.

They play keep away from Mommy, they run around together before bath time, they giggle and play.

Tonight, when he swam to her waiting on the side of the pool, she clapped and gave him a high five for doing a good job.  

And then?  He whispered to me how happy he is to be Hannah's big brother.

I'm the luckiest mama in the world.

just beautiful

Last weekend, I headed over to my sister's house to take some pictures of her precious baby belly.  We're nearing the end (or rather, the beginning!) of this thing, and I wanted it documented for her.  We rescheduled this appointment a million times - if I'm being honest, she wasn't really thrilled about posing for such pictures as she's not feeling especially beautiful.  But, oh - she is!

       

{getting to this picture led to some very hilarious outtakes!}

I keep trying to tell her that she will look back on these photos with nothing but happiness, but she seems unconvinced.  She's uncomfortable, and in pain, and she's ready.  We're all ready, really.  I say this as though I've been carrying a big baby around in my belly for the last nine months, but honestly, I just want to meet my nephew.  I'm ready to watch my sister fall into this role of mommyhood and fall in love with the little man she's made.  And, I want all the little newborn gear to fit him for his newborn photos, so he better hurry!  I'm so, so eager:)

Right Now

{i'm in love}