family

pictures of our fun with family below. it is such a blessing to have both our families so involved in the boys' life. I'm sure we couldn't get through the muddle of parenthood without our wise mothers and fathers there to guide with gentle hands! they are always there with encouraging words and sympathy stories. and even more of a blessing is how much the boys enjoy being around them. so grandma and grandpa and aunt Katie were in town and spent some time down here with the boys. I'm glad the crying and temper tantrums don't scare them away :) we spent time relaxing and enjoying some sun, mostly just being together. Dave and i were able to go on a date! and many alone time walks which was very nice. games were played. and i had time to read my book for book club ;) it is a good one! we enjoyed our visit with family and are looking forward to our trip to Oregon in July for camping! i know it is a couple months away...but we get that excited about camping! enjoy the pics below ;)

this is my favorite picture for sure! lucas just cozy on grandpa. and everyone really excited about the zoo animals grandma and grandpa saw in san diego with uncle andrew. (looking at the pictures on the computer)

i didn't even notice till after i took the picture that grandma and caleb were both so silly with blocks on their head! the magic of capturing things on camera! caleb hasn't stopped playing 'train' with 'tracks' since grandma's playtime in his room.

getting really excited about train tracks here. always something new is learned after time spent with grandparents!

grandpa was on babysitting duty while the girls and caleb went on a  farm field trip with MOMS club. lucas was cozy in his burrito wrap grandpa hand-crafted while we were gone. lol.

fun at the farm! caleb loved the sheep, goats, horses, and birds. he was cautious and wouldn't put the food in the cage, but he got kinda close and was excited just to watch and observe the animals :)it was fun, not fun for our allergies though....caleb's a little stuffy today and i'm hoping it is from the farm and his allergies acting up and not a cold coming on...

i know i am really not in pictures much, but there's my hand :) someone has to be there to capture all the little moments! enjoying the sunshine on a walk :)

and we are starting out the weekend with rain, hence rain boots (even though we wear them everywhere anytime too) but of course as soon as we ventured out on our walk big rain drops started pouring down! and we lost power too. nothing like a little excitement on a Saturday :)

and caleb helped daddy put together the bench and paint it while lucas and i stayed warm and cozy inside. thank you craig! ( our craft man who made the bench for us) i can't wait to put it on our front porch!

we are hoping for sun tomorrow for a beach day. but if the rain continues, a lazy sunday with a candle burning and warm bread baking and time spent cozy at home will be just as good :)

home

 early morning playtime, building towers and tasting blocks

 giving smiles to mama, drool and dimples :)

 hands behind head, cup in a boot, baby at peace with the world. a happy mama

 chasing trains on the backyard floor

 wiggly toes and tasty blocks

touching ladybugs in a book, after nap time cuddles on mama's bed

we've been home sweet home most of the week and it feels nice. taking quiet walks in the neighborhood, playing with toys in pajamas, sun warmed in the backyard barefoot, cuddled up with stories on my bed after nap time,  and spending time- just us. it feels good to just be. our cozy day waiting for dad to come home for lunch. sharing morning tales with him over sandwiches and salads. getting kissed mid-way through my day by the man who makes heart still skip a beat-even now. just enough-to keep me going through the day.
and of course we have our other, not so fine moments too, the ones where i breath deep with exhaustion. another toddler melt down -over something so little but it blows up big. the wrong shirt for nap time! the other book to read! and it spirals downward until all i can do is give a big hug and kiss and say have a good nap, close the door and breath a deep sigh of relief that quiet time has come! mama needs a break in the way of a nap and a good book. and my mellow baby who is just a bit fussier than normal-not hugely noticeable, but i can tell he's just a little off. waking up more in the night, needing some extra comfort in the day, and drooling as way to say- maybe teeth are coming soon? or maybe not. i wonder sometimes when my toddler will stop crying so hard at nap time and bedtime? when it gets easier? oh wait- this is easy. these days are nice. they just have those moments too where sometimes all i can think about is an entire day to myself, warm sand and sunshine. those days of not worrying about anyone or anything. pure carefree days so far gone. i wouldn't trade these days for the world. i love them so. but- i am excited for a trip with my husband-just us. in the very near future-September I'm hoping. because being away for a little bit is good. coming back from a run, the store, anywhere to home ....whenever i leave for a bit i come home to smiles and hi mama! and giggles, and kisses, and hugs. i come home to the three people who make up my world with goodness. home sweet home.

playing and laughter

you probably can't tell from the picture, but the boys' shirts coordinate. got them on super clearance at kohls for 2 bucks and 3 bucks. what a steal. and the shirts lead to great conversations about how papa was a football player. they are super soft too :) i do love my matching! my cousin sent the boys some matching shirts and socks...can't wait to post pictures of the boys in them!

playtime and lunchtime laughter

so far, it has been a good week. despite clouds and cold wind. playing. walking. cooking. reading. cuddles. and always a few toddler melt downs. i didn't say it was a perfect week. oh yeah, and should i mention the hitting? yeah...that has been happening too (aimed so far at just dave and I, not lucas...but still. we're working on it ;) toddlers. they sure are fascinating little guys! always keeping us on our toes that is for sure.

i ran my first 4 miles. ever.!! and I happened to be by myself, which makes it even better because i am always more motivated to run further with my running partner. Dave came home and 'encouraged' me to do a 4mile run....and i couldn't refuse a challenge. it wasn't as bad as i thought. i actually did great up until the last 5 minutes but i still was able to run the whole time. i am so proud of myself! it doesn't seem like much to most i am sure...but remember this is a girl who has never done more than a mile run in her entire life (up until a couple months ago)! i am hoping to tackle 6 miles in the very near future....

my book club book came in the mail yesterday....that just added the cherry on top of my day.

so nothing really all that exciting, although i am going around with a lighter spring in my step. i will admit though-not that i am checking or anything( haha)...but i am just stuck in the weight department. i'd love to lose another 10 pounds of baby weight and get to my pre-pregnant weight...i'm trying to remind myself that it did take 9 months to put it all on...but still...you'd think with all this running around the neighborhood (and-i haven't touched the ice cream container in a month! can't say the same about cookies though. lol) that i'd drop a pound or two...not so much.

as you can tell, there's not much to say today..i'm saving up for our de-swaddling party that will be taking place the second week of april (hopefully). i love when we have calm, uneventful weeks :)

4:30

"Daddy's home!!" Caleb shouts at the top of his lungs and runs as fast as he can to the door. Lucas' whole body starts squirming in my arms with excitement and a smile lights his face followed by a squeal of delight. We do get excited when the clock strikes 4:30. Our hero is home. The toddler's mood gets happy in an instant. Mama gets a long waited for kiss and time alone for a run. The boys get a little alone time with daddy. All is well when Daddy comes home. We sure are blessed by him! He couldn't be more perfect for us. Such a devoted husband and father. Moments like this...where I peek in the door to see this...well, they can't help but give me a little heart squeeze.

I found this video from last week, making his 'b' sound.

and finally...

 Welcome Freeda. Our new car. Yes...I named her. (magical and peaceful) and makes me think we're free to go on our travels! So corny haha ;)

I can't even put to words how very excited we are! But mostly, how excited I am. Thank you to Dave's parents who so generously gave us their Honda Pilot when they got their new one. It is such a blessing to us and couldn't have come at a better time. As most of you know, we only have one car...My maiden name is Walker...and we very literally walk everywhere! Playgroups, parks, target, library, grocery store, you name it..it is probably within walking distance. I am so thankful we live close enough to walk practically everywhere, even the doctor's is within walking distance! But- I still felt very dependent on Dave if we needed the car to get somewhere. It is such a huge relief to not have to depend on him. From work traveling, to emergency dr. visits...to late naps and rain that prevent us from walking to an activity...I now no longer have to worry about having the car from Dave. I am just so so happy! And so thankful for such an amazing gift from Dave's parents! really and  truly!! So we'll still continue walking most places, but you can bet we'll be driving to places too now :) I am in Heaven! This car has been a long time coming!

Oh yes, and I almost forgot! We can now go camping without having to be so very creative with how to bring all our camping gear! Especially now as a family of four. I'm really not sure how we would fit everything in our little honda accord! It was pretty full just going to Oregon and Santa Clarita for trips, but camping is another story! Now we'll have space for everything! Stroller, bikes, tent, sleeping bags, ice chest (this has always been the hardest to fit!) Oh I am just so gosh darn excited!!! Can ya tell?

Thank you so much Greg and Linda :)

weekend snapshots

we had a great time with grandma, grandpa, and aunt katie this weekend. and we get to enjoy again next weekend on their way back from san diego. here are a few pictures i snapped. (phone pics again, sorry!) it was rainy and cold this weekend :( i hope next weekend is nice so we can take them to the beach! i'm needing a beach fix soon...

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

We had fun with this today. We read The Very Hungry Caterpillar and did the felt story. Caleb gets really excited about the eggs and the cocoon. I found a butterfly at the dollar store that you can paint so next we went outside and did a little painting.

we did watercolor. Caleb's first time...so we'll have to try again. He was more excited about the markers.

he had a lot of fun with the rice and eggs though. (dollar store again)

squishing it, pouring it, shaking, and stacking.

opening and closing, and breaking apart.

lots of different experimenting going on.

i had fun watching him entertain himself for quite awhile! i love watching his little mind think different things, and then of course him narrating all that he was thinking aloud to me.

a great activity for little hands! no hazards, just mess :) but easy to clean up outside!

fun for spring and easter and nice to do outside on a beautiful day.

Happy Monday!

monday morning in pajamas

so we do hope for swimmers and or runners, but looking at these boys in their baseball pjs, i'm thinking baseball could be in the cards... :) they look cuter on than hanging in the store. they were the only pjs i could find in the right sizes that matched!

sorry, soo blurry! i need to start using my nice camera but it is so much easier to grab my phone quick without causing the toddler to throw a fit!

they were actually being kind here, despite what it looks like. lucas likes grabbing caleb's face (or anyone for that matter and then he laughs). caleb likes pretending to get lucas' nose (thank you jen for starting that crazy game)

i do like my matching clothes! i spend way too much time trying to find the right size and same pajamas for the boys :) but i love it!

this is how a monday morning should be spent. relaxing. and in pajamas. starting off the week with ease. even though caleb's giving me a run for my money this morning. he's in a 'mood'. i'm waiting for him to snap back to happy land...hasn't happened yet. there is sunshine and warm air today so walking and playing outside will help us all:)

 

7 Months Lucas!

Happy 7 Months Lucas!
You continue to be our sweet, peaceful, content, baby boy. You love to laugh at your big brother. And are always ready with a smile and a giggle. You are so content to watch the world around you, taking everything in with a quiet smile. You bring so much peace and happiness to our family and balance us all out perfectly. We love you so very much!

Here is what you have been up to this month :)
still getting the hang of the solid food thing. Rice cereal, oatmeal cereal, peas, and sweet potatoes, none of which you are really eating ;) taking it nice and slow!
you are in 12month/18month clothing
still swaddled in your wombie! we are hoping to ease you out of it this month, but you still fit in it so...we're kind of waiting till april when it'll just be us to work on it with you.
you sleep anywhere from 12-14 hours at night and wake up and nurse 3 times. usually 9/9:30, 12/12:30, and around 5. you usually take a good morning nap for about an hour and a half around 9. And then a good afternoon nap with Caleb around 1 or 1:30 and sleep for about an hour and a half to 2 and a half hours. Then you're ready for bed by 6pm :) I love rocking you to sleep still. I love your sweet baby smell and warm body in my arms. Even in the middle of the night. I am just not ready for you to be going to sleep on your own yet-I know the time will eventually come...but I am just holding on more to you because these days go much too quickly, and I am in no hurry since you sleep so well!
You love playing with your toys and being outside in the fresh air! You are the most content baby in the stroller, holding your toy and watching everything.
Almost always you wake up so happy! This makes me glad to have one person in the house wake up happy :) Well-actually you and daddy always wake up happy! You are very much like your daddy in temperament :) calm, peaceful, and easy going. Big brother takes after mom with his ;) cautious, sensitive, and a little  flare for the drama (what i can i say, italian blood runs through him!)
I'm sure there is much more, but I can't think of it at the moment. Happy 7 months Lucas Gregory! We love you so very much.

enjoying the sunshine today. playing at the park with friends. walking. and getting ready for grandma, grandpa, and auntie katie's arrival this afternoon.

doesn't lucas look so relaxed? he's always like this though. so content to watch the world around him. i could learn a thing or two from him!

caleb's finally come around to the 'putting paint on our fingers' idea, although i do have to have a wipe handy at his request.

a little finger painting picture for grandma and grandpa. one picture is of a flamingo and the other is a picture of grandpa :)

going to be a fun visit with family this weekend!

blue skies today. warm sunshine. sunblocked cheeks. and barefoot toes. happy Wednesday!

sometimes

naps don't go as planned. sometimes, melt downs happen (with a certain toddler) sometimes, mornings come too early (after baby is up more often than normal in the night). sometimes, mamas get tired and frustrated, and overwhelmed with doubt. sometimes, days don't go as planned and dinners come out all wrong. sometimes, days are long and hard. sometimes i try too hard, and sometimes i feel like i don't try hard enough. sometimes i feel judged and all out of sorts. and then...

there are times where everything is right. and good. and a run went well, and a dinner made good. and a happy toddler boy. and a well rested everyone and a good, long, well spent day. there are a lot of good times. good moments. moments i'll treasure forever.

and i'll take it all. everything wrapped up, in a messy package. because it is the hard days that make me appreciate the good days. the frustration make me appreciate the ease. the bad sleep makes me Cherish the great sleep. every moment i hold on to. cause these are the days...sweet days with my little ones who are growing so quickly, too quickly, before my eyes.

i'm holding on. to these moments, moments with my family. and being here everyday with these two precious boys of mine. and watching them together...

because. i love them. and they sure do make me happy.

 and each day with them makes me appreciate life all the more. just the simple little things in life.

little things. like flowers blooming in our yard. and a baby that kisses the fresh breath of wind, and a toddler that digs his toes in the dirt and touches a flower. and a husband that makes everything right with the simple hold of his hand in mine.

simple. joyful. little things in life.

all this talk of oceans is making me really want to go back to Hawaii. Slip my toes in the soft, warm, sand, and hunker down for a lil while. pure bliss....

educational endeavers try again

i am happy to say that learning time went way better today. mama only took out the soft stuff, and no teeth, or anything else was injured in the process this time around. thank goodness.

these are kind of out of order, but i thought i would take a picture of caleb's favorite thing. flannel board time. we read polar bear polar bear what do you hear? cause polar bears do live in the ocean. and caleb's favorite animal was the flamingo. he loves flamingos.

this is out of order, but we did some shapes and colors too.

triangle is caleb's favorite shape. and the color yellow. as of now, everything is yellow or green :)

then caleb drew a picture of a flamingo. quite the artist if i don't say so myself! haha.

and then we played with some more soft stuff. mama was happy, so was caleb.

happy to report, no tears were shed today.

and lastly, last night i was in the room with lucas nursing him while daddy helped caleb get on his pjs. this is what i found...sometimes it's better not to ask what daddy was thinking :)

i'll have to get some pictures of lucas now...i like to keep it even :) but it was nap time for lucas this morning while caleb and i did some learning, so they'll come soon!

now, i won't be doing this everyday :) but it is nice to have a little focus while lucas naps in the morning. and i'm having fun with it. once the weather warms up a bit more we'll be spending most our time barefoot in the backyard ;) but for now, i'm enjoying this special little bit of time with caleb ;)

bumps in the road

The pictures and video (below) are from yesterday. Before Monday morning went wrong.

brothers at play

bread baking party in the kitchen

caleb loves helping daddy in the kitchen

okay friends, i hope you don't mind, but i'm going to vent a little.
first off, i was so excited about my educational endeavors that i lost a little bit of sleep over it. i just couldn't wait to pull out my ocean themed sensory tub! i just couldn't wait to read some fun ocean books and sing some great ocean songs. Monday morning i was practically jumping out of bed with excitement (well...not really, still rolled out all sleepy eyed and groggily went in the shower) but anyway. here's what i learned, sometimes our best intentions can and do go all wrong!. haha. i should be laughing, but i'm not yet. i'm still trying to get over it.
we read a couple special ocean books (caleb was interested, somewhat) here and there. as much as a two year can be....
and he got all excited about that ocean sensory tub..but, things went wrong. even with the best supervision, and (gladly lucas was sleeping!) i somehow ended up with a broken tub and a bruised tooth. yes, i'm glad my tooth didn't fall out, cause i thought it might. and i hope it doesn't turn brown (i once had a grey tooth as a little girl, and it was a baby tooth so it fell out, i don't have anymore baby teeth....have you seen that blue shield commerical? the one where the man says...soo i lost my front tooth the other day? okay, well it is hilarious. and i felt like that man this morning.) i don't want to go into the gory details, but basically, a little two year old of mine (before mom even had time to blink) threw that pretty blue crystal rock in my direction; and it ended up smacking my tooth. real. hard. our little lesson ended in tears (on my end) a lot of you.hurt. mommy. ow. that makes me soooo sad! insert (real tears here). mama is going to go get some space before she blows up! and she'll be back in a minute. we do not throw things at mommy! i think i'll still stick to our 'ocean' themed age appropriate toys from now on....my little two year old is not quite ready yet (even with close supervision) the damage has been done (and more damage than just my poor little tooth). i'll stick to books, songs, and coloring pages, and gonna save those pretty stones for a way later date....or at least until my ego and tooth recover. i'm left feeling a little disappointed. and i'm thinking maybe my expectations were a little too high. maybe i was trying to do things more my way. and i should make sure i remember who i'm working with here, just a two year old! books, songs, water, and toys that can't hurt mommy are what we'll be doing for awhile now....

i also was disappointed with last night's dinner (that i may or may not have slaved over) and not sure i feel up to slaving some more tonight.

now hubby on the other hand, made delicious homemade bread. and delicious homemade oatmeal cookies. all before naptime (in a half hour) easy peasy. yesterday. he makes baking and cooking look so easy. he even created his own pasta dinner concoction on saturday night. i keep telling him he should open up his own restaurant. so it is a good thing one of us can cook (and obviously, i'm not talking about me here!).

i'm going to go bury myself in a big hole haha. i kid. but seriously. what a way to start a monday huh?!

oh yes, and here is that video i was talking about. depending on how things go, i may be the next one on it...
 http://youtu.be/Ke0Q5v0URTw

    big brother likes to watch little brother "hello lucas gregory giles" he says. lucas responds with a coo and a smile.

       good morning happy baby boy.

naps for all this afternoon <3

Hello Monday.