Thankful

 

This year I feel especially grateful for these beautiful faces that I get to wake up to each day. I love that we're now a family of 4 & not a day goes by that I don't stop & think about how grateful I am for these 3 people that I love most. I'm grateful for a husband that is endlessly good to me & can find the positive in anything. I'm grateful for these amazing children of mine & for those plump cheeks & smiling faces I get to kiss all day long. And I'm grateful for my beautifully imperfect life. This year I've learned to be grateful for the hard times where I'm stretched & challenged. I've been reminded that life is lovely in spite of all its imperfections. Given the choice between easy & hard I'd take easy every time. But I'm grateful I haven't been given that choice. Because I've been led down a path that is far better than the one I would have taken myself, & never would I have dared to be so bold as to ask for this life I've been given. 

Ruby Lately

Here's Ruby dancing her heart out on our driveway. She's prone to random dancing outbursts (among other outbursts...) & I'm always glad when I have my camera nearby. I love this silly little girl & the beautiful little person she's becoming. She is full of life & personality & keeps us laughing all the time. Say what you will about toddlers, but they're kind of my favorite. And sometimes my least favorite. But most of the time just my favorite.

 

 

 

 

I seriously don't know where this girl comes up with half of the stuff she does. When she gives kisses she'll kiss one cheek & then the other. I overheard her the other day playing & saying "Merci" as she handed herself something. I was singing to her one time & she walked up to me & put her hand over my mouth & said "Off". She calls any party we go to a tea party & talks my ear off from the moment she wakes up till the time she goes to bed. She's strong-willed & independent but also sweet & empathetic. She's an awesome side-kick & I love spending my days with her.



Noah Lately

Noah is getting to be more & more fun these days. I've loved when my babies have come out of the sleepy new baby stage & start interacting & responding more. It's like this incredible payment for all the hard work you put into being their mama. This boy has started to really love bath time & kicks his little legs splashing water all over. He loves to watch his sister & pretty much anything she does makes him smile. He laughed for the first time yesterday & it was the cutest thing. And he of course stopped as soon as I turned on the video camera. He's still calm & sweet as can be but he loves when we bounce him & hold him up in the air. I have a feeling he's going to love to rough house.  This little boy has come into our lives & filled a void that we hardly knew was there. But having him here makes me realize just how much we were missing before he came. He's truly the perfect addition to our family & is one loved little boy.

 

 

He's full of smiles unless he's really tired & then he just looks like this:

 



iPhone Update

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



2 Months

This happy boy is 2 months old today. He's in the stage now where he smiles all the time & has really started focusing in on people. I see his eyes follow us around a room & listen to us talking & he'll just be smiling the whole time. Mornings & evenings are his happiest times but really since day one Noah has just been happy to be here. He's calm & easy going (just like Tyler) & I could swear that he's on the verge of laughing any day now but maybe that's just wishful thinking. His hair sticks straight up no matter what I do to it & it's impossible to tame after he's had a bath. He's starting to make more sounds when he's happy & his little legs are kicking anytime he's awake. I don't know what it is about baby legs kicking, but I think it's the cutest. Happy 2 months sweet boy!

 

 

 

 

 



Halloween

Halloween was so much fun this year.  Tyler & I went to our annual Halloween party as the American Gothic painting:

 

 

 

And Ruby & Noah went as the tortoise & the hare:

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was so fun to take Ruby trick-or-treating this year & she was so excited about it. She started off a little hesitant but by the 3rd house she grabbed my hand & started running saying, "Hurry! Hurry!" as she ran to the next house. It is so fun getting to see the world through those eyes or hers especially when she's so full of excitement. True to form, Noah hung out & slept. I kept looking at him thinking how next year is going to be even more fun when he can join in on the fun. I'm going to savor every year that these two will let me dress them up in coordinating costumes. I love Halloween!