*six years*



We look like babies. This was taken in Big Sur on our first Mini Moon.



6 years ago, I married my love. The two of us in front of our dearest loves, overlooking the beautiful Pacific Ocean. It was an overcast day, and I remember seeing the clouds part (and I think my mama was looking over us and blowing us crazy kisses!) and the sun came out at the end of the ceremony. It was a perfect day.

Years later, I can still remember those first moments where I had such a crazy little crush on him. He would walk by me and just say "hi jenny" and I would completely melt. Our first date was at Six Flags Magic Mountain. Roller coasters and beers. That pretty much sealed the deal for me.

I feel so blessed to share my life with such an insanely amazing human being. He makes me laugh like no other, makes me want to be a better person everyday, and love watching my kiddos smile a zillion smiles at their incredible Daddy.

What an incredible journey this has been so far....cannot wait to see what's next!

Happy Anniversary!
I love you.

so.much.fun.

 



*chompers*





he sat in this chair AFTER the cleaning.

Kaden had his first trip to the dentist this week! We had put it off for a bit after he turned three, since he was going to the ENT doctor every other week to figure out what was going on with his ears, why make him petrified of going to the doctor?? We prepped him for this visit, talked about it for weeks and read him several books about going to the dentist. He wasn't a huge fan. He refused to sit in the big chair, and the sweet hygienist was able to clean his teeth while he sat on mama's lap. Afterward, he was pretty psyched about picking his prize out, getting a new toothbrush and dinosaur floss!

I'm also fairly CERTAIN Miss Sophia is getting her very first chomper. She drools uncontrollably, gets agitated and annoyed with her mouth lately, and still has not quite remembered how magical sleep can be. I can't see anything busting through, but I know one has to be on it's way.

hula hoopin at the park.





me and the mini muffin.



playing peekaboo in her jumperoo. Notice the three pillows under her feet...we tried this out with her just a wee bit too soon!

playing at Centennial Park, our new favorite!



ready.set.jump!



love him.



love her.

 

*training for the Olympics*

*love*

Ridiculously in love with this picture. I feel it is worthy of a blog post of it's own!

Happy 4 months Sophia!

Dear Sophia,

This month brought us many more smiles and many more rolls! I find a new squishy little roll each day! This month also brought a lack of SLEEP! What happened to my sweet sleeping through the night angel? I understand your excitement about the wonders of the world, but please, we need to rest sweetheart. Mama is exhausted! I keep hearing it is just the "four month wakeful", but I have yet to hear a definition of what exactly that is and WHEN will it go bye bye.

You LOVE to laugh, and your giggle makes my heart skip a beat. We love finding new ways to do this each day. You adore your big brother, and he adores you, even though he hides it well. We had your four month appt with your doctor the other day, and he held your hand while you had your shots, with no prompts from mommy and daddy.  Speaking of the doctor, you are now 15 lb, 8 oz and in the 73rd percentile for your age. When Kaden was four months, he was in the 95th percentile, so you can use that against him when you grow up. You are 24 inches 1/4 long and in the 39th percentile. We chatted about starting solids, and we decided that you are ready to start some oatmeal, since you are delightfully curious about what we are eating, and God knows you need to fill in those ROLLS! We gave you some oatmeal cereal today and you chowed it down, you were so happy.

Just yesterday, you seemed to have found your feet. This is my favorite stage, I love watched you hold your feet up in the air! You look at them as if to say "OMG, I think those are ATTACHED to me!". You love your mobile, your owl, being outside, funny faces and bathtime (see below!). You extremely dislike your carseat, post bathtime, having your tummy smooshed in really far (ahem, cough cough kaden) and apparently you are now not a fan of bedtime.

You are such a bright light sweet girl....I love watching you grow, seeing such joy in your eyes, but most of all, I love being your Mommy!

I love you,

your mommy

her birthday pose with her owwie bandaids from her shots.

eating oatmeal cereal for the first time.

Papaw surprised Kaden with this sweet new train set for graduating from his swim class.

Off to the zoo to keep Sophia's mind off of the crazy shots she had just had....see the precious little pink camo bandaids on her thigh?

The last Jazz in the park of the season....so happy so many people came out, it had such an awesome energy! The band ROCKED!

We took the kids to CEC today...kaden's face is priceless when he gets in this truck and it starts to move.

enjoying a rare date night!

See below for the sweetest little cackle you ever did hear.... 

*currently*

I know that I have been quiet here for some time....my head has been wrapped around so many different things lately. A little healing, awakening, and a bit of introspection....among the other hooplah.

My mind has been here often...

 It has been almost ten days since this horrific tragedy took place, and my heart is still so very heavy.  Working in the mental health field in Aurora only makes the energy of it all that much more tangible.

I find peace with my kiddos. When I see their faces, I am reminded of all that is good and beautiful in the world....I am so thankful for them!

I love that I'm smiling.  So ecstatic to catch a little nap, even if it is in the middle of a party!

Not sure about her first trip to the beach.



smiles for daddy!



lessons!



 

Sophia crackin up at Uncle Larry.

Kaden had his first swimming class this summer. He started out as a seahorse and now has moved to a Seal!

Music is so healing to me.  I have this amazing *healing* playlist that I have been listening to at work, and I was so sad when I tried to post it on this post and it wouldn't let me. So, if you are so inclined.....check out these tunes when you get a chance, and wait for your soul to do a little jig.

*Awake my Soul - Mumford and Sons

*Keep Breathing - Ingrid Michaelson

*Let it be me - Ray Lamontague

*Never let me go - Florence and The Machine

and then throw on a little Walk On by U2 and you should be good to go!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful week!





 

 

Happy 3 Months Sophia!



Happy Birthday sweet Sophia!!!



Dear Sophia,

You are a big ol bundle of JOY!!!! Your smiles are so contagious and so big and sweet! You wake up in the morning high on life, and you smile like crazy, even when your not really sure there is anything to smile about! This month (actually this week) you have started laughing, and it is such a sweet little sound!  You sleep SO good, almost a little too much, I wish you were awake a bit more. You sleep through the night and absolutely nothing could wake you from your sweet slumber. We had such crazy thunder today while you were napping and you didn't even flinch.

You are starting to roll over on your left side, and with a teeny push you can roll right over to your belly. You LOVE to be outside, and sometimes if you are having a rare mad moment, this is the only thing that will soothe you. So far, you love your daycare, and apparently have a crush on a baby named Hank, though I think this is just the daycare's way of easing Mommy's mind while she's at work. What mommy wouldn't want her baby girl flirting on the first day of daycare? You love to read books, and you especially love to look at pictures of people.

You bring a crazy amount of joy to our family, and it is immeasurable! Even your big brother misses you when we take him out on kaden day out dates...he says that he "misses you" and can't wait to see you.

We love you so very much Sophia!

love,

your mommy