Some Of What I'd Like To Say

Should I start this blog post like every blogger who has been absent from the blogosphere does?...I've just been so busy, life is so crazy, I've started a new post like five times...yada yada...there, I did it.

I have a cuddly, sweet, wiggly six month old who has waged war on sleep, and a silly, stubborn, amazingly smart toddler deep in the trenches of all that is two-years-old (yep that happened!). In the past six months there have been multiple times when I have looked back on the previous weeks and could count on one hand the number of times I got a chance to brush my hair, brush my teeth, or pee without an audience. Forget about showering. Dry shampoo is my friend.

Though my brain is mush from lack of sleep, my eyes heavy and tired I can also look back on these past six months and see beautiful moments, days filled with growth, grace, and hope. There is a lot I'd like to say about having a "difficult" baby (this is what the internet calls him). He is so much more than colic, gas, eczema, and reflux though. As we are slowly coming out of this fog of new-born-ness, I feel slightly ashamed about how I've focused on "fixing" his issues rather than enjoying his growth. How long did I pray to be pregnant?! PLUS to get a son!!!! I never lost sight of how miraculous our daughter's entry into our family was, but I feel like, for a little while, I forgot just how miraculous our son is. I plan to do better.

We've hit fun milestones since I last posted. It's going to be difficult to share as much as I'd like just cause...kids, tired, time. I will do my best though.

Squeaks turned TWO at the beginning of January! It was a fantastically bee bedecked blast. Our little bee enthusiast enjoyed family time, a mountain of gifts, and snow dumped in our driveway out of uncle's truck. It was a lovely day.

Playing with snow like true Californians. Dumped in the driveway out of the back of a pick-up. She loved it!!

She's just so beautiful.

Squeaks also graduated from a toddler bed into a twin big-girl bed, and from her highchair into a booster seat at the table. She puts herself to sleep now which is amazing! After a bed time story, a few minutes of cuddling, and prayers, her tiny voice chirps "nigh-night" and waves us out the door. Some nights it takes her awhile to actually fall asleep but she does eventually drift off on her own without a fuss. Switching her to the booster was perfect timing as Little Dude has taken over the highchair.

Squeaks enjoying lunch in her big girl chair. Peas are actually one of her favorite foods! Go for it kid!!

Big girl bed!!!!

Mini Man, all smiles keeping me company in the kitchen.

I love this age where she's making friends and actually playing rather than just sitting there staring at each other like kids do before developing social skills. She's so smart! Getting so good at recognizing colors, counting, and she says a new word or sentence or phrase every day. Learning, learning, learning. She eats through books like nobodies business. We read all the time. I even recently became an Usborne consultant so that I could keep her library fresh (and because I have soooo much free time). Being part of this business is going to be great when we start homeschooling.
  Squeaks playing with her "I Can Count" book.

My future doctor "reading" in her chair. ("Questions and Answers About Your Body")

Our little mini-man is growing like a weed. Sitting up on his own, babbling away. Poor kid just can't seem to kick his baby eczema but colic has definitely subsided. He turned six months old this past weekend (and I turned 31! Whaaaa?!) and is seconds away from crawling. This kid wants to move crazy bad. I think he'll move to walking way before he turns one. Either that or just go straight to running...and then college...full speed ahead!! This kid has the most determined personality. He's unstoppable!!
Trying so hard to crawl!!

Just way too fast...
As I said, so much more to say, but...