b&w session with beth

this girl lives to play in bubbles. much like playing in the snow - even when there's not any outside - she asks for bubbles everyday. and even though it turns our entire kitchen into the inside of a washing machine (no, seriously), i occasionally oblige. in fact, i admit that i like it almost as much as she does.

almost.



ALMOST.

the little girl turns two on friday. i can't believe it! i can't believe how fast time goes and how much she has grown. now ask me if i have a huge perfect two-year-old party planned...? the answer is negative. and i've tried really hard to stay away from other blogs that proudly show all the details of their year-in-the-making birthday of their children so i don't feel so guilty. it has completely crept up on me... did we not just celebrate valentine's day??? but hank and i have a few things in the works that will surely satisfy her need for fun and give her a day to remember. don't worry, we'll pull it off.

people told me it would go fast. i never thought it would be THIS fast... sheesh. i'm not ready for this.

little miss bentley turns one

a couple weeks ago i had the pleasure of meeting up with bentley, who turned one in january. after doing her photos when she was 6 months, i was excited that her parents asked me to take pictures of her again for this big milestone. just look at the girl, can you blame me? she's gorgeous! and such a sweet, sweet girl. we had so much fun playing and making a big mess! sorry mom...




thanks again bentley! maybe next time we'll use chocolate frosting!!! :)

4x12

do you ever have those moments where you just sit back, look around you, and say, man i'm blessed... i simply couldn't ask for anything more or better than this? that was me, on this day, which also happened to be my birthday. this one is from the sledding venture we took that glorious sunny saturday afternoon.

we had such a good time, and literally, standing atop the hill, watching beth and hank ride down after having gone down myself a few times, i was hit with it: WHAMO. my life is good. right now, my life is really, really good.

and it is.

february was good to me. to us. we found ourselves in february. we found our rhythm and and our place as a family of four. and now i can't imagine it any other way. beth blows my mind each and every day with the new things she says and does - most of it is quite comical and fun to hear ("see ya later birdies!" as she waves to the birds we pass on our walk...) and it's so fun to be around her and talk to her and play with her each day. she grows up more and more everyday - so fast i can't keep up with it! i am so loving my time off work and being able to feel like i am spending quality, un-rushed time at home with her. she really is such a joy and sweet girl. 85% of the time anyway. that other 15% she's just TWO and i get that. but most of the time we're two peas in a pod that love to be together. she's very into doing things "all by self" lately. and it's very cool to watch her take control of her life as best she can and take on the challenge of doing most things by herself. her mind is still a little further ahead than her body - she gets frustrated when she knows what needs to be done, but can't quite get her tiny appendages to coordinate with it. but she tries and succeeds at times and finds such great pride in it. it's so fun for me to watch.

hyde is just a little rockstar. still on a roll with the sleeping-through-the-night thing which i'm incredibly grateful for, and overall a mellow kid. doesn't cry much, other than when his big sister tries to help out by putting the paci in his mouth and instead ends up shoving it halfway down his throat (you can imagine, i'm sure...). he has just multiplied the size of our hearts and consequently the love in our lives. it's awesome. he is going to be a stellar kid, i'm just sure of it.

and hank, well... hank is just the man. and when i say man, i mean the MAN. an amazing dad and even better husband who knows when to give a girl a break without me needing to say a thing. without him i would be lost. i can't express how glad i am that he and i are on this parenthood journey together and there really is no one i'd rather spend my life with. i don't post enough about him, i should be better at that. because he really is the anchor in my life. it doesn't get better than him kids, i'm telling you, it just doesn't.

so yes, my soul is full and i am happy. i take it in everyday and enjoy it. because heaven knows what lies around the corner... but for now, it is carpe diem.

carpe diem all the way

what a girl will do for a cookie

in story board form:




and that's how you get it done when you're almost two.

all the while clueless that i'm snapping away. it was awesome. gotta give the girl some credit....

ps: happy leap year day (what IS today called?)

i'm calling it

it's been five days now. so i'm calling it.

hyde has started sleeping through the night.




now, by sleeping through the night i mean, 10 or 11 to 5. that's enough for me to consider it sleeping through the night, especially given he used to wake up every 2 or 3 hours. but all of sudden, one day this week, he just went 6 hours, then 7, then 7 again, and again. the little man has got it figured out. and thank goodness.

i realize i'm lucky to have a baby that goes that long this early. well... i'm not sure if it's luck or just the tender mercies of someone who knows that i am not at my best when i'm that tired. maybe a little bit of both. either way, i'll take it.

the irony is i'm still tired. rats.


as a complete afterthought.... i'd forgotten about the newborn crazy zombie arm thing. (it's amazing how much i'd forgotten about this tender age - and beth was here not that long ago. sheesh) you that thing where they make their fingers go all weird - like a mix of an arthritic geriatric and the wicked witch of the west? remember...? and they stretch their arms out wide and high as if reaching or grabbing for something...



poor little guy... feels so vulnerable. just makes me want to pick him up and hold him close and cuddle the little guy all day long.


man, i love this kid.

snow day

these days beth lives to play in the snow. she wants to go out and play in it everyday. even when the snow has been on the ground for days and is rock solid, she wants to go out and play. (insert beaming smile of pride from me HERE - i'm happy that i have a little girl who's not afraid to get a little cold and wet!)

we were eating lunch at the table not long ago and beth looked outside the window and said, "mom, i wanna play snow!" so i told her that after she finished her lunch we could go out and play.

"mom, i wanna play snow!" again i told her, after you eat some lunch we'll go play in the snow.

(in ultra super-whiny, pleading voice), "mom, i wanna play snow!" she then turned and looked out at the snow in a way that i could no longer refuse this girl her time in the snow.



i totally caved.

"okay sister, let's go play in the snow."





and the girl wins again.

just a picture today

because it makes me happy