while dad was away...

 We tried to get away and play so we wouldn't drive ourselves crazy.  We visited the Dinosaur Museum, made a few target runs, and we even played outside when it warmed a bit.  I'm pooped. The house is a mess.  And I can count on my hand how many times I got a shower in.  But, I DID IT.  I got the kids all ready for bed by myself and turned around again in the morning to get them up all by myself.  For 6 days!  I think this was the longest time Jake and I have been a part from each other.  Talk about not being able to sleep.  I slept most nights on the couch with the re-run Olympics and lots of treats by my side.  I would make a pretty pathetic military wife.  I'm so glad he gets home tonight.

a letter {to Lennon}

Lennon-

I think next month I'll cry because that means you're already half of a year old! This month, there's not that many tears...but there's still enough.  Once again you've been sick this past month.  Are we ever going to be healthy?? And you're teething.  So ya, different kind of tears were shed.  I'm real glad we've moved on from last month.

So let's get started.  You love my hands.  Every time I sign you think they're some kind of toy so you reach from them and suck on my fingers, wrist, arms, or whatever you can grab.  Sorry little lady, I'm trying to communicate!

You blow raspberries to the point where you soak your face.  And then you're upset that your face is wet.  You love to eat your toes.  You stick your big toe and as many toes as you can in you mouth.  Oh and toys.  You can now reach out for toys and put them in your mouth.  Also the thumb sucking is still going strong even out of bed.  When you want to calm down you find your thumb.  So precious!

The biggest accomplishment this month is that you can sit on your own!  Well sorta.  For a short time you can sit, but eventually you fall over to one side.  So...almost.

We have also reached the point where if I leave the room, you cry.  If I put you down, you cry.  So you have spent a lot of time in the wrap so I can at least make dinner.  Yes it's work, but I honestly don't mind it at all.  You're so cuddly.  You want me.  Therefore, I melt and give in. 

I don't know if it's just because you're a girl, but I feel like we already have a tight bond.  You want to see my face, be held, and hold my hands.  And when I do hold you, you turn into me.  And when we sing to get ready for your nap, you open your mouth to kiss my cheek, bury into my neck, and stick your little bum in the air to get as close into my skin as possible.  Then I lay you down and you grab my arm and hold onto it so tight.  I mean...I die!  It's so hard to leave the room!

You're a mama's girl and I love it.  I hope it always stays this way. 

Love,
Mom

happy valentines

So....Jake is on his first business trip (yahoo!) which means I'm alone for valentines day.  Which is fine because we went out last weekend.  And it's also REALLY fine because he is so excited about his job.  And this business trip could mean good things for us.  So on today like today, my happiness and love is filled because my better half is happy and where he wants to be right now.  That's all a proud wife could ask for on Valentines.  Love you Jake.  I'm so proud of you.  Happy Valentines day love!

a early v-day date

 Jake will not be here for the big V-day so we went out last weekend for an early celebration.  We drove all the way up SLC to our favorite spot: Cafe Trio.  Jake says it's "chick food" but in bigger portions so naturally we both luuurve it.  We haven't been out just two in a while, so it was nice to eat like normal adults instead of shoving it in before someone wakes up or needs to go potty.  But of course when we go out, all we talk about is that little someone who wakes up so happy and that crazy red head that needs a song in order to go potty.  Such is life.  Thanks for the early celebration Jake.  It will get me through your SIX days away from us.  I can do it!

I love the love

These are my favorite pics of these two kiddos of mine.  And it's not like I posed them, put them there told them to love each other, this is how they are every day.  And I love the love.  Myer is genuinely excited to see Lennon.  He makes sure that if we are headed out the door, she is coming too.  He calls her "my big brover" and brags/yells about that fact when we meet another human being.  I don't have the heart to correct such enthusiasm. 

And Lennon is no different.  She has to see where Myer is at all.times.  He is the one that makes her laugh and puts a smile on her face.  And, get this, she gets excited about his trains.  Yep.  True love right there.

I thought it would take a while for Myer to warm up to Lennon and for Lennon to figure out who Myer is, but to my surprise, it was an instant connection.  Sometimes that connection isn't always happy and joyful, but they know each other.  And that is what I love the most!  They make us four people a family.  I love the love.

a Lennon-gram

Just feeling a little sentimental and found myself looking at old photos of Lennon.

She has grown so much!

I love my little Lenni Lou.

meet my niece!

Meet Elodie Fae Taylor.

Born January 24th.

She's so beautiful.  And chubby.

I can't wait to get my hands on her.

Congrats Jamie, Mike, Maddix, and Navy.

We love her so much!