L2's first birthday!

Happy First Birthday to my sweet baby boy! Today L2 turned one, and although I know it is super cliche, and every mother says it, I'm going to say it anyway...... where the heck did this last year go? And can my kiddos please slow down and stop growing up so fast!!!!

It seems literally like yesterday that we were in the hospital, bringing this sweet little boy into the world. It has been an amazing year, although not with out trials (as is life, I suppose!) I think being a mommy to two has really tested me and strengthened me, and I am so grateful for all the lessons L2 has taught me over the past year. 

Sweet boy: you are so, so loved. I am amazed everyday by your easy going personality, your big smile and your loveliness. I don't think I have ever met a kid quite as mellow as you, you take everything in stride, whether it is big brothers tantrums (and there are a lot of those these days..... he's three!), and stay in the hospital and surgery, or a mommy who is having an off day. Daddy and I are so incredible grateful for you!

OK, enough of the mushy stuff! We had a pretty mellow birthday. L2 has been fighting of a pretty nasty virus and S had to work, so we pretty much just hung out at home. We did however venture out early this morning for a yummy dunkin' donuts breakfast! L2 really enjoyed his donut, as did his brother (Mommy really enjoyed her coffee!) I think L is a little confused as to why we wouldn't eat donut for breakfast every morning!

We did do a fun afternoon activity of pumpkin painting.... but I will save that for another post! After S got home we had a delicious dinner of homemade nachos and then gave L2 his cupcake and sang him happy birthday. I have to tell you, L was devastated when I told him the cupcake was for his brother and not him.... total meltdown. In my defense, this cupcake was huge and I just figured they could share it after we sang to L2! (That is what they did, but L was still not entirely happy!)

L2 was not super impressed..... can you tell!

He warmed up to the idea once we stopped singing and actually let him start eating!

After cupcakes L2 has a few presents from us to open..... same scenario as the cupcake for L.... he just can't seem to believe that we are celebrating a birthday today and it's not his! He was however excited by the idea of a new toy, whether it was technically for L2 or not, so he "helped" open all the presents and was pretty good!

On Saturday we will have a small party for L2 with a couple of friends and S's parents, but it was nice to just celebrate as a family tonight!

We love you so so so much L2!!!!!

Happy First Birthday!!!!

Reno trip Fall 2012

Well, we've been back a week from our "mega vacation" of 2012. What would constitute a "mega vacation" you may ask? Well, in my book it is spending 14 hours in a car with a three year old and a 10 month old as you make the trek across the barren dessert, on two lane roads the whole way, to your hometown of Reno, Nevada.

Not my idea of a fun time, but to be totally honest it wasn't as bad a I thought it would be. We left when S got off of work on Wednesday and drove to Vegas, spent the night, and then got up early the next morning and made the 8 hour drive across the dessert. 

We got in late Thursday afternoon, tired and sweaty, but it was well worth it to come home to this!

(My childhood home!)

We had a lot planned for this trip, but we also had an abundance of family time with Grandma and Gramps, and getting to take the boys around Reno. Also, the weather was beautiful. Cool and night and 80's during the day. Perfect for walk to our local coffee shop, picking apples and runs along the river!

(L sitting outside of my elementary school!)

(My parents have an apple tree in their backyard..... L was obsessed. I dare  say he was hoarding the apples.)

(Train ride in Virginia City!)

(My parents house sits right on the Truckee river.... you can't beat this view on your morning run!)

The main reason we were in town was for my ten year high school reunion. TEN YEARS!!!! How the heck did that happen? I'm so glad we made the trip, it was so fun and it was so great to catch up with old friends!!!

(there may have been shots involved. There may also have been shots involved in high school.... but I plead the fifth!)

After the reunion weekend S had to fly home and go back to work, but I ended up changing my tickets and the boys and I stayed an extra week so that I could host my best friends bridal shower and bachelorette party. She is getting married in November and I was so excited and honored that I was able to be such a big part of the celebration for her!

(so much yummy food!)

(Sure sign of a successful party.... lots of empty champagne bottles!)

After the bridal brunch we headed to a local resort where we checked into our upgraded room, drank some more champagne and met the girls for a night of dinner and dancing. Needless to say, it was a blast, but I'm not going to go into too much detail as this is a family blog!

The weekend was a huge success, but I'll be honest, the whole party thing is not my scene anymore. I missed my husband and my house and I was so ready to go home after ten days away! I was nervous for my flight alone with both boys, but I felt really prepared. I had snack and movies and toys. The flight was only an hour and a half.... what could go wrong?

Let's just say this next picture is the calm before the storm. L ended up seeing (through the window) as they loaded his carseat into the cargo area on the plane. he freaked out! No joke, he spent the entire flight screaming and crying that they had stolen his carseat..... I was mortified. I was actually worried we were going to end up as one of those new stories where the mother and kids get kicked of the plane. It was awful.

But, what can you do? We are home now and everyone thinks the story is hilarious. I may be scarred for life however.........

A Third Birthday!

Happy birthday to my sweet baby boy!!!

I cannot believe L is 3. How is it even possible that my tiny 8lb 4oz baby is now a walking, talking, running, tumbling, funny, articulate little boy. 

He is truly the light of my life. (Along with his brother and his Daddy, of course!) And as he gets older it seems as though he is just learning and growing more and more everyday. And while I miss the baby days, and it's bittersweet to me that he is growing up so fast, I absolutely love who he is becoming. Every single day he makes me laugh. Sometimes he tests my patience, but then he will sweetly ask for a hug and a kiss. He tells me loves me and he gives high fives and every night he tells me "Sweet Dreams, Mommy!". Yesterday, when I asked him how old he was going to be, he told me: "Three and two cupcakes!" Seriously, the kid cracks me up!

He woke up this morning to find that Mickey Mouse (his favorite) had brought him some balloons, decorated our sliding glass door and brought him a chocolate donut for breakfast. We also opened a few small presents from mommy and daddy first thing in the morning, before the excitement of his party.

Because it's been a long day, I'm not going to upload all the party pictures from my camera, instead you are stuck with just the iPhone pics I took. But it was a good day, filled with people that we love and who loves our babies. L got a ton of wonderful presents and by the end of the day he was overstimulated, cranky, and happy all rolled into one. 

Oh, and his big present from Mommy, Daddy and brother? A brand new Cars scooter that lights up and plays music. He loves it, and we were out front until well after dark while he learned how to ride it!

Happy birthday my sweet, sweet boy. I love you more than you will ever know!

parks and running

So when I loaded these pictures onto blogger from my iPhone the other day I apparently hit "publish" instead of "save draft"..... so no, I'm not being totally lazy and just posting pictures, I just didn't mean to post this blog yet! With that being said, these pictures are pretty self explanatory!!!

Fall, Fall, FALL!!!! I wrote last time about how I"m craving it, and this week the weather in Phoenix has been beautiful and almost "fall like" (at least for Phoenix). We've had several days of storms, wonderfully overcast sky and breezes, cool morning and nights and temperatures that have only been getting into the 90's.  It makes for some lovely park weather where we can enjoy a snack on a blanket and then let L run around to hit hearts content without worrying about heat stroke!

L2 is having a little love affair with apple slices these days!

Daddy and L enjoying our picnic lunch!

L2 enjoying some of the park equipment.... about 2 second after I took this picture a group of bigger kids came barreling through this tunnel and almost took my poor babe out!

The park was fun, but L2 was worn out by the end!!!

And one of the best parts of the weather cooling down, especially the mornings? We've been able to start running outside again! It literally impossible to run outside in Phoenix in the summer (unless you go at like 3 in the morning and it's still usually 90+ degrees!) and I hate how much I feel like I lose when I have to switch to just gym workouts. I mean, I keep running on the treadmill and add in lots of cycling and yoga and Pilate's..... but I don't really think anything beats an outside or is as good of a workout. Luckily I don't think I lost too much this summer. I was doing between 4.5-5 miles each time I went out at the end of last spring and I've done 3 miles everyday this week. I think that's pretty good considering: 1) it's still fairly hot outside 2) I haven't run outside on a track in almost 4 months 3) I feel like my two kids in the jogger stroller and significantly heavier then they were 4 months ago!

My goal is to get back up to 4.5-5 in the next two weeks and then keep pushing it further after that! Wish me luck!!!!

A Big 'Ole Post

This post shall be labeled simply "A Big Ole Long Post". It will jump around and have lots of pictures that I've been meaning to post. There is no real rhyme or rhythm to it.... it's simply what we have been up to lately, and since it appears I am on a "once a month" posting spree..... well, this is what we are left with!

My Boys

Ah, my boys. The exhaust me and make me laugh and I swear make my heart grow a little bigger each day. Sometimes it amazes me just how much I love them. The first few weeks after L2's surgery were hard.... harder then we expected. He was uncomfortable and hurting and just generally out of sorts. It was actually worse (at night) then we ever experienced with either of our boys as newborns He would go down, sleep for about an hour, wake up inconsolable, take half and hour at a minimum to go back down, and then be back up half an hour later. I felt like a zombie, all of our nerves were fried and at times it felt like we were at a breaking point. But finally, just when I wasn't sure we could take anymore, he started feeling better. And it seemed like the improvement went from 0-60 in just a few days. Now my littlest is back to his happy, playful (sleeping) self and we couldn't be happier.

Now that he is 10 months old and a little sturdier L is getting much more into playing with him and hugging him and helping him. Sometimes we have to remind him to be gentle, but for the most part L2 thinks he is hilarious and loves the attention.

L loves hugging him anytime L2 starts fussing on the ground.... and it always brings smiles!

My big boy.... we are planning a 3rd birthday in a few short weeks.... I really can't believe it!

Working on some standing.... 

Nap time with mommy.... 

And even more hugs!!!

My handsome little guy!

Playdates

We've been doing some more playdates lately, which works our well for both L and I. He loves his new little friend and I love his friends mama. It so nice to have another mama who's so close, with a boy the same age who I can get together with and vent and laugh and share things with!

Channeling a 70-year old Grandma

When I was pregnant with L2 I was incredibly restless and needed something to help occupy my time. So I learned how to crochet. And I actually really enjoy it, and it comes in quite handy as my new go to gift for friends having babies is a handmade blankie! 

I'm by no mean an expert and at this point I'm pretty limited to blankets, washclothes and beanies.... but I did just teach myself a new chevron stitch and I'm thinking I may be making some nice Afghan like the one below for the women in my family for Christmas.

I've also been mildly throwing around the idea with another friend who does crafty type things of setting up a booth at our local farmers market and trying to sell some of my stuff..... thoughts?

Bedroom renovation

For literally TWO years we have had sample paint strip on our bedroom wall. I have wanted to paint our bedroom since the day we moved in, but other projects have always popped up instead. I finally put my foot down, went out and bought the paint and we painted out bedroom a lovely shade of grey. I love it. I don't have a lot of after pictures because I am still throwing around the idea of moving some furniture and adding a "reading nook".

Fall

For the most part, I don't mind Phoenix's weather. But right around this time I get an almost physical craving for fall. I want rainy, cloudy days and leaves changing and comfy cozy sweaters and warm cider. 

This is what I dream of for fall:

This, unfortunately, is what passes for fall (and every other season) in Phoenix:

But I can't enjoy fall outside, at least I can make it fall inside! So it's time to pull out the comfy pajama pants (even if the AC is still running!) start making hot chocolate and light all the fall scented candles, get some candy corn bubble bath and lather on the sweet pumpkin lotion!

OK, truth by told, I know everyone is obsessed with the Pumpkin Spice Latte, but I'm actually a bigger fan of the salted Carmel mocha. And don't even get me started on the salted Carmel hot chocolate.... it's Christmas in a cup!

So that's it for our life update! I hope those of you who actually get "fall" weather are enjoying the change in season! And we will be posting more this month because not only do we have a third birthday in just a few weeks, we also have my ten year (!) high school reunion at the end of the month!