The One With The Easter Weekend Recap

Here are some Easter portraits I managed to snag among the festivities.
I don't feel like I have much to say about these, so I'll let the pictures do the talking.

 

Look! Toes!


Later on, I'm going to post some of the "behind the scenes" shots and show you how I get these... it definitely takes a few tries to get both babies cooperating.

The One Where Olivia Gets a Turn

(The title totally sounds like one of those Olivia books. Maybe it is one.)
I know I've been posting a lot about Ellie lately. But Olivia is pretty cute, too. See?

I mean, what a little smooch? Sometimes we call her, "The Sponge," because she always has this expression like she is just soaking up everything that is going on around her.


And check out that adorable little smile. She's even thinking of giggling.


If she is ever left alone for a few minutes she'll wait quietly to see if anyone is coming to get her. And when they don't, she lets out these cute, high pitched little squeals. They are so adorable, you can't help but go snuggle her.
So that's what I'm off to go do.

The One With Ellie's First Tea Party

Ellie's grandma bought her the cutest little table and chairs set. Of course, their arrival called for a tea party.



Ellie was very kind and made sure Talentod got plenty to drink.

Thank you, Grandma!

She loves it. Although she is currently frustrated with Talentod's inability to sit up without being propped against the table. And she gets really mad when she drops the teapot lid inside the teapot and can't get it out. Should I be concerned she's already this obsessive?
Anyway, we're off to have a spot of tea with some lunch. Toodles!

(I really can't pull that off, can I?)

The One With the Things I Love About Ellie (18 months)

Being a big sister has brought out a lovely side of Ellie. Not that she wasn't lovely before, of course, but she is very sweet to her baby sister. And I've really been enjoying watching her grow into a big girl with a big heart and a lot of love.

So these are the things that have been thrilling me this past month:

1. The way she always try to climb into my lap, even when my lap is not very accessible.
2. How she tries to make Olivia feel better when she is sad by bending down and whispering, "Hey, hey, hey" like she's seen me do.
3. Her new-found love of blocks and the precision with she puts them together.
4. How she always has a stuffed-animal (usually her dog) tucked under one arm as she goes about her day - whether reading, snacking, building or amusing herself in the window.
5. The way she comes over to hug me throughout the day. She just leans in and makes a little lovey sigh and then goes on with whatever she was doing previously.
6. Her love of scarves. She's just like her mommy. (Click photo to enlarge.)

7. Her exceptional organizational skills- I don't dare to put anything in the wrong container when we're cleaning up. She just won't have it.
8. How her love of books has expanded to her scolding her playmates when they throw them or otherwise treat them inappropriately.
9. The way she reminds me how beautiful it was to think like a child. Last night she was having a hard time sleeping so I went in to rock her a bit. As I held her, she snuggled in close with her dog and I could suddenly remember exactly what it felt like to love a little stuffed animal so much. For me it was a little brown and white dog that is actually among Ellie's playthings. Listening to her breathing and feeling her tight grip on her puppy reminded me what it felt like to be little. And to just love that puppy so very much. Even though I knew that it wasn't real and it was just a thing, I still just loved it. And I love knowing that she has something to love, too.


And don't even try to tell me that isn't the cutest yawn you've ever seen.

The One With the Green and Blue Nursery

My sister in law, Emily, is expecting her second baby boy in July. She is putting together a blue and green nursery for him. I was looking, of course, through my favorite Etsy shops and figured I might as well share some of the lovely little things I might consider for a green and blue nursery.

The nice thing about doing a nursery based on colors instead of an actual theme like airplanes or owls or what-have-you, is that it is a lot more open-ended. I like that idea.

So there's the wall art...

Six Jungle Animals

Isn't the lion the awesomest...

The One With the Book of Checklists

I'm kind of a list person. Maybe I need this book of one giant and hilarious "to-do" list for when I accomplish all the things on my other lists... which is, admittedly, probably never.



If the following things were on the list, I could check these off right away:

• Eat a pound of trail mix in one sitting
• Watch the entire series of FRIENDS multiple times
• Use masking-tape as DIY solution to just about any problem
  
• Make a trip to Target an all-afternoon and lunch-included excursion
• Buy a zillion hair accessories
• Take a drive just to look at all the pink trees in bloom
• Look up the word "pejorative" and use it in a sentence
• Memorize Little Quack by Lauren Thompson
  

(via You Are My Fave)

The One Where Olivia is One Month Old

Olivia is one month old today!
This month has passed so quickly. Much, much more quickly than with Ellie. I though I'd never make it to the 6 week mark with Ellie, and now, with Olivia, it's almost here and I can't believe it.

But the undeniable swiftness with which this first month has passed makes me wish there was a better way than photography to capture the newborn essence. Once babies are about 3-4 months old, photographs can really do them justice in capturing their personalities. I just don't feel like pictures can do that for a newborn. But of course I take them anyway, because they are the closest I'm going to get to preserving these moments forever. Although a friend did suggest getting a wax mold made of her. I don't know...

Newborns are like optical illusions - their true beauty is in their movement. Something is lost when they are not depicted in motion. There is just no way to really grasp their fleeting, precious wiggles and stretches; their incredibly soft skin and the way their whole body reacts to even the tiniest nudge. Olivia is so incredibly little, yet so full of wonder. She is so contemplative, taking in every moment and every new piece of information with a calm determination and a quiet inquisition. Her tiny, yet very real, person-hood never ceases to amaze me.






Dear Olivia,

Today you are one month old. I can't believe it! It has been so wonderful having you finally here with us! You are a very content and sweet little girl.

Everyday your big sister Ellie likes to give you lots of kisses. Occasionally, she also likes to sit on your head, but we're teaching her not to do that. She likes to share her dog and blanket with you, but that's really only fair considering she likes to steal your Boppy and other toys. Sometimes she reads to you from her favorite book, "The Ear Book." Whenever you are doing your "tummy time," Ellie likes to crouch down so she can look in your eyes and say, "Hi. Hey. Hi."

Lots of people have come to visit you - your Grandma F, Aunt Jaci, Uncle Chad and Aunt Georgia all came from Idaho to see you when you were 2 weeks old. Your godmother Allison came from Utah and Aunt Cara came from Texas. And of course all your relatives that live close by, like Uncle Kevin, Aunt Emily, Uncle Tom, cousin Cyril and Grandma and Grandpa W.

It breaks my heart a little to think about how quickly you are growing up. I know that in the blink of an eye you will be such a big girl. I already have a big baby - your sister, Ellie - and that makes me almost wish that you could just stay tiny and new forever. You're such a good sleeper that I wouldn't mind.

But I don't actually wish that. I'm so excited to see you grow up. To watch you learn and laugh and play. I'm looking forward to every new discovery that you make. But until then, I'm happy that you love to cuddle and that you look so sweet when you are nestled in my arms. I love waking up to you sleeping beside me, with the morning sunshine illuminating your precious features and caressing your incredibly soft skin. I love the little grunts you make when you are trying to get comfortable and your wiggles as you wrestle between sleep and wakefulness. I love the little spasms your arms and legs make as you try to control them. I love the way I can make you perfectly happy just by picking you up. And I love the way you look at me so intently, as if we've known each other for a very long time.

I know that these moments won't last for long. So I'm trying to hold on.

I love you with all my heart.
Love, Mommy