going back to 2012...sophie at 6 months

my darling sophie.  she's growing so fast and catching up to her supposed weight/height.  she doesn't have a hearty appetite when it comes to formula so i'm excited to see how she does on baby food.  she's just starting try and sit up but falls over after a few seconds.  she loves attention and to be held which can be difficult for a second child.  she's definitely a mommy's girl and looks for me every time she hears my voice.  you are so beautiful and daddy tells you that every day.  he always tells me, "we have the most beautiful daughter."  i love shopping for her and really need to stop but hey...she's my last one so that's how i justify it.  jake's not too interested in her yet but i know as she starts moving and talking he will be.  

going back to 2012...morning runs

 just a quick picture of how we roll on saturday mornings and during vacation time.  jake and i have shared our running/stroller time now for almost three years and now sophie gets in on it, too.  it's one of my favorite times and the kids love it.  running joke...it was probably 70 degrees outside on this day but mommy don't play when it comes to keeping warm.

i know my time is limited with them in the stroller and i can't put into words how much i'll miss this time together.

happy anniversary

matt and i got married 4 years ago today.  a simple ceremony in santa barbara.  just us two.  the most wonderful day.  the beginning of all of what we have.

we celebrated it today with dinner and dancing the kids.  

us back in the day before kiddos.

happy new year

happy new year.

i'm not a resolution type girl mainly because every day i'm striving to be better.  a better mother.  a better wife.  a better person.  so 2013 is no different.  i hope to do many things better this year with being a great wife and mom at the top of the list.  new year's eve was a regular night for us.  sophie was down at 7, jake asleep by 9ish, matt asleep by 10 and me up catching up on my TV shows while the house is quiet.  didn't make it for the countdown but we usually don't.  its been an amazing year, with the best day being sophie's birth and the rest of the days marveling at the family we created.  i cannot be more thankful for what we have.  i hope to remember this during the times i'm ready to pull my hair out dealing with the kids.  they are my greatest joy in life and my greatest challenge.

more later about the last ACTIVITY FILLED two months when we get back from celebrating today at my family's house.

building a lego farm with daddy on new year's eve

 "scarf" = old samoan remedy. rub on some vicks and then wrap a cloth tightly around the neck.  cough goes away.  i have to say i laughed at first when matt did it but it worked.

halloween

i love halloween! something about little ones in their costumes...gets me every time! i remember going over to my brother's house every year for halloween and going with them and the kids trick-or-treating.  sometimes i took them by myself while mita stayed behind to pass out candy.  

i've been so excited to dress sophie in her first costume.  this whole month jake's been talking about ghosts, "gawbwins", spiders, things being "spooooky" and our halloween decorations that matt put up.  my mom and i took the kids around our neighborhood while matt and nava stayed behind to pass out candy scare people. they were in the spirit this year with scary masks, lights off, flashlights to the chin and spooky music.

we started early this year trying to let jake decide what he wanted to be.  after weeks of mind changing, we ended up last minute at target throwing a cowboy costume in the cart and rollin to the register like "whatever...it is what it is".  well, i had the cutest cowboy and ladybug on earth!

 forgot to take a picture of the house when he was done...best one on the street.

with grandma jeanene

 daddy in the spirit

 all he wanted was the lollipops

pumpkin carving

so i was really excited to see matt carve a jack-o-lantern with jake this year.  they went to pick out a pumpkin together (well really they went to lowe's, with sophie, too, since i was at work and according to matt it took him over an hour to get them out of the house) but hey...they went! i couldn't wait to get home from work to see the carving in action.  i made matt wait to start until i had my camera charged and ready to go.  so without further adieu...the first couple of photos are how i always pictured this time in my dreams mind.  the second set of photos are how it actually was.

 now the reality...jake lost interest after about 5 minutes but matt being the committed dad, kept at it. 

pa's pumpkin patch

we went to the same pumpkin patch we've been to since jake's 1st halloween.  matt wasn't busy building a fence this year, so he came with us and my mom came, too.  jake loved riding all of the rides, while sophie just chilled in the stroller with grandma.  he loved the petting zoo of course and kept calling it the animal circus because of the big tent.  he wasn't scared to feed the animals, like a few months ago at adventure city.  he loved the big jumbo slide and had no fear of going all the way to the top without us.  he was hesitant to ride the pony (he actually picked the horse to ride) but like a good mommy, i forced him to get on.  my mom and matt were going to let him pass but i'm determined to have a kid opposite of me (worrier, anxiety-ridden and fearful of the unknown...ok, a bit exaggerated but mostly true).  so we i forced him on even while he was saying " i want to get off", and you know what...he rode without crying and and afterwards, he said, "mommy, i did it!".  proud moment!