quick update

I have not been good about taking pictures lately. I feel like life is in turbo speed. I have no idea how the day gets away from me as fast as it does. I guess it's just what is to be expected with working full-time and raising two kids.

It's a bummer that I don't have pictures to recall all the moments that happen throughout the day, but I also love actually being a part of the moment instead of looking through a lens. We had a great day today at Disneyland. We got there when the park opened and stayed for nine hours! Emily said hello to Mickey, rode some rides and played in the water play area. I think the highlight of my day was watching her play in the water area. She started out so timid and shy, but then all of a sudden she was jumping through the shooting water. She was squealing in delight. I realize reading about it doesn't sound like much, but to me it shows progression and it reminds just how much she changes every day.

I'm pretty sure Kinley is either going through a growth spurt or teething. She was doing really well with her sleep and her attitude, but all of a sudden she started the irritability streak again. She's waking a couple times a night again and is always chomping on her fingers in her mouth. However, when she's in a good mood....she's in a GOOD mood. She'll smile at you until you can't help but feel like everything in life is perfect.

Ol' Faithful

These white shoes are Emily's FAVORITE shoes. She's worn them for a year. Imagine her dismay this morning when they didn't fit. I wish I could say she finally grew out of them, but I'm pretty sure I shrunk them in the washer/dryer. They are noticeably smaller. Oops, my bad.

Back to Work

Oi Vey.

It's been quite the adventure returning to work.

Kinley is still not sleeping great (waking 1-2 times a night) so that's SUPER hard when having to work early mornings. Thankfully, Brian and I both have early morning start times so we're both busy helping the kiddos in the morning. Kinley is adjusting to daycare. Apparently, she had a rough first day, but she's starting to get more comfortable with her new surroundings. My heart still aches to be with them.

Pumping. Three times a day. Need I say more?

The good news? I got a new car so it makes the commute to daycare and work a little more enjoyable. Hopefully, I'll get to trade the commute with carpooling with my kids friends someday...

Wild Animal Park

Life is precious. Life is fragile. Life should not be taken for granted.

I've started this blog post more times than I can count. I feel like I have so many thoughts...too many thoughts to even make anything sound anywhere near coherent.

Life is precious. Life is fragile. Life should not be taken for granted.

I have two healthy, sweet, crazy, crying, beautiful, tantrum throwing girls. I've felt many emotions in the past three months. I've experienced exhaustion, joy, frustration, worry, fear, peace, love--unconditional love in ways I didn't know I could feel.

Life is precious. Life is fragile. Life should not be taken for granted.

April 18, 2010 a sweet little boy entered this world. His entrance, about three months early, came with compromising health. He was born to a family that loved him and an extended "family" that began praying for him, petitioning for his life from the moment he took his first breath. On April 27, 2010 (the same day my daughter turned three months) he took his last breath. This sweet little life brought at least 1,000 people in unity. I'm devastated by the loss of his life. I feel a bit guilty every time I get to hold my daughter. I'm grateful that I have the opportunity to soothe her cries. (The same cries that last week I thought were going to send me over the edge.)

During the time I spent praying for him, I came across "Healing is in your Hands" and I have to say these words of promise are exactly what I needed to hear.

No mountain, no valley, no gain or loss we know could keep us from Your love

No sickness, no secret, no chain is strong enough to keep us from Your love

How high, how wide No matter where I am, healing is in Your hands

How deep, How strong, And now by Your grace I stand, healing is in Your hands

Our present, our future, our past is in Your hands We're covered by Your blood

We're covered by Your blood

In all things, we know that we are more than conquerors you keep us by your love

In all things, we know that we are more than conquerors you keep us by your love

sAlthough God didn’t answer our prayers in the ways we hoped, I’m confident his life, although way too short, made an impact. His untimely death helped me realize the fragility of life. I don't want to take it for granted. I want to hold my girls. I want to kiss my husband. I want to feel the wind in my face. I want to share love, joy and tears with my friends and family.

Life is precious. Life is fragile. Life should not be taken for granted.

Hug the ones you love.

Precious Moments

My maternity leave is coming to a close faster than I can appreciate. In just two short weeks I'll be back at work. These pictures were taken from my phone camera so the quality isn't great, but this is what I will miss when I go back to work.

Emily gets into just about everything while I'm nursing. She's learned that there isn't much I can do when I'm sitting in "my spot" nursing Kinley. This particular moment made me laugh because she put a pair of my socks on and they were up past her calves, but by the time I got the picture they had fallen down quite a bit. She was dancing around singing, "I'm wearing mommy's socks, I'm wearing mommy's socks." It got a good chuckle out of me.
My view most mornings..... I try to load up the kiddos in the double stroller and go for a walk for at least an hour so Kinley gets an hour nap in during the morning. I look forward to when she can sit up in the stroller because I feel kinda funny pushing the princess around.
Do I need to add much to this picture caption? I live for these precious smiles. They make up for the hours of cries she gives me each day.

Emily-isms

Brian uses listerine religiously. I don't use it as often. Emily has apparently noticed this because when I used it the other morning she yells, "HEY! That's Daddy's drink!"

I walked into the living room this morning after changing Kinley's diaper. Emily was sitting in the spot I sit on the couch to nurse Kinley. Her shirt is up, her doll is on her belly and she says "time for the other side."

Whenever Emily sees a plane she'll either say, "Daddy, San Fa-crisco" (From Brian going on a business trip the weekend before Kinley was born) or "PAPA! nenaplolis (from my dad's recent trip to Indianapolis)

When Kinley is crying, "It's okay Kinley bear, it's okay."

When we go to a store and she sees clothes she'll pick them up and say, "Mommy this is pretty cute."

Her poor toys are very tired they're always being put to bed because they are tired. When she puts them down, she's often repeating what we say to her at night, "Sleep well honey, I love you." A lot of the time she'll even sing them "Jesus Loves Me" to calm them down.

If her toys aren't in bed they are in time out...they certainly misbehave a lot throughout the day.