April 2013

 

There is nothing like having an older brother, I know from experience.  I pray that Arianna will feel the blessing and joys of having an older brother and that Josiah will love and protect her.  I pray they will always be one of each other's closest friends, that they will grow together through the years.  I don't expect perfection, I know we will pass times of fighting and arguing...but through it all, may they know a deep love and friendship that can only be found in a sibling.

 

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I was so grateful to see my best friend Julie come for a visit.  We had a long weekend together of shopping and eating and Ariel watched the kids for us to have a girls night to Portland City Grill.  It was such a nice time of endless talking and laughing and wishing we were neighbors and able to do this all the time!

 

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First pedicure for Arianna.  Of course, mommy had to paint her toes too while we were at it!

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How great those hot, sunny days are.  Josiah cannot be happier than when he is outside playing.  He loves running around and "working" and playing all day long!

March 2013

We took our first mini trip to the mountain as a family of four.  It was our first adventure trying to sleep both kiddos in the same room.  Halfway through the first night I reminded Ariel that we were only about 20 mins from home...but we made it!  We had a fun weekend playing in the snow and even managed to snowshoe a bit.  We got sleds to pull the kids behind us and were then able to stop and play for a bit along the way! 

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Josiah is such a helper and doer.  He loves following Ariel around outside doing all sorts of jobs.  Whether it's mowing or watering or any odd job, Josiah is close behind with his own set of tools to get the job done.

 

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That sweet smile of Arianna.  She is such a joy, every single day!  I have never seen a happier, easier baby!  She wakes up laughing, goes to sleep cooing and playing, and parties while she's awake.  It is so amazing watching her development and all that she is learning.

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We finally managed to dye Easter Eggs...almost missed Easter.  I never know what do to with 2 dozen hard boiled eggs, so we dye regular uncooked eggs around this house!  That means Josiah is extra careful in dropping the eggs into the cups.  He loved fishing them out and picking the colors. 

Easter morning we went to church as a family, with the kids all dressed up in sweet little outfits.  They had their Easter baskets in the morning and Josiah loved pulling everything out to see what was inside.  He loved the kids singing at church...but still couldn't be convince that Sunday School was for him yet!

After church and naps, we headed to my grandparents house.  The kids did an Easter egg hunt and we had a dinner together.  Then Josiah convinced great grandpa to get his tractors and mowers out.  Josiah was in 2 year old heaven.  He loved riding the real thing and moving the scooper up and down.  I'm so thankful my children know their great grandparents. what a blessing!

Sharing. Learned.

We have been working with Josiah on what sharing means.  He's always been pretty good about it, just sometimes needs reminded what it means. 

Today he had two quarters in his pocket to go out with Ariel.  They went to Old Navy specifically to buy bouncy balls from the machine at the store.  We already have a ga-jillion of them, but he loves them and they're a quarter, so why not?  He put his quarters in, twice, and got two bouncy balls.

A little girl in a stroller nearby was watching him and crying that she, too, wanted a bouncy ball.  Josiah looked to Ariel and said, "Give her one?"  Yes, sweet boy, you can give her one.  He didn't know if she would want the red one or orange one, and finally settled on giving her the red one.  She stopped crying.  Her mom hugged Josiah.  I wiped a tear as Ariel told me about it.  He needed no prompting, no suggesting, he just saw the need and took care of it. 

Please remember these things forever, Josiah.  Please don't forget the sweet childhood state of selflessness.  Someday it will get all blurry and you will want to keep everything for yourself.  But yes, may the answer always be YES to the question of GIVE.  Give all you have, share what is truthfully not even yours. 

Lesson learned.  He knows what it means to share. 

February 2013

 

5.5 months meant trying solids for the first time.  Arianna LOVES eating, even if it was just pears.  Josiah helped feed her, like the good big brother he is!

 

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Happy Valentine's Day (and 4th anniversary to mommy and papi)

 

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This boy.  This sweet, caring, active, busy, little boy.  You love tractors, garbage trucks, dump trucks, and anything with a machine that makes noise.  You have a crazy love and surprising talent for drumming.  You are nonstop motion and learning, always ready for a new challenge.  You are so deeply loved.

 

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Sitting alone, loving baths, teething on apple slices...someone stop time for just a minute!!  This baby is on warp speed and we are loving every minute of it!

 

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Oh, our little babies.  How we pray over you constantly.  How you have filled our hearts more than we thought possible.  How my heart sometimes feels like it'll explode with goodness and crazy love for you two.  Thank you, God, for entrusting these treasures to us. 

 

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I just can't get enough pictures of these kids!  Arianna is a little poser and loves dressing up, so it works out well for all of us!  She is such a good sport with all my little mini photo sessions.  There is just so much fluff and girly stuff around, I've got to make the most of it!

January 2013

How beautiful it is to watch these two love each other. Josiah dotes on her, is fascinated by her, loves to take care of her.  Arianna loves his constant motion and noise!  I couldn't have asked for more!

 

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January sadly meant the end to my 20 blessed weeks of maternity leave.  Arianna finally gave in and drank from a bottle, after much stress and a few tears of panic.  Thankfully Ariel is super patient and willing to wait it out and keep trying with her.  I left a stockpile of milk in the freezer...ready for anything!  It was a fairly smooth transition, made easier by the amazing nurses I work with who have also had to leave babies at home to work and the fact that Ari was almost sleeping through the whole night already!

 

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Oh, little Arianna.  Those cheeks, that smile, the way you suck your two little fingers.  You are a joy!

 

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Happy Birthday, Ariel!  We celebrated with a rare date night for two at Salty's.  The fog was so heavy though, we couldn't even see across the river.  Still had a great dinner and nice alone time together!