I remember when Juni was a baby and I kept waiting for it to get easier, and it did. With each passing phase we got the hang of things, she slept more, if even by minutes, she adapted to life and we adapted to her. We found our way as a family. Welcoming Genevieve was an added blessing beyond measure. Our family of four is just what we always wanted it to be, it is just more tiring and more constant than I ever could have imagined. I expected the same transition into our new normal. One where we would adapt and she would adapt, and I guess we have, but that easier and easier part just never happened. I still don't feel like we've found our groove as a family of four.
I spent many days of this past year filled with a dark energy that I just couldn't shake. My girls were so sweet. My husband was so helpful. I just felt like I couldn't keep up with the simple tasks of life. Laundry? When? Cleaning? Start where? To the park? After spending 2 hours getting each child dressed and potty and dressed again and shoes changed and Oop! it is raining now. Let's try after nap. Oh, it was a late nap day. It's too late now. Maybe tomorrow? Oh, I have to work tomorrow. Maybe Papa can take you? Somehow in the last few weeks I've come to a new peace with this. I've accepted the messy and stuck and the piles. I've appreciated each and every extra cuddle. Each, Mama, just one more time, please! :) Each take all the minutes it takes to walk along the curbside planter boxes than on the flat sidewalk. This is it. This is our groove. These are the moments. And somehow, thankfully, I've gotten back to the place where I can enjoy them. Two kids is hard. So, so hard. Of course, I wouldn't trade them for the world. I'll just go through one pile at a time. One load of laundry when I can. Sweep a pile of crumbs when I notice them. And fill all the moments in between with love.
These are those moments...
Around the holidays I always crave the comfort foods my mom used to make. This might be the first time I've ever made tatertot casserole. The girls were not a fan. I tried giving Genevieve ketchup for the tatertots, as she's a big fan of french fries, but she decided to just eat the ketchup instead :) None of us in this house are really big ketchup eaters, so it was funny when she first started getting so excited about it over the last few months.
I'd always wanted the girls to have a little reading nook, but in our small space it just never seemed possible. Zach asked me where I'd ideally want it, and then one night while I was sleeping he moved all the furniture around and set it up. The girls love it and use it often!
zippy sack #2! Surprise! Happy girl!!
Looking at their snowglobes from years past after putting up all the Christmas decorations.
I hadn't taken an uninterrupted shower in..... months. And by shower I mean quick rinsing off. This day I was so relieved to have gotten my hair washed without being joined by a child or two. I was probably in the shower a total of 7 minutes. When I hopped out, still in my towel, to check on things, this is what I found on the wall in the living room by the kitchen.
and this on the wall in the hallway right by the bathroom door. There was more in the kitchen and in the living room by Zach's desk. Crazily enough, I have gotten 2 uninterrupted showers since this day with no major catastrophes. Oh Genevieve, your free spirit is abundant! :)
22 months! I've often considered trying to get Genevieve to stop napping in hopes of her sleeping better, or at least earlier at night, but every afternoon she seems to just melt down and it doesn't work. So, for now, we keep napping, and often end up late. This was an up late night. She found my glasses on the table (They are always on my face when I am "awake") and she was quick to put them on. She knew she shouldn't, but at the same time was so proud of herself, she had to show me. Too cute.
She loves to take her clothes off and put shoes on. She loves to eat any candy she can get her hands on and still loves some good squishy bread! (the inside of a baguette) She's always listening and has started singing along with Twinkle Twinkle and ABCs. She is such a great piece of our family puzzle!
Putting the gingerbread house together for the first time. This ended up being another late night and before we could decorate it the next day Genevieve pulled it down off of the counter, actually trying to reach for something else, and many pieces shattered. I put it back together once, and then again, before we were actually able to decorate it. So thankful they gave us so much "glue" with the kit! We had plenty for rebuilding and decorating still. It all fit back together just like a puzzle!
Our first Christmas treats! With lots of sprinkles courtesy of Juni, of course!
That took way longer than I thought it would! But it was really fun!! Next year, I'll probably only do a half batch as the girls/Zach don't want to sit and decorate for that long... and I don't really either, but can't leave the project unfinished, of course! This year we all rolled out the cookies, but just Juni and I decorated while Zach was busy with work and Genevieve took a nap.
Zach's birthday!
Juni was so proud of the gift she picked! A play set with Inside Out toys so she and Papa could play together!
Papa often makes the girls breakfast on days I works, so Genevieve got him a silicon happy face to cook up some smiles!
Sister Love before going out to play in the rain!
The house fell apart so many times, we decided to decorate it and then put it back together again.
Juni's panel! She did the people too!
Zach did the roof panels and and I did the front and the tree/reindeer
Christmas Eve, new snow globe! Oooo! Juni got a hummingbird this year.
Genevieve got a carousel horse.
All the stockings in a row, including those for Grandma Candy and Grandpa Billy!
Merry Christmas! Sister Love!
Chatty Hamster!
Nautical quilt from Grandma!
clothes made by Grandma Susie
Bath and bubble fun with Juniper's new fish robots from Uncle Nels and family
Juicy was so excited from all her new Christmas toys she started pulling her basket off the shelf and getting out her toys to play.
Shadow puppets from Aunt Lisa! Yay!!! Went perfectly with flashlights the girls got in their stockings.
Juni used her giftcard from Grandpa Butch and Grandma Jill to get "Little Critter" dolls (cats) and play pieces (a kitchen set and bunkbeds) which all fit perfectly into my old dollhouse! Hooray!
We are all still sick but time for Grandma Candy and Grandpa Billy to go back to Nebraska :(
Between Christmas Eve and New Years we all traded cold/flu germs back and forth and back and forth. Yuck! Truthfully, the girls are still?again? sick this week. :/ It's been a SUPER germy winter in this house!
Happy New Year!! Do these girls ever wear clothes more than five minutes? Nope. Not unless I convince them that we are leaving the house, NOW!
23 months. My last month with a "baby" though she obviously isn't much of a baby anymore. She loves to do everything herself. Walk. Climb. Buckle into her seat. Undo her pants for the potty, which she has become quite the pro at!! She is reciting words we've never heard her say clear as day. She loves to joke and laugh and be told she is funny. She loves bubbles in the bath... and in her tea.... and in her fro yo! She likes bubbles!! She's enjoying the play kitchen more than ever. She likes to eat french fries and ketchup, or should I say ketchup with french fries, milkshakes, "meat" (chicken, turkey, steak), and still her tried and true noodles. She and Juni are finding their own language where they can play and enjoy each other more. She has become the master of one word sentences and is a pro at telling stories with them. I come home from work and she can tell me how she took a BATH with JUNI, fell DOWN, PAPA HELPed her up, gave her a HUG and made her feel BETTER. She is oh so sensitive and wears her heart on her sleeve. I feel like I break her fragile heart daily, poor girl. We spend lots of time hugging and trying to talk through things. Her hugs are as fierce as they've ever been. She throws her love at you so strong, if you aren't expecting it, you can be knocked off balance. We are so thankful that she shares that love with us each day!
"here's my Baby. Hold it please, papa. so i can Run."
Juni running up ahead :)
my little detective!
PRE-SCHOOL
Her very first day. She'd been on the waiting list since fall and they got an opening she she started the first week in January. She's also continuing on with gymnatics, so Wednesdays are very busy days for her. She was just as anxious as she was excited on her first day. Second day a little timid. Third day was ready to jump in! She's loving every minute and I honestly wish, for her sake, that she could go more!
This day was more difficult for me, than for her, as expected.
What a clear reminder that this stage in their childhood where I have them all to myself is just a short season. It is so great to watch her learn and grow and make friends. I can only begin to imagine how much I will miss her when she starts Kindergarten in the fall. Sigh. I know, I know, everyone says times goes by so quickly, I just never imagined this quick was even possible.
Juni has just a couple of friends that we've made at different times and Colin is one of them! He happens to go to this pre-school too. Since the teach switches their desks around daily, she kindly put them next to each other on her first day so she would feel a little more comfortable. She's absorbing. Can you see it? ;)
I got her a little "Pony" hair clip in that she's modeling here.
How can you not climb up into a sink to kiss a girl that cute?!?!
Genevieve has seen how special this dress is to Juni, so after Juni left it on the couch, Genevieve put it on all by herself. She was SO excited!
Since.... a long time ago?.... it feels like we haven't been able to squeeze in much family time at all. After the 1st of the year, we've had a couple of fun adventures. We took the girls to Chuck E Cheese for first time, we went ice skating (pictures will come another time as they are on Zach's phone), and have been able to get out to the park a little more again too!
Papa's fancy new jacket
Juicy was so excited for her stocking. She has NEVER bothered with curtains, but attempted to climb the curtains Christmas morning because she could smell her toys!
Juni has been a coloring fool. I had used my birthday money to get some coloring books and dug out some colored pencils I had saved since high school and she would go to town for hours!! She got a new book for Christmas and was very excited!
This is an old picture of her with her coloring book I got her when I got mine. She would get entranced and be so content. It was magical for her. I've never seen her sit still and do anything for as long as she colored those butterflies.
Sharing her butterfly book with her sissy.
This picture didn't load the first time, but it was worth going back and finding again.
SPRINKLES!!!
