Life at 2

Spaghetti is a surefire hit these days.

Is it just me or is it easy to picture her as a teenager?

Helping to feed Beau. She seems to think he should always have a bottle or pacifier in his mouth.

Reading is apparently hard work and she needed to rest her head while she did it.

(By the way, GML, I saw the Valentine's version of the snowglobe at Target and it retails for $10! We sure scored that day!)

The smile that I live for

Trying to push the stroller uphill. She wouldn't let me touch it.

Beau smiling at his Daddy.
What you can't capture in a photo is that his eyes smile before the rest of his face.

And not to be left out, smiles for Mommy during lunch. He wanted to smile at me instead of eating. He already knows how to make a girl feel special.

A little piece of the past

This coffee grinder was given to my grandmother by her father back before she left France at the age of 18 to marry my grandfather during World War II. According to my aunt, during the war she used it to grind flour for making bread. Growing up it sat on top of my grandparents refrigerator and I used to look at it every time I visited, which was a lot. I never touched or held it, not because I wasn't allowed, but because I never asked. Now I wish I had asked as I'm sure my grandmother had some great stories to share from her childhood. I'm still deciding where I'm going to put it in my house.

Robert and I are planning a trip to France next year and one of our stops is going to Meyreuil, the town where my grandmother grew up. I can't wait to visit the church there as it's where my grandparents were married. The town is just outside Aix en Provence and I'm hoping we can spend a couple of days in that area on our way to Venice.

Fargo

We're praying for all of those affected in North Dakota and Minnesota and for the river to recede.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdxtwROYTgE&feature=player_embedded

Lucky Woman

I've been thinking a lot lately about what a wonderful husband I have and thought I'd share my thoughts. I don't tell him nearly often enough but he is my best friend and love of my life. Along with Lainey and Beau's arrival, meeting Robert is one of the top three best moments of my life. He loves me even though I come with more than my share of quirks--the inability to balance a checkbook, my lack of housekeeping skills, and my general overall goofiness. He works so hard to provide for his family, working long hours, commuting an hour each way to work and on top of that, shoulders the responsibility of being the only breadwinner. He even makes dinner the majority of the time! We've been talking about taking a trip this spring, just the two of us and I really hope we can go. I wouldn't trade what we have now for what our life was like before kids for anything in the world but I don't want to wake up one day, kids grown and look at eachother and not have anything to talk about.

Not surprisingly, Lainey has become a total Daddy's girl and although I'm a little jealous at how she lights up when she sees him, it makes me so happy to see the great relationship they have. She's clearly got good taste in men! Her future husband has some really big shoes to fill!

I joke all the time saying, "Back off ladies, he's all mine," but I really mean it and am so GLAD he's mine!

Happy Birthday Mom

Today my mom would have been 61 years old. This July it will be 12 since she died and I miss her more now than I did 12 years ago. I wonder what she would think of my parenting skills (or lack thereof), and generally, my life and how I have turned out thus far. I know she would have loved my husband and enjoyed spoiling her grandchildren. She did so many things in her own special way and I try to incorporate a lot of her into my relationship with my kids. One regret she had at the end of her life was that she had had more patience with her kids. That is one area I struggle with as well but try daily, even hourly to improve upon with mine.

I Love and miss you very much Mom.

My Mom holding me.

Not sure how old I am in this photo but can't be more than a couple of months.

March Madness

Robert and Beau sat down together last night and filled out NCAA brackets. Beau is picking UW to win it all. Go Huskies!!!

Fun with Paint

Lainey is really into painting these days thanks to a fabulous paint set from our friends in Las Vegas (thanks Shepherd Fam!!!) and since she was due for a bath anyway, I decided to turn up the fun level by letting her paint herself as well as me and not worry about the mess. These are the types of memories I want my kids to have of their childhoods. It didn't occur to me that she might want to paint like this all the time so we'll see!

I just had to add a "mom" tattoo

Smiles

Beau loves looking at faces and gives both Robert and I big smiles throughout the day. I didn't capture the best ones this time but they still light up my life! I think he is confused when I disappear behind the camera. He'll just have to get used to that however. There will be lots more picture taking little guy!

Waiting for the Husky basketball game to start

My new favorite room

Beau's room is finally finished and I absolutely love how it turned out! Of course, the second I got his room done, he started sleeping through the night so I don't get to enjoy the room as much now. But, I'll take a full night's sleep any day!The famous Harry Elefante

Another masterpiece by the amazingly talented Bridgette.

We have been celebrating Lainey's birthday all week it seems. Lainey, Grammy, Nan and I spent her actual birthday doing all of her favorite things: painting, playing with play-do, having lots of tea parties, and enjoying something sweet to eat. Then, when Daddy got home from his trip, we went out to eat at Lainey's favorite restaurant, The Spaghetti Factory. I've never seen the girl eat so much! I'm not sure which party Lainey liked best: the servers singing Happy Birthday to her or the ice cream with a candle in it. Probably the ice cream judging from the way she gobbled it up! Lastly, Lainey had a few friends over yesterday for a party. She got some truly thoughtful gifts and had fun playing with her friends and eating the tops off of 3 cupcakes! It's hard to believe she's two. It seems like it was just yesterday we brought her home. We are both loving watching her grow and learn new things every day though. Her name means "light" and she is definitely brings sunshine to our lives! The art table, sight of multiple masterpieces by two year olds Aunt Deanna's fabulous cupcakes. We have named her the Reid Family Official Baker. They were awesome Nan!! You really outdid yourself this time!

Daddy helping open presents

So excited she just had to be on the coffee table.

Balloons....a favorite thing


Serving tea and desserts to Grandpa wearing the apron Grammy made her. Too cute!

As usual, Beau snoozed through most of the party, content to be held by one beautiful woman after the other.

And lastly, the day after. A lazy, Sunday morning after Beau's THIRD night of sleeping through the night at just 5 weeks. Not to mention the great smiles Beau is giving us these days! Mama is so proud!

No better way to spend a cold, snowy Sunday

How did you do that?

I'm not sure how one gets oatmeal on they eyebrows, but it's quite a sight. I really don't care if she uses her breakfast for a facial--as long as she eats, I'm thrilled!

Sweet as can be

If it were possible to look into my heart, this is what you'd find. I once told a friend that I had never felt Jesus' presence in my life. My how I was wrong! Jesus has blessed my life in more ways I can't even count. Lainey and Beau are just two miracles He has given me. I really can't believe this is my life. I never imagined I'd have such an overabundance of love, friendship, and pure joy in my life and have to pinch myself once in awhile to remind myself it's really happening. Sure, like everyone else, I've experienced my share of hard times and adversity. And I know there will be tough times in the future. However, those are the moments that teach me things about life, people and myself. More importantly, the bumps in the road make the good times all the more wonderful. And I'm going to soak up and enjoy every second of the good that is my life right now.

Happy Birthday Laineybug!!

Happy Birthday Sweet Girl! You are growing so fast I can hardly keep up with you! I remember exactly what I was doing when we got the call two years ago today. These past two years have been the best of my life--all thanks to you and your little brother Beau. I'll never forget the first time I saw your face and that head full of hair! You were beautiful then and you have just grown more and more beautiful everyday! Mommy and Daddy love you SO much it hurts baby! You have such a sweet, happy disposition-you are hardly ever in a bad mood and that's usually because you are tired. I think your favorite thing in the whole world is when your friends come over to play. You just squeal and jump up and down when you see them at the door. Of course, your favorite could also be balloons. You have a major obsession with them at the moment. You are really into pointing out numbers and letters of the alphabet, you can count to ten in English AND Spanish, you have memorized at least 10 songs and I hear you singing all around the house--to Elmo, Cooper, Beau, yourself, in bed before you go to sleep, in the car, wherever. Your little voice is music to my ears sweetie. You love to color with your crayons and chalk, smell flowers anytime you see them-including on your pj's, do puzzles, play with anyone and everyone in the play room, read books, and dance, dance, DANCE!!! Your favorite song is still Elmo's Song but I've turned you onto ABBA while we are in the car. You love to clap your hands to Mamma Mia and Dancing Queen. You surprise me every day with something new you have learned and you make me laugh 50 times a day. You are my heart Bug.

Love you bunches-Mommy

March 2, 2007

March 2, 2008March 2, 2009