you inspire me.

just something i posted on fb about you. 

love you!

 Im 17 months pp my second child, my beautiful girl. Im grateful for her, because of her i started truly looking at my body in a different light. While i do currently push towards a more fit body, i no longer look at the scale, no longer have a goal weight, and no longer allow myself to put myself down. how disparaging it is to say negative things, which does nothing to hurt the body in which they are aimed at, only the mind inside. I truly do embrace the parts of my body that wont change no matter how fit i get, the new breasts that nourished both her and my older son and their younger sibling when we expand our family, and these stretch marks that cover the midsection, little marks to remind myself of the incredible bond we got to share, 40 weeks prior to anyone else. i LOVE this body. Im working on making it stronger, but no longer do i focus on how much it weighs only what it can do. because ive seen it do some downright AMAZING things, and I am excited to see more. I want my girl to look at me in awe and wonder and see someone strong and dedicated to myself as well as her and her brother and father. that starts in me and has nothing to do with my body so much as it does my heart, my words, and my effort.

my sassy girl.

17 months.
17 wonderful, challenging, learning, growing months.

its no secret you are the biggest firecracker ive ever met. the best little feisty roman candle. and im totally smitten with you. you are beautiful, kind, feisty, wily, smart, and so determined.
youre headstrong, strong willed, determined, and you know what you want. you know what you hate. and you know what makes you happy.

you laugh a LOT and the laugh is a goofy guffaw and i LOVE it. it explodes from your mouth like a little explosion and its so cute!

youre words these days are:
"I DID IT!" but more like "ididit!!!"
Outsiiiiide? and then OUTSIIIIIDE!
mama, dada, baba, meemee (kimmi), Kayka (kayla), Car-ree (carly)
Babbo (bebo, the binky)
uhhhh-UHHHHH (any time we want you to do something you dont wanna do, like get out of the tub or any place we are swimming. YOU LOVE WATER.)
Preebee (pretty, this is anything shiny or girly...nail polish, mamas ring, necklaces, etc. you love girly things, yet you play with cars and ninja turtles. i love it!)
Bites!
Pees (please)
Hi and BuhBye
Ah-djee (the same every time, we have learned this is Maya Narae for "thank you")
ba-ba-ball (basketball, THATS MY GIRL!)
ni-ni (you now put yourself to sleep. i miss your cuddles and hope they come back!)
Ka-ga (your kangaroo)
beebee (baby)
Mi-mi (milk milk)
mmmhmmm (in your good moods, youre usually up for anything lol)
ticki ticki ticki - this is your variation of "tickle tickle tickle and you do it when you tickle.
and so many other things in your baby language :) i LOVE learning to speak your language as you learn to speak mine. sometimes you just babble and babble and im excited to hear those thoughts as your language progresses!



you can also sign a few words:
dada
uncle
funny
please
sorry (you have to use that one a LOT because you are quite the hitter...for no reason)


you have perfected the baby eyeroll. ive NEVER seen a baby do it. and you do.

you know what eyes, mouth, nose and hair are and will point to them.

you have a very specific bedtme routine. you want flower pillow, zoo blanket, kanga, violet, milkmilk and one or more bebo's. its so sweet.

we still cloth diaper and you drink organic cows milk and goats milk.
you love to play outside all the time! i cant keep up!
you love swimming and water and all that comes with it.
you climb onto EVERYTHING that you can.
You run EVERYWHERE. you recently had your first big bonk where yuou fell hard on your nose and cut it. we had to take you to the doctor and it was scary. as we speak you are trying to climb on me at the table. so imma go cuddle and play with you :)

i love you Moon baby!

vacation!

So in June we took a ten day vacation to California! We drove 7 hours on day 1 and spent the night in a small condo, and then resumed our trip the next dy another 6 hours. you guys did AMAZING! Daddy and I set you up with movies and games to play on the tablets while on the drive and you guys did great. matter o fact, even though we drove straight through on the way back, took a 2 hour detour as well, you were better behaved than even your cranky mama!:) 

here are some highlights!

  this was taken in Brookings OR right before the Cali border.

This was in the hippy Haight Ashbury distrcit in Sn Fran!

Maya Narae with her acessories. she left them the whole time!

On treasure island with my boy!

Mama, Tia Jess and Narae!

I love all of your faces Dear Narae!

YOURE JUST THE MOST BEAUTIFUL GIRL IN ANY ROOM!

Windy hair makes mma look silly.

my new fave picture. you love riding on dad.

at lunch with Narae!

my babies enjoying a soft pretzel while dad and mom try a sushi burrito. 

EEK!

mama likes sushi...but this was rough! 

 COFFEE DATE!

 this was at an amazing place called the exploratorium! These lockers served two purposes...holding items and the handles were musical handles!even touchign them was musical!

awesome!

 my sweet boy learning.

when you hit the drum the ground vibrated beneath you!

 hot and cold coils together make your hands confused!

different colors mask the scent and tricks your brain!

 more science and music :) the music changes where the tiles lay.

learning our skeleton :)

this was cool. you got to put what you always wished yuour name would be. 

julian chose Judith. Underneath it asks why. Julian then wrote because "my momy calls me that."

 mind illusion...feels like velvet!

What jude would look like with 2 left and 2right sides.

a real brain eeek!

this was crazy, one of the many perspective exhibits...this is a wall of words people have learned after 2011. empathy...terrorism...sadness :( but i loved how there were things to teach human perspective. there was an exhibit of just a video of people laughing...you couldnt help but smile...then one of them sad...you couldnt smile :( it was weird but cool. then another to help see each other the way others see us...it was wonderful!

 shadow rooms!

listening domes. sitting in them you could hear exactly what your partner across the room was saying...even at normal talking levels.

teaching teamwork! it was a 5 person pac man game!

 learning about tornadoes.

37 years and a LOT of toothpicks.

 yellow light room!

more shadow dancing

 fun with mirrors!

 loved this!

chocolate steam :)

 handsome daddy walking his babies.

man youre handsome sonshine.

my baby girl!

trolley cars!

right before the boat ride with dad under the bridge.

pier 39!

shopping with Tia

 my pier girl!

you went all around. so adventurous. your fearsome nature will keep me on my toes for life.

you both loved Jessica so much. Id not seen you take to someone so quick and i loved it!

Family.

Beautiful little flowery princess of a girl. i love you!

baba wasnt in the mood but i took it anyway.

family.

Daddy's girls!

not ours but someone wrote it and i love that we got to see it!

sand family! with carly too! Julian HAD to draw happy faces...

i loved our family vacation, my first ever in fdact! We had a great time and we are just smitten with you both!

We also got to see Auntie Jorden, Grandma June and Autnie Kayla too. it was wonderful for the most part and a blast and im so thankful for the memories.

Ill tell you the rest when youre older. but know this, no one loves their littles like daddy and i :)

kisses!