Thanksgiving 2018

Some things I want to remember ...

Chris coming to visit!
Eleanor standing on the step stool in the garage all afternoon, looking down the street, waiting for Sean and Chris to come from the airport.
Elder Wood eating two slices of pecan pie (the pie his mom makes for thanksgiving - sob)
Gwyn and Eleanor pushing clove buds into oranges with me - and being totally confused why we would do something so crazy.
Every seat taken at our table. Giving thanks. Tucking in.
Way too busy cooking and eating and digesting and eating and digesting to take pictures.
Brown butter mashed potatoes
Cooking with Sean in the kitchen.
Hearing the littles and Chris wrestling on his air mattress.
Liam's face, and the way he'd reverently hold Chris's lego builds. Totally in awe. Totally in love.
Boys night out, babies tucked in bed, snipping paper snowflakes, triple berry pie and a Hallmark Christmas movie.
Singing carols before bed.
Paper snowflake scraps covering our kitchen table.
Exploring the Big Fish town of Spector, shoes dangling from a wire, yellow leaves and hanging moss.
Trying to take family pictures with a stampede of goats heading our way.
Getting totally dominated at Dominion by Chris ... 38. 34. 28 I think?
Finally feeling like we can legit listen to Christmas music the moment the Thanksgiving dishes are washed and put away. No one can deny me this!

Fighting For It - What that looked like today

5:15am - Hugging Liam instead of banishing him back into bed. No snarling mama bear in sight.
Deep breaths and strings of prayers when nothing was right in Ellie's world (for seven hours)
Feeling screamed at all morning and afternoon - but not joining in the screaming (go me!)
Reading scriptures with the littles at breakfast (crying over Abinidi's courage).
Keeping all of our dishes happy and intact - when all I wanted to do was hurl them at the wall after seven hours of constant melt downs.
Thinking of the vacuum lines on my grandparent's carpet while vacuuming my own.
Holding Liam in my arms when all I wanted to do is shake him and feed him triple helpings of gratitude and optimism, with some cheerfulness on the side.
Listening to scriptures while washing dishes.
Giving kisses and encouragement when I really want to run down the street shrieking like a maniac.
Pressing forward with school, treading through the hardest moments, and just feeling really grateful to have such a privilege.
Putting on my sports bra at 4 freaking o'clock in the afternoon because I promised myself that today was the day! Finishing my workout! (like superwoman!)
Turning up the music when the chorus of littles was banging on the porch window chanting Mom! mom! mom! mom! mom! mom! mom! mom! mom! mom! mom! mom! mom! mom! mom! mom! mom! (what did they need? to tell me that this song wasn't their favorite)
Eating most of the pumpkin chocolate cheesecake after a canceled family night with friends and not feeling one teensy crumb of regret.
Going to bed absurdly early so I can wake up for a run around the neighborhood and maybe a sip of something before the littles are awake. 

First Loves

There is something about the changing seasons that makes my heart beat a little faster. It's those firsts I get to relive every year that makes the change a welcome one. We've had a lot of firsts this week and it's unlocked that giddy, dizzy love struck corner of my heart. And now that tiny door is swinging wide open in the this beautiful autumn breeze, and October seems to have run away with it (I'm sure to hand it off to November in some heart shaped key - nature loving - tradition making - cozy crazed relay).

Some of the firsts I've been loving ...

When the weather is cold enough for the first fire of the year. That familiar crackling of smokey wood. The heat on your face.

Opening up all of the windows in autumn and spring. That extra sunshine pouring in, or the smell of rainclouds. The way it makes doors slam when there's a gust of wind unexpectedly, and fills the house with crisp air. Fresh and sweet and alive. And suddenly you can hear every bird and every airplane and feel every breeze.

The first cocoa of the year, creamy and frothy, and a little whipped creamy. Feeling it warm your throat and rush down your body.

Adding an extra quilt to your bed. Cold, soapy hands tingly under the warm water.

That first cup of warm cider, sweet and spicy and so freaking autumnal I can't even handle it.

The first pot of creamy soup (with a drizzle of cream and a sprinkle of chopped basil ... cozied up next to two plump loaves of wheat bread, nestled into a tea towel. The smell in our house!!

The sight of little arms and legs stuffed into puffy coats. How it changes the shape of their little bodies... it makes me just want to scoop them up and never put them down.

Pumpkins and gourds on our doorstep. Mountains of apples in a tiny wire basket on our table for the taking. Caramel dips like little pots of gold.

Smelling the smokey air when I take the garbage out at night. The bright full moon and wispy clouds.

Scattered lists of every stuffing and cranberry sauce recipe taste enough to write down. Thinking of orange rolls and garlic green beans and candied pecans.

Christmas lists and carols and cinnamon and paper snowflakes.

Finally finally finally letting myself think about CHRISTMAS!!!

A Year With Ellie

Sweet Eleanor,

Dad and I marvel every day that you're ours. I don't know how we got so lucky. You are such a gift. It's been the most wonderful year spent loving you and learning all about you. While a little list couldn't possibly do you justice, here is what we know so far ...

You love to be close. It doesn't matter how sleepy or sick or cranky you are. If you are in our arms, you are happy as can be. 

On our road trip we learned that you love Led Zeppelin and ACDC. 

Anytime you hear a beat you bop your head.

You're not a fan of your car seat.

It took you one whole month to switch your days and nights after you were born. You night owl party animal!

You are so easy breezy and go with the flow and we're so grateful for it.

You were never interested in baby food, and had your first taste of my blueberries on the living room floor during quiet time. 

You love twirly pesto pasta with peas, tacos, drinking from a straw (and blowing bubbles in your water), scrambled eggs, cheese, lentils, chocolate, broccoli, nibbling graham crackers, and shoveling berries into your mouth.

You spit out yogurt, sweet potatoes, squash, and bananas 

If you're offered food you don't want, you swat it away or karate chop our hands with alarming speed.

You are a big fan of throwing food on the floor, all while maintaining eye contact as if to say, whatareya gonna do about it mom?

You like to pretend to brush your hair, talk on the phone, snuggle your dolly, and put on lip balm.

The vacuum cleaner terrifies you. Even on my hip, your little hands shake the moment I turn it on. 

Your lamby is your everything. It's always clutched in your hands when I pick you up from your naps, and is the stuffy you bulldoze into and lay your little head on when your tired.

You know you're not supposed to touch the wood in the fireplace, or pull the twinkle lights, or throw the drawing paper all over the floor because the moment before you do, you look over your shoulder and give me the naughtiest grin. 

Any attention from Liam and Gwyn gives you the giggles, and you've started initiating games with them. Your favorite is when Gwyn pretends to be a baby and crawls around on the floor with you.

You love chucking toys on the floor to hear them clatter. Forks from the dishwasher too. The louder the better.

You love to be flipped around and tickled and tossed in the air. Playing chase and peek a boo too.

You are the most flirtatious little lady, smiling and cooing and winking and waving, but as soon as you're in someone else's arms, you dive-bomb out with a look of panic on your face.

You love to be outside.

You are the fastest speed crawler in the wild (mid) west.

We love your little tight lipped grin.

When you find crumbs on the floor, you'll reach your arm up to give them to me.

When you're angry or want to be picked up you'll clench your tiny fists and bellow with all your might.

Nothing makes you laugh harder than knocking down block towers.

The moment you hear bath water running you make a b-line for the tub and bellow, which means Bath time! Baaaaaath time! Get me in that baaaaaath! 

When you cry really hard, it turns into Brrrrrrrrr! Brrrrrrr! Brrrrrrr!

Your eyes turned brown when you were six months. Everyone says you look just like me.

You love to nurse, but only in a quiet dark room before your naps. If there is anything else going on you want to be a part of it. 

We think you're right handed.

At 12 months you have two top teeth and two bottom. You are curious and snuggly and silly and live for attention. You're kind of starting to boycott your morning nap. You weigh 19.5 pounds. You say hi and dad. You wave and dance explore every toy you can get your little hands on. 

You are careful and adventurous.

You've starred standing by yourself and you gasp and giggle as if it's the most exhilarating experience. Then you trust fall into my arms.

You keep my on my toes!

You are a master climber and somehow end up on the sofa a few times a day.

You rub your eyes when your tired.

Your favorite way to flirt is to scrunch your nose and blow in and out until the person you're loving does the same.

You completely ignored the Christmas tree this year, which shocked the socks off of me and dad.

Dad is the light of your life. When he holds you, your little hands clutch his shirt, and most of the time you'll lay your head on his shoulder. 

You answer to Ellie, Plum, Ellie Noellie, Hey You Sweet Baby Over There.

You are such a bright light in our lives.

 Ellie One Week

Ellie One Month

Ellie 2 Months

Ellie Three Months

 Ellie Four Months

 Ellie Five Months

Ellie Six Months

Ellie Seven Months

Ellie Eight Months

 Ellie Nine Months

Ellie Ten Months

Ellie Eleven Months 

Ellie Twelve Months