Her birthday.

Her birthday was nearly a month ago now. Here are a few pix from the day. Lani & Rob were visiting for the weekend so we got them to take a few fleeting family pix for us by all the wood that is going to keep us toasty this winter. We still have half of it to stack. Later in the afternoon, our friends brought their little girl over to celebrate with some homemade pizza and cupcakes. Nothing fancy but a fun day to celebrate us making it through her first year. First years are tough and, pat on the back, we did it :)

12 months...She's one!?

I should be in bed but I started thinking about what I was doing this time last year and couldn't sleep so thought I might as well do the 12 month blog. It's raining tonight just like it was a year ago and the memories feel all too real. My birth with Lars was very positive and more relieving than anything -just to have it under my belt. My birth with Roxcy was empowering. I felt that real rush of adrenaline and felt completely high on endorphines afterwards. In my head, I have gone back to that space when I've needed a little pick-me-up or reminder that I can, indeed, do hard things. I was also stunned at the bond I felt with Roxcy immediately. Again, not that I didn't with Lars but I think it might be some kind of powerful female vibe. Never thought of that but, for me and my girl,  it's real.

So, yes she is truly the coolest. She is full on walking these days. It's the cutest because she is a dainty thing but she gets in there and climbs and tumbles and wrestles. She says, "uh oh" but only in the right context. I try to get her to say it just for fun because it's cute but she won't. She gives kisses, those open mouth, drooly kind. She is a babbler. She waves. She giggles. She claps. She's got four teeth. She likes to mimic sounds and wiggle her tongue. She sort of squat dances when music is on. She loves to climb stairs. She has a feisty little grunt when she is angry. She tries to squeeze around the baby gates to get in. She likes anything she can pick up and eat herself--independent, my child?  She especially likes avacado, sharp cheddar, grapes,  oatmeal, all berries, and yogurt. She likes picking things up (like socks off the drying rack) and walking around with them. The other day she dragged around a backpack ALL morning. She loves seeing her brother and they just laugh and giggle like they haven't seen each other in years (not hours). She seems very determined to me and also cuddly, curious, and just so dang cute.

And just for fun I pulled out Lars' pillow to grab a shot of him since this summer felt crazy busy and I didn't get one at his birthday and it has only taken me 3 months to get it. I TOTALLY wish I hadn't stopped doing it this year and think I might pick it back up even if just every other month or so. It's just fun and for everything I don't do, I feel like this is something that they will really like looking back on and so will we. I already do! 

                        

and because this post isn't long enough, here is a little side by side comparison of the wee folk. 

and that is enough for now. 

He's Three!

Yay, he's three! Just for fun, here's zero, one & two. It's been busy around these parts so I didn't get to organizing his bday like I wanted but I then remembered, he was three, and popcorn is exciting so I hung up a few streamers that I had on hand and put a sign up on the chalkboard which he loved. He said, "happy birfday to me?" He started the morning off with one of Grammy's cinnamon rolls and there was a lot of cousin playing all day. Aunt Joy got him a Spiderman balloon and my nieces made him some cupcakes which he wanted to eat all day. We made our traditional yummy pizzas (except now Mike makes the most amazing homemade sauce as well so they are even better) and then we did cupcakes outside and opened his few presents. Mike has wanted to get him him a matchbox race car track that goes on the wall for ages so thank you grandma lizzie & Pete for sending him one. He was entranced by it for a good hour until a part of it broke and he ripped the whole thing off the wall which was hilarious in its own right. Now, we have to get more sticky stuff to put it back up but he loved it for that hour. Oh, three! Meanwhile, Rox Rocky was loving the plastic from the cars--her two bottom teeth are coming in.

He is beautiful and amazing but right now, for me, really frustrating and exhausting as well. But he is dymanic and loving and empathetic and silly and energetic and smart. Here's to three!

Happy Birthday to me

I had a great bday this year. The day before, there were no bills and 3 cards for me in the mail. That night, after Mike got home from work I headed out to a night sans kids to wander around the bustling town of West Lebanon, NH. It was actually really fun, wandering around by myself with no agenda. In the morning, Mike got up with Lars and they made some berry pancakes and I opened my cards and the parcel from New Zealand Liz sent with some of my favorite goodies ( and this sweet little knitted dress for our girl). Mike shifted his day around and came home at 10:30 for the rest of the day which was the best. He took our boy to Library time and I enjoyed a long shower and then Mike thought we could go to Target since my sis sent me a gift card and my parents sent me a little money. Yay! Hey, it's the simple things. The day was warm and perfectly spring-like. We got some lunch and wandered around Target. I got a new water bottle, a top, a wooden car toy for boy, and this dress for our girl. I loved hanging with my little family. As if that all wasn't enough, Mike booked a relaxation massage at the Inn for that night which was divine. We ended the day, getting the kids into bed and watching "Hugo" quite visually cool.

I had all the ingredients to make my traditional red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting but was too tired to make it so did it the next day. I have almost single handedly eaten the whole thing by myself over the week. Kind of grosse but it only happens once a year. Mike filmed the cake lighting but it was kind of funny because he ducks out of singing ( he does not like singing) so it is just me singing to myself although our boy chimes in perfectly at the end. I think March 7, 2012 was the the recipe for the perfect bday.

Oh, and we can't forget this dance... Man, this makes us laugh. He is such an excited little guy.