11 months/32 months

I don't know why I'm putting J's age in months, it's just funny because they are exactly 21 months apart...

Sarah is becoming a little toddler! I can't figure out if she's brilliant or a good observer - she figured out how to use a straw after I showed her one time, she'll put toys away (slowly and forgets), is trying to talk, suddenly started signing 'light' when we were at the store the other day but won't sign more unless she's prompted. She cracks me up - she'll just laugh at anything and her dimples! Those dimples are so adorable.

She likes to feed me (or anyone, I think) Also, baby girl has four teeth on top and only three on the bottom. Poor thing, it's so odd looking. I love it, of course.


I mean...just look at her. A big girl.


This face!


So precious.


Seriously, just watch this. Love her!


And this dude...crazy as ever!

J is talking more and more and more and more and more, it seems. He has questions about everything: "What's that mommy?" "What YOU SAY?" (if he doesn't hear me), "Why mommy?" "Why you laughing mommy? STOP LAUGHING MOMMY!" Let's just say, we talk all day long. Sarah will be talking before long, honestly at the end of the day I just want to sit in silence (poor Shawn.)

The other day I laughed at something on the radio and he asked me: "Why you laughing?" I told him that I heard a joke on the radio and he asked what a joke was. I tried to explain to him by using the 'why did the chicken cross the road?' but he didn't get it. Answering all these questions is very difficult! Today, we saw a friend who had a very old dog that she didn't want the kids petting (wasn't sure how he'd react to new kids, understandable!), on the way home, J asked me a thousand questions. Well, really only one question: "WHY MOMMY?" Why couldn't we pet Rocky, (he's old and cranky), why? (when we get old we don't feel good), why? (that's just the way God made us) why? (OH JEREMIAH LOOK THE TRAIN!!) Thankfully the light rail train passed by and I yelled so loud I scared Sarah, but I was just trying to derail his 'why' train.

Being a mom is much more challenging, amazing, and difficult than I'd ever imagined. God is using this to grow me, I know it, but sometimes growing is painful!

Twenty nine!

Saturday was my 29th birthday. I was completely spoiled all day thanks to Shawn and the kids!

We headed to the zoo first thing in the morning. The skies were a bit daunting but I was determined to have fun!


It started raining...


So we hid out by the wallabies in this weird sort of building with piranas, snakes, roaches, fuzzy ants, and took pictures.


J conquered an alligator (or a croc)


Trying to stay dry under a tortise shell.


We left as it started pouring, the kids loved it, Shawn and I were all but running. After Sarah went down for a nap, Shawn shoo'd me out the door to head to the Biltmore to go shopping and then to the Red Door Spa for a spa facial. It was lovely. It was the first time in a long time that I was able to browse clothes racks without someone screaming and another someone running in and out and all around. So incredibly relaxing!

After I got home, Grandma and Grandpa popped over for a visit and then, a fantastic friend came over to babysit the kiddos... and we headed out to this. One of Shawn's clients, who is very generous, invited us! What an awesome, fun, birthday treat.

I wish this was my birthday cake. Wow.


Hiding in the noodle forest.


Drawing!


Shawn and I.


Katherine and I. She and I played the scavenger hunt together. We're both very competitve and through creative playing (and lots of running in 4" heels...my feet have blisters today!), we were POSITIVE we were the first ones to turn in our sheet. There were prizes for 1st (a trip to vegas), 2nd and 3rd. We were FOURTH to turn ours in. How disappointing. But we had fun and probably burned off all the calories we had eaten.


This is the spot where there should be pictures of me and Hugh Downs and Mayor Phil. However, I was too chicken to ask Hugh for a photo (even though I think it being my birthday may have made it seem less lame) and Mayor Phil was never around when I was around Shawn, who had the camera. Ah well!

What we've been up to...

Really, we haven't been up to much of anything! The last few weeks we've gotten sick, I got very sick last week, but now we're all better. Sarah's been walking up a storm and has her first pair of shoes. Jeremiah is cute, as usual, but also infuriating. Shawn is studying up a storm for his CFP exam next month (please pray for him). Our awesome church, Poiema, is currently homeless and searching for a new home, so please pray for us there, too! I think we need to start doing some exciting things so we have fun pictures to post.

What is THAT?!?! It's just hummus! She loves it. Refuses pretty much anything that's on a spoon now, she wants to do it all herself. So, this is what we get. I'm totally okay with it, I looove a self-feeding baby!


Strong girl! She likes to carry anything she can around, usually the heaviest, most awkward thing she can find.


This little goofball loved eating this lemon. He actually ran and grabbed more after he finished this slice.


Just a little Sarah.

10 months (and a week or so...)

Sarah's walking is improving daily, she walks about 50% of the time and crawls the other 50%. She's different from Jeremiah in that when she falls while walking, she goes straight to crawling, where J would get back up and start walking again. I'm really looking forward to when she starts walking full time, crawling is just so icky to me! She's also completely eating table food - no more baby food! For a little while I was worried because anything with texture would make her gag, but now she eats (for the most part) what we eat and she is doing great. She's also eating cow's milk yogurt and has had no adverse reactions so far.

Her 6th and 7th teeth are currently working on popping through, too. I cannot believe she'll be one next month. I'm hoping she'll be on whole milk not too long after that! She had her first ear infection (in both ears) this past week and that was not fun, poor baby girl. She currently weighs 20lbs 11oz and trust me, my achy arms feel it!



So big!



Jeremiah...hmmm.. I am struggling to figure out how we can go from laughing and having fun one minute to complete and total meltdown the next. Sometimes it feels like the house is only filled with laughter or tears, sometimes both at the same time! His speech is improving, sometimes he says the funniest things: "I'm doing something!" when you ask him to come here, or "I'm busy now!" He's an awesome big brother, whenever Sarah cries he brings her toys, even if he's the one who made her cry. Potty training...continues to be a struggle. It feels like a process that's going to take forever!