THE BEST 6 MONTHS

Our sweet Naomi turned 6 months old today. My heart is so full for this little girl. I love her so, so much. From the second she came out, I have felt connected to her. I love the slight tint of auburn in her hair, the way her nose scrunches when she smiles, how all it takes is eye contact with her to make her squeal, the way she looks at her big brother, her easy-going personality and the way she fits perfectly on my hip. 

My heart could seriously burst for her. 

At 6 months, Naomi is arching her back when I try and put her in her car seat, preferring her tummy for play, is on the move - only in the wrong direction {backwards!}, has an incredible grin on her face when I go in to get her in the morning and after her naps, does this adorable thing where, after you make eye contact with her, she squeals and hides her face into her blanket like she is kind of shy. It's the cutest!!!! She loves to feel like a big girl and is dying to sit up and stand. She reaches for her binky and puts it in her mouth when she wants and is nearly impossible to breastfeed while I am having a conversation because she is riveted on me while I talk. Every time I catch her staring at me, she starts giggling like crazy. I love this stage so much.

The other day, Carter was doing his normal; which is pressing every button on the dashboard before "I count to 3" to get him in his seat. I didn't notice that he had turned the volume way, way up. I turned on the car with Naomi on my hip so that I could cool it down before I put her in her seat and about died when the music came on. My ears hurt so bad. I immediately turned to her, expecting to comfort her but found a gigantic grin on her face. I couldn't stop laughing at that grin all the way home. It was like, "heyy, turn that stuff back up!"

She and I, we both are covered in spit up for half the day. And it's definitely not my most rested period in life, but she gets me. I can already tell she thinks I'm funny and I love her for that. The past 6 months with her have been some of the best months of my life. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be her mom.

I love you to pieces, Naomi.

{Photo cred: here}

TWENTY SIX!

{Uhmm... are there people out there who look attractive under water? Because Daron and I would not know! We looked at the pictures we took of oursevles while snorkeling and died laughing. I kept asking him, "Wait... is that really us!?"}  

These pictures are from a few weeks ago when we celebrated my 26th birthday! The morning of started out nice and cozy as I sat in between my two kids and their car seats finishing the drive home from Utah. Remind me not to do that again anytime soon. The past two years, I have traveled home from a different state the morning of my birthday. I told Daron that next year, all I want for my birthday is to have breakfast in bed, my own bed. Well, that probably won't be all I want but... you know what I mean ;)

Once we made it to my parent's house, I hurriedly gave instructions to my mom who was watching Carter and Naomi and rushed to San Diego to meet Daron in time for lunch. 

We ate at the Goldfish Point Cafe and then went snorkeling in the cove. Snorkeling was amazing. Then again, anytime I'm in the ocean I feel amazing. We made our way around the cove and then Daron tried to take me to the caves. Half way there, I freaked out and made him turn around and go back with me. The ocean water got all murky so we couldn't see and something like a shark biting my head off kept rolling around in my head and I panicked. Maybe next time, Daron!

After snorkeling, we decided to go find a bigger beach to lay out at since we had extra time. We found one that was around the corner from the cove. It was the coziest little spot. We laid out for a few minutes before Daron decided he wanted to check out the snorkeling there to see if it was any good. It was! We were two giddy little kids. We had this random cove all to ourselves and the snorkeling was beautiful. The water was clearer and there were no seals or smell of their stinky poop.

We then headed home so we could change and I could feed Naomi. We made sure the kids were good with my mom and went back out for a gorgeous dinner over looking La Jolla. I'm still thinking about the restaurant's food and view. Daron and I took hours to eat and did cheesy things like held hands during dinner. Daron also got his dessert lit on fire. On purpose. I had never seen that before, sort of blew my mind. 

A day with Daron all to myself is a rare thing and was just what I needed.

{A big thanks to my mom for watching our kids. And for giving birth to me 26 years ago. Boy, do I have a whole new level of appreciation for that! Love you, Mom!}

STUFF

I'm thrilled it's Halloween this week. Naomi spent all morning in her banana costume and we are carving pumpkins tonight. Halloween always gives me butterflies because it means the whole end-of-the-year-shebang of holidays is coming which is SO exciting(!!!)

Carter had croup over the weekend. It was terrifying. I spent one night holding him until 3 in the morning when he finally was able to fall asleep. That is the first time I have been scared for my child and I didn't like it.

Naomi turns 6 months this week and Carter turns 3 in a little over 2 and these milestones are making me feel a little crazy. I don't know what it is about the 3rd birthday but I've been sentimental about it for months and almost {almost} get emotional when I think about it. I didn't feel like this when he turned 2. Maybe it's because since Naomi, time feels like it is slipping through my fingers.

Daron and I need a date. For real, though. 

Naomi is off. She's eating all the time, not as content, and hard to put to sleep. At first, Daron said, "She's teething." Then it was, "She's spoiled! We hold her too much!" and now we are to, "No, she needs solids!" Bottom line, we don't have a clue! ha! Babies sure know how to keep you on your toes.

Yesterday, Carter was helping Daron and I make Sunday dinner and we kept getting mad at him for wiping his nose and then trying to touch the food and after a frustrating moment, we told him he couldn't help. A few minutes later, we found him singing a song...

"Mom and Dad said no more helping. And no to more boogers." 

Here's to an exciting week. I can't wait to see all the neat costume ideas and watch Carter trick or treat as a gorilla and hear more songs about frustrating moments like boogers in our dinner! 

Wishing you all an early Happy Halloween and booger free dinners! ;)

{Pictures are of us swimming at my parent's house over the weekend. Always a good time.}

MONDAY

  

Our Monday of this week was a typical one. Long and kind of slow. Nothing out of the ordinary happened. Carter did destroy his room pretty bad. But that usually happens to some part of the house. Both kids also wouldn't nap. But that's not too abnormal either. Maybe it was that I had cookies for breakfast and lunch or that it's been a while since Daron and I went out. For some reason, I was feeling off. 

Just before witching hour {that's 5 o' clock around here} Daron called to tell me he wouldn't be home until late. I decided it was time to get out of the house and get some fresh air for the day. I fed the kids dinner, packed them up in the car and started driving. Aimlessly. 

Suddenly, those gorgeous, bright white steeples of the temple caught my eye. I gasped and realized Carter had never been on the temple grounds of the San Diego temple. Seconds later, I found myself crossing four lanes and hopping off the freeway to get there.

It was the perfect antidote to our blah day.

Carter jumped up and down for about 20 minutes straight clapping his hands in the parking lot while I got Naomi out of the car. I'll never forget him running towards the temple doors saying, "Mom, Jesus is inside! I'm going to go get Him out of His bed!"

{I'm struggling teaching the whole "Jesus lives!" but you don't actually really see Him... thing. anyone have tips on that?}

Time flew as we were walking the temple grounds. Soon, Daron was calling to tell me he was off and that he would get Golden Spoon for everyone on his way home. 

Best husband award. 

Frozen yogurt somehow always ends up being part of my "long" days. I'm thinking that's bad. 

{Like this one here. I didn't mention it in my blog post but I vividly remember why this very-cute-eating-frozen-yogurt action took place. I don't think I recovered for a week!}

I'm really glad I realized how uplifting walking around the temple grounds can be. I'm probably late to the party but I feel like I gained a new trick up my sleeve for days like Monday. 

{It's hard to choose one, but this temple is always at the top of my favorite's list}

A DAY WITH DAD!

Daron unexpectedly had this past Monday off. How about that for a surprise? It was a good moment on Friday when he informed that he wouldn't be going back to work until Tuesday! Woot woot!

We spent the morning at one of our favorite local places for breakfast, Pipes Cafe and hung out at the beach afterwards. Later in the evening, we headed out to the Del Mar pumpkin patch for family night. We are soaking in these years with Carter when a pumpkin patch is magical for him. Oh, to be 3. {Almost!} 

I am really loving these ages that Carter and Naomi are at. Life with them feels so good. I'll have to write more on this later because this thought has been on my mind a lot recently. 

Oh, and I can't end this post without giving a shout out to the one and only Christopher Columbus. After all, he is why we got this unexpected, beautiful day with our main man!

Thanks CC! ;)  

OFFICIALLY OFFICIAL

I officially feel like a mom of two. Daron and I received our double stroller in the mail last night and I spent half of my "kids are asleep" time pushing it around the house! I'm in the stage of my life where things like an easy-pushing strollers make me wildly happy. I remember being little and my mom getting new pots and pans for Christmas one year and being completely perplexed why she was ecstatic. But I totally get it now. 

This double stroller is going to open new worlds for me. I now can still go on a run on the days I don't get this booty out of bed, which is pretty much every day lately. I can go to the mall without having to put Naomi in the ergo(!!!) and, my favorite part, we can go on long walks again! Oh, how I have missed those.

{Can we talk about Carter's smile for a quick second in the first photo? That kid could be sitting on rocks and would still have that cheese on his face}.

Along with the beautiful things a double stroller brings into my life, I know it will also bring a new crazy. For half of the run, Carter was already getting a kick out of pesting his sister. At one point, I stopped to check on them and Carter was pulling Naomi's eye lids up. Good times in my future, for sure!

But hey, at least I have that ocean view while I run right? ^^Seriously though, this view blows me away every time. People definitely think I am from out-of-town because I stop to take a picture about every 10 steps. If you look closely, you can see surfers holding their boards as they enter the water. The best!

***And yes, I take pictures as I run. These days, some days, I even walk. It's been a slow down hill in the running department. But like I said, stage of life right??

TINY HANDS IN THE KITCHEN

As Carter got older, he got more interested in helping me in the kitchen. I always imagined cooking with my kids but I didn't realize how much patience it would take, especially in the toddler stage. Inevitably, Carter would randomly dump salt out of the "big hole" into something that did not need salt, break a few eggs, tip over the olive oil bottle, etc... A lot of times I was relieved when he would choose to play with his toys or books or even watch a show instead of ask to cook with me.

About a year ago though, I came across this sweet video. After I watched it, I had a strong impression that I should be better about letting Carter cook with me. I remember taking a deep breath and thinking this was going to take a lot of patience since dinner time is already hectic and the messes his busy, tiny hands could create were quite daunting!

These days, it's become routine that at some point he comes and helps me make dinner and he always bakes with me. 

Every night at dinner he proudly exclaims to Daron, "Daddy! I made dinner for you!" 

{Somehow he forgets about me, haha!}

Last Friday, we made these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies together and we had the best time. I loved watching him say, "Mom I love making cookies!" and "Mom, look how strong I am." It was so cute to watch him be so proud of being in charge of the mixer and don't even get me started on the way his cheeks droop as he is concentrating(!!!!)

Friday was one of those days where I got to witness progress. It's rewarding to see how small efforts can turn into big things. Now, it's official that I have a little helper! For the first time, I think we finished things faster because he was helping me. Cheers to that!

Now onto figuring out how to make my house not look like a bomb went off after we bake. Anyone have any tips on that?

The random recipe we used {from Pinterest of course here}

OCTOBER GENERAL CONFERENCE 2015

We spent last weekend at my parent's house so that we could be with family while we watched the October General Conference. This is definitely one of my favorite weekends of the entire year. I've had a little bit of "post-Conference blues" since we came home. I actually planned ahead this year {so proud of myself} and made something yummy and festive for breakfast. We had pumpkin waffles with fresh peaches and bananas to go on top. In between sessions, we took advantage of my parent's jacuzzi and pool and wore out the kids so that they would both sleep during the second session.  

Sunday morning we woke up to the coziest fall weather. Carter helped my mom as she made breakfast for everyone and then we spent the rest of the day listening to the inspiring messages of our leaders. I was soaking in every second. Between sessions, we took a walk around the neighborhood to get some fresh air. 

The week before conference, Daron and I wrote down different things that were on our mind and different questions we had regarding our family, our marriage, and spiritual well-being. I was blown away with how perfectly our questions were answered. It was a great reminder of the peace that comes from listening to the prophet and apostles and other leaders of the church and that God is perfectly aware of me.

{My favorite talk from Conference here.} 

MY CARTER LEE

Well, I'm pretty sure the fastest summer of my life just flew by me. The summer of 2015 will forever be engraved in my mind as the summer of getting to know my sweet Naomi, being on a baby high and wearing a robe for about 3 months straight.  

I'm finally out of my robe and maybe someday I'll get around to writing about the past few months, but right now, I have to write a little post about my oh, so lovable Carter. 

A few things he has said as of late:

"Mom, do you feel it? Do you feel my heart beeping?"
"Mom, does Naomi want to talk to me yet?"
As I'm doing laundry, "Good job, Mom. Good job."
As I am taking a picture through a window in our house, "Mommy what's that? A beautiful day?"
As he is randomly opening and closing his mouth, "Mommy, I'm eating the wind."
As we are leaving the random stranger who is letting Carter pet his dogs, "Bye! I love you!"
As he hands Daron his water bottle, "Dad, put this in the fridge and cold it, k?"
As we are talking about what is appropriate to do during Church... 

Me: "Do we play with toys, Carter?"
"Nooo."
"Do we yell?"
"Noooo."
"Do we pick our nose?"
"No, we pick our nose at home!"

And my personal favorite, "Mom, Jesus died while standing in the street."
Me: "Oh, is that right, Carter?"
"Yeah, a white car hit him and he died."
{No idea where this came from, but Daron and I have some serious teaching to do!}

And if he wants to be naughty...
"Mom, go away."
{HA!}

I wish I could write on here every hilarious thing Carter says but thankfully, that's what I use this awesome book for. 

Carter, 

In a few months you will be 3! 3!!!!! 

I can't believe it. 

I never want to forget the way you throw your head back when you laugh, your current "gargoyle smile" and how it feels when you, out of the blue, wrap your arms around me and tell me you love me. Your enthusiasm for life is contagious and you love to put on a show. I love how you wave to every car that passes you in a parking lot and say "hi" to strangers as we walk by them. Your personality brings joy to so many, but most of all, to me and your dad! 

I hope you always know how very special you are. 

I love you! 

-Mom

{An older post about a few of Carter's daily antics here and credit for the photo above is here.}