love life!

so much to be grateful for.  so much about life to love!

JAMES:
loving the dental hygiene we have to do with sponge swabs
finally doing tricks on command: shaking head "no", bye bye waves and clapping hands
lights up when we read a book
thinks hazel and cora are the most hilarious
has 3 new teeth that came in all at once overnight
loves ground-up grilled meat and yogurt
obsessed with balls

CORA:
saying "what the heck-oats!" and other things that just crack us up
cutting up post-it notes to make "money'
writing "letters" to people and mailing them
drawing people with crazy hair and long eyelashes
wearing her sister's clothes (they're the same size now, so it's all shared!)

HAZEL:
full of curiosity about the world and always asking questions
her best friend kylie and her new school
reminding me every. day. that she wants to go to scooter jungle for her birthday
building legos
throwing paper airplanes

MOM:
playing pubG at night with John
dreaming up renovation plans
not having to cook dinner 'cause mimi is in town

JOHN:
having yummier dinners because his mom is in town
stealing nerds from the girls halloween haul

love life

hazel:
phonetic spelling
lining her stuffed animals, marshall and clarice, just perfectly as she lays down for bed
reading books to cora (i strongly approve of this)
playing zelda BOTW, but handing me the controller every time she runs into a scary bad guy
hot buttered toast
coconut paletas

cora:
costco pizza (still)
making cookies
making mom blow up the kiddie pool and then refusing to play in it
make hazel play in the kiddie pool with her in 62 degrees
begging to go to disneyland and the playground every day
hiding under the desk when she's worried she'll get in trouble (she frequently does... she is wild and destructive ;)
during prayers, "bless us about baby james.  bless us about mommy and daddy.  bless us about not having bad dreams..."

james:
still being the most perfect, happy baby
napping for 40 minutes, five times a day (this isn't my favorite)
kicking wildly during bathtime
getting ingrown toenails like it's his job
sucking on his two fingers
blowouts that defy the laws of physics

life lately

lately we've been wearing a lot of dresses, had some grandma and grandpa visitors, a preschool graduation, disney trips, and a whole lotta love

for every moment they make me want to pull my hair out, there are a dozen moments like this.

hazel:
has to make a wish on every dandelion on our walk home from school
is still obsessed with the number 11
asks for hot chocolate even on warm days
is always saying also-ly, "let's ride the matterhorn and also-ly the teacups"
puts on her "you make me smile" jammies first thing when they are clean
walks up the stairs on all fours, as slowly as she can (especially when we are in a hurry) - she knows how to get on my nerves!

cora:
says yes in the most enthusiastic, slow-building shout "yyyyyyYUH-ES!"
is obsessed with pizza right now
is a champion fit-thrower
helps me make dinner or a treat often.  she is expert at evenly spreading cheese on pizza!
has started fighting her naps a little bit
could be potty-trained right now, if she wanted to be
has started talking tons, but i only understand about half of it!

some cute {some annoying} things the girls are into lately!

cora's favorite pastimes:

seeing how fast she can dump all the toys in the house out of their containers

throwing herself down on the ground when she doesn't get her way - often this also involves some kind of injury like her head smacking into the wall

reading books

delaying any outing by refusing to put on coat and shoes, and then when i finally do get shoes on her, taking them off multiple times before we get out the door

screaming at the top of her lungs when i tell her "no" to more fruit snacks

singing unintelligibly

looking at me, scrunching up her nose, and giggling

hazel's favorite pastimes:
planning out every second of each day
requesting 11 of everything.  11 chicken nuggets, 11 minutes until we get someplace, saying she is 11 years old
playing pretend.  especially going to "pretend disneyland"
scrubbing toilets - this is not a joke.  she really loves it and i'm going to try and keep it up forever and ever
reading books
avoiding eating the food i make for her
listening to blasting music in the car

our thankful tree.

not to brag, our life is so good right now.  

don't get me wrong, it is so SO hard, and we have lots of {unseen} challenges, just like everyone else.

but it's also incredibly good.  we are so blessed.

cora is right at this very moment crying in her crib, fighting a nap she so desperately needs.  (don't worry! i won't let her cry for long:) and i have anxiety about some things that just can't be fixed right now.  there's endless projects and to do's that need to be done, and i'm feeling inadequate and vulnerable and hopeful all at once.  but if i sit back and look at my life, it is easy to see how incredibly blessed we are. 

friday, i had this brilliant idea that we should start a thankful tree.  hazel is the perfect age for that right now, and i thought it would be a great way to teach her such an abstract concept.  i bought a stack of colored construction paper, and cut out the cutest bare tree for our wall.  hazel has been impressing us with her scissor-cutting skills and cutting several leaves each day for us to write on what we are thankful for.  the tree is filling up so fast, and i can't wait to show you what it looks like when we're done.  it's been an exercise in remembering our Savior, and our Heavenly Father from whom all our blessings come.  it's helped me recognize friends and loved ones who are such an influence of love and good in our lives and are such good examples to our girls.  truly, i am so grateful.

and here's some things these girls love right now....

cora

brown bear, brown bear what do you see

pointing and saying "this" (ie. this way) to tell me where to go

petting the neighbor's cat {i actually don't know who that cat belongs too, and i'm just hoping it's been vaccinated ;}

coming with me to get the mail

putting little objects in holes - she frequently finds sticks to put in the wire at the playground

bubbles

yogurt {obsessed}

dragging her bunny around on a blanket

saying "up" as we climb each stair

chasing birds on the beach {hazel loves this too!}

the tram at disneyland is hilariously maybe her favorite "ride" that we go on there.  i think peter pan is also beloved

hazel

loving smile, her after-school program with some cute friends

puzzles

playing games

reading - she is turning into such a bookworm and can sound out lots of words already

ham {LOVES it, and asks to have it in her lunch every day.  i usually send her with a homemade "lunchable" complete with ham, cheese, and crackers;}

talking about holidays, and getting very excited to go to mimi's for thanksgiving!

disneyland

listening to music in the car - from princess songs to my old school playlists and everything in-between

talking about "our schedule" and looking at what is coming up that day and week

favorites

here are some things that our girls are loving right now.

CORA:
singing: "i'm so glad when daddy gets home", and then doing all the actions to him.  so cute.
eating kleenex
pressing buttons
blowing kisses
running up to me, planting a juicy kiss on my lips and then turning around to sit in my lap
throwing her head down on the ground in a fit of rage when she doesn't get her way
the book: "moo baa la la la"
when we clap and say "yay!"
reading books
playing outside on a warm day


HAZEL:
snapchat
singing: twinkle twinkle, abc's, mary had a little lamb, days of the week song, itsy bitsy spider, disney princess songs, etc.
puzzles!
jumping on the couch (although i'm not too thrilled about this)
reading at least "five books" every night. (the negotiating has begun)
telling what she ate for a snack at school that day.
going to the park or playground or play gym
talking about money and how we buy things
counting - my favorite is everything past thirty - "twenty-ten, twenty-eleven, twenty-twelve...."
talking about what words start with which letter

love these two girls {and their daddy!} and the laughter and fun they provide each day.  i am so blessed.

THINGS I LOVE ABOUT LIFE

no one can blame you if you take a second handful of cadbury eggs {or a third... or fourth...}

you will usually end up liking someone if you strike up a conversation with them

diet coke exists pretty much everywhere in the world

weekends happen

there is such a thing as puppies

when my children want to play with me basically all day long

you can ask for forgiveness

you can forgive

we can always order chinese

picnics out on the lawn, complete with chicken nuggets, bubbles, and two giggling girls

a lifetime to change and get better

laughing until you cry

singing beatles songs before tucking the girls in

warm weather and sweeping the dust off your porch to welcome in spring

things we love, and things we love to hate.

things the girls are loving {and hating} these days:

heffalump:

loving:

watching daddy play video games

pointing

when i sing to her

laughing back and forth at nothing at all

baths- especially splashing her sister

playing with hazels toys- anything hazel shows interest in, cora is bound to want to play

pulling herself up and holding onto everything

when john speaks in mandarin to her

hating:

when i take old food, cardboard, and other things she has found on the ground out of her mouth

getting her face wiped

when i turn the pages of books for her

getting dressed- she wants to stay naked! every evening after bathtime we have a wrestling match.

hazelnut:

loving: 
cooking with me
anything and everything star wars
chasing or getting chased around the kitchen, we call it the "get you game"
reading books
sprinkles treats (rice krispie treats)
her new pizza game and baby doll
all kinds of rough housing
playing dress-up
painting and play-dough
all things animals and princess

hating:
when cora mae touches anything she is even remotely interested in, from toys to the coffee table
not being able to do things herself
when i sing. "don't sing, mom!"

love life: cora mae at 8 months

here's what is going on with cora mae at 8 months:

we call her heffalump 50% of the time

she tries everything we put in front of her

she has started crawling!

she stares at her big sister and smiles and laughs half the day

she loves playing on the ground with anything she can get her hands on, including cords

she is always touching the xbox power switch

she loves scrunching up her nose and breathing heavy - she thinks it's so funny

her favorite thing to do is look at herself in the mirror

she loves peekaboo and touching my face when we are nursing

she beams when daddy gets home

we love her so.

the girls are loving:

hazel:

- the zoo, the park, going on walks, and all-around anything outside the house

- her speech therapy

- the ipad (yes, still obsessed, but we try to limit her screen time as much as possible.)

- dressing up as different animals or princesses- just wait til you see our halloween costumes!

- jumping on the couch (i am not so fond of this)

- reading "are you my mother?" - she can practically quote this book

- eating pizza (she LOVES pizza!) and breakfast burritos and showing us how different animals eat - which basically means making the sound that that animal makes.  the dog, for instance, simply takes a bite and says, "woof! woof!"

- doing "surprise eggs" which is basically where i put a treat or tiny toy inside of easter eggs, cover them in play-dough, and then she gets to uncover what is inside

- helping me cook or bake

- watching singing and dancing of any kind: watching little clips of broadway shows like finding neverland and singing in the rain is our new favorite!

- being tickled

cora mae:

- cora simpy loves everything.  she loves the world.  she loves getting attention from strangers, being sung to, and just being ignored and let to play with toys.  seriously.

- eating crackers and pizza crust and anything that she can independently put in her mouth and gum to oblivion.  she can even put puffs (cheerios) in her mouth one-by-one, which takes fine motor skillzz

- watching hazel run around, dance, jump, or act goofy or entertaining in any way

- playing with wrappers - under strict supervision

- rolling over immediately when i lay her down

- sleeping on her stomach - which is so weird for me, since hazel abhorred being on her tummy

- jumping in her jumperoo

- looking at her adorable little self in the mirror

- when mom kisses under her chin (the best giggles)

our loves!

everything about this photo makes me happy.  hazel's wild hair, cora's big grin, the beautiful weather on the day it was taken and remembering how good it felt to be outside on that day with two of my favorite people in the world.

here are some things we are loving right now over here as a family:
reading scriptures together in the evening
going on walks or to the park
swedish fish

sitting outside on our camping blanket and looking at clouds
ice cream
facetime with family
eating pizza once or twice a week
the smell of pumpkin spice candles
planning, working on costumes, and dressing up for Halloween
bath time
when dada gets home
doing something special together as a family on the weekend

mae mae is six months! here are some things she loves:

kicking things - wipes bags, toys, her sister, etc.

taking loooooong afternoon naps

rolling over to her tummy immediately when i lay her down

playing with wrappers - large un-swallow-able ones, supervised of course!

smiling with her tongue sticking out

baby einstein

jumping in her jumperoo

listening to music

lots to love.

things i am loving right now:

listening to hazel "read" - books she has essentially memorized - to the rest of us.
fall crockpot soup smells.
tickling cora mae under her chin.
having hazel help me water the plants.
listening to npr radio while i mother.
reaching across the bed to john after a long, exhausting day, and just squeezing his hand. he gets me.
watching hazel make cora laugh.
drinking lemonade.
sneaking into the girls' room at night to watch them sleep.
coloring outside with sidewalk chalk.
sitting on the porch at night, feeling that pre-fall crisp in the air.

things i'm loving that our girls are doing these days:

hazel at two-and-a-half years:

off-pitch humming to intro theme songs of tv shows we watch

going over to cora and talking to her when she is sad

saying things like "good job!" when i am asking her if she is keeping her panties dry

going pee pee in the potty like a big girl!

reading books and counting things

pointing out the color of everything in stores

cora at five months:

looking up at us and smiling all. the. time. {like seriously, anytime we make eye contact}

watching her busy sister move around the room

grabbing her feet and eating them

taking long naps so i can get stuff done {hazel never did this}

sitting up on her own

babbling on car rides

lovin life!

movin to new jersey really kicked my butt. i don't know what it was- a stubborn, difficult toddler? sleep deprivation? moving away from dear friends and feeling lost in a city i'm not used to? feeling totally out of control of my life? probably all of the above.

so i thought it was probably time i write down what i'm really grateful for in my life these days....

watching the thunderstorm outside with the girls sitting in my lap

toy car races with hazel

swedish fish

our porch succulents

binge-watching parks and rec with john late into the night

my steam mop(do i get nerdy points for this?)

early morning, snuggling the girls in my bed

helping the B color with chalk on the front porch

things 26-month-old hazel loves:

26 months is kind of a random time to do this post.  but the other day i was thinking about all the fun little things she loves right now and it's too funny to not record.  hopefully some day we will look back at these posts and really miss having a toddler ;)

things 26-month-old hazel loves:

postponing diaper changes

"popcorn popping on the apricot tree" - complete with actions!

being able to communicate a little better about what she wants

fishy crackers and apple juice (STILL)

comforting her little sister when she is crying

"surprise egg" videos on youtube -which by the way, i kind of despise!

using her growling voice to sing the ABC's

crab-walking

Untitled from Paige Brunt on Vimeo.

love life!

some things i've been loving about life lately:

hazel repeating everything i say

peanut butter m&ms

wrap-around porches

just being around family

sweet snuggles from cora mae 

picnics in the park with dear friends

survival mode.

the last few days, i have really felt like i was in survival mode. hazel is sick and cranky and teething (and let's face it, almost 2!) and i have been STARVING pretty much all day long, and tired and sore. these last few weeks of pregnancy are going to be different than they were the first time around i can tell. mainly because i am chasing a toddler around!

but, there have been some things that have kept me going through all the craziness that is me when i am 35 weeks pregnant: 

chicken gyros

watching tangled on repeat with hazel

dry shampoo

red lipstick

sitting at the playground on a sunny day while hazel plays

having the perfect excuse to eat lots and lots of ice cream

feeling baby kicks that get stronger every day

talking with random moms of two around town that are excited for you, and also, clearly surviving

little projects to be completed around the house

sonic diet cokes with blue coconut and lime

things 22-month-old hazel loves:

- hats- wearing them, trying them on, putting them on others

- watching frozen. we are especially in love with "do you want to build a snowman"...

- animals

- chocolate and fishy crackers

- singing nursery rhymes- she knows the actions too!

- magnets

- reading books- especially "where the wild things are", "star wars colors", and "brown bear brown bear"

- going to bed (she always dives for her crib. for this, i am very grateful)

- jumping. basically on everything 

- chapstick. usually putting it on her lips, sometimes straight up licking it 

- acting out moments from frozen while we have the movie on, or acting out scenes from a book that we are reading.  {for reals! she is my daughter after all.}

see other posts about hazel's previous loves here and here