Delaney, Age 4

Delaney, age 4

4 years old! It's a funny thing, your oldest getting older. Miss Delaney Marie is so grown up now--just ask her and she'll tell you! I know so many people lament the passing of the baby stage, and I have those moments as well. But in general, I think this big kid stuff is a hoot. Having a preschooler under our roof provides our family with free entertainment as Delaney's imagination is just shooting out of her ears. I'm feeling the pressure (self-inflicted, of course) to perfectly capture Delaney 4.0 in this post, which is just impossible. This stage is so fantastic, and I don't want to forget the highlights.

Delaney is the best big sister any kid could ask for. Jude adores her and I like to tell myself that they will always love one another as much as they do now. Jude won't go to bed at night without a kiss and a hug from Na-Nu (Delaney in JudeSpeak). Delaney extends a saintly amount of grace towards JuJuBe on a daily basis, whether he is kicking over her block towers or coloring on her artwork. Sure, Delaney gets frustrated, but she almost always recognizes the fact that Jude is younger than her and less mature. Her gentleness with Jude makes Steve and I very, very proud.

One of the other character traits that I see in Delaney is her love for other people. When planning her birthday dance party, I told her that we should really just invite her friends that could actually dance. I told Steve that I wouldn't go "all out" on this birthday party--just a few friends dancing in the backyard, no big deal. Well, that didn't go over very well with Miss D. When I told her that we weren't going to invite her baby friends, she was devastated. She responded with, "But mom, I just want everyone to be invited!" So of course I relented, because that's what I wanted too. Sorry Stevie! Anyway, we ended up inviting a gazillion friends, and they all ended up coming and dancing with us. In the rain. It was like Woodstock, without the nakedness and whatnot. Her birthday party was such a testimony to me of how much Delaney loves others and is so loved in return. Even though it was cold, even though it was raining, her friends still came and danced. And they stayed for quite some time! Delaney told me that it was the best birthday party ever. Was it what I had planned? No. Did it look the way I wanted it to look? No. Would the Fire Marshall take issue with how many people were on our property? Probably. Did the birthday girl have a blast? Yes. Case closed.

Delaney's quite the little whipper snapper. She's a fast learner, and loves to do school-like activities.  She's a textbook strong, independent, first-born girl. Delaney is past the pre-reading stage and is decoding CVC words. Watching her read makes my teacher-heart burst with pride. I try not to talk about her reading skills too much, because I realize how totally annoying and braggy that sounds. But really, I am so proud of her. Delaney loves to do art, loves to play music, and LOVES TO DANCE. She started dance lessons in February, and thanks to the generosity of her friends and family, she will get to continue lessons for quite some time. Delaney takes her dancing very seriously in the studio, and I love watching her learn something that she seems to love so innately. And I am so out of my element with this whole dance thing. I have always pictured myself on the sidelines and in the stands cheering for my kids--but a dance mom? Oh Lordy, I never saw that in the cards.

The best thing about writing this huge long post about our girl is that I have temporarily forgotten all of the tough, challenging parts that come with parenting Delaney. I am amazed, almost daily, at how difficult a task parenting can be. But now as I reflect on my daughter, I only see the highs and not the lows--which are present, for sure. Steve and I feel so grateful that God has entrusted Delaney (and Jude, of course) to our care. Here's to another full but exhausting year, Laney Cat!

Jude's 2nd Birthday

Today our JuJuBe, J. Billy, Baby Man, Brother Bear, Baby Monster turned two years old.

Nicknames are sort of a big deal in our family.

Oh, Jude, you're officially a two year old. Two year olds like to push the limits and you have been known to test boundaries. Boundaries of space (what can I find to jump off of?), patience (sure Jude, let's throw a tantrum right here and right now!), and sound (your high-pitched scream of agony is pretty impressive) mostly come to mind. But again, your Little Monster face does me in and wins me over every time.

Someday Jude, when your reading skills improve, I hope you'll read this post and know how loved you have been from day one. As far as babies go, you were a pretty typical baby. Not as cranky as your sister, not as docile as those "angel babies" that I hear about from time to time, but pretty much a typical baby. However, toddlerhood has been a bit more... exciting. You fit every boy stereotype out there and then some. You have energy, spunk, and curiosity with no real understanding of cause and effect. I suppose that will come with time and through trial and error. I hope that I can be within earshot during those trials and errors, but I can't keep you under my wing forever, right? Your vigor for life has challenged me to soak up this small window of time that we have together and relearn the art of play. You play hard, you move constantly, and you sleep like a champ because of all of that expended energy.

And speaking of sleeping, my favorite time of day with you is right before I put you into your bed at night. I sing a few bars of "Hey Jude," and you lay your little head on my shoulder and I forget about all of the struggles that the day held. Our little moment together doesn't last long, but it's enough for us  to wake up and do it all over again. As of right now, I'm your favorite. I know it won't be like that forever, and I need to remind myself of that truth. Someday I'll have to share you, but for now, I'm your gal.

As a two year old, you love a handful of things passionately. You love your sister, Delaney, and wake up from nap time on a mission to wake her up as well. You love your dog, Brun, and you despair over the fact that your kitty Imogene dives under the bed every time she hears your footsteps. You love Mickey Mouse, Veggie Tales, and Cars. Mater is your favorite character and I bet that makes Uncle Jimmy proud. You love trains, trucks, and tractors. Have I mentioned that you fit the boy stereotype? You love playing ball--basketball, soccer, and baseball. I realize that I'm a bit biased here, but I think that your hand-eye coordination is out of this world. I'd love for you to be our ball player, but please don't be a quarterback or pitcher, ok? My little anxious heart is going to have such a hard time watching you under that kind of pressure.

I promised your dad that I wouldn't go all out for your second birthday party. We decided on a letter "B" theme for your party: bubbles, balloons, balls, and your favorite blue engine. Your party was at Hunter Hobby Park, where the little trains run on the weekend. Because we live in Southern California, I didn't even think to check the weather report, and it was a bit chilly. All of our friends that were healthy came out to play with you and they brought balls to share. You did not like the attention you received when we sang to you, but you were perfectly content roaming the open fields and kicking a ball around with your daddy. The day after your park party we had our Riverside family over for dinner. This time around you handled the attention much better and were pretty excited about your presents.

Jude, we love you. You bring so many wonderful qualities to our family and you're just two! I can't wait to watch you grow. Happy birthday, Jude William. You're my favorite little baby man.

Party decor

More party decor

Friends Alex and Abby

Gavin, Conrad, and Maddy 

Gal pal Sadie Joy

A few of the mamas 

Playing on the structure

Dinner with Uncle Monkey, Papa, Aunt Joni, & Uncle Kevin --not sure where Nana was hiding! 

Sister really liked "helping" with the present opening...

A soccer ball from Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Jessica and Thomas from Gramps and Grams--he's happy as can be! 

Nana and Papa got him a basketball hoop! I asked Steve if he wanted the instructions for assembly and this is the look I got! 

Jude shoots and scores!

Birthday brownie! And yes, he picked out his outfit. Undies and rain boots!

On the morning of his actual birthday, we had special French Toast for breakfast to celebrate. Delaney is insisting on a party on his actual birthday, so I guess we'll have to go out for ice cream tonight! Bummer. 

The LA Half Marathon

On January 13th, 2013, I ran in my first half marathon! This has been a personal goal that I've had for a long time, but I've never given much thought to you know, actually signing up for a race and all. However, for the past three years my church has partnered with Team World Vision and has encouraged members to run the race and raise support for clean water in Uganda. Our family has sponsored a little girl from Uganda through World Vision for the past three years, and the money Team World Vision was fundraising would benefit the Ugandan community that our church partners with. I've always liked the idea of doing this race, but I've either been pregnant or just too tired with a newborn to participate. This year I found myself without an excuse. So, I signed up and it really was such a win/win: fulfilling a personal goal while supporting clean water in Uganda!

I can't express how thankful I am to my family and friends that supported me on this little adventure. Many people gave financially, but the support didn't end there! I had so many folks encourage me with words, advice, and cheers from afar. And then there's my husband. He actually trained alongside of me, but didn't participate due to the fact that someone had to watch those kids of ours. Hopefully we can both run next year! Steve, as always, was my biggest supporter, coach, and cheerleader. I couldn't have done this without him.

Now, for the stats--don't laugh if you're a real runner. I met my goal of maintaining a pace of 11:30 a mile. Next year I'm hoping to be in the 10 minute range. Hey, you have to start somewhere, right? People often ask me what I listen to while running. For race day, I listened to the end of The Hobbit and a Simple Mom podcast. Not what you were expecting, right? But I like escaping into books and podcasts--it helps me to forget about my aches and pains.

Finish: 2:27:27 -- Pace: 11:15 per mile

Even though the race is over, it's not too late to support clean water in Uganda! Click here to donate.

My girls Becky and Jess getting excited on race day! 

My view at the start line. We were lined up at Venice Beach. It was cold as far as cold goes for southern California. but it made for perfect running weather.

Terrible pic--but this is mile marker 11. I was getting jazzed being so close to the finish line! 

One of my views during the race. Please forgive how fuzzy these pictures are. I was running a half marathon for goodness sakes!

One of my views towards the end of the race.

And this was me, at the end of it all! Really, I was all smiles most of the day. Seriously, it was so much fun!

Christmas Day and Beyond

 Let's wrap up 2012, shall we?

As all parents very well know, a holiday is not truly a holiday unless a child is sick. And of course that was our fate. On Christmas Eve, our holiday plans were interrupted as Jude was struggling with his breathing and seemed to be coming down with pink eye. Off to the ER we went, and Jude was diagnosed with croup, received a shot of steroids, and was given eye drops for his pink eye. And if you're curious, the answer is yes, Jude eventually passed his pink eye onto the rest of us.

If you've met Jude, then you'll know that not much keeps the baby man down. Not asthma, croup, or pink eye could damper his excitement on Christmas day. We hosted Christmas dinner at our house, and thanks to a sick toddler, things didn't exactly turn out how I had imagined. Let's just say it was so not as Martha Stewart-y as I had hoped. And even though I had a cute outfit picked out, I somehow ended up in a t-shirt and jeans all day. These things happen when you have a sick little man cub under your roof. But regardless of appearances, we had a very special Christmas day spent with our family.

Setting out snacks for Santa!

Handsome J. Billy

Delaney in her special Christmas dress

This was my present from my talented hubs. He crated a gorgeous bowl for me out of a hunk of wood.

All Delaney wanted for Christmas was a Princess Ariel hair clip and an Ariel dress. Santa delivered on part of the wish--Grammie and Grandpa came through with the dress.

Sick little baby man on his new trike!

Helping to make breakfast on Christmas morning in his new apron!

On a Christmas day cruise on the new scooter. Thankful for sunny CA weather!

A few days after Christmas, my family drove down for a visit. Grammie, Grandpa, and Uncle Jimmy brought an arsenal of presents with them and we got to do Christmas all over again!

Feeling a bit overwhelmed by the amount of presents...

So excited about one of his favorite presents--his very own Dirt Devil vacuum! 

Grandpa enjoying the sunny weather with JuJu at the park. 

Delaney spent some time showing Uncle Jimmy how the music chimes work...

One of my presents from my folks was a cake pop kit--a cookbook and all the supplies needed to make the yummy treats. We had fun experimenting with our delicious creations.

We did our best to cheer the Beavers to victory by watching the Alamo Bowl. We got close but not close enough. :( 

The kids spent a lot of time playing with their trains from Gramps and Grams over Christmas break. Jude has officially reached the "obsessed with trains" stage.

December Round Up

Brace yourself, there are a lot of pictures coming your way...

December was a wonderful month. I loved uploading all of these pictures because it reminded me again of all the fun that was had. Since having children, Steve and I have tried to be intentional about our Advent season, making sure to leave room for plenty of family snuggle time. Yes, it was a busy month, but a great month spent celebrating the hope that Jesus's birth has brought to our world.

Tree trimmin' with Daddy. 

Enjoying the Mission Inn lights with our dear friends, Leila and Sadie. And yes, Delaney is wearing kitty ears.

One December afternoon, Delaney and I had a very special date: gingerbread house building at the library. The library is one of our favorite places, and it was so nice having some one-on-one time with my little creative gal.

Hard at work! 

Happy as clams!

She took a bite out of every piece of candy before placing it on her house. Such a candy junkie like her mama!

The finished product! Just as I went to take the photo, it collapsed. Bummer! 

Afterwards, because we didn't have enough sugar running through our veins, we got ourselves some hot cocoa. This kid is a ton of fun to be with. I love my big girl!

During one weekend in December, Sky Country hosted a fun Christmas workshop and book fair. On a whim, we went and got our pictures taken with Mr. and Mrs. Claus. Check out Jude's expression below:

The stuff Christmas memories are made of!

But don't worry! Jude drowned his anxiety and sorrows in a gigantic cup of hot chocolate. 

We also attempted a family photo shot. This picture turned out pretty cute and was what we ended up using for our Christmas card. However, our cards from Costco printed out super dark, so it looks like we were hiding in the shadows. Please remind me next year that Costco pictures always turn out dark! 

And we spent lots of time at Target in December. Popcorn for breakfast! (Not really.)

Steve and I made jam for neighbors and friends. My mom is the jam queen and I had her on speed dial throughout the entire process. Despite a few missteps, it turned out great.

Back to the library for the Teddy Bear Tea! 

Delaney with her friends Abby and Gwyneth.

Lots of baking in December!

Making cookies with Auntie Beans...

and with Nana...

and Uncle Monkey!

We went back to the Mission Inn to have the full Santa experience. It was a memory maker for sure! Jude freaked out (no big surprise there...) and Santa wouldn't let him sit on his lap! So, Steve and I got to join in the picture. And then Santa never even asked Delaney what she wanted for Christmas, so I sort of went back and made Santa ask her. Anyway, it wasn't how I pictured how things would go down, but where's the fun in that?

In line for Santa...of course he's all smiles here!

One big, happy family!

Our small group from church got together for a fun and competitive ugly sweater party. By the end of the evening, my face hurt from laughing so much!

The men!

The women!

This is a very special dress. Delaney is wearing it for her Christmas performance at school, and looked cute as a button. This red dress was originally my mom's dress, and then my dress, and now Delaney's dress. She wore it proudly!

Christmas party at her school! 

And even though it's winter, it's really nice this time of year and the oranges are in season. J. Billy loves citrus, even though it makes him break out in a crazy rash.

So, stay tuned for pictures of our actual Christmas day celebrations...