Enjoy the Little Things In Life, For One Day You Will Look Back and Realize They Were the Big Things

Just a couple of Mouseketeers!

Please note JJ's hand placement and his concerned expression. He's such a sweet brother.

We've been able to do some fun things lately! Both my sisters and their families were in town, so we packed up the boys, my dad drove up to get us, and Jace, Luke, and I spent a week with my family in Oregon! Colt had to work, so he joined us later in the week. It was hard to be apart, but it was nice to have a good chunk of time to spend with my family. With two brothers-in-law going through the medical school process across the country, this may not happen again for awhile. Jace and Luke were  able to meet their new cousin Millie for the first time, spend time with their Aunties, and play, play, play! Luke was passed around like a hot potato, and he just soaked up all the attention. We also threw my littlest sister a baby shower. She's due in December with her very first babe! I'm so excited for her and her husband, Jefferson, and I'm loving this growing pack of nieces and nephews!

Then last weekend, we ventured out to Remlinger Farms for berry picking and some fun rides! When we took JJ to Disneyland in September, he wasn't particularly interested in most of the rides (except for Jungle Cruise and It's a Small World) and DEFINITELY wouldn't have been up for getting on them alone. But this time, he was completely fine riding by himself, and he did great waiting for his turn in line (granted,  the lines were incredibly short and he didn't have to wait long, due to the fact that we ended up getting there about an hour before the park closed). But I was so proud of him! And it was very sweet watching him enjoy himself. It's funny how I experience so much joy and excitement myself just watching him have fun. He's getting to be such a big boy. Luke was a champ the whole time; he napped in his stroller, ate his meals, and just chilled like the sweetheart he is. 

We've had a fun couple of weeks! From here on out, our summer is pretty open-ended. We don't have a lot of big plans or any major vacations on the docket. But that's completely fine! I'm loving these mellow days and enjoying the fun summer activities and events all around us. I love creating sweet memories with my boys, even (and perhaps especially) when they aren't anything big. I'm working on looking for the positive and trying to find joy in any circumstance, and I'm realizing just how much joy there is to be found in the little things, in the everyday.

Jace Snapshot (2 years, 5 months)

...This kid is so spirited, silly, and social (with a shy streak, when he is around unfamiliar folks)

...He loves to FaceTime with his grandparents ("a talk a Mimi?" "A talk a Gammy?")

...Jace is loving his books lately. He can finish all the sentences in his favorite books, and sometimes flips through the pages while reciting the phrases he's memorized on each page ("Boom boom, bear tromp!")

 ...Current literary favorites include: "Quick as a Cricket," "King Jack and the Dragons," "The Little Mouse, A Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear," "The Napping House," "Duffy Time," "I Hear a Pickle," and all of the books I got him at the library about different kinds of trucks and cars and how they work. He could read those over and over again...and he definitely tries to get me to do so. I always told myself I'd never say no when my child asked me to read them a book...but after our fifth go-round of "I Hear a Pickle" while trying to eat lunch, I had to tell him we'd read it again later.  He often brings me books to read while I'm on the bike or trying to eat, the little goob.

...Whenever he greets another person, he says "Hi, Jace!" Haha!

...He started waking up in the middle of the night again, and all of a sudden he could count to three, tell me when something is "weh-woh" (yellow), and has been using much longer utterances, more verbs, and his articulation is becoming increasingly more precise. It's exciting! Helps put those night-wakings in perspective ;)

...Jace calls rice and orzo noodles "cheese." I'm not complaining, because since he thinks it's shredded cheese, he'll eat it!

...He's been such a snuggly, kissy little guy lately. He asks to "snug a mama?" and then curls up in my lap and leans into me. And he's been kissing us on the lips! Haha! It's so funny.

...Grammy sent him these cute little Winnie the Pooh figurines that are meant to be displayed in a garden, and Jace was SO excited when we opened them up. He's been playing with them for three days straight, and he cannot get enough. So, on Sunday, I filled a flower pot up with soil and created a little "Pooh Garden" ("A Pooh dard?") for him, complete with a stone pathway, a little log for Tigger to bounce on, and a house of sticks for Eeyore. Jace was captivated, and spent Sunday afternoon digging in the dirt and playing with Pooh and his friends. However...toddlers aren't especially gentle in their play (at least mine isn't). By the end of the first day, only Tigger and Eeyore were left intact. As of today, due to over-affection and a terrible case of the dropsies, everyone but Pooh Bear and Eeyore has lost their noggins, turning a whimsical Pooh Garden into Pooh's Corner of Horrors.  It looks very sinister.

...Loves to shriek at the top of his lungs. We address it when it's an angry, tantrummy shriek, but have been ignoring it when it's a scream of joy. But it can kind of drive us crazy (Luke included). Any tips for curbing this age-appropriate yet ear-shattering habit?

Luke Snapshot (13.5 weeks)

...Luke is so sweet, smiley, and sensitive.

...He continues to grow like a weed. He's got such long legs, and I'm loving his little round tummy.

...Luke laughed for the first time at 12 weeks old while we were in Oregon, at his Papa Todd. I heard it, but I was in the kitchen when it happened, so I didn't get to see it. Right now, it's more like a short chuckle rather than a full-out belly laugh. I love it! 

...He's ticklish on his sides, neck, and thighs (that's how I produce the chuckles).

...Luke had a scary fall a few weeks ago and hit his head. He had to go to Urgent Care, then the ER, where he had to have a CT scan (luckily he was just fine).

...He loves to be sung to, especially Old McDonald Had a Farm. And we discovered the album "Sleep Baby Sleep" by Nicolette Larson. It's a game-changer, folks. She is God's gift to mamas, and I told Colt if we ever have a girl, we are naming her Nicolette, because I owe her my sanity. Out running errands and forgot the binkie? Turn on Nicolette. Baby's upset for a reason you can't identify? Nicolette. Little one fighting a nap? Fussy? Expressing extreme displeasure about being strapped into his carseat? Girl, get on that Youtube channel or Spotify playlist and play yourself some Nicolette. 

...Luke is scared of sneezes (except for his own). They startle him and make him cry. In fact, most sudden, loud noises upset him. Makes things a little dicey, as he's sharing a house with a rambunctious big brother.

...I love when I look over and Luke will be staring at me, waiting for me to make eye contact. As soon as we lock eyes, he smiles with his entire body. His little legs stiffen up, he squeezes his elbows into his ribs, his tiny hands ball up into fists and he tucks them under his chin, his eyes light up and he smiles his huge, gummy smile. I hope he's always this happy to have my attention ;)