Fun with cousins

For several days preceding the weekend, Aspen would say, with much excitement "I'm gonna see my cubbins!"

What she meant, was - we were excited to meet up with our cute cousins on Saturday! We met on the Waterfront to help celebrate Alexandra's second birthday and the kids were beyond excited!

We started with a Seattle tradition: Ivar's for fish n chips!

I was too busy nursing Hazel and chatting away with my sister, so didn't get any pics of the kids when they went with the Daddies to feed the seagulls...but I can guarantee they had fun!

We did a lot of walking, so Alyssa hitched a ride on the BOB. There was lots of giggling going on and it's a good thing the BOB has shocks, because there was lots of jumping and wiggling happening, too!

We walked from one end of the Waterfront all the way past all the touristy shops, and past the big cruise ships, to the Olympic Sculpture Park. The weather was perfect!

Above, is the birthday girl herself, and my beautiful sister, Kaitlin! You can see the retro orange space needle in the distance. 

Of course, the kids didn't care much about the sculptures in the park - though a couple of brides caught their eyes, along with a few dance moves from the Zumba class going on outside. What they loved the most, was just playing with the rocks in the walkway, and of course the wild flowers they found along the way.

I love it. In the middle of the city, they find a bit of nature and are drawn to it's beauty.

It's a good lesson: it's always important to take time to notice, and stop, and smell the flowers. It was great just walking and talking and enjoying a sunny warm day with family. We love you guys! And Happy Birthday, Xannie!

Outings // Matthews Beach

To celebrate Hazel being 6 weeks old, we took her to the beach to have her first little dip in Lake Washington. Matthews Beach is one of our favorites, and it was such a perfect afternoon, humid and warm, that it was just perfect. She got a lot of compliments on her swimming suit, too :)  

For the record, at her 6 week check up she weighed in at 8lbs 11oz, 20.5 inches. She's still tiny but she is growing growing and healthy healthy, super happy and alert. I know I am biased, but I think she's a very pretty baby. I love her glossy, bright eyes! We still have no clue as to what color they will be eventually, but it's a fun guessing game! 

We dipped her little feet and legs in a few times and the first time she grimaced, but after that she seemed to rather enjoy it. Her sister and brother sure did! There's nothing I love more than hanging at the beach, watching my children play in the water and sand. I love it when they're covered in sand: a true sign of a good time had at the beach!

Aspen was in her own little world, playing with the little waves made by motorboats and jet skis out on the lake. She would do this little run, almost like a little dance, as it crept up to her feet. Back and forth and back and forth. 

Sawyer always makes sure we bring the sand toys along. Especially, his trucks. 

Nothin' like a good puddle jump!

After her little dip, Hazel just enjoyed taking it all in. She loves to watch her big brother and sister and I am quite certain she sits there thinking about the day she can join in the fun. 

I have to say I think the thing I will miss the most when we move will be all of our beaches. Oh, how we will miss them!

Moving!

Oh, yes, we are!

Can anyone take a guess as to where? 

A few hints:

It's REALLY SUNNY

It's warm most of the year

HOT the rest of the year

There's LOTS of live music

There are also millions of BATS

Bluebonnets

etc. etc. etc.

Click HERE for the answer!

Yep, it's official.

Jacob got an amazing job offer in Austin, TX, that we're both really excited about. He signed the deal today, so now we're committed. Our house will officially hit the market on Monday. The idea is to be in Austin in September, which is right around the corner. We've been talking about and planning this move for a couple of years. Once we started the ball rolling, WOW, did it roll! Jacob got a job offer within about two weeks of sending out his portfolio. The plane ticket he bought to go out to interview has now turned into the time he will visit his new office and meet up with a realtor to find an apartment to live in until we get settled in and start the house hunt. The Lord is blessing us beyond measure, with more than we had even hoped for. We will of course be sad to leave a city and so many friends that we love, but...

We're totally stoked for our new adventure!

The first time she wore a pretty dress...

Hazel was sooo tiny when she was born, that she had to wear preemie sized clothes, and swam in a few newborn sizes, for weeks. She's 5 weeks old now, and is now fitting nicely into the newborn sizes, but her wardrobe was kind of limited for a long time. The bonus for both Hazel and her big sister, down the road, is that a lot of baby dolls fit into preemie sized clothing, so they will have more doll clothes eventually :)  

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago, I felt like playing dress up. I had made a little dress for the bebe out of the liner of a former skirt I had, and I just eyeballed it and had no pattern. So, it turned out super small. I thought maybe I'd just give it to Aspen for her baby dolls, but then Hazel was so tiny, I thought we might give it a try afterall. So, one morning, I dressed up my little doll. It fit! And she looked so elegant for a tiny newborn (hooray, something besides a onesie!) that I just had to take a few pictures of her. Of course I only got around to looking at them two weeks later (things have been BUSY!) but I'm glad I took a few minutes tonight to see how they turned out. 

Crazy and beautiful things have been happening to our family lately. One of the beautiful little things is this little sweetheart of a girl we gladly welcomed into our family. What a little angel we have here! What an amazing blessing!

I'm sure this little lady will soon start fitting into her bigger/cute clothes, but I am glad I captured a few moments of her wearing her first pretty dress...I'm fairly certain it was the first of many pretty dresses to come.

one month

I can hardly believe our little Hazel is already one month old.

Really?

We have loved every minute of having her join our family. I have been pleasantly surprised at what an easy and natural transition it has been. I polled lots of friends about their experience with going from two to three and half said it did them in and was a crazy ride, while others said it was easier than any other transition. I think I had mentally prepared myself for chaos, but I have been overjoyed that the experience for me - thus far - has been super smooth and easy. It's different for everyone, of course, but after a miscarriage and then a rough pregnancy, I am feeling overjoyed to be feeling good and (semi) on top of things once again. And there are a LOT of things to try to stay on top of - more to come on those things later. So, of course, things are busy, but not crazy, as I somewhat expected them to be. We will see if that trend continues...and hope that it does. And just keep enjoying each day and watching our new little one grow and grow (and sleep and sleep)...she's a sweetheart, for sure.

Sweet little Hazel - at ONE MONTH, you...
-have stolen our hearts away. 
-are still tiny, but are plumping up quite nicely (I love fat, healthy babies!) You still don't fit into 0-3 months sized clothes, but at least now you're fitting well into the newborn sizes :)
-your hair is starting to fall out, especially up front. This happened to your bro and sister, too - and then it just kept getting lighter. Will yours do the same? Or will it stay dark, for once? And still no clue as to what color your eyes will settle on...hazel, perhaps?
-almost always wake up in the evening for storytime and some playtime with your brother and sister, who - have I already mentioned this? - absolutely ADORE you. Something that gets us all laughing is when you flail your arms, out of control like all newborns, and your brother and sister are laying next to you on the floor laughing and giggling "she's trying to tickle us!" I love it!
-have given us some glorious smiles! 
-after two nights of swaddling you and putting you in your crib, you decided you were much more at home un-swaddled and snuggled up in our bed at night. In all honesty, we both sleep better that way! It's so super sweet when your little body turns towards mine, and inches over to snuggle up for the night. I love it :)
-you've been out and about quite a bit! The beach, the park, the swimming pool, Target and Costco - you like to sleep when we're out and about in the baby K'tan or the Ergo, and I love having my hands somewhat free when we're on errands :)
-you are easy-peasy! You only cry when you're hungry. Otherwise, you are bug-eyed and taking in the world. Sawyer and I have started calling you "bugaboo" (which we called him as a baby, too) because you've just got the biggest eyes!
-you must have a very interesting view: every time you open your eyes (or not) your big sister comes running right up to about an inch from your face saying "my baby sister! my baby sister! I looove my baby sister!"  Don't we all, sweet girl!


Oh, and here are a couple of Hazel with her big eyes wide open! We love our baby sister!

Hazel at 2 months

It's crazy that Hazel will be 2 months old as of tonight. Last Friday, 8 weeks from her birthday, I took a few photos of our sweet baby. We were in Oregon, so I set my sleeping baby on this pretty antique chair at my parent's house...I no sooner took a couple of frames when this sweet baby's big sister bounced into the room. No more sleeping baby! Her sister loves her so very much she can't seem to keep her hands off her. She is always kissing and hugging her and while at times I have to remind her to give her baby sister some space to breath, baby Hazel herself is, for the most part, all smiles to be the center of attention from her big sister. It's fun to see already how Aspen has eagerly jumped into the big sister role. I am excited to see how their sisterly relationship develops over time...

She has recently discovered her tongue, and likes to play with it (along with sucking on her fingers - she is NOT a binky baby). Oh, and bubbles. Her older siblings thinks she's working some kind of magic when she starts smiling with bubbles coming out of her mouth :)

Sweet Hazel, at two months:

-You sleep like an angel all through the night. A dream feed here and there, but you're probably our very best sleeper as a newborn. (maybe part of that has to do with the fact you love snuggling up in our bed. You love sleeping with us, all snuggled up with Mommy - and she treasures this fleeting time when she gets you all to herself, all night long :)
-You have a most contageous smile, already! 
-You're starting to coo and make the cutest little noises.
-Your getting strong, you have rolled over a few times in bed but we're not counting it official rolling until it's more intentional.
-You're finally outgrowing the newborn clothing and now fitting into most of your 0-3 months sized (cuter!) clothes.
-This week you graduated from the newborn sized diaper to the size 1. You can blame those scrumptious rolls on your legs and your cute little bum for that!
-You're getting roly-poly and so chubby! I love your double chin and your looong eyelashes (lucky girl!)
-You love to be held and sung to. You like it when Daddy whistles and sings to you. You also love it when your brother and sister sing to you - I think the best is when Aspen sings "I Love You, A Bushel and a Peck" - it's darling and it makes your Momma's heart melt!
-You LOVE being outside.
-You took your first road trip to see Grammie and Grandpa and before next month you're about to take a VERY long ride in the car - all the way to our new city of Austin, Texas! You're going to grow up being a Southern girl :)
-You've been losing your hair. Slowly, but surely. We're curious if it's going to stay dark? Or get lighter?
-Jury is still out on the color of your eyes. My guess is we won't know until closer to your first birthday. 
-You LOVE LOVE LOVE Tubby Time! Mommy love love loves giving you baths and how wonderful you smell after your bath and a nice little massage with some baby lotion. Can't get enough! And your brother and sister love to help bathe you whenever they get a chance.
-You are beautiful :)
-Simply put, you are a VERY LOVED little lady! 

Sigh. She's a sweetheart!

ps-Thanks "auntie allegra" for the darling outfit! 

Stars, Stripes, and Stomp Rockets

Can you tell I was making funny faces at them?

Our Independence Day was pretty sweet and simple...and everything it should be. We got decked out in our Red, White, and Blue. We ran around the house shouting "Happy 4th of July!!!" The kids were super excited about fireworks, friends, and homemade apple pie. I took a few pics of them in the morning just because they were looking so cute in their matchy seersucker outfits, and we were all giddy that the sun was shining in our window to welcome the day. We met some friends at a park that had a pretty good view to downtown (and the fireworks that would go off the hill at Gasworks Park), and had a traditional picnic dinner with bbq, watermelon, salads, and of course, classic apple pie (ask Jacob, my apple pie is killer! It is the one baked good I make that I will actually boast about :) The kids ran around for hours on the playground and in the grass, had a BLAST doing stomp rockets and playing with friends. There were a few other families we knew at the park from Nature School as well. When it started getting dark, we all got cozy with blankets and the kids played with flashlights and laughed with their little buddies. Hazel was all snug and cuddly in my arms and slept through most all of the festivities. We didn't get home until midnight. It was  wonderful! It was such a fun afternoon and evening, just relaxing with friends, eating good food, playing with the kids, laughing, enjoying, and celebrating. Happy Birthday, America!