Poor sport

Tula crying because she wants her "ball back". It's hard to see them learn these basic, simple lessons in life. She was so sad, but its the name of the game. After I explained it to her a bit she was back in there and no more tears.

MVP

A clip of Tula playing football with the boys. She was into the whole thing, even got on top of a few dogpiles. Check her out in the beginning screaming at the "boys" to throw her the ball.

FIFTEEN months old!

All week I have had it in my head that I needed to do Maverick's 16 month update and have been telling people since the 22nd that he is 16 months old, yet when I sat down and thought about it tonight and began to write this, I now realize he is only 15 months old, and I basically just gained a month back with him that I never even knew I lost. So THAT was exciting!

Maverick John is now 15 months old and I guess I probably say this every month but he truly captures all of our hearts more and more as the days go by. He is, by far, on of the most lovable, huggable, cuddliest and happiest toddlers I know. He is at this super fun stage that I remember from Tula where it is BEFORE the "terrible twos" where the tantrums begin, but after that baby stage where he can't do much. Every day is something new, and its usually words. And to be able making progress in the communication department with your child is such a wonderful feeling. It feels like unwrapping a gift you have had sitting in front of you your entire life. With every new word that comes out of his mouth, I realize that there is an understanding behind it, and that he is able to somewhat communicate his thoughts to me, although they are so simple, it just feels like I finally get a glimpse inside this precious package I have waited forever to know its contents.

New words this month? There are lots. But the fun thing is, this month it's not all nouns. He isn't just going around naming things. These are fun new words. like a big "Noooo" to Tula (sometimes even with a headshake) if she does something he doesn't like like take a toy from him or push or pull at him. Tonight he asked for "ka-kow" while they were watching Mickey before bed, this is popcorn. John came downstairs to get me just come come up and listen to Mav say it over and over and over, begging for popcorn. He says "hot" very dramatically to anything that actually is, and always tries to blow on his food if I say its hot now. Sometimes when he is hugging me or snuggling me he just says "mama" over and over. When we say "No More Monkeys..." he shakes his finger like I do and tries to shake his head. He also likes to shake his head "yes" and always looks so cheerful doing it with his great big smile.

One of Maverick's favorite activities right now is brushing his teeth. Except for that he is the only one allowed to touch the toothbrush. He loves to climb up onto the stool that Tula brushes her teeth at and stand there with the water running, dipping mine or Daddies toothbrush under that water and sucking any toothpaste flavor off of it. That's his version of brushing his teeth, and he can spend long stretches of time entertaining himself with this activity. Maverick loves to play dress up with his sister, his favorite thing to wear is the fireman coat and boots, and his dinosaur costume from Halloween. He will do anything for a laugh and sometimes after I help him get a costume on he just runs around with a big grin on his face trying to get people to laugh at him. Maverick likes to give high fives now. He loves to wrestle with Daddy, he is such a rough and tumble boy and loves to be tossed around a bit. Loves to be tickled, screams with delight and does his big, deep laugh. Maverick loves his Black and Decker tool set he got for his birthday and anytime we bring those out he has to carry at least one of them in his hand all day long. This month he fell in love with the flashlight, and got especially excited when i showed it to him in his cabinet and made that big black hole light up. That night, he wanted to take the flashlight on our walk and was fascinated with how it lit up and brightened things outside. Mav is always so intrigued with anything that has a function, how it operates and works. If there is a wheel spinning, he is bent over staring figuring out what's making it move like that. Maver still LOVES his bottle at nap and bedtime, and gets to watch a little tv at those times as well that he thoroughly enjoys. HIs sleeps routine is usually the same as Tula now, only napping once a day. He will have a little one in the morning if we are out and about in the car, but his big nap in the afternoon he takes the same time as his sis so they get to watch an episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (what did I ever do before my DVR?) and then goes for a snuggle in his room on his rocking chair with a bottle. I toyed with the idea of trying to take his bottle from him this month, but he loves it and it makes nap and sleep time so much easier, the pain it would cause is not worth that gain at this point, so he is still getting one. Maverick loves to chase his sister around the house, and loves even more when she chases him. They play together so, so much right now. They have started fighting a bit over the usual stuff, mostly toys. Tula is still pretty bossy and pushy but Mav is figuring out he is bigger so her gig is almost up.

One thing I am realizing that is very different with Maverick than I had it with Tula is that we really don't know anyone his age. With Tula, we were connected to few different Momm groups with kids born within a few months of Tula. There were lots of comparisons, forewarnings of what to expect, and learning from each other. And although I remember all of the stages we went through with Tula, it is impossible to remember the order. I guess it just makes it interesting with Mav, everything is a guessing game and we never know what to expect next. When it happens, when we hit the "next stage" we remember them all, but we just never know what to expect. For example, Mav has blown me away with his talking this month. I mean, I knew it was coming, I knew it was next on the list, but I just wasn't expecting it so on, and the words he comes up with makes it seem like its happening so much faster than it really is. To be honest, as much as I love my friends with kids the same age Tula and all the love and fun they bring into our life, its fun to have one that doesn't really have anyone to compare to, and every month brings a new surprise of his own. Keeps Mommy on my toes, thats for sure.

Maver telling us about the hot oven

You can tell by this video he has been told a time or two. Love how Tula tells him at the end to "just blow on it". Kids say the darndest things.

Mav is 14 months old!

I fall more and more in love with my son everyday. From his deep baby blues to his blonde curly locks...his ginormous smile and infectious giggle. His burly big boy movements and his bigger heart. I fall deeper and deeper and deeper in love. This age, just after one, is such a precious time. I am forever grabbing Mav and smothering him with kisses, I can hardly walk by him at this point without giving him a squeeze. All the cuddles he has wanted all these months has got me hooked, I can't live without them either. He still comes up to cuddle me lots, but most of the time right now I get to him first.

At 14 months old, I can't help but remember that Tula, at this time, became a big sister. I look and Maverick and although he is becoming such a "big boy" in so many ways, I cannot imagine him as a big brother. He is still so much my baby. On the other hand, I am really feeling like I have two "big kids" and miss having a little tiny one to hold. I just cannot imagine bringing home a little one to Mav at this age. Mav, you gotta give credit to your big sister, she did so good bringing you home and accepting you when she was just a babe herself. I can honestly say, at this point, Mav would not react near as well to having a new baby in the house as his sister did. I guess its a bit of an unfair accusation, as we will never know what might have been. But their personalities are different, and for a few reasons, I just don't think Mav would have been ready to be a big bro at this age.

This month hasn't brought a lot of big changes. You still love boys toys, you still love to watch tv before your nap and before bed for a bit. You LOVE your bottle, and I have tried a couple times to not give it to you and you lose your mind. You are definitely not one of those kids that walks around with one hanging out of your mouth, but you like one when you first wake up and freak if its not the first thing we do in the morning. You like one before your nap and you like one before bedtime. It occurred to me this month that I should probably start weaning you from it, but I am not really into the whole "cold turkey" thing and it seems like you will lose your mind if I don't give you one when you are expecting it. Honestly, it just creates a lot of unnecessary stress for both of us so I am going to give it a few more weeks and try it again, with a few attempts here and there to see where you are at with the whole thing. I don't really have a goal or endpoint in mind, hoping it comes to me when the time is right. Truly, I love your bottle time too. All three of them are a time of day that we are alone and quiet and snuggling. I don't know if I am ready to give on on those times yet either.

This month you went from being petrified of dogs to loving them, I think that is because GG and Papa are here and you have spent some time with their dogs. Oh yeah, this month you had you first sleepover without Mommy at GG and Papas house for TWO nights and they said you did great! The first time we have been apart since I went to Brazil. Mommy and Daddy got to have lots and lots of fun, we went out for lots of dates and slept in and all that fun stuff. We finally found a good Indian food place out here in AZ, we went out one night for sushi, we came home at night and loved the freedom of not having to whisper and tiptoe around. We even had a waterfight in the house! We love you kids so much...but we do love when you stay at GG and Papas and we get to be kids ourselves again. We are all kids at heart, Mav John. And I hope that when you are a Daddy you and your wife take time to yourselves too, to play and to eat fancy and to wrestle on the couch. That is the important stuff, son, and she will treasure those times with you as much as she will treasure her babies. Daddy and me had a wonderful time..but I did miss you guys lots and after two days I was more than ready to snuggle you again. You walked in the door and immediately wanted me and up. No complaints here!

This month you got to go to your first concert. Well not really a concert, I guess, it was a show called Disney Live. We thought you guys would like if after how much you both loved the parade at Disneyland. It was so much fun. Tula actually took a few minutes to get into it, I guess cause she is older the big crowds and darkness before the show freaked her out. But you, from the moment the lights went down, were totally into it. All the bright colors and loud music...you absolutely loved it. The next day we had another big event, and went as a family to our very first Arizona Cardinals game. Mav, you were ever the stud in your Cards hoodie, you were into the game for...oh...about 10 minutes.. and then over it and those chairs were too small to hold your wiggly self. We stayed till halftime and then left so you and sis could sleep. It was a fun day and we were lucky to have friends who got us free seats..but pretty sure that we will wait a few months to attempt that one again. Although you are still at an age where you are considered a lap child, you are not really lap child size, and we need to take that into consideration now more than ever. Mav...you are a moose! You are so tough, so big, so quick, so burly. I constantly hear "He's a BIG boy" from people about you, and you are. You are wider in the shoulders than your sister now. I am not sure but I think you have her beat in weight. You walk around like a little man with you big chest all puffed up and out. You are my hero.

This month we have switch from showering you guys before bed to bathtime and you are a huge fan. You love to splash around in the water, your favorite is when I am filling the tub and I let you stand in there and play with the water coming out of the spout. Tonight you though you were so funny sticking your mouth under the water and swallowing a bit, or putting your face in the tub of water and closing your eyes. Oh, the things that make you smile. You still love after bathtime, when you get to crawl around naked on our bed for a bit. You think that is the best, hiding in the pillows and rolling around laughing and laughing.

Oh, this is big, you had your first haircut this month. Mommy friends Nicole and Pete came to visit and nicole does my hair so she trimmed your up a bit in the back and around the ears. Didn't take much off, not enough to even keep a lock for your baby book, but it did make you look a little more grown up (and handsome-er!) to me. Of course. Even two weeks later, it is starting to get long enough on top that I actually have to put some sort of styling product in there or the curls will just lay flat. I am not sure how much longer I will let it grow, but I don't know if I will ever be able to cut the top...you have beautiful hair, my son.

You love it when I read books to you. You love to shake your finger like I do when we read "No more monkey's jumping on the bed!" You love to clap and dance with Tula and I. You love to wrestle and try and sit on me when I lay on the floor. You love to be tickled. You cuddle your sister, I have found you a few times putting you head on her or trying to make her let you lay your legs on her.

You are MISERABLE when you wake up from your afternoon nap. Absolutely miserable. Ug, I don't even want to think about it. It's THAT annoying.

You got your upper and lower molars on your left side this month...nothing on the right side yet. You like to coloer and steal Tula's pencil crayons and run with them whenever it is her coloring time. You love making your sister chase you for any reason. You squeal with delight. This month you have started running, for sure.

Maverick, you still melt my heart with you big, sloppy, totally wide mouthed kisses that you love to give. You are such a nice and sweet boy, Mommy could not have asked for a more loving boy. I love you so much Maver. Happy 14 months old buddy!

safe

Today John had the day off and so we spent the day as a family out in the yard. John was busy ripping up all the summer grass and throwing down the winter seed. mav was running around in the dirt and Tula was helping me. We were ripping up all the basil and plucking the leaves off to make pesto. There were a bunch of flowers on the end, which is how we know it needed to be pulled up, and it makes for lots of bees around, which freaked me out, of course. John was pulling them up for me and I would occasionally act scared or whatever and Tula could sense I wasn't diggin all the bees around. We were talking abotu them, and I told her not to worry, that she was safe and I would always keep her safe.

"No Mama," she said, "I keep YOU safe."

be still my beating heart. I love that girl.

funny slash scary

...that's how Maverick would describe the loud noises I was making to him tonight. He was scared out of his mind and cracking up at the same time. too much cuteness in one kid.

Tula- the latest and the greatest

Now that Tula Belle is 2 there seems to be so much less reason to update "her" part of the blog. Other that vocabulary and personality, it seems like not much is changing. But that's sort of a good thing. She is really just coming into being her own little girl, and we are finding out the joys of getting to know her...the good and the bad...maybe I should say the fun and the not so fun. At this stage in her life, she is a little Mommy. She loves to help. She loves to boss her brother around. She loves to pull a chair up to the island and watch any and every thing I do in the kitchen. Loves to wash her own hair in the shower and dress herself. Loves to wash Mav's hair in the shower. The entire time. Her brother will sit there like champ while she puts the soap, scrubs, and rinses. Loves to carry things up and down the stairs for me. Tula has learned that I am half deaf and knows to tell me when the phone is ringing (I have the ringers turned REAL low, from when we were in the "baby stage"). Loves her big girl bed but is having a hard time falling asleep on her own in there still, bedtime can be a pain in the butt cause she wants us to lay with her. Someone usually ends up just falling asleep with her. That's gonna change soon. Oh...here's a good one. Colors on stuff. THIS IS ANNOYING! I can't leave her alone for 5 minutes without her finding a pen or marker. Loves her dollies. Sally and Darla sleep with her most every night. And Barbie doll is kinda the new cool thing too. Today she insisted that Barbie needed a blanket and then laid her down on her kitchen set for a nap and laid down on the floor beside her and pretended to sleep. Loves Mickey ever since Disneyland. Can *almost* count to ten. For some reason, likes the combo 2,5,8 when counting. Will stand at the edge of the pool and could 2,5,8 and then jump? I don't get it...loves to sing wheels on the bus and itsy bitsy spider...loves to sing and show Mav the actions and try and teach him. Loves any activities that require us all to sit in a circle on the floor. I know its sort of cliche but loves to be surrounded by people she loves. Loves to love.

Some Tula "isms" from this month I wrote down...

To Maverick:
-"go see Mom" when he is crying
-"sit and talk to me" while patting the ground beside her, trying to read to him

To Me:
-"I figure it out" when working with Daddy or pretending to fix something
-"that's Tula's favorite" when I tell her we are going for ice cream
-"this is SO nummy" ice cream
-"I'm sorry...I sick...I peed" when she had an accident and peed on the floor

And the best one...

When my Mom and dad were here a couple weeks ago for Mav's Bday and we were getting ready to go I think over to San Tan mall. We told her we were going out and she said "Not enough money". I have no idea where she got that but I was mortified obviously. We all started laughing so then she thought it was even funnier to repeat. Thank goodness she has forgotten that line.

Other big news. Tula is out of a high chair and sits in a booster seat with us at the table, Mav is in the restaurant high chair at the table too so we actually can sit down, the four of us and have dinner as a family. Just this week I have stopped going in and waking Tula at midnight to go potty. It seemed to be bothering her more and more that I was waking her to go, and she was peeing less and less. So we have went almost a week with no accidents! She has been totally day trained for 4 months or so...out of diapers for 6 or 7 months, but the nighttime training takes a little more work. I am excited I can actually, for the first time in months....wait, years, go to bed at 10 if I want and not have to wake till morning. As if that would ever happen though. I am still up way too late every single day. But I have the option of a full nights sleep, which is good enough for me!

Having two toddlers running around is crazy busy but I feel like these are the times, when John and I talked about having baby #2 right after baby #1 and I envisioned them playing together, this is the times that I envisioned. I knew it wouldn't take long before they would be chasing eachother around the back yard and entertaining each other for hours. We are at that stage. yes, they fight sometimes. But they are absolutely best of friends. They spend hours playing in the rocks together, reading books upstairs in one of their bedrooms, and they love to sit on the couch and watch tv. They love to get into things together, like to go into my closet where they can shut the door on me and snoop around in there. Anywhere that they can be alone and I can't see them they love. Downstairs. The spare bedroom. Wherever.

Sometimes they keep each other so entertained I think I am ready for another, then there are moments in my day where I don't think I could handle one.more.thing on my plate. I go back and forth between wanting all of my babies close in age to be playmates like these two, and then just giving these two time together with a mommy who isn't super duper busy. Hmm. To baby #3 or not to baby #3, that is the question...

oh...sidebar...just thinking out loud. no opinions, please:) Either way, I rest easy knowing our family will become just what it is supposed to be, just when it is supposed to be.

A couple new videos...

13 months old!

Maverick, at 13 months old you are a busy, busy little boy. Here is what has been happening in your little world this month:

- you love to babble. I can't say that you have any particular "words" yet, but you seem to be trying to copy or repeat us on some. We *think* we have heard: dog, ball, up, that, button, bug, and of course mama and dada. For everything else it's just "ooooooh" and pointing.

- you love cars! All the fun boy toys you got for your birthday you love to play with and you roll them across the ground, the tile, the arm of your carseat, wherever you are and make "car" noises by either doing "vroom vroom" or blowing your lips.

- you LOVE airplanes and not only have to point and stare at them when they fly over and you are playing outside, but you also make sure everyone else notices as well. Whenever you see a plane you are sure to get my attention and make sure I see (and get excited about!) it too.

- you fell down the stairs for the first time this month. My bad. We have a gate at the bottom and I always put you over and you go all the way up to the top by yourself no problem with me right behind you. I am guessing when you got to the top and realized I wasn't there you turned around to come and get me (cause you are sweet like that) and fell down.I was in the kitchen getting your bottle and heard a couple loud thuds and then you crying and it scared me half to death. You had a big goose egg on your forehead and a bruise on your arm and hip. Tula was standing on the stairs and when i got there her eyes were as big as pie plates from seeing the whole thing. She was yelling "You okay Maverick?" Your big sister is always looking out for you. Needless to say it will be a long time till we try that again.

- you love to sit in chairs, if you can't get into it yourself you will hit at the seat of it and say "that" till I put you in there. Then you like to move all around in there and give me a heart attack thinking you are going to fall off. You have BIG SMILES when you get to sit on any sort of an adult chair.

- you are a bit of a screamer. You have a temper, no doubt. If you don't like or want something you have a scream that would shatter glass. Loud and clear, we get it when you are not happy. You will also try and smack things out of my hand if I try and offer you something you don't want. You get VERY frustrated with me when I am not understanding you, and although we are still working on a couple baby signs to make this stage a little easier, nothing seems to have caught on yet so Mommy plays lots of guessing games with you!

- digging in the rocks. The weather has been cooler here the past couple weeks and you and your sister spend most mornings outside. You love, and could for hours sit in the rocks and dig, pour them from one cup to the other, and load up your Tonka truck and push it around. There have been a couple mornings I have put you out after breakfast and other than me bringing snacks to you haven't seen you again till lunch. I love watching you through the window lost in playtime and wonder in a moment alone or with your sister. You love your Cheerios in the morning, but as soon as you are done and I set you on the floor you immediately walk over to the patio door and bang on the glass till I open it for you and let you outside.

- you are a very independent little guy, I guess you learned this from your big sister. You love your alone and quiet time. You go to bed very easily right now, a bottle and a little snuggle and I put you in your bed totally awake and you go to sleep on your own. Love you for this:) Easy bedtime=happy Mommy.

- you love to clap and are starting to figure out dancing. You think it is funny to do, but when you and Tula start clapping or dancing together it is hilarious to you. I have a couple fond memories of driving in the car and turning around to see you both clapping together, huge smiles on both of your faces. You guys are two peas in a pod.

- oh, you love the television. I don't know if it's a guy thing or what. Your sister was never as in to it as you are at your age, but to be honest I don't think I really even turned the thing on much back then. Tula is older now and has a couple shows she likes to watch but you will sit and watch anything. Sometimes you will go and crawl into your guys' tv chair and point to the tv and "ooooo" till I catch your drift and go turn it on for you. You will lean back in the chair and relax like you just put in a 12 hour shift somewhere and get lost in whatever is on the tube.

-you are waving "bye bye"

- you are my cuddle bug. You still will just come over to me, especially if I am down on the floor with you guys, and lay your head on me. You like to wrestle too, you will sit on me and giggle if you want to play. You love to be touched, any physical contact and you are a happy guy.

Happy 13 months Mav John! Love you!

Goodwill

This afternoon Daddy and Tula went out together to fix Daddy's truck and Mommy and Mav got to run a couple errands together, alone, which was actually sort of a fun treat for both of us. For me, it's just so much easier doing that kind of stuff with one kid, but for Maverick, he loved having all the one on one attention, me talking to him and telling him what everything is, and lots of kisses. We had to take a trip into our local Goodwill store and I put Mav in the Ergo so that he could be nice and close. He still loves to ride in there, and although he is getting pretty heavy, I love having him close like that.

We were waiting in line to pay for the cool new Christmas train set we found (yay!) and giggling together. Playing one of Mav's favorite games, where he sticks his finger in my mouth and I pretend to bite his finger off and he laughs hysterically until we do it again. I couldn't help but notice the lady in line in front of us watching me, so I looked up at her and smiled.

"That is so sweet," she said. "My son used to love that game too." Her eyes were misty.

I did the usual small talk, 'Yeah, he loves this game" or whatever.

"My baby is 20 years old now, and he is in Iraq." And it was apparent she was trying very hard not to cry.

I did not know what to say, and regret to write that because I just didn't know what to say I really said nothing, except maybe, "Oh?"

You see, the first thought that came to my head, right or wrong, was "I am so sorry" but then I just didn't think that was appropriate. I hardly think these people over there want their loved ones to be accepting apologies for their brave and heroic acts. Then i thought to say "Thank You" but it just seemed so selfish as I was still able to cradle my baby safely in my arms and hers was a million miles away. I wanted to thank her for raising a man strong and good and brave enough to be willing to go to places like the Iraq and fight for freedom, whether it be his own or someone else's. She must be so sad to have him gone, but she should be so proud.

What a special reminder today of how little boys grow up to be great big men, but they are always their Mommy's baby. Oh, it hurt my heart to see her eyes well up, I couldn't imagine her pain. But I could sense her pride too as she spoke of him and that somehow eased the hurt for her a little.

She got to the front of the line and asked the Goodwill employee what they do with all the clothes they cannot sell, because he son had phoned her from Iraq and said "Ma, you gotta do something or send something, the kids here wear just rags and they have no shoes." She told the story as colorfully to the employee as it had been told to her, and seemed just as every bit concerned about it as her boy was. How incredible that this young man isn't only over there, life on the line he is phoning home brainstorming with his Mommy about how to clothe those kids.

I am so fortunate to have been behind that kind lady today at Goodwill. She and the story of her son really struck a chord, and I can only hope and pray that I am able to raise such thoughful, wordly children. What a gift, in so many ways, has she given to the world. I wish I would have said more to her in that line...there was so much to say. But I have a feeling that she rests easy anyways, with or without the encouraging words from others. Knowing that she did her best with what she had, and he is doing the best with what he has, and inspiring others to do the same.

A big girl bed for Tula!

We spent the day today arranging and rearranging furniture to finally put a big girl bed in Tula's room. She has been ready for awhile I think, but I wasn't ready to give up the convenience that the mini cage offers. There are still times that it seems the only reason she goes to sleep is because she has no where else to go, but that just has been so rare lately it didn't seem like enough of a reason not to make the switch. Plus, her new thing is after her bedtime story she wants whoever is putting her to bed to "lay down" beside her on the floor till she falls asleep. We figured if we were laying there anyways, which we always end up doing for her for a few minutes, we might as well make it comfortable for ourselves. So, without really a plan or knowing we would do it today, we had nothing better to do so we decided to make the switch. We actually ended up emptying Maverick's furniture out of his room and returning it to Costco, where it was purchased. I know, crazy that they would take it back, right? But it had been less than a year since it was purchased and there were drawers falling off the track already and it was just clear to me that this would not be transitioning with him from crib to toddler bed to full...it wasn't going to last. Plus, we just don't have the space for all these cribs. We have decided that we are going to stay in our home for a few years, we were waffling back and forth for awhile about moving while the market is so crappy but we just really love our house and all the friends we have made in the neighborhood have really made this location invaluable to us. So, when baby #3 comes (which, no, it is NOT on the way at this point) but probably in the near future, that will mean Tula and Mav will be sharing Tula's room she is in now. So, her crib set and furniture came into Mav's current room, and it will be the nursery for the next baby, and Tula now has a double bed with, really no furniture at this point. We are planning on buying her a dresser at some point this week, something neutral and big enough for them to share. And then hopefully we can get rid of her rocking chair soon too and create some space in the bedroom for them to have toys and play in there. Right now, Tula is big into her dolls, feeding them, reading to them, singing to them, dressing and changing their diapers. So this will be her little play area up stairs, where she can be a Mommy in her own bedroom.

Tula seemed very excited all day as we were going through the motions, she liked picking out her bedding at Ikea and sheets at Target, talking about her big girl bed. She loved seeing that big bed and jumping up on it and playing while we were all working and moving furniture and her and Mav had the room to themselves. At bedtime, as you can see in the pictures, she had turned on the tears, but I think it was because it finally occurred to her that all the fun was over and it was just a bed and she still had to go to sleep. Soon we will begin transitioning Maverick into the room with her, and they will more than likely share a bed as well, until they want to sleep separately. I loved having sleepovers with my sisters as a kid and I just like the idea of them being together through the night until they chose otherwise. It's hard to believe that even if I were to get preggo today, by the time the next baby were in the picture we would still only have one kid in a crib. I have loved the last year the feeling of having a houseful of babies..one in each room. The two cribs just made it feel like the kids were so little. And a big girl bed just makes it feel, well, the exact opposite.

Tula seemed to go to bed okay, John put her down and read a story and laid there for awhile then left. He said she was still awake when she left but she has been in there for an hour or so and we haven't heard anything yet so I guess she put herself to sleep. Yay!

Looking forward to lots of nighttime snuggles with you Miss Belle! Congratulations on your big girl bed, hunny! What a big step! Maybe bigger for Mommy then for you, but a big step anyways! Sleep tight, baby girl. Love you.









This is not really this finished product but I wanted to share some pics. We went with black and white bedding to keep it neutral for when Mav moves in, the pink sheets were to get her excited about it but those will probably go when he comes. I think we will end up painting in there...I am thinking a warm, sunny yellow would be fun for both of them and a nice change. We will probably do another white dresser just to keep it kid"ish" looking but I don't think we will buy her any sort of a bed frame at all in case them sleeping together doesn't work out and we end up having to buy twin beds a lot sooner than expected. So, I will post pics when the room is totally complete but here's how it looked tonight. She thought it was pretty spectacular!

Love these times!

...and they are fleeting! When babies fall asleep during play. I left Mav downstairs (he had had an early nap) yesterday and Tula and Daddy were sleeping and I was upstairs. It was quiet for too long and I came downstairs to find this...







oh, how precious. How I am going to miss this when they are all growed up.

You Sleep, I Dream

Maverick,

I wrote this in the hotel watching you and Daddy sleep together after a long morning in Disneyland. I don't normally share this kind of stuff, poetry can be so personal, but I sort of loved this and so i am putting it out there. Sometimes watching you sleep inspires me to do great things, or tiny things. Either way, you and Tula are my inspiration for everything. I wrote this for you. Love you. ~Mommy

You sleep, I dream
Your comfort is my peace
While you rest, I breathe
Same air, sweet relief
You sleep, I dream

My angel, no wings
Take flight in your sleep
You slumber in my arms
I hold you in my heart
My angel, no wings

Your presence, my gift
Your life, through it I live
My world in your hands
Your wish is my command
Your presence my gift

And with every rise and fall of your chest,
I fall deeper.

Oh Maverick...

Mommy has been putting off and putting off doing you "monthly update" for...months now. Gosh it didn't seem that way. But the summer has been so busy and we have been go, go, go and I just haven't made the time for it I guess. Luckily, I have been taking lots of notes and making mental checklists. Now, before I forget anything or lose one of these pieces of paper I have laying around with this valuable information chicken scratched on it, I will put it here to be forever remembered.

You turned 10 months old a few days after I left for Brazil. Obviously the big one for this month was that your were done breastfeeding. I left on my trip not really sure what would happen when I got, but GG gave you lots of love and said after a few days you were fine with just a bottle and by the time I came home, 9 days later, you showed no interest whatsoever. You were a little more clingy, for sure, but I would like to think that that was just cause you missed me so much, in general. And of course you had GG, Papa, and Daddy around for 9 days so lots of arms to carry you. While I was away, your top 2 side teeth came in, so when I got off the plane and it seemed you had that much more of a mouthful of teeth, of course it just made you look that much older to me. Plus, you were STANDING on your own. That was a big deal too, I remember seeing you standing there thinking you had grown a foot since I left. At 10 months old, you started clapping, walking while holding someone's hand, and really started to play and interact with your sister. You being able to stand up really brought you to her level, you could stand at your little tables and play together and it brought your play time to a whole new level. The best thing that happened at 10 months old, and really while I was away, was that you started sleeping through the night. I guess with nothing to wake up crying for it was pointless, so you just stopped waking altogether. You sleep from about 8 at night till 7 in the morning, and Mommy is a new woman now that I can finally have a full night's sleep again.

So I was home from Brazil for about 2 weeks and then we left on our summer and family vacation to Canada. You turned 11 months old while we were there. I had written down that you STILL liked to be carried everywhere, that you would eat pretty much anything (you have always been such a great eater) and that you loved to snuggle. I guess because you were no longer nursing but wanted to have you own way of physical touch with me, you have become my little snuggle buddy. Sometimes, during play, you will still just walk or crawl over to me and put your head in my lap or hold my leg or anything to get close to me. You will lay in bed with me and let me scratch your back, something you never used to do. I eat it up, I love how attached you are to me and lots of times, if I am in the room, I am the one you want. You are fine if I leave as well, you seen very confident and fine to be left, even with a stranger or sitter you don't know well. Maverick, you are a people person. You love everyone. Reminds me of someone else I know....:) At 11 months old, you learned how to give kisses, and you loved the attention you got when you did it so it was one of your big tricks for awhile. You won't do it as often now, I guess the novelty wore off, but in Canada you had these bid, open mouth slobbery kisses for anyone who asked you for one. At this stage you also learned how to tickle, and you loved to tickle us and your sister, you think you are a pretty funny guy when you do. You were creeping and walking along furniture most of the trip to Canada, and when we left BC and headed for Calgary for a few days it was there, days after you turned 11 months old, that you took your first steps and started walking. You had been trying and trying for awhile, and once you figured it out you were on the move, no looking back! You still like to be picked up form time to time, but walking has been hue in your independence, and of course making it ALL THE MORE fun for you and Tula to play. You can both push the shopping cart and the stroller now, you like to chase each other and wrestle, and you can play out in the playhouse with her. You are no two little kids running around together and although you will always be my baby boy, I love having the two of you older at this point and getting a break from the "baby stage". We never really got one between you and Tula, we never got to put away baby gear or get comfortable sleeping through the night, there just wasn't the time between you. This month, right before your first birthday, Mommy went crazy and put away all the baby toys, sold your walker, washed up the highchair with the tray and put it away. Now you sit at the table with us in a restaurant highchair and Tula sits at a chair with a boosted and we have meals, the four of us together, at the same table. It is wonderful, and of course you like being in on the action too. I LOVE having a de-cluttered house and getting rid of all these large plastic primary colored things. Slowly but surely, this place is looking more like a home then a daycare everyday.

You got lots of fun new "boy" toys for your first birthday and of course you loved them all. I know I have said this before but you are SUCH A BOY. I have noticed the difference for months in the way boy babies and girl babies are and I really didn't think it could be so obvious but it is. You love to watch and inspect how and thing functions. You will twist your head at all angles when I am loading you into your carseat to see the chains move as the garage door is going up. You will ohhh and your new thing at 12 months old is "pointing" and it's usually at anything like a motorbike, boat or truck. You take your new cars and love to drive them across the tile floor...I don't get it. You love the new digger you got for you birthday, you have figured out how to operate it and when you cannot figure it out you get so mad you scream. Yes, at this stage I am really starting to see a new side of you and you have quite the temper, Mister. If I give you a cup of milk and that's not what you wanted you will get so mad you will try and hit it out of my hand. If tula takes a toy from you you will scream till you get it back. Oh yes, you are not talking yet but you have figured out ways of letting us know what you like and what you don't, and you are very clear on that. You love to climb, I have alreday found you up on the couch by yourself and on top of your play table downstairs. Your favorite place to be right now is up on my bed, you love to crawl around on it and bury your face in our pillows, or hold onto the headboard and jump on the bed. This month I actually feel like I can walk away from you up there, for a short period of time. You seem to understand edges and ledges and won't go near them, as if you know you could fall off. Sometimes you and Tula will be playing up there and you still get way to close for comfort. But no falls yet, thank God.

Now that you are one, you love to copy your sister. Yesterday we were driving and she stared clapping so so did you, you thought it was so funny you were doing what she was. Oh yeah, just after your first birthday we turned your carseat around so you are now forward facing. We also took the bumper pads off your bed last month as well. You love being forward facing in the car and being able to see Mommy and Daddy, and of course the TV when we turn it on. We let you and Tula watch the tv in the Tahoe for the first time on our way to Disneyland last week and you guys basically stared at it for 2.5 hours, non stop. You thought it was the coolest thing ever to be driving and watching tv, and of course it helped we had your monster trucks on:)

A big change with you being one that Mommy wasn't quite ready for was you decided you were going to start napping only once a day. Tula was almost a year and a half when this happened so I thought I had a little more time but it's actually been a much easier transition than I thought it would be. The first week was tough because you wouldn't go down at 9 anymore but you couldn't stay awake till Tula's afternoon nap. I am used to you going for your morning nap and Tula and me usually doing our thing downstairs and then you get up, we have a couple hours and then you BOTH go down at around 2 and Mommy gets some alone/me time. When you went to one nap a day, you wanted to go down around 11 and then sleep for 2 or 3 hours and get up just as Tula was going for her nap. Not cool. That time in the afternoon that is kid free is not negotiable for me right now. It is what allows me to clear my head and regroup, so after a week or two of training you, essentially, by just keeping you up, you seem to be much better with it. Still, if we go in the car or something in the morning you might have a quick nap, but usually you go down at 1 and sleep till about 4, and Tula goes down at 2 and sleeps till about the same time. Afternoon naptime makes for one happy Mommy! And you not sleeping as much has actually made life a little easier, we are not so stuck to the house, especially in the mornings, and we can get out and about a little more. Plus, I love that by the time you get to go for you afternoon nap, you are so exhausted that you usually just fall asleep in my arms as I rock you. At nighttime you have a bit of bottle and just want your crib, you seem to prefer to fall asleep on your own, but naptime you just crash, and I get a couple minute hold a sleeping baby that wakes up to be a bigger boy after every time he sleeps. It is a very special time for me, and I cherish those minutes every day.

Well, I think I am all caught up Maver. Mommy and Daddy love having another toddler in the house. The other day we went to the pool and for a walk and giggled together as we walked ahead and looked back at you and your sister toddling behind us. It just feels like we have two big kids right now, and it is so different for us. We love you at every stage of course, but one year old is such a fun one. You are so independent, yet still innocent enough to not be too defiant or difficult. You are always making us all laugh, including Tula. Oh...with that said, you guys fight now more than ever over toys and playtime. You are best buddies 98 percent of the time but when you aren't look out . She is still the bossy big sister trying to tell you "no" or push you, but you are really starting to figure ways to let her have it or just ignoring her. The fights are few and far between, most of the time you play together perfectly. You guys seem to have such a strong connection and you are often laughing together, even when an adult isn't around. Music to my ears.

Mommy loves you Maverick John. Happy 10, 11 and 12 months all in one!

A Year In the Life of Maverick...

Here is a link to the slideshow if you want to watch it again, but I didn't want the music to keep popping up. Hope you like it!

Happy FIRST Birthday Son!

Today was your big day and you celebrated in true Maverick form by being the life of the party all day long. It was like you knew today was different, you were happy from the moment you woke up and a true joy to be around all day long. We had a pretty low key day, which helped. We didn't have too much planned for the day and yesterday I actually panicked that we didn't have anything planned and started looking into going away for a night or weekend or something. But when I really thought about it, I decided it would be best to stay here. You are still baby enough that you love your routine and anything familiar. And you are always a happy little guy, but especially in your own element. So, we planned on having absolutely no plans and just focusing on you. And it was a very special day for all of us.

Last night Mommy and Daddy were out with friends for awhile and we didn't get home till late so we were up till 2 am decorating your cakes and wrapping presents (and taking them out of their boxes for you so they were ready to be played with). We wrapped a couple gifts and set them out in a little pile for you to see when we came down the stairs in the morning. I will confess I was exhausted when you woke extra early on your big day, around 6:30. Daddy went down and got you a bottle and we all laid in bed, Sister too, and snuggled while you drank it. Tula knew it was your birthday, and kept telling you "happy Birthday Maverick" or "Happy Birthday Baby" and trying to sing the song to you. She even was snuggling you nicely and kissing you and saying it while you had your bottle and you didn't seem to mind at all. It was so precious to watch.

We hauled out of bed and downstairs around 7:30 and let you open your presents right away. There were a couple little Monster Truck toys we had picked up and not wrapped and those were cool enough to distract you from the rest of the process. Which was a good thing, since we were having a hard time getting your sister to stop opening you gifts for you. You got a Tonka truck, a train track, a few cars, and a big bobcat that makes lots of cool sounds. It was very fun for you to have some cool car toys. Really, up till now you have been playing with your sister's toys and she doesn't have many of those things. There are a couple, in all of our bins we have, trucks and you seems to find them all the time and like to drive them on the tile. So you were happy to see some of the steel and yellow and wheels and all that fun boy stuff that we have just never really had in the house before. It was fun to watch, of course Tula was just as excited about all the new stuff but you guys played so nice together and you were just loving it. You guys played with your toys for a LONG time, probably an hour or so. Daddy LOVED getting to show you the dump truck and how it worked and the bobcat and what it did. You guys had fun playing together with all your construction stuff. Your one truck came with a little hardhat and Daddy was so excited to go out to the garage and get stickers from his truck and decorate yours hat just like his. Then we had breakfast and headed upstairs. Last night when we were taking the toys out of their boxes there was a DVD in the Monster Truck cars and Daddy wanted to keep it when I said to throw it out. Well, turns out he was right. He brought it upstairs after playtime and wanted to pop it in, it was just a video with music and a bunch of Monster Trucks and you watched...stared intently...through the whole 29 minute DVD. I have never seen a kid so into a TV show. So, that may have been your favorite birthday present after all. I guess we will keep it after all.

You guys watched your movie for a while then we went down and did a "cake smash photo shoot" outside. I let you have your cake outside and took a bunch of pictures. I think you liked that I was letting you play in your food more than the actual taste of the cake, but either way, you ate it up. And we got some awesome pictures of it. Tula came in and helped out as well so it was twice the mess. But we just hosed you guys off and were on with the day, no messy clean up, it was all outside and thrown away with the paper you were sitting on. As you can tell, the day was kind of out of order, maybe not how a normal birthday would go, but perfect for you and your routine. Your cake was your snack, as opposed to dessert after dinner, to avoid a disastrous bedtime and induce a sugar rush that would result in a great, big, afternoon nap!

We cleaned up and went for lunch at the food court for some Opa. My poor baby, you fell asleep on the 10 min car ride there and we had to wake you. You are in the middle of transitioning from one nap to two naps per day right now and it is an adjustment time for us all. You can't last till 2 like Tula, and certainly not if we get in the car at all anytime after 10 am. So we woke you up, but you were no fuss, ate some lunch, went for a car wash and headed home and put both kids down for a great big nap. Mommy and Daddy relaxed, we were both exhausted from staying up late, and got ready for our big dinner out on the town with you two.

We decided to take you to Benihana for your birthday dinner. It's a Japanese hibatchi restaurant where the cooks cook your dinner right in front of you on a grill on the table. It is so fun! We had went once with Tula when she was around one and she liked it and hadn't been back. We like the food and wanted to see your reaction. You were so interested in every bit of it, and only cried once when the cook did a big loud production that involved a bunch of banging and then everyone clapped. Other than that, your little fingers were white you were holding on to the table so hard and watching everything the guy did so closely. You are your sister couldn't get enough of the chicken fried rice and both sat so well and behaved perfectly in the restaurant. When we drove home, we talked about how easy the day and night were. How different the restaurant experience is without a baby. And not just because it is your birthday and you aren't anymore, but you really have turned into a big boy whole can feed himself and sit in his highchair and watch and just hang. You did so great all day, but dinner was a treat.

We got home a bit late and you had a shower and Daddy snuggled you to sleep. For the most part, the day was not emotional for me, or as emotional as I thought it would be. I know birthdays are bittersweet for most Mommies, of course we love to celebrate the day and what it stands for, but the fact that it marks a year...the first...then another...then another...is sad to me. And I know from having another baby only one year older than you that those years come and go quickly. I remember when Tula turned one, I was about 7 months pregnant with you, so every time I felt sad that my "baby" (at the time) was no longer a baby, I was able to remind myself that there was a new baby on the way. And somehow, that made me feel better. That is not the case this year. I am not pregnant, and although one day soon I want you to be a big brother, that is not the case yet. So you are my baby, and you are no longer a baby, and there are no other babies on the horizon, and I got a little sad about it today.

Maverick, your baby year went by too fast. There could never be enough minutes in enough days filled with your smiles and laughter to make me not wanting more. But I have learned that there never will be enough of these moments, and that time will never stop going by quickly with babies. We have had a wonderful year. My precious son, you have brought a love into my life that I don't know how I ever lived without. You are so full of joy. You love me so much it melts me. You have brought a sense of completion and comfort to my world, I feel like you really made us a family in many ways, and I have said it before but I rest easier at night knowing that you and Tula have each other, forever, no matter what. You are special to me in many ways. I love that you resemble me, that you act like me, that you remind people of me...or my Dad..who I look like. When I see you I see all the good in me too. You are so perfect.

When I left for Brazil one of my biggest concerns was leaving you, especially because you had not been weaned. I was afraid I would come home to a changed boy. Maybe detached, maybe insecure, or maybe just not as generally happy. That has not been the case at all! Your have calmed my heart about all those worries by staying true to who you were before I left, and finding new ways to bond and have quiet time with me now that nursing is not in the picture. You love to come over and just rest your head on me. Sometimes if I am sitting on the floor playing with you guys you will just crawl over and lay your head on my lap. You like to give kisses...though you think they are hilarious. And you love to snuggle still in the mornings in bed while you have your bottle. You still love to be rocked to sleep. And you could ride around on my hip ALL DAY LONG. You love to have any sort of physical contact with me, and sometimes you don't even like me to walk away from you. You love me, in your own special way that is totally different than your sister's. And you are a totally different baby than she was. I have learned so much this year about the similarities in kids, and the differences as well. You have showed me that it is so true what they say... "You love them all the same, but differently."

Maverick, I look forward to getting to know your sweet spirit even better as the years pass. My prayer for you is that you will never, ever lose your smiling, joyful, happy disposition in life. That you will continue to be filled with happiness and giggles. Thank you so much for a wonderful, memorable, incredible first year. I love you, my son.

~Mommy

Tula-isms

Basically just a little list of adorable things you have said in the last month that I actually thought were cute enough to go grab a pen and paper and write them down. You are now putting 4 and five words together, and it makes for some pretty cute sentences. But more importantly, you can now easily communicate with me how you are feeling, if something is bothering you, your basic needs, etc.

"I want to eat"
"Tula bite" (bug bite itching you)
"belly hurt"
"more popcorn please"

...you are so expressive

"oh goodness"

...so independant

"leave me alone" (you mostly say this to Mav when you are playing with a toy he wants or something)
"shut a door. I poop a self" (you now like to go potty by yourself and actually want me to leave and shut the door before you will go)
"Daddy push" or "NO push me" when you are being punished for something...for the record, no, we do not push you. I have no idea where this came from but it's cute

...so kind

"soly baby" (you are so ggod at apologizing to your brother if you step on him or bump into him or whatever. I hear you say this to him lots when you guys are playing together)

...so honest

"I push" (when I come in the room and Mav is crying)

...so dramatic

"gecko" You love to watch geckos from the window in the backyard, but if you are out there without me and see one you come running to the door screaming gecko and want inside immediately.

...such a good big sister.

Yesterday you and Maverick were plying out back and I was watching you while doing the dishes. He was playing on the red car and putting rocks in the gas part of it when he put one in his mouth. I heard you say "No, no, no" (You do say this to him often as well) and then you tried to stick you finger in and scoop it out, I think he had already spit it out but you didnt know so you sort of shook your head and came running to get me.

"Mama, Maverick, rock, choke"

I thought it was so cute that you were worried enough to come and tell me, and it was a pretty legitimate concern too. I assured you he had spit it out and you went back to play time with him and that was it. But I loved that you were looking out for your baby brother like that. You are such a good big sister. Mama loves you!

Summer Vacation 2009

We are home and beginning to feel settled back into our routine after a long and wonderful family vacation to my parents cabin in BC. It has actually taken me a few weeks to recoup and take the time to sit down and write, life with two toddlers is just busy, busy during the day and nighttimes are no longer for blogging. Some things were getting fuzzy in my head so I wanted to write it all down. Our little family of four had such an incredible trip. It really was our first family “vacation” where we got to go away and relax, hide out and hang out at the cabin. There isn’t anyone I know in BC, so there is no agenda or people to go and visit. Whoever is there, staying in the house or in the cabin, is the company you will keep for the week and that’s it. It was very relaxing for me to be out of my house and away from my list of things to do. When I am home, there is always something for me to do. And if there is nothing, I can easily find something. So, that was a big change for me, to be in someone else’s house and find different ways to occupy my free time, when I had it. It was a great break to just have nothing to do. The first week of vacation John was with us, and he could spend every minute out on the water and on the boat or sea-doos. I tried to do as much of that with him as possible. Between naptimes and just general kid stuff, I usually ended up having to cut my boat trip short or not go, and stay on land to listen for a waking baby. But I had fun when I did join him, seeing John have a good time would make anyone smile, his laugh is infectious and when he is having fun the people around him cannot help but do the same. When I wasn’t along for the boat ride, I could hang out on the patio and read my book or lay and catch some sun…or even! It was wonderful to be home, or I guess living with family and feeling like I am home, and to have the relief and support that just having them there provides. Of course, to have a break from all the “mom” duties of cooking and cleaning, etc. was a treat! And to be able to enjoy beautiful scenery and fresh, clean air about 30 degrees cooler than what we were getting AZ was all just icing on the cake. The cabin and lake and the whole area was just beautiful, it gave me a whole new appreciation for the country that I proudly call home.

We flew out from Phoenix to Calgary on July 14th and landed in Calgary around 1 pm. Tula was so excited to finally get to to on the plane and to “Ca-nana” like we had been talking about and telling her for weeks. She had her own little ladybug suitcase that she had got from GG for her birthday that she had packed the night before we left and put in her own special place, right by the upstairs window. The morning we left, she was sure to go and get her suitcase and I heard he huffing and puffing on the stairs and found her there, trying to carry it down all by herself. Too cute. She wouldn’t even let us touch it at the airport. She rolled it from the car when Steve, our neighbor, dropped us off right to her seat on the airplane. This was Tula’s first time flying over 2 years old, so she got her own seat, and was WONDERFUL on the flight. It was 2.5 hours, so John and I sat separately, he sat with Mav as a lapchild and the two of them pretty much slept the entire flight, and Tula and I sat together a few rows back. She had a bunch of toys and books and coloring books in her backpack and it was enough to keep her entertained the whole time. It was really, really easy and it still feels strange that it’s getting like that with two kids. It has taken awhile to really adjust, and having a baby always makes traveling a little more stressful, but this was the first time in 2 years that it went perfectly! No fussy baby, no major airplane complaints! Yay!

We spent one night in Calgary at my mom and dads and woke up early the next morning to do the drive out to BC. It’s about a 5.5 hour trip from the place in Calgary to the cabin in Sorrento, and I wasn’t interested in doing it with Mav. So They all left bright and early, around 6:30 am, and Aunt Cheryl came and picked me and Mav up at the house around 11 and drove us to the airport for the quick 50 min flight into Kamloops. It was, again, a piece of cake traveling with only one baby. Dad picked us up at the airport, and we drove to the cabin, another 45 minute drive. It felt so good to finally get there and unpack bags and know that we were settled an officially on vacation. I guess Tula did great on the drive, because she had had such a let night and early morning she slept 4 of the 5.5 hours of the drive and was entertained by Barney on GG’s portable DVD player for the time she was awake. One quick pee stop and they drove straight through. So they both surprised me and were wonderful travelers, and I am no longer afraid to take a road trip with my kids!

I can’t begin to tell you what a wonderful time we had at the lake. Summer vacation is such a special time for kids, I have so many fond memories of mine growing up and it was fun for me to think that this year, at the age of two, Tula would begin to make memories that will last her whole entire life. Wow. That is just so huge. Such a huge responsibility, as a parent. But also fun to think of too…when it’s regarding a vacation. Late nights sitting by the campfire, or running around playing with friends while the adults sat by the fire. I remember loving that feeling of being one of the kids, playing right around your mom and dad but having the freedom to go and explore a little in the dark. Running around in the dark, always being able to hear the sound of their voices and laughter. Tula loved campfire, popcorn by the fire, snuggling and falling asleep on GG at the fire, sitting on Connor’s lap at the fire, “checking” everyone’s chair for them before they sat down, and sitting in her own chair like a big girl while we all chatted and laughed. Anything to do with the campfire she loved. Mav was always in bed by this time, so I think she felt special that it got to be her big girl time with the adults too. Connor and Carter were there with us the second week and they are 9 years old now, she LOVED playing with the big kids. The first day, they were all about Tula and playing with her all the time, but it only took them a full day to get sick of her and want to go off and do their big boy stuff, and my heart broke every time I had to tell Tula she couldn’t go with them or to leave the boys alone. They were great with her, but I understood that they needed their big kid time too so sometimes we had to keep her away and she just didn’t understand. As a mom, watching her little feelings get hurt and her be so sad about it was devastating. There was no way to make her feel better about the fact that she couldn’t play with the boys, that they were leaving. It was just a matter of trying to distract her everytime they did. There was lots of space to run and explain on the property, but the boys got to go ride bikes or play at the neighbors without supervision, and Tula just couldn’t do it yet. Speaking of the neighbors…they had grandkids visiting as well the week we were there and I have a feeling that Coby, they neighbor boy, two years older than Tula, with killer eyes and a little bit of a bad boy attitude will be trouble in a few years. It’s funny how you think of these things as a parent, but when I heard that they had just bought the place and plan on being there for many years just like Mom and Dad I thought about the fact that this is the kid that Tula gets to look forward to spending a couple weeks with every summer. Tula, if it is 15 years later and you are reading this with a big smile on your face, you better not be crushing on Coby! See…Mommy isn’t THAT old and crazy after all, my dear…

Oh, so many more memories. Ice Cream at Putt’s Parlour. Bathtime in the Rubbermaid container. I remember telling John that I thought it was so amazing our whole entire WORLD could fit inside that little blue tub. I will forever cherish those days. Late nights movies, “The Bee Movie” and popcorn on the couch with the boys. Tula getting a cut of the boys bottle depot money and getting to go shopping at the dollar store with GG and pick out her own things (stickers, ball, coloring book). Playing with cousin Olivia for the first couple days we were there. GG and Papa had the kitchen that Mommy and Aunties played with growing up set up outside and the girls and Mav loved to hang out down there and play. We had a beach day with Auntie Tiff and the kids loved the sand, though it was easier to just let them play at GG and Papa’s beach than load two babies up. Plus, our beach had the dock and that was always a fun place to hang out as well. Maverick LOVED the sand and playing outside all day long. The break from the AZ heat was so nice for all of us, but especially the kids. They were outside all day, everyday. AZ is a wonderful place to live, but it’s especially great when you have people to go and visit in the summers as relief from the exhausting heat. Luckily, we have two beautiful places to visit and chose from, our kids will never not have a place to escape the summer’s heat.

Tula spent lots of time on the boat. She is just like her Daddy, an absolute water baby. She loved to drive the boat with Papa, or watch whoever was tubing or wakeboarding. She was an excelled spotter, always very concerned when whoever was being pulled wiped out. When we turned the boat to go back, she always had to be the first to ask “You okay?” and wouldn’t stop asking until she got a firm, “Yes, Tula, I am okay.” She is such a little Mommy, always taking care of everybody. Maverick John loved being on the boat. He loved to stand on the back and lean over and watch whoever we were pulling. Loved to look over the side and reach his arm out and feel the water splashing. Sometimes you didn’t like the wind and so you would snuggle in nice and close. Possibly my fave part of being on the boat with you. I love being your safe and cozy place.

Oh yeah, Mav and the boat. Both kids had their first tubing experience, but when Jenelle and I were out there with Mav and Dad stopped the boat the pull us in, our tube flipped over and we were all dunked under the water. It scared the crap out of me because I didn’t have a hold of Mav (Jen did) so when I went under the water and came up I didn’t know where you were. It was a split second that felt like and eternity, but as soon as I saw you I had to laugh. You looked shocked, I think you were mad cause the water was cold, but you hardly cried at all, a little whine to tlet us know you wanted in the boat and you were fine. In fact, when I went to go on with Tula, you screamed until we put you back on, you weren’t letting us on that tube without you. You loved it, you seem to like a little danger and walking on the wild side. God help me. But you survived your first tubing wipe out, at the ripe old age of 11 months old.

Probably Tula’s favorite part of the trip was the fact that she got to sleep with GG and Ppa everynight. It started as her just being in their room in a pack-n-play, but I think by night three she had weaseled her way into their bed and was going nowhere fast. Mom says she loved to snuggle while she slept and I love hearing those stories of special bonds and memories was making with the people she loves and me not even being there. Now Maverick, on the other hand, was sleeping in the crib in our room and figured out on about night two that we were in there with him and if he cried I had no choice but to come and rescue him. So pretty much every night, around 1 am, he woke and needed a bottle and a little more time and energy than I was willing to give. I guess, on a happy note, it made for lots of snuggles with Mav, but it it was annoying and if there was any reason I was looking forward to coming home it was to get one whole and full nights sleep. Within two nights of being in his own crib at home Mav was back to being a wonderful sleeper, but he sure gave me a rough time a few nights this trip.

There were times I would catch myself thinking about how much easier this trip will be next year. When they are both walking…sleeping through the night...only napping once a day, etc,etc,etc. But then I remember that I thought the same thing LAST summer. Couldn’t wait to just have this baby, and have Tula be a little older, walking on her own and more independent. I am thankful that as quickly as the feelings come they go, and I am reminded to enjoy the now…to bask in the wonders and joy of my children at this precious age...and just be grateful. With that said, can’t wait till next summer and to watch them really be able to run around after eachother, walk together on the beach, and for them to have eachother as playmates and best friends.

Tula and Maverick it was so special to watch you on your first family vacation. You both seemed to grow and mature at an alarming rate while we were away. I think all of the adult interaction, new places to explore, and constantly having someone to play with just caused to grow up extra quick. Tula, your vocabulary grew exponentially while we were away. You always had someone who was willing to listen to a story, or were constantly surrounded by conversation, and you just picked up oon it. I think the playtime you had with the boys where Mommy wasn’t always there to speak for you helped too. It showed you the importance of being able to communicate for yourself and you totally figured it out. Maverick, you started walking while we were on our vacation. At just 11 months old, you were ready to take your first steps. I think exploring all the new places gave you all the confidence you needed, and you, my son, are in a nig hurry to catch up to your sister in almost every way so I guess this is just another. Looking at you toddle behind her now you would never know you two are 14 months apart. My big boy, slow down. You are growing so quickly! You both are so smart and bright, it was fun to watch you interact with everyone but mostly eachother. You LOVE each other. So much. And although there were lots of people to see while we were away, you loved most to be together and Momm and Daddy love watching you two together. The love you have for each other is such a gift and it melts my heart every time.

Thank you, Tula and Maverick, for a wonderful first vacation as a family of four! I am honored to be your Mommy and have the privilege of being a part of all these wonderful childhood memories you made. Can’t wait to flip through these pictures and journals and reminisce on these days with you two. These are the special times.

Today we played.

There is so much to catch up on. There is so much to write about. I want to keep it all in the right order and not go forward till I am caught up. But I can't catch up tonight and today was so special not to write about. Today we played.

There were no pictures, no evidence that it ever happened except some cookie crumbs under the table. No way of knowing it ever occured unless you were there. But if you were there, you'd never forget it.

There is a smile about a girl when you teach her that her "babies" can be her friends that will warm your heart. When she learns how to really, actually play WITH her toys. I wondered when my dear daughter would begin to actually "play" with her toys and interact with them, or help them interact with eachother, as I remember doing for hours on end as a child. Then it dawned on me today, as I watched her awkardly toddle around the tea party we had set up, that it had just never occurred to her that this was an option. And so, Mommy to the rescue. I sat down at the table, after we had set it up. I went and got and extra chair and asked her if she wanted "friends' to come to the tea party.

Big smiles. This is exciting. She is thinking real people here though.

So I go and get Elmo and Kitty. They share the lawn chair. Tula is just staring. Then I roll up Sally, she's chilling in the doll stroller. And then I proceed. "I am eating my salad"...and I pretend to take bites off the plate and then slurp soup from a bowl and spoon. Then I ofer some to Sally. It's too hot. I blow on it. Sally like the soup. Elmo wants his own coffee, please, Tula. Tula is intrigued, to put it mildly. As I go deeper into conversation and lunch with Elmo, Kitty and Sally, the smile on her face widens and brightens perhaps to places I know it has never been. She is beyond happy, and her obvious joy in the moment is encouraging me to just be more ridiculously animated with the dolls, which just is making it all the more fun for her. And it only had to be like that for a few minutes before she just totally got it.

She got off her chair and went over to talk to Elmo. She put her hands on her knees and bent over right down to his eye level to talk to him, nodding her head all the while. "More coffee Elmo?...Soup hot?...Sugar?"

It was a delight for me to watch. It was a pleasure to just sit on the floor and let it just happen around me and be able to take it all in. I love what I do. God, some days it is so, so hard. And busy, and stressful. But it's what you make it, I guess, and if I just took the time every day for tea with my kids I have a feeling I wouldn't regret it. It really just takes one of those big little moments to realize that these are the precious, simple times I don't want to miss. The reason I am home with my babies. All day, every day. The other day I read a quote, "Success is the feeling I get when I live out my values" and it put into words something that I had felt for a long time that was so true. In that moment of play, and laughter and happiness and absolutely nothing else, I felt success.

Tula, Maverick, you are my "values". You are what is important to me, and your happiness is my happiness. When I see you learning or growing or smiling. When I get to be a part of helping the wheels in your head turn. Being a part of your playtime, I feel like my day, or that moment, has been the most success I have ever, ever known. Tula, thank you for allowing me to sit at your tea table today and take it all in. It was truly, my pleasure. I hope I never forget that smile.

Today we were home all day. No big plans. But today we played tea party, and drank success from tiny plastic tea cups. Oh, to be a kid again. What a joy.

Thank you, God, for the reminder of why I do what I do. Every day you give me something. But today's was extra special and fun for me. Thank you.