Catching up: Pictures of Summer

 

Catching Up: My Birth-days

My birthday was a ton of fun this year. I turned 28 a week or so ago and boy do I feel it today! It's been a long, hot Friday full of grocery shopping, park playing and carpooling. But, that's a blog for another day. For now, I'll start my game of blog catchup with recapping my happy birthday.

Saturday...
Beause my mom and I share birthdays just days apart, we enjoyed a fun day of shopping to celebrate. We started in Brier Creek where we checked out Home Goods and snacked on my favorite cupcake from Gigi's. Then, after a yummy lunch at Pei Wei(another fave) we went to the mall and made a few other stops. I scored a super adorable dress at Loft, a floor lamp for the living room(finally) and more-it was a grand shopping adventure! Here are some insta-pics of the trip...

Sunday...
The next day after church, they boys and I went swimming with Poppi and then we all celebrated with cake and presents at my parent's house. Check out our rainbow cake! My mom has the good pictures on her camera, sooo TBP, as in "To Be Posted...." yes I just made that up. ;-)

Monday...
On the actual day of my birthday my dear friend Mandi and her daughter paid us a surprise visit complete with crafty gifts and a special birthday cupcake. It was so thoughtful of her and made me feel so special. That morning I also awoke to a special birthday banner(which bore a strange resemblance to Evan's backyardigans banner...cute) and some presents from my honey. I also have to note that the gifts from my husband were laid out in an adorable "baby's first Christmas" fashion. Not wrapped or ribboned but strategically laid out on the kitchen table. I say this not to poke fun, I really did think it was cute, and the memory of it even now makes me chuckle. If there was ever a doubt who wraps the presents in this house, put it to rest now lol!

I had a wonderful 28th birthday this year and am so thankful the many gifts, big and small, that we enjoy daily. A beautiful home, happy and healthy children, near and dear family, wonderful friends, a faithful church, new turquoise sandals...ahhh. Feeling blessed!

Growing up-17 Months

He waves "bye bye," can sip from a straw, and is wearing more shirts without snaps. And, though I'm trying even now to block it from memory, he certainly did climb/fall out of his crib the other day. By all appearances, our Bennett bear is growing up.

Living in the day to day mess and excitement of it all, I often receive these newsflashes from other people-whether it be family, mom friends, or grocery store strangers. And with surprise I agree, "Yes, I guess he is getting taller" or "no I didn't notice his hair was so much more blonde." Sometimes it's the tags in the back of those tiny shorts which tell me my baby is getting bigger. Or the ever quickening disappearance of groceries. Didn't we just go shopping?

Anywho, it's July and Bennett is days away from 17 months. Oh.my.goodness. So I thought it was about time to give an update on my littlest boy. In true mommy fashion, I'll be writing about Evan next. Needless to say 3yrs is a hoot. A hoot. Back to B...I took this picture of him earlier today for "cow appreciation day" at our local chick-fil-a. Will "moo" for chicken...so cute!

Full of cool dude moves and curly blonde locks, he is a feisty, sweet, and endlessly hungry mommy's boy. He prefers crayons over cartoons, and loves playing with his big brother. His most common nickname lately is "baby-zilla" and you can imagine why. Most everything he touches turns to mess. So yes grocery store stranger, this one does keep my hands full.

My hands are full. I am so thankful for both of my growing boys!!!

And lastly, a few mommy markers for future reference...(that are likely just exciting and noteworthy to this mommy, feel free to tune out here!)

• Bennett has six teeth now, and more on the way. Praise the Lord for teething tabs!
• He is usually in bed by 7:30pm and wakes up a little after 7:30am. Just recently we've successfully transitioned from 2 naps to 1. He was much more ready than I was! 
• We've finally discovered one food he doesn't devour-watermelon! Who knew?
• For the first time EVER he's started to be interested in the TV for more than say, 2 seconds? Thank you Yo Gabba Gabba, I'm sorry I ever trash talked you. 
• Just moved up to size 4 diapers this month, say it isn't so! 
• Still fits well in 12 mo clothes, with some 18 mo(pj's) sprinkled here and there. 
• He got his first "goose egg" AND cut within 2 days of eachother, the first a misstep on the playground and the second a nasty fall involving a colored pencil.  I'm thankful we've avoided these bigger boo boos for 16 months, and hope to miss them for a while yet! However, it's becoming pretty obvious that we have BOYS. 
• He is becoming much more verbal now, especially when the paci is on a break. Outside of his many nonsensical musings, he clearly says dada, mama, hi and bye, ball, baseball, quack quack, crack-er, Piper, nana, what sounds like water and the beginnings of some two word phrases like thank you.

Picture Lane

Every once in a while I get this craving to pick up my camera and very simply shoot. I'm not sure if it's because these boys of mine are growing way too fast and I want to capture every moment, or truly because I just love taking these pictures. Like catching up with a close friend after a short season of silence, my camera doesn't sit idol for too long without calling out to me. And when I pick it up by it's pink polka dotted strap and hang the awkward weight of it around my neck, inspiration and focus and happiness abounds. Unless you're going for that perfect Christmas card photo, in which case...disaster lol.

On Saturday we had a post office errand downtown and I took it as the perfect opportunity to spy out some old and new photo ops.  Just for fun, this post is sprinkled with photos from the not so distant past. Remember this colorful place?

Bennett above at 16 mo, Evan below 19 mo

Sometimes I think I'd like to do nothing but just take a walk with my camera. Yes please.

Then and now...can you believe how quickly he's become a little boy?

  

I love these colors below. Somehow they remind me of Greece and no, I've never been there. I have seen "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" though, and surely that counts for something. ;-)

I love this one above but am kicking myself for leaving the good lens at home. Surely this smile speaks louder than portrait quality anyways right?

 

I promise there's much more than blue here.

 

And below, one of those really cool ideas gone awry. But, somehow I think I like this better...one for the "happy accidents" file. 

That concludes this photo stroll for the day, until next time old friend!