I am realizing that the more kids I have, the less time I will have to keep up with things like recording their memories and stats-I hope that they don't feel gypped as a result, but they have the fun of siblings to play with and a more confident mother, so I suppose it will all balance out, right? Let's hope. I do want to attempt to record some of these memories though, so this is another Isla post.

Isla will be turned 6 months on the 18th. She is such a different child now then when she first started out. She has filled out quite a bit, and her thighs are so chunky squeezing them is like kneading  cinnamon roll dough. She has an intense grasp to go with her intense feelings, and is both a solid sitter and grabber. She is interested in all things food, although she doesn't quite know what to do when she gets some haha. She is very vocal, and seems to want to either be a part of, or at very least, observing everything. She spits and furrows her brow often like she is really serious about whatever she is saying, and if I sing she goes along in a high pitched little coo. She is still a Momma's girl, and loves to be held and cuddled, or at least have me near by if at all possible. However she is getting better at going to other people-she loves Luke for example and her Lolo seems to have a calming effect on her. She gets excited when her very affectionate sister tries to include her in everything, from dancing, hugging, all the way to hair salon play. She can roll over to both sides, push her way up and down to move herself. She sits by herself, and can stand when holding onto stuff. She drools like there is no tomorrow and likes to hold onto and play with her pacifier, but then gets frustrated when she realizes that it is in her hand it is not in her mouth. She has the most endearing, bright eyes smile and sincere laugh. She likes to have her cotton blankets with her if we go anywhere at all, and is an all around sweet, fun little girl.










She is extremely strong willed, and at times this can be both wonderful and difficult. For example, she will do whatever she has to [for as long as she has to] to reach something she wants. While it is tempting to go get it for her at times, I think it is important for her to learn to handle some things on her own, and the joy and happiness she exudes when she succeeds is priceless. So for the most part this has been fine, but lately sleep has been our beast. She wakes up to eat, which I think is pretty typical at least once, and at times 2-3 times a night to eat. For the most part I don't mind this. I find I can function pretty well on very little sleep. But now she has taken to waking up to be held or cuddled much more often-at times hourly. She will throw huge, intense, determined fits all night long if she has to in order to get what she wants. On the one hand, I think if she needs to be held, why not  hold her? What's so wrong with that? But I also feel like it isn't selfish or unreasonable of me to need some sleep to..and if this is just a bad habit, for her sake and mine I want to break it. Of course, every one always has opinions on how to do things-but I am finding that it is harder then before to figure out how to succor her while still being realistic about my and the rest of the families needs. I have heard that if I stick with it, it can be a few solid nights of torture and her screaming her head off, making me feel like I've betrayed her. But after that it should be good and she will be better off. But that is just so much easier said then done and it breaks my heart to hear her so upset, and I know it affects everyone else's sleep as well. Like I said-strong willed, and intense emotions haha. I look forward to figuring this one out and reporting back hopefully successful results.









Anyways, a friend got her and Addy some adorable outfits, and they were both perfectly suited to their different personalities-when I mentioned this she said that is why she got them, and that Isla seemed [for lack of a better term] softer. I liked that-when I think of the word soft I think of the feeling of your favorite, most familiar blanket or the smell of honey or homemade cookies, or the constant, peaceful sound of the ocean in the background. Isla is soft. She is definitely a lot of work, and sometimes overwhelming in how much she needs-but I wouldn't go back for even a second-she is another missing piece to our family puzzle. It is nice to be needed, and to feel the softness, and sweetness she brings. I think it is something we needed in our little family.

So this is our sweet Isla Jane now. We love belonging to her, and her to us. I love this family of mine.

Over the course of our married life, Lester and I have made and kept several wonderful friends. And though we've moved several times over the course of those years, we've been blessed to keep in touch with many of them. This New Year's week, we got to hang out with two of those couples!

I can't tell you the countless late game nights we've had, or how many ridiculous inside jokes and personal life experiences these couples have shared with us. Steph and Emil fight [and of course, love each other] as much as me and Lester do, which is rare in public haha. And Brian was actually one of Lester's first friends in college, and they were roommates and groomsmen for each other. We actually had difficulty sharing him and had a bit of a love/hate relationship at that point. So when Brittney came along, I was pretty cynical that she would change any of that, but she proved me wrong, and has ended up being one of my closest friends! They are some of our favorite people.

So for this reason, I was ecstatic for the chance to hang out again. But in all honesty, I was a little wary since we haven't physically hung out with the Tait's at least since we've had kids [which, PS I can't believe it had been that long!]. Our priorities are different now, and I was feeling a little bit of that whole 'what if we're not as cool or as close as we think we are!' kind of a deal haha.

However, within the first five minutes our daughters became as much a part of our group as anyone else. By the end of the trip, Addy was waking up asking for them and she was sad the next morning when she came upstairs and asked 'Where everybody?'. She had a little sad temper fit when I said they all went home-and I cried with her HAHA just kidding...kinda.

We picked them up from the airport on New Year's Day, and went straight into the city. We hit up a burrito joint, then a few bridge views like the Marin Headlands, Fort Point, The Palace of Fine Arts, and what not before we met up with the Morco's at Westfield Mall on Union Square for dinner. We came home exhausted and hung out till we crashed.





The next morning we made our favorite savory and sweet crepes and then headed over the show them the cliffs and Rockaway beach. We played in the sand while everyone else climbed the rocks by the tide pools. Emil also helped Addy use her new face painting set which she loved. We then went to catch the Pineda's house for dinner and to watch some games the boys wanted to keep up with.






We had another busy day planned after that, and we headed out to Muir woods, which was as always amazing. Then we did more of the city with Ghirardelli Square, Fishermen's Wharf and Lombard Street. Then we came home for some baking and games.



On Saturday we woke up and went to Livermore to visit Brian's grandparent's graves. I thought it was nice how while we all quietly looked around he took the time to pluck up any dead grass around their graves. We went and got flowers afterwards for him to leave them, and then visited some of his Dad's old homes. Afterwards we did a little outlet shopping then headed over the to Oakland temple where we unexpectedly ran into one of Lester and Brian's old college friends and her family. After heading back home for fish and chips for dinner, the boys headed out to a BYU game in the city, and we played sequence, put the girls to sleep and talked for a few hours till they got home. Then we hung out till it was bed time and got ready to drop them off the next morning.




Anyways, it was wonderful trip, and I'm so glad we got to spend some time with our friends. Now it is officially our turn to go visit them, and I look forward to when we can make that happen. Hopefully sooner rather then later.  Until then, we will work on getting back into a routine without all the wonderful family and friends visiting, and try to enjoy the simplicity of every day life. Happy New Year everyone!

Another Christmas has come and gone, and we are nearing the end of our steady stream of visitors. As always, it was magical and full of the best parts of life. Family, friends, good food, feelings and fun. We were lucky enough to have everyone home for the first time in years, and as our number continue to increase we realize how rare this opportunity is becoming. We did all the usual things, like gingerbread houses, frost sugar cookies, walks by the cliffs, etc etc. We also did new things, like zoo trips ice skating in the city, tide pools, and lots and lots of games. I think a high light for everyone was watching this new generation of cousins and siblings interact-they both love each other and play well together, and take turns getting their occasional shots in, as it should be. We also all enjoyed getting to know my new brother in law Ross better, and amazingly I still don't have one single negative thing to say about him haha-but in all seriousness he is great, and both of these two sisters have married well. I love this crazy large family of mine, all sides. And now I will continue by posting an enormous amount of pictures of us doing all the said stuff-hope everyones Christmas was an enjoyable as ours!