Obviously, I am more then a little behind on keeping this updated on our letter adventures [see this post] which is probably bc we've been so busy actually DOING the associated activities. So I will just catch it all up right now.

As you may remember, for letter A we ate apples and had fresh squeezed apple juice at the aquarium. We also watched Ariel and talked about Addy's name and how that starts with the letter A.

For letter B, we baked banana bread, explored and learned about the beach, took a bath, read lots of books, and of course played with Baby sister.

For letter C, we visited a castle on the cliffs, ate croissants at a cafe, colored and watched some Curious George and cooked cookies.
For letter D, we got donuts, did lots of dancing with family, hung out with Daddy and visited and learned about ducks-and of course watched some Donald Duck. We also read about dinosaurs and did some drawing.
For letter E, we visited the Exploratorium [which is like a hands on museum-kids LOVE it], learned about and colored elephants, played with Eskimo puppets and learned about ears. For this part, my family got involved and tried on different animal ears and sang do your ears hang low. We also watched Emperor's New Groove.
For letter F, we went to Pacifica's annual Fog Fest, where we got Addy's face painted and played in the jumpy fun houses, visited friends and ate french fries. We also learned about flowers and farms and the animals they have there. We also watched read/watched Fantastic Mr. Fox.

Apart from alphabet related activities, life has kept at a steadily busy pace. Lots of balancing with work and school for Lester, and me with the two kiddos. But luckily we've been able to throw some fun in here and there, with things like beach walks at sunset, zoo trips and other fun times. These are the things that make all the mundane ones worth it. We have lots of wonderful memories to look back on, and lots of wonderful things to look forward to. So that is life right now!

I find myself these days feeling like there are not enough hours in the day or limbs for me to use to keep up with these two girls of mine. That said, I am also feeling how fleeting these days are with my babies as I watch them sprout so quickly right before my eyes. Isla is now two months, and she is still such a sweet, sensitive little girl. She has extremely good head control and leg strength and these big wide open blue brown eyes. She does a lot of baby talk & attempts at communication, & is gracing us with her smiles more and more every day now-I defy you to find a more heart melting sight. She loves to be held and bounced and kissed and cuddled and has such a sweet, sincere sense about her. She likes to be wrapped up as often as possible, or at very least, have something to hold onto with her dainty little hands. She loves to watch her sister play, and gets to even participate sometimes. She doesn't cry to terribly often, but when she does she goes from 0, with fluttery adorable little whimpers to 10, with full on screams I-demand-you-hold-me-this-instance cries fairly quickly. Even so, there is no part of me that misses the days before her. She was meant for this family, and she has added an essential ingredient to it-our family feels so much more complete with her here now.







Addy is doing wonderfully. She has quite the extensive vocabulary, and is very active. She loves to run, climb, dance and play. But at the same time she loves books and reading, learning, and cuddling.  She loves to be outside, will eat just about anything, but loves juice the most. She is friendly and over all just such a happy kid.








She is also a very attentive sister. True, there are moments of pacifier stealing or the occasional lap jealousy, but they are rare, and she handles it like a champ. I can't get over how easily she has accepted this role. She loves to come up to her anywhere, anytime and say 'hug' and 'kiss' and then follow it up with exactly that. She still likes to hold her when we let her, and she loves to tell us when she is crying [regardless of whether or not we are right there haha]. She switches between calling her Sister or Isla and often wants to talk to just her, and then she will say a bunch of words and laugh hysterically, like they are sharing a joke. A day or two ago, we were learning about the letter D so we were all dancing while Isla watched wide eyed in the Bumbo chair. Suddenly Addy stopped and ran over, got on her knees and said 'Sister-Isla dance!' and took her by the hands and started helping her dance in the seat, rolling their shoulders moving her arms. It was such a little thing, but it made me feel SO so good about our choice to have them so close together. They are already developing such a wonderful relationship and both of them are growing as a result of it. Apart from how fast its happening I am loving every second of it.



I guess this is just all on my mind because of today. Lester has been pretty busy lately, putting that hard work ethic to good use, and so while he's putting more hours in work and school, I am putting more hours in on the home front. This of course leads to an almost constant need for Mommy sharing [thank goodness for my family and all the help they give me!]. But today while Lester was at work we went to an engagement party for my cousin and there were so many people willing and wanting to hold/play with my babies, I actually got to have one on one time with each of my girls. The best part was I didn't have to worry that one of them wasn't being attended to, bc I knew they were in good hands! I got to play with Addy in the pool for a good while, and then I got some one on one time with Isla later. It made me realize how much they are growing and how blessed I am to have a front row seat while they do so.

I guess I just felt the need to document once again where we're at right now and who my girls are at this age. I'm so glad my Mom did that for me, and I want to be sure I am able to give that to them as well. Being there Mom is a precious gift, and I hope they know how much I love them-and how grateful I am to be a part of their story.

Addy is at an age where she is picking up on so many things; I sometimes feel as if I can see her mind growing as she expands her vocabulary and gives herself new adventures. So far, we have worked on things like numbers, colors and of course the alphabet. However, although we focus on learning these things on a daily basis, I thought it might be good to go in a more structured way then we have been. So, I sat down with my sister Sam a few days ago and made a bit of program if you will of what our days will consist of for a while. 

I feel like we still haven't fully gotten back into the swing of things yet, so I haven't been blogging [among other things]. I thought since the baby is sleeping I would hurry and do it right now bc who knows when the stars will align and both girls will let me be hands free!

About a week ago was our 4 year wedding anniversary. We spent the evening as just the two of us while my Auntie Kathy and cousins watched the girls. Its funny bc we had just been talking about how we needed some time just us and we got it-we even went to a really nice rodizio style Brazilian BBQ. But while the food was absolutely delicious, and it was fun being alone with my man, both of us eventually mentioned how we missed the kids and how much we love our whole little family-and then were so excited to pick them up and play for the rest of the night.

I could say a lot about how far we've come and how much we've learned, but I won't. I will just say that I heard that old Shania Twain song on the radio 'Looks Like We've Made It' and I thought about our relationship. Its nice to know that whether were in high school and all hormonal, or married for a few years and really loving our kids, or old and gray and just the two of us again, we will still 100% love each other and want to be together. That is a priceless gift and I am realizing that more and more every day.



As far as everything else is going, both Addy and Isla get cuter by the second. With everyone having started school and work again, we are trying to learn how to balance things while still enjoying ourselves. So that has involved a lot of trial and error, errands and park trips, etc. But still, I am sure we will continue to get the hang of it. Luckily we seem to have lots of friends in the same boat and everyone is so kind, supportive and understanding as we do this.

After packing in a few hours of sleep that night, Sunday came. It was a very special one for us bc we were blessing our sweet baby Isla in church that day. While dressing her in her little white dress I couldn't help but feel in awe again at how blessed we are to be living this life. That feeling did nothing but increase as the day went on. I couldn't help but think about how all the ppl there had been such an important part of our past, present and future. Of course, our parents who raised us and taught us life skills and gospel principles. Siblings who grew up along w us for the ride, in the good bad and ugly parts. Former leaders from our teenager and young adult years who helped shape the directions we were taking. New family members who had taken us on willingly and decided they wanted to be a forever part of our future. And of course, a husband and father w his sweet girl helping to seal so many blessings upon her. It was memory I shall cherish forever.





Among the things that were said in her blessing were several unique and tender things. It talked about how much she was loved by her family, and that they would be a blessing and help to her. One thing that was said was God offered these words to her: You are not alone. That these words would help her through out her life. It then said she would be blessed w a healthy body and mind. There have been several times throughout life and pregnancy where I have asked myself if I ever had a child who had difficulties I didn't, would I be able to handle it? How would I know how to help them if I hadn't been in there shoes? Since she was born and even in the womb there were times where Isla does these little shake seizure things-the kind of jerky movements that people do when they sleep, but she does them when she's awake and often. Doctor says there completely fine, but as a parent of a newborn you always worry and wonder. I felt like that part of her blessing was a response to her, and also me. It was a comfort and reminder that even if I don't know know all the things she goes through, God does and he will qualify me and make sure she is never alone. I felt like in that moment where that was said, I accepted that she may have difficult struggles in life [as all of us do] that everything would be ok-then the blessing and words came that she would also be a healthy child. No matter what, it is nice to know and feel that everything will be ok. The blessing also included a few other special things, about her personality and who she is. I felt like with Addy before she was born some things had happened to give us insight into who she was. With Isla, this was that insight. It was sincerely a wonderful blessing and moment that I will be sure to tell her about for years to come.