Sprinkle away the summer heat!

Yesterday I got the girls up from their naps and put them in their smatchy smatchy swimsuits that they got for easter. They both looked like little cupcakes! :) LOVE. Even though Natalie's suit was a little too short...my girl is just too tall! :( She said it fit fine though. We went outside and turned on the "Waterpillar" sprinkler and Natalie so loved it. Hayden tried it but got a little freaked out by the pressure of the water "tentacles." There was crying involved. :( SO she played in the puddles and in the sand box and just laughed at mommy and sister running around getting soaked. It was too so fun acting like a kid. It's kind of the concept of dancing like nobody's watching. I felt like I needed something like that yesterday. Hopefully there are a lot more fun times to come this summer! Hayden is full on conversating now. :) She is even calling Natalie "sister"...well it comes out "tithter" :) It's so cute. When she notices someone isn't in the room. like her daddy..."where go? where go dadda?" Adorbs. Natalie is learning to correct words after she says them, when she notices they weren't right. It's SO weird to tell her something and have her understand and do it. Her chore (for now it's only one) everyday is to clean up the toys in the family room before bed. Some days she gives me grief saying "my body is tired" but other times she just gets to it and tells me she likes it. :| I like that now she is actually putting things back in it's place and not just piling odds and ends on top of each other like some kind of weird statue in the toy box. :) Pinterest is my lady. :) I check it every morning and afternoon and add my ideas to everyone else's awesomeness. I'm glad I have one central spot for all things I want to try and all things I can dream about. There are so many cool things for the girls and parties and halloween. All my favorite things. :) I hope you girls appreciate the little things in life and the little things your mommy tries to do to make that life as special as possible! XO, LOVE YOUUUUUUUUUUUU! Mom

Grass is your friend!

FINALLY! Hayden had been so nervous walking on grass, shoes or no shoes, but today she finally walked down the stairs of our patio (with mom's assistance) but then let go of my hand and walked into the grass barefoot!!! YES! She would always cry cause I guess she didn't like how it felt on her feet. Today she walked all the way over to the sand box like nobody's business!! So proud of her. That made my summer sadness a little happier. :) Something about kids and running barefoot in the grass. :) Yippee!

Reasons why I HATE summer....

So ok, this post title is a little harsh, but if I went through some other posts during the summer seasons, I would probably see similar negative undertones. To me...summer sucks. The heat, the bugs, the heat.... You'd think I would be used to it since I lived where there is only one "warm" season for all of my childhood, but I am not. I seriously melt at 95 degrees. My Natalie also gets hot fast and sweats and sweats. As a baby she was always uncovered cause she didn't like sleeping snuggled and swaddled. Still to this day, she barely covers herself when she sleeps. Hayden is following in our footsteps...we are all just HOT people. ;) Some people love the summer for the beach time and the swimming, and whereas that stuff is fun, it's still just a moment in time that is relief from the heat and the humidity. Funny thing right now is that it isn't even officially summer yet! AAAH! I do have things planned for the girls, which includes swimming. The both are going to get private lessons from mom! Good thing I'm not ashamed to be in a swimsuit in public this year. :) No, I'm not a victoria's secret angel, but don't hate cause I do feel pretty good about my progress thus far. :) Updates that have occurred with the girls are as follows... Hayden has gotten like 6 new teeth in the last month..and counting! She is doing a little bit of running now and talking more. She's super sharp when it comes to pointing out body parts and animals. She still LOVES dogs and can say "Ri" which is short for Riley, our male dog. She's always been fascinated and amused by him, so it was no surprise that she learned his name first! Natalie is gearing up for her 4th birthday! She is so smart that I would think that it's more like her 8th birthday. :) She is so awesome at acting out her little plays and talking to her animals. She is so nurturing and yet still somewhat violent. haha...she loves to play in her room "alone" but that only lasts for about 5 minutes when Hayden is nearby. Hayden gets kicked out of Natalie's domain way too often, but quickly gets invited back. :) They are truly sisters....pushing and tormenting one minute...kissing and hugging the next. It's definitely an interesting thing to watch. I have to go take an inventory on the stuff I just got in for Natalie's birthday. Hoping nothing is broken or dented! I'm very excited for it because I know she will love every minute! I love you girls!! XO Mom

What will I be when I grow up?

I'm still wondering that myself. All I know is that whatever I set out to be when I was 6, 10, 13, 16, 18, 21, etc...has all changed several times over. I don't think I knew my "path" until I turned 27 which wasn't the type of path I had intended for myself in any time of my life. When it presents itself to you in a series of events in your life, you need to see what it's all about and see if it's worth following. My own self doubts and fears almost destroyed everything, but I put my head down and with love and support, I walked down that path hand in hand with your dad. Have there been bumps, cracks and dips in the road? Yes....but there have been so many blue skies to lift my head and look up at and carry us safely over those imperfections on this path. I still don't know what life has in store for me. Life is a funny thing and it's taken me thirty-five something years to even get close to figuring out who I am and what I want to stand for. I do know that I'm having the craziest best time being your Mama! No matter what I love and adore you both to no end. What I want you to be is anything that your heart desires. Do whatever you can't breathe without. I will always be standing in your corner, cheering you on. I know, from knowing you both, that it will be fantastic, creative, wise, and I will be beaming with pride. NO one can tell you to be something. You have to be your own person and stand with your head held high. Don't be what you aren't just to please someone else. Each person on this earth is different, no one is exactly the same and guess what? That is O..K. You are beautiful individuals and if I forget to tell you that at some point in your lives, know that it's a feeling that comes deep within my heart--you...are....PERFECT. Perfect for ME, perfect for your DAD and perfect for all those who know and love you. Take that thought and use it to drive you towards your passions. Never give up on your most amazing dreams cause as long as you keep dreaming, they are still out there to achieve. I love you both to the depths of my soul. I know that whatever you do in life, and whomever you become, you will make me the proudest mama on the planet. :) XO!! Mom