Summer!!!!

These are the months I live for!!!  If I could be home everyday playing with my kids, going to the pool, going to kings island, cuddling on the couch, having backyard fires, roasting marshmellows, staying up late, catching lightening bugs, having movie days, going to the park, playing with the neighbors, dancing around the house I would be in heaven!!! ... we are having so so so so much fun!!! We were on count down the days leading up tills summer break. Bella couldn't wait to play with mommmy all day long!!!  I am not sure who was more excited me or her.  Jacob was pretty excited as well... after all, he is my mommy's boy and I don't think he will ever be any different. To say the least we are having a blast.. right now they are both in their undies, playing some sort of make believe game where jacob is a dog and Bella is a bossy mom, I think.... oh wait.. I think they are playing Spy Kids. The one movie these days that the kids will actually sit down and watch.  Here are some recent pics.. gosh I sure love them!!!!

Birthday Girl

My Dearest Bella...

Today you turn three.  Three.  Wow!  There is something about age three that moves you out of the "baby" category.  You are now a big girl, well, you have known that for a while as I am pretty sure some days you think you are 7, but today I am realizing this.  As hard as it is for me to let you grow up (not that I really have a choice) it is so so so so fun to watch you grow up.  Your personality is just so fun. You are one fun girl.  How could you not just be adored by everyone who meets you.  The personality you show when you talk ... the personality you show when you walk... the personality you show when you don't get your way (wink wink)... you are just so full of life and spunk gosh we sure love you!!!  Now that you are three you talk non-stop.  I need to record some of our conversations because they are just hysterical.  Especially before we go to bed.. "Mommy.. I love you so much, Mommy, I love you all the way up to the sky, mommy I love you"  I love you too hunny.... thank you for letting me know so much!

You now look forward to coming home and knocking on your friends doors to see if they can play, you love riding your new pink bike that you got for your birthday.. you love your baby dolls and you make a pretty great mommy to al of them!  You started preschool in November and that was the best thing we could have done for you.. you are so proud of all the beautiful artwork you create in school and when I pick you up you have the biggest smile on your face.  I can't wait for next year as I know you will have a great time at MECC preschool when you will get to do 4 days a week.  This past week we went to Florida for vacation.. and you are one fabulous swimmer.  You love swimming to me and telling me to scoot further back so you can swim farther to me.  You just make my heart sing.  xxoo

Bella.. I know I tell you this all the time, but I am so proud of the sweet little girl you are.  I love that you love your family so much.. I love that you always tell Mommy, Daddy and Jacob how much you love us as we love you so much too!  I love that you have such a strong personality because I know you will never let anyone walk all over you and you will be one fabulous leader.  Thank you for bringing so many smiles to my day.  I love waking up to you by my side (because we both know that is where you end up most night).... I love when you wrap your arms around me so tight... I love your sweet voice ... I love every bit about you and am having so much watching your little personality develop.

Happy Birthday my sweet girl!

I love you!

Mommy

sleeping

He's 5...
when he was a baby he slept in our bed everynight...
he still will climb in our bed every once in a while...
sometimes he even asks if he can have a sleepover...
and some nights like tonight...
he sneaks into our room to read his leapster tag books...
we find him...
tuck away his book and tag reader..
and tuck him in right next to us...

love that boy

First Pedi....

yep... you heard it right, at 2, Bella had her very first pedicure.  Of course her toes and nails need to be gorgeous and ready for the beach next week.  She was a hoot and had a blast picking out pink nailpolish (of course she would choose pink).  She also got an adorable new pair of jelly shoes.  LUV.. as I had these shoes when I was a kid.  xxoo love you bella!

My silly girl...

So as hard as it is for me to believe.. Bella will be 3 in less than a month. I really find this incredibly hard. I am just not ready for her to be a big girl. These last few weeks I have found myself looking at this spunky, beautiful, fearless, and often even sassy little thing and just can't even imagine life without her in my life. She is just so full of spunk and so full of life.. I wouldn't change any bit of her. These last few nights she has not been wanting to go to sleep.. and so we set up on the couch in my room.. all the lights off.. I watching tv as she falls asleep in my lap. And while I can't lie.. there are nights that I wish she would just go to bed for goodness sakes. I have to stop and remind myself that these are the moments that I will wish for. So I began to work on some birthday images.. she really wasn't wanting much to do with it. However.. these images make me smile. Isn't she a hoot? And oh so gorgeous!

Bella's first day of preschool

My little girl went to school this week for the first time. She LOVED it. At the start of the school year I wasn't sure if she needed to be in preschool.. but as the year went on and she kept saying she wanted to go to school with Jacob, I knew it was time. I searched for a school that had an afternoon 2's program so she could go while I worked... luckily the learning place was fabulous and actually allowed her to join the early 3's class. She did great and didn't even cry for a moment when I was leaving. She couldn't wait to get inside and play. Gosh I love her.. and am so happy she had such a great day. Funny little story.. her teacher was so fabulous and took a bunch of pictures for me during her first day.. and at some point Bella turned to her and said "why do you keep doing that".. oh geez, my little spunky one. :) xxoo

I can't believe it is October...

Gosh, it has been a while. Life has certainly been keeping us busy. The kids are growing up so fast and as I sit here outside of Bella's door listening to her singing twinkle twinkle little star I really can't believe how fast the days are going. My kids are so so so much fun right now. Now, not say we don't have the occasional melt down or that Jacob and Bella get along perfectly, but quite honestly, what fun would that be if everything was so perfect. Bella.. gosh I just adore her. She is so full of spunk.. she is beautiful. With her blond hair and great big brown eyes and her daddy's tan skin. She is so sweet. She just loves to be held and has followed her brother's footsteps and sneaks into bed with Kevin and I pretty much every night. Jacob is loving preschool and always wants to make sure he is doing the right thing. What a pleaser he is. He can't wait to turn 5 and to go to Kindergarten next year. His best friend is our neighbor Isabelle.. they would play together all day everyday if they could. He learned how to ride his bike without training wheels this summer which he was so so so proud of, as he should be. He loves being outside and I am pretty much dreading the next few weeks as I know it is going to start being too cold to go outside. However, once the snow comes he will be outside non-stop. I just love how my children have filled my life with so many smiles.. they are the best! luv them!!!

Easter

I love long weekends.. I love any extra time I can get with my family... I love my husband... I love my kids... I love my family! The kids had such a fun day. I really just adore every bit of my kids ages right now. They both understand what is going on.. Jacob really really understands. Jacob, I just love that he not only understands that no Easter morning he is going to get something from theEaster Bunny.. but that Easter is all about Jesus. On the way home from church Jacob said.. "mommy.. when is was dark out, Jesus died, but when it got light out he came alive again." Pretty powerful coming from a little boy who is not quite 4 1/2. Then later on, when we were on our way home from my parent's house.. Jacob said "mommy, I just said my prayers".. I said, well, that is wonderful Jacob, let me hear.. He continued by saying his prayers thanking God for the visit to his grandparents house, for his mom and dad and sister Bella and for the Easter Bunny. Then he continued by saying. ok mom.. your turn. So I started to say something outloud and he said.. no mom.. fold your hands .. lol. Well.. I then explained that since I was driving that may be a little hard. He said ok.. you don't have to, but close your eyes. I said.. well, Jacob, I may run the car off the road if I do that. He giggled and said.... oooookkkkkk.. you don't have to. How can I not just love that little boy so much for his sweet heart.

Bella.. oh, she was in Heaven. This her first Easter really having any idea of what is going one. She just loved eating Candy.. pretty much all day long. She is my junk food addict. But really she was in such a fabulous mood.. running all over nana's house, playing with Uncle Jeff, and giving me hugs. She is becoming more and more cuddely.. and I love it so much.

Here are a few pictures from our wonderful day.

Happy 2nd Birthday Beautiful Bella

My Dearest Bella,
Happy Birthday my dearest Bella. Two years ago today you entered into my life and changed it forever. You are perfect in every way.. your adorable grin that is so big and full of emotion, your sweet baby curls that hang from your sandy blond hair, your big brown eyes that are framed by your gorgeous long lashes, and your walk that is full of confidence and spunk. You have really started to show your personality and you have your dad and I in hysterics daily. You have such a spunky side to you and sometimes even sassy. However, you also have the most sensitive and cuddley side that we love as well.

Mommy can not believe that you are already two years old. This year has been full of so much fun. You took your first tumbelbees class, which you love. Next week we get to start the 2 year old class! You love your brother.. you especially love to boss your brother around as well as copy his every move. You love playing outside. You LOVE your baths.. just love them! Especially when we make it a bubble bath. You love to run around naked. You love reading your books before bed. Your favorite toys by far are all your baby dolls. You play with them non-stop during the day and they are all called "baby". You still love your bunny and must have that every night and naptime to go to sleep. You love your daddy and I can tell you are going to be quite the daddy's girl as you both adore each other. You love coming into bed with mom and dad at night, but not to sleep.. just to play and kick around (eventually we have to take you back to your room because you won't sleep). You love to jump around.. or I guess I can call it a gallop. You seriously are just so fun and full of spunk!

I love every single bit of you.. I love your happy side, your silly side your spunky side and your sassy side. As I tell you every night.. I am so.. proud of you, I love playing with you, you are such a good girl, and I love you sooo .. much! I am so excited for what our world together has in store for us. Thank you so much for all the happiness you have filled my heart with.

I love you Bella,
Mommy :)
xxoo

Swim Lessons!

About a month ago Jacob started swim lessons. I figured he was 4, he should probably have some formal swim lesson.. although.. he has always loved the water and done really well in it. I just wanted to make sure this summer he could really swim and have fun! Anyway.. he has done really really well. Since we are on spring break this year, Daddy was able to watch, which Jacob was so excited about!