This is our Journey

{Welcoming the New Year}

Ahhhh... I am happy to start a New year. A new chapter. A new set of memories with the people that I love most.

Instead of setting an array of goals... a mile high list that will never get accomplished I decided to narrow it down to a few. One of them being this blog. My families personal journal.

I want this year in pictures, in words, and I want to print it out to keep for my babes to read. someday when I am old and grey, I want them to remember our memories and to remember how much I loved their stinking guts.

I had every intention of catching myself up on all of our pictures from last year. Until I scanned my computer and realized how MANY MANY pictures I have not blogged about. So... I ordered a book all about last year instead. Much easier!

Now let's get started with our new year of memories.

Let's rewind just a bit.

On Christmas day My dad was put into the hospital for pneumonia. He was then transferred to Timp hospital and scheduled for emergency surgery. Long story short. He has a crazy strain of ecoli that got into his lungs that then filled with super infected fluid. Antibiotics weren't treating it, he was getting worse. He had a collapsed lung, went back into atrial fibrilation and then had to be shocked back into rhythm. After some time they finally found only 2 antibiotics that would work.

He then was transferred to a critical care facility to stay for 1 month.... He was so so tired of the hospital and talked the docs into letting him go home an have health care there. So now a home health care nurse and physical therapist come every few days. He then goes into the hospital for his infusions every day.. What a process! He is still in such a slow recovery and has hit or miss days. To watch your parent struggle with their health is such a hard thing. To watch him in that chair getting his infusion is so sad... It's like you see in the movies. He is lined up with all of these cancer patients stuck to an iv. Poor papa!

I hope and pray for great health this year. What would I do without this man. What would Maddix and Vivian do without their "papa". We love you!!! And as Maddix tells him "feel better soon"

Little miss "LuLu" turned 9 months on January 16th.

This baby girl has sooo much spunk and personality. She is completely amazing! Sometimes I wonder how it is that I have been so blessed to have my two babies. To be a mom is perfect, it fits me, it's challenging, and so incredibly rewarding. What an amazing gift my two babies have been.

Vivian is already so grown up. She is standing up on everything and occasionally feeling that tiny bit of bravery and letting go for just a split second. She will get there soon. Until then I am loving watching her crawl and do the her little worm. Man can that girl get across a room quick! Everything seems like it comes and goes so quickly. She has so many little words in her vocabulary (mama, dada, ma (maddix), hi, yeah, yaya, papa, da (dog) She is learning her sign language and loves to use the word more... specifically when eating. She loves her food. This girl knows what she wants. When you ask her a question or try to feed her she either says "mm or muh" when she wants it or she does a serious head shake with a "uhuh" when she doesn't want something and thin purses her lips and spits/blows out air.

She loves to wave. She has this one of a kind little wave that only a pageant queen could be jealous of:) She recently learned how to blow kisses. Sometimes it's by sticking her thumb in her mouth and then on occasion it that perfect little chubby had to her mouth and then the release that makes your heart melt.

Our mornings start early. Wow. Too early. It's in those early hours when the sun has yet to rise that we have our little moments. We settle down into a cozy warm bath, play toys, read books and cuddle. As soon as she hears Maddix open his door she lights up. She starts to rock back and forth and giggle. As soon as he is in her sight she claps and reaches for him. Maddix is under her spell. This boy loves every second of his lulu and says "oh come here sweet heat" gives her a big "awwwwa" she lays her head on his chest. Every morning my heart melt for the same reason. It never gets old. To watch their love for each other is perfect.

Laina taught her how to give five. When you ask her she gets this huge grin and puts out her hand. Waiting, waiting... you have to be the one to lay one on her.

Those big blue eyes. I haven't had a time at the store without someone stopping me to comment on those beautiful blues. This girl has some sparklers and knows how to use them. She sits in her bjorn all through the store waving and saying "hiii" she sure knows how to make people light up.

You say you got rythm?? This babe loves to dance. A light tone of music gets her jiving and dancing. She holds both hands in the air and rocks back and forth over and over. Then if she feels the jive again she holds one hand in the air and rocks out. If only they would put a 9 month old in dance class. She would rock their socks off!

She loves to ride with Maddix in his fire truck, play with her dolls, read books, cuddle mom... she is definitely a mamas girl. I secretly love this about her:) She is my girl and those days of holding, kissing and squeezing her will be gone before I know it. So until then. I am going to cherish those times when she is all mine.

She sleeps as wonderfully as Maddix:) Wow this girl knows how to pull all nighters! Those 3-4 hours of sleep that I get at night are a great reason for a good hot drink in the morning:) Hopefully soon she will figure it all out.

{Just Cuz. Cuz}

Maddix and Vivian love to spend time with their cousins. Maddix always says to me "Mom, me want to play with cousins" He so enjoys every moment of it.

Yesterday their cousin Eisley and her mommy Janelle came to have a fun play day. Painting glow in the dark jars, playing toys, eating snacks and the occasional 2 year old spat:) Oh how they love their time together. What would a play date be without a fun photo session.

We headed down to my basement, searched in the Halloween box and laughed at these two as they hammed it up for the camera!