Christmas!

day 45: love babies

Today, I got to wake up to this perfection.  In fact, it is so beautiful, that it counts for both pictures today.  I got to wake up on our three year wedding anniversary to my two favorite people wrapped up in each other in the shape of a heart.  (sort of). 

I get to see these babies sleeping every day, but it never gets old.  No matter the problem that arise during the day or how many times they test my patience, they are so peaceful and perfect when they sleep.  I try to think about moments like this during those hard moments of the day, to remind myself how precious they can be.

day 44: reliving the wedding

It's the day before our wedding anniversary and we decided to celebrate by watching our wedding video and looking through all the pictures from that time.  It made me so happy to remember all those feelings and hearing our wedding vows made us feel giddy.  And it was really special to share it with Marley and Vivi.  Well, Vivi just nursed herself to sleep the entire time, but Marley enthralled.  She wanted to hear all the details and wanted to know who was in every picture. 

She told me I looked like a princess.  And for that, she is amazing.

day 43: bath time art

Marley cried and cried today when Aunt Noah and Grandpa left.  Poor girls is always missing someone, so I spent the entire day trying to cheer her up.  Even when I thought I had done something that would brighten her day, she would start crying again about them leaving.  She really had so much fun having them there.  Fresh meat to play any game she could come up with.  Pretending to catching squirrels and throwing them into ice chests in the living room?  Aunt Noah gettin' those squirrels!  Reading ten books in a row?  Aunt Noah was down!  Ten millionth dance party of the day?  Aunt Noah was ready to boogie.

No wonder Marley was brokenhearted to see them go.

Asa wrote the girls' nicknames on the wall with shaving cream and let them rub it around in their hands.  Vivi was doing awesome and keeping it away from her mouth, right until I took this picture.  This kid literally puts everything in her mouth!  When will this stage finally come to an end?!

day 42: the saint louis zoo

We went to the Saint Louis Zoo today!  Aunt Noah really wanted to visit the zoo while she was here, and we have never turned down a trip to the zoo.  It was a perfect fall day for a trip to the zoo, and we ended up spending the entire day there, and we didn't even see everything!

Marley was super excited to see the flamingos, her favorite animal.  Because they are pink, obviously!  I don't even know the last time she was this excited to take a picture for me.

Vivi loved the zoo.  When we go places like the zoo or museums or festivals, I really try to make sure that Vivi spends more time out of the stroller than in the stroller.  That is how she learns and explores and has new experiences.  So, it is hard work to keep track of her out of the stroller, but it is so worth it to me.  I want my kids to have experiences and adventures, not zoo trips stuck in the stroller.

So, this moment would not have happened if she had been in the stroller, and it was one of my favorites of the day.  An orangutan was sitting right up against the viewing window holding a blanket over his head.  Every one was standing back a little looking at him, but Vivi just walked right up to him and reached for his face.  She had absolutely no fear.  She studied him, completely focused on his face and he stared right back at her.  It literally gave me chills to watch them.  They had some sort of connection together, even though it lasted less than a minute.  They were communicating and it was magical to watch.

Maybe she has an animal related job in her future?

day 41: s'mores and mani-pedis

Nothing says "fall" to us like camping and sitting around a fire.  Definitely two our absolute favorite activities in any season.  And although we couldn't go camping this weekend, we did get to have plenty of fires in the backyard, along with some delicious s'mores.  We are all fans, but especially Marley, my little chocoholic.

Vivi had her first pedicure and manicure today.  Noah took me out for a pedicure during the afternoon, and we enjoyed some very needed girl time.  I got to go somewhere childless, y'all!  It was seriously the best gift I could have been given recently.  I needed it.

Anyway, Marley wanted her nails done when we got home, so she got the full mani-pedi treatment, complete with a soak!  And I decided to try doing Vivi's also!  She surprisingly sat very still while I did it, just watching me.  She had just seen what I was doing to Marley's nails, so I think she caught on to the routine.  She even helped us blow on them when I was done.  She loved it, even though it only last a couple of days.  She would look down at her nails and squeal with delight.

day 40: having so much fun

Aunt Noah and Grandpa were here today, but Asa had to work most of the day.  So we spent most of our time at home.  But that doesn't mean we didn't have fun!  Vivi loved being pushed around by Asa in this truck.  Adults always get sick of games like that way before the kids do.  Every trip would end right here in front of us and she would have the biggest smile on her face and sign "more."  She was so happy!

We learned that Aunt Noah loves dance parties as much as Marley and Vivi do!  Marley was all decked out in princess dresses, jamming around the living room with Aunt Noah and Vivi.  The had so much fun.

 I love how confident Marley is in her dancing.  I was always nervous about what other people thought of my dancing and I try not to let that creep into our girls' heads.  I want them to dance however they want to and love it.

day 39: blanket snuggles and family arrives

Vivi loves when we lay a little pallet on the floor for Marley.  She reminds me of a dog who will find any piece of fabric on the floor and lay right on it.  Well, Vivi does the same thing.  She will roll around in it and run and jump into it and sometimes just sit there enjoying the comfort.  It's funny how she can be so cuddly and so active at the same time.

Aunt Noah and Grandpa arrived this evening.  It is so amazing to have them here and we are going to soak up as much time with them as we can.  We hadn't seen Aunt Noah since March!  Marley is really enjoying having them here and Vivi is quickly getting to know them.  It is so nice to have a breath of fresh air with people you love and love your kids!

day 38: why marley hates to sleep

When Marley accidentally falls asleep, the Vivinator destroys.

day 37: snacks outside

We spent a lot of our afternoon outside today.  And we needed a snack, so I brought out some cut up apples with sunflower seed butter.  It was actually really good together (our first time trying sunflower seed butter).  And Vivi was obsessed.  She dug her hands in, spread it all over her tongue and face, and totally didn't need the apple to get it to her mouth.

This kid cracks me up!  And Henna didn't mind cleaning up the mess on the chairs.

Marley loves "cooking".  She pretends to cook with me, uses her little kitchen and dishes a lot, and really loves pretending too cook outside.  Today she made us tacos out of sand and rocks and leaves.  Vivi and I pretended to eat them, and then when it was Marley's turn I guess she forgot about the pretending part.  She ended up with a mouth full of rocks and sand and tried to keep a straight face while spitting it all out.  She didn't want me to know she had done it!

day 36: gifts from spain

We came home from our weekend away to find a box from my grandparents who recently visited Spain.  They sent Marley a little flamenco dress.  She is obsessed.  She wore it all day and she asked to sleep in it.  And she will now be a flamenco dancer for Halloween.  She is totally in love with it!

Vivi got a few gifts also, but her favorite thing was this pair of sunglasses.  She knows when she looks cute and she flaunts it!  She walked around outside posing and smiling, just waiting for me to take her picture!