2 years too old.

Every birthday of my children will be bittersweet for me. I just know it. I keep telling Gabe that "this phase is the best. I don't want them to get any older." But the truth is, you can't stop time so you have to just soak it up as it passes. Gabriel's birthday was lumped into Easter and new baby craziness this year.
It was still special though because my family was here for a little last minute cupcake and present celebration:) This blue eyed boy will never know how much happiness and laughter he brings to his daddy and me....

You have always loved stuffed animals. You were so excited to win this one at the Easter egg hunt.

Animals make you happy on any day or time. Your favorites are dogs and lions.

Bear continues to go with you many places and was your very best friend....now baby Veronica is your best friend.

Handsome little man on Easter Sunday with Nanna and Papa.

They were here to celebrate your 2nd birthday with us! 

You managed to get out a little blow for your candle;)

Your friends and cousins were excited to see you open your presents! But dad was most excited of all. He assembled your new bike for you and could hardly wait to give it to you!

Your new favorite engine Gordon and Tender! "Mama Yook! Goooordon!!"

Fairy godmother loves you very much. She sent this present that will last you all summer long...a giant pool!

Aunt Tricia and Uncle Phil knew exactly what you would like. You sat and stared at this coloring book all week.

Practicing around the house in your spiderman slippers.

Aunt Mimi also sent you tons of Thomas the tank decor to celebrate your birthday just right:)

There are so many things your dad and I love about you and want to remember....here are just a few:

-"Daddy, I'm huuunnngry" is a new favorite phrase of yours.

-You play with your trains for hours every day. Listening to the conversations you have with them is very entertaining. It usually involves something traumatic."Heeeeeeeelp!!! cried Thomas"

-You are still a waterbug. You will play for hours in the bathtub or pool if we let you.

-You are the sweetest big brother. You always make sure I know when "Baby Monkah" is crying. You give her tons of hugs and kisses and ask her is she wants to watch Thomas with you. I never could have imagined how much joy could come from watching you interact with her.

-If you get hurt, it is only better if I kiss it.

-You are learning what "my and mine" means. Today you looked at me and said "my mommy" with a proud smile and gave me a hug. Melt. My. Heart.

Will have to continue this list soon....

Gabriel and his baby sister ...

I can't stop watching this video. Its only the start of a lifelong friendship....

Veronica Rose- 4.11.2011

Veronica Rose became a part of our family on April 11th, 2011, and we are head over heels! I shared the birth story on IHOD. The first few weeks have been really good! So far, she sleeps and eats very well, and loves to be talked to. I loved the time we had as a little family when Gabe got to take off work and help me adjust to being at home with the two. My love only deepens for my husband each year we are married,and as God grows our family. He takes so much responsibility and offers so much care to me and the kids.....He is such a selfless man, and I pinch myself on a regular basis. I am so lucky.

My heart swells just looking at this. Gabe has dreamed of a little girl for a long time.

Gabriel is enthralled with "baby Monkah"...and takes his role as protector very seriously. He asks her "what's the matter baby? Kiss it?" on a regular basis. He uses an extra high pitched tone and whispers when necessary. His love for his sister makes the new baby experience extra fun. Its beautiful to see how God designed the family. The love you can find in your family is like no other place.

We are so blessed to have some family close by. Sharing this time with my sister and her kids has been a small dream come true. We always wanted to have kids at the same time and live next to eachother. Little pudding and Nicholas are so sweet to Veronica.

godmother

godfather

She's all cheek. We think she is going to look like her brother:) 

I have so many thoughts, emotions, and pictures to share, but both babies are sleeping so I need to take advantage and catch a nap myself! 

I can't get over how you can feel immediately connected to your children,as if you always knew them, that you would die in an instant for them, and that by looking at them you see a part of your heart and soul. Gabe and I always say, we can't wait for the rest of our lives with them!

PAT Program Fun- St. Patrick's Day

Kansas has a fantastic program called Parents as Teachers. Julie comes to visit us every month and shows us some fun age appropriate activities, and checks up on all Gaber's current skills;) Gabriel LOVES the attention, and the fun activities he gets to do. 

They also host play groups with really fun themed activities. This was St. Patrick's Day fun...

He wanted to find every little frog buried in the noodles. He could have sat here all morning!

Green Playdough that smelled good but didn't taste so good as he soon found out.

Christiana and Myla:)

Green Jello. He scraped the cup clean and asked for more of course. Completely content eating this while every other child listened to the book reading. Go figure! He looked like such a little boy this day and I just enjoyed watching him be one. He really loves all his little buddies he gets to see here.

Julie brought a giant piece of paper for him to color on. He likes to pretend he knows how to draw a "trianger" or a "sphare".

His vocabulary keeps cracking us up. His latest sayings include "Oh gosh!" followed by a series of babble, "Oh no, help!" when playing with his trains, "Oh cool!" involving anything he thinks deserves an exclamation point, and "Bye, See ya later!" which he says as we put him down for bed. 

Really, every day we learn and discover new things around here! :)

Our imaginary friends.

Some days I really can't believe I have a little toddler. I hope I always remember the sound of his voice and the endless babble and words he uses throughout the day to tell me stories, or make his toys come alive. He has quite the imagination. All of his stuffed animals are now his best friends....

 He wanted his sheep to wear his Brewers hat and tried very hard for ten minutes to figure out how to put on the hat and sit next to him without it falling off. He is just a little clumsy;) His chubby large hands are constantly squeezed. I cannot get enough.

"Bear" goes with him everywhere during the day. He brings him to breakfast and makes sure he gets something to eat, brings him to watch Thomas with him, makes him take a nap, and wear socks, and the latest and greatest....makes him sit on the pot and go poop. If I walk in the bathroom and bear is sitting on the potty, Gabriel informs me that bear is pooping.

I just wish I could put him in a bottle forever...I know that sounds crazy but I am sure moms can relate:D

Each day we watch him grow older and it only gets more fun though.

He seems to have turned a corner in maturity as if he knows a baby is coming.

He is ready to be a big brother.

Breakfast Vocab

Continuing my blog updates from the midnight sleepless spells during this last month of pregnancy....

Do you ever have days when you just watch videos of your kids over and over? I do this sometimes because nothing makes me smile or laugh more. Gabriel is such a blabber mouth, and I just love it. These days, he never stops talking. Only about half of it is words he knows and the other half is babble. He likes to be a part of the conversation. If Gabe and I are talking at dinner, he always has to join in, and we try to seriously respond to him;)

This video was over Christmas break in St. Louis practicing his breakfast vocabulary. He has always been a breakfast boy:) He would eat for an hour if I let him. Currently, eggs and bacon are his favorite breakfast food. (I have to cut him off after three eggs!)

Pregnancy at 6 months

I was hoping I would be better at documenting this pregnancy. Not so much. I think the Thanksgiving picture and this picture were the only ones I took of my growing belly. I have millions of words I wish I could just have transferred to paper for our little one to read one day. With each day I get more excited for their arrival. This was at Christmas time - 6 months pregnant. Besides the first few months of nausea it has been a really good pregnancy and I cannot complain. This baby has been good to me:)

I have so much blogging to catch up on. I guess I always wait to have an hour when I can focus but who am I kidding? That never happens. My business takes up most of my free time:(

At this point in my pregnancy I didn't see too many differences between the two.

However, cravings were different. Fast food fries and burgers seemed to be pretty common with Gabriel but this baby has given me some pretty strong cravings for either really salty or sweet foods(specifically chocolate molten lava cake). It's not good! I lived on popsicles when I was nauseous and now torwards the end here, I don't have much room in my stomach anymore so I may revert back to fruit and popsicles like I did with Gabriel:) These things seem minor now, but I want to remember them someday..

Christmas Day 2010

We woke up early and and all gathered in one room to wait for the okay to go see if Santa came. I will never how precious my little boy looked as he got a glimpse of Christmas morning...

The fun started early and didn't end!

Boys may not ever grow out of trains...

Santa brought the right gift in his stocking. He didn't even want to open the other presents. He played all day with these.

And made time for a tea party with Aunt Gi, Aunt Grace, and pudding.

He found this gift in the Bluegrass room that Santa brought:)

Phew! He likes them:)

My happiness was watching him with these all day. Its incredible how easily joy comes to you when you have children. I am so lucky to be his mom.

Got to sneak away with Ange and Joe for Christmas Day mass and pipe time:) Meet Sherlock Hemlock.

Christmas Evening feast:

Christmas day pajamas from Nanna and Papa and a piano lesson:)

I wish the joy of Christ's birth, and the joy that he allows on this day could spread throughout the year. I would take a day like this over and over again.