42/52

Connor: He got a hole in one at mini golf. That's not an easy thing to do even for a grown up! He also got to bring home Mikey the monkey from school for the weekend because he is star student. 

Isla: She turned five and was celebrated many a times…and she hasn't even had her party yet! But, she got to go out twice, with each set of grandparents, have a class party and celebrate with us on her actual birthday. 

Callum: He really has vamped up his appetite for table food. He also is sleeping in 45 minute cycles at night…which leaves me exhausted in the morning and somehow leaves him full of smiles.

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2016." 

You can also find me on:

bloglovin // instagram // pinterest

Isla {5 years}

Five years. It feels like a big one. In fact, one of the many things Isla told someone on her birthday is, "I'm five. I'm starting kindergarten soon." That one caught me off guard. Sure, we have like ten months before that happens, but it is weird to think of my second side kick going off to school five days a week. That's when they just become so grown up and things start becoming legit. Never the less, Isla is five. 

One of the best ways to get a glimpse into Isla at five is probably by this interview I did with her. 

What's your full name? Isla

How old are you? 5

How tall are you? 4 years 5

What color are your eyes? blue

What color is your hair? brown

What day of the week is it? Friday. Sunday. Monday. (it was Wednesday)

What is your favorite:

    color - purple

    food - oreos

    drink - apple juice

    ice cream - chocolate chip

    toy - puppy in my pocket

    book - shopkins (she does't even have a shopkins book)

    song - jump into the light

    tv show - My Little Pony

    movie - Ninjago (really it's another tv show)

    thing to do - play

    game - basketball (she's never played it)

    sport - What's a sport?

    animal - kitty

Who is your best friend? Alexis

What is your favorite thing about yourself? I'm great and I'm peaceful. 

Three things that make you special:

    1. I love my life

    2. It's so nice to be nice

    3. It's so nice to be a girl

Humble is obviously Isla's middle name! My inlaws took Isla out for her birthday the other night and she said to them, "Don't you wish you were me?" Oh, that girl. 

Isla requested mint oreos for her school party this year. She had never even had them until we were on vacation this summer. And she only eats the middle part. But I obliged and that's what everyone had. After never really liking milk, she developed a love of milk a few months ago. She also really likes tomatoes, really any fruit, and cream cheese. She always scrapes the cream cheese off a bagel and licks it off her finger. 

Isla is great, no amazing, at independent play. She plays with all sorts of toys and also loves coloring and drawing. Some of her current favorite toys are shopkins and my little pony. She also still plays with legos a lot. And her books get used on a daily basis. She isn't too picky about her books and seems to like all of them. She has also gotten really into makeup lately, which totally scares me. She actually carried an Ulta ad with her everywhere she went for several days in a row. And I have totally heard her talking to other girls about makeup. She obviously didn't get that from me, so it must be something ingrained in her! 

Isla really is a fun one to have around. No one has ever accused her of having a lack of personality…or energy, for that matter!!! I love this little girl so much and am glad she is a part of our family. 

^^ I just love the genuine look of joy on her face. 

You can also find me on:

bloglovin // instagram // pinterest

Callum {10 months}

Weight: 19 pounds, 4 ounces

Length: 28 inches

Likes: all food, making loud noises…with his mouth and banging things together, going for walks in his stroller, watching his brother and sister, especially if they are being crazy, paper

Dislikes: night time sleep, missing his nap, not being given food when he wants it

This kid, I tell ya, he really does win the award for easiest kid during waking hours. Obviously, there would have to be such an award. But I may make one, just for him. He really is just so happy and content. Sure he likes playing with his toys, but he also likes watching life go by around him. And he especially likes it if I throw some food in front of him when he is sitting there. 

Speaking of sitting, the kid still isn't crawling. He can scoot around sitting up on our hardwood floors. But, he doesn't even get into the crawling position. In fact, on his belly, he seems to enjoy imitating a beached whale. He puts his arms and legs in the air and moves them around as fast as possible. I noticed him starting to try to stand when he can grab onto things that are low enough to help. 

Food wise, he eats pretty much anything and likes it all. When he is eating and wants more, he starts waving his hands in the air. I find it rather entertaining. New this month, he has tried steak, bacon and a doughnut. I am sure there is more that I am forgetting. I pretty much just give him some of what we are eating and let him go to town. He has also mastered sucking out the contents of those baby food pouches. He doesn't get them that often, but it is quite convenient that he can now just suck on them. I don't even have to dirty a spoon ;)

Callum is still taking two stellar naps a day, as long as they aren't insanely messed up by the other kids schedules! He really is an amazing napper though. After a pretty bad rough patch, he is getting better at night sleep again. But, I have to admit, I found myself completely smitten at 5:25 on Saturday morning when he woke up oh-so-smiley. It was just me and him, smiling away at each other. Of course, the adorable moment only lasted a couple minutes before I made him go back to bed. But it really was a sweet moment, just the two of us. 

Size wise, Callum has moved into size 4 diapers. This has really helped me not have to get up and change him at night. So, awesome for that. He has grown out of much of his 6-12 month clothing and is wearing a lot of 12-18 month. Though I have noticed the jump in pant length is a couple inches, so they are a decent amount long on him, but I am sure he will grow into them…and back out of them…before I know it. There is this adorable knit sweater that is 6-12 months that I started putting on him at like three months. I just rolled up the sleeves and all was good. It is getting snug on him and I am a little sad because I really liked it and he has been able to wear it for so long. But, I would much rather him growing than not! 

Callum really enjoys showers. He gets quite excited banging around at the water and will even turn his face up and let the water hit it. He also likes chilling in the cozy coupe car when I am making dinner. He really likes gnawing on books too. But I am guessing that is a side effect of teething. And anything he can bang together is alright in his book too. 

In a modern day parenting fail, I apparently did not write a 10 month update for Connor. Here's Isla's. From the sound of things, her drama (or "spice" as I now like to call it) started early. Maybe that means contentment will be one of Callum's personality traits. A mom can hope!

You can also find me on:

bloglovin // instagram // pinterest

41/52

Connor: He's growing up so fast. But at least he will still hold my hand at school and doesn't care if his face is covered in the remnants of his pb&j. 

Isla: This girl gave us quite the spicy week. Then, one morning, I curled up in her bed with her and we told each other what we dreamed about in the night. After many a rough times this week, it was just pure bliss. 

Callum: This is the face you give when your mom introduces you to bacon, then tells you its all gone. He really liked the bacon. 

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2016."

You can also find me on:

bloglovin // instagram // pinterest

Stop and...

…watch the dust fall. I know, I know, you thought I was gong to say smell the roses there. I am going somewhere with that dust though. But first, what do you even write about when your last post becomes your MOST VIEWED POST OF ALL TIME within hours?! Oddly enough, my last most viewed post was also a bit of a rant from a few years ago. Apparently people like the rants.

But back to the dust. A couple days ago, I was sitting on the kitchen floor with Callum. The lighting was just right where you could see the dust falling through the air. Callum kept trying to grab it and it was totally entertaining me. But it also transported me back to my own childhood. I remember laying on my bedroom floor on Hazelwood Ave in Phoenix watching the dust fall. I also remember watching the clouds move from that very same window. To this day, watching clouds move still fascinates me…and apparently so does dust.

That falling dust really got my brain going. I don't consider myself an overly busy person. I am really pretty good at saying no. But I still get busy. I spend time cleaning the house instead of watching the dust fall with my kids. I have really been trying the last couple months to make sure to my kids, I am the "yes" mom. The mom that says yes when they ask me to play clue jr, school or shopkins with them.  I really, really want to lay that foundation with them now. That foundation that I am here for them. That they ARE IMPORTANT. That they ARE ENOUGH for me.

I often wonder why as adults some are close to their parents and others not. I do believe part of it is how the relationship was when they were children. Now I am not talking about being an over the top, creepily involved parent. But I am talking about my kids knowing they are more important than whatever it is that I have going on. My dad was always amazing at making sure my brothers and I knew that. That is certainly a trait I want to take from him and put in my parenting arsenal.

So here's to staring at the dust falling with my baby, playing shopkins with my preschooler and reading long books with my kid…even if the bathroom remains dirty and dinner gets on the table a little late.

You can also find me on:

bloglovin // instagram // pinterest 

DEATH TO THE WEEKLY DATE NIGHT MYTH

It isn't often I pull out my soap box these days. But I went ahead and dusted if off, just for this…

I remember after we had Connor feeling like I was letting Ian down, letting our marriage down, because we couldn't have a weekly date night. Heck, we couldn't even have a monthly date night! We lived oceans away from our family and friends. We managed to leave Connor a couple times with friends we had made, but that was it. But all I heard from people over and over was how crucial a weekly date night is to a marriage surviving. 

Fast forward almost seven years and three children and I would like to kill the myth that the cornerstone of every great marriage (with children) is a weekly date night. Let's be honest, for most of us, it just isn't a reality. Who has the time, money or energy for a weekly date night while also wrangling children? It doesn't mean we don't love our husbands or cherish our marriages, it's just a reality. 

I've grown to realize that crappy marriages have weekly date nights (though great ones have it too) and amazing marriages rarely ever get a night out (of course, there's crappy ones in this category as well). What really matters is what happens in between those date nights. It's the mutual love and respect. The holding hands in bed and talking, even if there is a baby in between you. It's the long, lingering hugs and quick kisses stolen while loading groceries in the car together. 

Just as a marriage isn't made from a wedding, a marriage also isn't made from weekly date nights. Rather, it really is every other moment in between those date nights. Don't get me wrong, date nights rock for so many reasons. I love having uninterrupted time with Ian. But, I also love giving him a knowing glance when our kids are being lunatics. Or laughing at the chaos that is dinner every night in our house…please tell me we aren't the only ones who's kids "finish" eating and run around like crazy people, not letting you finish your meal in peace!?

I sometimes feel we do people a disservice by going on and on about how important (and incredibly unpractical) a weekly date night is. We make it seem that if a babysitter isn't hired and a fancy meal not enjoyed, then it doesn't matter. But I am hear to tell you that a glass of wine on the front porch after the kids go to bed is just as good…if not better because you don't have a big babysitting bill at the end! So please, for the love of marriage, stop going on and on about how the weekly date night will save marriages. 

Ok, I'm putting my soap box back in storage again. It will be cute pictures of my kids and talk of my house from here on out…until something irks me enough again to pull it back out. I get much better at keeping my opinions to myself the older I get. Maybe it's maturity, maybe it's my brain cells being used up by my children. Who really knows?! 

You can also find me on:

bloglovin // instagram // pinterest

40/52

Connor: It's funny to me how even when school and homework dominate his days, he still wants to play school at home. 

Isla: Always up for alone play time. 

Callum: Working on more teeth. 

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2016."

You can also find me on:

bloglovin // instagram // pinterest