Month 7

Our little Livi is 7 months old...

This little cherub is such a sweet girl.

Her great big smile can brighten even the darkest of days...and her laugh is so contagious.

Oh how we adore her.

I could go on and on about all the things I love about our little lady, but I'll stick to just a few...

I love these thighs!!!

Seriously...don't you just want to squeeze them?!

I love that she is really into "mom" these days...even though there are times when I just wish I could have a few minutes to myself...it does melt my heart to know that she wants to be near me all...the...Time!

I love that my girls love each other...they really are kindred spirits.

I love the faces Liv's makes when she is upset. This girl can scream and she isn't afraid of letting the whole neighborhood hear it.

I love that she is a perfect mix of Jared and me.

I love her eyes...Oh those eyes!!


I love that she is part of our family...

Forever...

There is so much more to our darling babe...like how I love that she is trying so hard to crawl, how she loves to eat Cheerios's and drink out of a cup...and those slobbery kisses that I just can't get enough of.

See I told you I could go on and on...

Happy 7 months to you, our Little Livi Lou!

My Cute Family

Our good friend, Mackenzie, takes beautiful photographs...

So it was a no brain-er to ask her to take our family portraits.

She is seriously amazing...and this is why...

We live about 5 minutes from Puget sound...right across from Whidby Island.

I really wanted to get our pictures taken down by the water, because the view is breathtaking.

Well the day we had our pictures taken it was windy...really windy...like Gale Force Winds on Whidby Island windy...but we went for it anyways.

Besides the fact that in some of the pics my hair is blowing around all crazy-like, I am in love with how they turned out.

Mackenzie did such a great job I couldn't pick just a few to share with everyone...

So here they are...

My cute little family of four.

...And here are the one's we took of the girls inside...

I saved my favorite for last...this is so beautiful...

So you should definitely check out Mackenzie's Photography Blog, because she can make beautiful pictures for you too...

...and while your at it check out my other friend Danielle's blog...she can make you a really cute blog to go along with your really cute pictures!!

November is...

Adoption changed our life...

It's how I became a mother...

It's how this adorable, sweet, precious baby girl became ours...Forever.

And because of Adoption we have had the priveledge of seeing her grow into this...

Photo by Mackenzie Roberts Photography

"I didn't give you the gift of life,
But in my heart I know.
The love I feel is deep and real,
As if it had been so.
For us to have each other
Is like a dream come true!
No, I didn't give you
The gift of life,
Life gave me the gift of you."

Author: Unknown

Adoption truly is a Miracle...

and there are people I know who are hoping for their miracle.

They need your help to find their babies.

If you know of a birthmom who is considering placing her baby for adoption, please tell her about my friends...

John and Ashley

Tyler and Jen

Halloween 2009

We had fun....Hope you did too!

Month Six

I remember the day well...like it happened just yesterday.

My contractions started at 3:00 am, becoming consistent at 5:00am.

I was admitted to the hospital by noon and 12 hours and fourteen minutes later Olivia Paige entered this world......screaming!!

I of course was crying...tears of pure joy

Olivia is now 6 months old.

This time around I was well aware of how fast babies grow. I've tried to savor moments a little longer...but no matter how hard I try...time is still fleeting too quickly.

Livi is now...

18 lbs. 8.5 oz (91.36%)

26.5" (78.62%)

I have come to the conclusion that we just grow big babies in our home...and I like it. It just means more pudge to pinch and hopefully I'll have some amazing upper arm strength by the time she learns how to walk.

Happy six months to you...Our little Livi Lou!

What we've been up to...

October has been a busy month for us. Between preschool, swim lessons, meetings, church callings, work and what not, time has slipped by rather quickly.

So this post is mainly for the Grandma's...

who I know are itchin' for some new pictures of the girls.

We Love fall here in the Northwest...even if it means that rain is most likely in the forecast for the next several months. Our family has tried to take advantage of the few dry days we have had and spend sometime outdoors.

It's been pretty breezy lately...perfect for kite flying.

Bella went on her first field trip with her preschool class to a pumpkin patch.

She was so proud of the pumpkin she picked.

It was fun to be able to have a special day with my girl...Isabella called it a "Mommy and Bella date."

And lastly...here is Bella in all her goofy glory. She came out of the bathroom with these stuck to her head...kinda like Velcro. There is never a dull moment with this girl.

Year Seven...

October 4th was our 7 year wedding aniversary...

7 years!

I have been thinking lately about all the things that have happened throughout those seven years...and I can't help but feel so blessed.

I could not have gotten through some of the last seven years without Jared by my side...and I have come to realize many things...one of which is this...

you know you have been married awhile when celebrating your aniversary includes a yummy dinner and browsing through Ikea...

but for me, it was a perfect way to celebrate...

Seriously...I got a whole two hours to have Jared all to myself...I could have cared less what we did.

Happy seven years to us!

Month Five...

Olivia Paige is 5 months old.

So, to celebrate her five month birthday here are five fun facts about our little Livs...

She is our little chubby bubby, tipping the scales at 16 lbs 9 oz.

Livi finally figured out how to roll over about a week and a half ago.

She's been sitting up all by herself for a couple weeks now.

She's our happy little girl...

who enjoys wrestling with her big sister.

Happy 5 months to you...our little Livi Lou!

and just for fun here is a picture of Bella at five months.

ahh...I heart my girls!

Marching to the beat of their own drum...

My two Girls definitely have their own agenda.

For example...at 4.5 months this little lady still hasn't figured out how to roll over...but she can sit all by herself...unassisted.

Despite her little health issues she is still such a happy baby...

Then there is this little lady who isn't so little anymore...

Bella started preschool this week. When I dropped her off she was so excited to go into the classroom she took off without even saying goodbye...she did however stop at the door, turn towards me and with her heart melting grin told me she loves me...ahhhh!

Isabella is such a goofball. We are amazed at the things she comes up with that constantly keep us laughing. (This is a Halloween costume for a 6-12 month old baby. She was determined to make it fit)

It is clear to me that my girls march to the beat of their own drum...and they are making beautiful music all along their way.

Reflux Sucks!

Someday... the words "sucks" will be one of those words my kids will be forbidden to use...

But for now it seems totally fitting for this post.

Reflux is not fun...and I am not just talking about the kind that makes our little Olivia spit up everything that goes in her mouth.

Last week, Olivia went into Children's Hospital In Seattle to have a renal Ultrasound and a VCUG. It was at this time that she was diagnosed with

Grade I Vesicoureteral Reflux.

We just went into the doctor again yesterday and Olivia has yet another bladder infection. Her second in 3.5 weeks.

Our little lady now has to be on antibiotics for 5-6 months.

However, despite her not feeling well, she still manages to make my heart melt with all her cuteness.

We are hopeful this is something that she will out grow soon. Thank goodness for modern medicine and amazing health benefits!