Sun Valley

Sun Valley

9.16.2012

I didn't take very many pictures.  I was too busy having fun.

What do we do when life starts getting us down?  Go for a hike!

Bron has been extremely busy and a little stressed with work these past few weeks.  And me?  Well, my house is a mess, I'm sleep deprived, and my two year old throws level 10 tantrums all day long.  Intuitively, I knew it was time for a little stress reliever; a little getaway for the two of us to relax and reconnect.  Plus, now that I'm not pregnant, I've been itching to get out in the fresh air, explore something new, and have ourselves a little mini adventure.  So Saturday morning we dropped Jed off with a neighbor and drove two hours north to Sun Valley, where all the celebrities hang out.  It is BEAUTIFUL there; I've never been before.  The mountains and trees were gorgeous and the weather absolutely perfect.  There is so much to do there too; we barely scratched the surface.

Well, we didn't rub shoulders with any celebrities, but we did get up close and personal with the mountain.  We strapped Levi into the front pack (it reminded me of THIS HIKE we did when Jed was about the same age) and started up Bald Mountain.  Bron and I spent four hours on the mountain hiking, holding hands, engaging in meaningless conversation, and talking about what we want for the future.  It was the perfect mind-clearing stress relieving activity.

After our hike, nothing sounded better than a juicy burger so we headed on over to a local restaurant named Lefty's.  The burgers and monkey (spicy) fries hit the spot!  And then, of course, we had to make a pit stop at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory for a treat... and payment for our sweet neighbor who took care of Jed all day.  Who doesn't love a good slab of fudge?

Thanks Sun Valley for a beautiful day!  You betcha we'll be back for more.

 I enjoy holding my little companion close.  The constant rocking kept Levi asleep most of the afternoon.
I also love those smiles other women give me when they see such a tiny baby. 

Autumn is coming!

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Snapshots of Life Lately

Snapshots of Life Lately

9.14.2012

In no particular order, a photo purge.  Enjoy!

It's football season!  Bron is making sure our boys get an early education in the sport.//Chillaxin outside//Jed and cousin Leah playing in the fountain//I love holding my tiny baby//Levi 4 weeks//Precious sleeper//A little rough housing with Dad in the evening//"High!"//A post Sunday walk rainbow//Sunday afternoon nap//Watching cartoons on the iphone//Levi snoozing in the swing//Early morning entertainment from Jed//Big brother comforting his little brother with a pacifer//Brothers' first hangout//A smile!//The pose//My favorite picture of them all! 

  

 This is my life: Two Little Boys.
From the looks of it all, life has been treating us very well.

I am still in awe over this new tiny person that now lives with us.  I just can't seem to get enough of him.  Levi has been working on his smile and developing his voice.  It is so stinkin' cute!  He is becoming more alert and aware of his surroundings everyday.  He's growing right before my eyes.  I think I see one more little crease growing on his tiny thighs every time I change a diaper (which is more times than I can keep track of in a day).  Levi has been a perfect happy baby from day one... except in the evenings.  He tends to get quite fussy in the evenings.  I've surrendered my arms to him and leave the dinner dishes in the sink til morning.  But I don't love him any less.  In fact, it's my excuse to hold him and rock him until he falls asleep around 10PM.  The last few nights he's slept a solid four or five hour stretch!  I can't believe it.  I feel wonderful.  I thought the first night was a fluke; it's such a drastic change from getting up every 2.5 hours all night long and I'm grateful.  Levi, you will never know how much I love you.  I have every curve of your tiny face memorized.

Jed has been 2 parts drive me crazy and 1 part melt-my-heart cute.  I love that kid, I really do.  He makes me laugh and smile all day long, but he makes me want to pull my hair out too!  They say the terrible two's don't last forever.  I'm not sure I believe them right now.  However, Jed has started to take a genuine interest in Levi.  He likes to sit over Levi and play with his hand or shove a pacifer into his mouth.  Who knew love could be so rough?  Levi doesn't seem to care though.  He just looks at Jed with adoring eyes.  As their mother, I am enjoying what I see.  I hope they become good friends one day.

Other mothers warned me about how busy I'd be with two little ones.  They warned me about the hard days and crazy moments.  But they didn't warn me about how much I would actually enjoy this mothering gigue; how much pure JOY I would feel everyday.  Like today when I was feeling exhausted and overwhelmed.  I was carrying Levi in my arms while putting lunch on the table when he smiled up at me.  He really smiled!  Over and over again.  I stopped what I was doing and we had a little "conversation".  It made everything I'd been concerned about wash away.  These boys of mine know just when I need a good hug or a genuine smile to lift my spirits.  Kids are awesome.

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Running

Running

9.10.2012

So it's a week early (just 5 weeks postpartum), but I don't care.  I feel great and my legs have been itching to go running.  I've missed it so much: the fresh air, the adrenaline, feeling like I'm doing something for myself.  Bron bought me these brand new shoes on Saturday and we tried them out.  I ran three miles on Saturday (Bron pushed the double stroller) and two miles this morning (It's much harder pushing a stroller!  Tubby needs to learn to ride a bike).  They weren't fast miles and they were a bit tough, but the point is that I conquered.

Running is addicting.  I've set a goal to run a half marathon next spring.  Mark my words, I'm going to do it!  Plus, the side effects are a big plus: like slimming down and fitting back into my old skinny jeans.  Goodbye pear shaped postpartum body!  Helllooo cute mama!  I did it once, I can do it again.  Right?

Okay, who am I kidding?  We all know it was really the nursing that sucked me skinny.  I want to nurse fooorever!  Not really, but I do for the extra calories. 

Next up: sit-ups and push-ups.  I'm reserving some humor for these.  If you've ever had your stomach muscles pulled apart like barbeque pork, you know what I'm talking about.  Remember LAST TIME? 

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The First Weekend in September

The First Weekend in September

9.06.2012

... we went on a family hike!  We couldn't let the the beautiful sunny weather pass us by on Labor Day, so we packed the kids--that's still strange to say; it's plural--in carriers and headed up a little trail in the Sawtooth National Forest just a few miles from our home.  (It's more like a forest of sagebrush.  The desert definitely has a beauty of its own.)  It felt great to be out in the fresh air and enjoying some time together as a family.  Jed even did a little "hiking" on his own.  He enjoyed a half mile of walking (aka. scraping his knees), throwing rocks, smelling little flowers, and making car noises before climbing back into the backpack to eat some candy.  Bron definitely had the harder job carrying Jed and all the water and snacks, but he's tough like that.  I think we'll be doing it again soon.

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Blessing Day

Blessing Day

9.05.2012

Last Sunday was Levi's big day!  It was the day he was blessed by his dad in church.  Levi looked so sweet and handsome in his white outfit.  Bron gave him a wonderful blessing.  I cried like a crazy lady.  I'm blaming postpartum hormones.  I just felt overwhelmed with love for my family.  I feel so lucky to have such an incredible husband and to have two little boys of my very own!  Knowing that they are mine forever just makes the thought that much sweeter.

After church we had a house full of friends and family over for a teriyaki chicken and pork lunch barbequed by our very own Chef Bron.  It was delicious!  (Bron has a true talent for cooking.)  We rounded everything out with lots of dessert and good conversation.  And Levi, of course, was the star of the afternoon; he got lots of love and attention.

Happy Blessing Day, Baby Boy!  We sure are glad to have you as part of our family.

Note:  I really wanted to get a family picture, finally!  But we were running late for church and when we arrived home, Jed was ready for a nap and Bron had changed into shorts and a t-shirt before I could blink.  So I opted for some mother-son pictures.  Moms can never have enough pictures of themselves with their babies.

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Levi Wade at One Month

Levi Wade at One Month

9.03.2012

Levi turns one month old today.  It's been a whole month since that special day in the hospital when my baby boy was born!  I would relive that moment over and over again if I could.  Life has been a blissful blur.  The month blew by so fast!  I knew it would.  It leaves me with a lump in the back of my throat knowing that Levi is a day older, a few ounces bigger... I wish I could put time on pause because I'm not quite ready to let this newborn stage go; it's too fleeting.  My baby should always fit so snugly in the crook of my arm, shouldn't he?  Luckily, I have Jed and I know what comes next.  As much as I'll miss my baby as a newborn, I can't wait to be a part of those precious firsts: first belly laugh, first taste of real food, first steps, and best of all, first time sleeping through the night!

Levi, I knew I would love you before you were born, but I wasn't prepared for you to steal my heart the way you have.  You are the perfect little addition to our family.  I can't imagine life without you now; I love you so much! 

A little about Levi in his first month:

::  He is so sweet!  And good-natured. 

::  He is attached to his momma.  (Consequently, I am smitten and wrapped around his tiny pinky finger.)

::  His smile is funny and adorably cute.

::  He sleeps best with his head on my chest, just above my heart.

::  His eyes captivate me.  His coos melt my heart.

Levi is totally a keeper.

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