Sunday, May 29, 2016

7 Months

Hi Sweet Pea!

You actually turned 8 months today, so I am WAY behind, but so many fun things have happened I had to make sure I captured your 7th month first!!

April was BUSY!! We moved into a temporary home with awesome friends and you immediately became the most popular roommate. You love having lots of people around to play with, especially since they all are willing to give you plenty of attention.

Your side-by-side shot with Walter came a little early this month. Walter is starting to become your favorite friend to snuggle with, and you love trying to eat his hair. That is, until you actually get it in your mouth and feel the crazy texture!

So far you're not a very picky eater, and mom is grateful for that. You love sweet potatoes and squash the most.



We did LOTS of Disney in April! We spent an evening together at EPCOT for the Flower and Garden festival, and it was fun to have some bonding time with just the three of us. Then, later in the month while the Woolstons' were in town we decided to actually enjoy Disneyworld as true vacationers. We stayed in a villa at the Animal Kingdom lodge all together, and you experienced group tubby time, hanging out in the pool, and LOTS of good times at the parks. We love that Time Out for Women brings Chrislyn and family here every other year, so we can have a few days of vacation time together.


After Disney with the Woolstons' we hopped right on a plane to Utah. The Nortons' were in town for spring break, so we finally got all the cousins together!


Mimi and Papa loved getting in snuggle time with you, and you started thinking a lot more about mobility with so many other kids around! 




While we were in town we made a quick trip to Logan to see Grandma Louise and Aunt Arvae. I'm so grateful that Grandma has been able to see you a few times while she is still with us. Neither of you will remember, but we have the photo evidence that it happened. And we love to visit with Aunt Arvae. She is so special to us, and she loved snuggling with you. 


You stayed in for a night with Mimi and Papa while Mom and Dad caught up with Dougie. His roots are in Florida, but home is now Utah, so he's been added to the list of reasons we need to make it to Utah every so often. We also got in a visit with the Bentleys'. They just welcomed another little buddy into their family, and we can't wait for the two of you to meet!


We also took a night at Emily's request to go on an epic space adventure! There is an elementary school that has built out Star Trekesque adventures, and we manned a space ship, communicated with enemies and allies, and successfully saved 150 people from being taken captive by the Romulans. It stressed me out and I totally had Star Trek dreams after, but it was super fun!


We experimented a lot more with foods this month, and in all transparency, a few of them were definitely to keep you occupied at rough moments. You tried crackers, Delta cookies, root beer, and suckers during our trip to Utah. We also discovered dried mangoes are a great way to keep you busy for a good 30 minutes, as long as we've got the energy for the post-mango mess.

Dad was off all month, and clearly we took full advantage of our time together. There were lots of long days this month, and you handled all the travel and craziness like a champ. However, there was no doubt you were as blissfully happy as we were to be back in your very own bed. In fact, you sighed such a contented sigh as you felt the crib beneath you that first night home.

Devin, you make us so happy! We love sharing life's adventures with you, and love to watch you take it all in. You are becoming more determined every day, and it's amazing to watch you discover the things you are capable of, and the exciting things that surround you. This is such a fun time, as this month you really started to emerge from the infant stage into a little person. We can't wait for all the adventures ahead.

Love,

Mom










Thursday, May 26, 2016

Motherhood is Beautiful



On a random evening a few weeks ago, our dear friend and roommate (who also happens to be an incredible wedding photographer) offered to take some "6 month" photos for us. I have not done any professional photos of Devin since he was born and I decided it was about time. We gathered up a few props, threw ourselves together, and headed off to a nearby orange grove.

"Magical" is pretty much how I would describe the end result. McKenzie perfectly captured the essence of our family, and all the emotion, love, and joy I feel in motherhood through the lens of her camera for us to cherish the rest of our lives. She perfectly captured Devin's beautiful and expressive blue eyes, his curiosity, and his sweetness. She also captured the love Brad and I feel for each other and for our son.

Everyday of motherhood is not magic. In the midst of teething, and Devin learning to move around sometimes it's actually emotionally and physically exhausting. I've absolutely given up the freedom of doing things at my convenience, and I'm not sure what it feels like to get a full night's rest anymore. But even in the hardest moments I feel an immeasurable gratitude for the opportunity of raising an incredible little soul. His smile and big blue eyes light up my world everyday. I am grateful when he finally drifts off to sleep, but I miss him before he's awake again. I discover the world anew everyday through his experience, and I can't wait to see the person he chooses to become.