no cooperation

Teagen showed no cooperation in our photoshoot last weekend. Good thing I saved the really cute dress and I'll take her out by herself. I did manage to get a couple of them together that I am going to print pretty big for the house. I don't really care about smiles in pictures, I just wanted some that described the two of them. I think these are perfect!

sea world

Teagen endured the trip to Sea World. She actually took a short nap in the Ergo while I painfully suffered (after opting to put her in it on my chest and not on my back) and wondered why my kids won't nap in a stroller??? Either way, she actually had a really great time. She enjoyed the Shamu show and feeding the dolphins.

the swimsuit debate

Always so much chitter chatter in the 'mommy' world about what swimsuits they will/will not let their daughters wear. To each his own but this year, my babe sported an itty bitty yellow polka dot bikini and another stylish one piece with a white/black/pink motif. Ahh...I'll worry about any long term repercusions when she is old enough to actually remember what swimsuit she wore...for now, it's just too cute to pass up and people should stop making a stink out of nothing...I'm just saying! :)

little smacker

Teagen loves food. Sure, she can be picky but she loves her food. I mean, she sits back, props her feet up on her chair and just enjoys. Many times, she can be found smacking her lips after every single bit. She also savors her food. She isn't a slow eater, it's just that she enjoys every piece that goes into her mouth. She is so willing to try new things. Today she had a tomato, jicima and some red bell pepper. She liked them all. That's just her personality.

I feel slightly guilty about the above picture...really, we do have pink bowls and girly bibs, it just didn't happen that day :)

Fun in the hot, hot sun

Outside, for the most part, is our 'safe' zone. I am not sure if it's the heat, or the fresh air or the plethora of toys in our yard but whatever the reason, when we go outside, the bickering seems to subside. They play together or sometimes they just do their own thing. Teagen loves to jump on the trampoline and swing. Eli loves his sandbox and mighty machines. But, they both find common ground in having lawnmower races around the yard and playing with the water table. Of course the water table only last so long until Eli decides to splash his sister but that's a whole other blog.

well, hello there

T had a bad case of high fever/roseola/ear infection/pure pitafullness last week and, thanks to the rescue of my parents, I got to spend some quality one on one time with just her. It was so nice. We did girl things(well, once the fever subsided). We went shopping and to the mall and out to eat. It was so much fun. Although I had never been partial to having a boy or a girl, I sure feel lucky to have this little dainty thing in my life. She is a piece of me that I never knew was missing. We bought some fun new dresses and a first 'purse' for her. Who knows, another couple of days and we might have been sporting matching mani and pedi's...only time, only time.

It's been a really long time since I took out my camera with my own children. Sure, we have been taking snapshots with the point and shoot, which I love, however my standards are 'slightly' higher for quality and although I love the pictures, I will probably never print them. This makes me sad. So many months that I have missed of Teagen. So many moments and things. I need to do better. I will do better.

I made it a point to take out my camera for a little while when it was just her. My goal is to take a picture(with my camera) everyday. One of her and one of Eli. I was so happy with how these came out. It really showcases who she is. She is a spitfire. An inquisitive little thing. So easily pleased but yet so demanding. So many smiles and so.much.laughter.

freezing time

I really wish that I could just close my eyes and freeze time. That I could hold onto these moments for a little while longer. In between the sibling bickering and the "my teeth freakin hurt" screaming, I just want to hold onto everything that my little baby is doing. How she would like nothing more than to just sit on the couch with me, she just wants to be close.me. How she will hold up her arms and say "up" until I put her in my lap and then 30 seconds later she looks at me and says "get down". I just want it to last.forever. How she toddles around all day holding onto her favorite containers or picking up the biggest item that she can possible get into her little chubby hands and carry it around. How she knows exactly where her shoes are and diligently tries to put them on and when she can't, she will track you down with shoes in hand and plop her little heiny down and hold up her shoes until you willingly ablige to put them on. How when I tell her she needs a new diaper, she will go find one and bring it to me. I just want to close my eyes and remember. How she has so much love to give, she will always trek over to give her mommy a kiss. How sometimes whenever I go and get her in the morning after she has woken up, she decides that she is still a little tired so she snuggles in and I rock her back to sleep. How she is so fiercly independent. She loves to play by herself and is just as much engaged by a little rock on the ground as some obnoxiously loud toy. How she wants to do everything that her big brother does. He walks, she wants to walk. He drinks something, she wants to drink something. I'm just gonna close my eyes so that I can remember. How she 'smiles' for the camera. How she loves to laugh and her belly rolls can be heard throughout the house. How she runs to you with the biggest arms ever and then clutches on to your shoulders as if she has won the lottery. How in every single way, she is her own person. Not her daddy, not I nor her brother. She is just who she is. A little firecracker with a heart of gold. Yes, let it just last forever.