Hat and a Baby

Why do we adults do silly things like this?

Because of faces like this...

...and because soon they will be pushing you off, wanting to explore on their own.  

Mila upon waking up

If we can, we like to all go in when we hear Mila talking after she's woken up.  We all open the door together and sing her "Good morning to you" even if it's the afternoon.  Mila is smiling and happy about 95% of the time she wakes up - what a blessing!

 She still sleeps in her woombie swaddle blanket, but it feels good to stretch when she wakes up!

 little feet!

   

 The Avi crawls in bed to snuggle with her sister.

I love how Avi is cradled around her sister - protecting and loving on her.

Mila likes her toes!

 Avi started acting a little too "wild" so we took Mila out of the crib and let Avi jump her sillies out!

 Mila had just learned how to crawl just a few days before this!

Avi coaching her sister on, probably saying something like "Ok Little Mila, you can do it.  You can crawl, I know you can."  She's always talking real sweet encouraging words to her little sister.

Daddy is all the man she needs

We are watching The Little Mermaid right now and Ariel falls in love with Prince Eric. While Ariel is stroking his face, Avi innocently says, "That's her daddy." I realize with a full heart that every man that a woman loves wholly & deeply is a daddy. She loves her dad & he's a daddy. I love Michael & he's a daddy. I love Boppy & he's a daddy.

Thank God she's got a good daddy to set the tone of love for her life & as a standard of kindness for her marriage someday.

Mila Clapping and Crawling!

On the way to Avi's parent participation class one morning when Mila was 10 1/2 months old, Avi said Mila's clapping!  She's clapping! We were listening to the Babel record by Mumford and Sons and sure enough Mila was clapping to the music! Well, we get to school and Mila starts clapping the second the music is sung by the kids! Amazing!  Yesterday she didn't know how to clap and today she can do it on queue!

Avi so proud of her little sister comes to give her a kiss.

Mila started crawling the day after this picture was taken - she's still trying to figure it out here...

Little hands and little feet.

 Her clapping hands don't meet perfectly, but everyone knew what she was doing!

Emotional Beings

Millie and Avi were playing the other day with Michael in the room.  All of a sudden I hear desperate, soulful crying coming from both of them in the room.  I hurriedly walk in and ask Michael what is happening?  He shrugs his shoulders and says They both just started crying... Afterwards, we still couldn't figure it out! It was the silliest and strangest thing, but this is pretty much normal for a preschooler!  They just are so emotional!  These pictures took place over about 90 seconds - Avi goes from wretched lost soul to happy-maker!

and Mila just watched the whole thing! 

Kauai - Pedersen Family First Annual Vacation

It started out pretty rough - 6 of us crammed in an 8 passanger SUV with 5 people's luggage, rush hour traffic, at 6am!  

Avi trailing her backpack Mimi got her.  

 Finally there!

 Avi, while FaceTiming with Daddy, said, "Can you drive over to Hawaii and read me a book tonight?"  She missed her Daddy who reads to her every night.

 Avi and Boppy really getting into constructing sand castles!

I looked over and saw Avi shoving sand down Mila's diaper.  Mila didn't mind at all!  Ha!

  

Avi and I wanted some ice cream, but I had to change Mila's diaper, so I asked Avi if she could wait in line (it was a LONG line, too), hold the money, order, and then get the change and ice cream and bring it to me. She agreed and actually did it!  I was so proud - and she was, too!

Mila!

This yarn was for Pacha until she had her baby.  She had her baby about 5 days after this picture was taken. I was thinking about her a lot and how far away I was.  

 

I love my momma!

I love this little monkey!

  Waimea Canyon - stunning views and all I can stare at is this little baby in my arms!

Locals that can make more money doing this than construction which is their profession.  

Take out Mexican food on the beach!

Avi and I took a little hike on the path on the other side of our fence! Can you believe all this was just 10 feet from our back door?!

Avi took this picture!

Avi climbing the "pancake" rocks.

We took Mila out there when she woke up!

... Mila and Clementine.

Finally Finn arrives!

oh, and Brant, Reef and Aryn, too!

Extra curls in all this humidity!

Diaper change.

This restaurant had amazing mixed drinks!

Even Michael's into it!  (Daddy's arrived!  Life is complete.)

God, thank you for every one of these moments.

Happy momma!

Mila's just happy to be part of the bunch!

Mila, Aryn, Reef and I went hiking the end of the road trail.  Good, long hike!

 This is the most stunning hike in the world.  And my second favorite hike in the world. Not bad!

Oh, I love you little Mila! 

Aryn's hiking strategy - the 3 B's: baby, barefoot, beer!

Bali Hai!

Easter Sunday!

Got all four kids in one shot!

checking to see if any teeth came in during the photo shoot.

 Brant and I had fun hiding all those eggs - think everyone else was pretty hung over and didn't want to go outside in the bright light and bend over to hide eggs!

 Avi is just so happy to be with her sister!  She sings to her.  I love seeing all the love they share for each other so effortlessly and naturally.

At our favorite restaurant.

 I was surfing at this beach half an hour earlier when Pacha's baby Max was born.  

Love this picture of my mom - you can see how precious she is holding Reef and this moment with him.

Date night!  They closed the bar at 9pm, but kicked us all out by 8:55pm!  That's okay, we had a nice walk on the moonlit beach nearby!

The yellow dot is Avi, the red dot is Mimi.  Avi was having a meltdown and Mimi went back to her, thanks Mimi!

My favorite picture from the entire trip!

mahogany forest

 Avi led the hike - she was so far in front of us at times we couldn't see her!

Double kayaks are difficult to sync paddle!  We had fun, though! 

Saw lots of these turtles on our kayak trip.

walking on water.

our guide ate a lot of chocolate.

this beach had massive waves this day - the biggest seen by locals all year!

I seriously didn't even know Reef was there - I don't think he knew!  He just slept! Sweet, babe.