Avi is reading more and more. She read her first sentence this month, "The rat sat on a mat." It is so fun watching someone piece together sounds soling using symbols (letters) and make up words! I love teaching her to read! She's a squirmy little thing, and our lessons only last about 10-15 minutes a day, but it's so fun!
Mila does the cutest thing at night around 6:30 (she's in bed by 7:00) or before her nap if she's really tired: she spins around in circles! Just like a tired puppy before he plops down.
Mila also really started talking this month. Her vocabulary is probably around 20 words (most of them are the people's names in her life she loves most, and other essentials, like: baby, ni-ni, bye…), but she can repeat almost any one word (in her own muffled baby babble way.)
Dancing with daddy!
Reading with Mila early in the morning.
third (googly) eye
for some reason, this felt so good to just lay down on the earth!
riding the double decker bus through SLO! So much fun and sort scary in a thrilling way!
our girls having their own fun while we were scouting for a shoot.
Santa Margarita Ranch
Mila is so silly when she's breastfeeding - she still wants to play.
Probably one of the last times Avi will use this little porta potty.
what a man - doing it all!
with my knee injury, I have 5-7 doctor appointments a week. Avi learned to entertain herself and join me on a few of them. She is such a cutie!
Mila found this doll and Michael thinks it's the mini Mila.
we turned around for like one minute and Mila did this to her face! (luckily it was washable marker!) we were both in the room. how do things like this happen?!
These two look like twins sometimes!
even though I have a leg brace on, I still tried to act as normal as I could with my girls, playing in anyway I could. I love them so much!
Halle and Avi were defenders of their fort from the boys! Using binoculars to scout out the scene.
Mila enjoys Avi's classes, too!
Playing in the cousins cool tree!
Brant and Aryn watched the kids while we went in to San Francisco to do a shoot!
Finn was putting his hand in Mila's mouth - so she bit him. Poor Finn.
chocolate ice cream aftermath
Avi and Lucy
Mila at the Barn feeding animals in her overalls!
Avila Hartford Pier
Avi wanted bangs cut - so Crystal helped us out!
One of the last times she fell asleep breastfeeding before her nap.
almond bars, oranges, and cinnamon tea. snack with Millie. the kids pour their own honey, tea and then creamer. messes happen, it is often way too sweet, our much too creamy, but that is part of the fun and most of the learning!
I loved this list I found on bubblegum alley. I'm assuming it was someone's bucket list for the coast who was visiting from out of town. It included cheap yet memorable things to do, like: camp at the beach, sky lateens, run by shore, sunset/sunrise, picnic basket, hike, gum wall!, boba tea, pizzokie, Pinterest food, fly kite, hot springs, fancy date, Madonna Inn, random act of kindness, message in the bottle, sea adventure…
You don't have to spend a lot of money to make memories!
Avi hardly ever goes in the sling or ergo anymore - and if she does it is for about 2 minutes. But on this day, Mila bit her finger on accident while Avi was kindly feeding her a bagel. Aveah was really upset for a while afterwards and just sat in my sling for about 30 minutes. It was divine to hold her for so long again!
Avi spells "cat" on her own - learning more and more everyday! She was helping me make the grocery list after this and asked, "Does the grocery store have 'cat' because I know how to spell 'cat'!". Hilarious!
Having Michael home for 6 weeks to care for the girls and me has been so nice! I wish it were like this all the time!
Meagan and Casey came to visit - Mila gave them a proper welcome!
…and this is how you breastfeed a very wiggly toddler.
we went on a little wine tasting date with Meagan and Casey!
Mila's starting to use the toilet all on her own!!!
Okay, now for the BIG news of the month/year/our lives! Michael was pretty insistent/convincing that he did not want any more children (two was enough for him). Ever since I was pregnant with Mila, I wanted a third! So, when I started feeling pregnant (I get this weird symptom of waking up at 5am totally charged and ready to go - even before I miss my period - that is how I knew I was pregnant with Mila and with #3) I was afraid to tell Michael. I thought he would be disappointed! Since I couldn't drive with my knee brace, I couldn't go and get a test at the store to be sure. So, after about 3-4 days of knowing but not sharing with my best friend in this life, I finally gave in and told him. You know what he did? He smiled a huge smile and shed tears of joy! I have only seen him cry one other time - so this was a lovely, delightful response. I was so happy he was happy!
Yup, pregnant, just like I thought! Oh my! Even though it's a wonderful feeling, it's also such a big, scary journey. God we thank you for giving us this gift! Guide us, we pray!
My loves snuggling in the morning! What a blessing I have! I love you all!
