Happiest of the Halloween Babies.

Her first Halloween, and she knocked it out of the park with her enthusiasm!

She didn't even need candy to motivate her :)

Isn't she the cutest Dalmatian you have ever seen!

 

6 months - already.

Where to start?!

Every month has been a whirlwind of emotions. I feel like I have been flying by the seat of my pants but loving every moment of it!

At this milestone, I want to take a minute and write out my thoughts about this child.

So many pictures have been taken. It is so easy and convenient. I go back through them and can be taken back to that moment but even those memories are fading already!

At 6 months, I feel so lucky to be a witness to this little developing person.

Her personality is peeking through and it is so fun!

She is cheerful, always smiling. Even in pain, she tries flash a smile. She loves people and is quite the social butterfly. She loves to be outdoors which I hope is a sign that she will be adventurous.

We have often been told by day care sitters that she is the most "chill" baby in the bunch. And I believe it. She is content and loves her toys. She knows who we are and can recognize faces.
She is a great traveler and enjoys new places.

With every story read, every hug given, and all the smiles flashed, I hope she feels how much I love her.

At church this weekend, the sermon was about how to worship. I heard, "Raising a child is worship". 

I believe that! What a blessing it has been! Now, to give it back to HIM....that is the challenge!

My Pumpkin in a Patch.

These October days are calling us outdoors. Instead of our usual walk in the park, we stopped at the Pumpkin Patch. 

These were some of my favorites.

 My big girl is standing more often these days.

 "Wow! That's huge!"

 "Hmmm...I can't decide which one to take..."

 

Its Fall Ya'll!

What a beautiful time of year. 

60s in the morning, 80s in the afternoon.

These days we spend at least 30 minutes on our porch every evening. 

Fall not only brings nice weather but pumpkins, costumes, and leaves!

Reyna got to check out her first jack-o-lantern.

She was not sure at first...

 

Had to check it out a little more ...
 

  Ya, it's good, mom!

  Since she is still too little to make her own, I had to involve her in some way. 

I traced her hands for the eyes and I think she likes it!

 We are headed to the pumpkin patch tomorrow! More pictures to come!

Quick Read.

For any of you moms and dads in the same phase of life, here is a good read.

(Warning: May induce tears)

It seems so far away but it made me realize that everything we say and do now, will shape Reyna into the sister, wife, and mother she will become....yikes!!

 

If my child marries yours.

 

 

"How has life changed?"

My 10:00 class is over. I head down to my office and I find Neil and Reyna waiting for me outside my office. We discuss: "when did she last eat, "Has she napped", " You picked a cute outfit", "When will you be home?". A quick switcharoo so Daddy can go to school in Austin. With 3 hours till my next class, we go for a walk. Let's see if our friend Roberto is in his office! He is there! We decide to catch up over coffee. As we walk to the coffee shop on the other side of campus, I become aware of the extra half mile we have to take to find all the ramps for the stroller. I am aware of how warm and sunny it is as I move the canopy of the stroller everytime we make a turn. Also, strollers don't fit in Starbucks lines very well. We order and as I stand and wait for my name to be called, I notice it...I pick her up and find what I thought I would...the source of THAT smell. We squeeze the stroller through the narrowest, longest bathroom hallways I have EVER seen for a quick change that lasts about ten minutes since it includes a full wipe down in the sink! As I remove the "cute outfit" I hope that there is something to wear in there. Victory! A semi-clean, too small onsie. We emerge with a new outfit and are greeted by Roberto, seasoned father of two, who gives me a look of understanding. As we find a small table with room for a stroller, we start catching up on summer happenings. That first taste of my white hot chocolate is perfect. I guess Reyna is eager to try some to because in the blink of an eye, she has lunged over and knocked my cup to the ground. Splashing Roberto's pants and leaving a huge mess on the floor. We used about two trees worth of napkins to clean it up and pick up on conversation where we left off - kids, daycare, and teething. That first and last taste of white hot chocolate is a distant memory. One hour of my day.

I have been asked the question many times now, "How has life changed?"
This is how.


*not complaining, just a snapshot. Also, it was a distaster but I was able to laugh about it immediately. Thankful for understaning friends like Roberto :)