Wednesday, April 24, 2013

.....two week hiatus......

.....I am returning from a two week spring break from this precious blog.....this sweet virtual space that allows me to reflect and be thankful......time off is essential, just so that it never begins to feel like a "job" to keep up with the moments in our family that I choose to document and archive......I can not say that I've come back refreshed, as I packed up the kids and drove to Baltimore while Stefan was on a business trip......a far cry from a relaxing vacation reading and sun bathing on the beach......but my cup was filled with quality time with two old friends who I sorely miss......and rejuvenating the soul can be just as good as basking on the beach in a different kind of way......

.....so to recap my two weeks away from this blog, I will highlight the best of the best......

.....our third annual High Tea at the Plaza......

.....this trip never gets old......this year, we added the adventure of hopping on the train in our Sunday best to make our way to NYC......




.....my girls can still hail a cab, a skill I find to be essential at a very young age.....


......and dear Eloise was waiting for us, just as she has every year before us.....


....we get more and more adult time every year, as the children get older and behave like little gentlemen and ladies......



.....with the exception of multiple requests for more cherries.....and when I use the word multiple, I mean this poor waiter was asked at least 15 times for more, please.....

.....we bagged the cherry servings after one of the babes ate so many they were sick.....


....but filling up on cherries meant there was more of this for the mommas to share.....


....and a plate full of decadence plus several four and five year olds who have grown up together and still love each other dearly is enough to make this tradition one of my favorites......




.....our iphones could only buy us a small window of time post tea to wrap up conversations with so many old neighbors who I miss dearly......


.....the sugar highs kicked in and had us hailing our waiter for the bill in a hurry......




.....Sara, all of your effort of coordinating so many people's schedule to keep this tradition going is worth it......thank you for planning it each year.....it is not easy to do, especially as life gets more fast and furious for all of us, but we appreciate the tradition this has now become.....


.....and I must admit, as much as I loved the trip, I was anxious to get back to suburbia.....the beauty of our little town in the spring has me counting my blessings every day that we can still experience NYC, yet spread out in our house and our yard......

.....truly, the best of both worlds.....


.....pinkalicious......

....Daddy has been knocked up again......he came home to wheels of paint color slapped all over the counters and jars of samplers opened and splashed on the wall in lines.....whenever this happens, he knows what the next few days have in store for him......


....my inspiration comes in waves, as I like to break between projects and enjoy the newness of what the most recent venture has brought me.....I let the inspiration simmer until I am inspired by something new.....and when the fresh tidal wave of ideas comes to me, it is intense and urgent........it is all I think about and I want it done yesterday......


.....since it is the girls' room, they were excited to help and Stefan is the most patient when it comes to his helpers......



....give him a few hours to perfect his trim, add another coat, let it dry and wallah......


.....final pics to come, as we are still working on the final touches......


......I will say that the source of my inspiration was our highly anticipated new bedding.....my dear friend and talented seamstress, Stephanie helped me take an inspiration piece and designed and created both girls bedding......her final masterpiece left me speechless......


....she surprised me with every detail and for the first few days, I would spend many long moments just staring at our new bedding in awe of her work......


.....and in between my moments of adoration for her work, the wave of inspiration hit me and the scrambling for the perfect pink began......

.....a link to Stephanie's store can be found here in case you, too, have your heart set on something beautifully made with dreamy fabric...... 


.....Elsie and Callie, what's for dinner?......

......the girls find it rather empowering to choose our meal for the night.....we let them decide our last Sunday supper, as we usually eat early and we always have a family meal to close out the day of rest......leave it to NickJr.com to guide the girls.....


.....Ni hao Kai-lan's favorite is veggie stir fried rice, so that became dinner.....

.....packed with veggies and scrambled eggs, it is now a staple for us too......


.....my little mermaids.....

.....I am still in awe that in a few short months, my girls went from being afraid to put their faces into the water to full on swimmers.....they dive, find rings at the bottom of the pool, swim the full length from wall to wall and never want their lesson to be over......

.....this will be the great summer of green, chlorine streaked hair and wrinkled finger tips.....

.....bring it on!......




.....music with Mr. Paul.....

.....my favorite NYC musician made his Darien, CT debut.....we threw together a few outdoor music classes in our backyard to kick off spring and the kids went nuts.....


....it was a little chilly, as spring had had a late start this year.....but we bundled and enjoyed our buddies with some of the best kid music out there.....

.....we will definitely be rockin' to more of Paul as spring sets in full swing.....


......beach bound......

.....one of the top drivers to our area was 1. our new town had to be less than an hour to the city and 2. it had to have a beach, as this FL girl dearly misses her roots.....

....the first "warm" week of high 50s had us to the beach three times in five days......I can not get enough of it and neither can my kids......



....summer will beckon me here every day......every. single. day.......

....amen to salt and sand.....


.....one on one time with Brody......

......my Thursday morning Mom group has wrapped up for the end of the year, which has opened up a few hours for me to bask with my boy alone.....we have taken long walks, tried new parks, seen old friends and have literally laid around in the grass picking up rocks, ants and sticks.....soaking him in all to myself has been dreamy......


.....blog, it feels good to be back....

....happy full on spring......

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

....two years......

.....tomorrow is Brody's second birthday......in the two years since he has beautifully changed the dynamic of our family, he has endured many nicknames......Brotha Brotha, Buddy Buddy, just plain old Buddy, Bud, and Spud......but mostly, we call him Buddy......there is no rhyme or reasons to these names.....we follow the lead of the girls, as they drive the nickname rituals.......although, I prefer to call him my little boyfriend......I am the only one who can call him this and I usually tell him when we have our moments of just the two of us......

.....for the last two years, he has been attached to me......strapped to my chest, bundled in a sling while nestled across my body and most recently, he has been super glued to my right hip.....when I look at him and take time to study his features, I still see my baby......




.....but my heart has expanded and I love him deeper, more intimately and our connection is now a two way street.....

....I always savor the moments of knowing that after just a few steps away from me, he turns to make sure I am still near him.....he will usually beckon me with his sweet voice, c'mon momma, shortly after his glance......I breathe in these moments.....even in the midst of girls whining, running late for something, a leaking diaper, or sister screaming 20 feet away to be pushed on the swing; I stop and savor his walk away glance back over his shoulder, smiling at me......because it is one of those things when you never really know when it will be the last one......they will gradually fade and happen less frequently as he enters a new phase of independence; until one day, he will leave my side and he will not look back......


.....but for now, he is only two and I am inhaling the here and now......

.....right now, he adores his sisters and is a champ when it comes to putting up with princesses.....


....he receives so much love from the girls that it only takes one moment of watching them interact and any mess from the day dissolves.....managing three little ones can certainly take its toll, but watching the love unfold between them is worth any tough day of tantrums, cat fights, whines or tattle tailing......



....right now, his sweetness is memorizing.....


.....he is funny, loves Mickey Mouse, gets frustrated when we can't make out his sentences, loves to spot airplanes and hollers for Elsie at the break of dawn......he has figured out she can get to him the fastest and can hurdle him over his crib railing so he can make his way to our bed with his best book and his blanket......

....right now, he loves to be outside.....loves to be barefoot, loves to keep up with the big kids, loves to toss a ball, loves to wave a sword, a stick or a broom.....and hit someone with it.....he loves to read, loves to play with other little boys and prefers to wear something with a super hero donned on the front.....

....he laughs a lot, he is loud, loves to copy and mimic the girls and adores being the center of attention.....he tells me he loves me too every time I tell him I love him......every. single. time.

....pinch me.....



.....there will be many moments that will be the last in this next year, but there will also be newness ahead as he embarks into becoming more of a little boy.....

.....to think that I wanted three girls at one point......girl was all that I knew and I thought that three of them would be right for me.....I am so grateful that God chooses what is best for us......He knit this child to be beautifully and wonderfully made just the way he intended and it has been more than I could have ever imagined......

.....my son, you have been a perfect gift.....may the Lord bless you and keep you, may he shine his light on you and be gracious unto you, may he turn his face to you and give you peace......

...I love you, Brody.....

....please keep glancing back at me because I will always be waiting to return your glance with a smile.....


Wednesday, April 3, 2013

.....the CocoRoseCouture winner is.......

.....the CocoRoseCouture giveaway was fun.......Elsie donned her headband on Easter morning, while Callie was more in a jeweled crown kind of mood......regardless, there have been some new CocoRoseCouture followers as a result and we can all stay in tune with Bree's new designs as spring and summer beckon us to wear bright and festive color......

......congratulations to commenter #12, Amy.......

...."Following on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Love all the chances to win!".....

......Congratulations Amy and thanks so much to all who participated.......

.....more to post later this week.....


.....hope your Easter was bright and full of wonder......