My boys

We had a quick ultrasound today to check up on Baby #2...because just like with Tobin, I am measuring big again. A mere 5 weeks ahead. But I digress. The point is, all looks good. We've got another big guy on our hands, blah blah blah...BUT most excitingly they gave us a 4D shot at his face and I was dying to come home and compare to Tobin's at this same time.

So here they are...my boys, side by side. My boys! Eeek, so excited!

First thing I see is just how very different they look! I can't wait to meet the little man in 6 weeks or so to see for myself!

Tobin is Two!

Tobin at Two!

So before this guy goes and turns three on me, I figured I better sit down and make myself write down all the words that are in my head about this wonderful boy of ours...but where to begin? I've written so many posts about him in my head that as I type this it almost feels redundant. So, son - if you ever do read this blog one day (ha!, fat chance), please know while my updates have been lacking it really is all your fault - you're just so much fun I can't pull myself away to blog about it - I'd rather just be sitting next to you! BUT for posterity's sake - here goes:

You are a delight. See picture directly below for evidence...

Really though, while we have definitely hit some of the fun behaviors that are often associated with two - overall you have taken it sooo easy on us. You are so thoughtful and you really, really, really love people. On your birthday weekend (which you happen to share birthday week with your Uncle Danny and Granny) Uncle Danny had his friends over. And there you are - this little two year old (albeit big little two year old) and you just latched onto these 21 year old boys like they were your best friends. And after a fun night of making them sit next to you and play drums, or go down the slide, or play with play-doh...we finally had to say goodnight and get you home. We told you to start making the rounds of saying goodbye and instead you just looked out and surveyed the crowd and exclaimed (dramatically but sincerely) "I love you people!"

I share this story because that is just SO you. You are full of love, joy, and confidence - but in the midst of all that good stuff - you're also a very sensitive guy and that just makes you a really special combination.  I am so thankful for that because you're just weeks away from becoming a big brother and I am so confident of your ability to handle that new addition to your life and ours!

Other fun facts about you:

You continue to be on the larger than average size - see picture collage above for proof of that one. You look way older than most other kiddos your age and I think being nearly 38 inches and 38 pounds has a little something to do with it. You also physically have a very strong control of your body and can do things that I don't think most two year olds can do...but you've always been that way when it's come to anything physical. I mean, you got a basketball hoop for your main birthday present and boy do you know how to use it. You amaze me, and all this hand-eye coordination plus athleticism is clearly ALL from your dad!

You are animated and so very expressive! Your language really exploded around the 18 month mark and hasn't slowed one bit since and you talk from the moment you get up till we put you back down. You love to count and have recently taken to identifying sets of things while we're out, "Look - Two dogs!" But more than anything you still love to just be outside and if the weather permits - that's what we do. Outside from sun-up till sun-down and you couldn't be happier. Oh, that and animals. There isn't an animal you don't like or shy away from. Oh, and wait - balls. Balls, balls, and more balls. Soccer, baseball, basketball, those cheap ones from the grocery store that cost like $2.00...And let's be honest here - even your own balls...where does that come from?!?! Let's just hope that fascination dies down from between here and year three.

But really, Tobin. I delight in you all day long! I would have at least 7 more children if they were all like you... There is not a day that goes by where I do not want to sneak back in and lay next to you after you've already fallen asleep for the night. I am SO proud to be your mom. And I really can't wait to see where this next year takes you (and us!)...because to look back on this past year blows my mind in how far we've all come together as a family.

We love you SO much!

2014

I feel like I have to start with a disclaimer about how I never write, blah blah blah...but we all know that song and dance. I'm going to start using this space to write about more than just home stuff and it may be of very little to no interest to y'all so feel free to skip!

So  the other stuff - it will be a lot of work related posts and vision/planning posts. And to be very honest I don't even know that that means yet but I know that I crave an outlet to write my thoughts on motherhood, work, and how I balance struggle with it all. I've been working through Lara Casey's 2014 posts on goal setting (see here: http://laracasey.com/blog/) and was SO struck by this paragraph:

You see, though, God doesn’t tell us to seek pleasure or a life where we just coast.  He sometimes calls us in seasons of our lives to rise up and let Him work profoundly in us to accomplish far more than we can on our own.  I’m in one of those seasons and I am praying for Him to use me. In these seasons, and always, He tells us to work hard and let Him fill us with a kind of rest that a vacation just can’t accomplish. It’s 20 levels deeper. If you read Proverbs 31, you see a woman who works hard for what matters, rising at dawn and using all she has for her family and others. And then she rests in Him. But, lately I’ve been falling into the trap of self-doubt during some of that rest time. My brain has been spinning a bit, thinking that I cannot write a great book or be a great mom or have as good of a year in business as last year. But. But! Then I remember the greatest lesson I learned from 2013:His plans are far bigger than mine.  He is bigger than me and what I can do on my own. He is in control. My job is to simply trust and obey.

SO good right? I tell you, while I'm not writing a book I could have written that exact paragraph. It could not sum up more where I'm at in this phase of my life. And I can't tell you how many times I whine about how hard I have to work and that it just doesn't "feel fair." And beyond that just how very much I struggle with self-doubt. It may be my #1 stumbling block - to all aspects in my life!

But over the course of this last year I've really come about to understand that I've been called to this moment in my life and that I DO enjoy my work and I do enjoy my home life and that I don't have to have one without the other. I will be very honest in saying that I don't want to work forever, at least not at the level which I operate currently, and that I dream of staying home one day with my boys. But those are my dreams and my only real task right now is to follow HIS plans and where those plans lead I don't know.

I'm hoping to do more listening in 2014 to HIS desires for my life, because I know that will only take me to good places.

Happy 2014!

Best Costume Ever...

I've never been a big fan of Halloween - it's just not my thing. I think I'm just too in love with Thanksgiving and Christmas, and Halloween just feels out of place in the midst of it all. That being said today might mark the "best" Halloween I've ever had...

To celebrate the occasion, I went all out and really made the costume to end all costumes. (Totally kidding.) But it is fair to say that while the costume Tobin's sporting is modest to say the least, I've been working on it since late July;)

TWO BOYS!!!!! I know this is the first mention of the pregnancy on the ol' blog here but due to a first trimester that coupled with the most work hours I've ever worked in a single time period - well, I was sleeping the minute I got home...but hopefully I can get a few more posts in before the baby boy makes his arrival in April. Eeek! I'm so excited. As it settles in I get more and more pumped about it all. Now, time to figure out a name;)

Happy November Eve!

Really quick...

Life here has been speeding by at warp speed. And if I recount all the major changes that have taken place in just the last six months my mind still can't comprehend it all. Ty lost his job, got a better job (Praise, God!), my workplace imploded and I was asked to be the Executive Director - which led to my working around the clock (literally this last weekend was the first time I've had off in over 20 days). And thanks to my wonderful family and Ty, we've somehow kept life afloat in the house. It's been intense. But it's been a major blessing too - in so many ways. We are really blessed.

But I really miss writing here, so I guess those days will come around again... Right now I just think we need some updated pictures of Tobin on here! Who by the way, is just TOO MUCH FUN. There's new words being learned left and right, he is so sweet, and his personality gets bigger by the day. He continues to grow like a weed and at 18 months is (really was, since we're nearing 19!) 35 inches tall and 35 pounds - he tends to get bigger in height and then match it in weight or vice versa. Most people think he's much older than he is because of his size. But his hands and feet continue to grow and don't quite yet look in proportion to the rest of his body:) Hopefully he catches up to them one day! All this to say - we are really loving this age!

So, back to my mission - some updated pics... a few of my favorites from the start of the summer:

This is classic Tobin - totally thought he was in on the action playing frisbee with the big boys.

First time in the Pacific!

Always stops to point to the moon;)

How he spent most of his time at the SD Zoo...so expressive!

I love this face.

Favorite.

Walking to the Bay with Dad...they have the same walk. Cracks me up.

Hope to be back soon!

He's an animal...

Tobin's vocabulary thus far really centers around the word "ball." Anything circular is, well, a ball! One doesn't quite realize how many things are spherical in nature until you have a boy following you around shouting "ball" at each object. Trust me. A lot. Try walking through Target with that bullet sign logo of theirs...whole new experience:)

He says plenty of other words too, but what he really excels in - animal noises. Of course. Out of nowhere the other day he was pointing to the snake on one of the pages of this book (a current favorite) and was making a hissing noise. Cracks me up! As of right now he knows a lion, snake, dog, cat, and cow. **Edited to add - oh, and monkey. After I posted this I went back and watched and remembered! Hahaha this is why I should probably blog more and remember stuff!**

And I must point out that his dog sound is a dog panting vs. barking - which is totally fair considering he lives in a house of pugs. So, in his world - that is totally what a doggy says!

I managed to get a few on camera and thought I'd share...of course he was distracted by Grandpa playing guitar in the background, but at least he gave me a little attention...which is pretty amazing because in Tobin's life Grandpa and music rate just about as high as "ball." :)

He's got moves.

In case you were looking for something to do...here's nearly two minutes worth of some hot moves courtesy of Tobin this evening. Note his fancy footwork around the 1:30 mark....