random pictures

OH NO!  This post got stuck in drafts.  Dang it.  Better late than never!  I have way more pictures to post soon too.  

I have been TERRIBLE at actually going through my real camera pictures, doing something with them, and posting them.  Here are some more recent pictures.  I still have Carter's 2nd birthday pictures to go through.... that's how behind I am.

Carter loves to swim.  This kid is a fish.  He just got this new "life jacket" last weekend.  It goes around his chest and on his arms and he LOVES it.  It gives him the freedom to swim on his own without an adult holding on to him.  Which, obviously, Mr Independent loves!  We were shocked how quickly he caught on to swimming like this.  He had this life jacket on no more than 5 minutes and he was jumping off the side into Dad's arms and then swimming around the pool on his own.  Crazy!  He even started jumping in from the steps all on his own.  He'd go under a bit, pop back up and repeat.  All the while smiling this crazy huge smile.  He had a blast!

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These swimming picture are from his first time in the pool this summer.  The water was freezing and Papa gave Carter the nickname of Polar Bear because he didn't care how cold the water was, he wanted to swim!  Papa braved the frigid temps too to indulge the Polar Bear.

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Some Mymy pictures.  Oh this little girl.  She has captured my heart in ways I didn't know possible.  Her eyes.  This girl has the most amazing blue eyes.  At her well baby check last week every single person we encountered at the doctor's office commented on her blue eyes.  At 5 months old she is 16.5 lbs (76%) and 26.25 inches (90%).  Doctor said she's "long and skinny with big brains" which means that she also got the Van Thiel head.

Mya tried her first food the other day.  Bananas.  She wasn't impressed.  The other night at dinner she was eyeing up the buns so we gave her a chunk.  She was in heaven with her chunk of bread!

52:28 - moments

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*** I realize I thanked the wrong dude!  In my haste to get back to blogging it was all done late one night and clearly my mind wasn't functioning at full capacity.  I thought about changing it, but I think it is funny and so true of what I was going through at that time. (waking up 6+ times a night with Mya.  Mama was sleepy!)***

Mya was crying because I walked away from her to get something from the kitchen.  Carter walked over to her and said "ismkay" and hugged her.  I raced for my phone on the counter as quietly as possible as to not disturb the most amazing sight before me.  Unlocked it as fast as possible, and pressed the camera icon like a maniac.  I took as many pictures as I could because these moments are usually very short lived.  This hug, however, lasted much longer than normal.  He hugged her for at least a minute.  And you better believe that she stopped crying as soon as he walked over to her and said "ismkay" and by the time he was hugging her she was giggling and grabbing for his hair.  My heart couldn't decide if it wanted to explode into fireworks or melt into a huge puddle on the floor.    You better believe I had the largest shit grin on my face and had a serious case of love laughs.  These moments are pure gold.  Crying and meltdowns are forgotten and I stand back and watch the love between the two of them and thank my lucky stars that I have them both and that they have each other.  And then I fall a little more in love with my iphone.  If I didn't have it I would have never captured this moment.

52:27 - changing

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Those two kids are my heart and soul.  I never knew how much I wanted, and needed, each of them.  They each have completed me in ways I never knew possible.  They have changed me.  When it comes down to it the most important change is to let go of the things that really don't matter.  This is a work in progress... just ask Joe.  But it is a conscious work in progress.  My kids are happy and healthy and the most amazing little people.  That will always carry so much more weight than how clean my house is or weather or not my husband picks up his socks.     

52:26 - guilt

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I'm learning.  I'm letting go.  I'm accepting that for me to be the best mom I can be I also need to be just Tara sometimes too.  I'm pushing this mommy guilt out and embracing alone time.... or at least I'm trying!  Joe had to push me out of the house but once I was out.... I spent an hour and half sitting in a Starbucks chair with my lattle and my kindle book.  Nothing to clean, no diapers to change, laundry, etc.  It was refreshing.  A few hours here and there can do a world of good to my mental well being.  I've also learned that I need a creative outlet.  I've taken up sewing.  I should get back to writing and blogging.  I need to work on that.