48/52

"a portrait of each of my children, once each week, in 2015"

Cruz: Loved this long break with this boy this weekend.  We wore lots of comfy pants, watched lots of Christmas movies, and decorated not one, but two big Christmas trees.  This was the first year Cruz really got into the whole tree trimming thing, helping unwrap each ornament, playing with them, and eventually finding the perfect spot to hang them on each tree.  He said his favorite is the Peanuts jukebox that plays a rocker version of Deck the Halls.  I say this all the time, but it is so very special living these holidays through the eyes of your own.

Mila: I adore this picture of Mila.  We had a family wedding on Friday night, and we traded in our traditional Holiday Hoopla night with a night of appetizers and dancing.  This was Mila's first wedding dance and she made the most of it, twirling and spinning and skipping around that dance floor until she crashed.  In her little Spanish dress that flared up in all the right places, she stole the show on the dance floor and once again stole this mommy's heart.

Can't believe we are a month away from 52/52!  That's what happens when you blink.   

47/52

"a portrait of each of my children, once each week, in 2015"

 

Cruz: Is that a look of satisfaction or what?!  One by one, our favorite Christmas decorations are finding their out of storage boxes and we are absolutely loving getting this place all ready for the holidays.  And for a boy who loves all things cozy, these Grinch flannel sheets were right us his alley.

Mila: Well, she loved the "pretty" in her room, but wasn't the most help trimming her own personalized tree.  She spent most of the time taking the tops off of all the ball ornaments and throwing the tops in her crib.  I later discovered them when I was getting ready to put her to bed.  It was pretty cozy reading bedtime books under her pretty little Christmas tree. 

Mila at Nearly Two

It's been awhile since I've typed up a post about your growth and milestones at this stage of your little life, but my mental notebook is overflowing with pages upon pages of a personality that is big and sweet and makes me completely melt every single day.  You have the biggest personality, Mila, and you crack us up with your spirited, smart, and sassy self.  Every morning, you wake us up with a big yell - "Mommy!  Daaaadddd!  Hrooz!"  We find you in your crib, your blond head of hair disheveled and unkept, your smile big and so happy to see us.  Your smile makes me smile, every time, and it's my favorite way to wake up.  You immediately start jumping; you just learned to do this with both feet at once and you show us your skills with ease and bold determination.  You demand our attention from the start, handing us each of the three blankies you slept with the night before, as well as "purple baby", "big baby", and "baby Elle."  Then your arms go up and we scoop you up for a quick cuddle before you're off, for fruit loops (in a pink bowl, of course), Dora, and one bag of fruit snacks before school. 

   

  
You keep us on our toes, sweet girl, but we wouldn't have it any other way.  Daddy says you're going to be someone's boss someday. You've developed a strut in your step, a twinkle in those blue eyes, and you make your presence known wherever you are.  You are independent and wise beyond your years, and I often have to remind myself that you aren't quite two.  You have always been verbal, but lately you surprise me with all the new words you seem to incorporate on a daily basis.  Lately, you've been trying your hand at short sentences, and it's amazing to watch your wheels turn as you put them together and find success.  Some of my favorites include, I love you, of course, your good night, Daddy, good night, Mommy, before bed, and this way, as you tug our shirts and direct us where to go. Lately, you've been using lots of descriptive words.  You point out "big house" on the way home from school, and you LOVE anything pink and purple.  It's hilarious to us because we did nothing to rear you this way - you are surrounded by superheroes and Star Wars from your brother, yet the only two colors you know are pink and purple and you request these colors represented in something every day.  A pink bowl for cereal, a purple balloon at the dentist, a pink sucker from your Halloween bucket.  And if all we can find is a dark pink, you throw yourself on the floor and act as though the world is coming to an end.  You can be a little dramatic, little one.

  
You love drawing and coloring pictures, love stacking magformers, cups, and clementines, love sorting through my makeup bag every morning, and reading books (you now request "mah turn" after the first reading and walk us through your own renditions, typically on the mark with most of the right words).  You act like a bit of a hot mess one minute, but show me many signs of a pretty little perfectionist the next.  You like accessories, scarves, hair bows, and winter hats, but still need to be coerced to get your hair combed some mornings.  Usually you kindly say, "no" and run away, just enough to turn around with a twinkle in your eye and wait for us to chase you.  We also succeed in convincing you to wear your hair like Aubrielle, a girl in your class whose hair is actually shorter than yours.  If only she knew what a fashion icon she was in the mornings before school. :)

You LOVE talking about your friends, and usually do this on the way home from school to keep up with your brother.  We hear about Aubrielle and Gigi a lot, but mostly about Dane and Aceton.  You get really excited when you talk about Dane (I think it's his eyelashes).  You also know many of the babies in the baby room, especially Aceton's sister, Baby Elle.  You named one of your babies after her and I'm pretty sure you think all babies are name Baby Elle.  You love your babies maybe more than any of your toys, but love your blankie most of all.  You also got to meet your new baby cousin, Harper, this month, you were pretty smitten over her.  You loved touching her soft head of hair and would giggle this fake little laugh and look at us as if you didn't know how to act.

You continue to be a fantastic eater and sleeper, always ready to go to bed and put yourself to sleep in your crib.  You love your bed!  You are also a good little helper when we ask.  You love to put toys away, throw things in the trash, and help us clean after supper.  I'll be putting dishes away and pretty soon see you mosey on by with the swifter and a bottle of pledge.  You'll pretend to spray and wipe the floor, proclaiming "Me clean, me clean" as you work.

  

You antagonize your brother, yet I think you secretly love him more than anyone in the world.  I LOVE the way you are starting to play together.  Cruz is always patient with you and always ready to help you, whether it's digging the last fruit snack out of the package for you, taking your shoes off at the end of the day, or helping you with your coat.  And I love the way you always let him.  You're independent and headstrong most of the time, but when Cruz stops to guide you, you always stop to watch.  Your respect for one another and unique sibling bond is one of my greatest joys to witness.  And you make Cruz giggle like no one else can.

You know all your animals, even zebras, hippos, and alligators, and you do the sounds to match.  I love that talks of alligators always result in you clapping and yelling "snap snap", and talks of elephants always get the best elephant sound.  I love your dramatic "ohhhh noooo!" whenever you drop something or spill, and I love the way you raise your hand and say, "Me me me!" at the dinner table when I'm dishing your food.  I love your kisses, the way you always pat our back when we pick you up, and how you squeal in delight every night when daddy gets home from work.

 

The spark you have added to our family and this life is undeniable and we are so very thankful to be important players in your world.  You will surely move mountains one day, little girl, but for now you just steal our hearts.  Staring into your face - your gap-tooth smile, messy blond haired, blue twinkley-eyed face makes me feel like everything is okay, all the time.

  

**I took these pictures of you one late September day and they are some of my all-time favorites of you.  Just you and me, a pretty white dress, and all your favorite baby dolls, smelling flowers and sneaking fruit snacks.  Oh, all the adventures we will have together as you grow.