My Guys

Three

My big girl is three and I can hardly believe it. All week long I've been remembering what life was like three years ago - the final days of taking walks with Erin (her constant contractions made us think surely she would deliver any day - ha!) and Amy in the mornings, , running last minute errands and doing final loads of laundry, wondering who my baby would be and dreaming of holding her in my arms. I've been thinking back on those first months with Caroline when life seemed so impossibly changed and I thought I'd never get more than an hour of uninterrupted sleep again. Tonight at exactly 5:43 p.m. I remembered those first cries and the way her eyes locked on mine when they placed her in the warmer next to me. I remember the way her first birthday felt like it was about me just as much as it was about her because it seemed like a celebration of her birth and that first milestone year, whereas this year it's just about Caroline. Where have three years gone?

My baby is no longer a baby. She sleeps in a big girl bed and is potty trained. She talks in full sentences and goes to school. She loves princesses, ballet, and dress up. She drives me crazy and fills my heart with joy, sometimes only minutes apart.

Happy birthday, sweet girl. I am so proud of the kind, smart, loving little person you are becoming. It has been such a privilege to spend nearly every minute of the last 3 years with you. I can't wait to see what wonderful things "three" brings to you.

Our sincerest thanks for all of the warm birthday wishes from Caroline's family and friends. She is truly surrounded by love.

Ballerina Birthday Bash!

We celebrated Caroline's 3rd birthday today with 20 (!) of her friends and their families. The party was at the gym where we have taken a mommy-and-me class since we moved here last year, and it was a wonderful way to share Caroline's special day with her preschool and playgroup friends. Caroline had an absolute blast running around with her buddies, and Steve and I enjoyed watching the kids play and getting to know some of the preschool parents better. We are so lucky to have met such nice people here.

I'm kind of limited with pictures because I'm uncomfortable sharing pictures of other kids here, and it was really difficult getting pictures with everyone moving around so much! Here are just a couple of the big day.

Caroline practicing her balancing:

William liked playing trucks with Grandma:

Enjoying the pizza lunch:

The ballerina cake!

Early Birthday

While Steve's parents were here, we did an early celebration for Caroline's birthday (next Monday) as well as Steve's mom's birthday and William's 6 month birthday. Not surprisingly, it was mostly all about the almost-three-year-old. I somehow managed to not take a single picture of either kid with their Nana and Papa this time, but here are some shots of the cake.







Nice candles, right? We also forgot to pick candles up at the store. Steve improvised. :) Happy early birthday, Nana! Happy six months, William! It is hard to believe I'll be making a cake for him in just half a year.

Gone Fishin'

Steve and his dad just returned from a weekend of fly fishing in Errol, NH. Steve planned the trip in honor of his dad's 60th birthday, and both of the guys have been looking forward to it for months. We did have one sad little girl who was disappointed she couldn't go, too. Luckily Nana came along for the weekend to give me a hand with the kids. Here are some of the pictures from the weekend:

Caroline's Room

Let me start by saying I could not figure out how to make these pics look better on photoshop. Have I mentioned how hard it is when all of your friends are fantastic photographers and your BFF is a world-famous professional? Makes you a little insecure about your own pictures. Or it makes you wish one of them would come here and photograph your life for you. Moving on. . .

Here are some shots of Caroline's new big girl room.

The big girl bed. Caroline still hasn't figured out that she can just get out in the morning or after naps, even though she's been in it since January. I'm probably jinxing myself by putting that in writing.





Her dresser. Have I mentioned that Steve built all of her furniture? Isn't it gorgeous?





Her family garden from Liz:





Her book/toy shelf:




The light fixture I found at Target that I LOVE:

My plan was to take these pictures yesterday while Caroline was at school and William was napping. Before school as Caroline and I were tidying up her room and I told her I was going to take pictures, she informed me that she wanted to be in the pictures. This was shocking, as she runs screaming every time I bring the camera out these days. Here's my big girl being her silly almost-three-years-old self.

I took the next few right before nap time. William was hanging out on the rug as he usually does while I'm tucking her in. Right before I walked out, I threw him in bed with Caroline and told her they could take a nap together (I was not serious, to her disappointment). Utter cuteness ensued. I don't think I adequately captured the spirit of the moment, but watching my babies play together made my day more than complete. :)

Pickles: A Love Story

As you all know, Steve has been Mr. Green Thumb all summer long. We've loved eating fresh tomatoes, peas, beans, lettuce, carrots, and radishes right out of our own garden. But for Steve, the highlight of his garden has been growing pickles. Well, you don't actually grow pickles, you grow cucumbers and then pickle them, but whatever - he's talked endlessly all summer about pickles. At first he was dead-set on preserving them, but his mom talked him into doing easier, simpler refrigerator bread-and-butter pickles. So we've spent the summer watering the pickles, watching the pickles, waiting for the pickles. We've searched high and low for pickling supplies. And guess what? They are finally ready!

Here is Steve's pickle plant:

And a pickle growing on the vine:

Steve carefully preparing his pickles:

Caroline tasting the pickles at dinner last night - they are a lovely match for risotto with bitter greens and caramelized onions, let me tell you.

Caroline took one bite and pronounced them "not yummy" but then ate several more.

Our bumper crop:

I'm so proud of you, babe! It is wonderful to watch your dream come true. :)

P.S. Our kitchen might possibly be the worst spot ever to take pictures. Sorry for the horrible pics.