.Taking turns.

River time has always been a relaxing escape, but with this wild toddler, the only way to get rest is to take supervision turns.  Her impulsive curiosity wants to test all the physical boundaries possible with no thought of the consequences!  In her resilience she can quickly shake these things off, but the frequency of bumps, bruises, and other injuries still breaks my heart. 

And yes, my 38 week self joined Dylan in that inflatable pool to combat the heat, and I plan to spend much of the summer doing the same.  It is refreshing and serene, and isn't that the point of looking forward to this season all year?  Especially in south Alabama where the heat is stifling, although that does not seem to slow down the kids who surround our little spot on the water.  They are full of energy and crazy stories, and go long into the night playing hide-and-seek in the dark and jabbering over each other by the fire, and asking 100 questions, and becoming sticky eating key-lime flavored marshmallows (?!), until G and I look to each other and decide that our sleeping toddler isn't all that exhausting and head on to bed to start catching up on the sleep that will for sure be missed in the coming weeks with her arrival.

P.S. More stories from the river.

.A limited time.

It is only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on Earth and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it were the only one we had. 

.Elisabeth Kubler-Ross.

Photos by Clever Love Photography.

Katie previously captured our growing family here and here.

.Oh, baby baby... the littlest nursery!

For littlest baby girl, I obviously wanted to create a different space than her sister's when it came to feminine and playful, without being too literal or traditional.  What we ended up with was a bohemian and off-beat nursery that just feels fresh and fun.

Less than two weeks until this next adventure begins, and I'm definitely starting to feel more emotional as I reflect on the last stages of what could very well be my last pregnancy, as well as the end of my sweet girl's reign as only child.  While this pregnancy has been more exhausting and physically tolling, I have to give due credit to doctoral school and work stress, and that wild toddler of mine for her contributions, and be grateful that so far littlest baby has been trouble-free.

.Transitions.

About a month or so ago, Dylan started having some real sleep trouble.  It brought back terrible memories of our sleep training experience and I worried if this was a regression to expect with the impending arrival of her little sister.  She just all of a sudden hated her crib and was not going to sleep in it.  After a few stressful days of fighting to even get her to nap, we wondered if she was just ready for the freedom of a toddler bed.  It's crazy to think your baby is ready to just sleep and rise and get into things whenever they choose, but we were willing to try (luckily, we could watch her close on the camera).  The first few days after the transition, she ended up falling asleep on the floor (so sad!), but luckily she caught on quick and it's made all the difference.  She may play a little before bedtime, but always makes her way to bed when she's ready, and in the morning plays for up to an hour in there before calling for us.  It's bittersweet to see her becoming more independent.

Here a few fun screen grabs we've caught on camera!

And yes, she insists on putting all those babies in the bed with her.

Yesterday, we tried our first night without the pacifier.  Yikes! After only four hours of sleep all night, we survived?  Hoping for each day to get easier for her (and us), in this latest transition.  Next up: potty training! 

.Lucky Me.

A day spent eating, reading, dancing, playing, and just laying in the sun made for a pretty terrific Mother's Day.

Lucky me.

* 36 weeks!