BROOKLYN'S THREE! JULY 27th

Our Brooklyn girl is three!!! Happy birthday to the sweetest of all sweet little toddlers. 

^^the big party! monday morning (this seemed better in person, ha!)

^^she was so cute coming out… she was super shy!

^^the little brown gifts are from lydia and beckett  

^^a quick outfit change and she was officially a three year old princess! 

^^poor rob crawled out of bed to celebrate. he was SO sick- sinus infect and double ear infection 

^^she got a chocolate sprinkle donut AND a special apple juice

^^my #1 girl! 

^^a rupenzel doll from candela

^^after work i brought her for a special date to clay painting. she choose the tiniest cupcake to paint

^^then to choose some candy. it was a good day for brooklyn!

To my sweetest Brooklyn,
Tomorrow morning when you wake up you will be three years old. You may not have noticed but today I kept staring at you because I wanted to always remember what you looked like as a two year old. After you went to sleep I snuck in your room just to sit on your bed and tell you how much I love you. You could never know how much I love you. Having you was the greatest thing to ever happen in my life. You changed everything for me and daddy. You made our family complete. I cherish the fourteen months we spent together, just you as an only child. I'm looking back at pictures and thinking how happy you have made us over these past three years. Everything you did was new and so amazing to me. You'll always be my little dolly and I will never forget the six months you called yourself Newman even though you could say Brooklyn.
You told me all you want for your birthday is a cake and balloons and to "blow down the candles." The things you say lately that melt my heart; "mom, whats that?" referring to some kind of candy, even though you know exactly what it is. And if I am eating that candy you say, "mom, whats in your mouth" all inquisitive. You put your blanket around your head and say, "I'm married!" Then you tell me you will get married in the temple one day. "Mommy, you almost lost your little Brooklyn!" Anytime I walk too fast. You are really the smartest little girl I have ever seen. Your vocabulary is out of this world. Daddy loves most when you play with your dollies and talk for all of them. And when we ask you a question, "Brooklyn do you know what that is (pointing to something)" and you say, "uh-huh" then we say "what is it" and you say, "I don't know" (in a tone like you have truly just have no idea). Some of your favorite things to do are, in your words "run in the grass" outside our house, go to Happy Hallow, watch Dora the Explorer and Dora "team". You become possessed by the iPad and TV. You are frightened of the "scary purple face" that comes on when the timer is up on youtube kids. You are still obsessed with your bin key and love your pink blanket. You rub the corner of the satin on the funniest places; your arm, hand, face, foot (!). You have been really into helping me bake lately, but I think mostly because I let you lick the spoon and eat the dough.
You go to bed basically on your own, you are unbelievably well mannered, empathetic and kind hearted. You love to help Lydia and teach her things. You thrive on pleasing mommy and daddy, following directions and completing tasks. You have just started pooping in the potty (yay!), you never had a terrible two phase other than for a few weeks after Beckett was born you turned into a winey brat. You are pretty much our dream child in every way possible. You are so easy! We are so so lucky and so very blessed to call you ours. I honestly think: what did I do to deserve a little girl as perfect as you? We love you to the moon and back, and beyond.
Love, mommy and daddy

BECKETT 5 MONTH STATS

75% height

25% weight 

^^already a little flirt! 

MY BABIES AND THEIR BOTTLES

A few weeks ago when we were in Newport I snapped these pictures when I realized all three of the kids were drinking milk at the same time. Ha! Since Beckett was born I have only pumped and never actually breast fed him. I usually have an extra bottle so I ask the girls if they want any and someone drinks it. At first I was so disappointed I couldn't breastfeed him because he ate too slow but its actually been a HUGE blessing in disguise. During this trip I tried to breastfeed him because he was freaking out and he totally denied me! I don't think he remembers how to drink anything other than a bottle now. That actually made me really sad. I already feel like my baby's grown up. 

I lined them up of course and then took Lydia's jacket off and lined them up again. They are so good to say "cheese" and smile for me all the time. I love this time in our life with our little family. I tell Rob all the time, I wish it could stay like this forever.... 

Brooklyn- almost three

Lydia- 21 months

Beck- 4 months 

^^my favorite picture!

BROOKLYN'S FIRST SOCCER GAME

FC Barcelona vs Manchester United! Brooklyn has no idea what an epic first game she attended. Rob surprised me with these tickets several months ago which is huge for him because he kind of hates soccer. Having lived in Barcelona and played soccer in college, I was over the moon to see Barcelona play! However Rob ended up having a family golf trip this weekend so he couldn't go. We both kind of forgot about the tickets until Thursday night. Rob left it to me to sell them. I literally tried every avenue possible but couldn't sell them. Then I realized; bring Brooklyn, she loves soccer!! This was such a fun, special date for us. I can't believe I have a child old enough to do stuff like this with! Because it took us forever to get there we arrived just a few minutes before half time. Brooklyn was so cute clapping when everyone else did. She was great at first but after her soda and chips were gone she said, "I think I would like to go home now." Maybe being late was a good thing. I LOVED watching the game. I saw these two teams play last in Barcelona in 2008. It made me super nostalgic. My goal is to plan Spain for our 2016 vacation and see more soccer games in San Jose. :) 

^^me and my main squeeze, just a casual 1 hour and 40 minute, 7 mile drive 

^^walking over the bridge to the stadium with her "soda and chips!"

^^6 rows back from the field! i felt like we were in the game 

^^she struggles so bad with the sun. her eyes are super, super sensitive 

^^i gave her my sunglasses so we could take a normal picture 

^^i really, really miss soccer

^^last few minutes of the game, barcelona was down 0-2 and brooklyn was bored 

LYDIA LATELY- 20 MONTHS

The thing that keeps me up at night right now in my life is my Lydia. She is the cutest disaster tornado I have ever seen. I want to strangle her so many times every day then she gives me that smile and I'm no longer mad. That girl has a skill. Her thing lately is taking pictures. She loves to look at pictures on my phone and take them. She's either saying "pictures, phone?" so I will give it to her or "cheese!" and wanting us to smile. She points the phone toward everyone but somehow always snaps her feet. Below are a couple recent shots:

Her next recent thing is getting out of her crib and getting out of her room and staying up all hours of the night. Brooklyn, my dream child actually asks to go to bed. Tonight she was saying mom, I'm trying to sleep but Lydia won't stay in her bed. The first jump was this Thursday night. Lydia flung herself out so violently it scared me she would get hurt. I lowered her crib rail but she keeps asking to sleep in Brooklyn's bed or mine. When I put her in her crib she goes into a tailspin tantrum. Thursday and Friday she forced Brooklyn awake and to turn the lights on for her (Lydia can't reach). Brooklyn missed her nap today so she was wiped out. Lydia stood outside my room for 45 full minutes screaming/whispering/crying/singing/asking "mommy" she was pretty relentless. I broke down once and went to try to put her in her crib but she flung out and ran back to the door. Towards the end she I could tell she was fading until I didn't hear her anymore. I opened my door to find this……… 

^^at 20 months she looks so long lately. my baby is growing too fast! 

Today is a perfect example of Lydia always lately. I was cleaning and under the sink was open for five minutes max. I walk over to find Lydia spraying a bottle of carpet cleaner directly into her mouth! Literally drinking it. Her entire face, neck and stomach were soaked. I grabbed her, threw her in the tub to clean the poison off her and wash out her mouth. Of course I freaked out and called poison control, thankfully the only harm would be from getting it in her eyes and the worst would be her throwing up. I left her in the her room while I was on this less than two minute phone call she tore out every piece of clothing from both her and Brooklyn's dresser. I almost wanted to cry but then she flashed me her smile.

THE HALF MARATHON THAT WASN'T: NAPA 2015

I was so excited to run the half marathon this year. The training schedule came out the week I could start working out again, six weeks after Beckett was born. It was such perfect timing for me I committed myself to training and set a goal of an 8 minute mile. I had run close to this one time before in my first half marathon (pre kids, right after college) without much training, so kind of wanted to prove to myself I "still had it."And by "still had it" I mean the ability to be athletic again. I am super competitive but since having kids I have been pregnant or breastfeeding or recovering or being pregnant again and haven't been able to really train for anything. So, I followed the schedule, every day, every week (including long runs, track runs, etc) for the first six weeks until I went back to work. Even with falling off my training a little bit I was getting really fast and feeling good. So, the night before we leave for Napa I tweak my back, AGAIN. No specific thing this time it just starts to hurt. Saturday morning it starts hurting and gets progressively worse as the day goes on. I could hardly walk by the time we got to Napa. I walked hunched over to the pool, leaning on the stroller and then immediately sat down. Sitting is fine but walking not so much. Beckett pretty much slept all day so it felt like Rob and I were alone on a romantic trip that was great as long as I was just sitting down. I hurt so bad by dinner time Rob we missed the company dinner and Rob just picked up take out. I was so upset I couldn't run the race it totally ruined my weekend. Sunday morning Rob forced me out of the room and basically carried me to the car and into the restaurant for brunch. Our awesome friends, the Toolson's took Brooklyn and Lydia so it was still nice to be away with just my two boys. Overall it was a pretty sad and painful weekend. I'm writing this post a week later and I am currently on pain killers and muscle relaxers and barely feeling better! I got an MRI thursday, so we shall see.  

^^bed fit for a king. beck is five months old today!

^^my handsome husband. he was so, so, sooo sweet caring for me this weekend

^^can you tell my back is hunched here? i couldn't stand up straight, trying so hard though!

^^pina coladas make everything better. and really make me feel like i'm on vacation!

^^seriously pretty here-- look at those vineyards!

^^amazing breakfast! those pancakes oh manna

^^i'm in so much pain here. trying to get a pic of my beck

^^that face! love my two boys 

THE WAY BECKETT SLEEPS

Beckett turned five months old this weekend! For the last month or so he has been sleeping in the cutest way. Kind of with his back arched, legs crossed at the ankles and his head right against the edge of his crib (or pack n' play). He also has been sucking on his pointer and middle finger. I'm his mom so I am biased but everything he does is seriously adorable. Love my little Beck!!

NEWPORT PART 2

The second half of our trip was beach, beach and more beach. I was so excited for this trip I planned out all the things we would do but I ended up being so sick and just wiped out everything felt like an effort. The playground was a short walk so we did a bunch of that and the little stores along the ocean. A huge highlight was the Newport Beach Cafe Rio, the only one in California! Its easily one of my favorite places to eat so it was such a treat to get it outside of Utah. And to my surprise Rob wanted to stop at the Gilroy outlets on the way home. The kids were amazing on the ride down and back. Other than my illness the week was pretty perfect. Thanks Bob and Victoria for putting it all together! 

^^the newport beach playground was amazing. right on the water, with sand as the floor. i can't even imagine what life would be like living here. 

^^this is one of my favorite new pictures of the girls. 

^^some of the crew on the beach. 

^^a quick bike ride with the hubby!

^^lydia adores her grammie 

^^best friends of the trip!

^^the roberts. one being smart in the sun, the other being a dummy

^^a rare siting of one of the carver boys 

^^brooklyn wanted to send some california love her grandparents in boston 

^^lydia wasn't a fan of the beard

^^telling rob how to pose! ha 

^^me and my beck 

^^having the best time on the beach

^^all six of my kids! our little brady bunch 

^^twinner faces haha

^^waiting for their food 

^^cafe rio!! on the way out of town

^^if our trip wasn't perfect enough we stopped at the disney outlet on the way home in gilroy. i don't have a picture but we found brooklyn the most amazing elsa halloween costume at 75% off!