Lauren's Wedding

  

   

So....what to say about that one time my best friend from forever got married and practically all my family and old friends were there and everything was pretty much perfect? Maybe I'll start and finish with my favorite moment.

Thanks to "27 Dresses," I know that the best thing to do when the bride makes her entrance is to look at the sorry sucker standing at the altar waiting for her. Lauren was absolutely stunning and calm and radiant as she walked down the aisle. Bobby's reaction to her perfection almost made me cry all my mascara away.  It was clear that he was ready to marry the woman he loves, and he was ready to love her for life. And that was it, my favorite moment. I know that my friend will, until death do them part, be loved and cared for and treasured.

Sawyer and Elouise at 2 1/2 and 6 months

These two are teaching me, among many other things, the dynamic characteristic of gratitude and its ever-constant ability to increase and expand our existence.  The boundaries of life burst when I spot them in my rear view mirror, when they're rolling through the zoo side by side, when we're chasing each other around and around the kitchen.  I've said it before and I'll say it again, we are so complete with one another.

Being only 23 months apart, they reach some important milestones right around the same time. Here's how my darlings have grown:

Sawyer:

One silly, sweet, amazingly smart and incredibly loved little boy.

Still ridiculously tall for his age.  Like as tall as a four-year-old.  His weight can't quite keep up with his height, but he's still an all-around big boy.

He positively rocks the playground, any playground, or really any thing that can be run around, climbed over, climbed up, jumped off of, played in, or dug up.  He's nimble, handy, and calculatingly brave.  Throw in some creativity and he literally has hours of fun at the park.

Speaking of creativity, his imagination has blossomed!  Creative play is here to stay. His favorite imaginative play is to be a cat, battle like pirates, play "to the rescue," or have his cars and trucks engage in civil conversation that goes something like this:

"Hi.  What's you name? I'm big truck.  Want to go to shop? Oh! Ok.  Fough me."

He's a chatterbox. He has the best ideas and is getting into telling his own narratives and forming his own conclusions. It's amazing to hear what comes out of his head.  

He is kind. Just so sweet.  He loves his friends, and on most days, his sister.  He loves to snuggle up and love up on his dada and mama and he's concerned about the feelings of others, particularly if someone is sad or happy.  

Elouise:

One big, spunky-as-ever, joy to have and hold.

She's off the charts for height and still pretty squishy, but she has dainty little lady feet.

She's ready to sit up, but is still finding her balance.  I didn't think she had any interest in being upright, but then one day I sat her down, and she practically stayed sitting,  Since then, she's just about got it figured out.  When she's ready, she does what she wants and she does it quick.

She likes Sawyer but is wary of him.  She's also experiencing some stranger danger and will only allow her mama, dada, and our friend Kelly to hold her.  It's an exclusive club, because she is just the best little cuddler and loves to burrow her head into your shoulder and tuck her arms down into you. 

She also loves to burrow her face in anything plush or soft.  Think pillows, sheepskins, fluffy blankets...if it's comfy, chances are she's shoving her head into it and squealing.

She's an excellent nurser, and very picky about her solid food.  For awhile the only thing she ate with gusto was imported Italian lady fingers.  We've expanded her palate to include strawberries, grapes, yogurt, potatoes, green beans, chicken, tomatoes, and pasta, but everything must first pass the hand test. If she picks it up and doesn't like the texture or feel of it in her hand, there is no way it's going into her mouth.

She's still so good at sleeping.

She is so pleasant and easy to care for, she's really just a dream of a girl.

Five Whole Years

I know this is an anniversary, and not Valentine's Day post, but waaaay back in February I gave my forever Valentine a little gift, just The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. This was perfect present (if I do say so myself) because Jeff has hobbit feet and I try to never miss an opportunity to remind him of that, and because our five years together have been everything but what we expected.  I told him as much, and also mentioned that even though we've had good and bad surprises, I know that I'm exactly where I want to be, and more importantly, I'm where I chose- and continuously choose -to be.

I place many immeasurable values in that choice, not the least of which if the very power to choose. This appreciation of agency grew strong at a young age.  In my Gram's house, in the upstairs hallway bathroom, a quote was stuck to the mirror for as long as I can remember.  I must have spent a lot of time in there reading it, because the words on that little yellowed slip of paper are forever furrowed in my mind:  

"That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do, not that the nature of the thing has changed, but our power to do has increased."

To be honest, when Jeff first told me he loved me, I wasn't quite sure if I loved him back.  I had never loved anyone outside of my family or friends, and I hadn't wanted to, either.  So I didn't say anything for awhile until finally I realized that love is choice, and I had the power to chose to love Jeff or not love him.  So I chose to love him.  And the next day, I chose again to love him. And on the third day, my moxie fell and I wasn't so sure about that love thing, but luckily I got my nerve back and decided again, that yes, I loved and would continue to love Jeff.  

It's now been (more than) five whole years of making that simple choice: to love.  It was very much  a conscious effort at first- and on some days sprinkled throughout the years as well- but I've found that, true to the quote residing in the third story bathroom at Gram's, it has become easier and easier to do, and my ability and capacity to love have increased. 

While I can't say where all that unexpected stuff pops in from, I know that the wonderful, secure, love-filled state of our relationship is a result of what we've chosen.

...In spite of all the unexpected... 

And now, some pics from our anniversary date! Elouise can't stand to live without me these days so while Sawyer got a trip to his grandparent's house, Ello joined us for dinner.  She got to hear all of our reminiscing and sit our laps while we noshed on the goodness of the Freight House in Stillwater, MN. Apparently, sitting wasn't good enough and she wriggled and reached with a burning desire to eat fried cheese curds.