Happy Birthday, Lady Bug !

So Madison turned 7 today ! We still cannot believe it has been 7 years since our little Maddy Bug engulfed our lives and forever made us parents ! She has taught us invaluable lessons that only she could teach us. She has taught us about enduring faith, charity , unconditional love, service , hope , and best of all that pure joy really comes in the smallest of accomplishments ! She is an angel in so many ways. I often refer to her as my little old lady with a teenage boy appetite . ( I say this because she needs assistance in many physical ways and has a very hardy appetite). Thank goodness for her activeness that keeps her nice and thin. We love her SO MUCH and are grateful for her hardwork and determination that keeps her progressing through her challenges. We love her sweet baby laugh ( it still has a little muffle to it ), her tender touches when she wants your attention, her TV remote delivery when she wants you to change the channel or turn on something she likes, her love for school and going on the school bus, her joy in feeding herself, her love for food ( all kinds! Shes not picky ), her love for baths ( she gets really excited when they are cold ones ) her love for Disneyland and Thunder Mountain, her excitement for going to the park and her love for swings. Our lady bug has taught us to never take anything for granted ! We love you Madison, Maddie, Maddy Bug, Maa Maa, Maa Mee, Sweet Dove, Maddie Lou ( which Brooklyn chimes in to say " Its not Maddie Lou Daddy, its my sister".)

Birthday Boy !

So today Jake turned the big 35 ! We love you Jakers, Jakus , Da Da , Daddy, Dad , Smalls, Jacob Vaun , Leprechan, Handyman, Big Papa.... we love your humor, your patience, your hardwork, your wonderful baths complete with original Elmo artwork , your fabulous homemade salsa, your Simpson impressions, your laugh, your late night fastfood traditions, your cocoa and toast tradition, your carved pumpkins at Halloween, your personal christmas cards at christmas, your green thumb and love for scenery and the late night episodes of mountain man & mtn. Everest reality TV shows. Thanks for all of the love and memories Honey ! You enrich our lives daily ! We Love you and Happy Birthday !

Happy Birthday Lady Bird !

So Brooklyn is officially 3 ! Where have the years gone ? Today I remenisced about the day she was born... the laboring at home , the frantic car ride to the hospital an hour before she was actually born and the 48 hours I got to be with her one on one in the hospital room. I think if I could go back to one day in my life at this point , then that would be it ! It is quite possibly the best experience of my life. The delivery was an AWESOME family experience and even Madison got to participate in the fun as she sat in the stroller in the back of the delivery room ! I could go on and on about all of the wonderful details but instead I will tell you what I love most about our little Brooklyn...
She is AMAZING in everyway ! She is loving , patient and compassionate . She has exemplified these qualities to the fullest with her big sister Madison. She is everything I prayed she would be . She is the perfect fit for our famiy and we could not feel more blessed in how she is growing and the person she is becoming. She has an amazingly mature spirit for her age and we feel that that is the gift that Madison has given to her. We appreciate all that she brings to our family... the good times and the crazy times. She is a HUGE blessing from our Father in Heaven and with her we wouldn't change a thing ! We nicknamed her Lady Bird because I like to call my girls ladies for the little ladies they are and the bird was a perfect fit when we first saw her hair and it looked like a little feather flying in the wind. It always naturally fits her personality even as she grows because she is our little song bird . You name it she sings it ! We love you, our sweet bird !

Belated Birthday Blog

So a few weeks ago ( Yes, I am still behind ), I turned the big 29. Unfortunately this is the last year that I can say that I am in my late 20's. Jake and I would have liked to celebrate by doing something special and more lavish but instead kept it boringly predictible this year. But who is to say that next year, being the big 3-0 cannot be exciting and lavish, right ? So anyway , we had a good night going out to one of my favorite restaraunts called Louises Trattoria . It is a nice Italian restaraunt in Westlake Village ( others around Southern California ). We had fabulous italian food and great adult conversation. I look back at the whole day and wonder if I kind of spoiled any chance for surprise being as I had already ordered my gift and Jake pretty much knew where I wanted to go for dinner. I have chose this place in the past for a few birthdays because everytime we do date nights we tend to go Mexican, Thai or a main favorite of ours... California Pizza Kitchen (CPK). So he knew right off the bat that when it is "my night" I was going to choose Italian. I am sorry but it is literally in my blood ! Oh and by the way, for those whom are interested, my present was a Hoover Steam Vac Dual V carpet cleaner. Jake was not excited about it being my birthday gift but I assured him that the convenience of clean carpets made me very happy ! He did however surprise me later with a nice decor piece for our walls but I couldn't help but return it when I could not decide where to put it. He tried, right ? I can really kick myself for being so dang particular sometimes ! Oh well, spontanaity and surprises will have to come in my 30's. Right now it is all about convenience and predictability !