Easter 2015

Easter.

It's quickly becoming my favorite holiday. Spring's arrival coupled with the remembrance of our Lord's Resurrection are certainly a wonderful cause for celebration!

And while it's my favorite holiday, it's also a hard one since we don't live near family. We have lots of responsibilities at church so traveling home isn't feasible. I was a little down this year, thinking of all we were missing back home and the fact that no one would get to see our sweet babes in their Easter best, but it was a beautiful weekend in spite of those things!

On Saturday morning, we kept our now annual tradition of attending our town's egg hunt! This year, Londyn Grace entered a painting in the art contest and received a ribbon and coloring book!

She also got to see the Easter Bunny! She absolutely loves anything in costume so she was thrilled!

She gave him a high five and also sat on his lap twice!

Brother slept through most of it, but woke up just in time to meet the Big Bunny, too! He wasn't quite as excited as Sister, but he didn't cry!

After the hunt, we stopped at Dunkin for some doughnuts before heading to the church for our afternoon of Upward basketball.

When we got home, it was time to color our eggs.

Londyn Grace was so into it. From putting the eggs into the pot to boil, getting her cups of dye ready and then coloring them and adding pretty stickers, she loved every minute of it!

They turned out really pretty! She decided to try one but only ate a few bites before deciding mama could finish it!

Before heading to bed on Saturday evening, I filled their baskets.

The first Easter basket is always a hard one for me since he can't eat candy yet and doesn't really play with toys so Liam didn't get quite as much as Londyn Grace, but he wasn't too upset about it!

Before getting dressed on Sunday morning, we came down to see what we waiting in their baskets.

The umbrella was definitely a favorite! 

Bubba enjoyed his ducky, too.

After a beautiful Resurrection Day Service, a sweet friend snapped a few pictures for us! It's been a tradition since we got married to coordinate our Easter outfits and have a photo taken. I love looking back at the pictures from years past.

This year was extra special since it was Liam's first Easter!

I love this picture of my two favorite guys in their matching bow ties!

And then of Daddy and both of his babies!

I'm hardly ever in pictures with them since I'm typically behind the camera so I was thrilled to get this one!

Then I took of few of our sweet babes in their Easter best! After taking about twenty shots, this was the least blurry of them all! :)

His sweet little suspenders and her smocking make this mama's heart happy!

I love this one even though you can't see their faces! They love each other so much!

It was a wonderful day! He is Risen, indeed!

Liam is 8 Months Old!

Eight Months! We are inching or rather speeding towards one year with our little man! Every month seems to pass a little quicker than the last!

He's still a peanut weighing in at 14 pounds 8 ounces. He is 25 and 3/4 inches long. He wears 6 month onesies so the snaps will button, but we still have trouble in the pants department! A few of his 3 month pairs fit best in the waist but are highwaters! Until this month, his stats have been similar to Londyn Grace's, but he is a bit behind what she was at his age now. Our pediatrician isn't worried since he is meeting all of his milestones and is a happy, healthy boy, but suggested with try some solids that have a higher fat content. This week he tried avocado. He seems to do better when Daddy feeds him than when I do! When I do it, he spits most of it out! He enjoys feeding himself using the mesh feeder. Honeydew is a new favorite thanks to Auntie! 

He's still nursing on demand which is about every 2.5 hours or sooner if he decides he needs a snack. Feeding on demand is what works best for my milk supply so that's what we do! When he is ready to eat. he just throws himself into nursing position! 

Each morning he takes a two hour nap in his swing and then at least one sometimes two more shorter naps in the afternoon/evening. At night, he still sleeping in Daddy and Mama's bed! He's such a sweet snuggle bug! 

People are always commenting on how happy and smiley he is and for the most part that is true! He's certainly happiest when he's in my arms though and I'm completely okay with that! 

Getting into his carseat is not one of his favorite things to do, but he's usually okay once the initial strapping in is complete! 

He does enjoy his jumperoo and absolutely loves splashing in the tub at bathtime!

We are still waiting on his first tooth to appear! He is constantly chewing on something! I'm forever taking things away that he's not supposed to have! 

Londyn Grace is still his favorite and he's always watching her. She was so excited to take him to the playground for the first time. He went on the swings and even went down the slide with her! I'm looking forward to watching them play together as he becomes more mobile.

He is such a joy to our family! We love you, Bubba Boy, and praise the Lord for eight months together! 

Londyn Grace is Two and a Half Years Old!

Two and a half.

If I tell you not to smile at me, it results in this super cute squinty-eyed smile! 

These last six months have been nothing short of amazing. You are such a big girl now. There is not much baby left in you and though it hurts my heart, it also makes me happy. I'm just so happy to be blessed with the privilege of watching you grow and change each day.

At halfway to three, you are tipping the scales at around 25 pounds and measuring 35 inches tall. You are wearing 2T and 3T dresses. You are growing out of the size six shoes you just started wearing in January so we bought a 6.5 in your easter shoes!

You are smart. Constantly blowing us away with your language skills and knowledge and understanding of so much, you definitely take after your Daddy when it comes to all of that. You are always adding new adjectives like probably and actually to your vocabulary. It makes me giggle to hear you use such big words! You've known all of the alphabet since before you turned two and continue to point out letters on signs, menus and wherever else you see them. You know what letters several words start with. You can count to 12 and recognize those numbers, as well. You also know all of your colors and shapes and are currently learning the days of the week. You have a really good memory and recall events  and even little things that happened months ago. You love tractors, especially riding on Pop Pop's, and because of that your favorite color is yellow!

my beautiful girl

I often ask you if you are two or ten because of the conversations we have! You respond, "I'm two!" If I ask you your name, you respond, "Londyn Grace Hodge!" You also know brother's full name and mama and daddy's real names, too.

You are very aware of what's going on around you and are always asking "What's this, mama?!" and other questions. Your little mind seems to be in overdrive taking everything in.

You like when things are in their places and exactly as they should be. Today as I was preparing to make stamps out of potatoes for an art project, you said, " Those are for dinner! We need to cook them!" Speaking of art projects, you absolutely love to paint. You would paint all day if you could. You also love doing puzzles and playing with play doh. You don't even open your toy box on most days because you'd rather be doing one of the aforementioned things. And regardless of what you're doing, you're most likely singing! You are singing about 99% of the time! Your sweet little voice is constantly filling our home with song! Reading is also on your list of loves. We read book after book after book and you still want more. You do like to watch old episodes of Barney on Youtube. Your favorites are Barney's Birthday and Barney's Ball Machine. 

You are sweet. One of your favorite things to do is to snuggle buggle with mama and it's certainly my favorite time of day. At night, we read books in mama's bed and then say your prayers before your snuggle close and drift off to sleep. You are quick to say "I'm sorry, mama" after you've done something wrong. You melt my heart with how often you say "Thank you, mama!" after I've done something for you. Most nights after you take your first bite of dinner, you say, "Mmmmm. It's good! Thank you for my dinner, mama!"  Recently, Daddy and I were under the weather and you were constantly asking, "Are you feeling better, Daddy?" and "Are you okay, Mama?!" when I would cough. I pray you never lose your care and concern for others. 

such a silly Goosey

You are the best big sister. You like for mama to hold "two babies" meaning brother on one hip and you on the other. Brother Boy is definitely one of your favorite people. I don't know what I would do without your help with him. You are faster than mama to clean him if he spits up or grab something from him if he's chewing on something he's not supposed to be chewing on! In your words, "Liam always eats stuff!" You were pretty excited when he finally got to taste solid food last month! You love to go upstairs to greet him when he wakes up from his nap.

You are silly and full of energy. From jumping on the bed to running around, you are always on the move. You are independent. Putting your shoes on by yourself and even going potty without help are just two of the things that warrant, "I do it!" meaning you don't need mama's assistance! {You've been fully potty trained since right after around your second birthday}

You enjoy going to basketball on Saturdays to watch the kids play and Daddy coach. You love Sunday School and look forward to seeing all of your friends each time we go to church.  

The distance from family is really starting to become real to you and saying goodbyes after visits is getting tougher. You love talking to everyone on Facetime though! Thank the Lord for technology. 

You are my big helper! Every morning, you climb up on a stool next to me as we wash dishes. I cherish that time with you while brother naps and we sing and talk while we work. Every evening, you sit on the counter and help me prepare dinner. You love to carry Daddy's plate to him. 

There is so much about you that I just can't put into words. Your Shirley Temple curls. Your pretty blue eyes. How precious you look in your smocked dresses. In so many ways I just wish I could freeze time and keep you this age forever, but I'm so looking forward to what's to come with you, Goosey!

We have big plans for growing a flower garden and spending lots of time at the park this summer. 

talking to the ducks

I'm sure I'll think of so much more that I want to keep record of, but for now this is a pretty good synopsis of you at two and half years old. 

You are my favorite girl, and I just adore you!

I just love your expression in this one!

talking to mama about wanting to go to the park after we finished taking pictures

Speaking of "I love you!" when I say, "I love you!" and you say it back, I ask, "How much?" and you say, "SO much" and then I question, "How much is SO?!" and you finish with, 

"WAY MORE THAN YOU KNOW!" 

And that is so very very true!

I love you, Goose, WAY MORE THAN YOU KNOW!

But even more than Mama's love is the Savior's love for you! I pray that more than anything you learn as you grow and mature, you grasp that wondrous fact at an early age! 

You are my precious gift from Him! 

Happy Half Birthday, sweet girl!