MJ & Lil G: November

I will need to change the monthly postings from featuring only Madeleine's tidings, because, as everybody knows, Madeleine welcomed her little sister Gracen November this month. Here is another quick review of a very packed month!

Madeleine turned 17 months on the 2nd- here is her monthly shot. I told her to smile and this is the face I got:

Ha ha! We then tried it again:

Madeleine started to explore putting words together, it was during a little playtime outside that she started saying "Go, bah-bah. Go!" The video is adorable, but I can't figure out how to load them into blogger. Anyways, as she was riding her little car we got from Grand-aunt Caryn, she was telling herself to go. Kids are so cute.

I really have to give Tim another round of kudos. After pretty much forgetting about taking pictures in the meadow, Tim loaded us all up in the car and we were able to get some. The weather had been spotty, but once the sun came out, we were able to nab some silohouettes.

Tim does a camera check by tossing Hop in the air. I love Madeleine's expressive hands and Hops' perfect side-shot.

Next, he tosses Madeleine. This is actually one of the last toss shots. Not only was she screaming in delight, but he gave a final big toss while I snapped pictures. Throwing a 27 lb baby is not easy, but she loved it, and we got a fun shot. Please don't report us to CPS, we are very safe with our babies =)

Tim found an old box out in the meadow and we used it to get better positioning in the fading sunlight.

Madeleine and I chat and play while Tim snaps away:

If you are clever, you'll notice this picture was taken before the previous ones, notice where the sun is behind me. I love this one of me and my girls.

40 weeks & 1 day:

Madeleine was again treated to a Daddy-Daughter date at the WAP. I am pretty sure it was this trip that allowed me to stay home all day and read and nap. I was "overdue" and ready to deliver, so Tim -having taken time off for Grace- blessed me by taking Mads all day and I almost finished my book club read, I Love Yous are for White People by Lac Su.

Here our brave little girl practically gives the deer her hand as a treat:

deer delight!:

I love this deer's tender sniff:

On November 11, our 3 year anniversary, we were scheduled to take a non-stress test at the Kaiser in San Marcos- to make sure baby was alright. Of course, I was resistant, but Tim tried to make it fun and organized a dinner with the Kalberg's (who were due two weeks after us) and we took in the sunset from a hill in San Elijo:

Happiest 3 years my love:

That night we ate with our friends and looked forward to having our little girl. We didn't know it, but she would come only two days later. You can read about Gracen's birth here.

After Gracen was born, Madeleine continued to explore lots of fun and new items in our house.

She found my headlamp:

was given bubble bath by her Dada:

and enjoyed wearing my Hello Kitty beanie:

Gracen had some visitors including her Great-Grammy, Grand Aunt Sally, Grand Uncle Chris and cousin Katie. Gracen is my Grammy's fourth great-grandchild.

What would my cousin be to Gracen? Her second cousin? Her cousin, once-removed?

Madeleine likes her little sister. She doesn't adore her, but she does ask about her, is concerned when she's crying and likes to show her toys and things. She calls her "bah-bah Dace" for baby Grace.

A few days after Gracen was born, we took our dogs out for a run at "the ranch". We now frequent the abandoned Roripaugh Ranch development by the Temecula Blueberry Farm because of the frequent coyote sightings we've had at "the meadow". Tim took his camera to snap some sunset shots again. Here Madeleine gives him her "goofy-face". We tell her to give us her goofy-face to get a smile. However, after getting a play camera from her Grammi and Papa for Christmas, she is understanding the concept of "cheese".

Gracen sleeps while we take a walk on the ranch:

M & M:

Tim & his girls- the adoration is mutual. This is the photo my brother-in-love, Keith, gave me as a Christmas gift. It looks wonderful in the frame he made for me:

Gracen gets her first bath at home. She liked it :)

My youngest brother, Alex, pays a visit to meet Gracen. He loves our girls very much.

"two, two"

After settling a new baby in, it was time to celebrate Thanksgiving and my birthday, which just so happened to fall on the holiday. Dinner at my parents was wonderful and they invited Tim's sisters too. My in-laws were in Texas visiting Tim's father's parents. My girlfriends Meredith and Elizabeth stopped in to meet Gracen and say Happy Birthday. Meredith just had a baby about a month before me, so here we are nursing our little girls:

Katie & my mom

My mom's sister, Sally and her husband Chris:

Kim & Lori's kids (some of them)

After all the celebrating (our family has 7 birthdays in November & our anniversary is in there too-plus Thanksgiving) we settled into the coming on of December. Good thing Tim had an entire month off to help with our new little one. He is such a blessing when it comes to the girls. I love that he values being around them, especially while we are adjusting to each new one. I love the fact that he gets to grow his beard out. I get sad the day before he goes back to work and has to shave it all off. Oh well, a small price to pay for a wonderful job.

Thank you Tim, for being a supportive husband who protects and adores his girls.

♥ Love, Lauren