Four years

Today is my baby girl's last day as a three year old. Just typing that sentence seems shocking to me. Where did my baby girl go? In her place, I find a confident, curious, inquisitive ticklish big girl with a fantastic vocabulary. She walked off to ride the bus to school with her dad this morning, and it just amazed me that just 4 years ago she was this squirming newborn with beautiful big brown eyes.

Maya Drake, you have brought such love and laughter into our family. You are the one that made me a mom, and for that I will be forever grateful. You make me laugh and smile like no one else. I love how easily you make new friends on the playground, how your patience with your little brother seems to be never-ending, how you walk on your tiptoes, how you are up for just about any adventure I drag you on, and how your imagination continues to grow.

















 Your fourth year will bring a lot of changes: a new home, school, state, and a little sister. She is one lucky little girl to be able to have you as a big sister.

Tomorrow as we celebrate you all day long with new dresses. macaroni and cheese, pancakes, tomato soup, and playgrounds, please remember that you are my sunshine.

Baby girl

Yesterday at our goodbye BBQ/kids' birthday party, we opened up the envelope that the ultrasound technician had sealed for us at our appointment a month ago. We are thrilled that we will be adding another little girl to our family. Although Ben and Larkin should probably be more than slightly worried about the amount of estrogen in our house, they seem up to the task. And Maya is so excited to have a little sister (whom she wants to name Kayla, Michaela, or Sally.)

We can't wait to meet you, baby girl. You are so lucky to have the big sister and brother that you have....

Two years

It is hard to believe that just two years ago Ben came into our lives. Some days, it feels like it has been so much shorter - I vividly remember so many details about that Memorial Day weekend (how my Dad kept urging me to go to the hospital, how many people Larkin frantically called to go stay with Maya so my parents could join us at the hospital, how it felt when Larkin told me that I had a son, and how excited Maya was to meet her little brother.)


Other days, it feels like those two years have lasted a lifetime. I mean, how did we even think we were a family without this little man?! I have a hard time remembering our lives without him in it.

Ben's personality has been set since he was a baby -he loves life and approaches most everything (except vegetables and sprinklers) with complete abandon. He loves singing and dancing, running, kicking/throwing balls, and anything he deems funny.


He still gives the BEST hugs.


Thank you, Ben, for two wonderful years. I know this year will bring a lot of changes for you - a new house, a new state, a new school, and a new role as a big brother. I can't wait to see how you embrace all these changes. I love you.

Happy Mother's Day