The Many Looks of the Soph Monster

Clothes Monster that is. Sophie insists on changing her look 

sev-er-al times each day. Each look generally goes with a change of shoes and accessories. Today I thought I would chronicle her changes. Today was a bit of a calm day for her standards. There were no tutus and headbands and sunglasses. For example, the other night she insisted on wearing a tutu, mittens, snow hat, and boots to bed. She is such a little free-spirited fashionista 

The first outfit of choice was a purple and green striped shirt, floral skirt, with striped leggings and be-jewled flip-flops

After hanging out with her friend Dutch, and seeing that she had on a pink doggy shirt that matched one at home, she just had to  wear it too. Then, on goes these 18 Mo size denim shorts, she always digs out of her "too small" box and a change of shoes also.

Then her swimming suit. Here she is, digging in her drawers for her next outfit. if you notice on the bottom left, she keeps her stool there for ready access to her top drawers to find her tights and such.

This princess shirt is often one she comes back to. She calls it her "Tiana shirt" -also, new, bigger denim shorts

Then a skirt

Then a pair of bermuda shorts and a sparkly tee. Which is fitting because when she is asked what her favorite color is, she says, "spark-a-lee"

I have had a struggle to know what to get this girl for her birthday. When I asked her if she would rather have toys or clothes, can you guess what she said?

On Motherhood

   This is something that fills me with so much emotion that it is hard to breath sometimes. I have always, always wanted to be a mom. I feel silly calling it a privilege, as if I did something to earn the chance to be a mother. But I most definitely feel privileged and ridiculously lucky to have my babies.  Those tiny arms that wrap around my neck at bedtime are as good as any mood enhancing elixer. When my little girl pats my cheeks and tells me I smell nice and then with a big goofy smile on her face and a giggle in her voice parrots my nighttime farewell, "goodnight babycakes"... "na-night baby cakes,"
   My whole body just fills full of gratitude, even though 10 minutes before I was wishing I could just be off duty and wondering why my children  would not give up and go to bed. "no sam you can't have ramen noodles right now... because you just had a snack and it's 30 minutes passed your bedtime....  and mama is just so done."  overwhelmed is so often in the mix of my motherhood emotional cocktail.
   Then there are the nights that I come home from work to a quiet house. In a way, blissfully quiet. My kids are asleep and Steve is at work. I get the rundown of the days activities from Grandma... happy that I got to avoid Sophie's tantrum over not getting to wear a fancy dress and purse to bed, and relieved that Sam's homework is done. I go to check on Sam and he, in his deep slumber doesn't flinch or flicker at my smooch on his warm cheek. I wonder how his day went. I start to feel guilty that I wasn't home when he got home from school that day... guilty that it's not my signature on his homework... guilty that I may be doing this all wrong and that I may in fact be setting him up for a life of him wondering why his mom wasn't there. I think Guilt is an emotion that every mother carries with them almost always. The gratitude and the guilt and the feeling overwhelmed and just the intesnity of love and responsibility is a lot to make any "my mom's the best" mug runneth over.
  Not only did I grow in pant size and bra size after becoming a mom, I think I grew some extra tear ducts. I can get choked up at the craziest, tiniest things especially when those things involve my kiddos, or any random person's kids on television. I just need to remember to take deep breaths, so my body can keep up with these very tangible, incredible feelings. 

Mackenzies wedding

My little sister is such a wonderful person. She met Colin and they had an instant connection and it didn't take long for them to decide they wanted to be married. Colin is such a sweet guy and treats her the way she deserves and really, as a big sister, I couldn't ask for more for Mackenzie. His Dad is from Scotland, her name is Scottish, it was meant to be right? My mom made her dress and I got to do her hair. Kenz has always been sort of my hair muse. Her texture is still my favorite to work with. 

They did Bridal/Groomal's. these were shot by my Brother-in-law Kevin.

 Sophie was one of the flower girls... a very tired flower girl

 just a few of the sissies. 

Jamie, Laurie, Mackenzie, Brooke, moi

 Her bouquet was made by Laurie and her SIL Kristy. It is a collection of vintage, and new brooches and earrings and some fabric flowers. Isn't it awesome! the best part is that she can keep it forever.

 We are veterans at this marriage thing by now... We just celebrated our 9th anni. Go us! 

 This is the hair we (I)decided on for the wedding day. Isn't she so beautiful? Mackenzie has been doing an apprenticeship with me at work and is close to done with her hours. She always lets me do whatever I want with her hair.

 This is Colin seeing her for the first time. He got all choked up which got me all choked up and the wedding hadn't even started.

An insane attempt to get ALL the children in a pic. Sophie was just so so done.

2 handsome loves of my life.

easter

My Children are adorable aren't they? It is as easy as herding cats to get them to both look at the camera at the same time and at least appear to be happy.

"Okay guys, lets go outside and take some pictures... It will only take a second... because I asked you to... Sophie keep your shoes on... ok fine, wear your pink sparkly shoes... Sam, NO! Just keep your church shoes on... they are not that tight!... Okay fine, you can wear your running shoes... Stand over here by the tree... this tree... Sophie! over here! Saaay EASTER!!..." 

Sophie's dress is from Mackenzie's wedding in March. She loves that it "goes down, down to the ground"

At some more content moments of my forced photo-tastrophy. 

The ham is Soph came out as soon as I changed her into an

 outfit of her choosing. 

Sammo's digging the scooter lately. 

I have always loved Easter even though I was terrified of the big giant bunny that supposedly hopped around my house laying eggs. The Easter egg hunts at my Grandmas were always amazing and my Dad does a great Job to try and recreate the same feeling. 

bling boy

Sam is a little money obsessed. That is no secret. His interest in earning it has been pretty cute and pretty impressive really. The other day he mentioned to me that he had seen "the coolest" necklace and that he really wanted it. He said that it was on a long chain and it had a really big dollar sign on it.
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What can I say? The boy's got style. He knows some good bling when he sees it. 

dirty thirty

I can't believe that my little husband is growing up so fast. This last year has been a whirlwind of milestones. He continued walking and kept all his teeth. He says the funniest things and is so sweet to his wife but shows his sassy side too. Oh how I love him and how I look forward to the next 30 years!

For his Birthday, he and I went up to Salt Lake and spent the day at the gateway, then met some friends at Tucanos. My sister kept the kiddos overnight. The next day was his actual birthday. His Brother and Family came down and we had a BBQ. Rather than doing a "your getting old" kind of thing. I thought I would get him a pinata to feel a little juvenile. He got to pulverize it and the kids got to scramble for candy. He actually loved it, so I was happy. Not all my grand plans are well received. 

I am happy to have known Steve as long as I have. His eyes are always familiar but are known starting to get lines around them. I love that. When I was 16 and he was 18 and I would day dream about growing old with him someday and yes, I know that 30 is not old but I'm just so happy with the 30 year old that he is and feel lucky to be his main squeeze. 

Happy Birthday Sweetness.

It snowed.. and I am blogging.... Strange.

I have not blogged in some time now. I could apologize and try to make promises and goals to blog more and yes, I'd like to but who knows right? I'm just sayin' 

We had snow today and really shouldn't have and it was a little disheartening but oh so beautiful. I wanted to post some pics of my equally beautiful daughter, earlier in the year, when snow was still a happy thing to see. 

It was stevies bday today and I did take some pictures. Perhaps I will post them :)