Category: Olivia Iris

January 27, 2014

I have to write this post today, before I forget the details of the precious, beautiful, fleeting moment I experienced last night with Olive.  So yes, I’m kicking off the week with a very personal diary-style post and I hope you don’t mind.  😉

Yesterday Olive woke up with a sniffle and a runny nose.  She still greeted me cheerfully as I walked into her room to get her.  I got us ready for church and off we went.  At that point we weren’t sure if she had allergies or a cold, since she didn’t have a fever and it was just a clear runny nose.  Just a couple hours later, however, we could tell she wasn’t feeling well.  Her eyes were watery, her nose was still constantly dripping, and she had begun to both sneeze and cough.  Her afternoon nap was normal, but she continued to cough after she woke up.  It broke my heart every time I heard that rumbly chesty cough come out of her, or watched her try to wipe her nose in frustration before I swooped in with the Nose Frida (mamas know what I’m talking about!).  No one wants to see their baby sick!  We had a lazy afternoon and unremarkable evening.  I just focused on keeping her hydrated and snuggled up.  And then it was bedtime.

Typically we change Olive into her PJs, brush her teeth, and walk her through a simple bedtime routine that includes turning on her Sleep Sheep and Ladybug Constellation night light and then praying together as a family.  We place her into her crib tired but awake, and she snuggles in without a peep.  We call out that we love her and close the door.  And that’s it until morning.  It is pretty incredible that she has always fallen asleep easily and without much of a fuss.  I am grateful for it, of course, but I would tell my mama friends that I often wished she would fall asleep in my arms or let me rock her.  There are some nights that she literally wriggles and leaps out of my arms into her crib after we say, “Amen.”  She is *that* eager to get to bed and *that* comfortable doing it on her own.

So last night, it was different.  Last night I could see that Olive was having trouble breathing with her nose because she was so stuffed up.  Erik prepped her cool mist humidifier and I gave her a soothing nighttime bath.  She was getting drowsy.  I got her into her PJs and wrapped her up in a blanket and then went back into the bathroom.  I turned on the hot shower water and sat down on the closed toilet lid, my two year old “baby” bundled up in my arms.  She didn’t struggle.  She didn’t wriggle or ask for “night night.”  She just stared up at me, straight into my eyes.  And as steam filled the room, I started to rock her.  I started softly singing “Twinkle Twinkle” to her.  But she looked up and quietly said, “Jesus Loves Me.”  I couldn’t believe it.  I’ve only been singing the song with her for a few days and out of nowhere, she was requesting it.  The words also seemed like a simple statement from her lips and the power behind it just blew me away.  I started to sing the song, still rocking her, room full of steam.  She started to drift to sleep, her eyelids fluttering, but when she tried to keep her eyes open they were fixed on me.  The last thing she said before she fell asleep was, “Jesus.”  I lost it, guys.  I totally began to cry, voice creaking, warm tears landing on her little shirt (gratefully she was wearing an undershirt so I don’t think she felt my raindrops, haha).  It could have been the cloud of steam or the veil of tears, but for a moment I honestly saw her as a baby.  I literally saw her closed eyes and peaceful sleeping face as it was when she was a tiny baby.  And in that moment I felt so unbelievably grateful.  And I’d be lying if I didn’t say I also felt a twinge of sadness.  I thank God everyday for my beautiful daughter and yet I also feel that pull in my heart, that desire to hold too tightly, that secret wish for her to stay little forever.  I pray I never cling too tightly; I pray that I always see her for what she is — a child of God, a tender soul to shepherd and guide and love and instruct.  A gift entrusted to me.

I told a friend today that motherhood has changed me in every single way, and for the better.  I have learned so much about myself since becoming a mother and I know I will continue to be stretched over the years ahead.  At the moment of Olive’s birth, something in me switched… something put in motion from the moment I knew I was pregnant with her.  I have learned so much about God since having Olive, too.  I can glimpse a tiny bit of the love of the Father for us in the way I love her.  It is incredible to ponder.

After gently putting Olive into her crib last night, fast asleep and heavy in my arms, I went to bed early with teary eyes, just relishing and reliving the precious moment I had just experienced.  It’s funny that one of the first things I thought was, “I need to write this down before I forget!”  I so desperately don’t want to forget these simple little moments that mean so much to me.  I am truly so thankful for the reminder I was given last night — a moment to slow down, savor her “littleness” one more time (as it rapidly slips away), a moment to thank God for the long-awaited answer to prayer that is my baby Olive.

me and my olive // 7 weeks old

Thank you for letting me share a bit of my heart here today.  <3

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January 14, 2014

Olive turned 22-months old on Sunday and I’m already writing her monthly recap — how’s that for efficiency??  I’m usually so late on these that I thought I’d hustle to get this update posted today.  😉  With Olive’s 2nd birthday around the corner, I am getting *even more* sentimental, thinking about how quickly time has passed since her birth.  I got pretty teary last night while snuggling her before bed.  It might have had something to do with just having watched The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (highly recommended!!) but I just felt SO grateful for her.  I know every mother must feel the same way about their children, right??  I hold her tight and breathe in her incredible baby smell and kiss her cheeks and feel like my heart is going to explode with the amount of love and care I have for her.  It is amazing.

wearing a favorite vintage dress from my friend and former client, Jess

Here are our highlights from month 22…

  • We saw Frozen at the drive-in and she seemed to pay attention for most of it!  We’ve been going to the drive-in since she was a newborn and it really is the best way to see a movie with kids.  You get a double feature for $8/pp and you can eat and relax in the comfort of your own car… Can’t beat it.
  • We visited the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach and had a great time!  Olive has been obsessed with aquatic life since we took her to the Sydney Aquarium last spring.  I love watching her face light up as she observes the “fishies.”
  • I did a wedding in Long Beach (the first ever at The Loft on Pine!) for a sweet friend and Erik and Olive were guests!  It was kind of crazy having her there and trying to work, but I still love a chance to dress her up.  😉  She did try to help me by picking up rose petals (one by one) after the ceremony was over.
  • We celebrated Christmas in soCal with our families and had a wonderful time.
  • Lots of park time with friends!  The slide is still her favorite — she could go down it 20 times straight!  The swings are her least favorite.  She’ll go in for about 12 seconds before she says “all done swing.”
  • We rung in the New Year with friends and woke Olive up at midnight for a kiss.  The deer-in-headlights photos of her crack me up.
  • She saw Finding Nemo (aka “Nemo Fishy”) in parts this month and she loves it!  I also showed her a clip on YouTube of “Under the Sea” to acquaint her with another Disney ocean-themed classic.  It’s now on her request rotation anytime a computer is around.
  • Many more words and phrases including: Ouchy boo-boo for any type of injury, both real and imaginary, in request for a kiss from Dada, Where you going?, Thank you much!, Si-yee Dada or Si-yee Mama when she thinks either of us is being goofy, Oh dear! whenever I ask her where something is or where something went, etc.  She loves play cooking with some new kiddie cookware, pretending to talk on the phone (mostly with her grandparents), riding around the sunroom on her toy car and cleaning up (with a duster).  😉
  • Olive has always been an affectionate girl but she is really ramping up her lovey-ness and I can’t get enough!  She requests hugs and kisses on a daily basis, is always asking me to pick her up (“hold you!”) and loves to cuddle.  I am so grateful for this because I am such a snuggler… I don’t know if it’s nature or nurture but I love it!

{ 22 month photomosaic }

Darling Olive — Sweetie you make us laugh everyday with your antics!  I love hearing you chatter and sing throughout the day, I love watching you play with a new toy, I love seeing your sweet facial expression while we bow for prayer as a family.  I am soaking up every minute of your little-ness.  So many mama friends around me have urged me to never take a moment for granted because this time is over so quickly.  I don’t think I could do much more in terms of soaking each minute in, but I still feel time slipping away from me.  I can never get enough of you!  Thank you for still letting me cuddle you like a baby (we call it “baby mode” and you know when I say that to curl up like an infant in my arms — it melts me!) once in a while.  I promise not to bug you to do that when you’re a teenager… hopefully.  😉  You fill our home with so much joy and you remind us everyday that God answers prayers.  We love you babygirl!  love, Mama

I hope you’re all enjoying this week so far!  I’m working on putting together final docs for our first wedding of the year which happens to be this weekend.  Can’t wait; see you all again soon!

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December 31, 2013

Hello everyone!  I am sneaking in right before the end of 2013 to get this latest monthly update in.  😉  I have a New Year themed post scheduled for tomorrow but I just *had* to get this post up before the month (and year) draw to a close.

With the holidays in full swing, writing this update was a challenge.  We have been busy traveling to see relatives and hosting some as well!  I write these monthly posts according to Olive’s birthday, so they run from the 12th of a month until the 11th the following month.  So, this post covers November 12-December 11th!  I just thought I’d clarify since my belated post is coming after Christmas, but won’t include it.

Highlights from month 21:

  • We had a luxurious stay at the Pelican Hill Resort while I worked on a spectacular wedding.  Olive loved running around in our suite and exploring the property with Daddy while I worked.  
  • Our good friends Ben & Drew of the Cana Family took our photos for our Christmas cards.  Olive was a little less than excited to pose for photos that day, but they still managed to capture some incredible images we will treasure forever.
  • We hosted two dinner parties at our home for church members.  We can’t wait to eventually have everyone over!  Olive was the life of the party, cheerfully mingling with our guests.
  • We got our Christmas tree and Olive fell in love with its twinkle lights and sparkling ornaments.  She learned quickly not to touch the tree and was great about her obedience all season long.
  • Olive got to see all of her grandparents at Thanksgiving and she loved every second.  She also had a blast playing with her cousins, Adrian and Alejandro.
  • We took Olive to ride the train in the mall for the first time.  She was unsure about it, then terrified, and then I had to get on board with her.  haha  She still isn’t sure what to think about it, but I blame it on the boring circular track.
  • Olive somehow caught hand-foot-mouth disease (ugh) but had a very, very mild case.  We are thankful that she never lost her energy and joyful spirit while she was sick.  Unfortunately she passed the virus on to Daddy and he had a much harder time with it (an entire week home from work, 90% of it sick in bed).
  • New language includes hilarious phrases like, “Where Dada go? Dada go wuhk (work)!”  She also tells me to be “care-foo” when I’m standing on a chair or hanging something up.  Random skill: she can distinguish a bunch of types of nuts because they are one of her favorite snacks.  She can point out pine nuts, almonds, cashews, and pecans.  😉
  • She can count confidently from 1-10 and sing her entire ABCs.  Olive still loves nursery rhymes and a new favorite this month was “Hickory Dickory Dock.”  She also loves the Mother Goose Club on YouTube — the “Dinosaur Stomp” and “Driving” are the ones she is constantly requesting.

Our darling Olive, We are so grateful for the year we have had with you!!  It is hard to imagine you as you were in January: a wobbly walking little babe.  Today you are such an active, animated and entertaining character!  People are amazed when we tell them you’re not yet 2 — you are such a precocious girl with your bubbly personality and language skills.  You still make me and Daddy laugh on a daily basis, sometimes on purpose and sometimes not.  😉  Although you are quite social and fiercely independent, I love that sometimes the only thing you want is mama’s arms.  I hope that never changes.  You are such a precious part of our family and we thank God for bringing you to us.  Love you so, my darling.  xoxo, Mama

Our 21st month photo mosaic:

Thanks for reading!  I hope you have an absolutely wonderful evening, whatever you do to celebrate.  I’ll see you in 2014!!

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December 2, 2013

Hello everyone!!  Today I am starting to catch up after nearly a full week of Thanksgiving vacation.  We had such a wonderful time visiting our family for the holiday but it feels great to be home, too.  Olive is napping away and I’m finishing some laundry and inbox upkeep, so I thought I’d stop here with a little recap of our Thanksgiving celebrations!

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days of the year.  I always look forward to gathering with my loved ones and reflecting on all of the blessings we enjoy together.  My blog is a highlights reel of my life, so a casual reader may think that everything is always picture perfect over here.  Trust me — I experience real life struggles and difficulties like everyone else.  I’ve learned that thankfulness comes from a heart with the right perspective.  Happiness may come and go based on circumstances and situations, but contentment comes from within, and is borne from an awareness of our identity in Christ.  I can honestly say that even when times are tough, I have so much for which I can be thankful.  I have my unchanging God, an eternal hope, an unshakeable peace.  I am constantly working on cultivating a heart of gratitude and I pray that I demonstrate a spirit of thanksgiving all year round!

On Thanksgiving day, we were given an abrupt and dramatic lesson in gratitude.  As we drove from one celebration (at my mom’s) to another (at Erik’s aunt’s home), we noticed an erratic driver in front of us.  I called 911 to report him since he was weaving in and out of the lanes, slumping over his wheel, etc.  As I was speaking to the operator, we witnessed him drive straight into a streetlight pole.  It was surreal and horrifying.  While the driver did survive, they found him to match the description of a fugitive.  A search of his car also uncovered various drug paraphernalia, suggesting he was likely under the influence on the road.  Erik and I thanked God that we were behind his car, not in front of it, and that he was stopped (albeit dramatically) before he could further harm himself or others.  But I had to wonder… who was this man, and why was he strung out and all alone on Thanksgiving Day?  It hurt my heart to consider.  I prayed for him as I thanked God for my precious family and the gift of life.

In spite of the traffic scare, Thanksgiving was still a lovely time.  We began the day with a mostly vegetarian organic & gluten-free brunch at my mom’s.  We feasted on seafood cioppino, decadent crab casserole, roasted vegetables, a refreshing arugula salad, and of course, my mom’s famous guacamole (still my all-time favorite).

there’s just something about your mom’s cooking…

grateful for our great God, and praying that Olive grows to know and love Him one day

grateful for my sweet mama

grateful for a healthy, goofy little girl

grateful for my sweethearts

Olive is grateful for Dumbo

grateful for self timers on cameras 🙂

In the evening, we enjoyed a more traditional turkey-centric dinner at Erik’s aunt’s home.  Olive had a ball playing with her two cousins and enjoying the play room.

I am truly thankful for all of the abundant blessings God has poured out on my life.  I am thankful everyday for my relationship with Christ, my sweet and hilarious husband, my beautiful miracle baby girl, our amazing extended family, the roof over my head, the good food we have to eat, the beautiful area we live in, the dear friends who pour into my life and heart, the inspiring clients and colleagues with whom I work, and of course YOU — the readers who cheer me on and lift me up from afar.  I am grateful for everyone who takes the time to stop here.  Thank you for your support!

I hope you’re all having a sweet afternoon; I’ll see you again soon!

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November 26, 2013

Our little Olive is 20-months old now and all I can think of is how she is nearly 2.  TWO.  That’s a bonafide kid age!  I can hardly believe it.

We’re always cracking up together!

The last month has been full of fun and laughter — Olive seems to say (and sing) something new everyday!  Just when I think that it can’t get any better, it does.  Without further ado, here are her 20 month updates!

  • We kicked off the month (12th-12th) with another trip to LA so I could work a wedding.  I’m so grateful that my mom (her Halmunee) can watch her whenever I am in town!
  • This was the month of the park — I’m still doing my best to keep us out of the house on adventures 2x a week.  Olive never tires of climbing up the steps and sliding down, and then doing it over and over again.
  • Olive finally fits into her Converse high-tops (the first gift I received after announcing my pregnancy, from the sweetest Jaclyne of Heavenly Blooms).  We wore ours together on the same day last month and I couldn’t get over the cuteness!  I love having a little mini me!
  • We celebrated the fall season at a party with some friends.  Olive had a blast painting her “punkin” and running around with the other kiddos.
  • My pal Allyson Magda took some beautiful photos of Olive at a local barn and farmstand.  Although Olive wasn’t in the mood to have her photo taken, Ally got some great shots.  I’m so thankful for my generous and talented friends who share their gifts with us.
  • We had a fun date with Aunt Anna at the Americana in Glendale.  I love seeing the two of them together!
  • Olive dressed up as a lobster for Halloween.  She loved it and I wish we had a reason to dress her in it again.  😉
  • We got to stay at Grandma and Grandpa’s house for a few days and Olive had a blast!  Grandma even played hooky to spend some extra time with her!
  • Olive’s latest obsessions: “sho-shun” (aka lotion) — she is always asking for a pump of it to apply to her hands and face.  It kills me!! // punkins — if she sees one, she has to pick it up or hug it. // Dumbo – Erik let her watch the movie with him and she is positively hooked.  She carries around her stuffed Dumbo all day long and needs to bring him into her crib for naps & bedtime.
  • Her language continues to explode; I am blown away by the things she says, the songs she sings, etc.  I really need to type up all of her words and phrases!  Highlights: “Come on!” whenever she wants to go somewhere; “Pwetty” for clothes and shoes she wants to wear; “Guh girl” (good girl) describing herself; “Keen cup” (clean up); “pway” (she will fold her hands and squeeze her eyes as tight as she can whenever we pray together); “ousside” (when she wants to go outside to play); and “Go go go!” when she runs down the hallway in sheer excitement for her bath.
  • She can count from 1-7 on her own and she can sing the ABCs with a handful of mistakes (but can say them all if helped/coached).  The key for us has been repetition — we practice them everyday.
  • She’s our little songstress!  She is constantly singing and her favorite tunes are “Wound and Wound” (Wheels on the Bus), “E-I-O” (Old MacDonald), “Twinkle Twinkle,” “Happy” (If You’re Happy and You Know It) and “Sigh-der” (Itsy Bitsy Spider).  Sometimes she will ask me to sing the same song over and over and over…  I love seeing her do the motions for some of the songs.  We sort of take advantage of her while she’s singing “If You’re Happy and You Know It” because you can make her do anything.  If you’re happy and you know it… kiss mama, do a shimmy, shake your hands, spin around, etc.  hahaha  I love her tiny voice and joyful spirit.

My little Olive — I thank God everyday for you.  With Thanksgiving around the corner, I’ve been even more mindful of how blessed we are to have you in our family.  You make me laugh on even the most hectic days; your tiny voice ringing out from your crib in the morning is worth getting out of the coziest bed; the scent of your hair is still my favorite ever.  Your Daddy and I continue to marvel at how God is growing and maturing you — your development is a wonder to see.  I feel humbled to be your mama, to be the one to nurture and guide you throughout your young life.  I will also take this privilege very seriously.  I hope you look back one day and see how much we cherished you.  Even when it’s difficult, even when I’m exhausted, even when you’re having a tough day and just want to be held all.day.long, even when I’m busy with work… you are a pure joy to me.  You are a delight.  You are a gift and a blessing and I hope you will always feel surrounded by great love.  Love you, little baby.  xoxo, mama

Twenty month mosaic…

I hope you’re all having the loveliest Tuesday afternoon!  I’m off to do some more prepping and packing for our Thanksgiving trip.  See you again soon!

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November 20, 2013

It was a month or so ago when I first visited the Dallidet Adobe and Gardens in San Luis Obispo.  My dear friend, Lauren, invited me and Olive to join her and her daughter, Jetta, for a mid-morning adventure.  When we first pulled up, I wondered if she had missed a turn.  We had to be lost, right?  All I could see what a dead-end residential street and an odd industrial-looking office building.  After we parked, I followed Lauren as we crossed the office parking lot and into some iron gates.  And behind these iron gates, I could not believe the secret garden we had found.

This place is SUCH a (literally) hidden gem.  The adobe was built in the 1850s by Pierre Hypolite Dallidet and it was his family home for over 100 years.  The home is still filled with mostly original furniture, left undisturbed since it was occupied.  Surrounding the adobe, there is a lush and varied garden. Southern magnolia trees, manicured roses, spectacularly colorful crape myrtle, olives, plums, avocados, poppies, sweet peas, irises, wisteria, and coast live oaks all live in harmony here, blooming in season and keeping the property stunning year-round.  In 1953, Pierre’s son, Paul, deeded the property to the San Luis Obispo County Historical Society.  Today it is a beautiful oasis, tucked among the suburban landscape that sprouted up around it, that is home to a small museum, a lovely garden and a charming venue for special events and weddings.

I could not turn off my wedding brain when I stepped foot on this property.  It is SO adorable!! Everywhere you turn there is a photo opportunity, a meandering pathway, an ancient tree.  I was so excited that I went home and boldly emailed one of my 2014 clients (who had already booked another venue in town!) and told her I felt it was my duty to at least mention this place!  (Guess what? She changed her venue!!!  Ahhh!).

I revisited the adobe and gardens today for a private tour (they are closing up shop for the season but public tours will resume in March) and am buzzing with ideas for the wedding I’ll be planning and designing in this lovely space.  Olive is quite taken with it, as well.  (It could also be the resident golden retriever, Diesel, that has captured her heart.)

If you are in SLO between March and November, make sure you carve out some time to explore this charming spot.  They do offer private tours outside of those months, when available.  For now, enjoy a little glimpse of some quick iPhone photos I snapped (on both trips):

This little guy caught my eye, on the side of a storage shed!

I love her tiny shadow!

I’m so grateful to live in a place where there are historical treasures still to discover.  Hope you’re all having a wonderful afternoon!

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November 4, 2013

Happy Monday, everyone!  Today is catch-up day for me: I did some meal planning and grocery shopping this morning, I’m on load #4 of our laundry (post-trip laundry is never-ending!) and I still have to do last night’s dishes (just being real here!).  I also have been working the phones and typing away on emails in preparation for a couple more 2013 weddings and some lovely 2014 weddings in the works.  It’s a beautiful, beautiful day!

Last week I joined my dear friend and colleague, Allyson Magda, along with her daughter Piper, for a trip to Avila Valley Barn.  It’s a lovely spot for hay rides, fresh local produce, and a charming petting zoo for the kiddos.  This time of year, it also where all the pumpkins within a 10-mile radius converge.  😉  It is fall photo-op heaven!  Allyson was so sweet to invite me and Olive to join her on her new tradition of shooting Pippy here with all those pumpkins.  A couple other sweet mamas and their little ones joined as well.  The timing couldn’t have been better because just as Allyson snapped the last few photos, it started to rain!  We just made it.

Although Olive wasn’t in the mood to be a model that morning, I am AMAZED at how Allyson captured these precious photos of my sweet girl.  Ally — thank you so much for these images I’ll cherish forever!

hugs!!

Look at those silly girls!!

buddies <3

Ally snapped these cute photos of Olive in the literal 10 seconds she remained in that chair.

That smirk!!!

For those interested, the dress + slip and boots are from Zara (last year), the tights are Baby Gap and the infinity scarf/shawlette was a quick knit by me!

I hope your week is off to a wonderful start; see you again soon!

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October 17, 2013

19 months and counting over here!  My sweet Olive continues to charm, delight and amaze us as she grows and matures day by day.

This month was full of adventures and activities; I think we have been more active than ever.  I am making it a priority to get out of the house at least 2-3x a week to visit the park, the museum, etc.  This is on top of our 2x weekly excursions to church and the errands we have to run (grocery store, farm). Work has been busier lately so I want to make sure I still get plenty of time to take Olive out and about.  She is an explorer and loves nothing more than running free!  And like her mama, she loves to go out even if it’s just to pick up some milk.  😉  I’m blogging during Olive’s nap time (per usual) so let’s jump straight into the updates!

  • Olive had a little growth spurt and is now approximately 31″ tall and 22+ lbs.  She’s still on the smaller side for her age but she’s made some great gains lately.  😉
  • She loves to “keen up” with mama around the house.  If you hand her a little duster, she will be content to wander around the house dusting for a good 10 minutes.  If I tell her to pick things up (spilled nuts, a lost hair tie, etc.), she will cheerfully say “keen up!” in a sing-song voice.  I love my little helper!
  • We visited many more nurseries this month, picking up citrus trees and plants for our front yard.
  • The slide is the current favorite diversion at the park.  Olive could go down the slide all afternoon!  She almost always makes a high-pitched squeal on the way down.  😉  She also likes the swings but tells me she is “all done” after about 2 minutes on them.
  • We visited another local farm with her friend, Jetta, and had fun looking at the animals and hiding in terra cotta pots.
  • Olive still wants to wear a hat every day.  After getting dressed, she asks me for her hat.  A hat can be an actual hat, a headband, or a hair clip.  Anything that goes on her head is a hat, and apparently she isn’t dressed without some cute topper!  I suppose the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, since I have long been known for my love of headbands and fascinators!
  • Halmunee and Nana-ji came to visit and we had a blast going to the pumpkin patch, visiting Morro Bay, enjoying sushi (Olive LOVES Japanese food), and just playing with her grandparents.  Halmunee loved on all of us by spending most of her time in the kitchen cooking yummy Korean food to stock our fridge.  I’m so grateful for my parents!
  • We got to stay with Aunt Anna and Uncle Sean in Huntingon Beach for a few days while I took some meetings.  One of my favorite memories is the early morning walk we took with Anna down to the beach.  Olive loves getting her toes in the sand.  She also loves puppies (all dogs are puppies to her), especially my sister’s pup Ruby Pudding III.  Ruby was grateful for the attention at first, but then grew uneasy with the constant petting.  haha  I promise she was gentle!
  • Olive spent a day with her gal pal Blake, daughter of my gal pal Melody.  😉  They had so much fun together and I was reminded of the blessing of having good friends who can take in your daughter with little notice!
  • We visited Dallidet Adobe in San Luis Obispo and fell in love with the property and surrounding gardens.  I can’t wait to go back and hopefully, plan a wedding there sometime soon!  Such a charming hidden gem!
  • We met up with Julia and her daughter, Ursula, for a playdate at the park.  It was so fun seeing our girls meet for the first time and enjoy splashing themselves (read: they both got SOAKING wet) in the fountain.  Precious memories!
  • Olive is in a bit of a mama phase…  She is pretty clingy and mostly just wants me.  Although I love how she loves me, I am looking forward to her warming back up again to the rest of her loved ones.  For now, it’s a lot of “mama hold you” (she says this when she wants me to pick her up).
  • She folds her hands and bows her head when it’s time to pray.  We catch her peeking up at us (I guess that means we are peeking too) once in a while and it melts our hearts.  I pray that one day she will truly know God and honor Him with her life.
  • Favorites of the month: Elmo, pronounced “Ell-Mon” (she has only seen the Elmo song on YouTube but that was enough to fall in love with the little red guy, I guess) // Japanese curry with pork — spicy, with extra cilantro and green onions! // mandu (Korean dumplings) // pointing out everything to us (birds, “punkins,” the moon, puppies, her shoes) // Uncle Sean, lovingly prounced “Unk Shah” // “Five Little Monkeys” and “If You’re Happy and You Know It” // Goodnight Gorilla

cheese!!!

Here’s our 19-month photomosaic:

Sweet Olive — You bring us so much joy everyday!  You are full of energy and never like to be in one place for long.  You certainly keep me busy running after you all day!  You have an infectious laugh that I need to record more often; I never want to forget its beautiful sound.  You also have an intense focus on tasks at hand; I love watching you intently work on something (coloring, putting a puzzle together, examining a new toy) with your pouty lips and furrowed brow.  Your hair is getting longer and longer and I love to run my fingers through it and smell it throughout the day!  Thankfully you are quite a cuddlebug and don’t seem to mind.  😉  We are grateful for your adaptable nature and your sweet spirit.  We travel quite a bit and you have made it so easy on me with all the long drives and overnight stays.  Even though you have been very attached to mama this month, you still cheerfully greet everyone we see, making sure to also wave and call out “Bye Bye!” when we leave.  You are complimented on your manners when you say “Yes please, Mama” and “Thank You” in public.  We pray every night that you would grow up to know God and love Him with all your heart, mind, soul and strength.  This bedtime tradition is my favorite part of the day.  I love our little family “huddle” for prayer, with you curled up in my arms, snuggled into my neck, and Daddy hugging us both.  It is truly a privilege to be your parents and we love you dearly.  Everyday with you is a gift and we never want to take it for granted.  xoxo, Mama (and Daddy)

Hope you’re all having a lovely Thursday!  See you again soon!

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October 10, 2013

Friends are such precious gifts.  I have been so blessed over the years by the enriching, encouraging, edifying relationships I’ve had over the years with my friends.  In times of pain as well as times of bliss, having a true friend by your side is priceless.

This week I was reminded of my gratitude for the friends in my life, both old and new.  I had a couple busy days of meetings this week and had planned on having my mom watch Olive.  My mother had been called to jury duty on Monday but I assumed there was no way on earth that she would be selected for a jury.  I love my mama, but anyone who knows her would agree with me that the idea of her getting put jury is… farfetched.  Well of course Murphy’s law rang true and my mother was put on a jury on Monday afternoon, leaving me in a mad rush to find someone to watch Olive for the better part of the next day with very little notice.

I am so glad that my sweet friend Melody, of Sweet and Saucy Shop, joyfully came to my rescue. (Mel is co-owner of Sweet and Saucy Shop — a fabulous bakery with locations in Long Beach and Newport Beach.  If you haven’t tasted her treats yet, you must!)  She graciously agreed to watch Olive on Tuesday, even though it meant shifting her schedule around.  She loved on her, cared for her, changed her dirty diapers, fed her yummy organic food, and kept her on her schedule (napping, etc.).  She also took copious amounts of adorable pictures to keep me posted on how she was doing.  Getting the texts between meetings made me miss my little girl, but it made me smile knowing that she was in such great hands.  Mel cared for Olive as if she were her own, and that is all a mother could hope for.

I met Mel back in the beginning of 2010 (!) through the wedding industry.  We hit it off right away and we’ve made so many fun memories together since then.  In 2011, we both got pregnant around the same time.  I cherish all the fun conversations and texts we exchanged as we eagerly awaited our first babies together.  Our little girls were born in March 2012 only 8 days apart.  I can’t wait to watch our daughters grow up together; I hope they share the same sweet friendship we do.

March 2012 babies club!  Christina + Melody + Me with J5, Blake and Olive!  This photo was taken at Blake’s 1st birthday party in March of this year.

Here are some of the sweet pics Mel took while she watched Olive on Tuesday…

the sweetest!!!

napping in Blake’s crib!

On the other side, today I got to meet a new friend!  Well, today was the first time we met in person.  😉  Julia is the amazing jewelry designer behind AVGVSTA (seriously, I cannot get over her stunning necklaces), and she and I became acquainted through our mutual friend Tina (a former client, now friend!).  She has a darling daughter named Ursula who is just about one month older than Olive.  They were in town this week so we were able to grab a quick coffee and park playdate before they went home.

they both got soaking wet from splashing in the fountain!

Ursula looks like a little doll here!

As we chatted over the elated laughter and squeals of our little girls, I felt like I was catching up with an old friend.  I can’t wait to see her (and little Ursula!) again soon.

I am so thankful for the blessing of friends, old and new.  Sharing life with others makes it sweeter.  🙂 Thank YOU for coming along on my life journey here, too.  What a fascinating time we live in, when bonds can be forged across miles and miles through words posted on the web.  I am grateful for everyone who takes the time to stop by and read.  Have a great night!

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September 18, 2013

Okay, I’ll admit it.  I don’t have a baby anymore.  I have a full-blown, bonafide toddler on my hands. 18-months seems to be the benchmark for this title, and I can certainly say that saying “Olive is 18-months old” really catches me off-guard.  I feel like I’ve been asked about her age everyday since Friday (the day she turned 18-months old), reminding me of my fast-maturing little one.  When Olive was first born, I would imagine what she’d be like at 18-months old.  Many of my mommy friends told me that this would be the age at which I’d really start to see her personality develop, and her “will” would be more apparent.  It’s true: this month was the month of sass, the month of giggles, the month of passionate expressions of “Olive-ness.”  We are loving every second of it.

Love her little expression in this pic!

We had lots of visitors this month (all of the grandparents, aunt Meggie and uncle-to-be Anthony, and the Martins), so Olive was showered with lots of love and snuggles the entire month through.  Here is a summary of our 18th month with this darling girl:

  • We did lots of apple tasting at Gopher Glen, and Olive had her first “cider pop” (frozen unpasteurized fresh-pressed cider on a stick).  Needless to say, she’s a fan.
  • We had dinner at Belvedere at the Peninsula in Beverly Hills and Olive (mostly) behaved like a little lady.  In general we try to take her along everywhere we go, teaching her how to behave in public and formal circumstances.  We are blessed with a pretty well-mannered girl.
  • The Martins (Ian, Julie, Cade, Reese, and little baby #3 on the way!) came to visit while they were staying in Cayucos.  We had a blast with them and Olive loved running around with her kiddo friends.  Cade drew Olive a picture of the two of them, holding hands, looking up at fireworks.  Young love??  hehe
  • The Swanson grandparents came to visit and we enjoyed lots of local fun with them.  Auntie Meggie and Uncle-to-be Anthony also came up so we could play German board games.  😉
  • We got a membership at the local children’s museum and it has been a fantastic investment already!  I think we went 3x this month.  Olive loves running around and exploring, and I love having a clean and enclosed place to take her to play!  Her favorite exhibits are the pretend city (with a mini doctor’s office, restaurant, fire station, grocery store, etc.) and the outdoor water tables.
  • We continue the same bedtime routine every evening (we change Olive into her PJs, turn off the lights, turn on her ladybug constellation projector, turn on her Sleep Sheep and pray together), but lately Olive likes to turn on the ladybug and the Sleep Sheep on her own.  It’s so wonderful to see how the routines have really become comforting for her; she has no problems going down to sleep every night (we put her in the crib awake, but she never puts up a fuss) and staying asleep for 11-12 hours.  Thank you Lord!!!
  • Olive continues her love affair with dirt and sand.  If she can dig in it, she loves it. From the front yard to the park sandbox and beyond, Olive has spent the last month getting sand in her hair and everywhere else…  And I’ve been learning to roll with it.  😉
  • Thanks to some catchy phonics songs, Olive can tell me a word associated with every letter of the alphabet when prompted.  She averages 20/26 when I drill her.  So A is for… “app-uhl!!”  B is for… “bahhl” and so on.  😉  It was shocking to me when I realized this (while singing her the phonics song) — I never made any attempt to teach these to her; she learned from sheer repetition.
  • Grandpa (my dad) came to visit as well, and bought Olive her first tricycle!  It’s beyond cute… I’ll be sharing photos of it soon!

sweet moments at the park with Dada

Here’s our 18-month photomosaic…

My dearest Olive…  Oh how I love your friendly, social spirit!  You don’t have a shy bone in your body! Your Daddy and I are always amused by your desire to greet strangers and catch the attention of anyone within sight.  I love that you can make anyone smile with your cheerful waves.  You have been quite attached to me this month, likely because of the four new teeth (your eye teeth!  The last of the baby teeth!) you cut this month.  I have been soaking up the extra snuggle time, as I know you won’t always want to be held on my hip all day long.  You have about three favorite songs that you ask me to sing constantly (ABCs, the phonics song, and the “monkey” song) and I try not to tire of them.  You’re also increasingly verbal and vocal, making your desires known by telling us “No,” “Mo (more),” “Dis (This),” and identifying various items like “shuus,” and “hat” (anything that goes on your head, including hair pins and bands).  As we gain more insight into what’s going on inside that cute little head of yours, we are simultaneously amazed and humbled.  We can’t wait to get to know you better as the months roll by.  While we want your personality to shine, we also see the important task set before us to raise you up in the way you ought to go.  We are striving to raise you with wisdom and grace.  We thank God for you daily, and are praying every night that you would come to know the Lord at a young age.  When you say “Amen” with us at the end of bedtime prayers, it seems like you agree.  hehe  You are a treasure, sweet girl.  Happy 18-months, and here is to many, many more. love, Mama

See you all again soon; thanks for stopping by!

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