Ramina's Birthday
Medieval Times!
Hawaii
We tacked on a little getaway to a work trip in Hawaii, while Harper and Royce stayed with the Sklaburtons and the Faulkners with Ramina helping out (we have the most amazing friends!!). We didn't do an anniversary trip this year and figured this was as good an excuse as any!
We missed the kids so much but had an incredible time and came back feeling rejuvenated. After my work concluded, we had one full day and morning to ourselves and it felt like and eternity! Golf, amazing seafood, snorkeling, cocktails and sunset cruise...
and meanwhile...
Wyngate Weekend
We soaked in some much needed family chill time this weekend in the neighborhood. Very few plans (self restraint!), a spontaneous morning at the soccer field to cheer on our neighbor Brooke, some more overdue unpacking, and lots of lazy hang time as a foursome.
It filled up my cup. Which was much needed before a big work trip this week.
Fall sunrise
Both Roycie and Bruno discovered new beds!
Lots of extra help for Dada...
The absolute high of the weekend was this evening's walk around the neighborhood, which included about ten solid minutes of this:
So grateful.
First Wyngate Halloween
As over the top as everyone said it would be! A right of passage...
Belated Birthday Recap
Belated, but no less appreciative of our amazing weekend with family and friends celebrating Harper's three years, and this yard!
... and the aftermath!
Ten Months
Roycie,
You have exploded in your tenth month! You are standing, cruising, waving, smiling, and bolting across the floor on all fours with laser-like precision. You are conquering a new physical feat each day. Climbing up the stairs, walking the length of your playroom with the easy walker, walking the length of your playroom with the more difficult walker, balancing on your two little feet for 15 seconds at a stretch. And you are so proud. You beam up at us with a grin that literally melts our hearts – your four baby teeth on display.
You wave with absolute delight at everyone, and yesterday several moms told us you made their day with your happy grin and your floppy right hand. You are the best sport and you allow us to drag you around to Harper’s activities while happily chatting to us in the car. You have so much to say! Dada, predominantly, with a little bit of Mama and Bubba (what Harper has decided you shall call her) mixed in. And general babbling and blowing bubbles with your tongue and gurgling with glee.
You are determined and focused, like your sister. You work hard to pick up exactly what you want and to put it back together exactly how you want it, and you will often march with your walker while also balancing something in one of your hands. You will not be dismayed by a full body tumble as you climb over table legs and under chairs to get to your destination.
You are affectionate. Your sister lights up your life and you show it. And you are a snuggler! You haven’t been, always, but now you will burrow in to mama and dada with your full self. There is nothing better.
You bring so many more giggles and so much more love into our family. I cannot wait to see what happens between now and your first birthday – you are changing so fast, it’s hard to keep up!
We love you so.
Three!
Peanut,
You are a whirling, twirling, dancing, singing, climbing, tumbling three!
In the past few months, you have moved houses, moved schools, moved out of diapers and into a big girl bed. You have met each change with excitement and ease (except for those first two days of school, some of my toughest yet as a mom).
You are a big sister, through and through. You squeal with delight at baby Roycie and you simply can't restrain yourself from squeezing his cheeks and nuzzling his body. You have learned to ask mama whether you can pick him up, but have not learned to always wait for the answer. You delight in his waves and his smiles and his accomplishments. And you remind us daily that you view him simply as, "my baby."
You are bounding - quite literally - to new heights in our yard. On the trampoline, on your scooter, off the stairs. You've discovered a passion for gymnastics and swimming and diving (!) that make me feel as though I'm peering through a looking glass at myself at your age. You play soccer at school and you want to run or jump or climb or balance on everything, every minute of every day.
You like rules. And structure. And order. You organize your magnatiles and your markers and your animals. You parent your baby dolls and they spend time in time-out. You remind your friends that "we say please with all sent-ses (sentences)" and you oversee the new order of "no shoes and no food in the playroom." A few weekends ago when your friend was over to play, I told you that you were "in charge," on the trampoline. I am still shocked that I so nonchalantly injected this new phrase into your vocabulary.
You cherish your best friends. You sprinted across the back yard this weekend when Leo arrived and ran up for a full body embrace. You talk about friends near and far often - dylan and Mac and maggie and kippie and lukas and jack and so on and so on. And you are thrilled to be part of the new gal pack on Conway Road- idolizing Gabriella and Ariana and Brooke and Summer and McKenna and attaching yourself to them every chance that you get. And as a result, you are starting to say things like, "that's so cool!" And "okay mom."
You are opinionated and strong willed and when you don't like something or don't want to do something, you SAY SO. Sometimes accompanied by lying on the floor, and often with the refrain of "I don't WANT to." And when you get frustrated, you SAY SO too. The perfectionism is real. But you bounce back impressively fast, and we are grateful for that.
You love to create art and will sit with such focus engaged in a drawing or a stamp project or a painting. You have learned how to write "H," and practice it constantly. You are taking piano lessons at school and you can sing almost the full moana and frozen soundtracks.
You are funny! And constantly working to "surprise us" and make everybody laugh around you. You laugh with your mouth wide open and your eyes pinched closed and your head thrown back. It's the absolute best.
We've started talking at bedtime about things about your day that made you happy, and proud, and things that were hard. Often, it was hard for you that you got an ouchie. But just as often, it was hard for you that you didn't see baby Roycie when you were at school. You tell me you were happy when we went on family walk with your scooter or when you played with mama and dada. You tell me you were proud when you saw baby Roycie. It all makes my heart burst.
You are literally exploding before our eyes into big girl Harper. You've been asking daily for several months, "am I three now?"
You are three. You are so proud.
And so are we.
We love you.
Parenting four Griffandezes
We sent Kristy and Kevin away to celebrate their tenth anniversary last weekend, and we did this!
Grampa and Nana
We kicked off birthday celebrations last week while Grampa and Nana! And Harper has her first real keyboard ☺️.
Weekend Teaser
We had the best time this weekend with the Griffin and Fernandez combined munchkin squad. We sent kevin and kristy on a 10 year anniversary getaway and hung out with the whole crew of kids in NJ! Many pictures to upload, but in the meantime, here's a teaser of the action...