Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Setting Aside Minutes.

Some one on one time is pretty needed around here, especially when you're the oldest and you don't nap anymore, and Mommy is constantly busy giving her attention out in 50 other places... So, Charlotte and I... we bake. That's right, when Marley naps, we either try and bake something (if the need is there for something sweet in the house), or we prep dinner for that night. It's sort of "our time"... sometimes it's just a quick 20 minutes... other times it's longer. She knows it's her time to talk my ear off, not worry about cleaning or doing her other chores, no schoolwork... but rather just a time for her to get my undivided attention. Once little brother comes out, I know it'll look a little different... and I think she knows that too... it might be time to "water the plants" or "feed baby boy and color" or "fold up some laundry"... but I'm REALLY hoping that each day, I can set aside those minutes for her... because they totally one hundred percent make her happiest. She's my first baby, and I need to remember that. Like any relationship, it needs to constantly be "fed" in order to flourish... 









And for those of you who might be interested in the world's yummiest chocolate chip recipe... here's the one I use (but be sure to nearly double the vanilla recipe... vanilla is SO good).
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Friday, July 25, 2014

A Force

Whatever Marley sees Charlotte do... Marley wants to do... just like a typical, "monkey see, monkey do". She's 1 now... but she acts SO much older than she is... mixed with her independence and stubbornness... and we have a force not to reckon with. I suppose that's what happens when you have a sibling nearly 6 years older.

Marley flashes those sweet little big blue eyes at me...

and up she goes on the trampoline... 


she screams at Charlotte... to get Charlotte to jump... so that she can bounce high... but the deal is, according to Charlotte, "I can't jump you, unless you wear a crown..." The rule has been made... and Marley complies... so long as Charlotte jumps her. 



To get her off the trampoline... always ends in tears... she loves it way too much... but I have to cut it off somewhere... after all, the last thing I need is her "trying" to climb this rope like her big sister... 

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Thursday, July 24, 2014

Zooing It.

One of the things we did for Marley's birthday (but usually seems to be a weekly/bi-weekly occurrence) is head to the zoo... We haven't taken a real "family vacation" this year... but with another little one on the way, a Daddy who's gone for work A LOT, a mini van that needs to happen, etc... our passes to the Science Museum and Zoo have come a LONG way. Last week during Marley's birthday, the temps went down dramatically... from the 100's, to the 70's... Charlotte even asked if she could wear a sweater... we knew it was the perfect time to make our way back to the zoo... because no one likes to be there when the temps are crazy high... not to mention, the animals hide when the temps are beastly. We even spotted the newest addition to the zoo, Rupert the Rhino... who turned 1 month old the day we were there.

We spent a few hours, and pretty much saw every single animal that we wanted to see, plus some. And ended the day doing what Marley loves best... hearing Daddy's voice on the phone and swinging.





























You know it's a GREAT day, when you close up the zoo... I think they're always chasing us out of there.
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Sunday, July 20, 2014

Turning 1...

... when your baby turns 1, it's a big deal. You feel like you've come SO FAR... and they've grown SO MUCH... and it is a big deal... we celebrated Marley all weekend, because I just don't have the energy right now to do it all at once. Her actual birthday, ending up being a "wash out"... we had torrential downpours and cold temperatures, and so we snuggled the day away. The next day, we made our way to the zoo, one of her favorite places. She got to see her favorite animals, and even ended the day with some swinging in the park area. We ended the weekend with a traditional cake smash... there was no doubt in mind that she wouldn't love that... and I sure was right. Daddy has been gone for 2 weeks with work, with 1 more week to go, and so we REALLY needed to document the cupcake part for him (especially). But it'll be so great to look back on these photos when she's older, and see that she had absolutely NO fear of getting herself messy... LOVED her cupcake... and absolutely ADORED the attention (especially when we sang "happy birthday" to her).






































... for her birthday, we picked up a couple simple toys for her on our trip down at IKEA... one of them being this darling little wagon... it's awesome. You can adjust the speed that it goes, so it aids in learning how to walk. We filled it with her very favorite things (blanket, monkey, princess and zoo animal toys)... and she just loves it. 
















We picked up some cupcakes from one of our favorite shops... and let her go to town... 















the best part... Charlotte wanted to take a picture with the birthday girl, and Marley just EYED down her chocolate cupcake... and wouldn't let her get away without tasting some of hers. We might have another chocolate fan, over vanilla, in this household. 

It was such a simple and sweet celebration... but exactly the perfect way to celebrate our Marley Wren... just wish that Daddy was here... 
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