December

December was crazy busy! We spent lots of time together and with family. Here are some of our favorite memories :)

Harrison took the girls to the library. The girls were excited to play in the front while they waited for the doors to open

 Costco trip! I love Ginnie's face in this picture

We had a lot of baking days in December. Christmas sugar cookies was one of our favorites

 Aubrey and Serena came over to bake shortbread cookies. These girls have so much fun together!

 Bath time! Ginnie killin me with her faces again

 Lydia fell asleep at church on Harrison, which was super abnormal for her. She insisted on putting her hand in his pocket. 

 Jungle Jim's with our Kentucky cousins. I loved spending time with siblings this day!

 Lydia picked her own outfit and sat quietly playing for a while. Silly girl

 "patiently" waiting to leave for church on Christmas Eve

 Christmas morning Lydia woke up at 6:00, which she never does, turned the lights on in her room and woke Ginnie up. We finished presents and breakfast by 8:15 hahaha

 The girls were thrilled about their presents this year! We tried really hard to keep it simple. 

 Lydia had been asking for a "pink bike" for Christmas since July. She was thrilled!

 We finished the month with a quick visit from some of our best friends as they headed back to Colorado. 

Thoughts on Parenting

Being a parent is the craziest roller coaster life experience I've ever had. Maybe it's because I'm such an emotional person? I tend to focus on emotions with other people, including my kids. It is seriously mind blowing for me to watch my girls go up and down from happy to sad throughout the day. -It can be hard to keep up with! Harrison and I will stop and look at each other as we suddenly switch gears to manage what ever new thing is happening and just laugh. (or cry a little, depending on the day haha)

But I have been on a parenting high the last couple weeks. Every day has it's ups and downs, of course, but overall I'm feeling so much JOY being a mom. I think finding joy in parenting has so much to do with being intentional about our attitudes. For example, Lydia has been asking me to carry her down the stairs for the last few weeks. I don't mind doing it, but sometimes my hands are full and I remind her that she can walk. Today she asked me to carry her down again and I thought to myself, "I wonder why she's been doing this lately. Could this be some kind of regression because of Ginnie or something?" Almost immediately a thought came to me, "She wont ask you to do this forever." I have had so many of those moments the last few weeks. Impressions to stop and look
-really look- at my children. To be present. To play with them. To smother them with affection. To read that extra book. Sing one more song. Say yes. Leave the mess. Put her in the wrap. 
Both of my girls are at ages I just want to bottle them up and hold on. Seriously time seems to be flying by and I want it to SLOW DOWN. I'm so grateful for these two little people.