Eden

March Mayhem

What can I say.. March has been busy but a lot of fun.  We have a lot going on this month but the highlight was defiantly our 1st family vacation.  Mike planned it in the middle of the night and we boarded the plane 2 weeks later.  I love when his spontaneousness impulses take us to tropical destinations! :)

Hawaii 2012

She felt like such a big girl with her own seat

Our 8 days were amazing we missed a 12 day storm that ended shortly after we arrived and we were welcomed by sunshine and colorful surroundings.  I loved watching Eden take it all in.  Noticing things that she has never seen.  Green Trees, Green Grass, Blue water, The waves, The sand, The flowers and of course her cute legs and Toes.. She couldn't stop grabbing her toes... they were by far the most fascinating thing for her on this trip.  She loved shedding the layers and being totally natural and free! She loved the feel of grass on her feet and sand in her hands.. 
We were unable to do some of the things we would have done pre-baby but it didn't take away from a great experience.  Starting with sunrise.. thanks to Eden we were able to watch EVERY beautiful sunrise from our room and usually in daddy's arms and watch the sunset from the pool as I tried to rock her to sleep. We ate great, we saw some beautiful beaches, we met up with some friends that just so happened to be there around the same time for lunch and dinner.. and Mike played some golf.  We went to Mikes old church ward and he was able to visit with a few people he knew when he lived there.. (a wee bit awkward for me, but...) We drove to see the Hawaiian temple which was very beautiful, Drove to sea life park and introduced Eden to dolphins, sea lions, penguins.. and other sea life that she wasn't really interested in.  Went to Dole plantation and had a famous Dole whip. Finished off our vacation with a little city life in waikiki and walked around the shops and ate dinner at dukes on the water before heading off to the airport for a Redeye flight that we all tried to sleep through.

Mike and I enjoyed each others company too... but it's so much different with a baby..  It almost takes a special effort to remove our gaze from Eden and acknowledge each other.  For simple things like saying good morning.. or kissing goodnight.. or freeing our hand to hold in special moments..  As different as it is, it's not any less special.  Our love is there and we know it. It was a very beautiful vacation and one we will remember forever.

Blogging seems to be a thing of the past..

I don't understand how moms blog. I'm new to this and I'm finding out how hard it is to do anything/everything. How do working moms juggle? Holy cow! I need lessons. I figured it would be as easy as 123 I mean, Ive babysat before being a mom and it was so simple.. then I realized why. My job was to play with the baby. Period. Not clean house, laundry, dishes, shopping, cooking, and still have time for things I should be doing.. such as exercising... or even things I want to do, like be crafty and artsy and such as. I have a lot to learn but first and foremost I'm learning I come last.

So I'm spending my days with the most adorable little girl on the planet and trying to watch her every move. I don't want to miss a single coo. Her personality is magnetic. I watch her discovering the world around her and I am mesmerized by her curiosity. I know how much she eats, when she needs a diaper change, and when she hasn't pooped. I know when she's tired, what makes her happy, or when she is bored with me. I've got this girl down!! I know how much she has grown, what she still fits in to and what she has grown out of, I know when she does something new, when she wants to be in my arms and when she wants to be left alone. However, I don't know when the last time was that I took a shower or brushed my hair or even got dressed for the day. I take TONS of pictures of her and I make sure not even my hand is in the shot! I'm dreadful but happier then I've ever been.

I'm a first time mom and a first time wife and I'm easing into the changes to somehow discover BALANCE. I want to devote my time to miss Eden Grace and to my loving husband but I also don't want to get lost in their lives. Some may think this is selfish, but I think its crucial for my health and happiness. So if anyone has any words of advise on how to maintain that balance, I want to hear from you. Whether you maintain it with 1 child or 1o. I'm all ears... but sorry, my hands are full! ;)

Eden Grace has entered our lives and hearts

Mike and I couldn't be more proud to be parents to our sweet little girl Eden Grace. She entered our lives and our hearts in a very big way on October 19th at 3:15am. It was instant LOVE! She is a little angel who will bless our lives forever.

After a easy pregnancy, easy labor, she is now such a easy baby and we feel incredibly blessed. A sweet gentle spirit that adds calm and clarity to our home and purpose to our lives. We knew we always wanted children and now that she is here it's hard to understand how our lives had meaning before her. She truly is our greatest gift.

Mike and I just find ourselves staring at her for hours. Watching her ever move and listening to her every sweet sound. We laugh at her scrunchy faces, and melt when she shyly smiles (in her sleep). We even love the unsavory things.. a dirty diaper a little spit-up and the rare times she is fussy. We race to ease her every whim. It's the best job on earth and I'm holding on to every second tightly because we know how quickly time passes.

I would love to have this sweet, pure, innocent infant to hold in my arms forever, but I know that isn't what she is here to do. She is here to grow, prosper, learn, excel and someday find love and become a mother as well. This thought although lovely, saddens me. I love my little baby girl in my arms and laying on my chest and feeling her every breath and hearing her sweet grunts, moans, squeaks, girggles as she looks deeply into my eyes.

Mike is already a great dad and spends time with her on the floor during tummy time. Helping strengthen her neck, her focus, and waving bright noisy toys in front of her hoping for a grin or giggle. His guitar has been dusted off and has found a new home near our bed. He strums gently on it nightly as she watches him curiously with bright interested eyes that quickly turn in to heavy sleepy slits before dozing off peacefully for the first half of the night. :)

We find every opportunity to tell our little angel we love her and give her gentle kisses on her head and full little cheeks. Although she can't understand our words, I like to think she feels how deeply we love her and knows that will never change.

We may soon have to say goodbye to these little faces. :'(

We have decided to give up our calling as sunbeam teachers at church to prepare for our little girl to come. This has been a great experience... a little frustrating at times (if I can be honest) and sometimes the lessons seemed a little bit redundant, but overall the kids have really grown on us and we finally started feeling we had a good handle on the class. They just started participating and sharing their thoughts and ideas and interacting with each other. This last Sunday's lesson was about being an example and I had to take some pictures of these cute little faces.

Nursery update...

Mike and I completed the last minute touches on the painting in the nursery over the weekend. Mike even wants to try out the new crib arrangement. (what do you think?) :) He said more people could gather around to see her! He's already a proud daddy! :) Now the only things left to do is the nightmare rocking chair and cleaning the carpets. The room has come a long way since February. We are excited to have it almost complete and more importantly...we are ready for you baby Eden. :)

Our fist year!

It's hard to believe it's been a year since we had our "legal ceremony" in our back yard before taking off to Tahiti for our wedding ceremony! Its been wonderful and there isn't a day that I don't wake up and feel so grateful to have waited for Michael to enter my life and not a day goes by that I don't recognize that we are meant to be together. He is patient, loving, supportive, and makes me want to be better, but most important he keeps me laughing. We have so much fun together and I feel like he is my best friend. What more could I ask for. So to 1 amazing year and hopefully a million more to come! Happy Anniversary Love Love!