Leila and Me

When Leila was first born everyone thought she was the spitting image of me. Slowly but surely however, as Leila grew everyone started changing their tune. Suddenly Leila looked just like Jeremy. Now I'm not complaining because I think Jeremy is pretty darn cute so I'm totally ok with all our children looking like him. But when I just worked my butt off to grow this human being I want to have something of me to show for it. I'm happy that she got my hair at least. I thought that might be all until I was looking at my baby pictures the other day.

I'll just say that I personally think there is a slight resemblance...and I'm darn proud of it!

I always thought I wanted a boy first...but this girl is more than I could have ever hoped for. Love having her as my best buddy.

Eight Months

My sweet eight month old girl!

She is a cute little nugget and I can't get over the chunk she is getting on her legs. Adorable!

Late to the game in true Leila fashion, she is just now really mastering the art of rolling back to front. It's hard work!

And sometimes she just needs a rest. Seriously she is so my daughter!

My favorite this about Leila right now? Her growling. It is seriously so funny! She growls all the time to show her excitement. At home I just laugh but the place she growls the most is at church. She is so excited to see people in Sacrament Meeting that she is just growling so loud at everyone. She kills me!

My other favorite thing about Leila right now is hearing her start to talk more. Looking back she might have been saying "mama" for longer than I realized but this month it became super obvious and I love it!

One more favorite thing: She has started kissing! Melt my heart!

Lots of firsts this month. With her first Christmas came her first Christmas tree which she loved and meeting Santa which she tolerated. She also got to play Baby Jesus in the Nativity this year which was a big deal. Ani was Mary so they were a good team. Other firsts included swinging on a swing and drinking from a sippy cup that Santa put in her stocking. She was really excited about both. :)

Possible new development: teething. I'm not quite if she is or not but they've got to show up eventually. I'm in no rush though since I LOVE that gummy smile of hers.

I can't believe how fast she is growing!

52 Project: 1/52

I decided to try out the 52 Project this year. It's a good excuse to keep me snapping pictures of all the cute moments with my little buddy. So here is to me trying to take a picture of my child once a week, each week of 2014.

January 6

One of Leila's favorite things is swimming in the tub. I literally just sit by the tub and she plays and plays. Today I couldn't resist checking out how long her hair is...she can rock that up-do!

 

Where are you going...

January 5, 2014

There are some moments when it seems like time slows and for a brief time I'm completely engulfed in that moment. Every other distraction goes away and I'm completely present. I love these moments and I hate to forget them. For this reason, and to remember what my children teach me, I want to write down a few of these special moments.

A couple of months ago I was getting ready for the day and heard Leila awake from her nap. My hair was down as I was attempting to tame it which is a rarity in my "mom life". I picked Leila up and was unswaddling her on my bed when she reached up and started to run her hands down my hair. She didn't grab or pull but just softly touched it and smiled. She looked at me as though I was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. In that moment I realized that she saw me the way the Christ sees me...with perfect love. She doesn't see all the imperfections I see when I examine myself.

One month ago I was having kind of a rough night. Jeremy was at school late studying for finals and I was putting Leila down by myself. Of course she was a little wild and grumpy and I was struggling to get through bedtime. I pulled out the Book of Mormon to just read one verse to her but as I began to read she was so still. She sat quietly on my lap and I read several verses. I then started to pray and she stayed so still and quiet. I was so overcome with the spirit and I started to cry. I poured out my soul in prayer and knew that my Father in Heaven was mindful of me. He knew that not only is it important for Leila to read the scriptures and pray, but that I really need it too. He quieted Leila and I know that she felt the Holy Ghost. When I take the time to look closely I see tender mercies like this in my life all the time where the Lord is reminding me that He is there.

Just yesterday Leila and I were playing together after her morning nap. We were on the ground and she was being her happy, cute self. Then out of no where a song came to my mind that my mom used to sing to my sisters and I when we were little. It goes,

Where are you going my little one, little one?

Where are you going my baby, my own?

Turn around and you're two, 

Turn around and you're four,

Turn around and you're a young girl walking out of the door. 

Turn around, turn around, 

Turn around and you're a young girl walking out of the door. 

Where are you going my little one, little one?

Where are you going my baby, my own?

Turn around and you're tiny,

Turn around and you're grown,

Turn around and you're a young wife with babes of her own.

Turn around, turn around,

Turn around and you're a young wife with babes of her own.

Even writing the lyrics now makes me cry. As I thought of this song and started singing it to her I was so overwhelmed by my love for this little person. How did I get so lucky to be a Mother? I have never met someone as special as Leila...and I know I will feel the same way about each of my children. I of course thought of my mom watching each of her children grow up and realized I too will have to do this same thing. I then thought of my Heavenly Father who watches each of His children grow and make choices and He has given us the agency to do so. I knew at that moment that no matter how deeply I drag my feet to keep her my baby forever, she will grow up and all I can do is raise her to reach her potential. To remind her how special and how loved she is. I already miss rocking her to sleep in my arms, her little grasp on my shirt, her first coos and smiles. But each moment I have with her is another one that I can remember; that I can hold on to. I am grateful for each moment I have with her.

 

New Year's

Now that we have a kid New Year's Eve just doesn't seem as exciting. We knew that we would be home with Leila in bed so we didn't really make plans. However, the Calhoun's friends the Calls came into town and wanted to go to a UNC basketball game. We thought we would just hangout with them while they were in Chapel Hill and then we would go our separate ways. But before the end of the night Leslie had rounded up tickets for everyone in our group. It was so awesome. So we ended up watching the game and then headed home to get Leila to bed. She is such a trooper with late nights and actually really likes sporting events. Not sure if it's the game or the TVs but either way it makes life so much easier. After we took a couple pictures, shared a New Year's kiss with our sweet baby and got her to bed we sat down to watch the New Year's Eve celebrations on TV and watch the ball drop. Next thing I knew Jeremy was waking me with 10 seconds left of the new year. Ha! I'm officially a mom! No party left in me! But just spending the day with the people I love the most was exactly how I wanted to spend it! Couldn't be more grateful to have these two by my side in this life. Life is so good! We are ready for 2014!

Goodbye 2013

What a year it has been! I don't think our life could have changed anymore than it did this year. Moves have taken us from Rexburg, to Brentwood, to Chapel Hill; from undergrad to grad school. We went from living the newlywed life to living the life of new parents. Such amazing changes and I couldn't be happier about them. We are beyond happy to have Leila in our life now, to have our new home in North Carolina with our new little family, and to see what new adventures are in store for 2014!
 

When Daddy is home from school...

Almost our whole married life Jeremy and/or I have always been in school so we are pretty used to that life by now. However since having Leila it has become harder. Jeremy and Leila don't get a lot of time together on the week days and since Jeremy has to treat Saturdays like any other day of school, weekends aren't much better. But the best part about being in school is that you get time off for school holidays! Leila couldn't be happier to have her Daddy home all the time right now and I think it will be an especially hard adjustment when he has to back. Here are some things that they have enjoyed these last couple of weeks.

Reading lots of stories, 

eating out, 

swinging at the park, 

early mornings goofing around,

and lots of kisses!

Leila's not the only one that has really enjoyed Jeremy being home either. It's nice to have my best friend around sometimes. This break was just what we needed. I don't think that I can say we are ready for school to start back up but I am grateful for this time in our life where we get these kinds of breaks from the day to day. Enjoying every minute! 

Christmas 2013

Our first Christmas at home! We decided to not make the trip back to California this year because let's face it, it is pricey! Although we missed being with our extended family it was so nice to have Leila's first Christmas with just our little crew.

Leila's first present was from Great-Grandma Passey which she got to open early. Grandma has made each of the kids these little stocking ornaments and I was so excited for Leila to get hers that I had her open it early.

She was pretty into sucking on the tissue paper. 

Precious moment getting to hang up her first ornament.

A few days before Christmas we joined the Calhouns in their traditional visit to the Santa that visits their neighborhood. We never did this growing up but I've always wanted to. So I was very excited for Leila to get to meet the big guy! And she was a champ! He actually gave her a special Santa figurine to remember her first Santa by. So sweet!!

We are so lucky to have some family around so we weren't completely alone for the holidays. We've got the Calhoun Cousins just 30 minutes away and "The Other Calhoun Cousins" just 20 minutes away. We were grateful that they invited us to be a part of their Christmas Eve celebrations. We had an amazing dinner at Will and Pargie's house (the most delicious cheese and chocolate fondue and enough pies to feed a small village) followed by the presentation of the Nativity put on by the children. Leila was lucky enough to get to play the part of Baby Jesus.

 

When she wasn't wrapped in swaddles, she got to show off her ADORABLE Christmas Dress. I wanted her to get as much wear out of it as possible so even though it was a little fancy for a Christmas Eve dinner with family I just couldn't resist.

Jeremy and I couldn't resist pulling out the old Christmas sweaters for this occasion too! :)

We kept our tradition of getting to open Christmas pajamas on Christmas Eve and Leila was really into it.  

So she has been wearing one pair of Christmas jammies all month that were hand-me-downs and I saved this other pair of hand-me-downs to wrap up for her. :) I like tradition but I just didn't see the reason to buy new pajamas when we already had perfectly good ones for her! And she loved them! So who knows, maybe all our children will be receiving this same pair of pajamas for their first Christmas PJs.

Jeremy and I however did get new "pajamas" but have tried to mix it up. We already have a lot of PJs so I asked for work-out pants.

And Jeremy asked for new basketball shorts. I also spoiled him and threw in a new top. (This guy still wears clothes from when he was 14...some even younger!)

Perfect place for all four of our stockings...Mom, Dad, Leila, and Alfred. 

 

 

CHRISTMAS MORNING 

Before doing any presents, once Leila woke up we stayed in our room and Jeremy shared a message and his testimony (like his Dad did growing up). Then we wrote our gifts to Christ. After this spiritual time we got to look at our stockings.

Alfred got some Stress Coat and a new filter!

Leila's stocking was full of treats. She didn't know what to think! 

A couple of movies, fishy bath toys, her first sippy cup, and lots of snacks.  

Inside my stocking was a special present...a family camping trip to the beach. Can't wait!

The rest of the day was spread out. We ate breakfast, then opened some presents, then napped, then opened some more, then talked to family, etc. It was so nice to just hangout and enjoy the day at home. Just the way I like it!

Presents from Gram and Papa

Leila got her first doll and was SO EXCITED! She loves kids and this is the first one that will just let Leila love on her. They are already great friends. 

Mom got Leila books, Dad got Leila balls. She is going to be a well rounded kid with such different parents...or at least I hope so!

Skyping with Grandma and Grandpa Evans. Thankful for technology!! 

Leila loves her "Ladybug Girl" book! 

Playing with her new toy from Gram Rox: her exersaucer!

I was pretty stressed about what to have for Christmas dinner. I mean it is a big deal! I'm not a big fan of ham so I really didn't want to go traditional. We had turkey a lot growing up but cooking a turkey that could live up to my mom's was way too intimidating. So we just decided to go our own way...pan-seared steak, garlic mashed potatoes, broccoli and "fancy bread" topped off with sparkling cider of course. Perfect Christmas meal to end the perfect Christmas.

 

I had to throw in these last pictures. When I was a kid I loved just being home at Christmas time. I just liked to snuggle, play with my new toys, and drink hot cocoa. I loved catching Leila do just that...snuggle in the love sac, drinking her milk, playing with a new toy and feeling totally at peace.

Christmas 2013 was so different than any Christmas I have ever had but it couldn't have been more perfect. No matter where or how we celebrate, the best part of the holidays is looking around at the people in my life and being so thankful for my Savior Jesus Christ and the blessings He has given me.

Merry Christmas!