fifteen month check-up today, a few weeks late.

nothing short of an act of God, we arrived at our 9:30 appt. on time. two babies dressed to the nines and not looking half-bad myself, might i add.

i get sentimental every time i’m handed her growth curve print-out with little dots plotted along a perfect arch, the first being the starting point on that beautiful may day followed by all her landmarks along the way, landing us today at the tenth percentile for weight and seventy-fifth for height, and…healthy.

and we love our doctor who calls lainey “Beauty” and remembers everything about us and asks about her brothers and doesn’t mind that i snap a million pictures during the check-up.

“perfect,” she declared. “absolutely healthy.”

we packed our baby doll and doctor kit so cubby could practice her own medicinal skills. lainey hampton, m.d.

strangely, she picked up on the fact that, although just for play, this fake shot was not something she wanted anything to do with:

and, when it came time for the real thing, pups came to the rescue to soothe her tears.

daddy doesn’t like to hear about the shots but always texts me right after appointments. and it always says, “how did she do? go buy her a present.”

and we always do.

first, a quick trip to the park to…

(and give lily a bottle on a park bench under the most gorgeous canopy of trees and blue sky)

…and then to wendy’s for a frosty.

feeling blessed for health. blessed that she’s growing and getting smarter every day. blessed that she can live without physical limitations. for that, we are ever so thankful.

…and later this afternoon, the shots kicked in and cubby fell fast asleep while a photoshoot was brewing with this ‘lil beauty. skye’s getting big! (i’ve kinda gung-ho’ed on the white background… newness is fading and i promise, i’ll quit overusing it and get a bit more creative next time).

had to repeat the shot i did yesterday with lily ‘cuz i love it so much…

that’s all from the homefront.

…enjoying the healthy growing things. ~k

once again, too tired for words not to mention at this very moment, my little sits beside me using her shepherd’s pie as shampoo. there are mashed potatoes in her ear, and the bath is calling. let today’s pics speak for themselves.

enjoying the it’s-almost-friday-and-i’m-getting-a-pedicure-this-weekend things. ~k

here’s the thing about this blog. it’s changed the way i think. because, for nine months now, at the end of the day, i document our life…the little things i want to remember, a funny story, an endearing moment.
but, over time, it’s become so much more than that. when the day is done and i sit down to write…to paint the portrait in the window of life that day, i have discovered that there are colors i didn’t know existed. i have begun to see life more beautifully and find myself appreciating so much more.
i choose to write about the good, to photograph the beautiful…and by doing so, the bad has disappeared, even in my mind.

when i set up my blog on that november evening last year and had to title it, i thought for a moment and impulsively chose ‘enjoying the small things.’ consequently, i am doing that so much more.
…and slowly, i’ve become associated with the title.
…and i love it.

little gifts have come…

…from friends i’ve known (thank you janet)…
…and from new friends i’ve met through this blog and photography (thank you amy)…

…reminding me to live up to the title.

and that, my friends, is what i love about blogging. it’s inspiring to hold the paintbrush…and know that the canvas i will remember is the canvas i will paint.

and with that said…i am enjoying the small things today.

the week began a little…well, like this:

…but, determined to make sweet lemonade, we turned our lemons. today, we might as well have set up a lemonade stand and made a fortune. i couldn’t stop noticing all the little things that make me smile.

beginning with…

10. the way she chews the ears on her puppy blanket until they are sopping wet.

9. how cute her butt looks in embroidered jeans.

8. watching my huckleberry finn get all dirty in the driveway…and not having a problem with it.

7. realizing that taking care of two kids is… absolutely conquerable. today, we entered our ‘groove’, and everyone was entirely happy. everyone feels loved, everyone’s happy, everyone’s getting attention, and deep down inside i have this smiling heart knowing my friend i love so much is happy because i am loving her girl.

6. feeling like i could trade in my supermom cape for one with brighter colors…maybe even glitter, after i took two babies grocery shopping and to panera where the three of us sat and giggled and cooed over a coffee and a bagel. …and there were no tears, no fits…just happiness.

5. the frogs. somewhere, a pharoah just refused to let the peeps go ‘cuz i don’t think there’s been this many amphibians since the plagues. regardless, lainey is thrilled. they’re tiny enough not to freak her out and i can catch a dozen in half a minute.

4. you know it’s a good day when this is on my counter:

3. the absolute blessed happiness i had after my dad called with the surprise that he is flying our entire family up for a long weekend in the middle of december to celebrate an early christmas. it’s been two years since brett has been able to join me in michigan…and then to have the boys and lainey and all of us together with my brother and sister and their families. the plans are in the works, and even though it’s only a friday through sunday, we’re packing it up with love. for a teaser, i perused through old christmas pictures today and got all excited…even teary. we got lucky…we both love our families and each other’s families and love nothing more than just to be with them.




i can already hear the laughter.

2. laughing watching her eat a pickle today. she loves them. gets all puckered up, but just keeps on chewin’.

1. looking forward to tomorrow…and the next day…and the next.
because we are blessed, and every day holds new smiles.

…enjoying the small things. ~k