it's been a while.

Judging by my blogroll over here to the right, I am not the only person who hasn't blogged in MONTHS. I don't know why I stopped back in October, I generally like chatting about nothing via the world wide web and I really have no idea if peeps read this but it serves as a journal for our sweet family. I just read posts from 2013 that made me smile and were the reminders of everyday, mundane to most, joy that fills my life. My days are a blur lately as time seems to go a little faster each and every day. I don't want to forget the moments but I know that if I don't write them down somewhere, most will be fleeting. Sadly.

Recently, I have come to follow Jacqui of Baby Boy Bakery blog. She recently lost her 3 1/2 year old son tragically...I don't want to get into the details but basically it has served as a huge wake up call for me. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Jack with all my heart. Every single little piece of him...I really do. I know that I need to treasure every second with him but head knowledge and heart knowledge don't always align in my world. I can't stop thinking about Jacqui, her son Ryan, and her husband. Reading about her story and looking through her instagram scrolls of her little boy breaks my heart into a million pieces and I don't even personally know them. I truly can't imagine ever having to experience anything as painful as that but I know that this happens far too often. A parent losing a child... I can't imagine anything more heartbreaking.

With that said, I have a whole new perspective on midnight cries from Jack's room, waking up at 6am when my eyes are still glued shut and he is ready to party, poopy diapers, and every other challenging moment of parenting. Yes, they are still a challenge but I am grateful for the hard moments more than ever. So incredibly grateful to be able to hear Jack cry and whine and see him throw tantrums. Seriously, I am. And I'm even more grateful for all of the joyous moments he brings to our life. I don't ever want to take a single moment with him for granted. He is such a blessing to our little family. Matt and I continuously stare at him in awe of how amazing he is. He is funny, happy, brave, strong, sweet, sensitive, and adventurous.

I think Jack was only 14 months the last time I blogged. Now he is 21 months old. So cliche, but seriously, WHERE DOES THE TIME GO?! We are still loving life in our tiny city apartment with the four of us. Our days go something like this....wake up, cartoons, coffee, pancakes, park, nap, Ballard locks, cupcake shop, popsicle, Frozen, and then daddy comes home. I don't ever want to forget these days with my little sidekick. He is so fun right now. He is starting to talk A LOT and knows exactly what he wants at all times. You can find him snacking on goldfish ("wish"), cheese, and toast at any given moment and he'll eat any kind of fruit until the cows come home but refuses to touch a piece of meat. I guess he is a vegetarian. His favorite place to be is outside, he loves blowing bubbles, has one speed (FAST), and has a new found hobby of flying a kite (has yet to get it in the air but that's a minor detail). He adores "addy" (Daddy) and "ollie" (Raleigh). He wants to FaceTime his Dede (my mom) at least 12 times a day and also loves listening to Spotify. He opens the app and picks his own songs... for realsies. He is as independent as they come. He hates holding hands and doesn't want to be carried or put in the stroller EVER. He prefers to walk and figure out things on his own as they come. Some may say stubborn, I say strong willed! :)

We sure love our little boy more than words can say and are so lucky that he is OURS.

situational happiness

Do you ever find yourself thinking "if I just had {fill in blank}, I would be happier" or "if we were in this {fill in blank} situation, I would be happier"...?

Well, I for one, can admit that I think this way often and I was getting to a point to where I was completely exhausted from it. For those of you who don't know our living situation, we live within Seattle city limits in a neighborhood called Ballard. Ballard is a very eclectic, tucked away tiny pocket of Seattle lying on the banks of Puget Sound. The water is just outside our front door step along with many fun restaurants, boutique stores, and coffee shops galore. It is a very sought after neighborhood. Therefore, the cost of living is NOT cheap. In Charleston, Matt and I were living in a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom house with a fenced in yard on a pretty decent sized piece of land for much less than what we pay now. And what we pay for now gets us approximately 1000 sqft, 2 bedrooms, and 1 bathroom (and loud neighbors). When we moved back to Seattle from Charleston, we decided to rent an apartment for one year in Seattle since we missed it so much. We had just spent 15 months in the suburbs and were ready for some city living again. Buuuut...the kicker is is that we returned to Seattle with a tiny human and a dog. It wasn't just the two of us anymore.

So, that brings me to today. Our lease ends in just one month and you wouldn't believe the amount of time we spend talking about what we are going to do next. We aren't ready to purchase a home for many reasons. Primarily, because we can't truly afford anything here yet. So, what's left? My list for the perfect living situation goes on and on...and on and on. My point being that I'm realizing I'm completely insatiable! So, I have been praying A LOT and my heart has been opened to the eye opening fact that I am beyond blessed in this tiny apartment that we live in. Someday, we will most likely be living in a house in Montana that we own with multiple munchkins running around. While this thought makes me extremely happy, I know that I will be standing in my kitchen that's four times the size of my current kitchen missing this tiny apartment. Once I stopped focusing on all of the things that I didn't have, I started appreciating the fact that we can walk 5 minutes down the street to about 40 different restaurants, we can take an after dinner walk to the OCEAN, we have large closets and bedrooms for an apartment, our dog is lazy and therefore, doesn't need a giant yard, and I feel safe beyond measure here...never having to go to sleep at night thinking about the possibility that someone can climb into my child's window and steal him. Yes...this is a real fear of mine. Sad to say.

Basically, all this to say that I think society so easily plants insatiable desires in our hearts and it just leaves us wanting more. My always content husband has challenged me to check out my heart condition in this instance. It's not about what I have and don't have, it's about my heart and thinking that material items or certain situations will cause me to be content. No, they won't. I could probably own a large home with a yard, fence, and bedrooms and bathrooms galore but then I would most likely just complain about the fact that I don't have a cleaning lady and someone to mow my lawn. Unless we lived in Montana, then I would definitely recruit our families to help with that. Fair warning, family.

So...today I am choosing to be grateful. I love my tiny apartment and it's safety and easy upkeep. I love Seattle and all that it brings to this season of our life. It's probably not forever so I am choosing to enjoy the beauty, enjoy the variety, and enjoy the rain. Yep, you heard me right. I will indulge in my coffee drinking, stretchy pants, and Hunter boots wearing days with my boy. I will enjoy just Jack and I in this place while daddy is at work. It won't be just us three forever and this is a special time.

God has blessed me with more than I could ever imagine. Our lives are so full. I would challenge you to think about what you are blessed with today! And pray for me in my insatiable-ness? {is that a word? :)}

motherhood is a calling...

In the past {almost} 12 months... Matt and I have grown to know life with a baby. It is not just the two of us anymore, doing what we want at the drop of a hat, but the three of us {4 including our RB} that are facing each of our days. While I am extremely blessed to mother our sweet boy and to be able to stay home with him throughout the work week, some days are extremely hard. If you know me, you know that I am was a very detailed, planned out person. I have an agenda throughout my days and am motivated to accomplish a bazillion things. Not necessarily big tasks but I am a detail person, so the small things are important to me too. Once I became a mama, I quickly realized that I was no longer on my own schedule. My boss is now a tiny human that can only tell me what to do with his cries. I soon came to know how incredibly selfish my heart really is as well as where my priorities lie...

I once read an article on the John Piper blog that was an extremely well written article telling parents to lay down their lives for their children. We are called to it, it is Biblical and a privilege. A privilege? Yes, a privilege. What I didn't realize is how apparent your sin becomes when your love is being demanded of 24 hours a day. I would like to think that I have loved Matt just like this too but if I don't "feel like" loving him well, he will be okay and move forward alone taking care of himself, so I am not always held accountable to this. When you have no choice but to love a baby because they NEED you and can't live without you, it becomes apparent that I am begrudgingly changing that 5th poopy diaper of the day, sitting on the floor to play blocks over and over while my house remains a disaster, and getting up at the crack of dawn when I go to bed way too late. It would be a lie to say that I do all these things willingly and with a joyous heart. A lot of the time, I do, but most definitely not every time.

And that's just the plain truth... We oftentimes look at social media and believe that every mother is Supermom except for ourselves. We can see into the "perfect" lives of others... And continually feel like a failure in our own lives. Mamas, do your friends a favor and don't clean up your house before they come over, admit to them that you haven't washed your hair in three days and that today's stretchy pants were also last night's pajamas, encourage new moms instead of telling them "oh you just wait", and don't measure your daily success by how much laundry you have done. 

Just love your children and husbands well. This is a season and soon enough, we will have time to take regular showers and our dishes will go back to being constantly done. Invest in what is most important and take a breath. 

With all of that said, Jack is the sweetest blessing I could ever ask for and I would not change a thing. I don't want to sound negative, just want to be real. Thank you to all of my sweet friends that have been so supportive of me as a mother... This last year has been incredible.

John Piper article: http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/motherhood-is-a-calling-and-where-your-children-rank

Seattle summer & our baby is almost 1!

Can I just tell you how much I love the sunshine of Seattle? I can't even remember the last day that we have seen rain, and when it has been here, it has been short lived. Thank you Jesus! Being outside with my boy is the best.

We unexpectedly have spent nearly the last two weeks in Montana. Despite the circumstances, it's always good to be "home". Montana is simply the best...no other way to put it. Friends, family, and the blue skies that go on forever. I love it.

In just three weeks, our sweet little babe is turning 1! How does this happen so quickly? He is the love of our lives and brings so much joy to our days.

11 months... not walking yet, but almost! takes a few more steps on his own everyday...says "mama", "dadda", "no, no, no, no", is becoming a pickier eater (slimy things make him gag, but he loves all things dairy and carbs just like his mama)...has had 2 haircuts (thanks Sarabeth!)...hates grass...loves his puppy RB...loves balls and crawling around with one in each hand...crawls around with blocks, etc. in his mouth...

kisses!

So Jack has learned to "kiss". I'm going to call it that because if it's not kissing, then I'm afraid I might have a cannibal on my hands. Just sayin...

lately...

It's officially spring in Seattle and while it is usually gloomy at this time of year, we have had a surprising amount of sunshine (thank goodness!). The cherry blossoms are in full bloom and Jack, Raleigh, and I have been walking Greenlake like it's our job. We live in such a beautiful place and when the sun is out, I can hardly get enough of it.

Jack turned 7 months on Saturday and is growing like a weed...both in width & height :). He sits up, rolls all around, and can "scoot" himself around the living room floor but has yet to crawl. We are in the process of pushing through those two bottom teeth so his toothless grin will soon be no more. I sound like a broken record, but parents aren't kidding when they say their kids grow up way too fast.

Some fun things that have happened since I wrote:

• Jack met his cousin, Luc (on the Abdallah side of Matt's family)
• Erin & Bennett stayed the night with us and Bennett took Jack to the park for his first swinging extravaganza.
• I went to Austin and left Jack for three nights which resulted in a horrible cold and ear infection. Worst weekend ever to be away! Grandma Julie and Matt took very good care of him though... (ok, this isn't a fun happening but Austin was!)

We have some visitors coming within these next weeks...my brother, the Haagensons, and Maria! Then, Jack and I will fly to South Dakota to visit my grandma for a week. I'm excited to show him my old stomping grounds...Storybook Land & Twist Cone. That's about it for all of the excitement in Aberdeen!

Luc entertaining Jack. Such a cute little munchkin!

Bath time has become super fun in the last few months. Look how long this hair is!

At our ped's office. Jack loves him some mirror time... such a narcissist.

My little brother, Joey, on the left. Jack on the right. Look alike?

RB loves her some Baby J!

Shopping is so much more fun in the front seat!

After naptime. Dad calls this his sleep vest and I often hear him saying "Wow, pal, what a nice vest you have!" I don't know why he thinks sleepsacks are hilarious? Men...

eating, rolling, & mama's leavin!

Our sweet little nugget is almost SIX months. As always...where does the time go?! Halfway to a year? whaaaaat? I realized yesterday that Jack has lived in Seattle for as long as he had lived in Charleston. Crazy talk. Once the holidays were over, we finally had a chance to just relax and settle into our apartment. I'm quickly realizing how challenging it is to have a baby, a dog, and two grown adults in a tiny apartment but not trying to wish this time away as it is also nice and easy to keep clean :) Jack hasn't reached too many "milestones" quite yet unless massive weight gain counts as a milestone. I used to think that I would be anxious for him to crawl or be mobile but as I look around at my non-babyproofed house, I find myself wishing differently. He can now roll over like a champ, has started eating solid foods other than oatmeal (and LOVES them), and talks and talks. He must get that from his dad because no one else runs their mouth in this house... oh wait...

Jack's favorite things at 5.5 months include: smiling, laughing (watch below), rolling, chewing on everything, drooling, watching RB and pulling on her ears when she gets close enough, watching Sesame Street while mommy drinks coffee each morning, and jumping in his bouncer (also watch below...although this was slightly after he turned 4 months when he couldn't touch the ground quite yet :)).

Our nights are...well...not restful these days. I always bragged about Jack being the best sleeper. Foot.In.Mouth. He has been regressing and thinks that waking up approximately every two hours is super fun for the past week or so. Teething? Separation Anxiety? Overtired? WHO KNOWS but it's not funny to his mama or daddy. Lots of coffee being brewed in this house as of lately. Any of you mamas out there have this problem at this age?

As for other news, I will be leaving this sweet baby for the first time next Friday. I'm meeting my friend, Brianne, in Austin, Texas for a photography workshop. I have a mixture of emotions about this. Excitement, dread, nervousness, sadness....sensing a pattern? I know it will be fine. Grandma Jules is coming to stay with Matt for the weekend and Jack will be in the best of hands but I just might be an emotional wreck. I should probably just apologize in advance to all of the other workshop attendees for my inability to talk or think about anything other than my child. Not to mention, my frozen breastmilk will be floating amongst the food in the fridge in the beautiful, Texan home we'll all be sharing. Good times! :)

Well, that's all that's new in the life of this Waller family! Just enjoying the Seattle sunshine rain and looking forward to spring and summer!

and we have an eater!

I'm totally aware that this blog is completely boring now. I'm infamous for changing my backgrounds on a daily basis so the blog is currently getting a professional makeover so I can leave it forever! Well, maybe not forever but ya know. Stay tuned for that!

In other news, I now have an eater! Judging by the size of my little (big) man's thighs, you know that he isn't missing any meals! He has been watching us eat, staring at every bite that goes into our mouths, and has also seemed hungrier (more hungry?) than ever before. At his 4 month appointment, the ped gave us the go ahead to start cereal so we started feeding Jack oatmeal on Monday. Turns out he loves it and can't get enough! It is hilarious to watch him dive into his spoon and "chew" his food...you can't feed him fast enough. He gets angry in between bites because it takes just 1 second too long for me to scoop up another bite and get it into his mouth. See below:

So, at 4 months and 1 week, we started oatmeal and in just a few more weeks, we'll add in some fruits and veggies. I can't wait! I love watching him eat...it's the highlight of my day.

Jack's 1st Christmas

I heard a few wise words recently and obviously didn't take them to heart. So I will repeat and you must listen if you know what's good for you... "Advice for taking an 800 mile road trip with a baby? Don't do it". We used to just throw a few outfits in a duffel, grab a Starbucks, and hit the road for 12 hours to get home to Billings. We most likely would stop to go pee two or three times, fuel up, and grab a candy bar. Well...things are a little different. The car was PACKED was baby must haves (crazy how these tiny humans require so many large items), Christmas presents, a carseat, a dog, and 2 adults. Matt's new co-pilot is now a canine that actually really sucks at keeping Matt entertained and I have been moved to the back seat. I spent my 800 miles singing Christmas songs, shaking rattles, making ridiculous faces and noises, and changing poopy diapers. Goodnight, we have arrived.

Once we made it to Montana, it was of course mad chaos and just a few hours of sleep here and there but as always, it was so good to be home. I should be grateful that we were able to drive back home this year instead of spending a horrendous amount of money on two plane tickets to get home from Charleston. Glass half full, eh?

Jack woke up late on Christmas morning, I even tried to wake him up in my excitement of his first Christmas morning. Santa had come and filled our stockings and still Jack was less than impressed. Must not be my child...

****One last important message...for those of you who do not understand the graphic on Jack's onesie on our Christmas card, WHO ARE YOU? Go watch A Christmas Story right now and you will understand! Seriously, I don't care if Christmas is over. After you watch the movie, you will then understand that I am not a crazy mom who dresses her 4 month old in inappropriate clothing.

Jack must hate pictures as much as his daddy does :)

all ready for Christmas Eve service!

bad photo...Erin has better ones but so good to see you Mr. Bennett!

Jack biting his great granny!

Jared, Matt, and our munchkins!

Jenny and I in our colored pants!

a peaceful moment in our roadtrip :)

Moose Mugs on Christmas morning!

Life as we knew it...

What a whirlwind the past five weeks have been for our tiny family. It all started in September when Matt was invited to interview for two jobs. One in Denver and one in Seattle and neither one with Boeing. We flew to Denver at the end of September and Matt participated in an interview with Children's Hospital of Colorado and then he flew alone to Seattle in October to interview with Seattle Children's Hospital. Matt has had an interest in healthcare for as long as I have known him. In high school, he often entertained the idea of going to med school but he wasn't convinced that he wanted to be a doctor and didn't enjoy academia THAT much. Well, upon his graduation as an Industrial Engineer, he went to work for Boeing. Boeing is an amazing company to work for and certainly nothing to complain about but he just felt that he wasn't passionate about airplanes. This is a difficult situation to be in in this economy because while he was incredibly grateful for this job that he had been blessed with, he felt as though he was being called to something different. After lots of prayer and patience, he decided to pursue lean process improvement in healthcare (similar to what he did with Boeing, just in a hospital setting). Well, the doors were opened for him at both Denver and Seattle and we sat in Charleston with a hard decision to make. Do we move to Seattle, Denver, or stay in Charleston? Don't get me wrong, we loved Charleston. Who can complain about the beach, sunshine, and southern hospitality? We have been blessed with some amazing friendships and there was no real reason to leave the area other than it was pretty far away from our families (minus my dad) and a lot of our friends out west. This was fine when it was just Matt and I but adding a little munchkin to the mix certainly changes your perspective on distance for multiple reasons. It was a hard decision but we ultimately decided to move to Seattle and now Matt works for Seattle Children's Hospital as a Lean Process Improvement Consultant.

So, that is what we have been doing for the past five weeks. We packed up our tiny home in Charleston and Matt, Raleigh, and my stepdad, Mike, drove across the country in a Uhaul & one car while Jack and I flew and met them here in Seattle. It is surreal to me that just two weeks ago (on Thanksgiving Day), we said goodbye to our southern home and moved back to the Pacific Northwest just 15 months after saying goodbye to it.

This was a bittersweet move but we are excited to be back! While it was hard to say goodbye see-you-later to our friends in Charleston, we were welcomed back by so many people that we love and city that we have missed so much. Sure, it has been constantly raining and gloomy since we've arrived but honestly, I welcome it. I miss snuggling up with hot coffee on a gloomy day and wearing my rainboots and scarves without working up a sweat :) It helps that it is the Christmas season and the cold makes it really feel like Christmas unlike last year when we had our windows open because it was 70 degrees outside. For those of you who know me, you know that I'm obsessed with the holidays and will squeeze every ounce of celebration out of Christmas from the day after Thanksgiving through New Year's Day so last year was difficult for me. I was on winter break with no one to make cookies with and then we left for the UK on Christmas Eve (not complaining about that part).

So that's the story morning glory! We now live in Seattle, Matt now works for a hospital, and our sweet boy Jack is now 3.5 months old. Lots of change and blessing for us all!

And of course, a photo of the cutest thing ever...

oh his way to meet Santa @ Nordstrom this past weekend. Total cuteness pics of that to come!

Jack's 1st Halloween

It is taking everything in me not to change my blog background to something Christmas related but I'll refrain for a few more weeks... :)

I cannot for the life of me remember what we did last Halloween so if anyone knows where we were, please tell me! Seriously, no idea. This Halloween was quite memorable although as it was Jack's first! Sadly, he didn't dress up in a costume but rather, just a cute onesie and wore Halloween pj's to bed on Halloween Eve & last night too. I'm lame, I know. I just figured he would be dressed up for about the amount of time it would take for me to snap a photo and bam, out of it. So...I'll start costume planning for next year...

I do like Halloween but don't usually have a strong desire to dress up. Yesterday though, I found myself wishing we had costumes! Maybe it's because I'm a mom now and want these holidays to be special for my kiddos. My mom dressed up a lot throughout the years and that was always fun. She is always so festive and creative, I want to re-create that for my munchkins. Although Jack will have absolutely no memory of what happened yesterday, I did bake pumpkin cupcakes and we ate Papa Murphy's jack-o-lantern pizza for dinner. We ended the night with a pumpkin candle burning, drinking a cold Red Hoptober and of course, watching Hocus Pocus...only the best Halloween movie ever. I talked to Dad yesterday and he had already watched it twice. Love my parents' love for holidays! We had about a thousand trick-or-treaters, not really but you get the picture. Part of buying candy to hand out is enjoying the leftovers and now there are NONE. Next year, I'm going to stop answering the door when there is 1/4 of the candy left because that's how I roll.

November 1st is always a great day because it means it's officially the HOLIDAYS! I set up this stack of movies on the DVD player this morning...

These will continuously be playing over and over until New Year's Day probably. Sorry in advance, husband. I will one day convince Matt that he also wants to be festive, but he's just not THAT into celebrating any holiday really...what's up with that? I mean, he doesn't hate it, but he also doesn't get that excited. He better figure it out real quick now that he has to start playing Santa this year! Now for some Halloween cuteness:

photography

As you probably know, I've become very intrigued by photography over the past couple of years. I jumped right into it basically knowing nothing about anything but I was determined to become self-taught (is that a word?) I've attended workshops, studied online courses, read books, practiced, and even have had the amazing opportunity of being a professional shooter in weddings, engagements, and family sessions. I'm so grateful for the people that have been willing to let me have such amazing experiences by capturing some of the most special moments of their life.

With that said, I've come to the realization that I have SO much to learn about photography. I think I tried to take on too much too fast and it became overwhelming to the point that I was disappointing myself in my work. So tap those brakes...I'm now simply focusing on learning for a few months and looking at it from a hobby perspective rather than a business aspect. I love photography and don't want to get discouraged by it because I'm taking on more than I can handle.

I absolutely still want to photograph anything that anyone would ask me to but with the mindset that I'm doing it for fun and to become a better photographer... and that I can't promise that they're going to be the best photos they'll ever receive! I want to enjoy photography, I want to be able to learn more and capture first and foremost, the memories that my sweet little family makes everyday. I want to capture my children and sweet husband living and loving life.

I've never felt that I have had one specific hobby that is special enough to me to pursue it with my time and money until I found photography, so I'm grateful that I've found a passion that is mine!

The "I do's"!

I realize that the only thing I have ever written about since he has been born is Jack. We clearly love him! Montana was also amazing for other reasons besides J getting to meet everyone. Matt and I were a part of two very special weddings when we were home. Tucker & Kristin tied the knot as well as Jeff & Vanessa. Both weddings were beautiful, special, and so much fun. Kristin & Vanessa were of course gorgeous brides and the men didn't look too shabby either! Thank you both for letting us stand beside you as you begun your forevers...we love you!

*Tracy Moore Photography* Aren't they just the most beautiful couple?!

*Holly Gannett Photography* Also a stunning couple! I have such hot friends!

Baby J is 2 Months!

Our sweet little love is officially two months old now. I don't remember what life was like before he came into our world. I'm sure it was much less chaotic but I wouldn't trade this life for anything. In his short two months of life, he has already been on 10 different plane rides...to Denver and back and then to Montana and back. I wish he could start building frequent flyer miles but apparently lap babies don't warrant such a privilege. He was an absolute angel on all flights except for one. Soon enough, he will be wanting to get out of our laps, down onto the dirty plane floor, but for now, I will welcome his constant snuggles while traveling.

Montana was such a whirlwind. We were there for 2 whole weeks and saw SO many people that we love and miss. We kicked off our trip with Gannett wedding festivities and ended the trip with Waller wedding festivities. At 6 weeks old, we left Jack for the very first time for a night on the town. His first official babysitter was my mom when she was here and let me run errands by myself but we left him with Matt's parents as we went to the bachelor/ette parties for an entire night. This was both sad and fun! I handled it far better than I thought I was going to and thoroughly enjoyed spending time with my girlfriends baby (and husband) free! Thanks Steve & Julie for taking care of sweet boy! After this initial night of leaving him with the grandparents, we left him several times with both sets of parents to tend to all of our wedding duties. My mom was such an amazing help when we were there...it was so nice to be able to share the parenting duty with her for a few weeks since we don't have that luxury here in SC. Jack loved spending time with all his grandparents as well as his great grandparents...so fun to think he has 4 great grandmas and 1 great grandpa!

I think we sat down on the couch to rest for about 2.5 seconds the entire time we were there so coming home to Charleston is always a welcomed relief as well. I love my friends and family but there is just always so much we want to do when we are in MT and it is impossible to fit it all in no matter how long we are there. It was so great seeing all of you though!

Here are some highlights below (impossible to post all the pics!)...

Baby angel slept the entire way to Montana on the plane

We flew from Denver to Billings with the Gannetts! You can see how travel changes with children :)

Meeting Auntie Jen at the airport!

Me and my Bass before the wedding.

Baby J meets Auntie V and Uncle Jeff

Jack's future mother-in-law & Baby Girl Ridgeway

The Bennetts came to visit! Don't worry, Jack and Lillian (5 months) weigh the same!

Uncle Joe!

Now Sisters!

Auntie Brenna

Uncle Mark!

Grandma Dede

Great Grandma with all her great grandchildren!

Tucker and Kristin during wedding decorating!

Sweet Addi & J.

Auntie Nicole!

My sweet boy is 2 months old!

As you can see, Jack met LOTS of aunties and uncles! There were many more that he met but I either don't have photos or have already posted them to facebook so I'll spare you of all the rest :) He is a loved baby!

And of course a letter to my sweet boy...

Dear Baby J,

We continue to fall more in love with you every single day. Your constant smiles and giggles bring daddy and I such joy. At 2 months of age, you are already so curious and observant. You watch our every move, studying what we do with such intent. Some of your favorite daily activities include swinging in your swing staring at the birds that hang above. You LOVE these birds, you are always smiling and laughing at them. It's hysterical. Other favorite activities include playing on your play gym, reading books, and chewing on your hands. The biggest change within the last month has been your ability to express your joy. You laugh and giggle all the time. You continue to also laugh in your sleep as well. Grandma Julie says she thinks you just have a happy heart. I agree with her which makes my heart happy! You are growing like CRAZY. You now weigh almost 15 pounds which is two times your birth weight...such a healthy boy. This also gives mommy a pretty great arm workout. So thanks for that! You are noticing your Raleigh Belle more and more. She rarely leaves your side and in true big-sister fashion, she is clearly annoyed by you when you cry. She just stares at you and walks away if you have been crying for a while. She used to be very concerned by your cries but now she just looks and you like "please be quiet". Your sleeping habits are getting much better. You struggled in Montana to find your "routine" but at home, you continue to sleep very well. You usually only wake up once a night around 3:00am. We are working on getting rid of this feeding time though...I know you can do it! I've decided that you will be one of those kiddos who loves to join their families for mealtime because it never fails that you ALWAYS wake up from your evening nap right when we sit down to eat dinner. That's ok though, we like it when our entire family is eating together (Raleigh included as she begs for scraps under the table...how charming :)). 

Daddy and I are so proud of you! Keep growing strong and learning new things everyday...we love you and are so grateful to be living this life with you.