isla jane, one year.

Isla jane, my sweet third child of dreams is one. 
What the actual hey?! 
Abel cried real tears going to bed tonight, saying how he didn't want her to turn one, he wanted her to be his baby forever +  that she's cuter when she's tiny... as if tomorrow she will wake + be an entirely different baby. She was hugging him, consoling him while his sweet tears fell. It was the most heartbreakingly sweet moment, and I hope I never forget it. These are the moments I couldn't have dreamed up if I'd tried. I saw Chris + I... probably some kids when we were "like 30"  ...I had no idea how full my future life was... the love my heart would hold, the feeling of my own newborn's smallness in my arms, the grubby toddler hands on my face, the snuggles + giggles + early morning smiles, the love they have for Chris or the way they care for each other... moments like these. I'm so thankful that God is bigger than what I can see. 
Thank you Jesus for Isla, and for the two before her.
I've never known a better third baby than her. She's happy + silly + independent + willful. She has always had her own voice, has the sweetest spirit, loves her family, + is breezing by all the milestones early like the rest of 'em. She nods, and waves her hands to say no, stands on the coffee table like it ain't no thang + knowwwws she shouldn't. We swear she is saying iiiiislaaaa, + mimics me calling aaaabel too. Her favorite thing to do currently, is pick up the dogs. Harlow is her favorite because she is more her size, but she will give Charlie a try too. She also kisses them + shares her food... and theirs.

Isla Jane, Bitty J, Janebug + Chris's favorite (to which I always give a HUGE eye roll) Ijjy Azalea...
Forever the third child of my dreams, Isla. I love you more than you know. Thank you for your spirit + all that you are. You're my angel. I love you, Happy Birthday!

Photos from the hospital, when she was born HERE, and some of my favorite photos from the year below! 

On Tuesday.

 Some Tuesdays we stay home, others we visit fire stations with the best pink walls in the history of fire stations with pink walls. We may be inclined to head to the park afterward + enjoy watermelon smoothies, or even fill our bellies at the Food Truck Rally to end the day. 
We have been knee deep in a kitchen renovation + not taken much time for anything other than that, so while laying in bed last night, Chris and I decided that on Tuesday we would get out and live some life. We are so glad we did. 
I hope you had a happy Tuesday however it was spent :) Here are a few iphone photos from the day!

Our Favorite Children's Books || Currently

It's no secret that we LOVE books at our house. I will probably still be buying children's books when my children are no longer children. They're truly my favorite thing to buy the kids. We read before bed nearly every night + often times during the day while we are waiting for Chris to come home from work too! The kids will bring a whole pile to the coffee table, we'll dive in + won't stop until everyone's picks have been read. Here are a few of our current favorites!

1. The Pout Pout Fish
We love this book, it rhymes nice + the kids love to do the blub, blub, blub part. I often times find them "reading" this one on their own!

2. Lines that Wiggle
We got this book at Christmas. It's bright + the illustrations are fun. The kids love to follow the lines with their fingers + love pointing out all the lines they see around the house or when we are driving afterward!

3. Sleep Like a Tiger
This book was given to us as a gift + when I read it through to myself the first time, I wasn't sold. I loved the illustrations, but it isn't a rhyming book + I'm a big fan of cute rhyming. I am SO glad we gave it another shot though, because it is now one of our favorites to read at bedtime. The kids have literally sunk down into their covers as I'm reading it, like the girl in the story, and I'm a bigger fan of stress free bed time.

4. The Complete Adventures of Curious George
Truth: This is not my favorite in any way... It is however, Chris' childhood book + has his cute little name inside the cover, and Abel LOVES it. His attention span for reading has lengthened so much + he loves a longer story now. I get weirded out by Curious George smoking a pipe + other strange things that would not be in children's books now ha! Again though, Abel likes it so it made the list.

5. Tickle Monster
This book is it. This has been a favorite in our house since before Lucy was born! We started reading it with Abel when he was just beginning to sit long enough for books at bedtime. The kids laugh + laugh, and we as parents could read it with our eyes closed.

6. Monster Trouble
Cute illustrations, cute little story... Have I mentioned I could buy and read children's books all day?

From that time we road tripped to Texas + surprised my sweetest Mimi!

At the end of April, our little fam revived road trips + drove to Texas to join in with others in surprising my sweet Mimi for her 80th birthday! The road tripping truly went better than I could've hoped for. We left late at night so the kids were able to sleep for a good chunk of the drive + that served us wellllll. They were troopers, even Isla (who hates her carseat) was pleasant. It was a quick trip, but we were able squeeze in Magnolia Market, a few of the local favorite spots, and seeing lots and lots of family we don't get to see enough! Mimi was blown away + we were so happy to be a part of it. Here are a few little snaps from our time :) 

Things I hope never to forget + photos from lately!

I hope I never forget... 

...This little ragamuffin scene above. 

...When Chris cut the grass, and Lucy walked outside + exclaimed, "Something smells soooo good!" - It was so sweet to witness her notice something that is loved by most + not even taught, the smell of freshly cut grass. 

...Running for the porch with the kids anytime it rains. Today as we sat on the couch out there, Abel said, "I LOVE the smell of rain!"- Again with the smells of spring! 

...The head nodding, while she raises her eyebrows up + down at the same time thing that Isla is doing. It's usually accompanied by humming "mmmmm" + is 100% the cutest thing I am experiencing these days. 

...The way it feels to be lifted up by those who love you.

...the other night when isla started kissing charlie + giving him love, then the next day harlow.

...the way Abel's face lights up when he plays "I guess" + you get the answer right -- the way Lucy's 2.5 shows when she plays, by both describing + answering her own turn. 

...Worshipping in the car + seeing the big kiddos in my rear view with hands raised.

...Lucy's first ballet performance to Moana, and all the proud mom tears I cried. 

...Our coffee table being flipped over on it's top 80% of the time these days. Isla has learned to crawl up on it and then taunt us by standing there + smiling because she knows she shouldn't be, so that's how that went. The other 20% of her time is spent climbing in + out of the same yellow cabinet the way the other kiddos did at her age.

...How the big kids love on Isla.

...The GDJ. 

...Abel's first soccer practice, and how excited he was. The way he kept looking over at us, giving us thumbs up, face beaming.

...Isla's over the ear hair.

...All three of their little faces, today... tomorrow they'll already be different. 

...The way Isla reaches out for me or for hugs.

...Tiny hands on the back of my neck.