merry christmas!

Thank you all for your support, encouraging comments, and love through this last year!  You are such a blessing!

Have yourself a merry little Christmas; full of joy, reflection, and celebration of the birth of our sweet Savior.

<3

our 2016 family pictures

recently our little family trekked up to a beautiful, mountainous area with andrew's parents to *finally* take some family pictures!  yay for having something besides selfies and tripod-with-timer photos.  :-)

mamabird life {ten}

banana protein pancakes

I love pancakes.  I grew up with a mama who made dynamite ones and thinking of them still makes my mouth water.  

But most mornings I don't have time to make a batch a regular pancakes.  Enter banana pancakes.

cardigan-love and life-speaking... outfit/life post

dear...

new slippers,

you are perfect.  just the right size (11, thanks to my two pregnancies!).  just the right warmth.  just the right soft gray color.  you make me smile.

of plaid shirts and haircuts... outfit post

sweater day... outfit post

far better things

mamabird life {nine}

seeing...

piles and piles of bins!  our little home is almost entirely packed.  it's a good thing too, since our moving date has been changed to even closer!

plaid happy... outfit post

autumn red... outfit post

steps forward, journeys back

mamabird life {eight}

 seeing...  

 the faces of much-love-and-missed family!  even though they've all gone home now, the time we spent has given me such a jump-start as these next few crazy months begin!

renniebird... one year

This sweet button turned one a week and a half ago...  I lingered over her as the clock struck midnight on her special day, almost believing something would magically change, turning my baby into a little girl.  Thankfully change is more gradual than that and the *toddler* who woke that morning was my same, dear Serenity.

serenity faye's birth story

How is it possible?

My baby girl turns one tomorrow.

A couple months after her birth I wrote the events of her arrival but never shared.  Since this is the day one year ago that I started showing early labor signs, how fitting is it that this precious story is finally told?

Hope this post is a blessing and encouragement!

favorite protein smoothie (and toddler snack)... recipe

I struggle to get in my fruits and veggies each day... I also can utterly fail in the protein category.  But especially as a nursing mom I realize the importance of good nutrition.  But here's the deal... I hate cooking and I don't always have tons of time to spend on getting food prepared.

Solution?  My new favorite protein smoothie!!!

mamabird life {seven}

renniebird... eleven months

bathtime

roses are red (but mostly pink)... outfit post

mamabird life {six}

seeing...  

my baby turn into a toddler.  she is waddling all over the place and it is the sweetest thing!!!  she is also starting to try to climb on things, which is a little less thrilling.  *wink*

renniebird... ten months

wedding season... outfit post

to the moon and back... outfit post

mamabird life {five}

seeing...  

rennie walk more and more.  she has made it across the room several times now!

may adventures

Oh, last month was amazing.

So many hugs, smiles, long conversations, and cups of coffee.  I saw my sister, Jessie, promise her forever to a dear young man.  I watched my daughter come alive with the excitement that is living with eight+ other people and a large pack of dogs.  I was embraced in all of my imperfection, loved and cherished by people who know me better than most.

There is something incredible about being with your *people*.  <3

renniebird... nine months

whew...

this monthly update on Serenity comes several days late and will hopefully soon be followed by one or two posts showing why I have been absent from my dear blog lately.

summary?

my sister got married!

*happy* mother's day

renniebird... eight months

My baby-button is eight months old today.

This has been a month of explosion for her.  In mobility.  In personality.  And in volume (she made sure all of Costco was aware of her presence last Sunday... just happily hollering).  

I was told that the older I got the faster time would go.  And it is true.

Even though I'm "in the trenches" of motherhood with this girl, her life it still flying so quickly.

twenty-three

my birthday kind of snuck up on me this year.

between andrew's crazy work, mommying, and just the way time goes faster with each year you grow, my mind was sent a-whirling any time a family member asked me what i would like for a gift this year.

(and i had to stop myself from blurting out something cute i'd seen for rennie)

walk

mamabird life {four}

seeing...  

steam rise from my daily (originally typed "morning"... but mama life means starting a post in the morning and not finishing till hours later) cuppa coffee with that dash of cream

renniebird... seven months

Oh, my girl has been so smiley today!  It's as if she knows that mommy has been having some rough times and needs cheering.  Today Rennie turns seven months old and continues to be her squishy, adorable self.

"i can do this all day"

the last couple of weeks have been an emotional roller coaster.

as Andrew and I look to the future, we are faced with beautiful opportunities but also large bumps that bring plans to a screeching halt.

it is so easy for me to be discouraged.  if fact, this day, i am rather discouraged.

mamabird life {three}

seeing...  

winter fade.  

smelling...

 lemon oil diffusing.  probably one of my favorite scents now.  so *fresh*.

renniebird... six months {plus family pics}

This sweet baby is currently cooing and smiling up at me from her spot on the floor... she is becoming *so* expressive and vocal these days!  The fact that she is now closer to her first birthday than the day she was born is mind-boggling to me.

mambird life {two}

seeing...  

piles of clothes.  suitcases for travel.

dear little fairy-mine,

sweet serenity faye,

even saying your name holds so much meaning to me.  your first name means "peace-filled", which was what i desperately needed to be while carrying you inside.  i started out so full of fear and with each day as you grew, i filled with you... and with peace.

your middle name has two meanings.  one is "confidence".

renniebird... five months

Oh, little button, slow down!

This sweet love turned five months old yesterday.  Every day she grows in size, beauty, and sweetness!

mamabird life {one}

seeing...  

my daughter change almost daily.  sunlight and snow on the mountains.

mama love the coffee... outfit post

christmas for three (plus a survey!)

How special this last Christmas was.  Taking these pictures of Serenity was so surreal... celebrating her first Christmas exactly one year after finding out I was pregnant with her!

new year

2016.

I am SOOOO looking forward to this next year of life! So many decisions to make, so many changes coming, so much awesome!