Life as we now know it

I began this post on November 23rd.  And by "began" I mean that I wrote a title for it and then neglected to add any text or photos because I was knee deep in returning to work and figuring out how life in the real world happens when you have more than one child to take care of.

Yeah, I've been a little overwhelmed since returning to work, but I think I have been trying to keep my focus in the most important places and not worry about other things- like our blog.  I had a deep realization that my children's childhood only happens once, and it's happening now, and I can't just be there- I need to live it with them.  I am by no means perfect at this, but I am trying very hard to leave the house a little messier, the sink a little more full of dishes, the laundry a little more piled up, and spend more of my time listening to and playing with my babies.  Even picture taking is fading away!  However, I think I need to get a little better about that, so we have documentation of every adorably embarrassing thing our kids do between birth and graduation. 

It hasn't been easy to transition to two kids, but I my better half and I are tag-teaming it pretty well most of the time.  Enjoy the pics, I have a late 2 month post to write before Christmas gets here!

I will never not love those dimples :)

One of his many wonderful faces, how can kids be so cute even when they're screaming?

I have a picture of Cailyn mean muggin' the same octopus- I have to dig it up, they are almost identical

Rare moment of sweetness toward her brother.  She's not mean to him usually, just a little rough.

 A nightly tradition of pulling out every dress-up item she owns, changing into them 40,000 different times, and trying to dress up mommy and daddy in the process, as well.

Cailyn insisted he needed to wear his hat because he was cold in the living room...aren't we all...

This girl has better grip on her writing utensils than half of my preschoolers!

"Mommy, I pumpin'!"  I'm just glad she hasn't gotten them in the right spots and they haven't actually sucked on to her skin!

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My Kind of Perfect

I'm already trying to decide if we should have any more kids- because time is going by so much faster now that there are two of them! 

We had our first real trick-or-treating Halloween last week.  Cailyn went as a fairy princess, but she really only cared about being a "pincess", the fairy part made no difference to her!  She was super duper shy when trick or treating, we stopped at a friend's home first and we literally had to drag her up the sidewalk.  After she figured out that by walking up to the house, she would get candy in her bucket, she had no problem making the treks up the sidewalks, but refused to speak until we walked away when she would immediately say, "We go next house mom."  What a stinker!

Colby was supposed to be dressed as a dinosaur, I found the cutest stinkin' costume on sale- but, of course, 0-6 months really just means it only fits you the right way if you're the whole 6 months old!  So, instead he was a candy corn, like Cailyn was when she had her first Halloween. 

 In other news, Colby is officially one month old as of yesterday!  Which also means my maternity leave is quickly coming to an end, boo hoo.  It's amazing how much he has changed since he was born.  You know how babies generally look pretty similar, what with their puffy eyes and swollen selves from just being squeezed out of the tightest little tunnel?  Well, he's beginning to take on his own "look", and I am seeing what he will look like when he gets older, I think it will be much like his daddy.

 Although, he may get this face from me...

 Colby is so alert and attentive to the things happening around him, unless he's sleeping, of course!  He particularly likes to watch the colors on the television or to gaze at our family photos over the couch. 

His favorite thing to do is sleep.  His second favorite thing to do is eat.  We have been fortunate that he usually is only up once during the night, between midnight and 2am, and then eats and usually goes right back to sleep.  He's a little fussier at night than Cailyn was, but we'll take it!

And he loves his sissy, even when she hugs him too tight, or wakes him up from his nap because she wants to kiss him and just won't wait.  And they both love their pacis in the morning (Cailyn more so than Colby).  And I love moments like this:

This is my perfect.

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Colby's First Photo Sessions + Cailyn (a Mom-Photo-Session Veteran)

Poor kiddo- he has no idea what's to come in the next few years with his mom and her camera.  A total documentation of every seemingly miniscule milestone in his life, from here on out!  First holiday?  *Snap!*  First crooked sort-of-half-smile?  *Snap!*  Running out of the house and away from your bath naked? (Hopefully, not after the age of 5!)  *Snap!*  Looking like a stud in your tux on your way to Senior Prom? *Snap! Snap! Snap! Snap! Snap!*

I realize the last photo I mentioned won't happen for a long time, but doesn't it seem like those events just creep right up on you?!  Until we get there, I'll just try to remember to capture the moments I can, like these first photos:

I'm also ecstatic because I officially have our Christmas cards DONE!  Not sent out yet, of course, but they have already been delivered to us and are ready to be addressed and set aside for mailing out at the beginning of December.  Second year in a row, folks!!

I have a new appreciation for photographers who shoot kids and families- getting two kids to cooperate at the same time is like walking a cow down steps- IMPOSSIBLE.  So instead, I just went with it- this is our life, this is exactly how the photo shoot went: Cailyn hamming it up and Colby screaming his lungs out, ha!

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