An pretty perfect weekend

Us at Montgomery Zoo

Analia watching the monkeys swing.
At the Georgia Aquarium.
At our friend's pool party
This weekend was so awesome! First off, Mike was TDY in Montgomery, AL all week so on Friday we decided to go up and meet him. We spent the day at the Montgomery Zoo, which is totally fun and nice and perfect for big and little kids. Then on Saturday morning, we drove up to Birmingham AL to go to the temple together...which we haven't done since we've been married! We've gone, but we always just had to swap, so one of us could watch Analia, but our friends went with us and so we swapped with them. It was so so nice to be in the temple together. Ahhh.
Afterwards, we spontaneously decided to go up to Atlanta with our friends. Since we were only an hour and a half away, we might as well do it. So we drove the distance and spent the afternoon at the Ikea and then the Olympic Park. It was just so fun to be spontaneous and do things that we normally don't do. Then on Sunday we went to the Georgia Aquarium and packed in there with all the other thousands of people to see the amazing fish and sharks and whales and penguins. Analia had a freakin' blast. She loved seeing the animals. But by the time we were at the last exhibit, we were ready to get out and away from people! We started our drive home and stopped in Auburn AL, just to see the campus and eat dinner. What a beautiful campus and gigantic stadium! We got home late Sunday night, and after a 6 hour drive, we were exhausted. Our girls did so great though! Maya slept and played and hardly cried! This was a breakthrough trip for us--we proved to ourselves that we can do things, like trips and spontaneous overnighters, with our kids. We just have to keep our patience in check and remember to be flexible.

And to top off a great road trip, we had Monday off work for Memorial Day. Our friends had a BBQ and a pool party that we played at for 5+ hours.  It was so much fun and Analia loved jumping in the pool.  Maya stayed and played in the shade and watched us swim.  All in all, we got to see some new things and learn a lot about ourselves, and then we got to play in the sun for a few hours.  It was awesome. I couldn't ask for a better weekend. 

Sprinklers & Splash Pad

So the weather this week has been just fabulous!  We've been playing outside everyday, and I've been getting quite a tan.  It's nice to be in your backyard, where no one can see that I shouldn't be wearing a bikini, but here I am anyway!  Analia has been having a blast.  We have an inflatable pool and a sprinkler that she just loves to play in.  Today we went down to the park and played with her friends at the splash pad.  It's totally fun.  And Maya has just loved watching Analia play!  She is usually napping when we're in the backyard, so everyone's happy!

 

I have also finished the quilt that we gave to our dear friends here in FL.  It's not perfect, by far, but I've really loved making it and hope that they love it as much as I do.  I want to make a smaller one for myself, if I can figure out a pattern!  Don't you just love the pattern, by the way?  It was a little tricky, and after unstitching the pieces until my fingers almost fell off, it worked.  So it's all worth it.  

A Poem

I thought I was full -- like life was fine and dandy --

Then I met you, Mike,

   and I burst open -- like a summer storm --

   electric and exciting --

   soaking me through.

I thought I was full -- like I could take no more

love into my life --

Then I had you Analia

   and laughter soaked with tears 

   exceeded the known capacity of my heart.

I thought I was full -- like what else 

could I ever need?

Then I had you Maya Isabel

   and life grew three sizes so I could

   fit all of my love for you in it.

I think I am full...

Then I see my girls laugh and grow and dance

and run

and cry and learn

And my heart melts into something

bigger

and God smiles.

Baby Maya

Maya in the cutest little headband that my best friend Kristen sent!  Darling, huh!

Here is Mike getting Maya to laugh!  It's so fun to see her smile!

These are the fingers she sucks on to get herself to sleep!  Isn't it cute?!

So Maya Isabel is now more than 3 months old!  Wow.  So far it has gone by so fast...she's sleeping through the night (the last 3 nights), and I know this sounds wierd, but I'm kind of sad that I don't need to get up with her anymore.  Not to mention, my boobs are ready to burst in the morning!  But really, even though I was wasted tired, I cherished those midnight and 4 am feedings.  I feel like the infant time of Maya's life is already gone.  But she is healthy and beautiful and I'm happy that she's growing like crazy!  She loveslovesloves to watch Analia and is actually laughing with her!  These guys are so fun.  My house seriously is full of sounds all the time--crying, laughing, playing, crying some more, then laughing some more, etc.  

I love being a mom.