12 Months as a Lewman 3.0

Happy Birthday to YOU

Family shenanigans.

As I sit here and write this - I am sipping on coffee on a lovely veranda in Laguna Beach as the sun rises over the canyon.  I am reflecting back on the past 12 months and how much life has changed- and I am only 35, we're just getting to started!  Having Delaney has been like eating dessert after every meal.  She's just the extra special slice of pie after having an amazing full entree (that entree being Emmy and Hayden...and Tye).  I love how she has changed each person in our family in some way.  She's like a baby therapist.  Hayden is SO gentle with her.  So protective of her and constantly needs to be holding her.  Emmy is learning to share the limelight and embrace having someone she can play with.  I think it's also inadvertently forced her to discover playing independently. Tye has always had a soft side for Emmy but it's a little softer now with Delaney.  I think he enjoys those snuggles a bit more knowing they are his last baby snuggles.  I don't know how she does it but she's a lover.  She seems to be the calming factor in our lives even as she's practically running now and only wants to get into things she's not supposed to.  What I love most about her is the look that she gives to each of us.  She is enamored.  There isn't one of us she prefers more, she absolutely loves us and I just want her to hold on to that through her teenage years  :).  

The tiniest belle of the ball.

Delaney Rae is 29 1/2 inches and just sitting pretty at 20 lbs.  They claim she is 50th percentile (although I've never really focused on the percentage assessment) but she seems so tiny to me!  I feel like if I look at pictures of her from 4 months and 12 months - she looks the same! Always so youthful, that one.  She eats everything now.  EVERYTHING. I have pulled 1/4 crayons, bark chips, rhinestones and paper out of her mouth. She has adventurous tastebuds. I even gave her some grilled onion and mild peppers and she loved them. There is something so funny about when she's eating.  It could be the combination of cave-man hand feeding with the nom-nom sounds she makes and the level of focus she has.  It's hilarious to me and I love feeding her!  It is so hard to articulate how special the baby months are but transitioning into the little kid stage is almost more exciting in some ways.  I think the constant fear for me (with a baby) has always been "what will she need to eat and will I have enough of whatever it is".  So now that they are all eating food, the same food we can eat - it's a bit of a relief.  I haven't introduced her to Burgerville yet but it's on the horizon.  Speaking of horizon, it is stunning here in Laguna Beach.  How do people live here??  Amazing.

This is 1

This is 4

This is 35.

This past month we celebrated Emmy's 4th birthday, my 35th birthday and Delaney's 1st.  Emmy had the most amazing princess party with 3 of her gal pals (Sadie, Presley &Laura).  We did hair sparkling, nail painting, little make-up, crown decorating and coloring.  I am not quite ready for those big parties yet because once they happen - that's all they'll want!  But the big gift was Emmy went from a toddler bed to a big girl bed, thanks to Gramma & Papa Lew and Grandma Judi for the sheets and comforter.  Poor Hayden slept in a twin bed from 4-11 and Emmy got a full size bed at 4.  Sorry Hayds! No need to worry for Delaney though, she'll probably always just be in our bed.  Yay - we might actually save money!! I didn't get anything as lavish for my birthday but I did get ridiculously drunk with my friends singing at the top of my lungs?  So SUCCESS!  My Mom and two sisters, Traci & Tiffany brought their families to the Oregon coast to spend time with my family.  I have never had the chance to spend a weekend with them (as an adult) and it meant the world to me.  They live in Everett, WA so we don't get to "drop by" when we want.  Thanks to my Mom, we watched old home movies (even the long boring ones with camera pointed at me playing in the sand for 45 minutes) to the fun ones of them riding that little motorcycle up and down our street to videos of my Dad's 40th surprise birthday party...and the piñata.  And of course my grade school talent shows that never disappoint. Cold hearted snake anyone?

We have had a full year with Sweet D.Holidays, birthdays, flooding, playing, sports, broken bones, learning, doctor visits, snoozing, lots of kisses - and I

3 LLs

mean lots of kisses.  Learning to parent the two girls at these ages has been challenging.  Dividing my attention and trying to focus on both of their similar/different needs is/was emotionally exhausting.  Sometimes physically. But things change and we learn and grow and I understand this is a short period of time - I am never complaining of the situation I am in just expressing that this time has been...an achievement, if you will.  We're all going different ways but doing it together.  I love these people and I am so excited to learn more about them as they get older and which circus we'll join this year.  Thank you for all the kind words and enjoying the blog. Thank you for being part of our extended family and obviously if you start missing the blog - you can always follow me on Instagram...I like the photos.  

Different strokes.

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