1 Years Old Today

 

How was I so lucky to of given birth to this special little girl exactly a year ago? 

 

She has taught me so much and has grown to be so special to all of us.

 She has the smile that can light up the room.

 We have big plans for her 1st birthday. 

It's a big deal,

because she has been with us for 365 days and I have been by her side every single one of them.

This is the beginning of many girly, pink and princessy birthdays.

Daddy's Day

We are so lucky to have such a wonderful daddy in our family. He is what holds us together. He is the life of the party and we are always laughing with him around. He spends time with us, he takes care of us and protects us, he teaches us about becoming better and how to be a good person. He is our hero and our best friend. 

I am so happy he is the daddy of my children. He is the greatest and I know that James and Rachel love him to pieces. He is so stinkin' good looking and he is the best man!!

We love you DADDA!!

Daddy's Day was Delightful.

James helped make breakfast for daddy.
French Toast and Fruit.

Rachel and James colored a card for him too.

As a new father's day tradition, each of us had a candle in their breakfast lit. Since every child think blowing out candles is the bomb, it was fun watching their faces as everyone had one to themselves. We went around the table and each one of us had to say something that they love the most about daddy. Then when it came to daddy at the end he told us his favorite thing about being their daddy.

Daddy: "Now I have 2 buddies and friends for life. I just loves my little ones more than anything else in the world. My favorite word Dada."

Mommy: "Daddy is well rounded, loves the gospel and is the best and most fun daddy around. I love that he loves us as much as we love him. He will never leave us, but will always come back no matter what."

James: "Obey dada"........we rustle".........."play with dad"........"he's my dad."

Rachel: "Rarrr.... (she loves to eat with daddy)."

 Then we went to Stake Conference, came home, slept a little, kids rustled with daddy a whole bunch, we ate some good grub, went for a long walk and to the park. It was a good dad. 

And I know daddy felt special on Daddy's Day.

James' Quotables and Notables

 My stud James HAD the best hair.

He was born bold and didn't actually start getting hair until he was one. So when the time finally came that I could do it, with gel and a comb it was exciting. 

I actually really enjoyed doing it and it just made him that much cuter than he already was. Which was crazy because he is such an adorable, handsome creature.

When we got home from California the weather was hot and Josh persisted that we BUZZ his hair.

At first I said "No". Then he kept on saying how every summer when he was young him and Jared always got a buzz because it felt better. 

Well, I finally gave in and said OK, since he said it would grow back fast. 

The next thing I know I walk into the bathroom and James' hair is all over the tub and their was a lot too. 

I gasped and said, " That short?" He had it at a 1.

I seriously was so sad. All, I mean all of his hair was gone. Ahhhhh!!

I thought he was going to do a buzz, not close to a bick. 

 So for that week Josh had to keep reminding me that it would grow back. I guess it will.

But I just loved his thick blond hair.

So now we are starting all over again, from square one. 

Grow hair GROW!!

It was sad because a few days later James was feeling really sick and looked a little pale. So with no hair Josh and I kind or teased that he was our chemo baby. Not really funny, but he totally looked sicker than usual.

 

Well, he is happy as ever and I love touching his head. Because it feels so cool, he thinks it's pretty sweet too. And even after about a month it is growing back a little at a time.

I guess I was a little over the top with this one.

It's only hair right?

And he is still a total STUD!

Family times and changes

Saying bye to Virginia beach was hard. Everyday James would ask "Beach Mom?" He loved the sand, the water and everything else involved. Before everyone had to take off we all went to celebrate Josh Nehrings dental graduation. He worked so hard to get there and I was so proud of him and Stacy for doing something so hard that took total faith. They  worked so hard for it and it was so neat seeing Josh receive his diploma. He was shining that day with pure smiles from head to toe, along with everyone else in his family.

To celebrate after the huge commencement and all the extra things you do at graduation, we went to one of the best Pizza Places. The kids hung out at the bar, just staying entertained and we sat and talked, laughed and cried together as we reminisced all the years of hard work and trial that went into getting Josh to this point. Now we call him DOCTOR.

All the family had to head home....... but we stayed.

 To help Stacy out and to spend some time with her and be there for the birth of her 4th child, I stayed an extra week and a half. She was having big changes happen. First off Josh, her husband graduated. Than her family was preparing to move so he can specialize in Nebraska. And last but not least she was planning to have her baby before the big move. Mom stayed with us too. We pretty much just watched the kids, made food and tried keeping the house looking good while packing the things we could. It was a very sweaty hot and humid stay.

 The following week and a half was spent  in Richmond, Virginia with Stacy and her family. James and Rachel had a great time in the heat and air conditioned house (thank goodness, or I would have died of heat). James had a great time with Talmage, Lilli and Izzy. He loved running through the sprinklers, playing basketball and baseball, going for walks with Nana and me, playing games, taking care of a turtle that I saved from being ran over, going to the splash pad, playing in mud, Popsicle, stories, and so much more.

 But all in all James' favorite person to play with was, Nana. He no longer calls her grandma, but Nana. They totally have a connection and I just love watching how much he just loves her and always wants to be with her.He had many funny moments as well dressing up, playing games, movie nights and trying to have sleepovers with the cousins.

 

Well the time went by fast, like always. She always has her babies 2 days before her due date. At least with her last 3 kids. So we were thinking the same thing would happen with this one. So I was there 3 days after she was due and still no baby. Sadly we had to leave on Wednesday, just me and my 2 kids on a plane all by myself. It was a little difficult, when both of them decided to go to sleep right as we were landing both times. Thankfully I had a stroller and some good people to help me out. I made it home, to a husband and daddy that we were so extremely dying to see and love. 18 days is way to long to be away from Joshy Pooh. 

But he did show me just how much he loved me and never wanted me to leave for that long ever again.
 

What can I say he just can't live with out us. Nor can we!

So my beautiful sister who was doing Zumba with me a week before she had her baby finally had 

Benson Steven Nehring 

4 days later, on Sunday. 

I didn't actually get to meet him until after they had moved and drove all the way to Utah to visit family. We met him when he was about 3 weeks old. And he is a pure angel. So dang cute and so worth the wait.

Congratulations Stacy and Josh on everything new and  the start of another chapter of life.

Lesson Learned and Working On:

It was pretty relaxing and really nice to spend so much time with my mom and get closer to her on this trip. I loved it, she would help me every night put James down to bed, because he always wanted his Nana to read books to him and cuddle him to bed. Then mom and I would end up talking and just really getting some things out that have been needed to talk about. I feel so tight with mom and just so glad that we became so close and I just look forward to more time and memories while opening up and letting her more into my life. 

sobby feelings. And do you know what? It feels really good. Not having to portray my life as perfect has really allowed me to get closer to my mom too, because we both want so much more from each other. I am so grateful for my husband who has taught me this great lesson. I have cried and been hurt and have hurt others........but have talked about it and now am on the real right track to being more real and becoming much closer than I ever thought possible to the ones I love and care for.

Rachel at 11 Months

A month ago you  turned 11 months and you have shown the most progress in this month so far. We call you our little Vampire because you started growing your vampire teeth before your middle front teeth. Another nick name you have is Our little dinosaur, because you constantly growl like a dino and will try to attack on your hands and knees. You are quite funny. I am sure you are going to have a great sense of humor, since you  already have us laughing and your not even one yet. 

You are on the go and holding onto whatever you can to be mobile. You walks along every thing with help, climbs stairs and are such a busy body.

 

You are still our  big eater. You love your  oatmeal the most and sigh.."mmmm" when you eat something yummy. You  have tasted many sweets, including your favorite, which is your brothers suckers. You crack me up around food because you love it so much. You will just grab, take, eat, repeat. If anyone takes something away from you, you totally cry or scream to get it back. You have quite the personality. You sadly got your worst case of sickness this month. You have been so so healthy this whole time for the majority of life. But near the beginning of June you totally came down with a really bad fever, runny nose and yuckies throughout your whole body. I felt so sad for you. All you wanted to do was eat orange juice Popsicles and cuddle with your mommy. Thank goodness to my obsession of essential health oils, they helped you through your sickness without pounding medication through your body. You were a total champ and I just felt so sad for you while I held you and just listened to you cry. Thankfully it only lasted a few days than you were back to yourself. The self I am so madly in love with. The one who still is a mommy's girl, but a happy mommy's girl.

This month you enjoyed the California beach almost everyday with all your cousins. You loved the sand, even though you ate way to much. The water was a bit cold, but you were so tough going out with me all the way into the waves. You even went under without fussing. I know you'll be a beach girl, cause you sure made the cutest beach baby. You were all smiles and giggles when James was around you playing in the sand. Your skin tans so great. Even with sunscreen you got some pretty olive skin, just like your mommy.

You love bath time with James and just love to splash and watch water spray. Once you wanted to join James, but before we could take your clothes off, James poured a whole bucket of water over your hear. You were drenched.  All I could hear was a big splash and than you laughing. I went into the bathroom and this is what a saw.

A Happy Happy Baby Girl Drenched from Head to Toe.

June weather was really on and off. One day we would go swimming at the pool or fill up the baby pool with water and hang out in the sun, than the next day it would be raining and cold out. Thus, you have dressed in your swim suite and your winter coat. You love the water, but you demand that someone (especially your mommy be right close to you at all times). But you hate the swimming tube, I guess you like the full on contact of safety with someone holding you instead.

You helped celebrate the first Father's Day that you have been alive for. Daddy loved all the kisses and love you gave him that day. You are defiantly his pretty princess. Daddy always talks about how gorgeous you are and how special you are to him. All he ever wants to do is protect you.

It is hard to believe that you will soon be my one year old BABY!! 

You bring so much joy and fulfillment to my life. 

We are so blessed to have you as ours.

Virginia Beach Vacation

 Our big Leavitt family vacation this year was to Virginia again for the last time. 

It was the kids and I. Josh stayed home because of summer school. He is really working hard to finish school as fast as he can. And he has been a complete champ about letting us go and have fun while he stays back and studies.

 

Thank goodness for mom's help on the plane. She made it so exciting and fun for James as she had activities and gifts for James the whole trip. James loved it and it really helped so much with his attention span for flying and being confined into one seat for many hours. As it always goes, the kids fell asleep just before we landed almost every time (not during though ,sadly). 

We had a week at the resort, right off the ocean and beach. The view from our window was amazing and so refreshing. The weather was a bit cool, but we did spend 3 days at the beach. 

James' favortie parts were playing in the sand,

 

running around and chasing the birds

boogie boarding,

jumping the waves and getting wet

playing with cousins, papa and nana

and finding treasures. 

 

 As for Rachel, it was her first time at the beach. Her favorite part about the ocean was holding onto mommy as much as she could, trying out the sand to see if it taste good and touching the water and than crying because it was so cold. Rachel's experience was a lot different from James' time at the beach. James is a lover and Rachel was not to fond at all. To cold and too uncomfortable.

For myself, one of my favorite places on earth is the beach. I just LOVE how crisp and fresh the air feels and the beautiful waves that crash upon the shore. The sound is music to my ears and I am in love with how warm the sand always feels under my feet and how it just runs right through my toes. This trip  was so much fun just being with my fabulous sisters (except Linz, who couldn't join us), their kids and husbands and especially my mom and dad. Being with my family is one of my other favorite things in this world. So this week was a little piece of heaven for me.

But it was extremely hard being away from my one and only hubs for so long. We missed daddy so much and it is just never complete without him. I think he missed us more, as he told me that I can never leave for 15 days again and that it was just way to long. What can I say he loves us and needs us in his life. 

We need him too.

 

Once we were done with the beach or it got to cold for the kids, we moved to the inside pool. We spent hours here. We'd sneak the little ones into the hot tube because they were so cold and they would keep us busy making sure each child was with an adult in the water. 

 I had a total startle.

Little James is such a dare devil around water and it is sometimes scary just how comfortable he feels in it. Well, he had ran around the pool to the other side and I turned for a second and the next thing I see is him trying to get into a little tube, and the second later his head is smack down in the water. I started yelling from across the room, but the muffle was so strong that hardly anyone could hear me. As I moved as fast as I could across the water, it felt like slow motion. Stacy happened to walk in right at that moment and she reacted so fast and saved James. Oh....that was so freaking scary. I went and hugged him to death and thanked God and Stacy for saving him. He choked out the water and only gave 2 moans and than seemed OK. Well, he was back in the water right after that. He's my little swimmer and I am so glad he is OK. And amazingly not even a little scared of water.

One of the nights we got to rent some cool bikes. We rode up and down the beach. It was so much fun racing the others and almost knocking each others bikes over. We were all pretty tired after and totally got a good work out. 

On our way we stopped and visited Titan, danced and sang to a band playing and got some yummy ice-cream.

Another night we went on our traditional girls night out. One thing we do each year is have a theme for it that all of us participate in. This year mom was in charge and the theme was HANDS. 

    H- humble

         A- atonement

N- nice

       D- diligence

We each talked and discussed our subject. I talked about nice. My whole point was " BECAUSE NICE MATTERS" and "It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice."

It was a great night. We went and got pedicures and manicures. We were there for a few hours. Went shopping for our little ones and than went for desert to Apple Bees. I am so lucky to be so close to my sisters and mother. We talked and got our up lift, cried and laughed and became even closer. It is these moments that we are all able to realize that each of us go through our own challenges and that we all support each other no matter what. 

The guys were in charge of all the kids. It was a sight to see when we got home late. As we were walking up to the resort, we hear Talmage screaming at the top of his lungs. We walk into the room and there is James dressed in Channings clothes (6 month clothing) and a big poppy diaper stinking up the place. Along with Izzy still in her wet bathing suit. It was hilarious. We were just glad all the kids where still alive.

Family is Everything!!
We stayed for another week and a half hoping for the arrival of Benson, but sad to say he never arrived while I was there. But we did have an amazing, no stress and no plans week.
Thanks to mom and dad for always placing family as a priority.This trip was truly needed and thanks for all the planning and time you put into making it all happen. We are so blessed to have you as our parents and be so loved by you two. Every family trip we go on is because mom and dad think it is so important that we continue to stay close and continue building relationships. Plus, they just adore their grandkids and the kids think their nana and papa are the coolest.
We are all so happy to be part of the Leavitt clan. Can't wait till next year!