Done with that!!!

Yes-siree!!! The pacifier is gone!!! I finally did it (again) and cut the top off the latest pacifier and this time, there wasn't one somewhere hiding (yes, she had a secret stash of them for a while - so everytime I would cut one, she would have a rough day and then she would pull another one from somewhere and well, yeah...) Granted she was good to go during the day, she only used it at night and for naps, but enough now!

So we have been pacifier free COMPLETELY for 5 days and nights now and only one night of melt down. And wouldn't you know it, I did it on a night where I would have to wake up at 4am for coaching and then go to work after. But in the end we are good to go. Of course she does need extra cuddle time at night, basically till she falls asleep... but once she is out, she is good to go! Ahhhh!

What is the next milestone? Oh yes... a baby brother!

Photography

In the last two weeks, a few friends of mine have all gotten engaged and have all asked me to do their engagement photo shoots. This is so exciting for me! and hopefully them too! I did the first one this past Sunday, up at Snoqualmie Falls, where the couple got engaged. We (the couple, my self with Eric and Isabelle) hiked down to the board walk of the lower observation deck... WHAT!!! you can't go all the way to the falls anymore! unless you climb over the railing... haha, that wasn't happening at eight months pregnant... Either way we got some good shots there and then did a bit of rock walking along the river and got more. Sad though, I had some great ideas for some pictures up near the falls which would of been (might of been) spectacular. Next time, I say.

Needless to say, if you have ever hiked down to the bottom of a waterfall, there is a hike back up. Yeah that we know the dad of the bride to be and he came and picked us up at the lower parking lot (I know, we should have parked there) and drove us all back to the top. Once back, the couple re-enacted their romantic night of getting engaged while I snapped a few more.

The weather was perfect (overcast with some wind) up till the end when is started raining. I should have their photos done, just before my next shoot in a few weeks and then another towards the end of summer.

Casualfamilyphotography.com will be updated this coming weekend

Quick Update!

For those needing a January update... here you go!

Isabelle is getting bigger, talking ALL the time, and is 90% potty trained. We still wear a diaper at night, for naps and if we have a trip to the store, but for around the house, at nana's and on play dates we are good to go!!! :)

Eric is good, still works a lot and plays on the weekend with his toys. He is working on random house projects here and there too, all getting ready for the new addtion. ;)

I am getting fatter of course, there are about 8 weeks to go, so it is starting to get close to the end. I am still working and doing the 4am get ups for gymnastics coaching (which is a interesting year... everytime I think I have this head coach thing under my belt, someone throws a wrench in to the mix). Eh... so is life. I am still getting photography jobs too, got an engagement session Saturday, if the weather holds. It has been amazing the last few days!!

Speaking of weather, WOW in So. Cali. I can't believe that there are tornados there in Orange County and LA areas. Crazy!! Glad my parents and grandmother are in an area that are not too much affected by it all... though they are getting hit a bit.

So tired, must get up at 4... signing off till next post.

Eric is 33!

Happy Birthday Eric! Your old! J/k

Sophia was in charge of the 'decorations' which ened up being Dora hats and loud horns... and we know Isabelle loves the horns!!!

Hat fun with Sophia and Uncle Charlie

Cheers Daddy!!

Cake time!
33 candles to blow out before setting off the fire alarm...
with help, he was successful!

Baby Shower

Baby boy Morceau is coming in about 9 weeks... and I really wanted my mom and grandmother to enjoy one of my showers, since they both missed Isabelle's, so we had an early shower. It was an amazing time and very special with family and friends. Though, passing my camera around agian, photos came out blury. So here are some that were good. I am waiting for another friend of mine to send me the ones she took and I will post those when they come.

The girls having fun!

A bit of the bump

New Year Photos

New Year's Day at my parents!

Look, up there!!! It's Elfin... he moved AGAIN!

I love horns!!!

Let's count Grammy... 1...2...3...

Blow!!

Let's do it again... for a few more hours! :)

Christmas Pictures

With so many Christmas' it was hard to pick which photos to put up... So here are a few that weren't blury... (when others use your camera... sometimes blury takes over :( )

See my new doll?

Mike and Eric

The boys... fathers, sons, brother's in law, cousins and cat.

Daddy cutting down a tree at my parents house for Isabelle's own tree in her room.

All decorated (the lower 1/3) ... time to admire all the hard work.

Beautiful!!

Christmas Here!

New Binoculars to see all the animals in the forest - to help Diego

I see you (in orange)

Parts of the new kitchen set

Reading to another new doll

My new work desk... here I can play with play-doh, paint, make my sticker puppets...

just about everything!!

Leaving cookies and milk for Santa

WOW! Christmas morning!!

Thank you Santa!

New Drum and Keyboard set

More presents at nana and papa's

Happy New Year!

To all... Wishing you a Wonderful 2010!

Last night, Eric and I were watching the TV for the NY ball to fall and then the Seattle Space Needle Fireworks show to bring in the new year... Isabelle was asleep -- so we thought. Literally at mid-night, she called me from her room, clear as day... "MOOOOOOM" over and over till I went in an got her. She was wide awake showing me the full moon that was shinning SO brightly in her room... so I decided to bring her out to the living room for her to join us and watch the fireworks together. She loved them, smiling the whole time, saying 'oooh' and 'yeah fireworks' the whole time. And when it was over she clapped. She must of known there were going to be fireworks! somehow. Then off to bed for all of us!

Now as my tradition holds, 8am and up watching the Tournament of Roses Parade. And then off to my parents to spend New Year's Day with them!

Catch Up

Wow! What a whirlwind of a holiday! We had 4 Christmas'! One the weekend before Christmas with Eric's Aunt and her two sons! They came up from Portland, OR and we had a MOST wonderful time. Though I was unable to join in the drinking festivities, I had a blast watching all else being funny and enjoyed their sillyness'. We opened gifts, had a wonderful dinner and the best was spending time talking and enjoying our complany.

Our next Christmas was at our house Christmas Eve day. Just the '4' or us; Eric, Isabelle and Me (I count as two ;) We had a wonderful, quiet afternoon, sitting under the tree opening our family gifts. Eric got more fun for his toys and he got me some more pieces to build my photography! Isabelle got a new desk for all her creativity! Then that night, we went to his parents for Christmas Eve dinner, which of course was more great food and company and spoiling of all the little girls. She now has almost every musical instrument that daddy has, and then one... guess we need to get daddy an electronic violin now too. ;) ha ha ha

Christmas morning was number 3 -- and of course Santa had come for a special visit. Isabelle got a new Pink Kitchen set with some food items. She plays with it every day... mainly cooking the pizza for daddy.

Christmas Day afternoon, we packed up and headed to my parents house, where my grandmother is staying for her visit and had more Christmas there. There was more great food and complany there too... along with fun games!

It is so sad that I didn't even get a full two weeks off... (Eric got more then me this year - Yeah for him!) .... and it is almost over. Just 3 more days and back to the grind. I am happy that my New Years' Eve is a quiet one at home, with the kid going to bed at 9 and watching the ball fall with fireworks on TV. Tomorrow we are off again to my parents to start the year with more good food and games.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!! May this year bring you all the happiness you desire, and all your dreams come true! May you get closer to the ones you love and reconnect with those that you havent seen for a while. May you travel near and far, and to destinations unknown. May you have wonderful adventures and persue new things.

Love you all!

Pictures to come....when I get me act together to upload them. PS... so far baby boy Morceau is doing wonderfully! Can't wait for the baby shower in less then 2 weeks. I can't believe how fast this pregnancy is going and how I am actually looking prego and not fat this go round. :)

Merry Christmas

From our Family....

To yours!

Wishing you a wonderful Christmas Season,
Filled with family and friends
Love, Happiness and Good Will

Gymnastics Season

'Tis the season for high flying tumbling and artistry movements! Yes, HS Girls' Gymnastics has begun! This year, we were able to have cuts, limit the team to 20 girls, and we ended up with 16... a perfect size team. We had our first meet this past Wed and our girls did great. Even with a wrestling mat floor, they came in 2nd place. Just imagine what will happen when we have a spring floor!!! Of course the down side is that we only have 1 of our 6 season meets on a spring floor, the rest are on mats.

The best part of that night was that I was able to present the girls with their new leos (leotards). They were so excited and ran to change out of their old ones. It was a great night and we are looking forward to many more ahead.

HO HO HO

MERRY early CHRISTMAS...

Our Santa pics came back so fast! Enjoy.

PS... the beard was real... Isabelle tested :)

Baby Brianna

I guess we are going to have to stop calling her Baby Brianna, now that she is one year old. Time flies!!!

Big sisiter, Sophia was helping put the frosting on the birthday cupcakes!

One Year Portrait

Opening presents with mommy and sisiter's help

Yummy cake... "now that's good stuff!!"

Sweet Cousins

HAPPY 1st BIRTTHDAY LITTLE GIRL!!

Christmas and Food Crafts

Wreath making

Painting a snowman

(word to the wise... read all the label and directions before buying... even though this craft was in the toddler section, it is a 6+ craft that needs a hot glue gun to put the pieces on... it is not foam stickers like the others). So instead, I let her paint the snowman and then during her nap, I glued the pieces together. She prefered her painting job over the glued on side.

Christmas tree time.

So beautiful.

Making Pizza with Daddy

Stirring the pancake mix for YUMMY sour dough pancakes

Isabelle helping daddy make sour dough bread.... more like

"let's play throw flour and make a mess!"

It is SOO much fun being two!