riding the wave | august

Just like the later part of July, August was much the same ... lots of new experiences! 

Sundays at a new ward ...

A new stroller I found at a thrift shop called Kidz Again since we originally couldn't fit our stroller in our cars. I'm loving it though because it has the perfect seat and riding board for Liam in the back in case his legs get tired. Another bonus, the shade covers completely extend up and down to block sunlight so I don't have to flip the stroller around! 

Taking the kiddos shopping at the Village solo my first time was a bit of a hot mess! I made the rookie mistake of bringing a nutrigrain bar for Lyla and broke it up into small bites on her tray for her. She swiped it all onto the floor while we were in the Gap to which I didn't notice and proceeded to run it over with the stroller wheels and then further smash it into the ground with my shoe. Let's just say baby wipes didn't quite cut it and I hightailed it out of there with my head hung low (cringe)!

Our first trip to Winco where I found myself attempting to maneuver a semi truck tank of a riding cart through the store to grocery shop! haha That will be a weekly adventure I'm sure but the kids love it!

Enjoying the last days of summer with hours of hose spraying and water balloon entertainment! Any time we are out there, Liam inevitably looks for spiders to try and drown and they all end up scurrying directly for me on the patio! eeeek!

Meeting Grandma for play dates at the park ... she always remembers the snacks!!

Trying new hikes! Two Saturdays ago we hiked to the very top of Table Rock and back down. It took a total of 2 hours with kids in tow ... we've never been more proud of Liam! We kept chanting family affirmations the whole way up ... "Williamsons are strong! We are brave! We can do hard things! We can hike big tall mountains! etc." Liam would repeat every word and giggle the whole way up! Lyla enjoyed the view for the first 15 minutes and then slept the rest of the time. Angel! 

We had to stop several times for breaks, especially as we neared the top and it became more steep. At one of the look outs we stopped at, Liam and I even found a little lizard! The best part about hiking, the rewarding view at the top ... even with the smokey air it was still beautiful! 

These two cuties holding hands in the car! One of the hardest transitions for them has been how long it takes to commute everywhere. They just don't quite have the patience for it yet. It has taken me a couple weeks to get it down but now we don't leave anywhere without snacks, water, and toys they haven't seen lately stocked in the car to keep them happy!

We've visited my mom at her office for lunch ... Sita's two little lineman! ;)

This about sums up Liam's desire to take  pictures these days, hence why I always have a million more to share of Lyla than him lately. I mean, look at that smile! I couldn't even pick which one was cuter!!

They've played with their cousin, Olivia, and are loving having an instant best friend in a new place!

We've skipped rocks and played down by the Boise river!

We've gone on walks and bike rides on the green belt!

Just a few of the many new adventures we've been experiencing so far and more to come ... like starting a new preschool for Liam next week! These are the moments we hang on to when it's hard trying new things or we're missing Pocatello. Everything happens for a reason and I believe if we have each other, there isn't anything we can't do together! 

riding the wave | july

Nic and I have a new phrase for life lately ... we call it, "riding the wave". It all started the moment the job offer was extended ... we knew what it meant to accept the position and move our family and at the same time, what it meant to decline and stay. Ever since that moment we've been on a crazy roller coaster of emotions ... sometimes so excited, sometimes sad, and sometimes every emotions hits all at once for one or both of us and we look at each other and without any explanation at all we'd say, "I'm just riding the wave".

Here is the part of that wave known as the month of July ...

Ironically, the weekend we found out and accepted the job, we happened to be traveling to Boise. We had a trip planned in June for my birthday but the kids had been sick so we needed to postpone. We headed straight for pa and grandma's house who were fully stocked with water balloons when we got there. ;) The hilarious thing was, no matter how hard they were thrown at somebody, they wouldn't pop. haha

That Saturday we tried out Sita's paddle board at Eagle Island!

While Liam played in the water the whole time, this little lady just wanted to eat snacks on the beach.  My kind of girl! ;) haha

I hadn't been to Eagle Island since I was a child and was surprised by how many updates they had made over the years. It has turned into a really nice state park! They still have a water slide there too but Liam was just a couple inches too short to ride on it so we avoided showing it to him.

I see you, Nic Williamson ... haha

Just a couple days after coming home, we put our house on the market and the craziness began. A cleaning, organizing, boxing, selling, and donating frenzy! Right in the middle of it all, Lyla came down with a high fever one night. We took her to the ER and discovered she had picked up hand, foot, and mouth. The 2 weeks that followed were some of the most miserable days of our lives. Every single person in our family got it ... open blisters in the mouth, the kids got it all over their bodies, and poor Nic got it on his hands and feet pretty severely. We heard on the news they had closed down Eagle Island because so many people were getting sick from the water so we think Lyla picked it up from there. So thankful those days are behind us!!!

Then there were several house showings. We'd play at the park to pass the time ... these two LOVE the swings!

Liam became addicted to wanting "smoovies" for lunch when we had to be out and about!

His silly faces always crack me up!

We've had a couple open houses, the first of which was most of the day on a Saturday so we spent it at FIL and Dee's house where we got to try out their new toy!!

And then that 4 week notice mark creeped up on us faster than we thought it would and before we knew it, we were having lunch at daddy's old work for the very last time. So many memories sitting at those tables outside of the cafeteria ... like Liam trying his first lemon, riding the elevator a million times, getting his very own badge just like daddy's, watching the piano play, getting to sit in his first helicopter, and licking Santa's beard at Christmas time just to name a few!

Took that picture on the right during "quiet time" when Liam came and got me and wanted to show me what he did all by himself. He'd take the liberty to grab the giant goldfish box from the pantry and pour himself a bowl ... as you can see it was larger than his head. haha

Then not only was it our last day visiting daddy at work but it was our last night in our first home. SO MANY TEARS!! We moved the kitchen table out into the garage at this point so we ate pizza picnic style on our kitchen floor ...

Tucking Liam into his bed in his room for the last time and our last family picture there ...

The rest of July was full of new adventures like trying out a new library (they have mini shopping carts for the kids to put their books in! It's adorable to watch and Liam LOVES it!). Their play area also has dress up stuff (two things our last library didn't have) ...

Lots of time spent on Sita's patio. The kids love playing in this mini sandbox together!

So like I said ... tough "lasts" but good new moments too! Checking back in tomorrow with the wave of August so far! XO

eleven months | letter to lyla

e l e v e n    m o n t h s   o l d 

| LOVES |

Eating.

Walking.
Grabbing her tongue.

Sticking her fingers in peoples' mouths.
Liam.

| HATES |

Getting her face wiped.
Getting changed. 

| DEVELOPMENT // GROWTH |

Thankfully we made it through a month without any new teeth! I can't say it was pain free though because Lyla is officially walking!!! Trying to keep her from bonking her head is a daily challenge and she has several bruises and scrapes to prove it. I missed those arms always in the air as they take those wobbly first steps!! Her hair is long enough for 2 pony tails on top and her feet are quickly outgrowing those size 3-6 month shoes! She is now wearing size 4 diapers and still fitting comfortably in 12-18 month clothes. She isn't much of a jabberer but occasionally says "da da". She learned how to hold a sippy cup on her own on the first try (must have been from watching her brother!). We've started brushing her 5 tiny teeth once a day and letting her get to explore holding the toothbrush herself which she loves. She points at everything.

| SLEEP |

If there is one thing I've learned, Lyla sleeps the very best when she is in her own crib. Her schedule hasn't changed much from last month. She goes to sleep at 7 pm and wakes up around 7 am. It is heaven having her consistently sleep through the night! She typically takes one 3 hour nap from noon to 3 pm.

| EAT |

Lyla loves nursing and I have a feeling will have just as hard of a time as me giving it up when the time comes. She nurses when she wakes for the day, before nap time, and when she goes to sleep. She is still good at trying new foods but is beginning to acquire more taste buds that narrow down what she will take second and third bites of. haha Her favorites are anything carbs and fruit. Everything that goes in the mouth, always has to be taken back out and examined before going back in. I still continue to learn this about her the hard way by giving her things like goldfish or nutri grain bars while going in a store to entertain her and coming out with both covering the floor of the store and her entire outfit. Yikes!

Dear Lyla,

In 3 weeks, we will be celebrating your first birthday and I can hardly believe it. It's been the best year of my life! I'm having so much fun planning for your special day! So many fun rainbow things are beginning to arrive in the mail and I can't wait to watch you dive into your smash cake. ;) I'm cherishing every last moment of nursing with you. You love it just as much as I do. We lay together, you look up at me and reach for my face, and for those few minutes that follow it feels like time has stopped. I went to see the movie Mama Mia with Sita while you were asleep the other night and there is this moment where the mom is a young woman meeting her daughter for the first time as she is placed in her arms ... even though you weren't there watching it with me, tears filled my eyes thinking of you because I felt that same instant bond as I laid my eyes on you for the first time, as if our hearts always knew each other. In fact, that moment had me thinking back to the first time I visited you in the NICU after they took you away, through my tears I whispered hi to you and you reached out and latched your tiny little hand around my finger. That moment was magic for me. So have been all the moments that have followed with you here. You went on your first big trip and rode in an airplane this month to Washington for a family reunion. The take off and landing were hard on your ears but otherwise, you were the perfect traveler! All of your great grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. that you met absolutely adored you! You adored that they all would feed you cookies and ice cream sandwiches every day. haha You started taking the sacrament at church and flail your arms as they walk away with the rest of the bread that you'd prefer to have seconds of. haha You joined the goldfish club and Liam is reluctant to have to share his favorite food group with you! You still make an absolute mess whenever you eat. Cover yourself from head to toe and always need a bath after every meal but I don't mind one bit because it is hilarious watching you devour every meal. 

Love you so much my Lyla girl!
Love, Momma

| ELEVEN MONTH PICTURES |

All the heart eyes for those pudgy fingers and dimpled knuckles!!!

And those legs, they're my favorite!!!

Cutest girl in the world!

When she fell asleep on the bed mid-nursing because she was so exhausted one night ...

Her first bite of sand, a childhood right of passage ...

Her smile is the most contagious thing in the world!

One of my absolute favorite pictures of her!! She was such a ham when we put Liam's pilot hat on her and she didn't want to take it off!