Curious Bird

:the very best thing:

Being a mama to these two little guys is the best thing in the world. Today we spent the morning picking strawberries together and then picnicking near a little pond. It was a perfect. 

Happy Mother's Day. 

:three sixty five:

2012 was a zinger of a year. 

we welcomed sweet baby Roman, Felix celebrated his second year around the sun, we played, we made messes, we took trips to visit friends and family, we grew some food, we danced in the living room, we hiked, we laughed, we cried, we whispered, we raised our voices, we snuggled, we took time for ourselves, we learned new things, we practiced things we already knew...and...we loved each other more and more every single day.

And not every day was perfect, but there were plenty of days out of the last 365 I'd like to repeat over and over again.

For fun, here's a look at some happenings in curiousbirdland in 2012. 

Happy 2013! May it be full of peace, love, laughter, and great adventure.

January

February

March

April

May

 

 
June

July

August

September

October

November

December

:these days:

Hi there,

Here's a little view into our world lately.

Our big boy has been perfecting his climbing skills, and I am so grateful he has been accompanied by such a great spotter during practice. 
He has also been building daily caves and forts around here. Or...at the very least pulling all the sofa cushions off in order to bury us. Dustin had to be rescued from a pile of cushions and tinker toys the other day (luckily I had my camera nearby to capture this). Deep breaths as I continue to work toward finding a balance between tidy and chaos. 

Our baby boy has become a professional smile-giver. He is such a happy, smiley baby. LOVE that so much. :-)

As for me, well, my slowcooker is my best friend lately. That thing is a lifesaver. 

I have also been trying to find time to do some holiday making. Not sure exactly where to start, but I suppose crafting Romy a stocking is probably the right place. After that, I think I see some citrus salt, homemade biscotti and chocolate truffles on the horizon. 

Dustin and I went on a date the other night. We sat at the bar in a beautiful new tapas restaurant in town eating dessert and drinking grownup drinks. It was perfect. And the best part (besides getting to chat for two uninterrupted hours with my sweetie) is that I think we've figured out a way to make date night an almost weekly thing by swapping childcare with some friends who also have two littles. 

We're getting our tree this weekend and I'm beside myself with anticipation. Can't wait to get all the holiday decorations out and up around here. Good fun, indeed. 
I stumbled upon this holiday traditions article and thought I would share. I love a good tradition, don't you?  

Hope you're doing well out there. 

More soon,

L.  

:give thanks:

so very thankful for all the love that surrounds me.

 

happy thanksgiving,

l. 

(our family photographed by my friend amelia)

:hello baby:

We welcomed a healthy baby boy into the world at 4:44am on September 12th. 
His name is Roman Elias and he weighed 8lbs 11oz and measured 20 3/4 inches.
He is perfect in every way.

Our hearts are bursting with love.  

:five:

Five years ago today I stood surrounded by our favorite people and hundreds of orange marigolds and married the love of my life. What a magical day it was. 

Happy Anniversary, my sweet! I adore you. 

:snaps from the weekend:

sheesh! already a few days into the week. time keeps getting away from me. 

there was...

a lovely visit with family we don't get to see near often enough
lots of laughter watching Felix and his only cousin together
a big bowl of delicious cherries consumed
a trip to the river for a cool dip and a scraped knee for Felix
more homemade pesto (can't get enough of the stuff)
lots of cold cantalope
a fun outing to our favorite museum
a ripe tomato (actually several) picked and quickly eaten with a sprinkle of sea salt
some morning book-reading time for the littles
a long walk that nearly did me in  -- too humid for this pregnant lady 
a nap or two thrown in for good measure

one good weekend overall.

hope you had one too. 

be well out there, 

leya 

:my baby is 2:

Today marks Felix's second swing around the sun.  Our baby boy is two. Holy smokes!

My head spins and eyes well thinking about how Dustin and I met this wonderful little person for the first time two years ago today. All that dark hair, his beautiful face, and those tiny little fingers. It was love at first sight. The best thing in the world.

It has been a wonderful two years being a mama to this boy. 
Thank you Felix for helping us grow and laugh and know a love that is pure and true and as deep as the sea.
May the long time sun shine upon you.
We love you so much!

 

so long, old friend

Sigh. 

My little family has heavy hearts and teary eyes right now after having to say goodbye to our sweet snowcat Mortimer yesterday morning. As many of you know he was in our lives for over 15 years and was truly a special part of our world. Like his late pal, Motown, Mortimer made many moves with us and shared so many important milestones. He was the most snugly dude you could know and was even known to steal the hearts of people who considered themselves not so into cats. He helped us welcome Felix into our home and lives and put up with being picked up and snuggled (often in a not so gentle way) countless times. He never once reacted in a negative way. Always sweetness and light, that guy. 

He gave feline kidney disease a good long fight and was deemed a "miracle kitty" by both our vet in Philadelphia and our new vet here in Durham. They were both baffled by how his kidneys could be in such bad shape, but how at the same time he seemed to be doing so well in every other domain. Overall, he was an unforgettable fella, who we have always jokingly talked about as "clone-worthy". 

We will miss him dearly and hope that wherever he is he finds a sunny spot for naps, some good dirt to roll in, and as much love and sweetness as he gave us all these years. So long, old friend. You were the best and we will never forget you. ♥

:36:

Yesterday (yep, on Easter) I celebrated my 36th birthday. It was super low-key and sweet, just the way I wanted it to be. We spent the morning lazing around on blankets in the sunshine and sharing a tasty brunch with good friends. Then I took a long nap in the hammock in the afternoon. I live for naps like that.
Dustin cooked me a lovely dinner, complete with strawberry shortcake for dessert. We even introduced Felix to whipped cream out of the can. Not something we eat at our house very often, but birthdays are all about going for it. Extra whipped cream for me, please. Felix's mind was completely blown. I even caught him staring at the can in the refrigerator this morning!

35 was a wonderful year full of new adventures, new friends, and a new place to call home. I look forward to seeing what 36 has in store. The arrival of our summer baby is definitely going to be on top of the list.

Whatever happens, I hope to take time to be there for it. Really be there. Hello 36.