Mila is 2!!

holy smokes, how did this happen?

m has turned 2. and it was such a great day. we celebrated by having brunch, cupcakes and gifts with our family. she loves each and every one of them so much. it was perfect.

at 2, m:

can count to 3
can take her clothes off by herself
can put on/take off velcro or slip on shoes by herself
loves preschool
loves her friends
loves to paint
loves to have her toes painted
loves her baby dolls and imaginative play
has the kindest heart
refers to herself in 3rd person
knows her emotions: mila is sad, mila is happy
loves telling people to be happy
can sing happy birthday
she will tell you she loves you. she misses you. and give you a hug. (heart melting…)
hates yogurt
loves the marching band
loves dancing. she slows down or speeds up when the beat changes. the girl has rhythm.
is surrounded by love...
and she cannot wait to be a big sister!

she weighs 28 lbs and is 30 inches tall. 75% for weight and 95% for height. yes, she is tall. just like her dada. out of 100 girls born on december 15th, there are only 5 taller than her. whoa. we've had our first ear infection and are (hopefully) healing on our own before the same pink fluid filled ear turns into #2.

we have had an amazing year loving this little girl. we've made so many memories as a family. i am looking forward to her spunky personality developing even more over year three and looking forward to watching her love her baby brother!

 we walked around the lake for the annual Lighted Walk Around the Lake and it was freeeeeeeezing. to say the least. it was so so so so so cold. especially for mommy whose jackets don't button or zip around her belly anymore. brrrrrrrrrr. m loved the marching band! she is still talking about it and it was over 2 weeks ago.

my bunco girls surprised me this month with a baby shower for duke. it was so fun! i am so lucky to have such great friends in so many circles. i cannot wait to meet the little guy and finish getting his room all together! it's proving to be a bigger project than anticipated but it's getting there. i think.

lately

thanksgiving was a bit of a hectic time around the marks household. the saturday before i woke up with the worst breast infection ever. like probably ever recorded. i wanted to die. and did a lot of crying. after oral antibiotics didnt touch it, we ended up in the ER for most of sunday. i then had to get a major dose of IV antibiotics and head back to the ER every 12 hours for 4 more doses. that was at 5 AM and 5 PM. i am not a morning person and the evening was like the ER's rush hour. lame. that ended tuesday and then i had to cook a turkey and all the fixins. what. a. week.

we just got home from taking M to her first movie in the theater. it was so much fun! we almost made it thru the whole movie….if it hadn't been for 30 minutes of Disney previews i'm sure we would've made it! there are only 10 short weeks left before mr. duke arrives so we are trying to make as many memories as a family of three as we can.

lately: we went to avila valley barn to feed the goats, pick out a christmas tree and buy some goodies and guess who was there? SANTA! and boy was he scary. M immediately started to back pedal and when she sat on my lap she wouldn't even let her shoes touch his red suit. silly girl. 

lately

halloween. this girl had a ball. she chased all the big kids screaming "run run run!" "treat! thank you! bye!" such great memories were created.

vincent turned 1! it seems like he was just born yesterday. val is an amazing mama and i am so lucky to call her one of my best friends.

 we went to jack creek farms for a little pumpkin adventure with our mommy and me friends. only 3 of us ended up making it but we had a blast. m picked the apples off the little tree, had apple cider, fed the little goats a cookie and did the haybale maze with Elsie. 

 we had a halloween play date with another group of mommies and babies. m insisted she wear my necklace the whole time. she is the cutest lady bug!

 m's class at preschool. so sweet.

 our new double stroller. we love it! m always wants to put her baby in the second seat and asks when d will be able to ride in it with her. she is going to be the best big sister. i really can't wait. 

 these two....they melt my heart. 

and our latest trip to target resulted in the purchase of a pink christmas tree for m's room. with special little ornaments and lights, too. she loves it. 

boy hormones = b. i. t. c. h.

these baby boy hormones are making me a bitch. there is no other way to say it. no other way to state the obvious that i know everyone, especially my husband, is thinking.

im sitting here pinning, watching him sleep on the couch. and i want to scream and wake him up. or throw the toddler slipper sitting at my feet at him. but the toddler isn't awake which means that i have no one to blame. so the option is off the table. ugh. im ready for it to be february.

when i was pregnant with m, i was happy. happy hormones surging my veins 24/7. i wasn't weeping, i wasn't angry or short tempered. it was the sweet elation they tell you about. this time, not so much. don't get me wrong; i am happy most days. or until about 4:30 most days. that's when the toddler is hungry. that's when the boss is hungry. outside! dinna! outside! roosty bone! dinna! it's all i hear. and if it's sunday or a monday, i am the only one hearing it because its fantasy football. duh. it's monday. can you tell?

strangers are irritating.
my temper is short.
i cry.
a lot.
i have a billion things to do.
and feel like there is no help.
everyone's breath stinks.
except m's.
i don't want to be touched.

im ready for february to be here.
now.

*i really love my husband. and i really love being pregnant. this one is just a whole new ballgame and challenging in all new ways. and i'm ready for february. did i mention that yet?

Cheers to 27

27 is going to be a great year.

yesterday was my birthday. and it was wonderful. to spend time with my most favorite people is the best way to enjoy my days. my girlfriend Lauren came over to craft, M took an awesome nap, we went to dinner at my moms-it was nice to catch up with family. and the cat is officially out of the bag- I'M GOING TO BE AN AUNT!!!! WOOOOOOOO!!! my brother and his wife are having a baby 10 weeks after us. and we are elated. 1 grandbaby to 3 in one fell swoop. couldn't be happier for them.

lately: we've gone to the pumpkin patch, baked fall cookies, spent time with family, celebrated 27 and celebrated great friends getting married. this week we are carving pumpkins, going to the patch with friends, a halloween party, Zoo Boo at the local zoo, a 1st birthday party and a dinner date with my sis-in-law. BUSY!

The Duke

its a boy! which we already knew. but we got 100% confirmation today. we are over the moon and cannot wait to welcome Duke Whitlatch into our family. he is already so loved and he is so lucky to have M as his big sister. the way she says his name melts my heart. she knows where his room is. loves to climb under his crib. so sweet.


im working on a post of lately//weddings. traveling. prepping for the holidays. being tired. pumpkin patches and playdates. coming soon.

life's hustle

life seems like it has been nothing but a busy hustle these days. i hosted a bridal shower for a dear friend, m had her first day of toddler program preschool, my mom is in NY for 2 weeks and my mother-in-law has been in Europe for almost a month, we've had non-negotiable home repairs (which suck), i am working all week next week, we have an out of town wedding and then i am so lucky to be a bridesmaid in a wedding in October and just the normal busy on top of all this.

the place we are so lucky to call home, the beautiful Central Coast of California, hosts a huge event called Savor the Central Coast. It is put on by Sunset Magazine and a great friend of mine is head of the design team. She has asked me to work for her this year, mainly being "her" when she can't be, and i of course said yes. i am so excited to be out of the house and doing something i really enjoy next week. now the schedule is going to be a challenge and i am already feeling sad about leaving m that much. m-f allllll day long. she will be with boss man, gigi and grandma and i know she will be loved and cared for just like i would do. but this is a first for us.

here are some photos of the hustle!

Opening Weekend 2013

our little family of four went hunting for opening weekend of dove season over labor day. we had such a great time! m loved the birdies, yes, even when they were dead. she gave them loves, tried to give them kisses and the guns did not scare her a bit. growing up in a hunting family, ive always been given flak for being pro hunting. so i feel the need to say that we eat every bird shot, every deer shot and every pig shot.

we celebrated Jack's 10th birthday with a pool party filled with hot dogs, burgers, family and cake! getting together with family is my favorite way to spend a weekend. we all get along so well and it just makes me smile seeing m loved so so much.