2014 Calendar

Each year since Abigail was born I put together a little family calendar to distribute to her grandparents, using a format that I consider an age-old tradition.  Each month is a picture from that same month one year earlier, leading to an immediate sigh of reminiscence every time the calendar is viewed.  Really, she was that small just one year ago?  Abigail calls this year's calendar the Elijah calendar, since he makes his debut in April.  The years are indeed short.

January at Windansea beach, playing with friends at sunset

February Valentine's day photo shoot, after which we brought roses to each child and teacher at her weekly music class

March: a quiet, post-nap moment just a few weeks before Elijah was born.  The afternoon light in my bedroom is nice.

Just after his birth, April 10, 2013.  I can't believe this little peanut is almost 10 months old already.  This picture makes me want to cry.

In addition to depicting a sweet sibling moment, this May picture was chosen for how small Abigail's hands and face look.  She's grown up a lot since Elijah was born.

In June Elijah was still mastering the art of tummy time, now he is crawling all over the house and standing on his own two feet.

This picture was taken in July at a family beach day, Crystal Cove Beach.  The people in the water in the background are my sister and niece (right next to Abigail's head) and my other sister with her son and husband.  I miss my big family, as it's been too long since I was able to make it to a family gathering.

This coming August my first born will turn four!  I wonder if she will love princesses and face paint, still, or what her beautiful mind will move on to next.  Here she is enjoying a friend's birthday party as Aurora.

September in San Diego is one of my favorite times of year.  This was the first time I took the kids to the local pool all by myself.  Abigail stayed close and Elijah lasted about 30 minutes in that seat.

The little Halloween shark wore that outfit for less than an hour, but Ursula had already moved on from costume make-up to face paint pictures by Halloween, since she'd worn her outfit every day for a week.

This precious photo, taken the day after Thanksgiving, is bound to be one of my all-time favorites from their childhood.  There's something about their expressions that just feels real, warm, and amazing to me as a mother.

I can't imagine what our next Christmas will be like, at the rate things are changing around here.  Parenting is not boring, that's for sure.  While part of me wishes they could stay this small forever, I haven't slept in three years.

Pictures for an epic holiday re-cap are organized.  I just need 30 minutes to myself to actually write the post. Happy 2014!