perfect day at the beach

^^ be still my beating heart. ^^

We made it home from Florida last night around 1:00am. Luke seems to have caught a stomach bug... not the most ideal start to a trip home when the baby throws up in the car a mile away from the airport. But we made it. 

It's 36 degrees and rainy outside. Our house is a whirlwind of suitcases and dirty piles of laundry.... I'm nervously watching Luke for continuing signs of sickness. 

Looking through these photos from our day at the beach last week is just what I needed right now. What a perfect day it was.... Playing in the sand, feeling the breeze off the ocean, the warm sun on our faces. Watching the sun drop lower and lower beyond the horizon. Roasting hot dogs and savoring the evening with loved ones. I sure wouldn't mind doing that a few more times in my lifetime. 

I'm feeling especially grateful this morning for pictures and memories that make returning to reality a little more bearable. Proof that it all happened. A reminder that more vacations will come and enduring the sometimes mundane things of life is worth it for days like this. 

And now, washing machine, I submit myself to your yoke of bondage.... 

Happy Tuesday friends

eleven months

Today this beautiful boy is eleven months old. I can hardly believe it. One month until this kid turns one! The past couple weeks I've felt like he's grow up a lot. He took his first steps (to MADELINE!) about a month ago, and since then has taken a few steps here and there but definitely preferred crawling. This week, though, he's decided to take walking much more seriously. 

He eats and eats and eats. I seriously think we need to start a savings account just for feeding him when he's a teenager. Literally he out eats Madeline and I at most meals. Love me some chubby boy!!

I can't remember how much he weighed at his last checkup.... ( #secondchildproblems ) But I do remember that he barely cried after his shots. He takes after me ;) 

Luke is so good at waving "hi" and "bye" and often accompanies those waves with a primitive sounding 'hi' or 'bye' respectively. He uses a couple baby signs, but not nearly as much as Madeline did. Which is totally fine. I'm not worried at all about his development. Look at that kid! He is happy and healthy and that's all that matters. 

Sweet baby boy you are such an angel and my goodness I love you. I can't imagine life without you and I'm so grateful you came to our family eleven months ago.