{51/52}

"a portrait of my daughter, once a week, every week, in 2013."

Everdeen Kate: Grandpa was making you laugh and laugh!

 Linking up with Jodi :)

Our Season of Winter

Hello Dear Readers!

I am officially on winter break and with that comes a huge sigh of relief and maybe that heavy pressure I feel almost daily will soon dissolve into the frosty air.   I am ready to enjoy my two weeks of winter heaven...did I tell you my two sister's will be home Christmas Eve?  I can hardly contain my excitement! Together at last!  

We've been enjoying our dark, quiet evenings after I get home from school.  We turn on the tree the moment we walk in the door.  Everdeen points to every ornament over and over..."What's that? What's that? What's that?"  She's expanding her vocabulary daily even if we're the only ones who can understand her and we marvel at everything she is learning:)  We're still not sleeping through the night...going from a baby who slept through the night very early on to a toddler who doesn't is hard and exhausting.   Our bed has become a place of blissful sleep for our little one...and I don't mind it one bit.  I feel like sometimes I let the pressures of the outside world dictate my own mothering, but that never settles well for me or for my Everdeen.  When I allow myself to do what feels natural I worry less and feel much more at peace with my choices. 

 

{ early mornings before school...snuggles and Peaceful Christmas on Pandora :) }

It's so nice being home this year for Christmas.  We've been out enjoying the festivities around town (some of which I did as a little girl!). I hope Everdeen can feel the magic of Christmas even if she is too little to understand.  

I love having a home we can call our own...filling it with the scents and decorations of the season.  I've been working away on getting our home to feel like ours!  I still have the mindset that we live in an apartment and in a year I'll have to fill all the nail holes with putty.  It's so nice to know that we'll be here for a while and if I want to paint my bedroom turquoise I can! Most of the rooms are coming along and for my birthday my dear husband bought me a queen size mattress.  A little searching on craigslist and I was able to find a beautiful iron bed frame.  Look at us! Moving into adulthood :) 

I was looking back at some of my posts from last year.  Martin and I would spend hours talking about where we would be 'next year'.  We have been so incredibly blessed this year with a new home, two new jobs, and being in a beautiful city that currently is nestled against the snow covered mountains. It sounds almost unreal as I type it...and with my family coming together to celebrate this special season I think my heart may burst. 

{50/52}

"a portrait of my daughter, once a week, every week, in 2013."

Everdeen Kate: You met Santa at the farm!  Although, you stayed right by mama's side the whole time :) Your favorite part of the evening was walking amongst the twinkle lights pointing out all the animals! 

 Linking up with Jodi :)

a little hike in December

We are enjoying these last few warm days of fall and in honor of the beautiful weather we took a little hike this weekend.  We really are so blessed with our surroundings and in just a short twenty minute drive we were in a peaceful world of golden grass and whispering wind through the pine trees. 

Everdeen insisted on walking and made it almost a mile on her tiny little feet.  Of course we stopped lots of times to pick up rocks and sprinkle them in the grass and admire the horseback riders passing by.  By the time we headed back to the car she was sound asleep with the warm December sun on her face. 

{our last trip here}

this is me at 29

I turned 29 on Saturday :)  My last year of being a twenty-something. It a makes one feel a little nostalgic or leaving you wondering if you're going to accomplish everything you were supposed to before turing 30.

As I got ready for our staff holiday party last weekend I studied myself in the mirror.  

This is me. 

This is me at 29.  

I don't think I feel 29. What is 29 supposed to feel like anyways?  Do I even look 29? My body has changed so much since having Everdeen...everything seems to be much, well, softer. I look tired from our resent bought of sleepless nights and my hair desperately needs to be cut and styled.  

I hear little feet toddling down the hallway. Everdeen runs into the bathroom giggling and chasing the cat. I plop her up onto the counter and she rummages through my cosmetics bag watching me apply my makeup and do my hair.  She taps the counter with my mascara like it's a drum stick and squeals "no!" when I try to clip one of her bows in her hair. I slip on my new dress I found at the consignment store and twirl around for Everdeen. She laughs and signs for more.  I simply can not get enough of my little girl!  

I pick her up and we stand in front of the mirror together.  She lays her little head on my shoulder and I look again at myself.  Oh! This is who I'm supposed to be at 29 :)

{47/52}

"a portrait of my daughter, once a week, every week, in 2013."

Everdeen Kate: You had the most contagious smile at our Thanksgiving celebration!  

   

 Linking up with Jodi :)

Take Ten

I remember the first Christmas Martin and I were married.  I was so excited to send out Christmas cards...to sign them as Mr. and Mrs. Wolfe.  We got all dressed up and wrangled the cat into the picture.  He immediately hated us for doing so and sulked the rest of the afternoon.

This year wasn't much different if I do say so myself...but instead of a sulky cat we had a feisty one year old who would rather be exploring what's under the leaf piles then holding still for a picture.  

Sometimes the outtakes are my favorite :)

{46/52}

"a portrait of my daughter, once a week, every week, in 2013."

Everdeen Kate: This week you are starting to get back to your old smiley self as well as sleep through the night again. We have all decided that teething is for the birds, although your toothy smile is awfully sweet :)   

   

 Linking up with Jodi :)

{45/52}

"a portrait of my daughter, once a week, every week, in 2013."

Everdeen Kate: You are such a sensitive little soul. This past week has been a doozy. You got you first molar and first case of hives.  There were lots and lots of tears and lots of screaming, but we made it! (until the next tooth comes in that is ;)

   

 Linking up with Jodi :)