- Wild and ONEderful! -

ALERT:  *sappy mom post* 

ONE YEAR AGO today, I left work at lunch for an OB appointment ...got diagnosed with gestational hypertension ...talked my OB down from sending me straight over to L&D for an induction ...went back to work to finish up the day ...and then headed home to shower, pack our bags for the next morning, and celebrate our last night as a family of 4! Baby #3 was onnnnn the way!  What is this life?!

It's almost torture to think about the entire last year went by in a flash!  And while it was ABSOLUTELY the fastest year of my entire life, it's also nearly impossible for me to recall the days before we knew Juliette and felt the dimension of love she brought to our family... 

 

Oh, what difference one year makes!

But time to hop off the sappy wagon bumpin' along down memory lane and jump on to the party bus for our lil gal's FIRST BIRTHDAY!  A few days before her birthday, we buzzed around like little bees making party decorations and a super cute outfit and tutu! 

Then! The big day arrived, and Lil' Miss was not a bit mad about the 6:55am serenading and celebration! Happy 1st birthday, Juliette!!! The fun is just beginning!

 

She tore through her big sisters' Barbie Dream House setup while they were at school, and then we picked them up and hit the road to St. Louie! 

 

The five of us had such a fun evening together celebrating our birthday girl at the Zoo + picnic and presents to follow at Forest Park!

Should we leave these three monkeys at the Zoo where they belong?! ...Mebbe! ;) :)

The celebrating continued into the weekend with a family party at our home!

Growing up as the baby of this crazy crew of cousins... Homegirl has no idea how fun her life will be!!!

Lastly, Juli loved getting this book as a part of her birthday gift from her godparents!  She is God's glorious girl for sure! <3

Juliette Thérèse, we hope you had the BEST first birthday celbration, you wild and ONEderful little thang, you!  Love you to the moon and back!!! 

xoxox

- Wild and ONEderful -

Days turn into weeks and weeks into months, but I'm just not sure when the months turned into ONE YEAR...

...so holy fastest year of my entire life...

...and HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY, Juliette Thérèse!

She just went down for her morning nap a few minutes ago and her big sisters are at school today, and I am just absolutely loving going back through all the photos from a year ago!  Sappy trips down memory lane...MY FAVE.  Who knew the way an itty bitty 6 pound, 6 ounce nugget would change our lives and our hearts so so much in just one year's time...!

Juli Bear, we love you to. the. moon. and [I say this way too often ...like every year on each kid's birthday, but] I truly cannot remember life before loving you!!!  You are THE BEST addition to our family.  Happy happppppy birthday, beautiful girl!  

You are "Wild and ONEderful!"

 

xoxox

- We blinked once... -

...or maybe "twenty one hundred a thousand" times [as Scarlett would say]... 

...but literally *IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE*, a full year came and went...

...and our little babe is ONE!  From month 1 to month 12 [today!!!] and every single month and milestone in between, words will never express how much we've enjoyed watching this girl grow! 

Let it be known that the "12 month" chalkboard photo did NOT slip my mind, but Juliette + a rocking chair is a nearly impossible combination these days and Brian has checked himself out of assisting with photo sessions [L to the O to the L] and so! Wild and ONEderful, this is you at 12 months! *heart-eye emojis all around*

Happy birthday, Juliette!  Cheers to you... Cheers to the fastest year of our lives! 

- Another summer UP... -

...and another summer DOWN...

...which means, once again, it's time for the always-exciting BACK TO SCHOOL season!!!  After picking out school supplies at Walmart...

...and labeling them very carefully...

...we stuffed the backpacks full and skipped off to Blessing of the Backpacks + Back to School Night!  NEEDLESS TO SAY, we love this school so are so so so excited for our big second grader...

...and our preschooler [who is back for her second year in the Pre-K building and ready to rule the roost!]!

In no time at all, Harper's first day of 2nd grade rolled around...

...[^^ proudly sporting the bow she sewed herself!]...

...complete with lunch with friends after the early dismissal to celebrate the beginning of an awesome year!

A few days later came Scarlett's first day of Pre-K 4...

...followed by Juliette's first day of freedom!!!  ;) :)

I joke, I joke!  TBH, in alllll the time she had mommy all to herself, she spent half of this first day of "freedom" crawling into the girls' bedroom, sitting on their rug, and looking back and forth and all around for just a glimpse of her beloved big sissies!  She misses them so much and has been waving her arms furiously and squealing in delight the minute they get in the car after school every afternoon! 

As we all continue to celebrate fresh starts and settle into the "new normal," I truly am looking so forward to having the big girls back in the classroom environment where they're stimulated and challenged each day, and I'm also so excited for the shiny new time alone with Juliette on Wednesdays and Fridays!  Win, win, winningggg for all! And now...

LET'S LEARN!!!

Cheers to the 2022-2023 school year! May it be fruitful and full of blessings for all! :)