Stay Little Forever

There was a time when I never understood why people wanted their kids to stay babies forever. I thought it was for obvious selfish reasons like babies are cute and squishy and don't talk back, yada yada. Well my sweet squishy ten month old is laying asleep in my arms now, and as I stare at his peaceful little face I get it. I want him to stay this little forever. There will be a time not far from now that he will be too big to fit in the nook of my elbow and across my lap all cuddly and comfortably. There will be a time when he will lie to me, roll his eyes and dislike me. He will get his feelings hurt at school and experience physical and emotional pain that will break my helpless heart to witness. He will grow and go out into the world and I can't protect him in all the ways I can now. There will be a time when his face won't light up over every airplane in the sky or puppy that walks past us. He won't bat an eye at the little things that are huge accomplishments for him now, or pay any attention to the details in our surroundings that he's unknowingly taught me to. As a parent it's my job to instill the values and remind him to hold onto these special childhood traits, but there's only so much I can do and the rest will be up to him. There will be outside influences that will effect him and circumstances that will put our relationship through highs and lows. When I start to daydream about the future and how he will become a real boy, teenager and man, I can't help but have a mild panic attack mixed with all the worries in the world and want to rush back down to earth, to right now in this moment where he's asleep in my arms with no flaws, no broken heart, no sins, no judgement and no corruption. Right now where we are totally in sync and in love and connected. Just a purely genuine, happy and innocent little being that laughs nonstop and brings true positivity to his surroundings. He radiates joy and raw, uncorrupt love that I never want to lose. As parents we only get to experience this sweet bond for such a short amount of time. Sure you always have a special relationship, but I can imagine it will be totally different in the future as he gets older. It's sad and I dread it but it will happen one day and for that I say please stay little forever, sweet baby Leo.

Drey $ Nicole

Wine and Cheese Picnic

One afternoon in January we packed up a bunch of different cheeses, picked up some wine and headed to the cliffs above the beach. We watched the sunset over the ocean and played with our sweet babe in the grass. Any excuse to use our awesome thrifted picnic basket!

Drey $ Nicole

Long Beach Livin'

1. Getting to take a nap on dad on his days off are always a treat!

2. Just a proud papa and his son.

3. Easy peasy banana oat muffin snacks.

4. Our Valentine dinner date spot was so cute!

5. The look he gave me when I asked if he wanted to go whale watching.

6. Crab wontons courtesy of our chef man.

7. Always twinning with their expressions.

8. He made a new puppy friend named Buster!

9. My february flea market finds.

10. Showing off his new seven month trick for mama.

11. Being Joe Cool in his baby bans.

12. A little bubbly for the bachelor with my favorite new rug.

13. Lots of growth spurt naps lately. Look at those hands!

14. A rare rainy but sunny day in the LBC.

Drey $ Nicole

Baby Bliss

I'm gonna have to do catch up posts in between up-to-date posts because he's doing new incredible things everyday lately that I don't want to forget! The biggest new change this month is how much he's started showing us affection and just being the sweetest little joy ball! He smiles and scrunches his nose any time we happen to lock eyes from across the room or in the middle of playing, and then goes back about his business. He cries when I leave the room and his face lights up when I come back. He says mama as he's crying when he hurts himself and wants to be nurtured, (the first word he's connected to something!) and he lays his head on my shoulder or nuzzles his face in my neck, not only when he's tired but just to cuddle and show love. He turns to look at me when someone else is holding him or makes him laugh, like he has to make sure it's okay first and I approve. When he's nursing and looking up at me he'll put his hand over my mouth for clammy palm kisses and he smiles and smiles. He's so good at finding ways to communicate lately or figure out how to do things for himself, along with so much personality starting to shine through. It's magical to watch and seven months is just down right fun! All I'm saying is he sure knows how to make me feel like a million bucks and being his mama truly makes my heart swell.

Drey $ Nicole

Leos first time to the Beach!

When Leo was a few weeks old we dropped by the beach after breakfast one morning. It was bright and warm so we didn't stay long, but we dipped his tiny little toes in the sand for the very first time. It was the exact same spot next to the pier where his papa and I had laid out many times, played sand baseball and had many picnics. The same spot I took my very last Dear Baby photos when we were so anxious for his arrival. It all came full circle and we sat there as three! I can't wait until this summer when I can see him smile and hear his giggles as he watches the waves and seagulls all around him. Our boy sure does love the water!

Drey $ Nicole

Two month old Leo

The second month was full of more smiles and new expressions, lots of accidents on our big new white bed, a visit from my sister and G's mom, more outings - very short ones but more nonetheless, scaring people who didn't notice a baby bundled up and wrapped against me until he made a sound, the beginning of the ever growing bond between TX Bentley and baby, shots, cuddles, sleep, and the scariest heart murmur scare that ended up being nothing. So many pictures to sort through and so many more to come. I never want to get this behind again! 

Drey $ Nicole