{the hernandez four}

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

2012-02-14T10:13:00.011-06:00

Tiffany just sent some pictures over from our fun Valentine's session a few weeks ago--how cute are they and seriously, how talented is Tiffany?!

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique

2012-02-13T10:56:00.003-06:00

Titi gave Lola a special Christmas gift this year--a trip to the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at Disney! The day after Christmas, we headed out to Downtown Disney so our little princess could have an official makeover. And while she walked out looking more like a mini-J.Lo then a Disney Princess, it was an adorable and fun experience for her--and us!

We walked around, browsed in some shops, rode the Carousel and Train, of course, and then headed over to Rainforest Cafe, where Mom and Dad treated us all to lunch. It was such a fun day and it was great that we could all be together.

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique

{father + son}

2012-02-11T21:01:00.001-06:00

Johnny WALKS!

2012-02-05T15:10:00.002-06:00

We promised these videos last week, but we had no idea Johnny would go from taking his first few steps to practically off and running in just a short amount of time. This is all made possible by lots of Physical Therapy over the last 10 months, Prayers & Faith! We are SO proud of our son. Before you know it, he's going to be running bases :)

Just press "play"--there are 4 videos!

Lola+Preston=LOVE

2012-02-03T16:09:00.003-06:00

My dear friend Tiffany (mommy to the ADORABLE Preston) had the brilliant idea that we should do a Valentine's Day themed photo session with L & P. Tif is an aspiring photographer herself, so it was great practice for us both. We of course prefer to shoot in natural light, so we set up a mini studio in our kitchen, which if you move the table, take down the curtains and set up shop right in front of the bay window, is not a bad spot! Haha.

I haven't even started editing my share of photos, but wanted to share a random one I grabbed off my memory card. Tiffany styled the entire session to perfection--so many adorable accessories for our silly preschoolers to keep occupied with. We were so proud of them--they let us snap for a good 30 minutes straight!

More to come :)

How does Snow White run 13.1 miles?

2012-02-01T21:55:00.004-06:00

We shall see, come February 26th! Renee and I are running the Disney Princess Half Marathon together *THIS* month.

{14 months}

2012-01-29T23:55:00.002-06:00

A post without a picture? Gasp!

This post is so great, it doesn't need a picture.

Today, Johnny let go and took 3 consecutive steps. Mom was my witness and John was in the kitchen. Then, a few hours later, I was in the kitchen and Johnny took 3 consecutive steps to Daddy! And he wasn't even wearing his AFOs :) We've all noticed how much more flat-footed he is in just the one month he's been wearing them.

Now, remember Johnny track record. He likes to show us he is capable of doing something and then make us wait weeks before he does it on a consistent basis. We can't wait to post a video of him soon walking across the living room. There is no doubt that is coming...

He's so awesome.

Oh, wait! You need a 14 month update...Ok!

He has started signing! So exciting, especially since he's still not saying much of anything. Just to know he's comprehending and communicating back to us is awesome. His favorite sign is "more"--as in "more food"--no shocker there!
Playing peek-a-boo, blowing kisses, waving bye-bye, pointing.
Shapes! He is so good at the blue & red Tupperware shape ball. He'll pick up a shape piece, we'll turn the ball to that shape and damn if he doesn't get that correct shape in with ease.
Hitting--more like whacking! We're trying to teach him gentle, and we do hope he gets it soon. He's so excited and combined with his spastic movements, you're bound to get bopped on the head, when really, he's just trying to tell you he loves you :)
Dancing--this kid is just like his Mommy in that department--he hears tunes and he starts groovin'.
Smolder. Yep, kids got smolder. After bath, when he's all fresh and clean and his smooth, silky hair is combed just right, he's Baby George Clooney.

Christmas Day {2011}

2012-01-26T15:38:00.005-06:00

Lola & Johnny

Christmas Day 2011

Here's a recap of our Christmas Day in Florida last month, in pictures :) The kids took several trips in the new wagon, Lola did some painting, Johnny had a special "Santa Baby" photo session and we had a delicious meal together in the evening, of course!

It was a Very Merry Christmas...

Christmas Day {2011}

Lola's 1st Skate

2012-01-22T15:19:00.004-06:00

A very special full-circle moment happened this morning--for the first time in her little life, Lola had blades on her feet and ice under them on which to skate upon.

My childhood is filled with memories of ice skating, a sport I picked up after falling in love with watching the 1988 Winter Olympics. I just had to get out on the ice and try it myself. My father obliged, as he had loved the sport growing up, too (speed skating--no foo-foo figure skating for him--until today!) Thus begun years of lessons, costumes and early morning trips to the rink on Saturday mornings (thanks Mom). Before long, Dad had to drop a chunk of change on some professional boots & blades for his girl--I am still using the blades, 20 years later and know I will be able to pass them on to Lola one day, which is pretty awesome.

Lola's first skates are special ones, picked out by Mimi yesterday for her. She was so excited about them--and of course, safety first. And one cannot skate without an awesome Princess helmet!

Lola headed right onto the rink with Papa on her new double-runners. She held onto our hands for a few trips around. I held her hand and thrilled her with some spins we did together. When we took breaks to warm up in the main house, she was the one pulling us back out on to the rink. Eventually, she was letting go and taking her skating steps all by herself.

Another thanks to Mimi for capturing these moments. These are the times I have to leave my camera behind--but then there's Sue with her fancy D40 :)

{the digitization of education}

2012-01-20T19:06:00.002-06:00

WATCH THIS. John and I are so excited about how our children will {hopefully!} learn while in school. They're already doing it at home and to see how Lola has been able to apply what she has learned using this incredible device and to now see John learning with it as well is exciting, to say the least.

{johnny}

2012-01-14T14:57:00.001-06:00

Poor baby boy is feeling under the weather with another cold. But still, cutest damn thing on EARTH! We are still pinching ourselves in disbelief he's ours and we get to keep him forever :)

Christmas Morning {2011}

2012-01-13T21:54:00.003-06:00

We had a fun and relaxing Christmas morning. We all got some wonderful surprises from "Santa". Renee got some fun new t-shirts, Mikey got gift cards towards his new Kindle Fire, Mom & Dad got a hand grinder for their beans and a new picture frame and the kids got lots, including an AWESOME new wagon (which fit in our car, so we were able to bring it home!). I gave John a new pair of P. Rod's (Nike SB Shoes, for those that don't speak our lingo) and a special baseball Johnny & I made together for him--he spoiled me with L.L. Bean slippers, ear buds, a lululemon gift card and...an iMac.

The thoughtful gift-award of the year though has to go to Renee--she made John a beautiful book commemorating their experience at Lollapalooza this summer and Ren gifted me with a special necklace from Etsy with "13.1" hand-stamped on it--the amount of miles we'll be running together come February 26th. So sweet.

Christmas Morning {2011}

Nutella Hot Chocolate

2012-01-12T20:32:00.002-06:00

CLICK HERE for the recipe--you WON'T be sorry!

Source: audrinasvanity.blogspot.com via Kristin on Pinterest

{princess pals}

2012-01-12T16:18:00.002-06:00

One of the best things about preschool is meeting new friends! We had Lola's friend Kyra over to play the other day and the girls had a blast with Lola's new 3-ft. Rapunzel tower and dressing up in their pretty princess costumes. Kyra brought over her Cinderella dress so I had to snap a few of these beauties all dolled up...

Costume change! And great lesson in sharing, LOL! John and I can't get over what a little girl she is now--our cute baby is now a beautiful girl. And we really feel like it happened in the blink of an eye.

Little do Lola and Kyra know their Mommies plan on taking them to Disney Princesses on Ice in a few weeks! Shhh, don't tell :)

{special moment}

2012-01-11T09:22:00.002-06:00

Yesterday, while playing at his fun new activity center he got from the Nashville Zics, Johnny let go and took a few steps towards me. Granted, he pretty much fell forward into me, but he did it while taking consecutive steps in the process. It happened in an instant, but it was such a "wow" moment.

Christmas Eve {2011}

2012-01-10T19:46:00.003-06:00

Christmas Eve was so great, filled with family and food! Lola was a huge help in the kitchen cooking with Nonna and baking with Titi. They are so good about including her on everything--she makes a great assistant. They even had a special chef's attire waiting for her to wear when we arrived, hat included!

We indulged in so much deliciousness. Really, it was just the start of a gluttoness 10 days! It's so hard not to--everything John's family makes in simply amazing. Mom & Aunt Jan's cooking and Ren's baking--forget it. And don't even get me started on Uncle Rich's Antipasto {my favorite!!!}. Yum, Yum, Yum.

Christmas Eve {2011}

December 23rd

2012-01-09T09:42:00.006-06:00

We arrived in town VERY early the morning of Dec. 23--we figured we'd go right to sleep, but we were all so excited to be together, we ended up hanging out, catching up, eating Pistachio cookies (!!!), playing with Rudolph and giving the kids baths at 1 am! It was fun :) We slept until about 7 am and then got up for the day. Ren and I went for a run in the beautiful weather and then later on, we headed over to Uncle Rich, Aunt Janis & G.G.'s house for a visit. Then, as par for the course, Mom whipped up something fab for dinner. Johnny ended up getting sick later in the day and we had to make a trip to the ER to be safe on Christmas Even morning, but he ended up getting better within 24 hours, thankfully.

It was just the start of a great week of being together.

December 23rd

{johnny-13 months}

2012-01-08T10:30:00.003-06:00

The day after Christmas, Johnny turned 13 months! Thanks to an ER visit (no worries, all good) on Christmas Eve Morning, we know he's 26 lbs. 8 oz. Yes, my arms are finally starting to hurt! Everyone who held him for the first time while we were visiting Florida had the same initial reaction: "Whoa!" We love our big boy so much! Lola never really had any fat on her so we are really enjoying how squishy he is, haha!

He's had quite a developmental explosion as of late. We've always know that cognitively, he is very much there--his therapists have all commented on that and he's always shown us we've got nothing to worry about in that department. But he's really starting to pick things up at a faster pace than ever before and it's very exciting.

We're increasing PT to 2x a week starting tomorrow and we're really excited about that. He's doing great in his braces and I think it's a very realistic possibility he'll be walking by his next birthday. He does things on his time but HE DOES THEM.

He is starting to babble a little more. He makes the hard G sound alot, but that's about it. We're going to have another Speech evaluation done next month and may perhaps start that therapy as well. Our physiatrist commented on something during our initial visit with her 2 months ago--research is finding that not properly evaluating kiddos born at what is considered late pre-term (like Johnny was at 35 weeks) is really doing them a great disservice. They may just be slightly behind, because of those lost few weeks in the womb, but those last few weeks are SO important, so why wouldn't we be sure to give them the extra help they need?!

His fine motor skills are really great! Lucy got him a cookie shape jar for Christmas and without even being shown, he tried to put one of the blocks in the correct shape, so needless to say, we've been working on that for the last few days.

Stay tuned for 14 months...

Chicago Christmas

2012-01-07T18:39:00.003-06:00

Before we left for Florida Christmas, we had two special Christmas celebrations here. We celebrated with Mom, Ronnie, Brittany & Silvia on December 17th, after a feast of traditional Polish food. We celebrated with Dad & Sue on December 18th, after a delicious dinner of beef tenderloin roast, double baked potatoes and sauteed asparagus. The kids are really enjoying playing with all their fun new gifts they received...it's was so fun watching their excitement through it all. Oh, to be a kid again :)

Christmas 2011 {Mom}

Christmas 2011 {Dad & Sue}

Santa {2011}

2012-01-05T21:43:00.002-06:00

A look back at our visit to Santa last month...Bass Pro Santa rocks!

Santa {2011}

{art} by Lola

2012-01-05T15:21:00.003-06:00

We are more and more amazed at Lola's artistic ability with each passing day. It's downright impressive. I walked into the kitchen and a blank sheet of paper turned into this:

"Look, Mommy! I drew Daddy."

For Nonna & Papa

2012-01-04T22:01:00.003-06:00

We had such a wonderful visit to Florida this Christmas. I have tons to blog and 1500+ images to weed through and edit, so needless to say, that's going to take awhile! But I couldn't help posting this for Nonna & Papa in the meantime...

xoxo

{John Michael-Christmas 2011}

Christmas Morning {2011}

2011-12-25T16:21:00.002-06:00

We figured Lola would be up bright and early, so we all made sure we were up before her. Well, our little Princess is sleeping a little too well here at Casa Nonna & Papa, so she didn't grace us with her presence until 8:30 am! But it was worth the wait--we had such a wonderful morning opening gifts and just being together...

Front Door Fun

2011-12-24T22:19:00.003-06:00

We are having so much fun down here in Sunny Florida. We survived the marathon road trip and are looking forward to the week to come. I won't be posting any pics for awhile, though. No worries, I'm snapping away, just going to wait to get home and edit them all on my fun new iMac. Until then, I wanted to share some adorable video of our boy. We borrowed Bella's Front Door play set from Uncle Rich & Aunt Jan yesterday and Johnny was having a blast with it tonight.

By the looks of him in the video, you would have no idea that from yesterday afternoon til this morning, he was very, very sick. High fever, chills and several throw-ups (all over Mommy!). We're pushing fluids and Advil/Tylenol and he seems to have turned a corner, thank goodness!

Merry Christmas Eve everyone!!!

(There are 5 videos--I'm having too much fun with this YouTube playlist feature!)

Nowinski Gingerbread {2011}

2011-12-17T23:03:00.002-06:00

Last weekend, we attended the Nowinski's 1st Annual Gingerbread Party! It was so much fun--the kids got to create works of art out of several different forms of sugar. It was great just to hang out, relax, eat some yummy apps, drink and chat.

Nowinski Gingerbread {2011}

Christmas Show Pictures

2011-12-17T21:00:00.002-06:00

Here are just a few pictures from this morning's performance :)

Nursery School Christmas {2011}

Lola's Nursery School Christmas Show

2011-12-17T10:24:00.003-06:00

This morning, we watched our little star perform on stage for the first time during her Nursery School Christmas Show. The little children sang some sweet Christmas songs for all their Moms, Dads, Siblings and Grandparents to enjoy. It was so special.

The video quality is not the best, but here is a playlist of the songs they performed. Our little star is in the front row, to the far left. She didn't do any of the hand movements she was supposed to, but she sure did sing the songs! We're so proud :)

{Just press "play" and when the last song is over, a new one will start! So cool, YouTube!}

Johnny's AFOs

2011-12-16T18:15:00.003-06:00

Johnny has been sporting his new AFOs around the house the last few days. The first day was a disaster--to sum it up, he was pissed off. He couldn't move around with the fluidity and ease he's so used to and he knew it--and let us know his objection. I also chalked alot of it up to him just being flat out tired from the appointments and shoe shopping, etc. of the day. Yesterday he tollerated them much better and today, he's already adjusted his movements and returned to his near lighting-fast speed.

We're looking forward to increasing Physical Therapy to 2x/week starting in January--and of course, those first steps :) His first goal to achieve before that, though, will be learning to bear his weight through his legs and stand independently. His PT is amazing and has been at this for 20+ years so I know we are in great hands! Once we start PT with the AFOs, we will be able to learn and implement new activities throughout the day that will help him achieve these new goals. It's so awesome to have new goals, isn't it?! It means you've accomplished the old ones!

Tea at The Drake

2011-12-15T21:37:00.003-06:00

Today, Lola and Mommy started what I hope will be a tradition for years and years to come...We had tea at Chicago's iconic Drake hotel. We arrived almost an hour before our reservation, so we could enjoy all it's beauty beforehand. We marveled at the beautifully decorated tree and Gingerbread Village in the main lobby, before heading up one level to explore. I showed her the room where Preston's Mommy & Daddy had their gorgeous reception. We then spotted a baby grand and of course I let her indulge in tickling the ivories. We went to explore some more and stumbled upon an open, smaller ballroom. We headed right for the window to soak up the natural light and a great view of Lake Shore Drive. She enjoyed the Labyrinth-like carpet and made a game out of it. It was almost time for our reservation, so we made a quick stop into the Powder Room to primp like the proper ladies that we are.

We were seated promptly at 11 and the special Christmas carolers began singing some lovely tunes. Lola was captivated by their voices and the familiar songs. They even stopped by our table to play a special request (Rudolph, of course.) She took her eyes off them only to sip her "tea", which she did so perfectly and proper. We enjoyed our tea sandwiches and I marveled at what a sweet little lady she is--and had to pinch myself to make sure she was, in fact, mine. She was an angel for a half-hour straight. But then she announced, "Ok, I'm done now." and started to get antsy. So instead of waiting for the waiter to come by and repeat a dozen times "Lola, please sit down. Lola, please turn around.", we got up and stopped at the hostess stand to pay our tab. But not before the Ladies That Lunch at the next table over and several of the staff commented on what a sweet, well-behaved girl she was. We did have a conversation before hand about how important it was to be polite and use our manners--"Ok Mommy, I undestand.", she responded. But it was only a matter of time before that wore off and Bull-in-a-china-shop Lola showed up :) Our tea ended at the perfect time and I'm happy to say we'll be welcomed back next year!

Enjoy the pictures!

Tea at The Drake {2011}

Papa's 85th

2011-12-12T22:42:00.004-06:00

We celebrated Papa's 85th (!!!) Birthday last weekend with a great pizza party and a VERY bright cake (85 candles, oh my.) It was a fun night. John and I are so lucky to still have our grandparents around--and to get to see our children with them. What a joy.

Papa's 85th Birthday

Tim + Nikki {engaged}

2011-12-12T22:06:00.003-06:00

The phone rang a few weeks ago--it was Nikki (my cousin Tim's fiancé) calling. Would I take their engagement pictures? Of course! I said. I was flattered to have been asked. I haven't even sat down to count how many sessions I've done in the last 4 months--20, at least. All have been special as I have loved meeting new families--but there is something extra special about capturing those you love most--your family and very close friends.

We started in downtown Tinley...

..and then headed to downtown Frankfort, where we were able to capture some perfectly wintery pics (just what they were hoping for.) We had a blast, but this is all I can share for now, as "Save The Dates" need to go out first! They are planning a winter wedding next December, on our Grandmother's birthday. A great way for her to still be apart of the celebration...

If Mary and Joseph Used Facebook

2011-12-11T20:39:00.000-06:00

I'm a little bit addicted to Facebook, I'll admit it. However, it's been an awesome way to re-connect with old and new friends, keep up with what's going on and market my little business. A friend shared this with me and it is just beautiful. How would the story of all stories be shared today?

Just like this...

O Christmas Tree

2011-12-11T19:55:00.002-06:00

Behold, the Hernandez Christmas tree, 2011. We've seriously had to change trees every year we've lived here for one reason or another.

2007--Nana & Papa's tree. Big, beautiful. Took up quite a bit of space, but ok, since it was just us two.

2008--Lola's first Christmas--had to go special with that one and get a REAL tree (Daddy's favorite kind!)

2009--Broke the tree rules and skipped it since we celebrated in Florida!

2010--Mom surprised us with a new, but smaller tree--perfect for our space.

2011--If you've seen Johnny in action, you know there was NO way we could put up a traditional tree this year--he would have toppled the thing over on himself and/or eaten every ornament!

I couldn't get over the guilt of Lola not having a tree of her own this year, though--so while Lola was at school last Monday, Johnny and I headed over to Target to pick out a special one for her. And as soon as Johnny went down for his nap, we opened the big box of ornaments and Lola decorated it beautifully--and then placed the Angel ever-so-lovingly atop the tree. When Johnny woke up, we brought it into their room and put it on their dresser. It's so perfect and will be in their room each and every year to come

I can't tell you how much I love sneaking into their room to watch our sweet angels sleep by Christmas tree light--the glow is magical.

Alsip Nursery

2011-12-11T18:18:00.008-06:00

There is a huge store in Frankfort filled with tons of Christmas decorations, among other things. They have everything you could think of to decorate the inside AND outside of your home. They've been in business forever and it's a fun place to just go and hang out. Like I said previously, Lola is REALLY loving all things Christmas this year. We walked around for an hour looking at all kinds of goodies and found a special ornament to bring over to the Nowinski's for their Gingerbread House Party this afternoon.

(Cell phone pics!)

Can't get enough of her cuteness!

Mommy's kind of decoration!

Lola with the "Elf" tree--they had tons of trees, all decked out with "themes".

Buddies :)

we LOVE saturdays.

2011-12-10T11:58:00.004-06:00

We love our Saturday mornings together--they usually go a little something like this. John gets up with Johnny (he's the best) and let's Mommy & Lola sleep in. Before long, the smell of coffee and the jams of Foo Fighters call us into the kitchen. We dance and sing and rock--together. And that is the best. Nowhere to rush to, just time to be together and enjoy life as four. And it's quite alright if some of us are STILL in our jammies at Noon :)

Happy 96th Birthday, G.G.--WE LOVE YOU!

2011-12-08T08:17:00.001-06:00

12 Month Stats

2011-12-04T23:31:00.003-06:00

We headed down to U of C for Johnny's 12 month well visit on Thursday. No shocker--big boy weighed in at 25 lbs. 7 oz. and measured 29.5 inches long. Yes, our arms ACHE from carrying him, ha!

He is really starting to babble. "Da-da" is the big one and John's pretty sure he's trying to say "Good" as well--whenever he feeds him, he'll ask Johnny: "Is that good?" and we can hear him making the hard "G" sound in response.

He got casted for his braces on Wednesday and we'll get them in just two more weeks. This boy of ours is something else. When I took him, the Orthosist asked if he could see him stand. I told him he couldn't really on his own (because every time I place him to stand without holding on to something, he just plops down on his bottom.) Well I'll be damned if he didn't STAND there, on flat feet, for 10 straight seconds. He does things like that--he'll show us a peek of something and then make us wait weeks until he does it again or on a consistent basis. We LOVE him for that--it's always been his little way of saying "Don't worry--I'm going to get there--I'm just going to take my time." Whatever works, buddy!

Johnny Favorites @ 12 Months:

-KISSES! He gives the sweetest kisses when you ask him for one.

-BATHTIME! Can't wait for the Florida crew to see him splash :)

-PERCUSSION! Give him a Maraca, he'll show you how to shake it

-BOOKS! How many can I take off the shelf in a minute. Time me, Mommy!

-DOORS! Fascinated by opening and closing them.

-BALLS! We're pretty sure he's got an arm on him like his Daddy did, as he's already whipping them across the room.

-BEDTIME/NAPTIME! Bless his little heart for never really putting up a fight when it's time for nigh-nighs. Maybe he could teach his sister this skill...

Johnny Not-So-Favorites @ 12 Months:

-DIAPER/DRESSING TIME! Trying to change our son is what we imagine wrestling a baby alligator might be like. Wow.

What a difference a year makes--this time 12 months ago, we were residents of U of C's NICU and couldn't wait to bring our boy home. We are so blessed to have such a happy boy, full of life and love one year later.

{the JOY of the season}

2011-12-04T22:34:00.006-06:00

Our celebration of the Christmas season offically began on Friday evening with the annual lighting of Tinley's tree on Oak Park Avenue. Isn't she a beauty?!

The season is so magical--especially this year. Lola really knows what’s going on and to be able to experience the joy of Christmas through your child is like nothing else. She can’t get enough of Christmas carols and the classic Christmas cartoons and LOVES driving around in the evening, looking at all the beautiful, twinkling lights (something my Dad and I would always do together). Last night, we were out running errands together (love shopping dates with my girl!) and we drove through our neighborhood before we hit the stores. One of the houses had a beautiful Nativity display, so we got out and walked up their lawn for a closer look.

Speaking of the Nativity, Lola is busy preparing for not one, but two Christmas performances. She has her Nursery and Sunday School performances in two weeks and listening to her sing the Advent song “Jesus is coming...” around the house (and in the bathtub!) has to be one of the sweetest sounds ever. We have been talking about Mary and the Angel Gabriel this week and how special it was that Mary said “Yes” to Gabriel. She loves playing with her Nativity set Mom got her a few years ago and our Elf on a Shelf is working like a charm. She wakes up every morning to see where he has landed--and is always glad

he returned from the North Pole. The other day, I walked into her room to find her sitting on her dresser. Her explanation: "Look, Mommy! I'm on a self." Oh, the preschool imagination is awesome.

Speaking of the North Pole, no Christmas season would be complete without a visit to the big guy. We hit up Bass Pro Shop after hearing rave reviews from friends. They had an awesome workshop set up and offered free pictures (and allowed me to snap my own!). The Santa was totally legit, too. We enjoyed a yummy meal in their restaurant before putting in our requests with the jolly ol’ fella. When we were getting ready to go visit him, we asked Lola what she was going to ask him for. Her response: “A vanity. And something for Johnny.” She loves her brother so. The have really begun forming a true bond these past few months.

Here’s a cell phone pic of the picture they gave us. I’ll have to post my own soon, as Johnny was actually laughing at Santa in some. I can’t get enough of our boy in overalls and I’m a sucker for dressing Lola up like a present!

And one more special moment--This is a house in the neighborhood I grew up in--just a few blocks from Mom’s. This family has decorated it to the nines, in this exact way, since I was a little girl. We took the kids to see it tonight and it was just so special. Lola loved it and to see her enjoy it just as I did as a little girl is the definition of JOY.

{the things she says...}

2011-11-28T17:40:00.002-06:00

Lola: "Mommy, now can I have a cupcake?"

Me: "After you eat a few more healthy things for lunch."

Lola: "Aw, you're clever Mommy."

Gingerbread House

2011-11-27T19:14:00.006-06:00

This afternoon, Lola & Mommy decorated a gingerbread house together--it was a perfect memory made. I did all the icing and Lola placed all the candy, so this is truly her creation. We're big on vocabulary in this house and while building with blocks yesterday, John introduced her to the word "architect". Lola was the lead architect on this design :)

Isn't it perfect? It will serve as the centerpiece on our dining table all season long. And perhaps Mommy will save it for her and give it to her years and years from now...

Happy Birthday, Pooh Bear!

2011-11-26T21:22:00.003-06:00

Johnny had a fantastic Winnie-the-Pooh themed first birthday! Our chubby little cubby was showered with love from family and friends today as we celebrated our boy with a very fun party. We rented out a great room at our beautiful rec center in Tinley. As always, there is no way I could have planned this party on my own--Mom & Sue were a great help. Ronnie played a big part too, making his delicious pulled pork for us all to feast on.

I wasn't going to do a theme for Johnny's first birthday, but after seeing him in his Halloween costume, it was a no-brainer :)Leeson's did a great job on the cupcakes and made him the most adorable smash cake...

About that smash cake--pretty sure he enjoyed it more than any other one-year-old has before him. Wow. He went to town on that thing and created the perfect mess. We were SO proud!

As always, the pictures tell the story...ENJOY!

Johnny's 1st Birthday

{one}

2011-11-26T08:50:00.004-06:00

From this...

to this--in just one short year!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE MOST AMAZING SON WE COULD HAVE *EVER* IMAGINED! You are filled with happiness, love, courage and determination. You have completed this family so very perfectly. You have been an incredible blessing to us. Mommy, Daddy and Lola love you SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much!!!

Have a shelf? Get an elf!

2011-11-25T19:24:00.004-06:00

{Lola & Buddy, watching the Christmas Classics}

I’ve been thinking about getting an “Elf on the Shelf” for the past week or so, and when John came home and mentioned he’d heard about it at work, the decision was made--so while Mommy was out shopping bright and early this morning, I stopped by the adoption agency {Target} and picked the sweetest elf I could find. I think it was his blue eyes that got my attention--so angelic!

We mentioned to Lola that Mommy would be brining him home today so she was VERY excited when I got home with our new friend--she named him Buddy (a very special name in our family)--and that is exactly what he has been to her all day long. Everywhere she’s gone today, so has Buddy. (As soon as we opened his box, I handed her the Elf, not knowing that the children aren't supposed to touch him. They need a disclaimer on that box! Oh well, we'll just tell her Santa restored his flying magic and start following the rules tomorrow.) She was very hospitable, making sure he was included today with the others--even hooked him and Aurora up on a little date!

Lola is a very well behaved girl the majority of the time, but it doesn’t hurt to have an extra pair of hands around--you see, Buddy will fly back to the North Pole every evening to report to Santa on Lola’s behavior. Ah, so looking forward to this new yearly tradition!

Do you have an Elf? Click HERE for some fun ideas!

Thanksgiving {2011}

2011-11-25T19:11:00.002-06:00

We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! The Hernandez Four have more to be thankful for this year than we could possibly list.

We celebrated Thanksgiving at Dad & Sue’s with a fantastically delicious feast--an organic bird cooked to absolute perfection, surrounded by the classic side dishes. Yum, yum, yum!

While laying in bed last night, Lola commented that she was thankful for us--and Lucy playing with her over at Mimi & Papa's. So sweet.

Here’s an album of our day...Gobble Gobble!

Thanksgiving {2011}

{cowgirl lola}

2011-11-23T14:39:00.006-06:00

Auntie Mary & Uncle Johnny gifted Lola with an authentic pair of cowgirl boots, direct from Nashville. So awesome! She loves putting them on and giddying up on her Amish horse, always with her Jessie hat upon her head.

Halloween Treats

2011-11-22T10:38:00.002-06:00

{click on the album}

I have too many memory cards--totally forgot I had these pictures on another one...

Lola & Johnny got fun cards in the mail from Nonna & Papa for Halloween--Lola took her gift straight to the Disney store so Princes Eric & Charming could join the family collection :) Johnny just enjoyed eating his!

Mimi & Papa stopped over a few nights before All Hallow's Eve with some treats, too. Our Princess collection is now complete with the addition of Mulan and our good friend Tink resides with us as well. Johnny got an awesome new Semi Trailer Truck with cargo cars. Perfect to play with on his new train table. Papa got a Baby Ruth candy bar :)

what a difference a year makes...

2011-11-21T15:11:00.001-06:00

Hernandez Halloween {2011}

2011-11-20T21:31:00.005-06:00

Hernandez Halloween {2011}

Thanksgiving is this week--it's about time I got around to posting Halloween pictures, you think?! Oh my.

Halloween was a very busy and fun day for us. Johnny & I dropped Lola off at Nursery school and then headed out to Mt. Greenwood to visit the guys at the shop. We were able to visit Mimi and Dr. Malinowski at work, too, before picking Lola back up at school.

Grammy came by in the afternoon to visit with her Princess and Pooh and brought a big Halloween Treat--a dual car DVD player that will come in very handy for our road trip to Florida this Christmas!

We then headed to St. Stephen's for their Halloween party. After the party, we stopped and visited with Auntie Cheryl & Kylie. Kylie joined us as we trick-or-treated up and down their block. Pooh Bear had had about enough at that point, so we headed home. Daddy was able to get home from work a bit early--just in time to take Lola for round 2 of Trick-or-Treating and a visit to Uncle Dave and Auntie Karen's!

It didn't take us long to finish off the mound of candy we had collected--as far as I am concerned, there can never be enough chocolate in this house! Lola now has a new obsession with M&Ms and Mommy has learned they can be quite the bargaining chip :)

Johnny's Big Gift!

2011-11-18T17:13:00.006-06:00

Johnny has been enjoying his special birthday gift from all his grandparents--a Pottery Barn Train Table! Daddy put it together when it arrived this week and he is loving it. THANK YOU so much to all of you--I swear these kids have the best Grandparents on the planet :)

AFOS for Johnny

2011-11-16T15:59:00.001-06:00

Mom and I headed downtown with Johnny this afternoon for an appointment with Dr. Gabler at the Rehab Institute of Chicago. She came very highly recommended from his nuerologist and physical therapist. The main goal of the appointment was to evaluate him for braces, specifically hinged AFOs (Ankle-Foot Orthotics). Our boy is doing SO awesome--cruising along everything. It's just a little difficult for him to stand without holding on to anything because he has such a tendency to stand on his toes, because of the increased muscle tone in his legs. The AFOs will help keep his foot at a 90 degree angle so he will be able to better balance himself to stand and walk.

Overall, it was a very happy, positive appointment. She commented that she sees walking and running and sports in his future. We're excited to see all he'll be able to accomplish with this new assistance. This last year has been filled with lots of doctors appointments and therapy sessions--at times, it's been exhausting, but all SO VERY worth it. I can't even imagine the emotion we'll feel when we do see him take those first steps. It's been very apparent for the last few months that there's no doubt that moment is in his future.

the hernandez four

2011-11-14T21:40:00.001-06:00

A little sneak peek at our recent family photo session done by our friend Lana at one of our favorite spots, the Morton Arboretum. Many more to come, just wanted to share my favorite!

Making Spritz

2011-11-11T21:16:00.000-06:00

This video was lost in the archives for about a year (read: it was on my iPod touch and I just re-discovered it since I'm training for a half-marathon and have once again found a need for an iPod!)

Anyways, it was taken last year while Mom, Dad and Renee were in town for Thanksgiving. We all got a big surprise when Johnny arrived just a few days later.

This is a video of our "baby" girl. She clearly is no longer a baby--she is a big girl. And we LOVE the stage she is in now. I can't really put into words how magical our little preschooler is. But looking back at this video puts the biggest smiles on our faces, because it sums up to perfection just what an absolute ANGEL she was as that "baby".

{brother & sister}

2011-11-06T15:13:00.002-06:00

A sweet sight I get to see pretty often while driving the kids around--and couldn't pass up sharing. She is very sweet and loving with her brother (the majority of the time!)

1st Birthday Invitation!

2011-11-04T20:36:00.002-05:00

I've received word that Johnny's 1st Birthday invites have arrived in mailboxes, so I can now share this sweet image that adorned them. I'm a big fan of giving my soon-to-be one-year-olds big ol' lollypops for their birthday pictures, if you recall ;)

And while I wasn't going to do a "theme" for his 1st Birthday, I decided on one just yesterday and I think it's perfect!

Halloween!

2011-10-31T17:53:00.005-05:00

Wow, what a fun, FULL day we have had. I have an insane amount of pictures to share, but it will be awhile before I get a chance to edit them. So for now, here's a sneak peek at Hernandez Halloween 2011. Princess Belle and that chubby little cubby all stuffed with fluff, He's...Winnie the Pooh!

My 3 year old has been hopped up on the good stuff all day and Daddy got home early so she could go fill her pumpkin with more while Mommy gets baby boy down for the night.

Hope everyone had a great day. What a perfect fall memory.

THANKS TO MY MOM--for capturing these sweet moments of the kids and I!!!

my {brother & sister}

2011-10-29T06:18:00.004-05:00

I got two awesome picture texts from my siblings last night. Had to share...

This one is from my brother, making Pizzelles. Pizzelles are Italian wafer cookies that our Bragie & Papa used to make by the hundreds for all of us in the family because we were OBSESSED with them. After Bragie passed, 8 years ago now, Papa stopped making them. Throughout 55 years of marriage, they did everything as a team and I'm sure he just couldn't imagine making them without his girl. A few years ago I asked Papa for Bragie's recipe book, which included the Pizzelle recipe (typed out on an old fashioned typewriter, no less). The other day, Ronnie asked Papa for the Pizzelle press. I took a picture of the recipe card and texted it to him. He said they taste just like we remember. I can't wait to have one--and introduce them to the kids!!!

The next is a picture of my city-living baby sister, all glammed out in her David Bowie Halloween makeup, looking like she's ready to go have a fun time at a party in the city. I'm so happy she is getting to experience living in the city. I think she is beautiful, always, even looking like David Bowie!

{photography}

2011-10-27T19:36:00.003-05:00

Things continue to be busy in the little world of {kristen hernandez photography}. I am meeting so many fun families as my business has officially entered the referral stage (wow!) and getting to re-connect with friends from high school. There's no way this little business would be growing the way it has if it weren't for Facebook. Free advertising--Thanks Mark Zuckerberg!

Here are some recent sessions I've done:

{johnny-11 months}

2011-10-27T19:17:00.004-05:00

Someone pinch us! Our baby boy will be ONE in just one more month. He is just utter perfection and impossibly adorable. He giggles like crazy and moves at the speed of light. It's unwise to take your eyes off him for more than a few seconds. He knows, like all good boys at this age, just were to get himself into trouble and he goes right for it. Thankfully, at least for the time being, we are still able to quickly pick him up and put him back in safe zones, ha!

He LOVES sitting in the bathtub like a big boy, playing with bubbles and laughing with his big sis. He enjoys snacking on his crib railing and drools like crazy as he is a teething machine. I counted 4 coming in at once the other day. Wow.

He loves clapping hands and bouncing to music. We are BIG "Tangled" fans in this house and listen to the soundtrack constantly. He loves the song that is sung by the "Pub Thugs" in the movie and lights up and starts boppin' the second he hears the beginning notes.

His fine and gross motor skills continue to improve and he shows us everyday just what a smart, capable boy he is. Next week is a big week. We'll go for another MRI and also meet with a Physiatrist to have him evaluated for braces for his legs (called AFOs for short--ankle foot orthotics.) He does alot of flat-footed standing, but he still goes up on his toes a bit. So if the braces will help fix that, then that is what we'll do. The sooner we intervene, the less likely he is to need assistance further down the road. This year has been challenging at times, but I thank God for the Early Intervention that has obviously helped him so much already. These last 6 months has been such a time of joy and excitement, celebrating all his accomplishments.

Here's a little album of some random pictures from yesterday. Him just being his adorable self and goofing off with Daddy before bedtime. Enjoy!

{johnny-11 months}

Dance class!

2011-10-27T19:04:00.003-05:00

Lola is well into her second year of dance class at the studio. We are SO excited because this year she gets to be apart of the recital. Tuesday's class was special because she got to wear her Halloween costume--I remember getting to wear mine to dance class like it was yesterday, I swear. I can close my eyes and still see the class picture my mom took of me and all the other dancers. It is so fun to be a Mom of both a little boy and girl because I feel like I'm getting to experience exactly what my Mom did. And that is very special to me...

Dance Class 2011-12

busy mama bee

2011-10-24T00:29:00.007-05:00

I don't think I could have packed more work into the last 7 days than I did. 4 days subbing at the Junior High, 2 Thirty-One parties and 6 family photo sessions. Whew! It feels great to be blessed with such opportunity (especially in this economy!) but there is no way I'd be able to do it without help from the Grandmas! I joke with my mom that she had 1 day off this entire week, but she did it all with a smile. And Sue taking Lola for her usual Wednesday evening-Thursday evening visit added to the much needed help this week!

Here's a few pics of their fun with Grammy & Mimi...

Grammy & Brittany took the kids out to lunch at Buca di Beppo. Nothing beats bread & butter!

And some bath time fun at Mimi & Papa's...
Clifford, Lola's "class mascot", got to join in on the fun this week as he was visiting our family from Nursery school. Bert played a gracious host and didn't mind too much that there was another pup in the bed!

weekend getaway

2011-10-09T21:25:00.003-05:00

{John & Kristen, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, October 2011}

This weekend, John & I got to spend some time, just the two of us, up in Lake Delavan at our family lake home. We kind of have to pinch ourselves for two reasons--1. That we have such a beautiful place to stay for free and 2. It includes BABYSITTING! Papa & Mimi watched the kiddos so we could get some much needed rest and celebrate our 5th Anniversary.

We had some really yummy meals and the highlight of our time had to be our hike Saturday morning around Lake Geneva, a neighboring lake (which I like to refer to as the Hamptons of Chicago). There are countless historic, multi-million dollar properties along both lakes, but unlike our Lake Delavan, there is a paved path traveling the entire 22-mile circumference of Lake Geneva. We got to enjoy God's & Man's architectural masterpieces upclose during the hike and it's something we can't wait to do again soon.

Carving Pumpkins-2011

2011-10-09T20:09:00.000-05:00

Lola & Daddy carved the pumpkins we picked up at the patch to perfection today!

Click the album to view the pictures:

Loving the elements of Fall around the house...

2011-10-09T16:53:00.000-05:00

{kristen hernandez photography}

2011-10-06T18:51:00.003-05:00

Something very exciting has been happening around here. Kind of by accident, I've started a little photography business! I had a friend on Facebook ask me a few months ago how much I charge for pictures. What?! I don't charge! Wait, should I be? So I decided to give her a very reasonable price for a session, explaining that I'm not a professional, just a hobby photographer. Well then more and more people started asking me. And so, it looks like {kristen hernandez photography} has been born.

I still have SO much to learn. And I am SO lucky to have my husband cheering me on through it all. Not to mention Mom and Sue who I can always count on to help me with the kids during the week for a few hours if I have a weekday shoot!

I have been very busy this last week and the rest of October is quite full for my little business. Here's a look at some of the sessions I did this past week:

{jennifer & steve}

{the nawrocki family}

{jen & jake}

{haleigh 6 months}

Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-06T18:47:00.002-05:00

Mimi was planning on taking Lola to Bengtson's Pumpkin Farm today, so Johnny & I decided to tag along. We had so much fun! It was a beautiful warm, sunny day and all the kids (big and little) enjoyed the activities.

Click the album to view pictures of the fun!

Pumpkin Farm 2011

{camera shy}

2011-10-01T20:37:00.001-05:00

five.

2011-09-30T21:10:00.002-05:00

hand in hand

five years strong

thanking God

the right one came...

along

{today}

2011-09-29T17:05:00.004-05:00

rock star.

2011-09-28T08:56:00.001-05:00

my name is johnny. i like to stand up now, with my feet firmly planted on the floor. i'm kind of a big deal.

Target cuties...

2011-09-27T12:18:00.001-05:00

blue sky.

2011-09-24T18:58:00.001-05:00

{Lola-3 Years}

2011-09-24T11:26:00.001-05:00

Daddy's favorite...

Click the album to view the rest :)

{Lola-3 Years}

Farmer Lola

2011-09-22T18:15:00.004-05:00

If anyone can teach Lola how to green her thumb, it's her Mimi! Thursdays are Lola's special day with Mimi. Sue comes and picks her up for a sleepover on Wednesday nights and then they always do something fun on their day--whether it be playing in the backyard or going on an adventure.

Today was an adventure day and they spent it at a local farm/orchard. Thankfully, they brought Mommy home the goodies to cook with.

Hauling her harvest.

Picking Beets...
Digging for Carrots.

{johnny-10 months}

2011-09-21T13:35:00.005-05:00

Johnny is 10 months old in just a few short days. How is time going this fast?! This mama needs to start planning a 1st Birthday Party, stat!

He. Is. Crawling. EVERYWHERE! That's our life with Johnny right now--crawl, crawl, crawl! And he's so good at it. His therapists are so pleased, as our we.

He's my perfect little model, too. I wanted to scope out downtown Frankfort for spots to use for upcoming sessions, so we enjoyed an awesome fall morning together while Lola was in school. Could he be anymore beautiful?!

just hanging around...

2011-09-20T12:24:00.000-05:00

Lola had a good time playing over at Oliver's house today!

A great day...

2011-09-19T20:11:00.006-05:00

I picked Lola up from Nursery School today and her teacher said she had a "super great" day. All her days at school are good--but I guess she really impressed her teachers today, because when we got home, I took her coat off and found this enormous sticker:

I asked her what she'd done to deserve such an awesome sticker and she said she helped Miss Cindy clean up all the books. I told her how proud I was of her and when Daddy got home, he told her how proud he was, too.

We are LOVING the curriculum at the academy she is attending. Parent-Teacher communication is awesome and every Friday we get a newsletter detailing the upcoming week. I love this--we know exactly what's going on in the week to come and can talk to her about it over the weekend and then throughout the week. Each week has a theme. The last two weeks were Dinosaurs, which she really enjoyed. It was fun asking her questions about all she was learning.

This week's theme is Nursery Rhymes. Today, she made a "Hickory Dickory Dock" clock...She's holding the mouse!

Ryann is ONE!

2011-09-18T20:02:00.002-05:00

We headed down to Foster Beach yesterday afternoon to celebrate the 1st Birthday of Miss Ryann Brielle Stine. The weather was perfection, the company was great and most importantly--the birthday girl enjoyed her cake!

Happy Birthday, baby girl. You are a wonderful addition to a beautiful family...

Ryann is ONE!

{photography}

2011-09-17T21:00:00.006-05:00

{the art of teething}

2011-09-13T21:18:00.006-05:00

{photography}

2011-09-13T21:08:00.014-05:00

{photography}

2011-09-13T20:58:00.014-05:00

Wow.

2011-09-12T22:29:00.003-05:00

It was Wednesday of last week. Johnny was working with his Occupational Therapist, Sandy, on our living room floor. We saw him do it once. We saw him do it again. We looked at eachother and at the same time said: "Did you see that?!"

Johnny crawled! He only did it twice for a split second, but there was no doubt that he had finally put 2 & 2 together (up on all fours & rocking back and forth) to create the crawl.

Shortly after, Johnny and I met John, Papa, Mom, Britt, Ronnie & Silvia for a pizza dinner. I couldn't wait to share the news with everyone at the dinner table. But it was a 30 minute drive to our house and I was about to bust with excitement. There was someone I knew I had to call immediately.

I dialed Dad. I shared the amazing news. I wish I could have recorded his reaction to what I had to tell him so I could play it for Johnny one day. It was my dad who kept saying, "You watch, he's going to be crawling real soon." I knew he'd get it. I knew he would. But I can honestly say I thought it'd be another two months before Johnny put it all together. Dad thought different.

And just like that, only 4 days after he first gave us a glimpse, he's crawling all over the place and even pulling himself up! My goodness.

Family Room Fun

2011-09-06T15:41:00.003-05:00

The babes were freshly bathed and playtime was at hand...there's a sequence of photos to pay attention to...Johnny transistions from sitting to the crawling position with perfection. It's something we've been working on in PT--and this was the first time he did it "textbook"!!! He is such a great learner...

Family Room Fun

parker+lola+ryann+johnny

2011-09-05T21:33:00.006-05:00

This summer has been SO busy, we have hardly gotten to see our dear friends...but the stars finally aligned and we got to get together with our good buddies on Friday!!! A fun-filled visit...

Johnny flirting with Ryann...

Johnny asking permission from Auntie Tracy to court her daughter...
Out in the heat, grabbing some shade...

Frankfort Fest

2011-09-05T21:16:00.003-05:00

Every year, over Labor Day Weekend, Frankfort (a neighboring suburb) hosts a HUGE craft fair/fest. Today was the absolute perfect day to enjoy it--sunshine and crisp Fall air. We had fun walking around, enjoying all the artisan's displays.

It was also a day of firsts--while Lola has enjoyed the rides at Disney twice already, we haven't made it to a real, old-school carnival yet. She got to enjoy three kiddie rides by herself and then Mommy and her and the *best*time*ever* ridding the Tilt-a-whirl together!

Here's a look at our fun Fall day--and oh what joy that Fall is only beginning!

Frankfort Fest 2011

{Photography}

2011-09-01T22:15:00.008-05:00

I recently had the privilege of capturing this sweet girl to mark her 3rd birthday..

After bath cuddles...

2011-09-01T19:40:00.003-05:00

{9 months}

2011-08-28T23:27:00.011-05:00

Out beautiful boy is NINE months old! He weighed in at 21 lbs.13 oz. and measured 27.5 in. Good thing we put him in the big boy car seat a few weeks ago!

He is sitting independently with such ease at this point. He had to work harder than most babies to reach this big milestone, but he reached it!

He is feeding himself puffs at snack-time, using the Pincer grasp perfectly. We started with a new OT and PT this week through the Easter Seals Early Intervention program and the OT thought his arms and hands looked really good! That has never really been an area if concern for us.

The main area of concern are the tight muscles in his legs. Because of the spasisity, he stands on his toes, so we are working daily, helping him stand more flat footed through assisted weight baring. Thankfully, he is not so tight that he can't do it. But he does have to work for it. We'll get there!

We were having a great family moment today playing on the floor with a new toy John brought in from the garage storage-- it was an old favorite of Lola's. Anyways, we are all sitting there playing and out of nowhere, Johnny starts trying to pull himself up on the toy!!! This boy's potential is limitless. Do I expect him to pull himself up tomorrow? No. But whenever he's given us a glimpse at the next milestone, he's always reached it.

9 months in, this perfect boy has already established an awesome track record...

How we roll...

2011-08-28T19:38:00.000-05:00

Locks of Love

2011-08-22T18:35:00.003-05:00

I've had a bob 'do once every decade in my life--when I was 10, 20 and now, 30! I have been wanting to chop it all off for awhile now, do something fun and different. And I've always wanted to donate to Locks of Love. Yesterday, I went to Mario's where fellow Maid-of-Honor Keli chopped it all off for me, then cut it to perfection. I pray the people at Locks of Love can make good use of it.

I have to do a double take when I walk past a mirror--Is that really me?! John and Lola loved it, Johnny seems to still know who I am :) Washing it in the shower this morning was SO weird. That's going to take some getting used to. I couldn't put it in a pony if I wanted to--but thankfully, I don't. It's been in a pony way too much recently!

First Day of Nursery School

2011-08-22T14:28:00.009-05:00

Well, the first day of nursery school is in the books! It went off without a hitch. Lola was excited to put her uniform and backpack on and head out the door this morning. Her teacher, Miss Carrie, was waiting for her at the door when she walked into school. We pulled out of the parking lot, laughed in shock at the fact we just sent our baby off on her first day of school and then my laughter turned to tears of joy.

The 3 hours went pretty fast--Johnny and I had some nice one-on-one time at home--and then before we knew it, it was time to go pick up sister. She didn't have much to say when she got in the car (she was kind of upset I'd forgotten to have juice waiting for her--bad mommy!), but she finally started talking about her day. I looked in her backpack while sitting at a stop light and found a picture she had colored of Taffy Apple (see Open House post), a cutting practice sheet (she cut perfectly along the line) and a certificate of completion commemorating her "First Day of School". Sweet things to go in her memory box.

Grammy was waiting for us when we got home, which was so nice. She couldn't wait to see Lola all dressed up in her uniform--the same one Brittany wore for 8 years. A wonderful day!

Baby brother looking up to big Sis.

Getting her special backpack from Ireland on.

Wait for me, Daddy!
Lola & Miss Carrie, her "homeroom" teacher. There are 2 other teachers, as well, in the Nursery program.

Open House

2011-08-18T20:52:00.009-05:00

This evening, we went to Lola's new school to meet her teacher and some of her classmates! She starts Nursery school on Monday--we are so excited for her. She loved being in her classroom, exploring the new surroundings.

She found her name on a little fish.

And in her cubby.

Some familiar friends were in the classroom. Like Jesus, Mary, Joseph...
and Thomas!
Fun fact: Mommy learned how to read with "Taffy Apple" 25 years ago. Mom brought over my reader from preschool last year and I love that they are still using these characters and stories to teach the children to read...
Washing her hands for, oh, the 5th time. Things scaled to her size are such a novelty!
Reading an "Arthur" book about opposties.
All right! Is it Monday yet?

The Art of Sharing--or NOT...

2011-08-17T19:25:00.004-05:00

Lola's 3rd Birthday Party!

2011-08-14T20:25:00.002-05:00

We celebrated Lola's 3rd Birthday with a huge bash at Mimi & Papa's Castle last weekend. It was a beautiful afternoon spent outdoors, surrounded by friends and family, celebrating 3 awesome years with our girl. She is so blessed to have so much love in her life.

My dad & Sue again worked hard to make sure their yard looked extra beautiful for the party. And as a very special treat--Nonna & Titi baked the goodies--delicious cupcakes and a VERY special Belle cake for our princess.

Enjoy the pics...

Lola's 3rd Birthday Party

{mr. & mrs. herman}

2011-08-13T11:23:00.001-05:00

Head over to Vrai's blog...and check out the beautiful moments Molly Grace captured. Stunning!

VRAI BLOG

baby foo

2011-08-06T19:22:00.004-05:00

We were sure to have Johnny in his Foo Fighters onesie from Titi when she arrived this week!

baby foo

{Photography}

2011-08-05T13:42:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, I had the joy of shooting the Z family--my first paying clients! They are friends with my cousins Sue & Mike and after seeing Sue's maternity session, they contacted me and asked if I could document their family. Awesome!

They were such a great family to work with--a young loving couple with two adorable, handsome and personable young boys. The above photo might just be my favorite pic I have ever snapped...here are some of my other favorites from the session:

{the z family}

{brother & sister}

2011-08-03T21:57:00.002-05:00

these pics are a few months old already--but here are some sweet moments between brother & sister...

{brother & sister}

Spelling

2011-08-03T20:50:00.002-05:00

We've told Lola how her name is spelled (L-O-L-A) but we've never actually taught her how to write it. She's been practicing writing the Letters on the iPad for the past few months. Tonight she was coloring in her Barbie coloring book and on the inside cover, she wrote her name.

How's that for putting 2 and 2 together?!

Gifts & Cake, oh my!

2011-08-02T21:09:00.003-05:00

Last night was so much fun--Lola had ALL her Grandparents, as well as Auntie Brittany & Uncle Ronnie, over to celebrate her 3rd Birthday. Nonna made a delicious chocolate cake with fresh whipped cream and pink sparkle sprinkles. And then there were presents! She had so much fun being showered with love, sweets and goodies!

(Lots of pics--I can never narrow them down!)

Lola is 3! {Part 2}