The best recipe for happiness? Celebrating seven months.

Today my little Tess-bo-bess is officially seven months old. Is that crazy to anyone else? Tessa and Brady will be celebrating while mom is at a two hour dentist appointment. Nice.

^"What's the big deal mom? Why all the pictures?^

The best recipe for happiness? A little giggle, chortle, and down right hysterical laughter.

Sometimes I like to go through my blog and watch all of the videos I've made of my sweet baby. Today I'm obsessed with her laughing videos. It started out as a little giggle and has gradually transformed into full out oh-my-gosh-my-side-hurts-mom-you're-so-dang-funny-I-can't-hardly-stand-it laughter. Which I love. Tessa is so good for my soul. She lives each day with tears of laughter in her eyes and I find myself laughing right along with her. No one can make me laugh like Brady and Tessa. Not the gosh-that's-sorta-kinda-funny kind of laughter but the kind that comes deep from your abdomen. The kind that just bursts from your lips and sends waves of happiness rushing to every part of your body. And trust me, as a first time mom living in no sun Seattle, I need that kind of laughter every once in awhile. Aren't sure what that kind of laughter sounds like? Come spend a weekend with Brady and Tessa or better yet, watch the video below. Tessa will show you how it's done:

The best recipe for happiness? Memorial Day weekend.

Happy Memorial Day! This time last year Brady and I were on our way to Chile. I can't believe a year has already gone by since that miracle of a trip. This year we're just lounging around and enjoying the extra day we get to have Brady all to ourselves. On Saturday we went to Alki Beach for our family adventure (more on that little ditty later). Brady snapped the cutest shot of Tessa. I know I say that a lot and I know I have some really great shots of that little girl but this one takes the cake:

Let's get a closer look, shall we?

^Just look at that double chin and those plump little cheeks! Irresistible.^ 

What are you doing this Memorial Day?

The best recipe for happiness? An evening at the beach.

   

Yesterday we went to Mathews Park for family home evening. I decided to change it up a bit and make a video rather than make Brady take a million pictures. Let me know if you like it and we'll make sure to include those on the blog more often.  Oh, and shout out to Melissa who is spending the week with us and who just so happens to be awesome. If you're new to the blog, she's the pretty little blond too old to be my baby. We love her. Happy Tuesday!

The best recipe for happiness? A little bit of fresh air.

Over the weekend Brady surprised Tessa and I by taking us on a family hike. I loved hiking in Utah but hiking in Washington makes Utah seem like a barren wasteland (just kidding...almost). This was Tessa's very first hiking trip and I think she did pretty well! We did have to carry her in our arms half of the way but as soon as we took her out of her carrier she was smiling non stop and talking up a storm. Seriously, people were beginning to stare. Funny little chatterbox. Tessa is a beam of light. Everyone that crosses her path can feel that light and they can't help but smile at her, or talk to her, or touch her. It's intoxicating. I'm lucky enough to drink in her sweet spirit every single day and I forget what joy she brings to other people. The lush green was exactly what my soul needed. Sometimes I get so caught up in this mothering gig that I give myself little opportunity to just stop and look in awe at the splendor around me. I live in such a beautiful place and I don't want to waste any of the time our family gets to spend here. We've decided to make Saturdays our "Family Adventure" day and I can't wait to see what we end up doing next!

^If anyone has a carrier that they are just raving about, please share. This one is no bueno.^

^The bridge felt like it was a hundred feet in the air. Heights make me nervous but heights with your kids is unbearable!^

^Everything is just covered in a thick coat of moss. So GREEN!^

^This picture doesn't even do it justice and Brady is one of the best at taking pictures. It was so cool.^

When you come to visit, which I hope you do, I'd love to take you on this hike. It does the body good :)

The best recipe for happiness? Six reasons to love mothers.

1. They Make everything all better.
2. They're One-of-a-kind.
3. They Take such good care of us and treat us nice.
4. Even though it's Hard they always help us.
5. Every time we need them they're Eager to help.
6. We really Really love them!

A few weeks ago my friend Katie and I were talking about mothering. She asked me a question that I've been mulling over all week long, "So, how is mothering?" Flash forward a couple days. Tessa and I were at the park. Tessa was screaming and I was struggling to get the stroller and bags in the trunk without spilling everything all over the parking lot. I was exhausted and it was very apparent in my sweaty face. A group of people, about my age were getting in the car right next to us. They looked from the screaming baby to her haggard mother. A girl said, "That makes me never want to have kids." Another responded, "My thoughts exactly."

As a mother you have to be able to function on little or no sleep. You have to be willing to clean up vomit, and blow outs and who knows what else. You have to put your wants and most of the time your needs last. You're being grabbed with sticky fingers or having your hair pulled or sucked on. Just doing something as simple as going to church or the store is difficult because you're wrestling, chasing, and corralling kids the whole time. It can be discouraging because the only thing you've accomplished is a clean bathroom and most days that doesn't even get done.

And that's where the world gets stuck.

They can only see the tough stuff: A screaming baby and an exhausted mother wrestling a stroller into the trunk. And believe me, the tough stuff is a reality, there is no doubt about that, but it's not the only reality. I've been thinking about Katie's question for weeks and even more so since that incident. I haven't been able to quite answer her question...until today.

So Katie, even though I haven't slept in six months and my hair is constantly dripping with spit here's the answer to your question, "So, how IS mothering?":

click here

The best recipe for happiness? Getting your hands dirty!

A month or so ago Brady had to change the oil and Tessa thought it was the coolest thing! First we put on Brady's hat and then we thought "why stop there?" and put her in the oil pan (brand new, never used). Here are her mommy's-little-mechanic-daddy's-little-helper-oh-my-gosh-I'll-just-die-from-how-cute-she-looks pictures. I couldn't decide which ones I liked more so I'm adding them all! You're welcome grandparents!

 ^If Tessa were a deer, this would be her "deer in the headlights" look.^

 ^I just love those eyes!^

 ^I love this picture and I bet I can guess what she's doing.^

Happy Tuesday!

The best recipe for happiness? Napping with someone you love.

You know it's the end of a busy week when you walk into the bedroom and find this:

It has been such a joy watching Brady transform into the "world's best daddy". And take our word for it, Tessa is the BEST napping partner there is. Since I couldn't decide which picture I liked more, I posted them both. You can do that sort of thing when its your blog, you know :) 

The best recipe for happiness? Hanging out with the "rents".

My parents came to visit us for a week and left yesterday. It's been pretty lonely around here today and Tessa misses her grandma something awful (they really hit it off). They spoiled us rotten and we saw more in the last couple of days than we've seen in the 8 months we've lived here. Wowza, we were busy! This post actually has nothing to do with my parents and has everything to do with that baby girl that I get to call my own. She rolls all over the place in her crib. You put her on one end of the bed and she'll be on the other end, sockless and facing the other direction in a matter of minutes. Every so often I'll come in and find her legs tangled in the bars. The funny thing is she likes it and will fall asleep that way. Here are two different times I've caught her like that, one asleep and one just after waking up from her nap. Funny, funny girl.