to the brim

happy valentines day!

i broke my 'no latte' rule today.

it was a delicious rule-break.

while in the starbucks drive-thru 

i spotted a mazda millennia

in front of me.

BIG SMILE.

to anyone else,

it would look like just another

ordinary 90's-ish four door sedan.

nothing fancy.

but to me -

it is the car my dad rented

for our special daddy-daughter date

(in my tween years).

it was take your kiddo to work day at boeing.

i don't remember all the details of that day

but i do remember feeling super special 

as my dad proudly introduced me to all

the shop guys i had heard stories about.

i also remember wearing some (seriously unattractive) safety glasses.

and i remember the car ride home as if it were yesterday...

wow. my dad rented a car. just for me.

thank you to whoever was in the mazda millennia at starbucks today

for bringing an extra wide smile to my face.

thank you dad for your big big heart.

happy LOVE day to 

my main squeeze,

my two angel babies, 

to all of my family and friends.

you fill my heart to the brim.

nik

it is only appropriate that

on valentines day

i get to introduce you to my newest crush.

meet sweet baby kenny:

love.love.love

xoxoxoxo,

nik

all you need is love.

ps.

last week, oliver said to me as we were driving home from preschool

"mommy. i love you to the moon and back.  and to the sun and back. i love you double."

(he later repeated the same sentiment to daddy.  and then to the beloved tv. i like to pretend it was really meant just for me.)

pss.

read this book last week. LOVED it. highly recommend  (i've bought and gifted
four additional copies already).

psss.

wouldn't be a valentine's day post without
posting my eclectic love day meatloaf recipe (that sounds so weird).
find it here.

pssss. (lots of ps's today i know):

something i am totally in LOVE with -
the super precious dip at the back of miles' neck...
it is to die for. at least for his mommy it is.

YAY!

miles is still a really quiet little man,

doesn't say much yet.

he has mastered mama, dadda

and on occasion, he makes a "muh" sound (more).

he makes a perfect "vroom vroom" sound as he pushes

cars, trucks, legos, tupperware around the floor.

he expanded his word bank by one yesterday afternoon.

oliver was at preschool so miles and i ventured out on an errand spree.

we hit world market, old navy, aaron brothers, starbucks, and michaels.

by the time we were at the last store, miles had finally decided to protest.

loudly. 

i took his cue and headed back to the car.

the moment i put him back in the car,

he looked up at me and very loudly

pronounced:

"YAY."

then he sighed

and fell asleep.

ha!

love it.

apparently shopping is exhausting

even from a stroller.

i love my little buddy.

i love THIS little buddy SO much too -

remember my oooober sweet nephew, mr logan?!

he is six months old already

and gorgeous:

ridiculously cute mom+baby.

next post i get to introduce you to my newest

sweet little lovie, sweet baby kenny.

love.

nik

"what fills your heart will lead your life."

ps. a bit of a dilemma...

i have been searching for new thank you cards

to have on hand for my clients.

came across these super fun ones

from a fun etsy shop (hellosmallworld):

"stripey girl" or "scarf girl" ?

each would be perfect.

trouble is i am equally obsessed with both stripes and scarves.

what would you choose?

11 months (!) and catching up fast...

oliver has always 

REFUSED to eat his broccoli.

but we have a rule at our table 

that he has to try at least one bite of everything on his

plate before refusing to eat it.

so on thursday,

i added broccoli to oliver's dinner plate.

he immediately put up a fight.

a strong fight.

ryan

(in a stroke of genius)

told oliver to look over at his brother in his high chair

(miles was COVERED in broccoli...

little bits of it on his forehead, 

up his nose,

on his eyelashes,

in his ears,

squished between all of his tiny fingers.

and of course, covering the floor too.)

and then he said:

"don't forget buddy -

your brother is almost one! he is growing fast...

all that broccoli he's eating is going to make him

super big and strong...

he is catching up to you really fast..."

oliver immediately began

eating his broccoli.

and after every other bite,

he stood on his chair

and shouted

"daddy, do you want to see how big i am?!"

it is likely that only about 5% of baby brother's broccoli

actually ended up in his mouth.

nevertheless, miles is definitely catching up quick.

so hard to believe it is already time

to plan my baby's first birthday party.

smiles, 11 months:

(giant THANK YOU to dad for shooting these with me!)

what a happy little bean.

love!

nik

ps.

remembering

my bobby winter today on his birthday.

he would have been 56.

he was amazing.

i miss him dearly.

miles winter is super smiley

just like his uncle bobby was ;)