Early Morning Scenes

Lately my little lady has been getting up around 5-6am but thankfully I am able to nurse her {yep we are still going strong at 21 months} and she falls back asleep. I usually follow her lead and fall back asleep until she gets up for the day. A few days ago Emma Claire got up at 6am and fell back asleep but I didn't. I decided to just get up and enjoy some quiet while I could. I showered, got dressed, and even did my hair and makeup for the day. 

Once I got downstairs I did the dishes, and started a bach of TJ's scones. I hadn't ever made them before but they looked yummy. 

I was able to do a lot of thinking while I worked around the kitchen and I just couldn't help soak in the silence. At the same time I love looking around my home and seeing all of the reminders that we have a little person living in our home. Before having kids I would have NEVER pictured a giant pink, purple, and yellow easel parked in the middle of my living room. But now? I couldn't picture it any other way. It's like it belongs there.

Hand print art on the fridge.

Scones in the oven. 

And the windows open.
It was a perfect morning.

I also had some fresh picked hydrangeas on my kitchen shelf. I can't believe we're halfway through August and I'm still getting blooms! 

By the time the scones were done I heard a little voice calling out over the monitor...

 I took my camera with me upstairs. I'm so glad I did. Someone is quite the character when she first wakes up.

I love that sweet face. 

 We headed downstairs to eat some scones and left a still sleeping daddy in bed to rest a bit.

DC For the Day

I'm pretty sure that everyone who moves to the Northern Virginia area feels as if they will be driving into the city all of the time for dinners, shopping, and museum hopping. Not to mention the fact that it's a given that you will be in the city each weekend taking in the sights. HA. Then real life starts and unless you work IN the city you barely ever make it in, and each time you do manage to drive in you think, "Why aren't we here all of the time?!" 

Obviously the hubs works in the city, but since we live a good ways out in the 'burbs we don't make it in as a family as often as we would like. Hopefully since Emma Claire is a little older now and the weather will be cooling down soon we can make it in more often. Monday we decided to head into the city with my friend Bekah. Husband starts work in the afternoon so it was a family affair. We went to a museum that the husband walks by every day and I've seen a dozen times but we hadn't ever stepped foot inside. The Renwick Museum is full of interesting pieces of art. It is a small museum but had some awesome paintings, sculptures, pottery, and glass art. As is common with almost all structures in DC one of the most impressive parts of the museum was the actual building. I just love the high arches, large doors, and the overall attention to detail. I could spend an entire day wandering around DC admiring the architecture.

We had lunch at our fav salad place Chop't. 

Mom of the year right here...

After lunch we walked around the White House a bit. Took some touristy pictures. Even though we've done this dozens of times. Really it was just a good spot to snap a few pictures of all of us.

Emma Claire was thrilled, obviously. 

Emma Claire loves Bekah. I'm pretty much chopped liver when she's around. ;-)

And it wouldn't be a trip out without a toddler meltdown...

Life is rough. 

 But she perked up seconds later. Bekah is a miracle worker. 

Seriously how adorable is this?!

Now for some artsy in the city pictures. 

Of COURSE we headed to Crumbs. I know everyone has their favorite fancy DC cupcake shop but we really love Crumbs

She was so cute and wanted them ALL. 

This shot is my favorite. Up on her tippy toes. 

We chose a nice little bench and let her go to town on her cupcake. 

She kept saying "MMMMM"

Favorite picture of the entire day. 

This is her saying "Thumbs up" to cupcakes. 

Sweet cheeks. I just love her. 

It's safe to say there was cupcake EVERYWHERE. Even on her shoes. 

The best part of EC's day? Seeing Park Police come by on their "ho-sees" She practically ran into the street to say hi. Sadly they didn't come over. But she was happy nonetheless. 

All in all it was a really great day. I love going into the city and can't wait for cooler temps so we can stay out all day!

Where Fridays aren't Fridays

Around here Fridays aren't really "Fridays". Due to the husband's schedule, our weekend is on Tuesday/Wednesday. So Monday is really our "Friday". Did you follow all of that? Ha! It took a little while to adapt, but now it's just our normal. So while the rest of the world is getting ready to relax, have family time, and cook out, we are keepin' on keepin' on because it's just another work week day.

So in list style here's a little of what we did today:

- woke up, snuggled in the big bed, had breakfast {not in bed. ha}

- swept and mopped floors and generally cleaned up

- did some laundry

- cleaned windows

- had lunch

- napped {EC not me}

- Went to the gas station to air up my tires {one has a slow leak}

- Went to the post office

- Went to Target

- Got home, played, read books, watched some Elmo

- Ate dinner, played some more, watched more Elmo {read: someone is obsessed with Elmo right now}

- Bath, storytime, bed

It was a good day today. Even if it wasn't our Friday ;-) 

I snapped some pictures of Emma Claire this afternoon while she was "cooking eggs" and making me "tea-water-juice-coffee" ha. She keeps refilling my {pretend} cup with different drinks. It's adorable.

I adore this one. 

She asked me to take this one. She's saying "cheeeeese" 

I love these days. Sometime I feel if they draaaaag on. And other times I look at the sweet TODDLER standing in front of me and wonder where the heck the past TWENTY ONE months have gone! Time is speeding up, that's for sure. 

Family Pictures

A few weeks ago we finally had some family pictures taken. Surprisingly this is a first for us! While EC is the probably the most photographed child on the planet it's a rarity to get all three of us in a picture. My friend Sonja was so sweet to do these for us and let me boss her around "direct" her the whole time ;-)  We had a blast and I am loving how they turned out. I took all of the ones of just Emma Claire or EC and Daddy and they are some of my favorite pictures I've taken of her so far. I have already ordered several canvas prints and a photo book. I was just a *tad* excited to finally have some quality pictures of our little family. 

 

This picture captures Emma Claire's little toddler personality so perfectly. She is ALWAYS on the go. Always. 

So sweet. 

For having pictures made in JULY we had pretty cool weather until the very end, and my hair cooperated...until the end of our shoot. But I love these pictures anyways. 

And to all of those wondering...NO this wasn't a photo shoot to announce a future baby. You'd be surprised how many people asked me if that's why we had pictures taken. Baby #2 is not cookin' yet. Or even being thought of right now. Sorry, folks. ;-)