Dear Naomi,
I love seeing how you've really begun to understand that family is love - and what a special kind of love it is when it's from Grandparents.
Love,
Papa
no hands
bed play
Playing nap time with her dolls
Grandma Kat and Mike come to town
One thing that is always nice about the Holiday's is being able to see family that you don't always get to see very often. This Holiday is even more special because we play host for the first time in our new home. Although I was humble in not mentioning it much, it was a very proud moment for me to have my Mother resting under a roof that belonged to me and my little family. I truly hope her and Mike enjoyed us as much as we enjoyed them. I only have a few pics to share since I left most the picture taking to Grandma Kat. I'm sure I'll be receiving a disc full of pics soon in the mail :)
Hosting our very first dinner guests :)
Sitting in Papa's chair at work
Enjoying the DreamWorks campus
Taking advantage that Mike was around to snap a rare shot of the three of us
In front of the house by the Xmas lights
My sunshine
Dear Naomi,
This picture has literally become one of my favorite, if not the favorite, picture of you thus far. To me it embodies so much of your character. The very nature of a child fully embraced in wonder and curiosity just shines so bright from your eyes.
love,
Papa
21 Months!!! Here are some pics and moments from the past few weeks
Just some random pics and moments from the past few days and weeks as we celebrate Naomi hitting 21 months.
Here Naomi is mirroring some of our bedtime routine with the dolls. She reads books to them, dresses them, feeds them and tucks them in. It's so precious to watch her.
I love this picture. What a big girl she is now. Only likes to brush her teeth by herself.
After watching all the big kids, she just couldn't resist. It's now part of her playground routine
New park, new swings :)
My beautiful family enjoying the afternoon in the backyard
She discovered the flashlight. Courtesy of Mike :)
She loves to wear Papa's beanie
My little sunshine.
love,
Papa
Pumpkin patch 2013
This was Naomi's second official Halloween and visit to the pumpkin patch. Great fun and great company with two of our favorite people, the McCrummen's. Can't believe how much she's grown from last year's visit.
Naomi was very excited to see such huge pumpkins!
End of an era
The last picture we would ever take in Kelton Ave. Thanks for all the love and memories.
Dear Naomi,
I haven't posted in quite some time. Why? Just so much change going on. What I haven't mentioned at all on the blog yet is that our little family has made a huge, huge milestone come true. We just bought our very first home. I'll share so much more of that as the days come, and just know that getting there wasn't easy. What I can share with you is that I am so proud of our family for making this dream come true. It took a lot of time and patience and effort, but in the end, we found ourselves a place we can call home. A place where we will watch you spend your childhood. We want so much for you to have something that we didn't have, and that's a home for you to grow up in that is all ours. We even have the backyard with a nice big tree for you. There is so much more to share, but that's not what this post is about. This post is about saying goodbye to days that I know will be the best days in my life. That's not saying that we don't have better days to come, I just mean that I will never forget our days on Kelton Ave, in our little cozy apartment, where I watched you live your first year and a half of life. Where I watched you take your first bite of food. Where I watched you take your first steps. Where I watched you laugh for the first time and say your first words. Where I watched your Mom flourish as a mother. Where we created visions and memories that can sometimes bring me to tears with how beautiful they are. I had no idea how hard it would be to say goodbye to that place... the neighborhood, the neighbors, the park, and of course our morning strolls - a precious time that I will always cherish. They say that people can't remember days from before they were 2 years of age. Well I'll make you a promise Naomi - I will sit with you one day and share with you all of these wonderful memories from you first year. You will see just what an amazing life we all shared there together and the roots of love we have established for our little family. I look so forward to that day. And even though my tone may sound sad, I am also inspired and happy to see the direction our family has chosen. I am excited for new memories, and new stories. Most of all, I am so very thankful for all of the fortune and health that we have. Words can never say enough for how lucky we are.
Her last moments in the room she grew up in. She was helping Papa clean up.
Here are pictures I took on our last morning stroll in Westwood park. It was a routine that just somehow shaped into a tradition that so many of our friends and family loved to see our daily posts of pictures. Thank you Naomi for every single morning stroll that we had.
Love,
Papa