Dear sweet Beck,

When you were born in June of 2014, you were the spitting image of your brother as a newborn. I remember experiencing this intense dayja vu at the hospital, as though I had traveled in time and ended up in the same place, creating the same memory all over again.

My labor with you was similar to my labor with Jace in that it was long and intense and you took your time making your appearance. But this time around I was much more prepared and confident in what to expect. After you left my body and made your own place in the world, I was on a serious high of endorphins and oxytocin. I was flying on a cloud, so in love with you and so in love with life.

You love to move, you always have. That baby swing that Jace never cared for much was our saving grace when you were a newborn babe and I was fighting for sleep. When the swing didn't cut it for you, I spent many a night walking around the house in circles while bouncing you up and down in my arms. I couldn't just sit down and bounce you, no sir. You knew the difference between pretend movement and real movement. You wanted to go.

I could never get enough of your baby cheeks. I still can't. I kiss them at least one hundred times a day.

Mornings with you have been my favorite time of day. With Jace, being my firstborn and lacking the experience of the situation, I fought for sleep and energy every day. But somehow you gave my body more energy than it had before. I love the early mornings when it's just you and I, while the world is still and my heart is full. Five o'clock on a Saturday morning was never so beautiful as it was when you were a newborn babe.

Although nowdays, at 14 months old, you sleep a bit like a teenager. Your mornings have gotten later since you entered toddler hood.

You love being outside. It's amazing to me what the fresh air and sunshine would do for you and your brother's moods. Even in the cold dead of winter, you were happier bundled up on dad's back in the kelty while we went snowshoeing than anywhere else.

You love sleep. You're in bed by seven thirty at night if you have your way, and you hardly make a fuss about it. Quite the opposite actually, you embrace it. I say "are you ready for night-night?" and you snuggle into my collar bone very dramatically while I kiss the top of your head and carry you to your crib.

You never liked the binky at all, but you love your bottle. You didn't care for mushed up baby food but you love to eat anything you can from mom and dad's dinner plates.

And forget me feeding you! Give me the dang fork, I'll feed myself! That's always been your jam.

You hardly ever cry. On occasion you will, but hardly ever. You are happy and sweet and very laid back.

Jace was the same way. Already you are both so different yet so much the same, you and your brother.

I can't remember life without you. You came into this world and you completed us.

Last night I told your dad, "You know, I thought the first year would be my favorite but I'm really, really in love with this age!" You are so much fun. You walk everywhere now, with your hands held up high like an ape, and there is nothing cuter. You give hugs freely. You light up every time you see your brother. You feed Rockie from your high chair during every meal. You love watching curious george. You are a mama's boy, but you say "daddy!" all day long. I spend my days swimming in your pretty blue eyes. You love to wear your hats and your flip flops. You climb anything and everything you can.

You have such character, tailor-made from God, I feel that every day. Your spirit is sunshine and your happiness is contagious. I love watching your personality come out full force as you grow, watching you crossing milestones and seeing the world while loving life through your pure little innocent eyes.

Life is so sweet with you in it my love.

Love,

Mama

the nursery

this is a tad overdue. better late than never?

the truth is, the nursery isn't complete yet. i've put off posting pictures because i was hoping to have all of the final touches done first, but i recently realized that if i keep putting it off it will never get done! so even though it's an almost finished work in progress, here is what we have thus far. (don't you just love that word? THUS.)

we live in a four bedroom two-story home, and the two smallest bedrooms in the house are the boys' rooms. there are two things we love in our home: simple and cozy, and the boy's rooms are the perfect cozy size. and truth be told, they are probably two of my very favorite rooms in the entire house.

for b's nursery i was drawn to sort of an adventurer themed room. we are an outdoorsy family who love adventures, so it seemed very fitting. and truthfully the nursery turned out to be such a peaceful place. in that first month it was beck and i's solitude from the chaos. when he was just days old we would lay that sweet newborn babe on his changing table and he would instantly become so calm and studious, staring at the walls and studying the room over with his tiny eyes. the aura in the nursery is so very soothing.

without further ado: cruddy iphone pictures! if you'd rather see it in person, feel free to stop by anytime. ;)

oh and here's the deets, if you're interested:

> the three wall prints we designed ourselves, then printed and framed them. (live life, be brave, explore)
> for curtains we used an old blanket from mexico. one, because it looks awesome and really fits into the room's theme, and two, because it keeps the room dark for naptimes.
> the pine tree wall decals are from this etsy shop.
> i made the pinecone garland, instructions here.
> large world atlas map from amazon. (to be framed)
> the bug wall light is from ikea.
> the glider is a family hand-me-down.
> diaper genie.
> crib and changing table we bought online for jace and i can't for the life of me remember the site we bought them from! doh.
> the damask toy box turned temporary hamper is from hobby lobby.
> the vintage alphabet cards i printed from this site. i'm currently working on replacing them with some adorable woodland animal/camping vintage alphabet cards, to better tie into the theme.
> dan sewed that rhino pillow himself! i'm also going to add these pillows and this one to the collection.
> crib sheets from target.
> black and white damask crib bumpers set also old, purchased online.
> skate or cry trucker hat found here (ours was a gift!)

soon to be additions:

this nightlight.
these campfire seats.
some black hooks to hang the hundreds of hats he inherited from his big brother.