Rainbows, Babies, and Fields of Flowers

An ordinary Tuesday turned magic thanks to our little ones! My sister came over yesterday to snap some photos of Maggie Mermaid modeling some new Little Lucca Love outfits. While the kids played my mom & I got to snuggle Isla Rose. Magnolia could barely handle the wait in getting to hold her newest baby cousin. Smitten, absolutely smitten. The baby obsession & fascination starts v young! We went out for some shaved ice afterwards. Let me tell you, Bubble Gum + Birthday Cake flavors are quite yummy together. The sweet Tuesday ended even sweeter when Magnolia insisted we go out and play in the rain. As soon as we got outside we spotted a huge colorful rainbow in the sky. She said "awwww Grandma's here!" She was referring to my grandma & I'm just so happy even she helps keep her memory alive.

Saturday night was probably the hottest night of summer, or at least it felt that way. And it was the night I had scheduled mother + daughter photos with our friend & photographer Crista Hoppe, owner of Everly Photography. She did our maternity, newborn and first year of photos of Magnolia, including her first birthday party. Somehow life got ahead of us the last few years and we didn't get family photos done. We are playing catch up now & mommy + me photos are something I've always wanted to do. Next up will be real life unicorn photos & then family photos! Might even do some Christmas ones.

Pool days, dance class, dentist appointments, daddy's birthday!!! Mother Daughter photoshoot, that  I'll share in a new post. The past week was a busy one & a good one. If we could, Maggie Mermaid & I would live in our swimsuits all summer long. She finished up dance class like the sweetest little mermaid ballerina that she is. My mom was able to come to her last class & then we did dinner together in the little downtown area by her studio. She had her teeth cleaned for the first time, her last few visits were just for practice, and this time she actually hopped up in the chair with all the confidence in the world & had her teeth cleaned & x-rayed. We went out for lunch afterwards and over her chicken nuggets she said "I love the dentist!"

What a magical + special + lovely past week we just had!!! Not gonna lie, it still feels super weird & nothing feels normal about life right now, BUT (big but) amongst it all we are still searching for & loving the magic in the everyday. Magnolia also known as Maggie Mermaid started dance class. I'm not sure who was more excited about the start of something new; something she has loved since she was in my belly! When I was pregnant I always noticed she'd move around more when I was listening to music & that love of music & movement has only grown more passionate. Mermaid girl is always with me & I was a little nervous she'd have separation anxiety upon entering a room with a new teacher all by herself. We talked about it several times before the big day & she understood how it would go. This girl blew me away, she shined with confidence and did so good, my mama heart had to hold back all the proud happy tears. Another mom from class told me her daughter told her there was a little girl in class named "Maggie Mermaid!" I smiled so big & said "yep, the mermaid is mine!" Thanks to COVID-19 we had to have a few classes rescheduled. The school is taking all the safety measures with daily temperature checks, hand sanitizing, face masks on all (with the exception of the little ones that won't keep them on). It's a weird time in history & we are home way more than I'd wish to be, but we are embracing it as much as we can. Also, starting to venture out some too. We had chips & salsa at a Mexican restaurant on Sunday for the first time since February. That was a big deal for us!!!

Little photos from her first day of dance that I'll treasure forever & ever.

Last night Magnolia was begging for fireworks & shaved ice & pretty much a complete re-do of our weekend! She was fascinated with the huge inflatable dragon in front of the fireworks tent & it was a consistent conversation piece this past weekend. She was totally bummed when we drove by the tents all closed up last night. She's obsessed with the 4th and this was certainly her funnest one yet. She did her first sparkler, all the while I'm trying to figure out how my baby is old enough to hold popping fire on a stick. We spent the evening at my sister's house & the cousin crew had a blast eating bomb pops + red, white & blue cupcakes + doing sparklers + stepping on pop-it snappers + and just being crazy wild together.