This day.

Three years ago.

I've said it before and I will say it again and again. He is the diligent, strong and faithful man I could not live without. And I am blessed to be on this adventure called life with him. 

He encourages me, he challenges me, he spurs me on. He inspires me. He is my better half.

 He compliments me, and he completes me.

This is my beloved, and my friend. He's God's goodness poured out on me.

Happy anniversary, my treasure. 

Christmas.

Darn lights get tangled every year. Thanks for helping, guys.

new wheels from Mimi and Grandpa in Michigan.

blocks from Mama and Papa.

Christmas shoes.

Not a flake of snow, but a week+ of rain; we enjoyed our second Scottish Christmas. It was thoroughly merry and bright this year. Love and laughter abounded. My brother flew in from New York City to celebrate the season with us. Surprise gifts arrived in plenty from our beloved homeland. And we are feeling especially blessed this blustery holiday season.

[half] finished.

This man deserves a huge award for all he's done this semester. Today marks the last day, and he finished so well.

He gets student-, father-, and husband-of-the-year awards. For long days and late nights, for perseverance and strength I didn't know existed. For being so diligent, so fervent, so selfless, and loving each and every one of us just how we needed most through it all.

Peter Hopkins, your love and faithfulness are great. You are an inspiration and I am honoured to be your wife.

Cocktails tonight?

39 days with Philippa Byrde

Crying is uncommon.

Smiles are not.

#423 newborn cries that never get old.

#424 the smell of her head.

#425 Skin to skin in the early morning.

Buttery baby breath. White milk tongue. I could write a thousand things I love about our baby.

It all goes so fast. So very fast. I want to remember it all.

She smiles when we talk to her now. Her happiest time is the evening, somewhere around 9. And the smiles and coos last until her Papa swaddles her tight and puts her to bed under the fairy lights.

She's a calm baby, with by far, the biggest eyes and the littlest ears I have seen. Her head is still full (really, full) of dark, dark hair.

She endures 3,749 kisses a day. Per sibling. And I busted Sebastian lifting her off her blanket on the floor just the other day. And today, putting (read: shoving) his paci in her mouth. (He's so helpful). Katharina likes to run to the side of the baby basket when she's crying and rock it back and forth, back and forth. Kind of like a sea storm.

We've all come to love her in thousands of ways. She is just completely adored. Her chubby hands and skinny feet. Her soft, rosy cheeks. The roll in her neck, and her little bird legs.

We are blessed to have been given such a sweet, sweet life.

Baby feet.

If we could bottle them up just now, we would in a heartbeat. Since we can't, we like to capture what bits we can of their little selves.

Our latest Christmas project: Christmas tree feet!

Their reactions to Mama encouraging painted feet were priceless. Sebastian was open minded about the whole business. Like he could totally do it again if the opportunity presented itself. Katharina jumped at the slimy green mess all over her dainty little girl feet. Then she wanted to lick it off. And Philippa, well she hopes it never happens again. It was so not worth being woken up for.

Fun things happen when Mama is on the phone...

Her favourite part is the crinkling paper beneath her feet.

The things we encourage for baby giggles!

Merry Christmas!

Bit of life.

It's been busy around here and we're all quiet tired. I spent the past week or two wishing I believed in those 5-hour energy drinks, to get me through the second half of my day. I do seem to be climbing out of that little rut with the end (and beginning, still) of the semester in sight, and thankful we are!

Peter and I fall (and I think I do literally mean "fall") in bed at night and we say we remember being tired finals week last year with two newborns, but not this tired. And we say we can't wait for rest and why are we so tired and where did the sun go already? This semester has burnt us all out; we are wiped and this coming break is more than welcome.

At some point I'll have to backtrack and write about things not so recent, like my sister's 3-week visit and my first days solo with my three (1 and under). I am very behind. 

But I leave you with these.

tummy time is exhausting.

Sebastian learned a new game.

St Andrew's Day celebrations.

first fireworks.

Scotland!

big eyes and a Christmas jumper.

We try to take a walk to the beach every day. One morning
we left just after breakfast and caught the sunrise. My kids
eat breakfast around 9. Now see if you can figure how many
hours of daylight we have here. ;)

Philippa discovers the sea.

See Sebastian and Katharina at the sea here

1 month || 4 december

She has two hands, two feet, two eyes, two ears. Two chins.

We call her 'Byrdie'.

Her cheeks are big and chubby, and her face is perfectly round. She is entirely kissable.

She smiles when we talk to her, and has eyes for her Papa. She notices him before anyone else, and turns her head when she hears his voice.

Clearly, she takes mealtime seriously. She wakes once at night, and has fallen right into our daily routine. I am thankful.

Her siblings adore her. While Sebastian is protective and gentle, Katharina would like to be her mother by lifting and hugging and pinching her cheeks, thank-you-very-much.

Life is wonderful here. Happy December!