Lucca came down the stairs this morning wearing her necklace and bracelet, and when Rustin went to give her a kiss, she stepped back and said "Don't give me kisses when I look pretty, Daddy."

Just a preview of the teenage years I imagine..

How do you do it?

Sometimes there are special little moments in the day that stop me right in my tracks and make me think THIS is why I do what I do. I had one of these moments yesterday at our music class with both kiddos sitting on my lap, another one today while having a lunch picnic in our sunny backyard, and another one teaching Lucca to skateboard while holding Jackson on my hip. Stay-at-home mommyhood was quite an adjustment from my career world, and now with 2 kids there are days that I'm honestly WISHING I was sitting in my old office drinking a hot Starbucks latte in PEACE & QUIET. Wishing I was wearing fancy heels and attending important meetings, wishing I was on a business trip to NYC dining at the latest hot spot...

And then, there are days like yesterday and today that have me thinking I couldn't quite possibly be missing out on these precious moments of my babies lives. I recently read "Motherhood is a short season of selflessness" and that quote has stuck with me. Couldn't be more true, right? Early motherhood is just a season, and a season I'm sure I'll long for once it's gone. It's HARD, it's rewarding, it's exhausting, it's fun and most importantly, it's a blessing.

Working mom friends always ask me HOW DO YOU DO IT? But days like today have me thinking HOW DO YOU NOT?

I guess it doesn't help that I have the most freaking adorable babes on the planet..

My beautiful girl.

Each morning you want to wear make-up. Lip gloss and blush. And tights. No dress, no skirt, just tights.

And sparkly shoes. Tia (Karla) nicknamed you "sparkle" over Christmas and I can't think of a more perfect word that describes you right now...you just SPARKLE. It's true, and everyone agrees.

Every day you ask to go on "adventures" ... and often ask if we need anything at Target or Whole Foods. Yesterday you asked if we needed to go to Old Navy? What the ??

You can't wait for your birthday, when you turn "free" & you often let people know you will be having a kitty party. And then you remind me that on your birthday, you will get to eat pink & white cookies, cupcakes, chocolate, candy and cake. Wow.

You go to sleep every night singing This Old Man. And seven? It's up to Kevin, not heaven. Kevin, Wyatt and Parker. Your first crushes. Amazing that this starts so early. We're in trouble.

Your favorite show is Olivia.

Your favorite book is Good Night, San Francisco (fitting) and a Berenstein Bears book that only Daddy can read.

You like to go on "dates" to Starbucks and drink special milk for a treat. This is fun, and started right before Jackson was born.

Your favorite game is hide & seek with the monkey that Mimi bought you for Christmas. You and Daddy play this foreverrrrr.

Jumping on the trampoline is your favorite activity. And every time you jump, you sing the same song: "It's a hoppy Spring day, Hooray! We want to learn to sing with bunnies" over and over and over.

Some favorite Lucca sayings:

"When I'm 25, I can drink coffee"

"Maybe when I'm 3 I'll be tall enough"

"Love you to the moon Mom"

"Daddy's old, Mommy's new"

Lucca, you are still our gem. Turning into a little lady before our very eyes. Such a beautiful little lady. I always dreamed of having a girl, and you are fulfilling every bit of the girl I dreamed of, and a whole lot more.

2012: gonna be swelve.

While I have yet to post about Christmas, or Thanksgiving for that matter, I do want to blog about my 2012 New Years resolutions. Moving onward :) But for the record, we did have an amazing Thanksgiving in Atlanta and an amazing Christmas in Folsom with our families. So there.

2012 Resolutions ("Goals" to appease those non-resolution types)

Planned date nights. Monthly? That would be rad. I never want to stop dating my husband.

Wear makeup. Feel pretty.

Find a new church/spiritual development

Organize. Become the queen of organization like my mama. OK maybe not that much. This includes meal planning & less trips to Whole Foods at 4:3o.

Read. Books! With a 2-year old and 9-month old, my days are busy, my nights are busy -- but finding a few moments when I can pick up a book and read has already proven beneficial to me.

Print photos.

Open up our home. Friends, playgroups, dinners, etc. I want our home to be an open door.

Happy 2012 people. Our family has adopted the mantra "Work Hard, Play Hard, Have a Ball" this year. Last year was a lot of hard work...this year we want to play just as hard. Hello vacations.