expo hopping

when i was at the doctor a couple weeks ago i saw a poster for "girls day out" a free event sponsored by intermountain held at the davis conference center. it mentioned free massages, health screenings, and hilary weeks...best part of it all, it was free! i was sold! i talked mom and chrissy into coming with me and we made a day of it.

we had a great time together. anytime you get me in a setting with lots of exciting things, and free!!, i get giddy. plus, being back at the dcc is always a happy thing. you add spending hours with mom and sister into the mix and you have the workings of a fabulous day.

we walked into the event and had a special photo taken (still waiting to see it!) and were handed a free bag to pack our loot around and entered our name into a drawing for some prizes. (lucky chrissy found out yesterday she won an adult size minky couture blanket. to say i'm jealous would be an understatement. it was at the expo that i found out that they really did make those in adult sizes. i always said theys hould, a soft cozy blanket... i always steal gracie's, but if i could just have my own, oh heaven. chrissy is a lucky duck!) we walked into the expo hall and were each handed a beautiful rose thanks to costco. then we waited for a few minutes and were treated to a free chair massage. from there, we made our way from booth to booth and were given free goodies and lots of great info on our health and baby's health too. we had mini makeovers, healthy snacks, and mostly enjoyed watching gracie and kellen play together.  we stood in the back (because babies were a little fussy) and heard hilary weeks sing some beautiful songs.

after a lunch break, chrissy and kellen had evening plans so mom, g,  dad, and i stopped by sweet tooth fairy for our free mother's day cupcakes (sooo delicious!) and then headed to south towne for the dream home expo.  we were all a little bummed at the actual show, but we enjoyed being together and mom and dad had a fun time hanging in the hot tub!

my sweet little bug did so good all day long! she fell asleep in the car and woke up when we stopped by the store on the way home, she was a bit frazzled for a minute. and as soon as she saw me, the tears stopped. she is such a sweet baby! i love that she can be my little buddy and we can enjoy days like this together.

and of course, she enjoyed the free stuff from the girls day out too! my little buddy, how i adore her! and i'm a fan of expo hopping too... makes for a great saturday with the family!

six months

dear gracie girl,

today you are six months old! for each day of the six months you have been here with us you manage to steal my heart more and more everyday. even when i think you have my whole heart already, you go and show me that there is still more room for it to grow with love. thank you for helping me to enjoy every little moment, and for helping me to learn it's okay to be still. i treasure our quiet moments together, i love feeling your chest cuddled up against mine and watching your back rise and fall as you sleep with your head on my shoulder. i love brushing your silky cheek against mine and i adore the way your eyes sparkle when our gaze meets. it melts my heart every time you grab for my shirt or my hair when you nurse and you look up at me with your happy blue eyes and grin.  when i hug you and you nuzzle up to my neck i feel like the luckiest girl in the world to be blessed enough to be your mommy. 

my new favorite thing you do is rub my back when i hold you. it is the sweetest thing, your little hand just goes back and forth on my shoulder  as you sit on my hip. you, my little bug, are the sweetest girl! you have such a gentleness about you, even when you pull my hair or grab for my necklace you are so dainty and delicate about it. 

you are beginning to give your smiles more freely, especially when it's a familiar face smiling back at you. your biggest smiles are still reserved for daddy! i love that most of the time, no matter what you are doing, when you see me your eyes light up and you greet me with the biggest smile. 

you love to "sing"! your favorite is when you have your baby einstein toy that plays music. you get that in your hand and make noises as if you were singing right along with the music. you sing along to the radio, you sing along when we're at church and you love when i sing itsy bitsy spider. many times i have sang that song on repeat, over and over, and over. when i stop, you cry. so i sing it as many times as you want. 

it is so fun to see your little personality become more and more playful. you continue to show more interest in toys and love to explore and discover anything that your hands touch, and it typically goes right to your mouth. you love to grab my hair and for some reason enjoy eating it.  you still love for me to be really close to you while you play, and you can entertain yourself for a bit longer if i'm nearby. even though you can roll over you are content to lay on your back and play with toys or suck on your toes. it's a different story when you get excited about things,  then your little arms and legs move as fast as you can get them to go, which makes you look like you're a little birdie trying to take flight! 

you are now eating solid foods. you love eating off the spoon and practically face dive into the bowl you are so excited to eat something. but, you seem to be more excited by the idea than the actual taste of the rice cereal. you also love drinking water out of a sippy cup and have a lot of fun with that!

every day i wonder how i could possibly love you so much. i knew i would love my babies and i knew they would be cute... but you, my little lady, surpass even my grandest dreams and expectations. your spirit is so special and i know you are here to make me a better person. thank you for showing me that even in this crazy world an unending amount of peace and joy can be found in even the smallest of people. this world, as crazy as it is, will be better because of you. this world is yours my princess.

love you forever and ever,

♡mommy

a day for the moms

we have one day of the year set aside to celebrate those women we have to thank for brining us into this world. bringing a child into this world is no easy task. and let me tell you what, 9 months of carrying a baby plus 6 months of nurturing one... this mother's day i have more love, respect, appreciation and absolute gratitude for my sweet mom and all she has done for me. 

happy mother's day mommy, i love you! thank you for bringing me into this world and thank you for believing in me.

not only am i blessed to have an incredible mom, but i am blessed to have an incredible mother-in-law as well. lynne is truly one of the sweetest women i have ever met. i am so grateful to her for bringing craig into this world. what a blessing it is to be part of the harnois family and to witness the kindness and pure goodness of mama lynne firsthand. 

as i celebrate the moms in my life and reflect on their examples of love and devotion i am filled with gratitude for their selfless service and constant care. in addition to that, i am filled with extreme gratitude for the opportunity i have to celebrate the fact that i am a mother. my biggest dream has come true.

i love being a mom. love it.

this sweet little soul came into the world and changed me for good. that day, that moment, when i held her in my arms for the first time is a moment i will never forget. the memory is so precious to my heart and so strong that i feel as if i could almost reach out and touch the moment again. 

every single day since my sweet girl came into this world i wake up with a renewed purpose in life. (even if my eyes are blood shot and my circles are heavy!)

each day is filled with an adventure of new experiences and new lessons. reading books, singing songs, giggling, and lots and lots of hugs and kisses fill my days and i wouldn't have it any other way. she lights up my life and truly makes my dreams come true.

being a mom is the most precious gift i could ever ask for. having a mom to turn to, to call in times of worry or lean on a shoulder in times of sorrow is something i have always been grateful for. and now, my very own shoulders are being leaned on by my little girl. for now it's just to rest a tired head, but someday she may shed tears on these shoulders and i'm so grateful to have the opportunity to be here for her to do that. and it's thanks to my mom that i am.

i never knew a little person could bring so much joy, and love. it's a miracle my heart hasn't burst! i count each day, each minute i have to spend as a mother, an incredibly treasured blessing. the walks in the park, singing itsy bitsy spider on repeat, changing stinky diapers, kissing soft cheeks, smiling at her big blue eyes, holding her as she sleeps.... these moments are what i live for. yes, even the stinky diapers. and i wouldn't have it any other way.

 so today as i celebrate my wonderful mothers and all the women in my life who lift me up and have shown me love and support, i will also be celebrating the fact that i am a mother. i will hold my sweet girl and be grateful for every single moment. even the moments she cries and i don't know how to calm her, for those big dark circles under my eyes from lack of sleep, and for the spit up on my new shirt...because even in those moments, i am living my dream.

leaving on a jet plane

the day comes when we have to say "see ya later" and it's always an emotional day for me. the anticipation of the flight causes me enough anxiety as it is... but add that to the sadness that comes with leaving and it makes for quite the day. those travel days are never my favorite. but, all good things must come to an end. or so they say... i don't really think i agree with that, but that's a conversation for another day.

our little family headed to lunch with both sets of parents in salt lake at tony caputo's. craig and i ate there the day we had our engagement photos done and were excited to go back. my parents had never been and being that it's an italian market and deli and the fact that my dad is italian, i figured it'd be a hit with my pops. but, i didn't realize just how big of a hit. we sampled some delicious (and incredibly pricey) cheeses, wandered around and looked at the chocolates, noodles and meats. and then i saw my dad light up like a kid in a candy store. he found an authentic italian candy that was the same thing his dad would buy for him when he was a kid. it made my heart happy to see him so excited.

we all enjoyed a tasty lunch, you can't go wrong with good food and great company! we snapped a couple photos, gave some big hugs and off we went. lynne drove us to the airport and i held back the tears as long as i could. as soon as we stepped into the airport i felt my eyes fill up tears. leaving our families is never easy. 

baby girl entertained us with her big blue eyes and adorable, silly faces while we waited to board our flight. as soon as we got on the plane she was interested in inspecting everything. we stared out the window for a minute, looked at the reading light over head, flipped through a book and after take off and some milk she was getting very sleepy.

our sweet bug was so tired she fell asleep as craig was holding her out in front of him. one second her eyes were heavy, and the next her head was dropped to the side and she was off in dream land. craig snuggled her in and she slept for a bit. being that this was only her second flight (and we are still new at traveling with a little one) we were all a little anxious. but, she did wonderful!

after her little nap she read a book with her daddy and then she watched 'itsy bitsy' and listened to the song over and over. and over. and over. and over again. whatever keeps her happy! (she looked like such a big girl with those headphones on her ears like that!)

we landed safely and back to home we went. as hard as it is to leave family, pulling into our garage that first night back felt so wonderful. walking into our home i realized this was home. no matter how much utah will always feel like home, it's really not anymore. and as sad as that is, i'm okay with it. really, for me, as long as i have my hubby and our sweet girl, we can create a home wherever we need. some say home is where the army sends us. and as the canvas on our wall says, i say, home is wherever i'm with you... my sweet man and our little bug. the three of us, we can create a home anywhere.

pasqua means easter in italian

easter has always been one of my favorite holidays, and the fact that my maiden name means easter in italian is just even more reason for me to love it. when i realized that we would be in utah for easter this year i was ecstatic. i was so happy baby girl would be able to experience her first easter with family around. and the thought of making easter bread with my dad and sis nearly brought tears to my eyes.

last year easter was....different. my sweet husband, bless his heart, made us a delicious dinner including homemade bread. i tried my hardest to eat some of it, but thanks to baby in the belly i was a sick mess and lost the few bites i was able to get down. so i was excited to try again this year and enjoy some yummy food and experience baby girl's first easter together.

auntie tiff and the packer pack sent g and kellen cute little easter baskets. they loved the fun surprise almost as much as i did! 

the easter bunny brought gracie some new socks and a few other things she needed. (for now the easter bunny can get away with bringing her needed items instead of something fun for her. although, she had a great time sucking on her new socks!)

i love going to church on easter sunday. (that sounds funny... i love going to church every sunday, but especially easter sunday.) there is just something special about seeing families together and knowing that people all around the world are celebrating our Savior. what a gift! and being at church with family is always a blessing. we went to sacrament with craig's parents and then our little family of three enjoyed a beautiful sunday stroll around the cemetery after stopping by craig's grandparents graves.

dad, chrissy, and i made easter bread saturday and were excited to eat it with easter dinner. it was so fun to have gracie and kellen join in the tradition this year. (and by join i mean pose for pictures and cause dad to spend a bit of time alone making the bread due to milk breaks for the babies. we do what we can!) traditions are so special to me and every year when i make easter bread i think of my papa and making the bread with him, and the year he and dad spilled flour all over the kitchen floor. it's not even that the bread is that delicious to anyone else, but to me, i think the specialness of the tradition makes it taste divine!

grandma pat came over for dinner and we enjoyed a tasty meal thanks to mom and dad. i can never get enough family time. what a blessing it is to have a family that i enjoy spending time with!

mom and dad know that we are all kids at heart and love hunting for eggs, so they hid some money filled eggs in the backyard for the four "big kids" (aka craig, me, chrissy, and cam) to find. when it comes to egg hunts i mean serious business. (they could have been plastic eggs filled with air and i would still take it just as serious. something about egg hunts... i just love it! i'm a dork, i know.) we had a great time hunting for eggs and gracie and kellen enjoyed watching, as did mom and dad and grandma.  as we got close to the end i was hoping my dad would help me cheat kindly offer me some guidance, but no luck. i followed him around like a shadow hoping for any little hints. truth of the matter, neither he nor my mom were quite sure where the last egg lay. so, the four of us big kids went inside the house while they found the missing egg. once the egg was found, mom told chrissy and i where it was hidden and then we blind folded craig and cam. we started them on opposite sides, equal distance from the last egg and chrissy and i gave our men directions to the egg. we could only guide them by words. it was quite entertaining to watch the boys as they were not entirely sure where they were stepping or where we may be leading them, and then they dug as fast as they could in the rocks to find the last egg. craig and i came out victorious and were happy to be the winners!

nonni and papa (aka my mom and dad) spoiled gracie and kellen with easter baskets. cute toys, a book, an outfit and the softest stuffed bunny made for one happy girl and boy. the adults had fun watching the babies enjoy their toys and especially enjoyed watching them try to eat each other. these babies are such good sports and happily oblige us for photo sessions. seriously though, how can you not just want to eat them up?! they are both so adorable, i can't get enough!

and so, there you have it. i'd call our girl's first easter a smashing success. she was spoiled rotten, we made easter bread, enjoyed the beautiful spring weather, spent time with our wonderful families, and most importantly, reflected on the life and sacrifice of our Savior. what a beautiful holiday.

cheering for the jazz

sure, they didn't do too incredibly well this year. but they did good. and it was fun to cheer on the jazz. especially when daddy treated all of us to a jazz game. it is always fun to watch games, but even more fun when you get to watch from inside the arena. and even more fun when you get to watch from inside the arena with your family. and even more fun (yes, i am really doing this...) when you get to watch from inside the arena with your family and your baby, for her very first jazz experience. 

before the game we ate a yummy dinner at happy sumo. oh sushi, i missed you. and then we walked over to the game. (not without me gracefully tripping over the trax tracks with baby g attached to me in the ergo, all while sending my big toes straight through the weathered fabric of my toms. yes, they now both have holes (and don't worry friends, i finally stopped wearing my holy shoes...) oh, and g and i were not hurt. not physically anyway, my pride took a little hit as i put on a show for all the stopped cars and trax goers. not to mention my family, who always enjoys a good laugh at my expense. but, so do i... so i'm glad i could provide the entertainment. speaking of entertainment...) 

the jazz game was so fun! and gracie loved it. well, mostly. 

there were a few times it was a bit much for her. and to be honest craig and i were hesitant to even take her. but if we didn't take her, then we didn't go. well, i didn't go. (baby girl still wont take a bottle!) so we bought her some ear muffs to help cancel out some of the noise and we ventured to the game. at the very beginning she was completely in awe at all the lights and sounds and action, mesmerized by it really. at one point, i think she started to have a bit of sensory overload and it was all a bit much for her to handle. once we got the ear muffs on and things weren't quite as noisy she just stared, and stared, and stared. she was loving it! and oh man, i love her cheeks!

she zonked out and slept so cozy right up against me. it was so much fun having her there with us to experience her first nba game and create such a fun memory! i couldn't even tell you who won the game (or who the jazz played for that matter... man, my memory is going fast.) but it was such a blast to be there with the family and cheer on our favorite team.

thanks to daddy for another fabulous night! three cheers for dad.... hip hip hooray! for he's a jolly good fellow..... (okay, so maybe only my family thinks that's funny but often times when we all go out one of us will start that saying "three cheers for dad" and we all chant "hip hip hooray" three times and then bust out singing "for he's a jolly good fellow". dad gets embarrassed and tells us to knock it off and we sing as loud as we possibly can. the best is when we do it in a public place. like the parking garage after a jazz game!)