two.

How the heck have two years gone by so fast? My little baby is officially two years old and it's stressing me out. Although I miss his tiny little baby chub, I am loving each new stage this growing up thing is bringing. River is so funny right now, and also very demanding. He is such a sensitive and aware little boy. He is still a mommys boy hard core, and is very shy until he gets to know you. This kid amazes me every day at how smart he is. He remembers everything and associated things I didn't think he could quite understand yet. He blows me away daily. He is creative and brave, and a little bit cautious with a lot of wild. I am so grateful i get to be his mama. It's the most amazing thing I will ever be. 

Some funny things River is saying/doing:

"R is for riv" and points to himself

"Coco wa" =coconut water

If something is small it is a "babyyy" and if something is large it is a "pa" 

I asked him why he is so cute, and he said "pa"

I ask him where he lives and he says "koreee"

He is so good with names and knows all his cousins and friends and dog friends names, and that they live far way on a plane. 

Although the husband and I try really hard not to use the word no a lot with River, he loves telling us "no no" 

"Mo leeee" for mowgli

He loves to tease and pretend to be scared or scare me. 

He knows his colors and my favorite that he says are "lelello" and "puple"

He loves to dance dance and run run. 

He now makes me ride my bike and wants to run behind it (just like mowgli). It's pretty funny and amazing that he can run so fast and for so long. Just yesterday we "ran him" from Central Park almost all the way home. And if we say " good puppy, c'mon puppy dog" he will run even faster. Haha. 

Admist all the chaos of trying to move we wanted to throw a quick pumpkin party get together before we left the states. We celebrated River and Mowgli's birthday with family and friends up the beautiful provo canyon (same spot as last year;)) and we couldn't have asked for more beautiful weather with the perfect scenery. I have about 400 pictures and I wish I could post them all. I'll try to keep it under 100. you've been warned. 

Thank you for all those that came to celebrate. We love each and everyone of you to the moon and back! 

Happy birthday River and Mowgli. We love you to infinity and beyond, and beyond that. 

Love, 

mom + dad

Xo

Changes.

 A lot of changes have been in the works with our little family. The husband accepted a job, which meant I had to quit my amazing job, which also meant we once and for all moved out of our apartment in Vegas, and now means we are currently living in Korea. Of all places. The husband has been working with an awesome company, Doterra, for the last year or so, and has done some consulting for them in Korea, but they have now asked him to reside there, and become an official employee working with their Korean department. Really it was inevitable that we would be out here someday with the husband's background. We have been through all sorts of emotions over the past few weeks trying to get ready for this big adventure. I'll leave that post for another time though;)))  

So we have officially been in Korea for one week. Besides that I can speak about three words in Korean, we are figuring it out;). Also, jet lag is one thing for an adult, but jet lag for a toddler is a whole other ball game. Add to that, we all got colds the very next day we arrived. So between jet lag and sickness, we are finally getting out and about with clear heads. Hallelujah. 

This lasted for about 15 minutes. 

But first donuts. We got off the long flight and went right to the donut shop. By loooong, I mean, River only slept for a few hours. We all deserved a treat. 

We live in bundong. On the 32nd floor.  Which is just outside of Seoul. It's really nice, with parks and a huge river right outside of our apartment building. 

There are massive buildings everywhere you look. And buses and trains and motorcycles. Everything this city boy loves. 

I've based my hate for Korean food off of two experiences, so I wasn't too excited about the food over here. Then the husband whipped up some amazing chopchea and bibimbap, and I was hooked. Yum. River and his dinosaurs devoured it as well. Thanks papa. 

Subway rides are better when there are treats involved. And that goes for almost anything else as well;) 

Shopping is a whole new world over here. 

My tiny love in this big world. It is scary and amazing all at once. 

Why get a gym pass when you can workout at pretty much any street or park you come to? Quick sesh before church;) 

My loves. Here's to adventure. Here's to changes and growing and experiences and learning. I couldn't imagine doing this world without them, and I will gladly take on any adventure with these two by my side. 

Xo

Ps. Mowgli will eventually be with us as well. I will have to post about how to bring a dog overseas soon. It's not an easy task. So for now, our amazing friend and her 4 pups have saved us once again. Like I've said before, I couldn't do this stuff (traveling for extended periods of time) without her! I'm so grateful to know mowgli is safe and happy, because he is my baby. I only cried the whole first night we got here so I am making progress;) thank you Tricia for all you do for us!  

one month

our baby daddy has been gone now for one month...the count down to saturday is for real. its almost like christmas. maybe even better. i am reminded how amazing single moms truly are, but mostly i am reminded how much we love and appreciate our papa. dads are pretty great. we lucked out in that department. i am also super grateful for face time. how did we ever live without it? every morning river wakes up and face times his papa and tells him all about what we did the day before (korea vs utah time zone is not easy to communicate...we are always sleeping when the other is awake). i am so grateful for this time i have had with just me and my two boys. even though some times were super hard, and i/river may have had a couple breakdowns in between, i feel like i have grown the most. i have learned so much this past month, and i have really been trying to fine tune my patience. we have been on lots of adventures, and mostly spent our days in our favorite place...nature. mostly i am grateful that all of my boys are healthy and safe. now come home husband. we miss you. and this mama needs a spa day;) and here is a bit of how our past month has gone...

Tibble fork.

Ranger rides

He'll walk anywhere if he has two sticks in hand. 

Our days are usually on the go-lunch time at cousin, Ryder's soccer game, and getting yelled at by the river-monster. Typical. 

Bike rides every day. 

Our weekly library trip. 

Zoo day. Giraffes are his favorite. 

And dinosaurs. 

Two of river's favorites, tractors and Noah. 

Park city. 

Nickelcade birthday party. His love for motorcycles is still going strong. 

Pool days with our neighborhood friends. 

The best little hiking partner. 

My love. 

Xo

Beach life.

We had to go back to Vegas for a little business, but when we got there and felt that 109 degree weather, we decided to keep driving. We ended up in San Diego (where my home will be someday;)) and spent the next three days exploring different beaches. Mowgli and River were in heaven. I guess the husband and I were too. 

Our daily walk-abouts. 

Sleeping on the beach is always better. 

San Diego is so dog friendly...honestly, that's one of the main reasons I love it. Mowgli and River were able to be free and play all day long. River loves the sand so much he purposefully face plants it and eats it. Ha. He loves building sand castles and race tracks. The best thing we did was buy him some new cars and trucks for the beach...he played for hours! He also ran the beach. Like really ran it. We found a cave a ways down and he literally ran the entire way there and back. Like didn't stop (only to hop over the washed up seaweed, but then continued running). It was the funniest thing to see his tiny legs just jogging down the beach. Also, he never wore a diaper or swimsuit for the past three days either. We may need to find a nudist beach? This kid is seriously happier in the nude. He goes potty in the sand, and then covers it up and keeps playing. It's kinda awesome. I know I keep saying this husband, but we seriously need to live closer to a beach;) ok? Perfect. These past few beach days were a small piece of heaven. Now if only we could figure out how to be on permanent family vacay;) 

my favorite beach bum. 

Xo

 

18 months

yep, three months goes by just like that.  i have a freaking 1 1/2 year old. no more baby. i have an all out boy. we are learning all about boundaries and pushing limits right now. i feel that i am the one being taught most days though. this boy sure is teaching me what patience, unconditional love, and pure happiness is all about.  i am also learning that hard moments are only moments and can be changed into learning, loving, and peaceful moments instead. we just got done with a very looooong week with our baby daddy gone and me working a lot, and this boy having his first experience with being babysat every night....it was rough, but we all learned a lot, and we can now say we survived! or as the croods would say (since thats currently your favorite movie), "still alive!" (yep, i now quote disney movies). ha.

i feel like our days are going by too fast. i want to remember every moment we have together. if i could, i would bottle you up right now and never let you grow up. you are the funniest kid. you remind me a lot of me. you are very shy, but love to perform. you have some legit dance moves too. dance parties at least once a day are a must at our house.  you are gaining more and more independence everyday, but you are still very much a mama's boy. i am ok with it. we have officially stopped breastfeeding as of three days ago, which is bitter sweet. i loved the bond it created and knowing that you are getting nature's best milk, but it is time to move on now, and i think we are both ready. you love eating rice, avocados, peanut butter pancakes, mom and dad's shakes in the morning, string cheese, oat granola bars, and you were an avid black bean lover, but now decided to spit them out anytime i give them to you. you know what candy is and i now have to hide them from you because thats all you would eat. i don't know where you got that sweet tooth from;) you love sharing any snack you get with your dog brother. its so sweet. you also love sitting on him, trying to play tug-o-war with him, and you try and get him to read to you. its my favorite thing, watching you and mowgli interact. we go on bike rides to the park almost everyday. you love wearing your helmet. you are obsessed with the garbage truck. anytime you hear it we have to run outside to watch it. you say "vroom vroom" whenever you hear a motorcycle or fast car,  and "honk honk" when you hear a truck backing up or a horn. you mostly love playing with your cars, tractors, and trains. you can put your animal puzzle together in seconds. you love to "fix" things by taking them apart and then trying to put them back together. i love when you do all the actions to the "popcorn" song or the "airplane" song we made up. you are too smart. you're a master communicator with pointing, signing, and grunting. ha. you say words like "moo" for moon, and a high pitched "go" for where did it go? Hiding things, and hide and seek are another favorite. i just found my chapstick in the couch, and i have yet to find the back of the remote. you are good.

there is so much i could write about you. you are such a strong willed, determined, loving, curious, and smart little boy. i think my most cherished time is putting you to sleep at night, because i usually don't get to do it since i work at night and you are already asleep when i get home. we read books, brush teeth (when you let me), and then say prayers. you are very good at folding your arms during the prayer. then we cuddle in bed and you make me tickle you to sleep. i always give you a few affirmations right before you drift off. you close your eyes and hold so still like you are listening so intently. i am so grateful i get to be your mother. i feel that it is the most important role i have in life. i love sharing in your experiences every day. life is so good my baby boy. 

 i love you river zen. 

xo

15 months

2015 crept right up on us, and before i knew it...I had a 15month old!

While we were in utah my sister did a quick little photoshoot. She is a master, because it was late and river decided not to nap that day. Awesome. I didnt think she even got one shot, but I was wrong.

I am obsessed. 

I love everything about this age (I love all stages and ages though. They are all so different. It's hard to see one stage go, but then the next one comes and you love it just as much or differently). I love watching river's personality shine and grow with each new experience.  He is such a strong, determined, demanding, hilarious, smart, curious, and happy little boy. He knows what he likes and will definitely let me know what he doesn't. He's a mamas boy at heart and is pretty shy until he gets to know you.  He loves his dog mowgli. This relationship is my favorite. Every little boy needs a dog. It's good for their soul. Mowgli has been such a patient older brother while River learns to "be soft". Reading time is another favorite. River will back right up onto your lap and want you to read to him. It's the cutest. Just tonight he backed up onto mowgli (mowgli's face) and wanted mowgs to read to him. Ha. He makes me laugh all day long. River still has a deep love for tractors, and pretty much anything with a motor. He loves brushing his teeth and dancing...sometimes at the same time. He has already mastered spinning and battements and walks everywhere on his tippy toes. He signs more, all done, milk, and is obsessed with blowing kisses. He is still breast fed, but will eat lots of Greek yogurt, broccoli, mac&cheese, and green juice his daddy makes. He loves playing hide and seek, racing his cars, and playing basketball. We bike to the park every day, but instead of playing on the slides he would rather collect rocks (or eat them) or find sprinklers, or throw things in the trash. He's unusual. He does love swinging. 

He loves animals...especially giraffes and crocodiles. He already is a master of distraction at bed time, and will run away once he is naked. He's all boy. And I am completely in love. It's sometimes scary having my whole heart running around outside my body. 

My boys. My loves. My world. 

Xo