new words.

we tell the girls we love them all the time. miller says it so often. it makes her happy to tell us that she loves us. its so sweet. at night, for a very long time now, i say to reese "you love your mommy?" she nods. "good, because i love my reesey." and i kiss her goodnight.

when she was dx at 2.5, she didn't talk very well - and in the back of my mind, i always thought about how i have never heard her say "i love you." 

until now. 

reese and miller have started to say "you love me?" or "______ loves me..." all the time. until finally reese turned it around and said "i love you." and yesterday morning "i love you, too..."

melt. 

there's so much she says, lately, that has me laughing. when she's mad, she tells me "you hurt my day!!" she tells me about how she plays outside at school, with chalk. . that her friend tried to bite her, but her teachers say "don't touch your friends". she tells me about how miss amy gives her squeaky kisses and miss michelle gives her the last goldfish. she has to "go to your pack-pack and git your snack. and sit at da' snack table!" she starts stories with "okay..." and then goes on. as if she has to brace you for what she is going to say.

its so fun.

tonight was perfect. after dinner, i tickled miller until she couldn't breathe. reese got on my back and pretended she was a monkey. we took them upstairs, i read pete the cat and some spider book that we've had since aidan was a baby.

this is how i always thought it would be with kids. i didn't think that i'd be talking to nurses about port removal dates and therapists about a "bad arm".

i didn't think that i would be high 5'ing my 4.5 year old for walking into school without her walker, but that was me. (you can watch her HERE.) and i was proud. very proud.

"i not need to ho'd hands." oh yes you do. hold my hand, reesey.... but, instead, she crosses her arms and smiles in defiance and i praise God that she can do all of this.

life has been pretty normal. i try to go to the gym in the mornings, i try to go to the store when i dont have 3+ kids around. i have fall photoshoots ramping up and so i am editing a lot. i am currently planning out my fall decorating list for hobby lobby - the kids want the front entryway to be scary. ;) last wkend we went to the balloon festival. EJ and i also enjoy an amazing night out with carson's crusaders (who sent us to GWL last year...) - we made new friends, drank some wine, and got to know other people like us.

halloween is the next big holiday. i want to hate halloween, but instead we'll embrace it. embrace the pumpkin patches and trick or treating. because reese is here to enjoy it. i am excited for costumes, and walks around the neighborhood. i am excited to make fires and celebrate good days.