Things that made our week...last week

This little head

Mark made carne asada

And we had tacos for a week

Our little town

These glass bottles

Dagny

Loving her room

When dishes that aren't put away look like this

Or this

This cute purchase

3 Months of Heaven

Three months with the sweetest, easiest, and most peaceful little baby. She is as smiley as ever, and finally starting to coo. She's a great sleeper during the day and the night. If she feeds around 9 or 10 at night she'll wake up around 5 or 6 in the morning. Next week we will try and move her to her big crib in her own room. Dagny loves everyone. Especially loves to be sung to and doesn't love to be left to entertain herself for very long. She is a wiggler, climber, and scooter. She is a peanut weighing in just shy of 12 pounds and is a long string bean like her daddy. There is so much joy in her face and demeanor. Our hearts are full. 

Two Years

November 24th

Monday is our two year anniversary! Two years with the most wonderful husband. Some say we are still in the honeymoon phase because of how little we've lived together. It's probably true. There is the exciting feeling of new when we get to be together, but also the wonderful feeling of an old love, as if we've been married for eternity. Mark was a fun friend, the most trusting boyfriend, and kindest fiancé. Every day he is a better husband. 

When we were engaged, I was going off to Navy training. We didn't think I would be able to have my phone for 5 weeks so we decided it would be fun to write love letters to each other. Turns out I could use my phone after a couple days if I was sneaky, but we were committed. I pulled out the letters the other day and couldn't believe how awesome they are. We were so sweet. 

On our wedding day Mark had one of his groomsmen bring me a bouquet of roses. With them was the sweetest note.  I'm overwhelmed with how true my husband's words have been and how much he continues to love me. 

Cheers! To two years and what's still to come! 

A Few Things..

Walks that turned into sparkles on the water.

Cinnamon rolls...always.

This pretty morning scene.

Mary Kate left this hat in my car and Dagny took full advantage. 

This exquisite blanket Mark's aunt knit for Dags.

Dagny's red tights that I don't think I'll ever take off of her and this onesie Clem painted for her. 

My favorite view. 

It's been a very happy week for the Blooms.

Waking up with Dagny

Dagny, two and a half months old. Our joyful, wiggly, preferably standing, bald and big eyed cutie. She's happiest being smiled at. Loves to be told she's pretty. She sleeps on her tummy. Tries really hard to talk and coo, but is more of the quiet smiley type. She loves music and dancing. With Grandmama, it's Beethoven, with Pa, it's Gypsy Jazz. Her leg strength and mobility are beyond her age. And as fun as that is now I'm sure we'll regret encouraging it in a month or too when's she's everywhere. We love this happy baby and the joy she's brought us these last two months.

Mark's Home!

Mark made it back to us! What a guy... He drove from Canada to Florida just three days after his knee surgery. He is officially a stay at home dad for the next two months and couldn't be happier about it. Dagny is one lucky girl. Hopefully her hair will grow in as nicely as his. 

My Parents

For as the days of a tree, so shall be the days of My people.

I have been truly blessed when it comes to parents. My mom and dad raised five beautiful children. Everything good in me comes from them. There wasn't a day I didn't feel loved by my parents. They taught me how to love my husband by constantly loving each other. As a new mama, I know how to love and take care of Dagny because of the way I was loved. Ultimately we love eachother as Christ loves us. They just did a really good job showing us what that looked like. 

Since Dagny was born, my parents have gone above and beyond to help me. When Mark had to leave the day after the birth, they were here. My mom stayed the weekend with me and then I went to stay with them the rest of the week. When I came back to work while Mark was in Toronto, my mom took care of Dagny. They live two hours away, but would drive half way before and after a shift. Some days my mom would drive all the way to stay the night so I wouldn't have to drive. I don't think I could of left my baby at such a young age with anyone else. As much as it hurt, I had such a peace about who Dagny was with. 

They shall not labor in vain, nor bring forth children for trouble: for they shall be the decendants of the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring with them. Isaiah 65:23

End of a Season

The season has ended for Toronto FC. The team came up a few points shy of making the play offs. It's very unfortunate for the guys, the city of Toronto, and all of the fans. It's not as unfortunate for me. Mark gets to come home. I am his number one supporter and would of been there till the end. The end as in December 7th, the championship, one month before the next season begins... That's a lot of soccer and not a lot of Mark being home. As much as I support him, my heart wants him home and I couldn't be happier that it's time.

He had an incredible season. It was his first entire year in the MLS. He was hit with two injuries that held him back in the middle and the end of the season. If you ask me, the team started to struggle after Mark got hurt. Probably the reason they didn't make the play offs, but I'm not biased at all. Despite the injuries, he proved he belonged in the big leagues. His second injury was a torn Meniscus that he was able to keep playing on, but it took a lot of maintenance from Mark to keep the knee working. Once the season ended, Mark had surgery so he wouldn't have as much pain playing next season. Now we wait for him to heal up so he can travel home. 

I always teased Mark about how he has it made. He gets paid to do what he loves, play soccer. Tough job Mark. The truth is, it's very tough. It takes more hard work and dedication than I could give. Soccer is 6 days a week, some weeks 7. Practice is early and even earlier is treatment and exercises to properly prepare for the two plus hours of training. It doesn't end there. There's weight training after every practice, video sessions, meetings, rehab, treatment, interviews...it goes on. The team has a chef and kitchen staff that provides the yummiest and most nutritious breakfasts and lunches every day because the guys are there doing so much. The job is even more tough mentally. You have to stay focused every week for 10 months straight. It is draining for me just thinking about it. The fans are not always your fans. The media is not always kind. To just focus on yourself and your game is hard work. Mark is a champ. There's traveling. A lot of traveling. When they play away, their day off for the week is the day they are flying home. There are no days off for weddings, birthdays, holidays. The two months of off season is daily training for the next season. No rest! With that demanding of a job on the body and mind, it's important to play for a team that takes care of you. Toronto FC is top of the line when it comes to taking care of their players and their families. They flew Mark home multiple times and flew me to be with him when Dagny was born. They do everything for you. I was asked weekly if we needed anything. We never really needed anything, but it's nice to know you're taken care of. 

Now that the season has ended and Marks coming home, we decided a break from social media would do us well. He's only here for a short time and it's been a crazy year for us. Mark and I lived the entire year on our devices staying in touch and connected. We just wanted to take a break and enjoy each other in quiet. Twitter is exhausting with everyone reflecting on what went wrong this season and who "they" think should be back next year. Instagram is wonderful as always, but a little addicting. I have a husband home to enjoy, a book on my to read list calling my name. Oh and a baby that demands our smiling faces to smile back at.

Good job Mark! I'm so proud of you and all of your hard work this year! You're an amazing soccer player, husband and daddy. 

© isiphotos.com

Happy Things this Week:

Keeping my heart full until Mark comes home. 

Dagny back in her room! 

Rocco's love for Dagny.

Taking the kids trick or treating in Seaside was the best halloween since Grey Havens Inn days. 

This little smile

My dream come true. A monarch butterfly on my baby!

Cocktail hour with a butterfly. He obviously wasn't going to make it to Mexico this winter, so we got him as close as we could. 

German chocolate cake for breakfast.

Two babies is most definitely better than one. 

Dagny had a bad cold and fought a mild fever all night.



But then she woke up like this.

Just because I'm not sure there's anything cuter.

Hank, and his obsession with Mark's jersey, anything soccer and Michael Bradley. 

Dagny getting bigger.