dear ramona,

you and your auntie beth (we call her A.B.). she takes you swimming and postpones nap time bc she doesn’t want to not hang out with you. she loves you like none other and you get a really big kick outta her. you are so blessed to have so many wonderful people in your family that just simply adore you and have no problem taking time out of their life to hang out with you.

i love you (and so does A.B). love, mama.

a portrait of ramona, once a week, every week, in 2013. inspired by jodi’s project.

these photos taken at the boulder creek during the saturday morning boulder farmers’ market.

dearest ramona,

i’m so very much looking forward to summer w you: creeks and pools and picnics and walks and playgrounds and ice cream and the zoo and bike rides and the market and hammock time. you love the outdoors a bit more than your mama. which is good for me, bc it gets me off my butt and outside to soak up the sunshine. thanks for being my little adventurous one.

i love you. love, mama.

a portrait of ramona, once a week, every week, in 2013. inspired by jodi’s project.

oh mo.

you in the mornings w your bed head. it kills me. and you HAVE to eat cereal w almond milk right away or you get really hangry (like your mama). but once you get to eating, you just ham it up at the table.

i love you, miss mo. love, mama.

a portrait of ramona, once a week, every week, in 2013. inspired by jodi’s project.

dear ramona,

we like baby bottoms on this blog, yes we do.

i love you. love, mama.

a portrait of ramona, once a week, every week, in 2013. inspired by jodi’s project.

dear ramona,

your best friend, max, recently turned two (thus the cookie cake), and you’re not far behind. it’s crazy to think about how fast these two years have gone by — a cliche i’ve tried to avoid saying aloud. but it’s true. it’s absolutely insane how fast the time flies by. and i’m trying to bottle all these moments up and hold onto them bc i freaking love this stage. that’s another cliche i used to roll my eyes at: other parents told me that each new stage of your growth just gets more and more fun. but what could be more fun than a little squish bundled up tight to my chest or back?! but they were right. while i miss those squish days, this stage –this one where you are a walking, talking, bundle of learning and funny opinions and saying “no” on repeat even though you actually mean yes, and wanting your independence while also mimicking every single thing we say and do– this stage is so hilarious and fun and, yes, my favorite so far.

don’t get me wrong: with these new stages and delights there are some days where time drags on and i look so so forward to your bedtime and my quiet-me-time. days where the hours doesn’t go quite fast enough for me and you cling just a little too much when i’m just trying to get a plate of food ready for your little (picky) belly. some days, bedtime seems ages away and the wine comes out a little lot earlier than dinner time. here’s where another cliche comes in: it’s not you. it’s me. usually. some days i just did not get the sleep i needed or there is just a ton on my plate or i could really use a change of scenery but nap times and errands and conflicts just don’t allow. and you might be going through the same things. and our flow, which is usually so great, just isn’t quite happening. and that’s ok. and i can tell you from experience w my mama, that’s how it goes sometimes. but i love you to the moon and back and cross my heart i’ll take all those slow, hard days over and over again just to be w you and be your mama. seriously.

i love you, bean. keep doing what you’re doing. i’ll be here for always. love, mama.

a portrait of ramona, once a week, every week, in 2013. inspired by jodi’s project.