Henri is 1!

one year ago was such a happy, happy day for us.
our Henri was born--straight into his daddy's arms and given right to his mama.
he's always been a hearty boy. a good eater. gives great, big smiles. has had tons of teeth for a long time (we're up to something like 13 or 14 now, molars and all)... let's just say the baby can chew his meat just fine.

he's a gentle giant of a babe. and he stole my heart right away this one. he has a great belly laugh and loves to smile at strangers. in the two weeks we've been in albuquerque he's won over quite a few folks from the front of a grocery cart to a high chair in a cafe...

and while this move means a more low-key birthday for our boy (not to mention it's falling on memorial day!), he's still our star today. and even eli will join in to belt out happy birthday!

happy first birthday sweet Henri Beckett!

PORTLAND FOREVER!

packing it up in pdx...

Hello Albuquerque! 

(taken on our back patio... THAT BELLY!)

the house

one of the big excitements of knowing we were moving to albuquerque was a house.
and we found one we really love.
charming adobe style that dates back quite a while...
but with a new kitchen and bathrooms (yes, 2!).
we've never had a house before...
and these boys need one! (not to mention their parents).
it came complete with a huge sand pit that eli calls his beach.
"cool beach" he says when he arrives with his trucks to dig.
and the kitchen almost made me cry when i saw it for the first time... i went from a glorified closet at our last place in portland to this lovely, big one that allows me to cook with children playing underfoot! it kind of blows my mind.

so the house felt kind of easy to jump into, unpack, settle etc. (plus eli digging outside gives one good unpacking time).
here are a few pictures for those who want to see...
not pictured is a guest room! and moon has a dedicated study in the form of a little loft space... it's the only 2nd floor in the house and it's accessed by a spiral staircase. oh, and henri was napping when i took these so no pictures of their room.

cool beach, eli

dining room (two chairs found free in portland just before we moved and reupholstered here)

green chair found on curbside in se portland (and given a good wash at home). 

(but seriously, if you're in portland go check your curbs!)

play room! 

kitchen sink that i love (which helps when dishes need washing)(as does the dishwashing machine)

moon is thankful our first house is in the desert where lawn maintenance is nonexistent

(the house does have a lovely, great big tree in the front)

our room

the end. 

(now come visit!)

We're in ABQ!

Slowly getting oriented.

Emerging from boxes.

The boys have been awesome with all the transitioning.

We love our new home.

Eli loves his new backyard, sand pit for digging, and back porch.

It's exciting, exhausting, and so many things all at once! But we're here, together, in the beautiful, sunny desert and it's good. Very good.

Catching up on sleep. Sweet boy is almost one!

Life doesn't get much better than an excavator with rocks and sand and dirt to dig with! At least for this 3 year old.

Lately

Trucks! He played like this at the park for a long time. Henri and I did the swings...

Eli has started taking his own pictures... via my phone. This is his of daddy...

He was excited to show me his fire truck picture. (Via the cover of his favorite book)

Again his picture of daddy...

Oh packing fun!

And this was my phone picture... Henri wants to grab the tree, Eli is done with the walk, mama is feeling nostalgic on these last walks through our wonderful neighborhood that holds so many memories...

A little goodbye party/gathering over the weekend...

And while we are indeed very busy packing and soaking in our last days in Portland... don't worry, we're still feeding Henri!

Oh, and this was Eli's much anticipated "city bus" tour. He's into all things transportation. 

motherhood

As we prepared to move I was organizing some pictures/files and then pondering Mother's Day, which was spent packing and saying goodbye to friends, and generally a day that got lost in the wash of a move (though Eli and Moon had sweet gifts for me). These images meant something as I realized how much richer my life has become since I began the journey of motherhood.