The Callihan Clan: 2012

I seriously cannot even begin to tell you how fast this last four years has gone by. We officially have a four year old!! What??? And wow has she grown. I'll cut to the chase from my normal sentimental build up through miles of paragraphs to draw you in.

She started pre-school this year. She goes three days a week for three hours. She absolutely loves it. Last year she went twice a week so she was excited to get an extra day. Everyday she come home she is talking about something new...the moon, China, caterpillars, healthy food, dragons, you name it she probably knows it! Just like her father :) She is so smart and has an amazing memory.

At her last dr. appointment she got four shots and cried :( and Lainey cried out of sympathy for her and then received three shots herself. Not a fun day. But it turns out she is in the 50% for height and weight.
Healthy and happy!

Mayley has had a very big 2nd and 3rd year! She became a big sister and had to get used to the shared attention. But she has been a very loving and helpful big girl. She got potty trained, learned to do almost everything on her own, memorized about every book she owns which is a lot considering I was a teacher, she enjoyed ballet/tap class as well as hip hop. She started swim class and officially wants to be an olympic diver when she grows up and a part time dragon. Here are a few photos of her being 3.

And then there was her 4th birthday! This is where mom wipes tears away. I asked her this year what kind of party she would like to have and she very confidently said, " I want an olympic party!"Well of course she would say that. She had been glued to the TV during the olympics day dreaming of being a diver. So naturally we threw her an olympic themed party.

Note to self! Don't buy red or blue cupcakes=big mess!

Mayley got her wish! She wanted a bike with a carriage on the back sooooo bad. She loves it! We go for bike rides every day and she is getting so good at it. She stops at stop signs to look both ways and won't get on her bike without her helmet :)

Thank you cousin Bayleigh for shoving this cupcake so far up my nose I was blowing blue snot out the next day :)

We did our best to get that one family picture.

Four generations of wonderful women. Me, my grandma, my mom and my two girls. :) So lucky to have these ladies in my life.

I could share pictures for days since well I have a million of them. But I just wanted to give a quick update on Mayley turning four. She had the best time at her party!

As for the rest of us...I have been very busy with photography and am loving it so much. When I am not doing that on the weekends I am enjoying my time at home with my girls and trying to be the best mom I can be. That means occasionally I hide in the corner with a cocktail and chocolate bar in my hand. ;) I have also been training again for a few races I have coming up and I am really excited about them. Brad and I are doing the Tough Mudder and then I will be doing the Ragnar a month after that.

Lainey is almost 1.5 now and is everywhere and into everything. up and down the stairs and into all her sisters fun toys. She is such a snuggle bug and loves to dance and throw wet wipes everywhere. She isn't a huge eater but loves her milk. Her last weigh in she in the 10% for weight and 90th for height! Long and skinny she is. She says, kitty, mom, dad, sissy, wow, eat, milk, more, no, hi, bye, bebe (the cat), bob (its a character in her favorite book), peepee, ugh oh, ouch, bath, I think that's it. I'm sure she says more. She has her 10 teeth, takes one nap, and enjoys the Mickey Mouse Club house, goldfish, books, music, snuggling, and harassing the cat. she is going to be taking a mommy and me swim class pretty soon while Mayley does her big girl swim class.

Brad is still working and working hard as usual. He golfs when he can and hits up the gym at night and then we both lie on the floor together complaining of our aches and thinking we are only 30 something! Well not me...yet. LOL

But hey over all we are doing well! We are all healthy and happy and are enjoying our time together as a family and those fun moments we get with friends and an occasional night out alone. There are some big changes on the horizon so stay tuned as I will do my best to keep up with this blog, aside from my photography blog, photography, running, cooking, cleaning, mothering, wifing, editing, daughtering, chauffeuring, friending, and occasionally melt downing hahahahahha.

Every great once in a while we have the pleasure of visiting our family (Aunts, Uncles and cousins) for a fun filled vacation. This year we decided to take our vacation to the beautiful Sedona Arizona.

~Brad and I were engaged there 8 years ago and named our daughter Lainey Sedona. It is one of our favorite places to go for its calm and beautiful surroundings.

My Uncle Scott, Aunt Coleen, and cousins Laicee and Lyndie met us there for the usual Pierce family debauchery. We had so much fun together playing games, shopping and site seeing and even running (yes, the Pierce girls must get their run on). I really wish I had gotten to grow up with these girls because they are so much like me...or I like them.