A Tutu and a Tap Shoe

i have waited for this day since i found out i was having a girl. making my daughter do something i am in love with. tap.

today sofia had her ballet class in the morn. and her tap/tumble class in the evening. i seriously teared up just looking at her excited face when she put her outfit and shoes on.

her two, sweet friends from church are also in her ballet class, so she was ecstatic (even though she doesn't look it in the pic)...

i'm so glad and grateful for little alba and violet. sofia needs friends badly and she is always so excited to see them.

she had to have a costume change for tap class...

we decided to add a headband for more dance effect. also, she loves to pose. i love it.

lucas could care less that his sister had her first class today...

still and always will be daddy's girl...

i love this girl.

ps. no baby yet.

A Few Days Left. Tribute to My Two Babies.

i am minutes, hours, days away from welcoming the 5th to our family. third baby. so, i thought i'd write a quick note to my other two babies, because yes, they are still babies.

sofia,
you are two years old. you became a big sister so early in life. you took on the role, and dominated like no other. you love lucas, at least i know you do because every morning you are so excited to see him. an hour after being awake with him, you quickly remember that he shattered your "only child" world and are back to being pretty mean to him. you love to get a reaction out of me. when i ask you to do something, you yell "no," then when i turn around to look at you, you give me the cheesiest smile and say "ok, mom" in a sweet little, perfect voice. you do this a lot, and i fall for it a lot. you still love to eat meat. it still grosses me out, but makes your dad so proud. sausage, deli meat, hot dogs, pot roast, bacon. doesn't matter what kind, you scarf it like an animal. don't worry, i limit it. you walk into a room and say "hey guys, what you doing?" when we answer, you say "oh..." and repeat what we say, as if you know what "studying for class" or "trying to get this stain off the floor" means. you're not sure if your brother's name is lucas or buddy. we love you so much. we love that you're as tall as most 5 year olds. we love that you want to wear a dress almost every day. we love that you know Spanish. we love that you wake us up every morning and sit quietly in our room while you play on dad's ipad so we can sleep an extra half hour. we love how you walk on your toes, as if you need more height. we love that you pray. thank you for being our first born and we know that in the future, you are going to be a great example of a young woman to this baby girl. amo mucho, sofia mae.

lucas,
you are only one year old.you think you are so cool when you wear your sneakers. you put them on, and you have a little strut in your walk like you are the big man on campus. you throw a lot in the trash can. i find spatulas, and sippy cups, and books there daily. you know to put your plate and fork in the sink, and you can reach!  you, like your big sis, are so tall. you only play by yourself when dad's home. when moms home, you want to be carried. you want to stay by my side. you want to climb on me. you say "dad, mama, agua (water), and uva (grape)." you're a picky eater; what kid doesn't like bread? you love music. whenever i'm driving, you and your sister are content when i'm blasting music...preferably ghetto music so you can bob your head.  there is so much we love about you. we love how rosy your cheeks get after 15 minutes of playing outside. we love how your legs are so skinny. we love that you follow your big sis around, even though she's so mean to you. we love that you are the biggest snuggler of the family. you let me kiss you as much as i want. you're obsessed with dad playing hide and seek with you. you're not very good at hiding. you don't understand yet that i'm not going to give you all my attention anymore. but i know you're ready. i know that you know this little girl has to join our family right now. i know that you'll step in and be the protector of your two beautiful sisters. i know you'll look up to your dad and want to be just like him when you grow up, because he really is the greatest man we know. we love you lucas j.

i'm terrified of 3 under 3. but with a husband and dad like jeff, my nerves are calmed. i might not be a mom who is ready, but she chose us. and she chose this time to join our young family. and she knows that i'll love her, because she knows how much i love her brother and sister. bring it on, baby girl. we'll see you soon.

When You GIve a Wife a Kitchenaid...

when you give a wife a kitchenaid, she's going to make you chocolate chip cookies...weekly. and gain some weight. sofia loves to make cookies with me. i really don't know how to use the kitchenaid to make anything else yet, so it's getting good use just for this.

since sofia loves making cookies, and jeff loves eating them, and i don't mind eating them either...you better believe we have perfected the recipe. thanks heather bliss.

 last week making cookies...

two days ago making cookies...

it's getting harder and harder to entertain these kids since i'm now 9 months pregnant. every day sofia asks to go to preschool. it's so not fair. all of her provo friends are looking cute on their first day of school and she's stuck at home with me. she looks 5! come on people. when she starts pre school next year, she'll look like a kinder kid. maybe even a 1st grader.

we still listen to pandora disney daily. lucas is very comfortable with his masculinity and will therefore dance to princess music...



MVI 0071 from Jacqueline Crane on Vimeo.

Dallas, Austin, and a Photo Shoot

we have family in dallas and austin...6 hours away, but better than nothing! we took a quick trip to see my tio, tia, and primos who i haven't seen in over 10 years. then headed over to austin to see jeff's oldest sis and her fam bam.

in dallas we spent most of the time in downtown where my cousin, andres and his new wifey, live. it was a dream...eating from food trucks, going to trendy parks, eating churros with cajeta (mexican thick caramel type thingy), and ate at the best pizza place ever in the chic bishop's district where my cousin, joshua and his new wife, live. my dad's sister, tia chela, hasn't aged in 10 years and when i heard my tio eddie's classic voice, it was like i was 12 years old all over again. 

introducing my new girl cousins who joined our family this past year...

angelee...

and yesi...

i quickly fell in love with these beautiful girls, as did my kids.

thank you family for an amazing time, can't wait to go again.

on to austin...

the wrights are some of the best people in this world. seriously. we are so so so happy that they live in texas. no one treats my kids with the love and care that my sweet nephew, kaleb, treats them.  again, we hung out, went to the movies (which jeff and i NEVER do), and ate at amazing places (arguably the best burger place i've ever been to). i wish i could go up once a month to get the treatment i get there...candy on our pillows and home cooked meals. spoiled.

tio rhino is the biggest BYU fan, and i remember him wearing this wig on game days. so of course we had to get out kids in it too...

don't mind the big pregnant woman stuffing her face in the back...

logan was 11 when i met him. today is his birthday and he is now 16. SIXTEEN? what the what. these teens are so good looking.

who doesn't love tia kelli?

hope you guys stay in austin for at least 3 years. please, please, please.

yesterday sofia wanted to do a photo shoot. weird, huh? but she was so funny, and posed, and looked so old to me that i just had to post them. we by no means, have a nice camera, so i'm sorry for the poor quality shots. but her smile is priceless.

ok, first off, she only wears dresses right now. and when she finds my fedora, there's no taking it away from her. also, she's only 2, even though here she looks 5. she is so so tall.

love this girl. most days. she is so quirky and i feel like i turn around and she's 5 inches taller. i love how tall she is. at this rate, she'll reach my height by 1st grade.

Yep, We Live in Lubbock, TX

i was one month away of living in utah for 11 years.  11! we made the jump to texas for jeffrey to further his education at texas tech. so many changes are happening and i'm a little overwhelmed. lubbock is definitely very different from what i'm used to. san diego and provo. where everyone is outside year round. just in case you don't know where lubbock is:

my in-laws flew to provo, helped us pack up (wow), THEN they drove the uhaul all the way to lubbock so that jeff could be in the car with me and the kids (Wow, capital W). i still can't believe their amazing willingness to do such a selfless act. when we dropped them off at the airport, these were mama crane's words, "thanks sooo much for letting us come to lubbock! we loved it." like it was some kind of vacation or something! all they did was work work work! Thank you best in-laws i've ever had.

anyway. here's my list.

LOVE it:

• everything is sooo close! two targets within 5 miles of my house. 
• costco opening next month
• grid (streets set up very much like provo)
• texas tech university is beautiful- supposedly college football is amazing here and the town turns in to red raider lunatics...i'm excited for this
• our humble home- so fun painting and decorating!
• market street - a grocery store that is bit expensive, but think of sprouts, trader joes type. they walk you to your car and put your groceries in your trunk! love that when i have two kids to strap in carseats.
• family relatively close! we are going to dallas to see my dad's sister and my cousins who i haven't seen in 15 years next week. then visiting jeff's sis in austin!

This is going to be HARD to get used to:

• i can't go on walks with the stroller! sidewalks don't curb down and not every street has a sidewalk! this is bad bc i go on lots of walks with this kids...
• brown, brown, brown. never knew there were so many shades of brown.
• our humble home (humble is another word for "it's old and charming and there are so many things for poor jeff to do")
• i don't have my mom group- this has been the hardest for me. i loved my "mom group" in provo. my age, girls nights, kids my kids ages, did everything with them.
• ash, ceecee, and zoe. my kid's fan club. my sunday dinner family guests. my free babysitters. i'm DYING without these girls.
• No one is outside. ever. do i even have neighbors?? so weird coming from provo where everyone is outside, on walks, running, biking, at parks (even during 100 degree summer and 10 degree winters).

pictures of our before and after house to come...

Lucas J

this boy is growing faster than a weed. seriously. can you believe he just turned one? what?? wasn't i just recovering from delivery? oh, yeah, i feel like i'm still recovering...yet i'm 6 months pregnant with another. sigh.

here's the update on my favorite son. best son, hands down.

weight: 21 lbs (30%) he's so skinny! like father like son
length: 31.5 in (90%) he's so tall! like father like son

someone once called him Taco Jeff because he is a small, mexican version of jeff. maybe that's why i love his face so much. maybe that's why i'm so obsessed with him. maybe that's why i can't get enough of him.

when his hair is wet, jeff likes to play with it...

tia ceecee calls this face the "asian hippo." i hope that doesn't offend anyone. he has buck teeth like a hippo.

my kids are total carnivores. sofia would eat 10 sausages if i let her. he loves bacon. it's kind of gross. they get that from jeff.

we picked our cherry tree this week, so i had to include some cute pics of sofia. she just looks so big and grown up...she's only two. two. can you believe that?

my favorite boys. ever.

grandma rachel bought lucas this wagon for his first birthday. the cadillac of wagons. equipped with an umbrella, 6 cup holders, cooler, and it turns in to a bench seat. a-m-a-z-i-n-g. jeff and i want an adult size one. and for someone to pull us around in it. p.s. they aren't making weird faces, they are eating grapes. fitting, right?

they are obsessed with the wagon. we use us twice daily.

sofia ate her first cupcake at 1. so we did the same for lucas. ps. this is NOT a shirt, it's a big bib...

lucas j,
your father always calls you "lucas j jefferson j." you are walking like crazy. you have a very high, kind of girly, squeal when you cry. you're really tough considering you have to defend yourself daily from your big sis. you still want mom to hold you all the time (which is not fun with my 6 month belly). we call you "pigeon" because you walk from person to person with your mouth open during dinner time, and will eat anything we put in your mouth (but not when you're in your high chair). you kick both of your feet, frantically, when you're excited (we compare it to a puppy wagging it's tail). you smile at everyone. you are the biggest cuddle bug ever. and not just with me or dad, with anyone who will carry you. we love how you bob your head any time you hear music, and how you applaud whenever there is applause on tv. i can't tell you how much i love you. you have made my life so wonderful this past year. i'm so obsessed with your face. sorry i kiss you so much. i really can't help it. love you every time your heart beats. happy birthday (last week).

mom and dad.

Sisters Forever

last month i got to go to san diego (kid free) and it was the first time us 4 hermanas we together, in one state. i love my sisters so much, each one for different reasons.

ceecee. just got home from her mission. just moved in with me and jeff for a few weeks till she gets on her feet. we've missed her so much, but we're so grateful for her example of serving a full-time mission for our church. she has changed so much and my kids are LOVING living with her. i am so glad you're my sister.

candice. today's your 30th birthday. i can't believe it. i still remember playing cars and barbies with you. walking home with you when you were a big 6th grader. fighting over the remote (and hiding it) with you in high school. you are such a natural mom. so beautiful because there's not a bad bone in your body. i'm so glad you're my sister.

melody. the oldest. and wisest? not only are you the best party planner i know, and the BEST restaurant picker on the planet, but you also know how to make people feel special. you've always played the role of big sister to us, making sure to protect us all. I'm so glad you're my sister.

ariel. honorary sister. we've always counted you as our sister since the day you moved in with us. we fight with you just as much :). you spoil me. you spoil my kids and i wish you lived next door because i know you'd wash my dishes daily and make me (and sofia) as many scarves as we wanted. I'm so glad you're my sister.