One year with our girls

Eden turns 1 years old this Sunday and I think I am in a bit of denial. In my head, she is only 9 months old and I am very shocked to read "January 2016" on my calendar. Where has the time gone?

2015 was a very busy one for our family with Jin and I running our own separate businesses while raising these two beautiful young girls. Being a parent has many tough moments but watching these two become sisters has been the biggest joy for me this past year.

Looking through photos from this past year, I am amazed at how much we accomplished while the girls are so young. Striking a balance between work and family life will be my eternal struggle but I strive to be better at it with each passing year. I am excited to show you some of my latest work from 2015 but first, let me show you my very best work, the first year of the #Esquaredsisters.

Peek-a-boo toe!

Time is flying by so fast and this little girl is growing up too quickly. So quickly in fact, I didn't even notice that these pyjamas were getting too small for her until her toe bursted out!

I love watching her mastering new skills every day. She can confidently sit on her own and she is obsessed with practicing her fine motor skills with her hands. It seems like yesterday we were just a family of 3 and I couldn't imagine how we would fit another little girl in our lives. But in the blink of an eye, Eden is already 8 months old, my cheeks hurt because she makes me smile so much and I couldn't imagine our lives without this little cherub. She brings us so much joy!

wakey wakey

Eloise is 3 going on 13. Lately she has been sleeping in because it is hard to convince her to go to bed on time with the sun staying up so late. If it is bright outside, why should she sleep too? I can't wait until this 3 year old understands the concept of time.

She will always wake up with a smile if her baby sister is the first thing she sees. So if we have to wake her up to get her ready for school, we just lay Eden down beside Eloise and she will start the day off happy.

They are interacting with each other more and more each day. I love watching how protective Eloise is with Eden, and how much Eden adores Eloise.

Watching them grow is probably my favourite thing in the world. Just please, don't grow up too fast.

little hands making BIG cookies

Nikole had a sweet idea to make chocolate chip cookies with Eloise, something I have not had the extra hands or courage to try with her myself. I was really excited because having Nikole bake with Eloise gave me the rare chance to sit back and watch her learn something new.

They were making Tara O'Brady's Basic, Great Chocolate Chip Cookies from her new book Seven Spoons, but Nikole swapped out the chocolate with Smarties, which Eloise approved of wholeheartedly! She sampled the Smarties throughout the whole baking process, of course.

The results were spectacularly delicious! So much so, that it was celebrated with ice cream, sprinkles and sparklers!

Baking is one of those things I don't do much of but I have been looking for a good chocolate chip cookie recipe, having one on hand is a must I think. I definitely have one now, thanks to Tara's book! And watching Nikole bake with Ellie, it looked like so much fun, she may have given me the courage to bake with her myself.

Beautiful girls

I wouldn't be a mother without these beautiful spirits coming into my life. Thank you for choosing me to be your mom.

Happy Mother's Day.