insta-october

you guys, my poor neglected real camera and blog have some serious jealousy of my iphone and instagram... it's just so easy to keep up there outside the world of lightroom and photoshop and blog editing! i did actually pick up my camera yesterday though and it felt good!
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here are some instagram photos from october. all of these pictures are sooo fall-ish and i love it! fall in colorado has absolutely been *amazing* guys. unseasonably warm and i couldn't be happier!
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i tried to make an effort to do more stereotypical halloween things this year. in ohio, we had so much family around that holidays always seemed special and filled with things to do. in colorado, we have to be much more intentional about it since it's all up to us. maybe it's strange but i'm just not naturally into holidays but this year we did the pumpkin patch, 

carved pumpkins, went to trick or treat street

  and had a fabulous night trick or treating with friends. ( <- that part no one had to talk me into! )

october skies // i'm already missing the pinker summer sunsets - the sky is changing so much!

// i will definitely miss all the free clothes i got from work // 

// the mountains in the fall guys... horses in front of the mountains in the fall guys... //

// me + my babies headed to trick or treat street. aren't they absolute babes? //

// more mountains in the fall ... this stuff never gets old //

pretty fall feels at the coffee drive thru // rose gold lip stick from the dollar store. 

( i buy all my lipstick from the dollar store! )

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 i hope you all had a beautiful october as well!

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are you following me on instagram? @bygillianclaire

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leave a comment if you find me so that i can follow back!

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fall closet planning.

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     One of my favorite bloggers, Bridget, made a comment on a similar post about how it's that time of year when bloggers "get to fashion collaging," and it made me laugh because duh, it's true. So here's another collage to add to the internet!

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     My closet is in some desperate need of help. I have way  too many clothes right now. Half of them I don't wear or don't like but I'm being a weird hoarder and can't figure out which to let go of. It's not normal for me to be so unorganized and so un-minimalistic but it's a busy time of life for me and things are piling up and getting out of control. I have to wear athletic clothes to my everyday job now and between work/going to the gym/staying home with my babes it's becoming increasingly difficult for me to every need to put real clothes on! 

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     I did have a lot of fun scouring fall things online and trying to decide on a few staples that I'd love to have, or already have, to give me some inspiration. You will notice, however, that there aren't any "real" pants featured because, well let's be reasonable... 

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1. Graphic Tee from Old Navy: I love cute tee shirts like this and I'm obsessed with the little cursive writing on the side of the one. My favorite kind of graphic shirt though are ones with a scooped neck and I can't seem to find any cute ones anywhere. Help?!

2. Criss Cross shirt from SheIn: I'm really into shirts that have criss cross detail and this one would be perfect with leggings! Have you ever ordered from SheIn? They seem to have a ton of cute stuff.

3. Bralette from Aerie: I love the look of these lacy bralettes under shirts but I haven't yet bit the bullet and bought one. I thought they would just be a summer thing but apparently they are here to stay and I need one.

4. Leggings from Old Navy: Leggings all day everyday. I hate pants pretty much with a burning passion right now. Truth be told, these Old Navy leggings that I already have are the yoga leggings from the athletic section. I wear them as regular leggings because they are slightly thicker and better quality and let's just say, finding leggings that aren't completely see through is a real problem for me. ( Big butt problems. )

5. Flannel from American Eagle: I seriously have no flannel shirts anymore and I feel like this a crime. I love the colors on this one but I haven't tried on any flannels from American Eagle so I'm not sure how they fit. Where is the best place to buy cute flannels - tell me!

6. Adidas Superstars: I died when I saw that these came back in style because these were huge when I was in middle/high school. I still remember buying my first pair with baby blue stripes from the mall when I was in the 8th grade. 

7. Necklace from Elisabeth Ashlie: I love wearing little gold necklaces like this. Unfortunately I always ended up buying cheap ones that break or get rusted. I need to invest in a couple better ones!

8. Suede Boots from Old Navy: I love boots for fall obviously and already have a few pairs but I think I need these also; I love that they are flat!

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What are you buying for fall? Give me inspiration; I need it!

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Happy Monday y'all!

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*some affiliate links used*

my favorite money making apps!

*This post includes affiliate links*

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Guys, I am always looking for alternative ways to make money. I got pretty excited a couple years ago when I discovered that apps exist where you can earn gift cards and cash! There are a ton of different options but these are my top 5 favorites that I've found to be most successful!

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Shopkick // 

There are a few different ways to earn points using Shopkick. My favorite and easiest way is to "check in" at different stores. You literally just open the app on your phone and click on the store that you are currently inside! Points can also be earned by scanning selected items inside the store or connecting the app to your credit card to earn points with purchases. Points can then be cashed in for gift cards. I always get the Target gift cards and they can be scanned at checkout right off the app!

Use my code: FUN321438 and get 250 free kicks after your first walk-in!

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Ibotta // 

The rest of the apps that I've included are receipt scanning apps which require you to scan your receipts to earn points or cash back. 

Ibotta is my favorite receipt scanning app because I've been able to make the most money back this way!  Ibotta has many different categories from which you can earn rebates including grocery stores, restaurants, retail and beauty purchases. The easiest way to earn money is from grocery purchases. Each week there is a different list of grocery items from each store that is featured on Ibotta. Some of the items are brand specific (such as Eggo Waffles) but they also include generic options like bread or cereal. You go through the list selecting each item that appears on your grocery receipt, scan each item's barcode and then scan the receipt using your phone. You then receive the money you've earned! 

It sounds tedious when I'm typing out each step but it really is quick and painless especially when you realize that you are really making money this way! One of the best features of this app is that when you hit $20 you can withdraw the money through PayPal. This app is how I paid for a new pair of boots last winter!

If you sign up using my code: tddfoyb you'll start off with a free $10!

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Checkout51 // 

Checkout51 is another app that allows you to scan items you've purchased as well as the receipt to earn rebates. This app doesn't feature as many products and I've found that it takes longer to earn money back than Ibotta. However, if you're already going through your receipts for the Ibotta app, you may as well be adding on a little extra money by checking the Checkout51 app as well! This app allows you to receive a check after you've hit $20.

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Receipt Pal // 

Ok the next two apps I've listed are pretty cool because they are receipt scanning apps that allow you to earn simply by scanning the receipt and nothing else! You don't have to look through for certain products; you literally just scan the entire receipt and you're done. Receipt Pal lets you scan receipts from grocery stores as well as restaurants and retail stores! For every 4 receipts scanned, you earn 100 point which add up to be redeemed for gift cards.

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Receipt Hog //

This is another easy app that gives you points for simply scanning receipts. This app also has little games built in and sometimes you can earn extra points this way. Points can be redeemed for Amazon gift cards or cash through PayPal. This app is how I feed my amazon show addiction!

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Have you tried any of these apps or have any other faves to share with me? 

What are your favorite easy ways to make a little extra money?

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*I've included a couple affiliate links in this post.*

custom cards with Basic Invite (+ a free halloween printable!)

* I was compensated for this post. All words + opinions expressed are my own. 

Thanks for supporting my family by reading along; I truly appreciate it!*
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     I'm partnering with Basic Invite today to share a little bit about their "truly custom" invitation website! Basic Invite gave me the chance to try out their site for myself and these are some of the adorable thank you cards that I picked out! In the thank you card section alone, there are over 600 cards to choose from, each of which can be completely customized! Needless to say, it took me a while to choose and I had so much fun playing around with the colors to make them just perfect! 

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     Basic Invite offers hundreds of lovely custom options for wedding invitations, birth + graduation announcements, holiday cards and more! Their site is super easy and fun to use. I'm so happy with how the quality of my cards turned out as well; the card stock and envelopes are both great quality.

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     Do you have experience ordering custom invitations? Which websites have you used? Working on this post reminds me of when I was planning my wedding and hand painted Chinese symbols on all of the wedding invites that I made myself: true story!

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Use code 15FF51 for 15% off your order!
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Be sure to check out the free printables section where Basic Invite is currently offering this adorable halloween party invitation, free to download!
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Happy Monday!
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insta-summer and a quick hello!

It's been a while! My kids (yes, both kids! Ah!) are back in school and I'm attempting to get back at blogging! My computer has been gone being fixed most of the summer, and I haven't even touched my camera, *but* I have been keeping up on Instagram so I thought I'd share some of my faves from this summer.
. opening night at my end of the year show for school! i only took one class last year and i worked on a self portrait project called "portraits of motherhood" which pretty much sums up the emotions i've felt over the past year: exhaustion and introspection. i was glad to be chosen for the show and to catch up with my artist friends. the angels seriously sing for me when the weather warms up and i can get these rambunctious little boys out of the house and to the park every evening!colorado summer skies are my absolute favorite. i can't even; they are so special to me.

sillouette shots at the park are also my favorite.weekend trip to breckenridge, a ritzy little ski town.
we spent a good amount of time down at the river this summer. there is nothing more magical that sparkly summer water, especially nestled within the mountains.
lots of splash park nights this summer, and it was so sweet to see asher finally get the courage to play in the water! <3neighborhood bike rides, more park nights... ok we basically *live* at the park.

my sisters came to visit this summer! our trip was perfect. these girls are such a big part of my heart and we had an amazing time being our ridiculous selves as usual! 

we took a little day trip into Cheyenne with my sisters, such a sleepy old town. we went on a carriage ride, had lunch and adventured around. 

with my sisters we also hiked to the top of a waterfall and oh my goodness came across this dreamy pool at the top. 

we ended up taking an impromptu family trip to ohio. these pictures were taken in nebraska/eastern colorado. always nice to see the fam!

the boys and i on our way to a friend's house for a cookout. 

we loved having wednesday night cookouts at adrienne's! summer grass // green tea frapps 

both summer staples.dandelions are forever my favorite flower // my own little flower turned *5* and we had an aboslutely wonderful day celebrating our asher.

we had lunch at a janky little restaurant in ault. there were flies everywhere and sticky syrup dripping on the walls as expected but dang this mural wall - worth it.
this picture was taken the night that the boys and i went back to school shoe shopping at Kohls/Famous Footwear and had dinner at iHop. i'm actually tearing up just looking at this picture. i can honestly say that this night was just perfect.

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i hope you all had a beautiful summer!

i'm excited to get back into this space and also to catch up on reading all of my favorite blogs as well!

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happy friday!

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here's to the lilacs.

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     The early flowers of spring bring me back something fierce to my childhood. My middle sister, Hillary, and I were born exactly a week (and almost 5 years) apart. Her birthday is April 28th and mine is May 5th. Then there is Mom's birthday on May 14th and my Dad's follows hers on May 17th. 

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     These weeks bring back strong memories of lilacs and joint sister birthday celebrations in the 90's on Broad Blvd. All the chairs pulled into the living room and Mom and Dad taking pictures of sisters smiling with their new huffy bikes. Homemade pinatas (seriously my mom was the Martha Stewart birthday queen) and birthday games in the yard. Running back and forth over the neighbor's cracked blacktop driveway. A couple weeks later Dad would make strawberry dessert cups for Mom and Mom would bake a chocolate on chocolate cake decorated with Hershey kisses for dad. There were always, always photos, blowing out the candles at the dining room cast iron table. Perfectly simple, wonderful celebrations with balloons taped to the corner cabinets and all. 

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Years later our littlest and last sister would join the family on March 17th, a little earlier in the season but capping our 2 full months of celebrations as a family. When Aaron and I married, it was March 18th, and when my Dad passed away, 2 years ago, he left on the 27th of April. One night before Hillary's birthday and 8 days before I turned 28. Squeezed in between all our springtime family celebrations; tulips in full bloom outside of his hospital room. Fitting I'd say. 

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     Now years later, things have certainly changed. I'm walking in the warm spring evenings in Colorado now with two little kids of my own and we always go down the alley with the lilac bushes. The smell takes me back, like a bizarre time machine of sorts, to these exact same weeks all those years ago... when our very own overgrown lilac bush was in full bloom in the backyard and mom would take clippings for our birthday table. 

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     So I sit here on my Dad's birthday eve; sifting through the ups and downs of the last two months. One day wishing Hillary a happy 25th birthday and the next morning waking up to remember the day that my dad passed away. This year was my 10th wedding anniversary and I turned 30!  Big things amidst years of uncertainty and trying to figure life out. Dad has been gone for two years now and it's a strange, hard point of grief for me. I live so far from family now, but there have been many calls and cards back and forth these last 2 months. Of course the cards for my sisters and mom are still on my counter because everyone knows I'm scattered as hell and presents from me are habitually late.

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     I'm missing my dad something fierce tonight. I'm thinking and knowing it's unfair that he's gone. I'm wishing I had things more "figured out" in life. Feeling frantic and like I've failed these mega-milestones that I hit this year. Marriage and relationships are totally beyond my expertise and turning 30 hardly has me at a point of great success and wise understanding. Dad's gone and honestly, I don't have it anymore figured out or emotionally processed than on the day he died. 

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     What I am learning is that nothing in life is ever really that perfect or very much figured out at all. Learning and believing this; being able to peel away false perception and tearing down walls of a perfect exterior, these are the things I've grasped and processed at the end of my 20's. If there is anything I've "figured out" so far it's to never, ever EVER think, not for a moment, that you've figured it all out. Not ever, because I promise you that you haven't. Definitely not at 18 or 24. Especially not at 30...

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     All those years ago, we didn't have it all figured out as a family either and things were certainly far from perfect behind the scenes. But you know, my parents tried the damn best that they could. And here we all are, still making it, still trying, still finding our paths, separately and together. Still confused but still calling each other on our birthdays. Still saying I love you. 

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     We're still celebrating these special days together. Of course now we have great sorrow and loss in the mix but it's also beautiful in its own very real way. It's what we have; it's our reality and it's ours to share and have together. 

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We know that no matter what happens, there will be always be birthday flowers blooming in spring and with them, the sweet, strong undeniable smell of memories and love. 

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Here's to never, ever giving up on that love. 

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Here's to the lilacs...

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*Happy Birthday Daddy*

   Forever, 

  Gigi
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LifebankUSA

( baby Asher, 6 weeks old! )

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     I'm partnering again with LifebankUSA again on my blog to share a little bit about their company with you today!

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     LifebankUSA is a private cord blood bank that offers stem cell preservation services to expecting parents. It's becoming more well known that stem cells can be saved from the umbilical cord at birth and later be used to treat an illness in the child or family member but did you know that stem cells can now be saved from the placenta as well? Storing cells from both the umbilical cord and placenta increases the number of life saving stem cells that are stored which also increases the possibilities to use them later on. Ongoing research has shown that stem cells saved at birth can be used to treat up to 80 diseases so far!

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     LifebankUSA is now offering placenta banking as well. Possibly therapeutic uses of placental tissue are in early research stages and LifebankUSA now offers placenta banking as one more layer of protection and peace of mind as part of their complete banking services. Seeing that stem cells preserved from cord and placenta blood have successfully been used to treat patients, who knows what technology will be able to do in the future!

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     Be sure to check out LifebankUSA and learn more about their services if you are expecting a baby. I'm curious to know if any of my readers have experience with cord blood banking. Did you know that placenta banking is now an option? If so, what do you think?

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Thanks for reading; have a great week!

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snow globe childhood.

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My blogging / photography life is kind of all over the place right now. (As usual maybe?) 5 years ago my goals were working in portrait photography. Once I started getting clients and trying that out though, it didn't really feel like my passion. Last year I decided to step away from taking clients so I got a part time job and went to school full time. Honestly it was the best decision I could have made during a hard year in my life and I felt so filled up there. I was able to branch out and focus on some really cool projects that made me feel a little more alive art wise. I was able to see through my teachers' and fellow students' eyes what my style was. I have found that sometimes it's hard to see your style even when you're creating and staring at it everyday. I always wanted to be a blogger and over the summer I started focusing more on the Instagram community as well. I remember dreaming of being able to work with a company through those outlets and now I've had many opportunities to work with some awesome big companies and small business alike. I've made money and received all kinds of cool packages. I've had an outlet to write and I've built special memories doing photoshoots with my boys.

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So, now what? I'm not sure. I only took one class this past fall and now I'm taking a break from school. Is this the best decision - I'm unsure. I was planning to transfer to an art school, now I'm unsure. I think, no I know, that I can be really hard on myself artistically. Which is so silly. Art is a lifestyle and it should be something I enjoy and breathe not something I put pressure on myself about. At the same time, I'm the kind of person that needs a little pressure or I kind of just exist in my own world for too long.

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So yeah, there it is. A bunch of rambling that doesn't really amount to anything. I guess I'm trying to think, "what do I want to do in 2016?" I think I want to rebrand my blog a bit which is something I've wanted to do forever. I'd like to have a new photography website that serves as a more cohesive portfolio of all of the work that I've done. I don't have huge blogging plans right now but I would like my sites to be updated and more professional so that they are there for me when I need them. I'd like to try new things, maybe sell some prints in town, maybe upgrade my camera. These are the ideas going through my head right now. End rambling.

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Here are some photos I took last spring when I was focusing on a free lensing project for school. Honestly I didn't put much thought into this series of photos because it was just me messing around with the technique of free lensing in the beginning but I'm very in love with them now. I clearly have a thing for white space and kids jumping on the bed and I love how free lensing abstracts that, kind of like looking at childhood through a snow globe.

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Thanks for reading, friends. Words of wisdom/advice more than welcome!

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little style: FamLove Clothing

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    Okay, so I'm secretly obsessed with Valentine's Day. I'm not really a huge holiday person honestly but it gets me every year when stores start filling up with all the cute heart things. As if the Target dollar spot could even get any more tempting!

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    FamLove Clothing sent us this adorable tee shirt and it's absolutely perfect for Asher to wear this year for Valentine's Day! I love that it has the sign language sign for "I love you." We taught both of our boys some sign language when they were babies and the "I love you" sign has lasted all of these years and they still use it to this day. FamLove is a family owned brand run by 3 cousins whose mission is to spread positivity and love through trendy clothes! Their shirts are super soft and high quality and of course absolutely adorable.

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You can use my code: bygillianclaire to get 20% off  your purchase!

Be sure to check out their site 

and grab one of these adorable shirts for your little one's Valentine's Day. 

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shirt: c/o FamLove Clothing

camo jogger pants: Old Navy clearance (sold out, similar here)

car slip ons: Old Navy clearance (sold out)

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*I received this shirt for free as part of my work as a Brand Ambassador for the FamLove Clothing brand. I never accept clothing from or support brands that I do not honestly admire and love! 

Thanks for reading along!*

roman turns 8.

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Can hardly believe that this little ( BIG ) boy turned 8 in December. The time since he was born has gone by so quickly yet at the same time feels like an eternity. I can barely remember Roman as a newborn, Roman as a 2, 4 or 6 year old. Other than today, all the other days feel like a blur of memories swirling around somewhere high above me out of reach. There are millions of little moments that stick out in my head, playing back in my mind like clips from a movie. That's how I feel as a mother. Their story is playing out fiery quick as I to grab onto a few bits and beautiful pieces to play on repeat in my mind, trying to preserve some of the miracle that is happening right in front of my eyes.

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The sweetest you see in that photo above truly personifies Roman exactly. He is sweet and sentimental and wise beyond his years. He feels deeply and loves passionately and I couldn't be prouder or happier to call him mine.

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Last night we laid in bed together when I was putting him to sleep. 

He says, "I love you." 

I say, "I love you more." 

He says, "Don't get me started." 

I say, "I love you moon." 

and he says, "I love you star," just like he always has. 

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I'll finish this post here before I dip in too deep into that realm of loving my babies so much it hurts. Too late, I'm already there. <3

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Here's to the best 8th year for my sweetest boy. 

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