the test is over!!!

last saturday, ian took the third and final round of the cfa exam. after three years of intense study, we are dooooone!! ian has done an amazing job juggling everything in life as he's put in countless hours of preparation for these tests, and passing all three is a huge accomplishment. (we don't get the results of level three until september, but we are optimistic.) the studying has been intense for me as well as ian had to take time away from home and the boys and as i've done my best to support all his hard work. the relief that has come from it all being over is gigantic, and it feels so wonderful to be able to move on as a family.

moses, gabriel and i went to the testing center to see ian when he finished the exam. my heart was racing as we waited for the doors of the room he was in to open. we were all pretty pumped and i was sooo glad to hear ian say he felt pretty good about his performance. (you never know ... but fingers crossed!) we rode the emirates airline - a cable car that goes over the thames river in east london - and shared a celebratory dinner together at a mexican restaurant.

 
^^ mo and daddy rejoicing at the testing center and smiling for the camera on the cable car. ^^

our big celebration was a couple of days later when ian and i had a special date night. we went to this restaurant in covent garden called clos maggiore that we had been wanting/planning to go to for literally three years (throughout the entirety of ian's cfa studying!). they call this place "the most romantic restaurant in the world" - not sure who gets to decide that, haha! ian heard that and decided to take me there for our first anniversary. but turns out you need a reservation many months in advance! around the time of our second anniversary he snagged a reservation, only to find out that he had reserved a spot in the restaurant but not in the "conservatory" room that gives this place its romantic reputation. then there was traveling and moving and pregnancy ... last december ian called and asked for the first reservation available in the conservatory and we were booked in for 25 june! two days after the cfa, so the perfect opportunity to celebrate :)

after all that lead up, we had pretty high expectations ... and ended up having a really fantastic, memorable, and yes, romantic meal. the food was delicious and the flower-laden, mirrored room was pretty magical.

 
 
^^ a sneaky mirror picture! ;) ^^
 
^^ the dessert was the best part. i loved everything about this. ^^

^^ after our meal we walked along golden jubilee bridge to look over our city at twilight. ^^

and here's a few random pictures from life post-cfa. london has been really warm recently; our little boys are growing up every day and are both just slaying us with their cuteness; evenings and weekends feel so much more free and there's just no studying hanging over anyone's head! it's glorious :) next week we go to the usa, and we are so excited!


^^ a neighbourhood pub, drenched in flowers and sunshine! ^^
 
^^ we went to a little friend's birthday party and mo got to take a couple animal balloons home! these things brought him soooo much joy! ^^
 
 

^^ moses genuinely loves his brother, and it's so so fun to see our two boys together. ^^

 
^^ little mo is just the best. the other day i was hugging and kissing him and i said, "moses, i loooove you! do you love me, too?" and he said, "so much." my heart was in a puddle! it made up for a couple hours earlier when he ran next to gabriel just as i'd finally gotten the baby to sleep and yelled "wake up!!!" haha. ^^
 
^^ and this guy!!! he's been smiling and cooing like crazy lately and we just think he's got to be the sweetest baby ever, ever! ^^
 
^^ an afternoon at a splash pad with a pretty great view... ^^
 
^^ and a sunny walk across the second best bridge in the world! ^^
 
^^ we spent yesterday morning paddling with friends in the reflecting pool in the courtyard at the v&a museum. ^^
 
^^ moses loves this place and "swimmin' like a fish"! ^^
 
^^ smiles during tummy time - a breakthrough :) ^^

see you never, cfa!! hooray!