9 Months Old

Unfortunately I have one picture from your nine month Birthday! Our entire house has been hit hard with sick, sick, sick and you got the worst of it all :(!! Monday I took, you to the doctor and you screamed your head off. By the time we left, you had fallen asleep and been diagnosed with a double ear infection, double pink eye, and "strep-like" throat. You were plum pitiful. We went that Thursday for your 9 Month Check up and Dr. Clifford looked at your sister, and after a quick check, we found that she had an ear infection too. The next few days as your ears cleared, you both got a raging case of croup. Mommy and daddy have it all as well. I can not stand when my babies are sick. It is hard when I can't fix it immediately.

This is your pitiful face state:

That is all I have to document this momentous occasion. 

Besides all the sick, your nine month check up went well. You weighed in at 25.6 pounds, and 30 inches.  You are 100% on the charts, just like your sister. You are cruising around everything, crawl at 90 miles an hour, go up and down the stairs, try to climb into the toilet (not kidding here), and are trying to stand and bounce on your own. You do a lot of babbling of DaDa, baba, and maaaaa, but no actual words. 

When we ask "How Big is Bland" you will raise your hands over your head, and you love to give high fives. It is SO much fun to see you interact and grow into a little person. I can tell you are going to be a handful, and every night after I break a sweat getting you bathed and dressed i.e. wrestling a Barracuda., your daddy or I will comment--you are lucky you are so cute ;)!!

I love you, my precious boy.

Fall Trip to the Busted W

This weekend we went to the mountains with Grammy and Grandaddy Bland. Daddy was working the fair. He literally worked for 2 weeks straight and we saw him maybe 3 times. It was insane for him, and it was insane for mommy. So to end the crazy experience, I thought I would take you two rascals up this big hill for some fresh cool air, and a trip to the corn maze and pumpkin patch.

It was so wonderful to have so much help and I got to stand in the kitchen and actually cook a supper without anyone crawling under my feet. I am a horrible cook these days and I totally blame it all on lack of focus ;) Your daddy is a serious trooper as he has handled 8 years of my terrible cooking. My sweet Charlotte, you and I made a delicious chicken pot pie and fresh salad. You are very in to the cooking these days, and being a helper, with everything.

Bland did a lot of watching, getting in to things, and taking it all in. We had a busy Saturday and went into "town" to Nancy's fudge factory, the pumpkin patch and then returned home for an afternoon marshmallow roast :)

Charlotte and her Teddy with the Pumpkin decor at Nancy's Fudge Factory.

Driving the Tractor.

Corn Face.

My Little Scarecrow.

Bland hanging out while his sister ran wild. It was a seriously windy day, and wind makes her go crazy.

Hey Y'all, don't forget about me....okay!

Charlotte was in search for the "littlest" pumpkin because she did not want it to get left behind. We are reading the book, "Littlest Pumpkin". Needless to say, it was a long search.

Showing her brother the finds.

Caught.

Trying to escape.

Charlotte in my old sweatshirt and Bland in (believe it or not) his Grandaddy Bland's old sweatshirt. Carolina had just beat VA Tech, it was a good afternoon at the Busted W.

Eating Marshmallows.

Cutie Pie.

The Big Man, he chews everything...including Four Wheeler Wires.

Not long before he got a visitor.

Cooking in the kitchen.

Getting some sugar from my girl.

Eating.

We had a wonderful time as always, can't wait to go back in a few weeks.

The Little Lady turns 3

You are my first child. My child that taught me the mind blowing and unconditional love a parent feels for their child. You brought magic into our days and loud laughter into our house. Your soul is old and deep. Your intuition and impressions are mature and surprising. The will in your little body is stronger than iron and stronger than mommy on some days ;).

My first experience at parenting, trying to get it all right. Our first tears of exhaustion and late nights. Our first churning worry and skinned knee screams. The first little face to look at me and say "ma-ma". All of these treasure we hold together. A little bond you and I have that no one else can change or take away.
You have grown and changed so much in 3 short years:

9.21/09- 2 days old

9.19.10- 1 year old

9.19.11- 2 years old

9.19.12- 3 years old

This year as I watched you blowout your candles with ease, I asked you to make a wish. Without hesitance or thought you said, "I wish for a healthy baby brother." You have no idea the power your little voice has and the impression you make on our family each day.

We spent your third birthday by celebrating for about a week solid. We had a Princess Bounce House birthday party with your friends, a Mexican Fiesta birthday dinner with more friends and a sunday lunch birthday party at Grandma Charley's with family. It was worth it, and it was so much fun.

Your brother gave you several My Little Pony's because they are your "favwit". He enjoyed the fun and got a little sample of ice cream and cake ;)

The day after your birthday, we went to Dr. Clifford for you 3-year-old check up. You weighed in at 39.7 pounds and measured 39 1/2 inches (way to be exact right ;) ) You are very TALL. and we already knew that ;). You got your Flu Mist and last immunization for Hep. You did not shed a tear, but looked up at me like "what in the world was that". It was both pitiful and strong.

You are very healthy, but have some trouble sleeping and settling at night. I think this may be a universal "kid" problem, but I thought I would talk to the doctor for tips as you are starting to get dark circles under your eyes because of being tired. We are working on some different techinques, and all in all I would say you are making progress, but you will always be my early riser.

At your Princess Birthday Party!!

Posing with Grammy and Bland.

Grammy and Grandaddy Bland.

Opening presents with your BFF Maddie.

Your buddy.

Blowing out your candles with Lucy and Alice.

Family Shot.

My favorite little girl in the WHOLE WORLD!

You love to blow out candles...I can't keep one burning in the house because you blow them all out :)

If I had written out a specific request to God titled, "What I want my daughter to be" you would be the answer. While we spend another Fall preparing for another baby brother, I look at you daily and think about how absolute our love is in this little medium sized family ;). Happy Birthday my precious Sweet Thing.

I love you to the moon and back.

Momma