Thanksgiving Eve

Today has been one of those days. You were fussy and teething, frustrated with me asking if you need to go potty every 5 minutes. I was frustrated with myself for seemingly not doing anything right in "mommy and wife world". The dog wouldn't stop barking. You spilt red Gatorade on my white comforter. I have been super sick all day. You peed on my brand new Christmas decoration that was laying on the floor. You won't eat anything (teething)...you see the pattern. But we got through the day. Me and you, a crazy mess of a team, we got through it, and there will be millions more, with you and a new little brother. 

Our beautiful chaos.

Tonight after daddy went and got supper, and returned with flowers to cheer mommies "no good, very bad day" attitude, he gave you a bath and read you who knows how many stories. God bless him. I stepped straight into the bath and sat, deflating from the insane day, and trying to get all my contractions to stop. Once I had five minutes to breathe, I decided that it really wasn't that bad of a day at all. That is about how long it takes me to laugh off the seemingly disastrous events, and realize how much I love this.  I sat there thinking of this life that I live each day and how amazingly grateful I am that I even have the chance to be a mother and a wife with a roof over my head and love in my life.

And here I sit again on the eve of Thanksgiving listening to music and thinking about everything and getting lost into nothing.

We have so much to be thankful for in our little world, in our big world. I tell you how much I love you every day, we redden your cheeks with kisses, we giggle and cry and get annoyed with each other (in our owns ways ;) ). We go through these days with such quickness and as much as I try to soak it all in, it is impossible to take it all in.

The beautiful life that you are and soul that you have. I am thankful for that. 

The sweet love that your daddy has for you, and his constant request of kisses from you. I am thankful for him.

The growing life that we will wrap with warmth and love in just a matter of weeks. I am so very thankful for the chance to be a momma all over again.

Your strong bond with your grammy and grandaddy, and her patience to read you stories over the phone when you cry for her. I am so grateful for them.

The way you say the entire blessing at dinner, by yourself and want us to all have our eyes closed. I praise God for this. I am so grateful for Him.

Bless you my sweet thing, I am ever so thankful for our crazy, simply, lovely little life. 

Here is a song I listen to all the time, and every time I hear it I think of you.

Taylor Swift, Never Grow Up

Your little hands wrapped around my finger

And it's so quiet in the world tonight

Your little eyelids flutter 'cause you're dreaming

So I tuck you in, turn on your favorite night light

To you, everything's funny

You got nothing to regret

I'd give all I have, honey

If you could stay like that

Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up

Just stay this little

Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up

It could stay this simple

I won't let nobody hurt you

Won't let no one break your heart

No, no one will desert you

Just try to never grow up, never grow up

You're in the car on the way to the movies

And you're mortified your mom's dropping you off

At 14, there's just so much you can't do

And you can't wait to move out someday and call your own shots

But don't make her drop you off around the block

Remember that she's getting older, too

And don't lose the way that you dance around

In your PJs getting ready for school

Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up

Just stay this little

Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up

2 Years Old

Yes I am over a month late in posting this...sorry, we have been busy bees!

You had your two year old check up with Doctor Clifford right after your big birthday! She and I talked all things potty training, getting rid of your sassy at night (which she said not to fret over too much), and understanding that it is OK if you do not clean your plate every night. I was worried about you refusing certain foods all of a sudden. She said to let you manage your own choices a little, and she was right. Within two weeks of that phase you are now eating like a horse. Literally, we are talking three big pancakes, yogurt and milk for a small breakfast...and just think of what lunch brings :)

We talked about how much you talk and how well you are constructing sentences. You are now able to ask for things with a complete thought. In the past few months you have gone from, "Mommy, juice please" to "Mommy, I want some orange juice please." You are also starting to be aware of your body and emotions. When you get tired, you say, "I'm tired, can I take a snooze". This is all very helpful with the cold and flu season coming up. Saturday morning you woke up very congested and you let me know that by saying, "look mommy, my nose is dirty, lets clean it" this all followed by "I want to snuggle and watch the dinosaur movie." You are also working on the tone in your voice. When you ask a question or show concern you change the tone in your voice appropriately. I admire your compassion. The amount of clarity in your communication surprises me each day.

As you run circles around your speech, physical abilities, growth, etc. You are one stubborn little one with potty training. This is going to be a tough task, that I continue to work hard on with you. Lately you have been a little better at going to the potty if I take you. You have trouble recognizing the "need to go potty" and understanding what to do when it is that time. This is all okay, we will get it. It just looks like mommy is going to have two kiddos in diapers for a while :) As a first time mom, I am trying to learn all I can to help you in this process too. So we will just have to be patient with each other! ;)

Dr. Clifford did your stats and they are:

Height: 37 inches
Weight: 34 pounds
Head: 19.75 inches

They now do two different percentage charts. You are still in 100% for your age. But when they do the chart of with the age span 0-36 months you are in the 89%. So basically, you are still proportioned when it comes height to weight ratio, but for your exact age you are the tallest, etc. The doctor is still predicting you will be a tall girl. We will see :)

You are in 3T clothes, and size 8 shoe. Your hair is still very blonde and getting thicker by the day. We have fun playing dress up and you are very patient with me while I put it in a braid, pony tail, etc.

Your new favorite things are my makeup drawer, your play kitchen, painting and coloring, music and singing, and most of all Books. Literally, we have to take books every where we go. And you read each one over and over until the pages rip. It is hilarious. Now you have memorized several of the stories and will read them to me or your daddy.

Two years old has been quite the adventure so far, and in just 10 weeks maybe less, we will have a little baby join our fun household. Wish me luck with potty training little one ;)

Halloween 2011

Off to pick out our Pumpkin!

Of all the pumpkins, you insisted to have "the one with the bumpy boo boos, ewwwww". What can I say, you appreciate character ;) 

Trying to talk you into getting a smoother pumpkin...As you can see by the look on my face...I was rejected :)

You also took a great interest in these, but soon preferred the orange. 

Showing how strong you are by lifting the pumpkin with me!

Halloween afternoon, we got all dolled up as Cinderella. Here you are pretending with your wand. You kept calling it a "wish".

Heading out the door.

Front porch picture with one of our pumpkins.

Anna Perry came over to say hello! She was the cutest bumble bee!

Cute girls.

Family Picture!

You and Maddie giving hugs. Best Friends!

Y'all are having a conversation about something. I love how close you two have become.

Sweet Nell!

You left a serious glitter trail all over the house from your dress and the glitter I put on your eyes and cheeks. The joys of having a little girl.

Happy Halloween Sweet thing.

She's got Personality...

Chef Charlotte

Hands on your hips

Reading with Daddy.  I cherish this picture.

I have to tell you how hilarious you are. Not just candidly funny, but you say things that make you think. You come up with these stories that you tell and tell and tell. They go from lions and tigers in the bathroom closet to a princess in your shoe. At night you stuff books down under your covers and pull them out one by one. I have to go up and take them out from under your head every night. You belt out songs in the back seat...every word memorized and when the song ends, you say mommy another song please. If I try to sing, you say, "First I sing first momma, then you can sing." In other words, mom stop singing haha!! When daddy sings you just say, Stop singing daddy! The laughter you bring to me explains all of the wrinkles I have earned as a mommy. 

Your fearless personality and "never met a stranger" attitude is so much like your daddy. You two are two peas in a pod and I love it. He definitely has his hands full, his heart full and his head full planning ideas to keep the boys away!

Old Town Fall Festival

This afternoon we took you to the Fall Festival at Old Town. You had a great time dressing up in your Cheerleader costume, and I don't think your daddy could have been more excited to see his little girl in a pirate outfit! When we asked you what you were, you said GO PIRATES, ARGH! ha!!

The weather was perfect and the food was great!

You and daddy.

Sitting with your cousin Connor. 

Feeding the goats and lamas with daddy.

Cheese.

Giving the little pig some love. He was very sweet.

A rare picture of you and mommy.

Your favorite!! Riding the horse.

Hi Mommy!

Going crazy in the bounce house.

Weeeee!

Getting your face painted like a butterfly.

You were very patient and focused.

Taking it all in.

OK, so this is where I had to hold my breath. I hate snakes, I would never, ever, ever, ever touch or hold one. But you took a major interest in the snakes.So here we go. You held the snake...for a while. I finally got the girl to just take it from you.

Saying goodbye to the snake.

Big Girl Bed

Daddy and I decided to go ahead and get you into your big girl bed. After you crashed out of your crib one night and cried for what seemed like hours, and you could easily climb onto the railing...we thought it was about that time. I must say it was A LOT harder for me to say goodbye to your crib and nursery than it was for you. It took all of five minutes for you to crawl into your bed, shut your eyes, and that was that. It took me about two weeks to actually move all of your furniture out of your nursery and into your big girl room. Your nursery is presently being turned into your brothers room.

Here are a few final pictures of your messy nursery as we prepared to move you across the hall!

First night in your big girl bed!

The rails keep you on the bed :)

Pretending to be asleep for daddy!

Surprise, look at me daddy!!

Since you have been in your big girl bed, you have slept so much better. Fingers crossed, you have been sleeping until at least 7:15 every morning! I think you just needed some more space to stretch out :) xoxo, sleep tight sweet thing.

Great Grandpa Howard

As your mom, I am obviously proud of you all day every day...minus the spats of tantrums or attitude (yes you have one developing quickly, let us not forget you are a girl!). I watch you learn new words, memorize and recite songs, ask me how my day was...all of these things make me proud. It also makes me proud to see you smile, to see you run and play, to see you sleep...I couldn't be prouder that you are mine. With all of that said, I need to tell you about the past few months, and how proud I am to call you my sweet thing.

Great Grandpa Howard has been very sick with Cancer for the past few months. He has been sick with it for years, but they just found it recently. He seemed to fall ill quick and before we knew it he was bed ridden. I have spent almost every Sunday of my life at his house with grandma Charly and grandpa Howard. I instilled the same schedule in you and it became the norm to visit with them once or twice a week. You love being at their house. Who doesn't!

I was worried that you would see grandpa in his state and be scared, or simply not understand what was going on. The first time you saw him asleep in his hospital bed, you came out of the room running and crying. As I rocked you and tried to calm you down, I realized it was not fear you were crying about, it was sadness. It was like you realized that he was sick. Every time after that, you walked back to his room with such a casual manner. As if you were there to see how he was doing. You would crawl onto his bed, hold his hand, ask him how he was, etc. You were not scared. You were brave. Braver than your momma. 

A few times when I wasn't looking, I would find you going back to his room. Where is Paw Paw, momma? 

As his condition worsened, we moved him to Hospice for his final days. As we visited you continued to crawl into a chair hold his hand, and fearlessly sit with him and stare. Once again, braver than your momma. 

I don't cry in public, or in front of people and never in front of you. Especially in this situation because I had to be strong for you, for Grammy, for my grandma Charly. Instead, you were strong for me. Looking at you gave me strength in my faith. All the moments of swallowing my tears, as I watch my grandma sweetly rub my grandpas head and comfort him in his pain, I would look at you. Your smile was like a zone for me. 

Grandpa Howard passed away peacefully on September 17, 2011. We got to say goodbye. He was surrounded by love, and now he surrounds us.

I love you my sweet thing. Thank you for being my little rock.

Your Second Birthday!!

Abby Cadabby Party!!

This summer I began to see just how much energy you had balled up in those strong legs and arms. Playing in the yard became a bit redundant and you needed activity. I decided it was a good time for a swing set. So your daddy and I research and research and decided on a wooden swing set. Your Grandaddy Bland put it all together with your daddy and my help. (But he really did it all). During the building process I decided it would be a perfect setting for your birthday party!

So we had a early morning party with Abby Cadabby all over and lots of little friends came over to play! It was really hot and the weekend of the air show, so as everyone played, planes circled above. It was a perfect day!!

Here is the evidence:

You used to be petrified of the swings, but now you are an "old pro" :)

Playing in your house with Evie Rae.

Sweet Sally

Miss Lucy was such a great helper!

Cutie Anna Perry

Your precious friend Wade and his daddy Trent.

Your adorable friend Rand!

The little stud muffin Porter! 

Holding my sweet girl as everyone sings Happy Birthday!

You are very loved.

Blowing out your candles with Lucy's help!

Being silly.

The hilarious Charlotte Show.

You got a princess castle! Very exciting :)

On your actual birthday you celebrated with birthday pancakes with mommy in the morning. Then Daddy and I took you to school and you had juice and donuts with your friends. That afternoon we had a big cookout with your great aunts and uncles and great Grandma Charlotte.

Wearing your birthday crown!

Can't believe you are already two!

Say Cheese!

Seeing your new kitchen for the first time!

Quick family shot on our way to school1

I love this shot of you and Uncle Jimmy snuggled watching cartoons. He loves you to pieces!!

Opening gifts. You were spoiled to say the least!

A new doll from Aunt Jan.

Laying on your new pillow pet.

Blowing out the candles on your princes cake :)

That's my girl!

Nothing like kicking your feet up after a long, fun, exhausting day!

Happy 2nd Birthday, Sweet Thing.

love, momma