2 Years.

Little bitty Naomi.  I’m not sure how you got to be two years old, all I know is that when I look back at your baby pictures there’s a little pang in my heart because it all flew by so fast!
This post is a few days late, but I have a good excuse.  In the last 3 weeks you have had a stomach bug 4 different times.  UGH.  That’s no fun.  Hopefully you’re over it, and you can enjoy the rest of your year much more. 


If there is one thing that describes your personality, it is passionate.  And opinionated.  And forward.  So I guess that’s three things.  What you lack in size, you make up in vigor.  When you are happy, you are so, so happy. 



But if you are mad?  Watch out world.


We’ve now removed you from childcare at church, and you have to stay in Sylvia and Tootaw’s classroom at bible study.  Like I said, you are forward.  Unfortunately, you are forward with your hands – in the form of hitting.  We are working through it.  For a long time you scratched.  You don’t scratch anymore, now you hit – we’re making progress.  (I think?)  Anyway, you have taught me some intense lessons on sin nature.  Thank goodness for Jesus, yeah?


But, that is such a very small part of who you are.  A very small part that will pass in a phase (I. Hope.).


You are talking a lot more now, with small sentences.  But you still go on 2 minute long monologues of babble that have us all stumped.  Clearly you are saying something, you’re just the only one who knows what it is.  I love it.



You have about as much personality as you could possibly pack into a little two year old.  You are bursting with life and energy – whether it be with ultimate joy or severe wrath, you let yourself be known.  Of course in our house you have to go loud or go home, so you’re just doing what you’ve gotta do.  You have hundreds of facial expressions that you make make sure you use in rapid succession as often as possible.  You have a wonderful giggle, and a very stubborn and obstinate “NO!”.



You haven’t weaned yourself yet.  Mama’s starting to think I may have to play into that process with you.  Your sister weaned herself at almost exactly two years old, but you want nothing to do with that.  You love to nurse.  You frequently climb onto my lap and tell me, “I unna sees!”  Which means, I want to nurse, and I’m going to insist on it until you give in.  It’s ok.  I love that you love to nurse.  I love that it comforts you so much.  I love that we are still building a bond that will last forever.  Someday you will wean.  I think.




You have just recently started asking to sit on the potty.  You have yet to go, but it’s a step.  Actually, one time, you asked your Daddy if you could sit on the potty and he obliged.  You went through the motions, with no real potty.  Afterward, Daddy shut the lid and stood you on the potty while he brushed his teeth, during which time you peed.  So, technically you did pee ON the potty, just not in it.



You love playing with your sisters.  And they love you.  Of course there is a fair share of fighting, but you wouldn’t be sisters if there weren’t.  You run around after them, trying to keep up with whatever make believe game they’re playing.  When you get tired of that you follow me around whatever I’m doing – usually pretty insistent on being held.  You love to be held still.  As independent of a spirit you have, you are still attached to me at the hip.



You know your animals and all of their sounds.  Your favorite is anything that growls.  You love to growl and frequently pretend to be a monster.  If I ask you if you’re a nice monster, you say, “Eat you up!”  I guess that’s a no.  You know some of your shapes and some of your colors.  You love to read books.

You look exactly like me, only with blonde hair and blue eyes.  We looked at my baby pictures last weekend and it is uncanny how much we look alike.  And you are tiny like me.  At two years old, you weigh a whopping 20 pounds and you are in 12-18 month clothes.  Teeny.  Tiny.



Regularly your dad and I look at each other and say something to the effect of, “Has ever a cuter creature existed?”  Of course, we won’t tell you that now, but when your 25 and reading this, I don’t imagine it will do too much to your ego.






I love you little Nay-nay Roo.  I love your passion.  I love your energy.  I love your zeal.  I love your teeny-tinyness.  I love that you always want your Mama (unless your grandpa is there.).  I love that you’re quick to say I’m sorry and I love you.  I love that your smile makes me feel like I must be the most blessed person in the world. 
I love you.
I always will.
When you’re 2.
When your 42.
When your 62.  (Lord willing.)

Love you, love you, love you,
Mama

Make a Wish!

 

  We’ve had quite a bit happen on the Make a Wish Foundation front!  I’ve not gotten to update much, but we have some girls around here getting very excited.

 

  Back in November the ‘wish granters’ came out and talked to Bella about what her wish was.  She wished to eat with the princesses in their castle.  After we talked about specifics for a while (dates we’d be able to go, more specifically what she wanted to eat and where…) the left our house saying, “We’ll get started on making it happen!”  It was like magic!  Like we had rubbed a magic lamp or had a fairy godmother or something!

  We’ve been in contact with them ever since, e-mailing back and forth about what the girls would enjoy and more specifics on our trip.

 

  So…

We are officially going on a trip to Disney World May 5th through the 11th!  They have arranged our flights, our accommodations, food, and rental car.  We just go, and enjoy the magic.  Really.  While we are there, we will have a meal with the princesses.

It is so surreal because we have done none of the planning.  I don’t think it will seem real until we are getting off of the plane in Florida!

While we are there we get to stay at Give Kids the World Village – which looks to have enough fun stuff to do to keep us busy the whole trip all on its own!

 

 

Not only that, but they are having a ‘going away’ treat for the girls before the trip and are sending us to a little girl salon for them to have their nails painted and hair done.  (Ha!)  This is something I would have never ever done outside of someone else completely setting it up for us – but I’m sure the girls will love it!

I can’t wait.

I can’t wait to see their eyes light up.

I can’t wait to watch them marvel at the magic of Disney World.

I can’t wait to watch Bella experience something that she never would have otherwise.

 

 

And who is more deserving of a trip like this than our sweet five year old, who in her life has already conquered cancer and lived through foster care? 

 

Can’t.  Wait.

 

Pictures.  There will be lots and lots of pictures.

3 Months.

 

 

  I know little Vi, this post is a bit late.  After Easter, stomach bugs, and broken clothes driers, I’m lucky I got one up at all this month!

 

  You are such a joy at 3 months.  You give smiles at the drop of a hat, especially to Daddy and I.  As soon as you focus in on us and see our faces, your whole face softens and lights up with a big smile.  And every time you smile at me, my heart feels like it might burst. 

 

 

  You still look exactly like Sylvia, but there is something just a little different about you that makes you Vi.  I can’t wait to get to know more of your personality to know if you are like Sylvia in that way too. 

  You’ve rolled over a few times – but not super regularly yet.  You’ve started making a lot more noises, trying to talk back to us when we talk to you.  It’s adorable.  You’re a chunkster.  At your two month appointment you were in the 90th percentile in height and weight, and I don’t think you’ve slowed down any.  Before long I think you and Naomi may be sharing clothes!

 

We brought out the bumbo just recently.  Your sisters thought that since you had a tray you must need a cup, bowl, and plate.

….and a princess hat, for good measure.  Although it looks a little like a pope hat.  Maybe they were offering you up for the job.

 

You’ve found your thumb now, and you love. it.  I’ve never had a thumb sucker, but you seem happy to be my first.  I’m not terribly upset about it, because you frequently put yourself back to sleep when your napping, or if your feeling tired you pop it in and fall asleep!  I’m not sure, as number five, if this is a survival technique or just your tendency….but it works.

 

 

 

Your sisters are still so in love with you.  And you are so obliging.  They hug on you, sing to you, kiss you, lick you (Naomi’s new thing), practically lay on you, and you just roll with it.  It doesn’t phase you in the least – and you’ve even started giving your sisters smiles when they talk to you.  They love that.  You have lots of people in this house who love you – it’s like you have your own cheering section that generally comes dressed in princess dresses and dirt.

You love to nurse.  And you love to cuddle your Mama.  And I am nothing but pleased with both.  I’ve still not left you anywhere just yet – I like having you close, and I think you like it to.  There will be plenty of time for us to be apart, so right now, I’ll just soak up the cuddles.

 

  Oh little lady, you have no idea how much joy you bring to my heart.  Even when all of your sisters are having a rough day, all you have to do is smile at me and I remember the joy in all of this.  I don’t think I could possibly love you any more than I do.  You are growing up so fast – it seems to be going even faster than it did with your sisters.  So slow down.  You can be my baby for a while, can’t you?  I’m eager to see your little personality and to watch you learn new things, but we can just take our time. 

 

I love you so much.

 

Love you, love you, love you,

                              Mama