Sunday, April 21, 2013

The Not-Quite 2 List

Dear Haven,

You're almost 2, but not quite.  I'm sure you'll still be doing most of these things for a while, and will probably even add more to the list before your birthday, but for now, I feel the need to write down some of the random reasons I love this age (and YOU, of course!) so much.  So here goes... in no particular order...

You talk... all. the. time.  You can say enough words now that I usually can figure out what you're talking about, but there are also times when it is just a mouthful of jibberish that makes me wonder when you'll take a breath.

You love to play outside in the backyard... you can climb the ladder on your play set without any help, and do the "ta-da" (slide) all by yourself.

You still love to swing or as you say, "sowng."  Not right at all, but when you say that, I know you mean swing.


You love to pick "flowies" (flowers) even if they are just weeds.  I wish this tree stayed like this for longer because you couldn't believe all the flowies on it!


You love to dress up.


Obviously.


All of the sudden you have more hair.  It has thickened up and gotten longer.  Still no ponies or piggies or anything, but getting close.  I like to give you new hair styles in the bath tub.


When talking about something that happened to you or something you want/need, you phrase it like "____ me."  For example, "fall me," (when you fall down), "ridin' me," (when you are riding your inflatable horse), "hold me," (when you want to hold something yourself), "see me," (when you want to see the picture I just took of you).


You really love blankets right now.  You can say a version "blanket" and you love to cover yourself up, put your hands by your face in a typical precious-sleeper fashion, and say "nigh-night."  You also like to cover your babies up with a blanket and say "nigh-night."


Speaking of babies, you love all kinds of babies.  Baby dolls, Barbie-type dolls, stuffed animals, Elmo... anything that you can take care of.  You feed them, kiss them, put them to sleep, and push them in their stroller.


You also try to sit in their stroller as if it's your own.


You can name the majority of your body parts and your recent favorites are "elbow" and "booty."

You still say "naaaahhhhhoooo" to strangers and wave your hand at them.  That will go away soon, right?

Daddy says "Go Pokes!" and you do pistols firing, not to be confused with boogie-ing which is done at dance class.


You talk about your grandparents ALL THE TIME and it's awesome.

You wrap both arms around my neck and squeeze hard.  Love those big-for-you hugs.  You pucker up willingly for kisses all the time.



When we Skype with Gammie and Bozzy, you would think I just gave you a red bull because everything you do seems to be in fast-forward.

You typically wear a tutu at some point in the day, everyday.  I have succumb to letting you run errands in them if it means an easier entrance into the car seat.


You love blueberries so much, you might just turn in to one.

Your favorite movies are "Tink" (Disney Fairies:  Secret of the Wings), "Cars" (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), "Pop" (Mary Poppins), "Maid" (Little Mermaid), "T" (Tangled), and "Lella" (Cinderella).  You have specific parts in each where you either sing or dance along.  For example, you try to move your legs like Mary in "Jolly Holiday", you sing along to "Toot Sweets" in Chitty Chitty, and you sing "ah-ah-ah...ah-ah-ah" when Ursula is taking Ariel's voice.  I work from home, so you watch a lot of movies.  Not ashamed.



Speaking of singing, for some reason a particular chair on the patio is like your microphone.  You go stand behind it and sing.  With prompting, you will sing other places too, but every time we are in the backyard I see your little wheels turning "I should go behind that chair and sing."



You have nicknames for different books and you ask for different ones all the time.  Thankfully I usually know exactly what you are asking for.  You also have an uncanny way of remembering who gave you certain books and will say "Gammie!" followed by some jibberish when you hand it to me.

"Come on!" - one of your most common phrases.  You say it when you want me to come with you somewhere or when you've woken up from your nap and I haven't come to get you yet.  It can be used in various ways such as "Mommy, come on!", "Mommy comin'?", and my absolute favorite, "Mommy NO come on!" aka get out of here or stop doing whatever it is you're doing like trying to get me out of the bath tub when I'm not ready yet.


I pray with you before nap time and Daddy prays with you before bed time.  Daddy is apparently more skilled because when I pray with you, you say "Dada pray."  I think it's sweet.  No matter who you pray with, you always say "Aaaaaaayyyy-men."

You still think peek-a-boo is awesome except you'd probably call it "Where's Haven?"


You recognize yourself in all current pictures and most baby pictures and say "Hanen!"  Don't quite have the "v" sound down yet, but it's too cute.

You love taking selfies with Mommy on my phone and copying whatever face I make.  Good thing I have lots of experience making cheesy facials.


You are so ticklish under your arms, neck, and thighs.  Sometimes you lay down on your back, hold your arms out, and wiggle your fingers - asking me to come tickle you.

You love to admire yourself in the mirror, especially when we brush your teeth before bed.  You laugh and giggle and hug me and it's so cute.  Gammie got you a Tink nightgown and it's your new favorite pjs!


You can count to two and you like two of everything.  Especially two "dabies" (your word for pacifier - don't know where it came from but it's what you call them).  You can repeat me and say every number from 1-10.

I have gone on and on and could keep going.  I love you so much sweet girl and am so glad I get to be your Mommy.  Stop growing so fast.



Saturday, April 20, 2013

Aunts & Uncles are the best!

We were so lucky to have my sister and her fiance come stay with us last weekend!  We had so much fun!  Especially Haven!  The weather was yucky, so instead of the park they took her on an outing to the mall!  They rode the carousel, played in the kiddie area, and had some chicken nuggets and "kep-up" (ketchup) for lunch!  It's amazing what Russell and I got done in the short few hours they were gone!  What a blessing! 



Haven really latched on to "Nay-tan" (Uncle Nathan) this trip, so much as to cry and say his name over and over before nap time before I finally gave in and let her get one more hug and kiss from him.  Precious! 


He had to go home early, but my sister got to stay a couple more days.  And boy was she a HUGE help!  During naps and after bedtime, we got all my costumes labeled and ready for delivery this past week!  Monumental.  Could not have done it without her.  Well I could have, but it would have involved less sleep.  I also got to have a girls night with a few pledge sisters while she watched Haven!  So refreshing and fabulous to sit around and laugh with sweet friends like no time has passed whatsoever! 


Daddy stayed with napping Haven while we went to the Driller's game on Sunday where a great group of Tippi Toes dancers performed!  So proud! 


Basically, it was a dynamite weekend and could not have been possible without Aunt Rissa and Uncle Nathan!  Thanks you two!  Love you so much!

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Easter!

It may have been almost 3 weeks ago, but I must document!  Haven looked too cute not to.  I mean, seriously.  Thankfully the weather made for a beautiful weekend and she got to rock the outfit Russell picked out for her in Branson!  We went to Lifechurch.tv on Saturday night and Southern Hills Baptist Church with Russell's parents on Sunday morning.  Two very different services, celebrating one very important man.  Thanks to His ultimate sacrifice, I will live eternally with Him!  Thank you Jesus!

I love them!  Hand in hand always makes me melt!

She LOVED her outfit, especially proud of that hat and shoes.


Quite possibly one of my favorite pictures of her ever.
A sweet look I get all the time now when she asks me a question, love it!
Run away from Mommy!  No pictures!

No smiles, but at least we're all in it right?

Go inside, tell her "stand over there and say cheese," and she showed me she DOES know how to follow instructions. ;)
 After church it was back to Grandma and Poppy's house for basket emptying, a nap, and her first ever egg hunt!  Last year she wasn't walking yet, remember?  Gosh, time flies.  Daddy didn't get too fancy with the egg-hiding or anything, but man this girl was a pro!  We showed her what to do when we found one egg and she was so determined to find every one after that and stick it in her bucket!  Loved watching her run around and giggle while finding eggs.  So fun!

A big egg full of my little ponies, yes please!

Let the hunting begin!

She picked those ears out at Walgreen's all on her own, folks.


A basket full of eggs and a mouth full of jelly beans!  Successful first hunt!

We will take a normal picture one of these days...
 Happy Easter 2013!