June 2014

Y'all...how are we already to the end of June? July 4 is next week, and summer is going faster than ever!

Here are a few many pictures of the past few weeks:

Sweetest of friends

One of our swim days at Grandma and Grandpas...love the time with them, and that they share their fun pool! 

Ashlynn would NOT swim during swim lessons, but took off like a fish from day 1 in the pool!

Ashlynn has become a big fan of playing "doctor" lately.  A necklace as a stethoscope, and sale/pepper shakers for medicine.

We have also loved trips to the park with friends!

We had an unexpected date night last Friday! 

Ashlynn turned into a little escape artist after church on Sunday...in the rain!

Monday was our cuddle day around here!

This is Ashlynn's new thing. She loves to put stickers on her face. Silly girl!

Today we had a playdate with new friends, and a trip to McDonald's with my mom.  

Have I mentioned just how much I LOVE summer!?

Bailey: 13-14 Months

Bailey,

It cannot be possible that you are 14 months old! In my mind you are still about 9 months old, and should not be doing any of the things that you are :) Nonetheless, your daddy and I are so excited to see you develop and watch you learn!

13 Months:

14 Months:

You are currently wearing size 12 & 18 month clothes, and size 4 shoes.  You wear size 4 diapers.  You are still a tall girl! You want nothing to do with headbands or bows, but will wear a hat.  You go to bed around 8:30 and sleep until 6.  You normally take 1 nap each day. You currently have 12 teeth!

You are done with the bottle, but still want your milk like it is a bottle.  You prefer to drink it as soon as you wake up, before nap and before bedtime. In between, you will drink water or juice. You can use a straw cup now.  Your favorite thing to eat: dirt. Haha! Besides that, you love fruit and meat.  You are not a picky eater at all. Eggs are not your favorite, and you do not get yogurt or cheese right now.

You are mobile! You crawl, walk, run and climb. You will climb onto anything you can.  You made it to the top of a play place the other day all on your own! You love to get into the trashcan, into q-tips and into the tupperware cabinet. Anytime you are laying down (which is often because you are my cuddler!) you will play with your feet or kick them around. You also love to have your back rubbed.

You have also turned into a talker. You do not talk much, but when you do it is very clear, and you have a variety of words. You can say:

Mama, Dada, Gaga, Gator, Grandma, Grandpa, Papa, Zeus, bark, more, baba (for milk), yay, hi, bye, paw patrol, dora, bubbles, bup bup (bubble guppies), book, moo, purple,ball, no, dis(this), dat (that), tiger,kiss,dog. There are more....I just can't think of them at the moment!

You don't sign as much as your sister, but you know food and please. You will point to things and ask "dis?" and if you want something, you say "Dat!"

Your personality is just a bubbling! You are so sweet, smiley and sensitive.  You get shy, too. If you tell someone hi, or interact with them, you will hide your little head and smile.  You also do this cute thing where you shake your head back and forth smiling.  You also do that when you say no, minus the smile!  You wave, dance and clap, and LOVE to sing!

Your 2 favorite things are: Books and your sister

You carry purses around all day, and will wear clothes on your head (because you think you have put them "on")

You still have a LONG list of nicknames!

Bay-Bay

Bay-boo

Boodles

Doodles

Boo-boo

Bailey boo

Bailey boop

Baby B

Sweet Bailey girl, we love you. Your joyful spirit is contagious, and your stubbornness is quite funny (for now!).  We can't wait to see what changes the summer brings for you.

Love, Mommy and Daddy

The next phase

2 under 2 was a HARD phase. 

2 babies. No sleep, baggy eyes, and a lot of little people who could not communicate. Yet... it also had its blessings.  Only 1 of my tiny people was mobile, naps came often, and cuddles were abundant. Not to mention the whispy baby hair and abundant thigh rolls!

Next up was 1 under 1 and 1 over 2 . 

That phase was great. It was full of so many sweet first! There was still 1 mobile child, but now- she could follow directions! Better yet, she could be distracted for 30 minutes while her sister was in one of our many 'baby-holding" devices (because hallelujah-she could/would finally sit in them!). That left me with time to shower, or clean, or cook...the possibilities were endless. 

And then...then there came 2 over 1.  

We have now entered the 1 toddler and 1 preschooler phase.  Lord help me, give me patience and please don't let my hair all turn gray. The toddler can now climb...and she loves to get into everything (dirt and trash are her favorite toys).  And the preschooler now has the attention span of a goldfish (thank you internet for alerting me that goldfish have an attention span of 3 seconds), and is stubborn and independent to boot.  We have hit the "we can never eat dinner in public again phase." (So sorry to every mom I ever judged about being in that place).

Today, I remind myself that in the midst of 2 under 2, I could not wait for the next phase. I thought to myself, "Maybe having 1 over the age of 2 would be easier, maybe I would feel like less of a crazy lady, maybe, maybe, maybe."  In reality,  I looked back and saw the good, the joy, the blessings. I ached for days gone to fast, and babies who grew up in the blink of an eye. 

This phase is not just a phase of climbing, of messes, and of learning to assert independence. It is a phase of learning to use their bodies, of the blessing of health, of babies discovering their senses, and of being able to shower our girls in grace, of praying for their souls, and of showing them the love of the Lord as they learn to make their own decisions.

This phase will be full of beautiful memories. Memories of eating dirt, of starting to have conversations and laugh together, and of personalities blooming.  Memories of watching the joy that comes from our girls accomplishments, and memories of lots of family picnics at home ;)

I don't write this post to complain, or to wish away days.  I don't write this to frighten the daylights of any mamas coming behind me.  I write this because somedays, it helps to get all of the crazy out there, and have a fresh start. To remember to cherish these days, to savor them and to be grateful for them. And to remind myself that I don't have to have it all together as a mama, because my Jesus does.

Our Weekend

Besides Father's Day, we had a very relaxing weekend! Friday night, we spent time with friends. We also grilled out and let the girls play in the dirt. Bailey was in HEAVEN! I treasure days and nights like these, barefoot babies, the smell of the grill, lots of baths and lots of laughs!

Father's Day 2014

Father's Day 2014 was full of wonderful celebration! Here is a peek at what the girls gave their daddy:

We went to church Sunday morning with my dad. My brother had secretly come into town, and surprised my dad by showing up to church! After church, we grabbed a snack with them.

We then headed over to Mark's parents house, where we all spent the day swimming, grilling and enjoying great company! (My phone is not cooperating with my laptop at the moment...I will have to add more pictures later!)

Mark...our girls are beyond blessed to call you Daddy. You are an example to them of what Christ's love is.  Your laughs, hugs and discipline will forever shape their lives.  Thank you for loving them (and their mama!) so well.  Happy Father's Day!

Tony and Dad...we are blessed to call you each dad. Thank you for all that you have done for us over the years.  You are such blessings in our lives, and we all love you so much! Happy Father's Day!