In Toddler News | Part Three

Dear Pemberley,
I know I've said this before, but I'll say it again: this is absolutely, without a doubt, my favorite age! You are learning so much these days (and getting into so much trouble!), and it's so neat to watch you grow up. It's also very bittersweet, don't get me wrong, but it's just so damn cool, too.

Let's start with the best: watching you eat. You probably know this by now, but you love to eat. And lately, it's quite hilarious to watch you master the art of using a fork. I realize that giving a 20 month old spaghetti and a fork is kind of ridiculous (I mean, let's work on stabbing the food before we twirl it, right?). You apparently thought so, too, because you threw your fork to the ground and went at your spaghetti family style!!

Aside from eating, your next favorite thing to do is watch Justin Bieber music videos on YouTube. Allow me to explain how that came about, before you start judging me, okay? :)

I was trying to teach you how to say "baby" for the longest time before Wavie got here. You would make the "b" sound, but absolutely refused to say the entire word. One day I had on iHeart Radio, and "Baby" by Bieber came on as we were walking upstairs so I could put you down for your nap. I'll be damned if you didn't start saying, "Beebee, beebee!" when you heard it! After that, you were addicted. You've gotten really good at singing the chorus, and even add in the "Ohhh!" at the end, as well. It's quite possibly the cutest thing ever. You will take anyone's phone and unrelentlessly go, "beebee, beebee, beebee, ohhhh! Beebee, beebee!" over and over and over until we put the video on for you. Bieber has entertained you for many minutes throughout the day while I take care of your sister. Here's the look on your face when you see the video begin. Pure. Joy. (And don't get me started on how cute those pigtails are!!!)

Here's a quick video of your relentless request. Sooooo cuuuuteee!

You've spent a lot of time with your Daddy lately while I take care of little sister. I love watching the two of you bond! We went to the park near our house on Memorial Day, and I captured this picture of Daddy pushing you on the swing. You are definitely a 'play outside kind of girl', and you had a blast swinging and bossing the other kids around (you are NOT shy when it comes to talking to other kids). The look on your face when you see your Daddy just melts my heart :)

Another favorite thing you like to do, aside from spending time with Daddy, is cause as much trouble as you possibly can. You need to be watched like a hawk every waking moment, or I find you dancing with a roll of toilet paper...

...or standing on top of an unstable play kitchen...

...or sitting in an Amazon box with some snacks after trying to eat the dog food...

...or stepping on Meagram's tail because you have your sunglasses on...indoors...

...or putting yourself and Rusty in doggy jail after I chased you down for taking a bag of Cheez-Its out of the kitchen pantry and crunching them all over the floor...

...or taking out every single wet wipe as fast as you can before you get caught...

...or, lastly, forcing me to play peek-a-boo, even though right before I took this picture, you got caught splashing in the pet fountain yet again.

We seriously need to do a better job watching you.

I love you so much, sweet girl. Seeing you toddle around and get into stuff has been one of the biggest highlights of the summer so far. A close second is hearing you talk and learn new words. You've learned to say "Hep! Hep!" when you need something ("help"), and you love asking to go on a walk. Although it doesn't *quite* sound like "walk" just yet...

We'll keep working on your "w" sound this summer.

With so much love,

Auntie Caroline's Graduation

Dear Pemberley,
She did it!!! Auntie Caroline graduated college with a Bachelors in Criminal Justice!

Let me tell you a little bit about your aunt (although if you're reading this, these are probably things you already know). She is fearless. She will stand up for what's right. She works hard and plays harder. She has high standards not only for herself, but for everyone else too. She doesn't back down from a challenge. And last but not least, she DID IT!!!!

Last Saturday we loaded up the car and party-trained it down to Warrensburg, Missouri to see the graduation ceremony at UCM. Waverley only cried for 20 of the 40 minutes, so Daddy and I are counting that as a win. You managed to keep one pigtail/bow in, so we're counting that as a win also :)

The ceremony itself was only about an hour and a half, which, to be honest, I was dreading. You're quite the busy body these days and I was nervous as to how you'd do trapped in a row of seats in an open gym, but I came prepared with your sippy cup and some Cheez-Its. What I didn't prepare myself for was what a little show off you are with Auntie's girl friends!!! You were sitting with them and taking Snap Chat selfies in a matter of minutes. Daddy and I were smiling ear to ear, watching you make friends!

Here's the family after graduation. My favorites are the ones of you wearing the cap!!! You thought you were hot stuff.

We all went out to On the Border afterwards, and ate a ton of mediocre food. We also learned how much your Grandma Joanne "appreciates things." (An inside joke I will tell you about when you're older!) By that time, it was super late and you were super tired. Auntie C and her BFF Ashley carried you out to the car (but not before they took a super cute picture!). We had a long drive home, which you totally took advantage of...

Pemberley, even if you end up choosing a path that doesn't involve college, I'm sure you'll grow to appreciate how hard your Auntie worked to get to this day. If you have even half of her hard work and dedication to your chosen career field, I will be a happy mama.

Love,

Pemberley -18 Months

Dear Pemberley,
18 months. A year and a half. In six months, you'll be TWO YEARS OLD.

Oh.
My.
Goodness.

I can't even begin to tell you how much FUN you are right now! I know I've said this before, but this is totally my favorite age so far. You're such a silly, carefree, happy little girl. Here you are, at your 18 month check up!

Before I get too ahead of myself, at 18 months you...

-weigh 24.4 pounds (71st percentile)

-are 32.7 inches long (75th percentile)

-wear size four diapers 

-are in 18 month clothes

-know about 10 words (cat, uh oh, Peppa, toot, and Dad are your favorites)

-still think that the dogs are cats

-have 12 teeth, and are working on 4 more as I type

-LOVE to eat and to drink water

-refuse to let me put your hair in pigtails, ponytails, and/or bows 99% of the time

-will read the book "Toot" all day long 

-sleep 12-13 hour stretches at night in your crib, and take a two-ish hour afternoon nap

-love showing off for both sets of grandparents

-love taking Waverley's paci out of her mouth

I went sifting through my pictures since the last toddler update, intending to pick a few out for this post, and I seriously almost burst into tears. You're getting so big! I swear I just blinked and suddenly you're this little person who knows what she wants and how to get it. It's so much fun watching you learn new words; you can practically see the wheels in your brain turning when you try to talk. 

Except right here. Here, you're #allaboutthatfood

((That hair! Don't even get me started. And the cheeks. Ahhh!))

One of your new favorite past-times is taking walks in the stroller. You'll walk to the back door and repeat "Out. Out. Out." until I give in. Lately we've been loading up you and Waverley and walking to Sonic for slushies and lemonades. This was our first trip there. Clearly, Mommy and Daddy have a lot to learn, seeing as we let you get your own big girl drink of water...

...only to realize you're not *quite* ready to drink from a cup with a lid that isn't screwed on...

And girl, you love your sunglasses! Whenever you put them on, Daddy and I always call you 'Miss Hollywood' because it's pretty clear from the smile on your face that you think you are hot stuff!

If the above picture doesn't totally and perfectly capture your personality, I don't know what does. I've said it before and I'll say it again--you are such a fun, sweet little girl. You make this parenting thing pretty easy, and we are so lucky you're our daughter. We love you, big girl!! Happy 18 months!!!!!!!

Love,

Easter | 2016

Dear Pemberley,
This year Easter was full of family, food, love, and pure exhaustion! But worth every minute.

We woke up to snow. Yes, you read that correctly. Snow. It's not unheard of in March in Kansas, but I was still a little peeved. We got you and sister dressed and bundled up in coats, and headed over to Uncle Eli and Aunt Sally's for a delicious brunch. After we ate, we all went downstairs and you participated in your first ever Easter egg hunt! (Which was originally scheduled to be outside, but you know...snow happened.) Here you are, picking up M&M filled eggs, with one shoe on.

While you licked  played with cousin Reagan's toys and walked around in your one shoe, Auntie Darcy got some cuddle time in with Waverley.

After brunch, we headed over to Grandma Joanne's house for an early dinner. You took a 30 minute nap on the way, which seemed to recharge you quite a bit! Once we got there, you just loved throwing plastic eggs all over the place, and you adored the newest addition to your sippy cup collection :)

When we finally left Grandma Joanne's, it was about 4:30pm and you were tired. I mean...tired. You started crying in the back seat out of pure exhaustion, and it reminded Mommy that even though you look and act like a big girl, you need to take your regularly scheduled naps because you're still my little baby.

Just for fun, here's a throwback to last Easter. It breaks my Mommy heart when I see how much you've GROWN! (Except for those chubby baby thighs! I hope you NEVER outgrow those!!!!)

I'm pretty excited for next Easter, when you get to school Wavie on how to hunt for Easter eggs. ((And we'll start crossing out fingers for no snow so we can do it outside!))

Happy Easter 2016, my little toddler bunny,

A Letter To My Only Child, Before She Becomes A Big Sister

Dear Pemberley,
Any day now, you will become a big sister. You will never remember a time when Waverley wasn't in your life. For almost 18 months, it was just you and me and Daddy. You will never remember what being an only child was like, so it's up to me to tell you.

You won't remember the beginning time we spent together as mommy and daughter after daddy's paternity leave was up. That first day I woke up scared shitless, wondering how we would fill the next nine hours until daddy got home. But we fell into a routine almost immediately. You won't remember our Friday Night Lights marathons, sprawled out on the couch and the bed. You won't remember the all-day pajama fests, or the days when I would load you up in the car and we'd go walk around Barnes and Noble, just to get out of the house.

You won't remember how doted upon you were, and how adored. You were the first grandbaby that Grannie and Grandma Joanne got to spoil, and you were loved and kissed and hugged and cuddled every moment they saw you. You also won't remember meeting your great-grandpa Stan before he passed away, or how he loved to take off your socks and hold your tiny feet. You won't remember him asking me if I was finally happy, and you won't remember me looking at you and whispering, "Yes."

You won't remember all of the toys and books that were only yours for your first year and a half...the times when you didn't have to share because there was no little sister asking you to.

You won't remember that the moment the doctor placed you on my chest and I heard your cry, my heart swelled with a love I could never comprehend before your arrival. You'll never remember that it was YOU who made me a mother in that second- the most difficult and rewarding job I've ever had.

But there are times when I'm thankful that you can't remember; the little times when I feel like I failed you as a mommy. Like when I forgot your diaper bag at our very first doctor's appointment. Or the time when I forgot your milk for daycare at home, and I had to rush to work to pump so you would have enough to eat for the day. Or the time when you were 11 months old and we had to give you your first bottle of formula because my supply had dropped so much in my second trimester with Waverley that I couldn't pump enough for you anymore.

***

I guess it's all just as well. You'll never remember that you had your mommy and daddy all to yourself and didn't have to share our attention...you won't remember when we weren't a family of four.

But I won't forget. I will remember every precious minute of it - and I will remember it for the both of us.

Pemberley, you are going to be an amazing big sister. I can't wait for you to meet Waverley and open up her world like you opened up mine.

With all of the love in the whole world,

In Toddler News | Part Two

Dear little one,
I hardly know where to begin. You're learning and growing by leaps and bounds and it's hard to catch up! It seems like every day your Daddy and I figure out something new that you learned, or realize that a pair of pants that fit you the night before are suddenly too small. You're growing up before our eyes and it's so bittersweet to see! Where oh where to begin...?

Let's start with the pets. You walk around the house going, "At! Aaaaat!" You're of course yelling cat, but Meagram chooses to ignore you and Disco runs away in fear that you'll step or sit on her. You also LOVE to meow back at them. We'll ask you, "How does the cat go?" And you make literally the.most.adorable attempt at a meow. I'm going to miss it when you start "for real" talking; your translations are just too cute! I'm also very pleased that you like the cats, while Daddy shakes his in disbelief that you said the word cat before the word doggy - haha!

#catloverlikehermommy #futuretroublemakingBFFs

Of course, your love for all things feline doesn't stop you from spending quality time with the dogs. Here you are, after just having eaten breakfast. I was in the living room for a minute when it occurred to me that you were very quiet. Too quiet. So I got up to find you and Rusty, hanging out in the dog crate. I managed to get this picture right after he bolted and right as you were crawling out. Safe to say you've found a little hideaway...

You also love sharing food with the dogs, and by sharing, I mean giving your food to them and eating theirs as well. Daddy bought a new huge container for the dog food and put it next to the dog crate in the breakfast nook. I swear I was only in the bathroom for five seconds when I walked out to find that the following had gone down:

1) You opened the top of the container and got out the cup we use to measure the dog food with, 

2) Rusty and Dolce were feasting as fast as they could on as much dog food as possible, and 

3) You can fit a hell of a lot of dog food in your mouth in the time it takes me to walk from the hallway to the kitchen. 

Daddy was proud when I told him what happened.

So, about food. You're still my little chunker when it comes to eating. You have gotten maybe a little pickier in the past few months, but it's really hard to tell if it's you actually being picky, or me just being a terrible cook. By and large though, breakfast is your jam. You can pack away six mini pancakes, a whole banana AND some yogurt with z-e-r-o difficulty. We've recently begun giving you a toddler spoon to help you start learning how to use silverware. Let's just say it's a skill in progress :)

Helping me in the kitchen is also a new favorite way for the two of us to bond. I can't help but smile when I'm unloading the dishwasher, and I look over to see this::

See what I mean? Little. Miss. Trouble! I actually bought you a pink play kitchen, but Daddy hadn't had time to put it together just yet. I'm hoping once he does you'll be more inclined to play with it, instead of in our drawers...

Other things you've learned include how to open the door from the hallway to the garage (so you can let big fat Meagram escape, and it's totally adorbs when I tell you, "Daddy's home!!" and you run to open the door for him), how to 'wear' my glasses, to walk over to the changing table when you need a diaper change, and how to crawl up the stairs at lightning speed. I'm a proud mama when I can say, "Pemberley, let's go upstairs!" and you walk right over to the baby gate and wait for me to unlock it. (I'm also a very thankful mama, because carrying you up the stairs and being 34 weeks pregnant is like, the opposite of easy.)

I've also come to adore how much you love your new car seat! The Graco Size4Ever straps just weren't working out for us. We'd buckle you in, make sure they were the correct tightness, and then by the time I got to daycare in the mornings, they'd be slack. As much as we're on the road, I didn't want to chance anything happening to you. We upgraded to a Diono Radian RXT and you LOVE it! It helps you do crazy things with your hair when you pull out your ponytail...

...and it has enough space that you can comfortably sit with your blanket, a cup of water, and a book. This picture warms my heart...it gives me hope that someday you'll become an avid reader and lover of books just like your mommy! (Even though I'll admit the only thing you were doing with that particular book was searching and yelling for the picture of the "aaaaaaaattttt!")

I think my favorite thing you've learned to date is where your belly button is, though. We'll ask you, and the cutest little smile flashes across your face before you lift up your shirt and show us. And girl, you are not shy! You'd walk around showing off your tummy all day if we let you ;)

You've become quite the Daddy's Little Helper, too. I love to see you follow him around and try to mimic what he's doing - banging on the walls while he nails something up, 'hammering' something down, or even picking out paint at Home Depot.

Last is your affinity for anything electronic. You love the Endless ABCs app on my phone, and you love to cue Siri on Daddy's phone and ask her about the "aaat!" I caught this adorable picture of you playing on Daddy's phone right before bed. (Excuse your outfit...a dress I ordered for you had just come in the mail and I couldn't wait to try it on you!)

You're quite our little princess, as you can tell. We love you so much, and get so excited the more we watch you grow. You're such a smart, beautiful little girl and we are so lucky to call you our daughter!

With all of the love in the world,