4/10/2009

Dear Lili-Bug,

You. are. a. handful. A delightful handful, yes. But a handful nonetheless. I am so incredibly grateful that I became rigid on sleep schedules as a result of your colic because, even though you've undoubtedly outgrown your nap and don't really need it anymore, you take it anyway and it gives me 1 precious & beautiful hour to simply sit and stare at the wall... an activity I've grown accustomed to truly enjoying. Your Grandma April & Aunt Elise recently visited, and although she is only 10-years-old, you wore out Elise completely. It's nice to know there are those out there who now know exactly why I'm completely famished at the end of the day. You aren't troublesome... just very active.

You have an addiction to temporary tattoos. Ever since seeing them being sold in the gumball machines at the grocery store, you are constantly bringing them up. It was as if you loved the fact that this "sticker" never fell off. And your favorite place to put them is smack dab in the middle of your belly, which is fine, except that you insist on lifting up your shirt to show it to perfect strangers. We'll have to be sure to work on that before Spring Break 2025.

You've lost your 24-7 playmate in me, and I am aware and it does make me sad for you. I am now realizing how much of me I truly did give to you, as I am now not able to do so with the addition of your little sister. The other day I finally had to sit you down, look you in the eyes, and explain to you how important it was for you to play by yourself once in a while so that I could nurse your sister, who is growing more and more aware and is now easily distracted when you are running around the room. I could see the sadness in your eyes as I requested this, but I appreciated the, "Ok, Mama. I'll try." That's really the only thing I will try to ever ask of you... that you'll try. Remind me of this if you ever feel like I'm pushing too hard.

I don't know if I'll ever get used to how pretty you are. 3-years-old and people still stop me in public, as they have since the day you were born, to marvel at your hair & eyes. I never thought I could produce such a little beauty. I suppose that's why I usually credit your father. That's another thing. I hope you don't inherit my self-esteem.

I'm working hard to teach you the Gospel, and even though I'm not sure how deep it is truly sinking in yet, I am delighted when you tell people, "I'm getting married in the temple," "I get baptized when I'm 8-years-old," & "Jesus is my brother. He died for me 'ecause He loves me." I hope you hold on to those 3 principles forever. I'll be really happy if you do.

So will you.

You are constantly making me laugh. The other day, your little sister woke from her nap with one eye completely closed shut with goop from her clogged tear duct. We were all laughing at her (poor Cecily) when you said, "She looks like a pirate!" Later that night, in the bathtub, when she accidentally kicked you in the eye, I hesitated as I waited for you to start crying. However, you simply burst into laughter and said, "Now I'm a pirate!"

There are some words you use that floor me. And the amazing thing is, you aren't just imitating words you hear, but use them correctly with complete comprehension. "Gorgeous" & "actually" are the 2 that are my favorite. They just sound so ridiculous coming out of your little mouth. You're really so smart. I don't know if I've ever met a girl with the brains, personality, & the looks to boot. And it's not like I'm biased as your mother or anything....

I suppose that's all I have to say right now as, at this very moment, you are standing at the door with your My Little Ponies (your new obsession) waiting for me to come play with you. And because your sister is napping and not nursing, I really have no excuse. So, here I come, little buddy. But can I be Starsong this time? After all, purple is my favorite color...

Love, Mommy



Dear CCLemon,


Thank the heavens above you are, for the most part, a pretty chill kid. As of the last week or so, you have learned that voluminous, high-pitched tones will get Mommy's attention, so we may have to work on that, but you are otherwise, pretty relaxed. So much so that it takes every ounce of energy I have left in me to get you to laugh. Smiling is a piece of cake. You're a happy girl who absolutely loves face time from her parents, but I finally got a laugh out of you the other day. It melted my heart completely. But now it's nearly impossible to get another one. All of my antics simply garner a look of, "What in the world are you doing, Mom? Honestly." I'll get plenty of that when you're 13. Can't you humor me for now?


You are definitely a chubba-bubba, and I LOVE it! I could squeeze and nibble your thunder thighs all. day. long. It's so nice to have a child who eats and eats well. Because I have such peace of mind with that, I'm still ok with you waking to eat at night. Sometimes, I even enjoy it. Just you and me, in the dark in the wee hours of the morning, as you hold my finger and I caress your wonderfully soft knuckles. It's hard to be the 2nd child, because you never get 100% of my attention, so I think we both like that quiet time with just us. When you're older, I'll try to be sure to still squeeze that in for us... maybe not the night-nursings... but the alone quiet time. You & me.

Your eyes are still blue which makes this blue-eyed Momma very happy. And you have a ton of hair. Except for on the back of your head. So you have a fountain of a ponytail on the top, where I clip a fun little bow, and then a massive bald spot on the roundest part of your head, and then straight, long, mullet-like hair at the back. It's ok. Trust me, it'll grow in. If there's one thing both your father & I have given you, it's plenty of hair.

You still haven't decided how you feel about your sister, and that's ok. She wears me out, too. But I thank you for tolerating her so that I don't have to feel like I'm yelling at her to be careful with you all of the time. I promise I'm on your side, really. But thanks for your patience.

You are on a pretty strict schedule, and I appreciate that as well. You didn't really have a choice, but you succumbed fairly painlessly, which was refreshing. You're an obedient little girl... we'll see how long it lasts.

I love waking you from your naps, releasing you from your swaddle and watching you stretch every last inch of your body as you grin at me, well-rested. I need to get a picture of it sometime because it makes me realize I've really missed you while you've been sleeping. And I have. I was nervous about loving you "as much as" I love your sister. But I know now that it's not a problem at all. And while I love you differently, I love you both unconditionally, and that means infinitely and forever with every ounce of me.

We're excited to see what kind of dynamic you bring to our little family, CC. We love you tons and can't wait to love you even more.

Love, That Lady Who Feeds You

Pictures Worth a Thousand Words...

This is why the plan of happiness considers families crucial... you don't know true happiness without them. I'm convinced.

New Favorites

I've already addressed the fact that my mother-in-law has an awesome camera and a serious eye for candid moments. Yesterday I downloaded (uploaded?) a CD she sent to me that had all of the pictures she had taken the weekend she was here for Cecily's birth. There were so many and they are so huge and high quality that it took almost a 1/2 an hour just having them sent to folders on my computer. But it was worth the wait because I found some new gems I would like to share that I haven't already posted. (although this one will always be my most favoritest).

On the 6th of December (the Saturday before Cecily's birth on the 8th), I'd been asked to put together a program for the Stake High Council Christmas Social. I had, of course, forced my husband into the thing to be a shepherd. This is him, while we wait in the Primary Room, thinking he's so clever as the Emperor from Star Wars.


And this is me, trying to make sure he's aware that I don't think he's clever at all... and I'm obviously GINORMOUS!!!


My beautiful little Cecily, only a few hours old, in an incubator in the nursery due to some cesarean-induced breathing problems.
She's so perfect!


I love this picture of my dad with his two granddaughters! He's always teasing Malia, just as he always teased me. This is also one of the only shots of my dad actually looking comfortable holding a newborn (even though he held us 5 kids and his 6 grandkids). LOL.


Contented Daddy.


Close-up of the pretty baby catching some must-needed Zs after being traumatized by being pulled from a warm, dark, quiet womb into the light, cold, chaotic, mortal world.


An Eskimo kiss from big sister.


First night home from the hospital. First complete family picture.

Erin go braugh!

Ok - so I'm so not Irish. I'm not even Scottish. The most "ish" I am is Dutch.... er, well, yeah. Dave's got 25% Italian in him, so St. Paddy's doesn't have much going for it in our house. I mean, we don' even drink, so...

BUT, having a 3-year-old has made every holiday important. Whenever we go to Target and she sees the decorations for the next holiday hanging from the ceiling, she fires a round of questions my way and then anticipates the holiday by asking about it every morning until it comes. So I dressed the girls up in green and will be making cupcakes with green frosting. I will NOT, however, be teaching Malia anything about pinching. That'll have to wait until grade school when someone else's brat informs her of such.

Here's a little movie of Cecily. Don't mind the puking at the end. It's not Cecily if she isn't puking... just sayin'.

Emptying My Phone

The other day, David finally figured out how to get pictures off of my phone without me having to e-mail them to myself (we have to pay extra for text messages, and that counts as text messaging). I have to share these. Basically, whenever Malia and I were out & about and I didn't have my camera, but felt that there was a "Kodak-worthy" moment, I'd pull out my cell and take a picture. So, they're obviously terrible quality, but I love them, just the same.

This is the first picture I ever took on my cell. She wasn't quite walking on her own, yet. We're lucky to get her to hold our hands now. This is also a rare sighting of Daddy on a shopping trip to Target with us. It does happen... it's rare... but it happens.

Malia has been hamming it up for the camera since the beginning. We were at Old Navy and she tried on about 10 different pairs of "seh-sehs a Mama" (glasses like Mommy).

First successful spoon attempt. Back when she actually used to eat veggies.

Taking a walk around the Disneyland Hotels. Isn't she the freaking cutest kid EVER?!!

St. Patty's Day 2007.

Her first ride on the teacups was an indisputable success.

Her first fireworks viewing ever. 4th of July 2007. Fullerton, CA.

Daddy/daughter footprints on the beach in San Diego. 2007.

If my genetics have anything to do with it, she will be too clumsy to be a "boarder." But she sure-as-heck looks adorable modeling the gear.


Riding an elephant by herself!


At Huntington Beach with a mermaid tail... too bad you can't really see the tail...


Playing the washboard at Disney's CA Adventure with a band while the others go on Grizzly Rapids (Malia was too little and Mommy was too pregnant to go).

And I have to throw this in, too (I don't even remembering taking this... in fact, I had forgotten my phone even takes videos)!

She is growing up far too fast! Looking at these reminds me that she is not even close to being a baby anymore... which is a good thing now that I have another. But it still makes the bitter of the bittersweet just a little more obvious once in a while.

Tomorrow she'll be borrowing the keys to the car and studying for the SATs!