My Dearest Ana,

Today's the day. Today is your day. Your very big third birthday. You're officially no longer a baby. Somewhere between your little infant snore and your acquired knack for singing everything, you've grown up.

You've grown up to be a talker, a chit chatter really. Sometimes you're content in pure silence. But when it strikes you, you chit chat with the best of them. You go on and on and on and on and I. LOVE. IT. The things that you say crack me up, melt my heart, and boil my blood.

You know SO MUCH. You know things I've never taught you. You teach me things I didn't realize I should know. You have a memory like nobody's business that can get Mommy in trouble sometimes but a lot of times (like when I'm looking for my keys) it comes in very handy :).

You are becoming the very best sister we could ever dream of for Miss Maddie. Your concern for her when she cries overwhelms me. The way you talk to her in your sweet mommy voice chokes me up. Sure, you still have your moments with her and have single-handedly taught her the words "mine!" and "no!" but there is no doubt in my mind that you will be this little girl's very best friend.

How in the world you could be everything I've ever wanted in life, everything I've every wanted to be, is beyond me. Before you, I didn't believe perfection existed. You're a sweet potato. You're hilarious. You love to laugh. You're feisty. You're so smart. You're so witty. You're a stinker. You love big. You have such incredible concern for Mommy, Daddy, and Maddie. You're stubborn. You're sassy. YOU ARE EVERYTHING.


I love you.

xoxo,
Mama

Slowin' Down

I can admit that I've been letting myself get overwhelmed these last few months with everything under the sun and today I let myself slow down.

I let my sweet girls play in the bath while I watched them and reveled in their giggles. I brushed their hair and teeth, lotioned those little legs and arms, and searched through loads of clean laundry to find the coveted Little Mermaid pajamas. And for this I was rewarded. These sweet girls let me rock them both (together) for all of five whole songs - the same five songs I sang to them each when they were infants as I'd nurse them, stare at them, and take in their sweet baby smell. Ana, snuggled up on my chest with her long legs wrapped around my waist. Maddie, not quite as calm but still affording me a snuggle here and there. As I sang to my babies and turned my head from one to the other taking in their yumminess, I felt myself slow down for the first time in months.

There's nothing in this world quite like your own little girls' fresh-out-of-a-bath baby smell. And I'll (shamefully) admit I don't take it in quite as often as I should, quite as often as we all deserve. Maddie's inability to sit still and Ana's long, long legs took me to the days when I could fit them in the nook of my chest. Some days it feels like a lifetime ago but today it felt like it was just yesterday. And so I'm forced to remember something none of us should ever forget - that these days won't be here forever and I owe it to myself, I owe it to my girls, to just slow down.

I love you

I don't have the time to write much of a post (shocking, I know!) but I do need to write this. My little Miss Maddie, 2 weeks and 1 day ago said this mama's favorite words. "I love you". Clear as day. From my 15 month old chunk of love. Oh baby, how I love you too!!!!

Ovah thrrr!

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Labor Day Weekend 2008

Last weekend we had a family reunion up in Wisconsin. It's funny to call it a family reunion since our entire family gets together literally once a month, at least. But that's besides the point. Anyway, we spend 3 days doing a whole lotta nothing. Things didn't go exactly as envisioned but all in all it was a weekend away so there's something to be said for that, I guess.

When we got home on Monday I braced myself for a week of deprogramming the girls from lates nights, late naps, lots of screaming and eating whenever, and living in bathing suits. I thought for sure I was in for a heck of a week. And to my pleasant surprise, it has indeed been a heck of a week but in a good way! They have been ANGELS!!! Right back on track and sweet as ever. Honestly, how did we get so lucky? Perfection is what these little girls are :). So I'll leave you with some pictures from this little getaway of ours....

Uncle Yaros rescuing Ana from the waterslides. She was not a fan :).

Me and my sweetie.

Our Bathing Beauty.

One of the very few family pics we have. Isn't that sad?

Right before my eyes

So Miss Maddie Mac is now saying...

Bounce
Good girl!
No
Mine (thank you very much, Miss Ana!!!)
and Pasta


I love, love, LOVE a baby's first words. Especially my baby's first words. She's becoming a big girl right before our eyes and it's bitter sweet. I melt when she wobbles across the room just to hug my leg. And her humongous laugh makes me want to fall over. She loves her sister and wants to do what she does but she's very much her own little person. I love that she calls for Daddy when she hears him come in and she calls for me every morning. But I have to say I already miss the little baby she was.