Sunday, August 14, 2016

To My Daughter: On the Eve of your 2nd Birthday



Tonight, I rocked my one year old to sleep for the very last time.  I treasure those quiet moments, holding you on my chest, with your legs now dangling down over the side of the chair.  Every night I ask you, "what should mommy sing tonight?"  In true Lara fashion, you're typically quite decisive with, "Sunshine!"  But lately, you spend a few moments pondering between ABC's, Row Row, Twinkle Twinkle, you name it.  Tonight I suggested Happy Birthday, and you were very excited about that!  We've been singing it all weekend, so I wasn't surprised it was your bedtime song of choice. I rocked you gently for a long time, as you clung onto your huge plastic horse you got at your party Friday night.  You insisted it be a part of your bedtime routine tonight, sitting on your chest as we changed your diaper, rocking with us and of course, I tucked you in while you clung onto your horsie ever so tight.   

Tomorrow, you'll wake up a two year old....

I remember so vividly, two years ago tonight, the anticipation I felt knowing I would be meeting you the following morning.  I was so in love with you long before I laid eyes on your sweet, chubby cheeks.  Little did I know, my love for you would deepen every single day that I wake up as your mommy.



There is not a day that goes by that I don't thank the LORD for choosing me to be your mommy.  He knew exactly what he was doing when he placed you in my womb to grow.  I never thought I would be blessed with my very own daughter, so when I found out you were a precious little girl, my heart exploded.  

Watching you with your daddy is truly a gift from God, a gift I never experienced.  Your grandpa went to heaven 19 years ago.  I know he beams down from heaven everyday, watching me as a mother, watching his granddaughter grow up.  Seeing you with your daddy reminds me how my father must've felt about me....a love I never grew to comprehend because he was gone too soon.  The love I get to see in your daddy's eyes is one of my most favorite parts of being a mom.  It's a gift from God, really.  


As you continue to grow up, I watch you become more and more independent.  Fiercely independent, really.  I love your strong will, just as long as it doesn't involve you throwing spaghetti all over the kitchen walls.  Boy, was I mad at you that evening!  But you, in all your adorableness, cause the anger to drift away the moment you crawl up onto the couch to sit next to Mommy.  You point out all my freckles, insisting they're boo boo's.  Boo boo's that are in dire need of a princess band-aid, STAT! 

You're my little buddy, you know.  My best bud in the whole wide world.



Tonight you helped me clean out your baby sisters room to prepare for her arrival.  I often worry about how I'm going to love this next little girl the way I love you.  I worry about how your going to feel, watching mommy with another baby.  I have loved these past two years, showering you with all of our love and attention.  Soaking in every second of every day with just you.  I hope you always know how fiercely you are loved, even when you're no longer our only baby.  


You're going to be the best big sister; her protector, her teacher, her best friend, her shoulder to cry on, her matron of honor, and by her side as you both become Mommies.  I can't wait to watch your love for one another grow.

But no matter what, I hope you always know that though you're her big sister....you'll always be our little baby girl that changed our world, first. 

Thanks for being our "test run."  We owe ya one, kid. 
;)

Saturday, August 13, 2016

A Birthday & A BumpDate!

Well, hello!!  Today I've got a double whammy for y'all.  Our big girls 2nd Birthday snapshots AND a bumpdate.  I know, I'm coming in HOT. 

Our sweet girl turns TWO on Monday and last night we celebrated Miss Lara Anne and it was just perfect.  We planned for a Flamingo themed pool party and low and behold, it was calling for 70% chance of rain ALL day.  I woke up at 2:00 am the night before in a panic.  But God was in our girls corner and the rain stayed away!  Instead, it was breezy and beautiful with just enough cloud cover to provide some fantastic temperatures.


 



Cake--HyVee!


Swimsuit--Mud Pie!




Big Sis Outfit--Etsy Shop Three Wild Girls!  Amazing quality!

Little Girl Play Makeup--Etsy Shop Glamour Girl Fun!  Lara LOVES it!!

We rented out our local pool here in Pleasant Hill, which has a fantastic baby pool, zero entry with lots of fun little fountains.  The kiddos seemed to really enjoy it!  In fact, Lara was the last straggler out of the pool....she would've stayed all night had we let her. 






She came home with quite the loot and she's spent the entire day enjoying all her fun, new toys!  HORSES were the theme of the night.  I think she ended up with 10 or so!  Haha! 




She also got some new panties which we've been trying out today, unsuccessfully. ;)  She peed in her potty, but a few minutes later, she crapped and peed in a pair, so back in the diaper she went.  But hey, she sure looked cute in her little panties! Here she is showing them off to her horsie.




Now, onto my monthly BumpDate!


How Far Along: 6 Months + 4 days

Due Date:  November 30th!

Weight Gain: 5-6 lbs I think, which is shocking because I literally feel like a whale as of the past week or so.  I swear I can feel this belly growing, and it HURTS.  Lots of stretching & lots of pain this time around.

Maternity Clothes: YES!  I will admit, one of my favorite parts of being pregnant.  Dressing the bump!  Don't get me wrong, I totally dig the whole growing a little human part, but the maternity fashion, I just can't resist.  In fact, I hit the jackpot at Motherhood Maternity earlier this week and landed some adorable fall sweaters.  With Lara being born in August, I have NO winter clothes for this belly and it's going to be large and in charge, here in a few short months...
Stretch marks: Please.  I was covered in them before I got pregnant.

Symptoms: Still tired, but not near as bad these days!  Which is great!! I'm feeling like my old self and that's been nice.  As I've mentioned before, I've had lots of anxiety this go around, but feeling much more relaxed now.

Cravings: Hmmm....I'm going to say as of late, has to be frozen custard with Reeses peanut butter cups & cookie dough!

Gender: GIRL!!!!!! And boy am I having fun shopping for this nugget, as if she really needs it....

Mood:  EXCITED TO MEET HER!!

Nursery: Yeah, about the nursery.   I thought I was settled on the farmhouse idea, but I'm switching gears to more of an enchanted forest idea.  Who knows! But what I DO KNOW is that we need to get started!!  We gotten as far as buying a gallon of paint.  Said paint is still sitting on the floor with all the paint brushes, unopened.  #winning

Movement: LOTS!  In fact, our doctor will have the Doppler on my belly with her heartbeat and she'll flip around so fast it's hard for her to keep the Doppler actually ON her.  I was really hoping this little girl would be more mellow than the first, but I'm not so sure these days.

Sleep: Same.  Sleep, pee, sleep, pee, pee some more, sleep, and pee some more.

Workouts: I've only been getting to the gym 1x a week as of late due to how sore I've been.  I've now resorted to only walking on the treadmill these days because the running is just too much for the belly these days.  I did buy a prenatal Yoga DVD that I can't wait to try!

Names: Still Undecided! But a few we really love.