Trick or Treat

She walks!

Pictures!

Making progress on the walking front with S2. She now will stand unassisted in the middle of the room, and today she took a tentative step forward to get a toy, then decided crawling was better. Baby steps...haha...get it? ;)

Without further ado, pictures!

18 months

My dear, sweet baby girl.

You are 18 months old today! I can hardly believe that it's been that long, and at the same time I can't believe it's ONLY been that long. I remember vividly the tangle of emotions that I went through on the day you were born. You were so small, and fragile, and delicate, and I was so scared for you.

You've come through your rocky entrance in to this world with flying colors. You light up a room with your smile, and every laugh is like music. Your smile can be hard won. You watch people so intensely, and it can take you a while to warm to them. You seem to read them, and then decide if they're worth being comfortable around.

I've learned so much from you about patience, and love, and finding beauty in the simple things. My heart swells with love for you when you lean in and give me a sloppy kiss, or hang tightly to my arms when you're feeling uncomfortable. I love that you look to me for safety, and comfort, and reassurance that you're in a safe place.

You're so adventurous, but are always careful to look to us for guidance. You learned to stand on your own yesterday, and I know it's only a matter of time before I'll be able to look down and see your little hand in mine as we walk around the neighborhood, and not long after that you'll want me to let go. I don't know if I can ever let go, baby girl.

You adore your big sisters, and squeal with excitement every time you see them. You follow them everywhere, and are distraught when they leave the room without you. They eat it up. You are their favorite person to be with, and they tell me daily how much they love you.

You light up when your daddy walks in the room, and are crushed when he leaves. I know how hard it is on him to have to leave you, but I also know how much it means to him to get to come home to you. When he's here, he's your go-to guy. You will always turn to your daddy before me, and I'm fine with that. I love that you love him so much.

You learn new things every day, and amaze me constantly. You are growing up so fast, and every day you leave a little more of your "babyness" behind. Soon you'll be running away from me without a second glance to go join your friends, and I'm not sure how I'll handle that. I want to keep you small just a little longer, but I so love to watch you grow.

Being a mom is one of my greatest joys in life, and you and your siblings make me want to be a better person. I want to be a mother that you will respect when you have a family of your own, and that is my goal in every decision I make.

I love you so much, baby, and I am so honored that you chose us to be your family. We wouldn't be quite as complete without you. You bring joy and love to our home, and for that I am eternally grateful.

Yes!

B and I were just sitting in the living room dancing and singing with the kids, and he was holding S2 up and helping her dance. Then he let go, and she kept dancing! A few more times of that, and she dropped to a squat, and then STOOD.BACK.UP. This is so cool.

So, we know she can stand unassisted now, and she took a few steps towards me, but it was more of a controlled fall. Finally, signs of walking.

J is pulling up on everything, and can go from laying down to sitting up, and started crawling traditionally a little bit today. It's going way too fast.

4 Years

B and I celebrated the 4th anniversary of our first date yesterday. Four years seems like such a long time, yet it's gone by so incredibly quickly. So much has changed!

In the last four years, we have:
- moved three times
- gained one pet
- got married twice
- had two babies
- worked 8 jobs

There are so many other things that I can't even think of right now. We are so blessed. Our family is happy, healthy, and perfectly blended. Our kids are growing like weeds and learning new, amazing things every day. We are so much closer now than we were four years ago, and even more in love, although had you asked me four years ago, I would've told you that you were crazy to suggest that it could get any better than it was then. But it has gotten so much better. So much richer, and fuller, and more "right" and comfortable. He knows me so completely, and I him.

I know it's sappy, but I feel so lucky to have found The One, and so glad that I get to spend the rest of my (hopefully long) life with him.

I am in so much trouble

J pulled up on to the second step of the staircase today. Yep. He grabbed the first step and pulled up on to his knees on the hallway floor, then reached up and grabbed the second step and got both knees on the first step. Then, he freaked out, giggled, let go, and flung himself backwards in to my waiting hands. He was oh so excited. The motivation for this development? S2 was crawling down the stairs, and he wanted to get to her. How cute is that?

S2 figured out how to climb on and off of her rocking elephant safely, all by herself. She was so very excited, and realized that when she clapped, it rocked, making her even more excited.

I'll get pictures tomorrow, I know it's been a while.

Moving moving moving

S2 took her first unassisted steps last night! We were at a friend's house, and she was standing at the ottoman, and all of a sudden she turned and took three steps to us and grabbed on to the couch B and I were sitting on. It was really more of a controlled fall, but it's a start! Very exciting, and she was so proud of herself.

J pulled up on to his knees last night as well, also at our friend's house. Apparently, we should go over there to visit more often...or less often, depending on how you look at it.

The latest in destructive behavior:
I went out to get the mail yesterday, and when I got back in S2 had knocked over the baby gate leading in to the hallway, opened the pantry door, got out an (open) box of spaghetti and gave it to J, who dumped it all over the floor, then she plowed through the gate leading in to the kitchen, and by the time I came back in she was standing at the dog food container scooping the dog food on to the floor, presumably so that her little brother could have a snack. 'Cause, you know, she's helpful like that.

We're thinking of installing the metal folding security gates that you see on store fronts, as nothing else seems to deter these babes.