To My Big, Big Girl

My dearest first born, where do I begin? Let me just start by saying how blessed you make me feel each and every day...you are the reason I answer to "Mama," you have and always will be that little being that started my journey into this wonderful world of motherhood! Watching you grow and change from baby to little girl has been amazing so far and I am so proud of the little lady you've become in the last three and a half years! Wow, time is flying!

I will never forget the first time you became a big sister when Lydia was born. I was emotional then about how you might react to welcoming another little person into our family, but you took to it right away and have been the most amazing big sister! I still remember when you saw Lydia for the first time and you said (without ANY prompting!), "I love you, Lydia" and gave her the sweetest kiss on the cheek. You were 22 months old! That moment will forever be imprinted on my mind...and still today you show her love in the most special ways. Just today when you two were playing together in my bedroom (destroying my bed, but having a wonderful time) you said, "I love you so much, Lydia" and I just grinned my biggest grin from the living room :) Then of course moments later I hear, "Lydias, Lydias for sale, fifty cents a Lydia!" a reference from the book Caps for Sale!

You have a huge heart and are quick to help anyone in need, especially your sister. I love how you call her "sweetie pie," "babe," or "binkers" and pretend you are her mama...you are and always have been so mothering, loving on baby dolls and stuffed animals, even diapering them long before Lydia was even born. I know I can always count on you to run and get something for me if I need you to and you especially love to help with chores, something I know you might grow out of, but I hope not!

You are my cautious child, who never hesitates to ask permission to do something, even if you see your sister already doing it...whatever that may be. You don't like to be barefoot in the grass and you don't quite have the "carefree" personality your baby sister has. You can't stand having messy hands, your food can't touch and you always ask for separate eating utensils so you don't cross-contaminate during dinner ;) Although these things are funny to us, I love that about you! You've always had funny little quirks and it just keeps getting more and more interesting as you grow!

What a reader you are! You could sit and look at books or be read to practically ALL.DAY.LONG. if it were up to you. You love all kinds of books, but especially enjoy our Bible readings every night with Daddy. Even when it's really late, you will not allow us to skip a story! I KNOW without a doubt your love for reading is where you get your very strong vocabulary. One of our favorite things about you is your ability to use big words correctly...but the best is when you get them mixed up or use them in a different way. You're always asking if we can "attract" Lydia while you're trying to do something (meaning "distract"). Or when you add "able" to the end of words just to make them sound longer and more important. You're so serious about your pretend play too...like the other morning you came to me first thing and said in a troubled sounding voice, "Mama, my mushy dark cake calls for condensed milk and I don't wanna use condensed milk!" I reassured you it would be fine to just use regular milk if you had it...and then proceeded to die laughing on the inside :) If I could only record our whole day together...you say and do too many funny things for me to remember sometimes and that saddens me.

While you are a total Daddy's girl, I know that deep in your heart you have that special place for me. I remember way back right before Lydia was born, we would have our daily snuggle time right after you'd wake up from your nap...and how you still enjoy that now (when you nap anyway). I know everyone thinks Daddy is the "funny one" but I also know you get to experience seeing how funny and goofy I am throughout the day when no one else is around and that's our little secret ;) I love when you tell me you love me out of the blue and wrap your arms tightly around my neck. Never having been much of a snuggly baby or toddler, those moments are especially wonderful to me.

You're growing up too fast, my princess, but I suppose that is life and I'm happy to be able to witness it all--day in and day out. As you anxiously await the birth of your new baby brother or sister, may you feel the special love we have for you, our first born baby girl. This time around is going to be a totally different feeling for me as I watch you embrace our new baby for the first time, knowing your excitement and understanding of what being the big sister means.

My girl, WAY too grown up!

Who IS just as sweet as she looks....

The BEST big sister anyone could ask for....

Even if she is FULL of quirks and loves hats....

One precious little human being....

Mama loves you right up to the moon and back!

Baby #3 Maternity Pictures

Our good friend who has a photography business, Candid Xpressions by Leisa, took our very first maternity pictures last Sunday. I had actually never really considered doing this with either of my other pregnancies, but thought it would be fun to do with the girls included this time around. We had a great time taking these photos, although it was a struggle to get Lydia (who usually hugs and kisses my belly without prompting) to even TOUCH my belly. Leisa really captured the story of our family in these shots and we LOVE how they turned out!

Personalize a picture slideshow

It's hard to believe we only have 5 more weeks (or less!) until we get to meet the newest member of our family. We are ALL very excited, especially Biggest Sister Addie :) She laid in bed with me this morning feeling the baby moving around as it awoke for almost a half hour. What a special time for both of us :) She asks me almost daily when the new baby will be coming out...and changes her mind on the gender just about every day also. She thinks it's a girl because she saw me do the wedding ring dangling over my belly test, which said girl...but then some days she says she wants a boy. If it's a boy, we'll name it Daddy--according to her ;)

To My Baby Girl

As the birth of your baby sister or brother approaches quickly, I am getting a little emotional about you, my current baby, becoming "the middle child." Precious Lydia, you have ALWAYS been a Mama's girl, even inside the womb it seemed....and I am expecting your little world to be rocked once this new little baby arrives. I want you to know how loved you are and always will be...and it'll be our little secret if you ALWAYS wanna be a Mama's girl :)

Although you have been a bit more "challenging" than your big sister ever was, I am trying to take in every last minute of you being our baby. Your personality is very strong and shines through in everything you do and say. You are funny...not just funny, but hilarious! Your daddy and I crack up laughing at you every single day. Not only are you funny, but you know you're funny. When we laugh at something you do or say, you say, "Mommy, funny?" and laugh at yourself too.

I love how you talk like a big girl and can put lots and lots of words together to make sentences and phrases. Just last night when we were getting ready for bed, you rushed back into the bathroom, got the brush down out of the cabinet and came back with it brushing your hair saying, "My hair messy!" even though we had just brushed it. One of your newer "Lydi-isms" is saying "minute" behind words. If you want me to hold you, you say "Mommy minute" or when we're getting dressed you say, "outside a minute?" as if you know we're dressing so we can go play outside. And if you want something someone else has, you might say "Lydi minute!" The fact that you call yourself "Lydi" because you can't manage to put that extra "a" on the end is the cutest thing ever! You DO sound just like your big sister when she was your age...even have the little attitude where you tilt your head and make a funny face when you're telling us something serious :) You are a HOOT!

You LOVE to sing and enjoy familiar songs like "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star," "The ABC song," "Itsy Bitsy Spider," "Jesus Loves Me," and "Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep." And boy do you like to sing those songs ALL BY YOURSELF. If anyone else tries to join you, you shake your whole arm and scold, "No sing, Mommy!" You FINALLY love books...it took a while for you to have the patience to sit down and actually read books, but now that you have discovered them you're in love. One of your favorites is "Old Hat, New Hat," a Berenstain Bears board book and you read it (with help) like a pro! You love the Bible too and your favorite story is "Baby Moses." I love how every single night you MUST find Moses before you can go to sleep.

You haven't ever been much of a "self soother" and love snuggle time with Mommy...and while this made the first nine months of your life a little hard, I have grown to love knowing you'll always be my cuddly child :) You LOVE having your back rubbed and request it when you're having trouble falling asleep at naptime...you'll say, "back rub please, Mommy!" and how can I say no to that!

You're rough and tough on the outside, always falling off chairs, scraping knees, and getting lots of boo boos. You insist on kissing those boo boos yourself, which is just too cute, especially if it's in a hard to reach spot :) And while you may be a tough girl, you're also very sensitive. You get your feelings hurt easily when you're sleepy and act VERY shy around people you don't know. People always mistaken you for our "quiet child" and we just laugh.

I know once the idea of a new baby settles in with you, you are going to be a WONDERFUL big sister! You are caring, sweet, and especially snuggly and this little one is going to be looking up to you as "it" grows and changes into a little person too...just as you look up to and adore Addie. We are all in for some big changes soon, but I want you to always know how much I love you and have enjoyed having you as my baby for the last 21 months of your life!

Sweet, sweet girl!!!

A little silly....

Sometimes moody....

VERY inventive....

Always keeping us on our toes....

Your ears must be burning cause you're waking up from your nap now...I better go get you so we can have our daily after nap snuggle :) Mama loves you!!!