Four

Four years ago today, I was waiting waiting waiting for sweet A to arrive. We didn't know if she was a boy or a girl - but I suspected girl. We didn't know labor would continue all - day - long and into the night. Then, gloriously, she was here. Our sweet bundle of pink joy.

A - you are a precocious little girl, with the vocabulary of one twice your age. You are headstrong (that sometimes makes my head spin) and witty and funny and smart. You test your boundaries daily (that also makes my head spin) but follow it up with the sweetest hugs and kisses.

I didn't know how much I could love another - until the day you were placed in my arms. I didn't understand how much my mother loved me - until the day you were placed in my arms. You are the light of my life, the joy of my heart, the smile on my face, and sometimes, the tears in my eyes. You are the unending joy of your little brother's life - he wants to just want you do - and it is lovely seeing you be a doting sister to him.

It is truly bittersweet to see you grow up into the little girl you are - but I wouldn't change it for the world.

Thank you for being my sweet little A. I love you.

Happy Birthday!

My Little Monkey

I'm not sure if I posted this a while back - but several months ago J discovered his ability to climb out of his crib. We thought D put an end to it the night he hid behind the crib and when J started to climb out, sternly said "J - get back in your crib!" I think it startled him so that J hasn't attempted to climb out again... until this weekend.

For some reason, starting Thursday night, J has had a hard time going down. We thought we were over the hurdle of making him cry it out - he was in the routine of reading several books, snuggling with his puppies, and then going into his crib and either talking or singing himself to sleep. Then, he decided he didn't want to go to bed - didn't want to go to sleep - and started screaming - SCREAMING - bloody murder until one of us went back in, patted him on the back and settled him down.

So Friday night, we do the routine - put him down - he cries a little - then silence. We breathe a sigh of relief thinking he's finally back to going to sleep on his own. Nope. The silence was then followed by the rattle-rattle-rattle of the crib - then the thud of his little feet hitting the floor.

He's not climbing out too much in the night - but he does arise early - around 6 or so - we hear the rattle rattle rattle on the monitor, then the soft thud, then our door being pushed open and little J standing there waiting to be picked up.

It's not all bad though - I think he really wants a morning snuggle - because the last few mornings he's snuggled right in and drifted to sleep - and honestly, I can't say that I mind that!

Except for the fact that I don't get back to sleep - but sleep is over-rated when you're holding a wee one in your arms.

Still here...

I'm still here - I haven't had a chance to post recently - things have accelerated to super-crazy at our house. I can't disclose what is making me so nutty lately - because I'm still coming to terms with it. It is nothing bad - in fact it is something wonderful - but something unexpected. And I'm navigating uncharted waters.

More to come....