L's ONE YEAR OLD

M'lady has been one year old for too long and I'm finally getting back to sharing her glory with the world.
She is growing into a beautiful lady. Seriously. She is gentle, feminine, social, snuggly, and full of emotions. Such a lady. She communicates and listens like a lady. She points and says ever so sweetly, "da" and I just can't help but respond and reassure her that mama understands. My favorite moments are when she comes over to me from playing and burrows her head into me and moans softly, no matter where I am. If she can reach my knee, she'll burrow into my knee. If she can reach my arms, she'll burrow in there. And then moans or hums. It's the B.E.S.T.

She LOVES food now. She's picky and fickle, but loves food nonetheless. With two teeth and a third on the way, she's a regular pro. She did not handle them cutting through very well, but I think she's glad to have them. She has wanted to eat table food since she started noticing her world around her. She has always wanted to be part of the group and do what mom, dad and brother are doing. She eats three helpings sometimes, more than her brother most of the time. You just wonder where it all goes, because she's so small.

She was mad she had to stop taste testing.

To celebrate her big day, I made a mini apple banana cake with homemade raw milk cream cheese frosting. And she would not put up with anything short of helping me every step of the way. Then we used the cake so our friend and fellow Joy School mama could take amazing pictures of L's cake smash. Thank you Tabitha!!! Check out her incredible photography skills at http://www.tabitharheaphotography.com. Tabitha said she has never seen a one-year-old so focused on eating, and eat so much of the cake. Like I said, she loves food.

notice she grabbed the entire top layer and threw it behind her

 She's walking! She started weeks ago, before her birthday, but is much better now. She is cautious but undeniably adventurous and determined. She looks too small to be walking though. She is still a tiny peanut wee-nut.

She and big brother share a room and have for a long while. They are buddies and sleep 12 hours a night. I am SO grateful this plan worked out because when she was 5 months old I never thought that day would come. But they do well together and just chat in the morning if they are both up and moving before us. But usually they sleep great together, her in the crib, him in a big boy bed (a new addition as of last week!)

Aren't Tabitha's pictures outstanding!?!?! All those were hers. 

Now here are more of my growing girl since then!

how cool is this?

What's been going on around here? Enjoying homemade popsicles, adventures at yet ANOTHER farm we have near by and love, and family adventures galore.

 Here the goats are walking in a straight line, and originally they were following their "guard llama." They all live with one big llama who is supposed to scare off predators. 

 After our farm fun with Aunt Rach, the Guy and I enjoyed the baptism of a wonderful woman and friend. This picture is not great, but man it was a great night! She was so touched by everything taught and performed and her husband got to baptize her!!n! The Holy Spirit was there so strongly and I know heaven was shining down on us. I am so ecstatic that I got to be there to see this miracle and even got to officially welcome her to the women's Relief Society of the church! What an honor.

 Lastly, S loved having our friend and his motocycle visit. How cool is this!?

L's 11 month summary

Don't worry - just gnawing on a plastic fork. :) 

Where do I even begin with this angel of a child?!?! Life did not start out angelic, but this little lady has blossomed into a bright ray of sunshine in our home. I wanted to name her Rae, like a ray of sunshine. Jared wasn't a fan. :( But no matter. I love her and her name.

And the brain dump begins:
She wakes up early like her mom, except she announces that morning is here like a rooster might and then usually quietly waits for me to get her much later.
She crawls on one knee and one foot. Her left foot to be exact.
She uses her left hand to practice feeding herself.
She wants to do everything the big kids are doing. She wants to eat our food. She wants to feed herself. She wants to be in the middle of the commotion.
She loves house guests and many friendly faces.
She adores music. It makes her body pump, sway bend, or snuggle. She often sings with me when I put her to sleep and she definitely sings in church.
She wants to MOVE. Wiggle, crawl, roll, walk, cruise, up, down, over, back and forth. That's my girl.
Pick-a-boo and big bed wrestles are wonderful giggle times with her.
She loves her binki and will scream when it says good bye!
She's in that awkward time when two naps a day are shifting to one longer nap and I am still not sure were she needs to be.
Is she really almost a year?!?!
She makes me want to be (but it's unrealistic that I be) neurotic about cleaning my floors. She finds and eats everything, I don't even want to think about it.
She makes the BEST sounds. Grunts, groans, squeals, screeches, moans, and hums. She also tried to say words, like "adah!"
She points very well and knows that it helps her communicate.
She signs "more" and "please" when she REALLY wants to.
She flirts with people almost as badly as her big brother. She waves and makes friends everywhere we go.
She sleeps better than I thought was possible at the beginning, 12 hours and even thought she often wakes, she puts herself back to sleep.
She still has yeast flare ups but she is kind of a reborn baby from the newborn I knew. Thank you GAPS diet and donated breast milk to supplement my limited supply.
She's a grabber. She will grab and rip your skin off if you let her.
She loves her knit blanket from Sarah Barton! This is her favorite object other than that infuriating binki. It's pink, green and white and reminds me of salt water taffy. It must make her think of that too because I often find her gnawing on it.
She has opinions and she shares them with sounds, movement and faces. There is no guessing what she's thinking, kind of like her mama.
Sometimes we butt heads already because we are so much alike.

Getting to know billy goats. Notice the pink, green and white blanket on the stroller? That's her love.

In the tender moments of nursing and snuggling, I have had glimpses into the eternity of this woman's soul. I feel a wise, old spirit in that tiny body. She is a doer, a very motivated child who has a work to fulfill in this world. I connect to the feminine in her. That divine nature in her makes me feel her power for good and love in this world devoid of an abundance of brotherly kindness. When the time comes, and when she wants something, I know she will make it happen. She is determined to do and get and be when she wants it badly. But the jury's still out on so much within her. That's just what I have observed. But what do I know? I'm just the mother who gets to nurture and love what she already has and what God sent her with to our home. I cherish the responsibility I have to shape and watch this miracle unfold before me. I love her so dearly. Ever so dearly. I'll love her forever, I'll like her for always.

just one of the big kids

we adore this Aunt!

S's birthday party

It was super fun and a bit tardy. He loved it all. 

This is how big my kid is getting. He's practically a man.

Wow, thanks to the generosity of many friends and family this birthday was cooler than all his Christmases combined. We are not good at gift giving in our family, so thanks so all who shared the love!

One wall was the coloring wall, with frames ready to fill in. It was fun to see what people chose to fill them with.

 

Other than the full coloring wall, the kitchen table was set up to make brown paper bag puppets. Complete with crayons, markers, stickers, tape and yarn. Although not all the kids colored the wall, most kids made a puppet. 

Then all the kids gathered on the living room carpet. Above on the "draw bridge" balcony Jared dropped down a bunch of balloons on their heads all at once and that was fun. Next time we'll have more balloons and maybe make a game out of it. But this time it was just grab and hit the balloons. That's enough for a three year old. 

Next we had two rounds of wheelbarrow races on the grass. That was pure entertainment. Jared was the finish line and the poor birthday boy came in last place. He didn't seem to care though. It was fun. We finished with opening presents - GALORE - and cake. I made homemade carrot cake and butter cream frosting. It was Marcia's recipe. We love that cake!! It was a full house filled with people we love. Thank you to everyone who came and shared love, laughs, and gifts with our Guy. Thank you again and again!

Happy birthday my boy. I cannot thank God enough for the privilege it is to be your mama!

nooks and crannies

Like most kids, our guy loves snuggling up in soft corners with pillows and his blanket. Luckily I catch these tender moments on camera. 

Nap time at our house

 He wanted to nap in this box, but he needed to take with him his cheetah, lion, their bowl of "food" (shredded tissue paper), and his new puzzle from Grma Bev. Oh, and his red blanket from Grma O, of course. This thing has been his companion since birth! Read more about that friendship here. 

 Have you ever read the children's book "Little Boy"? We own it and love it. Here's a sampling:

"Little boy, so much depends on...

your starship pajamas,

that story about llamas,

the way you don't worry, 

the way you don't hurry, and...

your big cardboard box.

Little boy, you remind me how so much depends on days made of now."

 No only has he been living this book through his love afair with his cardboard box, but he has also been reminding me that so much depends of how we spend our days NOW. His aunt Rachel recently taught me that children learn the most quickly between ages 2 and 3. That's my guy! So much depends on now!

Books galore at the grandparents!

 This sweet reading spot is under the elevated bed in Rachel's new room/Mary's old room. :) It is definitely a sweet spot to snuggle with Aunt Rachel, pillows and books. 

 He LOVED reading dozens and dozens of books with this other book-lover in the family. I think she is the best aunt this boy has right now. She does all the things he wants and has a great imagination and patience that three-year-olds need so much. We love you Rach.