To Lucille, on your 3rd birthday

What a woman! Or should I say lady. You truly are a remarkable little lady in every sense of the word. Your favorite color is pink and nail polish, lip gloss, and make-up do not stand a chance in your reach. You are debating wanting earrings on a weekly basis and most recently decided you only want one like Poppy has. You had your first haircut the week before your birthday after much deliberation and when we left you told me, "See Mom, I love having my hair cut." You asked to go back the next day.
Your third birthday party was a tea party complete with hats, gloves, and jewelry for the little ladies and bow ties for the gentlemen. You loved every tiny detail of picking out recipes and planning for the big day. The entire week before every morning you would follow your good morning with a "is it my birthday today?"
Your manners are impeccable when you want to use them and you remind me daily to be an example to you of what a lady says and does. Most often in the car when I lose my patience you tell me, "Mom, girls don't say that." When you really like whatever meal Daddy or I have prepared you tell us thank you for making this dinner/lunch. Your tastes are more attuned to daddy's cooking than mama's meaning you love home cooked meals of meat and potatoes. Your current favorites are lamb chops, pot roast, and any sort of potato. You ask for either oatmeal or yogurt every morning for breakfast and help me set and empty the table for most meals.
I still rock you to sleep for every nap but at bed time lately you have been asking to be laid down in bed after reading a story. That doesn't stop you from talking to yourself or singing until as late as 10pm some nights.
Some of my favorite Lucy sayings lately include... "You are most welcome," "Sorry about that mom," and "Never."
You can be the most wonderful sister to Vada as well as her biggest enemy. You never want to be apart from each other. When we took you to the movies for the first time to see "Frozen" you cried from the time we dropped V off in Grasonville until we got to Annapolis. The whole day you asked when we were going back to pick her up. Your interest and intense consideration of your newest brother or sister is absolutely astounding. You had watched every single video on the baby center app within three days of finding out about the baby. You ask me every few days how big the baby is and had to have an immediate answer to where the baby was going to sleep, where it would sit in the car, and if it would go everywhere with us. I cannot wait to see you be old enough to care for your new sibling and show Vada how to be a big sister. You were born for the job.
You push Daddy and I to our utmost limits and not a day goes by that you don't spend at least 3 minutes in your room for a time out. I try to remember how much you must have going on in that little brain of yours compared to how much your body lets you do. I know it must be frustrating. You are light years ahead of any other 3 year old I have ever met.
Lucille you are the joy of my heart and it is because of you that I continue to strive to be a better mother and woman. You were the one that opened my eyes and heart to motherhood and you will always be my first. It is with you that I will experience every mother-child interaction for the first time and I pray you will have patience with me as we navigate this life together. You are teaching me as much as I try to teach you and I hope that never ends. You have so much to offer the world and other people and I will do my best to allow you to grow in that roll as much as possible. You are a wonder my love. Happiest 3rd Birthday my Beautiful Girl.

 

"And you know, I'm aglow, with a smile on my face when I think of the magic that you will make of this place. Of this town, of this world. You will transform your surroundings. That spirit inside you is truly astounding."

-The Awesome Book of Love-

Life Lately

Somehow I caught this moment this morning. It is basically the opposite of how life is lately. Lucy never sits still and although we read together several times a day, I can count on one hand the number of times I have seen her sit down and read long enough to grab a camera. Funny.

I feel like so much in the past couple of weeks "deserve" their own post. Whatever that means. I suppose since rather big milestones are being met over here I give them more blog attention in my head than I am able to keep up with. This will have to do, as well as the photo deficit. 

Vada started walking two weekends ago. 13 months old. She had shown absolutely no interest in it and would even sit down and pout whenever I tried to get her to practice. Then, Friday came and she stood up and walked across the family room. By Saturday afternoon she was walking the length of the driveway and dancing to the music we had on. What a woman. Her personality is shining through and we are starting to see just how ornery, rambuncious, and LOUD she can be. She stands up for herself during playtime, loves Otis unconditionally, and gives me a big, gapped tooth smile anytime she sees me watching her. Her vocabulary is expanding during the day and she has started repeating most words we say to her. Clear statements include; love you, night night, all done, more, mine, chocolate, stop that, what's that, no no no, Otis, shoes. She may not say it yet but she also hightails it to the kitchen anytime I say ice cream.

Lucille started dance classes last Monday. She had been telling anyone and everyone she saw that she was going to be a ballerina. First day of classes, pink leotard, hair in a bun, she marched right in and sat through the entire class. Maybe not actively participating in every aspect but there nonetheless and taking it all in. Yesterday was a nightmare. Enough said. We are going back next week.

I had a birthday yesterday. James and I were able to spend some time together Sunday to celebrate while the girls spent the day with their grandparents. We wasted almost the entire day doing nothing important and it was perfect. We went to Joss for dinner and stopped for a drink on the way home. Lucy had made me brownies and a card and wrapped a little present while I was gone. Guess she was planning ahead for her behavior on my actual birthday. James made up for it, though, by bringing me home champagne and cheesecake. All is well.

I was contacted by a woman who had taken my pilates class previously about starting teaching again. It was just the boost I needed to get back out there and now I am doing private pilates sessions as well as preparing to have my very own, once a week class. So far I have only had one teaching session but it has been a welcome return to something I love doing. I hope other people find the same sense of calm and contentment I find after a session.

I feel like our family is finally in a peaceful lull. Not every day is peaceful but I am finding that we are content where we are right now. I am loving having two toddlers that are finding more independence every day. While I love having a tiny baby to hold and nurse, having two children at the age to run and play is a welcome change I am realizing I truly enjoy. Ever since James and I got married, I feel like we have constantly been looking to what's next and, sometimes, failing to appreciate the season we were in. Maybe that's what the last year has taught me and I am looking forward to seeing what the next will bring.

Hello again! And some changes...

We are still here! I finally decided to just do what I could with this blog using this tablet I am stuck with. I no longer have any control over formatting, where pictures are inserted, or anything to make each post appear a little more interesting but today I realized that all of those above complaints are not why I started this blog in the first place. I let my frustration get the better side of me and haven't even attempted to write down some of the things that have been going on with our family, our girls, and our life in the two months. Well, I am back! I had a little attitude adjustment after realizing how much I miss this space and being able to look over posts from years ago and see what I chose to write down to remember. I haven't been taking as many pictures of the girls since I stopped blogging which is just inexcusable.

I have some new ideas for what I am going to share on here. Of course it will still be mainly focused on our family and the funny things the girls are saying and doing but I am thinking about adding some new topics; cooking, projects we are working on, a little more detailed accounts of how we spend our time, learning to live simply. Not sure exactly where I am headed but I would love to have you follow along!

Below is the most recent picture I have taken of the girls... more to come!

Ocean City 2013

Best. Year. Ever. Having Lucy and Vada at the ages they are made this Ocean City vacation this best one yet for our family by far. The girls both loved spending the days on the beach, falling asleep during long walks with daddy or mama, playing in the water hole, and eating whatever snacks they could get their hands on. Vada must have eaten half of the coastline's worth of sand as it seemed to be her dip of choice for anything she was eating. She also LOVED the water and would crawl straight into it any time we let her. Lucy is not a big swimmer because the water was "too cold" so she would just find things to do in the sand. The weather was uncharacteristically chilly and one day I had them on the beach in long sleeved shirts and shorts to play.

We were able to take them bike riding on the boardwalk one morning which Lucy loved. Her bike riding was very distracted by everything to look at though so she quickly switched into the bike trailer beside sleeping beauty Belle.

One evening we took the girls down on the beach after they had eaten and had baths and spent a couple of hours just hanging out as a family. Without a doubt the best night we had. Seeing my girls be content just to play on the beach or watch the water or chase seagulls or listen to music with James and I made me realize just how blessed I am to be raising these two little ladies. I love the life that James and I are working on creating with them and the chance to go to Ocean City with his family to make memories.

On this trip, having just lost James' Nonno weeks before, the family took one of the kites that Nonno had built down on the beach one evening. After attaching one of Nonna's bras, the kite was let out to the end of the line and cut free.

Vada Belle's 1st Birthday

Our little beauty has turned one! We spent the day celebrating with family and friends; swinging in her new swing set, eating popcorn, cotton candy, corn dogs and pie, playing in the water table, being pulled in the wagon and rocking on the seesaw. It was exactly the kind of laid back, old fashioned fun that Vada Belle has given to our family over the last year. We love you so much baby girl!

Vada Belle at 11 Months

Whew... am I behind on this one! The past month has not been especially easy so maybe it's easier I gave myself a little respite from the storm. Vada and I started working on weaning; first down to three times a day then two. She was not a happy little girl. I really struggled with all of it since Lucy never seemed to mind when I would drop a feeding or eventually completely wean. This was a whole new ball game. I hated feeling like I wasn't giving her what she wanted but I knew we had to start somewhere to get her on her way to more independence around her first birthday. Eventually she got the idea that twice a day was the new normal and that Mama would still hold, cuddle and rock her to sleep. Then she decided to teach me a little lesson and got a mysterious fever with no other symptoms for four days. Of course I just wanted to make her feel better so nighttime feedings picked back up... awesome timing. I think we are in the clear now, though, so its about to be a screaming time in the Hunter house as she readjusts to no nursing and sleeping through the night. She is such a Mama's girl.

In happier times, Vada is a blast! She LOVES music and will dance to any thing we put on. She likes to make people laugh and is a total goofball most nights at dinner when we are all sitting down together. She has become very vocal and likes to repeat whatever James, Lucy and I say. Nothing beats her "I love you" though :) She now will answer yes and no with a head shake. Anything Lucy does is hilarious, especially when they bounce on the bed together. Just like her sister, she is stretching out and losing some of the baby rolls. Her diapers now fit her completely differently and she finally has a neck! These changes are always bittersweet as she starts to look more like a little girl and less like the chunky baby we know and love.

She is constantly pulling up on things but she seems to have no interest in practicing walking. I have only seen her stand unassisted twice. Then I put her in the rocking chair and suddenly she has the balance of a gymnast, see below. I am thinking she might just take off and do it one day when everyone leaves her alone about it. Sort of like how I had never seen her try to climb stairs and one day I walk out to see her halfway up the stairs with a giant smile on her face. Lucy is trying though. Every time I do try to work on walking with Vada, Lucy grabs her hand and says "Come on V."

Vada will eat anything and everything we put in front of her. We decided to go ahead and let her try all foods instead of holding off on things like peanut butter and shellfish. It's a huge relief knowing she can tolerate them and makes mealtime all the more fun since now all four of us are eating the same things. Honey is the one exception we are holding out on for another month. Not only does Vada look exactly like her Poppy, it turns out she loves ice cream as much as he does too. When I feed it to her she bounces up and down saying "mmmmmmmm!"

The next few weeks are going to be very transitional for Vada Belle and I as she nears her first birthday. Night sleeping is definitely going to be established so we can get her in her own room. Our now twice a day feedings are going to drop to one and eventually be over. I have already cried about how quickly she went from the newborn to almost one. James on the other hand, is developing a much closer relationship with V as she learns to separate from me. The past few weeks have been amazing to watch as she now really knows and cares when he gets home and is around on weekends. While it's hard as her mom, knowing she only falls asleep with James at bedtime is something I know he cherishes.

 With Lucy I was already 5 months pregnant at this point and probably pushing her to see what she would do next. With Vada, things are much different. While independent, she stays by my side. She is so much still a baby and I find myself much more relaxed about what she will do next. I haven't even opened the What to Expect book that I pored over every month with Lucy. She will do it, in her own time. And that is ok with me. Vada Belle you truly are a joy to your Mama.

One of THOSE days

The girls and I were well on our way to a rough day this morning. V was up at 2:15 fighting sleep until I finally got her rocked down at 2:45 only for the dog to wake up with an upset stomach at 2:50. It took every bit of half an hour to clean up during which V woke back up and wanted to see what all the fuss was about and I had to start all over with her. Add in an extremely persistent neighbor dog, a fire siren, and the monster truck that evidently lives on our street and you have one grumpy daddy and mama. I woke up exhausted, Vada woke up screaming, and Lucy hates mornings.

 

I didn't want that to be how our day went. I am a firm believer in doing something special with my girls everyday, even if its just laying a quilt down in the back yard to read together. I really wasn't feeling like getting us all dressed and in the car but knew it would be best for everyone. After Lucy had watched far too much TV and belle caught a quick nap, we headed out to lunch. Just us girls. Turns out it was exactly what we all needed. And we even made it home before the rain started.

Lucy made friends with the little girls sitting outside.

A quick lunch, one ice cream cone and some cheddar bunnies... it is going to be a  good day.