Amelia - Five

Dear Amelia,

It's hard to believe you are five. A whole hand. Because of your late August birthday, you won't go to kindergarten until next year. I am sure you could be ready this year - you write your name, Mommy, Daddy, and Bella without help. You can write almost all of your letters unassisted and are starting to make connections between letters and sounds. You continue to make amazing artwork for us, and coloring or drawing are some of your favorite things to do. You also love playing with Barbies and princess dolls.

I think the thing that has amazed me so much about you this year is your determination. When you want to learn something, you work and practice until you get it. We didn't do gymnastics this summer and yet your cartwheels have gotten a lot better because you do them constantly. One night a month or so ago you asked me how to snap your fingers. You watched me do it, tried, and then asked me to do it one more time while you watched intently. You were snapping your fingers within 24 hours. You've done amazingly well in swim lessons (you can now swim short distances unassisted). I hope that determination serves you well throughout life.

While you are still shy around people you don't know, you are so fearless in other ways. You climb everything and you've mastered the monkey bars. Unfortunately that led to a fall off your new swing set a couple of weeks ago - the result was a fractured elbow. You picked a bright yellow cast and didn't want anyone to sign it. Fortunately you're getting the cast off the day before your birthday party - a Tangled theme this year.

You can certainly be stubborn, but you are also still so sweet and loving. You love to give hugs and snuggle, and you love all of your cousins and are wonderful with Ian. He loves playing with you! All in all you are a very good natured kid, and you make us smile and laugh daily.

Today is a perfect sunny day, cool enough to have the doors and windows open - just like the day you were born. Happy 5th birthday, sweetheart. Here's to another great year!

Love always,
Mommy

Happy 3rd Birthday to You!

Dear Amelia,

Happy third birthday, sweet pea! You just keep growing and growing, smarter and more fun and more beautiful with each day and month. There's a quote I've been seeing that sums up your personality pretty well: "And though she be but little, she is fierce." You are so sweet and loving - you happily give "BIG hugs" and kisses, but you are stubborn and know what you want, when you want it, little girl! I hope you'll continue to channel that passion and drive into your life in positive ways as you get older. Despite all of that, you are still pretty well-mannered and happy. Sleep is still an issue for us but we're working on that, right? We tried moving you to a big girl bed by taking the front off your crib, but you cried and begged us to put it back on after two days, so back it went. We're happy to let you stay little as long as we can!

You still love reading books, playing dress up and pretend (you love princesses, Frozen, and using your toy stethoscope as a lasso when you're a cowgirl). Gymnastics is still going well, even though it's hard for you to wait your turn sometimes. We've finally gotten the hang of potty training (I know you'll be thrilled to read this later in life). You've moved up to the 3-year-old Honeybee room at school and I know I'm biased but you are so darn smart - sometimes too smart for your own good! You speak so clearly and carry on conversations, but you also love to be silly and love to be tickled. You're great at coloring inside the lines already (I think you got that artistic talent from Daddy) and you love to sing. I feel like you surprise me with a new song every day.

At your three year check up yesterday you were 34 lbs (75th percentile) and 37.5 inches tall (50th percentile). A reflection of your love of eating! You aren't too picky - you'll eat chicken, pork ("fork" as you say), salmon, broccoli, and green beans, but your favorite is still macaroni and cheese.

We had your Teddy Bear Picnic party which actually happened on your birthday this year, and you had a lot of fun with our friends and family. We are so proud of you, baby. You are such a joy, and while you're shy and hesitant around new people, once you warm up to them they can't help but love you! And your daddy and I love you so much.

Love always,
Mommy

20 Questions with Amelia, Age 3

1. What is your favorite color? Blue

2. What is your favorite toy? Books

3. What is your favorite fruit? Apples

4. What is your favorite TV show? Doc McStuffins

5. What is your favorite outfit? Watermelon dress

6. What is your favorite game? Phones (playing games on Mommy's phone)

7. What is your favorite animal? Koala

8. What is your favorite song? ABCs

9. What is your favorite book? Llama Llama

10. Who is your best friend? Zoey

11. If you had $100 what would you buy? Milk

12. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Play ball

13. What is your favorite drink? Water

14. Where is your favorite place to go? The store

15. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? Elephant

16. What is your favorite snack? Bunny Grahams

17. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? A cereal bar

18. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Macaroni and cheese

19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? Cupcakes and cake

20. What do you want to be when you grow up? BIG!

2 Year Letter to Amelia

Dear Amelia,

All of those parents who told me, "Time flies," who I didn't believe when we were in the thick of the tough stuff in your first year, the days that seemed never ending... oh sweet girl. They were right. You - my BABY - are TWO. Or as you have been telling everyone who asks, "twos." I love you more than I could ever put into words and have so enjoyed watching you grow over the past year, from baby to toddler. I look at your pictures and can't believe how much you have changed in such a seemingly short time.

What's going on in your life right now? We spent our first summer together of mommy being off work. You started to learn how to swim (on your own terms, just like everything else in life!). You fearlessly climbed the biggest slides at the playground and slid down. You wanted to see the elephants at the zoo (just like "ell-int" you sleep with). You decided you needed a cup of water in your crib every night, which made mommy feel like you were a bit too grown up. Just before you started your new "school" when mommy went back to work, you finally stopped taking bottles. You've had a little bit of a hard time adjusting to your new school, but you're working on it. I know despite your big personality and fearless ways, you are a lot like your mama was when I was young - shy and unsure of new people and places.

You love playing with dolls - feeding them, holding them, tucking them in for "night night". Playing pretend is a big activitiy these days. You love "tiddy tats". You call cows "moos" and chips "blips." Speaking of which, you are more into "nacks" than eating meals, but you are still a great eater who loves cheese and fruit and always want a bite of anything mommy and daddy are eating. Your two year molars - the last of your baby teeth - are just barely starting to peek through, and sometimes you still wake up a time or two at night, here and there. At your two-year check up we learned you grew four inches in the past six months! You're now 29 lbs 3 oz, and 34.5 inches tall.

You love to sing "The Wheels on the Bus," "Itsy Bitsy Spider," and "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star," and often do so into your microphone. You can sing your ABCs and count to 13, and we're working on colors and shapes. You love to watch "Buppies" (Bubble Guppies), play with guitars, and read books. 

It is so hard for me to capture in a few paragraphs all of the ways you light up our lives - all of the amazing new things you learn and do every single day. We love you so much, munchkinpants. Happy Twos-day!

Love,
Mommy

1 Year Old!

[Amelia's party will be on Saturday, so more fun stuff to come! :-) ]

My sweet Amelia,

It's 10pm on August 22, 2012. One year ago today at this time, your daddy and I were leaving the house to head to the hospital, knowing the next time we walked in the door we would be a family of three.

At 3:09 the next morning, after exactly 24 hours of labor, you arrived in our lives. The moment the nurse laid you on my chest, nothing else mattered. You were amazing and perfect and I couldn't believe this tiny person was the same being that had poked and kicked and hiccupped in my belly for the past nine months.

I still didn't know then what it truly meant to be a mom. I didn't know how I would feel so helpless and frustrated, or how your first laughing fit over a toy piano would be the sweetest sound I'd ever heard. I didn't know that every time I thought I couldn't lose one more hour of sleep, I would, and I would survive it. I didn't know that being a mom meant  I would have to be strong and brave when we faced more doctor's appointments than one baby should have in a year. I didn't know that I would still to this day feel the need to check on you before I could fall asleep myself - and risk waking you up by touching your cheek or your back or your toes.

You are such a spirited, strong willed little girl. I often wonder where life will take you, and I hope you will use that fire in you to love others fiercely and follow your dreams. The past year has both flown by and at times stood still, but it has been a beautiful adventure.

Your daddy and I love you, sweetheart, and we always will.

Happy 1st birthday, kiddo. We made it!

Love,
Mommy

My silly girl!

30 Years Young

Once again (as will be the case almost all summer), I had a busy weekend. I turned 30 on Friday the 13th - cue creepy Twilight music! (Actually it was no biggie, as I also turned 13 on Friday the 13th and I didn't spontaneously combust or anything.) We went to dinner at Olive Garden with my family on Friday night - my aunt and uncle/godfather were in town from Arizona for my grandpa's birthday party, so it was nice to have everyone together. For once the weather was even nice on my birthday! Here's a pic of me that night. I told my hubby I thought my dress was too short and that people would think I was a slutty pregnant lady. He said, "Then they'll know how you got that way!" hehe

 25 weeks, 6 days - is it just the lights or do I have that pregnant lady "glow"??



On to the gifts... My parents got me this new video camera - the Kodak Playfull - that I wanted to capture baby moments. It's so eensy weensy - even smaller than my cell phone!

My husband got me a certificate for a massage per my request, and when I opened his card I almost cried. He wrote, "I love you and I can't wait to meet little Amelia. That's right, I said Amelia. That is my other gift to you. Our little girl will be named Amelia Grace Miller." He previously had told me on many occasions how much he disliked the name Amelia and also didn't really like Grace, so I was completely shocked that he would make that offer. It was so sweet, but now I feel weird committing to a name after so long!

Here's a gratuitous shot of my niece at dinner because she is just too darn cute.

"Do you think there's any money in this envelope?"

Saturday I went shopping with my mom and aunt while my hubby and the boys golfed. I got a couple of baby things (the outfit below, some cute onesies, and a car mirror for the back seat). 

I came home to the tornado sirens going off, even though there wasn't a tornado warning in our immediate area. There were some funnel clouds spotted but luckily we weren't really in any danger. I did almost lose my mind though, because the sirens went off for an hour! This is the fourth time they've gone off since we've moved - I'm so over our weather this spring!

Sunday was a surprise 90th birthday party for my grandfather (he is actually my grandma's second husband - my grandpa died when I was 2). My mom did a lot of work for the party and I got there early to help set up. It was a nice afternoon with friends and family - here's a pic of my grandma and grandpa as my dad was giving a speech about him. I hope my husband and I are still this in love at 90 years old!

So by last night I was one exhausted girl! It's tough getting old ;o) But all in all I had a great weekend and felt very blessed to be surrounded by so much love!

"May the good Lord be with you down every road you roam
And may sunshine and happiness surround you when you're far from home
And may you grow to be proud , dignified and true
And do unto others as you'd have done to you
Be courageous and be brave
And in my heart you'll always stay
Forever young..." - Rod Stewart