Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Happy BDay Amayabelle!

Oh Bells!

Four years old, going on 20! You have had wisdom beyond your years since birth, my dear child. There is something so fascinating about hearing the world through you because it is so articulate and expressive, and I feel like I am actually understanding life as you see it and experience it.

This is the first year you have activities that take you out of the home and away from me, and it was such a hard adjustment at first! I miss having my little friend and helper with me. But being the little social butterfly that you are, you are loving it! You love preschool so much, even though you already know 99% of the things they are working on! Being among friends and in the heart of the social activities is totally your element, as long as it is on your terms! But you do not like to perform on demand! You hole up like a frightened turtle!

You have always had a very keen awareness of other's emotions. You have this uncanny ability to attend to people who are hurt, sick, or sad; or to make people feel welcome and included. I think you would make a fantastic doctor or psychologist someday. You also have the ability to cut someone to the core with the flick of your tongue, or the glare of your eye!

You love your little sister so much. I have watched in absolute awe at how well you adjusted to her and loved her from day one. I am also continually amazed at how willing you are to give on her behalf. I've watched you share some of your most precious belongings with her, most particularly letting her take over your beloved Delilah doll. And maybe this is wrong, but the many a mornings when I hear you two literally screaming and yelling at each other over a toy, I can't help but laugh and just appreciate that you have each other to fight with! You will be best friends your whole life.

You still love all things pretty- dresses, skirts, hair styles, shoes, purses, princesses, dolls, and so on. You pick your own outfits entirely these days, and you are even doing your own hair now too! Most of the time I am shocked at how good it looks! You still love kid tv and movies, books, mac n noodle, Barbies, and big Delilah (the toddler version we had to buy when Kendal took over baby D). You have turned into quite the crafter these days. You love to draw, cut, color, paint, play dough. Everyday you ask me if I will show you how to draw something new...which is quickly becoming a problem because my artist skills are not much to brag about! You love your daddy. You love helping me clean and cook, especially cracking eggs.

You LOVE your cousins. You ask to play with Ella every single solitary day. You frequently ask about Millie and what she is doing, and when we can see her. Every night in your prayers you say "thank you that we can live in B and see Ella, Joshy, Caleb and Audrey all the time."

I love you so much. You are such a beautiful little girl, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for you, and for us. We will be staying up nights talking all too soon! But for now, I am relishing in your crazy four year old logic, and the power struggles, and discoveries, and I thank God that my main job in life is to do just that... relish in you!

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Happy Birthday Kendal Grace!

My Darling Baby Girl!

How, how, how can you be two already?! I have loved every minute of your short life. I can't imagine mine without yours. It really is flying by too quickly, and it makes me almost frantic about soaking you up. I find myself trying to memorize the sound of your voice, the funny things you say, the millions of facial expressions you have, because I know the next time I turn around you will have moved on to something new.

I have yet to put my finger on what is it, but you have a certain quality that is so endearing, it is positively irresistible! And its a good thing too, because if you didn't have that quality I don't know what I'd do with you! You are impossible, and I do mean impossible, to keep up with! You were such a mellow and calm baby... has that ever changed! You are literally non-stop, all day, everyday. If I turn my back for two minutes, I find you knee deep in some disaster, or up on top of my counters getting into the food cupboard, or hanging on the outside of Amaya's bunk bed, or on top of the washer and dryer trying to get into the medicine cabinet, or into my makeup, or smearing makeup all over Gramma's carpets (I have been extremely thankful for our solid surface floors throughout our entire house!).

But it never fails, that when I think I am about to snap, you smother me with your unbeatable hugs and kisses. You give them up unsolicited, and it is like receiving a million dollars every time. You are so unbelievably tender, which may be the saving grace. It is so heart warming. You love to snuggle and cuddle, and be held, and sang to. Every night when we put you down you say "lay down with me," and every night I curl myself into a tiny little ball just so I can lie down next to you in your tiny toddler bed, because how could I resist?!

You give your big sister a run for her money, and she is probably pretty clueless that you idolize her in every way. You two are as sweet as sugar one minute, and absolutely ruthless the next, but anytime she is away you ask about her non-stop. "We sure miss Amaya, don't we?"

You are independent. You are sweet. You are insistent, painfully so. You love Princesses, and dress up, and make up, and having your hair done. You love your daddy. You love Che, and pester him to no end, picking him up by his ears, carrying him around like your baby, throwing him in the bathtub, sneaking him food from the table. You love the songs Black Bird, and Somewhere Over the Rainbow. You will eat anything mom or dad are eating, but you LOVE fruit snacks, cheese and granola bars. You love shoes, and clomp around in my stilettos effortlessly. You do not listen worth beans. You are not at all afraid of daddy and his 'you're in big trouble' voice. You like to taunt. You love to read. You LOVE to perform. "Mommy- look at me! Mommy- watch this!" You LOVE to dance and do it everyday. You want to wear a swimsuit all day everyday, and when I say no, you want pajamas instead. You bust out Spanish words randomly. You want to wear panties, and will occasionally go potty in the toilet, but with absolutely no consistency. You make me laugh every single day without fail. You are a joy in my life. I adore everything about you. God is real, and I know that when I get to be with you.

Birthday Girls!!









Our beauties turned 2 and 4 last week! Crazy how time flies! Birthdays are even more fun now that we live in our home town! So much family to help us celebrate! It was a weekend-long event.
Started with birthday breakfast at a delicious local breakfast nook with just our little family. Next we met up with Papa and Nana to see the much anticipated Where the Wild Things Are, which, is a children's book turned into an adult movie. The kids were moderately entertained, but mostly scared.
Then we went to Nana and Papa's house for presents and cake. They were spoiled rotten with hand made blankets from Nana! Amaya chose her own Barbie material, and Kendal was thrilled with her Cinderella. They also got adorable matching Adidas outfits.
Sunday was birthday dinner and Grammy's and Grampa's house. Followed by more cake and more presents!
Thank you to everyone for the love and presents! The girls were thrilled with them all!
Happy Birthday to my beautiful girls! Time is passing me by in an instant, and I feel sad that I can't slow it down a little. But I am sure loving the ride!

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Amaya's First Day of School







Amaya is now in preschool! I can't believe she is already that old! She picked out her own outfit the night before, had it all laid out, had her backpack sitting by the door, and everything was ready.


She walked right into that classroom, and never looked back! She hardly even noticed when I left.


Little Kendal was pretty broken without Amaya. She kept saying the whole two hours "we miss our Amaya, don't we?!"


Also, I would like to say that I managed to not cry. Although, honestly, I felt mildly panicked and emotional the whole week leading up to it.













Monday, July 6, 2009

Playing in the Sand







Ever since Amaya saw the Curious George episode where they go to the beach and build a sand castle, she has been dying to build one of her own! She finally realized that dream this weekend at McCall Lake. Kendal did her best to destroy her creation at every given chance, but Amaya prevailed and made quite an impressive sandcastle (of which I did not get a picture).

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Fourth o July

Jacob, Millie, Amaya and Kendal playing in the sand after lunch

my dead sexy husband and Kendal Gracie

me and Amaya after she got the nerve to jump into the lake! I was so impressed with her. She only lasted a few seconds, but it was freezing, so I didn't last much longer!


Lil KBear in the pink life jacket she had to have


Millie, Leah and Kendal

always competing: who can stay in the longest

diving in

brothers

Spence

Leah and Millie nice and comfortable at the back of the boat


me and Kendal taking in the speed from the front of the boat- she loved it!

She and Amaya kept telling Spencer to go faster!!


Amaya at the front of the boat. She was in 7th heaven!

Amaya loving the boat ride.



We had an awesome weekend with Joe's fam up in McCall. It was so nice to get out of town and relax with the famdam! And good to get some hubby time in before he took off to Alaska for a brother trip. Lucky boys!
We had so much fun! The only complaint- McCall Lake needs more public docks!!

The Firework Show

Amaya and I met up with Nana and Papa and Steve's crew to watch the firework show on the lake. Crispy, sunburned Joe, and extremely tired and wired Kendal stayed back at the hotel to sleep and call it a night. I debated on whether or not it was really worth it for us to go, but watching her expression during the fireworks made it worth it and then some! She absolutely loved them, and couldn't wait to get home and tell her daddy all about it! And the fireworks right over the lake were pretty cool.




Amaya throwing popits at everyone passing by


Jacob and Erik getting in on the action.

I ended up with all the glowies Amaya refused to wear


She was soooo enthralled with the fireworks!


Throughout the entire show.

Watching her was more exciting for me than watching the fireworks!



Still amazed!

Not too happy about having to wear all the glowies on the walk back to the car, but it makes it much easier on moms when their children are glowing!