Our Peanut is growing like a WEED!

At the first of this month, I took our "little" Peanut in for her 9 month checkup.  WOW!!!  She's not so little anymore.  Weighing more than 20 pounds, she is in the 75th percentile for weight.  If my biceps are looking uncharacteristically toned, I have Peanut to thank!!!  Saying she is a good eater is probably an understatement.  As the picture shows, she is a huge fan of broccoli and black beans.  Although, I haven't really seen her turn her nose up at anything yet!  She's eaten sweet potatoes, acorn squash, peas, bananas, blueberries, raspberries, apples, watermelon, grapes, pasta, and the list goes on and on.  It seems that she will follow suit with her big sister and become an awesome eater.  For that I am thankful!

Although she is not yet crawling, she is definitely becoming more independent. She is starting to roll around to wherever it is she is going.  She has such a sunny disposition.  She looks like these picture most of the time, with the exception of being hungry and/or tired.  She loves watching her sister do ANYthing!  It's almost scary how you can watch her just sponge up all the behaviors that her sister exhibits...I can only imagine what it might be like in a couple of years!

Peanut is also an excellent sleeper!!!  She wakes between 7-7:30 in the morning and takes two long naps during the day.  She is not one to wake with crying.  She simply wakes up and talks to herself in her crib.  It's only when she becomes animated that I'm aware she's ready to get up and play!  After dinner and bath, she is ready to hit the rack again by 7pm.  She is a baby who loves her sleep...just like Momma!

My new park!!! It's beautiful!

Earlier this spring, we decided it was time for swingset!  I researched all the options and found a great deal on a swingset that we were sure would come in handy for years to come.  Sweet Pea's first remark upon catching a glimpse of it:  "My new park!!!  It's beautiful!"  Wow.  I never really thought of it in those terms...a PARK in her OWN backyard!  That must be pretty awesome for a little one!

 Poppa as resident swing pusher extraordinaire.

 Wheeeee!!!!

Peanut doing what she does best...relaxing in her swing!

 

Friends at "the park!"

STOP licking your sister, please!!!

These are words that I never dreamt would be coming out of my mouth.  This afternoon I was sitting holding little Peanut after nursing her.  We were having a precious little moment when her big sister decided reading was a bore.  She looked up from her books and sweetly proclaimed, "Momma, I love your baby!"  I told her thank you as she hopped off the couch and headed closer to us.  Hovering over Peanut's head, she looked up at me with big hazel eyes, and I knew she was planning something!  Before I could decipher what her plans were, she stuck out her tongue and licked Peanut's forehead just like a cow at a salt lick. She was slow-licking and generous with her saliva, leaving a little puddle of sisterly goodness on Ellie's forehead.  Before I could say anything at all, the three of us burst out into a chorus of belly laughs! I hadn't time to regain composure when I saw the tongue protruding again and a second round of sister-licking was in play.  One time is funny, but two times is just getting plain gross.  That's when I decided she needed to "STOP licking your sister, please!" 

Mother's Day

" 'I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him.  So now I give him to the Lord.  For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.' "  1 Samuel 27-28

This was the verse our pastor referred to during our baby dedication at church on Mother's Day.  It's a verse that commonly appears on picture frames, baby gifts, and birth announcements.  In fact, Sweet Pea has a beautiful plaque in her room with this very verse written on it.  While it is easy to quickly read over the words and note that it's a sweet verse, it struck me differently when it was spoken in church on May 8th.  Just as Hannah dedicated Samuel's life to God, we are doing the same...dedicating that our sweet Ellie Grey will live a life to serve God.  The gravity of what we are committing to do struck me.  While we stood before the congregation to make that commitment as parents and a congregation, I realized that it's really a decision that we make every day.  I'm sure some days will be easier than others, but I am so looking forward to watching how my girls are called to serve Him. 

A Beautiful Mess

Just a few weeks ago, I was hurriedly trying to get the girls ready to go.  Rush, rush, rush.  To where???  I don't remember...probably story time or a play date.  As I was wandering through the house feverishly scooping up misplaced items in my arms, I tripped over a toy on the living room floor.  Catching myself mid-trip and letting out a groan of annoyance at the same time, I hear Sweet Pea's little voice behind me, matter-of-factly stating, "It's a beautiful mess, Momma."  And it is.  Beautiful.  I am thankful to be reminded in times such as these that ALL of this MESS is truly beautiful.  I am thankful for my two healthy girls and their ability to make plenty of messes for me.  And I'm thankful that even a 2-1/2 year old can speak wisdom from her sweet little heart.

He is Risen!!!

Easter morning finally arrived!  She got up and immediately investigated the basket full of candy and goodies on the table.  I found it interesting how the candy ended up being Momma & Poppa's favorites!  I thought it was a sound move by the Easter Bunny...if she was overwhelmed with the amount of candy, then she could easily re-assign the candy to a parental unit!  I mean, she didn't need any more candy, did she???

 

 The egg hunt after church.

The dreaded family shot...this is the best we could do! 

Six out of eight eyes open is pretty good, right? 

Poppa's first and only comment:  "Am I really that gray???" 

The answer:  Absolutely.  Yes.  And your girls LOVE IT!

So....I took about 15 pictures of the girls, and this is the BEST.

I stopped when I remembered the definition of insanity...

if I wasn't already, I was headed there quick and fast. 

Better luck next year!

Easter Fun with Sweet Pea

 

While little Peanut was napping, I got to enjoy some good 'ole childhood fun with Sweet Pea.  I don't know who had more fun...I really had a good time!  We did the old-fashioned coloring with crayons followed with dyeing the eggs.  Poppa even joined in on the fun with some double-dipping and rubber band art.  I'm looking forward to making a mess with BOTH girls in years to come!  Look out...Sweet Pea quickly advanced to the double-fisted method as seen below:

 Any girl would be proud of these eggs, right???

Nana sent us a TON, and I do mean a TON, of Easter books this year.  It was great! 

My little one LOVES to read, and the Easter books were extra special. 

This was the first Easter with my little Sweet Pea where I could sense the Easter story resonating with her.  What joy it brings to watch her little spirit grow!  How I wish my faith was more like hers, never doubting and simply resting in God's love for her. 

Hippity-Hop

It was a serious bunch of kiddos gathered on our front lawn the afternoon before Easter!!!  Notice that Sweet Pea looks like she's strategically planning which egg to go for first...this was not just a game...this was a serious candy procurement mission! 

 The hunt is on....

 Where am I supposed to put the rest of the eggs???

Is this girl precious, or what??? 

The sweet smell of success...and CANDY!

 It was a gorgeous, windy West Texas day. Everybody gathered in our front yard to take inventory of their loot.  It was a GREAT time, and we all vowed to buy no new Easter eggs next year.  We had enough to recycle for next year and invite twenty new hunters!!!  No joke!

 Examining the goods....

Ms. Cindy (aka Mimi) sat holding her sweet grand, Allie, and our little Peanut. 

It was a great egg hunt!!!  We can't wait 'til next year!