The 13th Year

13. 

You are officially in your Teen Era, kid. 

Skibbiddiboopboop!

You played volleyball for two semesters with the City of La Porte Parks and Rec. They were both very different teams and you learned a lot. Underhand serving was your JAM!

You handled 6th grade like a champ! You joined the Drama Club and got to play Snow White. Art class was your favorite. You attended your first school dances. You purchased pickles at both.

With all the extra things you wanted to participate in, you made the hard decision to end your time at Taekwondo. With you getting older, it was time to move to the adult class and that was scary so you decided to hang up your belts. You did the right thing and told Mr. Barnhill in person and that was very brave.

We visited California! We had fun at Disneyland, stood in the trees and got our feet wet in the Pacific Ocean. We toured the bay, rode a steam train and shopped in San Francisco. It was a grand adventure!

We added to the family! We brought Sully home in March. We met a lot of dogs but you wanted to see the one with the little legs. And now he is ours. The two of you love playing tug of war.

This was your last summer with La Porte Parks and Rec summer camp. You had an absolute blast and were heartbroken to have to say goodbye. My hope is that you get to continue to grow with this program and eventually return as a camp counselor.

You started a new school this year. You were disappointed to not get an art class again; however, I think you landed where you needed to. You are now in theater and choir. You are staying after school almost every day for practices. You have an audition next weekend for Regional Choir. You are also on the travel One Act play crew! My little Techie!! We are so excited to watch you continue to grow.

Since you had volleyball experience, you decided to take athletics. You do regret that now. ;) You tried out for the volleyball team but didn't make it. This turned out to be a good thing because practice is at 6am and we do not do early. Gross.

You found the musical Epic on YouTube and that is your entire personality now. Bless it.

You got to attend your first concert! We say Laufey and she was WONDERFUL!

You had to get your second round of braces a week early because you threw away your retainer at school. When I told you you would need to go through the trash - you...were...scandalized.

Kid, you crack me up. We laugh SO MUCH. I hope that never changes.

We also get passionate so we now have safe words to use before things get too out of hand. We also have one for when you have big feelings but no real reason. We use these often.

You still want to be tucked in. I told you on your birthday now that you are thirteen, you don't need to be tucked in any more. You looked at me with the most teenagery face and said "I'm gonna get tucked in." 

The next few years are going to fly by and we want you to know that you are so very loved. Even when the three of us are cranky - we love each other no matter what.

I hope this year is everything you want it to be and more.

Watching you grow is our favorite thing.

We love you,

Mom & Dad

The 12th Year

Happy birthday, Alice!

Today, you are 12.

Can you believe?!

It was a busy, busy year. 

You wrapped up your 5th grade year playing an Oompa Loompa in Willy Wonka. Fifth grade was probably the hardest year you have had yet but you got through it! 

This summer we got to sleep in a bus! Sort of. :) We took a little trip to San Marcos and saw caves and deer and goats. It was such an adventure!

You got your braces off and now have to keep up with a retainer. You had determined baby teeth pulled and handled it like a champ!

You started 6th grade and so far, it has been a much better start than last year. We talked a lot this summer about friendships and the opportunity this provides to expanding your circle. You were way less stressed with the start of the year. You are taking art and have joined the Drama Club.

You earned your black belt in Taekwondo. You are now on the Diving Divas volleyball team and have your first game next week. 

You got a cell phone for your 11th birthday and texting with you is SO MUCH FUN.

You are growing and changing and it's such an honor to be a part of it. We tried to prepare you for as much as we can and so far you are handling it so much better than we imagined. We are proud of you. Always.

Sometimes the big feelings are a lot so we have a safe word for those times when we're both a little overly passionate and need to step away to gather our calm. It mainly just makes us laugh and confuses Dada. 

If ever your feelings are too big and you don't want to share them with me, I hope you know you are surrounded by a village of people who want nothing but the best for you. You are never alone. 

I hope this year is the best one you've ever had. 

We love you so very much, babes. 

Being 12 is SO preppy.

Slay.

Mom & Dad

To My Brother on his Wedding Day

This is a post I never thought about writing. 

Not because I didn't think you would get married! I just never imagined when you were little what it would look like when you were grown up. 

You have always been the little brother, the booganose, the original Bubba.

And today you become a husband.

Today you make promises to love and protect. 

Today someone else takes over the job of dressing you.

Today you start your own family! 

Now I'm going to do the sisterly thing and share some lame wisdom.

Marriage can be magical. You get to love and support your own live-in best friend. She will be the start and end of every day. You have a set partner for LIFE!! 

Marriage is also work.

Marriage is constantly loving someone where they are. Not where you see them in the future and not where you wish they were. Love them where they are right now. And 'right now' changes as you grow together. And loving as you grow is so important. 

Marriage means continually communicating how you honestly feel. It is about realizing where a compromise can be made and consistently considering how an action will affect you both. It's also about being upfront when something doesn't sit right.. If there is only one person making compromises - talk honestly about it.

Marriage should be a partnership. Your feelings and desires cannot outweigh the other's. 

Marriage is great but sometimes it's hard. There will be disagreements and when new ones show up - leave the old ones alone. Don't fight ugly. Words said in the height of stress do not go away. Ever. Love is knowing someone's triggers and never using them.

And no matter what is happening - always love her first. 

Today you will talk down the aisle and say 'I do!'

Today you start your new forever.

Today you will become Meghan's husband.

And I wish you and Meghan the very best.

We love you!

The 5th Year

Happy birthday, little girl!

Today you turn 5. 

5!! That's halfway to 10! And I'm pretty sure with the amount of sass you currently exude, we might be set for several LONG years. 

You have grown so tall and look less and less like the baby we brought home and more more like a young lady. Only one who doesn't like pants - we need to work on this. Especially when we're not at home..... 

You have SO MANY words and you use them ALL THE TIME. You and your 'sister' have amazing adventures and I am constantly watching your 'Bubs' while you go shopping. 

You sing almost all day. You make up songs and sing your little heart out, over and over and over again. 

You are fiercely independent on some things. You insist you can do it on your own and it "won't take too yong," which is never true. It always takes a million years. Okay, maybe not a million - but close! ;)

You can play for hours in your room on your own in worlds of your own. You are highly attached to your Lego's, a Shopkins set, a horse barn and a group of (almost always naked) barbie-type dolls. Y'all go on amazing adventures together.

While you can play for hours on your own, you want someone to sit with you in the bathroom and watch you wash your hands. And you insist on your hands being completely dry before leaving the restroom which usually means adding on at least 4 extra minutes to each visit.  

You get cranky when you get hungry. This you get from me, sorry. You are so used to hearing "I think you need a snack" when you get cranky that when I get cranky, you tell me, "come wit me to da kitchen, you need a snack."  

You are THE WORST backseat driver. Seriously. "You're going too past!! You're going too slow! Turn the music up! It's too youd! Not dis way. DAT way! Don't be mean, Momma, dey were just turning!" It was so lovely when you would fall asleep in the car..... I debate about turning your car seat back to rear facing almost every time we leave the house.

This year has been another big year. You got to take swimming lessons. You got to go to Disney World! You started Pre-K. You experienced your first hurricane. You have had to go to so many doctor appointments with me and you have been a huge trooper each time. 

You are way too smart for your own good and we are continuously proud of you. 

We live in a scary time and our hope for you is that you recognize the good, fight for what's right, and never compromise what your heart and your head know. You are so loved, sweet girl. You have a village of people who are still praying for you and will for as long as they can. 

We adore you,
Mom and Dad

P.S. Please don't think you're going to Disney for your birthday every year. Nope. That's a once in a lifetime event, my child.

Dear Daughter

Dear Daughter,

Our heart's desire is for you to live in a world where people love without question and different opinions are embraced. 

Alas, that is not our reality.

The world can be scary and loud. It can be unforgiving and unwelcoming. People lack patience and empathy and basic decency. 

But you can change that. You can be better. You can fight for the light. 

Our hope is that you understand differences make life more colorful. When you meet someone who doesn't quite look like you or talk like you, embrace what makes them special. Embrace what makes them different. Embrace what makes them the same.

Our hope is that you are empathetic to those around you. That you try your best to see all sides. That you can listen and hear. Take opinions you don't share and build new opinions. Take experiences you know nothing about and see where that person is coming from. Consider kindness first. 

When you come across someone who could use some help, we hope you realize you are there for a reason. We hope that your heart is tender for those less fortunate. We want you to understand that 'disability' doesn't equal 'broken' or 'damaged'. And when you see mistreatment - you defend. 

And when you see injustices - you question them. When you hear lies - you challenge them. Don't back down. Don't allow anyone to belittle your heart. Don't let anyone discourage what you KNOW to be true. When your heart and your head are screaming, listen. No matter if it's what the majority think. No matter if those in-charge say different.  

We want you to grow to understand that guarding your heart and your body will ALWAYS be worth it. Do not allow anyone to tell you that your worth is dependent on actions you don't want to take. Do not allow anyone to tell you that your worth is dependent on what you wear or how you look. Do not allow anyone to tell you that you deserve less than because you are a women. Do not allow anyone to demean you because you have a voice. You are not an object. You are not a trophy. Demand better. 

Love is something that is earned. Love is something that is worth waiting for. 

When you feel mistreated, leave. When your heart tells you it's not right, listen. 

We want you to learn. We want you to question. We want you to grow. 

Take everything we have tried to teach you and form your own opinions. We want to be parents that accept and celebrate that so keep us accountable. When your opinion differs from ours, be patient with us. 

We want the world to be a better place. We want you to see good and love and kindness. Don't be discouraged. Don't let anyone break your spirit. 

Look for the light.

Love,
Mom & Dad

Chalk Dust and Sticky Hands

When the weather is nice, Alice and I head out to play on the driveway. I bring out bubbles but she doesn't want to blow them - all she wants is to put the stick back in the bottle and put the lid on....over and over again.

I draw something in chalk and then she sits on it.

Our summer is going to look a lot like this....

And we will be covered in chalk dust and sticky bubbles. 

And surprisingly enough - I wouldn't want it any other way.

Until next time...

Happy Easter!

This is the only picture I have of her in her pretty Easter dress that isn't blurry. Our girl doesn't believe in holding still. At all.

We spent Easter Sunday with family. We went to church with Mamaw and then had lunch. Mamaw tried her best to get Alice to hunt for eggs.

But all Alice has eyes for are sticks. Yeesh. If you look really close - she does have the Nana's heartburn medicine with her. A girl must have her priorities and be prepared for anything. 

Isn't she cute?

We had a perfectly lovely day!

Until next time....

Spring Break Shenanigans

One of the nice things about having my Beloved work at a college is he gets to enjoy Spring Break. So we few weeks ago we had a whole week to spend together.

We did some grown up things like go to the dentist and have the plumbers come out. 

But we also did some fun things! 

While the Dada was taking care of some family stuff, Alice and I went to visit the Rodeo. She went last year but was much too small to care. This year she got so excited to see the animals! 

They have a very extensive AgVenture area where you get to see animals at all stages of life. She enjoyed the hatchery quite a bit! There was a little chick chirping away at her. I'm pretty sure it was trying to encourage her to free them because Alice quickly became very focused on the lock. ;)

She was thrilled to see the bigger chickens and she tried to kiss a rabbit. It was an adventure.

We also ventured down to Moody Gardens to see the Pirate exhibit. It was a lot easier waiting when she was a lot less mobile. Once we got in to the exhibit, she settled down. 

She did get to meet a 'pirate'!

We did some shopping.

She emptied the Dada's wallet while he wasn't looking.

And we just enjoyed being together.

It was a lovely week and I am so thankful we had the time together.

Details

Today's picture prompt is "details".

Knits and purls for a little girl. I'm working on a blanket for a friend. I always start a project and think "maybe I'll keep it" but a few inches in, I'm completely over it. ;)

Little Bitty has a bowl full of pacifiers. They live on a shelf by her bed. And they gradually go missing. We will get down to none and then the search begins. We find them under furniture or in her hamper. When I put her down for a nap, sometime she's less than thrilled. When this happens she finds everything in her bed and throws it out. I'll find her blankets and stuffed toys in the middle of her room. If she went in with socks, you can bet those are MIA too! So occasionally we have to move the bed to see what she's thrown between it and the wall. Today we located the missing pacifiers. 6 to be exact. Yep. 

While we were rounding up the missing poppers, I gave her her Frog. At first she tried to separate the two but eventually put it in her mouth. And I got a little emotional.

Our girl. Getting so big.

With a Sheep - WEEK 52!!

We made it! We got to week 52! 

This is the very first outfit her Nana bought her before she was born. And it finally (almost) fits! She refused to wear the hat and while pink is not his favorite choice, the Sheep jumped at the chance to prove his professionalism. 

I started this blog series last January based on a 1/52 photo challenge from a friend's blog. I thought it would be a neat way to follow her growth. And it has been! 

I just never imagined how much difference there would be from the first picture to the last. 

Seriously.

She's gone from being a little baby to being such a little girl! When did that happen?! 

I still love the sheep pictures so I think we'll keep taking them. Not every week! But occasionally; when the Sheep has recovered and Alice has completed the Anger Management course the court suggested. ;)

Until then - let's watch her grow one more time....

Reflect - Best bit of 2013

Watching her grow. 

And time spent with these two.

Today we were on our own and we had two table service meals left on our meal plan so all we did was ate. ;)

We took a boat to Ft. Wilderness for lunch. It was a rainy day but manageable.

When were done, the rain had increased so we went back the resort for a nap before our dinner plans. I didn't take any pictures until after dinner. The rain had increased by the time dinner was over so we hightailed it back to the room. 

We had a low key night of adult beverages and packing. 

She didn't seem to mind.

She's apparently over baby food so she had Cheerios for dinner. I'm really working on earning my "World's Greatest Mom" mug. ;)

It was a nice, quiet day.

Sparkly

Nana's tree is very sparkly!!

We had a day of celebration!

Today was Mamaw's birthday! She got Lemon Pound-cake.

And tomorrow is Deb's! She got chocolate pie!!! 

We celebrated with cake, presents and laughing! And then almost everyone took a nap. ;)

Alice likes to share. 

She practiced walking with Abby!

She laughed with Nana!

And she reached the second floor all on her own....again. This time the Dada supervised. 

Happy birthday, Mamaw & Deb!! We love you!

Big

Alice's Uncle David calls her Frog. This started with her froggie pacifier she loved so much. So for Christmas, they got her a big, soft stuffed frog. And she LOVES it!

Seriously, how cute is that?!

The Silliness

RAP photo is 'this makes me laugh'.

This girl.

She CRACKS me up. The way she laughs at herself. The way she gets so excited. The way she is tricksy and gets super quiet when she knows she's doing something she's not supposed to. The way she acts all surprised when we find out what she's doing and make her stop. It's hilarious. 

The way she dances to music. Any music!

She also jabbers to herself all day long. So precious.

Check out the sweatpants she's sporting today.

Such a little girl now.

The KIR photo is "before school chaos". Since Alice doesn't attend school yet - I've checked in to sleep away schools for 14 month olds, they don't exist - we had to settle for one of her and the Dada before he leaves for work.

He tells her every day to be good for the Momma.

And every day - she laughs.

Until next time....

The Time Between

Today's RAP photo is "point & shoot,"

She's eyeing a piece of dirt. It's been raining so the dog is dragging in mud and clumps can be found here and there. And she finds them. I spotted her eyeing this piece and told her "no ma'am!" which made her stop. She didn't touch it but kept pointing at it and walking around it and then laid next to it. I eventually picked it up which didn't impress her. She looked at me as if to say "you get to pick it up?! I was going to eat that!" 

She eventually found a new chunk.

Oiy vey.

I caught her watching a bug along the wall the other day.

She likes mud and bugs.

And hates shoes. 

God is laughing. I promise. ;)

The Beloved and I were discussing the difference in her age. Last year we didn't notice the time between her birth and her due date being so far apart. We were distracted and caught up and focused on other things. But this year, it seems like a lifetime of a difference. 

We celebrated her birthday two months ago yet she won't technically turn 1 until the beginning of December. That seems like FOREVER. 

And if you didn't know any better, you can't tell. 

She's such a sassy little thing. 

And we love her to pieces.

Even if she likes bugs and mud.....

Today was the first super cold day we've had and she looked absolutely adorable!

Although she hates things on her head....

Winter might pose a problem.

A year ago

Today's RAP photo is "me, a year ago".

I look at her today and I can't believe she was ever that small.

I look at her today and I can't believe it's only been a year. It feels like a lifetime. 

Now look at her.

Yeesh.

The picture for KIR is 'office'. 

Our office looks a lot like our dining room. ;)

Until next time....

My Heart

RAP photo challenge!! 

Who has my heart?

These two.

Always.

The way he adores her. The way she gets so excited when he comes home. 

It's a wonderful thing. 

For the KIR challenge, here is 'playroom'.

It kind of looks like our living room. On a normal day, Tornado Alice blows through the house and leaves a trail of destruction in her wake. It's hard to believe one little bitty can make such a mess all by herself. Yeesh.

We had some friends over for dinner tonight. Alice got to meet Noah!

This is the best picture I got because I spent the rest of the evening trying to convince her to not poke his eye out. Oh my. We might have a bully baby. Maybe it's the Sprout TV. Yeah, we'll blame them! ;)

Until next time.....

So fast!

When she hears the Dada start her bath, she hightails it to the bathroom to watch him.

:) It cracks me up. She's just so fast! 

And she's growing so fast too. 

Today's RAP is "theme song for my life". 

A few weeks ago, my friend Ida posted this song on my Facebook wall with a note saying it made her think of me and Alice. She is so very excited I get to be home with her. This came at the perfect time. I was having a rough few days and this song reminded me how important it is to be here for her.

The lyrics are beautiful and so very true. One day she will experience disappointment and lies and I want her to know she will be safe in our arms. Always. No matter the storm. 

Today was a cold day! HALLELUJAH! So we took a vote and stayed in our warm jammies all day. We got to share a peach and watch Top Chef together.

I got this look because she caught me eating a chunk of her peach. Oops.

Today's KIR photo was 'closet'. 

These built-ins looked so magical when we bought the house! They're not. The set up is mostly in the way. We've already taken apart one of the closets to better accommodate our needs. I'm pretty sure the previous owners would be heartbroken with how much we're undone to their home. Oh well.

Until next time.....

Now for Tricks

This girl.

I swear. 

She is in to EVERYTHING. And she gets to anything she wants. 

We keep a dry erase marker on the washer so I can write down what doesn't need to dry. I found her the other day in the laundry room with the marker in her hand and the eraser part in her mouth. Good grief. So I take it out of her mouth and put it at the top of the washer where she can't reach it.

Well, she looked at me and then at the washer and then proceeded to hit the side of the washer until the marker slid down to where she could get it. Oh my.

I had her in her bed the other day while she was supposed to be napping. I heard her jabbering over the monitor. A few minutes later I hear her little walk behind car start singing. It only does this if you touch it which if you are being a good baby and taking a nap, you can't do. But that's not our child. I go in and our child has thrown her pacifier at the hood of the car and is dancing to the music. 

She makes my eye twitch - just like her Dada. Yeesh.

She keeps us on our toys. That's for sure!

Until next time.....

Wet

It's a rainy, yucky day!

But I love watching Alice watch the rain.

We brought our girl home a year ago today! We've had a baby in the house for a year! Who'd a thought?!

And even though I spend my days shoveling food or changing diapers or saying "no! don't eat that!" - and even though I no longer sleep and I'm usually exhausted - I would't trade a moment like this for all the world.

Until next time.....