Please, Help a Mommy Out (How can I Choose?)

I know this is out of the ordinary for a blog post. But, seriously! How can a mother choose between her 2 kids? She just can't! There's no way! So that's where you come in (I hope)!

A local store is running a contest to find a little model for their new baby boutique. They have a gallery filled with cute kids and moms and dads share it and ask their friends and family to vote for theirs kid. Which is all fine and dandy... unless you have 2 little girls, 20 months apart, who both fit what they are looking for (yup, that's me!).

C'mon, look at all that cuteness!

I can't choose just one of my girls and I can't ask my family to choose one and even if they split them, my girls are left with half as many votes because like everything else in life they have to "share with your sister!"

So, can you choose? Please! (Pretty please!) My real hope is that somehow they will end up in a dead tie and both win! All you have to do is click the link, and go to the bottom of the gallery and click vote under one of their pictures and enter your email (Nope, they won't spam you and constantly send you thing- I promise! They just want to keep down the number of fake votes). 

The prize isn't money or anything extravagant. Just a local photo shoot and their picture gets hung up in the store.

Please find the gallery here: http://woobox.com/fxw8r7

And my girls are at the very bottom of the page. Here are the pictures to choose from...

I really appreciate your help! And I promise not to turn in to now one of those mommies that blows up your news feeds with "Vote for my baby" posts! Just this once--- oh no, is this a gateway post? Is this how that starts? (deep breaths!) I don't want to be that mom, but hey, just think- if they win- I won't have to be!

A Letter to My Two Year Old

Emmelyn,

You just turned 2. Where has time gone? I can’t believe that you aren’t a baby anymore- you are officially a toddler. My beautiful, little, red-headed, blue-eyed toddler.  This year has flown by and has been an adventure filled with love, laughter and smiles. It has also contained a lot of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and too many bags of goldfish crackers and cheese puffs.

This year I had the pleasure of watching you transform from baby to toddler, right before my eyes. You began this year with a whole lot of pointing and one or two words and now you are using full sentences and repeating everything that you hear. You went from walking along the furniture to making me chase you down the block. (Seriously, I can’t turn my back for one second). You are your own mini-person now and want to do a lot of things on your own, which makes me both proud and a little bit sad that you don’t need me as much. You are so smart and resourceful.(You use the stool from your room to get things off Mommy’s dresser). You can count and you know a lot of shapes. You have an amazing memory- especially for songs. You love to sing and have memorized not only the words to “Let it Go” from the movie, Frozen, but also the hand gestures Elsa makes while singing.  You sing Happy Birthday, Row, row, row you boat, If you’re Happy and you know it… During the winter, I took you to a Musikgarten class and the teacher said you were way ahead of the other kids your age. (My little genius!)

I love watching your little mind process things and wonder how, at just 2 years old, you understand so many things, so many words and how you just soak up everything around you.

You love so many things, especially Minnie and Mickey Mouse (who you call “hot dog” because he does the “hot dog dance” at the end of his show). We had a Minnie Mouse birthday party for you, complete with Minnie Mouse herself, and you were in heaven.  When people asked what you liked, the answer was everything (except vegetables- you HATE veggies and when I sneak them into your food, you wipe off your tongue and say “ewwww!”). 

You love animals. Horses, cats, dogs, frogs, ducks, you name it. When we take you to the farm, you are full of excitement and say “Hi, moo moo!” to each individual cow. You love the water. I can never get you out of the pool or the tub and if I turn my back on you for one second you will get in the pool with all of your clothes on. You are so adventurous. So adventurous that you learned to swim this year. You need a floaty but you can paddle your way to the side of the pool, all by yourself! You really have no fear (which scares me sometimes).  You love coloring and “reading” and blocks. 

It has been a big year for you. You are a big sister now and you are a great one. You love to hug and kiss Aubrey, sometimes a little too tight but you mean well. You always make sure that we don’t forget her (not that we are going to, but you are sure to point out “Hey! Look! Aubrey!”). You tell me if she is crying and you try to share your toys with her. If you are in the mood, you will hug and kiss everyone (sometimes you will even run up to me and hug my leg really tight for no reason- God, I love that!), but if you aren’t, look out! However, no matter what kind of mood you are in, you always have hugs and kisses for your baby sister. Even when you don’t want to share, you always share with Aubrey. It amazes me how there is no jealousy or competition (yet), just pure sisterly love. It is like you know that she is going to be your very best friend.

You have so much energy. Sometimes I get tired just watching you or chasing you (which you love). Every night before bed time you get this burst of energy and run laps around the house or dance in circles. I love it because it is probably your giggliest time of day and I love that laugh and smile of yours more than I can say.

You do have your moments when your overly tired or frustrated and your little red-headed Irish temper reminds everyone that the Terrible Two’s are a real thing, but mostly you are a loving, caring, happy-go-lucky little girl. You love to play with other kids, you can entertain yourself, you can adapt to anything. 

I pray that you keep that little friendly, independent, happy fiery, spirit. I pray everyday that I will be the best mommy I can for you and that I will be the mommy that you need and I pray that someday, you will have your own little girl so that you can truly understand how much I love you. 

I want to thank you for choosing me. You are the best little girl and big sister that anyone could ever have dreamed of. I am so lucky to be your mommy. You’re an amazing and beautiful daughter, that makes my every day and I am so thankful that you are mine. 

Mommy loves you to the moon and back and to the moon and back and to the moon and back and to the moon and back and to the moon and back and to the moon and back and to the moon and back a million billion time. I love you so so so so so much, my sweet two year old! 

Xoxox.

 Love,
Mommy

P.S. If you could slow down, just a little bit mommy would appreciate it. I just want to hold you a little longer.

Meet Our Newest Princess, Miss Aubrey Violet

There was a ray of sunshine, on a winter morn

the day our baby girl was born.

At 6 a.m. on January twenty eight,

Our little princess arrived, exactly one week late.

Seven ponds, 2.6 ounces to handle with care;

Twenty one inches and a head full of hair.

Soft as a whisper, so precious and sweet;

Tiny perfection from her head to her feet.

Her big sisters loved her the moment they met.

Mommy and Daddy called her Aubrey Violet.

We love her so much! We are so happy and overwhelmed with her cuteness. God has blessed us, again.

Baby Two Blues- Am I the worst mom ever?

Baby #2 is coming and I am not ready. I feel awful that I am not-- guilty really.

10 days until her due date and we have done the small things. Hospital bag is packed, coming home outfit chosen, name picked (we even had it embroidered on her coming home/hospital outfit).

However, other than purchasing a double stroller, no other major changes have been made. The furniture isn’t assembled, the painting hasn’t been done…

But that is not the part I am talking about. I am not ready because I am not ready for my baby to not be “the” baby anymore. Is that terrible?

I have heard of second baby guilt and have seen lots of blogs about how moms feel bad for not being able to do as much for their second child because they have to split their attention (i.e. not taking as many pictures or documenting as much for baby number 2). I am sure that guilt will come, too, but right now, it is all about my first baby.

She is only 19 months old and I feel like she hasn’t been the baby long enough. She is the center of attention and the center of my world but I suddenly remember every time she wanted me to sit on the floor and play but I didn’t or every time I yelled at her for not listening. I second guess everything- could I have spent my mommy and Emme time better? 

As we get closer, I hold her tighter and more often (even though my little girl would already rather run free), but I am running out of time. We are about to rock her little world by bringing a baby sister into it. How is she going to feel? Is she going to know that we still love her just as much as before? Is she going to be sad when I can’t hold her because her sister can’t hold herself? Is she going to know that she will always be my baby, even if she isn’t the only baby? Is she going to understand why we have less attention to give? Did she get enough time to be the littlest one?  Is she ready to be the big sister?

Don’t get me wrong, it isn’t that I don’t want Baby #2 (we aren’t telling her name until she is born) or that I don’t love her because I do. Very much. I am just not ready, today.

Keep the THANKS in Thanksgiving. Celebrate it, don't shop it.

 I have heard a lot about keeping the Christ in Christmas, but before we even get to December’s holidays, we are losing Thanksgiving! 

I am going to feel so old saying this but I remember when Thanksgiving was about a big family meal and  actually GIVING THANKS.  Everyone packed into Grandma and Grandpa’s house (or whoever was hosting), said one thing we were thankful for that year, before eating turkey and pie. My brother and I split the wishbone and made a wish. We watched football and overate, as a family. There was no shopping on Thanksgiving. Stores weren’t even open, so that employees could enjoy their turkey and football. 

Now, Thanksgiving is becoming about getting good deals on stuff that you probably don’t need. But how good is a deal if it destroys the meaning of Thanksgiving.  Rather than “thanks,” the holiday is becoming about greed and stores are placing their bottom line before their employees, families and traditions. Toys R Us is open at 5pm. Isn’t that dinner time?  Soon other stores will be following suit, each opening a little early in an attempt to beat out the other and soon, stores will all be open on Thanksgiving and slowly but surely, we will lose Thanksgiving all together. 

Is it really necessary to shop on Thursday? Can’t we trample each other for sale items the DAY AFTER we give thanks for all that we have, like we have done every other year? 

I know it is impossible for everyone to have off from work on Thanksgiving and I know that not everyone can get together with their families, but we can still save Thanksgiving.

This year our family Thanksgiving is rather small. My grandmother is not in the best of health and a large family Thanksgiving just isn’t possible. A large portion of family lives far and airfare is outrageous but my husband and I intend to start our own traditions and stay out of the reach of those who are intent on destroying the holiday all together.

A lot of people are saying that after dinner they are just sitting around, doing nothing so why not get a jump on shopping. Well, instead of doing “nothing” -do something.  At my house, this year we will start the tradition of building a gingerbread house with the kids, from scratch. This year we are making a log cabin, but every year we will build a different style house and decorate it differently.  If you don’t want to dedicate that much time, you can just build a boxed one. 

While coming up with this idea, we came across several others:

Write a letter to Santa with your kids. Remind them to THANK Santa for all of the gifts they received last year and report on things they did during the year. It will make a nice reminder to read back when they are older.  

Play a game. If you have a big family and it is nice out, play some touch football as a family. If not, try a board game marathon. 

Decorate the Christmas tree or hang your stockings.  (Maybe even make ornaments for the tree- CRAFT TIME!)

We got free place mats from the local grocery store (GO WEGMANS!) where kids can draw what they are thankful for this year.  I don’t see why this couldn’t be done on regular paper. 

I know a lot of things are Christmas related and may seem “cheesy” to some, but you can always watch a movie together or read a book. The point is to celebrate Thanksgiving, not shop it.

My Gender Reveal

In the morning morning my left me a dress a dress that he bought and sent me a text that said to be ready at 630 and I would find out more then. 

So I got dressed (in a dress that he got for me to wear) and my parents and grandmother and baby drove me around until we arrived at The Vintage restaurant. Josh had planned a gender reveal dinner complete with pink and blue wrapped chairs. 

In the corner was a big cardboard box that said "Boy or Girl?" on the front with a question mark balloon holding down the lid. 

 Everyone at the restaurant was looking to see if the baby was a boy or girl, but we decided to make them wait and order dinner first. But after we ordered, I stood next to the box...lifted the lid...and out came...

PINK BALLOONS! It's a girl!  

Looks like a lot of the gender predicting old wives tales were wrong. 

We are happy to have a little sister, close in age, for Emmelyn to grow up with. Can't wait to meet her!!

 

When Should Children Learn About September 11

This morning when I was driving my 8 year old step-daughter to school, I asked her, "Are you doing anything for September 11th in school today?" and she looked confused when she answered "No, I don't think so." So I asked her if she knew what September 11th was and she said, "Yeah. Isn't it Halloween?" She had no idea what I meant by September 11th. It must be a say for candy or presents, right?

I gave her a very brief summary of what has happened and she just said, "Wow!" She wasn't afraid or worried just a little shocked.

I was shocked that she was so completely unaware. I know she is only 8 and maybe the school thinks she is too you to learn hear about terrorism and I don't expect her to understand the economic or political affects of such a tragedy, but it isn't necessary to scare a child with potential dangers on American soil in order to pay tribute to a day that I think is far more relevant to their lives than anything currently found in a history book.

During that time, rescue workers and every day people, risked their lives to save people they didn't know before that day. Heroes were made from some of the greatest acts of humanitarianism that this country has ever seen. We ask them who their heroes are but they are completely unaware of the bravery and selflessness of the people who sacrificed themselves on September 11 to save the lives of others.

I don't expect them to hear high jacking details that will keep them from ever wanting to get on a plane again, but following the terrorist attacks came the biggest surge of American patriotism that I have ever experienced in my lifetime. There is an significant lesson to be learned about how no matter how big or invincible you may seem, you can always be knocked down and the importance of banning together to stand back up.

Maybe 8 is too young, but I think that they should at least know the importance of today and if told correctly, September 11 isn't just a story of plane crashes and terrorism but of heroism and patriotism.

Regardless, today is an important day that should be remembered by all Americans. God Bless the families of those who were brave in the face of danger and God Bless America.