Love my Little Princesses

It's hard to believe we are already planning Emma's first birthday!  How can she already be turning one?!  A year ago, I was so excited for her arrival (and very tired of being pregnant).  I couldn't wait to get the show on the road.  Now, I would love for time to just slow down a bit.  Let me have  a few more of these precious moments before she turns into a kid!

Emma is so darn smart, just like her sister.  She is crawling and getting into everything - she has a very curious little mind!  She is cruising a little bit, but mostly just pulls herself up to stand.  She loves to dance, and I can't get enough of watching her jiggle her little baby butt to the music.  One of my favorite things is when I (or anyone for that matter) walk into the room, she waves and says hi.  She points at what she wants, which is really helpful, and she also says mama, thank you, and uh oh.  Boo is another favorite - she hides her head then pops out and says it.  This has incidentally become the word for her blanket, as she likes to play boo with it!  Her little lungs seem to be responding well to her medication, so that is a huge answered prayer.  Grace is still her favorite person, followed closely by Nana Carol who gets way more kisses than I think are necessary....no, I'm not jealous...... ;)

After our recent trip to Disneyland (Emma's second, Grace's fifth), we are living in Princess land.  I never knew Disneyland could be so much fun. As much work as traveling is with two little kids, it was so worth it to watch Grace's amazement when Cinderella held her hand and walked with her while telling her a story.  And when all the princesses went by in the parade and blew kisses right at her...wow!  I don't think I've ever seen her so excited.  She definitely loves them, and Tinkerbell, as well.  And every night at bath time, she turns into Ariel, the bath-loving mermaid.  Pretty sweet.  Grace's imaginary friend Scott has been around now for a couple of months, and he went to Disneyland with us, too (though I only found out about that after we got home).  He apparently likes the princesses also, and is friends with Prince Erik and Eugene (they belong to Ariel and Rapunzel).  She frequently refers to Kevin and myself as the king and queen, and I think that is cute! Why, why, why continues to be the word of the day.  I sometimes feel like I have exhausted every possible explanation, yet the question often remains.  Grace really does a good job of expressing herself and giving explanations and examples.  Something that I think is cute is that she refers to everything in the past tense as having happened yesterday, even if it happened a year ago.  At least she knows it's in the past!  Her fine motor skills are really developing, and she is enjoying coloring and painting objects and trying to stay in the lines.

Being a mom is hard work.  This afternoon felt very frustrating and more difficult than usual.  My patience was dwindling and I was wondering how I was going to make it until Kevin got home.  Then Grace said, "You're amazing Mommy, and I love you."  Makes up for every ounce of frustration!  Can't imagine my life without our little princesses :)

Sunny day, sweeping the clouds away....

Ever read a really good book, so good that you don't want to read the last chapter because you don't want it to end?  Well, that's where I'm at today.  So, instead of putting off updating my blog (as usual), I am putting off completing my book, The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh.  I wish there was a sequel! Both girls are napping and I am enjoying the sunshine streaming in through the window.  When they wake up we will have to go to the park.  Next week we will be in Disneyland, and I am excited for a break from the weather and a chance to be outside in the sun.

Grace is looking forward to seeing Tinkerbell, all the princesses, and hanging out at the castle.  She loves her princesses, but Tinkerbell remains her favorite Disney character.  I can't wait to listen to her belt out Small World while we're on the ride, another favorite! Speaking of singing, the the other day while we were driving, Grace sang to me, "Amazing Grace, how sweet I am."  Sweet yes, vain....oh well.  I thought it was awesome when she interrupted herself and pointed at the sunset and said, "Look at that beautiful sunset God made for us."  Sweet, indeed. 

My other sweetie is growing leaps and bounds.  Most things make her happy and she loves to clap when we express joy.  In the last few days she has started to offer us bites of her food, so we are talking a lot about sharing.  She likes to shake her head no at us, too.  Annoying at times, but I suppose it's good for her to say how she feels.  She is doing well with signing hungry, more, all done, and i love you.  (Grace is trying to teach her the sign for cookie). Her top two teeth are coming in, just cutting through last night.  No fun.  We also have discovered Emma has a mild form of asthma as well as bronchomalaycia.  After seeing a pulomonoligist yesterday, she has now started multiple Inhalers to help her little lungs.  My hope is that she will get some relief from these meds and outgrow the conditions because the last few months of constant coughing and rattling chest sounds have not been fun either.

Well, I hear giggles and growls.....time to go get my little monsters out of bed!