The Week She Turns Two

It has begun. Birthday week. The week my baby, the one who made me mommy turns two. For two whole years she has entertained us and filled our hearts with so much joy and love. For two years she has tested us and pushed us to limits we have never known before. For two years we have survived parenting. For two years she has taught us so many things about ourselves. For two whole years she has continually been our daily dose of sunshine even on the dreary days. I can't believe it. Harper is going to be two.

I guess now that she is going to be two we are pretty much parenting experts, right? I mean that is totally how it goes I'm pretty sure. Two is proving to be a little bit harder than I expected. Harper is extremely smart and continually pushing us to see how much she can get away with. It can be a little exhausting especially with a newborn. I am a true believer in the "terrible twos" because of it. At first I thought there was no way and that we had this angelic little girl that was just going to breeze through this toddler stage, haha. But I was wrong and this is all to be expected of someone her age, of course.

Harper is this amazing little girl though you guys. Simply amazing. She is fierce and smart. She is loving and kind. She is made up of cheddar bunnies, noodles, and pouches. She will be your best friend and talk you ear off. She will give you the best kisses and hugs. She will sing you songs all day long. She is helpful--almost too helpful. She is smiles and deep belly laughter. She perfectly imperfect and I'd bottle her up if I could.

This week is going to be a celebration of her. It begins with a birthday party today with our close family and friends--Mickey Mouse Club House themed, of course. Then the rest of the week is filled with her favorite things like the park, books and babies, and a trip to the zoo. Then on her actual birthday we celebrate her, just our little family, the four of us. This day includes a special trip to Petsmart to pick out her very first pet, a beta fish.

As for me? Well this week will include a lot of me crying. Crying because I just can't believe it. Crying because I feel so damn lucky she is mine. Crying because this is what life is all about. Crying because I love her so very much. I'm a sap. What can I say?

Let the Birthday week begin!!!

20 Months

Harper girl, I can't even believe it. How is it that in four short months you will be two!? TWO! Mom isn't sure she is ready for that. These past twenty months with you have been nothing short of amazing. I love watching your personality develop. You remind me so much of myself. You have a love of the simple things. The sunshine, a leaf, cookies, music, puppies, and so much more.

You are also so smart. I know all parents say that about their babies but I truly think you are so very smart. Every day we do our ABC's and you can say every letter in the alphabet and recognize them when I write them for you. You can also recognize lots of different animals and make their noises. And daily we read through book after book, your favorites being anything by Dr Seuss. Learning with you is so fun. Lately we have been practicing numbers and colors. You are cute though. You only like the numbers 2,3, 8, and the color blue.

You are finally starting to get that things are "yours" as well and you couldn't be more proud of them. It is so cute. We went Target there other day and I let you walk and you stopped and showed every one your jelly shoes. The smile on your face when people told you they were pretty was the best.

I'm also in awe at how kind you are as well. You say "You're Welcome, Please, and Thank You". You also say Hi and Goodbye to anyone you meet. And you LOVE people. I hope you always do. People are wonderful and fascinating and your whole life you will learn so much from them. I hope you are always cautious like you are but never afraid.

These past twenty months haven't always been easy though. You are persistent and demanding sometimes. I know that is because you just can't quite get out what you want. And as any human you have bad days. Some times you just aren't happy and I totally get that.

But despite all of that these past 20 months have been some of the best of my life. Thank you for the kisses and the hugs on a daily basis. Thank you for the laughter and the giggles. Thank you for the dance parties and sing a longs. Thank you for being the amazing little girl you are. And as always thank you for choosing me to be your mom. Happy twenty months my sweet baby girl. I love you to the moon and back.

Spring Has Sprung

Sunshine is good for the soul is it not? I have always been a lover of the in-between seasons. Spring and Fall. In Montana when we left on Tuesday it didn't feel like Spring at all. But here in Alabama. Spring has definitely come. The birds are chirping, flowers are blooming, the grass is green, and it rains. It doesn't snow. Rain. I will take it. In fact today we are supposed to get thunderstorms and I'm so excited. I love the claps of thunder and the lightning.

On the way down here I wore my Uggs the entire time but the moment we got here I slipped in to flip flops showing off my new lilac pedicure I got just a few days before. I also put on my favorite maxi dress and I have been in heaven ever since. This dress to be exact. Which I own in multiple colors and lived in when I was pregnant with Harper. It is the most comfortable thing ever. Harper herself is even running around in tank tops, shorts, and flip flops. She loves being outside. We haven't been outside a whole lot in the past few months so this is great. Today we hope to go pick her up some side walk chalk, and a pail and shovel for the sandbox outside our hometel, and for the beach weekends we have ahead.

Spring makes me think of the newness that is in our life. The time here is going to be a special time for us all. The last few months we have together as a family of three. It is crazy to think about that but Finley will be coming any time after the husband completes this course and we head home back to Montana. I plan to cherish the moments and soak up the sunshine with her. Our lives are certainly about to change for the better but Harper will always my first. I'm so grateful for the days we get together. We all feel the change. We all know it is coming. It is much like the changing of the seasons. I can already feel the warmth of anticipation but I'm going to embrace every moment with Harper until the pages turn into a to a new chapter.

Welcome Spring. XoXo

It's The Little Things: A Trip to the Zoo

Today is my first time linking up with Ashley from Words About Waverly, for It's The Little Things and I'm so excited. After staying cooped up because of snow we decided to get out and enjoy the "warmer" Montana weather and go to the Zoo yesterday. We only spent an hour there because the wind made it a bit chillier than expected but we were able to see a lot of critters. Harper referred to them as baaaaas, quack quacks, and meow meows.

I don't know who enjoyed the fresh air more Harper, or me. It was a perfect little outing for us. The last time I was at a Zoo with her she couldn't walk yet. It was crazy for me to see her walk the entire time. She is such a big girl and I just love spending my days with her.

It's The Little Things indeed.

We are now cooped up inside again longing for warmer weather and spring. Hurry up already, would ya?

Mushy Gushy Stuff

I'm kind of sort of just in awe this morning. I can't believe that Harper has been my Valentine for 2 years now. She just gets more beautiful by the day. The love I have for her is unreal. It is funny how my idea of a perfect Valentine's day has changed. I used to want to get all dressed up and go out for dinner. Then Harper came a long and I'd rather spend the evening having dinner at our house reflecting on the love we have for one another cuddled up on the couch. As I get older the love I have for my husband and my life grows deeper. He and our child (soon to be children) are my everything. I couldn't have asked for a better man in my life. With out him my dreams wouldn't have come true. Last night I prayed because I was so grateful for all I have in my life. Valentine's day just made me reflect on it a little bit harder than I usually do. It may just be a cheesy holiday to some but to me there is never such a thing as too much love. I embrace the extra day of cheesiness. The pink and the red, the reese's hearts, and the roses, I love it all.

I hope your day included a lot of love too.

XoXo

It's Been Awhile

Hello. Merry Christmas. Happy Almost New Year. It has been forever since I took the time to actually sit down and write. If I'm being honest I haven't felt good. The first trimester of this pregnancy won up until about a week ago when I finally begun to not have nausea and get my energy back. I was starting to get really frustrated. It is hard to feel sick and chase a toddler around all day.

Just like my last pregnancy I spent the last 12-13 weeks in fear one day and pure joy the next. It is such a nerve wracking time. I thought since I have done this before some of my fears would subside but they did not. But I have finally made it out of the first trimester, and I'm rocking a 14 week bump that might have some questioning is she or isn't she having multiples? My bump really did pop a lot sooner this time. But I love it. When I was pregnant with Harper I didn't feel good. With P2 I didn't feel good either, but it was different feeling than my first pregnancy. I'm so excited to find out whether we will have a house full of girls in a few weeks or maybe just maybe we will have a boy. Either way we are so excited for our growing family and Harper is going to be the absolute best big sister.

In other exciting news. I got bangs. I think I found my signature hairstyle. Do people have those? Anyways for some reason I feel this hair cut flatters me better than anything. Bangs are fun and fun to say. Bangs.

As for Harper she is just a few days shy of 17 months. She continues to grow and challenge me on a daily basis. She is beautiful, stubborn, smart, dramatic, and a blast all rolled into one. She sings, she dances, and she destroys things. There honestly is never a dull moment. Right now she is developing quite the vocabulary that includes words such as puppy (her favorite), daddy, mommy, hot, hi, bye, what's that, doggy, nana, hot dog (thanks mickey mouse club house), peek a boo, moo, woof, meow, and many other things that I can't quite make out. She has such serious conversations with us sometimes I wish I really knew what she was saying. She eats anything we put in front of her. She naps 2 hours in the afternoon. Her favorite activities include reading and stacking. We stack things all day long. I mean what else would we do all day anyways?

The husband is still flying with the Guard and I am still a SAHM. I really love it. Most days. Some days I just need a break but I'm pretty sure that is normal. Life going into 2014 is good. I can't wait to see what is in store for the next year. It will be beautifully chaotic I'm sure with two little kids. But we can't wait.

Everyday Moments

Oh hey blog. I have not forgotten about you I simply have a toddler who tends to make the days go by fast and leaves me too tired to write at the end of the day. Seriously toddlers are exhausting. Not to mention slightly annoying at times yet totally awesome and amazing. I'm loving every minute with Harper as she gets older.

Moments like this afternoon when we turned on the Christmas music (you can't stop me) and baked sugar cookies and frosted them. It was so fun to do it together, however much messier. Harper loves the kitchen right now. She wants to cook and thinks everything is "hot". It is precious. Nothing beats dancing around your kitchen with your mini me to jingle bells. And it is the moments like sitting down at the table and sharing a warm frosted cookie and some milk that simply remind me how good I have it.

I'm also impressed at how quickly Harper is picking things up. She learned recently how to put a hat on by herself so it is rare to see her without one on her head. She is also trying very hard to master putting her shoes on. Often times she ends up on her butt, but one day she will get it.

Our days are often full of these little everyday moments. Often uneventful ones but perfect ones none the less. I feel so complete these days. Maybe it is the fact that I have become content with simple days. I can find peace in every day. I know it is there. Perhaps I also find it in Harper. Every day she wakes up and she is who she is, allowing me to be the same. And she loves me. Just as I am.

All I know is at the end of the day I'm exhausted. Often times not showered. But I go to sleep with a smile on my face, and I sleep well. These are just simple every day moments. Just regular days. But to me they are always fulfilling and they are mine.

Life is good. God is good.

Harper Halloween

This weekend we had the opportunity to attend a Halloween party put on by the FRG. I was so excited because I knew Harper wouldn't be trick or treating (she is still too little and can't eat candy) this year and I wanted to dress her up in costume. We had found this adorable lion costume and knew that it would be perfect for Harper. She actually loved being in it. I was so surprised. The party was a blast. The kids decorated pumpkins and played. There were cupcakes and cookies and I sampled them all. The kids even received prizes for their costumes. For Harper's age group they received cute little stuffed Halloween critters. Well I take it back. One of them wasn't cute. One of them was a green monster with three eyes and Harper picked that one to bring home and he is now her favorite toy. She cracks me up.

It was such a cute day and I continue to be amazed by how much Harper is growing up. She did so well with everyone, but she loves the big kids the most. She is fascinated by them. As I watched her play I teared up at least 3 times. I'm a big sap these days. There is no doubt that she is growing up. But that is okay. I am doing a great job of taking it in daily. Soaking up every moment with my not so little girl. As bitter sweet as it is, it just keeps getting better!!

It was a very Happy (early) Halloween indeed.

Breathe The Fresh Air

Harper loves being outside more than anything in the world. In fact multiple times a day she will grab my hand and lead me to the door in hopes that I will take her outside. I usually do. Our day isn't complete without a long walk to the mail box. Which wouldn't be that long if I went sans baby, but she loves it, so we go. I don't know what we will do when it starts to get really cold. I guess I will just have to bundle her up in her snow suit. I hope she always loves the outdoors as much as she does now. Nature is beautiful and there is nothing better than breathing in the fresh air.

14 Months

I have a 14 month old. I have a 14 month old. I can't even believe it. Wasn't she just born? I'm surviving this parenting thing. We even want to do it AGAIN. Crazy.

Harper is amazing. Each day she continues to amaze me. We laugh, we dance, we sing, we read, and we play. I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Harper is petitie. Can you believe she is still wearing some 9 month clothing? She is getting into that 12-18 month stuff too though. I am loving the big girl clothes.

Shoe wise Harper is in 3 but about to grow in to a 4.

Harper is almost completely bottle free. She only gets one before bed time. Other than that she loves to eat what we eat.

She also talks all of the time but the only words we can fully understand are Mama, Daddy, Doggy, Hey, No, Yes, and Hi. She also goes woof woof when she sees a doggy and she knows how to wave good bye.

Harper can roll balls and throw balls, and stack block and rings.

If she could choose what to do all day she would be outside walking for miles. Home girl throws fits when we make her come inside. She isn't going to be a fan of Montana winters.

Personality wise Harper is a very happy baby. She laughs at us. She laughs at the TV and her toys. She is also very loving. She hugs all her stuffed animals and gives us and them kisses. She also can be quite dramatic and has the best fake cry. She loves people and honestly has no fear which makes me so nervous. 99% of the time she is a hoot.

Lastly she still rocks at sleep. She sleeps every night from about 7-7. So that is awesome.

I say this all the time but it really does keep getting better and better. As much as I miss the squishy baby stage, I think I love watching her grow older even more. She is so much fun right now. We love our baby girl.

An Afternoon With Harper

There isn't a night these days where I don't sleep like a rock. When Harper isn't sleeping we are constantly on the go. It is one activity to the next and I'm tired. Haha. Lately her favorite thing is when we chase her. This could go on for hours. When that gets old we waste away the day playing instruments, pushing the walker, and reading books upon books. There is never a dull moment with a toddler that is for sure. I wouldn't change a thing though really. I just wish sometimes I would have cherished the moments more when she wasn't mobile! It is just nuts how fast they change on a daily basis. I love that I'm home to see it. This mommy thing rocks.

Already?

Today Harper and I went to Books & Babies at the library here in town. Just a simple thing really. Moms bring their babies and we sing songs, read a book, and then the babies play. Little did I know the effect this day would have on me. Today was the day I realized I don't have a baby anymore. I have a little human being, who wants to make friends, who loves to learn, and who loves to read. A little girl who loves attention. As I watched Harper react to everything going on today I teared up numerous times. Tears I thought wouldn't come until she at least started kindergarten or something. I was so proud. Proud that she was mine. Proud that I got her this far. Proud of the little lady she is becoming. They were simple moments really, but what life is all about. Today I saw a little girl who could do anything in the world she wanted. It was magical.

I Have a Toddler and I'm Tired

I'm exhausted. It is only Wednesday but this whole "toddler" thing is wearing me out. It is so exhausting that once it hits 6:00 pm Harper can't even hang anymore.

There is so much of it I just don't get. Like why all of a sudden once your baby turns one they stop looking like a baby? Everyday Harper looks more and more grown up. I can' t handle it. The past year went entirely too fast for me. I'd squish her back down if I could.

I don't understand why toddlers don't like to nap? Or maybe it is just mine. We went from two, 1-2 hour naps a day, to one. And that one nap? 45 minutes if I'm lucky. Why must they loathe nap time? I clearly took the times she did nap for granted.

And why do toddlers have no fear? On a daily basis Harper makes me nervous. She bonks her head sometimes, and she falls on her butt. She climbs up and down the stairs. She wanders off from me. She wants to be free. She wants to explore. I on the other hand don't know how to handle it. It makes me so nervous.

Then there is the eating. Why must they make a mess? It cracks me up because I honestly work hard to make her nice meals and I dice everything up only for it to end up on the floor, or my face, or my clothes, or her clothes. Feeding a toddler is a mess and is definitely testing my patience.

There are tantrums galore. I'm sorry you cannot play with the dirty dishes in the dishwasher Harper. Or type on my lap top. Or wear my make up. Or eat the bark in the back yard. I'm just plain sorry.

Harper is just one amazingly spirited toddler. Together we will get through these stages. Even if it is exhausting. Because between all of the things I don't understand are the good things. And there are a lot more of those.

I just can't believe that i'm Candace, parent of a toddler.

Parenting. Because It Is All I Can Write About These Days.

The other day I met some one new and they asked me what I did for a living. I responded with well I am just a stay at home mom. Just a stay at home mom...like it isn't a big deal. I down grade myself sometimes. It is ridiculous. Maybe it is because i'm not a chemist, actress, or world traveler. But I assume my life may not come across as exciting to some. Or that my "job" pales in comparison to others. It only dawned on me tonight how ridiculous that is.

Mother hood is a wonderful privilege and it is hard. Hands down the hardest job I have ever held. And believe me I have held a lot. It is a miracle and the moment that child comes into your life you are left walking around with your heart on your sleeve. It is wonderful, blissful, heart breaking, frustrating, messy, and sweet every single day. And you know what? You just do it.

Every day I'm on duty. Breaks happen only occasionally. The reward is in the child I am raising. I can't even handle it some days and I mean that in a good way. My heart literally at times feels like it could burst when I look at Harper. Some days I have melt downs and I just want to cry. But as always I remember that this too shall pass. The change is constant, and days can be difficult but I always, always go to bed satisfied.

Motherhood is not the only thing that defines me but it is a HUGE part of me. I think some day I will travel the world. I might even become a chemist. Who knows? It is never too late to chase a dream you have. However if all I do with my life is raise a family? Well then I think I did pretty damn good.

Harper Happenings & More

>>Watch out world! We officially have a walker. Harper went from stepping and falling on her butt to full blown walking in a matter of days. I think now that she is walking I'm more nervous than ever. Luckily Harper is well balanced and good at catching herself.

>>The whole not knowing what to feed Harper thing is getting better too. It was so much easier when it was just bottles, but now she gets what we eat, and she does very well. I still give her a bottle in the morning and at night. The rest of the time she drinks water, apple juice, or goats milk. I feel like I'm starting to get the hang of this feeding thing and I'm thankful for puffs and baby mum mum's to get me through the rough patches.

>>Harper and I have so many exciting new things coming up in September. Including MOPs, Rock, Tumble, and Roll classes, and swim lessons. I hope she loves the pool as much as she loves bath time!

>>Harper still only has two teeth. I swear every day she is teething. Clearly I cannot tell when that is occurring.

>>Harper loves to pretend talk on the phone. She uses everything as a phone too. I'm beginning to think maybe I'm on my phone too much...When she isn't doing that she is dancing or boogying away. She is also a huge fan of her library, puzzles, and her stacking rings. It is so fun to watch her play!

>>I caught myself shopping in the infant clothes the other day until I realized my child is no longer an infant but considered a toddler. I then came home and sorted through her clothes, packing the ones that no longer fit. Apparently I wanted to cry that day.

>>My child does not wear shoes. We lived where it was warm year round when she was born and she just never really wore them. Now that we are back home I'm panicking because I don't know how to get her used to them and it is going to get cold here before too long and she should probably wear shoes. Tomorrow we are going to go get her a pair of pediped's and I hope she likes them.

>>Lastly, I currently have baby fever. I don't know why? I guess I want to be tired all the time. I know a sibling for Harper would be awesome. However I may lose my mind. Yet I think it will be worth it. Anyways what I'm getting at is we hope to be adding to our clan sooner than later!

Night At The County Fair

I have always loved going to the fair since I was a little girl. There was something magical about it. This year was the first year I got to take my daughter to it making it even more special. I have a lot of favorite things about the fair. First of all fair food. It is the best. Corn on the cob, corn dogs, deep fried Oreos, and fresh squeezed lemonade are a few of my favorites. Thank goodness the fair only comes along once a year--making it safe to indulge.

The fair is a summer right of passage. An annual tradition. It is just pure fun. There are horses, chickens, sheep, and pigs. There are games and rides galore! I loved it as a kid and now as a parent I have a brand new appreciation for it. I left the fair tonight with the same smile I had when I was little. Only sharing it with my own family makes me love it more than ever before.

Smash.

Harper turned One last week so she obviously had to have a cake smash. One of our good friends is starting out as a photographer and we couldn't think of a better person to use than her. We are so pleased with the results. It was such a fun, messy time....until she crashed from all the sugar. Enjoy a little over kill of sweetness on this Wednesday morning.