Happy Half-Birthday!

Christmas morning 2011.  Discovering the new car.  She LOVES it.

Today our sweet Stella is 18 months old - and to celebrate, we will be meeting her baby brother later today!  I would be lying if I said I wasn't at least a little anxious about how she will react.  I have been praying over her for months now though for this transition, and trust the Lord's timing and His ability to prepare her in ways that I never could!  I haven't updated the blog in foooorevveeeerrrrr, and so I thought I would spend a few minutes giving an update on our Stella...kind of a highlight reel of what she's up to and into these days.  I'll start with her likes for now, with hopes of expanding onto another subject in a future blog. :)

It blows our minds at the way her personality and individuality have just exploded in the last couple of months.  She is becoming more and more independent and opinionated, and we are really starting to see how bright and creative she is.  She is FUN and beautiful and happy, and we are so blessed to have her in our lives!

She loves Sesame Street, particularly Elmo...who can do no wrong.  I never really understood the Elmo craze, but she is wild about that red monster!  She will spot him across the store - literally - and start calling out "momo!  momo!" and waving like crazy.  She picked out Elmo PJ's at Target for her daddy, and we wrapped them up and gave them to him for Christmas.  He wore them on Christmas morning for her, because he is pure awesomeness, and when she saw in the flesh the living combination of Elmo and daddy I thought she would faint from excitement.  Her favorite parts of Sesame Street are the musical numbers and the vignettes with the Muppets.  She is not so into the animation or claymation parts.  She loves to dance to the music, and any music with a good beat is likely to get her bobbing and spinning (her signature move).
She also loves babies and all baby care activities.  (I am hoping this applies to baby Charlie!) She cuddles them and hugs and kisses them and feeds them and changes their diapers.  She also rocks them and takes them for rides in the stroller and the swings.  Her longstanding favorite is a beat up old newborn Cabbage Patch doll ("Bebe") that was mine as a child.  My mom brought over some of my old toys that she had saved when Stella was newborn, and this summer she found that doll in the box and it was love at first sight.  She has a couple other small dolls that are also dear friends, but they are all lower case babies.  I have a special new doll for her when she comes to meet Charlie at the hospital, so we will see where she fits in the mix! 
I think nothing would please Stella more than to be able to just live outside.  She is so happy just being outdoors.  Whether she is riding in the bike trailer with dad or just wandering around collecting acorns she loves it.  My parent's house with it's 2+acre backyard and creek and cows might as well be Disneyland.  She is always excited to go explore with Papa Bob, and they spend lots of time goofing off, as he says, outside.  We have to keep the deadbolts locked now at all times.  She knows how to open the doors, and is always trying the handles to see if she can escape! 
She also has a very special bond with our older dog, Farai.  She is fascinated by both dogs and thoroughly enjoys them both, but Farai has that kind of legendary Labrador patience with children that Stella senses and relishes.  She hugs and kisses her and lays on her and rides her like a horse and chases her and tries to put various articles of clothing on her, and Farai has only and ever responded with stillness and gentleness.  It absolutely melts my heart to see them together.  She basically thinks Saul is the class clown - which he is - and she gets a good laugh out of his antics, but she doesn't follow him around and try to hang out with/on him.  She really enjoys throwing the ball for him, and squeals with delight as he runs to get it.  He is an outstanding retriever, and she seems to appreciate that about him.  She also has figured out that she can get a great game of chase started by trying to grab his tail, and so they do that a couple of times a day.  It's highly entertaining. 

Thanks for reading!  We'll post some pics of baby boy soon!

Memory Lane: Happy 5th Anniversary!

Today is our 5th anniversary.  It doesn't even seem possible that 5 years have gone by...I still get "twitter-pated," as my friend Julie says, when he calls to say he's headed home.  I can't even begin to describe the gratefulness in my heart to the Lord for giving me this great and luxurious love in my life.  He serves my heart, strengthens me, makes me better, and brings so much joy to my life.  I am looking forward to the next 50, Nate!  And what an amazing blessing to know we are welcoming baby #2 this year! 

Here are some snapshots from memory lane in the last 5 years for your viewing pleasure.

When Love beckons to you, follow him, though his ways are hard and steep. And when his wings enfold you yield to him, though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you. And when he speaks to you believe in him, though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste the garden…for even as Love crowns you, so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth, so is he for your pruning. Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun, so shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the Earth…all these things shall Love do unto you, that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge, become a fragment of Life’s heart…but, if in your fear you would seek only Love’s peace and Love’s pleasure, then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of Love’s threshing floor, into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears…Love gives naught but itself, and takes naught but from itself. Love possesses not nor would it be possessed; for Love is sufficient unto Love…and think not you can direct the course of Love, for Love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course. Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself. But if you love and must have desires, let these be your desires: to melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night. To know the pain of too much tenderness. To be wounded by your own understanding of Love; and to bleed willingly and joyfully. To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving; to rest at the noon hour and meditate Love’s ecstasy; to return home at eventide with gratitude; and then to sleep with a prayer for the Beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.

-Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet

1st Birthday Party!

We celebrated Stella's 1st Birthday a few days early, so that she could have a party with one of her best buddies, Max!  Max's parents are dear friends of ours, and his birthday is only 4 days before hers.  It was so much fun to work on this special party together to celebrate the big ONE!  Here are some pics from the party. 

Gumball cupcakes...mmmm

Highchairs are ready for some cake smashing

Smash cake!  A Stella signature matroyshka :)

The sweets table

I still have yet to take down the balloon garland.  I'm thinking of just leaving it up.  It makes me laugh! :)

The 12 months of Stella

Max and Stella with their parents

We are really into hugging and kissing right now.  She's about to kiss the cake.

Party girl on the loose!  She had so much fun.  She really likes all the attention...you know, people clapping for her, singing to her, clamoring for her affections, etc.  I have no idea where she gets that from. ;)

Playing in the ball pool was a big hit with the babies!

 

The birthday wish table - to leave a wish for the kiddos.  And grab a cookie favor!

On the move!

Hello friends! At long last, sweet Stella is crawling. I may try to put a video of her second crawl on YouTube, but I need to figure out how to truncate it before I do it. We missed the first crawl on video, but did get to share it in person with Nate's aunt and uncle at their house in Houston. She had a captive audience!

She crawled for the first time on Saturday, and by Monday morning she was basically proficient. She is on the go, people! It seems like she waited to crawl until she knew she could master it. This is definitely Nate's child...if you are going to do something, might as well be awesome at it. ;)

I am just loving this new phase! It captivates me to get to know her in this new way. I finally get to see what really interests her (colors, textures, objects) instead of what interests her among the limited options I lay out in front of her. Plus, is there anything sweeter in this world than a baby crawling over of their own will and reaching out to you? Talk about melting my heart!

She likes to follow the dogs, and I think she's pretty proud of herself when she catches them. One of the first crawling shenanigans was yesterday when she followed Saul into the laundry room and then dumped out his bucket of water.

Here she is with her partner in crime.





Let the crawling games begin!

8 Glorious Months

Stella is 8 months old today, and I just really feel like celebrating!  I realize how fortunate I am that I have so very much enjoyed every day and every phase of her life, but the last few weeks have just been so very fun.  I love it.  I love being with her and being her mom so much.  I am so thankful that I get to spend my days with her, and that my sweet Nate is so amazingly supportive of me being here.

Here is our sweet princess.  She was 22 pounds last week at Nate's office!  She loves to eat, and gets excited about nursing or when she sees me preparing her food.  I make most of what she eats at home, and she has liked everything I have ever made.  I would say her favorite is blueberry applesauce.  Great taste, no?  We split a banana most mornings, and she loves bananas too.  She has only ever distinctly not liked and not wanted to eat one thing - yellow squash with potatoes (store bought).  I couldn't blame her. 

We took a few pictures outside today.  My spring fever is kickin' in big time y'all!  My girl loves to be outside, and we had a great time together sitting out in the yard today.  She also enjoys all sorts of toys, and just started yesterday actually tipping the toy basket in the living room on end and taking them all out to survey.  It was just way too cute to watch her do that.  She looked like such a big girl!  She loves the dogs too, and that just makes my heart so happy.  She watches them as they come and go, and laughs and laughs when they lick her hands.  She is not afraid of them at all, and I can see how she is beginning to mimic the way I pet them.  The dogs are sweet to her and observe her need for space and gentleness.  We are a happy pack. 

We have also been in a great routine over the last few weeks, about since we got back home after the first of the year.  We thrive on routine.  She has been having more regular bedtime (between 7-8 PM)  and naps, and typically sleeps about 10-11 hours at night.  Such a blessing!  It gives Nate and I a little time to ourselves in the evening after she goes to sleep.  She takes usually 2, but sometimes 3 short naps during the day.  She has a very distinct  naptime "tell."  When she starts rubbing those eyes, she needs to go lie down. 

We still haven't seen any crawling motions yet, but she is starting to be willing to flop on her tummy to reach out for something she wants.  She does a good job pushing up (upward dog) when she is on her tummy, and sometimes she will wiggle backward a little bit.  She is in no big rush to to anywhere though.  That's okay by me.  She's got the rest of her life to go-go-go.  It is an act of personal discipline for me to not rush her, and this is one area in which I am practicing enjoying and observing and not hurrying. 

I love seeing her sense of humor, and how she loves to laugh.  One of the best things is the expression on her face when she knows that she is being funny.  I laugh at her a lot, so I get to see that face a lot.  Winner, winner!  She also has a great nose crinkling grin.  It is just so precious.  Keeps me busy trying to think of things to do to make her smile and laugh. 

We'll close with this one for now.  We love you so much sweet girl.  You are a treasure to us, and I thank the Lord every single day for trusting us with special you.