Today is another milestone for the books.  I feel like I wrote the post about Charlotte’s first day of pre-school just moments ago…and now here I am writing her end of year “review”.

Wow—where to start?  The little girl on the right is just that—a little girl.  Certainly not the baby she began the year as on the left.  I don’t think I even realized at the time how much of a baby she really was!  I guess I had two little babies for quite some time after Ellie was born.

I could not be happier with Charlotte’s school year in Children’s Corner.  She is 100% a SCHOOL GIRL.  She loves school!!  CG was the very youngest member of her 16 classmates, but it is safe to say she was one of the toughest and bravest of the group.  Not once did I have to drag her into school—she was always so excited to see her teachers and hardly gave me a wave goodbye most days!

I will truly miss our routine.  Tuesdays and Thursdays were not only Charlotte’s time for independence away from me, but also my time alone with Ellie.  I loved watching Charlotte walk up the steps with Mrs. Hay and the “bigger kids” when I dropped her off at car line.  And I so loved coming back with Ellie snug in the Ergo carrier to pick up my happy girl.  She was always eager to show me her pictures and ask for a “snack please mommy!”

One of the biggest changes Charlotte made this year (besides her communication skills!) was transitioning at the end of the day.  For the first half of the year I would have to DRAG CG practically kicking and screaming when it was time to come home.  She just did not do well with transitions.  It worried me, and her teachers and I tried different techniques to help her transition more smoothly at the end of the day.  It was always a battle.

Then, all of a sudden we came back from Christmas break and I realized CG was coming out of the class room without a fuss.  She started to actually get excited to see me and show me her pictures.  I realized this one day and thought to myself, “well…she is growing up”.

Proud is an understatement on how I feel about the growth and development of my 2 1/2 year old sweet girl.  Charlotte started the school year out as a precious, timid, non-talker who could barely climb the stairs without my help.  She has truly transformed into a confident, chatty, energetic and DETERMINED little girl.  I know going to school has contributed a lot to the change we see in her and I am so thankful for a safe and fun environment for her to spend a few mornings a week.

We are sad to leave behind our year at Children’s Corner, but also excited for our laid back summer routine.  So proud of my sweet Charlotte, and excited for next year with the same teachers where Charlotte will be the OLDEST in the class :).

Wake up slowly, run to the kitchen, heat up bottle, run back to Ellie, feed bottle, change diaper, [try to] cuddle to get a few extra minutes of precious sleep, give up, go into Charlotte’s room and start the dance all over (but replace feed bottle with feed breakfast while listening to, “I HUNGRY!  I need a waffle, I need juice!” etc etc….).

All this in a mere 10 minutes time….and it’s not even 8am.

This, my friends, pretty much sums up being a mom to two little ones under the age of three.

Motherhood.

A strange, tumultuous, blessed, empowering, and exhausting journey.

I can’t think of anything else that brings equal amounts of joy and frustrations each day.  Except, maybe…marriage (ha!).

Sunday marked my third mother’s day.  This year was incredibly special because now I have two little girls.  Two amazingly funny, beautiful, smart little girls who God chose for us to care for each and every day here on earth.

I didn’t have any huge expectations this year for mother’s day.  I’m happy just to spend time with our family, go to church together, and smile and think about how much I have grown as a mommy in the past two and a half years.

But, actually—my mother’s day was incredible.  I felt so appreciated, so loved and the people I care about most spoiled me to pieces. (!!!)

I don’t need to go into a laundry list of details—but I wanted to say:

Thanks, family.  Thank you for making me feel like I’m doing something right in this crazy season of my life.  Thanks for spoiling me with flowers, food, homemade cards and good company and making me smile the whole day Sunday.

I love you all, and I’m so lucky to have you in my corner.  <3

All the love made the 6am wake up call that much easier on Monday….!

Mother’s Day 2013: Charlotte and Ellie—I love you so!

Oh my favorite age during a baby’s first year: 9 months!  Truly, even though this month has brought a little more chaos and craziness—I just love this stage!  Our Ellie is a little more advanced in the motor department than Miss CG was, so it certainly makes for an interesting dynamic around here!

This month, Ellie’s big milestone was learning to pull up…on EVERYTHING. At first, she was only pulling up to her knees—but now she can totally pull up to stand.  In her crib, on the couch, on every toy, on ME.  She is SO strong, it just amazes me!

Another milestone is E’s babbling—she now says “mamama”, “rah rah”, “ba ba” and “num num”.  She definitely says “mama” intentionally!!  She will follow me around whining and saying “mamamama”.  It’s so cute, and such a difference from CG who didn’t say that at all until she was 2 (everything was “dada”).

We also have an excellent eater on our hands.  We have moved into finger foods this month, so Ellie basically tries whatever I am eating.  She loves absolutely everything!  Her favorites are yogurt, waffles, strawberries, cheese, turkey and tuna.  She really will eat ANYTHING.  Our main problem is when the food is gone and she throws a fit—she would eat all day if I let her!  She is still taking 4 bottles a day—6 ounces at a time.

Ellie has now mastered the “cause and effect” stage.  She will drop something, and I will pick it up.  She will drop something, and it spills.  She will drop her soothie out of her crib during naptime…and I will come and get her.  Smart cookie.

As sweet as Ellie is, she has become pretty whiny this month.  I’m not sure if it’s because of teething or finding a new way to be heard with a chatter box toddler around.  Either way, it can be frustrating for both of us.  She does love to be held and doesn’t do well with just playing on her own.  I’m hoping it’s just the age—but I do love the cuddles :)

More than anything else, Ellie loves her big sister.  She wants to do EVERYTHING Charlotte is doing (much to her dismay).  Ellie and I wake up CG every morning, and she always has a huge smile on her face when she sees her big sister.  She just adores her and it makes my heart melt. 

Ellie is quickly becoming less of a baby and more of a little person.  It makes me sad and excited at the same time, because I now know the joys ahead of us.  What a blessing this little 9 month old is to our lives!

9 Months Stats:

Height: 27.5 inches (50%ile)

Weight: 17 lbs. 8 oz. (25%ile)

size 4 diapers

Size 9-12m clothing

Moms are funny beings.  Especially moms raising their kids in this social media frenzy we live in today.

We go to the playground, and like every other mom there hold our iPhone’s, Blackberry’s or giant Cannon DSLR cameras and snap, snap snap away.

You’ve seen it—the:

“I’ll give you a lollipop, 10 ponies and a new bike if you just smile ONE time!”

or,

“HI HI HI HI HI HI!!  LOOK HERE!!”

Yep.  Those would be the bribes and cat calls babies and toddlers get from their parents just so we have the simple satisfaction of that perfect Instagram or “blog-worthy” moment.

Guilty as charged.

But what about the un-captured moments?  The ones that are too precious to even think about pulling out the camera or iPhone?

I’ve had so many of those this week.  So many, in fact, that I realized I had forgone blogging, and a few days without “instagramming” some cute shots of the girls.

Moments like:

Charlotte wearing a tutu, spinning in circles around the living room with her arms straight up in the air.  Her hair cascading around her sweet cheeks with a smile the size of Texas on her face.

Ellie laying her head on my shoulder while I rocked her to sleep—her deep, mouth-open breathing that formed into a sweet smile before fluttering shut those piercing blue eyes.

The childish giggles coming from my first born little girl who has just found the courage to swing really high on the swings.  ”Higher mommy, higher—I brave!” She squeals with delight on a cool, breezy day.

Those moments are only a few of the never ending joy I’ve come to look for on an average day.  The kind of joy that cannot possibly be captured for social media.  

The kind of joy that is better captured in my heart—forever.

I am finally recovered from my whirlwind weekend in Miami.  A weekend with girlfriends that I will never forget.

There are so many “to-dos” in life—especially with kids—that sometimes I admit my friends have been put on the back burner.

This weekend reminded me that true friendship is hard to find.  Leslie is my best friend—like a sister to me.  We laughed, cried, told countless stories, danced on tables (literally), and enjoyed our time at the beach with 9 other ladies.

This weekend was just what I needed. 

A celebration for my best girlfriend who is marrying her perfect match in November.  So much love this year!

The weekend was one I will never forget.  And I missed my girls and Andrew more than anything by Sunday evening.  Just enough time to re-group and appreciate the craziness of raising two little ones with a husband I love.

And for the record…Andrew has now earned the title of super dad.  He was amazing with the girls and didn’t let me worry for even a second that everything was anything less than a-okay.  

I’m a lucky gal.