she says + reflection

I have loved to scrapbook for the past ten years! Its hard to believe I have scrapbook pics since my trip to New Jersey to visit my sister in 1999 with my friend Leslie. (Who knew then that I would call Jersey home for three years... after my sister moved back to the midwest of course!) One thing I find interesting is I am great at putting the pictures on the pages, but not always as great about labeling or even putting in joural entries. I used to say it was because I would take days just to put pictures in and then days just to write... but the days went by and the labels have not been added! I think that is why I love blogging so much. Perhaps very few people even look at our blog, but its sort of an online scrapbook to me. Little A. and I love looking back over the pictures and the videos. After reading others' blogs and seeing their various takes on quotes from their kid(s), I felt I better share some before years go by and I forget it was a part of our daily life.

JULY 9, 2006

and now... July 9, 2009...

(drenched after the raging rapids ride at 6 Flags Great America!)

Do you ever take moments and just pause and look lovingly at your child thinking, "How am I so blessed to have a daughter who loves me so much and whom I love more than I ever imagined I could?" These moments do not just occur when she does something spectacular. Sometimes it is while she is skipping and singing merrily down the aisle of a store, sometimes it is in the middle of a tickle session or our latest game, Ahhh, Ahh, Ahh-CHOOOOO. I also love when she creates and sings her own songs, "Mommy's shirt is ucky" or "Close your eyes, Close your eyes, " to the tune of Barney's I love you. I have had her in my life for three years. For three years and eight months I have loved her. What did I do with myself before she came along? Our evenings were probably much quieter and calmer. If we wanted to walk around the mall in Princeton at 8pm, we did. If we wanted to head to Sweet Thomas for ice cream late in the evening we did. At first we could take her anywhere and basically anytime because she slept a lot in her "bucket" of a carseat. Then we couldnt carry her in that anymore and she just had to be carried, then she insisted on crawling and getting into things, and now she loves to walk, and even at stores she would rather walk than ride in the cart even though it would take MUCH less time if I could just buzz around in the store.





Anyway, enough of my randomness- time to share the words of my girl. You may have noticed by now that I do not post her name on blogs. Its probably silly but it all started when one time I googled her first and last name and a picture of her and I in the hospital appeared that a friend had posted on a website. I decided she should have the right to decide how much of her life gets published and this is a small way to honor that. I just call her A. or Little A. since her daddy and I both have names beginning with A!





Classic favorites of hers


"Mommy, I need to show you something" (taking my hand and leading me wherever she needs me to go- a broken toy, a bug, a snack she wants to eat...) this just began the past week





"Sawrdy Mommy" (when she spills a cup of milk or throws something through the air)





Her speech is coming along well. Sometimes I cannot understand her, but her critical thinking skills are awesome as she has to explain to me what she means...





"Me-Goes, Me-Goes, See the Me-Goes" (When I still had NO CLUE what she was talking about she lefted one leg and acted like a flamingo. She wanted to see the flamingos at the zoo again before we left!)





"Where Shoe, Shoe" as she points to the 6 Flags map. When I just could not figure it out she said, "Where we go to watch the people sing and dance" seriously- just like that, the exact sentence. I may not be able to understand the word SHOW but she could clearly say, "where we go to watch the people sing and dance!" (this is after we saw the show!)





"Nap" is the 6 flags MAP that she is so obsessed with right now





"Gah-Gah" is the special name of her purple green blanket. She can say the word blanket but she has named her blanket just like people do stuffed animals. Why not, I guess?





"hair pretty" is putting hair in a ponytail. "No my hair pretty" is a very common phrase in our house but "Mommy, I (make) your hair pretty" is quite common!





"Let ME help, let me help you!" Whether its setting the table, "carrying"the trash out, hanging up laundry, pulling weeds- she wants to help!





"Match - Deh Match!" (loves things matching- most recently making sure she and I's clothes match. If my shirt has ABCs on it, hers needs to too. If mine is purple, she wants a purple shirt. Secretly (though not now since im blogging) I love it too!

"Look- ABCs!" are noticing any letters on shirts, pants, purses...



"talk to me, talk to ME" (Is a VERY normal phrase for her- especially in the car- and long car rides! I talk about the semis or where we are going but its never enough. On one trip I finally said to Andy, "we are switching roles pretty soon" he asked if we were switching drivers and I said NO- we are switching who is in charge of talking non-stop to her! It wore me out! :)





"I say YES, you say NO, kay?" followed by "I say NO, you say YES!" (Not sure this is a great game to play because she thinks its fun to bounce back and forth between a YES and NO. )





long story- happened June 30, 09-


We were at a car repair place picking up our Taurus. She and I were waiting in the other car as Daddy went in to get the keys. As always she wanted to know where Daddy was and why. I told her Daddy was picking up the car. She started shaking her head no. "Daddy no pick up car. No pick up, Mommy!" I was quite confused as to why this bothered her. She continued to say, "No pick up, too big, too big!" as she motioned with her hands the attempt to lift something. I proceded to explain that though I SAID pick up, I really meant, get the keys and drive home. Smart girl- I dont blame her. We are weird to say PICK UP when obviuosly Daddy did not lift it!





"green apple" (I am not exaggerating when I write that EVERY trip to the grocery store or wal-mart run means she wants a green apple. I am not sure why it must be green. We have learned that she does not really mean green- she prefers Yellow Delicious because the Granny Smiths are too sour. Anyway, we rarely have bags of green apples in our fridge because she is good at wanting to eat them. Thank goodness it isn't candy or toys she is begging for at the store! I am sure that day will come too!)

"My song!" (She thinks we must only listen to her music in the car! Her favorite is a song called, "Family Vacation" where somehow she got the idea that we can ONLY listen to that song while on a family vacation.... AGH!)

"Zat your sien, Mommy" "Zat Daddy's sien?" Wondering if any woman is my friend, man is Daddy's and kid is her friend as we go on walks or are in stores.

her current favorite games

variations of Mommy-Baby game, Nanna-baby game...


lets make lunch (pretend)


doctor (and teeth doctor)


chalk


playing with dolls


going to the park


playing with her friends


EATING a "snack/treat/lunch"

This is just a glimpse of the things I probably really take for granted. A. is healthy and acts like a typical 3-year old. I may get frustrated by her fits or tantrums over silly things, but she is able to scream and cry as well as laugh and smile. For that I am truly thankful of all God has granted us. These past three years have really flown by- in another three years she may be in school. I hope A. always feels and knows how much her Daddy and Mommy love her unconditionally!

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A-

Happy 3rd Birthday, Love! May you continue to grow and experience all the amazing things God has planned for you. Continue to care about others and worry about their owies. Never worry about your future, trusting that God's plan is perfect. May you discover more and more who you are and be confident in that- not giving in to peer pressure to become someone you are not. You are beautiful on the inside and out- use your inner beauty to reach out to others and treat everyone with dignity and love. "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but with humility, treat others as better than yourselves" Philippeans 2:3 Our daily interactions always brighten my days. You have changed so much in the past year and I look forward to getting to know you as an elementary student, pre-teen, high schooler, college kid, grown woman... May our relationship always be one of open communication and honesty. May you always feel comfortable coming to me and may I always show you unconditional love. I look forward to our tomorrows. -Mommy