Arabella's 2 Year Mommy Letter

Arabella turned 2 on February 7, 2013.

Dear Arabella
My sweet little lady bug! Oh, how you melt me.  You are so loving.  We love how you hold each of our faces and rub it and kiss it. You are all girl except when you aren't.  You are quick to give your opinion about fashion. You are always up for getting your nails painted.  Everything pink and purple is "mine" or "Bellaboo's."  You are strong willed and don't give up just because someone tells you otherwise.  We are thankful when we see this behavior around other big kids because we know you will stick to your convictions.   Although you are all girl you are also quick to get dirty by playing in sand or dirt.  You love Lighting McQueen (I think there is a little boy who you look up quick a bit who has influenced this love).  Arabella, you are adventurous and are excited to try new things.  You love to build things.

You love playing pretend with your babies and are a very caring and diligent "mother."  The way I see you care for your babies makes me often wonder if I am too hard on myself for not being a "better mother."  You love on those babies. Often you can be found with little "babies" wrapped carefully in your shirt.   I am sure that you are God's way of showing me a mirror of myself.  I love how you are little and love to be "little."  You want to be held like a baby and enjoy being babied.  I love how God teaches us in ways that could be easily over-looked.  I am suppose to be teaching you and helping you grow into a Godly women yet you and your brother often teach me how to be more Godly.  You both show so much love to others.  You both love so many, unconditionally.

Your favorite colors have stayed fairly consistent since you ability to express "favorites."  Green, purple and pink in that basic order are the colors you choose and claim as your own.  You already recognize many letters, can sing the whole ABC song, plus count to 10.  I think you may even understand some basic addition.  You are so articulate.  You don't generally use a word unless you feel you can say it well.  You are very thoughtful of the words you use.  It is so cute to watch you think of the exact right words you want to use in a sentence, practice to your self to make sure you can say them to your satisfaction and then say your sentence.  I don't think I have ever seen someone young put so much thought into their words.  You are so smart.

You love meat. Meat and rice. You often ask for it at every meal.  You like spicy foods.  You have your daddy's food taste.  Meat over sweets.  Often you choose more meat or veggies over a sweet treat, much to my continued disbelief and your Daddy's joy.  You love veggie and fruit.  Berries and oranges are the top fruits.  You pretty much haven't found a veggie you don't like.

You are quite the mimic.  You copy your brother most of all.  Actually, I feel like if you weren't the mimic you are your brother and you would be as as different as night and day.  Other than you are both quite the sweetie pies!

You still love your naps most days.  Much to my joy and relief you nap 1.5-2 hours.  You still like to snuggle a bit before naps and bed time.  You are happy with both Mommy or Daddy being your snuggle buddy.  Landon and you share a bed for night time.  Landon likes to fall asleep on his own, so he can have some quiet time in bed with his books and a couple of toys.  Once he has fallen asleep we bring you in his room (you are often asleep as well).  Most nights in the early morning hours you climb in bed with Mommy and Daddy for an hour or more of cuddles, which we love.

I am still nursing you, mostly just at your sleep times.  I think you love the one on one time with Mommy.  

On your birthday, you weight 23 lb. and were 2feet and 9 3/4in. You are a beautiful little girl inside and out.  People always tell me how beautiful and precious you are.  Although, Mommy and Daddy see looks of differences you look like your brother.  We have been asked more than once if you two are twins.  

Your brother adores you.  He is so sweet and loving to you.  

The german meaning for your name is beautiful, loving, lovable, graceful.  In Latin, it means prayerful.  You are all those things. Arabella, you are such a blessing to us.  We love you!

Arabella is ONE!!- Mommy's Birthday Letter to my sweet lady

Rewind back to February 7th....

My sweet little lady bug,

 How much joy you have brought to our lives.  With your spunky and sweet disposition you make everyday just that more enjoyable.
You are such a happy girl but make everyone work to see a full smile.  You are extremely suspicious of people, especially of boys/men (it seems).   Although, it seems like you favor your Mommy (except with blonde hair) in baby pictures your facial expressions are certainly your Daddy's.  You have that "Williams half smile/ smirk" that mommy is so fond of.

Arabella, you are certainly a Daddy's girl.  It is obvious that you love Mommy but as soon as Daddy is near you want him and are happy as a lark spending all your time with him (that is until you want mommy milk). 

You adore your brother, Landon.  The relationship the two of you have melts Daddy and Mommy's heart multiple times a day.  Landon has a couple of nicknames for you, Arabelly (the most common one), Belly Boo, and he has picked up ours for you which include Lady bug and Love Bug.  You try to do everything he does, including things that give Mommy and Daddy a minor heart attack like climb up on the very top of the couch, standing and rocking on the little rocking chair or figuring out how to climb on top of the bed.  You have also learned to be loving from him and to play sweetly (most of the time) with others.  You miss Landon when he is gone and cry out for him at night if you aren't snuggling with him.  You both have always seem to love to snuggle with each other.  Now that you share a bed, he will pat your back while you are both asleep. He doesn't seem to mind when you lay on top of him.  The love you share for each other is at the top of the list of gifts that you give Daddy and Mommy.  We both love and adore our siblings and so happy to see you share the same love.  I hope it just grows as the years go by. 

You are such an animal lover- big surprise! Since your Mommy, Daddy, and big brother are, plus you are surrounded by furries!  Callie is so sweet with you.  She loves to play tug-a-war but if you try to play she lays down and gentle pulls so not to hurt you.  Reesie and you seem to share a sweet bond.  You already can say her name fairly well and get excited when she walks in the room or to you.  Chang and Bourbon also get lots of sweet love from you as well. 

You seem to be growing at lightening speed and although I love toddlers (maybe more than babies) I am sad to see my littlest growing up so fast.  I loved cuddling with your little lump of a body the first few months of your life.  I am so excited to see you growing at the same time.  You are talking and moving and becoming your own person.  I am looking forward to days spent crafting, talking, snuggling, and just being a mother and daughter together for years to come.

We love you so much sweet little lady bug!

January Rewind

Bolins, Fairrows and Williams had a fun "homeschool" scavenger hunt field trip.  I created a scavenger hunt with fun facts for all the kids.  I think they had fun looking for the different things- animals, plants, and buildings.  Although the finding was easy for Nate Jr., the fact were great extra to go along with what he was learning in school that week.  Landon to this day is still really excited that he learned from Mrs. Ashley that cows eat orange peels.  He just gets so tickled when he tells people- which he does almost every time he is eating a orange peel.  

 Backyard fun is had almost every day since we have had such a warm January.  Bella LOVES LOVES getting dirty.  I think digging in the dirt spot we have, is on her top 5 favorite things to do.  She actually spent almost 45 minutes one day banging on the glass door, screaming and crying because she wanted to go outside.  Unfortunately for her it was pouring and thundering.  I tried everything to get her distracted. Most days we go outside at least for an hour.  :)

 As well as spending lots of time in the backyard, we have also spent time at the park.  Picnic lunches, enjoying friends, and just exploring the outdoors we are trying to enjoy as much of this awesome weather as possible!

Our first trip to the Medieval Faire.  We meet up with the Bolins, Searbys and Birketts.  

Here are a few of my recent art adventures I painted for 2 family friends.  I love painting and I hope they enjoyed. 

Landon has been learning a memory verse a month and is doing a SUPER job.  I remember to catch on day in January. 

Arabella and Daddy having fun with her new slippers.

1, 2, and 3. Landon is 3! Mommy lettter to Landon

Back log Sept

To my Sweet lovable, goofy, little boy, Landon...who isn't staying little

3 years ago my life changed.  I held in my hands a tiny little boy who I didn't know, but had worried over his health, prayed for many years before even meeting my husband, and had felt growing inside of me.  After about 11 hours of a somewhat worrisome labor, my doctor (who I love) handed me my first child.   It felt strange, I loved this little warm body in my arms but he didn't feel like he belonged to me.  I looked him over and made sure he seemed okay and told him I loved him.
Since that day I feel like that little boy is so totally mine.  Landon, you are my joy, my laughter, my smiles, my worry, and my stress. ;)

You amaze me everyday with your wit, imagination and deep empathy. Boy, do you love to joke.  You are pretty funny too.  Landon your imagination is so great unfortunately it gets carried away and you will scare yourself sometimes.  Even though we are super cautious about what we allow you to watch (when we do watch TV shows or movies which is rare).  I don't know where you come up with this stuff.  I love your awareness of people and their feelings.  I hope that you continue to allow God to use your empathy and all your other talents and weaknesses  When we read a book, or out and about you are always aware of others and their facial expressions.  I love how you try to copy facial expressions of people or characters and if you don't recognize the expression you ask what the person is thinking.

Arabella adores you and thinks you are the coolest person on the planet.  I love that you try so hard to be a good big brother.  Both Daddy and I, as the oldest siblings know that the role of oldest is a tough one at times but you do a super job.  You are typically patient and kind to Bella.  My favorite things about having you as the big brother to my little daughter are how you love to give her kisses and hugs, how when you are sad you always want her love, and how excited you get when Arabella does something well.  You are a great teacher and cheerleader.  I can only imagine that Bella will have a great love for learning and strong confidence in herself mush to do with you and how you treat her.

Some of your favorite things to do right now are draw but not color pictures, cars and trains, dress up, playing with letters, playing with you Little People Mary and Baby Jesus, swimming, and just like any other little person play outside and play with friends.

Landon I love how you are a little sponge.  I love teaching you although you resist some structured learning. Some of the things I am proud of that you know are
-numbers 1-11
-learning 1-10 in Spanish (and since I am so late posting this- he has got it down good)
-1-10 in German (He has 1-5 down now too )
-recognizes about 90% of his letter and know about 70% of the sounds the letters make
-can write about 5-8 letters although not always the best.. I love how excited you get when you purposely or accidentally write a letter.
-know all your basic shapes
-know the difference between a monkey and an ape, or a shark and a whale/dolphin and that you will correct people if they are mistaken.
-your love for drawing and making up stories to go with your drawings.. plus I think you are a pretty awesome artist for a just 3 year old.
-and much more

I think it is great that you use "big" words for a little guy.  It makes me smile and laugh when you use words like, "Actually," of course," patient," and"useful."

Landon you are such a blessing to Daddy, Arabella, and I as well as your family and friends.  I am so thankful God has given Daddy and I the responsibility of raising and teaching you.  We love you!!!!!

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Childhood Doesn’t Wait

I read this and had to share.


Childhood Doesn’t Wait


(Author Unknown)

I was sitting on a bench
while in a nearby mall,
When I noticed a young mother
with two children who were small.

The youngest one was whining,
“Pick me up,” I heard him beg
but the mother’s face grew angry
as the child clung to her leg.

“Don’t hang on to me,” she shouted
as she pushed his hands away,
I wish I’d had the courage
to go up to her and say…

“The time will come too quickly
when those little arms that tug,
Won’t ask for you to hold them
or won’t freely give a hug.

“The day will sneak up subtly
just as it did with me,
When you can’t recall the last time
that your child sat on your knee.

“Like those sacred, pre-dawn feedings
when we cherished time alone
Our babies grow and leave behind
those special times we’ve known.

“So when your child comes to you
with a book that you can share,
Or asks that you would tuck him in
and help him say his prayer…

“When he comes to sit and chat
or would like to take a walk,
Before you answer that you can’t
`cause there’s no time to talk”
Remember what all parents learn
so many times too late,
That years go by too quickly
and that childhood doesn’t wait.

“Take every opportunity,
if one should slip away
Reach hard to get it back again,
don’t wait another day.”
I watched that mother walk away
her children followed near,
I hope she’ll pick them up
before her chances disappear.


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