Birthday Extravaganza 2010

We had a combined birthday party for the kids this last weekend and of course as I watched the weather forecast for the weeks leading up to it the weather kept looking crummier and crummier. Dave and I decided that we are bad luck since we got married in March in St. George and it SNOWED! Logan's party got rained out last year too so I guess next year we'll have to plan it for some time other than June. We ended up eating and opening presents at our little house instead of at the park.


Logan checking out his new Lightning McQueen bike...



Tessa chillin' with Grandpa H.

Tessa's cupcake. We were in such a hurry to get down to the pool after we found out we could go that the kids didn't even get to eat their cake until later.

We had the pool reserved but when I had gone by around 4:o0 they were closed because of the crappy weather. Dave checked with them while we were eating dinner and they were open and said they'd still let us come if we wanted to and the pool was 82 degrees. I KNOW the temperature outside probably wasn't higher than 65 but we ended up going and it was a lot of fun.

P.S. Have I mentioned how wonderful it is to have a photographer as a sister? I just need to get better at grabbing her camera and turning it on her more often! Thank you Lisa for the great pictures!

36 Months - June 2010

I think every year as you celebrate your birthday I will secretly be celebrating the fact that I've suceeded in keeping a child alive for x-number of years. I'm confident that's why you were my firstborn because you seem pretty resilient and haven't suffered too much from my lack of parenting skills.

Time goes by so amazingly fast and because of that I am so grateful I have been able to be home with you for the last year. As I see Tessa learn and do little things I am always hit with some sadness that I missed that with you. I couldn't have asked for better babysitters while I was working, but I missed so much. The changes in you from turning 2 to turning 3 haven't been nearly as drastic but that's why I'm glad I was here for all of it.

You didn't take your first steps this year, but you did learn how to pedal a bike. First this one that Grandma and Grandpa Veater got you for your 1st birthday and then the Lightning McQueen one we bought you for your birthday this year. It's been fun to see you learn another skill that will be so important to you in the next few years.

You didn't say your first words but instead now have such a large vocabulary and a mind that goes so fast that you stumble, repeat, and mumble your words to the point where I have a hard time deciphering them. It makes me laugh because you always spoke pretty clearly (every mom probably says that) when you were younger and I truly do think it is because your brain is going 100 miles an hour and your mouth can't keep up. I still love to listen to you talk and the things you come up with. One of the funniest things this month was when your dad was driving you crazy by blowing on your face and you looked at him and said, "Don't blow on me - I'm not scrambled eggs!" When he started laughing and told me what you said I laughed so hard. We blow on your eggs every morning but I had no idea you'd say something that funny because of it. On your way to Panguitch to spend the night last weekend you told your dad that you were worried about me and Tes because you were going to be so far away. When I got the call from your dad telling me what you said I got a tear in my eye thinking about how cute it was that you wanted to be here to protect us.
You love watching the movie Cars and even more than watching Cars you love pretending you are Lightning McQueen by "starting your engine." In the movie Lightning starts his engine by making a face and kind of growling so that's what you do. I count to 3 and you make this hilarious face and growl. It's pretty funny. That face has replaced your monster face most days and I'm glad for the change of pace.

Bath time with Tess is still one of our favorite times of the day and the 2 of you crack me up dumping or spitting water at each other and fighting over toys. Some days I doubt if you even get clean while you are in there and other days you leave a ring of dirt and a pile of sand in the bottom of the tub.

We've been going swimming quite a bit since the pool opened and you have a blast there. Some days I have to talk you into going because I want to go, but no matter how I get you there it always ends the same way: with you crying because we are going home. One day you told me you wanted to stay there forever. The funny thing about it is that you kind of hate the water. You wear a floatie around you pretty much nonstop and won't jump off the side of the pool unless I'm holding your hands. If I get you too close to the part of the slide that sprays water you scream and freak out. I hope eventually you will trust me and let me teach you how to swim.

Your dad said something to you yesterday about you being a boy and you yelled back "I'm not a boy, I'm a KID!" We laughed at you but I know you realize you are getting older and are definitely asserting yourself. You and I are a lot alike and that's why we butt heads. I'm not willing to let even a 3-year-old tell me I'm wrong and there's no way you're going to give in without a fight either - and I definitely try to stay out of your way when you are tired. Two was difficult no doubt, but I think we'll be able to understand each other a little better and make 3 better.

As for some advice for you? Don't ever quit being silly - it's lots better than taking yourself too seriously.

Love you buddy,

Mom

Your stats as of 6/16/10:

Weight: 38 pounds (94%)

Height: 40" (95%)

Head: 20" (looks like the girl wrote .0%! - that's a small noggin for a big brain!)

12 Months - June 2010

Lots has changed in the last 12 months little bit - lots. One year ago as your Grandpa Hillier and I got ready to walk out the door in the middle of the night to make the drive to the hospital in Cedar I remember kissing your sleeping brother goodbye and feeling so sad that he had no clue what he was in for, I sent a text-email to my boss telling her that I wouldn't be coming to work that day, or again for that matter, and I knew that our family would finally all be back together in the same house - but in Kanab. What a blessing all of those things have been to our family.

Logan looks so small in this one!

At 1 year old I don't think you look anything like you did when you were born. Those pictures from the hospital make me laugh. Girl, you were BALD! You still don't have hair on the sides of your head so I end up either putting a big curl/mohawk on top or trying to comb it down without making it look like a tupee. I have tried a ponytail right on top a time or two but the other day you banged your head pretty good and have a lovely green bruise. I guess we'll have to hold off on your 1-year-old pictures for a couple weeks...

So far you get the award for being my best-sleeping baby. Granted you don't have much competition with Logan, and I know I'm tempting fate by mentioning that you sleep well, but I'll take my chances. Usually I put you down between 7:45 and 8:30 and you sleep until 9:00 a.m. Then you go back to sleep for your nap between 12 and 2 in the afternoon and sleep for 1.5-3 hours. It's a pretty nice deal if you ask me.

You are also still a super-smiley baby and pretty much every day I wish I could freeze you at this stage for at least a year. If you aren't hungry or tired or getting toys stolen from you, you can pretty much bet you are smiling.

Wild hair and HUGE binky-smile.

And this picture doesn't show this face in its true form so I'll have to keep trying over the next month but you have this silly face you do where you squint your eyes, stick out your tongue and smile. It's your dad's face and it is pretty darn adorable when you do it.

You've decided you like to eat a few more things and lately I've been putting food in your mouth every chance I get. You're 12 months old and I'll be surprised if you grow out of your infant seat (20 lbs.) by the time we take you for your checkup later this month.
Mmmmm... Blue popsicle!

Mmmmm.... Blue crayon!

I've been stressing over the last week or so about what I wanted to say in this letter to make it special. I felt I needed to say something profound or touching or give some advice but at the moment I can't think of much that I think will make this letter different than the others. All I know is that the fear I had about not being able to love another baby as much as I loved your brother was gone the moment you were born 1 year ago. There is nothing I could write that would explain how I feel about the 2 of you. I hope that as you grow up you will always know of the love that your dad and I have for both of you. We are far from perfect as parents but everything we do is what we feel is going to be best for you.

So that's what I've got for touching and profound. Ready for my advice?

Walking is much easier than stink-bug crawling. One day I hope you will trust me on that.
Love you Lindy-Lou,

Mom

Your stats as of 6/16/10:

Weight: 18 pounds 14 ounces (14%)

Height: 29.25" (49%)

Head: 18.5" (92%)