Tessa - February 2012

Oh Linny Lou, you are such a silly little girl.  I didn't have this picture on the computer when I wrote your letter last month and was so excited when I saw it on my ipod.  This was taken while we were on our drive out south of Fredonia trying to get my contractions to start - so about 3 hours before your brother was born!  It's got that terrible glare from the sun coming through your window, but I was trying to get the picture taken quick before you stopped making such a cute face and before I got a pain that made me unable to move for a minute or so.  I LOVE it.  For some reason you and Logan are always fighting over your those ear protectors that dad keeps in teh back of his truck for when we go shooting.  In fact I'm pretty sure right after I took this Logan pitched a fit and you had to surrender them.  I just love it because it shows how silly and goofy you are.  I know I've said it before, but I really hope you never lose that part of your personality because it ROCKS.

 The other day we had spaghetti for dinner, which is one of you and Logan's favorites.  You don't actually eat the red sauce but instead like the noodles with butter and salt on them, and I can always count on you guys eating dinner without a fuss on "spaghetti" nights.  It's not unusual for you to end up wearing quite a bit of your dinner, but I was glad I had a camera handy to catch your face this night.  We all got a good laugh because you looked like a cat with spaghetti whiskers.  Your dad might have added a few for that second picture to complete the look...

 I've been really excited with how much you and Logan have adapted to having Tyson in the family.  You guys love him without smothering him (well, TOO much).  If you don't happen to notice me take him out of the room to put him in his crib you always start to look around and get a little worried while asking me where Baby Ty is.  I always reply, "Oh no!  Tess I lost him!  Where did he go?" and you fall for it EVERY time.  I could call it gullible, but I guess it is more like you are just trustworthy.  Why wouldn't you believe your mom?  Why would your mom NOT tell you the truth, right?  I guess I should remember that and try not to tease you so much, but it is just so darn fun.

You do love to hold Baby Ty when you slow down enough to think about it and ask.  You usually don't last very long before you tell me you're done and run off to find something else to do.

Lately you've been into jumping a lot, well just perpetual motion actually.  You jump and run and twirl everywhere you go.  One of my favorite things to do is watch you run down the long hall that goes from the front room/kitchen back past your bedrooms to the toy room at the back of the house.  It's like watching a ball in a pinball machine.  Sometimes you actually do hit the wall, but most of the time you just swerve back and forth as you run, narrowly missing door frames and wall the whole way down.  For about a week or so you got it into your head that climbing up onto the couch and then launching yourself back onto the carpet.  The amazing thing is that quite a few times you end up landing on your feet!  We'd been kind of worried about you doing this, but it kept you so entertained, and it wasn't making a mess or bothering anyone that we didn't worry too much about it.  Well about a week ago when you landed you immediately started screaming.  Your dad and I looked at each other like we just lost our nomination for Parents of the Year and thought for sure you'd broken your foot or sprained your ankle.  You definitely had a little bit of a limp for a day or so, but luckily it turned out to be nothing.  Your dad only had to tell you once not to jump off the couch again though, so apparently it hurt enough to make an impression that maybe dad was right and that wasn't the best idea!

I had to make sure I remembered to write about your dad's favorite word to get you to say.  A month or so ago he asked you to do something for him and you replied, "Ab-so-woot-we."  I have no idea where you learned it but saying it for your dad was a big mistake because any time he asks you to do something for him now he makes you say it.  It is pretty darn cute though, so I can't blame him.  I need to get a video of you saying that one of these days so we never forget.

We love you so much Tessa girl, and I'm so glad you love that little brother of yours and that big brother too! I think those boys are pretty lucky to have you for a sister because I can't imagine you being anything but a cool sister - or at least one that will keep them laughing.

Love you sis,
Momma