Tessa - March 2013

Tessa, Tessa, Tessa Sue.  I can't believe that another month has already gone by.  Actually well over a month by the time I've gotten a chance to write this.  Time is going way too fast - that's why I decided one day when we were watching a show that I should take a picture.  It's really hard to take a picture of 2 people with a phone while laying on the floor, and I dropped it more than once, and this is the best I ended up with.  Of course you were too involved in the show to look at the camera, but at least you smiled!

You have a chronic problem of losing your shoes.  I have tried over and over to remind you to take them off and put them in the same place so you will know where they are, but that concept hasn't seemed to click for you just yet.  The problem is that you always seem to have just one of every pair of shoes.  We usually discover this as we are trying to walk out the door to take Logan to school.  I lost my nomination for mom of the year this month when I told you just to run out to the car quick without any since you wouldn't be getting out.  Well you happened to have on shorty shorts that you had worn to bed the night before, so you looked like a shoeless, pantless little homeless child, and there was snow on the ground!  At least you had a coat on though.

I've been practicing my braiding skills on your hair the last few weeks, and it is fun to take your hair out and see the crimps.  One night I told you to get your pajamas on and out walked my little 80s girl with short black shorts, a neon pink shirt and crimpy hair!  You are such a nerd.

We learned about Perler beads from our friend Meridee and her girls, and you and Logan have been obsessed with them ever since you got a bunch for Christmas.  I have little Perler bead animals and objects all over the house.  You are getting pretty good at designing them, but most of the time when I sit down to do one with you I always end up sitting at the table by myself.  Either that or you end up making me find and pick out all your colors for you.  It is fun to see your creativity, but I think we might have to "lose" a few of them before our house is completely overrun.

You were my buddy this last month when we took a few trips to Fredonia to take treats to dad.  He was waiting to hear if he was going to get an engine captain job, and I thought if we brought him treats during lunch it might help him get his mind off waiting.  We took him chocolate chip cookies from McDonald's one day, and lunch and a drink one day.  Now every time we head to Fredonia to pick up dad or drop something off to him you always ask if I have a treat for him and can you take it in the office to him?  It's pretty cute, and I know dad appreciates it.  One of the days we took a trip to dad's office he showed us the new Smokey Bear statue he had ordered and put out in front.  You and Ty were pretty impressed.

You have been learning so much the last few months it seems.  You can count to 100 with just a little bit of help, which is pretty impressive considering back in about December you were still leaving out a couple numbers when you counted to 20.  Your speech is getting better and better too.  I love to hear all the funny things you have picked up from shows or books we have read.  Just today in the car you told Logan that he was your favorite brother and he just makes you shed a tear.  Logan and I both had a pretty good laugh at that.

You still absolutely hate to help clean up and will do anything to get out of it.  You are so excited when you clean up your room or the toy room "without a single fit."  Last night I told you and Logan that you had to clean your rooms before you could go to grandma's house today.  You told me that you didn't want to go to grandma's because you didn't want to clean your room.  The funny thing is your room is so small that it literally takes 5 minutes to clean it.  I told you I would help you clean it, and somehow I ended up doing most of it.  You were pretty excited that you could go to grandmas.

You're always making us laugh, and we love you so much.  Now if only we could convince you to clean up your room without throwing a single fit every time.

Love you sis,
Mom