Happy SWEET 1st Birthday Harper Grace

Dear Harper Grace,
          What a blessing you are to our family. I can't believe that tomorrow marks your first birthday!!! You have no idea how much you mean to us and how precious your little life is to this family. 4 years ago we knew we wanted another baby, we just had no idea how long it would take to have another baby. We prayed for you before you were created in my whom. The day that I found out that you were created I flipped out....like took a test before work didn't say anything to daddy, went to work came back home to take another test just to make sure I wasn't dreaming. The day I found out happened to be June 16, 2014, mommy and daddy's anniversary. We had this date planned out for a few days that we would eat sushi. All day I tried to keep it a secret from your daddy because I thought it would be cool for him to find out on our date. He was so excited about Sushi that I didn't have the heart to tell him that I was pregnant and shouldn't really eat sushi. When we arrived at Sushi Don I decided this was the best time to tell him before we picked from raw fish from the menu. I wrote daddy a love note about our life together and at the very end I announced that we were going to be having a BABY!!! He was so sweet about the whole thing making sure that we had all cooked sushi to make it safe for you. This was the best anniversary gift God could have given both of us....YOU!!!
         7 weeks later our friends found out that they were expecting their long waited baby too! We were pregnant buddies. It was a lot of fun to walk into a restaurant together and see the reaction of people when seeing two very pregnant women together. My pregnancy with you was so fun and relaxing. I had no complications with you and stayed very active. when picking your name we wanted something that would be strong and honoring of God. I loved the name Harper and thought it was so unique (sorry, it wasn't as unique as I thought). Your middle name though I wanted it to resemble our journey waiting for you. I couldn't stop thinking about Grace and How it was God's Grace that gave you life and put you into our lives. Harper Grace.....One loved and uniquely created by God's grace.
         On February 19, 2015 I was home alone with Londyn when I started to feel contractions and began to wonder if this was the real thing. When daddy got home late that night I was telling him all about my contractions. All night I tossed and turned as the contractions continued through the night. Around 5a.m. I couldn't sleep anymore and decided to shower thinking it would feel better. Little did I know my water had started leaking. I decided that I would go to work because I would closer to the hospital ( a whole mile:)) and it was better to walk around than to stay home and sit. Around 10:00a.m. I called the doctor because I was sure that my water had broken! Daddy met me at work and we headed to the hospital for a check up because the doctors office was too full. We had no idea that we would not be leaving until we brought you home. 2:26 a.m. on February 21st you arrived in this world weighing in at 6lbs 15oz and 20.5 inches long. You didn't cry for what seemed like forever. Daddy and I were so scared because no one was talking but everyone but the doctor was surrounding you, running in and out of the room....lots of people. Finally a cry!!!! We were relieved and the room began to fill with words.
            Your first year of life has been so much fun! You are such a happy baby with lots of smiles. People always say how you never meet a stranger....it's true. Though there were times that you cried some days a lot and I would remind you how you were not living up to your middle name of being graceful:)).
             Some things that you love to do is play peek-a-boo, pat-a-cake, wheels on the bus, tickle tickle. You also love to play with little people and the car meemaw and papa got you for Christmas. Any time you see a picture of big sis you smile, laugh, and give it a kiss.....You adore her! Some words that you say are: Dad, mama, mwah (kissing), tickle tickle, yeah. You know where your nose, mouth, and eyes are. One of your favorite things to do is to walk around and have mommy chase you. You always try to run faster and giggle lots. You have 4 teeth but are working on your two top eye teeth....they are killers.
            Today we celebrated your birthday and it was a blast. We had a candyland party with lots of candy and colors! Poor thing, you were not feeling well. We think it's just teething but it has made for an exhausted baby. You were so sweet about your birthday cake.....slow and tasty.
            There are so many people that love you and have prayed for you before you were created. You are the blessing this family waited for. I am so excited to see what is in store this next year. Happy Birthday baby girl I love you!!!!!!!

                                                                                     Love,

                                                                                          Mommy

Happy birthday my sweet spunky girl

Dear Londyn Rae,

        I cannot believe that you are 4 years old! I have just been really watching you this past month and you are definitely no longer a toddler. You lil miss independent and I think that is great. Daddy and I were just talking the other day about how you are willing to try new things, whether it's foods or gymnastics, you are ready to learn. Your independence and will power to do something is going to make you a strong leader one of these days.  Remember to use these attributes for the good, to help people, to make people feel good, and to know that Jesus loves them.
        You have accomplished a lot this year. Here are some of my favorite things; You like to dress yourself (even if it is backwards), you are starting to pick out your clothes, you can ride your bike really fast now, you have come to make your dinner prayers more personal (even if you forget to bless the food every time:)), you can write your own name and pick out other peoples name, and have accomplished a flip on the round bars in gymnastics.
        You have some pretty amazing friendships. You are really good at mentoring to younger children and teaching them. You have friends that absolutely adore you and I love it. We have just started letting you have play dates with friends from school and you are loving every minute of it. You are really trying to have a sleepover and I am just not ready for you to be that big yet:). Remember to make strong friendships as you grow. These are the ones that you will grow up with and go through things with. Love them to the fullest.
        Some of my favorite things about you are that you love Igloo's marshmallow drink and ask for it just about everyday, I do too:), your problem solving skills, you love to play family games and you are pretty good at them too, you give people funny nicknames like Balloona, you love to help prepare food and help in the kitchen, you make funny jokes and get our jokes, you love to pray and believe that God will make everything better, you love to take balloons and cards to people on their birthday. Your imagination is amazing! You have really been into the movie Frozen and to watch you play this is funny. It makes me giggle to see your version of it.       

      The night before your birthday you asked if when you grew up if you would be as tall as me and I answered with of course. Apparently you thought that would mean that when you woke up and were four that you would be as tall as me:).
       As we come upon this new year of fours I pray that God will be with you. I pray that God will walk with you and create in you true character. Character that will make you more like him with a servants
 heart. Last week you told me that God is taking a long time to answer your prayer.  But always keep by Him and he will take care of you. Remember to always pray to God and turn to him for everything. Something that we have been teaching you this year is that God will answer our prayers in His time and that we just have to stay faithful to him and he will give us the desires of our hearts when He is ready. You are learning what that is at such a young age.
      Happy birthday to one beautiful, loving, funny, spunky, little girl. You are amazing...be you today!

Love you more than all the princesses in the world, 

   Your momma

Happy Birthday Coconut!

Dear Lony Rae,

     I cannot believe that you are three! When you turned one I said you were no longer a baby. When you turned two I said you were such a toddler. Today I say you are such a big girl, no longer a toddler! Every year I reflect back to when I first met you in my womb. All of the complications that came with having you in my belly we got so excited each time we heard your little heart beat. It was just another sign that God was working a miracle in keeping you alive.  From about 5 months into my pregnancy you were ready thought you were ready to come out of my belly. But we all knew it was way too early. Now you are asking to go back into my belly. A matter of fact, you cry when I tell you that you may not go back in.  Someday you will laugh about this. You also want two sisters NOW, someday you will know how much you were asking for at the time:). I think I have convinced you that your kitty, Minnie, is your sister.
   If someone asked me to describe you in just a few words, I believe I would say: She is funny, full of energy, and a girl with a golden heart. You have stolen a lot of hearts of a lot of people. They love you so much, I hope you grow to know them more and how much they mean to you.  Just in the past two months you like to talk about your day, usually you start the conversation. You are able to put two things together. For example if you hear a song at home you may say "we sung that at church" or "we sing that at my school". You are learning what is right and wrong and how to tell what you should do.
   The thing that I love the most about you is how big your heart is. You like to play with your friends and make sure that they are included in your play. If someone is crying you want them to feel better. Every night you pray for your friends and family. Since December you have prayed that your friend Camryn to feel better (what you didn't know is that he had cancer). When I told you this week that Camryn is better, you knew who his healer was and you were sure to claim it! This is the beginning of a servants heart. I pray that God will continue to grow in your heart and that you never forget him. And if you do forget him, I pray you find him again. I pray that you always remember the scripture that is planted in your heart, the songs that you rejoice in, the belief that God can do all things. One day you will find out how big your God is and how much in time of need, when no one else is around He will always be beside you.
     you love to play with babies, princesses, trains, and outdoors. You love princess and ballerina movies. Sometimes I can convince you to watch my movies if you think there will be a princess in it:).
    At your birthday party this year you wanted to have Minnie mouse, and Minnie Mouse we had! You were really involved in the party planning, from the cupcakes to the people that came. We did a bounce house and I believe you could have played in that for hours:)
   Today I wish I could bottle you up and keep you this little forever, but I know that one day you will be running out the door into some young mans car while barely telling me bye and that you love me, you will no longer want to admit that you are my girl. Some day you will marry a prince of your own and have children. Some day you will be a great mommy. But today I want to enjoy you thinking that boys are good for friendships and that baby dolls are real. Today I want to embrace you and the big heart that you have. I will enjoy you wanting to help make dinner, even though sometimes its easier to do myself, because someday you will not think I am cool.
   You are a beautiful girl that will forever hold a huge part of my heart. I am praying for your growth in the Lord as daddy and I show you.

   Thank you miss Londyn for letting me be your mommy I am thankful for you my little Coconut!

Merry Christmas and all that it means!

Christmas is most definitely my favorite time of the year. Everything about it: The weather, the meaning, the tree, the presents, baking, family, a cozy home filled with p.j.'s, hot chocolate, Christmas music, and a beautiful fire in the place.

This year we added some traditions to our family's Christmas for the sake of Londyn and we loved them!

 Last year we started the talk of Jesus' Birthday. This year we went crazy about it! Londyn LOVES birthdays! and COULDN'T WAIT for Jesus' to come around. She loved sharing the story of his birth and all the conversations that led up to his birth. I'm not sure how out of the whole month it was out I missed a picture of her telling the story. Christmas morning we were so excited to sing Happy Birthday to our Savior.

Another tradition that we started this year was bringing Ruby, our elf on the shelf, to our home. Ruby was loved by all but especially a little blond curly hair little girl. Ruby was a blast and we were sad to see her go but so excited that she is helping Santa out at the North Pole for next year. Ruby left Londyn a cookie to help with her leaving our home.

Londyn brought Santa into the home this year and I have to be honest it was a lot of fun. Keith and I have been on the fence with the whole Santa talk, do we do it or not? But when Londyn started talking about the Jolly cookie eating fellow we couldn't break her heart. So Santa was a ton of fun. Black Friday we ran out to the Bedford Wal-Mart to grab a few things and Santa was there taking free pictures. I am pretty sure Londyn believes that Wal-Mart is the North Pole. That day she asked Santa for a cup. Later she asked Santa for "a white dog that say woof woof and walks".

I am a lover for pinterest and so of course I went digging for fun things to do around Christmas. I found this cool idea of wrapping Christmas books and opening one per night leading up to Christmas. It was a blast and Londyn always asked "What is it mommy? I thinks it's a book" You can only imagine how she was the first gift she opened that was not a book:)>.

We made more cookies and candies than this girl could handle, my scale is not happy with me. However, it is something that always brings the family together and I can't pass that up. We even made cookies for Santa and Ruby.

While in Bedford, Londyn and mammaw got to build a snowman or two or three:). I'm not sure who enjoyed it more:)

Londyn and I took the rest of that week off from school/work and did some major organizing and girl time. What a blast. I thought it was perfect for her to be able to enjoy all of here Christmas and just lounge in our jams and that is what we did. Londyn even sent me to preschool one day, she is a great teacher.

Oh and I became an Aunt AGAIN!
Here are the pictures of our wonderful adventures of Christmas!


Christmas skyping with meemaw: (What did we do before Skype?!)

Christmas at mammaw and papaws:

Snowball fight

building snowmen with mammaw

eating snow

Writing her name in the snow

Making breakfast

telling the story

handing out stockings

dancing with RaggedyAnne

Ruby 

Listening to papaw read the story of Christmas

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One excited girl!

Christmas at home:

Checking out everything first thing

LOVED her dollhouse

couldn't believe that Santa brought her what she wanted:)

Can barely wait to open!

my mistake for letting the van be the first thing she opened. 

dollhouse complete

playing with daddy. No really, her daddy was all about this

teaching me my ABC's

A late Christmas gift that we got was a kitten that for now remains named kitty. I couldn't tell her no when I held her so I am officially a crazy cat lady and I can't lie. 

These are memories made and I hope that we never forget them. I hope you had as blessed of a Christmas as we did. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!