Tuesday, July 13, 2010

A capacity for Love

Although I was on a lot of drugs and coming off of general anesthesia after my C-section, I can vividly remember the tremendous amount of love I felt when holding Anslee for the very first time. I remember thinking, I don't think its possible that I could ever feel this love for anyone else ever. It was overwhelming emotion. The kind that takes your breath away. The kind that makes the minutes draw out into hours without you knowing. I literally felt like the rest of the world had stopped spinning.

So, is it true that I have the blessing and honor of feeling that way all over again? Even though I know exactly what it feels like, to love that much, I still just can't believe that it will happen again. I love no one like I do Anslee, and so it just does not seem like it could be real that I will love like that for another. I know full well that its real, and that the exact same rush of emotion will come right back over me. I can't fully prepare for it though. You can't. I look forward to it. I look forward to reliving that emotion that only a mother knows all over again.

Just look at this sweet baby growing in me. This will be the object of my love just months from now. We are so very excited. We feel so blessed. God is so good to give us the precious gift of life!







Our capacity for Love is about to grow! By leaps and bounds!

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Another GiveAway! :)

The babywise mom is doing another giveaway! She does them a lot, which I think is really awesome.

This particular item is one that her husband invented to help their baby girl sleep better. It worked for them, and I am a mom who clearly will go to wits end to help baby to sleep with ease! In other words, I want this item!!

Here is a link to her blog, and the giveaway of the SnuggleU!

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Tyler

I never did a Father's Day Post, because I was waiting on this article about Tyler and his dad to be published so that I could include it as a part of the post.

I thought this article, published in the Texas State Troopers Association monthly newsletter, would sum up what Tyler is all about and where he learned how to be the man he is today!

We are so proud of you Tyler! Anslee and I just may be the 2 luckiest girls in the whole world because we have you!

Scroll down to page 11 after clicking this link to view the article!

Tyler and the DPS

Thursday, June 24, 2010

What I have been reading!

Most of you know that ever since I got pregnant with Anslee, I have buried myself in books, blogs, and internet articles that offer child rearing advice. (We all know that I need every bit of expert opinion or thought on anything that has to do with parenting!) So, I thought it was only appropriate that I blog about the great reads that I have found!

I am always reading...(Or always referencing)



I am preparing now, and reading:


Another one always good for referecning is:


In more recent news, it looks like I will be needing to RE-Read the following:


and...



Clearly its a good thing we saved a ton of money on the following:



And I just HAD to buy Anslee this new shirt....


Because this little blessing will be joining us as the newest Moses in January!

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

2 word phrases!

Anslee has started putting words together this past month! Its a little step closer to more clear communication with her, so that makes me this mama so excited :) I remember thinking that when kiddos started putting words together they were officially big kids!

She says:

Thank you - and so clearly too! this is my favorite phrase to hear come out of her mouth!

All Done - She will sign and say this one at the same time. We can communicate!

Oh No - This has almost replaced "uh oh".

I know - Not sure if she knows what this means, but she says it after we do.



I have also started counting to 3 when I want her to come to me. My friend Cindy does this and her little one cooperates, so I thought I would try. We are doing pretty good! By 2, she starts walking toward me!

I have also started requiring "please" or at least the sign for please before giving her what she wants. I would say she certainly understands and does it without thinking, but other times it can be what causes a fit. A work in progress is what we will always be anyway...

I have also realized just HOW MUCH she understands, even if she can't verbalize that she does. She knows what "stay in here", "do not touch", "bring me your shoes", "lets go", and "come on" mean and will follow the instruction pretty consistently. s

Now that I know she understands more, I can expect that she is able to follow directions and therefore a whole new world of fun can be had :)

She wears pig tails and ponytails now. She is a big girl.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Its a Give Away!

I know all you mommies are like me and go crazy over baby boutique style clothes for your little one. No other type of clothing catches the eye like these types of fufu fun outfits on that already precious baby of yours!

Well the the BabyWiseMom is doing a giving away again from This precious online boutique.

I want to win that $30.00 gift card so I can add some more adorable clothes to Anslee's closet! Who wouldn't?

Plus, I just think everyone should check out this site :) Its just to cute to not spend some time browsing on!

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Just Going With What Works!

Wow! We have been busy chasing a toddler all over the place these days!

11-13 months was rough time for Anslee. Not her parents favorite stage in the least! Molars, turning 2 naps into 1, and learning to walk really took our sweet girl for a crazy ride.

The 1 year molars had their way and broke through her tender gums, we finally are getting one good (and long) nap everyday after lunch, and walking is easy breezy now, (dang those developmental leaps!)

Anslee started Wee Kids a couple of months ago and we love it. She is doing great there and has amazing teachers and friends.







We were surprised to have to run out and buy this particular item! That's right! Tyler noticed Anslee saying "tee tee" while grabbing at her diaper, so hr thought well why not sit her on the pot. Sure enough, my sweet girl made her first tinkle in the big potty! Later that day, she did one more time and then she has 2 more times since then (so 4 times in 2 days). At not quite 15 months, we realize that she is still very young and really may not be fully ready for potty training. We decided that we would go off of her ques for now, and not stop her if she keeps up the interest, but will not stress or become frustrated if this is not the real deal. We will encourage the interest she is showing now without any pressure for more. We are so proud of her!

We held off for a long time with putting Anslee in a front facing carseat, but now that she is 22 lbs, and just tried it once in her grandparents car and LOVED it, we thought we could go ahead and make the switch. We still have not purchased one, but my parents are graciously letting s borrow theirs until we get ours. We decided on the Britax Kathryn style one. It is safe and will last another 3 years. That to me, is worth the $$$ it will cost us.

The spoon. Oh how I hate the idea of giving Ansleee a spoon. Oh how wonderful it will be when she can feed herself. Well, we are going to make this "must happen sometime" experience come on slowly and in the least messy way I can help (I know...there is no getting around it). She has successfully made about 2 spoonfuls into her mouth, but that is really all for now. I give her a spoon with an empty bowl every now and again, and she clearly knows what it is for, but her coordination has not caught up with her understanding. That's ok. I am in no hurry, and I am making that my universal philosophy for her from now on. It is all happening so fast.

She has so many words, and I feel like she adds another one by the day. She says: hi, bye, no,yeah, mama, daddy, bath, night night, kitty, cracker, shoe, turtle, baby, outside, play, light, uh oh, no, bow, Ninny, teeth, eyes, nose, meow, hey, whoa, slide,and says (and recognizes) "A" and "B".

She points to her eyes, ears, knees, belly, toes, and nose when asked too also! We can't believe was 14 month olds are capable of understanding! They are all like little sponges and can really do much more than I ever would have imagined! It's so fun to watch!

Funny story. Tyler and I have been taught a few of the baby sign language signs for more, please, drink, and all done. We have been slackers, and never used them with Anslee though. Well one night over dinner Anslee starts saying "moe moe" (her word for drink or food that sounds like more but just not quite)and she clearly starts SIGNING "more" we were amazed and were just sure we just had the smartest kid out there. Ha! Come to find out at wee kids they use basic signs with the kiddos. She had just simply caught on, she did not have the gift of knowing sign without ever being taught. None the less it was still a fun new thing for us to see her do!

Clealry it's been a full couple of weeks for us! We could not love life more right now!