Friday, July 8, 2011

And She's 3...


Just like that... Crazy how that happens!



Last Saturday (July 2) was Anastyn's 3rd birthday. She has told us for 6 months that she wanted to have a "Tangled" birthday. (Actually, a "Tangled" cake, but we did cupcakes instead and due to lack of time, no "Tangled" cake. I had considered making this one. That I found on this website. Luckily, the "Tangled" theme was enough and she didn't even mention the cake. Flowered cupcakes were good enough. Yay for 3 year olds!)

Anyway, as soon as Anastyn woke up we had this conversation. ( I wish you could hear her sweet little voice!)
Me: Do you know what day it is?
Anastyn responded sleepily: Yes...it's my birfday
Me: Yes it is, do you know how old you are?
Anastyn: I'm free (3), (as she tries to hold up her 3 fingers.)
Me: That's right. You are three.
Anastyn: So, I'm not 2 anymore?
Me: Nope, you are 3

And just like that...she is 3....CRAZY...where does the time go. When did she change from that sweet baby I would sing to sleep into this beautiful toddler that I still (thankfully) get to sing to sleep sometimes (only now she picks the songs)?

Well, I was going to post all about her party, but I think I will post those pictures and details later and just make sure I get down those things I want to remember about my 3 year old.

Anastyn is definitely one of a kind. She has the best laugh and loves to be silly. She loves to dance and is sure to be seen busting a move of some sort if she hears any music playing...I laugh thinking about it! So cute.

She is quite ornery as well. She can go from sweet as pie to ornery in no time flat and vice versa. It is almost crazy to witness...but it happens.

She knows exactly what she wants and is EXTREMELY independent...I know part of it is the age, but I have a feeling she is going to hold on to that independence.

She wants to try to do everything by herself, but is pretty good at recognizing when she needs help and will ask for it.

I find she responds to things much better if I explain what I am doing first especially if I am going to be rushing her. Example: "When we get to the store you are going to have to ride in the cart and stay there. We are in a hurry and just need to grab a few things. Okay? You aren't going to be able to walk this time." She may not like it but will not put up much of a fight as opposed to me getting her out of the car and putting her in the cart when she THINKS she is going to be walking with me. That can be a nightmare. So I try to stay a step ahead, but it doesn't always happen and tantrums do arise.

Anastyn loves her family very much and is becoming very close with her cousins. They all are so good to one another and I am really excited to see their relationships develop as they grow.

She loves animals and often points out any that she sees as we are driving.

She hates to be dirty, we finger painted some this spring and she would paint a while then completely clean her hands on a towel and start painting again. I am not sure if I have ever seen a child do that...I am sure they have, but it makes me laugh. And yet she will hold worms, and bunnies, and pet dogs, cows, goats, etc.

She is really starting to be a girlie girl. She enjoys picking out her clothes, and almost always ends up picking a skirt or dress. She likes to wear jewelry, especially rings...and shoes, how could I forget her love for shoes. She always wants to pick her shoes and changes them frequently. For her birthday she got some of those play high heels and wants to wear them everywhere. I gave in and actually let her wear them into church...it was just too cute, and she can actually walk in them. She quickly changed into shoes that were easier to run and play in though...just like her mama in that way!  And she is finally letting me fix her hair again...but pretty much only wants a braid, not a ponytail.

She makes Natalie smile bigger and laugh harder than anyone else can. I am so happy to be able to see my girls together and the bond that they share as sisters.

She often crawls into our bed in the middle of the night, however, sometimes we will wake up and find her in the floor at the end of our bed or in her bedroom floor...we have yet to figure out why she doesn't make it to our bed on those nights.

She is also very proud of Natalie and gets as excited as we do when she reaches the next milestone. She will exclaim, "Yay Matalie. Look, mom, she is _____ (insert new thing she is doing)" (she refuses to say the N in her name)

She still dislikes having her teeth brushed but FINALLY lets us wash her hair without screaming and fighting, now she just tips her head back.

She is shy with people she first meets, but is starting to warm up much more quickly than she used to.

She loves going to bible class and at VBS this year she started singing the songs with everyone, the first night she was too shy but sang loudly the rest of the week.

She is a precious, ornery, caring, stubborn, loving, silly, beautiful, fashionable, strong willed, always learning, sweet, fit throwing, cuddly, huggable, kissable, apologetic, energetic, kind-hearted, shy, outdoor loving, sweet-toothed 3 year old and I love her to pieces...every last inch of her.

Pictures of the party coming soon!

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

When You Was A Baby...

Tonight, Anastyn was in Natalie's room while I was rocking Natalie and she saw the boppy pillow that I used for both of the girls. Our conversation went something like this.

Anastyn: I like this boppy pilwow (pillow).  It is pink and has flowers on it. It is pwetty. Where did you get that pilwow?

Me: Well, when you were still in mommy's belly, my friends had a baby shower for me and showered me with gifts (I could see her trying to figure out the shower concept). That pillow was a gift for you.

Ana: Yeah, and when you was a baby, you used that pilwow. And you was in my belwy (belly) and then you was borned.

Me: Really? (wondering where this might go)

Ana: and daddy was in my belwy (belly) and then he was borned. and Mya (her dearest friend) was borned too and she was in my belwy.

The conversation then quickly turned to something else as she often moves from topic to topic fairly quickly. I just let it go, because I am definitely not ready to explain how babies get into bellies and if she isn't asking, I am fine with letting it go for now. I just love how little ones think and I love to hear her talk. I know that soon she will be saying those l's and r's just perfectly and I will miss the baby talk...just a little.
One more thing that I want to make sure I remember. Sometimes at night I will go in to say goodnight and sing her a song. Our conversation usually goes something like:

Anastyn: Will you sing me a song
Me: Sure, what do you want me to sing
Anastyn: thinks hard and then says," ummm, how 'bout Jesus loves me" (or Zacchaeus, but lately it is always Jesus loves me)
Me: Oh, that is a good one....then I start singing.
Anastyn: Noooo... I will sing it. You can sing the hard songs (meaning "He's
Got the Whole World" or "What If All the Raindrops"
Me: OK...and then I listen as she so sweetly sings Jesus loves me. I wish I could record it so I can always go back and hear that sweet, innocent, PRECIOUS voice singing to me! But I know if I get the camera out, it will change and she will stop or start being silly. So I lay there and listen as my sometimes ornery little girl, gets all sweet voiced and sings me a song. I absolutely LOVE it and have had to fight back the tears more than once. Those are the moments that I wish she would just stay this age forever....then she screams at me as I try to pray with her (she is not always a big fan of praying, not sure why) and I quickly kiss her and tell her goodnight and hope the next phase brings more sweet moments and less ornery ones!

And because I have a million pictures and certainly won't post about half of them, I will include a few...just because!

Anastyn watching the ducks at the zoo.

Natalie catching a quick nap at the zoo

Getting ready to go see the newborn twin calves...I just love her in her boots, ready to get dirty!

While visiting friends in KC we attempted a pic of all the girls...Peyton, Harper, Anastyn, and Natalie in the back

There is just something about this sweet face...mmmmm, just want to kiss those little cheeks!
Anastyn with the twin calves. Aren't they so cute? She loves being able to get close to them and pet them.


Sunday, June 12, 2011

Peer Pressure?

Last week I took Anastyn and Natalie and headed to Olathe, KS to see my good friend Karen. She had a baby girl, Harper, in February, and I had not been to meet her yet and couldn't wait any longer. Harper is absolutely beautiful and my girls just loved her...and Karen's dog, Wyatt. I will post more on our visit at a later date, but back to the point of this post. So, one day, Harper had fallen asleep in the swing and it was time for Natalie's nap, but Anastyn was already down for a nap in our room and I didn't want to chance waking her up, so I asked if I could lay Natalie in Harper's crib. Harper takes a pacifier occasionally, so there was one lying in her bed. I didn't think to take it out because Natalie has NEVER taken a pacifier. She has also NEVER slept on her belly but after I put her down and she stopped crying, I went back in to check on her and found this site. Natalie...on her belly...sucking on Harper's pacifier...she must have thought it looked good when Harper had it, so she decided to give it a try...I guess whatever works!

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Happy Mother's Day

Feel so blessed to have these two precious little girls, orneriness and all!


Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Down on the Farm

A few weeks ago we went to Belle for the weekend. While we were there, a calf was born one morning. Anastyn (and all the cousins) really like to go out to the farm for any reason, so to get to see a newborn calf was especially exciting! It happened to be one of the colder weekends, but we all made the trek out to see the calf. I thought it was just too cute how my dad was carrying the little ones (to keep them out of the mud) and how Skylar and Londyn were following behind. They all looked precious walking through the field together.

Heading out to see the newborn calf

It walked right up to us, everyone was pretty excited.

So cute!

Anastyn actually touched it. I was a little surprised, but she just walked right up to it without any hesitation. She loves any kind of baby!


My dad with Lincoln

I love this picture of Anastyn on her Papa's shoulders

Heading back to the truck, don't they look so cute all traipsing along? I just love it!

I think these two are going to be pretty good friends. They are fun to watch together.



Jumping over the mud puddles

Skylar always gives me her best smile and pose. I love these girls...they really are so good and sweet.

It takes a lot for me to not go fix things like this pant leg over her boot (because personally it would drive me crazy), but when I see it for some reason I smile so big. I love how cute she looks in her green rubber boots and her pigtails and her little hands in her sleeves...ok so I love EVERYTHING about this little sweetheart!

Mr. Lincoln...such a fun little guy

We were leaving so Anastyn was telling my mom bye, I caught this pic and thought it was pretty sweet.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Natalie: 4 months

 Natalie went for her 4 month check up March 23rd. She weighed 13 lbs. 1 oz. (33%) and was 23 inches (25%) long. She is growing perfectly and doing very well. She wasn't a fan of her shots (who is?), but only cried for a short time after. She is smiling all the time...especially for Anastyn. She is moving and interacting with us more and more, which is so much fun. We love her more every day and she brings so much joy to our little family! Natalie is such an easy going baby. She cries only when she is tired or hungry and is easily pacified or calmed. She is reaching for her toys all the time now and loves to try to grab my hair or face when I am close to her talking. She is very attentive when someone is talking. She will get very still and I sometimes catch her just staring at me as I talk. It is such a sweet look. I see her doing it with Nathan sometimes too... she just gazes at him. Once you catch her doing it and smile at her, she smiles back with the sweetest, melt-your-heart smile. It is one of my favorites moments of the day. She can roll over. She talks all the time. She LOVES to be laid down on the floor to look around and play. She only likes to be held facing out (just like her sister was). But if she is tired she will let you put her on your shoulder, as long as you continue to pat her back and bounce her. I can't imagine life without my two baby girls, it is amazing how 5 months feels so long in the sense that you forget what life was like before you had your baby and yet how quickly those same 5 months have flown by and all the changes that have occurred in that short amount of time. It is exciting and exhausting, but brings so much happiness, love, and joy. What a blessing children are...and I thank God for them every day. Now go love on your babies!!!

March 17th - 4 months old


Wednesday, April 6, 2011

I Love the Sound of This!

Natalie has been laughing (somewhat) for a while now...but I have never really gotten her tickled until Friday night. Finally! I have been waiting for this! Up until now, she laughed, but it almost sounded like she was stopping herself. She gives a couple little deep laughing sounds and then she is done. Well, Friday, I was picking up some things in her room and had a plastic bag and she thought the sound of it was hilarious! This makes my heart smile!!! Check here to see Anastyn's first laughing video. I still can't believe how much they look alike.