goo

(preface: no idea why the spacing is off. it's driving me nuts. but i can't fix it. ugh.)

goo. you turned for back in july. but we had *several* things going on back in july. well, really just one. one little 7#4 thing.

we had your birthday party at the neighborhood pool. we had pizza. all of your little friends came. we gave huge backyard bounce balls for party favors.

ten days later, you got a sister. and you decided you need to speak up for yourself and start having opinions.

sigh.

• you only want to wear pink and purple, preferably sparkly.
• want to wear the same thing everyday.
• you want to wear a tank top and skirt. and they never NEVER match. this has been a tough pill for me to swallow.
• you won't wear pants.
• you like to wear leggings as pants. with a shirt but not with a dress or skirt on top. i've had to put my foot down on that one.
• you like to wear character socks. even with your purple patent mary janes.
• you love polly pockets.
• you love my little ponies.
• you love to play with my iphone and are amazingly good at navigating your way through it.
• don't like to have hair brushed. at all. and i wish i could brush your hair. every. day. you have beautiful hair. beautiful color. curly but not too curly.
• you are a world-class fit pitcher. i won't elaborate.
• won't wear something just because you're supposed to. for example, when you had a hoedown at school, you refused to wear anything cowboy. no cowboys boots, no cowboy hats, no denim.
• you wear a size 6 in clothes, and a size 11 or 12 shoe.
• people always think you're much older than you are because you are very tall. dad and i aren't sure where that came from.
• you want to be three so you can go back to your old preschool class.
• you had a VERY HARD transition going back to school. even though this is your third year at the same school.
• you had a VERY HARD transition going back to church. we didn't go a whole lot this summer because of various reasons. but you had a really tough time getting back in the routine.
• you always have hair in your face. you look like cousin it all the time. and even when i put a bow in or ponytails, you end the day with hair in your face.
• you like the show timmy time. and fresh beat band. and doodle bops.
• you like to play tag but get mad if you're tagged.
• you play hide and seek but tell us where you're going to hide.
• you love your brother but get very frustrated with him. but you LOVE him. you want to be just like him. and do everything with him. you guys bicker a lot right now, but daddy and i are working on that.
• you love EK, and you have a voice that only gets used when you're with her. it's very high pitched, and all you say is, "uh huh. hi EK. yeah. you're so cute. uh huh. yeah."
• you love to say toesies.
• "muh" (pink blanket) still remains your very best friend. really, she's the only one who understands you.
• there are three types of stories you want daddy to tell you at night: princess, "buh-yuh-reena" (ballerina), or school.
• you love to draw and color (cuh-yer).
• you called crayons crare-runs.
• you like cereal and milk for breakfast. that's about all you'll eat for breakfast. sometimes a poptart. and donuts.
• you love "shower food." pickles, cherry tomatoes, mini corns, pepperoni, crackers, any and all fruit.
• you always want to get me a donut when you go with daddy and bigH. you want to get me a "hot one." (heart one. forever, daddy thought you meant krispy kreme.)
• you always want to do things "tomorrow." wear that tomorrow. have tickle day tomorrow. have your birthday tomorrow.
• when you like things, you say, "oh i YUB it." and you say "uh YOT" for a lot.
• you say things that don't make sense or go together. "mom, if i don't put that paper in my bag, i'm not going to be able to have ariel in the bathtub." so i say, "huh?" to you a lot.
• you always compliment me on my jewelry.
• you are a champion dilly-dallier.
• you have gorgeous eyes.
• i love to snuggle with you on the couch under the blanket when we watch something together.
• your friends are claire, georgia, ashlyn, ella, and seth.
• i love to watch you tip toe. it is freaking hysterical.
• you are very shy when we have people over. almost to the point of being rude. but it really is just you being shy.
• you love band-aids with every ounce of your being. in fact, sometimes you get up in the middle of the night, sneak into the bathroom, put on several, and go back to sleep. i wake up in the morning to band-aid wrappers all over the floor.
• you love fruits and vegetables. you love trees (broccoli), asparagus, carrots, corn, tomatoes, blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, apples, nectarines, grapes, cucumbers, bell peppers.
• you don't dress up like a princess as much anymore, which makes me sad. now, you just change your clothes multiple times a day, which makes me more sad. and not because you love fashion.
• when dad and i talk about you and how unique you are, we always just look at each other and say, "goo..."
• often when you are pitching a fit or are about to, i ask you to go to your room to find your happy place/face. then, you come out minutes later saying, "ok, well that's over. i have my happy face on." by that time i've had a drink.
• you like to sit in the back seat with bigH on fridays as something fun. and you always say before you ask if you can sit back there, "mom, i PROMISE i'll be kind to him." clearly, you've heard me ask that a time or two.
• you love sweets.
• you are always the one to pray before meal time. "dear jesus. thank you for this food. and let us all not get ouchies on our little toes with blood."

you're an amazing little girl. very bright. and you march to the beat of your own little drum. and God is teaching me that that will be a beautiful character trait later on. and i'm trusting Him on that. this year has been a trying time for you and me. but i pray everyday for so many things for you. for your precious spirit -- that i wouldn't crush it but rather encourage it. for your heart -- that you would truly learn kindness. for your spouse -- that he can keep up with you. for your friendships. for your words -- that you would honor Him in all you do and say. you are a piece of work. but i wouldn't have it any other way. you have given me so many grey hairs. but they are there for a reason. you are testing all of my mothering/parenting skills. but i appreciate you for it.

goo, i love you so much. you have blessed our life SO MUCH. i love that we're pals. i love that i'm starting to figure you out. it's taken me a while.

seven.

not sure where to begin. can't believe today is here. sad. happy. overwhelmed. proud.

you're seven.

you're in first grade.

you are a complete RAY. OF. SUNSHINE. all the time.

everyone who knows you, loves you.

tonight we had your birthday party. your lego birthday party. lego cupcakes. lego candy. lego remote control car race. lego building. lego bingo. and a trip to the lego store.

there are things i don't want to forget about you right now:

• for some reason, you have acquired a boston accent.
• you love anakin skywalker.
• your donut order at the (what i think is the gross) blue donut store is: one kolache not heated, one little sprinkle donut, one blue donut, and some blue donut holes.
• you don't like chick-fil-a anymore. which is insane.
• you are trying to learn how to tie your shoes. you can do the rabbit ears, but not the loop.
• you like to say "dude."
• you like to say "mom, you're going to freak out..."
• you tried spaghettios for the first time and liked them.
• you tried lasagna and liked it.
• you tried steak and pork tenderloin and liked them.
• you like to try to write your name in cursive.
• you know how to search on YouTube.
• you sleep with a lamp on.
• you love playing star wars on dad's playstation3.
• you know how to do more things electronically than nana.
• you know how to work the remote.
• you love wearing superhero jammies.
• you make your bed in the morning. not great. but you do it.
• you talk in your sleep. mostly about star wars.
• you like to sing, "everybody dance now" and "who let the dogs out."
• you like to watch fresh beat band, and dad and i DETEST that show and are very surprised you actually like it.
• you are incredibly sweet to goo, even though she's horrible to you sometimes.
• your favorite foods are: chocolate chip eggos, happy meals (especially when it features a new toy), mcdonalds for lunch, chipotle (even though you only get rice and cheese, and you like to order the cheese on the side so it doesn't melt), pasta with parmesan cheese, rice, chicken, mexican rice, fish sticks, popsicles
• your favorite superheroes are: batman, ironman, spiderman.
• your favorite dessert: hershey bar.
• your favorite drink: blue coconut slush from sonic.
• your favorite restaurants: chipotle, freebirds, mcdonalds.
• you love going to church.
• you never meet a stranger.
• you love going to school.
• you can build legos faster than any other males in our family.
• your favorite show: hero factory (for the record, i HATE hero factory). you also still like backyardigans
• you'll watch any show with goo just to be with her. but you'd never admit it.
• you love cheering for the baylor bears, ou sooners, and the green bay packers.
• you've only lost one bottom front tooth.
• you wear a size 7 in clothes, and a size 1 in shoes.
• you only wear button shirts to church or for a special occasion (i.e. i tell you to). :) you wear pants and a short-sleeve t-shirt everyday.
• you wear super hero socks.
• you have really great hair. people always comment on it.
• you wear the same shoes everyday. except on sunday, when you wear your church shoes.
• your friends love having you over, and your friends' parents love having you over. your kindergarten teacher (mrs. b) LOVED you and you guys still say hi to each other in the halls.
• you love going to get coffee and donuts with dad on saturday mornings.
• you are madly in love with EK. you constantly touch her face. she doesn't love this, but you don't care. you can't help it.
• you still sometimes get in our bed and snuggle with me when dad's gone. i'm going to miss the day when you don't snuggle.
• you give great hugs.
• you still love to be tucked in.
• you have more legos than anyone we know.
• you love to sing in the car.
• you sit in the back of the van now that EK is here. it makes me sad because i don't get to talk to you as much because you're so "far away."
• you still hold my hand when we cross the street. i'll miss the day when you don't do that.
• you rarely disobey. i say that with so much confidence because the one thing i say about you more than anything else is "he's just a great kid."
• daddy is your best friend.
• when you get "into" something, you learn everything about it. star wars, legos, superheroes, etc.
• you've gotten smiley faces on your behavior chart EVERYDAY since school started.
• you joined the running club at school this year.
• i've missed you since EK got here. i don't walk you to school anymore. daddy does. :(
• you are a reading maniac.
• you are a writing maniac.
• you are fascinated by math.
• you fall asleep in a matter of 3.7 seconds after your head hits the pillow. granted, it takes you hours for your head to actually hit the pillow.
• you help goo with her seatbelt. she hates that she needs help. but you do it everytime.
• you love to help. period.
• you entered this world at 6:39 in the morning. i think that's actually the latest you've ever woken up since then.
• you JUMP out of bed with a smile on your face and a song out of your mouth.
• if i ever ask you a favor, you ALWAYS say, "sure." but it sounds like "souer."

big h, i am madly in love with you. you are a JOY to be around. you are so agreeable. you love to help. i am honored to be your mommy. i pray daily that you'll come to know Jesus soon. i pray for your wife. i pray for your education. i pray for your current friends and teachers and future friends and teachers. i pray for your relationship with goo. i pray for your relationship with EK. i pray for your relationship with daddy. and i pray for your relationship with me.

i love you, buddy. more than you will ever know.

ek 3months

you are three months now. and i feel like so much has changed. you are very aware of your surroundings.

• you smile a lot. especially on your changing table.
• you got strep. the people at the pediatric urgent care could NOT believe it. as a two and a half year old. you're already a teacher's pet. overachiever.
• this one's big...you and i finally figured out the regular/normal nursing hold. hallelujah!
• still not a good nurser. and i get so frustrated/sad. we keep going/talking to the lactation nurse. most days i tell myself, "i'm SO done. so over this constant working at it. constantly worrying about what you're getting. screw it. i'm throwing in the towel." and then you go and have a good feeding, and it confuses me SO MUCH.
• don't like to nurse alert. would rather nurse sleepy.
• don't like to nap. granted, you don't have a lot of opportunities to do so. we're either taking your siblings to school or picking them up.
• sleep good at night. as in i feed you and put you to bed between 730-830, and i usually have to wake you up to take goo to school. at 845. rock freaking star.
• chubby. you have rubberband arms and legs. they are delicious.
• you have no hair. you probably won't until you turn three if you're like your sister.
• your brother and sister can NOT stop touching you.
• you smile when you're finished nursing. it's a fabulous smile.
• you still love to be swaddled when you sleep.
• can now recognize daddy and me.
• you smile ENORMOUS smiles.
• you like to shake-uh-shake-uh in the bathtub.
• you like the activity mat, with the musical light star.
• you're drooling a ton. lactation nurse and pediatrician believe it's teething. again with the overachieving. they also feel like that may be part of your nursing problem.
• you like to suck your thumb. you'd love to get your whole fist in there if you could.
• you do NOT like your car seat. have i mentioned that before?
• your fingers and toes are ALWAYS freezing cold.
• you like to bang your jaw right into dad's jaw right before he hands you over to me...just to make him feel bad.
• you like to sit in your pink bouncy while dad or i are making dinner. and you like to listen to itunes while sitting there.
• you love your changing table.
• when you smile, you are ALL GUMS.
• you wear a size 3 diaper.
• you wear 3-6 month clothes.
• as of the end of october, you weighed 14#8. chubby.
• dad loves zipper jammies. they're easy for him at night. though, you don't get up at night anymore.
• you have a great smile.
• you love your moby wrap
• you used to like to nurse on the right side more than the left. (the left side comes out a lot faster.) but now, i literally cross my fingers and pray that you'll eat well without starting to breathe fast, choke, get frustrated, and stop.
• we've seen the lactation nurse a lot. some days, i feel comfortable with your eating. other days...not so much.
• you are spitting up less these days.
• you like to go on walks in a stroller with us after dinner.
• you love being in the towel after your bath but do NOT like getting out of your towel and into your jammies.
• because you're alert a lot more these days, you cry a lot more. you're like your brother in that you don't really have a content state. you are either eating (which i'm constantly praying about), sleeping, or crying. or smiling on your changing table. :)

we love you so much. bigH and goo are starting to really interact with you more. and i love watching that. not that we want to wish this stage away, but life would get a lot easier if you'd start eating better. because you'd be happier, daddy would be more content, bigH and goo would enjoy you more. and i? would love it!

ek, you're the best!

you meeting your uncle (my brother) for the first time. clearly, you were thrilled.

the moby wrap. i know it LOOKS like you can't breathe, but i PROMISE. you LOVE it.

you. are. breathtaking.