Newsletter No 2

July 12, 2009

Oh my little ladies. How both of you have grown! This month, your Dad and I went a little crazy and decided to take you on a cross country road trip with the dogs to the lake house in Alabama. We had gotten about 150 miles away before we almost turned around. We trudged on, and I am so glad we did, because spending a week with your Coon family at the lake was very good for both of you.

Eden, you are an amazing little baby. You will be 6 weeks old tomorrow. You are so sweet and still do a lot of sleeping and eating. You prefer to be held all the time and no matter how asleep you seem, you will wake up when I set you down. You love to sleep with your Mama.

You can follow my voice with your head and you always turn when you hear my voice enter the room. Your vision is also getting much better because you will turn your head to watch us as we walk around you. The most amazing thing you do is roll over. In fact, I cannot leave you unattended on anything but the floor, as you may just scooch or roll off of anything else. Another amazing feat you have mastered is the blow out diaper. Often you wait until you are uncovered to really let it fly. You have surprised your Auntie Emily with a deluge of poop more than once.

You have already spent hours and hours on the boat in your little life jacket, the same one that Madee first used last year. Every time the boat stops you wake up, but as soon as one of your grandparents starts her up you fall out in white noise bliss. You also enjoy a good vacuum session. Your eyes look like they could be blue, but I remember Madee’s also seeming that way so the jury is still out. Your hair is lightening, and you are getting longer and longer. You are waking up for more hours of the day and we enjoy quietly existing with you and watching you watch us back. You are quite the little poser and you strike little glamour poses as you sleep. Too cute.

Madee, you turned an official year and a half the other day. You are such a big girl now, and you are into absolutely everything. You have enjoyed the vacation at the lake more than your ride here, but you were still pretty amazing for being in the car for so long. You totally remembered your grandparents or at least recognized them from the skype calls. You love your ski jacket and you are warming up to the water. You have spent lots of time on the boat and on a raft with your Dad in the water. Dad jumped in from the boat with you and you had your first underwater experience. I am going to go out on a limb and say it wasn’t your fave.

You are so rambunctious and fun. Even with 8 or 9 pairs of eyes on you, you seem to find some trouble. All morning today you have been turning up the stereo. You take “no” as a challenge and think everything is a game. You laugh hysterically when you are in trouble. You have begun saying things after we say them instead of always being prompted. It seems like you are learning and growing so fast that I can barely keep up with you. You have enjoyed hanging out with your aunties and I love to watch you with them. Your Grandmommy and I agree you remind us so much of your Aunt Emily.

You are still very much into Eden, but you are very young and don’t realize when you get a little rough with her. You just wait. Before you know it you will be having your own hair pulled and have to defend yourself from her. It is just how sisters are. You still only give up your kisses to her. You tend to get into slapfights with me when I tell you “no”. I am excited for you to understand your strength and learn to restrain it. You are very strong in body and mind and it is very interesting to watch your mind work. You love to take things apart to figure out they work. You split up your oreo cookies and sandwiches to lick out the middle. You don’t keep any kind of clip in your hair and you love to run around naked. According to just about everybody on the planet you are the most beautiful child anyone else has ever seen.

You and Zeus have become buds. You chase him around and you like to try to ride him. I don’t think that is his favorite but you laugh hysterically as he tries to run away.

I am so proud to show you off and share you with the world. We have such a sweet little family and everyone who meets you girls is totally enamored by your beauty and sweetness. I try to spend time alone with each of you, and I love when all 3 of us cuddle up on the couch or bed. Even better when Dad joins us.

I am so proud and so happy with our family. I feel complete and I look forward to our future. You girls are amazing and I learn so much about myself as I learn about you. I have so many things I want to teach you and show you and share with you. I also have many things I would prefer not share with you, such as my lipstick. Because boy, Madee you can sure make a mess with that.

I love you girls more than I have ever loved anything, and you make me very happy. Thank you for being the largest part of my life.

Who loves you like crazy,

Your Mama