The Last Day!

Today is the last day of school! I am so excited! I am a teacher. Even though I am teaching summer school, it is good to be done with this round of students. I get a whole week off to relax and enjoy myself. I am going camping this weekend with my parents and my daughter. My honey has some guy get-togethers going on, so he will not be with us. It will be a good couple of days, though, as we go to the trailor and relax. Yay for the end of the school year!

My Big Little Girl

Today I am staying home with my big little girl. My husband needed to go to work, and we could not find any other sitter. Besides, I think she has a cold and not many other people would want to take her with a cold. The only thing hard for me as I watch and play with her today is that she is growing up.

Still, she is my baby. She is my first born. She will always be my little girl. She climbs up on the dining room table unassisted now. She gets stuff out of drawers. She likes to pick up her own food to eat as she says, "Do it?" She wants to do it. She wants to do everything.

She wants to walk when we are out and about. She wants to go up to garage sales with mommy on Saturday mornings, not sit in the car with daddy. She wants to run and play in the grass while daddy works in the yard. She wants to pick the dandelions and blow off all the little seeds. She wants to get a whole apple and eat it.

She still wants to cuddle at night before bed after we do our jammy time dance. She wants to fall asleep in my arms and then go to bed. She wants to kiss goodbye every time we leave. She is so sweet.

I guess I just need to realize she is not a baby anymore. She is still my baby; she is just growing up to be a wonderful big little girl.

MILK!

So this week has been a little tough when it comes to Livie. She was sick with the stomach flu. Her big rash is back, like she ate rice even though she didn't. She threw up a couple of days in a row, so we took her milk away. Nothing stinks more than milk the second time around.

Thursday was the second day that Livie was actually feeling better. She had gatorade in her bottle for two days in an attempt to keep her hydrated. Well, Thursday night came along. She had been asking me for a bottle for 3o minutes. She kept saying "Ba ba! Ba ba! Um, ba ba!" She was serious about wanting her bottle.

So, I went into the kitchen to get her a bottle. She always gets excited when I pull out her bottle because she knows she is going to get what she wants. Well, then I grabbed the gatorade. She was not happy.

She stood in front of the fridge, clenched her little fists, stomped her foot, and yelled, "Milk!" I started laughing so hard. It was just the cutest little thing I think I have ever seen her do. I guess she knew what she wanted.

Our new little Sprout

It is with great joy that I announce that we are expecting again. Since we do not know the gender of this baby and will not find out until it is born, we are just calling it Sprout for now. We are so excited! Livie does not know what is coming and will probably want to put Sprout back. Monica, on the other hand, is elated and cannot wait to have another little sissy/brother cousin. Praise the Lord for little miracles.

My Big Sissy Cousin

My little Livie has the best big sissy cousin in the world. That is what her cousin calls her. Currently they are all each other has and they act more like siblings than they do cousins. It is a really sweet relationship. Livie is always excited to see M, and M lights up every time she sees Livie. A couple of weeks ago, we went and got their pictures taken together. Here is the result. I am so glad they have that special relationship. Today I am thankful for little Livie and her big sissy cousin M.

To Santa's House We Go

Three days before Christmas, I got a call from my mom. It was two o'clock in the afternoon. She said, "What are you doing?" I always know that can be a loaded question. So, I asked what she wanted. She told me my niece Monica wanted to take a picture with Santa, and that she could not do it alone. Then she added that we needed to be there by 5. It has been a really tough year for Monica, and I just could not disappoint her. So, we stopped wrapping Christmas gifts, and off we went to the mall. Yes, you heard me right. I was summoned to the mall three days before Christmas, and I actually went. What resulted was a really good picture, probably the best picture Monica has ever taken with Santa. And, Livie was not crying, either. It turned out really well. Now we have a great picture of the first Christmas (that Livie was awake through - she was 1 month old last year) with Santa. It did turn out to be really fun.

One today!

My little miracle is one year old today. I remember a year ago as I sat in the hospital room in anxious expectation. I had no idea the love I would have for my little girl. She is perfect. She now has six teeth and is basically walking. Thank you, Lord, for my sweet little miracle and the last year you have given us with her. I am so blessed!