20 Months

I have not been as on the ball as I wish I had with posting about Kelti each month. I never ever thought of how fast these months would pass by and how much of a little girl she is turning into each and every day right before my eyes.

 

When I was pregnant, I started a journal to Kelti. Each month I would write to her and tell her how I was feeling, the cravings I had or the kicks I felt. I would tell her how much I loved her and couldn't wait to meet her... I look back on that journal and reminisce. I remember the joy of her every move, the extreme love for someone I had never met, the picture I had in my mind of what she was going to look like, how her voice would sound, how she would smell. I remember the fear of the unknown, the anxiety and emotions (hormones mostly) of becoming someone's lifeline, someone's everything. I was going to be a mom... a mom to a little girl I so anxiously couldn't wait to meet. It brings me to tears as I read though the journal and feel all these feelings I once had. I am so glad I wrote it down.

 

Now... 20 months later... I wish I had been more diligent on doing the same, writing her a letter, telling her how I feel, how I felt. When she was brought home from the hospital, oh I was so scared, and had no idea what to do. How did I feel in that very moment? When she slept through the night for the first time, how excited I was yet how I would wake just to feel her chest move, to hear her breathe. How did I feel in that moment? When she took her first steps, the rush of excitement yet the panic that inset, PUT PILLOWS EVERYWHERE!

So... I am going to write you a letter Kelti... a letter that may mean little now, now that we are currently living in this moment.. but weeks from now, months, years.. I will look back on this letter, about you at this stage and remember the love, the joy, the anxiety, the excitement, the feeling... Love you bumblebee.

Kelti,

Where do I start my little sass-a-frass. You are learning something new everyday! You are the smartest little bug I have ever met. Just this month you started counting to ten. We always tried to count with you but never did you try and copy or pick up on what we were saying. Then one day, while you were with your grandma Lianne you decided to count to ten all by yourself. You even got on the phone, called me (with the help of grandma of course) and counted to ten again so I could hear it. Well now for some reason you are forgetting six but that is beside the point, you are a genius! Now that you know how to count to ten (minus six) you love to play hide and seek. We love watching you with the other kids as you count to ten while tucking your head into the couch cushions so you can't see anything, then running to find them only to hide in that exact same spot when it is your turn. Too cute! We are currently trying to transfer you into sleeping in your own bed. Yes that is correct, you are still sleeping smack dab in the middle of me and your dad, your feet on his back and your head in my armpit. We have moved you to your bed a couple nights this week and you do great! Sometimes  you wake up and walk into our room early in the morning only to finish sleeping in our bed but I am so excited when you do. Honest, you are still in our bed because mommy can't seem to let go, I just love the snuggles way way to much, but I am trying. You are getting such an attitude lately. Whatever Kelti wants, you think you should have. I ask you, "Who's the Boss?" and you respond "Mommy Boss". Well that's step one right?! You can put yourself in timeout (the corner next to the front door). You sit there, play with the entry rug and talk to yourself, then after a minute or so has gone by you yell from the corner, "All Done... Sorry?... Yea...". It is so stinking cute, it is hard to stay firm with you after that. A smile, a kiss and a hug later you are off doing the next messy thing. You love cheese, shredded cheese and proceed to tell us that string cheese or a slice of cheese is no longer good enough. WHAT A MESS! You also love popsicle's, any kind of berry, yogurt, oranges and tomatoes. You love to sing the itsy bitsy spider, the Disney song "Do you want to build a snowman" and twinkle twinkle. You remember the words which just amazes me. You are a fire cracker girly and mommy and daddy love you so much. You are so aggravating one moment and sweet the next, you totally know how to work us. You have our whole hearts and we can not wait to watch as you grow into more and more of a little girl. Though I wish I could stop time because my little baby is growing to quickly. What a double edge sword huh?

 

Love you sweet girl.

Mom

As of Lately... via the Camera Roll

Good Morning Loves! Thanks for sticking around, I know I have been the worst lately at posting but life has been so beautiful and crazy and I have found myself just living in the moment.

We have taken full advantage of our beautiful scenery here in the Northwest and have been spending our weekends outdoors, camping, boating (not enough) and swimming! I had to take a week and go to Wisconsin for work and now I am back at home with my babe and hubby trying to get back on schedule, OH and preparing for FOOTBALL SEASON! So to make this story short, life has gotten away from me but I'm back and hoping to make these posts happen more than once a month. (opps my bad!)

Life via the camera roll....

(When in Wisconsin, do what the Wisconsin's do... pickled eggs.)

 

(Singing in the car)

(RZR ride with Daddy)

(First McDonalds, breakfast with Daddy while Mommy is off working)

(Playing baseball up camping)

(The toy box is not for the toys to be in, duh!)

(Annual Lavender field family photos, post coming soon)

 

(Grandma got Kelti a new PINK wagon!)

(Breakfast on the deck)

(CHEEZE!)

(Beautiful girl)

 

                   (Football Season 2013)                                                     (Football Season 2014)

 

       
Happy Friday! Cheers!

Happy 4th of July EVE!

 

 

 

Star Spangled Banner

Sparklers

4th of July

Fireworks

Red White Blue

America

Stars and Stripes

Freedom

Independence

Proud

Thankful

 

 

 

 

Happy Independence Day! Be Safe and be with the one's you Love...

 

18 Month Stats and Picture Timeline

Ever since Kelti's first doctors appointment at two weeks old, I have continued to take a picture of her on the doctors table. Looking back through the pictures just makes me wonder how in the world a year and a half could go by so quickly and how much she has changed in just a short amount of time!

(2 Weeks)

(4 months)

(6 months)

(9 months)

(12 months)

18 Month Stats...

Height: 30.5" (75%)
Weight: 23.0 lbs (50%)
Head Size: Don't remember exact details but her head is still in the 95%!

(18 months)

She did so awesome this time around with her shots. At her 12 month appointment, all shit came loose and life was for sure over. It took forever to calm my little bumblebee down and I was dreading this time around more than ever. Of course the initial sting sent tears to her eyes and as the nurse quickly applied the snoopy Band-Aids I picked her up and held her tight. She suddenly pulled away from me and looked down in awe at the Band-Aids that the nurse put on her leg! "Ahh mommy, STICKERS!" Music to my ears. The tears were swept away and we went out and treated her to her first ever snow cone and a balloon. VICTORY!

 

As I sit here and cry over the fact that my little baby is now a big girl, I am over the moon excited about this new phase. Each stage continues to be my favorite and I am so ready to go play in the sand this weekend instead of last year 4th of July when she thought that sand was edible. Happy 4th of July weekend, be safe and have fun!

Playing Catch-up

Good Merry Morning to You All!!!

So yes, I am still here, who knew! Let me start by apologizing for my lack of posts the last MONTH! Holy Cow did that time go so fast. Well after my last post I started the crazy journey of packing myself up for an adult trip to Mexico. Throwing your own cloths in a bag is no big deal but also having to pack a toddler up seems like a marathon, not to mention the small issues of trying to find our lost passports 24 hours before departure and the emotional roller coaster I found myself on leaving my sweet little at home. But I made it! Mexico was awesome, such a great catch up for me and the hubby, eating dinner without little hands in your plate or enjoying the hot sun shine without having to worry about a little one getting sun burnt or being to hot. Oh what we don't take for grated anymore!

After Mexico, I found that Summer time had started in full force and off we were again, planning summer festivities, attending mass amounts of graduation parties and baby showers, camping trips and Sunday fun-days. So needless to say, the calendar for June-September is filling up fast but I am so beyond excited. Sometimes our social lives seem so crazy and chaotic, but I wouldn't change it for the world. Our friends and family matter so much to all three of us, more than I could ever express. We are blessed, very blessed.

Summer bucket lists are being created including Kelti's very first snow cone this afternoon after her 18 month doctor appointment. So let me leave you with a few photo's that were caught on my camera and I will be back soon with an 18 month update and our fun summer bucket lists!

 

 

What is a Mom...

1) A Best Friend.

2) A Foundation.

3) Peace and Comfort.

4) Unconditional Love.

5) A Guide.

6) A Provider.

7) Nurturer.

8) A Singer.

9) A Doctor.

10) A Coach.

11) A Treasure Hunter.

12) A Whisper.

Sometimes I don't always feel like I have it together. In fact most of the time I feel like I am one step behind, one binky short, one lullaby forgotten. Patience is not always available when needed and as I look for the manual, the instructions on doing all of this correctly I realize that, it is OK. It is OK to be tired. It is OK to be hungry or impatient. It is all worth it because....

As I lay in bed with my now toddler in my arms I realize that I am her Best Friend. Even if sometimes I feel like she would rather have her daddy or ask for her Auntie or hug her Grandma before hugging her mom, I am and will always be her Best Friend. I am her Foundation, her rock, her stability. I am her peace and comfort, when she is sad, happy, mad or frustrated and buries her head in my chest I can feel her sense of peace and comfort just come over her. I am her unconditional love, her guide, her provider, her nurturer. I am a singer (not a very good one) and hearing her try and sing her ABCs while lounging in my lap just melts this mommies heart. I am her doctor, every scrap, every cut mommy is there to kiss it and magically make the pain disappear. I am her coach. When she learns how to throw a ball or do a somersault mommy is there to coach her through it. I am her Treasure Hunter. Whether it be her lost binky or her missing cup of milk, I am her hunter. I am her whisper, the quiet whisper after she falls to sleep, "Goodnight...Sweet Dreams... I Love You."

Throwback Thursday - Vegas Baby...No Wait...Napa!

I have noticed that this Throwback Thursday has become quite popular lately within social media. So it made me step back for a quick second and ask myself where was I on this day last year... May 1st, 2013? Well I know Kelti was about 3 1/2 months old (WHAT?!) and my hair was short. Oh ya... I was in Vegas! And not only was I in Vegas on May 1st, my husband won us a trip for four to Napa, CA! Yes that's right our big win took place on this day one year ago! What a crazy Throwback Thursday. :)

And now we are wine snobs...

Cheers!

Mothers Day Gift Inspiration

Mothers Day is just around the corner and this holiday above all others never seems to go by without humbling me and reminding me of how grateful and fortunate I am for the mothers in my life. I have been blessed over and over, generation through generation with the most courageous, bright, loving, caring women that I am privileged to call my mother, my grandmothers, my aunts, great grandmothers...

Now that I am a mother I even more so realize how wonderful it is to take that one day to tell the women around "Thank You" and "I Love You". The gifts and flowers are completely unnecessary but lets face it, Mother's Day is the flower industries biggest grossing holiday and who doesn't like to receive a token that states, "I appreciate you Mom". So here are a few of my picks and hopefully they may bring inspiration to your wish lists or purchasing decisions.


1) This Midland Canvas Satchel from Anthropologie would be the PERFECT diaper bag now that my little lady is a toddler. No more need for the extra pockets and places for bottles. Just a nice throw-over-the-shoulder bag full of snacks, toys, diapers and a change of cloths!

Midland Canvas Satchel

 

 

2) This mom's FAVORITE Lip Balm Ever! EOS Lip Balm comes in a variety of flavors and colors and who wouldn't love a cute little dish for your makeup vanity filled with one of every flavor. I would, I would! (These can be found at most drug stores, Wal-Mart, Target etc.)

 

EOS Lip Balm

 

 

3) This list would not be complete without some sort of jewelry. I have been telling my husband from day one that he could never go wrong with a simple band. Doesn't have to be diamonds and anyone that knows me knows that most of my daily jewelry I wear is Gold but the color and style of metal is not all that important either. Just the fact that every time you look at that piece you will remember, that was given to me on my second mothers day, or my fifth anniversary, the birth of my third child or our 20th Christmas Eve together. I love the idea of stacking these different bands throughout the years... Gorgeous!

 

 

 

 

4) These Farmers Market Baskets from Anthropologie are to die for! How cute are these for keeping washed fruit ready to grab and eat in the fridge?! Even though the refrigerator has a door doesn't mean that you shouldn't dress up your food in these stylish baskets for little toddler hands to grab their own pre-washed strawberry! 

 

Farmers Market Basket

 

 

5) I love anything and all things Sugarboo, but I would LOVE love this pillow for our master bedroom. My husband calls me Darling all the time so it just fits. <3

 

Sugar Boo Designs - Hello Darling Pillow

 

 

What is on your Mother's day Love List?! Besides I big kiss from your little one!? :)