"Looking for Sleepy"

This is Gethsemane's favorite book right now. She likes it because it has "Papa" in it. :)

Sisters

Just found this from last month - forgot to post it! Love it so much.

Hugs

Three and a half

My Verity. Three and a half! I can't believe it! Every day with you is an adventure. You are our little cup of espresso - always full speed ahead. You are such a delight in every sense of the word.  You say the funniest, craziest things. You make me laugh, run after you, and smother you with kisses all day long by saying the silliest, most original things. I write down the little things you say on napkins, my grocery lists, receipts - whatever is closest just so I do not ever forget. When I tell you I am making something you love for dinner, you go, " Oh THANK YOU, Mommy! You are so, so nice Mommy, you are so kind Mommy, you are so, so pretty!!!" :) Not complaining about THAT one. :)

I love seeing how your brain works. You chatter and talk to me all day long. I love it. I hope you always know how much I treasure everything you share with me. You are so good at memorizing. You hear something once and you remember it forever. You are so grateful for everything. Your latest craze the past week has been to spend all day going throughout the entire house asking me who gave you each thing, from who bought the toilet paper roll, to who bought Mommy's eyes, to who gave you each of your toys and clothing items. After I tell you, you gush thank yous.

As I type this, you and Gethey are spinning around in circles in the living room in front of me listing all the people you love over and over again in a sing song voice. You spin until you fall over and then you laugh and laugh. You spin with crazy abandon with your arms outstretched, with no fear, just pure delight. Sweet Gethsemane spins at a slow, plodding pace, with her jaw jutted out and she stops carefully before she gets dizzy. I love to see the differences in you two, and I love you both so much for who you are. My heart swells at moments like this.

You are picky with food, super opinionated, have the biggest, sweetest heart and love your family members fiercely. You are my little mini-me. Your daddy laughs about how similar we are, in so many little ways. You only like the chunky, goody parts of ice cream, you don't like pizza crust, you have to have your blankets just so, you are a little social butterfly, you love to sing, you are a back seat driver, you play "organizing," you have a thirst for learning, you love shopping and painting nails and girly girl things, you are a natural born lawyer, hesitant to try new things at first, creative and artistic, a SPITFIRE, and boy can you haggle and negotiate.
There are also ways you are like your daddy: you love to watch the same movie over and over, you like to quote movies, you love playing outside in the dirt, and you are superb at problem solving.

You know all your alphabet sounds and have started sounding out words with me. You cannot wait to learn to read. You ask me to teach you how all the time. You have just entered the stage of wanting to do everything yourself. You love to get dressed all by yourself. I am so proud of you, my Verity Majella, in so many ways. I love you.

Rooney Roo

Baby Wearing

 Verity came up with this idea all on her own, how to "babywear" her baby.

 Such a tender mommy...

Of course, Gethey wanted to wear her baby too, but dolly didn't fit in her shirt. So Daddy made her a "sling" to wear her baby. (Note the red highlights she got from her Birth Grandma. She is getting more and more of them as we are enjoying more sunny days. So pretty!)

Helping Daddy

Mud Pies

Lilac Farm

My beautiful Verity.

"Come see the train, Gethey!!"

Running all over with her sunscreen.

20 Months

 20 Months. I can't believe it. You are growing up so fast that I am scared to blink. You are such a gift to me in so many ways. I want to remember and savor every little new thing about you this month.
I want to remember how you hold my hand so tight as we walk around stores running errands.
I want to remember how you say, "oh." to every little thing I say to you.
How you call me "Momma" mostly, but "MommEY" when you are trying to butter me up.
How much you love water, and anyone who refills your cup.
How everything becomes a cell phone in your hands - grocery list, block, lego, etc.-and how you carry on long, involved conversations with Daddy on them with lots of "oh.s"
How you are always asking me to bake scones or cookies, and if I tell you I will later that day, how you remind me that I said I would over and over again. How you look at me with adoration when I take that cooking sheet out of the oven, and the way you relish my food makes me feel like the world's best baker.
How adorable you little pot belly is, and how I know you are full when your belly button becomes an outie. How you run around the house leading your body with your tummy. It makes me smile every single time.
How you think you are so funny when you tease your Daddy by calling him, "Old MANNN!" or "Mutt (Matt)." How you laugh at your own jokes just like your Dad does.
How you walk around the house with a book open singing, "Alleluia, Alleluia!"
How much you love tutus, hairbows, shoes, and baby legs. How at night when we pray before bed and go around saying what we want to thank Jesus for, Verity always thanks Jesus for you, her Gethey, and you always thank Jesus for your quack quack hair bow.
How motherly and gentle you are with your dolls. You speak to them so softly, rock them so slowly, and pat them so gently.
I love you so much my Rooney Roo. Thank you for being you!

Easter Eggs!

The Teddy Bear Shirt

So I've mentioned before that Roon loves her Teddy Bear shirt. Well, it is becoming more and more clear that that is quite the understatement. She is OBSESSED with the Teddy Bear shirt. She believes that it is a separate entity in itself and she in love with it. She calls it "Teddy" and chants worshipfully, "TEEEDDDDDDYYYYY, TEEEEDDDDDDYYYY" over and over as she rubs the teddy on her tummy. She wants to wear it Every. Single. Day. If I have to wash it, she initiates a household day of mourning. She waits solemnly by the washer and dryer until it comes out. When it comes out she goes into rapture. Bedtime has been getting harder and harder. No matter what jammies we offer have one them, cat, dog, even another teddy, she still wails when we have to take "Teddy" off and put jammies on. The other night as she did her wailing protest at the fact that her parents make her wear pajamas, her Daddy got THE most brilliant idea.
"What about Who-Who? Does "Who-Who want to wear Teddy?"
The wailing and gnashing of teeth stop.
Sniff. Sniff.
"Ya."
Daddy puts Teddy on Who-Who.
The sun comes out.
She is ecstatic. She cannot believe that this much happiness is possible. Who-Who and Teddy TOGETHER!!! Who would have thought!
(Side note: You have probably noticed that almost as much as Rooney loves Teddy, she hates the camera. On good days she glares at it or turns her head. On bad days she cries. No matter how happy she is if you get the camera out she is NOT happy any longer. Well, that is about to change)

Daddy: "Can I take a picture of WHo-Who looking so pretty in Teddy?"
"YAAAAA!!!!"
She squeals and beelines over to the photo posing spot, wiggles her rump into place, and POSES.
Yes, I know.
You don't believe me.
Here is the proof:

Pose.

A smile!!! THERE is my Rooney Roo!

Saying "Who-Who"

"Who-Who"

Umm, licking Who-Who.

Well, now licking Teddy. Can't show preference now can we.

Oh my gosh, life is just too good right now.

Oh My Girls...

...you really are just too cute for words.

Family

Sunday Park

Love.

Mommy's Birthday

We celebrated my birthday at Grandma's house with balloons, strawberry pie (Yummmms), and the little girls and I had so much fun with mani - pedis. Here Verity is letting her pretty toes dry...

Gethey looovvvveeed the balloons...

Love toothy smiles!

Munchkins

Verity ADORES her Aunties, can't you tell? This was while watching Uncle Matteo's basketball game.

My Verity

My beautiful Verity. So grown up. She loves having her hair in braids these days. She just glows when I finish braiding her hair and you can tell how beautiful she feels. She will ask me, "Mommy, are you going to braid my hair today?" When I am done she will say, "Thank you SO much, Mommy, for braiding my hair!" She is such a sweetheart. Yesterday she cuddled up to me and said, "Mommy, I want to be close to your heart."

When she goes grocery shopping with Daddy and Gethey is home with me, she will ask the grocery cashier for a sticker to bring home to Gethey. She will then ask Daddy to call Gethey on his cell because she misses her. They looovvve talking to each other on our cells. Sign of things to come I think... :)

She is so tender with Gethey. This morning they were waiting for their scrambled eggs to cool, and Gethey said, "hot!" Verity replied in her sweet voice, "Yes, Gethey, good job! You are right! The eggs ARE hot." If Gethey draws a picture, Verity will examine it closely and exclaim, "Oh Wow Gethey! That is sooo beautiful! Good job!" I love listening to them playing together.

She loves to cook food for me on their play kitchen. This morning she made me scones with chocolate chips, mmmmmm. She brings such joy to me, Gethey, and her Daddy every day. She truly does light up our lives. I still can't believe that I get to be her Mommy.

Sleepy Snugglers

Favorite Things

Roons' favorite shirt is this teddy bear one. She wants to wear it every

day that it is not in the wash. The bow has a ducky on it - ducks are her latest obsession. She cannot believe that there is one on her bow. Birth Gma Staci and Randi sent it to her, and she wears it every day. Do you see that adorable look in her eye as she kisses teddy??!