Happy Birthday, Tara!!!

Tara, Tara, Tara... so much to say on this day of your birth :) 

I'm so very thankful that you were born.  How many people start out the history with their best friend from the day they were born.  Literally?  That's crazy.  Well.. technically... you lived 6 whole days without me.  That must have been hard on you.

I love that every memory I have either involves you or I can remember you being there.  You have always been there.  

I remember playing for hours and hours with our baby dolls.  Now?  Those dolls are real.  And we hang out with our babies and can sit and talk for hours. 

Time flies when I'm with you.  You make me a better person and I thank God every day for placing you in my life.  

And now I will share a very special gift... a few pictures from our past... you know you love it.  You can just thank me now that I didn't go back further than I did.  

Love

Sad day

Dorks

Twin Towers

Doesn't everyone get all dressed up and go to Bob Evans?

Our favorite place.  So many memories!

Happy Birthday, TT!  How is it that you keep getting better with age?  You are one of the strongest people I know.  I am proud to call you my friend.  You are so incredibly loved.  

More Brianna Love

I am so happy to announce that Friday was the day that Brianna and I ventured back to Target following our disaster Monday and it was a SUCCESS!  My baby girl SAT IN THE CART, earned some M&M's and as we were leaving I stopped by the customer service desk (where they DO have a "lost and found" as I mentioned in my previous post) and they had her kiki!!!! We all left happy.  Now... this wasn't a trip that Mommy got to browse the fabulously fun dollar bin or the outside sections for fun clearance finds.  We went in on a mission and left with the few things that were needed.  I just need to accept the fun Target trips will be a treat when I make it out of the house alone.  And I'm okay with that.  

Above are the pictures following this successful trip and you can see the fun Easter container or mini M&Ms and her kiki happily in her arms.  You know those cute cart covers?  They were a FAVORITE of mine until this toddler stage.  While I still wipe the cart down to the best of my ability there is no possible way that I can manage to get the cart cover on before wrestling my curly headed strong willed cutie into the cart herself.  I won't lie... seeing her in the cart without our cover makes me cringe.  But this is another thing that this Mommy will just have to get over!

I posted this next picture on Facebook.  Tara and Baby Graham visited our house a couple weeks ago and Brianna was obsessed with his car seat.  We have now temporarily repurposed ours as a toddler chair.  She loves it.  Toddlers are weird :)  She is wearing her dress up Sleeping Beauty dress and holding one of her favorite blankies.  How wrong is it that I think this is cute?  

Which leads me to another thought.  I love how I can't say Graham's name without saying "Baby Graham".  I think that nickname will stick for a while.  Some of Brianna's cousins still call her "Baby Bri" and I love it.  

This next picture is Brianna "reading" her special book from her Aunt Kimmie.  For those of you who don't know, Brianna's Aunt Kimmie lives in South Carolina.  But Kim thought ahead.  When I was pregnant with Brianna she recorded one of those Hallmark books (about a princess- fitting if you know my bestie) and I would play the book for my belly even before she was born.  Kim wanted Brianna to know her voice.  And she does.  And I think that is awesome.  Brianna is finally old enough to go grab this book off the shelf and have her Aunt Kimmie read her this story.  She knows how to turn each page just right so we hear every word.  And Kimberly.... just so you know... she hugs the book :)  

Is anyone judging me because there is a potty in our living room?  If not, maybe you would like to judge me because potty training scares me.  I like diapers.  A lot.  Public restrooms with a little one that touches everything is not my idea of fun.  So for now we are learning about the potty.  Occasionally sitting on it.  Or putting a dolly or stuffed animal on it.  And making it sound like a lot of fun.  So... sometimes the potty ends up in our living room.  

And one more iPhone picture of a sleepy girl.  I love this little profile and chunky cheekers! 

Have I mentioned I love her?  She lights my world. 

Perspective

When I was on my way home from work yesterday I was reflecting on how I need to be better about how much I let Brianna's two year old outbursts get to me.  Then this song came on the radio...

It Won't Be Like This for Long 

By:  Darius Rucker

He didn't have to wake up, he'd been up all night

Lying there in bed and listening to his newborn baby cry

He makes a pot of coffee, he splashes water on his face

His wife gives him a kiss and says it's gonna be okay

It won't be like this for long

One day we'll look back laughing at the week we brought her home

This phase is gonna fly by, so baby just hold on

It won't be like this for long

Four years later 'bout 4:30am, she's crawling in their bed

And when he drops her off at pre-school she's clinging to his leg

The teacher peels her of him, he says, "What can I do?"

She says, "Now don't you worry, this'll only last a week or two"

It won't be like this for long

One day soon you'll drop her off and she won't even know you're gone

This phase is gonna fly by if you can just hold on

It won't be like this for long

Someday soon she'll be a teenager and at times he'll think she hates him

Then he'll walk her down the aisle and raise her veil

But right now she's up and crying and the truth is he don't mind

As he kisses her goodnight and she says her prayers

He lays down there beside her till her eyes are finally closed

And just watching her breaks his heart 'cause he already knows

It won't be like this for long

One day soon that little girl is gonna be all grown up and gone

And this phase is gonna fly by so he's trying to hold on

'Cause it won't be like this for long

And I was in tears.  It isn't the first time I've heard this song.  But it was a good time to hear it and be reminded that I am going to miss these days.  Brianna is learning who she is.  She is asserting her independence.  And all I can do is continue to guide her to the best of my ability.

So at 2:30am, my curly headed two year old woke up crying last night.  Michael went in to comfort her.  She usually just needs a hug and her blankie and she goes right back to sleep.  He got back in bed and ten minutes later she was screaming again.  I went in to try to calm her down but she wasn't having it.  Remembering my realization on the way home... I picked her up and took her into the living room to cuddle with her.  We don't allow her in our bed.  Around 3:30am I was really sleepy and she was still wide awake.  I broke our rule and took her to our bed.  She cuddled in between Michael and I, reached over and touched Michael and said "Hi, Dad." And then went right to sleep.  

We woke up this morning and for a moment fear crept over me.  What have I done?  She'll never sleep in her bed again! Then I saw her sweet face curled up against me and she looked so content.  It will all be okay.  She WILL sleep in her bed tonight.  And I'll be thankful in a few years for the memories I have of late night cuddles and how happy she was snuggling with Mommy and Daddy.  

It won't be like this for long!

I LOVE MY TODDLER

We all see that frazzled mom in Target with a screaming child and think, "Man, this lady is a mess.  Who let her have a child?"

That was me last night.  

I was the mom that walked in those big red doors and let my child convince me that sitting in the big part of the cart was acceptable.  And I fooled myself into believing that it was a good compromise.  Until I got to the diaper aisle and the diapers took up the entire cart.  Where does a toddler go at that point?  Mine? She got to walk.  What did I just say???  Yes, she got to walk.  

We made it to the beauty section where I needed to grab some mascara.  A two year old running free in the beauty section, you ask?  A disaster.  Of course, it is a disaster.  Only an idiot would allow such insanity.  I look away to make my selection for half of a second when I hear, "Here, Mom.  Hold this." What is "this"?  The lid to a bottle of hand sanitizer.  

So what do I do at this point?  I pick the screaming toddler up and walk as fast as possible toward the checkout.  I make it to the checkout lane after she nearly jumps over my shoulder, hand her a bag of M&M's and finally get her to peacefully sit in the area of the cart designated for toddlers.  Why didn't I begin this trip with that stupid bag of M&M's?

The patient cashier scans my $124 worth of merchandise and explains that she feels my pain.  She has a three year old.  I enjoy a big sigh of relief.  

Then I reach in my purse for my debit card.  That is promptly when I realize that my debit card is still in the back pocket of the jeans I wore to the movie theater Saturday night (for my obviously much needed girl's night out) which is where I placed it after leaving the theater to get a drink before the movie began.  

I had no credit cards with me.  I didn't have enough cash to pay for even half of the bill.  My first thought?  Do I have enough money for the diapers and the M&M's?  Nope... not enough.  She cancels my order and assures me that I can pay for everything, including the half consumed M&M's when I return with my card.  

I make it halfway through the door when I realize.  I HAVE CHECKS!  Who still uses checks?  Me.  I use checks.  And as I'm using that check?  Some lady who I let go ahead of me in line looks back and says, "Be patient, Mom."  I wanted to patiently punch her in the face.   

I make it to the car without assaulting anyone, including my toddler, and load everything in.  I pull out of my parking spot and the screaming begins.  One of Brianna's beloved "kiki's" (blankie) didn't survive our trip to Target.  And you better believe I didn't go back in to get it.  If she is lucky I'll check the lost and found when I'm there in a few days to shell out my next $124.  

And she has only been two years old for thirteen days.  I'm scared.  Very scared.