Look Who's 2!!!

Dear Sweet Baby Girl,

Yes, I know you are no longer a baby, but to me you will always be my baby...how are you 2? Where has the time gone? You are the cutest two year old I know...the way you call your doggie, "come tuckee, come here right now, good boy"...I love all the words you are putting together. You love telling us that you're happy...the conversation goes like this, "Mommy happy, Daddy happy, AE (that's how you say your name) happy, Tuckee happy". Whenever we are talking about our family and going anywhere you have to name all of us...it's the sweetest thing. You are obsessed with my hair, like really obsessed, you hold it when you're tired, hurt, or startled, and you try to wrap your body in it while falling asleep, if you can't have my hair then your holding your own. You love to be outside, playing with chalk, bubbles, or simply throwing the ball for your dog. We go to Sea World and you love to pet the starfish and see the turtles, in fact you watch documentaries on turtles and ask to see them all the time. You love to fake cough so I will pat your back and once I do you say, "there mommy all better". You understand all that mommy and daddy talk about, it's a little scary and you can now count to twenty and love to count everything. In the car you say "one car, two car, three car", etc. Also in the car you are in love with Adele. The second we start going somewhere you say "mommy Del please" and then once it's on you say "mommy loud song", cause you already love rocking out to loud music in the car. We have awesome dance parties together and you love to hold your daddy's hand and run all around the house. You have changed our lives and we are better people because of you. We are blessed to be your parents and look forward to your third year of life!!

Love,

Your Mommy

30!!

Tomorrow I turn 30...I'm not sure how that's possible, but it's the truth and somehow I've got to accept it!! I've been reflecting on my 20's and wanted to write down a few things that I either experienced or learned each year...so here's my list...

20~I was a sophomore in college and met my future husband(we were chemistry lab partners and I had a HUGE crush)...when I think back about life, I feel like this is where mine began.

21~I moved out of my parents house to England...just a little move...across the pond (aka ocean)...I called my dad the minute I landed and asked him if I could come back home...of course he said yes but only after a week of trying it and well I didn't come home, instead I had the most amazing time. Met new friends who would be life long, experienced culture in many different countries, enjoyed going to classes (especially my American Studies class, that was always a good time), and backpacked across Europe with a friend. I learned independence at the age of 21 and knew that I could do anything...

22~I graduated college and began the teaching credential program...I worked hard at school and just enjoyed being young and in love...

23~I finished the credential program and began the process of finding a job. I actually began to believe that I was an adult who had to make a living...I moved to Oceanside, right by the beach(oh how I miss our old beach house) with my love and learned how to live with another person!! Such fun things you learn about people when you live with them!!

24~I got my first teaching job...2nd grade!! I loved it...and I began my masters program!! I was very motivated in my twenties...mmm maybe I need to get back into school!!

25~I graduated with a Masters in Education and we celebrated 5 years of being together with a puppy!!

26~I got engaged and started planning my wedding!!!

27~My niece passed away unexpectedly and it shook our family to the core...I learned about grieving, but it was followed by our wedding, honeymoon, and baby...we were married and traveled Europe for a month and came home with the best souvenir ever...I was soon to be a mommy!!

28~I experienced more love then I knew existed in one's heart...my little girl made me a mommy and that was and still is the most amazing thing ever!!

29~wow...what a year...I've had more emotions this year then one should ever have...I've watched my baby turn into a girl, my dad's health deplete and then his passing, and witnessed my family suffer. It hasn't been easy, in fact this has been the worst year of my life, however I've learned from it...I'm trying to be in the now, the past can be sad and the future scary, but the now is often good and breathing helps too...

I'm hoping for a wonderful first year of my 30's and we are off to play and live in the now!!

Love Day

This year was my favorite Valentine's Day ever!! Avery and I got all the goodies for dinner and cut out hearts to decorate for daddy...while she colored I made these yummy cookies from my awesome friend Jessica...I replaced the Hershey kiss for dove hearts since it was love day and oh my goodness, they were amazing. This picture makes me want to make some right now. We may or may not of eaten all of them in two days!!

While Avery napped, I was able to prep dinner and hang balloons around the house. The hubs gets home right before nap time is over and we both had the delight of watching her face glow. She was so excited and so was the dog...the two of them played for hours together. It was the cheapest toy I've bought the two of them and I still have left overs for another time. We spent the evening eating and being together as a family...truly counting our blessings!!