Dear Maizy,
I took Wednesday off work so that we could go get our family pictures taken and I must say they turned out pretty dang cute!! You looked adorable as always. You were a little tired, a little hungry and a little distracted by this lame little girl that's mom was not paying any attention to her and was trying to squeeze into our pictures. That part of it drove me crazy. The photographer would get you all positioned and then the little girl would walk over and you were ready to play, the girl's mom was oblivious. But all-in-all the pics turned out great.
When I saw a preview of the pics, it brought tears to my eyes. You are absolutely breathtaking!
See.............
After pictures we went next door for wings and beer. Daddy's friend Josh is in town so he came along with us on our adventure. I just love my days off and being with you.
We also have a cute little Christmas tree up too! It's darling!! You like to touch it, say "Christmas tree" and reorganize the ornaments. I wish I didn't wait so long to put one up.
We are almost all done with our Christmas shopping and good thing since tomorrow is Christmas Eve. We are giving most people pictures of us in nice frames for Christmas. They are going to love them. Your father and I bought you some cute things you'll like but we didn't go overboard since your Grandma's seem to do a good job of that.
Tomorrow night is our annual Christmas Eve party with my Aunt JoLynne and my darling cousins. This has been a tradition even before I was born and I look forward to it every single year! I hope we do it forever!!!
Christmas morning we are waking up going to Grandma Annette's for homemade scones, then coming home and having dinner with Grandpa Frank, then we'll open our presents.
Then Monday morning is a day most of us have off work, so we are going up to Grandma Shelly's for the day where you will get bombarded, no, seriously bombarded with gifts. It's going to be a very wonderful, exciting and memorable Christmas. The best gift of all though that I get now and forever is you as my daughter. There's nothing better than that!
So right now you are screaming, screaming a lot! When you are happy, excited, mad, sad - you belt it out! You are continuing to talk a ton, running everywhere, into everything and not sleeping too well at night. Last night you slept with me. I don't mind except that I don't sleep!! But I love to watch you sleep with your long, gorgeous eyelashes, watching you peacefully sleep and just wondering about what life God has planned for you, us as a family, then I really can't sleep just thinking about it all and taking it all in.
Merry Christmas Sweet Girl! I hope you get everything you want.
I love you!!
Love,
mommy
Dear Maizy,
This time of year is almost as busy as you! There is SO much going on. Family parties, too many goodies to eat, shopping, exchanging gifts, and all of this on top of the busy day-to-day stuff. I always am saying to myself and people close to me "why can't life just slow down!?! One minute for everything to just stop. Stop!!!"
I am so sad to report, but we don't even have our Christmas tree up yet. I know, I know. I was so hard pressed to get one up last year since it was your first Christmas and all, but this year just feels different. There is no snow on the ground, we don't have any Christmas decorations up, I've had it with people, the shopping and the greediness that comes with it all. Then I feel bad in the meantime, real bad, that you don't have a tree or decorations to even know that it's Christmas. I feel bad because you are the only person I want to shop and buy for but with everyone else spoiling you I don't need to. I am sad that only one person close to me has said "don't get me anything. I don't need anything." (Here's where the complaining begins) I have to buy for your Grandparents and Great-Grandparents who all have everything their hearts desire and yet they have not said once to me "we don't need anything," and are instead telling me what to buy them, it makes me sick, downright sick when I think about it.
This time of year needs to be focused on Christ, his birth, family, love and the things we do have. Not materialistic things, but things being our warm and loving home, our health, each other, jobs, insurance and love, lots of love. I want to focus on all of these things. I can't help but think the only way to avoid this is to boycott family. Sound nice, eh!?!
As a child me and your Aunt Brittany never wanted for anything, it was just given to us. Everything and anything our heart desired. When I think about it, it's kind of disgusting. I was telling my mom, your Grandma, how spoiled we were and what an injustice that was to us. She acted surprised and asked if I liked it, well yes of course I did then, but it has done me a great injustice. I always just expected it. I knew I'd get spoiled. I am still spoiled. I want to do the opposite for you.
Here is what I want to do:
I want to give you the item you most want for Christmas - within reason of course.
Then I want to give you memories of us cooking, baking, singing Christmas songs together, sipping our hot chocolate with marshmallows while we chat, cuddling, watching our favorite Christmas movies together, going to visit and give to those less unfortunate. I owe all of this to you. I don't have any of this with my mom or Grandma and I have always longed for it.
I promise next year we will start our traditions together and building our memories. This holiday season has kind of spun out of control for me. Next year I will have it more together.
I love you!!
Love,
mom
Dear Maizy,
We live in a crazy, crazy world!! There are so many crazy, scary things that happen out there and I want to protect you from all of it. If I could put you in a big bubble I would or better yet keep you in a tower of a castle and keep you from the outside world - you know Tangled style!?!? But I can't.
Today after 9 long years the war in Iraq has been called to end today. In the time that we were in Iraq 4,500 U.S. soldiers have died, 32,000 wounded and it has cost the U.S. more than $800,000,000,000.00 - that's $800 HUNDRED BILLION dollars!! I don't have a big political stance but those numbers are outrageous and sickening. I am happy to say that I am really, really glad that the war is over and families can be back together as so many men and women were away from their families for years, but now this opens a whole other can of worms which I won't go into now. As a parent I just wish we lived in a much more peaceful, loving, beautiful, kind world. There is all of those things somewhere, but you have to search for them or just look past all of the negative and see the good in everything.
I was thinking about this the other day - why are parents and children's relationships strained during the teenage years? And I think I know why. I used to say to my parents all the time "You don't understand." "You don't know how it is." And even though our parents were teenagers at one point there is some truth to that. The music has changed, school curriculum has changed, people change, the world has changed.
When I was in high school it wasn't socially acceptable to be gay. Although I had two gay best friends they didn't come out until after high school. They lived in fear and couldn't be their true selves without being ridiculed, but I bet when you attend school you will have lots of gay or even transgendered friends, and this is ok of course, but that is something that I won't be able to fully relate with.
Cell phones. Oh gosh! I don't even know what to think. I didn't get my first cell phone until I was 19 years old, had a job and paid for it myself. Then texting. We didn't really text until I was like 25 years old and now that is all people do and it's sad. People are rapidly losing their social skills, they text instead of call and communicate, they Facebook or email so that they don't have to talk. People don't say "hi!", smile or make eye contact with one another anymore and it makes me sad!!
I think I was born in the wrong decade. I would LOVE to be an adult in the 50's, rocking out to Elvis, vacuuming my ranch style home in my poodle skirt and beautiful, lightly stained apron from all the homemade meals I've prepared, sipping on Martini's on the back porch every evening, calling my best friend who lives next door to talk about so-and-so's bad perm, driving a '57 Chevy, go to the Nickelodeon to see James Dean and Marilyn Monroe on the big screen, not having to lock my doors at night, not having to worry about my children playing outside or even after dark for that matter. Then you would be a teenager in the 70's and I would trade the world's influences and problems any day rather then today.
Anyway, my point is I want to show you all the beauty and love in this world but am worried I won't be able to effectively do that because it seems so few and far between nowadays. I want to teach you to love and accept everyone but how can I when so many people suck and are full of negativity and hate.
I have concluded that I will do my best to teach you, protect you, will give you all the love that I can and will always be here to support and love you. Although I may not understand all the time I will try my best! I love you so much sweet girl!
Happy 16 months!! Best 16 months of my life.
Love,
mom
Dear Maizy,
It's been a while since I've written, but truly know I think about it everyday!! These are the thougths that come across my mind. What should I write? Oh I should write this? Don't forget to write this down!
Well where do I begin!?! I will start by telling you that you are growing WAY too fast! I see pictures of babies and it's hard for me to remember you being that small, but you were. You were only 5 pounds when I brought you home. I still thank God for giving and trusting me with such a beautiful, precious gift and that's what you are - a gift. You are a gift from God to your father and I. You have blessed our lives with so much.
The other day I was maybe in a morbid mood of sorts, but I was watching you as you were sleeping next to me and it hit me like a ton of bricks. I would die for you! I can't think of anyone or anything else in the world I would do that for, but you. I would do anything for you. I am sure and don't want to think that I'd ever have to make that decision but if so, know I got your back. ; )
I can't believe what a big girl you are becoming. You are very independent and are continuing to be each day. Here is all the stuff that you are up to:
- You feed yourself and usually won't have it any other way.
- You refuse to lie still while I change your diaper.
- You like to eat your Desitin (diaper cream) out of the tube. Eeewwwww! I do hide it and put it out of reach but somehow you still manage to get it sometimes.
- You LOVE books! You have been chucking them at me to read to you. You don't have to go to that extent as I enjoy it, but you sure know how to get my attention.
- You say 20+ words and are saying new words each day.
- You try to dress yourself - I would like to add that it's quite entertaining to watch.
- You enjoy playing with your baby dolls - SO cute!
- You and your dad wrestle and play tough - you LOVE it!! Dads are good at this!
- You brush your teeth pretty dang good all by yourself.
- You brush your hair and others - you tried to brush your dad's friend's hair the other day!! Ha ha ha! He does have rather long, blonde hair.
- You are starting to get more cuddly!! I LOVE it! You won't kiss me, but you will give me hugs. Hey, I'll take what I can get.
- You LOVE Grandma Shelly and your Grandma Donker. When they are around - I'm chopped liver. I don't take offense.
- Your sleep pattern has been super crazy lately!! Someone told me that it could be a growth spurt that's causing this :(
- You weigh 20 pounds!!!! You are 4 times your birth weight!!! AAAAHHHHHHH!
- You clingy sometimes and I really like it.
- You LOVE other kids. When we see them out and about you just stand there, point and smile at them and say "baby!" It's super cute!!
- You are so funny, beautiful and perfect.
Thanks for being an amazing little 16 month old!! 16 months!?! Can you believe it!?!
Love you tonz and tonz!!
Love,
mom
Dear Maizy,
Lately you have been thinking that sleep is optional. Well I every night/morning this week I have had to remind you that is not the case. You have been waking up at 3:30am and just want to play. That is just not conducive with my work schedule. Thank goodness that you are super darling, cute, funny, amazing and that I love you!
You are such a good girl. Your father and I talk about it all the time. I am here to tell you in case it's not obvious why you are super amazing. First of all, you were an easy delivery so right there I already love you for that. You are beautiful inside and out. You are funny. You are smart! You have compassion. You LOVE to learn. You are patient. You love animals. You have the most gorgeous and contagious smile. Beautiful eyelashes. Ok I could go on for days but hopefully you get the point.
Just as of late you learned the word "owie" and what it means. If you have an "owie" you come up to me with your lips pouted and eyebrows low and your hand or where ever your hand is to kiss it better. It makes my heart melt.
You are so dang smart and cute!!
Dad decided to try blow drying your hair. You let him and it turned out awesome.
See...
Thank you for being so awesome. I love you!!
Love,
mommy
Dear Maizy,
Life has been crazy, busy and I feel bad that I haven't posted this sooner. In my defense I did start writing it sooner - just haven't finished it for almost 2 weeks!
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving! It was awesome and delicious. Grab a drink and snack because it was a looooooong weekend. Here's the low down.
Wednesday night when I got home from work you and I went grocery shopping and met Grandma at the store since I had her turkey - I bought it from some guy here at work. Then when we left the store Grandma Shelly just happened to have the most darling Disney Princess chair. She knew that it would keep you quite occupied while I started on my pies and your dad started on his rolls. Boy was she right! You love your new chair!
The house smelled fantastic from our awesome baking. One out of three pies turned out ok. I made one chocolate and attempted 2 banana cream pies. Your dad's rolls turned out beautifully. Your dad put the turkey in a brine. We all stayed up until midnight playing, munching, cleaning, prepping and anxiously awaiting for the big Turkey Day.
Thursday morning arrived too soon and yet not soon enough. You slept while your father and I prepped all our ingredients. I made my cornucopia salad while your dad made his herbed butter for the turkey, I got the sweet potatoes ready, boiled potatoes, the turkey went in the oven and we cleaned and got the house ready for Grandpa Frank's arrival. You woke up, we played and had a great time just being together. You were such a huge help and such a big girl. You entertained yourself while we prepped and got everything ready. Thank you! Thank you! You could tell that you knew something was going on and was just waiting for the "big" moment!
The turkey came out of the oven to rest, you went down for a nap, the potatoes were mashed, the stuffing went in the oven along with the sweet potatoes topped with marshmallows. Drink in hand! Grandpa arrived. We had chips, pretzels, a yummy homemade cheese ball and dip - thanks to your father the "culinary expert". It was hard not devour those and save room for the feast.
At 3pm we were all ready to sit down and make our plates up and just then you woke up. Right in time for dinner. I went and got you out of bed, you saw the table all made up, Grandpa seated at the table and you knew this is what we had been preparing for. You were all smiles. You thoroughly enjoyed the turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, rolls, cheeseball and actually it's just easier to say you loved everything, but the sweet potatoes. We stuffed ourselves. It was the tastiest Thanksgiving that I can recall. But Oh.My.Gosh. It was SOOOO much work. I was exhausted. I didn't even bother dressing nice for dinner, putting on makeup or even doing my hair.
I was so filled with love and thanks. I loved being together, in our nice warm home, enjoying our bounty, full tummies and the house smelled so dang good. You were so happy and smiley. You love having new people to entertain. Grandpa would just stare at your cuteness and comment on what a climber you are. This we know.
Grandpa left about 6:30pm. We were supposed to go up to Grandma Shelly's for dessert, but when I called luckily she let us off the hook, knew we were tired and we would hang out another day. Whew! I didn't feel like leaving the house. We just relaxed and dabbled in leftovers the rest of the evening. It was a great, great night!
Friday arrived and we slept in. Woo hoo!! We just bummed around and played. Since it was such a beautiful day we decided to run a few errands. It wasn't as crazy as we expected. I think all the shoppers were home and done for the day! You fell asleep in the car, but woke up in time for us to run into K-Mart to get a few things. Dad got a new pair of shoes, me some crayons, you two puzzles, coloring book and special crayons just for you! Then we went home, colored, relaxed and did some puzzles. Watched a couple movies. Went to bed. Our days together go by way too fast!!
Saturday daddy had to go to work and therefore he got out of cleaning the kitchen. I cleaned the kitchen then Grandma came and got us and took us to her house. We ate, played and played some more. We had a great time at Grandma's house. You and I went to lay down and tried to get you a nap - that wasn't happening! You were tired! Grandma and Grandpa took us home about 7ish around the same time that dad got home. You and dad missed each other. You played and then we went to bed!!
Sunday we just hung around, cleaned and played. I love just being home with you and enjoying the time that we get to spend together. I have been thinking about getting a second job and I can't help but think I'd rather be frugal then miss more time away from you. I hope you'd feel the same way.
Love you sweet girl!
Love,
mom
