My beautiful, wonderful girls,
I am SO sorry I haven't written in months. It's not that you aren't both doing interesting, amazing things - it's that we've been so incredibly busy and tired that I just haven't found (made) the time. So much has happened in the past few months - not the least of which includes a major move to a new house and new town! Getting ready to sell a house, going through the selling and buying process, and then actually MOVING is quite difficult and time-consuming and overwhelming and exhausting - particularly when you add two small children, a crazy dog, a lovely cat, and a pregnant mama to the mix! But with lots of hard work and tears, we made it through and we are all settled in our beautiful new home. You both LOVE the new house - we have a wonderful finished basement which houses your millions of toys, you both have lovely large girly bedrooms, and a nice backyard with lots of room to roam, plus a park RIGHT across the street. We are all so thrilled to be starting this new chapter of our lives - new house, new baby brother (soon!)... 2013 is going to be a fantastic year for our family, we can feel it.
Mercedes - you have been in Preschool now since September and you are absolutely LOVING it. I've never been so proud to see how much you are thriving. You are in a Kindergarten program (basically the private equivalent of a JK class, except you get food provided and naptime) and you are learning so much. It thrills my heart to see you excited about going to school - coming home and telling me about all the new letters you are learning about, discussing dinosaurs and what they eat, talking about your new friends, watching you perform in your first ever Holiday Concert. My heart swells when I think of how much you've grown in the past few months. My once shy, introverted, tentative little girl is blossoming beyond belief. You will always be a bit more sensitive and hesitant and you come by it honestly - both your father and I are like that also, and we think you are all the more wonderful because of it. But you have totally come out of your shell, and I have to think that it's not just getting older, but the fantastic environment at Preschool and the confidence you've gained in yourself. You talk to servers at restaurants and order your own meals, you run and play with the other kids at school, you insist on shaking hands with new people we meet... you are such a delight (even with the tantrums and attitude and defiance that comes hand in hand with a dramatic almost 4 year old!). You also decided that you were done with pull-ups at night and are 'mostly' accident-free overnight. AND, as a bonus, you even go to bed in your OWN room! Once we moved, we decided it was time for you to use your big girl bed again, and you go to sleep peacefully without a fight in your own bed. You do still end up in our bed almost every night (sometimes it's 10 pm, sometimes it's 4 am) - usually because you wake up and have to pee and then don't want to go back to your own room. Despite the crowding and the fact your brother will be here in our room soon, we do love the nighttime snuggles.
Your father and I love hearing the stuff that comes out of your mouth - you are funny and observant and emotional and it's so much fun watching the small stuff delight you. You love 'playing school' and bossing us (your 'students') around and showing us everything you've learned. You 'read' your books to us constantly and it makes me so proud how interested you are in books and learning. Your imagination is something fantastic to witness. We love you so much and can't wait to see you become a big sister all over again!
Alexis - you are 19 months now and your vocabulary and personality is just EXPLODING. We can't get over how funny and sweet and feisty you are. You have QUITE the attitude, and I have NO idea where you got all of your dramatics from (cough *your sister* cough). You love to say NO! and pull Mercedes' hair and hug the dog (a little too tightly for his liking sometimes) and chase the cat and push my face away when I try to kiss you. You have lots of words now (over 50 for sure) and are starting to combine them (Bye Dora, Hi Daddy, Don't Cry, etc). You are absolutely completely obsessed with your father and while it's a little annoying to me sometimes, it's also positively heart-warming. There is nothing that sounds sweeter to me (and believe me, to your Daddy too) than to see your beaming smile when he walks in the room as you yell "Daddy! Hi Daddy!" and run to give him a big hug and goobery kiss. Never mind the fact that *I* grew you and delivered you, he gets all the credit... but that's okay - he dotes on you both and he's thrilled to get that recognition and devotion in return. You are obsessed with your stuffed animals in a way that Mercedes NEVER was - you always have to be carrying some animal around with you, and you have a tiny zoo living in your crib every night. You still out-eat your sister most meals (unless you are sick) and you are fairly silently teething your canines right now (very unlike your sister!). You are such a delight, despite the occasional tantrums over not getting your way and the feisty attitude and fighting me on getting dressed/undressed (EVERY day). Most of the time you are incredibly easy-going and happy and friendly - everyone gravitates towards you and your sunny smile. You have NO clue that very shortly you won't be my 'baby' any more, but I am sure you will make a great big sister (eventually, ha) and just know that, no matter what, you (and your sister) will ALWAYS be my baby.
Love,
Momma
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