Looking through old photos tonight...

and this one made my heart smile.
07.2008

(ps-taken by lesley)

I Do It

My daughter will be 3 in less than two months, yet to me she is still so little.
I still get her dressed/undressed, put on (most) of her shoes, help her on the potty, help her wash her hands and brush her teeth, rock her before bed...
This is normal for me. This is normal for Marlee. I've done all these things her entire life. I've never thought of not helping her.
Lately I have been better about telling her to go wash her hands, brush her teeth, etc. And I've been wondering at what age does she start doing more of these things on her own.
Just today I was explaining this to my sister Kristy. I also had a play date with my oldest friend Jessica and her two kids.
I don't know what happened. I don't know if Marlee heard my conversation with my sister or if she was watching Jessica's 4 year old daughter being more independent. However, this afternoon I kept hearing "no Momma I do it." I tried to help her put on her shoes and this is what I heard. I went to help her on the potty and this is what I heard.
And as much as I want to raise an independent child, I too want her to need/want my help.
Sadly, I know this is just the beginning.

Halfway to Three

At 2.6 (01/10/10), MK

-knows her abc's
-counts to 20
-learning her colors. recognizes blue, black, purple, green, white, pink, orange, yellow. All the basics but red. I'm starting to think she may be color blind to red.
-favorites are probably purple and green.
-shapes. recognizes triangle, heart, star, and circle.
-slowly grasping her opposites. she now says "momma i happy" or "i sad."
-talks and talks and talks.
-loves to swing so high, as she says.
-has a serious addiction to minnie and mickey. mr bear has taken a back seat.

-is still in her crib. with a tent. yes, she's a climber.
-goes down the big slides at the park all by herself. i have daddy to thank for this one.
-has started going potty on the toe-toe.
-loves the library and all things book.

-has a freckle on her right thigh, which she compares to her daddy's freckle. sometimes when i rub lotion on her she gets upset worrying that the freckle will rub off.
-is a great sleeper and still napping daily.
-loves baking with momma.
-is addicted to her daddy.
-cut all four 2 year molars. two in november. two in december.
-makes me smile. everyday.



**MK is now 2 years 10 months, but this post was written in January when she was actually 2 years 6 months. I never posted it. Oops.

8 years

i carry your heart with me
(i carry it in my heart)
i am never without it
(anywhere i go, you go my dear; and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling)
i fear no fate
(for you are my fate my sweet)
i want no world
(for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky and the tree called life;
which grows higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart
(i carry it in my heart)

-ee cummings

happy number 8 to the man who stole my heart.<3

Favorite part of my day

This afternoon Marlee and I were dancing. I was holding her and we were swinging, spinning, dipping, and twirling about when she leaned in and kissed me.
Just because.
Made my heart smile.=)

Least favorite part of my day...
Right before dinner Marlee had an allergic reaction.
To what, I have not a clue.
I do know that her allergies - environmental or food, I'm not sure - seem to be getting worse.

The What If. Dresser Edition...

No, not the pool this time, but equally as frightening.

This afternoon...
Dave had just gotten home and the three of us were in our bedroom.
MK was supposed to be resting in my bed as she decided she didn't need a nap today.
And she was resting until her Daddy walked in the door.
Dave and I were just on the floor talking.
MK was over by our tall 6 drawer dresser pulling one of the drawers open.
I could hear the drawer open, then close. Open, then close.
Then I hear it.
That awful make your heart stop, panic, hold your breathe sound.
The entire dresser fell on my daughter.
All the drawers came crashing down on top of her.
The entire dresser fell on my daughter.
We both ran to her and started pulling on the drawers and dresser to get her out from under it.
All the while me screaming, in my breathless, frantic voice, for Dave to get it off of her.
Once we got the dresser moved Dave carefully picked her up.
Before we even had a chance to make sure she was okay, she was crying.
Of course she was crying.
For Mickey.
The DVD player that was on the dresser also came crashing down and was yanked out of the wall in the middle of The Three Mouseketeers.
Yes, my brave daughter was more upset over the movie possibly being broken than over the dresser falling on her.
She is okay.

Other than a swollen face/cheek/eye that immediately started bruising and a swollen bump on her knee and foot.
She is okay.

More than anything, I wanted to hold my baby.
To comfort her.
To tell her she is so brave and I love her so much.
She wouldn't come to me from her Daddy.
I just kept begging and begging until she finally gave in, just as she does me.
Daily.=)

The scary part of the whole thing is that Marlee was not climbing on or up the dresser. She did not have a bunch of the drawers open at once. It was just one drawer that she must have pulled on just right to bring the entire thing down.

*Photo taken about 20 minutes after the accident. By this evening she was already sporting a swollen black eye.

Favorite part of my day

Dave, Marlee, and Cooper were snuggling on the couch tonight watching Mickey Mouse. Marlee looked up at Dave and said "Daddy, I happy."
Nothing like a 2 year old putting things into perspective.

Today's Marlee-ism (2)

This is how the conversation with Marlee went as we were getting ready this morning, more specifically me putting on my bra:

MK: want boobies
Me: what honey?
MK: (as she's pointing to her boobies) want to wear boobies.
Me looking perplexed and still not getting it.
So she repeats: want to wear boobies, until I realize she is wanting to wear my bra.

Definitely put a smile on my much needed face.
Couldn't she put a smile on anyone's face?

Playing outside today. Beautiful weather. One of the benefits of living in the desert in February.

PS-crappy quality photo taken with iphone.

Today's Marlee-ism

As we were getting buckled in and pulling out of Target's Parking, I hear MK release some excess gas.
I say:
"Marlee, did you just toot?"
Her response:
"Tooted! Momma, I gassy."

I guess it's better than what I've been getting lately when I ask that question, which is "no, farted!"

My sweet and gassy girl, who is addicted to all things Mickey and Minnie, and her baby bear.

Annual Family Photos

12/2009

All photos taken by an amazing photographer, Lesley Barr. Who also happens to be my big (little) sister. To see more photos and to read about my crazy love for my Bubba's, go here.