Oh, You Girls...

Charley,

You are my oldest baby girl and will always be my baby girl, despite what you tell me: "I grow up big". Nope. No, you stay sweet and little and a ham!

photos by Lauren Clark Photography

Your speech is becoming more impressive everyday as you put together more complex sentences and ask inquisitive questions and imaginary play with your toys. It's my new favorite thing you do; imaginary play. You tell your princess figurines, "Ok guys, we going somewhere. Let's roll, dudars." And you play play play alllllll the day long. It's a blast to watch!

You are quite an emotional little critter, which isn't surprising, since the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. You can get so perturbed and upset (like when we say you can't eat goldfish and tea for dinner) and can also get anxious (like when Liza tries to play with your castle or clubhouse and you tell us you are "going someplace safe"). Your smile lights up the room and you say the funniest little things. 

Some random Charley-inspired sweetums:

• You are afraid of thunderstorms and the rain but still call them "lovely" because that's what I've trained you to say. We are working on this fear. 
• You randomly kiss our arms, legs, and bellies throughout the day. This makes the world go round :)
• As a 2.5 year old with a baby sister, regression has appeared to you in the form of potty training. Bleh. 
• You are super sweet to Liza and frequently ask, "Where's my Liza Bear" if you can't see her or she has gone to sleep. 
• You put yourself in timeout and stay for about fifteen minutes, totally of your own accord. You have a chair in your room and you say, "I going to my room," slam your door (teenager much?) and decompress (or something like that) in your room. Then you come out, apologize for whatever it was you got in trouble for, and go back to being happy. Works for us.
• You are an extremely picky eater lately and it's super hard to get you to eat veggies. We sneak them in through mash up smoothies and sweet potato puffs. 
• You know lots of big, impressive words, like diagnosis and stethoscope and measure.
• Lately you've only wanted to read two books: 1) "Mommy Robot", or Wall-E, and 2) Billy Monster. We are also on repeat of "Frozen Heart" from the Frozen soundtrack for about the second week in a row. If I hear it one more time my heart might actually freeze. ;)
• You are the sweaty sweaty sweaty kid. We can play outside for twenty minutes and in no time at all sweat is just dripping down your little forehead!

Charley Cate, you are a doll and we adore you so! It's a ton of fun being mommy to a sweet and silly kid like you! :)

Liza,

We are truly blessed by an "easy" baby with you. You smile, smile, smile, and smile allllll the time. You are one of the happiest and most relaxed and laid back babies I've ever seen. Just recently you've begun to crawl, and let me tell you, there's no place you can't go! From army crawling to taking off down the hallway after sister, you are determined and eager to get into anything and everything. It's darling to watch you admire your older sister and see you try to get whatever it is she has (even though Charley doesn't agree with me!)

Here are some new things that you are actively getting into:

• EVERYTHING...you are everywhere and always go straight for the dirtiest and/or worst thing for the baby in the house (ie., toilet brush or sister's little potty! eeeeew, gross!) 
• You absolutely love to eat. If we are eating a snack, mommy might as well get some sweet potato puffs for you to snack on too!
• As soon as I shake the bottle for your milk, you bounce your hands and do a little happy jig. Hey, like I said, you're a fan of the food! ;)
• You still aren't a great sleeper, but we've worked out a pretty normal routine of only waking up once a night to feed and rock. It really doesn't bother mommy at all though; we only get this time once. 
• You can say "momma" and "mom mom mommaaaaaa" and "dadadadada". I wasn't sure you even knew what you were saying, but you accurately can call out to either myself or daddy. Sooooo ya, you're a genius baby!
• You sure look sweet and innocent, but friends, don't be deceived. This little baby pulls hair. Like out of your head. By the handfuls... OUCH! ;)
• You recently stared pulling up on your own. Not cool, child. Slow it down already and just enjoy being a fat little chunky baby!

Liza Jo, 

You are such a sweetheart and we love you so much! You have made our family love harder and deeper and with more grace than any of us deserve. :)

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Love on those babies, y'all. They are only little once.

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