Toddler Tales

I can see how people could write a novel on toddler tales. This little munchkin is pretty damn funny these days. I am finding things in the oddest of places. Ha! She has a yucky obsession with the kitchen garbage can lately. So much that she is enjoying putting her toys in it. ew! So every now and then I find myself doing a random trash can check. i forgot how much i love garbage picking! 

Good thing I sort my dirty laundry once I get down into the laundry room and not just reach in and throw loads in. I can't count how many of Stella's shoes randomly end up mixed in our laundry. they are not wash machine safe little miss Stella!

Rick and I normally don't leave our credit cards laying around but the other night we had one resting on the coffee table because we have been online holiday shopping machines. It feels so good to be almost done. I am and especially Rick are usually the ones running around the week of Christmas getting last minute gifts. not this year!  Guess who got their sticky fingers on the card?! Rick caught her red handed hiding it in her big tube of wooden blocks. this shouldn't be happening for another 17 years right?! "Dad I borrow your credit card?" 

And I can't forget about the little art projects that I am finding all over the house- on the walls, and cabinets. Thank goodness it is just chalk and it wipes write off. All other coloring materials will remain locked away and out of reach! 

I just love this age so so much. The advent calendar is going great. She opens the present of the day each morning before breakfast and as soon as I turn to walk away she opens another and sometimes another. So needless to say I have re wrapped many of the presents not just once but twice! Yesterday she opened a tutu and wore it all morning and afternoon! Maybe I will have to tell Santa that she would love some dress up things!

Yesterday while she was busy playing in her playroom I thought I would erase the Thanksgiving day chalkboard and do a Holiday one. Don't you know, as soon as I was done Stella went over to the chalkboard and with her two little hands spread wide open wiped the what she could reach of the board with them.

Holiday Family Pictures

I am so so happy with the way our photos turned out. Stella was really good while we were taking them. phew!  We actually took them in our backyard which was so perfect and convenient. The weather was great. It was chilly but not too cold and the sun was hiding so squinting was not a factor. :) Anyway, below are some of our 2014 Holiday family pictures...i'm in love.

 

Stella's expression is simply priceless in some of these photos. 

Before Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving and after Thanksgiving.

I have a feeling I am going to be absent from blogging more than anticipated this Holiday! So many things to do :) This is a busy time of year, but I love it! On Wednesday, it really felt like Winter. The snowfall by us was great. It was the first snowfall worth playing in this year. As soon as I noticed that our back deck was covered I bundled Stella up and took her out onto the deck to feel the big falling snowflakes. ( I also stuck a big bowl out on the deck to catch clean snow for snow cream!) She loved it so much that she didn't want to go back inside. I wasn't prepared for this! I had no snow suit or snow boots for her. So being the crazy Momma that I am, I bundled her up, stuck her in the truck, slapped the truck in snow mode and to the store we went for a snowsuit and boots! The smallest snowsuit I could find was a 2T so I got it anyway in hope to roll up the pants. "I can't put my arms down!" Can't wait for Christmas Story! Needless to say, all she wanted to do was eat the snow.
It was well worth the trip out.

Thanksgiving was great. We started it with some festive breakfast...turkey cinnamon rolls!
It was a day spent with family and full bellies. I love watching Stella around her cousins. It is interesting to see them interact with each other. I always wonder what they are thinking. Stella is still a bit unsure around big crowds, even if it is family. It takes her a good amount of time to warm up to herself. Even when she does warm up, she doesn't act half of her goofiness as she does at home. She did look so stinkin' cute on Thanksgiving. Leave it to me to have matching headbands!

Unfortunately Rick had work on Friday. I am no person to go out on Black Friday. Not for the 'experience', and not for the deals. So Stella and I stayed in and decorated the mantel with the village. 

I absolutely love when Stella walks over to me, snuggles into me and gives me a kiss without me even having to ask for some lovin. Melts my heart over and over again.  She really is such a lover girl. 

Stella has the biggest obsession with my vintage ornament wreath... good thing it is out of her reach ;) I love putting out the decorations this time of year. Having little miss around is making that much sweeter! I am getting more and more excited for Christmas morning with her. 

We were lucky enough to be able to celebrate a second Thanksgiving with my in-laws on Saturday. Yep, that meant another full Turkey dinner! get in my belly! The time that we were on our way over to my in laws Stella usually has her mid afternoon snack. Anyway, we skipped the snack. Come 5:00, this girl was hungry! She was walking laps around the house, every so often stopping at her seat in the dining room shouting EAT! It had us all laughing and had Grandma speed cooking as fast as she could!  :) when this little gal is hungry, watch out! 

Thanksgivings with both sides of the family both were just perfect. 

Sunday was surprisingly warm outside, even though there was still snow covering the ground. Thank goodness because we were finally taking our family pictures for our holiday card. I am so so happy with the way they turned out, and Stella was great! compliments of Diane Kubicke Photography ;)
I am so excited to share them!!


It is officially December and it is the first day of our advent calendar! Stella spotted it without me even saying anything to her. As soon as she saw the tree, she stood there frozen just staring with a smile on her face. It is going to be so hard keeping her away from it. Ha :) After she opened present number 1, she wanted to open another. sorry Stella, one a day!

24 Days until Christmas...but who's counting?! ;)

Be Thankful.

I am thankful for the two loves of my life and the joy that they bring me each day. 

I am thankful for my house full of messes, the food on the floor under the kitchen table, the floors that need to be mopped and the pile of dishes in the sink because that means that I have a home.

I am thankful for the huge piles of laundry because that means my loved ones are close. 

I am thankful for the early morning wake up calls from the little miss upstairs because that means I am alive and have a precious gift to tend you awaiting me. 

I am thankful for the love I have to give and the love I get back. 

I am thankful that my precious baby girl Mabel was with me for 5 and a half months and is now perfectly healthy in heaven. 

I am thankful for my happy and healthy marriage. 

I am thankful to be the best Momma that I can be. 

I am thankful that Rick and I are able to give Stella the best life that we can. 

I am thankful for friends and family that surround us. 

okay and let's get real...

I am thankful for these 2 or 3 hour naps. They allow me to take a nice long hot shower, use the bathroom without having two little eyes rushing me, and the hot baked goodies that we bake :)

and I am thankful for the snowflakes falling right now because Stella and I get to make snow cream!

I am thankful.



Stop focusing on how stressed you are and remember how blessed you are. 

14 Months

Dear my Sweetest Stella,

   I am sitting here pinching myself to make sure this is real You are 14 months old. Where has the time gone? Stella, I don't even know where to begin with this letter. I am having so much fun with you each and everyday. This age is truly a blast! You are funny, loving, smart, curious, and the list can really go on and on. This time of the year is a time to be thankful; but I am truly thankful for you each and everyday of my being. I am thankful for you, thankful for the giggles that you give me every single day, thankful for those cheesy grins, thankful for the kisses that you smack on my lips, thankful for your health, thankful for your trust that you have in me, thankful for absolutely everything that has to do with you. Stella, I have had some sad days this past month, and to put it as simply as I can...you have been my ray of sunshine. You have helped me get through those bad days; you make me see sunshine on a rainy day. You are an amazing little girl with a huge heart, and the love that I have for you in my heart is larger than I can ever describe. 

You have changed so much in this past month and have learned so many new things. I love you so so much and you are one of the best things that has ever happened to me. Thank you for being you, and for loving me the way that you do . 
You are nothing short of an amazing daughter. You are my daughter and I am proud to be your Momma. Happy 14 months sweet baby girl. 

All my love,
Momma
P.S: Love you to the moon and back.

Here are some 14 month updates...

Your appetite is great! Your three meals are never left at the table:) Your favorite foods right now are spinach, avocado, pomegranate, cinnamon chex, poached eggs, pasta and broccoli. Oh yea and can't forget the sweet peas! You usually have a light snack in the afternoon between lunch and dinner. That snack is typically a yogurt, goldfish, some shredded cheese or some serving of fruit like sliced grapes, or blackberries. We let you have one treat a day and that is after dinner. On grocery shopping days I let you pick out a donut from the bakery and on the other days it is either an ice pop or a mini powdered donut. 

You awake anytime between 6-7 a.m. and are in bed every night between 7:30-8:00p.m. You are a kick butt sleeper and only awake in the night if you need to be changed because of a dirty diaper. We have made the transition to one nap a day. One nice looong nap- 2-3 hours! :) Depending on the time you woke up, the time of breakfast or your afternoon appetite, your nap is sometimes before lunch and sometimes after lunch but is always in the afternoon around noon/1ish. 

Some of your favorite things to do lately are... dance, play with stickers, draw on the windows with the window crayons, finger paint, walk laps around the house, turn the TV on and off, and to have dance parties in the kitchen. 

Some of the new things that you are doing and saying these days are...

 -When we ask you if you want to eat, you say "eat" and you sometimes walk right to your chair.

 - When we tell you it's time to brush your teeth, you say "teeth" and walk right to the bathroom.

 -When I say to you let's go potty, you walk in the bathroom right to your potty.

 - You know the number 1 and hold up one finger.

 -You are a stair climbing machine. Those bad boys are blocked off now!

 - You tell Ellie to "get" when she is in your way.

 - You can blow kisses ( well half way- you put your hand to your mouth, we are still working on the blow part).

 -You say catch when we ask you if you want to play catch.

 - You say 'HOT' when you see my coffee mug. 

 - When we say milk, you walk right to the refrigerator.

- You look out the windows and call the Deer "Deeries"

- You call Ellie. 

- When we ask you if you want to take a bath, you walk right to the steps to head upstairs. 

- You are getting better at using a spoon when you eat.

- You are talking up a storm!!! All day, every day!

- When we ask you if you pooped... you grunt! It is hysterical. 

- You can identify eyes, nose, mouth and hair.

-You can use your Leapfrog Jr. all by yourself. \

...I am sure there are many that I am missing ;)

You are one smart little girl Stella. 14 Months is so much fun! 

More Pictures than Words

I don't really have much to write on this night that I sit here with the lap top on my lap, Stella asleep and Rick watching some boob tube. Christmas is slowly quickly making it's way into our lives and we haven't stuffed ourselves with a delicious turkey yet. It's crazy. Christmas jingles are on all day, Christmas jammies are out and even worn to go shopping, Momma's DVRing Hallmark Christmas movies, we already watched Elf. Okay, confession: Elf is the best movie made and we watch it all year round! And the best of all? I already started my Christmas shopping- thank you free shipping!

Anyway, it's a new week, and it's Thanksgiving Day week!
And completely random...it was like effing Spring outside! You bet your ass we were outside soaking it up.

So here goes the pictures shall we? ...

Yes to Christmas jammies :)

This little gal can point out Santa in a crowd!

Did someone say STATIC? 

swinging our hearts out until it gets too cold.

Okay those eyes are killer! 

Crunching the leaves... "November you're beautiful"

Loading firewood...in training.

Sidewalk chalk with my blondie,

Stella and I gave some warmth and Christmas cheer to baby "Mabel's" tree. Our guardian angel that watches us from above is thought about everyday...xoxo
Mabel means strength, beauty and love. 

So thankful for these two...love them to pieces. 

'Literally' walking around town.

Who needs a stroller?! :)

CHEERS! to a great Thanksgiving Day week!