Saturday, March 24, 2012

Teagan Turned Two!

My baby turned two. My sweet baby girl who should still need me like a baby needs her mama turned two. She is not a baby. She's two. Where the past two years went, I'll never know, I only know the years seem to go by faster and faster. Before I know it, I'm sure I'll just be blinking as the years fly past. Teagan Elyse is my precious little girl, full of spunk, laughter, light, crazy curls, funny stories, and so many other things. She is polar opposite of her brother in a few regards - her LOVE for sleep, her curly hair, her non-picky-ness about food, her girly sense of style, and her cute little freckles on her cheeks and nose. Most of these things are just like me.  Some others, remind me so much of Aiden - her independence, her zest for life, her wit, her drama, and her sass. Regardless, she is 100% unique and I am so blessed by her sweet, crazy nature every day.

We celebrated on a rainy Saturday with an Elmo party covered up in pink, red, and orange. We had food, we had friends, and we had fun! Cupcakes, hummus and veggies, cookies, and an assortment of snacks to celebrate my little Elmo girl. We even got she and Aiden matching Elmo outfits to celebrate...the girl was thrilled with her polka dot Elmo. She was showered with toys, covered in cake, and enamored with all of her fans.

Such a fun day full of memories and a few tears of joy. I'm so proud of all she can do at just TWO! I can't describe how much fun she is and how sweet the relationship is between she and her brother. I couldn't have asked for more when God gave me sweet Teagan. A few pics from the show...













Thursday, February 16, 2012

When you live with a three year old and an almost two year old, everyday life starts to seem like this odd blur of what reality truly is.  It gets old holding a "baby" (who's two!) in your arms every day for two to three hours. It gets old dealing with three year old temper tantrums and crying spells over the smallest most insignificant thing ever. It gets old going through a sixty hour work week and trying to figure out what to make for dinner at the end of a day that's lasted too long. It gets old trying to figure out why your three year old wakes up at 4:00 in the morning just to tell you he's awake. It gets old not being able to sleep in....like, ever! And so on.

And as old as things get, the thing I keep trying to tell myself is that before I know it, I really will miss these things. At this very moment, I have a really hard time trying to get my mind around that. While I know it's true (I hear it too much to know it's not), it's so difficult to actually embrace these moments rather than wish they were over. It's a work in progress. But isn't everything?!?

I realize there will come a day in not too many years, when these two balls of fire and sweetness will want nothing to do with me and I'll miss the boogers, the poop, the potty training, the picky eating, and the days they cried over things like spilled juice. And so I grin and bear it. Not begrudgingly, but in joy as much as I possibly can. I try and find the amazing pieces of these little people God gave me to raise while we are living in these temporary bodies in our temporary home on earth. I will say it's not easy, and it's a daily struggle to remember to value the hard times along with the good, but I try my best. It's all we can ever do.




I value these little people. I love these little ones. I am amazed at their smartness, their wit, their humor, their curiosity, their zest for life, their desire for more, their utter open arms about just about everything, their childlike faith that all  people are good...they teach me something every day and I treasure the opportunities to learn from them. I have so much to learn. How I wish they could stay this age forever. I mean, grow up and be self-sufficient, but stay this age forever at the same time. Guess God has bigger and better plans for them than that. How different it will be to have relationships with them when they are grown and over me and dear old dad. I feel so blessed to have the chance to be a mommy...and discover life and love all over again through new eyes. What a gift God has given.

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

As  I was running yesterday, I was struck with the fact that it was January 30, and I was running in sunny, warm 60+ degree weather, and felt so in awe of this incredible "winter" we've had I just ran for sheer enjoyment and forgot about time...well, kind of. I mean, I was running a 5 mile tempo run, so you kind of have to pay attention to time. And plus, if you're me you can really not ever stop thinking about time, but I tried. It lasted a few minutes, or seconds, either way, it was blissful. This time last year I was running in 19 to 30 degree weather. Nearly every training run I did was in snow, ice, rain, or clouds. And my winter weather wardrobe got it's fair share of wear. But this year, I've had to go and get the tank tops I put in storage back out so I can wear them. It's amazing. My kind of winter!

The other thing I was thinking about on my run was the fact that Teagan is soon going to be TWO! My sweet baby girl, who a year ago was just learning to talk and walk is now a fully functioning toddler who can do just about anything she puts her mind to. While we were going to have a full out party for her, the more I think about it, the more I just want to celebrate with my nearest and dearest, the ones who know Teagan the best and appreciate all she's accomplished in her second year of life. I'd really like to do another Elmo party because she does love her some Elmo and Abby. We did one for Aiden and it was super cute, and I think she'd really enjoy the theatrics.

When I got back from running I began digging for ideas about how to make the party more girly. As I was digging, on Pinterest of course, I found Hostess with the Mostess had done it again. She posted THIS incredible party. I mean, look at this party. A-mazing.

So of course I began re-thinking my decision to do a small family party when I saw this incredible party. But alas, I think I will stick with the plan and do my amazing family affair, but just blow them out of the water with this amazing party! :)

But still, the fact that she is two is just astonishing. I can't believe my ears and eyes. She becomes more of a lady every day. She loves on people. She is polite. She has this incredibly gifted sense of humor for being nearly two. She laughs all the time. She is smart. She talks so well. She knows all her colors and most of her numbers...and even in the right order! She loves to be held. She loves to read. She remembers everything, even when you think she might not being paying attention. She is obedient. And she is mine for this short time on earth that our amazing Father let us borrow her. She is a precious and valuable gift. I pray for her every day...every minute of every day. She is another ray of sunshine on my life. Like this winter, she is my warmth in the cold. I am forever changed by her. I can't wait to see the woman she becomes. I'm already proud of her, can't imagine how much more proud I could get, but I think God will continue to surprise me with this little miracle.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

After being able to work from home for more than four years, traveling every week to every other week has not been easy. However, there are some amazingly bright spots amongst the travel. Some of that business related, some of it personal, some of it relates to coming home. All of it interesting, not always easy, but good.

For example, you might meet someone super interesting on an airplane and pass an hour speaking with them about their lives and / or their business and potentially find a new job. Or, you might walk around a nearly empty shopping mall alone which you might not have done in years? It is one thing I have found to do to pass the time when I finish an exhausting day of back-to-back meetings and "being on."

One of the best things about traveling, and having little children, if there can be a good thing about traveling with little children, is that when you come home, they've learned something new. They speak new words, day spell new words, they run, they hop, they tell you "I miss you when you're gone," they learn to say other phrases that you've never heard before, and they learn to tell stories. For me, this has been the greatest joy in traveling this year. In a few short months that I've traveled, Teagan has only gone from 18 months to 21 months. But in those few short months, she has learned to run, talk more productively, eat more effectively on her own, and eat everything in site, loves Mexican food, and after this last trip to say, "yeah" to things like it was no big deal and "Paaa-weeeeze"(Please!) in the cutest voice I've ever heard.

What a joy it is to be able to watch these two babies learn to put words to things when they have not had words for them before - only finger points, grunts, huhs, nods, and screams. It's been an amazing adventure and one I've grown more fond of in my time away from home because you see how quickly they adapt, learn, and grow when you are separated from them even for a few short days. God is so good. My children are so smart. And I cannot wait to see what words He gives them over the course of their lives.

My sweet Teagan Bean - 21 months old and full of life!
My Aiden Dude. Three years old and eating ice cream. Per usual! 

Sunday, January 1, 2012

How about that?! I just posted a blog from my phone... bring it! Here's to hoping this will mean more posts in 2012. This is how I rang in my new year. Listening to the drums played on pots and pans and making black-eyes peas. How about you?