June 24, 2009

Last year I tried to write a letter to my girls and did the same this year. The following is the letter to written to my sweet Alivia (Lauren's is similar in content)

June 24, 2011

To my sweet Alivia,
Happy Birthday! I cannot believe that you are already 2 years old. This past year has really flown by in what seems like a blur! I will try to fondly recall some of the biggest points during the last year.

Last summer was a blur of excitement and celebration during your first birthday. We had SO many people at the house, all wanting to give you kisses. I ordered a beautiful cake for you and we cooked out on the grill. You two were so well behaved this day and seemingly so excited to have so many people to give you so much attention!

In September, my friend Andrea sadly told us that she would no longer be able to watch you during the day. Daddy and I interviewed so many people and on October 26, 2010, Phyllis started watching you two at home. While I was so sad and nervous to leave you with someone new, this change afforded your daddy and I the opportunity to have Sundays off together. I was so excited to know that for the first time since you’d been born that you’d have both Mommy and Daddy home on the same day. We were looking forward to so much fun together!

Also in September, you began taking some pretty big leaps forward in terms of caring for yourself. I remember watching with joy at dinner one night when you picked up a fork and used it to eat your macaroni!

Because you and your sister had had so many ear infections, it was decided that you should probably have surgery to place tubes in your ears. October 11, was one of the scariest days of my life so far. I remember being so worried and praying everything would work out ok. I was lucky enough to carry you back and lay you on the operating table and even got to sing “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” while they put you to sleep. Everything went ok but the doctor was unable to put a tube in your left ear. You came out of recovery scared and crying; making my heart melt. Once in recovery though, you and your sister sure did charm the nurses.

In October, You were also the cutest Pooh Bear I’d seen and really enjoyed going trick-or-treating this year. You and your sister mostly rode in the stroller but you did walk up to a few houses and managed to collect a lot of candy, once again, making your father quite happy.

In November, you began saying “bye-bye” and even knew when to use it appropriately. On November 11, I took you back to the Robinwood Surgery Center and the doctor placed your second tube. You came through this time with no worries. The doctor said you were a great patient and that there will be no need to discuss removing adenoids!

On November 14, you and your sister spent a great day with Aunt Kelly and Uncle Dan to celebrate Christmas a little early. They are always so excited to spend time with you. You are sometimes less talkative that Lauren but certainly let your opinion be known. By November, you were also saying a lot of other words like “Bubble, Mommy, Daddy, Hi, Bye-bye, Green, Whee!, Tim (as in Timber), Nana and Doggy, two and three”.

Mommy took you and your sister and Liz to New Hampshire from November 24-28 to celebrate Thanksgiving at your grandparent’s house. While the drive itself went very well, we had quite the shock when we received a call from Daddy that first night letting us know that our dog, Sydney, had died. Loving Sydney was one of the great joys of my life. Losing her was such a shock. Sydney's life was far too short, but it was one well lived. One of the things that makes me most sad is knowing that Sydney will only be a picture in an album when it comes to the memories of you and your sister. She was so excited when we brought the two of you home but was very cautious and gentle. I remember when she would sleep in front of your cribs almost wanting to protect you, the best way she knew how. She loved you so much.
On December 5, I was able to put your hair in a pony tail for the first time and on December 9, we took you to play at Monkey Joe’s. This is a place with large inflatable toys that you just hated it! I felt so bad watching you cry with what seemed like fear at all of the large toys. On December 19, Daddy and I took you to Grammy and PopPop’s house to celebrate Christmas with them a little early. You two are so sweet and really enjoyed tearing open those gifts; a welcome change from last year!

On December 22, we added a new addition to our family. Elizabeth moved in with us, but you will remember her as “Lizzie”. Lizzie was 12 and in foster care and had been visiting with us for a year at the time she moved in. You and your sister were so excited to share a home with this young girl.

On Christmas Eve, Nana and Grandpa and Aunt Danielle arrived to celebrate with us. We made brownies for Santa and went to church at Gateway. Your Nana had bought you some of the prettiest dresses I’ve ever seen! You sat still for church and seemed to really enjoy the music.

On Christmas Day we celebrated with SO many family members and friends. Mommy and Daddy had everyone come over to our house and Mommy cooked! It was such a happy day for me to watch all of these people I loved so much come together to celebrate the birth of our Lord. This time of year really make me stop to reflect on what a blessing you have been in my life.

On New Year’s Day, we said good-bye to Nana, Grandpa and Aunt Danielle and headed over to Grammy’s house to visit with your cousin Reid. This was such a memorable day. You seemed to really enjoy being around family and played well with your cousin.

On January 13, you sat like such a big girl and peed on the potty. You simply would not be outdone by Lauren and insisted that you sit there until you went. We are so proud of your determination!

By the end of January, your vocabulary was exploding. New words you’ve added: “Grammy, Nana, Turtle, Elephant, belly, nose, Kelly, Katie (sound like Kagey), more, please (peas), and thank you”. We were abundantly blessed to go to the Bahamas with the Ross family. Grammy, PopPop, Aunt Katie, Aunt Sandi, Aunt Katie, Aunt Kelly and Uncle Dan all traveled to spend a week at the Harborside Resort in Paradise Island, Bahamas. We all had so much fun. This was the first time I saw you really begin to enjoy being in the water. Everyone was so excited to get to spend this time with you; a real treat. You even came back with your favorite souvenir, a real life jacket from the resort that you still, to this day, play with!

In February, Daddy and I took you and your sister for your first dentist appointment. Everything checked out beautifully and the dentist tells us that you have 12 teeth! On February 7, while shopping for jeans for Lizzie, you were sitting with me in the dressing room in your stroller. I will never forget looking at you and you looking back and saying “I love you” for the first time. My heart absolutely soared and melted all at the same time. You sure do know how to get to your Mommy!

This spring has been full of trips to the park and playground, walks around the neighborhood and lots of time in the backyard. You seem to always want to be outside. From May 17-24, I took you and your sister to Florida with your Aunt Danielle and Nana. You got to meet many aunts, uncles and cousins that you’d never met before. We stayed with Aunt Diane and Uncle Reggie who took such pleasure in getting so much time with you. We got to see your Memere, who can never seem to get enough of you. And even got to meet Uncle Bob and Emmet on a day spent with Aunt Sandi and Maria too! We traveled out to Tampa during this trip to meet Jenny and George’s new twins, Muna and Jeanette. You slept in your first “adult bed” at the hotel we stayed in in Tampa. You girls traveled so well on this trip and though we all missed your daddy who had stayed home, we were SUPER excited to see him when we returned.

The month of May brought us great sadness and great joy. On May 14th, Lizzie moved out. She was a young girl that needed more help than we could give her and I am so sad knowing that you and you sister have lost such a beloved friend.
At the end of May, your dad and I proudly announced that we will be expecting another baby in December. I am excited to see you and Lauren become such great big sisters to this baby. You are already practicing the words “sister” and “brother” and keep asking Mommy where the baby is.

As we prepare for your 2nd birthday I cannot help but reflect on the memorable times and tell you how much I am enjoying being your Mom. You bring me so much joy. I love watching you run and dance and laugh and play. You are such a sweet baby that I fear, I may not be able to call that much longer. Your strength and charm melt my heart. You have become such a determined child…

I look forward to the year ahead with so much excitement. You are growing and changing every day.

Alivia, I love you more than words could ever express. Happy birthday baby girl!
Love

Mommy