Mother's Day

I had intended to do this post all about how this was the first Mother's Day without my grandma and all that, but I changed my mind after I went to Utah this weekend. Jay and Jared wanted to go hunting, but they were going during the week and Mandie had to work, so I went along to watch Chloe.
I have babysat tons of kids, ever since I was about 12 years old. And I have even watched my cousin's kids for a weekend when they went out of town. But I either only watched them for a day, or I had someone else to watch them with me. This time, it was just me. Morning til night. I had no idea how much work a 13 month old can be. She's up at 7 AM, we had a cuddle while watching Dora first thing. But then it was go, go, go...all day long. Play time, then breakfast, then more playtime while I was making breakfast, all the time trying to keep an eye on her. After breakfast was a bath, and then, thank goodness, nap time. But it was nap time just for her. This was my one chance to get a shower. Then I scarfed down some breakfast myself, and cleaned up the mess. By this time, she was up again. Playing and then lunching and constantly following me, wondering what I was doing. Oh my golly! By the time bedtime came around at 8, I was ready to put myself to bed too. She just wore me out!
But, oh those little moments...when I was making lunch and her little smiling face peeked around the corner...when pushing her on the swing and listening to her laugh...when we were laying on the floor playing and she pointed out my eyes, nose, and teeth, and knew where her own were as well. When rocking her to sleep, and she turned and cuddled up in my arms, and gave that little sigh that meant she was truly asleep, peaceful, happy and content. Those little moments more than made up for the fact that I hadn't worn makeup in 3 days, my hair had been in a ponytail for 3 days, and I couldn't get dora's songs out of my head. Life, and motherhood, is all about those moments.

Thanks, to all the moms out there. And a big thanks to my mom, who did that with three kids. I love you Mom!

She's really on the move now...

Got this video last night...


and this one today...


Love my baby girl. Jay said she's all over the place these days. She loves to play hide and seek, she hides behind stuff and waits until you say "where's Chloe" before she pops out. She is smiling and playing all the time. Love her so much!

Happy Birthday Ryder

We went up to northern CA this weekend to visit my aunt and uncle and my cousin, whose little boy was celebrating his first birthday.

Happy Birthday Jessie!

Today is my cousin Jessica's birthday. And in her honor I'm bringing back flashback friday. Here's two pics. The first is Jessica and I in the bathtub, I think I was about 8 or 9, so she was about 4 or 5. The second one is us girl cousins at Jessica's graduation, 10 years ago. We made shirts for the whole family that said I'm Jessica's cousin (aunt, grandma, etc). Happy Birthday Jessie! Next week you'll get the best present, I'll be there to visit!

Baby girl is on the move!!!

Jay called me tonight and told me Chloe took her first steps by herself tonight. He and Mandie were sitting on the floor passing a toy between the two of them and Chloe was walking back and forth to get the toy!! She's getting so big, so fast! I'm super jealous too because Mom and Dad are going out there this weekend, and they'll get to see her walk before me!

Easter in paradise

39One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"
40But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? 41We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."
42Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
43Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
--- Luke 23:39-43

I posted this yesterday on Good Friday, and it reminded me of something. When my grandma was dying last year, we were all sitting around her bed, and my grandpa quoted this verse. Then he said "Today, Jesus is saying to Norma Jean, 'Today, you will be with me in paradise.' "
 
Last year, my grandma was in the hospital on Easter. This year she is celebrating her first Easter in heaven with the Risen King! And although we miss her greatly, and Easter here on Earth won't be the same without her, what joy, what peace to know that someday, we will all be celebrating in paradise!

Happy Birthday Jay!

Today is my big brother's birthday. I'm a lucky girl to have such a great big bro and I'm glad that we have grown up to be friends. I once read something that said a person's relationship with their siblings are the most important relationships. You will know your siblings the longest of anyone in your life, and they know you the best. After all, you shared your childhood with them, probably shared a room with them, and shared a bathroom with them. Heck, my siblings and I even shared a bathtub when we were really little. :)
Happy Birthday brother!!!

my big bro and I

Happy Birthday!!!

Today is Chloe's first birthday!!! I can't believe she's a year old, and what a year it's been! Time sure does fly, whether you're having fun or not.
She is such a good baby. They were here over the weekend and she barely got any sleep and she was still so happy. She loved crawling down my parents long hallway and staring at herself in the mirror. She's crawling all over these days. She's walking around furniture, and loves to walk holding someone's hands. She is no longer content to just sit on your lap and play, this girl wants to be on the move! She's a great eater too. We gave her her first fried egg, smashed up, and she loved it! And although she liked playing with her spaghetti more than eating it, she loved the meatballs! She loves dogs. She has two big dogs at home, and she loved out dog. I put her in the back yard in her walker and she chased Tessie all over the backyard, she wouldn't top laughing. Her daddy is her favorite person, no matter what she is doing, if she sees him, she just wants him to hold her. (Not my favorite thing, because even if I'm holding her, she wants to be with him, and I don't like to give her up!)
I love her so much! I just wish my grandma was here to enjoy her. She loved kids, and would have loved this little girl so much. But I'll tell Chloe all about her, and make sure she knows that her Ema loved her while they were on this earth together!

My new flip camera

I got a new flip camera and I love it. It's so convient to just take video and then plug the camera into my computer and the video uploads. Check out the first video I took, of Chloe eating her birthday cake!

Party time!!!

Today was Chloe's first birthday party. She's not actually one until Monday, but the party was this weekend at my parents house.