Too Much Time Away

My beautiful daughter....I miss you so. This summer, I have been away from you more than I have since you have been born. Two weeks of youth camp (not consecutively, thankfully), a week of mission trip, and now this weekend I am at Youth Quest. I struggle with regret that I am missing some of that amazing growing up that you're constantly doing right before my eyes. But I know the time you are getting to spend with your Grammy, Grandma, and Grandaddies is priceless. As much as I miss you, I know you are gaining so much more than just a couple of weeks of spoiling.

I spent nearly every afternoon and most of the summer with my cousins at my Grandma's (Mema) house. The close relationship I gained with all of my family is something that I could give nothing for...it shaped the person I became, my values, my humor, my goals, and my character. I don't want you to miss out on those life lessons just because we are in the ministry and probably won't ever live in the same town with them. Family should not be a victim of the pastorate.

Next year...you are DEFINITELY coming with us everywhere we go. You'll be a little older, and probably a lot more comfortable with the people at South Henderson PH. I know the transition the past several months has probably been harder for you because, not only have we left the only church and church family you have ever known, but we haven't been home very much at SHPHC for you to really get to know everyone. I want you to be a part of our ministry, not excluded from it. I want you to grow up loving every minute of serving the Lord and all the amazing, funny, talented and loving people who are a part of that service. Sooo...fingers crossed, next year, four-year-old in tow, will be a summer to remember!!

Christmas Time is Here

I can't believe another Christmas has come and gone so fast. After weeks and weeks of shopping, deocrating, wrapping, parties, cantata practice out the wazzu, etc... it came and went in a flurry of tearing paper, flashing camera bulbs, and thank yous. It happens every year, yet some how it always takes me by surprise. Shouldn't the space-time-continuum somehow slow down just a bit that we might savor it all just a tiny bit longer?

Firstly, I think you are beginning to get the whole 'Santa Claus' concept for the first time this year. Now that's not to say you're ready to sit in his lap or anything (you ran in hysterical screaming terror from the one at the mall after waiting in line in excitement to meet him - ah well...you're fickle). But you did talk about writing lists to him and enjoyed watching the claymation Christmas specials about Rudolph and Santa Claus. The line we all got the biggest kick out of was when you were standing there, hands on your hips, Christmas morning serveying all of your loot and you proclaimed, "Boy...he sure is nice." Yes he is.

You were spoiled beyond measure this year. You got at least six baby dolls (one as big as you), a doll playset (including a doll playpen, swing, and stroller), a giant three story dollhouse, a my little pony carnival with a working ferris wheel, the much requested cupcake machine (which Grammy and I both agree is highly overrated), and variously little dolls, animals, candies and junk that you loved. I think the best present has been a Fisher Price Digital Camera made with toddlers in mind. It's practically indestructable and it takes real pictures. You figured it out fairly quickly and have run around taking pictures of everything and everybody. I think I'll have to make a little scrapbook of your photography. You really don't do bad for a three year old.

We're all really enjoying spending time with family....eating way too much tasty food....and just relaxing after being so stressed out and busy for weeks.

I really love Christmas.

Our Thanksgiving Weekend

We all had an especially good Thanksgiving this year. We headed down to Sanford on Wednesday morning after Daddy visited one of our church ladies who had surgery that morning. Traffic was really bad, especially through Raleigh. We were very thankful to get home, and Daddy and I both crashed at Grandma and Grandaddy's house - especially Daddy who had only gotten about three hours sleep. You were so excited about knocking on their door when we arrived - such a grown up thing to do! You played and played with Grandma while Daddy snoozed on the couch and then we went and ate Japanese food that evening for supper (you love the salad, the rice, and the little peas and carrots in the rice). After that we went to see Grammy and Grandaddy and you enjoyed playing in their shower (you call it your 'house') and unrolling a bunch of toliet paper in the bottom of it - Grandaddy will let you get away with ANYTHING!

Thanksgiving day we got up really early so we could drive to Fayettville to meet Grandpa, Uncle Jesse, Steve, Lisa, and your cousins Trinity, Katey, and Sam at the Sandpiper Restaurant. You didn't eat very much - hush puppies mostly - but you had a good time playing with Sam and Katey.

After we ate we all headed to do some Thanksgiving Day shopping in the few stores that were open. We went to KMart and Hammricks and then hit the Super Wal-Mart in Spring Lake on the way home. You are quite a trooper when it comes to shopping. When we would leave a store you would say, "Where are we going now?" You had the most fun playing with Sam. He's used to little girls since he has two sisters, and he kept you giggling the whole time we were in KMart.

After we got back to Sanford, we headed to Grammy's house. You had fallen asleep in the car on the way back so we took Grandaddy Elton's car so you could stay in your car seat and sleep a little longer. Grandaddy Ronnie had cooked steaks on the grill and Mema, Emily and Uncle Joe all came over to eat with us. You ate macaroni and cheese and salad, with ranch of course! We all got to see Uncle Joe's new car - a black 2007 Acura. Emily went ahead and gave us our Christmas gifts from her...she gave you a little pink stocking with a princess crown ornament in it. She gave Mommy penguin salt and pepper shakers (which was pretty cool since Mommy collects Christmas shakers!) and a Christmas hand towel.

The next morning Mommy and Daddy got up at 4:30 a.m. so they could be at Super Wal-Mart when the big sales started. It was INSANE!! People putting two 50-inch flat-screen plasma televisions in their cart at a time....lines a hundred people long for an XBox 360 game system....the whole store so packed that at times no one could even move in the aisles....We managed to get quite a few good deals though. The cupcake maker you have asked for constantly for Christmas was on sale for $20.00 and Mommy managed to get the very last one. We went to a few more stores after we got everything we wanted at Wal-mart. We actually got to see the sun rise for the first time in a long time - Mommy and Daddy are NOT morning people! - while Mommy ate a McGriddle Sausage Sandwich from McDonalds and Daddy stood in line at Game Stop.

We got a lot of great deals....probably saved nearly $200 all total. We went back to Grandma and Grandaddy's house and you were still asleep, so we went back to bed too! That night we went to Mema's house and had Thanksgiving Dinner with all of Mommy's family. There were 23 of us in that little house, but I think there was enough food to feed 60 people! We all ate until we thought we would explode and Mema still said, "Ya'll just don't eat like you used to....look at all this leftover food!" It felt really good to be with all my family. Everyone actually took time to stick around and spend time together after we ate. Grammy brought a bunch of old pictures from when Mommy was little and we all spent a lot of time reminiscing. Mommy helped Jason tune his new guitar and played a little and showed him a few chords. You played with "Little Boy Cameron" and Aleigha and Drew in front of Mema's Christmas tree most of the evening. Jason and I talked about how all of us had grown up spending so much time together as kids and how we wished the next generation of cousins could actually see each other more than a couple of times a year. Maybe someday...

Happily it will only be a few more weeks before we get to head back down that long road to Sanford once again and spend some more time with the family we love.

Haul Out the Holly

We've been putting up our Christmas decorations this week and you've been totally enthralled with everything. This is the first year you've really been a part of the decorating process, and you've really enjoyed every minute. Utterances of "Oooooh...", "Wow!", and "Oh Mommy, it's SOOO pretty!" have been frequent. The tree seems to have a bit more decorations on the bottom half than the top, and I've tried my best to curb my perfectionist tendencies and have only moved a few of your interesting ornament placements. Some ornaments didn't make it to the tree - the 'Sleeping Beauty' ornament that plays Once Upon a Dream would be one of those for obvious reasons. I have to keep reminding you that ornaments belong on the tree, and you need to leave them alone.

This morning you put on your pouty face and I asked you what was wrong. You said, "We didn't decorate my room!" So we picked out a few decorations - a snowman family, a christmas bell, and the singing Elmo, Cookie Monster, and Oscar the Grouch on a sled - and decorated you room. You seem satisfied with the results.

We're really getting in the Christmas spirit around here. Between all the holiday displays at the different stores, to practicing for the Christmas Cantata (we've sung those songs so much you are learning to sing them!) we can't help ourselves. I've bought a few gifts already, and even wore my candy cane shirt once. We've watched the DVD of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer several times, and of course, Daddy insisted on playing all the Christmas music CDs while we were decorating. A lot of folks can't believe we're already doing all this, but we've always had a tradition of putting up our Christmas decorations as early as possible. Daddy and I actually went out and bought a Christmas tree on Halloween night the first year we were married and put it up that very night....the tradidtion has continued ever since. We always try to put up the tree and decorations as early in November as possible. Of course, with being in the pastorate now, it seems a little harder to get the time to "haul out the holly" as the song goes. Daddy hasn't gotten to the yard decorations yet, and the angel still needs to be put on the tree. Maybe tomorrow night.

Jesus With a Sword

This was your funny/sweet story tonight as we were getting ready for bed.

Petra: I don't like yellow, Mommy. (said in reference to your yellow Dora the Explorer pajamas)

Me: You don't like yellow, huh?

Petra: Nope. Do you like yellow, Mommy?

Me: Yes, I like yellow. It's like a sunshine.

Petra: Oh. (pause) Belle (from 'Beauty and the Beast') wears yellow.

Me: Yes, she does.

Petra: Why does Belle have the Beast and not the prince like Cinderella?

Me: Well, the Beast is a prince, but an evil witch turned him into a beast....

Petra: OHHHH! What happened next?

Me: Well....Belle met the Beast and fell in love with him and kissed him and he turned back into the handsome prince.

Petra: And then what?

Me: Well...um....they got married and lived happily ever after in the castle.

Petra: That's a good story, Mommy. The witch tried to get me too.

Me: Oh, don't you worry, sweetheart. No witch can get you because Jesus keeps you safe.

Petra: Yeah. (pause) Jesus has a long sharp thing?

Me: A sword?

Petra: Yeah! A sword. Jesus use the sword to fight the witch.

Me: I guess that's one way of putting it.

Petra: Okay, Mommy. Maybe we can see Jesus in the morning.

Me: Sounds good to me.

Sometimes You Scare Me!

You know, it wouldn't exactly be an accurate story if I only talked about your sweet moments, or cute mannerisms... Sometimes, little girl of mine, you scare the bejeezus out of me!

Take this weekend for example. First you started having a fever on Thursday - 101 degrees...not TOO serious, but enough to make me take notice. You were acting pitiful - not playing, sitting in my lap a lot, even falling asleep in Daddy's lap when he was holding you in the recliner. We gave you infant tylenol (which you didn't like much, but you took it better than you did the 'pink stuff' - a.k.a. amoxacylin) and the fever went away the next day.

Then you get this rash all over your body. Little pink spots on your arms, face, legs, butt.... Daddy immediately says "chicken pox" but I've had chicken pox, he hasn't and I don't think that's what it is. Plus you aren't scratching them, and they don't look as awful as chicken pox. I went through a gambit of possibilities. Measles? But your fever had gone away... Heat rash? But it didn't go away like heat rash normally would. I wondered if it was some of your umpteen-million new clothes that Grammy had bought you causing an allergic reaction of some sort because your bad mommy hadn't washed everything first (I ususally do, but there were just SO many new outfits!) before letting you wear it.

So we went to church Sunday night and you were walking around in the sanctuary like you always do when I'm tuning the guitars for praise and worship before service starts. And I look up, and you've vanished. I didn't really panic at first. After all, the church is like a second home to you and you often go get a toy from the nursery and come right back. But you weren't in the nursery or children's church or the fellowship hall, or Daddy's office or any place else that I could find. Cue panic....

After frantically searching every hiding place I could think of and enlisting some help from your adopted grandpa Monte.... we finally found you. One of the children's staff had taken you and a couple other kids out to the playground without bothering to tell me!! Needless to say, they were very apologetic, (especially after I told them if they ever did that again, I'd kill them!) and you were fine. I think I have a few more gray hairs after that and it took my heart a little while to get back in a normal rhythm again.

After church that night, one of the church ladies who is a nurse told me your rash was most likely just the residual effects of a minor viral infection - which was probably what had caused your fever a few days prior. She said her son had had something very similar before. That relieved my mind and we went home a little more at ease.

Of course, you had to pull one more heart stopping stunt before the day was through. After laying you down for the night, Daddy and I stayed up a little longer to have some time to ourselves to play on the internet and such. We were heading down the hall to go to bed ourselves when we heard you screaming. We both dashed into your room and you were crying and calling for me saying your head hurt. You said you had bumped it. Well, you had bumped it slightly several hours before when you were playing with Daddy, but not enough to cause this kind of hysteria. There wasn't even a mark on you. We soothed you and rocked you for a bit and you feel back to sleep, so we put you back to bed.

Not even an hour later it happened again - you crying out for us saying your head hurt. And of course, my 'mommy brain' starts running through scenerios....what if Jennifer was wrong and the rash and fever were something serious? What if you hit your head harder than we thought and you have a concussion and we let you go to sleep?!?!

We put you in the bed with us to observe you - something we never do - and you contentedly went right back to sleep. Eventually we got you back in your own bed and you slept the rest of the night, waking up this morning perky and cheerful and apparently having no rememberence of anything that had occured. Your head is fine and you act fine. All that scaring for nothing!

I know you can't help any of these things. But the saying is true, "Having children is like ripping your heart out of your body and letting it walk around in this dangerous world on tiny little legs."

Things I love about you, Petra Sky....

Your vivid imagination..

Your funny facial expressions...

The way you call Daddy a "prince" and me and you, "princesses"....

Your lengthy explanations of things...

Your announcements of "I can do it myself" about the funniest things...

You love Mexican Food like me....

Your tenderheartedness....

Your singing....

Your spontaneous outbursts of "I love you, Mommy"....

The way you clean up your own spills....

Your love of all things 'girlie' while at the same time being such a risk-taking tomboy....

Your sweet tooth.... (M&Ms for breakfast? I think not!)

Your cuddliness....and the fact you say I'm "cuddlyful" too....

Your big blue eyes....

Your gorgeous hair that always seems to curl just so...

That you miss me when I'm away from you...

That you love me so....

Almost Three

I can hardly believe you are about to turn three.... you should still be my baby! But you are growing up so fast. Everyone says it goes by faster than you can blink - and it's really true. You amaze me, your Daddy, and your grandparents with your vocabulary and the concepts you seem to grasp at such a young age. Some of your phrases that either astonish or set us to peals of laughter (or both) include:

"Oh, yes, mommy, that's a really good idea."

"Look both ways, mommy!"

"Don't tell me that..." (that one gets you in trouble every time)

"Oh mommy, you're a good finder."

"Just a little bit, Mommy, just a little bit more?"
(said with your fingers pinched together to illustrate how much a little bit is...)

"I know, Mommy, I know..." (Then follows a long drawn out explanation of your 'master plan')

"Mommy, I will never use the potty, never ever. I like my diapers. I will wear them forever."

"No, Mommy! No helping....I will do it myself!"


You are so polite! You nearly always say "please" and "thank you". You will say "excuse me" if you're trying to get by. You're still working on sharing....but I've read in different books that your brain hasn't completely developed the 'sharing synapses' yet....so I'll cut you some slack on that one.

You are very obsessed with Strawberry Shortcake (the updated version, not the ones that were around when I was a kid!) at the moment - it has taken first place in your loves. Just the other day you insisted I buy you a Strawberry Shortcake balloon you saw in the grocery store. I'm afraid I'm pretty much a pushover when it comes to buying you little nonsensical things like balloons or stickers or such. So I'm staring at it now as it floats above my head in the living room. You watch the Strawberry Shortcake videos over and over again on your DVD player in the car, and can sing a lot of the songs by heart. You also play with the Strawberry Shortcake dolls a lot. Of course, their clothes don't stay on for very long. You're in that "naked baby doll" stage right now. Between your 'oh-okay' Mommy and your spoiling Grammy and Grandma, you've got about every Strawberry Shortcake figure that has been released in NC (and VA for that matter!). I think Grammy is going on Ebay hunting for the elusive 'Blueberrry Muffin'. You said you want a Strawberry Shortcake birthday party this year, and I think Grammy is going to make sure that happens.

You still love Mickey Mouse and all the Clubhouse figures, and you watch it first thing when you get up every morning while you're eating breakfast (a strawberry-bannana cereal bar and chocolate milk every morning!). You still love to play with the Clubhouse we got you for your birthday last year. You've started really loving tools - which we attribute to one of your other favorite shows Handy Manny. It's about a Spanish-speaking handyman and his talking tools who live in 'Sheetrock Hills' and fix things for their neighbors. You have three tool sets now - a wooden one, and a "baby" set (small Handy Manny tools that go with the Handy Manny talking doll!) and a "mommy" set (bigger tools made for your size). So you go around the house "fixing" things all day. It's very cute.

You are also into the Disney princesses some. We haven't really let you watch the videos other than Cinderellla....most of them have such scary elements in them (i.e. the dragon in Sleeping Beauty, the wicked queen in Snow White...). Someone brought Snow White to church, of all things, and was playing it in the nursery. You've since said you had 'bad dreams' about a witch trying to steal your birthday cake. I don't know if the two things are connected or if you've been influenced by the in-your-face Halloween aisle at Wal-Mart.....either way, Mommy is not pleased. But you did decide on being Sleeping Beauty for Hallelujah Night at church this year. You have the dress, the crown, and Grammy bought you a matching pink princess pumpkin to put all your Trunk-or-Treat loot in. I can't wait to see you in the costume - neither can you, for that matter. You've asked over and over if you could wear it. Finally we hid it in the back of your closet - 'out of sight, out of mind' still seems to work for the most part right now.

You've really started making deeper friendships with the kids at church. Your "best" friend is Cameron (not to be confused with "Little Boy Cameron - your cousin) but you also love Destiny, Courtney, Haley and Joeb very much. In one of your little children's books there is a picture of a group of children on a beach and whenever we get to that page you name off who everyone is: "That's me, and Courtney, and Destiny, and Cameron, and Joeb, and Little Boy Cameron, and Baby Gabby, and Haley!" you say with confidence.

You are starting to grow a little in the foundations of your faith too, and that is a very exciting thing to behold. You not only say your prayers at night and meals, but you remind others if they forget, and you're starting to put some crucial concepts together - God as creator, Jesus loves us all, and stuff like that. The other day you were making waves in the bathtub and I said "You're making some big waves there." You replied, "Like the ocean." So I asked you who makes the waves in the ocean. And without hesitation you said, "Jesus." It was a thrilling moment for me, even if you did have that 'duh, mommy' expression on your face.

Almost three....where did the time go?

Christmas 2007

We just celebrated your third Christmas with us and your little two-year-old personality really shone through this year. Despite some health problems threatening to keep your Mommy out of commission, the Lord came through and we were able to enjoy all the festivities with our family.

On Christmas Eve we went to your Great-grandma's (MeMa's) house to open presents with all your cousins. Your favorite presents that evening were a stuffed Daisy Duck (from Mommy and Daddy), a toy guitar and Thomas Train from Aunt Joy Joy, and a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse activity pad from MeMa. You had a great time playing with your cousin Cameron and your Daddy got some great footage of you two playing and dancing with your guitars. I think the most special moment for me had to be when you sat in my lap and listened to MeMa sing "Jolly Old St. Nicholas" like she has done for all the children every year as long as I can remember. That is a tradition I hope you can enjoy for many more years yet...

After we left MeMa's house we went to your Grammy's house and opened more presents. Your Uncle Joe and his girlfriend Emily gave you a book that was very special to her when she was a child: The Very Hungry Caterpillar. She and Uncle Joe also gave you a stuffed caterpillar toy that matched the book (thus far you've liked the toy better than the book, but I think you'll like the book more when you get older.) Your Daddy and I gave you your stuffed Goofy which you really loved. Now your collection is complete, well almost. We got all the 'Mickey Mouse Clubhouse' characters except Pluto. We'll have to get him later.... funny you, you asked about Pluto as soon as you realized it was the only one you didn't have. Grammy gave me, Daddy, and Uncle Joe all of our presents next....lots of new clothes for Mommy! Yay! Video games and other neat things for Daddy! Finally we all went to sleep....you didn't want to, of course, but you were really tired so it didn't take too long.

The next morning, we celebrated Christmas Day first at Grammy's house where Santa brought you TONS more toys - way too many to list. I'm not sure who was more overwhelmed you or us! After getting ready as fast as we could, we headed over to Grandma and Grandaddy's house where we opened even more presents! I got a Christmas Cookie Yankee Candle from your Grandma and Grandaddy, and an ornament, and some more clothes. Daddy got lots of clothes from them, and Mommy and Daddy gave each other mostly toys! GI Joes...Video Games and such... :-) We're still kids at heart!

Uncle Jesse came over and we all ate lunch together. Your Grandma is one amazing cook. I always say she would put Betty Crocker to shame! She fixes everything from scratch - and I do mean everything! Your Grandaddy fixed his famous chocolate eclair - oh it was SOOO yummy. Even though I still wasn't feeling great and didn't have much of an appetite, I managed to eat a small bowl of eclair - some things are too good to pass up!

Christmas is full of so many wonderful traditions. I can't wait to see all the new ones that develop as you grow older.

Obsessions: Part Two

Earlier I posted about your obsession with the Doodlebops. Interestingly enough, that obsession has waned in it's intensity quite a bit over the past few months. You still request Doodlebops videos from time to time, but it's much more managable.

I've observed several other obsessions this week that got me thinking. Number one has to be your blankie(s). I put plural on the end of that because one is never enough. Two is a bare minimum and the more the better. You are picky about your blankies - they aren't really blankets at all but those little hooded terrycloth towels that they sell at Wal-Mart. Pink is the color of choice, but pattern doesn't seem to matter so much. Sometimes you tote around so many of them at once that you can barely walk. They are your comfort when you get a boo boo or get upset, they are a requirement for going to sleep. You use them to clean things, wipe your face (whether that means chocolate or tears), swaddle baby dolls, and you are known to ball them up into a makeshift pillow when riding in the car seat. Not having a blanket has caused many trips to be cut short, as we returned home to fetch one, and once we even made an emergency Super Wal-Mart trip just to get a blankie.

Another obsession is with rubber bouncy balls. Unfortunately every restaurant seems to have a quarter operated machine that vends these pesky toys right at the entrance, so I have little hope of escaping without either buying yet another ball, or facing a tantrum. I'm afraid I'm often just too much of a softy on that point. In any case, any time mommy doesn't give in, there's usually some church person who can't resist adding to the collection. Our favorite Mexican restaurant in Ahoskie, Los Amigos, has such a ball machine, and I think as I type this I can spot at least 5 balls from that particular machine scattered across the living room floor. You just love them - throwing them and yelling "catch!" Using them in your shape sorter or the ball shoot on your Fisher Price play house...

Other obsessions that come to mind include:

• cleanliness - you can't stand to have anything on your hands or face
• shoes - you love to put them on, whether yours or other peoples'
• ice - if anyone crunches on a piece of ice, watch out! You'll be begging for some in no time.
• Elmo - what two-year-old ISN'T obsessed with Elmo?
• water - especially splashing in it, whether in the sink, the tub, or the pool
• swinging - it is the ONLY thing you want to do when we go to the park
• Jessica - your "DeDa" as you call her takes priority over everyone else
• action figures - specifically your Daddy's old 1980's figures, some of which he lets you play with in the "Man-man" closet.
  

I don't know if you just have a little streak of obsessive compulsive in you (your Uncle Joe certainly did when he was little) or if it's just another manifestation of your strong personality. Most of the time, these are just endearing quirks - sometimes, they can be real battle issues, and often are the source of the few temper tantrums you actually throw. I wonder how many of these intense "likes" will remain with you as you grow older.

Obsession

Obsessions are interesting things. Case in point: your current obsession with the Doodlebops has become a family obsession by proxy. For those who may not be "in the know" with what is "hip" in the world of preschool educational/entertainment television, the Doodlebops are a musical band consisting of three memebers - Dedee Doodle, Rooney Doodle, and Moe Doodle. These characters although played by human actors, wear make up and costumes that make them resemble puppets [including full body paint to make them more colorful and puppet-like hands (gloves) and cartoonish hair (wigs)]. They sing a variety of songs about topics such as getting along, the importance of exercise, how to deal with your temper, trying new things, dealing with impatience about growing up, the value of asking questions, and a myriad of other topics. Like most preschool shows it has a lot of repetative elements from show to show that the children learn about and come to expect. Your two favorites at the moment are "Where's Moe?" which is the question asked at the beginning of every show as the other two characters search around the house for him. The other is "Don't pull the rope!" which is what all the character say to Moe right before he pulls a red rope which causes water to dump on his head. You tickle me and your daddy to death when you stand there and pump your arm up and down and say "Don't pull the rope!"

So just how obsessed are you? We bought you a Doodlebops t-shirt at the beach on a whim because we knew you loved the show. As soon as you saw it you immediately wanted to put it on and wore it all day; you even cried when we took it off to put on your pajamas. It's now your favorite shirt and you would wear it every day if I gave you the option. You gasp with sheer delight when the show comes on and begin dancing around the room singing the opening song. It holds your attention from beginning to end. You find the remote and begin saying "T.V. .... Bops!" while pointing at the DVD case with the familiar trio on the front. You would watch the videos all day long I think (of course, we don't let you - for our sanity as much as your need to get outside and exercise!) And what to you want to listen to in the car? Doodlbops, of course.

So now your obssession has become our obsession. We look for the Doodlebops stuff everywhere and I think we've bought four DVDs so far (aren't we gluttons for punishment?) We know all the words to all the songs and can sing them whenever requested. We've read the forums online discusing who was a better manager "Mazz" or "Jazzmine" and which format is better, season 1 or season 2 - and those discussions have carried over to the dinner table. We check regularly to see when the Doodlebops Live tour is coming to our area. It's nuts! I don't know if we'll be sad or glad when you grow out of this Doodlebops phase... I think sad.... but till then we'll keep singing "Get on the Bus" and enjoy every minute.

Food Favorites

Food has always been an interesting subject for you. Since you first started eating baby food you’ve always had a taste for the unexpected. For months you were a veggie only girl – peas, green beans, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes were your standard fare. You weren’t interested in fruits at all and completely despised bananas and applesauce which made you a very atypical baby in the eyes of everyone I shared this fact with.

As you’ve gotten older and eat table food you still lean more toward veggies than sweets, like carrots, corn and peas. You are a chocoholic like me; thanks to Michelle Harrell at church introducing you to the wonder of M&Ms, you beg for those anytime you see a familiar looking package. And like most children, you love ice cream. You went through a McDonald’s chicken nuggets phase for a while, though you’ve gotten away from that recently. I guess just like the rest of us, you got tired of the same-old-same-old. You love apples, and that’s one of your favorite words. If someone opens the fridge you immediately ask, “Apple?” no matter what time of day or night. You also love rice, just like your daddy. Whether it’s fried rice from the Japanese or Chinese restaurant, or dirty rice from Bojangles, you’ve never met a grain you didn’t like. Macaroni and cheese has become a staple – sometimes it’s the only form of protein I can get you to eat. Hot dogs? Forget it… Chicken? Only if Mommy hides it in some rice… Hamburger? You gag… You love bread most of time, and green beans when the mood suits you. You’ll eat your Grandma Bryan’s spaghetti (who wouldn’t?) but no one elses.

You won’t touch cow’s milk in any form (you even turn your nose up at chocolate milk!) so I still give you the stage-two formula at night and I mix it in with your rice and fruit cereal in the mornings. I always worry you don’t get enough protein or calcium. Hopefully you’ll grow out of this milk aversion eventually. Fortunately, you are usually willing to try most anything once. This has resulted in you acquiring a taste for a lot of strange things – dill pickles, sour cream and onion/BBQ potato chips, Doritos, ranch dressing, popcorn… I guess like everything else, Petra, you are unique.

Boy has time flown!

You know, good intentions cannot compete with the demands for attention of a growing baby. I couldn't believe it had been a year since I posted, but raising you, Petra, is my number one priority, my number one occupation - everything else takes a backseat (some further back than others!). So I guess I'll do some backlogging for a few days and try to contain memories before they are lost to me.

Where are we now? You are 19 months old and have definitely started your "terrible twos" early. I don't know - they really aren't that terrible... You are independent minded to the extreme; wanting to do everything yourself, no matter how dangerous or difficult. "NO" is your favorite word at the moment, though your vocabulary seems to multiply daily. I am amazed at your quickness with language; being with your grandparents for a few weeks hasn't hurt. Let's see if I can make a quick list of some of your most said (and understandable) words:

• NO!
• mommy
• daddy
• mama/nana (can refer to either of the "grandma's"
• grandaddy
• dog
• meow
• hey
• bye bye
• sit down
• ouch
• boo boo
• ball
• shoes
• outside
• cheese
• fish
• Elmo
• ice (pronounced "i-sh")
• Doodlebops
• Ei-ei-oh
• tea
• thank you (pronounced "shank-oo"
• Amen! (at the end of the blessing over our food)
• where'd he go?
• there he is! (these last two are probably only understandable by family, but they are always in context of a game of peek-a-boo, so we're fairly confident that the translation is accurate!)

Well, that's a fair sampling. Your Grandma Bryan can translate a lot more of your gibberish than any of the rest of us, though I think perhaps some of it is a little wishful thinking on her part. Much of your speech has come by way of song. You are SOO musical - you only have to hear a tune once for you to start picking up on how it goes and trying to the best of your ability to imitate the words. I made a CD of your favorite songs, both from the television shows you love to watch and Bible songs your Daddy and I grew up on, and whenever we're in the car you sing song after song with such enthusiasm. Daddy and I are always in awe of how good your sense of pitch and timing is for such a little girl. You are nearly always right in tune with what you are singing, and your timing is never off. I guess some musical genes spliced together to create a little music genius.

You are becoming a climber, at least for the past few days anyway. As much as it fills me with dread to watch you turn the couch, recliner, and kitchen chairs into your own version of monkey bars, I am reminded of an article I read before you were born; just like the mother in that article, I don't want to stifle your adventurous spirit, your willingness to attempt challenges, to fail, and to try again out of an overzealous fear for your safety. Obviously there are limits - but a few bumps and bruises are a small price to pay for a daughter who isn't afraid to push herself, to take on the world with a determined grin and push the boundaries people might set for her, instead of a fearful little girl who hides behind her mommy's legs anticipating defeat at every turn because mommy taught her to be that way. I like your personality - even when you defiantly say "NO" to everything, even things you really want to say yes to (granted it makes my frustration level rise sometimes).

Be yourself Petra, and be loud about it. Don't let this world tell you what you can't do.

At three months old...

You are such a determined child. You don't like feeling your own limitations it seems. I read in a baby book that some babies are called 'active babies', and they tend not to be happy until they are mobile. I can see an element of that in you. You struggle so hard to sit up, even though your neck muscles aren't really strong enough to hold your head up for very long. You can't stand to be swaddled or confined in any way, especially in your car seat. We've expereienced several "meltdowns" because you couldn't stand be strapped down in that seat.

Your intelligence is so evident; you concentrate very intently on everything around you, whether that be other people or toys or just your surroundings. You are such an alert baby, and you love to smile and coo at everyone who stops to talk to you. You love the live music in church, though it often puts you to sleep. I hope you will be a musician someday. That is something that has brought your daddy and I so much joy and fulfillment, I want you to be a part of it too. Its amazing watching you try to talk as you coo and make other sweet sounds and work so hard at imitating the way our mouth moves when we talk to you. I can't wait to hear what's going on in that little head of yours.

I love you!

Joyful

Pretty Kitty 4
Originally uploaded by Girlcloud.

You amaze me more everyday. You have learned to do so many things in such a short amount of time. You hold your head up better everyday and you've started reaching out at objects around you. You've begun to explore the concept of play, and I can't wait for that to develop even more. You sleep through the night (most nights) and in the mornings, after your morning feeding, you and I snuggle together on the couch for a little extra shut-eye. Its a special time for just the two of us to enjoy a sweet closeness before the routine of the day begins.

I love the way you try to imitate my facial expressions. Your smile could melt anyone's heart - it is so full of unfettered joy and innocence. You show happiness with your whole body: eyes, mouth, arms, legs...its like a spasm of glee. I wish I could keep that aspect of your personality untouched forever. It is the carefree happiness of an infant who knows nothing of responsibilities, worries, fear, or doubt.

You are so accepting of everyone you meet; greeting perfect strangers with dazzling smiles that say 'I'm so happy to see you, whoever you are.' Would that we were all so welcoming to those around us we don't know. I'm sure there will come a time when I will want you to look at strangers with suspicion, but the fact that you don't now speaks to me as to how I should take people upon first meeting: assume everyone is a potential friend.

Happy Birthday

Mommy & Petra
Originally uploaded by Girlcloud.

You're here...finally...truly...

It was a long and difficulte journey. I didn't know I'd have to have a C-section, or that you would have some difficulties with meconium before you were born. I couldn't have ever dreamed you'd weigh 9 lbs. 3 oz. or that you'd have so much hair!

I feel so ill-prepared. Nothing I've read, nothing anyone told me has prepared me for this exhilerating, frightening, amazing moment. Our family is no longer 'just us two.' Three human beings make up our circle of love now. You aren't just a little sensation in my belly anymore - you are a little person with needs, wants, emotions, expressions, and personality. I didn't anticipate how clearly I would see that personality nor how soon. You are a people-person already; you always want to be held and talked to, and you hate being left alone, even when you're sleeping. You don't curl up in the fetal position like most newborns...you stretch out, sometimes as straight as a board when you're upset. Your little cry is so funny, yet it tugs at my heartstrings immediately. I didn't know how much your cry would affect me. It motivates me to act at once - I can't delay a second in trying to find out what is wrong and how I can fix it.

What amazes me most is how much I can love someone I just met.

Your Nursery

We've been working hard on your nursery these past couple of weeks. I've been painting a mural on three of the four walls. The theme is 'carousel in the clouds' and there are carousel animals (a horse, a zebra, a swan, and a giraffe) on two walls surrounded by fluffy clouds. On the small section of wall next to your crib I have painted a large moon with a little girl angel sitting in the crook of the moon surrounded by clouds and stars. I'm really pleased with how things have turned out.

This past weekend your Grammy, your daddy, and I went to pick out the furnishings for the nursery. It was a big adventure to say the least. In the end we picked out some very pretty furniture that is a little lighter than a cherry color. The crib is convertible so you can use it as a toddler bed and as a full-size bed. The style to me is very elegant and feminine, so I hope you'll love it for a long time to come. We couldn't get the matching changing table yet - there was just no room for it in Grammy's Blazer! Grammy said she would get it before she comes back to visit at the end of August, so no worries there. The curtains were put up too....they are so very pretty! They are sky blue shears with white clouds all over them. Grammy tied up the valance with sparkling white ribbons, making them even more beautiful. I absolutely love them. When our friend Ruth gets a chance, she's going to paint clouds on your sky blue ceiling and then the room will be complete!

I can't wait for your arrival. I hope you love this nursery and can find joy and comfort and peace from the surroundings; your own private carousel in the clouds!

Making Your Presence Known

So many people had been asking me the question, "Have you felt the baby yet?" For the longest time, my answer was, "No, not yet." After enough people give me a shocked look when I said "no," I automatically started to worry, despite the fact that all the books I was reading told me many mothers didn't feel their babies move for several more weeks.

Finally one night when your daddy and I were lying in bed I felt a definite kick. It wasn't anything like the 'butterfly flutters' other mothers had told me your movements would feel like. There was no question in my mind at all that you were making your presence known in a major way. It was only a few days later that your daddy was actually able to feel you kicking too! You have made up for all those weeks of quietness by becoming a very acrobatic baby. Your kicks are always strong and frequent, especially in the evening when I'm relaxing in my recliner. Sometimes it feels like you do complete somersaults, which is a really odd sensation. It is very comforting to me when I feel you move, because its a reassurance that you are okay and growing and healthy. It also seems to make the entire experience that much more real. My growing stomach leaves no room for doubt in that department, but feeling your little movements makes it feel like you have a real identity and a unique personality that you are already trying to express.

So keep kicking my little soccer player!

IT'S A GIRL!!!

Wow! You have an identity now...Petra Sky Bryan. Today we had that important ultrasound to find out if you are a boy or girl....and you're a girl (at least there's an 80% chance you are!). Your daddy, my mom (Grammy) and your daddy's mom (Grandma) and dad (Grandpa) were all there when the ultrasound was done. You were all curled up in a little ball sleeping when we started, but a little poking and prodding soon had you moving around, scratching the side of your head and, of course, crossing your legs! Eventually the technician, Pam, said she was 80% sure you are a girl. She said everything looked very healthy and from her measurments you are about 13 oz. in size.

I'm so excited to be able to put a name to this little bundle inside me now...and we can also start picking out clothes and toys and things for you. That will be lots of fun. Your daddy is thrilled that he's going to have a 'daddy's girl' and I'm so happy too. Even though I had thought a lot about having a boy, I see what a great relationship I have with my own mother now that I'm older and I look forward to having that with you too.

I love you, Petra Sky...

Girl or Boy?

This Friday, if all goes well (and you cooperate!) your Daddy and I will be going for an ultrasound that will hopefully tell us whether you are a girl or a boy. Both of us are so excited just to be able to finally call you by name (Luke or Petra) instead of constantly referring to you as 'the baby' or 'her or him'. Also it will mean we'll be able to start looking for clothes and other gender specific things to add to our baby registry so when loved ones shop for our upcoming baby showers they can get you lots of nice things!

We will be happy if you are just healthy, no matter what you are, but deep down I really hope you are a boy. I've always had a better connection it seems with the men in my life, and I guess the thoughts of you being a boy intimidate me a little less. I wonder if I could handle another hormonal, emotional female in the house. Your Daddy really hopes you are a girl though. He always had a lot of good friends who were girls, and he spent a lot of time growing up around his female relatives. I guess he's wishing out of his feelings of comfort then too. No matter what, I am so excited to see what kind of amazing and unique personality God will bless you with and how much you really are a combination of me and your daddy. I hope you have his peace-making abilities, his people skills, and his positive attitude. I hope you have my love for reading and learning, my creativity, and my tenacity. Most of all I hope you inherit from both of us a love for Christ that will far outstretch anything else you do.

I love you...