{Miss Maylin} Maylin Turns Two: A Letter for the Night Before Your Birthday

Dear Maylin,

You're Two! Two little years in your wake, two little candles on your cake. You wear Two well. You wear it in all it's two-year toddler glory. You wear it with confidence, with brilliance, with laughter, with pizazz. You wear Two unlike any toddler has worn it before. You wear it with your head thrown back in wonder and joy, peals of giggles bubbling from your soul. You wear it with a tiny, darling gap between your two front teeth. You wear it with stomping feet, and high pitched "No!"s, and flailing limbs. You wear it with the tenderest pat-pats on my back, the most undeniable "hep pease mama!" and the greatest love of bananas and apple juice the world has known. 

The You you are becoming is extraordinarily unique, the juxtaposition of the best and worst parts of your parents combined with attributes all your own. You are dainty and poised and feminine, yet stubborn and tempermental and emotional. You have unending wells of passion and a deep determination to hold fast your obsessions. You don't stop. You don't let go. You are tenacious and determined. You are my firecracker, my brilliant little firecracker that lights up my life. You are my strong little warrior, filled with what it takes to win whatever battle you've decided to fight. You are friendly and outgoing and willing to wring the life out of life, yet simultaneously quiet and reserved, thoughtful and pensive.

You have the endearing habit of calling Deuce "Bouf" or "Boucey." You respond with "No, I don thin so" when a simple no would work just as well. Milk is pronounced "pickle" and you call Hartlie just plain "Ha."  

You greet everything with a cheery "Hi!": 

"Hi soos!" {shoes}

"Hi red!" {any red object}

"Hi ban!" {banana}

"Hi no why!" {Snow White}

"Hi boo!" {any blue object}

"Hi shishy!" {sissy}

"Hi ap soo!" {apple juice}

"Hi lello!" {any yellow object}

"Hi Man Beahr! {Manni Bear}

"Hi Muh mah!" {Mama- my favorite}

My wish for you, during this next year while you're Two, is that you remain: curious, expectant, wide-eyed, wild-eyed, innocent, alert, brilliant, friendly, confident.

My wish for you, while you're Two, is that you grow: in compassion, in kindness, in thoughtfulness, in meekness, in gentleness, in patience with understanding, in humility, in graciousness. 

Above all, my lovely green-eyed girl, may you remain to your core the truest version of You- my Maylin.

Happy Birthday.  

{Hartlie Anne} 3rd Month Memories

Hartlie,

This has been our month of going and doing. We're finally getting out of the house and greeting the world. We have gone for walks in the park, bringing plastic baggies of grapes and bottles of water. We walk a bit, then stop for a snack. We make time to feed the ducks then visit the swings. The days are hot and sun-laden, as if August is making a final stand before the coolness of fall. 

This month you made your debut at church and stayed in the nursery like a champ.  Sunday mornings are no longer "easy" as they once were when we stayed cuddled in bed until the sun was high, but they sure are sweet. I get to see you all dressed up in your smocked dresses and big headbands and hand you off for an hour or two to worship. Then in the afternoon we have a little lunch and stroll around the neighborhood with Daddy and Maylin. This is probably my favorite day of the week.

Also new this month is that adorable dimple in your right cheek that shows up when you smile. Just like your mama. If I didn't already have enough reasons to kiss your cheeks, now I have one more. I'm not mad about it at all. You keep getting squishier and squishier due to your love of eating. You're such a good nurser, which makes my job much less stressful. You slept all night for the first time in your life this month. I felt so energized that I went for my first morning run since you were born. We both felt great after that night. Good for you, sister!

We made our first trip to the library this month. You stayed cozy in the stroller while we listened to the librarian read. We also ate breakfast as a family at our local coffee shop, and you were so pleasant. The interruption in your schedule didn't phase you a bit. You're a flexible baby with a good disposition, and you make everyday outings a breeze.

There are so many more outings in our future, doodle-bug, and I can't wait for a lifetime of new experiences with you!

{Hartlie Anne} 2nd Month Memories

Sweet Hartlie-girl,

It's full on summer now. The days are growing hotter and you're growing bigger. You've spent most of your first month sleeping, but you're slowly starting to spend more time awake. It's been fun to watch you "wake up" to the world around you. Time seems to almost stand still during those first few newborn weeks, when we're both surviving within two hour segments of nurse, change, sleep- all around and around the clock. Then suddenly, this month I woke up one morning and looked over into your little portable crib by my bed and realized with a start that you, my newborn baby girl, don't look so new anymore. You're looking and acting more like your own person each day. You have so many smiles, so many effortless and ready smiles, and we love it.

You're our laid-back, easy going gal. You only cry for very good reasons and you sleep like a dream, which makes this mama really happy. And thankful. Very thankful for sleep right now. This month we discovered you're allergic to dairy, which means no more dairy products for me for the forseeable future. I'm praying you'll outgrow this allergy- as  most babies who have it do- because can you imagine? Life without chocolate or ice cream or cereal {oh cereal} or milk and oreos?? I had the bright idea one early morning this month to attempt dairy free buscuits, and they turned out okay. But just okay. May the good Lord spare you from a life of "just okay" buscuits.

It's been incredible to watch you form relationships with our loved ones, especially with your daddy and sister. Daddy/Daughter love will always be heartmelting for me, and that sister-bond is unmatchable. This month we ate cupcakes together, went to the pool together, tramped through the park together, you snuggled up in the Happy wrap around my torso or in the padded stroller while we made memories around you. Sunday afternoon snuggles, all four of us piled in our bed, became my favorite activity of the week.

The sunflowers I planted back in April grew to the size of my shoulders and blooms as big as dinner plates burst forth in golden yellow glory as their faces turned toward the sun. And these verses became my matra for this  month as we continue to celebrate your life, sweet Hartlie:

"The mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, but My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, and My covenant of peace will not be shaken, says the Lord who has compassion on you." Isaiah 54:10

"The Lord's lovingkindness indeed never ceases, for His compassion never fails. They are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness."

Lamentations 3:22-23

We love you, our dear girl.

{Hartlie Anne} 1st Month Memories

{Note: This series will be mainly retrospective, as Hartlie is now 7+ months old.}

Sweet Hartlie,

You are new this month. Brand new and we are smitten with love and ooey gooey emotions immediately. You arrived fast and with disregard to epidurals and time and Pitocin, but goodness, we couldn't be happier greeting you under any other circumstances. My wide eyed girl that made me a mama twice, you've made my mornings and evenings, mid-days and midnights so, so sweet. We welcomed you home with joy and love. I can hardly sleep at the sight of you. You are one of my two favorite reasons to embrace each morning.

My baby girl, so fresh and new, you caused my heart to expand 100% larger than it was already. Before you were born, I was secretly fearful I couldn't love you as much as Maylin, simply because I couldn't imagine the magnitude of that much love. I couldn't imagine that any heart had the capacity for it. But, my sweet girl, because of you I love 100% more. I love you 100% and I love your sister 100%. Thank you for bringing that much more love into my life.

We've taken this first month slowly. Easy. We've stayed in pajamas, taken leisurely walks, sat in the summer warmth on the front porch. We've spent hours rocking, hours nursing, hours snuggling and cuddling. Middle of the night nursing sessions became photo sessions as I snapped picture after picture of you in your nightgown with your wide eyes and your baby cap, wrapped in your swaddle blanket lying on my bedspread, your daddy snoozing beside us. I've watched Maylin become increasingly more aware of your presence and I'm excited to witness this sister-bond grow. 

Some things I've learned about you already- you never sneeze only once, always in sets of threes or fours, just like your daddy. You cry the biggest, most perfect crocodile tears I've ever seen, and when you're upset, they're immediate and constant, soaking your onesie or crib sheet or my shoulder in an instant. You're already grasping dangling objects. And your smile. Oh your smile. It slays us.

We are so glad you're here in the flesh, sweet little Hartlie Anne, so glad you're in our arms to stay. 

{Miss Maylin} 12 Months Old

This is my last monthly update on my Maylin baby. So many things have changed since I began these monthly updates on my old blog. They've been so fun to do, and I'm glad I have a record of the first year of Maylin's life. It's unbelievable how much a baby grows and develops, both physically and mentally, in the course of its first life. I truly couldn't fathom the way Maylin is now when she was snuggled up to me at one week old. I'm not too terribly sad that these updates are ending, because let's be honest, getting her to take posed photos during the past few months has been more than a little frustrating. In fact, it's been downright impossible. I much prefer that thrill of getting a perfect candid these days. And by perfect I mean not blurry. If she happens to be looking in the direction of the camera lense then that's bonus. I take what I can get.

Miss Maylin, at 12 months old you::

~ have two bottom teeth, no top teeth yet, that we brush during bathtime. You can hold your own toothbrush and gnaw on it to get all those germies out. Brushing your teeth is one of your favorite things to do.

~ love to brush your hair. Or rather, love to have me brush your hair. You've recently grown hair on the back of your head that is just long enough to get a little crazy after naptimes. In order to coax it back down, we brush. I think it's calming to you because you'll allow me to brush it for several minutes while you're sitting still. Which is a rarity nowadays. Also, you've started "brushing" the hair of your animals when you play.

~ love to read books. You will bring me a book to read and crawl in my lap. You love pointing to the pictures in the book and saying "ba!" {your all-time favorite expression}, and you also are very adept at turning the pages. I've even found you looking through books all by yourself during play time.

~ are not walking yet, although you walk like a pro behind your walker, or when someone is holding your hands, or when you're pushing your activity table across the floor. You've taken one step with one foot on several occasions, but you have yet to make forward progress with two feet. I'm predicting within the next month we'll have a perfectly able little walker on our hands.

~ are great at standing. When I put you on the ground you lock your knees to land on your feet instead of sitting on your bottom. Then you stand in that spot for a good while until you decide you're ready to move, which you then do by crawling. Sometimes Gollum style {you can watch that movie when you're older to get the reference}, sometimes in the regular fashion.

~ can point to your belly button, mouth, and eyes when asked. You can also point out these features on your babies and animals. We're currently working on pointing to your feet, ears, and nose.

~ can make the sound of a puppy when asked. Pretty sure you picked this up from big brother {aka frenemy} Deuce. I never consistently tried to teach you this sound, you kind of just started doing it one day. Of course, the sound you make is not the traditional "ruff ruff," but rather an open-mouthed "hah, hah, hah, hah" to simulate a panting dog. This is what makes me believe you picked this up all on your own from big brother. I know I would have taught you to say "ruff ruff." It wouldn't have occured to me to teach you a panting noise.

~ have quite the relationship with objects. Whether it be a stuffed animal, a baby doll, a plastic figurine. You choose one by pointing in the morning when I get you out of your crib, and you're liable to hold on to it the entire day. 

~ can hug said object when prompted "Can you give the puppy some loving?"

~ can find and point to/crawl to your baby, puppy, bear, blanket, book, Daniel Tiger, passy, bottle, Deuce, rocking horse, light, Daddy, and Mama.

~ recognize the phrases: {1} Are you ready to get down? {2} Change a diaper {3} Are you ready for a nap? {4} Do you want a bottle? {5} Where is..... {6} No, No ma'am, Don't... {7} Are you done? 

~ still aren't saying any recognizable words, although you can shake your head no and point to whatever you want. Which accounts for about 80% of your communication needs.

~ wear size 3 diapers.

~ wear size 9-12 months clothes, some 6 month dresses you can still wear as a top. You can also still wear 6 month onesies because they fit your torso. Your legs do not fit in 6 month pjs or leggings anymore.

~ weigh 19 pounds!!!! Woo Hoo!!! 

~ nap two times daily, for about an hour and a half in the morning and afternoon. 

~ sleep from 6:30-7:00 PM to 7:30 AM. And your daddy and I love you for it.

~ eat three solid meals a day, plus drink four 6-8 oz bottles of organic whole milk.

~ stayed overnight at your Emme and Papa's house twice. Both times you slept great with little to no fussing.

Oh Maylin. I have loved your first year. I can't wait to see how much you grow and change over the next twelve months. It will be just as astounding, I'm sure. I love you, my Maylin girl.

{Miss Maylin} First Birthday Party

The day of Maylin's birthday party was exciting for us, perhaps just as exciting as her actual birthday. It was so fun to be able to celebrate with our family and close friends. That's the thing about our little community- we have a close group of "bosom friends" {as Anne Shirley would say} that we do life with. We are so thankful for them. It's enjoyable to watch our girls grow up together, and for us moms {and dads} to share experiences and get advice from each other.

We are also blessed to have a supportive family on both sides. It's so neat to watch Maylin interact with my own grandparents and other members of our extended family. I love watching her relationship grow with my and Michael's parents, too. My parents spent the day with us entertaining Maylin while Michael and I set up for the afternoon party. We couldn't have done it without them!

We have a small sunroom in the back of our house where we decided to set up the food and the high chair for the smash cake. The weather was mild, so we were able to leave the door open to the house to let in the breezes. This kind of weather only happens for about a month in the Spring before it gets too hot, so we had to take advantage while we could.

Pinterest served me well for the brainstorming and executing of Maylin's party. I used a very simple tutorial to create the crepe paper streamer banner that went over the food table. I bought the crepe paper, table cloth,  and artificial daisies from the dollar store. I was really pleased with how the look turned out for such a small amount of money.

The place cards for the food were handmade by a friend who has her own invitation design business. She can pretty much do anything, and I am always so pleased with her work. She made Maylin's invitations, the name cards, the ONE glitter letters on the high chair, and a bunting banner that hung in our house. 

I used small mason jars that I already owned {bought years before with the intention of jarring salsa... that never happened} and tied a bit of jute around the lip to display the silverware. The guest cake, cupcakes, and Maylin's smash cake were strawberry with cream cheese icing.

I decided to have a fruit pizza bar, and I think this was the hit of the party. My mom made sugar cookies using Pioneer Woman's recipe, and "frosting" made of cream cheese whipped with marshmallow cream. Top with fresh fruit. There are no words to describe how good these were. 

The bunting banner above the table is the banner my friend made. I love it. I even decided to save it for future parties or showers, or maybe to even decorate in one of the girls' rooms. Who knows?!

I found these adorable bows and headbands for a steal and decided to make these the party favors. For some reason, all the babies in Maylin's little Sunday School class are girls, so by default there were no little boys invited to the party. Therefore I felt it okay to offer such a feminine party favor. Each little guest got to choose her own bow, clip, or headband.  The bows were displayed on an apothecary chest I found a couple years ago when I was antiquing in Colorado with Michael's aunt. I've always had aspirations of decorating with it in our home, but so far it's sat unused in a box. Until the party. It brings back fond memories of our time vacationing in Colorado, so I was happy to pull it out to use.

I DIYed this chalkboard when I was pregnant with Maylin to do weekly bump pictures, and it has been handy many times since then. 

I took all those monthly photographs of Maylin for her baby book and to keep up with her first year of growth, and then decided to make a banner to display them for her party. I used washi tape I found in the dollar bin to coat the clothespins.

Besides seeing Maylin interact with all her friends, my favorite part of the afternoon was the smash cake. I loved watching Maylin dig in to the thick frosting and get her first taste of refined sugar. This was also one of the only moments of the party that Maylin wasn't crying.

I made the fabric banner using this tutorial, and it turned out even better than I imagined. I'm planning on using this banner to hang over Hartlie's crib after Maylin moves to her new room. The tulle I found at the dollar store for $1 a roll, then referenced this tutorial to make the tutu for the high chair. The only difference is that I tied the tulle to jute instead of elastic.

For the cake smashing, Maylin wore a tutu from Halloween, her birthday headband, and a set of old pearls I had from high school.

And now, for the endless, almost identical pictures of Maylin enjoying her cake.

I always love watching Maylin interact with her little friends. The two beauties above are friends Alice and Mia, also born last March. I've enjoyed so much sharing with Judith and Brandi the first year with our babies, watching them grow and mature and become little people. I can't wait for a childhood full of birthday parties with these three!

Here is the {Drama Queen} birthday girl with all her little friends: Alice, Anniston, Shelby, and Mia. This was the best picture I got of them together. It's perfect because it showcases all their little personalities perfectly!

Maylin's first birthday party far exceeded my expectations. It makes me excited about planning next year's party!