littlemiss "almost" bigsis

wow. 

I feel really behind on this here bliggity blog and absolutely have an earnest desire to catch up on a few things before the littleman arrives within a few short weeks... and yet I have very realistic expectations (read: don't hold your breath), so we"ll see.

It's been a while since I did an update on my littlemiss ellejay. Man, oh man is she the light, joy, happiness and frustration of my life!! I love that I get to be her mama and I love that she is mine.

I feel like she has grown up so much in the last couple of months. She has gone from a baby to a little girl right before my very eyes. Stop it, I say! She is talking like crazy and although much of it might not be completely decipherable to most, she tries to say almost everything and I understand nearly everything she says. A few of my favorites:

"be awe-mus" (don't forget to be awesome)
"no, no mommy. ucky" (about anything she doesn't want to do)
"where's agga" over and over again (her favorite bestie, the elephant lovey)
"daddy - home" (when she's waiting for daddy to come home)
"a-mon, a-mon, a-mon" (with her arms in the air when she's watching football with daddy : come-on)
"bye-bye mama's house" (anytime we leave grandma's, it's adorable)
"two, three, eight, nine" (that's how she counts to ten. clearly, we have some work to do)
"up daddy" (she yells to him in the morning when she's awake and ready for him to come get her)
"a- dooooooo" (cock-a-doodle-do)
"okee babee,okee" (when she is bouncing and comforting her babies)
"osco- hand" (let's go to costco and get a stamp on my hand)

It's interesting that she has now given up all of the baby signs that she learned for the actual words now, except for "thank you". She is getting very good with her please and thank you's, though please is always verbal and thank you is always signed...even when she says her prayers. We help her to say them and she will repeat most of the words that we whisper in her ear, but whenever we say "thank you" or even "thankful", she silently signs it and then says the rest of the words. It's very sweet and also very interesting.

She knows all of her colors, all of her animals and sounds and is working on counting to 10. She still doesn't have much interest in letters or the alphabet and I figure as long as she learns them before kindergarten, we're ok.

Pretty much everything she says and does at this age is ridiculously cute. Sometimes, extremely frustrating...but always very cute. Somebody definitely knew what they were doing when they made little ones so dang cute. Sometimes it's the only thing that saves their lives.

Somebody got their very own little bike this summer!!

Grandma & Grandpa got her an adorable tiny bike to ride when she comes to play at their house. I think it's safe to say she loves it. Although it was still a little big for her this summer... I think she is going to totally rock it by next year!!

She has hit a very independent, yet helpful stage. She loves to "help" with whatever it is we are doing. She especially loves to help in the kitchen, which I mostly love. Although not always very helpful, I remember praying and wishing for a little baking assistant to help me in the kitchen. Sometimes, I still have to pinch myself. She also loves to help Daddy outside, whether it's watering the plants or picking the garden crop... though she tends to eat the cherry tomatoes faster than Daddy can pick them.... so not many actually make it inside.

Littlemiss Leah is all girl...from her head to her tippy toes!! She is totally into purses and accessories and loves to dress up. She carries her little pink purse nearly everywhere she goes.... including into her bed at night.

She is totally sassy and knows that a great purse and a good pair of sunglasses helps a girl get places!! (even when shirts are optional)

She loves to dress up, not only in her clothes... but also in mine. It's not unusual for her to disappear for a few minutes only to have her return wearing any number of random things... (not gonna lie... the lacy leggings and high heels kinda freak me out a bit.... hope we're not in trouble with this one here)

I love her wearing a couple of my shirts and totally checking herself out in the mirror!

Leah LOVES little kids and especially babies. She seems to be a natural nurturer. She loves her dolls and stuffed animals and has just always known how to rock and bounce them. I am fascinated to watch her play with them, comfort them, feed them and just know what to do without ever being shown. She always wants them to be swaddled and snuggled. We have several besties in our neighborhood that have had babies this summer and she is absolutely enamored by them, their gear and everything related to them (she once played with an empty carseat and receiving blanket for an hour straight. no lie). She even has a special "baby talk" that she uses when she talks to them (much like a grow-up does) She scrunches her face up and put her little fingers out, as if in a "tickle-tickle" fashion and talks to them so sweetly. It kinds melts me.We talk about our new baby all the time and she seems to not be able to wait until we have a baby that lives at our house too! I hope and pray it's not too good to be true.

She was ecstatic to start by to Kindermusik again a few weeks ago and was so thrilled to see Miss Anna again. I can't believe how much she loves everything about it. She wants to listen to the cds constantly at home and dances around and tries to do all the actions she knows. Miss Anna might be her favorite person on earth, as she has named most of her dolls and stuffed animals Anna. We are especially excited to be in the same class with some of her besties, Sawyer and Caroline. She also loves that Caroline's baby sister "E-nor" comes along.

I love this time with her and am so glad we get to do it again!

In other exciting news, after 23 months and nearly 2 weeks.... Leah is finally facing forward in her carseat. We tried sooooo hard to make it all the way to the recommended 2 years, but mama was a little too anxious to get the baby seat installed.... and to be prepared in the event of baby brother's early arrival. 

She pretty much loves it and has never been happier!! She loves looking out the window and pointing out the yellow bus or the blue truck and I love being able to turn around and see her happy face!!

I am finding myself continuing to get incredibly emotional as I think of all the changes that we are getting ready to experience as a family. I know Leah will be a great big sister and I know this littleman is such a gift and an answer to our prayers... but the fact is, it will change everything as we know it. I will never again have this much one on one time with this sweet, amazing soul that has taught me to be a mama. I will forever cherish the opportunity that I have been given to have babies and be a mama. I love everything about this girl and especially for all that she teaches me about myself and about life. 

"You will never have this day with your children again.

Tomorrow, they’ll be a little older than they were today.

This day is a gift.

Breathe and notice.

Smell and touch them;

Study their faces and little feet and pay attention.

Relish the charms of the present.

Enjoy today, mama.  

It will be over before you know it."

- jen hatmaker

{ready or not.... here we grow, littlemiss}