Farewell, September

This last weekend of September we bid the month goodbye with lots of time spent outdoors at home, at our neighborhood's Family Fun Day, and at a new-to-us park in Nashville, Sevier Park.

We'll miss September for its wonderful weather this year for sure, but we'll miss it more because it is also the month and the last weekend in which we said our final goodbyes to our friends, the Ramseys, who have just moved to TX at last.  We are going to miss them so much!  I know I already am.  Not since childhood have I shed tears over my or a friend's moving.  But I have shed several over the past couple months over saying goodbye to Jill and Ross and their kiddos.  The kids are sad about it, too, but they showed it in different ways when we all got together with the Ramseys and Devores on Friday. :}

Those cap guns were a parting gift from Nave and Nolan and have lived up to their reputation of being a big bang.  Noah is ga-ga for his and we have since had to buy a bigger one that holds 600 shots instead of the rings of 10 he started with.

Praying for the best for our friends as they settle in in TX and praying we don't feel the loss for long as bad as we all feel it now. :(  Farewell, September 2012.

About Anna on her 4th

Anna, my sweet, you're four at last!

You have LITERALLY been planning your fourth birthday since only a week or two after you turned three.  And as your day approached, you reminded us to pour lots of balloons into your room while you slept the night before. You suggested we decorate with streamers while you napped.  You requested a cake with Strawberry Shortcake on it.  And your birthday list was so long that it has spilled over into your Christmas list. Truly, you have a feminine heart for details, happy times, and anything dreamy.  It's one of my favorite things about you.  You are so innocent and every day it causes me to smile deep, deep down in my soul.  You continue to be a delight, little girl, and I count myself so lucky to call you mine.

I love you, Anna Noelle. And I am loving our days together this year especially.  You are just old enough to be able to hang with the big girls without any sort of toddler antics.  You go to lunch dates with my friends and me, playdates with your friends, run errand after errand without issue or whine, give me quiet when I have a migraine, invite me to do arts and crafts with you, hang tough with Noah's buddies when you have to, and you play so well by yourself when I have stuff to do around the house.  And you do it all with a "I love spending time with you, Mommy," several times a week.  Seriously, child, you bless my heart.  I can't imagine what is in store for you and me once we start a few homeschool lessons a week next month.  You are so, so eager to get going ... ever the type A mini-me that you are.  And even though you are becoming so like me, I still never know what you'll say next. :)

Take today for instance:  You loaded a ton of your dress up stuff onto your princess tea cart, softly talking to yourself all the while.  Then you rolled it to the living room and announced that you were packed and going to the city.  When I came downstairs 15 minutes later, you had laid out your costume for Halloween ... of 2013! Truly, I never know your little heart will come up with.  At this age, you do a lot of talking and you get frustrated when I accidentally tune you out.  When I apologize and ask you to repeat what I missed, you huff and groan that you can't remember now. :}  How is it that such a simple dialogue creates a heartfelt smirk on my face and my eyes to water with amusement.  I think I just love the relationship we are building.  I look forward to you and me gabbing, fussing, learning, and laughing away our years together. 

Some quotes from you we hear a lot:

• "On tell you sumfin" (I wanna tell you something)
• "I wuv you so much!"  Once you went on saying, "I wuv you so much. I can't stop thinking about it because you are the sweetest, eetest, eetest mommy in da whole wide world." {Insert snuggling sounds as you squeeze in close to me on the couch.}
• When you are in trouble you remind me, "But you still wuv meeeee.  You can't stop wuvving meee, remember?"
• You can't stand the idea of being left behind.  You get real panicky still when you are rushed.  And recently you called to Daddy setting up a board game, "Don't start without me, because that's the rules.  You can't start without your daughter!"  
• You continue to remind us, "It's hard to be a little girl."
• Recently when Daddy was trying to correct how you brushed your teeth, you said, "Daddy, can you just let me brush them they way I want to brush them?"
• You like jokes that Noah comes home from school with and have started making some of your own.  "Mommy is Halloween a season or a holiday?  {A holiday} No, it's a holiNIGHT!" :)
• When slow music comes on, you quickly ask, "Mommyyyyyyy, Is dat bedtime music? I don't wanna hear slow music because it makes me sleeeepy."
• You are always asking me what new-to-you words mean.  As a result, you've begun using a number of impressive words for a 3-going-on-4 year old:  damaged, difficult, startled, mission, join me, praise, glory, radar, spirit, camouflage, attention, algae, curious, violet, surface, materials, surround, correct, texture, cooperate, otherwise, detour

Other bits and pieces of you as you turn four:

• You are 30 lbs finally (11th %ile) and 40 inches tall (58th %ile).  
• You are in 3T/4T clothes and size 8.5-9 shoes.
• You huff, puff, groan, and sigh when are flustered or aggravated.
• This usually escalates quickly to squealing, screaming, and crying.
• You also moan and groan when you eat something duh-licious. :)
• You are obsessed with drawing and crafts - anything artistic.
• You like to snuggle and cuddle.
• You prefer to go barefoot when you are outside.
• Fresh from a nap, you want to be held in our laps til you fully wake up. 
• You have begun showing symptoms of hay fever, so now we get allergy meds for you, too.
• You have grown very fond of playing dress up, too.
• You don't get disciplined near as much as Noah did at this age.  You are very obedient!
• Your room and your play areas are always a mess! 
• You like to play horsey with Noah just about every day.
• You requests mittens while eating a popsicles or holding cold cups.
• You have beautiful, beautiful porcelain skin and gorgeous soft wavy/curly hair.
• Nicknames I use for you include Annabelle, Annagirl, Babylove, Little bird, Lovie, Stinkpot.
• You think it's hilarious that I call you Stinkpot after any of your many toots.
• You just recently outgrew your toddler/baby hangers.
• You totally dig flashlights and playing in the rain. 
• You are your daddy's girl in that you like to check the radar often.
• Nighttime potty training you was a breeze earlier this year.  You practically did it yourself.
• You spell basic words already and can decode/read them as well.
• You have become a bit of a momma's girl, crying when I have to leave you unexpectedly.
• You are fascinated by finding things that stick to a magnets.
• You don't go into a tv trance.  You often ask me to turn it off once your show is over. 
• You are very impatient and very distractible.
• But you've gotten better at controlling your outbursts at Noah.
• You tell us you can't wait to get older so you can get married and have a baby.
• You could spend hours in an open field picking flowers, rocks, sticks, leaves, etc.
• You are a master at furrowing your eyebrows.
• Taking after me again, you are an acute sniffer, a picky eater, and a homebody.
• You like for us to close our eyes so you can guide us to see something you've made.
• You take naps every day still, but you only sleep half the time.
• You still rarely laugh and you also don't smile easily for pictures.
• If given the choice, you smile without teeth for pictures.  And when we ask you to smile WITH teeth, it just comes off all forced and awkward looking.  Poor thing.
• You stopped doing ballet class and have gone back to enjoying your gym classes.
• You are very interested in how God is a spirit and can always see us and hear us.
• Sweet mispronunciations:  Punzel (rapunzel), Twawet (toilet), You siwwy ohd fing! (You silly old thing!), scubbered (discovered), Kisted (kissed), hurted (hurt), Fiddlestacks! (fiddlesticks) 
• At bedtime, you do your bath and I wash your hair and get you in your pjs.  Daddy brushes your teeth and does bedtimes stories, phonics lessons, bible lessons, and prayer with you and Noah.  You like your star light ladybug shining on your ceiling and your door closed.  You sleep with a bunch of stuffed animals that vary from day to day, but your favorites are your pillow pet and your piggie.

Annabelle, a week after your birthday, I have finally made my peace with you turning four.  And just like you looking way too far ahead, I whimper a little at the thought of you being FIVE this time next year.  I learned how fast time goes by when we went through these ages with Noah. But, goodness, it's going at warp speed with the second child!  You'll have to forgive me if you find me staring at you and grinning to myself even more than I already do as the months come and go.  Just be patient with me when I grab you and hold you closer out of nowhere.  You'll have to indulge your sappy momma when I take too many pictures and give you hugs and tickles.  Please try to humor me when I brush my fingers through your hair and have too much fun shopping for your clothes. I wanna slurp up every second of this, your last preschool year, your last preschool you.  Thank you for being such a wonderful daughter.  I thank the Lord for making you just as you are and for letting me be a part of the ongoing process.  I am so proud of you, my sweet.  I love you, enjoy you, adore you, and then love you some more! 

Happy Birthday, my precious girl!
Mommy

Farm and Cave

On Wednesday, Anna and I 

 

headed to a local organic farm with a handful of friends from our SAHM playgroup.

Anna was in a wonderland of open spaces and free-range chickens.

 

She enjoyed the slide and fort, yes,

but her heart belonged to the the flower garden where she was set free to pick any flower she fancied.

She didn't let them out of her grip the rest of the morning.

While we were at the farm, Noah and Josh 

 

were on a class field trip to Lost River Cave.

Ironically, I have no cave pictures from Josh's camera, but I have some of him panning for jewels,

climbing with buddies,

observing the butterfly exhibit,

and stopping along the hiking path to listen to the tour guide.

And I couldn't help but notice a nice shot of one of his new friends from this year, Jacob.

Aren't they cute?!  Even cuter was Noah's comment on the way home from the trip when he thanked Josh for coming and said how glad he was that he came.

Marking Anna's Years

Four years ago this morning ...
I laid eyes on my precious girl for the very first time. Since I didn't actually get to see her right away, her first wet, mechanical cry is etched in my memory forever.  It was such a strange and surreal sound.  She wasn't there, and then she WAS!

She slept and cried and slept some more for a few months.

At 3 months, she started to wake up to the world.

At 1 year, she was blooming.

At 2 years, she came alive.

At 3 years, she had arrived.

And at 4 years, she's her own person for sure.

Happy (real) birthday to my love
who says she finally feels four today!

Love Note

Noah was passing notes in church the other day.

This Mom-e was charmed. ♥

Taa Daa: Ruffle Scarves

Tis the season to get back to knitting!  Just finished up the second of my last two ruffle scarves and I already have them packed to mail out to two special friends this week. :)

I love these things because they are a simple add to a very plain outfit that creates a whole new look.  I can't wait to get mine out of the closet next month!

Fourth Birthday Festivities

Our Anna girl rang in her fourth birthday today even though it's not official til Tuesday.  Celebrating on a Saturday left us plenty of room for a family photo session, 4 year-old pics, and all of the following. :)

Fresh from her nap, Anna approved of all the streamers and presents.  

We wasted no time digging in to the pretty little cake of hers.

Then it was time to dig in to all her goodies.  She's been pining after a bathrobe for months.  It was all I could do to hold out til her birthday.  She was tickled pink to open this one first and discover her new treasure. :)

Ever a Brown, she was thrilled with her new flashlight/glowstick.  She didn't even notice the Belle gown in the box once she spotted the tool.  Truth - she also got a fishing pole from her daddy. :S

Somehow, the bandaids got the best grinning picture out of her.

Believe it or not, Anna's begged for a Mulan gown more than any princess gown.  

These Dizzy Dancers were her favorite gift.

Trying out her new art caddy that she is so proud of because her daddy made it himself.  I can't stop grinning at how she calls it her art "category" by mistake, instead of caddy.

 

We love trying new things together on birthdays, so today's birthday first was pottery painting.

Anna hard at work on a cross for Memaw from whom she'd just received some birthday money in the mail on our way out the door. :)

Finally, since we'd basically eaten cake for lunch, we had an early dinner at another new place for us all, Noodles and Company.  Accordingly, the birthday girl was a silly noodle all over the table while we waited for our food.

On the way home I asked Anna what her favorite part of her day was and she couldn't pick one thing.  She said it was all her favorite parts. :)  Good answer!!  Happy Early Birthday, Anna my love.

Why, Universe? Why?!

Why would this precious cheek end up pimpled the day before our family photo session?!  She's turning 4 for crying out loud, not 14! 

Why, Universe?!  Why?

Anna's Birthday Survey

Anna turns four a week from today and it's just about all she can think about.  So, to kick off her birthday week, here's a little piece of the birthday girl's mind.

Anna, what is your favorite ...

• Color?  Pink and Gold and Silver
• Breakfast? Milk and breakfast bars
• Lunch? Nutella, Jelly, or Grilled Cheese Sandwich
• Dinner? Pizza and Hot Dogs
• Fruit? -Strawberries
• Candy?  Chocolate Kisses          
• Snack?  Graham Crackers and Marshmallows
• Drink? Water and Juice and Milk
• Holiday? Christmas cuz dats when Jesus birfday comes!
• TV Show? Caillou
• Game? Hide and Seek
• Toy? Baby dolls
• Place to play? The play room and my room
• Place to go? Hotels!
• Friend? Noah
• Animal? Dinosaur
• Thing to do outside? Jump in the da rain puddles
• Bible Story? I don't know
• Song? Call to Me (from Seeds of Courage CD)
• Movie? Strawberry Shortcake
• Video Game? Leapster Princess game
• Part of the Day? Going places 
• Store? Toy store
• Restaurant? Qdoba
• Thing to sleep with? Piggie and Pillowpet
• Thing to wear? Grand Canyon shirt from Mimmie/Papa
• Book? I'd Be Your Princess and Fancy Nancy books
• Future Occupation? An artist for moms
• Thing You've Learned to do? Draw and Buckle seatbelt
• Birthday Wish List? Dizzy Dancers and a bathrobe

A Lego First for Noah

Noah is ga-ga for his Legos, yes.  But when it comes to actually completing a set with step-by-step direction booklets, he leaves that business to Josh usually.  Today, though, was just rainy enough, and Josh was home from work early enough, that Noah gave a set a go all by himself ...

 with Daddy close by for moral support.

After only a few spots of redirection, the snow-speeder was a success.  Noah was so excited!

He's already off to start another set while the rush is throbbing in his veins. :)  So proud of your attention to detail and careful construction with your gear, Noah.  Keep up the good work! 

Anna and the Rainy Day

 Not a moment

to

lose

 

on a

 

rainy

day.

:)