Jumble from July

Just catching up before I turn the calendar to another month.  

A jumble of summer happenings in July.

New Water Table.

 

Precious Moments.

Backyard Dips.

Bedtime Board Games.

Bowling with Buds - the final line item on our Summer Bucket List!

 

Another day, another dip!  Thankful for baby pools.

Me time.

Anna + Luci always = Bestie Love. 

See that heart necklace pair that they now wear. 

Anna bought those with her own money.

Happy Place at Home. Year in and Year out.

Bubble Time.  Lasa's mind was blown.

Precious note that Noah wrote that a friend texted to me from VBS at one of their Marketplace Booths.  The kids were decorating onesies and writing notes of encouragement to the moms who go to Cumberland Crisis Pregnancy Center.

Such fun mail I got this week. : S  My sister tells me that my numbers were nothing to worry about really, but this still grabs you by the face and gets your attention. I have pretty much stopped eating anything and I drink water all the live long day.  Just to start helping.

So gorgeous photo a friend sent me from her plane ride.

Thankful for His Word.  

So ready for August!  One step closer to fallllllllllll.

Turning 2 w/Momma Ique

For about six weeks now we have taken to referring to Angelique as Momma Angelique when speaking to Lasa. This was in response to her objecting to us calling her Miss Angelique to Lasa.  Fair enough.  Momma Angelique has been our compromise and Lasa has latched right onto the term and attached it to the face and voice of Angelique every time when we show her pics or let her hear one of her voice messages.  She gets excited to recognize her and says "Momma Ique!"  She has even begun to ask about her which is a new thing.  

Yesterday, her asking for Momma Ique was met with an actual visit with Momma Angelique to celebrate her second birthday with her.  We met up at Peay Park as usual and Angelique and Rodney brought cake, balloons, gifts, a banner, and even their dog Honey.  

The visit went smoothly.  Angelique had her mom call in to wish Lasa a Happy Birthday.  She also dropped a mention of Lasa's "father" (who I will henceforth refer to as birthfather) planning to come to our next visit and that he has some things for her.  That was a bit of a bomb to drop and it will certainly be a first!.  Needless to say, it had our minds spinning the rest of the night, no matter how cool and calm a face we put on in response.  There are a number of implications/ramifications that will come of that if he does come, as the timing is pretty involved considering TPR proceedings and all.   Josh told her before we left that he is excited to meet this Rodney and knows how important this info will be to Lasa as the years go by.  This seemed to take her back a few notches, so I can't help but wonder if we called her bluff on this, on his interest at all if any.  We shall see if he really does come around at all.  After two years of nothing at all, it is doubtful.  When Josh asked for his last name, she would not give it, but confirmed that his first name is indeed Rodney.  After some researching online last night, I think I have located exactly which Rodney it is and ... well ... suffice to say, it was a bit much to take in.  But at least we {almost} have a name for this missing person for Lasa's atty to look into as he will be a loose end for us to need to wrap up before adoption can ever be possible.  Wish us luck in that!

Before I go, a few more pics from before the visit, all dolled up in her Birthday Girl shirt.

15th Anniversary

On this, our 15th Anniversary, 

we have completed the final things needed after a month's worth of work collecting items and running errands and completing appts for a giant checklist of paperwork, documentation, and forms detailing pretty much the entirety of our married life and family life and financial life and insurance life and and and. All very tedious and technical stuff for yet another homestudy.  All very much a part of real life and our 15 years. 

So I guess I will call this a fitting anniversary gift.  Getting this beast done!  HA!

Not to worry though, we enjoyed a couple dinners out last week with Lasa while the kids were in VBS and we got a couple purchases for the fun of it for our anniversary.  Last year we got something new for the bedroom (new comforter).  This year we got something for the living room (It's so good to be home pic)...

and something for the kitchen - new flatware; I have been wanting us to upgrade for yearsss. 

And Josh brought home flowers to mark the day, too.  So there's that! :) 

Anyway, 15 years!  Wow!  I remember when 15 years sounded like an anniversary a couple old people would be marking, which we would never be.  HA!  I like the sound of 15, though.  It's a good, solid, round number! Proud of our track record for teamwork, peace, love, family, faith, and home.  ❤️  Thank you, Lord for these gifts and these years with my Josh. 

Also, an afterthought of advice I will start sharing with young couples planning a wedding - Don't wait til the end of July to get married.  It's just too hectic a time of year to celebrate in real life once real life happens and you have kids.  You are dying from summer activity and heat and just clawing your way through back to school stuff.  Off season weddings are just better.  In fact, while I am on the topic of advice/do-overs if I could go back and talk to young engaged Josh and Kimmie, I would advise them to just elope.  If I could do anything over, it would be that!  Maybe I will pitch to Josh that we should start celebrating our anniversary on our actual engagement date instead - Jan. 4.  I always remember that date/memory much more fondly anyway. 😍 Wish me luck!

Two!

Lasa is a brand spanking new TWO YEAR OLD today, y'all!  

Wow!  We celebrated today real low key at home with just a cupcake, two balloons, and two presents because we are saving cake and hoopla to do with Angelique this weekend, hopefully.  See here her new baby doll stroller which she adores and a play microwave which was hysterical to watch her open.  I am so sorry I didn't videotape it.  She squealed and gutteral screamed and ripped at paper and held it up mid-unwrap to shriek some more, soaking in the anticipation and the fun of the moment.  It.  Was.  Awesome.

But then we decided to go ahead and let her open the rest of her presents, not sure whether having her open OUR presents in front of Angelique would be somewhat uncomfortable, that being HER time with Lasa and all.  So anyway, rest of presents got opened after all.  Lasa was giddy!

Beyond the stroller and microwave, she got those necklaces you see around her neck, a kitty cat stuffed toy holding a cookie (her fave snack), this Little People dollhouse, some books, some play money, and those play kitchen condiments.

  

Every single thing was met with such delight and joy.  It was so fun.  Toddler toys are just so fun!

All day we have been singing Happy Birthday to You and all day she has been practicing saying how hold she is when asked.  "Two!" in the cutest, sharpest little voice ... reminds us of Anna's "two" back in the day.  She is seriously, seriously so much a two-year old, so it is really nice for it to be official at last.  Happy Birthday, our precious Lasalove!

• Lasa, at TWO, has so many words under her belt and tries so many new ones every day, usually mimicking more and more of what we say in any given situation.  Phrases and sentences get longer and longer and it's so fun to notice happening.  Just for the fun/memory of it, I will list here some of her most used new words (that require translation still):

massy - messy
heeyuh - here
eeyuh - ear
geeko - twinkle
geer - scared
goo gol - good girl
wowah - an upgrade from bubba for Noah
nana - an upgrade from yaya for Anna
nash - snacks
yosh - yes
toosh - truth
see - sit/seat
dow - down
buuts - bullets
gassy - glasses
gussy - disgusting
fuh - frog
doos - juice
doy - dirty
mash - mess
pus - purse
oy- oil (as in for her scars/boo boos)
eee - eat
cuh cween - ice cream
too too kwain - train
tuh - tractor
fuhfwy - butterfly
onda - I want that
sie - sorry
veo -video
kits - carrots
mayo - mail
un too - for I want to, too
posh - pouch (food pouches)
puhpwane - airplane
weewo - Wiggles
nunyee - hungry
puhpad - iPad
do-dut - donut
kuhkay - okay
baby deeuh - baby deer
moo - more
tees - cheese
fafful - waffle
gickoo - pickle
gee - again
ho - home!
momma-ique - Momma Angelique
un, two, six, tine, down - how she counts - 1, 2, 6, 9, 10
Dee Daw, Cookie, Meme - Dear God, Cookie (please).  Amen.
Yas, pees - yes, please
hodjoo - hold you (as in, hold me!)
No, no, Noah!

Other particularly Lasa tidbits at this age:

• She is always interested in what's in the trash and I often have to warn her to stay/get out of it.
• She asks for cookies often and then asks for Memaw when she can't have cookies.
• She holds her sippy cups in mouth without drinking, like a paci, for comfort.
• She wallows/plays in her bed for up to 1.5 hours before going to sleep at night.
• She gets really antsy and anxious when we are all busy and active around her.
• She uses a spoon with ease now.
• She recently upgraded to drinking from spoutless sippy cups.
• She weighs 26 lbs 14 oz, so basically - 27 pounds which is 54th %ile.
• She is 35 inches tall which is 87%ile. 
• She used the potty for first time (twice) the day before birthday!
• She is scared of any and all doctors and nurses that come near her at this point. :(
• She takes Flonase nasal spray and Zyrtec and a toddler vitamin every day.
• She currently wears size 6/7 shoes and size 2T clothes.
• She has all her baby teeth now, including molars.  First denist appt coming up this fall!
• She likes to share my boiled eggs and my cheese toast.  She likes to share every single thing Josh eats.
• She likes to play in puddles.  Really anything water, honestly.  Rain, puddles, bath, pools, hot tub, water table, sprinklers, washing hands, spills, you name it!
• She loves, loves, loves all the precious pretend play - baby dolls, dance, play kitchen, hair, store.  She plays is best and longest when Noah and Anna play it with her.  She is alive to each and every detail they do in those play scenarios.
• She has been the quickest to employ her stepstool to see all the wonders of whats on counters.
• Her favorite shows are Peppa the Pig, Wiggles, and Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood.
• Her favorite songs are Twinkle, Twinkle, Happy Birthday, and the ABC's.
• Her bedtime is 8ish, wakes up between 8-9, naps midafternoon for @2 hours. I don't know how we never established a 7 oclock bedtime, but we wish we had!
• She loves juice, coloring, attention, iPads, music, laughing, tickles, playgrounds, balloons, any foods that can be dipped, being chased, riding the child seat on Josh's bike, getting to enter Anna's room, running from us in stores, and being the boss of Noah.
• She's easily the loudest, most demanding little spirit in the house. 
• Her typical breakfast is milk and a breakfast bar, sometimes followed by dry cereal and grapes.
• She has mastered climbing stairs but I am not ready to remove the baby gates just yet.
• She no longer needs a high chair, so we are booster seat shopping.
• She is just so great with sitting still while I do her hair.  Thankyou, Lord.
• She no longer toddles in her walk. Her gait and step is smooth and sure. 
• She has a great little grip on pencils and crayons.  That correct grip is a relief to my teacher heart.
• She talks all the time!  And she has the most adorable babble speak that can't be distinguished yet.  She thinks she's speaking though.  
• She has a really great growly, fierce voice she does.  We love it.  It's so amusing.
• She has got sass, but she is not seeming to be strong-willed, thankyouLord.
• She will be attending two different PDO programs this year for our homeschooling's sake. T/Th's and F's.
• She struggles with sharing with her peers.  Age appropriate I know, but I can't wait to see her get over that one.

Lasa girl, you are are just the most fun little addition to our family and we love you, love you, love you to pieces.  And when I say, we, I mean all four of us.  Noah and Anna are as much your fans as your Daddy and I are.  I think there is a good chance you will always be the precious baby of our family and I can just tell already that you will thrive in and enjoy that position. :}  Your heart is light, your heart is happy, your heart is playful, your heart is precious!  You are beautiful, you keep us on our toes on an hour to hour basis, our schedules still pretty much revolve around yours, and we all just can't wait for your each and every new milestone.  I cannot believe it's been two years!  You are a welcome and wonderful adventure that is keeping us young (and tired some, too) and we cannot wait to see what designs the Lord unfolds in your life and what purposes he accomplishes through them.   We are so excited to watch you start to grow in your knowledge of the Lord in the coming year!

Happy Birthday, Precious Girl!  We love you, love you, love you.

Millions of Kisses,  Mommy

"Saysa Heya" (aka Lasa's Hair)

Just another day, another post of Saysa heya from the past couple weeks.  I adored these two back flat twists into a puff on top.  I hated not having a bow for finishing it off.  I put it on my list of things to get asap.  And I did, as you will see further into the post.  At Hobby Lobby of all places! Go figure.

Decided to try a hairdo that pulled less away from her face and let her hair rest in a more relaxed and down direction.  I did flat twists into two strand twists and popped some barrettes on the ends to help weigh them down.  This 'do grew on me the more I looked at it.  It's precious - reminds me of a little lamb the way the two on the sides lay down like lambs' ears. 

Just trying some asymmetrical parts after participating in a convo on the Not Just Hair FB page. It helps give her usual part lines a rest.

Then, after some days with the asymmetrical parts, I took down all but the front section and reworked it into this bun on top and pony in back for a couple days.  Cute!  Those little jaw clippies - I love.  But sadly, they are pretty much one-time-use accessories.  The teeth always always break in her hair or when she pulls them out.  Good thing they are cheap.  Or maybe that is why they break?  Ha!

After that 'do, and before a wash, I pulled her hair up in this simple side pony with a bow (new!) which MADE HER DAY because her beloved Emma Wiggle wears a big bow and also just happens to be the yellow Wiggle like her dress that day just happened to be, too. This is her first ever big bow and thankfully, she did not pull it out or apart. In back, I did a simple little twist after an extra LOC routine for that bottom part where the hair is coarser, shorter, and drier. 

Fresh off a wash day routine, I tried some boxy parts after some inspiration on Not Just Hair.  I went with braids instead of twists; they really do hold neater and longer though they take longer to do.  I also tried two little tiny sections in the front for the first time, sort of like bangs, after some inspiration on Pinterest.  I was hoping it would hold tighter and get less fuzzy over the course of a day or two, and it did improve in that way!  Good to know.

I popped some barrettes on it for day two of this style.  Also twisted those two front spots up into bantu knots/buns, whateveryouwannacallthem.  It was adorable!

And then this morning for church, I took those sections down, keeping the same part lines, remoisturized, and tried this fun little masterpiece that has my heart - which is why I gave it three pics. In back I two-strand twisted half way and pulled the loose ends up into new puffs.

I flat twisted the two front top tiny sections and then twisted them half way like the bottom sections to pull the loose ends also into those same two puffs.  Added two bows and proceeded to melt at the cuteness!

Lasa proceeded to tear one of the bows up after church while she "helped" me take them out.  Nothing a glue gun and a determined momma can't fix!

Fun fact, I bribe her to be still for these pics almost every time.  Usually (and shamelessly) with candy.  Getting a toddler to sit still for a camera to focus is not easy!  She is getting better and better at it.  Like me on her hair.  :) Thankful.