One of Gaummies favorite things to do it sit back and relax in the backyard with a good book. I think she is trying to teach Addie at a young age to do the same thing. The only problem is we need to teach Addie how to relax first!

Gaummie bought Addie a birthday present that will get us off to a good start!! Thanks Gaummie! What fun!

Grandma Steph always seems to know just what Addie needs to be happy. This year for her birthday, among other things she got a make-up kit. Addie loves to play in my make-up. My EXPENSIVE make-up. I try to buy her some cheap on sale eyeshadow at Walgreens or something from the bargain bin at Walmart, but the girl knows the difference. MAC is where it’s at. She is definitely my daughter.

The make-up kit was one of the best ideas ever. Now she only wants to play with my makeup when I am actually DOING it. The rest of the time she is fine with the play kits. THANK YOU GRANDMA STEPH!

(Yes, the cool way to wear lipstick is on your ear)

Adeline,
How can I even begin to express how much you have changed my life. I wish there were words to articulate the love I have for you. I am so blessed to be able to call you my daughter.

I wish you understood the true meaning of the words Thank You. Because of all the words in the world I can say to you, Thank you is just the beginning… Thank you for teaching me everything you know, and thank you letting me love you.

I never knew the love a mother experienced until you allowed me to love you. I never truly knew that love has no boundaries. Everything you do and say brings joy to my life and my world would be incomplete without you.

So little time to blog! Today marks the last day of class for almost 4 glorious weeks! I don’t have to go back until June 24th… until then, I am hoping to get caught up in the bloggity blog goodness.

A few TOP NEWS stories just to keep you up to speed:

I have some amazing in-laws. My youngest SIL headed out on her ASL Mission for the LDS Church last week (Wow, thats a lot of acronyms). She will be headed to Anaheim, California mid-July. Good Luck Victoria! I know you will do your family and church proud.

My other SIL (whom I will not refer to as the “oldest”, but simply the “most experienced in living”) is headed to Kenya to do some humanitarian work in a small village. Way to go! You are truly an inspiration.

Addie will be turning two in just 2 short weeks… TWO! *sigh*
We booked her first trip to Disneyland for this July. We will be flying out to visit my paternal grandmother for a few days, and decided to extend the vacation a little further and add two days of Disney in there as well.

Jess will be turning…. welll, lets just say he is older than me. His b-day is coming up quicker than Addie’s and Fathers Day is also just around the corner. What a busy month! (Not to forget My brothers birthday, the day after Jess’s, and my Mom’s is at the end of the month). Whew, that sounds like a lot of pictures and a lot of blogging. Let’s hope I can keep up.

Now onto the Addie Milestones:

She has started to quote her favorite movies. Aristocats is HUGE in her world right now. There is a scene in the movie where the cats get abandoned by Edgar the evil butler, and Marie (the little girl cat) says (in a very whiny voice) “Ma-Ma…I’m Afraid. I wanna go home.” Addie says this constantly. For a little while we were actually convinced she was afraid of something. She also says “Are you KIDDING me?”… hmmm, wonder where she got that one from?

She can count to 10, identify about 6 numbers (out of sequence) on flashcards, say her ABC’s and identify quite a few letters. She knows more animal sounds than I do (thanks to my iPhone) and is still quite good at going pee-pee on the potty.

One more thing… I had an “Addaracktome” on April 22nd. *snicker* thats all I’m gonna say.

Well, now you are up to speed. There is much more to blog about.. so stay tuned!

What a fun filled weekend! Jess and I both took Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday off for Addie’s birthday in order to spend as much time with her as possible. We visited the Aquarium on Thursday (her actual birthday) due to inclement weather.

On Friday, we visited the Zoo! Addie loved the birds and Meerkats.

Then came the big Birthday Bash!!
Addie got a new Wagon from Grumps…

She enjoyed her first taste of sugar in her very own strawberry shortcake!

Addie turns One!!

She loves to share!

And we were surrounded by friends and family, it couldn’t have been a better day.

Adeline,
One Year.

I let your daddy wake you this morning. As I lay in bed listening to him tell you happy birthday through the baby monitor, I thought to myself, “How did we get here? How did one year pass by so quickly?” I relished in that thought as you giggled and said good morning to the animals painted on your walls.

I didn’t want to get out of bed, for purely selfish reasons. I didn’t want you to look one. I didn’t want to admit that you were actually growing up. Next year you won’t be my baby anymore, you’ll be my toddler, you’ll be my big girl. You will be…Addie.

Oh Addie, my love for you has grown so immensely I cannot put it into words. A tear fell from my cheek this morning as I pictured you so small on your real birth day. Another fell when I knew I was going to get out of bed and see you, one. I took a few breaths and climbed out of bed, there you were in your high chair eating strawberries and toast with Daddy. You looked different. I am not sure how, but in my eyes you looked… older. I have seen you sit in that chair hundreds of time, and yet, I haven’t ever noticed the way you hold your spoon just so as you lift it to your mouth. I haven’t noticed how you raise your eyebrows just moments before a big 3 tooth grin crosses your lips. Why now? Why do I have to notice these things now, on your birthday. It makes it seem so much harder to accept the fact that one year has passed in just the blink of an eye.

I owed you this letter yesterday, but I couldn’t bare to spend one minute away from you. When you were napping in the morning, I lay down on the floor of your nursery and slept, but only partially slept. I wanted to listen to you breathe and dream. What do you dream? Do you dream of dogs and birds? of Mommy and Daddy? Of bubbles and bathtubs? I want to freeze time with each sigh you sigh in your sleep. I want to hold that peaceful moment in my heart forever.

My dearest Addie, you must know your Daddy and I love you. There is just not enough time to show you how much. As each day passes, and we express to you our love, we wish for just one more minute, just one more moment that we can kiss and hug you. Just one more second to let you rest your head on our shoulders, and just one more moment to be in your presence.

But one more minute is never enough, for as that minute passes, we wish for one more. And now, 525,600 minutes has passed, and for those 525,600 minutes we have loved you. We will love you no less for the next. For in another 525,600 minutes you will be two, and I will be writing you another letter about how I still love you just as much.

With all the love we can give, and just a little bit more,
Mommy and Daddy

“How old are you Addie?” ONE!

I am a bit behind on my blogging….

To the most wonderful man, I say Happy Birthday!

Thank you for being a part of my life. Thank you for giving me the most beautiful child. Thank you for putting up with my wild mood swings and my over emotional moments. Thank you for sticking by me when I felt like no one else would. Thank you for giving me a second chance and holding my hand when I needed you.

Thank you for teaching me things I didn’t know I wanted to be taught, and thank you for leaning on me when you need to. Thank you for taking the time to hold me on cold winter days. Thank you for kissing my nose when it’s cold. Thank you for doing all the little things, and moving all the big. Thank you for killing big spiders and not killing the little ones. Thank you for giving me your jacket, thank you for reminding me I need to say thank you.

Thank you for helping me get through all the little things that seem so unbearable at the time, and thank you for looking back and laughing with me. Thank you for reminding me to stop and smell the roses and thank you for teaching me you are never to old to change.

Thank you for loving me.
-Michelle

Jess B-Day Party @ Area 51