a girl and her wagon.

monkey see, monkey do.

If brother sits on the "pa-ee," Sissy sits on the "pa-ee," too. 

It's monkey see, monkey do all day, every day up in here. 

Also, Happy Birthday to our Pop Pop! Since we are honoring you with a potty picture, I have a joke for you:

Why did Annie put candles on the toilet?

Because she wanted to have a birthday potty!

Yessss. TGIF!

my boy.

I am so thankful for my sweet, baby boy. He has the biggest heart and knows just when this tired mama needs some extra love. His naps seem to be getting shorter and shorter these days, but I'm not complaining. I so treasure the extra time spent with him snuggled up on the couch, talking about tractors, Paw Patrol, baseball, and muddy puddles.

You're something else, John Brooks. 

the best time.

Tubby time…

…is the best time.

nana's birthday.

Yesterday, we celebrated Nana's birthday with lunch, flowers, cake, and bubbles.

We are so grateful for these sweet memories and time spent with great-grandparents. They're the best. 

Happy Birthday, Nana!

new house glimpses: volume one.

I haven't shared much of anything about the new house, yet. Except for the fact that moving with a three year old and a one year old was no joke. Moving across the street was no joke, either. I believe approximately 47 trips were made to and from. The day of our closing, our painters broke my favorite (discontinued—oh, the horror) lamp and the DirecTV gent cemented a metal pole smack dab in the middle of our backyard (really?!). So, naturally, I cried to him. And every one else who came into contact with me.

You literally cannot pay me to move again. Not until my moving wounds heal, at least. I don't foresee that happening for, oh, ten plus years.

Lo! We are in and on the road to settlement. We have a never-ending list of to-dos and lots to buy, hang, or purge, but it feels like home. Our hearts are overflowing.

I am going to periodically share some snippets of the house…until it is ready to share in its entirety.

Up today: our new runner. This may be my favorite purchase for the new house, thus far.

Coco seems to like it, too.

Happy Friday!

growing girl.

We went to the doctor today for Ann Bennett's 18 month well check-up. My growing girl weighs 27.2 pounds (92nd percentile) and is 35.5 inches tall (>99th percentile). Her head circumference is 48 centimeters (89th percentile). Our wild child was surprisingly timid and clingy. She started crying as soon as Dr. McAfee walked into the room. Dr. McAfee had to perform her check-up on my lap. It's a good thing big brother was there to assure her it would be okay! Sweet, Brooks.

AB only had to get one shot, the DTap vaccine. She was not a fan of me holding her arms down, nor Ms. Tabitha pricking her with a needle! After I picked her up, gave her "pa-pa" and "yaya (lovey)", all was right with the world again. Both she and Brooks got a sticker and a sucker afterwards for being so good. Well-deserved! 

Now my little priss pot…please, stop growing! It's hard to believe at her next check-up, she will be TWO!

a year and a half.

How on earth can you be 18 months old, baby girl?!

Each night, as we "rock rock" (per your request), I stare at you in wonder thinking, how did I get so lucky? Then I look at you, pouring out of my arms, and ask, when did you get so big? It pains me to think that in six short months you will be two years old. The twos and threes are so much fun and definitely years to look forward to, but with you, my beautiful Ann Bennett, I'm hanging on tight to the baby days…to the here and now.

You are quite a ball of emotions, Annie. You are 18 months old going on 18. One minute you're hot, the next you're cold. When you're mad, you're angry. When you're frustrated, you're infuriated. When you're happy, you're elated.

You feel hard.

You love hard.

And speaking of love, right now you love your "yayas" (lovies—all four of them), your "pa-pa" (paci—rarely leaves your mouth), vitamins (you cry at the refrigerator until I figure out what you're asking for),  "bay-bays" (babies—you love your baby dolls, but real babies take the cake), your mommy (if I'm not holding you, you are at my feet crying to be held), coloring (the walls, especially), cartoons (you are far more mesmerized by them than Brooks was at this age), your coat (stands at the washing machine crying when I wash it), music, and dancing. 

I think that music and dancing deserve their own paragraph. I joke with daddy and tell him that you are going to be a superstar one day. The next Britney Spears, maybe? Oh, Lord. Please no. You can recite every song and nursery rhyme known to man. You literally fall asleep singing and wake up singing every. single. night and day. If we are in a store or restaurant with faint music playing in the background you feel the beat and start dancing. Music is your life…and you're only a year and a half old!

Our little lady is really developing in the speech department. She can repeat (and sing) the ABCs and count to five. She thinks that all kitty cats are named Coco, she says "car" like she's from Jersey, and has been known to chant, "pa-eee, pa-eee, pa-eee" (potty, that is).

She fully grasps the concept of no. She shakes her head yes or no when we ask her a question. When Brooks yanks a toy out of her hand, she shouts, "nooooo!" And when mommy or daddy tells her no, she either looks down and plays with her hands, starts to quiver her lips, or hysterically cries. Typically, it's the latter. She is extremely independent. Sometimes to a fault. Like when you fell down the stairs, recently. Heaven forbid someone hold your hand!

Little bit loves to eat. She's most content on a full belly. She has mastered the fork. She isn't afraid to ask for "mo" (more) or tell us when she is "ah done" by ripping off her bib or pushing the plate off of her placemat. She loves to sit on the barstool and eat at the island or pulled up to the table in her highchair sans tray. It won't be long until we say goodbye to the high chair all together. If brother doesn't sit in a high chair, Sis doesn't want to sit in one. She is his little shadow, always within arms reach, copying everything that he says or does.

AB has 12 teeth total; top four, bottom four, and four molars. She has been a bit fussy this past month, and I'm sure it has something to do with all these teeth she's been sprouting. 

She is an early riser, like her daddy and brother. We put her down around 7:30 every night and she is up singing, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, between 6:00 and 6:30 every morning. She is, however, a good napper. She naps between 2 and 3 hours every day. I'll take it! 

My darling, Ann Bennett, I love your sweet kisses, snuggles, and your mischievous grin. I cherish our mornings together when Brooks is at school. You absolutely love having mommy all to yourself. I see that sweet personality shine and am able to breathe you in. All of you. Life sure is crazy crazier with you in it, but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. You make our lives so much richer, more gratifying, more meaningful, abounding with love and laughter. Goodness, I love you. And always will. Happy 18 months, AB baby!

my valentines.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Y'all. I can't make this stuff up! XOXO.

valentine's party.

Today, Brooks had his class Valentine's Day Party at school. Brooks typically doesn't go to school on Fridays, so he was especially excited to see his friends, teachers, and eat sweets and treats.

Leave it to me to wait until the last minute to throw his valentines together. In my defense, I didn't read the newsletter until Thursday morning. Photoshop came to my rescue. I took an old picture of him running around in the backyard, added the text "You make my heart SKIP a beat," and attached a stretchy heart toy found at Target with leftover baker's twine from Christmas. I think that they turned out pretty cute!

The real cutie, however, was my little man!

Sweet, Brooksie. Don't go breaking any hearts today!