2 Incredible Years

Dear Diary,

I am spending my evening relaxing, which could come back to bite me considering everything I have to get done in the next few days. Which is why I am taking this time to post my special "Birthday Edition" blog post now before it's too late.

Addalyn Paige is turning 2 on Saturday, and I will say what every parent says, "Those 2 years went by so fast." Everyone tells you to cherish each moment, cuddle as long as you can, and soak in all those baby firsts because the time goes so quickly... and everyone could not be more right. I will quote myself: "I can't believe I already have a two year old. If I didn't have another little baby around I would probably be more upset about this."

I swear to you that it honestly feels like yesterday that Garrett and I were driving to the hospital. Okay, maybe not yesterday, but it definitely feels like it was merely last month. I remember everything in such detail and I am thankful for that. It was a roller coaster of emotions and Garrett and I still talk about how "fun" that time was, even though parts were not "fun" at all.

It's the thrill of going through everything for the first time. She had us worried even when she was a little peanut in my belly. And she continued her worrisome behavior at the hospital. But in the end we got a precious little girl that would change our life forever. And she gave me the best gift I have ever been given - Motherhood.

I cannot believe how much she has grown and learned in these past 2 years. There is not a day that goes by that I am not amazed by how much she knows, laughing hysterically at something she says, or am touched by how much she truly loves her little sister.

I cannot imagine my life without her and it excites me to think about the many years of firsts that are ahead of us.

My baby isn't a baby anymore. I swear it was just yesterday that I was snuggled on the couch with her asleep on my chest and then I blinked and I was planning her 2 year old birthday party.

From melting our hearts on September 10th, 2009, to laughing on the couch with Mommy for the first time, to crawling well before she needed to, to climbing on everything possible, to pestering Philly on a daily basis, to taking her first steps, to telling herself "Happy Bird-day" on her first birthday, to giving away a million hugs and kisses, to becoming a dancing fool, to saying full sentences, to falling in love with her younger sister, to learning something new every day, to turning 2 years old on September 10th, 2011.

Here's to the coolest 2 year old I know! Mommy and Daddy love you more than life itself. Thank you for giving us more happiness than we knew possible and for being the greatest first born daughter and big sister in the entire world.

We Love You Addalyn Paige Forsythe!

Newborn

3 Months

6 Months

9 Months

1 Year

18 Months

2 Years

Sincerely Yours,

90 Minutes of Awesome

Dear Diary,

Well, it's official... I no longer have time to keep up with this blog. Don't panic - As I am sure all you readers who LIVE for these posts (ya right) are thinking I am closing up shop by what I just said, however that is not the case. I am just going to post when and if I can, which may become more often if my life EVER slows down!

So why the blog post tonight? Well I have requested for an hour and a half of ME time tonight. Just me, in my bedroom, with no kids, the laptop and Project Runway on TV. Olivia is snug as a bug in her crib and as far as I know Addy is playing video games with Dad. She could be shooting fireworks off in the living room for all I care, as long as everyone leaves me alone for the next 90 minutes.

Don't get me wrong. I love my girls and I cherish every second I have with them, BUT this Stay-At-Home Mommy needs some "Me Time" every now and then.

I discovered something about myself today that really surprised me. I was watching Keeping Up With The Kardashians - and no that isn't the surprise. As much as I hate to admit it, I tend to watch that damn show. Not religiously, just when nothing else is on. And while I am setting the record straight - I wasn't ignoring the children so I could catch the Kardashian marathon today. Addy and Brooklyn were asleep so Liva and I got to spend some rare alone time playing and catching up with our Kardashian sistas!

ANYWAY, this show is completely scripted and I can imagine they go through hair and make-up before the camera ever starts rolling, BUT I can't help but wish that I looked that good at all times. Those girls are dressed up any and everywhere they go. I consider myself lucky if I have even put pants on by noon every day.

In the winter I spend my days in sweats and t-shirts. In the summer I spend my days in capri yoga pants and t-shirts. I run all my errands in these clothes. I go to appointments in these clothes. Hell, I have even gone out to dinner in these clothes.

I get it's kind of the "Mom" thing to do. And being that I don't leave my house 75% of the time, it's really not a big deal. But still, a part of me wishes that I spent more time getting dressed and looking nice for the day. And even more than that, I wish someone would teach me how in the hell to put on make-up. It can't possibly be as hard as I make it. You would laugh if you saw my "make-up bag." It probably measures 4 inches by 4 inches tops. Just big enough to hold my plain black eyeliner, mascara, foundation, ONE shade of eye shadow and lip gloss. If it's not one of those few items, then I don't have it and I sure as hell don't know how to put it on. I. Need. Help.

So I guess you could say I am a closet Fashionista Wannabe. Not so much in the closet now that I admitted it. Maybe some day I will be that Mom that gets up at 5:00am to pick out my fashion forward outfit and "put my face on," as they say, all before I run the girls off to school. But for now, I will continue on with my "roll out of bed, no pants, messy hair, t-shirt" kind of days.

Sincerely Yours,

Let My Day Begin!

Dear Diary,

It is going to be an incredibly busy day to start my incredibly busy week. I love this time day. It's like the calm before the storm. I get to be awoken by Olivia's little voice in the monitor and I get greeted by the biggest grin you've ever seen when I got to get her out of her crib. After she eats we head downstairs and she crawls, yes I said crawls, and plays on the floor while I watch the Today Show. This morning's big story - Kim Kardashian's Wedding. Not quite William and Kate's Wedding, but I will check it out nonetheless.

Olivia and I will enjoy our few minutes of alone time before the little munchkin wakes up and we are forced to turn it to Curious George or even worse, Caillou. I have a love/hate relationship with Caillou. I love that it keeps Addy entertained for the 20 minutes it is on, but I hate how whiny he is to his parents. I have issues with Curious George too. Dear Man With The Yellow Hat, it is not cute when George paints all over the walls, sets the clocks back so you're late everywhere you go, or plays with the bowling ball in the house knocking everything over. "Be a good little monkey George!" Yeah well, he is NEVER a good little monkey so don't hold your breath. If I could count the number of times Addy said "Uh Oh" while watching that show... Yep, shocker, George is doing something stupid again.

I can't help but notice all the post's about school starting lately - new school supplies, kid's posing for their first day, complaints about the syllabus and those early morning classes. Ahh, I miss it. There is just something about school and the fall. I just love it. One of my favorite quotes of all time comes from my favorite movie, although I am always hesitant to admit it, You've Got Mail.

"Don't you love New York in the fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address. On the other hand, this not knowing has its charms"

I know nothing about New York in the fall but I do know I would love it!

 

Alright, time to start my busy day! It is a race to see how much I can get done. Similar to every other day I suppose.

Sincerely Yours,

The Mind of Lindsey

Dear Diary

Want to know what I am thinking? Okay...

Ice Water is Delicious: I don't care what anyone says, ice water is the best drink of all time. I have always loved it, it has always been my drink of choice, and if I could only drink one beverage for the rest of my life - it would be ice water. Not just water, ICE water. And Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Oh, you didn't ask me what food I would pick? Well it would be Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

 Me + Ice Water + Reese's Peanut Butter Cups = Paradise.

Project Runway is Fantastic: I freaking love this show. I don't know why? I am not into fashion, I couldn't even sew a button onto a jacket if I had to, and I have watched this show every season and still have no idea what couture is. That being said, I am addicted to this show. I think what I love about it the most is that it stays the exact same every season - no strange new rules, no mixing of the judges, just new designers with the same ol' fabulous Tim Gunn!

Ice Cream Truck Marathon: How do these people make any money? They drive down the street, playing their sing-songy music in hopes that the little kiddos of the neighborhood will run out to their truck and buy their products. The problem is, running is exactly what the kids are going to have to do to catch the stinkin' things. Honestly, you hear the music and peek out the window and their halfway down the block already. SLOOOWWWW DOOWWWNNNNN!

And please realize I am not the type to even want to chase the ice cream man down to grab a dilly bar, I mean heck, I don't even wear pants around my house 98% of the time so I wouldn't have a chance, but for any of the other ice cream lovers in the neighborhood they'd have to be waiting at the door, sneakers on and money in hand in hopes that they can beat their 100 meter dash time from the last visit the ice cream man made to the neighborhood. Sheesh!

Addy is a Genius: Okay, I know what you're thinking; everyone thinks their kid is the smartest kid of all time... but mine really is. I have NO idea how she knows everything she knows. She just absorbs everything she hears and she'll pull out this information from months ago like she just heard it yesterday. It seriously blows my mind.

I grabbed a book that I hadn't seen for ages, so I know she hadn't been looking at it, nor had I been reading it to her. I opened it up and that little smarty pants named every animal I flipped to! Even the peacock! Bird? Yes, that would make sense. But peacock? What 2 year old knows peacock? Then we get to kangaroo and not only did she say kangaroo but she got up from her spot on the floor and started jumping like a kangaroo! I won't even go into the songs she was singing word for word from a toy I don't even remember having OR the million hilarious things she was saying as we looked through the Halloween Costume Magazine that came in the mail. Ah, I love her!

Did you just get a little wiser reading this blog post? I think so!

Sincerely Yours,

Sad Face Times 1,000

Dear Diary,

Guess who is writing for the 2nd day in a row?????? ME! Don't worry, it'll be short.

Tomorrow is a busy day as usual, and right in the middle of my afternoon I have to do what I HATE to do - take Olivia to the DR and watch her get shots :( You'd think after doing this a bazillion times with Addy AND after already initiating Olivia into the Shots Club at her 2 month appointment, I'd be a pro at this.

It still gets me every time. And, sure, for the typical reason of my little baby being hurt and screaming a cry that I have ONLY heard during these awful shot visits, or in Addy's case, one other time during a terrible diaper rash episode.

But, in honesty, the screaming isn't what makes me the saddest. It's watching my little baby's face. There she is, just staring up at her Momma, wrapping her little fingers around mine, and she has no idea what is about to happen to her. The first shot goes in and she flinches but there is that 1-2 seconds that go by before the pain hits that really get to me. It's like she has that extra 1-2 seconds to contemplate what is actually going on and I can just tell by her eyes that she is thinking, "Mom, what is happening to me?" For a reason unknown to her she is getting hurt multiple times and the only person she has to blame is her Momma, who she hasn't stopped staring at the entire time.

 IT. KILLS. ME.

BUT, it's important and as soon as the nurse leaves the room and I wrap my little lady up in my arms and whisper in her ear while she calms down, I know she has already forgotten what has just happened to her and I have become her favorite person in the world again!

So I will spend my day tomorrow dreading that 3:15 appointment. I mean just look at her:

Would you want to watch that sweet little pumpkin face hurting?.... Me Neither :(

Sincerely Yours,

Pacifier, Oh Pacifier...

Dear Diary,

Ahhh, It’s been awhile.

Life is…busy! As I am undergoing my typical nightly routine of slipping Olivia’s pacifier back in her mouth while she goes to sleep, I am sitting on the computer typing away because instead of skipping up two flights of stairs a dozen times to Olivia’s aid, I can sit on the mid level at the computer and decrease the stairs by half. I could probably use the extra exercise, but what I can't use is a broken ankle when I trip and fall for going too fast, so we’ll continue on with the least amount of stairs possible. Don’t worry, I know the suspense is killing you, so I’ll keep you updated on how many pacifier trips I have to make…

Pacifier Trip #1

The weekend has been a busy one. But I will say I am thankful to actually be home for once. We got a lot done. I even got an hour or so by myself out in the yard to pull some weeds and trim some bushes! Why does that excite me? Wellllll because I got to see the light of day, ANNNDDD because I got to be by myself! I was actually sweating for a reason and it felt good!

Pacifier Trip #2

I also whipped out a dozen Wall Plaques this weekend and did some laundry and ran some long overdue errands and had some quality family time! I love the weekends for just that - family time. And while I like going to Pitt or having a fun day planned, I really enjoy just spending the weekend at home, doing…

Pacifier Trip #3

…whatever we want at whatever pace we want.

While I was out running my errands, I discovered something about myself - I hate asking for help. I think I have gotten better at this over the years, but for some reason, I would much rather spend extra time trying to figure it out alone, than to just ask someone to help me. Kind of a man thing right?

I was in Home Depot today, looking for some hooks I needed. Normally Home Depot is a place I only stop in if Garrett is with me, but I went anyhow. I get Home Depot and Lowe’s confused…

Pacifier Trip #4

… so I never know which direction I need to start in, which resulted in me walking down pretty much every single aisle looking for the smallest thing that Home Depot carries. A nice worker guy even asked, “Ma’am… (which I hate being called because I DO NOT feel like a “Ma’am“)… “Ma’am, is there anything I can help you find?” Right there was my help, but did I take him up on his offer? Nope! “No, thanks,” I said, as I strolled down 3 more aisles before I found what I was looking for. Weird? Yeah, kind of. I know it’s not pride because I no longer have that, haha, so I am not sure why I refuse to be helped but it’s just my way. I did find my hooks however, and you won’t be surprised to know that I went through the Self Check-Out! =)

Pacifier Trip #5 (She is flipped herself over to her back now and smiled at me when I came in. I am going to go ahead and assume that she isn’t ready for bed yet)

I even refused the help of my GPS today as I was driving someplace I hadn’t been to before. A TOTAL man thing to do. It told me to go one way, and I went the other. I reached my destination surprisingly, but I will admit I had to turn around twice.

Oh the silly things I do.

Pacifier Trip #6 (Still smiling and chewing on her sleeve.)

Alright, before I completely bore you to death and before I make ONE MORE trip up the stairs as Olivia clearly is becoming entertained rather than falling asleep, I will say my goodbyes. Who knows when I'll be writing again but I am thankful for the few minutes I got!

Sincerely Yours,

"Read This, K?"

Dear Diary,

How quick can I write this? I am not sure, but I am going to try. I tend to start my blog posts off by telling you what everyone is doing, so I suppose I'll keep that trend up. Addy is "Shhleeeepppy," as she would say it, so she's napping. I am watching the end of The Talk before I start some painting and crafting, and Olivia is staring at me, just waiting to interrupt my typing so she can be fed again.

Garrett was gone this past weekend so I got to spend some quality time with my girls, and my sister as well I should mention. Not that I don't get to spend quality time with my girls - I mean hello, the three of us are together day in and day out, but I always know that at the end of the day, Daddy will be walking in that door, soon to take a little load off Mommy for the rest of the evening - kitchen clean-up duty, Addy's bath, and playtime just to name a few.

Because I knew I wasn't going to get that little "break" at the end of the day, I had to be the everything - the diaper changer, the meal getter, the bath giver, the boo-boo kisser, the playtime partner, etc. Overwhelming? Of course, but it was fun too.

I am loving how much Addy can say and understand now. We have real conversations all day long, and even though the average listener may have a hard time making out her jargon, I almost always know exactly what she wants, needs or is trying to tell me.

Some Of My Favorites:

"Hey You Guys!" More like "Hey You Guuuuuyyyysssss," taken from the silly, ridiculous show The Electric Company. Which brings me to another word that I love her to say - "Company." I wish I could type it like she says it, but I can't.

"What You Doin, Huh?" I LOVE when she puts "huh?" at the end of a question. I guess she picked it up from me, but it's just so funny. Like when I was cleaning and she followed me to each new thing I was dusting and asked, "What you doin, huh?" Or when she's in Olivia's face saying, "Livaaa, What you doing huh?"

"K?" She says this a lot when she REALLY wants something. I think she thinks that if she puts this on the end of her request, then it's set in stone and we have to give it to her. "George Snacks, K?" "Go bye-bye, K?" "Sid, K?"

"Fingers" I LOVE when she talks about her fingers. Why? Because it sounds like this: "Funngus." Even better, when she says "Look," which sounds like a high pitched "Yook!" And the best - the two together: "Momma! Yook, Funngus!"

"Funnnyy" When Addy gets in trouble, typically the first thing she does is start fake laughing and saying, "Aww Funnnnyy." Like that will convince me that what she is doing is okay because it's funny. It doesn't work...well not all the time anyway =)

From another favorite show came "POWER!" and from watching me do chores came "Laundry," sounding like "Louwndry," and from teaching her manners came "Tank You Much!"

I love talking to her, and I love even more when she talks to me. She is learning and she is learning fast! Every new thing is so fun to watch! I honestly can't believe that in 2 short months she'll be 2 years old. I am going to blink and I'll be planning Olivia's 2nd birthday! Time needs to slooowww doowwwnnn!

Sincerely Yours,