Eighteen Months...

Sweet baby girls...you aren't babies anymore! You turned eighteen months old yesterday and I feel like we just found out we were pregnant with you. You amaze me every day with how smart, sweet, and loving you are to each other and everyone else. It is so fun to watch you interact. I try to take as many pictures as I can, but lately I've been trying to just sit back and take it all in. As a mom with young kids, I have heard so much that the "days are long, but the years are short." That couldn't be more true! Some days are tough--we all need a timeout (even Mommy), but the weeks, months and, now, year and a half, seem to almost evaporate. I want you to know that I love being your mom. Being a wife to your daddy and being your mom are the two best things in my life. They're all I've ever wanted, and I wouldn't trade one "timeout" for a second doing anything else. Right now, I would describe you two as a delight. You make life so delightful. 

Annabelle Jane

Annabelle weighed 23lbs, 4oz (61st percentile) and was 33 1/4th inches tall (90th percentile) at our 18th month check-up. 

Annabelle, you are a mover and shaker! You love running, climbing and, recently, hiding. We were at Nonnie and Pawpaw's house a couple of weeks ago, and you loved sliding the pocket door open to their utility room and hiding inside. I think Daddy videoed it. You giggled and squealed so loud! You are such a little daredevil. Nothing is too high or scary for you. When someone rings the doorbell, you run to see who it is (even with the dogs barking like crazy). You absolutely adore your sister. The first time we ever heard you actually make the kissing sound, it was to give Ashley a kiss on the head. You affectionately call her "Asha." You put "a" on the end of a lot of words. You have about 15 words, but still babble like crazy (and seem to be telling us something very specific). You are so independent and get such joy out of doing things for yourself. I love watching you grow, love, and learn. You bring such joy to our lives! I am so incredibly enamored with you!

Ashley Dianne

Ashley weighed 21lbs, 13oz (40th percentile) and was 30 3/4 inches tall (19th percentile) at our 18 month check up. 

Sweet Ashley, you are a lover and cuddler! You love being close to us (especially me) and get a little upset when I leave you. It makes me so sad, but I know that we can't be attached at the hip 24 hours a day. You love to talk! You've recently gotten very into naming body parts, and love pointing to and showing your belly button and looking at everyone else's. It's so cute! Yesterday, you tried to show Dr. Worsley mommy's belly button, but he said that he believed that I had one and you didn't have to show him. It made us laugh! You love your sister! You love to tap her on the head and say, "Annabelle" and then give her a kiss. You always smile so big afterwards. You two also enjoy chatting and jumping on your beds before you go down for a nap. It's so cute. Oh--and you are very attached to your baby. It's a pink plush blanket/animal thing and if you can't find it, you frantically say, "baby" and start looking for it. I can tell that you will be a great mommy one day. You are just so sweet I could eat you up! I love watching you cautiously discover this big, crazy world. You make my heart smile so big!

Happy 18 months girls! I can't believe we are halfway to TWO! I could never have imagined how much you would enrich our lives. We are so blessed by you and hope that we can raise you to be sweet, smart, God-loving girls with lights that shine so, so bright! We love you to the moon and back!

July Goals

Setting goals helps me to get things accomplished, so I decided that beginning in July I would set a few monthly goals and then re-evaluate where I am at the end of the month with them. Maybe this will motivate me to stick with a few things that I've been "meaning to do" but always slip off of my to-do list.

1. Blog More
- I really want to keep our family blog updated. Even if it's just a post or two each month, I think the girls will really enjoy reading about what life was like for them when they were little. Plus it's fun for me to reflect on the past and just how much things change. My goal this month is to post two more times other than this one. I hope I can find the time to do it!

2. Master Bedroom
- I read somewhere about a lady who focuses on one room in her house each month to deep clean, organize, and re-decorate (if needed) and then she moves on. Our master bedroom could definitely use some TLC in all of those areas. Not that I think it can be totally magazine-worthy by the end of the month, but I want to be moving in that direction (or maybe just the direction of being a space that makes me smile).

3. Beach Prep
- We go to the beach with George's family for five days in early August. I want to make sure we all have what we need -- swimsuits, hats, sunscreen, accessories ,toys, etc. -- so that packing is easy and simple.

4. School Prep
- August means that school isn't too far away. Although the girls don't start school officially until September (and I go back for training August 21st), I would like to have lunch kits and backpacks ordered and monogrammed so that I am not scrambling around last minute. I feel like August will fly by!

5. Eating at Home
- I want us to eat at home 5 nights a week. It's so much easier to eat healthy (and a lot more cost-effective, too) when eating at home. Plus there are so many new recipes that I want to try out. Once we stick to this routine, I think it will be easy for it to become our new normal.

6. Early Bird
- I want to be up no later than 5 at least four days a week. My days go so much smoother when I am up early and have my quiet time (with coffee of course) and get a few loads of laundry done and chores complete before the girls are up for the day. Plus there's something so peaceful about being up all alone in a quiet house.

7. Books
- I am trying to read three books a month -- one about marriage, one about parenthood, and then a fun read. Ideally, one of those "topics" will be a devotional. I need to finish up Power of the Praying Wife and then hope to read Love and Logic for Early Childhood along with something fun and light.

8. Baby Books
- I need to get the girls baby books FINALLY caught up. This has been a goal of mine for a while. Let's hope I can finally cross it off of my to-do list this month!

9. ENJOY Summer!
- We made a summer bucket list and it has helped us to have so much fun. Most of the things on there are simple, like eating Popsicles, going on a road trip, etc. but we also have things like going to the zoo and splash pad and going to the beach on it, too. It has helped me to have a more intentional summer with the girls and make fun memories for me. I think so often as moms, we worry about them not remembering things but I have decided that some things are for my memory and that it's fine if they'll have no recollection of them whatsoever. I want to enjoy my little family and friends as we finish out summer and start looking towards fall.