Hannah's birthday party

My girl is 2 years old. I just can't believe it.

We had her birthday party on December 21. We were so happy so many people came to help celebrate our special girl. She had so much fun. :)

Here she is opening up her presents:







Here she is eating with her cousins. It was a Spongebob-themed birthday party. I had special-themed food items. I really used my imagination or tried to :) It was fun.



Her Spongebob cake. :) We had her get dressed down to her birthday suit to have some cake. :)

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Here she is riding her new pedal tractor she got from her Grandma and Papa for her birthday. I have to talk to her about her drinking and driving.

Hannah is 2!

My dearest Hannah Banana,

I can't believe you're 2, baby. People say time just flies but it really does seem like we just took you home and yet here you are turning 2.

I'm in awe of how much you've grown in the last year. You're talking so much now and we can carry on conversations which is amazing to me.

I'm so very proud of you baby girl. I'm told by so many people how polite you are, how you always say "thank you". How you're always so happy and smiling all the time. It makes me so proud.

I love the way your face lights up when I walk into a room and you say "Mommy!". I love when you run up to me, arms open wide, saying "Mommy!" and give me the biggest hug. I love how when you're tired and almost sleeping, you reach over to give me the biggest kiss ever before going to sleep.

I've never felt love like I have with you.

I've watched the glow in your eyes when you're with your daddy, your cousins, grandma and Papa and Claire and Grant. You love them so much and they love you so much. You've brought so much joy to so many people.

I love watching you clog and dance and the way you insist on both Mommy and Daddy clogging with you. You're a ball of energy.

Most of all I love your snuggles. I love the way when you get tired all you want is to snuggle with me. No matter how busy I am or what I'm doing, I make the time to snuggle with you no matter what. Every night and nap, we go to sleep together watching Dora. Those moments are so precious to me, Hannah, and I hope they are precious to you, too. I don't care how much I have to do or how messy the house is, those moments mean more to me than anything because I know one day you may not want to snuggle with me or you won't need me. So I cherish the times you need me now.

I love the way you come running to me when you're hurt and want me to kiss your owie. Mommy's kiss makes everything better. I only wish you didn't have to cry tears at all but wiping your tears and knowing I'm there for you and make you feel better makes me feel so wonderful.

You're my angel, baby. You're my whole life. You've made Daddy and I so amazingly happy. Your smiles and love make every day perfect. Even your busyness and constant go-go-go is amazing....exhausting, but amazing.

I hope you never outgrow the need for Mommy. I know you probably will but I cherish this time so much. Every time you say "Mommy!" and reach out your arms, my heart melts. I feel like the luckiest mom in the world.

And I am.

I love you sweet Hannah Banana. I look forward to so many more sweet birthdays with you.

Happy 2nd birthday, baby girl.

With all my heart,
Mommy

Christmas pics

Here are a couple of my favorite Christmas pictures I've taken so far this year:


This is Hannah and her grandpa at our church's Candelight service last Sunday night. It's my favorite service of the whole year.


This is Hannah playing with the lights when we were decorating the tree.

Precious and priceless memories.

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!!

Where have I been?

Let me just say that being a mom, a caregiver and working a full-time job just doesn't leave much time for anything else.

I wanted to give an update though.

Mark has had a rough time of it lately. He caught a virus and it's really affected him for the last couple months. On Thanksgiving morning, he woke up and his eyes were matted shut. He had a case of pinkeye in both eyes. He ended up staying home sick on Thanksgiving while Hannah and I went to my parents' house for dinner. He finally just got out of the house this weekend and started feeling better.

Hannah has been a very busy girl. She also spent some time sick but for the most part she's just a busy almost 2-year-old. Need I say more? :)

I've been busy working, being a mom and being a caregiver to Mark. It doesn't leave much time for anything else. My house constantly looks like a hurricaine hit it. I keep telling myself in a few years I just *might* get around to dusting and vacuuming. Urgh...I don't know how moms do it. It's so hard to keep up.

Other than Mark being sick, we had a good Thanksgiving. :) We have so much to be thankful for.

And then we had our annual sleepover with the kids at our house on Thanksgiving night and then went Black Friday shopping the next day. It's always a highlight of the year for me. I just love it. It's a lot of work with all the kids but lots of memories are made and that's always so much fun.

Hannah will be 2 on December 20---can you believe it? I've been busy trying to get ready for Christmas and a birthday party. I want to always make sure Hannah gets a wonderful party even though it's so close to Christmas. But having a child with a birthday right next to Christmas gets a little much---but worth it. :)

That's about all that's happening in our neck of the woods. I wish I had more time to blog, sleep and just relax but I don't think that will be happening for awhile. One day....one day. :)

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and have a wonderful Christmas. :)