A note to my girls...

Isla,

You're three years old and SO.MUCH.FUN! I love everything about you... you are strong willed, full of personality, incredibly sweet and sympathetic. Every day, you wake up bursting with energy, ready to take on the day! You are adventurous, brave and determined. You love to read, learn new things and do it yourself. You're so sweet and such a great big sister. I love to see your love for your sister growing and your special bond with her growing. Laylin lights up when she sees you and I can tell the two of you will have a lasting bond. 

Laylin,

My sweet one year old baby... you are oh so cute, and oh so feisty! I love how observant you are. You carefully study and watch everyone you encounter... taking it all in before you flash your toothy smile. You are playful and vibrant. I can see your curiosity increasing as you are eager to get into everything and explore. You are getting more confident with standing and I think those first little steps will happen any day now. I love how loving you are. You are such a cuddle bug. 

My heart grows bigger every day I spend with you girls. I'm amazed with how much love and joy you two have brought to my life. 

Laylin Jane - What I think about your first year...

As you are just 9 days shy of turning one. I hold you and think about you growing inside me. I think about the miracle of my pregnancy. I think about your little body intertwined in mine. I think about our first ultrasound. I think about how perfect God make you. I think about the pain I felt during labor. I think about the indescribable joy I felt holding your tiny body for the first time. I think about your first breaths. I think about what I thought was your last breaths. I think about how beautiful you were the first time I saw you. I think about those first few months. I think about the long naps and how content you were. I think about what a good baby you are. I think about the night I almost lost you. I think about the miracle of waking up that night to find you not breathing. I think about your little grey lifeless body laying on the floor. I think about that faint cry you gave that reassured me you were still breathing and broke my heart all at the same time. I think about how strong you are. I think about the hospital stays, doctors appointments, worry and fear. I think about the miracle of your life. I think about the alarm sounding from your monitor and the panic we used to feel. I think about the sleepless nights. I think about all the time we spent together in the dark. I think about how you love to be held. I think about how loving you are. I think about you growing and thriving. I think about your sweet voice saying mama for the first time. I think about how petite you are and how much you love to eat. I think about your feistiness and independence. I think about your strong-will. I think about how determined you are. I think about seeing you crawl for the first time. I think about you standing tall. I think about you clapping and waving bye backwards. I think about your sweet grin and your one and only tooth that's only a fourth of the way in. I think about the joy you have brought to my life. I think about you lighting up every time you see your sissy. I think about God's plan for your life. I think about the blessing that you are. I think about how much God must love me to bless me with you.

Onederful Laylin Jane

Our sweet girl is almost one! I can hardly believe in just two short weeks she will be turning one. In a way, it feels like a year has gone by, but at the same time when I look at her - I can't believe she is one. She still feels so much more like an infant to me rather than a toddler. I know part of that is me not wanting to let go of each stage, but part of it is because she is still such a peanut.

She is so incredibly smart. Absorbing everything we say and do. This week she started putting words together and said (and signed) "All done" at dinner time. She's also saying, mama, bye-bye and Isla.

She is signing all done, nurse and I think she is starting to sign sleep. Isla loves doing baby signs with her and Laylin is really starting to catch on.

She is standing up all by herself and in to everything!

I thank God everyday for such an incredibly sweet blessing. She is just the sweetest!

Special times with Isla

I've been trying to do extra special outings from time to time with Isla to give her some attention outside of our normal day to day. It seems as if I have much more one on one time with Laylin as I feed her before nap time and at nights and while Isla is at school.

Isla has become such a big vibrant girl. She is full of life with the greatest imagination. This week, we took her to her very first movie. She called it "the movie station." She did so well. We watched it in 3D and she wore her glasses the whole time. She was so cute whispering little comments about the movie and looking to us to know when to laugh at the jokes. I hope it will be a special memory for her because I know it will be for me.

Yesterday I got a pedicure for the first time since before Laylin was born... I guess you can say I've been busy with other things :) I took Isla with me for a special outing of just her and me. She called the nail salon "the paint store" - makes sense right?! She got to get her toenails and finger nails painted. She did her toes red, white and silver - all with glitter. For her finger nails she wanted white - surprised me! She did white with silver glitter on top. She was so excited to have them painted special!

She is such a loving sweet girl. I just adore our one on one time together.

Happy 10 Months Laylin Jane

Laylin did a lot of big things after she turned 9 months old. She began to crawl and pull up to a standing position all on her own. She is babbling more and starting to make more sounds... I think mama and dada will be coming soon.

This week she is 10 months old, and the sweetest thing ever, but I've noticed she has started to develop a feisty side and her personality is really starting to show! Now, if Isla you take something away from her or do something she doesn't like, she will yell and smack her hands together letting us know she is not happy! I remember how much fun Isla was at 10 months and I love that I get to relive this stage with Laylin.

Looking forward to seeing all the things she does this month!

Happy Birthday Isla! You're Three!

Happy happy happy happiest of birthdays Isla Rae!! I love you so much. Watching you grow has been an unimaginable blessing to me. My love for you is unlike anything I could have ever dreamed of.

You are such a BRIGHT LIGHT! Your imagination carries us to amazing places and on comical adventures daily. You love to sing songs and stories and even just plain sentences. Singing has been one of your favorite things to do lately. You also love to twirl, dance and especially jump. You are such a climber and risk taker. There aren't many things that you are scared of. You have really become a brave girl... Yes, girl, you are no longer a baby (although, you will always be my baby).

You love to play lion and hide-n-seek. You also still love to be chased, explore outside and paint.

You've become quiet the girly girl, although you aren't afraid of getting dirty. In fact, you love to play in the dirt and make 'dirt cakes.' Your favorite thing to wear is a dress or swimsuit. You like to get your nails and toenails painted, but hate having your hair fixed. You also really like to play with mommy's make-up. In fact, you got into my blue eye shadow the other day and most of it was left crumbled in the bathroom floor (that's okay though, because I really shouldn't be wearing blue eye shadow anyways :) )

You love to read books and run through the sprinklers. Water play is on your list of favorites too. Your favorite colors are pink and purple. You love all the Disney princesses, but recently, Sofia the First has been your favorite.

You are incredibly smart and love talking. I love having conversations with you and hearing your sweet little voice. You are so sweet and loving. I cannot believe it has been three wonderful years already. You've grown so fast. You are my sunshine.

I love you so very much.

Mama.

Isla says...

Isla has had the cutest sayings lately and has been telling lots of stories! I wanted to jot these down so I don't forget...

cob on the corn (for corn on the cop)
cop corn (for pop corn)
I love you so much.... FOR EVERYTHING (she pulls the "for everything" from Cinderella and tells me this at least twice a day)
Happy Mother's Day (we're two weeks past mother's day, but she still tells me happy mother's day everyday... I love it!)
Booty shake (this girl loves to shake her booty... and be naked!)
Rarrr (she loves scaring people)


She has the best imagination, loves to sing... even normal conversations... and has had the best attitude lately! I'm so grateful for her sweet heart and the strong bond we share.