Returing home

Today I'm headed back to Dallas, TX from Phoenix, AZ and this will be the first time that I've seen Tamia in almost 4 months. We speak over the phone at least once a week so that she doesn't forget who I am but today is the moment of truth.....

Mini Minnie

Ok, so this is for sure my last Florida post! I just could not cronicle the experience without highlighting what I thought to be my two most brilliant ideas along the way! On Wednesday, we made our way to Disneyworld but not to go inside, just as a landmark along the way. I decided that we couldn't go to Disney and not dress for the occassion so I pulled the cork, and let the creative juices flow and this is what I came up with....

 

You looked somewhat like a mini Minnie Mouse and for what it's worth, my efforts where not lost because so many people noticed (SCORE!) We had fun that day and we took soo many pictures. That day and every day of that trip, you were just a ball of happiness and excitement and it just blessed my heart to see how the simplest and smallest things made you so ginuinely happy. I'm taking lessons from you Tamia believe me!

Beach Babes

With our final destination as Miami, FL, it was only right that we visited the beach. Your other sisters and I were so excited! You....not soo much. We drove around most of the day so by the time we actually made it to the beach, we barely got any of the daylight (good thing we went for the experience rather than the daylight because we would have been disappointed). We made the most of the beach anyway although you wanted to be anywhere but there.

Judging by your face, you weren't too thrilled with the idea of being half naked in cold water (who knew?) I guess next time we'll have to plan it a lot better. At least we have these memories for now :)

STRAIGHT road TRIPPIN'

Spring break 2012, we set out from Dallas, TX with Miami, FL as our final destination. The whole trip came about because I wanted to go to a conference with all of these big name Christian celebrities and my original plan quickly turned from a solo trip to a family road trip (minus the conference). So we rented an SUV, packed our bags, packed a cooler, gathered the TOO LIVE CREW, and headed east>>>

We went through 6 states (Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and finally Florida) and back and you were a TROOPER! The only time I remember you crying was when you didn't want to sleep at night. We had a blast and we honestly have you to thank for that because you kept us highly entertained. At such a small age, you possess such a lovely personality! Always happy, always smiling, never fussy, so independent, yet so loving! I am so glad and so grateful that the Lord put it upon my heart to make the trip to Florida a family one because I know that it wouldn't have been a fraction as memorable as it was with all of my TOO LIVE CREW members!

Thanks a million for being sooo good during the road trip! I pray that you remain such an easygoing and free-spirited personality ;)

Growing up

It's true what they say......."Don't blink or they'll be grown before you know it!" I guess I blinked because somewhere in between the two jobs, the youth ministry, college preparations, and keeping up appearances, you grew!!

The baby days were fun, I won't deny that and I kind of miss you being little but then I snap back into reality and I'm appreciating this age. You are so much more fun at one (almost 2) than you were as a little baby. I miss the bottles but we exchanged those for sippy cups, the crawling for walking, the baby talk for a small vocabulary, the crying for....less crying, and we're transitioning from the pampers to the potty.
I have to admit that some part of me would like to freeze time with you at this age so that I can fully enjoy you but I'm so awestruck by every little accomplishment and milestone that I'm also excited to watch you grow.

*just please don't grow too fast! PLEASE*

Welcomed responsibility

When you came home, I was working a full time job as well as a PRN(as needed) job and taking care of you as well as your older sibilings (which are my other younger siblings), meant more responsibility on my part. I didn't mind it then, and I don't mind it now in fact, I did and still look foward to it! You gave and will continue to give me an opportunity that I would not have otherwise had. Sure, there's my sister's children who I love to death but they come around and start whining when they're ready to leave and I have to oblige but you on the other hand, will be around forever. So I welcomed the change and the responsibility and it became my primary duty to bathe you, feed you, burp you, comb your (little bit) of hair, play with you, carry you if you were fussy, and perform all of the many other tasks that come along with babies (that are not indicated on the label). I was happy to do it, so much so that I didn't want to go to work because I didn't want to entertain the thought of someone else doing it and risk you liking them better. Someone else did have to do it because I HAD to work but I think it's safe to say that I'm still your favorite person......NO (well maybe just your favorite sister...NO) well maybe you're just a tad more fond of me than you are of most people.....OK *phew*

Me (happily) hand washing your clothes & blankets

You after a fresh bath and mosturized hair combing