Dear Analiese,
You have so many words in your vocabulary! We love hearing your sweet, little voice pronounce real, meaningful words. Communicating with you has recently gotten very easy and rewarding for all of us. You’re also using those words to imitate things you see us and others doing–like talking on the phone, reading a book, and praying. If we hear your rattle off a list of names and then a very clear “Amen!” we know what you were doing! “Night night” is a new favorite saying of yours and you are never shy to give a big “hi!” or “bye!” to whomever is coming or going.
You also love being around people and light up when we tell you we are going to see family or friends. You adore your Grandpa, Gigi, Nana, Poppa, uncles and aunts; You get so excited when you get to hang out with all of the big kids on Bible study night. Just this morning, you literally jumped out of bed when I told you we were going to go see some friends today. And on the way there, you repeated, “Friends? friends? friends?” the entire way.
Speaking of your bed, Daddy removed the side, so you are officially in a toddler bed! Thankfully, you’ve stayed put during naps. Occasionally, though, we find you on the floor in the middle of the night…completely fast asleep. You’ve always been a great sleeper and this transition hasn’t made you waiver at all.
As you near the age of two, however, we are definitely witnessing your burgeoning awareness of your independence in a variety of ways. As your world gets bigger, you are craving the comfort of familiarity. Recently, you’ve become very attached to your lovie and want to take it everywhere. Gone are the days when Cheerios would be the only distraction needed at the grocery store. We’re not sure if this is something we should just let play out or try to set up boundaries.
You are frustrated easily when things don’t go the way you want them to (not because you’re your mother’s daughter or anything). Whether we have to tell you “no” to something or a toy isn’t doing what you want it to, a little comforting and encouragement is needed to get you back on track.
We love getting to know more of who you are, Analiese. Your personality is starting to show as you line up your toys and dolls when you play (organizer?), help Daddy build things with tools (creative?), march around the room dancing to different songs (musical?) and jump at any opportunity to be around people (social?).
Also, you have the cutest bounce in your step when you try to run. And you love riding in elevators!
Love, Mama and Daddy
The speaker at our MOPS meeting this past week talked about keeping Christ as the focus of Christmas–definitely a topic I was interested in. Before she got to Christ-honoring traditions, she spoke to us as moms who are often charged with “making Christmas happen” for our families. Many times, we are the ones who cook, bake, shop, send Christmas cards, decorate, and plan gatherings for friends and families. No wonder Christmas can be such a stressful time for many. The cost of gifts alone can be daunting, but the expectation to “make Christmas happen” for others can cause high anxiety and worry. (I’m sure my mom, her mom and other women in our family can relate.) Although I enjoy doing most of these things, too much is just too much.
I would much rather approach this season for what it was meant to be–a time of waiting for our Savior. Waiting for anything is difficult for me. But, Cathi’s talk, as well as what we are reading through in the Advent study, has challenged me to try to keep things simple, slow down and say no (mostly to myself) this year.
We have our home decorated, but decided to not put up lights this year.
We have a dresser in our living room that I would love to have repainted for the holidays, but it was something that was going to take a lot of time if I were to do it myself, and money if we were to have someone else do it. So, for now, we said “no”. Saying “no” is not easy for me to do, but as we create Christmas traditions for our family, I much prefer to think about it with joyful anticipation than worry and anxiousness.
I posted about this Advent calendar last year. I have the supplies, but have not finished it in time for this year. And I’m ok with that. Maybe next year.
UPDATE: I knew there was something else I wanted to mention here. I think I am motivated to do much of the work I create for myself in order to receive affirmation from others. I meet their expectations and am praised for a job well done. But if I am constantly needing to have others fill my cup, when do I have time or energy to fill someone else’s cup? We want to teach Analiese that Christmas is a season of giving, not just receiving gifts. I’m pretty sure this needs to start with her parents. And so, by saying “no” to a few things that I really want to do, I hope to open myself up to saying “yes” to blessing others more.
Let’s talk about music. We are those weird people who start listening to Christmas music after Halloween. There are some really great Christmas songs out there–some old favorites and many amazing new versions of the classics. Here are some of our favorite from our Christmas 2011 playlist on Spotify:
- O Holy Night – Shane & Shane
- O Come O Come Emmanuel – Rosie Thomas
- Drummer Boy – Mercy Me
- The Christmas Song – Frank Sinatra
- God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (feat. Robbie Seay Band) – Folk Angel
- Baby, It’s Cold Outside – She & Him
- Joy to the World – Sufjan Stevens
- Born to Die – Shane & Shane
- Away in a Manger/The First Noel (interlude) – Folk Angel
- Joseph’s Lullaby – Mercy Me
- Lo! How A Rose E’er Blooming – Sufjan Stevens
- White Christmas – Bing Crosby
- Deck the Halls (feat. Shane & Shane) – Folk Angel
- O Holy Night (feat. Jeff Johnson and Jourdan Johnson) – Folk Angel
- White Christmas – Otis Redding
- All I Want For Christmas Is You – Glee Cast
- Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas – She & Him
- O Come Let Us Adore Him – Shane & Shane
- The Christmas Tree (feat. Lauren Chandler) – Folk Angel
- O Holy Night – Shane & Shane
- God With Us (feat. Isaac Wimberley) – Folk Angel
This week marks the beginning of advent. While we currently don’t have any notable family traditions surrounding this, Heather and I have decided to go through this advent guide produced by The Village Church. While we’re just getting started, we’re hopeful to spend some time slowing, reflecting, and anticipating.
Christ is coming. He has come, and He will come again. This is the message of Advent.
Yep, I am changing the name of these posts. No more “the” and no more “weekly”. Anyways, Parker got a hair cut today, and it’s not a grab-a-bunch-of-hair-and-cut hair cut that Heather and I would do but an actual grooming. It’s his first in well over a year. We think that he looks good!
He is typically tired after getting a do, or as Missy Elliot would say, after getting his hair did.
This one is very late! My apologies to our patient blog readers.
Dear Analiese,
The beginning of the month surprised us with some very warm, sunny days. We were outside as much as possible–parks, the zoo, Greenfield Village…anything to savor the last few days of warmth!
You are quite ambitious when it comes to climbing and exploring.
And you know how to give yourself a good laugh.
You are so very confident and independent, too. We marvel at how easy it is to drop you off at the gym’s child center, or the kid’s room at a new church. Most of the time, though, we find you playing by yourself, enjoying the bustling of other kids around you. We’re told this is totally normal.
Our trip to Washington DC marked your third time in an airplane. Now, whenever you hear an airplane, you pause and try to find it in the sky. A proud “there it is!” usually follows even if the plane is no where in sight.
Since you love to color with crayons, I introduced you to paint. You were SO focused on what you were creating! It’s beautiful!
We celebrated your 21st month in Bloomington, Indiana, where your Daddy, Mama, Gigi and Grandpa went to college. It was surreal to stroll the same paths we once walked as hurried students with a toddler in a stroller. Gigi and Grandpa bought you your first IU sweatshirt as well as a teddy bear with a little red hoodie. You affectionately refer to him as “hood”.
As the weather has begun to cool, you love wearing hats!
“Gigi? Papa? Gigi? Papa?” was what we all heard immediately after you awoke every day! It warms their hearts to know that you know who they are and you can’t wait to spend time with them.
Love to you, Baby Girl!
Mama and Daddy
