Reason #4

There are so many reasons why I love having children. Cleary, the first three are pretty easy to define:

1. The hugs
2. The kisses
3. When they tell you they love you

There are also so many enjoyments that come after those three, and while I have always thought that my children may be a bit more spirited than others out there, I know that all children have entertaining value.

We recently took the girls bowling for the first time, but we didn't even finish one game. I love seeing them discover something new for the very first time (and those toddler bowling shoes are oh so cute, too!). As they get older, you never really know how they are going to react to certain situations or activities. Can you imagine watching this over and over every time Bea sent her bowling ball off on the runway?



Pure entertainment.

To Olivia, on her 3rd Birthday

Dear Olivia,

Your journey from two to three years of age is now over. You've stepped into the big time now, and there's no turning back. The year was filled with much drama, and whether it was intentional or not, there is part of me that is glad to be saying goodbye to your year of two. So many great memories, yet there are some things that I'd like to forget. Though, what would a world without Olivia drama be like? Well, I'm sure that it would be a lot less interesting. Sometimes we need the drama.

We started the year off with you talking away, though sometimes it was quite hard to understand as your words weren't crisp clear. As the days past us like a whirlwind, you have grown to speak like a grown up. You still ask "why?" a lot, but you've got a good understanding of many things now. You are quite the storyteller when you get on a roll. Most recently, you've started singing much more than you used to, and I'm quite surprised at how many songs you know as well as the words that go with them. You love to dance. You love to twirl. You love to sing.

This year has been all about your love for Cars (yes, still at times), Nemo, Wall-E (I think mostly because of your sister), and The Little Mermaid (Oh, this world would come to an end if there was no Ariel). Oh, and how can I forget the ponies? Well, you see, My Little Pony was quite popular when I was a girl, and I am so happy those little ponies have made a comeback. You've got quite the pony collection (mmm, maybe 20 or so) that you take care of like they were real ponies. The love for babies also continues...

You have also come into your own with your love of fashion. You have at least three costume changes per day. When I say costume, it could be almost anything you put together. Your Halloween costume from 2007 (which you will see in the video), one of your many princess dresses, the Ariel costume, or whatever you see in your closet that tickles your fancy at that moment. Let's not forget the white tank tops, either. You would wear a white tank top and a skirt every day of the year if we let you. We also can't forget the swimsuits that you like to wear in the dead of winter (like yesterday when you went running outside in your Nemo swimsuit paired with your rainboots - I wish I had the camera right then). You are a true fashionista, and I've pretty much given up on picking out your clothes these days, because oh the protest that comes along with it.

Oh, Olivia. Dear sweet Olivia. You have really become such the little girl recently. Though, still loving to cuddle and give hugs and kisses, you are very much clear in knowing when you want to do something or not. There is a lot of drama. I wonder what you're going to be like when you get older and if this is how your personality will stay. If that's the case, no one is going to mess with you, for the hitting and pushing and kicking have not been caged quite yet. I'm not sure if we will ever be able to tame the beast within. You're always challenging. You're always questioning. You don't put up with crap. Believe it or not, these are some of the many reasons why we love you so much.

I'm not sure you'll really ever know or realize how much I love you so. You are our second born, the reason I spoiled you so much as a baby, and the reason I still continue to do so. Whenever I look at you, there is just something about you - those eyes, those curls, that voice. You have this spark, this little light at times of darkness that can make me see clearly. I can see you clearly, and you make me so proud. So full of energy, and so full of expression...so carefree. I'm jealous a little bit. I look at you taking in your youth and just living it to the extreme, the way in which we all should. The song I picked for your video contains the following verse:

The street lights start to fade away
I see the quiet on you when you're sleeping
Probably dreaming day

Every day with you is perfect, Olivia. Even with the good and the bad, I am so happy that you're here, with us. You make every day exciting and keep us on our toes. There's no other person I'd like to do that than you. Always, always, always remember that, without you, we would definitely be lacking something within our family. You brought us something so special three years ago, and you continue to do so each and every day. I love you so much, Liv-Liv. So very, very much...

Love,
Mama

Melting My Heart, One Day at a Time

Yesterday, on Valentine's Day, I got the biggest surprise. I thought we were going to have the baby discussion (as in my last post) again, but instead it was something else.

Bea said, "you know what, mama?"

"What, honey?"

"When I grow up, you know what I want to be?"

"What's that?" I asked.

"I wanna be a beautiful mommy just like you."

Tears. Lots of tears.

I'm all about how powerful words can be...you can see for yourself about halfway down the page at Today's Mama: http://www.todaysmama.com/full_article.php?id=471

Babies

Here's a new one for you...

Both girls say they want to have babies. Truth be told, yeah I want to be a grandmother one day. Give them love and spoil them rotten and then give them back. It will be absolutely divine. Though, let us all hope it won't be too soon, for when they talk about having babies, the dialogue is along these lines:

"I am going to have babies when I get older. I want a girl. Oh. No. I want two girls. And guess what daddy said, mommy? He said that when I get just a little bigger and I go to school that I CAN HAVE BABIES!!!!" (cue ecstatic amounts of jumping up and down)

I say, "What kind of school and what level of education are we talking about here? Are you talking about when you start school?" (in just a year and a half???)

"YEP!"

I say, "Well, mommy says that you can't have babies until you are done with college or you're at least 30 years old, whichever comes first."

Cue the heads turned to the side with the look of a big question mark on their faces, and then, "mommy, how many is 30?"

I hold up all of my fingers, hide my fingers, hold up all of my fingers, hide my fingers, then hold up all of my fingers again. "That is 30."

"Mommy, that's a really long time," in a whiney tone.

The talk, I feel, is going to come very early for us. Very early, indeed.

Fortunes to Remember

Tonight we went out for a Chinese food dinner at one of our favorite places. It's always tough going out with girls because of their ages, and we usually opt for a place that is an all you can eat salad palace of infinite choice pickings in hopes that they will eat something. Josh and I were in the mood for Chinese, and we were hoping that tonight they wouldn't be their usual picky selves and enjoy the chow mein and shrimp sitting before them. They did enjoy it, and in spite of a glass breaking (don't ask), them trying to open the doors of the emergency exit (again, don't ask), and multiple "I have to go the potty" shrieks, we came out alive. Hey, at least no one got poked in the eye with a chopstick (yes, it has happened before). It was all worth it when we got to the fortune cookies. The girls chose their own cookie, and it is absolutely imperative that I document what their fortunes told them tonight.

Olivia's said:

Good things come to those who wait. Be patient.

Beautifully said, for Olivia is so impatient and wants to catch up with her sister as fast as she can. I doubt she will listen to the advice of this fortune for many years to come. Who can blame her. She is, after all, almost three.

Bea's said:

You could prosper in the field of medicine.

Now there's some food for thought. I have often thought that is where her life could take her, even as a veterinarian because of her love for animals. I guess we'll have to see if that is where her life does take her, and if it does, we will have known very early on.