Papa Teddy Loves You...

My sweet girl,

Recently something really neat happened to us.  I have never told you about your Papa Teddy because I didn't think you were old enough to understand.  Your Papa Teddy was one of the greatest men I've ever known.  He was so kind to everyone, and to know him was to love him.  He had the best perspective on life and he treated everyone with respect.   On top of that, he was the best papa a girl could have.  I can still remember sitting in his lap and him just wrapping his arms around me and showering me with his love.  He would have absolutely adored you my beautiful girl.  You would have lit up his world just like you do ours.  I don't know why he was taken away from us so soon, but not a day goes by that I don't think about him...and I can't wait to tell you everything about that wonderful man someday.  A few weekends ago me, your Nanny Paps (Patsy) and you were heading up to Lynchburg to do some Saturday morning shopping.  Your Papa Todd, Nanny Cris, and Landon were headed to Richmond.  Before we left, they stopped by our house to drop off a few things.  You were in the playroom playing with your Uncle Landon and out of NOWHERE you started calling him Teddy.  From then on whenever you see him you run to him saying "Teddy, Teddy!"  And if I show you a picture of Landon, you say "Mommy, that's Teddy!" We were all stunned and amazed that you just out of the clear blue started calling him that.  We don't refer to any of your stuffed bears as 'Teddy' and I can't remember anyone ever talking about Papa Teddy around you.  Still to this day, you are calling your Uncle Landon, Teddy.  I hope it sticks for the rest of your life because it's such a sweet reminder of one of the best men that ever lived.  I am crying typing this because it was like God wanted us all to know that Papa Teddy is hanging out in Heaven, still watching over us even after all these years...and just patiently waiting for the day we all meet him again.  I love my Papa Teddy so much, and it's so amazing how God allowed us that special moment as a family through you, my sweet little girl.   

XOXO, Mommy

 Papa Teddy with his hand on mommy

 

 Papa Todd, Papa Teddy & Me (Papa Todd was quite a sight to behold back then)

 

Kollyns & Teddy ;)



Kollyns at work!

Sometimes I feel like you are missing out on alot by not being in daycare or in a setting with other kids and teachers.  Then I'm like...that's ridiculous!  You are the best place you could possibly be.  I am so blessed that I get to bring you to work with me every day and that you get to spend time with your nanny and papa and me.  But just in case you are missing out on the learning experience, I try to get you to use a little brain power every day whether it's by drawing, working a puzzle, painting or matching colors and shapes.  And we always always always count to 10 out loud and sing our ABC's in the bath tub!  Here are a few of my favorite pictures of you at work learning and playing!

 

Lazy River Days

Some of my favorite memories include watching you and your daddy play.  A few weeks ago we had a short stretch of pretty days so we took a drive down to the river to play.  I was at the cabin and looked down and saw daddy trying to teach you how to skip rocks into the river.  Watching my two favorite people having fun together and enjoying life just melted my heart.  These are the precious moments I live for. I love you pretty girl!

Is this for real?

Am I really planning your 2nd birthday party? I really don't know where the time has gone, but it sure went by way way way WAY too fast. What a blessing you have been in our lives since the day you were born.  You certainly bring me an overwhelming amount of joy, but you also challenge me in so many ways.  There are the obvious challenges, like getting you to use the potty, or teaching you to not pitch tantrums when things don't go just right.  Or cleaning up your toys after you've played with them.  Or convincing you that picking FinLee up upside down is not okay.  But then there are the far deeper ways you challenge me.  You make me want to be a better person.  You make me want to be who I one day want you to become.  You make me want to develop an even deeper relationship with the Lord so you will see the profound impact a relationship with Christ has on one's character and life, as I am the example you will most likely follow.  So with that being said, I wish I could give you the most magical party in the world...but even then it wouldn't come close to comparing to all you've given me since the first day I saw you.  So I had originally planned to do a theme for your party.  Well, you don't like TV...so a cartoon/tv show theme is out of the question.  I could do a fancy little theme and go over the top with it, but I just don't see myself doing that either.  So I picked a few bright pretty colors (pink, orange & yellow) because you are such a bright spot in our lives, and the "theme" will be Kollyns' Favorite Things...which will influence the menu and favors!  :) I just placed my first order from Shop Sweet LuLu & oh how I love that shop.  Reasonably priced, and such cute stuff.  I could've really spent some green in there, but I was a good girl and only bought the necessities.

 

Menu

 

Drinks

Chocolate Milk Shooters (With Chocolate Sprinkles on the Rim)

Water

Watermelon Gatorade

Food

(Notice none of the menu choices are healthy, yet another challenge haha)

Mac & Chese Cups

Chick Fil A Chicken Nuggets

Mini Grilled Cheeses

Gold Fish

Mini French Fry Baskets

Sugar Cookies

Cake (Similar to the one below)

 

 

Favors

A Candy Bar Complete with pink, yellow & orange M&M's (Kollyns' Favorite Candy EVER)

 

 

 

Sooo adorable!

I uploaded this video to my computer from my iPad today and I absolutely had to post it on here.  You were only 18 months old walking in my heels like a pro, and at the end you show off some mad tap dancing skills.  Too funny not to remember! :)

Smart girl...

Whenever you try to eat, the dogs will not leave you alone. (Probably because 75% of the time, you are secretly feeding them your food.) But when mommy fixes you something that you really really like (like a peanut butter sandwich)...you will sit in your car with your cup in the passenger seat, prop those feet up & enjoy your food as the dogs suffer the ultimate disappointment of realizing you're keeping this snack all to yourself! You crack me up pretty girl! Mommy loves!!!

Where does the time go?

My sweet girl,

Next month we will be celebrating your 2nd birthday! How in the world did that happen? Mommy cannot believe how fast time flies.  It feels like I was just holding you for the first time and I remember every moment from that day, but that was so long ago.  You make life so much fun for us!  We enjoy so much watching you learn and grow...and even watch you come into your own and pitch little fits (actually they are rather big, embarrassing fits).  They are few and far between, but I'm trying to figure out how to handle the terrible two's that we are told will be coming soon.  We are getting little glimpses of your strong willed nature when things don't quite go your way and I have a hard time not laughing.  These are the moments where I have to step in and teach you how to handle situations.  For now, when you scream in anger or do things that you aren't supposed to...I put you in a hold (a time out for toddlers who don't quite understand the concept of sitting still, complements of Aunt Shana).  I sit you in my lap facing outward and hold your left arm with my right hand and your right arm with my left hand (It's almost like you are hugging yourself), and I count aloud to 10.  You absolutely HATE this.  You scream as if I'm torturing you, but after I count to 10 you immediately stop screaming and find something to play with like it never even happened.  You are too funny, which is why I face you away from me when I am trying to teach you a lesson so you can't see me laughing at myself as I try to enforce rules and boundaries.  You reached a big milestone this past Sunday night at church.  I took you down to the nursery and you walked right in and started playing without even missing me.  It was sad for mommy, but it was also nice because I like that you are becoming independent and learning how to play with friends.  As an only child who comes with me to work everyday I was worried you would have a hard time adjusting...but you definitely fall right into place with kids your age.  You have been having a blast playing with your new Christmas toys!  MarLee taught you how to ride your little powerwheels 4 wheeler up and down the halls at work and you think you are something else.  Everytime I look I see you flying by my office door grinning from ear to ear.  You haven't quite figured out how to steer yet and even when you run into a wall you keep your finger on the button because you enjoy watching the wheels spin in place (haha) and when you get tired of that...you get off, turn it around and go back down the hall! This keeps you entertained for a long time.  You also love your magnetic Melissa & Doug dolls and making mommy food in your new kitchen.  You will sit in your new Mercedes car when we are in the playroom and push all of the buttons but you aren't very comfortable with driving that yet.  You've also developed a new love for torturing our dogs.  I'm trying my best to teach you that this isn't funny and I'm not sure where this is coming from.  You will hold their treat bag in your hand because you love to give them their treats and stand there laughing hysterically while they bark at you, begging for a treat.  Then you finally let them have their way.  And you also like chasing them around with the musical instruments from your new band set.  Not very nice...I'm trying to break you of this.  You have started to ask to use the potty sometimes...but only because you want me to give you a MiMi (M&M) when you are finished. Heyyy, whatever works! Oh and I have to trick you into eating fruits and vegetables by baking them into the shape of fries.  Your favorite foods are chicken nuggets, french fries, spaghetti, bread, peanut butter sandwiches and yogurt (but only if it's in the cute little gogurt to-go tubes).  Your favorite thing to drink is water, although your grandparents are forever trying to slip you soda (gross) and that drives mommy crazy...because if I've done anything well, it's teach you to love water!!!  What else is new this week?  Oh, you give the best hugs and kisses...and you won't go to sleep until we say our prayers and you kiss mommy, daddy, BroDee, and
FinLee goodnight!  Guess it's time for me to stop typing out my random thoughts and start planning your birthday party little one!  I love You!

Mommy