June 2014 Newsletter

Nolan: You have a new love this month: pony tails. You don't care whose pony tail it is, as long as you can grab it. You don't let go very easily, either. I'm sure you can imagine, this pony tail-grabbing infuriates your sisters.

I guess you have two new loves, pony tails and balls. I think you can say 'ball.' You really like to throw balls and chase after them. I hope you get a bunch for your birthday. It's hard to believe you are almost 1!

You haven't decided to start walking yet. You seem to be taking your time, analyzing the process of walking, and then when you finally start, I think you will be off. That's just you and your personality. You are a quiet thinker and very smart. 

You love for me to sit and hold you. You are a Mama's boy, at least until Daddy gets home.

Riley: I think you are having a great summer being Big Sister to Ella. Y'all play together all day long. It's not often that you and Ella fuss, and you both seem to want Nolan nowhere near where y'all are playing. You are pretty bad about slamming the door in his face. He's still pretty little and gets in the way sometimes. He will toughen up. 

Since it's summer I've let you stay up late. This is apparently a big deal. You think it's important to note that Ella and Nolan don't get to stay up as late as you. We go through this ordeal every night. You simply can't believe you get to stay up late every night and almost act surprised when you find out it's 9 or 9:30. 

You've had a couple play-dates so far this summer and really, really enjoy those. You are still talking about your fun with Mollie, and are eagerly awaiting a sleepover with her. Everyday you ask what day it is and then walk off mumbling that on Monday you are spending the night with Mollie. 

Every once in a while you get a little out of hand. You seem to act out in spurts. When it's bad, it's almost too much for me to handle. It's not just you, but add in your brother and sister and I've got too much on my hands. I don't expect you to sit like a soldier and barely breathe, but I do expect you to do what I ask and be respectful and calm (if the situation calls for it). I know you don't act like this at school. When I mentioned this to you during an episode the other day, it really made you stop and think. I could see the wheels spinning in your head. You agreed! 

But Riley, when it's good, it's great. The majority of the time you are the sweetest, best behaved five year old in the world. For instance, when you get a sucker in Sunday School, you always get an extra sucker for Ella. You are usually very gentle around Nolan and it breaks your heart if you accidentally step on his finger or something like that. (It probably doesn't help your feelings that Nolan has the loudest, most monotonous cry on the planet. Even the slightest bump causes him to wait.)

Ella: Screams, screaming, screamer. That's pretty much you! Especially when we are in the car driving somewhere. You just scream, a lot, all the time. If something doesn't go your way, if someone else is playing with a toy you want, if I don't do just exactly what you had in mind, you lose it. And scream. This behavior is pretty effective at getting you what you want; I guess I wouldn't stop either. 

When you aren't screaming for some unknown reason, you are probably talking. Your most used phrase is, "I want it." And let me tell you, you want everything. "I want it." You say it real fast. If you want something really bad, I'll prompt you to say please and you tilt your little head and say, "Pwweeeeessee." Don't break my heart! It's the sweetest thing. 

We've had several occasions for you to be around Riley and her friends for just a few minutes. You act just like one of them! You follow them around everywhere. You have no idea you are just two and they are four or five. 

Yep, two years old. Your birthday was a few days ago and I teared up looking at pictures from two years ago. You were the sweetest little baby! You're also the sweetest little girl. We had quite a bit going on and didn't have a big party, just you, me, Nolan, Riley, Paw-Paw and Grandmom and Grandad. The only thing that would have made your birthday party any better was if Daddy was here to enjoy with us. 

You are pretty crazy about Minnie Mouse right now, so a Minnie Mouse doll was perfect. After the traumatic birthday song Minnie Mouse brightened things up. 

Two other little girls have celebrated birthdays in this kitchen, at this same bar. 

I'm pretty sure the big sister was opening all the presents back then, too. I love the smile on my Daddy's face. 

We also had a great trip to Louisiana. I love our trips to Louisiana and wish we could visit more often. Let's just say, you three kids are indulged over there. What ever it is that you want, that is what you get. Ella, you loved swinging in the front yard and Aunt Margie. Riley, I thought you were going to become Siamese twins with Stephanie; you were in her lap the whole time. Nolan, you went from being a 'Mama's Boy' to a 'Mamaw's Boy' and that was fine with her. You were both happy to just sit together on the couch. 

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This is my new favorite picture. Let me tell y'all about this picture and the day we had... Y'all are generally fussy in between the end of afternoon naps and supper, unless I take you outside to play in the water. However, you all expect supper waiting on the table when we get back inside. This day was no different. So out we went for fun in the sun. It didn't take Nolan long to crawl out of the water. I let you crawl around in the grass for a long time. You chased your ball back and forth through the grass. Girls, you just played and played together in the water. You both love to splash each other. Ella, you really like to fill the buckets up with water and then dump them out. Riley, your face in this picture says it all! You were having a great time. We played for about an hour and then rushed in to have hot dogs. Sweet summertime! What makes this picture most special is that there is a Daddy in North Dakota making it possible.

We love you, Riley, Ella, and Nolan.

Love, Mama