D. Family Coffee Break

In just over a week and a half, Bug will be two years old.  Two.  Honestly, how can time go by so slowly, yet so quickly too?  I feel like I've waited so long for Bug to be a toddler, but it seems like it flashed all at the same time.   I can still remember going into labor thinking it was just indigestion, getting wheeled into the labor and delivery room, waiting hours to meet this little Bug.   I can still remember bringing her home, nervous that we'd never survive our first night as a family of three (four, including the cat). I can remember waiting in anticipation for her to finally roll over and calling everyone I knew, bursting with excitement when she finally did. I remember planning what solids she'd eat first, hoping she'd be a great eater.  I soon found that I was blessed with the most picky eater in the entire world.  (Just like her mommy, I suppose.) I remember not being able to contain myself when she started...

After fun-filled weekends, Mondays are pretty depressing at work.  I miss the hubs and I miss my Buggy.  I know Buggy has somewhat of an adjustment period as well at school on Mondays as well.  This makes me happy.  It makes me feel like she misses us.  You probably already know this, but Bug is an "on my terms" kind of person.  She loves, hugs, eats, breathes, high-fives, sings, and talk... on her own terms .  It can make it quite difficult to love on her.  As her parents, we want the option of being able to grab the kid and smother her with kisses and hugs without getting reprimanded for it.  Unfortunately, the majority of the time, we are scolded by Bug for squeezing her tightly and spoiling her with unsolicited kisses.  Then an hour later, she will come crawling all over you and start kissing and hugging you for no reason at all.  These moments are very rare. So on Mondays, after having been with her parents all weekend...

Conversations with Bug have become more frequent and more real.  It's as though I'm actually speaking to a person.  I know, I know- she is a real person.  From day one, people (and by people I mean books, doctors, people...you know) tell you to converse with your baby even though your baby cannot respond.  Okay.  For awhile I felt like I was talking to a wall. I'd pick her up from school at 6 months and I'd ask her how her day was and I'd get no response- maybe some burps and that's about it.  Then around a year she'd babble nonstop, but still I couldn't really understand.  However, I kept on "conversing" with her because the "people" told me to. :)  Even though Bug's known a ton of words before, forming coherent sentences were never quite possible.  Then one day, on our way home from school, the conversation went from Mommy and the wall to this... Mommy:  "Buggy, how was school?" Bug:  "Good." Mommy: ...

Last weekend we celebrated all things Lo Bear with a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse themed first birthday party!  I don't know if you know this, but all the kids in my family are beautiful.  They also have spitfire personalities, which makes taking pictures all the more fun!  We love you, Lo.  Thank you for making this last year all the more brighter.  :) Cousins watching each other.  Is anyone else excited?  Not that I'm a negligent parent or anything, but haven't we all been waiting for this moment forever?  Older cousins taking care of the younger ones.  I refuse to procreate otherwise.  Hahaha. Then the cousin/babysitter fell asleep before the baby.  Not a good sign.  We're still working on how babysitting goes. An overly excited birthday girl? There's something about the first grandchild. My kid would purposely look at my camera like this. The people who spoil the grandchildren. :)  ...