Happy Halloween! Rarrrrrrrr!!!

Paige's very first Halloween!

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6 Months

My dear Little P,

I have no idea where to begin with this letter to you. I will say this: You are such a joy and treasure to us. Truly! I have been having so much fun taking care of you each day; I just LOVE it! I never knew just how much I would enjoy being a Mom, but you make it even greater than I'd ever imagined. Your personality is really starting to shine through. What a character you are! You love smiling and laughing (although you always get suspicious when the camera comes out) and shrieking with glee. You are ever-cheerful, thoughtful, and curious. You love to get full attention and be the star of the show. You play at being shy with strangers, but you always turn back with a bigger smile than the first after you coyly look away. Such the flirt!
Your favorite toy continues to be your Jumperoo. I think you'd jump to the moon if you could. You enjoy holding your smaller toys and pulling them toward you now for a closer look. You love to sit up on your hands while laying on your belly. You can really see the world around you this way, but you are most happy about seeing your toys within grasp! Your sweet baby kisses are my favorite new thing that you do. They are so sweet (and slimy!) and tender. You grab a hold of my face and plant your mouth right against my cheek full-force and hold it there until you can't breathe anymore and need to break away. I treasure those kisses and wish I could bottle them up and use them over and over.
You continue to grow like crazy and are now wearing lots of things for babies that are 12 months old. Such the tall one you are! You really do take after your Dad in many ways! You are starting to be able to sit up (with some help!) and enjoy playing at standing up while I hold your arms. You are starting to enjoy solid foods (so far you've tried Rice Cereal, Oatmeal, Peas, Sweet Peas, and Green Beans). You enjoy Green Beans best so far, but we're still just doing vegetables for now. Just wait until you try fruit!
I had no idea the time would go by quite THIS fast. Half a year old! You're doing great sweetie! It's been such an honor to watch you grow and thrive. I couldn't be any luckier.
I'll close this letter by telling you that my heart bursts with love for you. I have always heard the phrase "the heart aches with love." Or "I love you so much it hurts." I never knew just how much that phrase could ring true until now! My heart aches when you go to bed at night; I miss you so much when you are away from me. I stare at you sleeping and I am filled with so much emotion and pride. Just your smile is enough to bring me to a halt. I never thought I'd be so wussy and sentimental but I just can't help it. Please know that I love you more than the Earth, Moon, sun and stars...always...and no matter what.
Love you always,
Mama

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At play

My name is Paige.

I love to play with my toys.

I also love to get attention...

And smile big at my Daddy.

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Fall

Hi friends!
Today we got to enjoy a bit of extra-warm weather! It's supposed to go back to being chilly tomorrow, so we took advantage and spent much of the afternoon playing on the lawn outside our house. The leaves are at peak foliage so Paige was captivated with the treetops. I had to throw in a photo of Maren snuggling with her beloved rubber bone. It used to be covered in tennis ball fuzz, but she ripped it all off. I think she'd marry this toy if she could; but she settles for snuggling it in the evenings. I was happy to finally capture a photo of it!

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Catch up

Hi friends!
I'm sorry we've been missing from this space! We've been sick with a horrible cold and it's still hanging on. blech. I thought, in the meantime, I would update you with some follow ups from earlier posts!
I'd mentioned just a few posts ago about my watercolor class...it's so fun! I just had my third class last night and we did a color version of the monochromatic painting I posted about before. Here are my 2 paintings together:


As you can see, I made a few changes to the color version and I like the composition much better. It didn't take much time to make the painting since the teacher was guiding us through steps to complete it.

Also, a few posts ago I'd mentioned our apple-picking trip and my desire to make an apple pie. Well, I did it! And it was delicious. Of course, I scoured the internet and picked a recipe that was very involved (for a first-timer) but it was well-worth the extra effort! You can find the recipe I used HERE. Don't I look excited? hee! I didn't make the crust myself...that was a Pillsbury pre-made one and it was great!





And, just because, I thought I'd show this amusing photo of Chris doing his best Paige impression.

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Love

Happy Anniversary my love! 4 years of wedded bliss and every day is better than the one before it. I couldn't have asked for a better husband and partner. You always remind me of that in the little things you do and say each and every day. Like this morning when you woke me to say goodbye on your way to work...I said: "life itself began when I married you" and you said "my life really began when I MET you." I love you.

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Chuckle-o

The best chuckle is at the end. We'll be in this space again very soon!

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Apple Picking!

Me and Wee enjoyed a day out apple picking with good friends yesterday! We got enough for me to make a pie (I've never made one from scratch before and this will be my first attempt). We also admired the animals there, stared out at the foliage, and enjoyed the nice weather. There was even a hayride to take us up the hill. Good times!

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Solids, man!

Once upon a time, there was a sweet little baby girl named Paige who was ready to venture into the exciting Land of Solids. She started her journey with Rice Cereal.

What the HELLLLLL!!!!?????


Why are you DOING THIS TO MEEEE!!!!????


Well, on the other hand...


Mmmmph...mmmmhhh...NOM NOM NOM


Can I get this in my belly faster?


Oh sweet tastes of goodness



Phew! OK Daddy, I'm a little full and exhausted.


That wasn't so bad after all! Jealous?

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Sunshine

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You make me happy when skies are gray
You'll never know dear, how much I love you
Please don't take my sunshine away"


Once, during the times we were trying so hard to have a baby I had a dream. In it, I was holding such a lovely little baby. It was a little girl; she must have been around 18-20 months old and she was sitting in my lap. I was at a bbq in the summer. I remember she had 2 little ponytails in her hair...short little ones. I remember feeling the warm sun on my skin and the top of her head was warm from it...I had nestled my chin onto her head and could breathe in the smell of her shampoo. I felt so much love and affection in that moment. I felt so content with the world and that everything was perfect. I felt a love I'd never felt before. And then I woke up.
I lay in the dark feeling so sad I cried. It had felt so real. And then it was gone. I never forgot that dream, nor did I forget the feelings I had in it. I heard the song "You are my Sunshine" again today and the second verse made me take pause and reminded me of my dream:

"The other night dear, as I lay sleeping
I dreamed I held you in my arms
But when I awoke, dear, I was mistaken
So I hung my head and I cried."

I always sing that song to Paige before her naps and I never made the connection about the second verse until today. Listen to the song version we like here. I'm so happy Little P. is with us. I think of that dream when I watch her sleep and my heart swells even greater than the moment before. And, just because, here is Paige in my favorite hippo jammies. Soon they won't fit and I just had to document her wearing them. :)

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