Sunday, September 13, 2009

Birthday Happenings...

As you all know, Kara's birthday was about 2 weeks ago, and we celebrated the big day with a party on Labor Day weekend! Nana and Papa traveled in for the occasion, along with 30 or so other guests. We rented a bounce house from the local True Value and fun was had by all!
The next day however, I was in an exhaustion coma, you know how you get so worked up for a big event trying to make sure everything is just so and that nothing goes wrong... well yeah, then the next day you are worthless because you are literally BURNT out!! So I wasted a whole Sunday away just snoozing, but that's ok because it was a 3 day weekend and the next day we went to Adventure Land.
That was probably the best day of the weekend, my parents along with Curt and I took Kara for her very first amusement park experience. I can not beleive the girl lasted 5 hours walking around going on rides, eating all kinds of junk food and watching a circus. We were sure she'd conk out on the ride home, but nope, she lasted ALL day and ALL night! My kinda girl!
Then today I attempted to take Kara all by myself to get her 2 year pictures done. I was hesitant to begin with because I literally have not had an easy experience with her at a photographer since she was 6 months old. Well, my hesitation was well deserved, it was a complete NIGHTMARE! She had been telling me all day that she didn't want her pictures done and I told her it would be fun and even tried to convince her that she would get a little surprise if she smiled pretty. Not even 5 seconds after walking into the studio she was in an all out screaming fest. I asked her if she wanted to go to time out and she replied "Ok, YES!" All of the "doggy falling off the head and laughing hysterical" by the photographer couldn't help. I left defeated. I was immaturely angry at my 2 year old for not cooperating and told her she wasn't getting her surprise and that she was going home and going to bed, she replied "Ok, YES!" Argh!!!!
Luckily, the 20 minute ride home, along with a frantic call to my mother helped calm my nerves and when we got home Kara and I had our own photo session in the backyard. Kara was a perfect subject in the comforts of her own backyard, posed in 50 different ways that I suggested and tried smiling perfectly, if only I had a professional camera I think the shots would have been better than any pictures I could have gotten from a photography studio.
Here is some of our work:





Tuesday, September 1, 2009

2 Years Ago Today...

Two years ago today my world changed forever. My darling baby girl came into this world and little did I know how immensely she would rule my heart. As I celebrate her day today, I am also celebrating the gift of being a mother. Little did I know how much I would look forward to seeing her smiling face and bright blue eyes every morning. Or how just holding her and breathing in her smell would instantly take all my stresses away, it still does, and I'm sure it always will.
Its amazing how fast time really does fly once a child enters your life. How I've watched my little baby turn into a booming toddler. From the baby who could barely lift her head to the 2 year old who can run circles around her father and I. I am so proud to be her mother and today, on her Birthday I would like to highlight for her some of the reasons why:

She is the most loving and easy going kid I've ever seen. She never hits, yells or fights with any other child, (which is pretty common for her age group).... but she just takes it all in stride.

Her sweet little voice just lights up my life, the way she'll try to sing songs that she loves and on the words that she knows she'll sing those really loud, otherwise sort of hum along the rest of the song.

The way she knows how to make her father and I laugh by squinting her eyes shut and giving us an all teeth and gums smile that seems to take up her entire face.....priceless.

Listening to her talk to her babies and stuffed animals when she is in her crib, she has such strong motherly instincts already, and how when I'll go in to tuck her in before I go to bed , she will have all of her babies covered with her blankets but no blankets on herself.... once again, such a giving child.

The way she really does listen, she'll sit and observe and take it all in and then days later tell you a story about something she heard you talking about days ago.

Kara truly is such a beautiful child, she gets comments from strangers all the time on her beauty, but the thing they don't even know, is that she is twice as beautiful inside. She is my angel from above sent down for me to love.

Happy Birthday Sweet Heart!! We love you more than you know.