Madyson's Birthday!

I am such a terrible mommy! I forgot to write yesterday for Madyson's birthday. Better late then never I guess. I can't believe my baby girl is 3! She is NOT a baby anymore. Aughhhh. those days were nice! But she is growing and learning so much! She has flourished this past year! I can't believe how much she has learned. Madyson really started talking this past year. For about 6 months after she turned 2 I was beginning to wonder if she had some speech problems! Well not anymore!!! She is as verbal as can be! She says complete sentences and has learned many new words this year. Including a new word for her yesterday..."ours." It was so sweet to hear her sharing with her big sister! Another big milestone for Madyson was learning to go to the bathroom. We started training her around 2. It did not happen as quickly for her as it did for Elyse. In fact it was awful! She finally became pee pee potty trained just after Christmas. She hasn't had an accident in a while. For a while there it was a more than a couple of times a week. Now it is very rare for her to have an accident. Noticed I said that she was completely pee pee potty trained. The other has been a struggle. She would wait until her pull up was put on at night and then do her business. But something FINALLY clicked!!! She is now officially potty trained! Yay!!!!
Mady had a great day! I am really sad that I have gone back to work and have missed spending the day with the girls on their special day. It is frustrating for me yet at the same time I know I am doing what I need to be doing at this time.

Madyson...Mommy loves you! I love your laugh and your smile. I love how you talk about all of your primary and church friends when you come home. I love your prayers. You are thankful for everything! That makes mommy's heart swell with pride. I have loved you since the day you were brought to me. I know that you are a sweet daughter of Heavenly Father. I love you for who you are and the brightness you have surrounding you!

Love, Mommy!

The big 5!

April Fool's Day is here again! This date honestly had no significance to me until 5 years ago when we welcomed a brand new baby girl into this world. She was beautiful! She was so tiny and I was so afraid that I would drop her. I loved wrapping my fingers around her small fragile hands. She was a gift given to us by our Heavenly Father to keep and cherish FOREVER. How I miss the little girl that I could hold and rock to sleep. The little girl that would lay down and take a nap with me when I got home from school. I miss those days when she was a baby, yet...I love that she can clean up her own toys, go to the bathroom by herself, play with her little sister, be concerned when I am sick in the mornings with every smell known to man bothering me. I love the little girl that she has become! My Elyse Bryanne has sure grown up so fast. And I love her just as much today as I did when she was given to me to hold for the first time.
Elyse has accomplished much this year. She started preschool here in San Angelo. She has made so many friends and I have seen her blossom from September until now. She has learned to read...although I can't say she is a proficient reader she is doing really well learning how to and I admire her courage for trying something new. Elyse is learning how to ride a bike with training wheels. It is a little scary for her and I admire her willingness to try something new even when it may not be comfortable for her. The GREATEST accomplishment Elyse had this year was the will power to STOP sucking her thumb. She has been sucking her thumb since she was a year old and it was really hard on her, but with lots of prayers and perserverance it paid off for her. I will tell that story in another entry at some point.
My baby girl is growing up...I guess that is what they have to do no matter if we as parents like it or not. I love my Elyse with my heart. She is the little girl that reminds me of myself and I LOVE her for that!
Happy Birthday Elyse Bryanne! I love you so much!

I will post pictures soon!