"April 4, 2008"

Dear Sweet Baby E,

It's amazing to think that it's been two years since you made your grand entrance. Two years since you single handedly changed my life, for the better. I don't know what I did so right to deserve to be your mommy, I have been so blessed. Being a full time mommy has been the best, most rewarding job in the world. Watching you learn and grow in to the beautiful little person you are today has been the best thing I could ever ask for. When things got tough, I cried with you and I learned with you and it all has been beautiful. I wouldn't change a single moment.

Seeing those crystal blue eyes looking up at me with your crazy halo of curls, surrounding your rosy cheeks, how can I not help but smile and scoop you up in my arms and snuggle you as tight as I possibly can. I see so much of myself in you, it's uncanny. That is until you wiggle your way out and run away to play. My little "baby shark".

Full of energy and always moving, you never stop. Everyday is a new adventure and nothing is the same. Just watching you play wares me out & I wouldn't change it for the world. I love seeing the world through your eyes, experiencing it all a new way. It is incredibly bewitching how you can take something so mundane and make it sparkle.

I've watched you go from completely dependent on me, the day you were born, to little miss "No mama Me do it". It breaks and makes my heart swell with pride all at the same time. Seeing your face weld up with fulfillment when you have accomplished your goal, I get excited along side of you, because you have realized that nothing is out of your reach. Every mother wants that for their child. Seeing that smile on your face after an accomplishment, no matter how big or small, makes my day.

Although your obsessions with "Finding Nemo", "Wow Wow Wubbzy", "Dora the Explorer" & "Go! Diego! Go!" drive me mad at times, seeing how excited you get is enough for me, because I know that in time this will pass. You will not be two years old forever and before I know it you will no longer love cartoons and I will be asking myself "where did my toddler go?" and I will want these precious days back.

E, You have taught me so much about life, what is important and what isn't. You have taught me how to love, you really opened up my heart. I can not for one millisecond imagine my life without you, I don't even want to. The last two years have gone by like the blink of an eye, being your mother has taught me that everyday is precious. I am enjoying every second I have. Enjoying the small pleasures you bring that really aren't small at all but are so huge they can't be measured in any thing but smooches and "noses". Not a moment goes by that I don't realize how lucky I have been. God blessed me and I thank him daily for you.

I didn't realize it till April 4th 2008 at 8:29pm, but you were the missing piece in my life puzzle. I couldn't have asked for a better child. The last two years have been sensational. I can't wait for the rest... I am so excited but in the same breath I want a stop time b/c what happened to this 5lb baby?...

E only less than an hr old:


E @ her 1st birthday party- April 4, 2009. 1 yrs old.


E yesterday @ her 2nd birthday party April 3, 2010- (1 day away from 2yrs old) (Tutu from ColeBabyTutu's ...BEAUTIFUL tutu, GREAT costumer service, great prices and E loves it!!)



Happy 2nd Birthday my little twinie! -- I love you Doodles.

Love,
Mama (now known as "Mommy" or "Mom" not fond of the latter)

"Pick & Choose-y"

So remember HERE when I said there would be an adjustment period when I moved in with M? Well that couldn't be farther from the truth.

I know some of you never considered me a single parent, b/c I lived with my parents. But I was.

They were NOT live-in babysitters.

Fri-Sun they were "not available" to watch little E. Usually Tue/Thurs were out of the question too b/c my step-dad was home by 3-330 at the latest. They are season-ticket holders for the Orlando Magic, On a bowling league, etc... They had lives of their own. They are young, my mom being 45 and step-dad 53.

I lived under their roof but I have been the one raising E. [Mostly] alone. When She was sick or up all night, I was up with her. Alone. I enrolled her in swimming lessons & made sure she never missed one lesson (mostly) alone. Hayls came sometimes.

It really seemed as if my parents were very "hands-off" type of Grandparents. They never once took her somewhere, unless I was with them to deal with E when she got difficult. If they babysit for any reason I was left to feel guilty for it.

Yes financially they helped MORE THEN I CAN BEGIN TO TELL you.

But all-in-all I was/am a SINGLE PARENT. But I digress.

On Sunday M, E and I had plans to go to this HUGE mall, thats about an hour away from where we live so we planned on leaving at nap time so E would sleep on the way there and not be a grump. Well she was crabby when we were about to leave, which was perfect, it meant she was tired! But she didnt want to adorn her coat. It was 27degrees out! Def in need of a jacket. I forced it on her while M was holding her. Her screams could be heard in another county. We had to force her into her car seat. She was pissed. Lovely.

Well once she was securely strapped in & M got into the car she started crying for her 'baba' (pacifier) I told M NOT to go get the one from her crib b/c we had 3 EXACTLY like that one in the diaper bag (yet she didn't want those) & when she hit 24 mons she was done w.the baba. She is 21mons now. Well she continued to cry for that certain baba till she passed out.

M looked over at me and said "Kelli you CAN NOT pick when I get to be a parent, either I am daddy or I am not"

That made me really think, In E's almost 2 yrs I have never had to consult "another parent" EVER.

I have complete and sole custody of E. GD has NO say in how she is raised. Nor does he care. The last time I saw him he told me the sooner M adopted her (by way of Step-Parent Adoption) the better. [Keep in mind that M & I have to be married first for this to happen]

I mean M has been around since E was only 4mons old, thats MOST of her life. But until 2 weeks ago we nvr lived together. So he wasn't ALWAYS around & didn't really have a say in how she was raised.

I didn't have to ask anyone when I waned to get her haircut for the first time or when I wanted to take her to her first petting zoo or to her first amusement park on on her first vacation/air plane ride. I didn't have to ask anyone when I out my infant then toddler in swimming lessons. I had full reins on what we did and when we did it.

It may have taken two to make her, but it sure as hell has taken ONE. ME (with a little help here and there from family members) to raise her.

We're adjusting, to living together and to raising a child together. E is adjusting to having two parents full time & dada not "living" in the phone.

She still won't let him put her to bed, but she will let him give her a tubbie. She is back to uninterrupted sleep & eating fairly well (for her anyways).

I know moving down the road or seven states away takes adjusting & that is just what we are doing.

I am also working on letting M be dad. Its hard for me to not always hover over him when hes doing his thing with her but its becoming easier.

Saturday will be the test. M gets off early (noon) and will be home before 1. I am going to get my nails done. So he will have an hr of daddy daughter time. Lets see how well I handle it.
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OKAY FREADERS, I have BIG, AND I MEAN MONUMENTAL NEWS:

Coming SOON there will be a NEW NAME and LOOK here @ The Urban Cowgirl. So keep your eyeballs peeled.

Have a good weekend yall.

-Kelli-Sue

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"doting parent"

So maybe I am just that, a doting parent but i think i have an overly smart child.

She rolled over one way at 3 weeks the other at 3 months. She scooted at 5 months. Crawled and sat up by her self @ 6 months . Started pulling up at 7 1/2 months, at 8 months she was cruising (walking along furniture) and now at 9 months she is about to take her first steps. She is saying "dada", "mama" & "yah". I just can't believe how big she has gotten. She drinks outta a sippie cup now. She only gets a bottle before bed when I rock her. She sleeps from 830/900pm-830/900am...YUP! she sleeps 12 hours!!!! Then when she wakes up She has a HUGE light up the room smile on her face, its beautiful, then' she gets cereal made w.jucie for breakfast and 6oz of formula. After all that sleep she's a hungry girl. Then like clock work 2-2.5 hours after she wakes up she's ready for a nap! I love it... she's so schedule driven. Just like her mommy! Thats my shower time, unless I get up first. Then she gets up after about an hour and she gets 4 ozs and then we play or go run errands. She LOVES the car now. FINALLY! LoL she used to hate it. She gets lunch around 2. She gets a veggie and a fruit. She eats ALL of both (stage 1 foods) and usually 4oz, about to move to stage 2... her pediatrician said its okay. Still no teeth. So no meats till she gets some. Then if we're home its nap time... if we're at daddy's (Matt's) she plays till about 330/430 then takes a nap. She's such a good sleeper! Dinner is at 600... Same as lunch a veggie and fruit and formula...bath time is around 8...She is such a water baby! She LOVES bath time usually out around 830 in jammies and rocked to bed and thats when she gets her only bottle of the day!

She loves dancing! She loves to give George and Squirt kisses. Basically if you say "Give so and so a kiss" she will. Such a loveable baby. Always happy. Loves to play. She is such a daddy's girl. I look at her and I just realize how blessed i am. She is just amazing. Her smile lights up a room. She has the best personality, I am just in awe over how amazing she is. She learns so quickly. I think she is overly smart. She loves "Little Einstein's" NOT "Baby Einstein's" she gets all excited when i put the DVD in, we have 4... thx yall- im ready to shoot myself, jk.

She does this new thing if you say "how big is Emmy?" she will throw her hands above her head and laugh. Its adorable! She learns soo quick. You just have to show her how to do something once or twice and BOOM she knows how to do it. It just amazes me. Sometimes I just can't believe I made that little miracle. When she comes up to me and gives me a kiss it just melts my heart! or when she looks at me and says "mama" my eyes fill up with tears b/c that little one syllable word makes all the hard times worth it. I love to just sit back and watch her learn and explore. Children really are Gods little gifts and I couldnt ask for anything more.