Olivia at 15 months

Hey little monkey, you get more amazing every day. I am disappointed your daddy isn't here to witness the daily developments in your little world. However, I am thankful for our webcam phone calls where he can see you in action.

You are saying words like: help, dada, mama, Charlotte, Saryn, (your own versions), baby, puppy, eat, water, milk, more, play, sleep, go, bye bye, please, and uh-oh. You still sign some of those words and sign without saying thank you. You also say the sounds for dog, cat, horse, and monkey.

You're also learning songs. You mimic the sounds in twinkle twinkle little star, saying BA BA BA BA, BA BA BA. You and I were listening to the wheels on the bus go round and round on the ipad and you were doing the hand motions for the song!

You're also learning how things go around here. You found a sticker and tried to put it on your back. We do this to you every Sunday at church so that the nursery workers know your name. Today you woke up before Charlotte and we were playing together. A rare occurrence that I enjoy when I can focus all my attention on just one of you. I went to the bathroom and I heard you say "Shahh-ye" (Charlotte) and when I came out, you had opened her door and woke her up. I guess you know that you two are supposed to be up and playing together.

You're also interested in using a spoon and fork by yourself. I've had to pull the bibs out again for this learning experience and Saryn has enjoyed the extra kibbles in the floor.

All Things Autumn

We have welcomed and embraced autumn with open arms this year. After another HOT summer, the awe inspiring leaves and countless farms have beckoned us out of the house and into the cool country air of Tennessee. I have found that weekends are particularly long and serve as a grueling reminder that we are only a month (ok 5-6 weeks but who's counting) into this deployment. Good thing the farmers have grown pumpkins and apples, readied their animals for petting, and opened their land for visitors because you better believe we have and will continue to visit one every weekend until they close up shop!!

We have collected pumpkins, apples, and cheesy head-in-the-hole pictures. As well as petted (I use this word very conservatively, as you girls are very cautious, aka: scaredy cats) llamas, goats, geese, chickens, horses, and farm dogs.

But most significantly, we were brave. Charlotte, you found the courage to ride a horse by yourself for the first time. It was so impactful, you have talked about it nearly every day since and told your daddy about it every time you talk to him. Now you pretend your princess dolls ride horses around the house. We also stopped for an impromptu pickin' at a roadside antique store on our way home from the apple orchard. This is quite unlike me, as I run best on a schedule. I also doubt...I doubt that it will be open, that there will be anything worth seeing, or that you girls will be flexible with me. But I stopped and is was great. We found some great treasurers tucked away in Terry's "Red Ridge Antique" store and when he didn't have what I was looking for in his shop, he said "Foller me down to the house...I got the perfect mantle for ye"...And he did! We met his sweet wife and you girls played with their seven cats. Terry asked what else I was looking for and said he would keep his eye out for me. I thanked him for going out and spending the time to find these treasures for people like me to see and enjoy. We found a new friend in an unexpected place.

I imagine the people and experiences I have missed out on because of fear and doubt. Something I still struggle with. I pray these crippling feelings away and that instead I am filled with hope, expectancy, delight, imagination, and drive. I know that I am your model and that I must be what I want to see in you. Girls, you make me better. Thank you for coming along and enjoying the simple things this fall with me.

Big Girl Stuff

Livi, girl you are growing into such a fun little girl. I can't truthfully say baby anymore when you're doing all these big girl things. You bring so much joy and excitement to our family.

With 4 almost 5 teeth now Charlotte and I thought we would teach you how to brush your teeth. At the mention of the task, you run to your bathroom, move the stool to the sink, and stand up reaching for your Eeyore toothbrush. How are you old enough to do such things?! You are very compliant and allow me to brush first knowing you will get your turn to go to town on your own when I am done.

You have also found a love for reading books. Well, choosing a book from the shelf and back up until you find a lap. I am thrilled that you already love to be read to sweet little girl.

We are also teaching you animal names and sounds. You work on it at school too! Your favorite is puppy dog and then kitty cat. Your little face makes the cutest sounds.

Playground battle wounds

It was only a matter of time until adventurous Olivia got a playground battle wound. Girl, at just 15 months old, you love to play with the big kids. You follow your sister around the playground, running to keep up as best you can. When you get to an object too large to scale I hear your screech that your daddy calls your baby pterodactyl sound (cant wait until you consistently replace that sound with a word and sign) and I know you need help. You try so hard to climb, swing in the big kid swings, and run as fast as you can. You especially liked this bouncy airplane that you and Charlotte rode repeatedly. It wasn't until about the fourth trip down the small slide that you decided I shouldn't catch you at the bottom. I thought I would give you a chance to catch yourself on the rubber padded ground, thinking what's the worst that would happen?! Well you sure did catch yourself...with your face, bless your heart. It didn't seem too bad at the time, just a little spec of blood and a little pink scrape. You cried for less than a minute and wanted down and ran right back to the slide. However, you sported a dark brown scab on your nose the following week but don't worry, everyone just thought you had eaten chocolate! I like your resiliency, kiddo! It will take you far in life if I can figure out how to help you shape it throughout the years. I love you beautiful girl.

Loving heart

Charlotte, I want you to know how much I love and appreciate your joyful heart. I thank God for gifting you with this heart and ask Him to show me new ways to model kindness to you and Olivia. Sure, I remind you to speak lovingly and give you examples of how we are kind to our friends, but I find it is the kind and loving things I do for you that I see you trying out on your own. You call your sister sweetie even when you think no one is listening, you tell Saryn it will be okay and that she will feel better when we take her to the vet for a boo boo, today when I asked you to put your plate in the sink you said, "Sure, I would love to!", and when we dropped your daddy off for deployment, I cried as we drove home, you said, "Don't be sad Mommy, it will be okay." Teaching you kindness has been an easy task...it seems to come naturally for you. Thank you for being a sweet little person.

Carwash Screams

Alright girls, I sure hope you can laugh about this someday. I knew that Charlie didn't like car washes. The couple times I had brought you through one, you lost your mind and no words or hugs made it better. So I have avoided taking the car through a wash in the past year or so. I generally do it myself at the house or wait until I am out by myself. Well the other day, you asked to go through a car wash. I was so surprised that I had to find one just to see if you had secretly conquered your fear. It was our lucky day, I saw one on the next corner. All was good until the jets hit our car, creating that loud noise. You instantly lost it all over again, screaming and crying. Then you lost it too, Olivia! I'm not sure if you were genuinely scared of the noise and water or if Charlotte just set you off with her crying. Either way, it was way too hilarious to sit back and watch with no evidence. I snapped a picture and regret not taking a video. Love you girls...don't hate me.

See Ya later Daddy

Well girls, your daddy left for Afghanistan this week. We have been busy all summer getting our family settled and ready for this separation. I worked quickly to get us into a new house and your daddy tackled numerous projects through the day he left. While we were distracted in the time leading up to his departure, reality set in when we dropped him off. He hugged and kissed both of you girls and we tucked you back into the car. By the time he got to me we were both already teary-eyed. When we hugged we both let our emotions go and just cried together. Neither of us like prolonged goodbyes so we gave each other words of encouragement, a kiss, and parted ways. It was tough to see your daddy so affected by leaving us. But we are so confident in one another's abilities to cope and succeed in our time apart.