Our Growing Girls

I thought it might be nice to post a little update on how each of our girls just keep growing up (despite all my pleas for them to stay little :)

Alathea has seemed to officially left toddlerhood and seems like a true little girl! I don't know when or how this happened, but she certainly acts so grown up compared to a year ago. The biggest "event" is that she is now wearing underwear 100% of the time while awake. This is huge for me! I took the very laid back approach of being in "no hurry" and waiting until she "was ready"...but once her third birthday came and went, I realized I was really hoping she would magically train herself, and that some effort on my part must be put forth :) Since I set my mind to it, she has done great. I guess it was more training needed on my part than hers!!

I've always thought of Alathea as my little buddy, but now she's like my little friend. We actually have conversations together. Sometimes she'll plop down beside me on the couch and say in the cutest voice, "Whatcha want to talk about, Mom?" She just loves to talk. Even when she is "napping" in her room we hear her talking to "her friends" (stuffed animals all given the names of her real friends) for 30-40 minutes straight! Ha ha! She keeps us laughing.

Alathea is also quite the little helper. She actually likes to clean (must be from her Dad's genes) and she is good at it (again, from her Dad's genes). She'll help me with anything- dusting, mopping, dishes, laundry. I guess I should count my blessings now....I'm sure this won't last! But for now we try and make cleaning fun by singing that Mary Poppins song "Just a spoon full of sugar helps the medicine go down..." (plus I have her watch the room cleaning scene from Mary Poppins during her movie time :) I'm sure that helps.

Alathea is our girly girl...into princesses, dress ups, necklaces, babies, tea parties. I never in my wildest dreams imagined I would have a girly-girl. But I'm lovin' it. 

Alathea continues to be the most joyful and pleasant girl in the world except when that light switch is flipped and she suddenly has "toddler PMS". That is what we call it. We do address her sin when appropriate, we aren't trying to make light of it. But anyone who knows Alathea at all knows exactly what I am talking about. Julie & I joked that she doesn't have "the time of the month", its more like, "that time of the day". In other words, all that joy, vibrance, life & enthusiasm we just adore about her can sometimes be hit with a mood swing and she's just a heap of tears and we have a hard time knowing what caused the switch. It keeps us on our knee's, needing the Lords wisdom on how to help our sweet girl honor God even when her emotions don't feel like it. Like I said, she is SUCH a GIRL! Sometimes all she needs is a hug and she quickly resumes her joyful self.

Our Abbers, I can't even think of her without smiling. Maybe its just the cuteness and cubbiness of a toddleing one-year old trying to act grown up. She is our little firecracker. As happy & easy going as she has been and still is, this little girl knows what she wants and she will let you know now if she doesn't get it! It's fun seeing little parts of her personality grow...I feel like we are really getting to know Abi. Abigail is also a whirlwind, the kid just doesn't stop moving. She was such a quiet and calm baby. And there still is a quietness and calmness to her, but not a stillness! She loves to run and explore and climb. She gets into things that Alathea never would have even noticed at her age. Its been so fun seeing how different the girls personalities are! 

While I feel like Abigail is growing up so fast, I LOVE that she's in a Momma's Girl stage. I had to wait 12 months for this with her, so I am enjoying it all. She loves to cuddle, love holding my hand, follows me from room to room, wants me to hold her, cries when I leave...I finally feel special :) I know this will pass soon, so I'm trying to enjoy even the things that may be difficult (like doing the dishes with one hand :)

Like I said before, Abi is ACTIVE. And in all that activity, she doesn't talk much. Its that adorable stage where she understands everything, but says nothing. She does say a few words, "Mama", "Dada", "Yay-Yay", "Bye", "Ba-Be" (babie), "ball", "noooo"....and a few more (I'm ashamed I haven't been writing them down!). The past two weeks she's been trying to talk way more than ever, so I know she'll take off in speaking soon!

Abigail has some serious loves: her blankie, her sister, DA-DA (she always says his name so excitedly), being outside, babies (real or baby dolls), her beach ball, eating, sleeping (still two long naps a day!) and her Mama.  She adores Alathea, and try's to do everything she does. Its so fun watching them as sisters! This was a long post, so more on sisterhood later :)