Prayer

Jocelyn has been "saying" prayers with us for a few months. We will say something and she will repeat the last word we said. The last few weeks she has kind of been a stinker about it, but no big deal.

On Friday night (2/24) we had finished a fun day of visiting my Sister's family and were getting ready to had back home. It was bed time as well so we all knelt down for prayer. Jocelyn, at first said no. So Brandon started to pray. Then Jocelyn started quietly saying, "Heavenly Father. Thank you day." As Brandon continued she kept saying little things very quietly, "Illiam, Marie,Anne, Befany's house" Some I could not understand either. I tried to tell her to be quite at first because I didn't know what she was doing. However, she continued to say things until Brandon said Amen. In which she promptly copied him and finished her "prayer."

And now she is a praying machine. At dinner the next night she said three prayers. She would just stop what she was doing and pray. Apparently every prayer must include Befany's house. Either they really need some blessings or she is really thankful for them.

Things like this make it a little easier to deal with the sleep problems and tantrums.

2 Years

Two years. Two years ago we took this picture. Our little impatient alien baby was born.
The first birthday was a big deal for us. She gave us a tough first year, this was like the chance at another child. And she lived up to that expectation, minus the fact that she was still impatient.

First birthday party after devouring a cupcake. Little chunk loved it.

Now she is two. TWO! I am no longer the mother of a baby, but a child. Now I am officially old.

If there is one thing I can say about Jocelyn it is that she always makes life interesting. From the day she was born she has wanted to do everything herself from holding her head up to moving around and now, well....everything.

While she definitely does not leave much time for rest (especially since she seems to have severe reactions to sleep which include screaming and crying for hours on end) , she makes life quite hilarious and fun. We are so glad she is our little girl and cannot wait to see what year three brings.

Now for the part only family cares about. Stats and things she has learned:

Stats- Weight and head circumference- 70%
Height- 95%- she definitely did not get that from me.

She talks. A lot. I tried so to keep up with the words she was using but she picked up so many so fast I could not keep up. She now uses sentences and small phrases.

She started singing and making up her own songs on 2/25- We were at a friend's house eating and she started walking around humming a song with random words. "Daddy, looove....Happy...." it was cute.

She also "sings" along with her favorite Raffi songs. Though she really just says the lyrics along with the song

She loves to be a helper. She wants to help with everything. cooking, cleaning, carrying things.

She loves clothes and shoes. Loves. Them.

She also continues to LOVE cars and trucks.

Her favorite meal of all time is mac and cheese with peas and corn. Lately I have been struggling to get her to eat anything else.

Her second favorite thing is cereal. She is her fathers daughter through and through.

Valentines Day

Its that time of year again. The time of year where everyone is talking about love. Pink,red and white are everywhere and valentines are abundant. The time of year I was once excited to have Cory for. I finally had someone to celebrate this silly holiday with. I remember when we were first married I kind of made a ridiculously big deal about it too.

Its now been two years and one day since we found out about my brother-in-law taking his own life. The day before Valentines day. Since then, this day has just seemed so....superficial? Not sure if that is exactly how I would describe it but I cannot think of anything better right now. I just have not had much of a desire to celebrate it. At all.

Last year, I think Cory just accepted that I did not care and was ok with it. But this year he asked me why I did not want to do anything. When I told him he said he had never even paired the two and that I should let him do something.

I think the fact that Cory, the one who suffered a much greater loss than I, was encouraging me to celebrate today made me really think. I mean, most guys would take a reason to not have to celebrate Valentines day and run with it, right? So I started to look at the hearts and candies and not feel emotionless and almost annoyed. And I thought. A lot.

Valentines day is about celebrating those I love. I want Jocelyn to enjoy this time, she should not suffer because I am silly. So I am going to open up again. Get over the proximity of dates (dates are not really what matters anyway right?) and allow myself to move on.

I know it all sounds silly. I know it is silly I felt the way I did in the first place. But I am grateful to Cory for helping me get over it. So Happy Valentines Day everyone! Enjoy those you love, I know I will!

Yes, I am the mom who did that.

It is 4 am. The child absolutely refuses to sleep. And I have to say, I am not proud of my parenting skills tonight. I may have yelled at her. And possibly said some words that were not appropriate. Not bad, but not something I want her to learn. I have found that the older she gets, the less patience I have for not sleeping. I get grumpy. And right now, on night two of being up with her for hours while she is happy as long as she does not have to sleep, I am grumpy.

I love her, but if she does this tomorrow i may slip her some children's Benadryl....... Should I not be admitting that? I am open to any and all suggestions....

January in iPhone pictures.