Dear Olivia, Month 22

Dearest Olivia,

Wow, what a month it has been! You had so much fun at Disney World! It has been a crazy few weeks with you, though. I was very stressed about your health most days. It started when you got a stomach bug while at Disney. Grandma Watts and I took you to an Urgent Care because you didn't stop vomitting. Then, off and on the rest of the trip you got sick. The 4 hour plane ride home was simply a nightmare - you got sick twice!  We thought it was from motion sickness, but once we were home, you still got sick.  We finally attributed it to at temporary milk intolerance so we stopped giving you milk for about a week. Just when we were ready to start giving you milk again, you got a fever and were fussy for about 4 days.  Finally on day 4 of this illness, I noticed a rash on your tummy. It was actually a relief to see that rash and know what was causing the fever (Roseola). Once the rash subsided, we gave you soy milk to to make sure your tummy could handle that before milk.  Well, you still got sick off of that after a few days - not sure if it is because you drank too much too soon or what. We finally tried skim milk since it is not so thick and so far your are doing fine with small amounts.  It has been so hard to withhold milk from you seeing as you used to have milk ALL the time!  Time will tell if this goes away or if it is permanent.

You are finally back to your normal self after being sick for about 3 weeks off and on and I am so happy! You laugh and bring such joy to our lives!

Love,
Mommy

Dear Olivia, Months 20 & 21

Oh my goodness are you a little stinker! You never cease to make me laugh! You have this look that you do in which you put your head down but look up with your eyes. It is a very guilty look! Just the other day you colored with chalk on mommy & daddy's bath mat that is off white. It was very colorful and your daddy and I were very impressed that you mostly kept in the lines of the mat and didn't get hardly any chalk on the ceramic tile!  Maybe we have a future artist on hand (you wouldn't get that from me)!

Anyways, you are talking so much now. You say a new word almost daily. A few of your favorite words are no (of course), graham cracker (aka gram cacky), me and many more!

Your mommy is your biggest fan and loves you very much!

The Best of 2011

Check out this video of photos from last year:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbRDR0q18wc

Happy Birthday, Sam!

Big 4 year old!

Elmo cupcakes (yep, I made them)!

Interesting way to eat a cupcake!

Louisville Slugger bat

Dear Sam, Month 48,

Oh my goodness, you are FOUR!! I have been thinking of your birthday quite a bit today and remember it well. I cannot believe it has been 4 years. Grandma Watts & daddy were there to welcome you to the world. I remember Mamaw and your daddy making lots of phone calls to tell everyone that you had arrived. You have been such a blessing to our family. You are loved SO SO much!

Now that you are four you have told me that you will start eating "mommy & daddy" food. You are quite a picky eater so I will need to get creative to have you try new foods. Believe me, mommy is about as excited as you are...(sigh).


This year will be such a fun year for you. We will go to DisneyWorld in a few weeks and you'll be playing soccer again in the Spring and then preschool in the fall. In a blink of the eye you will be in kindergarten but for now, you are still at home with us and we will try to cherish every single moment.


My life has never been the same since you arrived at 4:17pm on that Friday afternoon 4 years ago! I love you SO much!

Love,
Mommy

Olivia just being Olivia!

Samuel's new Rock-n-Roll Elmo from Santa!

Dear Samuel, Months 46 & 47

Again, I need to combine 2 months...sorry, buddy. 

We traveled to the Midwest in November to see family for Thanksgiving. You have become quite the expert traveler now that you have been on 8 airplane trips over the course of 4 short years! You understand now  that Elmo has to ride on the scanner belt along with everything else. This used to be quite the dramatic scene about a year or so ago. It's nice that you now understand that he will not be lost forever, but that he will come out on the other side.

Elmo did almost get lost forever, though, but not at the airport. You left him at the Disney store at the Galleria mall in St. Louis. By the time we realized it, we were already back at Mamaw & Papaw's house 30 minutes away. Uncle Brad came to the rescue, though. He went back after they had already closed for the night and rescued him and kept him safe until the next morning. Here is a picture of Uncle  Brad with Elmo at the mall.  Uncle Brad loves you very much!  Oh and poor Elmo, he sure is looking a little loved these days...

You had a great time playing with cousins in Ohio and using silly props from the photo booth at Jordan & Christina's reception. 

 

I love putting you to bed at night. We read 2 books of your choice. You typically choose the same 2 books for about a week until I beg you to read a new one. Lately your choice of books has been "Animal Alphabet" and either your "Jesus book" as you say (Children's Bible) or "The Very Hungry Cateprillar". If we read the Animal Alphabet, you like for me to tickle you each time you answer incorrectly.  The page will read, "A is for Anteater..." and I will say, "A is for..." you will then reply with another 'A' word even though you know it is Anteater, just so I will tickle you.  I must admit, some nights I just don't have the energy to tickle you but I wouldn't trade you laughing for anything in the world. 

Sometimes we will play a game where we go through the alphabet and say as many words that we can think of that start with a particular letter. I love hearing you say so many words for each letter and I also try to think of words with each letter. You laugh so hard when I think of words that you like. I could play this game with you over and over. 

Buddy, the next time I write one of these you will be FOUR! I absolutely cannot believe that my baby boy is growing up so fast. 

I'll love you forever, buddy!

Mommy