Dear Stella.

Oh Stells,
You feisty little thing. I often forget you are only two with all the spunk and personality you have. You talk my ear off these days and overnight decided you are now a big girl. The cutting off of the mullet helped the big girl appearance too. Your birthday was celebrated with cake, dinosaurs (at the Natural History Museum) and Captain Rio (a.k.a. Cafe Rio) upon your request. You didn't even care if you got gifts as long as you got cake, but we gave you some Duplos and a little backpack too. You finally are sleeping through the night a little better in your big girl bed but still get up at the crack of dawn. It makes for a grouchy Momma but i'm trying to work on that. Naps are becoming less and less frequent but often times you fall asleep in the car or on the couch right before dinner. You have decided you don't want to eat meat of any kind and will only eat all your other food if it is in tiny tiny bites. Meal times these days are sloooow. You seem to be happier each day if we can take a break and play outside. And you love to be hands on with things like blocks, Duplos and Play-Doh and have no interest in t.v or being read to. You would rather play and read alone in peace. I don't blame you ha. You love your sisters to death. You can always get a smile out of Mabel and you want to copy everything Nora does. Your Daddy and I love you to stars sweet Stella. Happy Golden Birthday!!
Love,
Momma

Dear Stella.

Tella Sue,
How did you get to be a year and a half?!? I was worried about bringing new baby Mabel into this family with you still seeming so young but you have grown leaps and bounds this past month. You speak a ton and love to play pretend with Nora. Today we gave up the bottles. You only cried for 5 minutes and then took a great nap (hopefully tonight goes as smoothly). You get super jealous when Nora gets to stand at the counter and help cook and you have to be stuck in a high chair, so lately we let you stand and "help" too. You no longer want lids on any sippy cups, you don't want to sit in a high chair or in the grocery cart. You are growing up so fast....and have grown a killer mullet! Here are a few of your favorite things as an 18 month old:

1. Dinosaurs
2. Airplanes
3. Pushing your bunny "Bubba" in the doll stroller
4. Duplos - Your most favorite toy. I definitely know what Santa is bringing this year!
5. Playing kitchen with sissy

Oh, and your favorite phrase (and first you ever said): "I farted."

Love you to the stars sweet girl!
Momma

Dear Sweet Ones.

I am sorry I have been a cranky/short tempered/beast of a mom lately. I am sorry for all the house hopping and the lack of normalcy I have forced upon you. I am sorry that you, Sweet Stella, turned 16 months and I hardly noticed. And you, My Tootsie, have been craving my attention and I have been blind to it. I love you both to the stars and back. You are my everything. I am going to be better. I am going to take you on adventures and be the "cool mom" I vowed to be years before I had kids. We are going to go camping and swimming and stay up late all summer because all too soon the summer will be over and we will find ourselves missing the ninety-something degree heat and long days. I am excited for fall and baby Mabel, but for now she is content in her watery womb and I am going to spoil you girls rotten. Love you!! -Mom

 Preferring the dog dish to her swimming pool.

 First time at the community pool.

 Tired baby #1.

 Tired baby #2.

BBQing with Papa Doug on the deck. (Costco jammies are a wardrobe staple around here)

 Enjoying Daddy's survival hammock.

Dearest Stella Sue.

You are ONE! I can't believe how fast the past year has gone and how much you have grown. I love all 23 lbs. and 30 inches of you. From your head to your toes I love you. You have a sweet and feisty personality and can always make me smile. You want to be "big" just like your sissy,  but don't grow up too fast sweet Stella. I love you to the stars Bubba!!! Happy (belated) Birthday.

Dear Stella.

In your tenth month you decided to become a mover and shaker. You walk on your own and started dancing every time you hear music. We learned you are going to become a big sister and weaned like a champ! You like to follow your sissy around like a lost puppy and want to be doing everything she is...even though she pesters you to no end. You LOVE dogs and stare at the wall everytime you hear Bucky and Birdie barking. I love you to the stars sweet Stella! I am one blessed momma to get to have you in my life. Happy 11 months darling baby. XOXO, Mommy

My Dearest Stella.

When people ask how old you are and I tell them ten months it feels like lies are spewing from my mouth. This month you have mastered the art of standing by yourself, standing and walking along the furniture, saying hi while waving it too and finally saying mama. You also will sometimes say mmmmmm when we ask what sound a cow makes or if you want more food. Your favorite passtime is following Tootsie around and you two will sit and play in the playroom for almost an hour on a good day without me needing to intervene. I pray every night that you will sleep through the night, but since you let me cuddle/rock you when I feed you at night it's not too bad. I'm sure you will soon enough. I have been battling the decision to wean and don't know what to do. You have been a pro at nursing so I hate to make you stop, but I think it will help with the sleeping problem. It is unreal that two short months we will be celebrating your first birthday. I love you to the stars and back my sweet Stella Sue. Love, Momma

Dear Stella.

Remember that time you turned nine months old and decided to pull yourselp up to standing and walk along furniture? Oh ya, that was Friday. You are not scared of anything, just another way you are a little Aaron. You also decided to give up on army style and crawl for real this month. And you now feel the need to be velcroed to me at all times. I can't wait to share your first Christmas with you! I adore the way you cautiously kneel in front of the tree and feel the pine needles over and over again, shuddering after each pointy touch. Love you to the stars my Bubba! Love, Momma

Dear Bubba.

I've been meaning to write this for days, but everytime I get you and your sissy down for naps I feel the uncontrolable urge to lay down too. I'm fighting that urge right now. Maybe that is because you and Tootsie like to wake up all night for some unknown reason. It's a good thing you are so cute, especially in the middle of the night. You don't want to hold still for anything right now. You squirm away when I change you and nearly fly out of my arms if you want to reach something. You wont even hold still to nurse; you grab my shirt play with my hair, or just wave your arm back and forth like a crazy person. I suspect you will be walking before you turn one. You still only army scoot instead of crawling but can cross a room if I turn my back for more than moment. You have started to reach for me and prefer me over anyone else. Sometimes I think it makes Daddy sad, but I secretly love it that you love me the most right now. I need that. I love you to the stars sweet Stella!
Love, Momma

Dear Stella.

My sweet girl. You are sleeping as I type and I am feeling so sad for you as you are teething and feeling yucky. I am a tiny bit sad for you to get teeth because I know it will mean the end of getting to see your darling toothless grin, but excited that you are growing/changing more and more everyday. Dad claims that you tried to crawl this weekend when we were at Nana and Papa's but I didn't see it. You are obsessed with food and will pull out the pterodactyl screech if you don't get it fast enough. For the life of me I can't figure out where the last 7 months have gone! I am very much looking forward to experiencing Fall with you and all the upcoming holidays. I love you to the stars and back my sweet Stella Sue!
Love Forever,
Momma

My Dearest Babes.

I am sorry I have been so testy lately. Unfortunately someday you will understand the peril of hormones and being women. Please forgive me for being angry one minute and crying like a boob the next. If you weren't asleep right now I would snug you both in your pink trundlebees. Love you to the stars!

Love, Momma

Dear Bubba.

You are wise beyond your years little one. You make me smile all the time and I could squish your adorabe rolls for hours! It is sweet to me that you cry when I leave the room, because I know you feel the special bond we have too. Thank you for choosing to come to our family. I love you to the stars and back! Happy six months my sweet Stella Sue. Don't grow up too fast.

Love You,

Mom