A letter to you...

Olivia,

You just turned two years old. You are absolutely amazing and brighten our life each and everyday. You are teaching Mommy and Daddy to smile, laugh, and view this world through the eyes of a child. It is a beautiful thing and we wish you would always see the world the way you do now. Life is simple, sweet and perfect, just like you! Big decisions are what snack you want while watching Cailliu or wether you want to play with barbie or your new puzzle. Another year has gone by and you are no longer our baby. You are so independent and such a little person now. You like to do everything for yourself and you talk in complete sentences now. You sometimes like to test Mommys patience with tantrums and most recently your artistic expressions on the walls of the house. It's really hard to stay upset when you look at me with those big beautiful eyes and say "I'm Sorry Mommy." We are quickly learning being parents that its only going to get more and more difficult the older you get. The whole discipline thing breaks our hearts but we know it is best. We hope you know how special you are to us and when you are in trouble it is only because we truly want the best for you. We love you more than anything in this world and no matter how old you get you will always be our little girl. ( I say this...but please please slow down and stop growing up and being so independent) Happy 2nd Birthday pretty girl.

All our love, hugs, and eskimo kisses,

Mommy and Daddy

Girls Day!

Today we spent the day shopping with Auntie Des at the Wrentham outlets. We went to lunch at Uno's where you ate a generous portion of pasta with a breadstick and apple juice. We spent a few hours shopping at all the stores, you fit right in and enjoyed spending the day with the girls! When we got to Gymboree (our favorite store) you were grabbing things saying "I want it, I want it" You are truly a girl after my own heart, and Daddy is in some serious trouble! You were amazingly well behaved the entire day and because of that we made a special trip to Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory where you picked out a chocolate teddy bear pop. We had a really great day and Mommy was so proud of you.

He came home.

As I sit here and await the Series premiere of the new lifetime show "Coming Home" a million emotions soar through me. I remember Daddy's deployment to iraq like it was yesterday. I remember the night he left as much I would like to make that night a blur. I remember every single detail. We went to dinner at OCharleys with Grammy and Grandpa, shared laughter, a delicious meal, and good wishes for a safe and quick deployment. The hours went by like minutes, and the minutes like seconds. There was nothing I wanted more than that dinner to last forever, it ended as quickly as it started though and before we knew it Grammy and Grandpa were dropping us off at Camp Lejeune so that Daddy could pack up his final things. All the men in the squad shaved their heads.....don't ask me why, it was anything but flattering. Daddy's roommates and one of his best friends (who we will be seeing very soon for his wedding) Dave Bennett was there preparing for the deployment and going over the checklist of gear that needed to be packed. I had never seen so much gear, green and brown and a checklist a mile long. When bags were finally packed and checked and checked and checked again we finally ventured outside to where the buses would come to pick them up. It felt like we waited forever. Well, we pretty much did wait outside for hours. Just waiting, saying Goodbye, kissing, and hugging and hoping those buses would never show up. But they did. The dreaded buses came rolling in sometime around 2 am if I remember correctly. Once they got there it felt like everything happened so quick. Within minutes the buses were loaded with gear, and Marines we piling in. That final Goodbye, last hug and kiss before he walked away and got on that bus is overwhelming. Feelings of fear, sadness, and worrying that you may never see this amazing man again. When those buses drove away I couldn't decide if I should run after it, cry, or go back to the hotel room. I decided crying and going back to the hotel room would be the most logical choice. I think we stayed at the hotel for 3-4 hours before we decided it would be best to just start the drive home from North Carolina to Massachusetts. No one was getting any sleep staying there waiting until morning anyways. So, Grammy and Grandpa drove Mommy back home. During the drive we heard from Daddy to tell us they were boarding the planes and headed to Germany before Iraq. He said he would call when he could and that was it, off he went. Over the next 7 months there were times I would get a phone call everyday and other times we would go a week or two before hearing anything. It was the longest 7 months of my life. I can honestly say I have never been so worried, stressed, and attached to my cell phone. I was so afraid I would miss a call, I wouldn't shower, go to the bathroom, go to work without it in my hand at all times. I'll never forget the one time I left my cell phone in the other room on vibrate by accident and took a nap in the other room and fell asleep. I missed 3 calls that day, until Daddy finally called the house. Its amazing how important a 5 minute phone call is when you don't know when you would get another one. Great Grammy Mal lit a candle every single week Daddy was gone. Someone was watching over him while in Iraq. Every deployment is different, and everyone has different experiences but I feel blessed at the number of times Daddy was able to call and check in. We were even able to use the web cam 2 times to see each other.

Now homecoming....this I can really recall each and every single detail. The day daddy came home was hot and humid and out of the 7 month deployment it was probably the longest day of the 7 months. Mommy spent hours getting dressed, doing her hair and makeup only for it to be washed away from the dampness in the air. It didn't matter though. We hung signs up on the fence where the buses would drive by before making it onto base. We waited and waited and waited until finally those buses pulled up. I can't say I remember him walking off that bus since in the sea of Cami's I couldn't find Daddy. Everyone else could, Auntie Des, Uncle Clyde, and Grammy and Grandpa were all there in North Carolina waiting for him. They spotted Daddy in a second pointing him out to Mommy who stood there saying "where? I don't see him?" Right up until he was standing in front of me, picking me up and hugging me one of the best hugs I've ever experienced. He was home, he was safe, I had the love of my life back in my everyday life. We knew that would be his final deployment and we could finally start our life together.

As I watch these children and babies welcome home their Daddy's it literally breaks my heart. I thank god that you were not born yet when Daddy had to deploy. If there is something harder than a deployment....I would say it would be a deployment when you have kids. I just cant even begin to feel the pain I would feel telling you Daddy wouldn't be home tonight when you asked "wheres Daddy." All the military wives that are home waiting for these deployments to end are the strongest people I know. Daddy is home and his contract with the Marine Corps is done, he served his country and we are so proud of him. As much as he would like to be with his brothers in Afghanistan, he has another important job now....being home with his girls.

Come swing on by for a Birthday Party! Our little Monkey is turning two!

(this cake is from pinkcakebox.com)

A complete change of heart in your 2nd birthday party plans. The theme for this years birthday party is going to be Monkeys!! Since you are our little monkey and love monkeys its a perfect fit! I have already ordered your adorable dress, picked out invitations, have sent the picture of the cake we are going to have made to the baker, and decided on favors. We have one major dilemma...we have yet decided where to have it! When writing the guest list we counted 60 plus people. So much for having a small party this year. Anyways, our house can not exactly accommodate 60 people so now we are trying to figure out where to have it. I know it really doesnt matter as long as our family and friends are there to celebrate with us, but I just want to make sure everyone is comfortable and has a great time.

2nd Birthday Party Planning

In just two very short months you will be turning two years old. I feel like just yesterday I was writing a blog about your 1st birthday party planning. Wow, what a difference a year makes in the life of a 22 month old. You are a little person with ideas, wants, needs, a view on this crazy world that is only yours. You have opinions, throw tantrums, and most importantly are the sweetest little thing I have ever seen. You say things like

"Goodnight Mama, Sweet Dreams, I love you".

"Be careful driving Daddy we love you"

"I'll find it"

"Oh My Gawwwwd"

and so many more things I could no way list them all here! Your vocabulary is amazing and it makes me think back to when you were just a few months old and my biggest worries were if you would develop normally and learn to talk and how do I know if I am teaching you all the right things in order to get you to talk. Should I give you the pacifier or will that delay your speech, are sippy cups ok or are they better with straws? I have no idea what we did right or wrong with you....or if it even mattered either way. I do know however it was a big old waste of time worrying and I should have just enjoyed the ride a little bit more. You would learn at your own pace and you would be fine! I can remember stressing because you weren't walking on your first birthday....is everything ok? Why isn't she walking yet? What a waste of time....the day you learned how to walk you started running the next day. Now you are jumping and skipping and perfect!

Anyways I have two months to reminisce on your second year of life, no need to get emotional already. Really though, your second year in this world is already almost behind us and now we are moving onto bigger and better things, like potty training and preschool or atleast thinking bout those things. Scares Mommy to death, but hopefully I remind myself over and over to enjoy this ride and watch this life through your eyes to truly enjoy it

2nd birthday party bash is going to be on Saturday April 2nd (your actual birthday) at Amazement in Bradford. We are going to do a Strawberry Shortcake theme. Mommy has found the invitations she wants to order, and a cake that she wants made. The only other ideas we have so far are all the guests making their own strawberry shortcakes! We will just base the whole party around strawberry themed foods and of course Mommy has found you the perfect strawberry outfit! Heres a little sneak peek at the planning!

Birthday cake will look something similar to this....http://www.flickr.com/photos/claricakes/2581258630/

Invitations will be made from this seller on etsy and look just like this.....http://www.etsy.com/listing/66112745/strawberry-birthday-invitations?ref=sr_list_18&ga_search_query=strawberry%2Binvitations&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=3

Full time stay at home Mommy!

Never in a hundred years would I have guessed I would ever be given the opportunity to be a full time stay at home Mommy. It's happening though, and I couldn't be happier. Thanks to Daddy, "Generous" Electric, and Auntie Jenny. Mommy is given the opportunity she never thought possible, to stay at home full time with you and baby Jacob. You will have your cousin around to play with during the day.

If someone had asked me just 5 years ago where I pictured my future I would have never said being a stay at home Mom. Not because its not what I wanted, its just something I never believed possible. I'm about to experience life with two under two (part time) This could be the deciding factor if you will ever get a brother or sister. I cant make any promises.....Jacob is such fun, but at the end of the day he goes home and you go to bed! You are amazing and you like to sleep at night, Mommy does too.......

I have a feeling my posts may be getting a whole lot more interesting with our days filled with fun, chaos, and funny stories! I can't wait and wouldn't want it any other way!

Snow!

We have gotten an absurd amount of snow this winter, every week the news is predicting another major storm for New England. Its February 3rd and we have no place else to put it! The first few storms were fun to watch, play in, and be stuck inside for, but we've had enough and are more than ready for spring! Cabin fever has set in.....we've been spending a lot of days stuck inside reading, coloring, watching the wiggles, and baking! Last snow storm we made homemade honey wheat bread. You even helped out a little with the mixing!