Top Books

Paris has always loved books. They've always been her favorite type of "toy".  She'll bring me book after book to read to her and just recently she's been wandering off into her room and looking at some by herself. This is a big turning point since she doesn't really ever wander too far from the mama. These were always her preferences for board books: 

However now she's really liking the actual paper pages and longer story books!  These are her most chosen:

She never rushes story time by turning the pages or moving on to the next book too quick.  It's our special time and I'm happy she's a book worm!  

Well it is safe to say that my sister, Emily is the Apple of Paris's eye. Belle's too.  Our whole house comes alive when Auntie Em gets home from work.  She uses the garage door code and as soon as it begins to rise both of my girls run to sit by the door and patiently wait to give her lovins'.  Emily has been living with us for about a month now.  She is in the transition phase between selling and buying a home.  So we are the lucky ones who get to keep her for as long as she'll stay!  

Yoga Thought

Today at the end of yoga, I had about 1 minute to ponder.  That single minute produced one of my most profound moments.  So profound in fact it brought a few tears.  As I lay there in happy baby pose, eyes closed, breathing deeply, I got lost in who I am.  I thought about everything that has been joyful- from childhood to adulthood.  I thought about everything that caused me pain and therefore caused me to stretch beyond {what I thought was} my breaking point.  

I am so grateful for every single experience I have ever had.  Those moments where I thought I couldn't be any more at peace and the moments where I thought it would be easier to not exist.  

I am grateful for who I am because of what I have been through and because of the people who have loved me. 

I took a second to think who I would be if my past did not exist.  What the core of me would be without my history.  Then class ended and I have spent all day caught in that moment.  

Balloons and my Baby Girl

She is TWO?!

Whoa whoa whoa.  Time is going too fast now! I cannot believe that 5 days ago Paris turned two.  Two years of having her in our life 24/7.  Two years of not being pregnant.  Two years of Dusty being a Dad!  Wow.  I know that I say this about every stage she has been in, but I love having a toddler!  Paris is so much fun, such a teaser, loves to laugh and trick me, loves hide and seek, peek a boo, singing and Elmo.  She still loves trying on new clothes but not as much as a few years ago.  She now loves when I take her photo because she somehow figured out on her own how to open the photo on my phone and edit it in different colors... yeah, she also loves technology.  I am sure it is more common for kids now to be familiar with it but Paris does amaze both Dusty and me with how she can just figure our phones and iPads out.
She had her two year checkup and everything looks great!  She is going on week two of potty training and has done really good.  She hasn't graduated to just big girl undies yet but is in daytime pull ups and at night, diapers. She weighs (with clothes on) 22 lbs and is 30 inches tall.  Tiny tiny baby girl.  She eats non-stop so I have no idea how she is still so light.  We did switch her to a front facing car seat position and she really loves watching us talk and point things out to her.
She was a good girl this year and we basically celebrated her birthday all week.  She had two parties.  The first was the most fun with just mom and dad.  The second was with two of her playmates and their moms, us, Auntie Em, Uncle Seth and Grandma and Grandpa Wright.  We played, sang a few songs, played ring around the rosey, snacked, opened presents and ate cake!  She seriously blew out both of her candles on the first try and I was amazed but realized she is growing up.
So here are just a few photos from the festive party!  (My computer imported the photos in a sepia-toned preset for some odd reason and I didn't take the time to switch it back...kinda looks cool though.)

Awaiting her sprinkle pancake Birthday dinner

Balloons from G&G Wright

Happy Birthday to you Paris!

She had two slices of Birthday cake this year (and wanted more...)

Friends Woodland & Elly came to help her celebrate

She felt very special and loved

Clapping for herself after she smiled for the last photo!

Paris was so sweet that she let her friends help her open her gifts

One of her favorite gifts was a new baby doll and stroller.  She also received a karaoke machine, a lot of cute outfits, her very own personalized bath towel, a Minnie vacuum cleaner, art supplies, a special book and money for her savings account.

Christmas

It is truly the best time of the year.  As I age I love this holiday more and more.  I have learned to appreciate so much more the giving and receiving that takes place and the love that abounds when done graciously.  I love the decorating, the baking, the shopping (yes even the lines and crowds), the wrapping, the snuggling, the snow, the lights, the dark mornings...  Winter is beautiful and winter's prized possession is Christmas.  Christmas is about Christ and all He represents.  He represents peace, love, charity and forgiveness.
We have done so so many fun things and the best is yet to come.  Here are some cheesy grinned photos of baby Paris.  She sure loves her Christmas tree & family.  My kind of gal.

An Elephant Never Forgets

This is my last project for a while!  We will be leaving for Thanksgiving break to head to Houston to visit Jord and family!  It will be so nice to have the girls together,, be in warm climate and enjoy the delicious & festive cookings of my sister!
So I decided to use up some left over fabric and create a fabric memory game.  You remember the one that looked like this

But you know, the cards get ripped, someone takes a bite out of one of the cards or one gets thrown away ruining the entire game...so, I made a fabric one.
I got a patterned flannel fabric and cut 20 - 3" squares, put in two layers of batting and cut 10 pair of 3" squares out of random left over (but still cute!) fabric.  I'm going to find a cute box and print out 'An elephant never forgets' and either mid podge it on or use vinyl.  Figured I'd name it that since I used elephant print flannel for the backs of the squares!
This project only took about 2 hours, including tons of interruptions such as spilled milk all over our new coffee table, Paris finding my lipstick and smearing it all over her face and hands, answering the phone hearing my mom and dad sold the house they had listed in Idaho and cleaning the kitchen from our dinner party last night.  All in all what I am sayin' is it was EaSy! Try it!

Elephants were appropriate, right?

Total of 20 squares (2 of each fabric)

Finished with the fancy Pinking Shears for a little flair