Elizabeth

I have to admit something I have been denying, avoiding even, for days.  Elizabeth isn't a toddler any more.  My baby is growing up and it makes my heart ache.  I miss her babyness and her chubby little legs.  I miss her uncoordinated attempts to run and dance.  In her place I am left with this beautiful, graceful child.  As I watch her run, dance and twirl, climb, talk, and curtsy I see brief glimpses of the young woman she will become.  It fills me with hope and puts a band aide on my aching heart.  Elizabeth is...amazing.  There is really no other word for her.  She will put on a Cinderella dress and clean up a mess.  She will run for diapers and wipes when I find I am out.  She will help Abigail wash her hands, wipe her nose, or clean up when she spills water.  She is my princess, mini me, little mother, ballerina, rough and tumble, play in the dirt in a tutu, climb every tree she can girl.  I can't believe how she has grown and I am so proud of her beauty, grace, love, patience and service.  I feel so blessed to be her mother and I look forward, with great anticipation, to the years ahead.  I hope she will always be my best friend and giver of the best morning hugs.

Little mother

This is my busy Lizzy.  Miss Elizabeth is into every thing.  All the time.  She loves to hide in the cupboard, take baths and swim, fully clothed or otherwise.  She loves to take care of her babies help me clean, and spin in circles.  She is my girl.  One of them anyway.  Today while I was cleaning the kitchen she started to help put the dishes away, gather the dishes from the table and floor and then sweep.  Whenever she hears Abigail cry she runs to help if she can and if not she comes to get me so I can help her.  

One of my favorite things about her is that she loves her brother Glen so much.  She *has* to walk him out to the bus stop and get him from the bus too.  She sees the bus and she starts to run and yells "Gen!"  She just lights up when he gets home.  She does the same for Daddy.  She is a big daddy's girl.  She calls him "Mom" though, so does that make her a mama's girl? ;)

Elizabeth is now starting to sit with me and let me read books to her, but she wants to hold it and turn the pages so I better have that book memorized.  She speaks in sentences, mostly 2-3 words, but she is trying.  She is *SO* obedient.  She will throw things away for me, come back when I ask and do just about everything I ask.  I remember when the boys were like that.  I'll cherish it while it lasts. She is also a dare devil like Glen.  Oh boy!  My darling little Lizzy, she sure keeps me on my toes.

Pure enjoyment

For the past few weeks I have really been enjoying motherhood.  Could it be the new baby you ask?  Yes, but it so much more then that.  I do not do pregnant well.  I am impatient, tired, sick, angry, and want to just be left alone.  All. The. Time.  This isn't good for kids.  The last, wow, it's been almost a month, I have had energy and felt good and so I have enjoyed...well, being alive.  We have made trips tot he park, gone on walks, read books, wrestled, built forts, I have given pony rides and chased kids around the house.  Even being tired from night feedings, even frustrated at my inability to help sick kids, and the stress of so much...new-ness, has not put much of a damper on this enjoyment.  In the last few days I have cheered over spilled cereal, responded calmly to hot chocolate in the carpet, tickled, laughed, and played tag.  Nothing compares to being a mom.  Nothing is more stressful, more worrisome, or on the other hand more fun, or more rewarding. Here is just a sample of the enjoyment of the past month.

Big brother likes to give me baths in my clothes.

Elizabeth

 Elizabeth's turn!  I can't tell you how happy I was to find out I was having a girl.  Boys are fun, but they are not girls.  The day Elizabeth was born I just could not get enough of her.  I didn't want them to take her for any reason, when we got home I wouldn't even let John hold her very often.  He made me share with him and his mom, but I sure didn't want to.
She is so full of peace and happiness, always smiling.  She brings me so much joy.  It's hard not to smile when she climbs to the top of the toy shelf, stands up straight and tall and grins for all the world, as if she is saying, look at what I did!  She is a monkey! She is a determined girl, I can see it in how many times she climbs back on to the shelf right after falling off, in the way she will push, pull, and drag chairs to where she wants them no matter what is in the way.  She is independent.  She does not like me to feed her or even help her eat.  She never wants to sit still and changing her or getting her dressed is a struggle because she just won't hold still.  Despite her independence and determination she is also patient.  She lets her brother carry her around and wrestle her to the ground with such a long suffering look it makes me laugh.  And when she comes over for a hug or climbs in my lap for a short cuddle it just melts my heart.  I still can't get enough of this sweet girl, my Elizabeth.

First Birthday

I cannot believe it has been a whole year since Elizabeth joined our family.  I can remember being in the hospital with her.  I enjoyed being there, having time just the two of us, knowing that when we got home just us would include 3 others.  I could not get enough of her.  I always wanted to be with her, to hold her, touch her.  Even after we got home and she had a hard time sleeping at night I loved it.  I loved holding her, sleeping next to her.  I could tell from the beginning that she was a very sweet happy girl and she has become the sweet, happy girl I knew she would be when she was born.
There is always that sadness to see my baby growing up, but I wouldn't stop it for the world.  She is so fun to play with!  She lets me read to her now, she LOVES to explore different textures and sounds.  She enjoys climbing and sitting on her brothers, and tickling their bellies.  Elizabeth has an amazing ability to pull Benjamin out of a bad mood.  She laughs at just about everything now, and is always smiling.  She loves to play with big Lego's and knock over block towers.  She has been walking for 2 months now, and when I catch her with something she shouldn't have she turns to look at me, gets an impish grin on her face and runs for it.  She is such an imp.  She is our princess, but she is an into everything, always busy, lots of trouble princess, and we love every minute of it!
The morning of her birthday came and I was trying to get the house clean after being sick for a few days.  I started on the dishes and Benjamin started crying, he had thrown up and was running a fever.  So I called all of the grandmas and honorary grandmas and canceled the birthday party.  I had already baked the cake and wrapped the presents so I decided we would have a quiet family party.  I left off the house cleaning to take care of Benjamin only to find out Elizabeth was sick too!  Happy birthday, huh?  We ended up having a lazy day and then after dinner called John in Virginia.  We got on the computer and we set up Elizabeth's high chair in front of the computer so daddy could see.  We gave her her presents and she actually tore the wrapping paper off!  She got some books from mom and Grammy as well as some Dulpo Lego's.  Then I brought out the cake.  She tore into that like there is no tomorrow.  She picked up this huge piece and just started shoving it in her mouth.  It was a lot of fun to watch, especially considering that Glen didn't want his cake because it was sticky and he hated being sticky, and Benjamin wasn't interested at all in cake on his birthday.  She was the first one of our kids to go at it and we all enjoyed watching her immensely.
Even though three of us were sick, over all it was a good day.  I am so grateful for my sweet, happy girl.  She brings us so much joy! I am also grateful for the technology that allowed us to share her birthday with her daddy, even though he is on the other side of the country.  Happy birthday to my smiley, book loving, imp of a princess.

Elizabeth

 John reminded me that I have neglected my blog and haven't posted about Elizabeth's birth.  Here she is, isn't she just darling?  Elizabeth was born on the 16 of December, Jane Austin's birthday, I think it only fitting my girl should be born on my favorite author's birthday.  :)  I just can't get enough of her!  She is so sweet, so calm, and just perfect.  I love how she opens her mouth like she is going to really scream and then lets out a little squeak instead.  I love how she cuddles up to me when I lay down with her and how she sighs so sweetly when I pick her up.  Elizabeth is such a joy!
I'm really enjoying the fact that I am no longer pregnant.  Man!  That was one tough pregnancy.  I had people tell me not to be in a hurry, babies are easier inside, but they didn't know how miserable I was.  I'm tired now, waking up every two hours has that effect, but I have more energy, I don't hurt all the time, and I can eat food without being sick for days.  I can wrestle with my boys, climb, run, pick stuff up, clean...I fell amazing.  Everyone keeps telling me to take it easy and rest, but I just spent the last nine months resting, I'm ready to play, work and head back to the gym.
Life is wonderful, my husband has a week off school, I have my darling little girl, and I feel great!  Have a happy new year friends!