Let's not forget about the time when you...

Became fasts friends with one of our lawn statues. 

Insisted on bringing chicken Elmo to the neighborhood fire.

Adopted Elf on the Shelf as your baby... In September.

Rocked this skeleton sweatshirt.

Used a TI-83 calculator as a phone.

So many fun moments with you baby girl! 

All my love,

Mama

Sweet Summertime

The summer is absolutely flying by us! We had a great July complete with a trip up to Baudette to see Papa's side of the family. You loved spending time with all of your cousins and aunts and uncles. In August we headed to Eagle River, WI to see Kely, Jesse, and Baby Eli. We also spent a weekend at great Grampa and Grandmas lake home. Here are a couple pictures of our adventures.

Thank you for all the precious memories baby girl,

Mama Bear

Your Baby Room

As I watched you climb your crib today I thought to myself, I better snap a few pictures to remember your baby room.

Your room has been a work in process, pulling together so many little details that make it a special space for you.

The monkey hanging from the ceiling was your mama's when I was little. The orange and blue puffs in the corner were from your first birthday party. The picture above your crib was a precious Baptism gift from your God Parents, Jesse & Kely. It reads, "Lita, You are fearfully & wonderfully made. Psalm 139:14" In your crib is your Elmo and Owl, those are your little lovies you sleep with each night. Behind Elmo and Owl is a stuffed animal your grandpa Larry bought me when I was younger.

Your small pink rocking chair was a Christmas gift from great grampa & great grandma. You love that chair. Your rug and toy dump truck are a couple of my attempts at gender neutral parenting. I hope you know and continue to understand that you can play with and be passionate about what ever you want even though you're a girl. 

You love having your own little space and I love that we can provide that for you.

All my love,

Mama

Little Sickie

We have had a rough few days baby girl... You are sick, first with fevers, now with a rash. Seeing you in pain leaves me feeling so helpless! We've had tons of cuddle time which I'm sure I'll be thankful for when you're older and don't want to cuddle with me BUT I think we both agree that we NEED a good nights sleep very soon or we're both going to go over the edge. Feel better soon baby bear.

Finally a moment of rest after your fever broke.

Snuggles and Elmo 

Ned and his crazy legs come to the rescue and cheer you up.

Love,

Mama 

Happy

I hate my job. I hate the weather (rain going away no time soon). I'm exhausted. I miss your papa. You miss your papa. You have a new sleep schedule which includes waking up at midnight and crying until I bring you in my bed to sleep for the remainder of the night. You wake up in the morning and ask for papa first thing. This morning I let you pick out a toy before heading to Abby's. You picked your Lego suitcase and when I asked if you were going to work you said "Dulut". All of this came to a head today and resulted in a tearful drive home from work. 

I don't know if you heard me crying or just knew what I needed to hear in that moment but in your little voice from the back seat you said "happy!". It reminded me to search for the joy in life.

Joy is owning a home to return to each day after a long days work. Joy is seeing you learn new words and expressions each day. Joy is eating Fruit Loops for an afternoon snack because you saw them out of the corner of your eye and decided that would be much better than the strawberries I was offering. Joy is our pigsty of a living room because you make so many new messes each day as you learn and discover. Joy is quality time with great friends. Joy is friends who know that times are tough and check in with you. Joy is adorable rainbow legwarmers. Joy is knowing that your papa will be coming home from Duluth in less than a month and that sunny days are ahead. The list could go on and on.

Baby girl, on the darkest days, I hope you take time to find the joy that is all around you because there is oh so much in this crazy, beautiful, life.

Little rainbows on these rainy days.

Love,

Mama Bear

Memories

Dearest Lita,

Lately I have been thinking a lot about what I most remember from my childhood and young adulthood. I could go on and on but a few things readily come to mind. Spook rides in my childhood home with your late grandpa, playing dress up with my best friend Mary, thrifting and garagesaling with your grandma, playing outside until dark at my Fridley house, many years of matching Christmas outfits with your grandma, time spent with family over countless games of spoons (where I was the sorest loser there ever was, every. time.), traveling to Mexico with your grandma and grandpa John... as I said, the list could go on and on.

You see baby girl, what is so special about these memories is that I remember them. And I remember them, because I wasn't staring at a screen tuning into what others were up to on social media at that moment. Right now, in the year 2014, people (your mama included) are completely consumed in technology, and their smart phones, and what they can learn about others' lives through social media. It is meaningless time spent mentally away from family and friends. It is time spent missing precious memories that are just flying by us while we tune into what everyone else around us is doing.

Today baby girl, we played. We laughed. We danced. We ate dinner at the table instead of in front of the TV watching Elmo or "ditties". You talked about your Papa and showed your excitement over going to see him in "Dulut" tomorrow. You talked about your nanny Abby. You said her name over and over again, you love her so much and she loves you. I watched every wobbly step you took as you still figure out this whole walking thing. We played downstairs on the newly carpeted floor where you chased the kitties around. We read books. You played with your plane. We spent precious moments physically and mentally, together. And overall we had a fantastic night because your mama just set down her phone for a few hours.

You don't need money to make memories. You don't need much of anything. All you need is the people you love and to be fully present in the moment you're in. Whatever is going on in the world of technology as you read this, please find the time to disconnect and be fully present with your friends and family. I am certain when you grow old you won't care about all those times you scrolled through your social media sites. You will however, care about the time you spent with your friends and family that you hold dear.

Even after I write this, I am certain I will still be on social media far too much. I'll need many more reminders to be present but hopefully as you get older we can continue making memories over simple moments just as we did tonight. These memories I'll forever hold dear.

The one photo I snapped tonight. Digging through your day bag and walking around saying "Abby".

Mama Bear

Life

Life is messy. There is going to be a lot more dirt that comes your way. Some of it will stink and some of it will hurt you physically, mentally, and spiritually. Keep playing through the dirt and you'll be just fine my love.

Mama Bear

Fancy things & lack there of...

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/5062838?utm_hp_ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false

I love this blog post and I would like to piggy back off of it but am headed to bed so saving it for another night.

Papa's Girl

It has been so fun to watch your love for your papa grow grow grow lately! You can't get enough snuggle time with him while he's here on the weekends! He loves you to the moon and back, baby girl!!

Mama

Catching Up

You're 14 months now. Just on the brink of walking and constantly getting into everything. Here are a few pictures of the past couple months.

Snack time with your doll Cute

Mama & Lita selfie (word of the yr for 2013, selfies are a big deal right now)

Your new friend, baby Eli. Born to Jesse and Kely on February 8, 2014

Hanging out in baby Eli's truck 

You were baptized at First Covenant Church in Duluth on March 9, 2014

Sea Life adventure at MOA

Lots if cuddle time with papa while he is home on spring break (he's currently working as a college instructor in Duluth)

All my love,

Mama

Baby girl you're 1!!

You turned one this past Sunday! Unbelievable! I sure wish time would slow down a bit. We had a "pancakes and pajamas" party for you on Sunday morning. It was a really good time with great friends. 

Your papa moved up to Duluth last week. He took a temporary job at UMD teaching for a professor that is on sabbatical. We miss him so much but I know it will be such a great experience for him!

All my love,

Mama

Your first vacation!

We're on the plane home from your first vacation! You had such an amazing time visiting grandma and grandpa in Mexico. You are sleeping soundly on my chest and are a true traveler after 5 plane rides now! The gift of travel was one of the greatest my parents ever gave me and I hope you're just as eager to explore the world.

Love you so much baby girl,

Mama