And She's.....2!!!!!!!

***Warning*** (Picture overload!)

Jaycee,

Happy, wonderful 2nd birthday!! Putting this post together gave me more chest tightness than I've ever had, but it was because I was fighting the tears. (More like, fighting them off the keyboard before it ruined the computer!)

I sit here almost dumbfounded at how to even type about your second year. I think that's why I finally decided to let the pictures do most of the talking. I went back and put on here some of my most favorite pictures/memories of you, that I didn't want to forget from this past year, and I found myself in picture overload, but didn't care!!

I hope you look back at these one day with a smile on your face, feeling the love that is in each of these pictures. I hope you see your happiness, and how much happiness you poured out to everyone around you.

You have gone from a barely walking baby, to a beautiful, full of energy, life and personality little toddler!! Every single day, I find myself not wanting to do anything but soak everything about you in. I had no clue I could love you as much as I do.

Your daddy and I lay in bed at night and just talk about you and the things you did that day, or something new you started saying or doing! You amaze us, make us proud, and we couldn't be more blessed that God gave us you.

Enjoy watching yourself grow in these pictures!! I couldn't do it without crying, but they sure are cute!! I thought this past year was a blast!! :)

You eat well. I can't get alot of veggies down ya, but you'll do fruit all day

You sleep from 8pm to 7am

You take around a 2 hr nap a day. I usually crash too!

You are absolutely impossible to change your diaper. I have to have short prayer times before each change.

You dance and dance and dance! If there's music on in the car, you're bobbing your head

You think everything is HYSTERICAL!! I love that you laugh all the time

You have gone from barely saying "momma" to full blown sentences. I love it!

My favorite thing is when you come at us with your arms open and you're yelling, "I love you soooo much!" (I can't get enough of it!)

I love how when we sing Jesus Loves Me everynight at bedtime, you sing it now too, and you sing it sooo loud!! hahaha.

Your terrible two fits to me are honestly, hilarious!! So many times I have to turn around to laugh so you can't see me. You're so dramatic!

Fresh Beat Band, Dora, and Elmo are your favorite things to watch on tv

You drive Walker absolutely nuts!!!

You hate to be "restrained" by means of a carseat, stroller, or cart. I'm starting just to let you walk everywhere! It's much less of a battle and it wears you out!

You love love love your baby dolls, and watching you tell them night night and pat their backs, makes my heart melt

You love to help me clean. I always have to give you a damp paper towel, and you'll go to town for hours with that! Not to mention the kid broom and kid vaccuum you use daily!

You're turning into a daddy's girl

You wear 2t clothes and size 6 shoe currently

At your 2 year check up you weighed 26lbs (50th percentile)

And you were 35 inches tall (80th percentile). I wouldn't have EVER thought that!

You hate having anything on your feet. The first chance you get your shoes and socks are off!!

You're able to work my cell phone in ways I don't know how to work it.

You love to have your nails painted and you always have a purse on your shoulder!

You are obssessed with your grandparents!! We're so blessed you have them!

Your new favorite indoor game is playing, "Ready, Set, Go!" And you take off running to one of us!! I love how you have your arms open wide running to us!

You love animals of any sort!!

You still twirl your hair when you're tired.

You can count to 11 all by yourself!

You know all of your basic primary colors

You are very stubborn, and very strong-willed. Mentally wears this momma out sometimes- but I know it's a good quality!

When we go in your room to play you immediately tell me to "sit." I think it's your way of making sure I don't go anywhere and that you have my full attention! haha.

The only way you'll watch tv is standing up leaning against the couch.

The paci use is only at bed time now! We're getting there

As much as you don't like diaper changes, you really don't like a wet or dirty diaper. You'll strip right in the middle of the livingroom. Potty training is in a few short weeks when I 'm off work!

You love to play my piano. I see me giving you lessons in another year!

You love to jump on beds and watch yourself in the mirror!

You hate having your hair fixed everyday!!

You pretend play so well!! I love learning your little creative mind!

You have FINALLY mastered the spoon and fork. You actually get upset now if you think your hands have to get dirty

We have managed for 2 years to never allow you to sleep in our bed with us. While it's probably a good thing, I'd love to be able to nap with you!!

Everyday I become more amazed at your personality, at your inner beauty, and whatever new you are doing.

I am so blessed to be your mom, and your dad is beyond words in love with you too!!

I cannot wait to see what year 3 holds!! It blows my mind already thinking about it.

HAPPY 2ND BIRTHDAY JAYCEE ANABELLE!!! WE LOVE YOU TO THE MOON AND BACK!!

I've been out of commission. But for good reason! ;)

So instead of rambling on and on about why I haven't blogged in what seems like years (which I will do later in the post), I'll just get to the overall summary of the past month and a half. So of course Jaycee is 23 MONTHS OLD, and for hormonal reasons (that I'll share later ;) ) I have not handled her being almost 2 well at all!! I know it's just a number, but not being able to say she's "one" anymore soon hits me hard!!

I do have to admit though- we are having A BLAST!! We have been busy, busy, and she is just getting more and more fun to "spend" time with!

I absolutely love this picture below. The dog was literally pulling her, but she giggled so hard the whole time!!! She LOVES walking the dog. I can't wait until she gets to take over full responsibility!! They really are BFF!!

And of course, at some point in the last month or so, Halloween flew right by us!!! We had fun going to "Boo at the Zoo" and also our church hosted "Nut Night" which THOUSANDS of people came out for food, rides, games!! It was a blast!!

Below is Josh and Jaycee while we were on the "tilt a whirl" at Nut Night. She absolutely LOVED it. Of course, ours didn't really whirl much. I laughed b/c everyone else was spinning there's as fast as they could, and we just kinda sat there and let Jaycee enjoy the ride!! HAHA!

There was waaay to much to look at for her to get a good picture!! But I sure do love my bumblebee!! :)

Getting to actually trick or treat this year was so much fun too!!! Once she got the hang of things, and realized they were giving her candy, we would leave one house and she would yell, "MORE MORE!" HAHAHAHA.

She'll be 2 in just 2 1/2 weeks and I guess I have to admit, my little girl is growing up!! :)

And since I'm not handling well that she's "technically" not a baby anymore...guess what we did...

.......

........

Oh yes we did....

WE ARE EXPECTING!!!!

We found out on Oct. 2nd! I had gone to WalMart, and while I was there, I went ahead and bought some tests, telling myself this time I wasn't going to pee on them every 2 hours, and since I was still 6 days before my period, I told myself to wait 2 more days!! (Of course if you know me, that didn't happen!)

I came home, and IMMEDIATELY hid them from Josh! Yes, I did. He gets so mad when I buy them, b/c he knows once I buy them, until red flow arrives...our bank account diminishes a few dollars every day!! :)

ANYWAYS, odd thing is- we were watching "Knocked Up!" No lie. It was 2 in the afternoon, I had to pee and since a "free" one came in my pack this time, I rationalized the fact that I could "burn" the free one and then not test for a couple of days!!

Low and behold...the pictures above, are the pictures of me the day we found out!! I don't know about you, but being 6 days early at 2pm. I thought the line was pretty dark. I peed, sat it down, and immediately saw something forming. The "oh crap, oh crap, oh crap!" kept coming out of my mouth!! hahaha. I SERIOUSLY was not expecting it. Excitement, joy, thankfulness, the already "mommy worry" all came at once!!!

So what's kept me out of commission??? There are not numbers for how often I've been sick this pregnancy! 6 weeks greeted me with sickness beyond knowledge!! I am currently 11 weeks, and am JUST NOW not vomiting more than once or twice a day!!

I wasn't sick at all with Jaycee. Felt wonderful, felt great, on top of the world. This pregnancy has had me on the couch, head barely off the pillow, trash can in reach, and still having to care for a toddler!!! Can you imagine the tears that I have cried?!!? hahahaha.

I have been awe struck at how sick you can be while pregnant, and granted it might be worse b/c I'm trying to care for a 2 year old, but oh my gosh!! For WEEKS (no exaggeration), if Josh came home and Jaycee was dressed and fed- we had accomplished the day!! Me showering, getting dressed, eating- I can honestly say I don't know if I did any of those things for days in a row!!!! Josh would come home and DO EVERYTHING, and I would sit on the couch and watch him and cry out of guilt but there was physically nothing I could do about it. I was a puking zombie!!! I have to have the best husband alive!! He stepped up to the plate and took care of me, Jaycee, the dog, this house- for not just a day- but for weeks!!!!! I owe him big time!!

I am finally starting to feel better!!! And finally am returning to feeling like a mom and a wife again!! :) I went to the doctor on Nov. 4th and this is what we saw...

Makes every horrible day, every puking moment, every exhausted, can't go on day....

COMPLETELY WORTH IT!!!!!!

(yes, my body knows exactly what to do this time- we're stretching on out!)

Please join us in praying for another healthy baby to join our family!!! :) Our due date is June 12th!